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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ICON retains lead as most active CRO in Q1 2025, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    ICON retains lead as most active CRO in Q1 2025, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    ICON maintains its place as the most active contract research organization (CRO) for Q1 2025 and Russia keeps its spot with the most clinical trials initiated in Europe despite the ongoing war with Ukraine, according to a report by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report “Q1 2025 Clinical Trials: CRO, Sponsor & Country Winners,” reveals that France moved up its position from fourth place in Q1 2024 to second in the region.

    Kathryn Kinch, Pharma Product Manager at GlobalData, comments: “AstraZeneca led among large- and mega-cap sponsors of drug trials. Oncology trials dominated the landscape, making up the largest share of new trials, with solid tumors as the most studied indication and pain leading in central nervous system research.”

    The report also identifies the top 10 trial sites in North America, Europe, and the rest of the world based on the number of trials initiated. On a global scale, oncology was the leading therapeutic area of focus. 1,513 oncology-related clinical trials were either launched or scheduled to commence in Q1 2025. Following closely behind, central nervous system (CNS) diseases accounted for 1,421 trials, reflecting a robust commitment to addressing complex neurological challenges.

    However, the quarter did see a slight dip in both oncology and CNS trials compared to the previous year, where 1,573 and 1,438 trials were recorded, respectively. Within oncology, solid tumors dominated the landscape with 1,194 trials, while pain management emerged as the most studied indication in the CNS category, boasting 671 trials.

    The CRO Activity and Intel report is published on a quarterly basis. The data presented in this report reflects the database as of April 10, 2025.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: International observers to Romania’s repeat presidential election second round to hold press conference on Monday

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

    Headline: International observers to Romania’s repeat presidential election second round to hold press conference on Monday

    International observers to Romania’s repeat presidential election second round to hold press conference on Monday | OSCE
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbGASU became a venue for a meeting of participants of the international patriotic expedition “Unconquered”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Pavel Doroshenko, Marina Malyutina, Victoria Motorenko, Victoria Boginskaya and Marina Grigorenko

    SPbGASU became a stop on the route of the international patriotic expedition “Unconquered”. The expedition’s partner is the All-Russian student project “Your Move”, which is part of the presidential platform “Russia – the Land of Opportunities” and is implemented by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

    Expedition of friendship and creation

    As explained by Pavel Doroshenko, a representative of the directorate of the all-Russian student project “Your Move”, the patriotic expedition “Unconquered” was launched in Russia as part of the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The selection of participants took place through the platform of the project “Your Move”. More than 2.5 thousand applications were received, each was studied in detail, after which 60 participants were admitted to the expedition during a personal interview.

    “During the two-week expedition, students will travel more than five thousand kilometers, visit 14 cities in Russia and Belarus. Travel, communication, and the educational program are filled with meetings with interesting speakers and various events. The time spent together will allow students to become friends, learn about opportunities for self-development, outline plans for joint work and the creation of public projects,” Pavel Doroshenko specified.

    Vice-Rector for Youth Policy at SPbGASU Marina Malyutina reported that our university is pleased to join the project “Your Move” and the patriotic expedition “Unconquered”, as it considers them important in the comprehensive education of young people, their advancement in professional and social activities, and the formation of a civic position.

    “It is significant that the program began at our university, and this is not surprising, because the results of our graduates’ work are visible throughout Russia: starting from the 19th century, our engineers, architects, and builders created the cities where we live, which educate us, which we preserve and protect, and which we are proud of. It is important to emphasize that our university combines academic tradition with modern trends in Russian science, so it can be said about us that we preserve our traditions, our history, and create the future,” Marina Malyutina noted.

    Irina Peretokin, a second-year student at the construction faculty and a representative of the SPbGASU volunteer club, said that volunteers participate in various events at both the university and federal levels and not only complete assigned tasks, but also help organize events.

    “The Unconquered Project is a socially significant project aimed at developing patriotism. We consider it our duty to promote such events and participate in them, because they are necessary to strengthen the correct civic position and realize the potential of modern youth,” Irina explained.

    Great opportunities for young people

    Opening the plenary session, Marina Malyutina emphasized that the activities of our university are aimed at forming a full-fledged student personality, which has both professional and project competencies, as well as soft skills.

    “The ecosystem of youth policy of SPbGASU includes various initiatives at all levels: the world, the country, the university, the faculty, the student environment. The Center for Student Entrepreneurship and Career of our university closely cooperates with the industry, organizes joint events and competitions, develops entrepreneurial competencies and creates conditions for further employment of students and graduates. Through the platform “Russia – the Country of Opportunities”, students successfully participate in the international engineering championship CASE-IN. We support the project “Startup as a Diploma” and the TIM movement. The youth policy of SPbGASU takes into account the needs of the region: students participate in the improvement of small towns, designing spaces and objects for them. Thus, we create conditions in which students can try themselves in various directions and choose their own,” the vice-rector noted.

    At the plenary session

    Director of the St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution “Youth Spaces “PROSTO”” Victoria Motorenko agreed that today students have huge opportunities, and now is the best time to try to find the right direction for themselves.

    “All industries offer enormous opportunities for self-realization of a specialist. There are many options for development in public life. “PROSTO” is the flagship project in the field of work with youth of the Government of St. Petersburg. We work in two directions. The infrastructure one involves a network of free modern and fully equipped youth spaces. Now there are seven of them, this year we plan to open 15 more and cover all districts of St. Petersburg. The spaces have areas from one hundred to one thousand square meters. Each has comfortable workplaces, high-speed Internet, all the necessary office equipment, so, for example, you can print, laminate, order a meeting room for free. In the intellectual direction, we focus on the development of youth entrepreneurship, competencies in the field of information technology, creative industries, fine arts, design. We are constantly expanding cooperation. Today we have already discussed common ground with SPbGASU,” said Victoria Motorenko.

    Find something you enjoy doing

    The founder of the YARUS design center, member of the Union of Architects of Russia Victoria Boginskaya called student time ideal for finding an occupation to your liking and, using her own example, told how, having professional competencies and a desire to develop, you can turn an idea into your own company.

    “Today, the state provides great opportunities not only for students, but also for young people. In 2018, I completed my Master’s degree at the University of Yaroslavl and realized that I didn’t want to just draw projects, but also build, including something useful for the city. I asked myself: what do I need to do for this? While searching for an answer, I saw grant competitions. I applied and won 100 thousand rubles to implement my idea. Cool! Thanks to the grants, I got the opportunity to implement my idea and subsequently expand the level and geography of implementation. With the grant, I also published a book on the methodology for designing improvements in the Arctic zone and, as I found out today, I consulted students of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering on this topic. This is how grants can introduce you to successful professional activity,” noted Victoria Boginskaya.

    Deputy Director of the Competence Center for Urban Environment Development and Smart City, graduate of SPbGASU Marina Grigorenko reminded that many students are worried about their professional future, their income, and industrial practices and internships help them avoid uncertainty, after which employment is possible. The organization builds such cooperation with students and graduates.

    “Our team is young, the architects are young professionals. We are engaged in a variety of activities, one of the important aspects of which is working with young people. There are 36 small towns in the Leningrad Region; unfortunately, there is a large outflow of young people to St. Petersburg. Among the reasons for this is the lack of leisure and places for recreation. Taking into account the comments, we not only improve parks, embankments, public spaces, but also support educational activities, within the framework of which we organize competitions and implement the best submitted projects. We have already held three architectural competitions, 350 people took part in them, seven were invited to the bureau as part of the expert council, 18 projects have been implemented. There are also competitions, the winners of which receive grants,” said Marina Grigorenko.

    Master classes from a teacher, architect and welding queen

    Lecture by Marina Khramova

    The expedition participants’ further stay at SPbGASU was equally interesting. Senior lecturer of the Department of Architectural Environment Design Marina Khramova gave a lecture on the architecture of St. Petersburg.

    The master classes were conducted by Victoria Boginskaya and the artist, sculptor, and curator of the creation of art objects for public spaces, Alexandra Weld Queen.

    Alexandra Weld Queen has gained recognition as a professional, highly skilled welder and has elevated her work to the level of art. Her objects are unique: even a park bench turns into an amazing, but functional creation. “Working with metal, I convey to people certain meanings that help them live, develop, and feel stronger. A durable material, steel allows me to create works for urban spaces that serve people for many years,” she said.

    Master class by Alexandra Weld Queen (center) and Victoria Boginskaya

    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 Asia-Pac: The Ombudsman attends Board Meeting of International Ombudsman Institute (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Ombudsman attends Board Meeting of International Ombudsman Institute  
    The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, led a delegation on a visit to Morocco early this week, and the visit concluded today (May 16).
          
    During his stay in Morocco, Mr Chan attended the annual Board Meeting of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) as Chairman of the IOI’s Standing By-laws Committee and member of the United Nations and International Cooperation Working Group and exchanged views and ideas with representatives of other countries and regions. The Board Meeting of IOI involved participation from around 20 countries and regions among which were the United States of America, Canada, the Netherlands, Mexico, South Africa, Korea and Thailand.
          
    The Office’s delegation also met with the Mediator of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr Hassan Tariq, and the President of the National Authority for Integrity, Prevention and Fight Against Corruption, Mr Mohamed Benalilou, and visited the Mediator’s regional office.
          
    Throughout the visit, Mr Chan also shared with IOI Board Members and his many international counterparts the latest developments and opportunities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as presenting Hong Kong’s important position of having strong support from the motherland and close connections to the world.
    Issued at HKT 21:47

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: LHV Group’s own share acquisition transactions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AS LHV Group announces that on 13 May 2025, it has acquired the company’s own shares on the Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange as follows:

    Date Aggregated volume Weighted average price per day (EUR)
    13.05.2025 19,627 3.565197

    LHV Group is acquiring its own shares based on the resolution of the company’s general meeting of shareholders held on 26 March 2025, and under the conditions decided by the Supervisory Board. The authorized agent for the transactions is AS LHV Pank. Summary data of the acquisitions will be disclosed no later than on the seventh trading day after the transaction and will be made available to the Financial Supervision and Resolution Authority, via the Nasdaq Tallinn system, and on LHV Group’s investor website.

    LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. LHV Group’s key subsidiaries are LHV Pank, LHV Varahaldus, LHV Kindlustus, and LHV Bank Limited. The Group employs over 1,150 people. As at the end of April, LHV’s banking services are being used by 468,000 clients, the pension funds managed by LHV have 113,000 active clients, and LHV Kindlustus protects a total of 176,000 clients. LHV Bank Limited, a subsidiary of the Group, holds a banking licence in the United Kingdom and provides banking services to international financial technology companies, as well as loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.

    Priit Rum
    Communications Manager
    Phone: +372 502 0786
    Email: priit.rum@lhv.ee 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Assisted dying: five questions that need answering before it can work in practice

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzanne Ost, Professor of Law, Lancaster University

    Collagery/Shutterstock

    An attempt to make assisted dying legal in England in Wales continues to make its way through parliament, with MPs currently scheduled to have a final vote on the bill in June.

    The bill has sparked both passionate support and strong opposition, raising vital questions: how would such a law work in practice? Who would deliver it? And what would it cost?

    While much attention has focused mostly on the ethics of assisted dying, the government’s recently published impact assessment looks at the practical side and it deserves closer attention.

    Of course, we shouldn’t base a decision about life and death solely on financial or logistical grounds. But if assisted dying is to become part of the law in England and Wales, we need to understand how it would work in reality. The report highlights a number of key challenges:

    1. The medication question

    The assessment draws mainly on data from 11 other jurisdictions, especially Oregon, where assisted dying has been legal for years. It found that the drugs used can lead to prolonged and unpredictable deaths, in part due to inconsistent drug availability.

    However, the report doesn’t compare this to Switzerland, where assisted dying must be self-administered and is tightly regulated. There, a single barbiturate is typically used, leading to death within two to ten minutes depending on whether it’s taken orally or via injection. This raises questions about what kind of medications would be used in the UK and how reliably they would work.

    2. Opt-outs: who will deliver the service?

    Experience from countries like Canada shows that most doctors opt out of providing assisted dying. In Canada, over 5,000 assisted deaths were carried out by just 80 people. Similarly, in the US and New Zealand, entire institutions – especially palliative care services – have opted out.

    Kim Leadbeater, the MP sponsoring the bill, has confirmed that it would not oblige hospices to participate. While this protects individual conscience, it may leave patients struggling to find willing clinicians or being discharged home to die.

    3. Can the NHS cope with a new service?

    The bill assumes the NHS would be responsible for delivering assisted dying. But is the system ready?

    Switzerland uses volunteer doctors outside the healthcare system, which may be more sustainable. In the UK, oversight is expected to come from a panel including a senior judge or lawyer, a psychiatrist and a social worker.

    However, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) has raised serious concerns, both about the role psychiatrists would play and whether there are enough professionals to fulfil that role. The RCP currently opposes the bill.

    4. Funding: a two-tier system?

    The impact assessment suggests assisted dying would be free at the point of delivery. Yet palliative care – the alternative end-of-life support – often receives less than 40% government funding, relying heavily on charity.

    Could this create a two-tier system, where assisted dying is fully funded while palliative care remains under resourced?

    5. Legal costs and challenges

    If passed, the bill could trigger human rights challenges, particularly around mental capacity and access. Legal experts suggest several grounds on which it might be contested and these cases would need to be defended, incurring additional costs.

    Families might also seek judicial review of a panel’s decision to permit a request for assisted dying. And public protests outside clinics or hospitals offering the service could require increased policing and security – all of which have financial and social implications.

    This bill tackles one of the most morally sensitive issues in society. But if it is to succeed, and be implemented safely, it must be built on more than good intentions.

    The government’s impact assessment lays out the many practical hurdles: medication protocols, workforce readiness, conscientious objection, legal protections, and funding disparities. These aren’t technicalities. They’re the framework that would determine whether assisted dying is accessible, safe and ethically delivered.

    As the bill progresses, the debate must move beyond principle alone. The future of this legislation – and its real world impact – will depend on how well we address these deeply human, and deeply complex, practicalities.

    Suzanne Ost has previously received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy for research that she has conducted.

    Nancy Preston receives funding from Horizon Europe but not for her work on assisted dying. She is affiliated with European Association of Palliative Care where she Co-Chairs the Task Force on the role of palliative care professionals in supporting patients and families considering assisted dying.

    – ref. Assisted dying: five questions that need answering before it can work in practice – https://theconversation.com/assisted-dying-five-questions-that-need-answering-before-it-can-work-in-practice-256270

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cultivating obedience: Using the Justice Department to attack former officials consolidates power and deters dissent

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joe Wright, Professor of Political Science, Penn State

    Miles Taylor, center, a Homeland Security official during the first Trump administration, wrote an op-ed in September 2018 that criticized Trump. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    During President Donald Trump’s first three months in office, his administration has targeted dozens of former officials who criticized him or opposed his agenda.

    In April 2025, Trump directed the Department of Justice to investigate two men who served in his first administration, Miles Taylor and Chris Krebs, because they spoke out against his policies and corrected his false claims about the 2020 election that he lost.

    Further, Trump revoked the security clearances for advisers and retired generals who publicly criticized him during the 2024 election campaign.

    On their face, such moves appear to be a coordinated campaign of personal retribution. But as political science scholars who study the origins of elected strongmen, we believe Trump’s use of the Justice Department to attack former officials who stood up to him isn’t just about revenge. It also deters current officials from defying Trump.

    More than revenge

    Like all presidents, Trump needs allies who will faithfully implement his policy agenda. For most presidents, this means surrounding themselves with longtime friends.

    For example, Don Evans, George W. Bush’s commerce secretary and close confidant, worked with Bush for decades before becoming a fixture in his White House.

    But to carry out a power grab, incumbent leaders also need allies who will stay silent or, better yet, endorse their attempts to consolidate control.

    In El Salvador, for example, President Nayib Bukele’s legislative allies gave him free rein in 2023 to run for president a second time despite constitutional provisions banning reelection.

    Recall that Trump only left office in January 2021 because key Republican officials defied his attempts to overturn an election he lost.

    Former Vice President Mike Pence, facing violent threats from a Trump-fueled mob, refused Trump’s request to overturn the election he lost. And Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger refused Trump’s entreaties to stuff the ballot boxes in Georgia with another 11,000 votes for Trump.

    An audio recording of President Donald Trump talking to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is played in Washington, D.C., on Oct, 13, 2022.
    Alex Wong/Getty Images

    Notably, both men first won political office on their own, without an endorsement from Trump. This means they were less reliant on Trump for access to political power. Therefore, they were more likely to prioritize their loyalty to the Constitution over their loyalty to Trump.

    Attacks enforce loyalty

    In authoritarian contexts, loyalty is not an intrinsic quality. Authoritarian leaders do not necessarily select those with whom they have long work experience that leads to mutual trust.

    For instance, during Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, the head of intelligence, Johnny Abbes, was plucked from obscurity in Mexico and in 1958 began to lead the dictator’s repression machine.

    Instead, the challenge for authoritarian leaders is finding people to do their bidding. And the best people for this job are those who never would have earned their position in politics without the leader’s influence.

    Unqualified appointees who can’t ascend to political power based on their merits have little choice but to stick with the leader. These people appear loyal, but only because their careers are tied to the leader staying in power.

    A litany of failed politicians

    This logic, where people with few career prospects outside of the leader express the most loyalty, explains why Trump has appointed a number of political candidates who have lost elections.

    The head of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler, though briefly appointed as a U.S. senator from Georgia, lost her first Senate election to Raphael Warnock in 2021.

    Doug Collins, Trump’s secretary of Veterans Affairs, lost to Loeffler in a Georgia Senate primary during the same election cycle.

    Dan Bongino, the deputy director of the FBI, lost a 2016 primary contest for a congressional seat in a heavily Republican district in Florida.

    And don’t forget Jeanine Pirro, Trump’s nominee to head a politically crucial federal judicial office. Her political career derailed 20 years ago when she came under federal investigation for “scheming to catch a cheating spouse in the act.” She lost an attorney general race in New York in 2006 to Andrew Cuomo.

    Jeanine Pirro lost the 2006 New York attorney general race.
    AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh

    Trump also picked two politicians who had failed presidential runs as Democrats – Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – to act as director of national intelligence and secretary of Health and Human Services.

    For appointees who can’t win elections, the only shot at power is steadfast alignment with the leader. This dynamic, in turn, provides a strong incentive for these officials to remain loyal, even when the leader breaks the law or orders them to do the same.

    When leaders place loyalists in charge of federal law enforcement, attempts to conjure votes for the president out of thin air or to seize ballot boxes in opposition districts are more likely to succeed.

    The Trump administration’s attacks on former Republican officials who criticized him, such as Taylor and Krebs, reinforces this dynamic. It sends a signal of future punishment to current Justice Department officials should they speak out against Trump or refuse to carry out illegal orders.

    Attacks also target opposition power

    Of course, the Trump administration’s political attacks haven’t stopped with officials in his previous administration who have fallen out of favor.

    They have expanded to include independent institutions such as universities, not-for-profit media and law firms.

    As research on authoritarian regimes shows, the goal of attacking independent institutions this way is to sap their capacity to resist the incumbent government’s attempts to cheat in future elections.

    After Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orban, had rewritten his country’s Constitution and reined in the courts, he changed the electoral rules to ensure he won reelection in 2022. Along the way, Orban forced an entire university into exile after failing to subdue it.

    In these ways, incumbents’ acts of retribution toward people and organizations that oppose their agenda reinforce loyalty among their allies. They also undermine and weaken their opponents and ultimately facilitate incumbents’ efforts to consolidate power.

    Joe Wright has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, and private foundations.

    Erica Frantz has received funding from the US Agency for International Development and private foundations.

    – ref. Cultivating obedience: Using the Justice Department to attack former officials consolidates power and deters dissent – https://theconversation.com/cultivating-obedience-using-the-justice-department-to-attack-former-officials-consolidates-power-and-deters-dissent-256397

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council shares reminder ahead of Queen Street closure

    Source: City of York

    Published Friday, 16 May 2025

    City of York Council is reminding residents, commuters and visitors to plan ahead for the closure of Queen Street later this month.

    As an essential part of the Station Gateway project, Queen Street will close to vehicle traffic from 7pm on Saturday 24 May until 6am on Tuesday 27 May.

    This closure will allow contractor John Sisk & Son to remove the existing temporary road surfaces and re-lay them to form the new road layouts.

    Detailed information has been published online offering advice for all those who travel in the area.

    The station and nearby businesses will remain open. Trains will run to and from York as usual. Buses will continue to operate but some routes will be diverted as a result of the closure. There will also be free shuttle buses running between Blossom Street and the station during the closures.

    Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the closure, and the gates at Lowther Terrace will be open to allow pedestrians and cyclists through.

    The station long stay car park will remain closed as Network Rail work on a new multi-storey car park.

    Residents and visitors are being asked to please plan ahead if travelling in the area and, where possible, consider other ways to travel into the city during these closures.

    Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council, said:

    “There has been a lot of change around the station recently and I would like to thank everybody for their continued cooperation and patience as these works are ongoing.

    “We want to stress that York is open for business and over the bank holiday there will be lots of great things for people to enjoy. We are working closely with Sisk to minimise disruption throughout the bank holiday, but as with the previous Queen Street closures, we are encouraging everyone to plan their journey ahead and help reduce traffic congestion by using public transport, walking and cycling where possible.”

    The scheme is being delivered by City of York Council, Network Rail, LNER and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority alongside delivery contractor for the highways works of the project, John Sisk & Son.

    The ambitious project will completely transform the area to the front of York Station by providing an improved transport interchange, welcoming and inclusive public spaces and an improved setting for the City Walls.

    Find more information on the Station Gateway project.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Birmingham set for government jobs boost to drive local growth and deliver for communities

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Friday, 16th May 2025

    Birmingham has been named as one of 13 locations where more Civil Service jobs will be moved in a boost for the local economy.

    Under the shake up, government roles will be shifted outside of London to towns and cities in all four nations of the UK, delivering and developing policy closer to the communities it affects.

    The move is projected to bring £729 million worth of economic benefit to the 13 growth areas by 2030.

    Currently, 13,330 civil service roles are based in Birmingham. Over 34,000 full time equivalent roles are based in the wider West Midlands, with 14 major Government departments having a presence in the region.

    Councillor John Cotton, leader of Birmingham City Council, said:

    “This is a vote of confidence in Birmingham which will create jobs and help our young and talented population to build careers in the civil service.

    It is great to have a government that cares about all regions of the country, and we will work with the government to ensure that the apprenticeship pilot benefits people in every community of Birmingham.”

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, said:

    “To deliver our Plan for Change, we are taking more decision-making out of Whitehall and moving it closer to communities all across the UK.

    “By relocating thousands of Civil Service roles we will not only save taxpayers money, we will make this Government one that better reflects the country it serves. We will also be making sure that Government jobs support economic growth throughout the country.

    “As we radically reform the state, we are going to make it much easier for talented people everywhere to join the Civil Service and help us rebuild Britain.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Life sciences consultancy picks Birmingham for new Research Centre of Excellence

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Life sciences consultancy Cambridge Healthcare Research has chosen Birmingham as the location for its new Research Centre of Excellence, where it plans to create up to 40 research analyst roles.

    • Life sciences consultancy Cambridge Healthcare Research picks Birmingham as the location for its new Research Centre of Excellence, where it plans to create up to 40 research analyst roles by the end of 2025.
    • New facility at The Lewis Building in Birmingham’s city centre officially opened by Councillor John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council.
    • Investment reinforces region’s rise as a dynamic investment alternative to traditional life sciences ‘golden triangle’ of London, Oxford and Cambridge.

    The new facility at The Lewis Building in Birmingham’s City Centre was officially opened by Councillor John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council.

    Cambridge Healthcare Research’s new Research Centre of Excellence will focus on delivering strategic research projects for a range of UK and international clients operating within the life sciences sector. The facility represents the consultancy’s first office outside of Cambridge and London, reinforcing the West Midlands’ growing reputation as a diverse and dynamic life sciences investment hub. The region’s thriving life sciences sector incorporates a diverse, static population of 4.7 million, four medical schools and the West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator [WMTHIA], which recently received £4 million additional funding for 2025/26.

    The region will seek to capitalise on the growth potential of its life sciences cluster through its flagship Investment Zone. In particular, the 210-hectare Birmingham Knowledge Quarter [B-KQ] will build on the region’s globally recognised strengths in diagnostics, digital and data-driven healthcare, providing a centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing aligned to health and life sciences.

    Matteo Perucchini, CEO at Cambridge Healthcare Research, said:

    “Combining a deep STEM talent pool, unrivalled connectivity and affordable office space, Birmingham ticked all our boxes when it came to selecting a location for our first office outside of the traditional life sciences ‘golden triangle’.

    “We’re looking forward to contributing to the rise of the West Midlands’ life sciences ecosystem while delivering exceptional research projects for our clients from our new Birmingham base.”

    The West Midlands Growth Company [WMGC] – the region’s official investment promotion agency – supported the investment.

    Councillor John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:

    “From companies advancing pioneering drug development to manufacturers of next-generation medical devices, Birmingham has established a reputation as an attractive destination for life sciences focused occupiers.

    “As the region’s vision for Birmingham Knowledge Quarter gathers pace, its offer to healthcare innovators will strengthen even further, with companies like Cambridge Healthcare Research exemplifying the innovation taking place here.

    “It’s brilliant to be welcoming another new and enterprising company to our city, which will help boost the economy and create jobs for local people.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Stresses Importance of Right-to-Repair, Highlights How Restrictions Limit International Cooperation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    May 16, 2025

    Repair restrictions limit service members’ abilities to fix their weapons even in the middle of life-and-death missions

    Warren successfully pushed the Army to get rid of right-to-repair restrictions, urges the rest of the military to follow

    Video of Exchange (YouTube)

    Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) uplifted how right-to-repair can help the U.S. military and allied forces promote innovation and reduce costs. 

    As Senator Warren explained, the Department of Defense (DoD) spends billions of dollars buying equipment, but contractors impose repair restrictions preventing servicemembers from fixing their weapons, even in the middle of dangerous missions, and often at the expense of innovation. She highlighted how important innovation has been in Ukraine’s ability to continue to defend itself against Russia. 

    Dr. Lisa Saum-Manning, Associate Director, International Security and Defense Policy Program for RAND, testified to the importance of servicemembers’ ability to repair their own weapons without unnecessary contractor interference, stating, “When it comes to life and death decisions, I think you sort of overlook policy… that’s what I would do if I were on the battlefield.”

    This month, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll announced that the Army will ensure right-to-repair provisions are included in future Army contracts and will identify and propose contract modifications for right-to-repair provisions in current contracts.

    “Army Secretary Driscoll has taken a necessary and overdue step, but we need all of the services and DOD to prioritize lethality. And that means commanders in the field should never have to beg a contractor to come repair a plane that the Air Force owns or that soldiers could fix themselves,” said Senator Warren. 

    Senator Warren argued that right-to-repair can help strengthen American allied forces and enhance their capabilities, allowing them to work better with our troops, take missions off the military’s plate, and support U.S. jobs. If U.S. contractors limit our allies and partners’ ability to sustain equipment, that can hurt the ability of those companies to win contracts. Dr. Saum-Manning expressed support for adopting a right-to-repair policy across the military, stating that RAND researchers agreed on a need for change. 

    Senator Warren has been a leader on right-to-repair, including in the military. In January 2025, Senator Warren secured a commitment from Secretary Driscoll during his nomination hearing about enhancing the Army’s right to repair its own equipment. Senator Warren also pushed for commitments from the Navy Secretary and Military Transportation Command Chief on allowing servicemembers to repair their own equipment. 

    “I look forward to working with my colleagues on this committee to make sure that we aren’t letting bad contracting practices limit our soldiers’ ability to win on the battlefield,” concluded Senator Warren. 

    Transcript: Hearings to examine the Department of Defense responsibilities related to Foreign Military Sales system and international armaments cooperation
    Senate Armed Services Committee
    May 15, 2025

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, being lethal on the battlefield means being scrappy. And when Russia first invaded Ukraine, we sat in the briefings when we were told by experts that Ukraine would only be able to hold out for a few weeks maximum. But over the past three years, Ukrainians have been incredibly innovative, especially in the deployment of drones to keep Russian forces at bay. 

    The U.S. military may not be nearly as agile. One problem: soldiers are not allowed to repair many of their own weapons. DoD spends billions of dollars buying all sorts of equipment, but then contractors impose restrictions on who can maintain systems and who can produce spare parts. Contractors rake in billions, but service members are not allowed to fix their own weapons when they break, even in the middle of life-and-death missions. That is the opposite of scrappy. 

    Dr. Saum-Manning, you are an expert on building military capacity. How important is it for readiness for service members just to be able to repair their own weapons?

    Dr. Lisa Saum-Manning: I mean, they are on the front lines and critical. When it comes to life and death decisions, I think you sort of overlook policy. That would—, that’s what I would do if I were on the battlefield. Again, this is my personal opinion, not an opinion of RAND.

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: But I take it. You think the right to repair is important to being able to do your job?

    Dr. Saum-Manning: I do think it’s important, that said, you have to know how to do it. And so I would want to make sure that they actually knew what they were doing.

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Okay. The problem we’ve got is that too often, when the U.S. military goes to contractors, they are told when something is broken, they’re going to have to wait months for critical parts. In just one case that we have, the Army discovered that instead of waiting months, they could actually just use a 3D printer to print the safety clip they needed in less than an hour and for 1/100th of the cost that was being charged by the contractor. 

    So, this month, the Trump administration took an important step toward making sure that U.S. soldiers can be just as scrappy as the Ukrainians. The Army’s new transformation initiative requires new contracts to include a right to repair their own equipment, and they’re also going back to review old contracts to add similar protections. I want to give a shout-out to the new Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll, for pushing this initiative. 

    So, Dr. Saum-Manning, would adopting this policy across the military services enhance innovation and help reduce costs?

    Dr. Saum-Manning: Well, as all RAND researchers say, we have to study that. This is very new. It’s very exciting to see, when we were doing our study, the Army was in the midst of their sort of transformation, and there was a consensus of opinion that it needed to change. And so it’s exciting that they’re innovating. We’re watching it. It’s definitely a great experiment to see if it happens and to see if we can apply these lessons elsewhere.  

    Senator Warren: Well, you know, I would argue here on right-to-repair that it can also be used to help strengthen American allied forces as well. When our closest allies buy U.S. weapons, it can help enhance their capabilities, help them work better with our troops. We really like all of that. They can take missions off our plate, and they can support U.S. jobs. But our allies and partners have a lot of other companies that they can choose from, and they are willing to drive a harder bargain than we are. For example, a Canadian task force found that failing to acquire data rights hurt their ability to independently support their own equipment— right to repair—and they recommended prioritizing sustainability and competition. The bottom line? Lockheed Martin’s higher repair costs meant that Lockheed Martin just wasn’t competitive for the contract. 

    So Dr. Saum-Manning isn’t the best outcome for us, is not only if we can repair our own equipment, but also if our allies, who are buying from us contractors, can repair their weapons in the field and have those weapons made in America?

    Dr. Saum-Manning: Well, we have not studied that, but I would say that if we are, sort of, part of that process and can help train, help equip, help be there to help sustain—our partners need to actually be able to sustain the equipment that we give them. Those are priority decisions that need to be made prior to them actually getting on the battlefield.

    Senator Warren: Yeah, well, Army Secretary Driscoll has taken a necessary and overdue step, but we need all of the services and DOD to prioritize lethality. And that means commanders in the field should never have to beg a contractor to come repair a plane that the Air Force owns or/and that soldiers could fix themselves. Our Navy should never have to wonder if an ally won’t show up because they’re waiting months for a contractor to fix a fuel gauge. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this committee to make sure that we aren’t letting bad contracting practices limit our soldiers’ ability to win on the battlefield. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Can One Be Just in an Unjust Society? A Graduate Conference on Ethics and Politics

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    What happens when ethics meet politics? A new generation of political theorists is rethinking classic notions and divides dating back from Ancient Philosophy and the Age of Enlightenment. On the occasion of the eleventh edition of Sciences Po’s Graduate Conference in Political Theory, in May 2025, we spoke with its organisers, Sciences Po School of Research’s PhD students Cloé Artaut, Thomas Charrayre, Sibylle Léonard and Ciara Luxton. From ancient ideals of the just city to contemporary struggles over global justice, they walk us through the Conference’s purpose and programme.

    Why did you choose to bring together these two concepts, “ethics” and “politics”, for this eleventh doctoral conference?

    Thomas Charrayre: Going back – perhaps in a somewhat textbook-like way – to ancient philosophy, we see that the notions of ethics and politics have long been closely intertwined. For instance, Plato develops the idea of an organic unity between the good life and the just city: a well-organised society was seen as a necessary condition for a happy life, and, conversely, the virtue of citizens as essential to the establishment of justice.

    In the modern world, this unity dissipates: we tend to draw a clear line between private and public life, between what we do as individuals and what we do as citizens. We assume that it is possible to act justly even within an unjust society. Our moral imagination is, in fact, full of heroic figures who manage to follow their own ethical code despite living in politically unjust contexts – think, for example, of the Righteous Among the Nations.

    This separation between ethics and politics is also reflected in the academic world. We distinguish between ethical philosophy and political philosophy, political theory and political science, as though ethics were solely concerned with right and wrong, while politics dealt only with what is or isn’t possible. Indeed, when we ask for an ethical analysis of a situation, we expect a moral judgement; whereas a political analysis is supposed to describe power dynamics and potential outcomes.

    The conference we are organising seeks to revisit these distinctions, which we often take for granted, without necessarily advocating a return to the Greek conception of the good. That is why it revolves around three key areas, all aimed at showing just how blurred the boundary between ethics and politics can be. The first area brings together presentations focused on the historical study of the relationship between ethics and politics, in order to illustrate how this relationship varies depending on context. The second explores the possible need to “moralise” politics – that is, to view it as a domain governed first and foremost by ethical norms. Lastly, the third area features contributions that offer a political critique of moral norms, analysing the political implications of our ethical beliefs.

    Participants in the conference come from France, but also from Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Quebec, and the United Kingdom. What does this international perspective bring?

    Ciara Luxton: Having spent time in France and elsewhere in Europe as a visiting fellow, Nancy Fraser, our the guest of honour for this edition, has shown how much scholarship can benefit from engagement with ideas that are culturally embedded. Her work demonstrates a deep appreciation both for what is specific to national contexts and for the perspectives that intersect around questions of global justice. Inspired by Nancy Fraser’s example, we have put together panels ranging from the intimate ethics of the body and sexuality to intrinsically collective issues such as planetary justice and climate transition. The international outlook of our conference therefore enriches these reflections on the connections and tensions between ethics and politics.

    Intercultural exchange offers us a unique opportunity to challenge our intuitions – often shaped by national and cultural inheritances – and to rethink them in light of other traditions. We have the privilege and the pleasure of welcoming to Sciences Po – an institution that is resolutely international and multilingual – young researchers from far and wide, brought together by a shared language of political and moral theory. The bilingual nature of the event (French–English) facilitates direct and inclusive dialogue between participants, reflecting our shared commitment to advancing research together. Here, political theory takes on a truly global dimension: our conclusions, far from being confined to a single country, engage with the realities of diverse societies. In a connected world, our analyses are interdependent: an idea originating in Quebec can inspire reform in Italy, just as a moral insight from Ireland can cast new light on a political hypothesis from France.

    In this way, we are creating a space for exchange among a new generation of scholars, who will continue this dialogue throughout their careers. Together, we will develop new ways of thinking about politics and ethics, experiment with more flexible and inclusive methodologies, and build conceptual tools suited to a globalised world.

    Nancy Fraser, Professor of Philosophy at the New School in New York, will be giving a public lecture during your event. She has worked extensively on social justice, feminism, and equality. What perspective will she bring?

    Sibylle Léonard: Nancy Fraser is the guest of honour for this edition. She brings a fundamentally critical perspective to the theme of “Ethics and Politics.” Like many feminist theorists, she challenges the classical Enlightenment-era separation between the ethical and political spheres – a division that sees ethics as a matter of individual conscience, while politics is understood as an impersonal domain concerned with government systems, laws, public policy, and quantifiable data such as votes and taxes. I am thinking in particular of Iris Marion Young’s book Justice and the Politics of Difference, which addresses this issue.

    In her approach to social justice, Nancy Fraser puts forward the ethical-political norm of parity of participation: everyone must be able to take part, on an equal footing, in social, economic, and political life. This is an ethical norm in that it defines what it means to treat individuals as equals; but it is also – and above all – political, insofar as it demands institutions that can guarantee the real-world conditions for such equality. This demand is expressed through her tripartite conception of justice – redistribution, recognition, and representation – which she sets out in her book Scales of Justice. According to Fraser, these three dimensions are co-constitutive; they cannot be ranked or addressed in isolation. It is their imbrication that enables a nuanced analysis of contemporary injustices.

    Thus, against single-issue approaches that fragment social struggles, Nancy Fraser advocates for an integrative way of thinking, at the intersection of theory and practice, ethics and politics. She stands within a critical tradition that combines insights from Marxism, materialist feminism, anti-racist and anti-imperialist struggles, and democratic and ecological theory. The cross-cutting nature of her thought explains its deep resonance with the wide range of topics addressed during this graduate conference.

    A highlight of the conference will be Nancy Fraser’s lecture on 19 May, titled “Politics and Ethics in Extremis: A View from Trump’s America.” It will echo her recent analyses of the rise of authoritarian right-wing movements, the impasses of liberal progressivism, and the need to build counter-hegemonic blocs capable of advancing a genuine emancipatory project – themes she explores in her 2019 book The Old Is Dying and the New Cannot Be Born.

    What will you take away from organising this major conference?

    Cloé Artaut: The Graduate Conference is part of a well-established tradition within Sciences Po’s doctoral programme in political theory. Organising its eleventh edition, in May 2025, has been both a unique and formative intellectual and collective experience for us. We now fully appreciate just how valuable it is to have the opportunity, early in our research careers, to organise an academic event of this scale. It is a real learning experience, and one that reflects an essential aspect of the work of a scholar.

    From an organisational point of view, it allowed us to strengthen our skills in scientific coordination, learning how to balance intellectual rigour with logistical constraints and the expectations of participants. On the intellectual front, our aim was to create a space for international and interdisciplinary dialogue around a theme we saw as both classical and timely: the relationship between ethics and politics. Drawing on a line of thinking that dates back to ancient philosophy, as Thomas reminded us, but has undergone many developments in the contemporary era, we wanted to explore how these two concepts – and the links between them – continue to shape our political practices and analyses. This meant building a conference programme that reflected that ambition, giving equal space to both historical approaches and more modern reinterpretations.

    While we feel we largely achieved that goal, it was both surprising – and very rewarding – to discover that some of the proposals we received were quite far from what we had initially imagined when drafting the call for papers, yet still highly relevant to our theme. The gap between what we anticipated and what actually emerged proved to be immensely fruitful, allowing us to construct a rich and diverse programme that we are ultimately very proud of!

    Following the conference, we are considering coordinating a special journal issue dedicated to the conference theme. This project would allow us to extend the conversation we began, showcase the research presented, and continue fostering dialogue among the young scholars involved.

    En savoir plus 

    Cover image caption: Sibylle Léonard, Cloé Artaut, Ciara Luxton et Thomas Charrayre, PhD students at Sciences Po (credits: Sciences Po)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Refunds still available for 4,000 people who didn’t submit their debt relief order application

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Refunds still available for 4,000 people who didn’t submit their debt relief order application

    People who started a debt relief order application before April 2024 but did not complete the process are being offered refunds for any fees paid

    • Almost 4,000 people are still due a refund for debt relief order applications they paid for but did not submit 

    • The Insolvency Service has written to those due a refund and £65,000 has already been reimbursed since March 

    • Refunds worth a total of £500,000 are still available going back to 2016 for those who did not finish the application process 

    The Insolvency Service is trying to refund money to 4,000 people who made payments towards a debt relief order (DRO) but did not submit their application.  

    Before April 2024, a £90 fee was payable when making a DRO application. 

    Applicants could choose to pay in full or in instalments.  

    However, many thousands of people made a payment towards the fee, but did not submit their application. 

    The £90 fee was scrapped by the Government in April 2024 to make things easier for people with debts to access the help they need. 

    The Insolvency Service still has £500,000 to return to individuals who paid towards these incomplete applications, going back to 2016. 

    The agency has already written to 5,000 people due a refund, with around 1,000 responding and £65,000 being reimbursed since March so far.  

    Another letter is due to be sent out in the coming days.  

    Caroline Shanahan, senior leader in the Personal Insolvency Team at the Insolvency Service, said: “We sent letters to all 5,000 people who are due a refund, but many of them have not come back to us. There are still about 4,000 people who have not responded.  

    We want to return their money as soon as possible, but they need to contact us after receiving the letter.

    In some cases, people may have changed their email address or moved home, meaning we do not have their current details to contact them. Those people can still apply for a refund if they paid towards a debt relief order that was not submitted, they just need to get in touch and let us know.

    Applications for DROs are made through authorised intermediaries. Up until April 2024, payments were made by the individual as part of the application process, either in full or in instalments.  

    The Insolvency Service is keen to provide refunds directly to the individuals who made payments towards the application fee but did not complete their application for whatever reason. 

    If you are owed a refund 

    If you feel you are due a refund after making a payment but not submitting a debt relief order application, please contact dro.preorder@insolvency.gov.uk 

    To request payment into your bank account or building society, please include the following details:  

    • Debt Relief Order application number (if known) 

    • Your name 

    • Your address 

    • Your telephone number 

    • Bank/building society Name 

    • Account name (as shown on bank statement) 

    • Bank account number (full 8 numbers) 

    • Bank sort code (full 6 numbers) 

    • Building Society roll number (if applicable) 

    All applications will be fully verified against system inform to prevent fraudulent claims.  

    If you would like to request a cheque instead, please state this in your email. 

    If your contact details have changed since making the application, please include your previous name and address alongside your current details.  

    If payment was made by a charity or third party on your behalf, please provide the details of the organisation that made the payment. 

    You can also write to us, including the above information in your correspondence, at: The Insolvency Service DRO Team, C/O Met Office, Fitzroy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB. 

    ENDS 

    Further information 

    • Letters were sent to individuals this week, dated May 2025. 

    • Any interested parties with further questions can call the Insolvency Service customer service helpline on 0300 678 0016. It is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm and on Fridays from 9am to 3pm

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Law War Memorial rededication

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    A programme of conservation and renovation work on the Dundee Law war memorial has been carried out in time to mark its 100th anniversary.

    And to highlight the occasion Lord Provost Bill Campbell has joined other dignitaries and veterans for the rededication of the refurbished city cenotaph.

    Backed by grant funding from the War Memorials Trust and Dundee City Council, the stonework has been sensitively steam cleaned, repairs carried out and the monument fully repointed.

    The existing light fittings to illuminate the cenotaph have been replaced with low energy LED feature lighting, and the gas installation has also been fully restored allowing the living flame to be lit on ceremonial occasions.

    This will allow the monument to be lit during the hours of darkness and on special commemorative days, such as the anniversary of the start of the Battle of Loos in September.

    Lord Provost Campbell said: “These works are an exciting development which reinstate the significance and importance of what is perhaps one of the most prominent monuments in the country due to its location.

    “When the beacon is lit it is visible from so many places in Dundee that it is a fitting and poignant reminder of the sacrifice of previous generations from the city.

    “On behalf of the people of Dundee, I want to thank the contractors SCAN Building Services, VF Electrical Services and Ecoguard Scotland for their hard work and focus on this unique project.”

    Rev Bob Wightman, Ex-Services Association Chaplain performed the rededication service.

    The city’s war memorial was designed by Thomas Braddock, London with work getting underway in 1921.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s digital industry revenue up 9.4% in Q1

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) — China’s digital industry posted revenue of 8.5 trillion yuan (about 1.18 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of this year, up 9.4 percent from a year earlier.

    The growth rate of the indicator is 4.4 percentage points higher than for the same period last year, according to data released on Friday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China.

    In particular, revenue from digital technologies in the manufacturing industry grew by 10.4 percent, and in the services sector by 8.2 percent.

    By the end of March, the number of 5G base stations in China exceeded 4.39 million units, and the country’s 5G subscriber penetration rate reached 75.9 percent, the ministry said in April.

    Key sectors of the digital economy are stable. Revenue in the software industry increased by 10.6 percent year-on-year to 3.1 trillion yuan.

    China has set a goal of using digital technology to transform and upgrade its traditional industries and is now accelerating the implementation of its “AI Plus” action plan. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fuelling the school day

    Source: Scottish Government

    Breakfast clubs to help tackle poverty.

    Thousands more children will benefit from free breakfasts supported by the Scottish Government.

    The Bright Start Breakfasts fund is now open to applications and will provide £3 million so more primary school children can have a nutritious start to the day and parents can benefit from free childcare.

    Nearly half of Scotland’s schools already provide breakfast at the start of the school day. The Bright Start Breakfasts funding will support expansion of existing clubs and establishment of new ones, creating more free places for primary school children. 

    In addition to more breakfast clubs, the Scottish Government is expanding the Extra Time programme, which provides funding for 31 local football clubs and trusts to provide free access to before school, after school and holiday clubs for targeted primary school children from families on low incomes.

    Work is also under way in 23 communities to design and deliver further childcare services for priority families.

    Visiting a breakfast club at Riverside Primary School in Glasgow Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said:

    “We know how important a healthy breakfast can be for children, particularly those most at risk of living in poverty, and breakfast clubs have a crucial role in our mission to eradicate child poverty.

    “They help set children up for the day, supporting them to achieve their learning potential, and provide families with childcare, helping more parents to get to work in the morning.

    “Applications are open and I encourage anyone who could deliver a breakfast club to contact Inspiring Scotland.”

    Celia Tennant, Chief Executive at Inspiring Scotland, said:  

    “Inspiring Scotland is pleased to be working with Scottish Government to manage the Bright Start Breakfasts fund.

    “We are committed to working together to tackle child poverty and improve family wellbeing. We are delighted to see applications starting to come in since launching the fund on Wednesday”

    Background

    The Bright Start Breakfast fund is being managed by Inspiring Scotland. Guidance on applying to the fund can be found here: Bright Start Breakfasts – Inspiring Scotland.

    Inspiring Scotland invites applications from groups and organisations who deliver or want to deliver breakfast clubs, including:

    • Primary schools
    • local authorities
    • third-sector organisations
    • registered childcare providers
    • activity providers
    • parent or volunteer groups
    • childminding services

    Work to design and deliver childcare services for priority families is taking place in 23 Early Adopter Communities across six local authority areas (Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Fife and Shetland).

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ODS demonstrates significant economic and social impact

    Source: City of Oxford

    Friday, 16 May 2025

    ODS, the City Council wholly owned provider of essential and commercial services in Oxford and Oxfordshire, has released its 2023/24 Economic Impact Assessment.

    It reveals a total contribution of £65.6 million Gross Value Added (GVA) to the local economy and the support of over 1,150 jobs. 

    Established in 2018, the organisation provides a wide range of statutory and commercial services, including waste management, property maintenance, highways and fleet services. 

    The report, commissioned from SQW, details ODS’s economic, environmental, and social contributions to Oxford and the wider region. SQW are experts in public policy and work with clients to research, implement and evaluate social and economic development. For more details please visit their website. 

    Key findings include: 

    • employment and economic output: In 2023/24, ODS employed 560 people, generating £35.1m in direct GVA. The company’s operations supported a total of 1,154 jobs, including 728 in Oxford 

    Social value and community engagement 

    ODS embeds social impact through a clear commitment to inclusivity, workforce development, and local partnerships. Highlights include: 

    • community partnerships with local schools, charities, and rehabilitation programmes, including employment support for individuals with convictions. 

    Environmental leadership 

    As a holder of ISO 14001 and PAS2030 certifications, ODS is accelerating Oxford’s low-carbon future. Key initiatives include: 

    • maintenance of 900 acres of green spaces, and community education on sustainability through schemes like Podback, which collects and recycles Oxford residents’ coffee pods as part of their kerbside recycling and waste collections, and the Waste Education Programme. 

    Comment 

    “ODS is more than a service provider – it’s an engine for inclusive, sustainable growth in Oxford. This report shows how ODS is delivering economic value while putting social and environmental purpose at the heart of what it does.” 

    “ODS”s sustainability work is essential to support the ambition to make Oxford a greener city. Of course there is more to do. ODS’ Carbon Management Plan charts a path to net zero for the company through investment in clean energy, building decarbonisation, and cultural change.” 
    Councillor Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies 

    “It’s great to see the excellent contribution ODS makes across a range of measures in Oxford and beyond as set out in this report by SQW. Our strap line is ODS – Doing Good – and we mean it.” 
    Simon Howick, Managing Director, ODS 

    To read the full report visit the ODS website. 

    About ODS 

    ODS is comprised of ODS Limited (ODSL) and ODS Trading Limited (ODSTL). ODSL delivers statutory services and maintains Oxford City Council’s housing stock. ODSTL offers commercial services to businesses and organisations across the Thames Valley. Together, ODS is a vital contributor to Oxford’s economic resilience, environmental goals, and inclusive community ambitions. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Putin is testing how far he can push Trump by not turning up for Istanbul talks

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex

    Over three years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the countries are finally meeting for direct peace talks in Istanbul. Vladimir Putin will be not be attending.

    Ironically, given his no-show, it was Putin who suggested the peace talks instead of immediately agreeing to a proposed 30-day ceasefire. But like Russia’s 2024 presidential elections, from the outside the peace talks appear to be a total farce. Putin is not just stringing the international community along, he is also testing his “friendship” with the US president, Donald Trump.

    Trump ran on a platform that he would he end the war in Ukraine quickly (in 24 hours), arguing that he was the only one with the gravitas and strength to handle the Russian leader. Yet Putin has repeatedly ignored Trump’s warnings.

    Two days after Trump was inaugurated, the US president posted that new sanctions would be imposed on Russia if the conflict did not end quickly. Then in early and late March, Trump again threatened sanctions if there was no ceasefire. Most recently, on May 8, Trump called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, warning that violations would be met with sanctions.

    Putin disregarded every threat, and Trump did nothing to follow through. The pattern seems to be repeating itself.

    Now, Trump is trying to save face by claiming that peace talks are only possible if he and Putin meet in person. If that was the case, why didn’t Trump himself attend? He was only a four-hour plane flight away, making billion dollar deals in the Gulf. But as recently as Thursday, Trump floated the idea that he would only attend if “something happened”.

    Given how important these peace talks should be, it’s odd that there’s so much confusion about why Putin and Trump are not attending. US special envoy Keith Kellogg stated that if Putin had attended, Trump would be there. Trump, meanwhile, has framed Putin’s snub the other way around, claiming the only reason Putin did not attend was because he was not there.


    Institute for the Study of War, CC BY-ND

    Meanwhile, Europeans had warned Putin that if he did not attend and the talks failed to produce a ceasefire, he would face tougher sanctions. But Putin was never going to attend these peace talks even as his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, goaded him to do so by arriving in Ankara a few days ahead of time.

    What could still happen?

    Representatives from the Turkish, Ukrainian and American delegations were due to meet on the morning of May 16, followed by a session with Russia. Reportedly, Turkey is doing everything it can to get the two sides in the same room.

    But hopes are not high for any breakthrough. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said he has no expectations, and Zelensky believes Russia is not serious about achieving anything at these talks.

    Though Putin was the one who suggested the peace talks “without preconditions”, he has sent a low-level delegation. Zelensksy promised to attend if Putin did, but has interpreted the Russian president’s absence as a sign of disrespect.

    Given this backdrop, what can be achieved? Putin has sent his aide (and former minister of culture) Vladimir Medinsky, who Zelensky describes as a “theatre prop”. In Zelensky’s place, the Ukrainian delegation is led by Kyiv’s defence minister, Rustem Umerov.

    Umerov has an impossible task, but will be trying to use the peace talks to take the first steps towards de-escalation. The only real winner in these talks is Turkey, which is playing a much bigger role than expected on the international stage as a power broker and mediator, since Putin didn’t come. Turkey also has good relationships with both Putin and Zelensky.

    It’s certainly hard to take peace talks seriously when there is an awkward back-and-forth just about who is going to attend. And while Trump thinks peace is only possible through bilateral meetings between himself and Putin, it’s clear he can’t even influence Putin to show up to peace talks that the Russian president himself suggested.

    This should give the world little confidence that Putin will agree to a 30-day ceasefire, Ukraine’s main proposal, let alone ever agree to any wider concessions. What’s not clear is what Trump is going to do about it.

    Natasha Lindstaedt 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. Putin is testing how far he can push Trump by not turning up for Istanbul talks – https://theconversation.com/putin-is-testing-how-far-he-can-push-trump-by-not-turning-up-for-istanbul-talks-256820

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Assisted dying: five questions that need answering before it can work in pratice

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzanne Ost, Professor of Law, Lancaster University

    Collagery/Shutterstock

    An attempt to make assisted dying legal in England in Wales continues to make its way through parliament, with MPs currently scheduled to have a final vote on the bill in June.

    The bill has sparked both passionate support and strong opposition, raising vital questions: how would such a law work in practice? Who would deliver it? And what would it cost?

    While much attention has focused mostly on the ethics of assisted dying, the government’s recently published impact assessment looks at the practical side and it deserves closer attention.

    Of course, we shouldn’t base a decision about life and death solely on financial or logistical grounds. But if assisted dying is to become part of the law in England and Wales, we need to understand how it would work in reality. The report highlights a number of key challenges:

    1. The medication question

    The assessment draws mainly on data from 11 other jurisdictions, especially Oregon, where assisted dying has been legal for years. It found that the drugs used can lead to prolonged and unpredictable deaths, in part due to inconsistent drug availability.

    However, the report doesn’t compare this to Switzerland, where assisted dying must be self-administered and is tightly regulated. There, a single barbiturate is typically used, leading to death within two to ten minutes depending on whether it’s taken orally or via injection. This raises questions about what kind of medications would be used in the UK and how reliably they would work.

    2. Opt-outs: who will deliver the service?

    Experience from countries like Canada shows that most doctors opt out of providing assisted dying. In Canada, over 5,000 assisted deaths were carried out by just 80 people. Similarly, in the US and New Zealand, entire institutions – especially palliative care services – have opted out.

    Kim Leadbeater, the MP sponsoring the bill, has confirmed that it would not oblige hospices to participate. While this protects individual conscience, it may leave patients struggling to find willing clinicians or being discharged home to die.

    3. Can the NHS cope with a new service?

    The bill assumes the NHS would be responsible for delivering assisted dying. But is the system ready?

    Switzerland uses volunteer doctors outside the healthcare system, which may be more sustainable. In the UK, oversight is expected to come from a panel including a senior judge or lawyer, a psychiatrist and a social worker.

    However, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) has raised serious concerns, both about the role psychiatrists would play and whether there are enough professionals to fulfil that role. The RCP currently opposes the bill.

    4. Funding: a two-tier system?

    The impact assessment suggests assisted dying would be free at the point of delivery. Yet palliative care – the alternative end-of-life support – often receives less than 40% government funding, relying heavily on charity.

    Could this create a two-tier system, where assisted dying is fully funded while palliative care remains under resourced?

    5. Legal costs and challenges

    If passed, the bill could trigger human rights challenges, particularly around mental capacity and access. Legal experts suggest several grounds on which it might be contested and these cases would need to be defended, incurring additional costs.

    Families might also seek judicial review of a panel’s decision to permit a request for assisted dying. And public protests outside clinics or hospitals offering the service could require increased policing and security – all of which have financial and social implications.

    This bill tackles one of the most morally sensitive issues in society. But if it is to succeed, and be implemented safely, it must be built on more than good intentions.

    The government’s impact assessment lays out the many practical hurdles: medication protocols, workforce readiness, conscientious objection, legal protections, and funding disparities. These aren’t technicalities. They’re the framework that would determine whether assisted dying is accessible, safe and ethically delivered.

    As the bill progresses, the debate must move beyond principle alone. The future of this legislation – and its real world impact – will depend on how well we address these deeply human, and deeply complex, practicalities.

    Suzanne Ost has previously received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy for research that she has conducted.

    Nancy Preston receives funding from Horizon Europe but not for her work on assisted dying. She is affiliated with European Association of Palliative Care where she Co-Chairs the Task Force on the role of palliative care professionals in supporting patients and families considering assisted dying.

    – ref. Assisted dying: five questions that need answering before it can work in pratice – https://theconversation.com/assisted-dying-five-questions-that-need-answering-before-it-can-work-in-pratice-256270

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Governments continue losing efforts to gain backdoor access to secure communications

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Richard Forno, Teaching Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, and Assistant Director, UMBC Cybersecurity Institute, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Signal is the poster child for strong encryption apps. AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato

    Reports that prominent American national security officials used a freely available encrypted messaging app, coupled with the rise of authoritarian policies around the world, have led to a surge in interest in encrypted apps like Signal and WhatsApp. These apps prevent anyone, including the government and the app companies themselves, from reading messages they intercept.

    The spotlight on encrypted apps is also a reminder of the complex debate pitting government interests against individual liberties. Governments desire to monitor everyday communications for law enforcement, national security and sometimes darker purposes. On the other hand, citizens and businesses claim the right to enjoy private digital discussions in today’s online world.

    The positions governments take often are framed as a “war on encryption” by technology policy experts and civil liberties advocates. As a cybersecurity researcher, I’ve followed the debate for nearly 30 years and remain convinced that this is not a fight that governments can easily win.

    Understanding the ‘golden key’

    Traditionally, strong encryption capabilities were considered military technologies crucial to national security and not available to the public. However, in 1991, computer scientist Phil Zimmermann released a new type of encryption software called Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). It was free, open-source software available on the internet that anyone could download. PGP allowed people to exchange email and files securely, accessible only to those with the shared decryption key, in ways similar to highly secured government systems.

    Following an investigation into Zimmermann, the U.S. government came to realize that technology develops faster than law and began to explore remedies. It also began to understand that once something is placed on the internet, neither laws nor policy can control its global availability.

    Fearing that terrorists or criminals might use such technology to plan attacks, arrange financing or recruit members, the Clinton administration advocated a system called the Clipper Chip, based on a concept of key escrow. The idea was to give a trusted third party access to the encryption system and the government could use that access when it demonstrated a law enforcement or national security need.

    End-to-end encryption and backdoor access explained.

    Clipper was based on the idea of a “golden key,” namely, a way for those with good intentions – intelligence services, police – to access encrypted data, while keeping people with bad intentions – criminals, terrorists – out.

    Clipper Chip devices never gained traction outside the U.S. government, in part because its encryption algorithm was classified and couldn’t be publicly peer-reviewed. However, in the years since, governments around the world have continued to embrace the golden key concept as they grapple with the constant stream of technology developments reshaping how people access and share information.

    Following Edward Snowden’s disclosures about global surveillance of digital communications in 2013, Google and Apple took steps to make it virtually impossible for anyone but an authorized user to access data on a smartphone. Even a court order was ineffective, much to the chagrin of law enforcement. In Apple’s case, the company’s approach to privacy and security was tested in 2016 when the company refused to build a mechanism to help the FBI break into an encrypted iPhone owned by a suspect in the San Bernardino terrorist attack.

    At its core, encryption is, fundamentally, very complicated math. And while the golden key concept continues to hold allure for governments, it is mathematically difficult to achieve with an acceptable degree of trust. And even if it was viable, implementing it in practice makes the internet less safe. Security experts agree that any backdoor access, even if hidden or controlled by a trusted entity, is vulnerable to hacking.

    Competing justifications and tech realities

    Governments around the world continue to wrestle with the proliferation of strong encryption in messaging tools, social media and virtual private networks.

    For example, rather than embrace a technical golden key, a recent proposal in France would have provided the government the ability to add a hidden “ghost” participant to any encrypted chat for surveillance purposes. However, legislators removed this from the final proposal after civil liberties and cybersecurity experts warned that such an approach would undermine basic cybersecurity practices and trust in secure systems.

    In 2025, the U.K. government secretly ordered Apple to add a backdoor to its encryption services worldwide. Rather than comply, Apple removed the ability for its iPhone and iCloud customers in the U.K. to use its Advanced Data Protection encryption features. In this case, Apple chose to defend its users’ security in the face of government mandates, which ironically now means that users in the U.K. may be less secure.

    Apple pulled its advanced encryption service from the U.K. market rather than grant the U.K. government backdoor access.

    In the United States, provisions removed from the 2020 EARN IT bill would have forced companies to scan online messages and photos to guard against child exploitation by creating a golden-key-type hidden backdoor. Opponents viewed this as a stealth way of bypassing end-to-end encryption. The bill did not advance to a full vote when it was last reintroduced in the 2023-2024 legislative session.

    Opposing scanning for child sexual abuse material is a controversial concern when encryption is involved: Although Apple received significant public backlash over its plans to scan user devices for such material in ways that users claimed violated Apple’s privacy stance, victims of child abuse have sued the company for not better protecting children.

    Even privacy-centric Switzerland and the European Union are exploring ways of dealing with digital surveillance and privacy in an encrypted world.

    The laws of math and physics, not politics

    Governments usually claim that weakening encryption is necessary to fight crime and protect the nation – and there is a valid concern there. However, when that argument fails to win the day, they often turn to claiming to need backdoors to protect children from exploitation.

    From a cybersecurity perspective, it is nearly impossible to create a backdoor to a communications product that is only accessible for certain purposes or under certain conditions. If a passageway exists, it’s only a matter of time before it is exploited for nefarious purposes. In other words, creating what is essentially a software vulnerability to help the good guys will inevitably end up helping the bad guys, too.

    Often overlooked in this debate is that if encryption is weakened to improve surveillance for governmental purposes, it will drive criminals and terrorists further underground. Using different or homegrown technologies, they will still be able to exchange information in ways that governments can’t readily access. But everyone else’s digital security will be needlessly diminished.

    This lack of online privacy and security is especially dangerous for journalists, activists, domestic violence survivors and other at-risk communities around the world.

    Encryption obeys the laws of math and physics, not politics. Once invented, it can’t be un-invented, even if it frustrates governments. Along those lines, if governments are struggling with strong encryption now, how will they contend with a world when everyone is using significantly more complex techniques like quantum cryptography?

    Governments remain in an unenviable position regarding strong encryption. Ironically, one of the countermeasures the government recommended in response to China’s hacking of global telephone systems in the Salt Typhoon attacks was to use strong encryption in messaging apps such as Signal or iMessage.

    Reconciling that with their ongoing quest to weaken or restrict strong encryption for their own surveillance interests will be a difficult challenge to overcome.

    Richard Forno has received research funding related to cybersecurity from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the US Army during his academic career since 2010.

    – ref. Governments continue losing efforts to gain backdoor access to secure communications – https://theconversation.com/governments-continue-losing-efforts-to-gain-backdoor-access-to-secure-communications-253016

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: CCUS explained: experts answer your questions

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    CCUS explained: experts answer your questions

    Got a question about Carbon Capture, Usage, and Storage (CCUS) and the technology involved? Experts answer some of the most common questions here.

    How does CCUS work? 

    Olivia Powis, CEO at the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, says:  

    Carbon Capture, Usage, and Storage (CCUS) is essential for reducing emissions from heavy industries. It can also be used to generate low-carbon power by gas power stations with carbon capture and storage as well as enabling hydrogen power. These sources of power are important for when the sun isn’t shining, and the wind isn’t blowing.

    This low carbon technology captures carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial facilities, compresses it, and then transports it by pipeline or ship for utilisation or safe and permanent storage deep under the seabed, preventing the CO2 from entering the atmosphere. The CO2 is stored in porous rocks – in old oil fields, gas fields, or saline formation – that act like a sponge and are covered by layers of trapping mechanisms such as impermeable ‘caprock’ – ensuring safe and permanent storage. The CO2 is then monitored to make sure that its stored securely.

    Is CCUS a proven technology? 

    Professor Stuart Haszeldine, Professor of Carbon Capture and Storage at University of Edinburgh, says: 

    Yes, carbon capture and storage has been operating successfully and safely since 1996 at the Sleipner storage site in the North Sea, halfway between Aberdeen and Bergen. A similar project has been developed at Snøhvit offshore in Norway. Experience gained in those operations has led to the Northern Lights project, situated north of Bergen which offers secure CO2 storage commercially to European industries.

    Is CCUS safe? 

    Professor Niall Mac Dowell, Professor in Energy Systems Engineering at Imperial College London, says: 

    Yes, various technical components of the carbon capture, utilisation, transport, and storage value chain have all been extensively deployed in other contexts around the world for decades. In the UK, not only can existing Health and Safety legislation effectively regulate the safety of CCUS, but we are also fortunate to have a wealth of experience in the offshore industry, which will be used to safely store the CO2 several kilometres below the seabed, in formations similar to those that have trapped natural gas for millennia.

    Does CCUS help us tackle climate change? 

    Chris Stark, former CEO at the Climate Change Committee and Head of Mission Control for Clean Power 2030 at the Department of Energy Security & Net Zero, says:

    CCUS provides the lowest cost pathway to reaching net zero which is why the independent Climate Change Committee has declared it a ‘necessity, not an option.’ CCUS gives a range of options to decarbonise that would otherwise not be possible, and it minimises the climate warming emissions released to the atmosphere on our journey to net zero. It will be an important part of our industrial future.

    With an increase in renewable energy, why do we need CCUS? 

    Louise Stott, Deputy Director for Policy at Energy UK, says:

    To help secure our energy supply, we need low-carbon power that is available at all times of the day and in all weathers. Gas-fired power stations with CCUS, used alongside all other forms of low-carbon energy generation, will be able to provide flexible power on the system. Beyond power generation, CCUS will also play an important role in the decarbonisation of heavy industry. There are certain industrial processes, such as cement production, which will only be able to decarbonise through technologies like carbon capture.

    Is CCUS too expensive? 

    Mathilde Fajardy, Energy Analyst at the International Energy Agency, says: 

    CCUS technologies are critical to put energy systems around the world on a sustainable path. The cost of a project depends heavily on the source of the CO2 captured, the distance and mode used to transport it, as well as where and how it is stored. The cost of CCUS also needs to be considered against alternative decarbonisation options – in some cases, CCUS may be the only option available today.

    Is there enough space to safely store carbon captured by CCUS projects? 

    Stuart Payne, CEO at the North Sea Transition Authority, says: 

    The North Sea has the potential to store up to 78 GT of CO2 in a combination of depleted oil and gas reservoirs and natural saline aquifers. That could be enough capacity on the UK Continental Shelf to store centuries worth of UK emissions. In fact, we believe we have an exceptional case for the UK to become a carbon storage centre for the world.

    Further information

    Read more about UK carbon capture, usage and storage.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/CHINA – Marian Pilgrimage of the Diocese of Shanghai: With Pope Leo XVI, we ask Our Lady of Sheshan for the gift of peace

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    sito diocesano

    Shanghai (Agenzia Fides) – Prayer, for the intercession of the Virgin Mary and the gift of peace in the world, is the focus of the pilgrimage of the Diocese of Shanghai to the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan.Yesterday, Thursday, May 15, numerous priests, religious, and lay people, led by Bishop Joseph Shen Bin, participated in the traditional pilgrimage during the Marian month, which culminated in the solemn Eucharistic Liturgy in the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, at the top of Sheshan Hill.In his homily, Bishop Joseph Shen Bin urged everyone to “imitate the firm trust of the Our Lady and her constant gaze turned to God. Looking up means humbly seeking the guidance of the Lord, where His light and peace are,” and asked that “our faith also grow brighter to illuminate others in the darkness that surrounds us.” Participants in the pilgrimage also prayed for the unity and growth of the Church, for peace and serenity for priests and lay people in the diocese, and asked that they “be guided by the teachings of Christ and, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, practice charity and build peace on the path of faith.” Pilgrimages and Marian Month celebrations are taking place in Chinese Catholic communities throughout China. On the Feast of Our Lady in China, hundreds of believers in the city of Tangshan, Hebei Province, visited the Marian grottoes found in almost every parish to pray the Rosary and offer their own spiritual vows to Mary. In the community of Heze, Shandong Province, 400 believers listened to the testimonies of five lay people who shared their Marian devotion and the graces they had received through Mary’s intercession. On this occasion, two catechumens also received the sacrament of baptism. Meanwhile, more than 200 young people from the parish of Huangzhou, in the district of Longgang (Wenzhou Diocese), participated in the Taze prayer on Sunday, May 11, to celebrate their Jubilee of Hope. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
    sito diocesano

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN – Catholic University a beacon of academic excellence in the region

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 16 May 2025

    HK

    Tombura Yambio (Agenzia Fides) – “This university is a beacon of excellence in East Africa, it is fully equipped with the necessary resources, experienced faculty, and a strong academic foundation to prepare our youth for a bright future and we encourage all young people to enroll and take advantage of this life-changing institution”, the bishop of the Catholic diocese of Tombura-Yambio, Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala said, referring to the Catholic University of South Sudan, St. John Campus of Yambio.In the note sent to Fides, Bishop Hiboro explains that the University is expanding its academic programs for next year and that the initiative spearheaded by the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, aims to empower South Sudanese youth with globally competitive education rooted in local values.The bishop commended the University for maintaining high academic standards and playing a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of leaders.Founded in 2019, the Catholic University’s St. John Yambio Campus has quickly grown into a respected institution, producing top-performing graduates.In 2023, its first cohort walked the graduation stage four of them earning first-class honors, while in a second batch has already graduated, and a third is on course to complete their studies by November this year.In response to increasing demand, the Acting Administrator of the institution announced that the university is set to relocate to a new, larger campus in August, marking a major milestone in its expansion strategy in Yambio.As South Sudan continues to navigate economic recovery and nation-building, institutions like the Catholic University, St. John Campus in Yambio are stepping up to nurture the skills, knowledge, and leadership necessary for long-term development. With its expanding facilities, dedicated faculty, and a clear vision, the university is fast becoming a cornerstone of academic excellence in the region.For many young South Sudanese, the path to a brighter future now begins in Yambio the Western Equatoria State Capital. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA – A Bishop: “We must disarm hearts and hands in the province of Enga”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wabag (Agenzia Fides) – “Tribal conflicts are deeply rooted in the remote province of Enga, Papua New Guinea. In the past, fighting was the final word in resolving conflicts, mainly territorial ones,” Father Giorgio Licini, a missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) and Caritas collaborator of the Episcopal Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, told Fides.The missionary recounts a situation that the Catholic community is trying to contain: “The roots of tribal conflicts are still emotional. What is done to one member of the tribe is done to all. It is the result of an ‘excess of solidarity’ and the individual’s identification with the group,” explains the missionary. “This is even more dangerous today, as injustice is often caused by widespread alcohol and drug abuse. A trivial fight can result in multiple deaths and the loss of property, regardless of the reasons for the dispute. The clan supports its members regardless of the propriety of their actions. Traditional conflicts over land have now given way to disputes over property in general and, related to it, over elections and political power. The world is changing, but traditional attitudes remain. Defending the tribe’s honor is considered fundamental,” Father Licini notes.The impact on politics is clear: “When a candidate wins a seat in the provincial or national parliament or a ministerial post, it brings immense benefits to the tribe or clan of origin.In Enga province, politics and the concurrent elections are accompanied by fraud, violence, and bloodshed, not least because of the proliferation of heavy firearms, likely smuggled from the neighboring Indonesian province of West Papua.”The missionary recounts one example: “The suburb of Paiam in Porgera is practically a ghost town after tribal fighting erupted in 2020. This year, only forty believers were able to attend Easter celebrations at the local Catholic parish of Blessed Peter To Rot, once a thriving community center. In the past, it was the wealth of land and livestock that determined a tribe’s pride. Today, it is business and political prestige. When I first traveled to the Enga region in 2019, there were few areas where tribal conflicts began. Now it is a dangerous war zone. Homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, and churches have been lost.” In this context, as Justin Ain, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Wabag in Enga Province, notes, the local Church is actively committed to preventing and combating all forms of violence, with the goal of “disarming hearts and hands.” Not only by “simply helping the victims,” but above all “with education and awareness.” The bishop explains that “especially with the resources and teams of the diocesan Caritas, they organize meetings with the village population, especially with young people, who are often completely uneducated or illiterate, and make them aware of the consequences of their violent acts for themselves and their families, as well as the damage caused by alcohol and drug addiction, thus discouraging them from expressing their frustration through violence.” The local church is also working long-term, also in view of the national parliamentary elections in May 2027. Enga has six representatives elected in five districts. Elections in Papua New Guinea, and particularly in the Highlands region, are notorious for being marred by intimidation, vote-buying, and fraud during the voting process. “Recently,” the bishop reports, “we invited leaders from all walks of life to a three-day political training course on leadership, representation, and accountability to voters. Because it is from them, whom we consider leaders, that disarmament and non-violence must emanate.” Enga Province in Papua New Guinea has seen repeated outbreaks of political violence in recent years. Although the tensions are often linked to disputes over access to and use of natural resources, they also reflect ethnic and cultural conflicts, often related to competition for resources, land ownership, and access to government services. In 2024, approximately 30 people were killed in tribal clashes in Porgera, Enga Province, involving 17 tribes.The recurring conflicts, characterized by brutal violence and cyclical reprisals, reflect deeper, systemic problems. One conflict was resolved by a ceasefire, the so-called “Hilton Peace Accord,” signed last year in Port Moresby. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SUDAN – The “drone war” hides a “proxy war”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 16 May 2025 wars  

    Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – The “drone war” is intensifying in Sudan. The use of armed drones and “suicide drones” (similar to cruise missiles, but cheaper) is primarily the prerogative of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias, which do not have an air force.Even the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), although they have combat aircraft, are making extensive use of drones to bomb areas under RSF control.The latter have expanded the area of action of their devices, targeting Sudan’s administrative capital, controlled by the SAF, as well as the country’s most important seaport, Port Sudan (see Fides, 6/5/2025).Previously, attacks carried out by RSF drones were limited to the White Nile, Nile River, and Northern State regions, as well as Omdurman and El Fasher. Among the targets hit were power plants and fuel depots. The expansion of the areas hit by RSF drones raises the question of whether they are launched from within Sudan or from neighboring countries. This is a legitimate suspicion, especially regarding Port Sudan, which is located several hundred kilometers from known RSF positions. Some radar interference on merchant ships operating in the Red Sea suggests that the drones are launched from bases outside Sudan, perhaps from Puntland, where the United Arab Emirates – accused by the Khartoum government of supporting the RSF (see Fides, 11/4/2025) – has a major base in Bosaso (see Fides, 6/5/2025). According to this hypothesis, those who launch them disrupt the radars of ships navigating in the area to hide their launch site. Remnants of the artillery used by the RSF suggest that it is Chinese-made material supplied to Sudanese paramilitaries by the United Arab Emirates.The Khartoum government has called on Beijing to urgently intervene to prevent the RSF from acquiring Chinese-made drones and strategic aircraft. Minister of Culture and Information and government spokesperson Khaled Al-Aiser stated in a Facebook post on May 15, 2025, that China is a friendly country with historical ties and strategic interests with Sudan. He therefore called on Beijing to intervene with the Abu Dhabi regime to end violations of arms purchase contracts and end-use certificates, under which the RSF has been able to obtain advanced drones.The SAF, in turn, is suspected of using Turkish-made drones to support its offensives against the paramilitaries. There are even unconfirmed reports that, in the RSF drone attacks on Port Sudan, some Turkish experts were injured and later repatriated by air ambulance. Thus, the internal Sudanese conflict risks escalating into a “proxy war” between external powers – particularly Turkey and the Emirates – which would further aggravate the conflict. As Pope Francis, and now his successor, Pope Leo XIV, have repeatedly stated, “to end wars, we must end the arms trade.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Pope Leo to the Diplomatic Corps: Peace, Justice and Truth, ‘key words’ of papal diplomacy

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    VaticanMedia

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Peace, Justice, Truth. These are the three words Pope Leo XIV chose in his address to members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See. Peace which is “the first gift of Christ”, an “active and demanding gift. It engages and challenges each of us”. Justice, which is also denied by “global inequalities – between opulence and destitution – that are carving deep divides between continents, countries and even within individual societies”. Truth, which “can never be separated from charity, always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman”.The “sui generis” Nature of Papal DiplomacyPope Leo began by thanking the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, for his cordial greeting, and recalling the tireless work that he has carried out with his characteristic energy, commitment and kindness”, stressing that papal diplomacy is “an expression of the very catholicity of the Church. In its diplomatic activity, the Holy See is inspired by a pastoral outreach that leads it not to seek privileges but to strengthen its evangelical mission at the service of humanity.” For this reason it appeals to consciences, as witnessed by the constant efforts of my venerable predecessor, ever attentive to the cry of the poor, the needy and the marginalized, as well as to contemporary challenges, ranging from the protection of creation to artificial intelligence”. The Pope born in Chicago then referred to his “own life experience, which has spanned North America, South America and Europe, has been marked by this aspiration to transcend borders in order to encounter different peoples and cultures. Through the constant and patient work of the Secretariat of State”, Pope Leo continued, “I intend to strengthen understanding and dialogue with you and with your countries, many of which I have already had the grace to visit, especially during my time as Prior General of the Augustinians. I trust that God’s providence will allow me further occasions to get to know the countries from which you come and enable me to have occasions to confirm in the faith our many brothers and sisters throughout the world and to build new bridges with all people of good will”.Human Nature and the Gift of PeaceThen, recognizing, with the Christian realism with which Saint Augustine and the Fathers of the Church also contemplated the condition of the human race, marked by Original Sin, the Pope said: “it is part of human nature and always accompanies us, pushing us too to live in a constant “state of conflict” at home, at work and in society”. And “no matter how hard we try, tensions will always be present, a little like embers burning beneath the ashes, ready to ignite at any moment”.In this state of affairs – the Bishop of Rome added – “peace is first and foremost a gift. It is the first gift of Christ”. Yet it is “an active and demanding gift. It engages and challenges each of us, regardless of our cultural background or religious affiliation, demanding first of all that we work on ourselves. Peace – he added -is built in the heart and from the heart, by eliminating pride and vindictiveness and carefully choosing our words. For words too, not only weapons, can wound and even kill”. Looking at global scenarios, Pope Leo recognized “the fundamental contribution to fostering a climate of peace. This naturally requires full respect for religious freedom in every country, since religious experience is an essential dimension of the human person. Without it, it is difficult, if not impossible, to bring about the purification of the heart necessary for building peaceful relationships”. The Pontiff also reiterated that “there is a need to give new life to multilateral diplomacy and to those international institutions conceived and designed primarily to remedy eventual disputes within the international community”. Furthermore – he added – “there must also be a resolve to halt the production of instruments of destruction and death, since, as Pope Francis noted in his last Urbi et Orbi Message: No peace is “possible without true disarmament [and] the requirement that every people provide for its own defence must not turn into a race to rearmament.”Justice and the faces of the new “Social Question”“I chose my name,” Pope Leo XIV repeated, introducing the reflections on justice – “thinking first of all of Leo XIII, the Pope of the first great social Encyclical, Rerum Novarum. In this time of epochal change, the Holy See cannot fail to make its voice heard in the face of the many imbalances and injustices that lead, not least, to unworthy working conditions and increasingly fragmented and conflict-ridden societies.”To build “harmonious and peaceful civil societies”- the Pontiff underlined in this passage of his speech – it is necessary to invest “in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman”, and to ensure that “respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike. My own story”, he added, making another reference to his personal story in his speech, “is that of a citizen, the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate. All of us, in the course of our lives, can find ourselves healthy or sick, employed or unemployed, living in our native land or in a foreign country, yet our dignity always remains unchanged: it is the dignity of a creature willed and loved by God”.Truth is an encounter“Truly peaceful relationships cannot be built, also within the international community,” the Pontiff remarked, dwelling on the third key word of his speech – apart from truth. Because “where words take on ambiguous and ambivalent connotations, and the virtual world, with its altered perception of reality, takes over unchecked, it is difficult to build authentic relationships, since the objective and real premises of communication are lacking.” The Church, for her part –Pope Prevost added – “can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language that may initially create misunderstanding. Yet truth can never be separated from charity, which always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman”. And from the Christian perspective – the Pontiff clarified – “truth is not the affirmation of abstract and disembodied principles, but an encounter with the person of Christ himself, alive in the midst of the community of believers. Truth, then, does not create division, but rather enables us to confront all the more resolutely the challenges of our time, such as migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved planet Earth”. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Opening remarks by President António Costa at the meeting of the European Political Community in Tirana

    Source: Council of the European Union

    On 16 May, European Council President António Costa was in Tirana, Albania to co-host the sixth meeting of the European Political Community summit. In his opening remarks, he called for a united European response to the growing global challenges to peace, international law and multilateralism. He also reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to being a reliable partner in building a ‘new Europe in a new world.’

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Extensive Failures

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Extensive Failures

    In a public inquiry at the end of April, Deputy Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton revoked the standard international goods vehicle operator’s licence held by Transglobal Solutions Ltd with immediate effect.

    He cited extensive and persistent breaches of statutory obligations under the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995.

    Following a pattern of non-compliance, the company and its director, Maricel Taranu, have also been indefinitely disqualified from holding or obtaining an operator’s licence. Mr. Taranu is further barred from acting as a transport manager for any operator.

    The inquiry was unattended by either the company or Mr. Taranu.

    The revocation follows serious concerns uncovered during multiple investigations by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), including vehicles operated without MOTs and road tax presenting a direct risk to public safety, failure to download tachograph data, and extended operation of vehicles without driver cards – both clear violations of drivers’ hours regulations.

    There was a shocking lack of maintenance, culminating in one vehicle being stopped with four loose wheel nuts, a disintegrated tyre, and a defective indicator. On top of this, there was no engagement with the DVSA or the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, despite repeated attempts to obtain essential compliance records.

    Further DVSA inspections revealed that the company had no legitimate maintenance arrangements, minimal operating facilities, and an exceptionally high prohibition and MOT failure rate— double and triple the national average respectively. In addition, false information was provided to authorities regarding vehicle operations, and a warrant for Mr. Taranu’s arrest remains active in Romania for unrelated driving offences.

    Mr Denton said “This is one of the worst operators I have ever come across. Mr Taranu has refused to engage both with DVSA and the traffic commissioner. He has overseen illegal and dangerous operations in the UK and appears to be wanted by the Romanian authorities for serious motoring offences… I cannot allow the company’s vehicles to operate and pose a danger to other road users for a moment longer.”

    He concluded that there should be no room in the industry for Mr Taranu, who has shown an utter indifference to the law and to road safety. The full written decision can be found here.

    For any further details or enquiries, please contact: Email : pressoffice@otc.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: International logistics operator Tablogix shared its experience of digital product labeling with students of the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The State University of Management hosted a lecture by the industrial partner of the State University of Management – the international logistics operator Tablogix. The lesson was held as part of the course “Cargo Science” for students of the educational program “Logistics and Supply Chain Management”. The lesson was devoted to digital marking of goods in the “Honest Sign” system.

    The speaker was Anna Shchukina, Head of Project Management and Business Analysis at Tablogix. The specialist analyzed real cases, mistakes to avoid, and shared life hacks that will save budgets. The session was practice-oriented.

    During the lesson, students learned: – Why the “Honest Sign” is needed by businesses, and not just the regulator; – How to properly implement labeling in logistics and warehouses; – Why you can’t do without adapting WMS and ERP; – How Tablogix reduces risks and improves the accuracy of product accounting; – How to properly prepare for an interview with an employer and what qualities a logistician needs today.

    Of particular value to the students were the expert’s advice in the field of team management, the use of project management tools, which can be used in the implementation of their own projects in the field of logistics.

    The Department of Transport Complex Management thanks the Tablogix company and the speaker Anna Shchukina for the lecture.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 05/16/2025

    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 Russia: “In the next 20 years we will stop aging”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Jose Luis Cordeiro

    © Higher School of Economics

    Leading Russian and Western scientists gathered at the anniversary XXV Yasin (April) International Scientific Conference. One of the guests at the special foresight session was Doctor of Philosophy Jose Luis Cordeiro, member of the World Academy of Art and Science, chairman of the Venezuelan node of the Millennium Project, former professor at MIPT and HSE, author of the book Death Must Die.

    — Dear Jose Luis, we are glad that you accepted our invitation to participate in the foresight session dedicated to the future of AI. This is not your first visit to HSE. How would you rate your experience of cooperation with our university?

    — I am always happy to return to HSE, which, by the way, many call the Russian Harvard, because I sincerely believe that it is one of the best universities in Russia, in Europe and in the world. All research and all academic work here is conducted at the highest level. And so I am inspired and happy to collaborate in any way possible.

    — Which areas of research and topics covered during the foresight session seem most relevant today?

    — I am interested in following the path from narrow AI to general AI and going even further, looking into the area of artificial superintelligence. Because this will be a level of AI that surpasses human in everything. I think this is inevitable and we need to be prepared for it.

    — Artificial intelligence causes both fear and excitement in society. What does this new technology generate more — threats or opportunities?

    — Every technology can be used for good and for bad, starting with one of the first human technologies, fire, which was probably developed by humans about half a million years ago. Obviously, it could be used for many good things, like cooking, heating, and so on. But it could also be used to kill, destroy, and burn cities. Same with nuclear energy. It can be used to make electricity or to make nuclear weapons. So all technologies can be used for good or for bad. But again, in general, technologies are used for good purposes. They are developed by people for people in cooperation with other people. So I am actually very inspired by the incredible capabilities of artificial intelligence.

    Maybe I’m not so afraid of AI because I’m more worried about human stupidity. Human stupidity is really my main concern! And so if we can become smarter with AI, I’ll be very happy about it.

    — Each person draws a certain image of the future, preferable, possible or undesirable, clear or vague, a certain picture where he places himself. What place does artificial intelligence occupy in your image of the future?

    — AI will be everywhere, it will assist us in everything constantly and continuously. It will be as natural as mobile phones are now, or earlier — the Internet, and even earlier — just ordinary landline phones.

    So AI will be everywhere. It is a general purpose technology, like electricity, which is everywhere today.

    — What, in your opinion, are the most important challenges facing humanity today? Have they changed much in recent years?

    — Look, there are different challenges in different historical periods. This is reasonable. Once, you know, fire was a big challenge. And a few thousand years later, nuclear weapons became a challenge. For a long time after World War II, humanity lived in fear of the constant threat of nuclear destruction. Until biochemical weapons were added to it. And now there are two challenges. But today, it seems to me, in terms of the greatest threat, environmental challenges are in the foreground. I believe that they are the main modern problem for humanity.

    But AI, like all technology, is actually more of a help than a problem. So I’m very optimistic about AI and I’m looking forward to AI finally helping us solve previous problems and challenges before it becomes a problem itself.

    — During the foresight session, some speakers criticized foresight, claiming that it is experiencing a decline in public interest because it is too old-fashioned. Do you agree with this statement?

    — I think that foresight and future studies in general, on the contrary, are becoming more and more relevant, because the world is changing faster and faster. When things, ways of life and technologies had not changed for centuries, when everything happened very slowly, then foresight was not so important. But now, when everything happens almost instantly, we need more, not less foresight.

    So no, I don’t think it’s old-fashioned. In fact, I think foresight is coming into fashion and it should become even more common in the future. Well, look, it’s like saying that mathematics is old-fashioned or physics is outdated. Well, they’re not, they’re not old-fashioned. We need mathematics, we need physics, and we need foresight. And I repeat: we need it more than ever.

    — You were one of the founders of the Millennium Project, which unites futurologists from all over the world. HSE Foresight Center is also active in futures research. In what areas do you see the greatest synergy from collaboration?

    — In many. If you remember, I already mentioned that HSE, ISSEK, Institute for Statistical Research and Economics of Knowledge. — Ed.) and the Foresight Center are at the forefront of modern scientific forecasting. They have achieved incredible success in the field of technological and scientific foresight. I like their forecasting tool for processing big data (iFORA. — Ed.). By the way, iFORA is something we could collaborate on, we could help promote it on the market, already at the international level. iFORA is just one example.

    Now, as part of the Millennium Project, we are working on developing State of the Future Indexes. We are creating indices of the future states of companies, cities, countries, industrial sectors and the world as a whole. So, since HSE is very strong in statistics, we could collaborate on state of the future indices. Choose a direction and create an index.

    Or a third example: we are assembling a navigator for Futures Research Methodologies. And a Foresight Center that develops such methodologies and has most of the foresight methods in its arsenal would be indispensable in our work.

    And finally, we conduct international Delphi surveys annually, now online surveys. And of course, we want to involve Russian scientists in our expert circle. Russia is one of those countries in the world where a lot of expertise has been collected in various technological areas, and we will be very happy to include it in our Delphi surveys.

    So, a lot, a lot of things. The future is open, and foresight and future research are the future.

    — Could you tell us about your current research interests?

    — Right now I am mainly interested in three areas. The first is space. Space is an important part of the history and future of humanity. And in the next decade we will have space colonies on the Moon and Mars. Life on other planets will radically change the attitude and view of our own tiny planet Earth. So space is very important. And of course, Russia, remaining one of the leading countries in space research, will participate in this space expansion.

    The second area that interests me is artificial intelligence and the transition to superintelligence. As soon as we create a new machine-human civilization, the world around us will change radically. For this, we will need a lot of intelligence, both natural and artificial. I really want to look into the future, in which superintelligence operates.

    And the third area of my interest is biotechnology, health and longevity. Now with new medical technologies we have the ability to increase the life expectancy of people, and soon we will be able to rejuvenate people. It seems incredible, but the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2012 was awarded to Shinyo Yamanaka, who discovered a way to reprogram cells to change their biological age. After that, other scientists began to do this at the organ level, in 12 years we moved from cells to organs. And now many people are working on the transition from organs to whole organisms, to animals. Of course, they usually start with simpler and smaller animals, and then move on to more complex and larger ones, so that eventually we can try it on people. I believe that in the next 20 years we will stop aging. We will take control of the aging process and begin to rejuvenate people. This was the first dream of mankind – immortality. And now we are very close to making it come true thanks to biotechnology. And so I’m very excited about this. So, three areas: space, artificial intelligence and longevity.

    The interview was prepared by Sergey Sychev, leading expert of the Department of Science Statistics ISSEK HSE

    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 –