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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Apple unveils powerful accessibility features coming later this year

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple unveils powerful accessibility features coming later this year

    May 13, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple unveils powerful accessibility features coming later this year

    New features include Accessibility Nutrition Labels on the App Store, Magnifier for Mac, Braille Access, and Accessibility Reader; plus innovative updates to Live Listen, visionOS, Personal Voice, and more

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced new accessibility features coming later this year, including Accessibility Nutrition Labels, which will provide more detailed information for apps and games on the App Store. Users who are blind or have low vision can explore, learn, and interact using the new Magnifier app for Mac; take notes and perform calculations with the new Braille Access feature; and leverage the powerful camera system of Apple Vision Pro with new updates to visionOS. Additional announcements include Accessibility Reader, a new systemwide reading mode designed with accessibility in mind, along with updates to Live Listen, Background Sounds, Personal Voice, Vehicle Motion Cues, and more. Leveraging the power of Apple silicon — along with advances in on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence — users will experience a new level of accessibility across the Apple ecosystem.

    “At Apple, accessibility is part of our DNA,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Making technology for everyone is a priority for all of us, and we’re proud of the innovations we’re sharing this year. That includes tools to help people access crucial information, explore the world around them, and do what they love.”

    “Building on 40 years of accessibility innovation at Apple, we are dedicated to pushing forward with new accessibility features for all of our products,” said Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives. “Powered by the Apple ecosystem, these features work seamlessly together to bring users new ways to engage with the things they care about most.”

    Accessibility Nutrition Labels Come to the App Store

    Accessibility Nutrition Labels bring a new section to App Store product pages that will highlight accessibility features within apps and games. These labels give users a new way to learn if an app will be accessible to them before they download it, and give developers the opportunity to better inform and educate their users on features their app supports. This includes VoiceOver, Voice Control, Larger Text, Sufficient Contrast, Reduced Motion, captions, and more. Accessibility Nutrition Labels will be available on the App Store worldwide, and developers can access more guidance on the criteria apps should meet before displaying accessibility information on their product pages.

    “Accessibility Nutrition Labels are a huge step forward for accessibility,” said Eric Bridges, the American Foundation for the Blind’s president and CEO. “Consumers deserve to know if a product or service will be accessible to them from the very start, and Apple has a long-standing history of delivering tools and technologies that allow developers to build experiences for everyone. These labels will give people with disabilities a new way to easily make more informed decisions and make purchases with a new level of confidence.”

    An All-New Magnifier for Mac

    Since 2016, Magnifier on iPhone and iPad has given users who are blind or have low vision tools to zoom in, read text, and detect objects around them. This year, Magnifier is coming to Mac to make the physical world more accessible for users with low vision. The Magnifier app for Mac connects to a user’s camera so they can zoom in on their surroundings, such as a screen or whiteboard. Magnifier works with Continuity Camera on iPhone as well as attached USB cameras, and supports reading documents using Desk View.

    With multiple live session windows, users can multitask by viewing a presentation with a webcam while simultaneously following along in a book using Desk View. With customized views, users can adjust brightness, contrast, color filters, and even perspective to make text and images easier to see. Views can also be captured, grouped, and saved to add to later on. Additionally, Magnifier for Mac is integrated with another new accessibility feature, Accessibility Reader, which transforms text from the physical world into a custom legible format.

    A New Braille Experience

    Braille Access is an all-new experience that turns iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro into a full-featured braille note taker that’s deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem. With a built-in app launcher, users can easily open any app by typing with Braille Screen Input or a connected braille device. With Braille Access, users can quickly take notes in braille format and perform calculations using Nemeth Braille, a braille code often used in classrooms for math and science. Users can open Braille Ready Format (BRF) files directly from Braille Access, unlocking a wide range of books and files previously created on a braille note taking device. And an integrated form of Live Captions allows users to transcribe conversations in real time directly on braille displays.

    Introducing Accessibility Reader

    Accessibility Reader is a new systemwide reading mode designed to make text easier to read for users with a wide range of disabilities, such as dyslexia or low vision. Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro, Accessibility Reader gives users new ways to customize text and focus on content they want to read, with extensive options for font, color, and spacing, as well as support for Spoken Content. Accessibility Reader can be launched from any app, and is built into the Magnifier app for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, so users can interact with text in the real world, like in books or on dining menus.

    Live Captions Arrive on Apple Watch

    For users who are deaf or hard of hearing, Live Listen controls come to Apple Watch with a new set of features, including real-time Live Captions. Live Listen turns iPhone into a remote microphone to stream content directly to AirPods, Made for iPhone hearing aids, or Beats headphones. When a session is active on iPhone, users can view Live Captions of what their iPhone hears on a paired Apple Watch while listening along to the audio. Apple Watch serves as a remote control to start or stop Live Listen sessions, or jump back in a session to capture something that may have been missed. With Apple Watch, Live Listen sessions can be controlled from across the room, so there’s no need to get up in the middle of a meeting or during class. Live Listen can be used along with hearing health features available on AirPods Pro 2, including the first-of-its-kind clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature.

    An Enhanced View with Apple Vision Pro

    For users who are blind or have low vision, visionOS will expand vision accessibility features using the advanced camera system on Apple Vision Pro. With powerful updates to Zoom, users can magnify everything in view — including their surroundings — using the main camera. For VoiceOver users, Live Recognition in visionOS uses on-device machine learning to describe surroundings, find objects, read documents, and more.1 For accessibility developers, a new API will enable approved apps to access the main camera to provide live, person-to-person assistance for visual interpretation in apps like Be My Eyes, giving users more ways to understand their surroundings hands-free.

    Additional Updates

    • Background Sounds becomes easier to personalize with new EQ settings, the option to stop automatically after a period of time, and new actions for automations in Shortcuts. Background Sounds can help minimize distractions to increase a sense of focus and relaxation, which some users find can help with symptoms of tinnitus.
    • For users at risk of losing their ability to speak, Personal Voice becomes faster, easier, and more powerful than ever, leveraging advances in on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence to create a smoother, more natural-sounding voice in less than a minute, using only 10 recorded phrases. Personal Voice will also add support for Spanish (Mexico).2
    • Vehicle Motion Cues, which can help reduce motion sickness when riding in a moving vehicle, comes to Mac, along with new ways to customize the animated onscreen dots on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
    • Eye Tracking users on iPhone and iPad will now have the option to use a switch or dwell to make selections. Keyboard typing when using Eye Tracking or Switch Control is now easier on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro with improvements including a new keyboard dwell timer, reduced steps when typing with switches, and enabling QuickPath for iPhone and Vision Pro.
    • With Head Tracking, users will be able to more easily control iPhone and iPad with head movements, similar to Eye Tracking.
    • For users with severe mobility disabilities, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS will add a new protocol to support Switch Control for Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs), an emerging technology that allows users to control their device without physical movement.
    • Assistive Access adds a new custom Apple TV app with a simplified media player. Developers will also get support in creating tailored experiences for users with intellectual and developmental disabilities using the Assistive Access API.
    • Music Haptics on iPhone becomes more customizable with the option to experience haptics for a whole song or for vocals only, as well as the option to adjust the overall intensity of taps, textures, and vibrations.
    • Sound Recognition adds Name Recognition, a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to know when their name is being called.
    • Voice Control introduces a new programming mode in Xcode for software developers with limited mobility. Voice Control also adds vocabulary syncing across devices, and will expand language support to include Korean, Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Turkish, Italian, Spanish (Latin America), Mandarin Chinese (Taiwan), English (Singapore), and Russian.
    • Live Captions adds support to include English (India, Australia, UK, Singapore), Mandarin Chinese (Mainland China), Cantonese (Mainland China, Hong Kong), Spanish (Latin America, Spain), French (France, Canada), Japanese, German (Germany), and Korean.
    • Updates to CarPlay include support for Large Text. With updates to Sound Recognition in CarPlay, drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing can now be notified of the sound of a crying baby, in addition to sounds outside the car such as horns and sirens.
    • Share Accessibility Settings is a new way for users to quickly and temporarily share their accessibility settings with another iPhone or iPad. This is great for borrowing a friend’s device or using a public kiosk in a setting like a cafe.

    Celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day with Apple

    Apple Retail is introducing dedicated tables spotlighting accessibility features on a variety of devices in select store locations throughout the month of May. Additionally, Apple offers accessibility sessions year-round through Today at Apple for deeper learning, tips, and feature customization. Sessions can be scheduled at all Apple Store locations worldwide through Group Booking or by visiting a nearby store.

    Apple Music shares the story of artist Kiddo K and the power of music haptics for users who are deaf or hard of hearing, unveils updates to its Haptics playlists, and launches a brand-new playlist featuring ASL interpretations of music videos alongside Saylists playlists.

    Apple Fitness+ welcomes Chelsie Hill as a guest in a Dance workout with Fitness+ trainer Ben Allen. Hill is a professional dancer and founder of Rolettes, an L.A.-based wheelchair dance team that advocates for disability representation and women’s empowerment. The workout is available now in the Fitness+ app.

    Apple TV+ shares a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new Apple Original film Deaf President Now!, which premieres on Apple TV+ on May 16. The documentary tells the story of the greatest civil rights movement most people have never heard about, which unfolded across eight tumultuous days in 1988. At the world’s only Deaf university, four students must find a way to lead an angry mob — and change the course of history.

    Apple Books, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV, and Apple News will spotlight stories of people with disabilities and those who are working to make the world more accessible for everyone.

    The App Store is sharing a collection of apps and games designed to be accessible to everyone, in addition to featuring the story of Klemens Strasser, a developer guided by a philosophy of making accessible apps and games like The Art of Fauna.

    The Shortcuts app adds Hold That Thought, a shortcut that prompts users to capture and recall information in a note so interruptions don’t derail their flow. The Accessibility Assistant shortcut has been added to Shortcuts on Apple Vision Pro to help recommend accessibility features based on user preferences.

    New videos on the Apple Support accessibility playlist include features like Eye Tracking, Vocal Shortcuts, and Vehicle Motion Cues, as well as a library of videos to help everyone personalize their iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro to work best for them.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Live Recognition should not be relied on in high-risk or emergency situations, in circumstances where the user may be harmed or injured, or for navigation.
    2. Personal Voice can only be used to create a voice that sounds like the user on device, using their own voice, and for their own personal, noncommercial use.

    Press Contacts

    Will Butler

    Apple

    willbutler@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Bishop Martinelli entrusts Pope Leo to Our Lady of Arabia: “A son of migrants”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Abu Dhabi (Agenzia Fides) – “To Mary, Our Lady of Arabia, we entrust the new Pope Leo XIV,” said Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, at the end of his homily at the Holy Mass in Abu Dhabi following the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new Bishop of Rome and Successor of Peter on Thursday, May 8.The day after the papal election, Friday, May 9, Masses were celebrated in all the churches of the Apostolic Vicariate with special prayer intentions for the new Pope and his ministry. Bishop Martinelli, a Capuchin, presided over the evening Eucharist at the parish of St. Joseph in Abu Dhabi, a celebration in which hymns and songs inspired by the figure of St. Peter and Christ the Good Shepherd were sung.”After days of mourning the death of our beloved Pope Francis,” Bishop Paul said, “the Lord has given us a new successor to the Apostle Peter: Robert Francis Prevost, who has taken the name Leo XIV.” “Last night,” he added, “we were all deeply moved to see him appear on screen and address his first words to the People of God.”In his brief homily, Bishop Martinelli recalled that in his first words from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, Pope Leo greeted the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square with the words of the Risen Christ: “Peace be with you,” adding, “A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering.” Bishop Martinelli, who presides over an ecclesial community of migrants, emphasized that Pope Leo “is the son of migrants, and this is one of the reasons why we feel particularly close to him. Although he was born in Chicago, he has Italian, French, and Spanish roots,” highlighting some essential characteristics of the new Pontiff’s personality, such as his long experience as a missionary in Peru and his affiliation with the Augustinian Order. “Pope Leo,” Bishop Martinelli continued, quoting his words during his homily as the new Bishop of Rome on Friday, May 9, during Mass in the Sistine Chapel, when he said, “we are called to bring Jesus to others and to proclaim him. We must in a certain sense put ourselves aside so that Jesus can shine; we are called to be signs of his presence. This is the path of witness that we too are called to follow in this part of the world.” He then recalled that the episcopal motto of the new Bishop of Rome “is a saying of Saint Augustine: In Illo unum uno, which means: ‘In the one Jesus we are all one.’” Bishop Martinelli added, “This beautiful expression reminds us that we Christians, although many and diverse, are united in Christ Jesus, as Saint Paul himself writes in his Letter to the Ephesians: ‘Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.’” (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 13/5/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/INDONESIA – The Camillians inaugurate a new Social Center in Kupang, on the island of Timor

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 13 May 2025

    LG

    Kupang (Agenzia Fides) – After more than fifteen years of missionary presence, the Camillian religious in Indonesia are a tangible sign of charity and social commitment. Their work, inspired by the charism of Saint Camillus of Lellis, patron saint of the sick and health workers, has been expressed over time through numerous pastoral, health, and educational activities, especially for the benefit of the most vulnerable sections of the population.After the establishment of the first Saint Camillus Social Center in Maumere, on the island of Flores, in 2018 (see Fides, 2/6/2018), the Camillians inaugurated a second center on May 10 in the city of Kupang, capital of the province of East Nusa Tenggara, on the island of Timor.The inauguration ceremony was attended by the local Bishop Hironimus Pakaenoni, the provincial governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, and numerous civil and religious authorities, who expressed their deep admiration for the courage, dedication, and vision of the Camillian missionaries. The initiative was enthusiastically welcomed by the population, who see it as a concrete opportunity for growth and support, especially for young people.The center, built with the support of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and the contributions of numerous donors, is an important response to the educational and social needs of the region. The new facility has 43 rooms for student accommodation, a conference room, several meeting rooms, a dining room with a kitchen, and other spaces that make it an ideal venue for meetings, seminars, and training activities. With this, the Camillians reaffirm their commitment not only to the sick, the poor, and the needy in the area of healthcare, but also to young people, offering them not only hospitality but also the opportunity for human and spiritual growth, thus responding to the most urgent needs of local communities. The new “St. Camillus Social Center” thus sees itself as a point of reference for the local community, a place of encounter and hope, where we can build a better future together. (LG/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 13/5/2025)
    LG

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pension schemes back British growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Pension schemes back British growth

    Mansion House Accord unlocks up to £50 billion investment for the economy, with first commitments to invest in the UK.

    • More ambitious targets than 2023 Mansion House Compact will unlock investment into UK businesses and major infrastructure projects, including clean energy developments. 

    • Comes ahead of Pensions Investment Review final report, which will create megafunds to drive more investment, boost pension pots and grow the economy through the Plan for Change.

    Up to £50 billion of investment for UK businesses and major infrastructure projects is set to be unlocked through a new agreement with Britain’s biggest pension funds, as the Government goes further and faster to drive growth through the Plan for Change.

    Seventeen workplace pension providers managing around 90 percent of active savers’ defined contribution pensions will sign the Mansion House Accord at a roundtable with the Chancellor and Minister for Pensions in the City of London today (Tuesday 13 May). 

    Signatories to the Accord will pledge to invest 10 percent of their workplace portfolios in assets that boost the economy such as infrastructure, property and private equity by 2030. At least 5 percent of these portfolios will be ringfenced for the UK, expected to release £25 billion directly into the UK economy by 2030.  

    This investment could support clean energy developments across the country, delivering greater energy security and helping to lower household bills, as well as delivering growth finance to Britain’s world-leading science and technology businesses – creating jobs, boosting businesses and putting more money into people’s pockets.

    Pension savers will also benefit from the commitment to invest in private markets. Comparable Australian schemes invest significantly more in private markets and domestic companies than UK schemes, and research suggests greater investment in private markets can deliver security through diversified asset holdings and potentially drive higher returns. 

    The pledge follows hot on the heels of securing trade agreements with India and the US, which will add billions of pounds to the UK economy and protect thousands of steel and car manufacturing jobs, as well as a fourth interest rate cut since last Summer. This demonstrates the UK’s strength in navigating a changing world, going further and faster through our Plan for Change to drive growth and put more money into people’s pockets.

    Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

    Through our Plan for Change, we are choosing to back British businesses and British workers. I welcome this bold step by some of our biggest pension funds, which will unlock billions for major infrastructure, clean energy, and exciting startups — delivering growth, boosting pension pots, and giving working people greater security in retirement.

    Torsten Bell, Minister for Pensions, said:

    Pensions matter hugely, they underpin not just the retirements we all look forward to, but the investment our future prosperity depends on. I hugely welcome the pensions industry decision to invest in more productive assets, from growing companies to infrastructure. This supports better outcomes for savers and faster growth for Britain.

    Today’s announcement is more ambitious than the 2023 Mansion House Compact, where eleven funds committed to the aim of investing 5 percent of their workplace defined contribution default funds – the off-the-shelf funds providers offer to the vast majority of savers – in unlisted companies by 2030. The new commitment involves the vast majority of the industry and brings more assets into scope, doubles the target from 5 percent to 10 percent, and includes a specific commitment to investing 5 percent in the UK. 

    Progress against the commitment will be monitored and the initiative will be reinforced by measures to be announced in the upcoming final report of the Pensions Investment Review. The final report will tackle fragmentation in the UK pension system, creating pension megafunds that take advantage of scale and consolidation like Australian and Canadian funds do, to invest in productive assets like private markets and big infrastructure projects.  

    Some pension funds have already indicated privately that they will go beyond the targets agreed through the Mansion House Accord, which could lead to even more direct investment in the UK economy – and is particularly welcomed by the government. 

    Today’s commitment comes alongside progress in the government’s efforts to help pension savers benefit from the opportunities of investing in UK growth. The British Business Bank has now received regulatory approval from the Financial Conduct Authority to deliver the British Growth Partnership – which will provide UK pension funds and other institutional investors with access to the Bank’s extensive pipeline of UK venture capital opportunities. 

    The government will continue working with the industry to make sure pension schemes deliver the best possible value for savers — while driving the investment needed to deliver growth and put more money into people’s pockets.

    Yvonne Braun, Director of Policy, Long-Term Savings, Health and Protection at the ABI, said:

    As major investors, the pensions industry already plays a vital role in driving growth in the UK and globally. The Accord formalises the industry’s ambition to invest more in private markets to diversify investments, support innovation and infrastructure, and ensure prosperity.  Investments under the Accord will always be made in savers’ best interests. It is now critical that Government supports the industry’s ambition, by facilitating a pipeline of suitable investment opportunities, tackling barriers to investments, and delivering wider pension reforms effectively.

    Alastair King, Lord Mayor of London, said:

    The Mansion House Accord builds on the strong foundations of the Compact and signals a step change in ambition: more signatories, deeper allocations to private markets, and a clearer commitment to backing UK assets. That includes a renewed focus on revitalising the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange as well as the Aquis Exchange, which play a critical role in supporting high-growth companies that drive innovation, jobs and productivity. If we want those firms to scale in the UK, we must ensure they have the capital to do so. This is not just about better pension outcomes, it is about building a more dynamic, competitive investment ecosystem. Delivering long-term, sustainable growth is crucial and the City of London Corporation is delighted to have partnered with industry and Government to bring this ambition to life.

    Zoe Alexander, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the PLSA, said:

    UK pension schemes already invest billions in UK growth assets. This accord demonstrates the collective ambition of the DC sector to do even more, as well as its confidence that the UK will provide the right opportunities to invest, consistent with schemes’ fiduciary duty to members. The Government, in its turn, has committed to take action to ensure there is a strong pipeline of investable assets for pension schemes. With everyone playing their part, there is great potential to boost returns for savers while providing vital funding to productive growth areas.

    More information

    • This is a voluntary expression of intent by seventeen signatories. The Mansion House Accord has been jointly led by the ABI, City of London Corporation and the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association. 

    • Signatories to the new commitment include: Aegon, Aon, Aviva, Legal & General, LifeSight, M&G, Mercer, Natwest Cushon, Nest, NOW: Pensions, Phoenix Group, Royal London, Smart Pension, the People’s Pension, SEI, TPT Retirement Solutions and the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). 

    • The signatories to the Accord have stated that £252 billion of assets are subject to the pledge. Based on historical growth rates (which have been halved to reflect a maturing market (17% per annum)) and reflecting further consolidation in the pensions market, this could rise to around £740 billion by 2030.  

    • The £50 billion and £25 billion cash estimates for investment unlocked are indicative and assume current private market investment levels are at 3.5%, of which 40% is UK-based. These are increased to 10% and 50% respectively by 2030 in line with the Accord.   

    • Some providers have indicated they may exceed the private markets investment targets in the Accord, which could lead to additional investment.  

    • Investments will support UK growth sectors, including clean energy infrastructure and innovative small businesses. 

    • Government Actuary Department Analysis from 2024 found that a portfolio with greater exposure to private markets – including infrastructure and private equity – delivered stronger returns than a baseline portfolio comprised largely of overseas equities.   

    • The Pensions Investment Review interim report was published at Mansion House 2024, with the final report due Spring 2025. 
    • Pictures will be published on HMT’s Flickr following the signing event.

    Stakeholder commentary:

    Andy Briggs, Phoenix Group CEO, said:

    This Mansion House Accord will unlock investment in UK private markets while helping deliver better long-term returns and retirements for millions of pension savers. The new commitments have the potential to strengthen the economy by fuelling the growth of British businesses and boosting investment in critical infrastructure.  

    Phoenix Group has already taken a lead by launching Future Growth Capital — the first private market investment manager formed to deliver the commitments made in the initial Mansion House Compact — committing £2.5bn over three years to the UK’s most exciting, innovative and fastest growing companies. The Accord is the natural next step, and we’re proud to play our part in delivering better outcomes for our customers and for the wider society.

    Patrick Heath-Lay, Chief Executive Officer of People’s Partnership, provider of People’s Pension, said:

    People’s Pension has a vital role to play in the exciting, shared vision for the future of the pensions’ industry, which will see bigger, stronger, value-driven schemes that will deliver better value to their members. By signing this Accord, we are reaffirming how seriously we take our commitment to delivering better outcomes, as well as helping to drive UK economic growth.

    David Lane, Chief Executive of TPT Retirement Solutions, said:

    By reaching an agreement with pension providers to invest in UK productive finance in a mutually beneficial way, the Government can achieve its objective and support better outcomes for scheme members. Many pension schemes already invest in productive finance, and most are open to investing more in the UK. Investment in assets such as infrastructure, transportation, housing, venture capital and private markets can play an important role in improving risk-adjusted returns for members while also contributing to economic growth. 

    Meeting the Government’s objectives while also maintaining fiduciary duty and ensuring strong returns for members are not mutually exclusive ambitions. However, hurdles remain around value for money considerations and the availability of suitable investment opportunities. These should be a focus for Government policy to spur more investment. The most pressing issue to deal with is that provider pricing practices leave very little room in the annual management charge for investment fees. There needs to be a shift to a value for money approach that considers the returns from an investment and not just its fees.

    Jelena Croad, Head of LifeSight GB, said:

    Signing up to the Mansion House Accord is a significant step for LifeSight. We believe that private market investments can increase overall returns as part of a diversified portfolio and have already begun investing in this way.  

    Our ability to invest in private markets, without increasing existing fee agreements, showcases our dedication to providing the best possible outcomes for our members. We are excited to be part of this initiative and look forward to contributing to the growth of the economy in which our members live.  

    We are pleased that the government acknowledges the need to increase the pipeline for UK private market investment opportunities. This recognition aligns with our mission to support the growth of innovative firms and sustainable infrastructure within the UK, ultimately enhancing the retirement incomes of millions of UK pension savers.  

    For LifeSight members, these investments are being made as part of our main default funds, ensuring that our members benefit from high-quality investment opportunities.

    Steve Charlton, a member of SPP’s DC Committee and DC Managing Director at SEI, said:

    Due to ongoing collaboration and open dialogue between the industry and the UK government, we have become comfortable with the proposed changes to the Mansion House reforms. This accord demonstrates our collective ambition to have a consolidated workplace pension environment that provides flexibility and choice for pension funds to invest where they see opportunity, whilst balancing their responsibility to members. 

    We welcome the government’s commitment to ensure a good flow of investable opportunities for pension schemes. This mitigates our previous concerns about the risks of high-priced, poor-quality investments in an environment where the originally proposed investable opportunities are scarce. It enables everyone to play their part in helping to deliver better member outcomes and drive economic growth.

    Lorna Blyth, Managing Director – Investment Proposition at Aegon UK, said: 

    Aegon UK is proud to be a signatory of the Mansion House Accord, which aligns with our aim to deliver better long-term outcomes for our pension scheme members. 

    We are committed to ensuring our customers can access and share in the potential growth and success of new, innovative companies as part of diversified portfolios. Leveraging our partnership with the British Business Bank, along with our scale and expertise, we are dedicated to developing investment solutions that improve the retirement outcomes of the millions of members of the defined contribution pension schemes we support. We’ve made significant progress in becoming a DC provider fit for the future – but our journey doesn’t end here. 

    The Accord is a key element of the Government’s growth agenda, alongside other initiatives likely to transform the UK’s DC pensions market. It comes as the conclusions of the Pensions Investment Review are expected imminently and further fundamental changes are expected in the Pension Schemes Bill later this spring. This makes it essential that the Government adopts a pragmatic approach to implementation. Realistic timeframes and a steady supply of high-quality UK investment opportunities across all private asset classes are crucial for ensuring success. This includes collaborating with more organisations such as the British Business Bank to provide access to diverse types of private assets – from private equity to infrastructure, which are all vital for optimising member benefits and developing investment portfolios designed for long term growth.

    Amanda Blanc DBE, Aviva Group Chief Executive Officer, said:

    This is a major opportunity for the pension and investment industry to support UK growth while delivering improved outcomes for pension savers. As a significant investor in private markets, Aviva has recently launched a number of funds to give over four million workplace pension customers even greater opportunity to invest in UK assets, including innovative, early-stage businesses, and we want to do much more.

    Jo Sharples,  CIO, DC Solutions at Aon, said:

    We believe that investing in private assets will benefit pension scheme members by delivering better expected returns over the long-term, ultimately resulting in higher retirement outcomes. The new Mansion House Accord is a great step forward in achieving this and is a fantastic example of how the UK pensions industry can work together to break down barriers to enable greater investment in private assets.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CAMEROON – Archbishop of Garoua: “Father Mbaibarem is still in the hands of the kidnappers”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Yaoundé (Agenzia Fides) – “Father Mbaibarem is still in the hands of the kidnappers. From time to time, they contact some locals to demand a ransom for his release,” Archbishop Faustin Ambassa Ndjodo of Garoua in northern Cameroon told Fides. Father Valentin Mbaibarem, parish priest of the Church of St. John the Baptist in Madingring, was kidnapped on May 7, on the road between Guidjiba and Tcholliré.”The road between Guidjiba and Tcholliré is a dangerous stretch of road, as there have been several cases of kidnappings with the aim of extorting travelers, but this is the first time a priest has been kidnapped on this road,” said Bishop Ambassa Ndjodo. Northern Cameroon has been plagued by kidnappings for years (see Fides, 5/1/2024). According to local newspapers, several teachers were taken hostage on this road a few days before Father Mbaibarem’s kidnapping.The gendarmerie began a search of the area, which led to the release of a hostage who had been kidnapped on May 10 in a village near Garoua. As a sign of solidarity and spiritual support, the Archbishop asked all parishes of the archdiocese to offer a special prayer for Father Mbaibarem on Sunday, May 11. He also invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary for the priest’s speedy release. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 13/5/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Rodrigo Duterte is once again mayor of Davao

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    PPCRV

    Davao (Agenzia Fides) – Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, indicted for crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court, has been elected mayor of Davao, the city on the island of Mindanao where his political career began and where he served as mayor for more than 20 years before being elected president in 2016.Following yesterday’s vote, May 12, in the mid-term elections in the Philippines, which elect the House of Representatives, part of the Senate, and local governments, Duterte was officially declared the winner today, May 13, by the Davao Electoral Council, receiving an overwhelming majority: over 660,000 preferences compared to 80,000 for his opponent, Karlo Nograles, among others, his former spokesman.The position of mayor of Davao is Duterte’s first official post since the end of his term as president. He previously held the office from February 1988 to June 1998, from July 2001 to June 2010, and then from July 2013 to June 2016. The Duterte family has held this office for 34 years, as Duterte’s children succeeded him. Today, his son, Sebastian Duterte, was elected deputy mayor. Duterte’s son entered politics in 2019 and served as mayor from 2022 to 2025. He succeeded his sister Sara, who ran for and was later elected Vice President of the Philippines. She has held the office to this day.The mid-term elections are crucial for the Duterte family, as they consolidate their control over the city of Davao for the next three years. Duterte’s arrest in March was seen as a factor that could have either a negative or positive impact on the family’s image. Duterte’s victory was a testament to his continued popularity among the Filipino people, both locally and nationally. It is worth noting that at least five candidates backed by the Duterte dynasty are running for 12 Senate seats, and according to initial projections, they appear to have a chance of winning.The outcome of the Senate election will be crucial in the case of Vice President Sara Duterte, against whom the Lower House of Parliament has voted to impeach on a range of charges, including misuse of public funds and conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos.The Senate will be asked to confirm or reject the charges in a vote scheduled for next July. Sara Duterte is considered a serious candidate for the 2028 presidential race, but if the Senate confirms the charges, she will be permanently barred from public office. The official results of the mid-term elections will be announced in a week. Meanwhile, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Elections, a monitoring body born within the Catholic Church in the Philippines, actively monitors and oversees electoral transparency at the service of citizens and the entire nation. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 13/5/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/BAHRAIN – Bishop Berardi: Pope Leo XIV, a sign of hope and communion that strengthens our unity with the universal Church

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 13 May 2025

    Avona

    Manama (Agenzia Fides) – “For the Church in the Arabian Peninsula, this moment is an encouragement to continue to live and bear witness to the Gospel, often in silent or hidden ways,” said Bishop Aldo Berardi O.SS.T., Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, on the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8. “Amidst our unique reality, the Holy Father’s election is a sign of hope and communion that strengthens our unity with the universal Church. His call for peace, dialogue, and encounter,” Bishop Berardi continued, “resonates deeply in our hearts, especially in this region, where these values are not only desired but vital. We are united with the Holy Father in his mission to build bridges, promote reconciliation, call for dialogue, and proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth.We reaffirm our commitment to be a living sign of communion and to contribute to the universal mission of the Church from our Vicariate in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula.””The election of Pope Leo XIV confirms the gentle and powerful action of the Holy Spirit, who continues to guide the Church through times of renewal and mission. This moment is truly a grace for the People of God, reminding us that Christ always remains faithful to His promise: ‘I am with you always, to the end of the age’ (Mt 28:20). May Our Lady of Arabia, the Star of the New Evangelization, intercede for him, for the Church, and for all the People of God,” concludes the Apostolic Vicar. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 13/5/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Between Paris and Moscow. Alexandra Bychkova and Sergey Koltsov

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    As part of the “Days of Historical and Cultural Heritage” campaign, the Museum of Moscow will host an exhibition dedicated to the creative path of artist Alexandra Bychkova and sculptor Sergei Koltsov. Although they were not perceived as a creative tandem in Soviet times, the exhibition allows us to trace the echoes between their artistic languages, combining elements of modernism, decorativeness and classicism.

    The exhibition features paintings, sculptures, textile panels, graphics, and design objects from more than 20 museum and private collections. Particular attention is paid to their life between the two capitals — Moscow and Paris — as well as their personal history — letters, photographs, and family archives. The exhibition offers not only a retrospective look at the spouses’ work, but also provides answers to previously unfinished biographical stories, revealing the depth of their internal and artistic dialogue.

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: // Ibilet.mos.ru/Event/346110257/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Parties who let Lough Neagh die are now selling off our land for dirty profit

    Source: The Green Party in Northern Ireland

    Parties who let Lough Neagh die are now selling off our land for dirty profit

    Sinn Féin’s Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins and the Executive are granting seven new mineral licences in the West-using a colonial law from 1969 and ignoring over 2,000 public objections.
    Green Party leader Mal O’Hara calls them out: “The parties who let Lough Neagh die are now selling off our land for dirty profit, ignoring residents, campaigners, and the environment. Their promises to protect nature are as fake as plastic grass-looks good from far away, but up close, it’s toxic.”
    Alliance and its Environment Minister Andrew Muir have shown themselves to be ineffective at standing up to big business and protecting our shared environment from profiteering.
    Enough is enough. Our land, habitats, and communities are not commodities for the Crown Estate and mining companies. We demand real protection, not more destruction.
    ENDS 
    Press enquiries – Mal O’Hara on 07540790663 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bid to keep Plymouth fishing

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Council leader Tudor Evans outlined his mission to ‘keep Plymouth fishing’ during a visit from Fishing Minister Daniel Zeichner and pledged to work up a package of measures designed to reinvent and reinvigorate Plymouth’s fishing industry.

    The minister was in Britain’s Ocean City this week for high-level discussions over the future of the industry. Council leader Tudor Evans said:  “We are a fishing port and we talked to the minister about protecting 400 jobs as well as the importance of shore side facilities

    “The auction may have closed, but crews are still landing catch in huge numbers. Plymouth’s fishing industry remains strong with landings last year worth around £12m, making Plymouth the 4th largest port by landings in England.

    “I was really encouraged by the signals we were getting. There are still huge potential opportunities here and we are being strongly encouraged to pull together a bid for funding under the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, which is run by MMO.”

    Ideas need to be further developed but are expected to reflect proposals put forward in a report by Tegean Mor Fisheries Ltd Consultants Ltd, which was commissioned by Sutton Harbour Company, Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association and Plymouth City Council.

    They include new infrastructure on the quay to enable fishing crews to continue to land their catch effectively and more efficiently. This could include new landing cranes, access fobs and CCTV.

    New uses at the site should also be explored such as improving the site’s existing retail offer, creating spaces to deliver seafood cookery classes, A national marketing campaign that focusses on the quality of the catch coming into Britain’s Ocean City could also be on the cards.

    Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “Fishing has been part of our history for hundreds of years and while fishing nationally has certainly shifted and changed shape, Plymouth’s future includes this important industry. One door closes, but many more doors open.”

    The fish auction at Fish Quay in Sutton Harbour stopped operating a year ago which meant fishing vessels landing fish in Plymouth no longer had a local auction to sell their catch. The fish is now transported to other local auctions such as Brixham and Newlyn.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Ministerial Meeting on the Future of Peacekeeping [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Dear Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, our generous hosts.

     
    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
     
    My thanks to Germany for bringing us together at this consequential moment.
     
    This year marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.
     
    Our organization was founded on the conviction that peace is possible if we work as one united human family.
     
    That is what our peace operations are about. 
     
    From preventive diplomacy to peacekeeping…
     
    From negotiating ceasefires to helping to implement them…
     
    From electoral support and observer missions to de-mining operations and protection of civilians…
     
    To the focus of today’s Ministerial meeting — peacekeeping.
     
    Excellencies,
     
    UN Blue Helmets are the most globally recognized symbol of the world’s ability to come together to help countries move from conflict to peace.
     
    Peacekeepers hail from every corner of the world.
     
    But they are united in their commitment to peace.
     
    As we meet today, UN peacekeepers are hard at work helping to ensure that ceasefires are respected…
     
    Protecting civilians caught in the line of fire…
     
    Helping provide the conditions for lifesaving aid to flow to those in need…
     
    And laying the foundations for long-term recovery.
     
    In trouble spots around the world, Blue Helmets can mean the difference between life and death.
     
    And they are also a clear demonstration of the power of multilateral action to maintain, achieve and sustain peace.
     
    There is a long list of countries that have achieved durable peace with the support of UN Peacekeeping — including Cambodia, Cote d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Liberia, Namibia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Timor Leste.  
     
    Many of these countries now themselves contribute troops. 
     
    At the same time, we recognize that peace comes at a price.
     
    Through the decades, 4,400 peacekeepers have fallen in the line of duty.
     
    Their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.  
     
    Please join me in a moment of silence to honour all those who lost their lives in the pursuit of peace.
     
    [MOMENT OF SILENCE]
     
    Thank you.
     
    Excellencies,
     
    We owe it to peacekeepers — and the populations they protect — to continue strengthening their ability to answer this call to peace.
     
    And to do so in the face of daunting challenges.
     
    Complex, intertwined and frequently borderless conflicts…
     
    Growing polarization and division around the globe…
     
    Targeting of peacekeepers through deadly misinformation spreading through social media…
     
    Terrorism and transnational crime, which find fertile ground in instability…
     
    The ongoing climate crisis that is exacerbating conflict while leaving more of the planet uninhabitable…
     
    All the continued trampling of international law and international humanitarian law.
     
    As a result, we are now facing the highest number of conflicts since the foundation of the United Nations, and record numbers of people fleeing across borders in search of safety and refuge.
     
    We must recognize that peacekeeping operations are only as effective as the mandates directing them, and can struggle in contexts where political support and clearly defined outcomes and solutions are absent or elusive.
     
    Meanwhile, we see increasing differences of views around how peacekeeping operations should work, under what circumstances, with what mandates they should be deployed, and for how long.
     
    And we face dramatic financial constraints across the board.
     
    We’ve worked to adapt in the face of these challenges.
     
    But we need to do more.
     
    Today, I want to highlight three areas of focus.
     
    First — help us shape peacekeeping operations that are fit for the future.     
     
    The Pact for the Future called for a Review of Peace Operations — including peacekeeping.
     
    The review will examine how we can make peacekeeping operations more adaptable, flexible and resilient — while recognizing the limitations in situations where there is little or no peace to keep.
     
    It will also aim to critically examine the tools we have today and propose concrete recommendations to make them fit for the future.  
     
    Through this review, we must ensure that the United Nations is prepared to deploy peace operations tailored to each individual conflict, while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.
     
    We can draw inspiration from our UNIFIL operation, which recently developed an adaptation plan to keep peace along the Blue Line, and ensure lifesaving aid can flow to civilians in southern Lebanon.
     
    In the Central African Republic, we see MINUSCA protecting civilians and assisting the government to extend its reach beyond the capital where people are in desperate need. 
     
    In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite ongoing fighting, UN Peacekeepers remain in the field, protecting vulnerable populations. 
     
    We’re also seeking efficiencies through partnerships — from Member States to regional and sub-regional organizations, to local communities.
     
    Most important among them is our strong partnership with the African Union.
     
    Security Council resolution 2719 has lifted this partnership to a new level as we work to establish peace enforcement missions under the AU’s responsibility, supported by the United Nations through assessed contributions.
     
    Today, the Review of Peace Operations will need to be informed — and inspired — by your views.
     
    Member States make peacekeeping possible.
     
    They must lead the way as we strengthen it for the future.
     
    Second — as we make our operations more adaptable and flexible, we need to do the same in the use of our resources.

    Peace operations can only succeed when backed by robust mandates and clear, predictable and sustained contributions, both financial and logistical. 
     
    But these are tough times for the financing of our work across the board.
     
    Peacekeeping is no exception.
     
    It is crucial that we are able to use the increasingly limited resources we have — and use them well.
     
    That requires more flexible rules and processes.
     
    This means updating our approach to abolishing or establishing positions, and working with troop-contributing countries to ensure we can deliver.
     
    It means working with Member States and the UN Security Council to ensure that any new mandates are prioritized and achievable with the resources available and with a clear exit strategy.
     
    And it means driving efficiencies and improvements across our work in light of the continued funding challenges we face.
     
    Our Review of Peace Operations will work hand-in-hand with our UN80 initiative, to ensure we maximize efficiencies wherever possible, supported at every step by Member States.
     
    We look forward to your governments’ support and ideas as we tackle these challenges together.

    Third — we need your political support, including through the pledges you will make tomorrow.

    Peace operations cannot succeed in the absence of a political solution.

    Together we need to mobilize greater support for political solutions across our peacekeeping missions. 

    Pursuing these political solutions requires adequate means of delivering our operations — including unified political support from Member States, strong leadership, well-trained troops, equipment and technology.

    These can strengthen our operations, and make a real difference in people’s lives.

    And it requires the support of all Member States to ensure the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers in the field, and the full implementation of the relevant privileges and immunities of the Organization and its personnel.

    We are deeply grateful for the support and for the concrete pledges so many of you will announce here tomorrow.

    Excellencies,

    With a budget shared by all 193 Member States and representing a tiny fraction of global military spending — around one half of one per cent — UN Peacekeeping remains one of the most effective and cost-effective tools to build international peace and security.

    But it’s only as strong as Member States’ commitment to it.

    Unfortunately, peacekeeping operations have been facing serious liquidity problems. 
      
    It is absolutely essential that all Member States respect their financial obligations, paying their contributions in full and on time. 

    Now more than ever, the world needs the United Nations.

    And the United Nations needs peacekeeping that is fully equipped for today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges. 

    Together, let’s shape the UN peacekeeping operations that the challenges require, that Member States demand, and that our peacekeepers and the people they support need and deserve.
    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • Russia rejects ‘biased’ UN ruling on 2014 downing of Malaysian airliner

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected as biased a ruling by the U.N. aviation council that Russia was responsible for the downing of a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine in 2014 that killed all 298 passengers and crew.

    “Our position is well known. You know that Russia was not a country that took part in the investigation of this incident, so we do not accept any biased conclusions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

    Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, and was shot down over eastern Ukraine as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.

    The victims included 196 Dutch citizens and 38 Australian citizens or residents.

    In November 2022, Dutch judges convicted two Russian men and a Ukrainian man in absentia of murder for their role in the attack. Moscow called the ruling “scandalous” and said it would not extradite its citizens.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 40 civilians, 11 soldiers killed in Indian air strikes in Pakistan last week – military

    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

    ISLAMABAD, May 13 (Xinhua) — At least 40 civilians, including 15 children and seven women, were killed and 121 others were wounded in Indian missile strikes inside Pakistan last week, the Pakistani military said on Tuesday.

    In response, Pakistan’s armed forces launched an operation codenamed “Banyan-ul-Marsoos” (Lead-Covered Wall), according to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army.

    According to ISPR, 11 Pakistani armed forces personnel were killed and 78 others were injured while defending their homeland.

    The statement added that six of those killed were serving in the Pakistan Army and five in the Pakistan Air Force. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 14 people died in India due to poisoning from fake alcohol

    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

    NEW DELHI, May 13 (Xinhua) — At least 14 people have died and six others have been hospitalized after drinking spurious alcohol in India’s northern Punjab state, officials said on Tuesday.

    The tragedy occurred in the Majitha area of the holy Sikh city of Amritsar.

    India has seen a high rate of fatal alcohol poisoning as people often consume cheap, locally produced liquor. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese company Mixue Bingcheng plans to increase imports from Brazil

    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

    ZHENGZHOU, May 13 (Xinhua) — Chinese beverage company Mixue Bingcheng plans to open its first single-origin coffee shop in Brazil this year and increase imports of agricultural products from the country, the company said Monday.

    According to a memorandum of understanding signed between the company and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, the company will expand imports of coffee beans, fruit products and other agricultural products from Brazil.

    Mixue Bingcheng plans to purchase agricultural products from Brazil worth at least 4 billion yuan (about $550 million) over the next three to five years, said Tian Zezhong, head of the Chinese company’s Brazilian branch.

    In addition, Mixue Bingcheng plans to open a plant in Brazil, which will provide 25,000 jobs for local residents.

    Mixue Bingcheng was founded in 1997 and has 46,479 stores worldwide as of the end of 2024. The company’s entry into the Brazilian market is driven by growing demand for high-quality coffee beans and is an example of the growing and diversifying trade partnership between China and Brazil.

    China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner for many years. At the same time, Brazil is China’s number one trading partner in Latin America. Bilateral trade exceeded $180 billion in 2024.

    “Mixue Bingcheng reflects the growing trend of Chinese beverage companies going global. Through supply and distribution around the world, these brands offer consumers affordable premium beverages,” said Chen Zhenjie, deputy head of the China Food Industry Association. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Military Medicine Seminar kicks off in China 2025-05-13 19:05:09 The 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Military Medicine Seminar is being held in China’s Xi’an International Convention Center from May 13 to 14, 2025.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      BEIJING, May 13 — The 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Military Medicine Seminar is being held in China’s Xi’an International Convention Center from May 13 to 14, 2025.

      Heads of military health departments from 11 countries including Russia, Cambodia, Mongolia and Laos and one multilateral organization will conduct exchanges on “Building an SCO Community with a Shared Future: Contributions from Military Medicine” during the event.

      The Seminar focuses on innovative achievements and view exchanges through keynote speeches, sub topics, presentation of traditional Chinese medicine, aiming to provide better ideas and methods for military medicine. Specific topics include organ transplantation, treatment of severe traumatic brain injury, unmanned intelligence, aerospace medicine, and other aspects.

      It is learnt that this is the first exchange activity with the theme of military medicine under the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organization hosted by China.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New tech to make rail replacement travel more accessible

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New tech to make rail replacement travel more accessible

    Four innovative projects set to share £800,000 to improve accessible information for passengers using rail replacement coaches.

    • four projects selected to help roll out accessible information on board rail replacement coaches
    • £800,000 will be allocated across the 4 projects to develop new onboard information technology
    • part of the government’s Plan for Change, aimed at delivering bold ambitions to improve transport accessibility

    Today’s announcement (13 May 2025) will break down the barriers to opportunity – as part of our Plan for Change – by improving accessible travel on rail replacement coaches for disabled people, thanks to £800,000 of government funding for new technology innovations – including a 3D animated avatar that allows passengers to ask questions through voice interaction or access audio via apps or QR codes.

    Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood has today confirmed the funding will go to 4 selected projects which will help to roll out audible and visible information for passengers onboard coach services – transforming public services and driving efficiency.

    While many buses in the UK already offer these features, coach services used for rail replacement often lack the technology needed to deliver the same standard of information. This can leave passengers, especially those with visual or cognitive impairments, without the support they need to travel independently and confidently.

    The new technology will offer flexible solutions that work in different vehicles, helping operators meet the requirements set out in the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023.

    The Department for Transport (DfT) introduced the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023, requiring local bus and coach services to provide clear and accessible audible and visible onboard information. This includes details such as the route, direction of travel and upcoming stops.

    The projects were selected following the competition run by Innovate UK, which combined established solutions with newer technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and a new Bluetooth feature, Auracast, to deliver real-time information in a variety of accessible formats. These projects will be completed by March 2026.

    As part of the government’s Plan for Change, these projects will enable more people to travel independently for work, education, and leisure.

    Making transport more accessible and inclusive not only benefits disabled passengers, but also helps unlock wider economic benefits – from increasing workforce participation to boosting local tourism and supporting businesses across the country.

    Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, said:

    There are around 16 million disabled people in the UK and many depend on coach services to get around. It’s vital that these services provide clear, accessible information for everyone, particularly on rail replacement journeys where the route and stops can change.

    To help rail replacement coach operators make this transition smoothly, we are providing £800,000 of funding as part of the government’s Plan for Change to explore technology that helps all passengers, regardless of their needs, travel with confidence and independence. Public transport should be accessible for all and we’re committed to making that a reality – clearing away barriers to growth.

    This government is securing our future through the Plan for Change by making transport more accessible through initiatives like Access for All, which has delivered step-free access at over 260 stations, and new measures in the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill. The bill will require disability awareness and assistance training for drivers and staff providing direct assistance to passengers and require local authorities to pay regard to new bus stop safety and accessibility guidance.

    Rail media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Best European Online Casinos: JACKBIT Rated Top EU Casino Site With Exclusive Bonus & Fast Payout

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f21d9f2-4af3-4e4b-b4f8-38238cea5fd8
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/491689f2-6b5c-46a7-9321-77fb3fa2dd4f

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How woodland funding helped Lowther Estate to create Ladybeck Wood

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    How woodland funding helped Lowther Estate to create Ladybeck Wood

    Read how funding from the Woodland Creation Planning Grant and England Woodland Creation Offer helped to create woodland in Cumbria.

    Key facts

    • site: Ladybeck Wood, Cumbria
    • size: 51 hectares
    • type: mixed broadleaf
    • species: wild cherry, sycamore, silver birch, sessile oak, crab apple, hawthorn, Scots pine, field maple, common alder, aspen, hazel, goat willow and native black poplar
    • date planted: December 2023
    • grants: Woodland Creation Planning Grant, England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO), and Countryside Stewardship
    • main objective: to bolster existing farmer and timber enterprises with native woodland

    Tree seedlings growing on Ladybeck Wood. Copyright Lowther Estate.

    Ladybeck Wood in the Lake District is an inspiring landscape of seedlings and whips. In December 2023, around 51 hectares of new woodland was planted on Lowther Estate across 2 locations bordering the Eastern Lakes in Cumbria.

    The newly planted woods promise to be a boon for nature recovery in the area as the trees grow and mature. The predominantly broadleaf woodlands are just the latest planted on the estate, which also boasts large timber crops.

    With local biodiversity and business resilience in mind, the new woods show how planting under EWCO can help to provide benefits to landowners, nature and the wider community.

    Choosing woodland creation

    The woodland project at Ladybeck Wood began when a large section of land came back under the management of Lowther Estate. The retirement of a long-term tenant meant the estate had big decisions to make about the best use for this land. They considered further expanding the estate’s food production enterprises, however, due to the soil quality, this was unlikely to be a profitable venture.

    Ultimately, woodland creation was chosen for the environmental benefits and the diversification it offered the estate – allowing them to make their income streams more resilient. Producing carbon credits on top of grant funding would provide additional income and allow the estate to offset some of their own emissions which made the woods an appealing option.

    David Bliss, CEO Lowther Estate. Copyright Lowther Estate.

    The planning stages

    Ladybeck Wood was initially planned across 97 hectares with 2 locations between Tirril, Askham and Helton. Lowther Estate applied for the Woodland Creation Planning Grant, which helped them plan the scheme and further assess the viability of planting woodland in the area.

    Half of the proposed site was inside the bounds of a National Park and World Heritage Site. This required consultation around the visual impact of woodland on the National Park area.

    It was decided that tree planting in this area would be as wood pasture, as this would blend better with the landscape, whilst allowing the estate to use it for grazing cows as part of its extensive beef production business. The wood pasture was funded under a Natural England wood pasture scheme through Countryside Stewardship.

    The portion of land from the Ladybeck Wood plan that was outside of the National Park required an Environmental Impact Assessment screening, Landscape Impact Assessment and breeding wader surveys. The planning grant assisted with the funding for the required surveys and the costs of producing their UK Forestry Standard compliant woodland creation plan.

    Funding the woodland creation project

    In total, around 51 hectares were planted outside the National Park with support from EWCO which covered 100% of standard costs. The sites were eligible for additional stackable payments under EWCO for delivering wider benefits to nature recovery and the environment.

    Blocks were eligible for nature recovery (£69,000), water quality (£20,400) and flood risk (£21,800) contributions, providing over £111,000 in stackable payments. However, the landowner opted not to take water quality and flood risk payments to take advantage of third-party funding to support the landowners’ objectives. Yearly maintenance payments of £400 from EWCO will help to establish the woodland as it grows.

    The woodland is registered with Forest Carbon, who act as an intermediary and project developer for the Woodland Carbon Code. This allows the estate to use and sell carbon credits as their woodland matures.

    The current strategy is to sell a third of the credits, which will help provide income from the woods. Lowther Estate will then use two thirds of these credits for offsetting their own carbon emissions.

    Kelvin Archer, Forestry and Conservation Manager, Lowther Estate. Copyright Lowther Estate.

    Looking forward

    Planting took place between November and December 2023 and the EWCO agreement will continue for the next 15 years.

    The planting of Ladybeck Wood will help Lowther Estate to reap benefits from areas of their land that were difficult to farm. As the woodland grows, it will also provide benefits for the land, and the wider community through water quality and nature recovery improvements.

    Top tips

    Lowther Estate landowners recommend the following:

    • seek advice from the Forestry Commission Woodland Officers and Land Use Advisors as early as possible
    • think big: scale was important to Lowther Estate’s woodland creation ambitions and allowed the estate to the make the most of the financial incentives on offer
    • consider registering your land with the Woodland Carbon Code before planting, as this offers the estate long-term income from slower growing broadleaf species

    Find out more about how the Forestry Commission can help you create woodland.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: How online services in the construction and architecture sector save time and simplify the process of obtaining documents

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    From January to April of this year, residents and entrepreneurs applied for government services in the field of construction and architecture through the mos.ru portal more than 21 thousand times. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “Online services save time and simplify the process of obtaining documents. Since the beginning of this year, citizens and entrepreneurs have applied for government services in the field of construction and architecture more than 21 thousand times through the official portal of the Mayor and the Government of Moscow. The city has already processed more than 82 percent of applications from individuals and legal entities. The most popular services were “Acceptance of executive documentation for maintaining the Consolidated Plan of Underground Utilities and Structures” and “Preparation and issuance of an urban development plan for a land plot (GPZU)”, – said Vladimir Efimov.

    Thanks to the development of online services, citizens do not need to visit departments in person, stand in lines or collect paper documents. For example, now filing an application for a GPZU takes only a few minutes, and the status can be tracked in your personal account. This is especially important for land owners, developers and entrepreneurs who value speed and transparency.

    “From the beginning of 2025, the service will be available

    “Acceptance of executive documentation for maintaining the Consolidated Plan of Underground Utilities and Structures” More than 12 thousand applications were received, and “Preparation and issuance of an urban development plan for a land plot (UPPL)” — over five thousand. Moskomarkhitektura issued about 3.4 thousand GPZU and about five thousand positive decisions on the acceptance of executive documentation for maintaining a consolidated plan for underground utilities,” added Juliana Knyazhevskaya, Chairman of the capital’s Committee for Architecture and Urban Development.

    DIT of Moscow: you can now find out about applying for a foreign passport on mos.ruMore than 100 thousand people have used the super service “Moving under the renovation program”

    Previously Sergei Sobyanin said, which Moscow digital services are successfully used in other regions.

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/153739073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Iran and Ethiopia have a security deal – here’s why they signed it

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Eric Lob, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University

    Ethiopia and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 6 May 2025. Under it, their national police agencies will cooperate on security and intelligence. This will include combating cross-border crime, sharing intelligence and building capacity. They will also share experiences and training.

    For Iran, the MOU marks a significant step towards strengthening relations with a regional power that’s strategically located in the Horn of Africa.

    Tehran has been using its security apparatus and military capabilities to establish and expand political and economic ties with countries in Africa. This has included drone transfers to the Ethiopian government that helped it turned the tide of the Tigray war, a separatist struggle in the country’s north that took place from 2020 to 2022.

    Iran has also supplied the Sudanese army with surveillance and combat drones. These have been used against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.

    The agreement is important for Ethiopia for two reasons.

    Firstly, it’s likely to enable the Ethiopian government in Addis Ababa to combat ethnic militias more effectively. It faces increasing internal instability, including tensions with hostile factions of the separatist Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

    Secondly, the agreement comes after a meeting in Addis Ababa between the Ethiopian police chief, Demelash Gebremichael, and a delegation from Iran’s regional rival, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The exchange concentrated on investigating and extraditing cross-border criminals.

    Addis Ababa’s willingness to work with regional rivals in the Middle East shows its pragmatic approach to foreign relations. Ethiopia needs all the friends it can muster as an embattled and weakened state. Since the Tigray war, it has battled the rise of ethnic militias and confronted economic adversity. It is also facing renewed hostility with neighbouring Eritrea.

    What Iran stands to gain

    Since 2016, Ethiopia has been a gateway for Iran to gain a foothold in the Horn of Africa. That year, other countries in the region severed relations with Iran. This followed Tehran’s disengagement from sub-Saharan Africa under Hassan Rouhani, who served as president from 2013 to 2021, and his prioritisation of a nuclear deal with the US.

    The severing of ties was also a byproduct of geopolitical pressure exerted by Saudi Arabia and the UAE on countries in the region. The Middle Eastern states wanted to reduce, if not eliminate, Iran’s presence in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea to limit its support for Houthi rebels in the ongoing Yemeni civil war.

    Read more: Iran’s intervention in Sudan’s civil war advances its geopolitical goals − but not without risks

    Ethiopia was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to establish relations with Iran during the 1960s. It was also one of its top trading partners on the continent before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

    Strategically and ideologically, this special relationship was based on the pro-western and anti-communist stances of their monarchs: the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled from 1941 to 1979, and Emperor Haile Selassie, who was in power from 1930 to 1974.

    After the revolution, Iran-Ethiopia relations revived under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served as Iranian president from 2005 to 2013. He pursued an active Africa policy to mitigate Iran’s international isolation and circumvent US sanctions.

    After Rouhani initially downgraded these relations, they were renewed during his second term. This followed US withdrawal from the nuclear deal.

    Relations firmed when Ebrahim Raisi, who served as Iranian president from 2021 to 2024, delivered military drones and other aid to Addis Ababa during the Tigray war.

    What’s in it for Ethiopia

    Ethiopia is facing increasing instability and uncertainty. The Tigray war has depleted the state’s resources. There is an economic crisis caused by rising inflation and unemployment.

    Addis Ababa continues to confront ethnic tensions. Hostile factions of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front remain. It also faces tensions with the Amhara Fano militia, which initially fought alongside the government against Tigrayan forces. Forced disarmament policies and ongoing land disputes caused the militia to take up arms against the government.

    Read more: Somaliland-Ethiopia port deal: international opposition flags complex Red Sea politics

    Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed also faces growing opposition and resistance from his own ethnic group, the majority Oromo, and their Oromo Liberation Army. The reason for their discontent is Abiy’s imposition of centralised rule on their regional state within a federal system.

    The security and intelligence cooperation with Iran could allow Addis Ababa to combat ethnic militias more effectively.

    It would also enable Ethiopia to prepare for another possible war against neighbouring Eritrea.

    Ethiopia and Eritrea normalised relations and fought together against Tigrayan forces. However, tensions between the two countries have been brewing again. These have been triggered by two factors. First, the conditions of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement caused Eritrea to maintain forces inside Ethiopia. Second are the ambitions of Addis Ababa to acquire a Red Sea port in Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia. Eritrea has supported Somalia’s opposition to the deal.

    Regional power games

    This isn’t the first time that Ethiopia has tried working with two regional rivals – Iran and the UAE. The UAE is also among its top trading partners, along with Saudi Arabia.

    In 2016, Ethiopia was the only country in the Horn of Africa that didn’t cut ties with Iran, though it was under pressure from the UAE and Saudi Arabia to do so. The decision was taken by Abiy’s predecessor, Hailemariam Desalegn, whose term ran from 2012 to 2018.

    During the Tigray war, Ethiopia received military drones and other assistance from Iran and the UAE, alongside Turkey.

    The civil war in Sudan has presented an even more complicated story. Ethiopia has vacillated between engaging with the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces at different points in the conflict.

    For its part, Iran has supported the Sudanese army. The UAE has backed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

    Ethiopia’s efforts to strengthen its security ties with Iran and the UAE show a unique case of convergence between regional rivals that have otherwise remained on opposite sides of conflicts in countries like Yemen and Sudan.

    – Iran and Ethiopia have a security deal – here’s why they signed it
    – https://theconversation.com/iran-and-ethiopia-have-a-security-deal-heres-why-they-signed-it-256486

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Community radio gets vital government funding boost

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Community radio gets vital government funding boost

    Community radio stations across the UK are to benefit from a £600,000 funding uplift this year to help them thrive and keep providing a vital platform for local voices.

    • Much-loved community radio stations supported to grow with £600,000 uplift from government, taking total funding to £1 million for 2025/6 
    • Grants from Community Radio Fund to help stations create jobs, train volunteers and reach wider audiences
    • Builds on government action to protect communities and support economic growth through Plan for Change

    Community radio stations across the UK are to benefit from a £600,000 funding uplift this year, ensuring they can continue to thrive and provide a vital platform for local voices.  

    The uplift from Government will help stations in need of support to invest in staff, train volunteers, develop business plans and reach wider audiences. It takes the total funding available for community stations this year to £1 million.

    There are more than 300 community radio stations in the UK, which provide a crucial service by producing local content that keeps people and communities connected, engaged and entertained.

    The majority of the funding available (£900,000) will be awarded to stations in the form of grants from the Community Radio Fund (CRF), delivered by the media regulator Ofcom.

    The remaining £100,000 will be managed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), working with the sector to develop new initiatives that support community radio, such as audience measurement research and supporting potential new services in underserved areas.

    The Government’s decision to boost community radio funding by £600,000 for 2025/6 is part of its Plan for Change, supporting economic growth by creating more jobs and training opportunities.

    Media Minister Stephanie Peacock said:

    Community radio plays an important role in the lives of many people across the UK, helping to keep them informed, entertained and connected to the world around them.

    We are committed to ensuring the growth and sustainability of the sector, which is why we have boosted funding to help stations create more jobs, build their businesses and reach even more listeners.

    Unlike commercial radio, community stations are run as not-for-profit organisations. They typically cover a small geographic area and must benefit their area or community to be eligible for an operating licence from Ofcom. This could involve catering to under-represented groups or offering training opportunities for young people interested in careers in the media.

    The CRF was launched in 2005 and since then has supported more than 150 community radio stations to ensure their long-term sustainability. 

    Stations are able to submit applications for grants, which are then assessed and awarded by an independent panel facilitated by Ofcom. Grants awarded are usually in the range of £5,000 to £30,000.

    Mark Jones, Chair of the Community Radio Fund, said:

    With the fund more than doubling for this year, we’ll be able to support new roles at even more stations. This will help community radio stations operate sustainably and continue to serve their local areas with creative and distinctive programming.

    Ofcom will shortly announce more details about how they will manage the process for the 2025/26 fund, which will open for bids in September.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors: 

    • The Government is currently developing a new local media strategy to support the sustainability of regional news.

    Further quotes:

    Vijay Umrao, Chair of the Community Media Association, said: 

    The increase in funding will help the Community Radio Fund achieve its primary role of providing grants to help fund the core costs of running Ofcom-licensed community radio stations, enabling the stations to continue their pivotal work of serving their local communities, something the sector has been doing for 20 years.

    We are also particularly pleased that part of the funding will be supporting potential services in underserved areas, something we know our members will be excited about.

    Martin Steers, Director of the UK Community Radio Network, said: 

    We welcome this uplift in support of the vital work community radio stations are doing across the country, now quite often the only local radio stations serving local communities, providing a platform for their issues, encouraging community cohesion, and holding local councils and others to account.

    While it’s great to have this boost in funding for this year, it’s vital that the government looks to permanently increase the funding support available to community radio stations. This funding is needed more than ever to support the social gain and the vital service that these stations provide to their communities.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Asset Purchase Facility (APF) ceiling, May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Asset Purchase Facility (APF) ceiling, May 2025

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Governor of the Bank of England jointly agreed to reduce the maximum authorised size of the APF. This was confirmed via a letter exchange on 13 May 2025.

    Documents

    Letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Governor of the Bank of England 13 May 2025

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    Letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Governor of the Bank of England 13 May 2025 (Accessible)

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    Details

    The letters exchanged between the Chancellor and the Governor agreed to reduce the maximum authorised size of the APF. The decision was in line with an approach agreed in February 2022 where the Chancellor and Governor decided to periodically reduce the maximum authorised size of the APF as the size of the APF falls.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 May 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK demining support transforms Cambodian communities

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    UK demining support transforms Cambodian communities

    Director for South-East Asia and Pacific, Charles Hay MVO is visiting Cambodia to see the positive impact of the UK’s Global Mine Action Programme in Cambodia.

    FCDO Director for South-East Asia and Pacific, Charles Hay MVO is visiting Cambodia this week to see the positive impact of the UK’s Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP) on communities in Cambodia.

    During a field visit to HALO Trust operations at Kulen Mountain, Siem Reap province on 12 May 2025, Mr Hay saw first-hand the clearance operations and met with local beneficiaries whose communities have been made safer and more prosperous through the UK’s long-standing support for mine action.

    Director for South-East Asia and Pacific, Charles Hay MVO said:

    Meeting with local communities in Kulen Mountain, I’ve seen how our Global Mine Action Programme is transforming lives across Cambodia. Fields once deadly with explosives are now productive farmland where children play safely.

    The bravery of HALO Trust’s deminers is extraordinary – their meticulous work under challenging conditions is making Cambodia’s 2030 mine-free goal achievable. Our programme is delivering real results, having already cleared over 151 million square metres of contaminated land.

    As one of Cambodia’s longest-established mine-action partners, we’ve seen clearly Cambodia’s evolution from recipient to partner -it is impressive to see Cambodia today sharing its deep expertise with demining operations worldwide, including Ukraine. This exemplifies the sustainable impact of our long-standing partnership.

    The UK Global Mine Action Programme has cleared, confirmed safe and released over 151 million square metres of land in Cambodia since 2014. The programme has also delivered risk education to 481,440 people living in mine-affected communities. Since 1993, the UK has invested approximately £60 million in Cambodia’s demining efforts, helping to clear over 65,000 anti-personnel mines and benefiting more than 600,000 people. Under the current GMAP programme, operations will continue with existing funding of US $2.9million in 2025/2026.

    The visit included strategic meetings with Senior Minister Ly Thuch, Vice President of Cambodia Mine Action Authority and Lieutenant Uch Vantha, Deputy Chief of Army of Royal Cambodia Army to enhance coordination on clearance priorities within the existing GMAP framework. These discussions focused on strengthening partnerships between HALO Trust and Cambodian authorities to maximise the impact of ongoing efforts.

    The UK is also an effective advocate for innovative finance mechanisms that bring additional funding into the demining sector and transform post-conflict land into productive farmland. Since 2023, the UK has been supporting the $1.8 million (£1.395 million) Mine Action Development Impact Bond ‘Minefields to Rice Fields’, led by APOPO and its partners. The project successfully released over 7.6 million square meters of land in Preah Vihear Province, removing 445 anti-personnel mines and 184 explosive remnants of war, benefiting 2610 people.

    The Mine fields to Rice fields project stands as a powerful example of how strategic demining and sustainable agriculture can work hand in hand to create lasting economic and social impact in post-conflict regions. FCDO and APOPO are currently looking for additional investors to sustain the project beyond 2026.

    As one of the founding signatories to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, the UK continues as a leading partner in Cambodia’s journey toward becoming mine-free by 2030.

    The demining sector has created thousands of jobs for Cambodians, including empowering women in both demining and management positions, and creating opportunities for staff with disabilities, including landmine victims.

    Further information

    • Charles Hay is a senior British diplomat.  He served as the UK’s High Commissioner to Malaysia from 2019 until 2023 and as the UK’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 2015 to 2018
    • regional conflict and civil war left Cambodia with one of the highest densities of landmines in the world
    • the UK has been a leading player in demining in Cambodia through bilateral interventions and the Global Mine Action Programme for more than 30 years
    • the Global Mine Action Programme provided £2.2 million to support the work of MAG and HALO in Cambodia in FY24/25 and is providing a further £2.2 million in FY25/26.Through our partnership with Cambodia Mine Action Authority, we supported the Siem Reap Review conference – providing Wilton Park and financial support in November 2024
    • under GMAP, HALO has delivered clearance, risk education and explosive ordnance disposal in western provinces including Battambang, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Palin, Siem Reap, Preah Vihear, Pursat, and Koh Kong
    • HALO Trust’s headquarters in Siem Reap now serves as a global training hub, sharing Cambodia’s expertise with mine clearance operations worldwide

    For media inquiry, contact:

    Email: ukincambodia@fcdo.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press Release – Gas Safe Service in Alderney Tuesday 13 May 2025

    Source: Channel Islands – States of Alderney

    Press Release

    Date:  13th May 2025

    2025 Gas Safe service available in Alderney

    The Island’s General Services Committee (GSC) is pleased to advise it has approved funding to enable a Gas Safe Registered engineer to provide a domestic service for Alderney for the remainder of 2025.

    Residents requiring a Gas Safe Registered engineer (domestic appliances only) are asked to download a Gas Service Request Form from the States of Alderney website which can be found on the following link Service Request Form and emailing the completed form to A1 Gas to the following address a1gasgsy@gmail.com

    Those who cannot access or download the Service Request Form can obtain a copy from the Island Hall’s General Office who will email the form to A1 Gas on their behalf.

    The form requires the name and contact details of the person requesting the service together with the type of work required and preferred date and time of the visit. A1 Gas will contact the customer directly.

    The contract is between the customer and the service provider, not the States of Alderney.

    Ends

    States of Alderney media enquiries:Publications@alderney.gov.gg

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on Pier Road Car Park work13 May 2025 From Wednesday 14 May 2025, levels 12, 13 and 14 of Pier Road Car Park will be closed to both motorists and pedestrians for a period of four weeks as part of the ongoing maintenance project. During… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    13 May 2025

    From Wednesday 14 May 2025, levels 12, 13 and 14 of Pier Road Car Park will be closed to both motorists and pedestrians for a period of four weeks as part of the ongoing maintenance project. 

    During this phase of works: 

    • Pedestrian access to Fort Regent and La Petite Ecole nursery will remain available via the stairs and escalators located on Level 10
    • There will be no pram or wheelchair access to Fort Regent via the car park for the duration of this closure. Alternative parking and accessible routes should be used. 

    We thank all users for their continued patience and cooperation as this essential improvement programme progresses.​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New scheme offers month-long e-cycle loans

    Source: City of Leicester

    PEOPLE living in Leicester can sign up to a new scheme offering them a free four-week loan of an electric cycle.

    The Leicester e-cycles loan scheme is a city council-led project that aims to encourage more people to consider using an e-cycles as an alternative to the car for short journeys.

    To be eligible for the free e-cycle loan, people need to live in the city and have an Active Leicester membership. It’s quick and easy to sign up for a free pay as you go membership, and there will be no charge for the loan. Applicants must be over 16 years of age.

    The scheme aims to encourage more people to take up cycling for regular trips and leave the car at home for short journeys.

    People who borrow an e-cycle and complete a travel diary showing how it was used will be eligible for a voucher towards the cost of a potential e-cycle purchase.

    The scheme is fully funded through Active Travel England and around 100 e-cycles will be available to borrow as part of the two-year pilot project.

    Cllr Geoff Whittle, assistant city mayor for environment and transport, said: “We’re pleased to be launching this new and completely free electric cycle loan scheme, thanks to funding from Active Travel England. It will offer people a chance to try before they buy and hopefully encourage more people to discover the benefits of cycling for short journeys.

    “It’s also a great opportunity for people to explore the city by bike.”

    All the e-cycles on loan as part of the scheme meet all current UK rules regarding electrically assisted pedal cycles. This means that they have a ‘continuous rated power’ output of no more than 250 watts and a motor that is unable to propel the bike when it’s travelling at more than 15.5mph, which is the current legal limit for electrical assistance.

    To find more about the Leicester e-cycles loan scheme, including how to apply for Active Leicester membership, visit www.leicester.gov.uk/cycleleicester

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Weimar+ joint statement on Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security, 12 May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    News story

    Weimar+ joint statement on Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security, 12 May 2025

    Joint statement by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the UK, and the EU High Representative, following their meeting in London.

    Foreign ministers from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, and the EU Commission at Lancaster House in London on 12 May 2025.

    Joint statement:

    We met in London on 12 May to discuss Russian aggression against Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security. 

    On Ukraine, we reiterated our solidarity with the Ukrainian people, our sympathy for the victims of recent attacks by Russia, and our full support for Ukraine’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. 

    We welcomed US-led peace efforts and the prospect of further talks this week. So far, Russia has not shown any serious intent to make progress. It must do so without delay. We joined Ukraine in calling for an immediate, full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create space for talks on a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.

    Any peace will only last if it is based on international law including the UN Charter and Ukraine is able to deter and defend against any future Russian attack. 

    We discussed how we would further step up European efforts to support Ukraine in its ongoing defence against Russia’s war of aggression. Ukraine should be confident in its ability to continue to resist successfully Russian aggression with our support. 

    Strong Ukrainian armed forces will be vital. We agreed to work with Ukraine on initiatives to strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces, restock munitions and equipment, and further enhance industrial capacity.  

    We are committed to robust security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes exploring the creation of a coalition of air, land and maritime reassurance forces that could help create confidence in any future peace and support the regeneration of Ukraine’s armed forces. And we will work on new reconstruction and recovery commitments, including at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome on 10 to 11 July, to ensure that Ukraine’s future security is underpinned by a vibrant economy.

    We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia’s ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy. We will keep Russian sovereign assets in our jurisdictions immobilised until Russia ceases its aggression and pays for the damage caused.

    On Euro-Atlantic security, we reaffirmed that NATO is the bedrock of our security and prosperity. The Alliance has secured peace for over 75 years. A strong, united NATO, based on a strong transatlantic bond, an ironclad commitment to defend each other, and fair burden-sharing, is essential to maintain this. 

    European countries must play a still greater role in assuring our own security. We will further strengthen NATO and the contribution of European Allies by stepping up security and defence expenditure to meet the requirement to deter and defend across all domains in the Euro-Atlantic area. 

    We will use all feasible levers to strengthen our collective defence capability and production and reinforce Europe’s technological and industrial base. To that end, we will build on work in NATO, the EU and likeminded groups to achieve these goals.

    An enhanced security and defence relationship between the UK and EU is key to improving the lives of our people and making our continent more safe and secure, as will enhanced cooperation between NATO and the EU on the basis of the three Joint Declarations, and greater co-operation with Ukraine.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 May 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Iran and Ethiopia have a security deal – here’s why they signed it

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Eric Lob, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University

    Ethiopia and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 6 May 2025. Under it, their national police agencies will cooperate on security and intelligence. This will include combating cross-border crime, sharing intelligence and building capacity. They will also share experiences and training.

    For Iran, the MOU marks a significant step towards strengthening relations with a regional power that’s strategically located in the Horn of Africa.

    Tehran has been using its security apparatus and military capabilities to establish and expand political and economic ties with countries in Africa. This has included drone transfers to the Ethiopian government that helped it turned the tide of the Tigray war, a separatist struggle in the country’s north that took place from 2020 to 2022.

    Iran has also supplied the Sudanese army with surveillance and combat drones. These have been used against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.

    The agreement is important for Ethiopia for two reasons.

    Firstly, it’s likely to enable the Ethiopian government in Addis Ababa to combat ethnic militias more effectively. It faces increasing internal instability, including tensions with hostile factions of the separatist Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

    Secondly, the agreement comes after a meeting in Addis Ababa between the Ethiopian police chief, Demelash Gebremichael, and a delegation from Iran’s regional rival, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The exchange concentrated on investigating and extraditing cross-border criminals.

    Addis Ababa’s willingness to work with regional rivals in the Middle East shows its pragmatic approach to foreign relations. Ethiopia needs all the friends it can muster as an embattled and weakened state. Since the Tigray war, it has battled the rise of ethnic militias and confronted economic adversity. It is also facing renewed hostility with neighbouring Eritrea.

    What Iran stands to gain

    Since 2016, Ethiopia has been a gateway for Iran to gain a foothold in the Horn of Africa. That year, other countries in the region severed relations with Iran. This followed Tehran’s disengagement from sub-Saharan Africa under Hassan Rouhani, who served as president from 2013 to 2021, and his prioritisation of a nuclear deal with the US.

    The severing of ties was also a byproduct of geopolitical pressure exerted by Saudi Arabia and the UAE on countries in the region. The Middle Eastern states wanted to reduce, if not eliminate, Iran’s presence in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea to limit its support for Houthi rebels in the ongoing Yemeni civil war.



    Read more:
    Iran’s intervention in Sudan’s civil war advances its geopolitical goals − but not without risks

    Ethiopia was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to establish relations with Iran during the 1960s. It was also one of its top trading partners on the continent before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

    Strategically and ideologically, this special relationship was based on the pro-western and anti-communist stances of their monarchs: the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled from 1941 to 1979, and Emperor Haile Selassie, who was in power from 1930 to 1974.

    After the revolution, Iran-Ethiopia relations revived under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served as Iranian president from 2005 to 2013. He pursued an active Africa policy to mitigate Iran’s international isolation and circumvent US sanctions.

    After Rouhani initially downgraded these relations, they were renewed during his second term. This followed US withdrawal from the nuclear deal.

    Relations firmed when Ebrahim Raisi, who served as Iranian president from 2021 to 2024, delivered military drones and other aid to Addis Ababa during the Tigray war.

    What’s in it for Ethiopia

    Ethiopia is facing increasing instability and uncertainty. The Tigray war has depleted the state’s resources. There is an economic crisis caused by rising inflation and unemployment.

    Addis Ababa continues to confront ethnic tensions. Hostile factions of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front remain. It also faces tensions with the Amhara Fano militia, which initially fought alongside the government against Tigrayan forces. Forced disarmament policies and ongoing land disputes caused the militia to take up arms against the government.



    Read more:
    Somaliland-Ethiopia port deal: international opposition flags complex Red Sea politics

    Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed also faces growing opposition and resistance from his own ethnic group, the majority Oromo, and their Oromo Liberation Army. The reason for their discontent is Abiy’s imposition of centralised rule on their regional state within a federal system.

    The security and intelligence cooperation with Iran could allow Addis Ababa to combat ethnic militias more effectively.

    It would also enable Ethiopia to prepare for another possible war against neighbouring Eritrea.

    Ethiopia and Eritrea normalised relations and fought together against Tigrayan forces. However, tensions between the two countries have been brewing again. These have been triggered by two factors. First, the conditions of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement caused Eritrea to maintain forces inside Ethiopia. Second are the ambitions of Addis Ababa to acquire a Red Sea port in Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia. Eritrea has supported Somalia’s opposition to the deal.

    Regional power games

    This isn’t the first time that Ethiopia has tried working with two regional rivals – Iran and the UAE. The UAE is also among its top trading partners, along with Saudi Arabia.

    In 2016, Ethiopia was the only country in the Horn of Africa that didn’t cut ties with Iran, though it was under pressure from the UAE and Saudi Arabia to do so. The decision was taken by Abiy’s predecessor, Hailemariam Desalegn, whose term ran from 2012 to 2018.

    During the Tigray war, Ethiopia received military drones and other assistance from Iran and the UAE, alongside Turkey.

    The civil war in Sudan has presented an even more complicated story. Ethiopia has vacillated between engaging with the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces at different points in the conflict.

    For its part, Iran has supported the Sudanese army. The UAE has backed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

    Ethiopia’s efforts to strengthen its security ties with Iran and the UAE show a unique case of convergence between regional rivals that have otherwise remained on opposite sides of conflicts in countries like Yemen and Sudan.

    Eric Lob 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. Iran and Ethiopia have a security deal – here’s why they signed it – https://theconversation.com/iran-and-ethiopia-have-a-security-deal-heres-why-they-signed-it-256486

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • Ukraine’s Zelenskiy insists on face-to-face talks with Putin in Istanbul

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will only attend talks on Ukraine if Russia’s Vladimir Putin is also there, the Ukrainian leader’s top aide said on Tuesday, challenging the Kremlin to show it is genuine about seeking peace.
     
    U.S. President Donald Trump has offered to attend Thursday’s proposed meeting in Istanbul, which has become the focus of his attempts to end the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two. Putin has yet to say if he will take part.
     
    Both Russia and Ukraine have sought to show they are working towards peace after Trump prioritised ending the war, but they have yet to agree any clear path.
     
    Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine after ignoring a Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Trump then publicly told Zelenskiy to accept.
     
    “President Zelenskiy will not meet with any other Russian representative in Istanbul, except Putin,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters.
     
    His chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Zelenskiy’s trip to Turkey showed Kyiv was ready for talks but repeated Ukraine’s stance that any negotiations must come after a ceasefire.
     
    “Our position is very principled and very strong,” Yermak said during a visit to Copenhagen.
     
    Moscow has not said if Putin will travel to Turkey.
     
    “We are committed to a serious search for ways of a long-term peaceful settlement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday but would not comment further on the talks.
     
    Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, unleashing a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides. Most of Europe has rallied around Kyiv providing arms and financial aid, while Russia has turned to Iran and North Korea for support.
     
    Trump has demanded the two nations end the war, threatening to walk away from efforts to broker a peace deal unless there are clear signs of progress soon.
     
    TRUMP GOES TO TURKEY?
     
    If Zelenskiy and Putin, who make no secret of their mutual contempt, were to meet on Thursday it would be their first face-to-face meeting since December 2019.
     
    Trump, who is due to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar this week, unexpectedlyoffered on Mondayto travel to Istanbul, which straddles the divide between Europe and Asia.
     
    “I was thinking about actually flying over there. There’s a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen, but we’ve got to get it done,” Trump said before leaving for his second foreign trip since returning to the White House in January.
     
    “Don’t underestimate Thursday in Turkey,” he added.
     
    Following the offer, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the “way forward for a ceasefire” in Ukraine with his Ukrainian, British, French, Polish, German and EU counterparts.
     
    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile,held talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.
     
    FAR APART
     
    Reuters reported last year that Putin was open to discussing a ceasefire with Trump, but that Moscow ruled out making any major territorial concessions and insists Kyiv abandon ambitions to join NATO.
     
    Ukraine has said it is ready for talks but a ceasefire is needed first, a position supported by its European allies.
     
    Kyiv wants robust security guarantees as part of any peace deal and rejects a Russian proposal for restrictions on the size of its military. Territorial issues could be discussed once a ceasefire is in place, it says.
     
    Putin has repeatedly referred to a 2022 deal which Russia and Ukraine negotiated shortly after the Russian invasion but never finalised.
     
    Under the draft agreement, a copy of which Reuters has reviewed, Ukraine should agree to permanent neutrality in return for international security guarantees from the five permanent U.N. Security Council members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
     
    Ukraine and its European allies have told Russia that it would have to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday or face new sanctions. The Kremlin replied, saying it would not respond to ultimatums.
     
    France said on Monday European leaders, who met in Ukraine over the weekend, had asked the European Commission to put together new “massive” sanctions targeting Russia’s oil and financial sector if Russia failed to agree a ceasefire.
     
    Russia’s forces control just under a fifth of Ukraine, including all of Crimea, almost all of Luhansk, and more than 70% of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, according to Russian estimates. It also controls a sliver of Kharkiv region.
     
    Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the international affairs committee of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia’s parliament, told the Izvestia media outlet in remarks published on Tuesday that the talks between Moscow and Kyiv can move further than the 2022 negotiations.
     
    “If the Ukrainian delegation shows up at these talks with a mandate to abandon any ultimatums and look for common ground, I am sure that we could move forward,” he said.
     
    (Reuters)