Category: Europe

MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN receives the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia

Source: ASEAN

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this afternoon received H.E. Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. During the meeting, both sides shared insights on advancing ASEAN-Estonia relations in mutually beneficial areas, both bilaterally and within the ASEAN-EU framework.

The post Secretary-General of ASEAN receives the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

MIL OSI Economics –

MIL-OSI Banking: Rosneft Continues Research into Rare Bird Species

Source: Rosneft

Headline: Rosneft Continues Research into Rare Bird Species

1 April is International Bird Day, established to raise awareness of the need to conserve the diversity and numbers of birds in their natural habitats.

Environment protection is an integral part of the Company’s corporate culture and operation principles. The Company is particularly committed to the study of birds.

As part of the new Tamura Biodiversity Conservation Programme, a major expedition to the Brekhovsky Islands and adjacent areas of the Gydan Peninsula in the north of Krasnoyarsk Territory was organised during the 2024 field season. In the ornithological area of international importance, 60 species have been recorded, among them: the peregrine falcon, the barnacle, the water scoter and the long-tailed duck, as well as the Siberian chiffchaff, the red-winged thrush and the brown thrush. Scientists have noted movements of tundra swans, geese, ducks and gulls in these areas. The work will clarify the abundance and species composition of the herds.

The company supports research on red listed birds in the Sakhalin region and Khabarovsk territory. For example, the Komsomolsk refinery (part of Rosneft’s oil refining complex) and scientists from Zapovedniy Priamurye continue to implement the Under the Strong Wing project to protect Steller’s sea eagles, the largest member of the eagle family. On the territory of the Komsomolsky Nature Reserve, photo and video cameras have been installed, which make it possible to observe bird families in summer and early autumn. During the previous stages of the project, ornithologists identified the location of the birds’ nests. A five-day snowmobile expedition was organised to install the camera traps. Scientists are also planning to use quadrocopters to survey the eagle population in the Komsomolsky Reserve, and a five-day snowmobile expedition has been organised to install the camera traps.

In addition, as part of the Under the Strong Wing project, its participants carry out environmental education activities for young people in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. On International Bird Day, the reserve’s specialists gave an informative talk with a quiz for children.

Samara’s oil workers are helping ornithologists to preserve another member of the eagle family — the white-tailed eagle. This year, Rosneft’s Samara Group of Enterprises summarised the results of the first stage of a grant competition for research projects to study this rare bird in the region. Scientists from Samarskaya Luka National Park carried out a series of activities aimed at studying the habitats and increasing the population of the red-listed bird. They identified nesting areas, recorded nest locations and key demographic indicators — the number of eggs in the clutch and the number of chicks hatched. Today, work is underway to create a map of the white-tailed eagle’s habitat in the Samara region.

With the support of RN-Uvatneftegaz, the white-tailed eagle is also being studied in the Tyumen region. In 2024, the results of a grant project to study the population of this species were summarised there, and with the support of RN-Uvatneftegaz, the white-tailed eagle is also being studied in the Tyumen region. As part of the project, scientists from Tyumen State University created a biotechnical programme aimed at increasing the number of white-tailed eagles and prepared an e-book «Birds of the Southern Tyumen Region». Ornithological work of this kind in the south of the Tyumen Region was carried out for the first time.

RN-Vankor supported a scientific expedition to the Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District of Krasnoyarsk Territory, where scientists studied wild goose populations, including those listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The large amount of data collected during the fieldwork will provide an overview of the current population status and nesting sites of geese species.

In addition, since 2020, Rosneft, together with the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, has been conducting extensive research on the white gull, a rare bird species listed in Russia’s Red Book. Expeditions were carried out to hard-to-reach areas on the islands of the Kara Sea — Wiese, Golomyanny, Sredny and Domashny. Scientists carry out aerial surveys, ring adult white gulls, install GPS trackers and collect biological material from the birds.

Department of Information and Advertising
Rosneft
April 1, 2025

MIL OSI Global Banks –

Inspector Rebecca Price, from the Stoke-on-Trent South local policing team, said: “Vandalism at parks in the city will not be tolerated and we are working hard to catch those responsible.

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: No fires – strict warnings for all city parks

Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

Hanley Park fire damage

Published: Tuesday, 22nd April 2025

It follows a spate of deliberate fires sparked in Hanley Park, which has led to damage and endangered wildlife habitats.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is teaming up with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue to remind visitors to parks and outdoor spaces of the dangers of starting fires.

It follows a spate of deliberate fires sparked in Hanley Park, which has led to damage and endangered wildlife habitats.

The most recent vandalism at Hanley Park included a “dead” hedge row being set on fire.
These structures are carefully built by the park’s team and dedicated volunteers to increase biodiversity and create habitats for wildlife. They play a vital role in supporting birds, insects and small mammals – and in making the park a thriving, natural space for everyone to enjoy.

Councillor Amjid Wazir OBE, cabinet member for city pride, enforcement and sustainability at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This kind of reckless damage isn’t just dangerous, it undoes hours of hard work aimed at protecting and improving our local environment.

“Parks are meant to be a place to get lost in nature, to relax, or to exercise and to spend time with friends and family.

“The most recent dry spell has also made the land more prone to fires. Please talk to your children, even friends and family members about the importance of looking after nature.

“Our Park’s Team work tirelessly in all weathers, year in and year out to ensure not only visitors have the best visit, but that nature is thriving. Let’s not undo that hard work.

“Bin your rubbish, make sure cigarettes are extinguished and binned and remember, absolutely no fires or BBQs in the parks.”

Visitors are also reminded to respect the plants and flower beds throughout the parks. Hanley Park hosts award-winning displays each year; however, recently flowers have been picked and thrown across the floor.

Station Manager Ant Ball, from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are urging the public to take extra care when enjoying outdoor spaces, especially as warmer weather increases the risk of accidental fires.

“Fires not only cause significant damage to our natural environment, but also place a considerable strain on emergency resources that may be needed elsewhere.

“We are asking members of the public to refrain from lighting bonfires or barbecues in public spaces such as parks and open countryside. These activities can quickly become dangerous and get out of control, particularly in dry or windy conditions.

“Visitors are reminded to always dispose of rubbish responsibly using the bins provided, and to ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished before discarding them.

“We thank the public for their cooperation in keeping our communities and green spaces safe.”

“Our PCSOs are regularly patrolling the area to keep visitors safe. We would also like to remind people that we hold a weekly police surgery at Hanley Park every Saturday and would urge local residents to talk to us about their concerns.”

For more information on fire safety, please visit: Don’t be Blamed for the Flames
and https://www.staffordshirefire.gov.uk/your-safety/safety-outside/grass-fire-prevention/

MIL-OSI: Admiral Group agrees to sell its U.S. motor business to JC Flowers

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Admiral Group agrees to sell its U.S. motor business to JC Flowers

Admiral Group plc announces that it has entered into an agreement to sell its U.S. motor insurance business, including Elephant Insurance Company and Elephant Insurance Services (“Elephant”), to J.C. Flowers & Co. (“J.C. Flowers”), a global private investment firm dedicated to investing in the financial services industry, for an undisclosed cash consideration (before customary adjustments and transaction and related expenses) representing approximately the net asset value of Elephant. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in Q4 2025.

Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Elephant Insurance offers U.S. customers simple and affordable car insurance. The company’s tools allow customers to find the best protection for their needs and budget, with tools that are easy to use and understand.

Costantino Moretti, Head of International Insurance, Admiral Group said:
“In Elephant, we have built a business with a great foundation, and selling the company to J.C. Flowers is the right decision to ensure its future success. J.C. Flowers and Elephant have a shared ambition for generating growth and value. This partnership will allow the business to continue to deliver the high-quality insurance products and services that US motorists need.”

“This is a good outcome not only for Elephant and its employees, but also the Group and our shareholders. This transaction will enable us to focus on the opportunities we see for delivering long-term sustainable growth in our businesses in the UK and Mainland Europe.”

Eric Rahe, Managing Director and Co-President, J.C. Flowers said:
“J.C. Flowers has a long, distinguished history of investing in the insurance industry, and we will leverage our experience to help Elephant Insurance generate new opportunities as a standalone company. We are excited to partner with the Elephant team as the business enters this new stage of development.”

Alberto Schiavon, CEO of Elephant Insurance said: “We are very excited to be joining forces with J.C. Flowers. This partnership will enable us to benefit from their extensive expertise which will play a critical role for the next phase of our growth strategy and add value for our customers, whilst maintaining our distinctive culture.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors
Admiral’s corporate broker, BofA Securities, is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Sidley Austin LLP as legal advisor to Admiral Group in connection with this transaction. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP as legal advisor to J.C. Flowers in connection with this transaction.

Enquiries

Media:
For Admiral:
Addy Frederick
addy.frederick@admiralgroup.co.uk
+44 (0) 7500 171 810

Analysts and investors:
Diane Michelberger
diane.michelberger@admiralgroup.co.uk
+44 (0) 7881 305 063

For J.C. Flowers:
Jennifer Hurson
Lambert by LLYC
jhurson@lambert.com

About Admiral Group
Admiral Group plc is a leading FTSE 100 Financial Services company offering motor, household, travel and pet insurance as well as personal lending products. Established in 1993 in the UK, the Group now has offices in Canada, France, Gibraltar, India, Italy, Spain, and the US.

About J.C. Flowers & Co
J.C. Flowers is a leading private investment firm dedicated to investing globally in the financial services industry. Founded in 1998, the firm has invested more than $18 billion of capital, including co-investment, in 67 portfolio companies in 18 countries across a range of industry subsectors including banking, insurance and reinsurance, specialty finance, business and insurance services, wealth management and capital markets, payments and software. With approximately $4 billion of assets under management, J.C. Flowers has offices in New York, London and Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.jcfco.com.

MIL-OSI: Correction to stock exchange release: Siili Solutions Plc: Business review, 1 January – 31 March 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Correction to stock exchange release: Siili Solutions Plc: Business review, 1 January – 31 March 2025

Siili Solutions Plc Stock exchange release 22 April 2025 at 14:10 EEST

This is a correction to the stock exchange release published by Siili Solutions Plc on 22 April 2025 at 9:30 am by which the company published its business review for the period 1 January – 31 March 2025. In the key figures table there was “Total full-time employees and subcontractors (FTE) at the end of the period” instead of two separate key figures “Number of full-time employees (FTE) at the end of the period” and “Number of full-time subcontractors (FTE) at the end of the period”.

The corrected release is stated below as a whole and the revised report is attached to this release.

Q1 2025 for Siili: Siili continued AI strategy implementation and actions for profitability improvements, revenue at the previous year’s level

January-March 2025

We completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Intergrations Group Oy
We launched an Advisory service to accelerate our clients’ digital business and use of artificial intelligence
We adjusted our competence profile to match our strategy and the current market situation
The revenue for the first quarter was EUR 29.9 (29.8) million, representing increase of 0.3% year on year. Organically, revenue decreased by 1.6% from the comparison period.
Adjusted EBITA for the first quarter was EUR 1.3 (1.6) million, which corresponds to 4.2% (5.3%) of revenue

EUR million	Q1/2025	Q1/2024
Revenue	29.9	29.8
Revenue growth, %	0.3%	-11.3%
Organic revenue growth, %	-1.6%	-11.3%
Share of international revenue, %	27.1%	27.7%
Adjusted EBITA	1.3	1.6
Adjusted EBITA, % of revenue	4.2%	5.3%
EBITA	1.2	1.4
EBIT	0.9	1.1
Earnings per share, EUR	0.05	0.07
Number of employees at the end of the period	957	973
Average number of employees during the period	950	990
Number of full-time employees (FTE) at the end of the period	931	950
Number of full-time subcontractors (FTE) at the end of the period	144	137

Outlook of 2025

Revenue for 2025 is expected to be EUR 108-130 million and adjusted EBITA EUR 4.7-7.7 million.

CEO Tomi Pienimäki:

The first quarter of this year was challenging for Siili as the sluggish market conditions prevailed, and we took concrete steps to improve the profitability of our operations. However, many positive developments also occurred during the initial months of the year while we focused with determination on the implementation of our strategy.

The Group’s revenue in January-March amounted to just under EUR 30 million, broadly at the previous year’s level. Adjusted EBITA for the first quarter amounted to EUR 1.3 million, 4.2% of revenue. Profitability came in slightly weaker than last year, in line with our expectations. However, when comparing to the previous year’s result, it is worth noting that the adjusted EBITA for the comparison period was improved by the temporary layoffs implemented during Q1 2024.

During the initial months of the year, we have seen encouraging developments in the market, with our customers moving from testing artificial intelligence to firm transition programmes. In March, we launched a new Advisory service to accelerate our customers’ digital business and adoption of AI.

An example of how we support our customers on their AI journey is an AI-assisted training programme we delivered for Alma Media at the beginning of the year. It is a tailored solution that helps Alma Media to integrate AI seamlessly into its operations and culture.

Siili also worked with Varma to modernise a key system. The objective of the modernisation was to simplify the maintenance of the system and improve its scalability and development potential, ensuring it continues to meet Varma’s business needs reliably into the future. The work was carried out in stages and in close cooperation with the client, ensuring the continuous operability of the system.

During the opening months of the year, we have also built new cooperation networks that allow extensive utilisation of Siii’s expertise. In March, Siili was accepted as a member in the Digital Defence Ecosystem, which brings together Finland’s leading technology companies to support national defence capabilities and the security of supply. Siili also became an NVIDIA partner earlier this year as part of the NVIDIA Partner Network (NPN), which significantly supports us in bringing scalable, production-ready AI solutions to our customers.

In February–March, we adjusted our competence profile to align with the strategy we released last year, and current market conditions. Following change negotiations started in February, we will reduce 25 roles from Siili Finland’s functions and 8 from Siili Auto Finland. Actions affecting personnel are always difficult for the organisation, but we believe these adjustments will strengthen Siili’s competitiveness and profitability. With these measures, we estimate that we will achieve a total of 2.2 million euros in annual cost savings.

To strengthen Siili’s competence profile, we concluded the acquisition of a majority stake in Integrations Group Oy at the beginning of the year. Integrations Group is now part of Siili, and the collaboration has started strongly. We continue to strengthen our competence profile in line with the strategy also through recruitment and human resources development.

I want to thank all our customers and partners for the past few months, but above all, I extend my thanks to the Siili team for their commitment and outstanding work during the quarter.

—

This is not an interim report under IAS 34. The company complies with the half-yearly reporting requirements of the Securities Markets Act and publishes business reviews for the first three and nine months of the year, which present key information on the company’s financial performance. The financial information presented in this business review is unaudited.

Further information:
CEO Tomi Pienimäki
Tel: +358 40 834 1399, email: tomi.pienimaki(at)siili.com
CFO Aleksi Kankainen
Tel: +358 40 534 2709, email: aleksi.kankainen(at)siili.com

Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
Main media
www.siili.com/en

Siili Solutions in brief:
Siili Solutions Plc is a forerunner in AI-powered digital development. Siili is the go-to partner for clients seeking growth, efficiency and competitive advantage through digital transformation. Our main markets are Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Siili Solutions Plc’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange. Siili has grown profitably since its founding in 2005. www.siili.com/en

Attachment

Siili Solutions_Q1_2025_corrected_EN

MIL-OSI: United Community Banks, Inc. Reports First Quarter Earnings

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

GREENVILLE, S.C., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) (United) today announced net income for the first quarter of 2025 of $71.4 million and pre-tax, pre-provision income of $106.6 million. Diluted earnings per share of $0.58 for the quarter represented an increase of $0.07 from the first quarter a year ago and a decrease of $0.03 from the fourth quarter of 2024.

On an operating basis, United’s diluted earnings per share of $0.59 were up 13% from the year-ago quarter. The primary drivers of the increased earnings per share year-over-year were higher net interest income and lower noninterest expenses, partly offset by lower noninterest income and a higher provision for credit losses.

United’s return on assets was 1.02%, or 1.04% on an operating basis. Return on common equity was 7.9%, and return on tangible common equity on an operating basis was 11.2%. On a pre-tax, pre-provision basis, operating return on assets was 1.55% for the quarter. At quarter-end, tangible common equity to tangible assets was 9.18%, up 21 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2024.

Chairman and CEO Lynn Harton stated, “The first quarter was a strong start to the year. Our teams delivered solid loan and deposit growth in what has typically been a seasonally weak quarter. Loans grew by $249 million, or 5.6% annualized, and customer deposits increased $309 million, or 5.4% annualized. Our net interest margin expanded by 10 basis points, helping us to grow net interest income by $1.7 million from the fourth quarter, despite two fewer accruing days. Credit quality remained stable, with first quarter net charge-offs holding steady at 0.21% of average loans. Our provision for credit losses increased by $4.0 million from the fourth quarter, covering first quarter net charge-offs as well as loan growth, slightly increasing our allowance for credit losses to 1.21% of loans, up from 1.20% on December 31, 2024. Expenses improved on an absolute basis from both the fourth and first quarters of 2024, reflecting our ongoing efforts to control costs.”

Harton continued, “We are particularly excited that our bankers were recognized once again by J.D. Power as #1 in Customer Satisfaction in the Southeast, along with #1 in Trust and #1 in People. This year marks our 75ᵗʰ anniversary, and we’re off to a strong start. I’m proud to make this milestone meaningful for our customers, employees, and shareholders. We’re also excited to continue growing our presence in Florida with the recent announcement of our planned acquisition of American National Bank, headquartered in Oakland Park. This expansion will strengthen our footprint in the fast-growing South Florida market. Our teams have been collaborating closely for several months, and we expect to close the transaction on May 1.”

United’s net interest margin increased 10 basis points to 3.36% from the fourth quarter. The average yield on interest-earning assets was down four basis points to 5.29%, while the cost of interest-bearing liabilities decreased 19 basis points, leading to a 15-basis-point increase in the net interest spread. The 10-basis-point increase in net interest margin reflects progress in lowering the cost of funds through reduction in deposit rates and redemption of debt instruments, and to a lesser extent, the seasonal outflow of higher-priced public funds deposits.

Net charge-offs were $9.6 million, or 0.21% of average loans, during the quarter, equal to the fourth quarter of 2024. Nonperforming assets were 33 basis points relative to total assets, improved from 42 basis points for the fourth quarter.

First Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights:

EPS up $0.07 compared to first quarter 2024 on a GAAP basis and up $0.07, or 13%, on an operating basis; EPS down $0.03 compared to the fourth quarter on a GAAP basis and down $0.04, or 6%, on an operating basis
Total revenue improved $8.9 million, or 3.7%, year-over-year
Net interest margin of 3.36% increased by 10 basis points from the fourth quarter, reflecting a lower cost of funds
Loan production of $2.0 billion led to loan growth of $249 million, up 5.6% annualized, from the fourth quarter
Customer deposits were up $309 million from the fourth quarter, with most of the growth in money market deposits
Noninterest income was down $4.9 million on a linked quarter basis mostly due to the absence of unusual fourth quarter gains in the form of a mortgage servicing right write-up and other unusual gains
Mortgage closings of $187 million compared to $171 million a year ago; mortgage rate locks of $330 million compared to $260 million a year ago
Noninterest expenses improved $2.0 million compared to the fourth quarter on a GAAP basis and down $1.1 million on an operating basis
Efficiency ratio of 56.7%, or 56.2% on an operating basis
Net income of $71.4 million and pre-tax, pre-provision income of $106.6 million
Return on assets of 1.02%, or 1.04% on an operating basis
Pre-tax, pre-provision return on assets of 1.55% on an operating basis
Return on common equity of 7.9%
Return on tangible common equity of 11.2% on an operating basis
Provision for credit losses was $15.4 million; allowance for credit losses coverage up slightly to 1.21% of total loans
Net charge-offs of $9.6 million, or 21 basis points as a percent of average loans
Nonperforming assets improved $22 million from December 31, 2024, to 0.33% of total assets
Maintained robust capital ratios with preliminary Common Equity Tier 1 increasing to 13.3%
Quarterly common dividend of $0.24 per share declared during the quarter, up 4% year-over-year

Conference Call
United will hold a conference call on Tuesday, April 22 at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the contents of this press release and to share business highlights for the quarter. Participants can pre-register for the conference call by navigating to https://dpregister.com/sreg/10198403/fed7e1f137. Those without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in by calling 1-844-676-1337. Participants are encouraged to dial in 15 minutes prior to the call start time. The conference call also will be webcast and can be accessed by selecting “Events and Presentations” under “News and Events” within the Investor Relations section of the company’s website, ucbi.com.

UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
Selected Financial Information
(in thousands, except per share data)

		2025			2024											First Quarter 2025–2024 Change
	First Quarter			Fourth Quarter			Third Quarter			Second Quarter			First Quarter			First Quarter 2025–2024 Change
INCOME SUMMARY
Interest revenue	$	335,357		$	344,962		$	349,086		$	346,965		$	336,728
Interest expense		123,336			134,629			139,900			138,265			137,579
Net interest revenue		212,021			210,333			209,186			208,700			199,149		6	%
Noninterest income		35,656			40,522			8,091			36,556			39,587		(10	)
Total revenue		247,677			250,855			217,277			245,256			238,736		4
Provision for credit losses		15,419			11,389			14,428			12,235			12,899
Noninterest expenses		141,099			143,056			143,065			147,044			145,002		(3	)
Income before income tax expense		91,159			96,410			59,784			85,977			80,835		13
Income tax expense		19,746			20,606			12,437			19,362			18,204		8
Net income		71,413			75,804			47,347			66,615			62,631		14
Non-operating items		1,297			2,203			29,385			6,493			2,187
Income tax benefit of non-operating items		(281	)		(471	)		(6,276	)		(1,462	)		(493	)
Net income – operating ⁽¹⁾	$	72,429		$	77,536		$	70,456		$	71,646		$	64,325		13
Pre-tax pre-provision income ⁽⁵⁾	$	106,578		$	107,799		$	74,212		$	98,212		$	93,734		14
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Per common share:
Diluted net income – GAAP	$	0.58		$	0.61		$	0.38		$	0.54		$	0.51		14
Diluted net income – operating ⁽¹⁾		0.59			0.63			0.57			0.58			0.52		13
Cash dividends declared		0.24			0.24			0.24			0.23			0.23		4
Book value		28.42			27.87			27.68			27.18			26.83		6
Tangible book value ⁽³⁾		20.58			20.00			19.66			19.13			18.71		10
Key performance ratios:
Return on common equity – GAAP ⁽²⁾⁽⁴⁾		7.89	%		8.40	%		5.20	%		7.53	%		7.14	%
Return on common equity – operating ^(1)(2)(4)		8.01			8.60			7.82			8.12			7.34
Return on tangible common equity – operating ^(1)(2)(3)(4)		11.21			12.12			11.17			11.68			10.68
Return on assets – GAAP ⁽⁴⁾		1.02			1.06			0.67			0.97			0.90
Return on assets – operating ⁽¹⁾⁽⁴⁾		1.04			1.08			1.01			1.04			0.93
Return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision, excluding non-operating items ^(1)(4)(5)		1.55			1.55			1.50			1.54			1.40
Net interest margin (fully taxable equivalent) ⁽⁴⁾		3.36			3.26			3.33			3.37			3.20
Efficiency ratio – GAAP		56.74			56.05			65.51			59.70			60.47
Efficiency ratio – operating ⁽¹⁾		56.22			55.18			57.37			57.06			59.15
Equity to total assets		12.56			12.38			12.45			12.35			12.06
Tangible common equity to tangible assets ⁽³⁾		9.18			8.97			8.93			8.78			8.49
ASSET QUALITY
Nonperforming assets (“NPAs”)	$	93,290		$	115,635		$	114,960		$	116,722		$	107,230		(13	)
Allowance for credit losses – loans		211,974			206,998			205,290			213,022			210,934		—
Allowance for credit losses – total		223,201			217,389			215,517			224,740			224,119		—
Net charge-offs		9,607			9,517			23,651			11,614			12,908
Allowance for credit losses – loans to loans		1.15	%		1.14	%		1.14	%		1.17	%		1.15	%
Allowance for credit losses – total to loans		1.21			1.20			1.20			1.23			1.22
Net charge-offs to average loans ⁽⁴⁾		0.21			0.21			0.52			0.26			0.28
NPAs to total assets		0.33			0.42			0.42			0.43			0.39
AT PERIOD END ($ in millions)
Loans	$	18,425		$	18,176		$	17,964		$	18,211		$	18,375		—
Investment securities		6,661			6,804			6,425			6,038			5,859		14
Total assets		27,874			27,720			27,373			27,057			27,365		2
Deposits		23,762			23,461			23,253			22,982			23,332		2
Shareholders’ equity		3,501			3,432			3,407			3,343			3,300		6
Common shares outstanding (thousands)		119,514			119,364			119,283			119,175			119,137		—

^{(1) Excludes non-operating items as detailed on Non-GAAP Performance Measures Reconciliation on next page. (2) Net income less preferred stock dividends, divided by average realized common equity, which excludes accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). (3) Excludes effect of acquisition related intangibles and associated amortization. (4) Annualized. (5) Excludes income tax expense and provision for credit losses.}

UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
Non-GAAP Performance Measures Reconciliation
(in thousands, except per share data)

		2025			2024
	First Quarter			Fourth Quarter			Third Quarter			Second Quarter			First Quarter

Noninterest income reconciliation
Noninterest income (GAAP)	$	35,656		$	40,522		$	8,091		$	36,556		$	39,587
Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans		—			—			27,209			—			—
Gain on lease termination		—			—			—			—			(2,400	)
Noninterest income – operating	$	35,656		$	40,522		$	35,300		$	36,556		$	37,187

Noninterest expense reconciliation
Noninterest expenses (GAAP)	$	141,099		$	143,056		$	143,065		$	147,044		$	145,002
Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)		—			—			—			(5,100	)		—
FDIC special assessment		—			—			—			764			(2,500	)
Merger-related and other charges		(1,297	)		(2,203	)		(2,176	)		(2,157	)		(2,087	)
Noninterest expenses – operating	$	139,802		$	140,853		$	140,889		$	140,551		$	140,415

Net income to operating income reconciliation
Net income (GAAP)	$	71,413		$	75,804		$	47,347		$	66,615		$	62,631
Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans		—			—			27,209			—			—
Gain on lease termination		—			—			—			—			(2,400	)
Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)		—			—			—			5,100			—
FDIC special assessment		—			—			—			(764	)		2,500
Merger-related and other charges		1,297			2,203			2,176			2,157			2,087
Income tax benefit of non-operating items		(281	)		(471	)		(6,276	)		(1,462	)		(493	)
Net income – operating	$	72,429		$	77,536		$	70,456		$	71,646		$	64,325

Net income to pre-tax pre-provision income reconciliation
Net income (GAAP)	$	71,413		$	75,804		$	47,347		$	66,615		$	62,631
Income tax expense		19,746			20,606			12,437			19,362			18,204
Provision for credit losses		15,419			11,389			14,428			12,235			12,899
Pre-tax pre-provision income	$	106,578		$	107,799		$	74,212		$	98,212		$	93,734

Diluted income per common share reconciliation
Diluted income per common share (GAAP)	$	0.58		$	0.61		$	0.38		$	0.54		$	0.51
Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans		—			—			0.18			—			—
Gain on lease termination		—			—			—			—			(0.02	)
Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)		—			—			—			0.03			—
FDIC special assessment		—			—			—			—			0.02
Merger-related and other charges		0.01			0.02			0.01			0.01			0.01
Diluted income per common share – operating	$	0.59		$	0.63		$	0.57		$	0.58		$	0.52

Book value per common share reconciliation
Book value per common share (GAAP)	$	28.42		$	27.87		$	27.68		$	27.18		$	26.83
Effect of goodwill and other intangibles		(7.84	)		(7.87	)		(8.02	)		(8.05	)		(8.12	)
Tangible book value per common share	$	20.58		$	20.00		$	19.66		$	19.13		$	18.71

Return on tangible common equity reconciliation
Return on common equity (GAAP)		7.89	%		8.40	%		5.20	%		7.53	%		7.14	%
Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans		—			—			2.43			—			—
Gain on lease termination		—			—			—			—			(0.22	)
Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)		—			—			—			0.46			—
FDIC special assessment		—			—			—			(0.07	)		0.23
Merger-related and other charges		0.12			0.20			0.19			0.20			0.19
Return on common equity – operating		8.01			8.60			7.82			8.12			7.34
Effect of goodwill and other intangibles		3.20			3.52			3.35			3.56			3.34
Return on tangible common equity – operating		11.21	%		12.12	%		11.17	%		11.68	%		10.68	%

Return on assets reconciliation
Return on assets (GAAP)		1.02	%		1.06	%		0.67	%		0.97	%		0.90	%
Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans		—			—			0.31			—			—
Gain on lease termination		—			—			—			—			(0.03	)
Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)		—			—			—			0.06			—
FDIC special assessment		—			—			—			(0.01	)		0.03
Merger-related and other charges		0.02			0.02			0.03			0.02			0.03
Return on assets – operating		1.04	%		1.08	%		1.01	%		1.04	%		0.93	%

Return on assets to return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision reconciliation
Return on assets (GAAP)		1.02	%		1.06	%		0.67	%		0.97	%		0.90	%
Income tax expense		0.29			0.30			0.19			0.29			0.27
Provision for credit losses		0.23			0.16			0.21			0.18			0.19
Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans		—			—			0.40			—			—
Gain on lease termination		—			—			—			—			(0.04	)
Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)		—			—			—			0.08			—
FDIC special assessment		—			—			—			(0.01	)		0.04
Merger-related and other charges		0.01			0.03			0.03			0.03			0.04
Return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision – operating		1.55	%		1.55	%		1.50	%		1.54	%		1.40	%

Efficiency ratio reconciliation
Efficiency ratio (GAAP)		56.74	%		56.05	%		65.51	%		59.70	%		60.47	%
Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans		—			—			(7.15	)		—			—
Gain on lease termination		—			—			—			—			0.60
Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)		—			—			—			(2.07	)		—
FDIC special assessment		—			—			—			0.31			(1.05	)
Merger-related and other charges		(0.52	)		(0.87	)		(0.99	)		(0.88	)		(0.87	)
Efficiency ratio – operating		56.22	%		55.18	%		57.37	%		57.06	%		59.15	%

Tangible common equity to tangible assets reconciliation
Equity to total assets (GAAP)		12.56	%		12.38	%		12.45	%		12.35	%		12.06	%
Effect of goodwill and other intangibles		(3.06	)		(3.09	)		(3.20	)		(3.24	)		(3.25	)
Effect of preferred equity		(0.32	)		(0.32	)		(0.32	)		(0.33	)		(0.32	)
Tangible common equity to tangible assets		9.18	%		8.97	%		8.93	%		8.78	%		8.49	%

UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
Loan Portfolio Composition at Period-End

		2025	2024									Linked Quarter Change			Year over Year Change
(in millions)	First Quarter		Fourth Quarter		Third Quarter		Second Quarter			First Quarter		Linked Quarter Change			Year over Year Change
LOANS BY CATEGORY
Owner occupied commercial RE	$	3,419	$	3,398	$	3,323	$	3,297		$	3,310	$	21		$	109
Income producing commercial RE		4,416		4,361		4,259		4,058			4,206		55			210
Commercial & industrial		2,506		2,428		2,313		2,299			2,405		78			101
Commercial construction		1,681		1,656		1,785		2,014			1,936		25			(255	)
Equipment financing		1,723		1,663		1,603		1,581			1,544		60			179
Total commercial		13,745		13,506		13,283		13,249			13,401		239			344
Residential mortgage		3,218		3,232		3,263		3,266			3,240		(14	)		(22	)
Home equity		1,099		1,065		1,015		985			969		34			130
Residential construction		171		178		189		211			257		(7	)		(86	)
Manufactured housing ⁽¹⁾		—		2		2		321			328		(2	)		(328	)
Consumer		183		186		188		183			180		(3	)		3
Other		9		7		24		(4	)		—		2			9
Total loans	$	18,425	$	18,176	$	17,964	$	18,211		$	18,375	$	249		$	50

LOANS BY MARKET
Georgia	$	4,484	$	4,447	$	4,470	$	4,411		$	4,356	$	37		$	128
South Carolina		2,821		2,815		2,782		2,779			2,804		6			17
North Carolina		2,666		2,644		2,586		2,591			2,566		22			100
Tennessee		1,880		1,799		1,848		2,144			2,209		81			(329	)
Florida		2,572		2,527		2,423		2,407			2,443		45			129
Alabama		1,009		996		996		1,021			1,068		13			(59	)
Commercial Banking Solutions		2,993		2,948		2,859		2,858			2,929		45			64
Total loans	$	18,425	$	18,176	$	17,964	$	18,211		$	18,375	$	249		$	50

^{(1) At March 31, 2025, manufactured housing loans are included with consumer loans.}

UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
Credit Quality
(in thousands)

		2025	2024
	First Quarter		Fourth Quarter		Third Quarter
NONACCRUAL LOANS
Owner occupied RE	$	8,949	$	11,674	$	7,783
Income producing RE		16,536		25,357		31,222
Commercial & industrial		22,396		29,339		28,856
Commercial construction		5,558		7,400		7,356
Equipment financing		8,818		8,925		9,123
Total commercial		62,257		82,695		84,340
Residential mortgage		22,756		24,615		21,851
Home equity		4,091		4,630		4,111
Residential construction		811		57		118
Manufactured housing ⁽²⁾		—		1,444		1,808
Consumer		1,423		138		152
Total nonaccrual loans		91,338		113,579		112,380
OREO and repossessed assets		1,952		2,056		2,580
Total NPAs	$	93,290	$	115,635	$	114,960

		2025				2024
	First Quarter					Fourth Quarter					Third Quarter
(in thousands)	Net Charge- Offs			Net Charge- Offs to Average Loans ⁽¹⁾		Net Charge- Offs			Net Charge- Offs to Average Loans ⁽¹⁾		Net Charge- Offs			Net Charge- Offs to Average Loans ⁽¹⁾
NET CHARGE-OFFS (RECOVERIES) BY CATEGORY
Owner occupied RE	$	126		0.02	%	$	(184	)	(0.02	)%	$	(184	)	(0.02	)%
Income producing RE		718		0.07			(1,001	)	(0.09	)		1,409		0.13
Commercial & industrial		2,447		0.40			4,075		0.69			4,577		0.79
Commercial construction		(138	)	(0.03	)		2		—			36		0.01
Equipment financing		5,042		1.21			5,812		1.43			5,268		1.32
Total commercial		8,195		0.24			8,704		0.26			11,106		0.33
Residential mortgage		(1	)	—			145		0.02			32		—
Home equity		(62	)	(0.02	)		(33	)	(0.01	)		36		0.01
Residential construction		219		0.51			7		0.02			111		0.22
Manufactured housing ⁽²⁾		—		—			114		23.41			11,556		28.51
Consumer		1,256		2.76			580		1.24			810		1.74
Total	$	9,607		0.21		$	9,517		0.21		$	23,651		0.52

^{(1) Annualized.}
^{(2) At March 31, 2025, manufactured housing loans are included with consumer loans.}

UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

(in thousands, except share and per share data)	March 31, 2025			December 31, 2024
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks	$	198,287		$	296,161
Interest-bearing deposits in banks		438,425			223,712
Cash and cash equivalents		636,712			519,873
Debt securities available-for-sale		4,322,644			4,436,291
Debt securities held-to-maturity (fair value $1,952,235 and $1,944,126, respectively)		2,338,571			2,368,107
Loans held for sale		37,344			57,534
Loans and leases held for investment		18,425,365			18,175,980
Less allowance for credit losses – loans and leases		(211,974	)		(206,998	)
Loans and leases, net		18,213,391			17,968,982
Premises and equipment, net		391,020			394,264
Bank owned life insurance		346,410			346,234
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net		953,357			956,643
Other assets		634,269			672,330
Total assets	$	27,873,718		$	27,720,258
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Liabilities:
Deposits:
Noninterest-bearing demand	$	6,257,032		$	6,211,182
NOW and interest-bearing demand		6,155,141			6,141,342
Money market		6,637,506			6,398,144
Savings		1,105,374			1,100,591
Time		3,446,567			3,441,424
Brokered		160,785			168,292
Total deposits		23,762,405			23,460,975
Short-term borrowings		—			195,000
Long-term debt		254,287			254,152
Accrued expenses and other liabilities		356,130			378,004
Total liabilities		24,372,822			24,288,131
Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred stock; $1 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 3,662 shares Series I issued and outstanding; $25,000 per share liquidation preference		88,266			88,266
Common stock, $1 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized, 119,514,298 and 119,364,110 shares issued and outstanding, respectively		119,514			119,364
Common stock issuable; 584,083 and 600,168 shares, respectively		12,983			12,999
Capital surplus		2,711,721			2,710,279
Retained earnings		754,971			714,138
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(186,559	)		(212,919	)
Total shareholders’ equity		3,500,896			3,432,127
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	27,873,718		$	27,720,258

UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands, except per share data)		2025		2024
Interest revenue:
Loans, including fees	$	274,056	$	283,983
Investment securities, including tax exempt of $1,678 and $1,721, respectively		58,850		46,436
Deposits in banks and short-term investments		2,451		6,309
Total interest revenue		335,357		336,728

Interest expense:
Deposits:
NOW and interest-bearing demand		37,390		46,211
Money market		49,541		50,478
Savings		624		706
Time		31,379		36,389
Deposits		118,934		133,784
Short-term borrowings		1,107		—
Federal Home Loan Bank advances		433		—
Long-term debt		2,862		3,795
Total interest expense		123,336		137,579
Net interest revenue		212,021		199,149

Noninterest income:
Service charges and fees		9,535		9,264
Mortgage loan gains and other related fees		6,122		7,511
Wealth management fees		4,465		6,313
Net gains from sales of other loans		1,396		1,537
Lending and loan servicing fees		4,165		4,210
Securities gains, net		6		—
Other		9,967		10,752
Total noninterest income		35,656		39,587

Provision for credit losses		15,419		12,899

Noninterest expenses:
Salaries and employee benefits		84,267		84,985
Communications and equipment		13,699		11,920
Occupancy		10,929		11,099
Advertising and public relations		1,881		1,901
Postage, printing and supplies		2,561		2,648
Professional fees		5,931		5,988
Lending and loan servicing expense		1,987		1,827
Outside services – electronic banking		2,763		2,918
FDIC assessments and other regulatory charges		4,642		7,566
Amortization of intangibles		3,286		3,887
Merger-related and other charges		1,297		2,087
Other		7,856		8,176
Total noninterest expenses		141,099		145,002
Income before income taxes		91,159		80,835
Income tax expense		19,746		18,204
Net income		71,413		62,631
Preferred stock dividends		1,573		1,573
Earnings allocated to participating securities		411		345
Net income available to common shareholders	$	69,429	$	60,713

Net income per common share:
Basic	$	0.58	$	0.51
Diluted		0.58		0.51
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic		120,043		119,662
Diluted		120,201		119,743

UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
Average Consolidated Balance Sheets and Net Interest Analysis
For the Three Months Ended March 31,

		2025							2024
*(dollars in thousands, fully taxable equivalent (FTE))*	Average Balance			Interest		Average Rate		Average Balance			Interest		Average Rate
Assets:
Interest-earning assets:
Loans, net of unearned income (FTE) ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾	$	18,213,501		$	273,930	6.10	%	$	18,299,739		$	283,960	6.24	%
Taxable securities ⁽³⁾		6,737,658			57,172	3.39			5,828,391			44,715	3.07
Tax-exempt securities (FTE) ⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾		356,712			2,245	2.52			366,350			2,311	2.52
Federal funds sold and other interest-earning assets		400,592			3,001	3.04			674,594			6,805	4.06
Total interest-earning assets (FTE)		25,708,463			336,348	5.29			25,169,074			337,791	5.39

Noninterest-earning assets:
Allowance for credit losses		(210,169	)						(212,996	)
Cash and due from banks		219,540							221,203
Premises and equipment		396,443							386,021
Other assets ⁽³⁾		1,610,104							1,618,315
Total assets	$	27,724,381						$	27,181,617

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity:
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Interest-bearing deposits:
NOW and interest-bearing demand	$	6,134,004			37,390	2.47		$	6,078,090			46,211	3.06
Money market		6,583,963			49,541	3.05			5,864,217			50,478	3.46
Savings		1,096,308			624	0.23			1,192,828			706	0.24
Time		3,446,048			30,831	3.63			3,596,486			35,944	4.02
Brokered time deposits		50,447			548	4.41			50,343			445	3.56
Total interest-bearing deposits		17,310,770			118,934	2.79			16,781,964			133,784	3.21
Federal funds purchased and other borrowings		80,760			1,107	5.56			13			—	—
Federal Home Loan Bank advances		38,900			433	4.51			4			—	—
Long-term debt		254,220			2,862	4.57			324,838			3,795	4.70
Total borrowed funds		373,880			4,402	4.77			324,855			3,795	4.70
Total interest-bearing liabilities		17,684,650			123,336	2.83			17,106,819			137,579	3.23

Noninterest-bearing liabilities:
Noninterest-bearing deposits		6,194,217							6,398,079
Other liabilities		369,939							390,451
Total liabilities		24,248,806							23,895,349
Shareholders’ equity		3,475,575							3,286,268
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	27,724,381						$	27,181,617

Net interest revenue (FTE)				$	213,012						$	200,212
Net interest-rate spread (FTE)						2.46	%						2.16	%
Net interest margin (FTE) ⁽⁴⁾						3.36	%						3.20	%

^{(1) Interest revenue on tax-exempt securities and loans includes a taxable-equivalent adjustment to reflect comparable interest on taxable securities and loans. The FTE adjustment totaled $991,000 and $1.06 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024. The tax rate used to calculate the adjustment was 26%, reflecting the statutory federal income tax rate and the federal tax adjusted state income tax rate.}
^{(2) Included in the average balance of loans outstanding are loans on which the accrual of interest has been discontinued and loans that are held for sale.}
^{(3) Unrealized gains and losses on AFS securities, including those related to the transfer from AFS to HTM, have been reclassified to other assets. Pretax unrealized losses of $269 million in 2025 and $322 million in 2024 are included in other assets for purposes of this presentation.}
^{(4) Net interest margin is taxable equivalent net interest revenue divided by average interest-earning assets.}

About United Community Banks, Inc.
United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) is the financial holding company for United Community, a top 100 U.S. financial institution committed to building stronger communities and improving the financial health and well-being of its customers. United Community offers a full range of banking, mortgage and wealth management services. As of March 31, 2025, United Community Banks, Inc. had $27.9 billion in assets and operated 200 offices across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The company also manages a nationally recognized SBA lending franchise and a national equipment finance subsidiary, extending its reach to businesses across the country. United is an 11-time winner of J.D. Power’s award for highest customer satisfaction among consumer banks in the Southeast and was named the most trusted bank in the region in 2025. The company has also been recognized eight consecutive years by American Banker as one of the “Best Banks to Work For.” In commercial banking, United earned five 2025 Greenwich Best Brand awards, including national honors for middle market satisfaction. Forbes has consistently named United among the World’s Best and America’s Best Banks. Learn more at ucbi.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release, including the accompanying financial statement tables, contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. This financial information includes certain operating performance measures, which exclude merger-related and other charges that are not considered part of recurring operations, such as “noninterest income – operating”, “noninterest expense – operating”, “operating net income,” “pre-tax, pre-provision income,” “operating net income per diluted common share,” “operating earnings per share,” “tangible book value per common share,” “operating return on common equity,” “operating return on tangible common equity,” “operating return on assets,” “return on assets – pre-tax, pre-provision – operating,” “return on assets – pre-tax, pre-provision,” “operating efficiency ratio,” and “tangible common equity to tangible assets.” These non-GAAP measures are included because United believes they may provide useful supplemental information for evaluating United’s underlying performance trends. These measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative to or substitute for, measures determined in accordance with GAAP, and are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP measures that may be presented by other companies. To the extent applicable, reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable measures as reported in accordance with GAAP are included with the accompanying financial statement tables.

Caution About Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In general, forward-looking statements usually may be identified through use of words such as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “will,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” “predict,” “continue” and “potential,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, and include statements related to the expected benefits of the acquisition of ANB Holdings, Inc. (“ANB”). Forward-looking statements are not historical facts and represent management’s beliefs, based upon information available at the time the statements are made, with regard to the matters addressed; they are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that change over time and could cause actual results or financial condition to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements.

Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to (1) the risk that the cost savings and any revenue synergies from the ANB acquisition may not be realized or take longer than anticipated to be realized, (2) disruption from the ANB acquisition of customer, supplier, employee or other business partner relationships, (3) the possibility that the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the ANB acquisition may be greater than anticipated, (4) reputational risk and the reaction of each of the companies’ customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners to the ANB acquisition, (5) the failure of the ANB acquisition to close or any unexpected delay in closing the ANB acquisition, (6) the risks relating to the integration of ANB’s operations into the operations of United, including the risk that such integration will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected, (7) the risks associated with United’s pursuit of future acquisitions, (8) the risk associated with expansion into new geographic or product markets, (9) the dilution caused by United’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in the ANB acquisition, and (10) general competitive, economic, political and market conditions. Further information regarding additional factors which could affect the forward-looking statements contained in this press release can be found in the cautionary language included under the headings “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in United’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and other documents subsequently filed by United with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Many of these factors are beyond United’s ability to control or predict. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, shareholders and investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this communication, and United undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for United to predict their occurrence or how they will affect United.

United qualifies all forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

For more information:
Jefferson Harralson
Chief Financial Officer
(864) 240-6208
Jefferson_Harralson@ucbi.com

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: One year until Making Tax Digital for Income Tax launches

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

One year until Making Tax Digital for Income Tax launches

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax starts in April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax goes live on 6 April 2026 – supporting the government’s Plan for Change to deliver economic growth
Eligible taxpayers encouraged to sign up to a testing programme now to get ahead of the changes
Digital record-keeping will deliver time-saving benefits for taxpayers

There is less than a year to go until sole traders and landlords with an income over £50,000 will be required to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax.

The launch on 6 April 2026 marks a significant and ultimately time-saving change in how these individuals will need to keep digital records and report their income to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

By keeping digital records throughout the year, sole traders and landlords can save hours previously spent gathering information at tax return time – allowing them to spend more time focusing on their business activities and in turn, driving economic growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Quarterly updates will spread the workload more evenly throughout the year, bring the tax system closer to real-time reporting and help businesses stay on top of their finances and avoid the last-minute rush.

HMRC is urging eligible customers to sign up to a testing programme on GOV.UK and start preparing now. Agents can also register their clients via GOV.UK.

James Murray MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said:

MTD for Income Tax is an essential part of our plan to transform the UK’s tax system into one that supports economic growth.

By modernising how people manage their tax, we’re helping businesses work more efficiently and productively while ensuring everyone pays their fair share.

This is a crucial step in this government’s decade of national renewal and our Plan for Change, as we clear away barriers that hold back growth.

Craig Ogilvie, HMRC’s Director of Making Tax Digital, said:

MTD for Income Tax is the most significant change to the Self Assessment regime since its introduction in 1997. It will make it easier for self-employed people and landlords to stay on top of their tax affairs and help ensure they pay the right amount of tax.

By signing up to our testing programme now, self-employed people and landlords will be able to familiarise themselves with the new process and access dedicated support from our MTD Customer Support Team, before it becomes compulsory next year.

From April 2026, individuals with qualifying income above £50,000 will need to keep digital records, use MTD-compatible software and submit quarterly summaries of their income and expenses to HMRC. These digital requirements will help businesses save time through more efficient record-keeping, reduce errors in tax calculations, and provide a clearer picture of their tax obligations throughout the year.

Qualifying income includes gross income from self-employment and property before any tax allowances or expenses are deducted. Those with qualifying income above £30,000 will also be required to use MTD for Income Tax from April 2027. The threshold will then decrease to £20,000 from April 2028.

The phased introduction of MTD for Income Tax follows the successful implementation of MTD for VAT, which now helps more than two million businesses reduce errors and save time on their tax affairs. Businesses which joined the MTD for VAT testing phase were better prepared for the move to quarterly reporting.

An independent report published in 2021 found that 69% of mandated businesses experienced at least one benefit from MTD for VAT, while 67% reported that it reduced the potential for mistakes in their record keeping.

Further information

MTD was first introduced for VAT-registered businesses in April 2019, with all qualifying businesses required to join from April 2022.

Penalties for late quarterly updates will not apply during the testing phase, providing an ideal opportunity to get used to the new process without risk.

Around 780,000 self-employed individuals and landlords will be required to use MTD for Income Tax from April 2026, with a further 970,000 joining from April 2027.

More information on MTD for Income Tax

More information on finding compatible software

Published 22 April 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: The capital’s center “Professions of the Future” and the Republic of Tatarstan intend to cooperate in the areas of career guidance for schoolchildren and personnel training

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Head of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development Anastasia Rakova visited the capital’s “Professions of the Future” center. They familiarized themselves with the work of the institution, with special attention paid to key areas of career guidance and interaction with employers.

“The capital’s personnel center “Professions of the Future” is a response to the demands of the time and the challenges of the labor market. We are building a system in which everyone can consciously choose a profession and quickly master a sought-after specialty. Short training programs are available for adults; last year alone, more than 20 thousand people completed them with the support of the city, and 85 percent of them chose blue-collar jobs. And for Moscow ninth-graders, a unique comprehensive career guidance program is presented to help them choose their model of success and build a future career. More than 100 thousand schoolchildren have already completed the program. We are confident that such projects are an investment in a sustainable economy and a stable labor market. And Moscow is ready to share this experience with other regions of our country,” said Anastasia Rakova.

Rustam Minnikhanov emphasized the importance of early career guidance and expressed interest in cooperation with Moscow.

“A modern career guidance system is very important today, when children can try themselves in different professions and decide on their future already at school. I am sure that such centers as “Professions of the Future” in Moscow are in demand and relevant. We will definitely cooperate with our Moscow colleagues. We have already agreed to exchange experience both in the field of career guidance for schoolchildren and in terms of training and retraining of personnel,” said the head of Tatarstan.

The guests got acquainted with the key services that help schoolchildren and adults choose a profession and build a career. Thus, the Deputy Mayor of Moscow and the head of Tatarstan were shown a 5D cinema, where they can try themselves in different professions, VR simulators for 13 working specialties, and an interactive quiz. The tour participants also talked to career mentors.

The Professions of the Future Center opened in the capital in 2023 and became the fulcrum of the city’s career guidance system. It helps schoolchildren not only get acquainted with in-demand professions, but also build a real route for their future career.

Thus, at the center, ninth-graders from Moscow schools undergo the first stage of the comprehensive career guidance program. The next stage is professional trials at colleges and excursions to employers’ sites. Over the past year and a half, more than 100 thousand Moscow ninth-graders have become participants in this program.

The center offers short retraining programs for adults. In 3.5 months, you can master one of 75 professions in industry, construction, logistics, information technology, hospitality and other areas. Last year, more than 20 thousand Muscovites took advantage of this opportunity. According to statistics, 85 percent of them chose blue-collar jobs. Many applicants received job offers while still studying. Internships take place at real production facilities, including Roscosmos, Rostec and other flagships of the capital’s industry.

The project is being implemented with the support of Moscow’s largest employers. The Professions of the Future Center cooperates with more than three thousand companies, and its aggregated database contains over 500 thousand current vacancies.

The project is already attracting interest from other regions. The capital’s authorities are ready for cooperation and exchange of best practices in the field of career guidance and personnel training.

Get the latest news quicklyofficial 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.

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https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152979073/

MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin approved plans to replace elevators in residential buildings

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Sergei Sobyanin approved plans for the implementation of the program for replacing elevator equipment in apartment buildings. The Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement made a report on this topic Petr BiryukovIn 2025, it is planned to replace 4,265 elevators in the capital’s buildings.

There are over 117,000 elevators installed in Moscow apartment buildings. This is almost a quarter of their total number in Russia. About 22,000 residential buildings are equipped with elevators, more than 65 percent of which are higher than 10 stories.

As of 2010, over 17 percent of elevators in Moscow apartment buildings were beyond their service life. Without appropriate measures, their number could exceed 25 percent of the total number of elevators in the next few years.

In 2011, the Moscow Government decided to implement a large-scale program to replace elevator equipment in the housing stock. Since 2015, this work has continued as part of the regional capital repair program.

In total, since 2011, about 49.2 thousand new elevators have been installed in residential buildings in the capital (42 percent of the total number of elevators in Moscow apartment buildings), which are used by almost four million city residents.

Thanks to a systematic approach to solving the problem, since 2018 there are no elevators in the capital’s housing stock that exceed the 25-year service life. Replacement is carried out on a planned basis – in the year of expiration of the established service life.

In 2025–2034, 50.9 thousand elevators will be replaced within the framework of the regional program. Thus, in total, 100.1 thousand elevators will be replaced in Moscow in 2011–2034.

New Moscow elevators meet the most modern requirements for safety, operating comfort and appearance, including:

— an extended doorway (up to 700–800 millimetres) for comfortable access to the cabin for passengers with a wheelchair or baby carriage — if possible, where the dimensions of the elevator shaft allow;

— modern wear-resistant finish in elevator cabins: for example, elevator cabin panels are made of metal-plastic, and the floor covering is made of corrugated aluminum;

– a control panel finished in polished stainless steel with a built-in electronic display, push-button elements with circular stainless steel backlighting, as well as modern full-color light panels;

— energy-efficient LED lamps and indication systems – they provide energy savings;

— infrared sensors that prevent the elevator doors from closing if there is a passenger or cargo in the plane of the doorway;

— frequency converter of the main drive motor of elevators — it allows to smooth out peak loads on the power supply system of the house and increases the service life of the motor and kinematic elements of the elevator many times;

— frequency converter of the motor in the door drive, which increases the service life of the mechanism and reduces the noise level;

— handrails, Braille buttons in the cabin — for passengers with disabilities.

The elevator equipment installed as part of the regional capital repair program is manufactured in Russia. At the same time, since 2015, the bulk of the replaced elevators were supplied by enterprises of the Moscow region – Karacharovsky Mechanical and Shcherbinsky Elevator-Building Plants. Their production capacities allow them to fully meet the need for elevator equipment for the implementation of the program for its replacement in all apartment buildings of the city.

To improve the efficiency of work and support Russian production, amendments were made to federal legislation at the initiative of the Moscow Government in 2024. They allow the regional operator (the Moscow capital repairs fund) to centrally purchase equipment and materials for capital repairs, as well as to conclude long-term contracts for their supply with counter investment obligations of the supplier to localize production on the territory of the subject.

Such contracts guarantee the supply of high-quality equipment, and allow the creation of conditions for opening new production capacities and jobs. They also ensure import substitution and localization of production.

In 2024, the capital repair fund signed special contracts with the Karacharovsky Mechanical Plant and the Shcherbinsky Elevator-Building Plant. They provide for the delivery of over 45 thousand modern elevators over 10 years.

At the same time, all delivered elevators must comply with a single standard, have high technical characteristics and a modern design. In particular, the new elevators are distinguished by low noise and vibration levels, smooth acceleration and braking. The cabins stop exactly flush with the floor of the floor, they have a TFT display, a mirror and a handrail on the back or side wall, and the walls are painted with special anti-vandal paint.

As part of the implementation of special contracts, the Karacharovsky Mechanical Plant and the Shcherbinsky Elevator-Building Plant will carry out large-scale modernization, build new production buildings and localize serial production of new-generation passenger elevators.

The implementation of special contracts will guarantee the supply of high-quality elevator equipment for the implementation of the regional capital repair program.

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https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12647050/

MIL-OSI: Sydbank share buyback programme: transactions in week 16

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Company Announcement No 16/2025

Peberlyk 4
6200 Aabenraa
Denmark

Tel +45 74 37 37 37
Fax +45 74 37 35 36

Sydbank A/S
CVR No DK 12626509, Aabenraa
sydbank.dk

22 April 2025

Dear Sirs

Sydbank share buyback programme: transactions in week 16
On 26 February 2025 Sydbank announced a share buyback programme of DKK 1,350m. The share buyback programme commenced on 3 March 2025 and will be completed by 31 January 2026.

The purpose of the share buyback programme is to reduce the share capital of Sydbank and the programme is executed in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, collectively referred to as the Safe Harbour rules.

The following transactions have been made under the share buyback programme:

	Number of shares	VWAP	Gross value (DKK)
Accumulated, most recent announcement	503,000		209,570,180.00
14 April 2025 15 April 2025 16 April 2025 17 April 2025 (public holiday) 18 April 2025 (public holiday)	22,000 20,000 18,000 – –	396.85 408.14 408.08 – –	8,730,700.00 8,162,800.00 7,345,440.00 – –
Total over week 16	60,000		24,238,940.00
Total accumulated during the share buyback programme	563,000		233,809,120.00

All transactions were made under ISIN DK 0010311471 and effected by Danske Bank A/S on behalf of Sydbank A/S.

Further information about the transactions, cf Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market abuse and Commission delegated regulation, is available in the attachment.

Following the above transactions, Sydbank holds a total of 3,947,697 own shares, equal to 7.23% of the Bank’s share capital.

Yours sincerely

Mark Luscombe        Jørn Adam Møller
CEO        Deputy Group Chief Executive

Attachment

SM 16 UK incl. enc

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-Ukraine TechBridge Industry Third Steering Board Communiqué

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

UK-Ukraine TechBridge Industry Third Steering Board Communiqué

The Industry Steering Board for UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20 March 2025.

The Industry Steering Board for the UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20th March 2025. The meeting was hybrid with UK board members attending from techUK’s office, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD and Ukrainian board members from British Embassy Kyiv.

The meeting was co-chaired by Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation Oleksandr Bornyakov and UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Services, Small Business and Exports Gareth Thomas MP.

The Board meeting was attended by:

Vladimir	Mnogoletniy	CEO	Genesis
Valery	Krasovsky	CEO	Sigma Software
Marta	Romaniak	VP	Avenga
Andrew	Pavliv	CEO	N-iX
Liam	Maxwell	Director, Government Transformation	Amazon Web Services
Matt	Evans	Director of Markets	techUK
Eric	van der Kleij	Co-founder	EdenBase
Simon	Godfrey	Senior Director of External Engagement & Business Growth	BT

The Board reviewed progress under the UK-Ukraine TechBridge initiative over the last six months, noting key achievements such as the significant investment generated by Ukrainian SMEs who developed their knowledge of UK markets during participation in the UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator.

The discussions focused on fostering deeper UK-Ukraine collaboration in technology while exploring opportunities for strengthening public-private partnerships. Core themes addressed included:

Enhancing connections between UK and Ukrainian businesses.
Driving investment and trade through platforms like Code.UA.
Promoting technology innovations through future TechBridge events.

Deputy Minister Bornyakov shared plans for Ukrainian representation at London Tech Week, including a Ukraine Pavilion.

Follow-up actions were identified, including preparations for London Tech Week and Lviv IT Arena, promotion of Code.UA as a platform for connecting UK businesses with Ukrainian IT companies, and facilitating sponsorships for upcoming events. The Board remains committed to leveraging the UK-Ukraine TechBridge to drive innovation, trade, and investment.

The Board will reconvene within the next six months.

Published 22 April 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University Accepts the Challenge

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

The Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University hosted a roadshow of the National Prize in Future Technologies “Challenge”. The organizers explained what the new scientific award is and what the criteria for selecting the winners are. The special guest of the meeting was the 2024 laureate of the prize in the “Perspective” nomination, the outstanding Russian chemist Leonid Fershtat, who gave a lecture on his scientific developments.

Opening the event, the first vice-rector of SPbPU, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vitaly Sergeev noted that the future of the country depends on the level of development of science, the quality and quantity of innovative developments. Vitaly Vladimirovich called on young scientists to actively follow the example of the participants of the “Challenge” award, and not only generate ideas, but also popularize science.

“Behind every seemingly simple and obvious solution, such as this laser pointer, there are scientific discoveries of its time,” Vitaly Sergeev emphasized. “That is why I would like today’s meeting to give you motivation and a desire to do science, to realize how high the prestige of a scientist is in our country, and to inspire you to new achievements.”

In her welcoming speech, First Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Science and Higher Education of St. Petersburg Irina Ganus noted the importance of creativity in the activities of young people and the significance of projects such as the National Challenge Prize for motivating young scientists.

In turn, the Vice President of the Foundation for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Relations “Challenge” Elena Eremenko emphasized that stimulating creativity and involving young people in scientific activities is the main goal of the award, and expressed hope for an increase in the number of applications from scientists in St. Petersburg in general and from SPbPU in particular.

“We see our mission in creating an environment in which science, technology and knowledge are the most important values of society for solving the social and technological problems of the country,” said Elena Eremenko. “It is important that scientists become heroes of our time, real stars and role models for the younger generation. We show with real examples that it is possible to achieve success in science and be in demand.”

Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the National Prize in the Field of Future Technologies “Challenge”, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Head of the Materials Design Laboratory, Distinguished Professor of the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Department of Materials Science of Semiconductors and Dielectrics of the University of MISiS Artem Oganov spoke about the features of submitting applications for the “Challenge” Prize and the differences between the prize and other scientific awards.

“Awards are needed, on the one hand, to attract scientists’ attention to certain areas, and on the other hand, to attract investment in science,” said Artem Oganov, emphasizing that the quality of the award depends on the quality of its laureates. And in the case of the “Challenge” award, according to him, all the laureates are real, active and successful scientists.

The application procedure for participation in the award is very simple: you just need to write a short message to the committee about your development. You don’t need to collect any documents. And then experts will take over, check everything and make a decision. Applications for the award are open on the website premiumchallenge.rf until May 21.

The roadshow was completed by the winner of the 2024 National Prize in the Field of Future Technologies “Challenge” in the “Perspective” nomination, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Nitrogen-Containing Compounds of the N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor of the Joint Department of the N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Leonid Fershtat. In the lecture “There is no such thing as too much nitrogen: why are heterocycles with a high nitrogen content needed?” the scientist presented his developments in the field of creating new organic substances based on nitrogen-oxygen heterocyclic compounds. Heterocyclic compounds are widespread in living organisms, so these studies can contribute to the creation of new drugs. On the other hand, the bonds “carbon – nitrogen”, “nitrogen – nitrogen” and “nitrogen – oxygen” have high energy, which makes it possible to create energy-intensive materials on their basis that can be useful in the aerospace and mining industries.

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

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Independent review turns to tackling Britain’s biggest crime

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Independent review turns to tackling Britain’s biggest crime

Jonathan Fisher KC has begun work on part 2 of his Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences.

Photo: Getty Images

Better protections for the British public against fraud, and tougher enforcement against the perpetrators, will be the goals of the first independent review carried out in 40 years into the UK’s fraud laws.

Jonathan Fisher KC has begun work on part 2 of his Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences which marks the first independent review of fraud legislation in the UK since 1986. During this time, the nature and scale of fraud has evolved considerably, with fraud now constituting over 40% of all offences recorded by the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

Where Lord Roskill’s 1986 review focused mostly on the serious fraud committed by corporate entities, the huge increase in fraud offences over the last decade has come at the expense of ordinary consumers and small businesses, targeted by highly organised gangs, many of them based overseas.

The resulting harm to society is severe, with fraud against individuals in England and Wales alone recently estimated to cost more than £6.8 billion every year.

Fraud has also been transformed by the impact of modern technology, with the increasing use of artificial intelligence to create scambots, deepfakes, and websites impersonating established businesses and public authorities. Fraud gangs have the ability to target tens of thousands of Britons every hour through social media, email and telephone, and only need to persuade a small fraction of those individuals to fall for their scams in order to make millions of pounds.

The Home Office will place these emerging threats at the heart of its new, expanded fraud strategy to be published later this year, but it will also be vital to have the independent analysis provided by Jonathan Fisher KC to inform the response required from government, law enforcement and industry. And with international cooperation to disrupt threats a key national security commitment within its Plan for Change, the government is also building a united global response as part of its strategy to tackle fraud.

Part 2 of the Fisher Review will therefore examine the largest challenges faced by law enforcement in bringing criminals committing fraud offences to justice in England and Wales. Specifically, it will consider key issues in each following stage of the fraud life cycle:

detection and reporting
disruption
investigation
prosecution and offences
courts
penalties
rehabilitation

This follows the publication of part 1 of Jonathan Fisher KC’s review, Disclosure in the Digital Age, which recommended a range of measures to modernise the disclosure system and free up police time, and which is now being taken forward by the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General’s Office.

Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said:

Fraud is a crime which can devastate lives, and I am determined to do everything possible to bring these criminals to justice.

I welcome Jonathan Fisher KC’s review which will help us expand our knowledge base about how to better detect, disrupt and deter fraudsters and deliver a swifter justice for the victims, as part of our Plan for Change.

The government is determined to continue our fight against this appalling crime, and I look forward to the outcome of this important review.

Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said:

Fraud is one of the most pernicious crimes. The criminals driving these schemes are using ever more sophisticated tactics to scam their victims. It is crucial that our criminal justice system keeps pace.

Fraud doesn’t discriminate against age, gender or sex and it leaves victims suffering financial loss and emotional distress. I welcome this independent review of fraud and look forward to considering any findings as part of our Plan for Change.

Independent Review Chair, Jonathan Fisher KC said:

With the advances in digital technology, it has become much easier for fraudsters to avoid detection, and indeed prosecution, outright.

This review aims to scrutinise the main challenges in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting fraud offences, and what can be done to better equip law enforcement to deliver swifter justice for victims.

I am greatly appreciative of the criminal justice system-wide engagement since the launch of this independent review and for the continued encouragement as I turn my focus to examine fraud offences.

Published 22 April 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-Ukraine TechBridge Industry Second Steering Board Communiqué

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

UK-Ukraine TechBridge Industry Second Steering Board Communiqué

The Industry Steering Board for UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20 March 2025.

The Industry Steering Board for the UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20th March 2025. The meeting was hybrid with UK board members attending from techUK’s office, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD and Ukrainian board members from British Embassy Kyiv.

The meeting was co-chaired by Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation Oleksandr Bornyakov and UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Services, Small Business and Exports Gareth Thomas MP.

The Board meeting was attended by:

Vladimir	Mnogoletniy	CEO	Genesis
Valery	Krasovsky	CEO	Sigma Software
Marta	Romaniak	VP	Avenga
Andrew	Pavliv	CEO	N-iX
Liam	Maxwell	Director, Government Transformation	Amazon Web Services
Matt	Evans	Director of Markets	techUK
Eric	van der Kleij	Co-founder	EdenBase
Simon	Godfrey	Senior Director of External Engagement & Business Growth	BT

The Board reviewed progress under the UK-Ukraine TechBridge initiative over the last six months, noting key achievements such as the significant investment generated by Ukrainian SMEs who developed their knowledge of UK markets during participation in the UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator.

The discussions focused on fostering deeper UK-Ukraine collaboration in technology while exploring opportunities for strengthening public-private partnerships. Core themes addressed included:

Enhancing connections between UK and Ukrainian businesses.
Driving investment and trade through platforms like Code.UA.
Promoting technology innovations through future TechBridge events.

Deputy Minister Bornyakov shared plans for Ukrainian representation at London Tech Week, including a Ukraine Pavilion.

Follow-up actions were identified, including preparations for London Tech Week and Lviv IT Arena, promotion of Code.UA as a platform for connecting UK businesses with Ukrainian IT companies, and facilitating sponsorships for upcoming events. The Board remains committed to leveraging the UK-Ukraine TechBridge to drive innovation, trade, and investment.

The Board will reconvene within the next six months.

Published 22 April 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First new affordable homes completed on former eyesore pub site in Bilston

Source: City of Wolverhampton

The Happy Wanderer pub on Green Lanes was subject to arson attacks and anti social behaviour since closing in 2017 due to poor trade.

It was demolished by the previous owner in September 2021, with the site aligned to City of Wolverhampton Council’s Vacant Properties Taskforce work to bring derelict sites back into use.

Black Country Housing Group (BCHG) seized the opportunity to purchase the land for affordable housing to rent, with Keon Homes constructing 13, 2 and 3 bedroom houses, and 6, 1 bedroom flats.

This week, the first 9 houses were handed over to BCHG ready for the first tenants to move in at the end of this month.

Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Linda Leach, was invited to see the first of the finished homes alongside City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Housing, Councillor Steve Evans.

Councillor Evans said: “This is a prime example of the work we are doing through our vacant properties taskforce to bring derelict sites back into use to create a better environment for all.

“Our planners worked hard with the previous owners of this site, encouraging them to make it safe and remove the risk of further anti social behaviour for the benefit of the local community in Bilston.

“We were delighted to see Black Country Housing Group and Keon Homes come on board to progress the site for much needed affordable housing and seeing the first completed homes being handed over is great for everyone; supporting residents and boosting the local economy.”

Black Country Housing Group Chief Executive Designate, Adrian Eggington, said: “We are pleased to have built 19 brand new homes in Bilston, Wolverhampton, working in partnership with Keon Homes and City of Wolverhampton Council, supported by grant funding from Homes England.

“The mixture of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom affordable rented homes provide high quality, much needed homes which are highly energy efficient, giving the new occupiers a comfortable and affordable living experience as well as reducing overall environmental impact. Our new customers are thrilled to be moving in over the next few weeks.”

Jim Woodsford, Planning and Pre-Development Manager at Keon Homes, said: “Providing much needed affordable homes on an otherwise redundant site is fantastic news for the area, especially given the site’s previous issues of anti social behaviour.

“We have worked with the planning team at Wolverhampton Council from an early design inception stage to create a family friendly development that we can all be proud of. Delivering affordable family homes is at the very heart of what we do at Keon Homes and we hope future residents enjoy the fruits of everyone’s hard work.”

The development has also been supported by West Midlands Police’s Secured by Design (SBD) initiative to meet high standards in preventing crime.

West Midlands Police Force Design Out Crime & Crime Reduction Manager, Mark Silvester, said: “Bilston Green Lanes is another fantastic new housing development and is testament to the support and collective work we have done with Wolverhampton Council, highlighting their continued dedication to creating safe and sustainable communities within the city.

“Secured by Design offers numerous benefits by focusing on integrating security measures from the outset of building projects, leading to reduced crime rates, increased public confidence, and cost effective solutions.”

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Stay home, save lives’: New research shows Covid restrictions had no effect on behaviour People did not alter their behaviour to follow enhanced local restrictions during the pandemic and they may have been more effective if based around factors other than just Covid-19 cases according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.

Source: University of Aberdeen

People did not alter their behaviour to follow enhanced local restrictions during the pandemic and they may have been more effective if based around factors other than just Covid-19 cases according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.
People did not alter their behaviour to follow enhanced local restrictions during the pandemic and they may have been more effective if based around factors other than just Covid-19 cases according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.
The study published in Translational Behavioral Medicine looked at people’s behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland.
The team examined adherence to restrictions introduced during the pandemic including social distancing, mask-wearing, staying at home and hand washing.
They compared people’s behaviours before and after local restrictions were implemented. They also compared behaviours of those living in areas with increased restrictions to those living in areas without.
Results showed that people did not change their behaviour when restrictions were tightened and that applied to all behaviours including social distancing and mask wearing.
They also found people in high or low restriction areas behaved no differently to each other.
Led by Dr Chantal den Daas, Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology, in collaboration with the Covid Health and Adherence Research in Scotland (CHARIS) project, the team interviewed individuals across Scotland at random from March to November 2020, to get a representative sample of the Scottish population.
The respondents answered questions about their behaviours from the past week, including if they had left their home, if they had adhered to the two-metre social distancing rule, if they had worn a mask in a shop or on public transport and if they washed their hands as soon as they got home.
Dr den Daas said: “When local restrictions were introduced in 2020 due to an increase in Covid-19 case numbers, we thought we would see a change in behaviour after they were implemented. But this was not what we found.
“It is really important to build an understanding of what could have been done differently and how we can effectively influence public behaviour in the future should we be faced with another public health crisis.
“This research provided insight on the type of information we should aim to collect in future pandemics, to see if we can find better measures to predict cases, examine the need for restrictions and the effect of any restrictions put in place.
“Future research in acute outbreaks should assess behaviour and beliefs about the virus, risk on an ongoing basis and identify the need for intervention even before cases rates start to go up.”

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government launches Financial Services Competitiveness Programme22 April 2025 The Government of Jersey has launched its Financial Services Competitiveness Programme, a major strategic initiative aimed at strengthening Jersey’s position as a globally attractive and forward-looking… Read more

Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

22 April 2025

The Government of Jersey has launched its Financial Services Competitiveness Programme, a major strategic initiative aimed at strengthening Jersey’s position as a globally attractive and forward-looking International Finance Centre (IFC).

This comprehensive programme is designed to support and enhance Jersey’s financial and related professional services (FRPS) sector – the Island’s largest employer and the most significant contributor to tax revenues that fund public services. It brings together several government departments, the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC), Jersey Finance, Digital Jersey, and representatives from across the financial and professional services industry.

The Financial Services Competitiveness Programme will deliver clear, actionable recommendations focused on improving Jersey’s regulatory and business environment, enhancing its global positioning, and preparing the sector for future opportunities and challenges.

The programme is governed by a Ministerial Working Group, chaired by the Minister for External Relations with responsibility for Financial Services, Depuy Ian Gorst, with the Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andrew McLaughlin, acting as the Senior Responsible Officer. They will be supported by a cross-government team of officials.

Deputy Ian Gorst said: “Jersey’s financial services industry is a key growth engine of our economy. It is central to Jersey’s prosperity and our ability to reinvest in and regenerate the Island. Through the Financial Services Competitiveness Programme, we are setting out a bold, coordinated plan to ensure Jersey remains an attractive, agile, and forward-looking International Finance Centre.

“This initiative shows that we are not content to stand still – we are proactively investing in the Island’s future, and working in partnership across government, industry, and the regulator to deliver sustainable, long-term success.

“Jersey has a proud 60-year history as a trusted, stable, and innovative IFC. However, global economic shifts, regulatory changes, tax policy evolution, Brexit, post-pandemic recovery, and rapid technological advancement mean that IFCs around the world – including Jersey – must continuously adapt to stay competitive. The Financial Services Competitiveness Programme is Jersey’s response: a future-focused, evidence-led strategy to sustain and expand the Island’s most vital economic sector.”

Programme structure and key workstreams

The programme is built around four core workstreams, which will be managed in a phased approach.

International Tax Strategy – Led by Revenue Jersey, this will focus on maintaining Jersey’s strong position through a forward-looking tax policy.

Business & Regulatory Environment – Led jointly by the Government and the JFSC, this aims to improve the ease of doing business, delivering quick-win reforms as well as medium- and long-term changes to enhance the Island’s appeal to global investors.

External Growth Strategy – A global market analysis to inform Jersey’s external engagement strategy, identifying future value pools and Jersey’s competitive positioning, led by the Government with expert support from Jersey Finance Ltd.

Future Competitiveness & Regulation – Bringing together insights from all workstreams, this phase will culminate in a report by an independent panel of global experts.

The first phase, which is underway already, will focus on improvements to Jersey’s business and regulatory environment. This will involve making positive changes to improve the ease of doing business and to help maintain and grow the Island’s FRPS sector as it competes in the market today. As recent global economic volatility has demonstrated, it is more important than ever that Jersey invests in optimising its business and regulatory environment to increase its competitive edge.

The Government will publish a report on progress in delivering the programme together with an action plan on next steps in spring 2026.

Industry engagement

The Government will engage regularly with stakeholders through:

Industry events and “roundtable” discussions

Updates at Financial Services Advisory Board meetings

Briefings for States Members and Scrutiny Panels

Ongoing consultation and feedback channels

Stakeholders are encouraged to engage with the programme team via growthfs@gov.je.

More information is available on the Government of Jersey website: Financial services competitiveness programme

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Proposal for additional SEND provision for Isle of Wight children 22 April 2025 Proposal for additional SEND provision for Isle of Wight children

Source: Aisle of Wight

The Isle of Wight Council is seeking to expand its SEND provisions across the Island.

The proposed additional SEND provision will help manage an increase in the number of children (with an education health and care plan (EHCP)) and ensure we are able to meet the needs of children requiring specialist provision).

The proposed programme seeks to provide specialist education placement for additional children from September 2025 and beyond.

Subject to approval from Cabinet on Thursday 24 April, a consultation period will begin on Friday 2 May and will run until Monday 9 June 2025.

This report, being presented to Cabinet seeks approval to consult on the following expansion of places:

Expansion of places at Medina House School from 138 places to 168, with 30 places being provided at a satellite provision located at the site of the former Chillerton & Rookley Primary School, Chillerton IOW.
Expansion of the resourced provision at Hunnyhill Primary School from 8 places to 12 places for children for Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH).
Expansion of the resourced provision at Brading CE Primary School from 8 places to 12 places for children with Autism Spectrum (AS) and/or Complex Learning.
Expansion of the resourced provision at The Bay CE Primary School (Secondary site) from 15 places to 20 places for children with Autism Spectrum (AS).
Expansion of Lionheart School from 60 places to 120 places, with 60 places for children with complex high anxiety mental health (Non- EHCP/Section 19 children) being provided at the Cowes Primary School site, Cowes (subject to closure on the 31/8/2025).
Expansion of St Georges School from 208 places to 228 places, with 40 places being provided at the satellite site located in East Cowes.
Creation of a new 12 place primary resourced provision at Brighstone CE Primary School for children with Autism Spectrum (AS) and/or Speech Language Communication Need (SLCN).

Ashley Whittaker, Strategic Director of Children’s Services said: ‘‘The additional SEND places are essential for us to develop and improve our education offering across the Island. Contrary to the declining birth rate, the Island has seen a significant growth in the need for additional special educational needs provision.’’

‘‘Without adequate support, children with SEND may struggle to access the curriculum, leading to gaps in their learning and development. This can result in lower academic achievement and hinder their ability to develop essential life skills

Should we move ahead to consultation the notices will be published on Friday 2 May. The consultation will be accessible online . Details of the consultation are to be shared with all schools across the Island to ensure a full engagement in the process and meetings held at all schools named.

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Road closures announced for Vaisakhi parade

Source: City of Leicester

THOUSANDS of people are due to take part in a major annual Sikh parade through Leicester later this month.

The Nagar Kirtan procession – which marks the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi – will take place on Sunday 27 April.

Around 10,000 people are expected to join the parade, along with thousands of spectators lining the route, which runs this year runs from the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, at Holy Bones, into the city centre and back.

The event will require some rolling road closures, for a short time only, along the procession route.

This year’s route is: Holy Bones (departing at around 11.30am), Vaughan Way Slip Road, St Nicholas Circle, Southgates, Friar Lane, Berridge Street, Millstone Lane, Bowling Green Street, Bishop Street, part of Granby Street, Gallowtree and High Street, returning to Holy Bones at around 2pm.

St Nicholas Circle is due to be closed to traffic for up to three hours from 11.30am, with well signposted diversions in place. Southgates underpass will remain open to traffic during the parade.

Motorists are advised to expect delays as the procession passes through the city centre. Advanced warning signs will be in place in the days before the event.

Bus operators will also make any necessary adjustments as the procession passes along the route. Passengers for bus services that normally pick up and drop off in St Nicholas Circle are advised to use city centre stops while the Nagar Kirtan parade is taking place.

MIL-OSI Russia: Young managers: winners of the “If I were the head of the city” competition were awarded at the State University of Management

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

The State University held a summing up and awarding ceremony for the winners of the open competition of projects by students in grades 9-11, “If I were the head of the city (district).”

The competition included the completion of a project on the topic “If I were the head of the city (district)” in the following areas:

Social complex. Housing and communal services complex. Urban studies and urban development initiatives. System of interaction with civil society institutions.

The works were assessed by an expert committee on a 10-point scale. The winners of the competition in each of the areas were the participants whose works scored the highest amount of points.

In the nomination “Social Complex”, the best was recognized as a student of grade 11 “B” of the State Budgetary Educational Institution “Moscow International School” Stanislava Frolova, the topic of the work was “Donation of blood and its components as a way to save a life”, scientific supervisor – Elena Pluzhnik, teacher of social studies and law.

The winners of the Housing and Utilities Complex nomination were:

Polina Arkhipova and Polina Ignatyeva, students of class 11B of the Pre-University of the State University of Management, with the topic of their work being “Creation of a vacuum underground waste sorting system in Moscow”, supervisor – Marina Grigorieva, director of the Pre-University of the State University of Management; Darya Zotova, student of class 11B of the Pre-University of the State University of Management, with the topic of their work being “”Smart Light” in a “Smart City”: a study of the possibilities for managing street lighting in Moscow”, supervisor – Marina Grigorieva, director of the Pre-University of the State University of Management.

The first place in the nomination “Urbanism and urban development initiatives” was awarded to students of grade 11 “A” of the Pre-University of the State University of Management, Maxim Galiguzov, Elina Gusakova, Maria Podpalko, the topic of the work was “Development of green areas and sports infrastructure in the urban district of Balashikha, Moscow region”, scientific supervisor – Marina Grigorieva, director of the Pre-University of the State University of Management.

The winner of the nomination “System of interaction with civil society institutions” was Maria Goncharova, a student of grade 10 “B” of the State Budgetary Educational Institution “Moscow International School”, the topic of the work was “The problem of choosing a profession among modern teenagers”, scientific supervisor – Elena Pluzhnik, a teacher of social studies and law.

We express our sincere gratitude to the participants and scientific supervisors for their high professionalism, great personal contribution to attracting the attention of students to issues of career guidance, the work of state authorities and local governments, the development of social activity of the younger generation, and the formation of project management skills.

We wish you professional achievements, creative ideas and prosperity! We hope for further fruitful cooperation!

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/22/2025

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

MIL-OSI Russia: Best Vice-Rector for Science: Maria Karelina Becomes Laureate of the National Award

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Maria Karelina received the national award “Vice-Rector of the Year for Research” in the nomination “Economic Universities”.

The winners of the award were announced at the Scientific Professorial Forum, organized by the Russian Professorial Assembly, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Russian Academy of Education as part of the Decade of Science and Technology in the Russian Federation.

For over 100 years, the State University of Management has not only been a leader in management education, but also actively participates in the development of science, the formation of new methods and developments, making discoveries and implementing scientific developments in practice.

Under the supervision of Maria Yuryevna, the volume of R&D carried out by our university has increased threefold, and the goal for 2025 is to double this figure.

On the basis of the State University of Management, work is being carried out on a major scientific project in the field of agro-industrial complex, an Advanced Engineering School was created jointly with the M.D. Millionshchikov State Petroleum Technical University, developments are being carried out in the field of UAVs, state assignments are being carried out, projects with the support of the Russian Science Foundation and fundamental research are being carried out.

The student design bureau of the State University of Management became one of the winners of the Competition of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia in the nomination “Creation and Development of a Student Design Bureau”, the projects of the Engineering Project Management Center were presented to the Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrey Kartapolov, young scientists of our university were recognized as the best in several major competitions, and these are far from all the victories and achievements of the State University of Management in the field of science in 2024.

We congratulate Maria Karelina on her well-deserved award and wish her further success in her professional development, endless energy to bring all her ideas to life, and a loyal team that will support her along the way.

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/22/2025

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

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Marstacimab approved to treat patients aged 12 years and above (weighing at least 35 kg) with haemophilia A or B

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Marstacimab approved to treat patients aged 12 years and above (weighing at least 35 kg) with haemophilia A or B

As with all products, the MHRA will keep its safety under close review.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the medicine marstacimab (Hympavzi) to prevent or reduce bleeding in patients 12 years of age and older weighing at least 35kg with haemophilia A and B. This medicine is the first of its kind to work by targeting a protein in the blood clotting process.

Haemophilia A and B are inherited bleeding disorders caused by a lack of factor VIII (haemophilia A) or factor IX (haemophilia B) which are proteins required for blood to clot and to stop bleeding.

Some patients with haemophilia can develop factor VIII or factor IX inhibitors (antibodies in the blood that act against replacement factor VIII or factor IX medicines and prevent them from working properly). Marstacimab is used in people who have not developed inhibitors (proteins made by the body’s natural defenses) against factor VIII or factor IX.

Marstacimab recognises and attaches to TFPI, a protein that prevents blood from clotting too much and decreases how well it works. This promotes the formation of thrombin (a protein that plays a crucial role in blood clotting when there is an injury or damage to the body) and therefore helps to increase clotting and stop bleeding in patients with haemophilia.

Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director, Healthcare Quality and Access, said:

Keeping patients safe and enabling their access to high quality, safe and effective medical products are key priorities for us.

This new type of treatment demonstrates our commitment to enabling access to safe, innovative and effective medicines. We’re assured that the appropriate regulatory standards for the approval of this medicine have been met.

As with all products, we will keep its safety under close review.

Marstacimab is given as an injection under the skin once weekly, using a pre-filled syringe or pen. Patients or carers can inject the medicine themselves after appropriate training.

This approval is supported by evidence from a main study that evaluated marstacimab in 116 adults and adolescents 12 years and older with severe haemophilia A or B without inhibitors. In the study, marstacimab significantly reduced the annualized bleeding rate (ABR) for treated bleeds during the 12-month active treatment period, demonstrating non-inferiority and statistical superiority compared to routine factor-based prophylaxis.

The most common side effects of the medicine (which may affect more than 1 in 10 people) are headache, high blood pressure and itching (pruritus).

As with any medicine, the MHRA will keep the safety and effectiveness of marstacimab under close review. Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from this medicine are encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the Yellow Card scheme, either through the website (https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/) or by searching the Google Play or Apple App stores for MHRA Yellow Card.

ENDS

Notes to editors 

The new marketing authorisation was granted on 17 April 2025 to Pfizer Limited.
More information can be found in the Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information leaflets which will be published on the MHRA Products website within 7 days of approval.
For more information about haemophilia, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/haemophilia/
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe.  All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks. 
The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care. 
For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

Published 22 April 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Brazilian teak plantation investments boss banned after customers lost more than £8.5 million

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Brazilian teak plantation investments boss banned after customers lost more than £8.5 million

Director banned following Insolvency Service investigation into sale of investment bonds

Guy Conroy was a director of Green IS Group Limited and GIS Forestry Limited, which offered customers the opportunity to invest in teak trees on plantations in Brazil
Conroy allowed Green IS Group and GIS Forestry to mislead their customers, breaching contractual obligations in the process
At least £8.525 million was owed to investors when the companies went into liquidation in March 2022

The director of two companies which claimed to run teak plantations in Brazil has been banned after investors lost more than £8.5 million.

Guy Conroy, 57, was the director of Green IS Group Limited and GIS Forestry Limited which offered customers the opportunity to invest in teak trees on its plantations.

Conroy allowed the companies to provide misleading information to customers telling them their investments were secured and there were safeguards to protect their money.

However, at least 250 investors were owed millions of pounds when the companies went into liquidation in 2022.

Conroy, of Upper Richmond Road, London, has been disqualified as a company director for 11 years.

Ann Oliver, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

Green IS Group and GIS Forestry traded in a manner which was completely unacceptable and not in the public interest.

Guy Conroy was a director of both these companies. He allowed them to mislead investors who lost out on millions of pounds as a result of his actions.

Conroy’s conduct is not what we would expect of company directors which is why we have taken steps to remove him from the corporate arena until March 2036.

Both Green IS Group and GIS Forestry generally sold bonds for £5,000 each with a fixed term between two and 10 years and interest rates of between 8% and 11%.

At the end of each bond’s term, they were to be redeemed by the companies, repaying the initial investment amount to the customer.

Customers thought they were buying rights to teak trees or saplings on plantations in Brazil, but the companies selling the bonds did not have the correct ownership rights.

No debenture over Green IS Group’s assets was ever registered at Companies House and security over GIS Forestry’s assets was only registered in October 2020 despite the company issuing bonds from December 2014.

Investors lost out on at least £8.525 million as a result of these investments.

The majority of investors were based in the UK and the largest claim from a creditor in the liquidation process was £636,000.

Both Green IS Group and GIS Forestry were placed into compulsory liquidation on the same day in March 2022 following winding-up petitions from creditors.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Conroy, and his ban started on Thursday 27 March 2025.

It prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

The liquidator has also obtained records and met with Conroy and the other directors in an attempt to identify and recover company assets.

Further information

Guy Conroy is of Upper Richmond Road, London. His date of birth is 22 June 1967
Green IS Group Limited (company number 09502803)
GIS Forestry Limited (company number 08923733)
Individuals subject to a disqualification order or undertaking are bound by a range of restrictions 
Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct

Published 22 April 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coventry Railway Station improvements to 1960s skylights

Source: City of Coventry

A project to replace the skylights at Coventry Railway Station has now been completed thanks to a £600,000 investment from Avanti West Coast, Network Rail and the Railway Heritage Trust.

The work saw all 27 skylights – which were over 60 years old – on platform 1 replaced, as well as new wayfinding signage installed throughout the station to improve the experience for customers.

Built in the 1960s, the previous skylights were at the end of their lifespan as well as being extremely dirty with no means to maintain.

Each new structure, which enables more natural light through, consists of eight panels that can be individually removed to be cleaned. Furthermore, access points to the roof have been installed at either end of platform 1 to ensure that the maintenance of the new skylights can be easily carried out. New energy-efficient LED lighting has been situated alongside the skylights to reduce energy consumption at the station.

The skylights and signage work are part of an ongoing transformation at the Avanti West Coast managed station. In 2022, the £82million purpose-built new look main building and multi-storey car park with a connecting footbridge to all four platforms opened.

Cllr Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Coventry City Council, said:

“We welcome this latest investment in Coventry Station, which continues to build on the significant improvements made in recent years.

“It’s great to see upgrades like these enhance the station’s architectural heritage while also meeting modern-day needs. The new skylights and signage absolutely strike that balance, helping to improve the customer experience while preserving the unique character of the station.”

Over the last three years, the customer experience has been further improved with the opening of retail outlets in the new station building, and the installation of a new courtyard area on platform 1 for customers to use whilst they wait for their trains.

In addition, Avanti West Coast also worked with the Railway Heritage Trust to renovate the station’s unique tiled walls, whilst also providing a more prominent display for the old steam train nameplate ‘City of Coventry’.

Dean Duthie, Engineering and Infrastructure Director at Avanti West Coast, said:

“Walking along Platform 1, the work has made a remarkable difference where customers will see a more vibrant look and feel from the natural light streaming through the new skylights.

“Coventry station boasts a rich railway history and has always been an important gateway to the city. It is undergoing a huge transformation to ensure that rail customers are given the best experience possible through easy accessibility, availability of shops, simple wayfinding and a relaxing atmosphere.”

Federica Labanca, Principal Route Engineer at Network Rail Central route, said:

“We’re really pleased to have been able to support this fantastic station improvement project for passengers.

“At Network Rail, we take great pride in working with our industry partners to preserve and enhance Britain’s iconic railway stations whilst making sure they meet the needs of the modern-day passenger.

“We hope that regular station users and visitors to the city enjoy the new station experience for many years to come.”

Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of The Railway Heritage Trust said:

“Our twentieth century railway heritage is just as important as that dating from the nineteenth century. Network Rail and Avanti West Coast are to be congratulated on looking after this iconic Grade II listed station so well.

“Having clear natural light and visible signage for passengers waiting for trains is an important part of the customer experience and we are pleased to have supported this work with three grant awards”.

MIL-OSI China: China restores Belgium-sized grasslands annually

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

BEIJING, April 22 — China has been steadily promoting grassland restoration in recent years, with an annual restoration of over 46 million mu (about 30,667 square kilometers) of grassland, an area comparable to the land area of Belgium.

Li Yongjun, an official with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, told a press conference that the central government has invested a total of 110 billion yuan (about 15.26 billion U.S. dollars) in supporting grassland protection and restoration during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period.

Forestry and grassland authorities across the country have intensified efforts to combat illegal activities such as grassland reclamation and unauthorized occupation. Since 2018, local authorities have investigated nearly 50,000 cases of grassland destruction, transferring over a thousand suspected criminal cases to judicial authorities.

Thanks to the country’s persistent efforts, the ecological quality of grasslands has experienced a historic shift from “general degradation” in the early years of this century to the current “overall improvement,” Li said.

However, the official warned, the country still faces a challenging task in grassland restoration. Most of China’s grasslands are located in arid, semi-arid, cold and high-altitude areas with harsh natural conditions.

“Currently, around 70 percent of the grasslands are still suffering from different degrees of degradation, and the situation of grassland protection and restoration remains serious,” he said.

Li added that forestry and grassland departments will continue to step up efforts in grassland protection and restoration, and further enhance the modernization level of the grassland governance system and governance capacity.

MIL OSI China News –

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Netherlands: Chris Rampling

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Netherlands: Chris Rampling

Mr Chris Rampling has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in succession to Ms Joanna Roper CMG. Mr Rampling will take up his appointment during July 2025.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Christopher Maxwell Rampling

Date	Role
2023 to 2024	FCDO, Director-General (acting) Defence & Intelligence
2020 to 2024	FCDO, National Security Director
2018 to 2020	Beirut, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
2014 to 2018	Brussels, UK Permanent Representation to the EU, Foreign Policy, Defence and Development Counsellor
2013 to 2014	FCO, Head Corporate Services Programme
2013	Secondment to The Prince’s Trust
2009 to 2013	Amman, Deputy Head of Mission
2007 to 2009	FCO, Deputy Head, Counter Proliferation Department
2005 to 2007	FCO, Team Leader, Turkey Team
2003	Jerusalem, Political and Press Officer
2002 to 2005	Tripoli, Political and Press Officer
2000 to 2002	Pre-posting training (including Arabic language training, Cairo)
1999 to 2000	FCO, Desk officer, Turkey/Malta
1999	Joined FCO
1996 to 1999	Private sector (Insurance)

Media enquiries

Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7008 3100

Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

Published 22 April 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes fit for heroes: Raft of new measures to improve military family housing

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Homes fit for heroes: Raft of new measures to improve military family housing

Living conditions for families in military housing will be transformed under a new Consumer Charter, as Defence Secretary John Healey promised to “stop the rot” in military housing.

Defence Secretary John Healey visits military housing

New Consumer Charter for families in military homes, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.
Measures will include higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs, renovation of the worst homes, and a named housing officer for every family – all in place before the one-year anniversary of 36,000 military homes being brought back into public ownership.
Pledge comes alongside the announcement of an independent, expert team appointed to help deliver a rapid Defence Housing Strategy – with work already underway.

The Charter will be part of a new Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, which will set out further plans to improve the standard of service family homes across the country.

Under the Charter, basic consumer rights, from essential property information and predictable property standards, to access to a robust complaints system, will be rapidly introduced. These will be underpinned by new, published satisfaction figures, putting forces families front and centre.

The wider Defence Housing Strategy – overseen by the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns – will also turbocharge the development of surplus military land, creating opportunities for Armed Forces homeownership. It will further support the delivery of affordable homes for families across Britain as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

It follows the Government’s landmark deal, completed in January, to bring back 36,000 military homes into public ownership, reversing a 1996 sale described by the Public Accounts Committee as “disastrous”, and saving the taxpayer £600,000 per day by eliminating rental payments to a private company.

The announcement follows the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to deliver “homes for heroes” and means that under this government, support will be there for veterans at risk of homelessness. This included removing local connection tests for veterans seeking social housing, meaning as of November, veterans will have access to the housing support they need.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

Our Armed Forces serve with extraordinary dedication and courage to keep us safe. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.

For too long, military families have endured substandard housing without the basic consumer rights that any of us should expect in our homes. That must end and our new Consumer Charter will begin to stop the rot and put families at the heart of that transformation.

We cannot turn around years of failure on forces housing overnight, but by bringing 36,000 military homes back into public ownership, we’ve already taken greater control and are working at pace to drive up standards. This is about providing homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation, and I’m determined to deliver the decent, affordable housing that our forces families have every right to expect.

The new Consumer Charter will include the following commitments:

A strengthened move-in standard so families can have confidence that the home they are moving into will be ready on time and will be clean and functional.
Improved, clearer information for families ahead of a move, including photographs and floor plans of all homes when a family applies for housing.
More reliable repairs, including an undertaking to complete urgent repairs within a set timeline consistent with Awaab’s Law, and a new online portal for service personnel to manage repairs.
Raising the minimum standard of forces family housing with a new programme of works targeted at the worst homes, with up to 1,000 refurbished as a downpayment on the broader programme of renewal to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy.
Better and clearer communication for families, including a named housing officer for every service family who they can contact for specific housing related queries.
A new, simpler complaints process that will shorten the process to two stages in line with industry best practice, so that service personnel and families have a quicker resolution, backed up by the new Armed Forces Commissioner.
Modernising policies to allow more freedom for families to make improvements, giving them a greater sense of pride in their homes.

These improvements will be in place by the one-year anniversary of the announcement to buy back military homes last December, with final detail to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy following consultation with military personnel and their families.

Many of the commitments in the Charter will be achieved by driving better performance – and better value for the taxpayer – from existing suppliers of maintenance and support for service family housing.

The new standards will be underpinned by new published customer satisfaction measures and enhanced accountability so families can have confidence in the improvements being made. This will sit alongside an independently conducted stock survey, as recommended by the Kerslake review of military housing which was published last year.

The Defence Housing Strategy will be driven by an independent review team whose members have been announced today, and which will be chaired by former Member of Parliament and housing expert Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, drawing on expertise from industry and forces families.

In the meantime, the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People have instructed the MOD to immediately plan improvements for the new Consumer Charter, as part of a short-term action plan to enhance the family homes after years of neglect.

Natalie Elphicke Ross, Chair of the Defence Housing Strategy Review said:

Our pride in our armed forces must include pride in our military homes. Delivering better housing, boosting home ownership opportunities for service personnel and improving the experiences of service families will be at the heart of our work.

David Brewer, Chief Operating Officer of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:

We are dedicated to making changes that will bring real improvements to the lives of families living in military homes and the plans set out in the new charter are an important step towards doing this.

The advisory team, announced today, brings together an exceptional group of individuals, who through their expertise and experience will help ensure our housing strategy maximises benefits, not just to families living in military homes, but to communities and industry more widely.

Antony Cotton MBE said:

Our Armed Forces community are the backbone of our society, so improving the standard of service family housing is essential if we are to continue to retain and recruit the soldiers, sailors and aviators that protect us selflessly, every day. I welcome this consumer charter as a starting point to give our military families an improved service, and homes they deserve.

Background

The members appointed to the Defence Housing Strategy review team are:

Chair, Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, Director and Head of Housing at The Housing & Finance Institute. Previously Natalie chaired the New Homes Quality Board on standards and redress for customers of new build homes, co-chaired the Elphicke-House Report 2015 on the role of local authorities in housing supply and served as an expert adviser on the development of the national strategy for estate regeneration. A former law firm partner specialising in housing finance, Natalie’s experience includes advising central and local governments, lenders, developers and housing associations on financing, structuring and delivering homes across all tenures.
Bill Yardley, Chair of McCarthy Stone Shared Ownership Limited. Bill serves as Chair of a regulated residential development company and is a Non- Executive Director at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, in the Houses of Parliament and at the Surrey Property Group Limited. He has previously worked at board level in the public and private sectors in residential development, regulated housing, property investment, education and the NHS and has been a public member of Network Rail and chaired a charity. Bill has also served as a Crown Representative and on the Government Construction Board.
Cat Calder, Housing Specialist, Army Families Federation. Cat is a housing professional with over 13 years of experience advocating for improved living conditions for families in military accommodation. She has held key positions within the Army Families Federation and has direct experience of military housing, having previously lived in service family accommodation for a number of years.
Nigel Holland, former Divisional Chair, Taylor Wimpey and Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group. Formerly a Divisional Chair of Taylor Wimpey, one of the UK’s largest residential developers. Nigel is also a Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group, a major provider of affordable housing, care and support services in England and Scotland, with more than 75,000 homes in management. He has a wealth of experience in the homebuilding industry, leading large-scale developments in the UK and overseas.
Alex Notay, Chair and Commissioner, Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Alexandra is an internationally recognised expert on housing, placemaking and ESG. She has 20 years’ strategic advisory and investment experience across four continents and in August 2024 took over as Chair of the Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Until July 2024 she was Placemaking and Investment Director at Thriving Investments, the fund and asset management arm of Places for People Group, overseeing a UK-wide residential strategy.
James Hall, Housing and Land, Greater London Authority. James has over a decade’s experience in housing and development, working with the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He worked extensively on strategy, policy and communications in Westminster and Whitehall, and most recently worked at the Greater London Authority on housing policy and delivery.

Published 18 April 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: Vitaly Savelyev discussed with Alexander Khinshtein the prospects for the development of the transport complex of the Kursk region

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev held a working meeting with Acting Governor of Kursk Oblast Alexander Khinshtein. The participants discussed a number of current projects and initiatives aimed at restoring the efficient operation of the region’s transport system and improving the quality of life of citizens of the Kursk border region.

One of the projects is the reconstruction of the area adjacent to the building of the central railway station of Kursk and the construction of a transport hub next to the station. Preliminary work on the development of technical parameters of the project is already underway together with Russian Railways. In addition, preparations for the resumption of work of the international airport named after M.I. Gurevich after the stabilization of the situation in the region were discussed.

Let us recall that on April 2 of this year, President Vladimir Putin instructed the Government to develop a program for the restoration of infrastructure facilities in the Kursk region by July 1, 2025.

“The Government of the Russian Federation is paying close attention to the restoration of the Kursk region, including in terms of the reconstruction of transport infrastructure facilities, and will provide possible support in the implementation of the planned projects,” noted Vitaly Savelyev.

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

MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin noted a significant increase in cooperation within the framework of the strategic vision group “Russia – Islamic World”

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin took part in a meeting of the leadership of the strategic vision group “Russia – Islamic World” with ambassadors of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chairman of the group Rustam Minnikhanov.

In his welcoming address, Marat Khusnullin noted Russia’s continued readiness to act as a reliable partner for Islamic states. He also emphasized that the current situation creates additional opportunities for strengthening such relations.

“In accordance with the priorities of Russia’s foreign policy outlined by President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, cooperation with Muslim countries has reached the level of strategic partnership. Today, we see how this cooperation, based on mutual respect and common interests, covers a wide range of areas and demonstrates impressive development dynamics. Significant economic growth is confirmed by figures: over the past four years, Russia’s trade turnover with the states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has increased by 44% and amounted to $163 billion by the end of 2024. Also, a key factor in strengthening cooperation has been the development of the North-South and West-East transport corridors, which are capable of radically changing global logistics,” said Marat Khusnullin.

Over the past 15 years, the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group has made a significant contribution to the development of international cooperation, actively promoting dialogue and mutual understanding between states. Last year, major events were successfully implemented, including the annual meeting of the group and the International Economic Forum Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum.

Marat Khusnullin also reminded that the next forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum” will be held from May 13 to 18. The business program includes discussions of Islamic finance, partnership banking, the halal industry, cooperation in construction, youth diplomacy, export development, entrepreneurship and investment.

Rais Tatarstan, Chairman of the Group Rustam Minnikhanov thanked all foreign and Russian colleagues for their contribution to the activities of the strategic vision group “Russia – Islamic World”.

“Expanding cooperation with Muslim countries is one of the priority areas of Russian foreign policy. Today, such cooperation is of particular importance. I invite everyone to the International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum”, which will be held in May. A rich business program has been formed for the forum. The topic of the plenary session is “Digitalization: New Reality and Opportunities for Expanding Cooperation”. The annual meeting of the strategic vision group “Russia – Islamic World” is also scheduled for May 15–16. Its topic is “Experience of Russia and Islamic countries in the field of youth policy: common challenges and joint actions”. Today, about 70% of the population of the Islamic world is young people. Our duty is to instill in the younger generation a careful attitude towards their history and culture. To this end, the next meeting of the strategic vision group “Russia – Islamic World” will be devoted to youth policy,” Rustam Minnikhanov added.

The Russia – Islamic World Strategic Vision Group was created in 2006, after Russia received observer status in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The group has become an important platform for dialogue between Russia and the Islamic world, where current issues of international relations, the situation in the Near and Middle East, as well as the complex of relations between Russia and the states of the Islamic East are discussed.

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.