NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Statement: 16th Ukraine Defence Contact Group – National Armaments Directors Format

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Joint Statement: 16th Ukraine Defence Contact Group – National Armaments Directors Format

    Joint Statement from Ukraine, Germany and the United Kingdom, co-chairs of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG).

    MOD Crown Copyright.

    On Friday 11 April the National Armaments Directors (NADs) from over 40 nations met at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. They were supported by multiple international government organisations.

    They agreed to ensure that the commitments made in the UDCG Ministerial Format are rapidly converted into contracts with industry and the tangible delivery of support to Ukraine to ensure Ukraine is able to sustain the resolute defence of her sovereignty and her people and negotiate a lasting and secure peace.

    MOD Crown Copyright.

    The UDCG NAD Format, co-chaired by Ukraine, Germany and the UK and building on the work of the US since its inception, will report its progress to the June ministerial meeting.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 April 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: KRSU and Polytech: development through partnership

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    An extended meeting dedicated to the development of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University was held at the Polytechnic University, with the participation of representatives of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia.

    The event was attended by the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy, the referent of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation Vadim Smirnov, the acting rector of KRSU Sergey Volkov, representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia – the acting director of the Department of State Policy in Higher Education Elena Tumakova and the head of the department of the Department of International Cooperation Alexey Poyda, as well as the heads of key departments and institutes of the Polytechnic University involved in the implementation of projects to transform KRSU.

    Before the meeting, the participants summed up the results of the internship at SPbPU for the heads of KRSU educational programs. Kyrgyz colleagues presented projects for updating curricula in five areas.

    The meeting became a platform for summing up the interim results of cooperation and discussing plans for 2025. Since January of this year, SPbPU has been acting as the coordinator of development programs for all four Slavic universities. Particular attention is paid to KRSU, where the Polytechnic University helps to modernize engineering education, scientific activities and personnel potential. Over the course of a year of joint work, curricula have been revised, network programs and programs for improving the qualifications of teachers have been launched.

    The development of Russian-national (Slavic) universities is one of the priority projects of our country in the promotion of Russian education and culture. At present, we give special priority to working with the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, since we, as one of the leading technical universities in Russia, are faced with the task of assisting KRSU in building all the basic processes related to the development of engineering areas. This is education, science, human capital, – emphasized the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy.

    Vice-Rector for International Activities Dmitry Arsenyev recalled that the active development of the project with KRSU began a year ago with the international forum in Bishkek, when SPbPU first began comprehensive expert work on the KRSU development program.

    Over the many years of work at the Polytechnic University, I cannot recall a larger-scale international project involving more than 200 key employees and specialists of the university, representing all leading institutes and basic divisions, noted Dmitry Arsenyev.

    Responsible SPbPU employees in the areas presented the main results of the past year – qualitative and quantitative results in key areas (educational activities, development of scientific potential, youth policy, distance technologies in education, interlibrary cooperation) and priority areas (construction, electronics and telecommunications, energy, ICT, lean manufacturing). The participants proposed specific plans for 2025 and identified the main problem areas.

    The ideas that we discussed just a year ago have proven to be correct, and this is encouraging. I would like to express my gratitude to the Polytechnic team. You have taken on the task as a team, each working in their own area. We believe that there will be results, commented Vadim Smirnov, aide to the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.

    The participants discussed the progress and development prospects of KRSU with the support of SPbPU, noted significant steps in joint work: modernization of educational programs, launch of network projects and strengthening of academic mobility. Vadim Smirnov emphasized the importance of a systematic approach to motivating KRSU employees and proposed integrating their participation in programs with the Polytechnic University into the incentive system.

    Participation in joint projects should become one of the key criteria for incentive payments. This will help strengthen engagement and demonstrate the value of interaction, said Vadim Smirnov.

    Acting Director of the Department of State Policy in Higher Education Elena Tumakova drew attention to the need for a comprehensive approach to motivating the teaching staff of KRSU, supporting the proposal to specifically encourage employees who are actively involved in projects with SPbPU.

    The participants discussed the low level of digital competencies of KRSU teachers, the lack of funding for scientific research and the difficulties with adapting Russian educational standards to the conditions of Kyrgyzstan. To solve them, proposals were made to strengthen internships, develop distance formats and more actively attract young specialists.

    Polytechnicians and KRSU management noted the task of renewing personnel as one of the main problems. Working with human potential, finding talents at KRSU is one of the primary tasks for the coming year. Acting Rector of KRSU Sergey Volkov emphasized that the key issue remains the transformation of KRSU into a leading national university. Enormous resources are being concentrated for this, including plans to build a modern campus in Bishkek, which will become a center for engineering, humanitarian and medical education.

    However, the best campus is nothing without highly qualified, motivated, talented staff and teachers. In the near future, KRSU will hold a competitive selection procedure. We expect to take a fresh look at our staff, taking into account the strategic long-term development goals of the university, – said Sergey Volkov.

    Andrey Rudskoy supported the initiative to strengthen work with human capital, instructed the Vice-Rector for Educational Activities Lyudmila Pankova and the Head of the Directorate for Human Resources Maria Pakhomova to actively engage in this issue and provide expert support to KRSU in the upcoming competitive selection procedure.

    Speaking about the organization of scientific activities, Vadim Smirnov suggested focusing on several priority scientific and applied projects. For example, on comprehensive cooperation with the Alliance Altyn enterprise, which was discussed during recent visit. The second reference point could be a project to conduct interdisciplinary research based on the High-Mountain Observatory of Atmospheric Physics of KRSU. The combination of fundamental and applied tasks will allow achieving practical results and at the same time paving the way for future projects and scientific development.

    “Even small but significant successes will become the basis for future growth. Appreciate the Polytechnic University’s resources; consultations with such high-level experts are invaluable,” emphasized Vadim Smirnov. “Let’s focus on practical projects and measurable results. We need to accumulate success stories, even if they can be counted on the fingers of one hand, but they will become the basis for growth. We need to work together, not instead of. The task of becoming a leading university is difficult, but achievable. We see from the example of the Polytechnic University and other Russian universities what fantastic leaps can be made in a few years if strategic goals, a management system, and personnel work are correctly built. Responsibility, measurable goals, and a link to the strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic are what will bring KRSU forward. Fewer formalities, more specifics. If students go on internships, let them come back with projects. If we implement programs, we calculate the percentage of extra-budgetary funds. These are steps to ensure that the university begins not just to function, but to develop.”

    Special thanks to colleagues for their support in developing curricula and solving complex issues, such as program accreditation or working with personnel. Special thanks for the digital library: this is a breakthrough for us. Yes, there are challenges: scholarship provision, personnel policy, alignment of standards. But we are working on this: we hold weekly meetings, prepare for the forum, build a new campus on 30 hectares near Bishkek, where there will be three key clusters – engineering, humanitarian and medical. And these are not just buildings, but an opportunity for a scientific breakthrough, – noted Sergey Volkov.

    Vadim Smirnov highlighted the most important components of joint work for the coming year: It is necessary to combine the fundamental documents into a single end-to-end concept – the strategy and development program of KRSU, the roadmap (work plan) for the coming years. It is necessary to synchronize current work plans with the long-term goals of KRSU, add specific tasks and performance indicators. All these documents should complement each other, define the main goals and ensure their implementation through the corresponding recorded resources and activities.

    Participants expressed confidence that the unification of the resources of SPbPU and KRSU, as well as the focus on practice-oriented tasks, will accelerate the development of the university.

    There is an urgent need to link the roadmap, strategy and development program, providing them with resources. Financial support for network programs, motivation of teachers through incentives rather than punishment, and work on the university brand are key elements of progress. A brand is not just a name, it is a tool that helps attract applicants and create competitive advantages, especially in the conditions of tough competition. The solutions must be non-trivial, but they will raise the level, make education high-quality, and the university significant, – Elena Tumakova supported her colleagues.

    The participants agreed to finalize the roadmap taking into account the strategic goals of KRSU and to hold regular working meetings. Andrey Rudskoy expressed confidence that joint efforts will allow bringing the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University to a new level, strengthening the position of Russian education in Central Asia: The effectiveness of cooperation with Kyrgyzstan should not be based on directive methods, but on demonstrating specific successes – in education, science, interaction with society and industry. Our task is to create an environment where Kyrgyz students and scientists see the prospects for the development of their country through synergy with Russian practices. KRSU can become a model platform where strategies are tested that can be scaled to other Slavic universities. However, the key condition is the balance between tactical steps and a long-term vision, where personnel, science and education work for the benefit of both countries, strengthening not only professional but also humanitarian ties.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Murder investigation launched following a fatal stabbing in Walworth

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Murder investigation launched following death of a 21-year-old man in Walworth.

    On Monday, 14 April at 21:16hrs police were called to Hillingdon Street, SE17 following reports of a stabbing.

    Officers attended the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service who treated a 21-year-old man for stab injuries.

    Sadly, despite their best efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Enquiries are on-going to locate his next of kin.

    Borough Commander Emma Bond who leads policing in Southwark has said: “We understand this news is both shocking and unsettling to the community and a number of crime scenes remain in place.

    “Our investigations continue and there will be an increased police presence in the area, I advise anyone in the community who has concerns to speak to their local officers.

    “I would also like to appeal to the public for information. Please, if you saw, heard or have any footage following last night’s incident then please come forward. Your information can significantly help our detectives with their investigation. You can do so by calling 101, referencing CAD 7392/14APR.”

    Five men and a woman all aged in their 20s were arrested shortly after the incident on suspicion of murder. They all remain in police custody, pending further investigation.

    If you saw anything, or have any information then please contact police via 101 stating CAD7392/14APR. Alternatively, to remain anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO reaffirms its steadfast commitment to security in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to safeguarding the Dayton Peace Agreement

    Source: NATO

    Today (15 April 2025), NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, Radmila Shekerinska, hosted the Chair and members of the Tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željka Cvijanović, Željko Komšić, and Denis Bećirović, at NATO Headquarters. They exchanged views with Allied Permanent Representatives on the latest developments in the country and across the region, and on NATO’s partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    NATO’s North Atlantic Council underlined NATO’s enduring commitment to stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, in accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement, and to our enduring cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the discussion, it was reiterated that the Alliance remains concerned about recent developments and their adverse implications, including for the country’s constitutional order and the functionality of state institutions.

    Against this backdrop, the Deputy Secretary General reaffirmed that “the Dayton Peace Agreement must be respected.  It is a cornerstone of stability and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state architecture.” She also underscored that “NATO remains closely aligned with its international partners,” including the EU-led Operation Althea and the High Representative, and that NATO “will not accept any kind of security vacuum in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And we will not allow hard-won peace to be jeopardised.” 

    Deputy Secretary General Shekerinska restated the Alliance’s support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress “on its European and Euro-Atlantic path” and highlighted that it was important “to build upon this foundation, for the benefit of everyone living there.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Intermex Empowers Store Owners With Launch of Intermex SOMA: A Game-Changing Mobile App for Business Management on the Go

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — International Money Express, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMXI), a leading money remittance provider to Latin America and the Caribbean, has officially launched a new mobile platform designed to give Intermex agents real-time visibility into their business, right from the palm of their hand.

    Intermex SOMA, short for Store Owner Management App, was built with one goal in mind: to make life easier for store owners. With just a few taps, agents can now track performance metrics, monitor commissions, stay updated on deals with real-time alerts, and even connect directly with their Intermex teams. It’s fast, intuitive, and created specifically to meet the day-to-day needs of our agent partners, most of whom are small business owners juggling multiple responsibilities.

    “At Intermex, we believe technology should work for our partners, not the other way around,” said Marcelo Theodoro, Chief Product, Marketing & Digital Officer at Intermex. “Intermex SOMA is our way of saying, ‘We see you. We hear you. And we’re building tools that make your life easier and your business stronger.’ It’s all about giving our agents more control, more clarity, and more convenience.”

    The Intermex SOMA app provides a simple yet powerful dashboard, offering monthly-to-date (MTD), year-to-date (YTD), month-over-month (MoM), and year-over-year (YoY) performance views, so agents can better understand how their Intermex services are performing. Instant push notifications alert them of important activity, while built-in contact features make it easy to get the support they need when they need it. Intermex SOMA takes everything that used to require a call, a spreadsheet, or a visit and puts it in one streamlined mobile experience.

    Intermex SOMA reflects a broader commitment from Intermex to innovate with purpose. The launch is a major step forward in the company’s digitization and omnichannel strategies. And this is only the beginning. Future updates will expand Intermex SOMA’s functionality even further, offering tools for managing deals, accessing marketing materials, and unlocking new service features.

    About International Money Express, Inc. (Intermex):
    Founded in 1994, Intermex applies proprietary technology to enable consumers to send money from the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany to more than 60 countries. The company facilitates digital money movement through its website and mobile app, as well as through a vast network of retail agents and company-operated stores. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Intermex also operates international offices in Puebla, Mexico; Guatemala City, Guatemala; London, England; and Madrid, Spain. Learn more at www.intermexonline.com.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Alex Sadowski
    Investor Relations Coordinator
    ir@intermexusa.com
    305-671-8000

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LyondellBasell advances sustainability leadership in 2024 Sustainability Report: From Vision to Value

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB), a global leader in the chemical industry, today released its 2024 Sustainability Report, demonstrating significant progress in circular and low-carbon solutions, climate action and operational excellence.

    “At LYB, sustainability is an opportunity to reimagine the future and create long-term value,” said Peter Vanacker, CEO of LyondellBasell. “Our 2024 report, ‘From Vision to Value,’ highlights how we are rethinking the status quo and accelerating progress towards a circular and low-carbon future by investing in innovative technologies, strengthening collaborations, and embedding sustainability into our core strategy.”

    2024 sustainability highlights:

    • Value Enhancement Program (VEP) success: The company’s employee-driven VEP initiative unlocked a cumulative $800 million in recurring annual EBITDA and generated estimated annual carbon emissions reductions of 310,000 metric tons.
    • Advancing the circular economy: LYB increased volumes of recycled and renewable-based polymers by 65% to over 200,000 metric tons, progressing toward its 2030 goal of producing and marketing 2 million metric tons annually and capturing incremental EBITDA of more than $1 billion1.
    • MoReTec-1 construction underway: To meet the rising demand for circular polymers, the company broke ground on its first commercial-scale chemical recycling plant in Wesseling, Germany, to convert hard-to-recycle plastic waste into new raw materials, including for contact-sensitive packaging.
    • Reducing carbon emissions: In Q1 2025, LYB safely completed the shutdown of refining operations at its Houston refinery. This will reduce annual Scope 3 emissions by approximately 40 million metric tons.
    • Renewable energy expansion: New power purchase agreements (PPAs) secured in 2024 will enable LYB to meet its target of sourcing at least 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
    • Safety excellence: Out of over 90+ LYB manufacturing sites, 70 achieved GoalZERO, 72 were injury-free and the company achieved its second lowest-ever total recordable incident rate (0.127).
    • Strategic growth & investments: The company acquired APK AG, adding Newcycling technology to its portfolio for solution-based recycling of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) waste.
    • Sustainability recognition: Ranked first among plastics producers in BloombergNEF’s 2024 circular economy company rankings and retained its AA ESG rating from MSCI.

    “As we look to the future, we remain steadfast in our commitment to sustainability and innovation. Our investments in circular and low-carbon solutions, along with our dedication to safety and operational excellence, will drive our progress toward achieving our 2030 and 2050 goals. We are transforming our vision into lasting value, ensuring that we create meaningful impact for our customers, shareholders and society.” – Peter Vanacker, CEO, LyondellBasell

    For more details, read the 2024 Sustainability Report at www.lyondellbasell.com. 

    About LyondellBasell

    We are LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) ― a leader in the global chemical industry creating solutions for everyday sustainable living. Through advanced technology and focused investments, we are enabling a circular and low carbon economy. Across all we do, we aim to unlock value for our customers, investors, and society. As one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and a leader in polyolefin technologies, we develop, manufacture and market high-quality and innovative products for applications ranging from sustainable transportation and food safety to clean water and quality healthcare. For more information, please visit www.lyondellbasell.com or follow @LyondellBasell on LinkedIn.

    For media inquiries, please contact:

    Nick Facchin

    Sr. Manager, Executive Communications and Media Relations

    Phone: +1 713 309 4791

    Email: nick.facchin@lyondellbasell.com

    __________________________________________________

    1 Incremental to LyondellBasell’s fossil-based O&P Americas and O&P EAI annual EBITDA

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Deadline extended: Call for evidence – An inspection of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Deadline extended: Call for evidence – An inspection of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers

    The ICIBI invites anyone with knowledge and experience of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers to contribute to this inspection. Deadline extended to close of play 23 April 2025.

    The ICIBI has begun an inspection of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers. The Home Office uses the term “overstayer” to describe “a person who was granted limited leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, but who neither left the country on the date indicated nor asked for the leave to be extended.” 

    I am inviting anyone with knowledge or first-hand experience of this subject to submit evidence to inform my inspection. I would be pleased to hear about both what is working well and what could be improved in the following areas: 

    • the identification of potential overstayers during the visa application process 

    • communications with people who are suspected of overstaying 

    • the identification of overstayers in the UK 

    • the Home Office’s management of overstayers 

    • the quality and accessibility of information to deter people from overstaying 

    As I have not yet finalised the scope of this inspection, I would be happy to receive any other evidence that falls outside these areas that may be relevant to the Home Office’s approach to overstayers.  

    This call for evidence will remain open until close of play 23 April 2025.  

    Please also note that information submitted may be quoted in the final inspection report, but it is the ICIBI’s practice not to name sources and any examples or case studies will be anonymised. 

    Please click overstayers@icibi.gov.uk to email your submission to the Independent Chief Inspector. 

    Please note: The ICIBI’s statutory remit does not extend to investigating or making decisions about individual cases. This remains a Home Office responsibility. However, the Independent Chief Inspector can and does take an interest in individual cases to the extent that they illustrate or point to systemic problems. 

    Data Protection  

    Information on how we process personal data submitted in response to a call for evidence can be found in the ICIBI privacy information notice available on the ICIBI website.  

    If at any point you wish to object to the processing of your personal data, you should contact us by emailing chiefinspector@icibi.gov.uk. 

    David Bolt 

    Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration 

    26 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: One Month to Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025: Africa’s Energy Licensing Surge to Take Center Stage

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    PARIS, France, April 15, 2025/APO Group/ —

    With just one month to go to the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 forum, the event is shaping up to be a milestone moment for upstream investment on the continent. IAE 2025 will spotlight Africa’s resurgence in exploration activity – with over 150 oil and gas blocks on offer across more than 10 countries on the continent. Backed by national oil companies (NOCs), regulators and government ministries, the forum stands to connect international capital and energy opportunities to investors and developers.

    Africa’s 2025 licensing calendar is one of the most active in recent years, with countries across North, West, Central and East Africa opening acreage and reforming terms to attract global explorers. Dozens of offshore and onshore blocks are being offered through both direct negotiations and competitive bidding, with new rounds in Libya, the Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Algeria and Angola, among others. A central focus of the upcoming forum, these offerings are supported by revised fiscal frameworks, comprehensive seismic data and digitalized platforms aimed at streamlining investor engagement and lowering entry barriers.

    IAE 2025 (https://apo-opa.co/4jrAKig) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    The IAE 2025 program will feature dedicated sessions that highlight new opportunities, policy reforms and strategic deals. An Energy Reform Briefing on Sierra Leone will explore the structural changes aimed at enhancing the country’s competitiveness in upstream oil and gas. A high-profile session from the newly established South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) will offer insight into the entity’s vision, followed by a live investor pitch. An “In Conversation” dialogue with TotalEnergies will explore the major’s evolving investment priorities in Africa and its role in the continent’s energy transition. Meanwhile, the Premier Invest Deal Room will showcase six major upstream transactions, providing a curated environment for qualified investors, lenders and project sponsors to engage in due diligence and financing discussions.

    IAE 2025 will welcome government officials, companies and financiers. Confirmed ministers include the Republic of Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons, Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua; Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Eperikpe Ekpo; Gabon’s Minister of Petroleum, Marcel Abéké; Mauritania’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mohamed Ould Khaled; Senegal’s Minister of Energy, Oil and Mines, Birame Soulèye Diop; Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Energy, Malam Sambu; and Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Wilmot Paye.

    Industry participation ranges from leading majors such as TotalEnergies, Eni and Perenco, to NOCs including SNPC, SANPC, Gabon Oil Company and Uganda National Petroleum Company. Junior explorers and independents like Afentra, Trident Energy, Oando, UTM Offshore and EcoAtlantic will also join the conversation, alongside key players in technology and finance such as Technip Energies, NOV, SLB, Wärtsilä, Africa Finance Corporation, Rand Merchant Bank and the Trade and Development Bank. Together, leaders from both public and private sectors will engage in high-level discussions on topics ranging from financing the next generation of energy projects, to optimizing value from mature and mid-life assets, as well as transforming power generation across the continent.

    As global investors seek scalable growth opportunities and secure supply options, Africa is presenting a compelling case for upstream development and gas-led industrialization. With one month to go, IAE 2025 offers a timely and focused opportunity to engage with the people, projects and policies shaping the next chapter of African energy.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: GITEX AFRICA Morocco’s third edition opens to the continent’s largest gathering of globally influential tech leaders, government officials and innovators

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    RABAT, Morocco, April 15, 2025/APO Group/ —

    GITEX AFRICA Morocco (www.GITEXAfrica.com), the continent’s largest tech and startup show today opened its doors to the biggest players across the local, regional and international digital landscapes, turning the city of Marrakech into an epicentre of advanced technology, talent, and transformation.

    Running until 16 April, GITEX AFRICA Morocco is held under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, May God Assist Him, the authority of the Kingdom’s Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, in partnership with Digital Development Agency (ADD), and organised by KAOUN International – the overseas event agency of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and organiser of GITEX events globally.

    Her Excellency, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Government of Morocco opened the show’s inauguration ceremony to welcome participants from over 130 countries, 1,450 exhibitors, 350 global investors, and 650 conference speakers.

    The opening address was delivered as part of the inauguration panel session made up from key dignitaries, including H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity, Government of the United Arab Emirates, and Mr. Chakib Alj, the President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM).

    Her Excellency, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Government of Morocco, said: “GITEX AFRICA affirms the growing importance of the digital economy, which represents today 15% of global GDP, or some $6.5 trillion. Aware of the challenges of this digital revolution, the Kingdom of Morocco is actively committed to building a future where digitalization, and through it AI, constitutes a lever for progress, for the benefit of all. It is in this sense that His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, affirmed in his speech to the Extraordinary Summit of heads of state and government of the African Union in Kigali, in March 2018: “Africa is on its way to becoming a global digital laboratory.” A wise and enlightened vision that continues to guide the initiatives of our country and our continent.”

    Mr. Mohammed Drissi Melyani, Director General of the Digital Development Agency, said: “This international event, organised under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI may God Assist Him, has become one of the most prominent digital and technological gatherings on the African and international levels. It is no longer just an occasion to showcase the latest innovations, but has become a strategic place to strengthen digital inclusion between African countries, to build bridges of cooperation with our international partners, and to accelerate the pace of sustainable digital transformation. This reflects our firm ambition and strong commitment to achieve an inclusive digital transition and to establishing a new digital culture that prioritises the advancement of administration, entrepreneurial fabric, and society, as well as to build of a developed and competitive digital economy.”

    Trixie LohMirmand, Chief Executive Officer, KAOUN International, said: “As we enter the third edition of GITEX AFRICA Morocco, there is a strong sense of momentum and purpose. This event has evolved into a powerful platform driving Africa’s digital future and, with AI at the forefront of global innovation, Morocco is positioning itself as a hub for an incredible transformation across the continent. This is backed by ambitious national strategies, a vibrant ecosystem of startups, and growing international partnerships. GITEX AFRICA Morocco serves not just as a showcase agenda-defining tech, but also as a catalyst for collaboration, investment, and scaling, connecting African innovators and talent with global markets and empowering the next generation to build, revolutionise, and lead the AI economy.”

    This year GITEX AFRICA Morocco is primed to forge new partnerships and explore new industries, thereby elevating its influence and impact on Africa’s digital landscape even further. The 2025 edition presents an expanded agenda and representation from new countries from the African, European and Asian continents including, Belgium, Gabon, Niger, Switzerland, Uzbekistan, Zambia. In addition to the show’s traditional focus on AI, cybersecurity, and telecoms the event will also cover energy transition, mobility, edutech, sports technologies, and agritech.

    GITEX AFRICA Morocco returns for its third year with support from institutional partners: ANRT, Royal Air Maroc, ONCF, OCP, ONDA, AMDIE, ONMT and CGEM.

    For news and updates on GITEX AFRICA Morocco, please visit: www.GITEXAfrica.com.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Opportunity to operate Markeaton Park catering facilities

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council is inviting expressions of interest from experienced and imaginative operators to manage the catering facilities at the popular Markeaton Park. The opportunity includes the operation of The Orangery café and the kiosk located at the Mundy Play Centre.

    In November, Derby City Council’s Cabinet approved plans to outsource the management of its leisure facilities, and the Markeaton Park catering provision is the first phase of this process. The move is intended to provide financial savings while maintaining a high level of service for customers. 

    The Council is conducting a non-committal Expression of Interest (EOI) exercise and encourages anyone interested in operating either the Orangery or Mundy Play Centre kiosk – or both – to get in touch. Responses from both businesses and community groups are welcome.

    The Orangery café is a Grade-II Listed building situated at the heart of Markeaton Park, overlooking the picturesque terrace gardens. The Orangery is part of the 18th-century stable yard, now a vibrant craft village with various workshops and businesses selling handmade goods, gifts, and activities. 

    The kiosk is located within the central Mundy Play Centre, serving the pay-to-play and free play provisions in this popular section of the park.

    Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure, said:

    This is a fantastic opportunity for the right operator, or operators, to become a key part of the vibrant offering at Markeaton Park.

    We encourage interested parties to come forward with ideas that will complement the park’s existing attractions and meet the needs of our residents and visitors.

    The Council would like the new operators to offer a quality café and kiosk service that fits the needs of the local community and park users, as well as attracting new visitors. 

    Successful operators will need to maintain a consistent presence within the park, keeping to minimum opening times. This includes opening for the Orangery for a minimum of five hours per day, seven days a week, throughout the year (including Bank Holidays). The kiosk should be open for at least four hours a day on Saturdays, Sundays, and school holidays from April through to October. 

    The Expression of Interest responses received will be used to help determine the next steps for the facilities. Those interested in this opportunity are invited to register their interest by completing the online form. The deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest is midday on Tuesday 6 May 2025.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Turtle Bay crowned overall winner at Coventry’s Best Bar None Awards for second successive year

    Source: City of Coventry

    An award ceremony saw bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants in Coventry celebrate achieving a leading industry accreditation – with Turtle Bay taking home the top prize for a second year running.

    The city’s hospitality sector came together at Drapers Hall to celebrate their work in providing safe experiences for customers, with 14 venues receiving ‘Best Bar None’ accreditation.

    Best Bar None is an accreditation scheme supported by the Home Office and drinks industry that aims to improve standards in licensed premises.

    It is the industry gold standard and is delivered in the city by Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) and Coventry City Council’s Licensing Team. The accreditation highlights to customers that a venue excels in safety, training, management and customer experience.

    The ceremony welcomed John Miley, from the national Best Bar None scheme, to speak to the businesses and present awards. He was joined by representatives from Coventry City Council, West Midlands Police and Dal Dhillon, founder of Dhillon’s Brewery and representative of Coventry’s Pubwatch scheme.

    Venues to be recognised as Best Bar None accredited for this year include The Earl of Mercia, Las Iguanas, Turtle Bay, The Phoenix, Club Heat, The City Arms, Dhillon’s Brewery, Mr Shenanigans, Genting Casino, The Spon Gate, Samoan Joes, The Flying Standard, Putt Putt Social and The Yard.

    Turtle Bay was named the overall winner at the Best Bar None Award ceremony, recognising the Caribbean-inspired bar and restaurant achieving the highest score across all the key assessment metrics.

    The night also saw the presentation of five category awards to recognise excellence in specific areas.

    Club Heat and The City Arms were joint winners of the Venue Management award, with The Flying Standard taking home the trophy for Staff Training.

    The Spon Gate came away with the award for Customer Safety and Welfare and Dhillon’s Brewery was recognised with the Customer Experience prize.

    This year saw the inaugural presentation of the Best Newcomer Award, as the accreditation scheme continues to attract new venues across the city.

    Putt Putt Social, The Phoenix and Las Iguanas are all new to the Best Bar None scheme this year – with Las Iguanas and Putt Putt Social sharing the honours for the Best Newcomer award.

    Joanne Glover, Chief Executive of Coventry BID, said:

    “Best Bar None isn’t just about recognition, it is about raising standards, promoting safety and ensuring that Coventry remains a thriving and inclusive place for all everyone that lives, works or visit here.

    “This is the third time we have hosted the Best Bar None award ceremony and each year we see higher scores on assessments from existing venues and welcome new businesses to join the scheme.

    “We would like to congratulate and thank every venue that has taken part this year – they are what makes this city so special and their commitment to a vibrant, welcome and safe nighttime economy is unrivalled.”

    Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities and Chair of the Coventry Police and Crime Board, said:

    “This scheme is one of a number of really important projects that relies on a whole range of partner agencies and businesses to be a part of.

    “Best Bar None and other schemes help create a better and safer experience for customers visiting the city, and I’m really grateful for the efforts of everyone involved – especially those businesses in the city’s hospitality sector.”  

    Councillor Faye Abbott, Chair of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at Coventry City Council, said:

    “I would like to congratulate all the venues that achieved Best Bar None accreditation for 2025, it is an absolutely fantastic achievement.

    “This accreditation is an important measure of the improvement of standards. When people feel secure and welcome in any setting it is better for everyone, and contributes to a vibrant city where everyone can enjoy great experiences.” 

    Deklin Kinsella, from West Midlands Police, said:

    “Congratulations to all of the venues that have achieved accreditation this year, their hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed. It’s important we all continue to work together to make nightlife in Coventry the best and safest experience it can be. We are proud to be partners in the Best Bar None scheme to make Coventry and its night-time economy a safe space for everyone.”

    To find out more about Best Bar None accreditation contact admin@coventrybid.co.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Third international meeting of the Post-Holocaust Issues Special Envoys Network on Holocaust-era Restitution

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Third international meeting of the Post-Holocaust Issues Special Envoys Network on Holocaust-era Restitution

    Lord Pickles attends meeting in The Hague to discuss progress and challenges relating to the restitution of Holocaust-era assets.

    Attendees at a meeting of the Special Envoys Network on Holocaust-era Restitution, in the Hague.

    On 2 April, UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues Lord Pickles attended a meeting of the Special Envoys Network on Holocaust-era Restitution in The Hague. The meeting was hosted by the Netherlands’ National Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism, Eddo Verdoner, alongside the World Jewish Restitution Organisation and the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security.

    The US Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Ellen Germain updated that 32 countries had now signed up to the Best Practices for the Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art. She made a special plea to those countries who had signed the original Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art 25 years ago to sign up to the best practices document.

    Lord Pickles made the point that no country is immune from restitution claims. He reported that the Tate Britain art museum was set to reunite the great-grandchildren of a Belgian Jewish art collector with a painting looted from his home by the Nazis.

    The oil painting ‘Aeneas and his Family Fleeing Burning Troy’ by English painter Henry Gibbs was stolen from the home of Samuel Hartveld after he fled Antwerp with his wife in May 1940. The piece, dating from 1654, was one of hundreds of thousands the Nazis plundered from Jewish families during World War II.

    Its restitution has been a slow process, often involving legal battles and complex international searches. The return of the painting will mark the latest triumph for a special panel set up by the UK Government to investigate such works that have ended up in Britain’s public collections.

    The UK Spoliation Advisory Panel ruled the Aeneas painting was “looted as an act of racial persecution”, and has arranged for it to be returned to Hartveld’s heirs in the coming months.

    Lord Pickles welcomed the success of the Special Envoys Network on Holocaust Era Restitution in developing the best practices document, and in firstly tackling restitution of movable property.

    However, he acknowledged that there were still many Holocaust survivors and their families who had waited 80 years for justice and recognition of their loss of property.  He added that bureaucratic inertia had delayed the resolution of too many restitution claims for too long.

    Lord Pickles reflected that in some countries, the regulations were so stringent that it was very difficult for survivors who no longer live in the country of their birth to receive any restitution. This is a particular obstacle for survivor communities living in the US and Israel, as well as those in the UK. He stressed that it was time to focus on getting individual property back to their rightful owners, before it is too late.

    Lord Pickles said,

    Eighty years after the Holocaust, we have undoubtedly made progress, but there is still so much more to be done, and so little time left to do it. Meetings like this are essential for moving from principles to action. We owe it to survivors, their families, and future generations to ensure that justice is not only promised but delivered.

    On 3 April, the special envoys travelled to Amsterdam to visit the recently opened Dutch National Holocaust Museum. This is the first museum to tell the entire story of the persecution of the Jews in the Netherlands.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Good Ofsted for Plymouth children’s home

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Downham House has received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted.

    Downham House is a registered children’s home which provides short breaks for children with severe learning disabilities and complex needs.

    Owned and run by Plymouth City Council, the breaks provided by Downham House are vital and much valued by children and their families. Thirteen children currently enjoy a regular short break at the home.

    An Ofsted inspection in March 2025 found the home is ‘good’ in all areas, including the overall experiences and progress of children and young people, how well they are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The report builds on the last inspection in December 2023 when the home was also judged as good.

    Children and young people enjoying their short breaks at Downham House

    Inspectors found that children really enjoy their short breaks at Downham House and are excited for their visits. Children are nurtured and are supported to achieve, with activities designed to suit their individual interests and needs.  

    The inspectors received ‘overwhelmingly positive’ feedback throughout the inspection, with one parent commenting that the managers and staff are like ‘an extended part of their family’.

    Councillor Sally Cresswell, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships, said: “We’re delighted to receive a second good Ofsted rating for Downham House.

    “I must say a huge thank you to the staff for all their hard work but also to the parents and young people who benefit from short breaks at Downham House and who provided such fantastic feedback about their experiences.

    “We’re committed to providing the best possible support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Short breaks are absolutely vital to help families to remain living together by giving parents and carers a break, which they can enjoy knowing their children are safe, well cared for and having lots of fun.”

    Inspectors noted that managers have ‘worked hard to embed reflection and learning across all aspects of children’s care to directly improve children’s experiences and progress’. The home has positive links with partners in education, health and social care, which ensures that there is a coordinated approach to the care that children receive.  

    The report also highlights that staff understand, monitor and respond to children’s specific health needs.

    The full Ofsted report can be read here.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: European Union – Statement by Jean-Noël Barrot on his arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council (14 Apr. 2025)

    Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

    This weekend, the horror in Ukraine reached its peak with the Palm Sunday massacre. In Sumy in the north-east of the country, innocent civilians were targeted twice by Vladimir Putin’s missiles. It’s a demonstration – if it were still needed – of Vladimir Putin’s contempt for civilians and for the laws of war. Let me remind you that Vladimir Putin is still under an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for war crimes. It’s also a demonstration of his real intentions. Whereas Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire more than a month ago now, Vladimir Putin clearly has no intention of moving in that direction. So he must be forced to, and that’s why I’m calling on the European Union to adopt the most severe sanctions against Russia, to paralyse its economy and prevent it from fuelling its war effort. I think the United States, which has put a lot of effort into achieving a ceasefire – and Donald Trump himself has devoted a lot of time and energy to it – can also, through sanctions which are ready, force and oblige Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table.

    In Gaza, the situation is more tragic than ever. Access for humanitarian aid to the enclave stopped more than a month ago now. There must be a return to the ceasefire, unimpeded access for humanitarian aid must be permitted, and the Hamas hostages must be released. Talks can then begin on the basis of the plan prepared by the Arab countries for Gaza’s reconstruction, governance and security, and then for movement towards a political solution, because there is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A political solution is the focus of the United Nations conference chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, which aims to preserve the two-State solution and put it on track, through collective and reciprocal recognition enabling the Israeli people and the Palestinian people to live side by side in peace and security.

    On Iran, today we’re adopting a raft of sanctions against people responsible for the state-hostages policy. That’s the demand I set out at the last Foreign Affairs Council. I’m pleased that we can adopt these sanctions today against seven people and two entities, including Shiraz prison. It was time, because the conditions in which some of [our] French-European compatriots are being held are humiliating and akin to torture in international law, and some of them are deprived of consular protection. That’s why I’ve announced that France will lodge a complaint to the International Court of Justice for the violation of consular protection. And I’ve reminded all our compatriots to avoid travelling to Iran, and those who are in transit to return as soon as possible. At the same time, the United States embarked on talks with Iran this weekend. We very much welcome this initiative, but we’ll be vigilant, with our British and German friends and partners, to ensure that any negotiations that might begin are indeed in line with our security interests when it comes to the Iranian nuclear programme, which poses a significant threat to French and European territory. We’re awaiting the report, in a few weeks’ time, by the IAEA Director General, which is due to demonstrate – or at any rate report on – the progress of that programme.

    Regarding Azerbaijan, I’m very concerned about the rising tensions on the border. I’d like the European mission deployed on the ground to be greatly increased in order to be able to observe and contain those tensions. The peace treaty must now be signed and arbitrary detainees, prisoners, must be released. That’s the gist of what I said last week.

    I’ll end with the situation in the Balkans, which was the focus of discussion yesterday evening and to which we’ll return today to make active efforts to ensure that the region – which is at the heart of the European Union and to which we want to export our stability rather that import its instability – all our efforts must converge to bring stability and a form of calm, despite the tensions that have emerged in recent days.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: European Union – Main results of the Foreign Affairs Council (14 Apr. 2025)

    Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

    M. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, took part in the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) today, Monday 14 April.

    On France’s initiative, the meeting provided an opportunity to adopt further European sanctions against nine individuals and entities responsible for Iran’s state-hostages policy, of which two of our compatriots, Cécile Kohler et Jacques Paris, are still victims – as are several other European citizens – and have been so for nearly three years. These sanctions target judges and prosecutors officiating in courts that do not respect basic rights, as well as detention centres.

    Regarding Ukraine, the Member States emphasized the importance of giving Ukraine the means to negotiate in a position of strength when the time comes. In the coming weeks it is necessary to adopt, as soon as possible, a new package of robust sanctions against Russia containing individual and sectoral measures.

    On Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Minister stressed the importance of signing the peace treaty swiftly, and shared his deep concern about the rising tensions on the border. The role of the European mission deployed on the ground is essential for observing incidents. He reiterated the need to immediately release the people arbitrarily held in Azerbaijan.

    As regards the situation in the Middle East, the Minister recalled President Macron’s visit to Egypt and the need for an immediate return to the ceasefire in Gaza, the release of the hostages and the resumption of humanitarian aid.

    Finally, on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the country’s unity and constitutional order. France favours a firm response by the EU that harnesses all the levers available to it, in order to restore stability.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov met with the President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto received the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Denis Manturov, who heads the Russian delegation in Jakarta. During the meeting, the most important issues of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Indonesia in trade, economic, humanitarian and other spheres were discussed.

    Let us recall that the working visit of the First Deputy Prime Minister to Indonesia is taking place in the year of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. As the Indonesian side stated earlier, the head of state Prabowo Subianto plans to visit Russia this year at the invitation of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: How to disclose deposit rates in remote channels: recommendations from the Bank of Russia and the FAS

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    Credit institutions should eliminate visual techniques when posting information about deposits in remote channels, and also refrain from automatically placing marks for the consumer. This is stated ininformation letter The Bank of Russia and the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS).

    According to the Bank of Russia and the FAS, the use of graphical techniques and focusing on indicators that are more attractive to the consumer (for example, profitability, effective rate) can mislead a person regarding the terms of the deposit.

    If the bank specifies the maximum possible interest rate on the deposit, then next to this information it is necessary to list the conditions under which the client will receive the promised yield, and also to indicate the minimum guaranteed rate. Moreover, without using graphic techniques (obvious differences in background, color and font size). If the bank uses the same name for several types of deposits, then the minimum guaranteed rate must be calculated for each of them separately.

    Preview photo: sommart sombutwanitkul / Shutterstock / Fotodom

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

    HTTPS: //vv. KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23545

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: The plan to celebrate the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo includes a whole block of events for the social development of the region and the restoration of cultural heritage sites

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, head of the Russian Historical Society Sergei Naryshkin and the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Central Federal District Igor Shchegolev held a meeting of the organizing committee for preparations for the celebration of the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo. The members of the organizing committee summed up the preliminary results and determined further areas of work in preparation for the anniversary. The event took place in the Government House.

    “In 2030, we will celebrate one of the significant events in the history of Russia – the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo. This event has become a symbol of the unity of our people, cohesion and exceptional strength of spirit in the face of an external threat. The plan of the main events was approved in 2021 and includes 66 events. It is important that the plan includes not only festive events, but also a whole block aimed at the social development of the region, the restoration and repair of cultural heritage sites, as well as educational projects,” said Deputy Prime Minister, co-chair of the organizing committee Tatyana Golikova.

    She emphasized that the implementation of the plan began in 2022. Six events have been completed. In 2024, the Russian Ministry of Culture, together with the government of the Tula Region, completed work on adapting the building of the chambers in Venev for a museum complex; a modern local history museum was opened and equipped there. The Cultural Development Center was built in Venev. Navigation in the Kulikovsky tourism and recreation cluster was improved, and the Kulikovo Battle: Archaeological VR Quest project was developed and implemented. The Palace of Culture of Machine Builders in Uzlovaya and the Mobile Culture and Leisure Center in Kimovsk were renovated at the expense of the regional budget.

    “The victory at Kulikovo Field, won by the united Russian army under the command of Dmitry Donskoy, is one of those turning points in Russian history, during which our people defended their freedom and right to the future. Therefore, it is rightly placed on a par with the famous Battle on the Ice, the Battle of Borodino and the Battle of Stalingrad. The theme of the legacy of the Battle of Kulikovo deserves special attention from our organizing committee. Many members of the Russian Historical Society have proposed relevant projects. The plan includes initiatives from the Institute of Archaeology, the Institute of Russian History and the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as the State Historical Museum and the Central Museum of the Armed Forces. A number of events are planned by regional branches of the Russian Historical Society in the Tula and Kaluga regions. The History of the Fatherland Foundation will also make its contribution to organizing the celebration,” said the head of the Russian Historical Society and co-chairman of the organizing committee Sergei Naryshkin.

    The Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Central Federal District, co-chairman of the organizing committee Igor Shchegolev noted that the plan turned out to be very intense. He emphasized that the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo is an event of national scale. It is important to pay special attention to holding events not only in the Tula Region, but also in Moscow and the Moscow Region.

    First Deputy Minister of Culture Sergei Obryvalin reported that a number of publishing and exhibition projects are already being implemented. This year, the State Museum-Reserve “Kulikovo Pole” will publish thematic guidebooks “From Nepryadva to Ugra”, “From Vozha to Don”, “Along the Upper Don”, a collection of documents “The Era of the Battle of Kulikovo and Dmitry Donskoy”, and will also host a conference “The Battle of Kulikovo in National Historical Memory, Literature and Art”.

    Tula Region Governor Dmitry Milyaev reported that, within the framework of the main plan, more than 100 creative competitions, round tables and intellectual competitions among students dedicated to the Battle of Kulikovo were held in the region in 2024 alone, scientific conferences, thematic exhibitions and festivals were organized. Among them is the traveling exhibition of Ilya Glazunov “Kulikovo Field”, which includes 22 monumental canvases by the artist, donated by him to the Tula Museum of Fine Arts. The Tula Drama Theater staged the play “Dmitry”. Every year, with the support of the regional government, the Day of Military Glory is celebrated on the anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo, and the regional youth historical and cultural forum “Peresvet” is also held. Municipalities that are part of the Kulikovo cluster are developing.

    Director of the State Military-Historical and Natural Museum-Reserve “Kulikovo Pole” Vladimir Gritsenko spoke about the projects that the museum is preparing for the anniversary of the battle.

    Following the meeting, the members of the organizing committee agreed to supplement the plan of events.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Another tunnel of the Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya metro line will pass under the Moscow River

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Construction of the right-hand connecting tunnel between the Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye and Lipovaya Roshcha metro stations of the Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya Line has begun. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) will have to pass under the Moskva River. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “The total length of the tunnel will be about 2.3 kilometers, of which about 200 meters of the right-hand transfer tunnel will pass under the Moscow River. It will be laid by the six-meter shield “Victoria”. In parallel, the left tunnel is being dug by the TBM “Natalie”: both shields go from the side of the pit of the Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye station in the direction of “Lipovaya Roshcha”. The work is being carried out in difficult hydrogeological conditions, at great depth – in the range of 14 to 24 meters,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    For the six-meter shields, an assembly chamber and two dismantling chambers were created, during the construction of which the builders used the “wall in the ground” method. In addition, the installation of dewatering wells for pumping out groundwater is envisaged.

    “For the Victoria TBM, the construction of the right-hand running tunnel between the Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye and Lipovaya Roshcha stations will be the seventh tunnel in the capital’s metro. In addition to the Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya, the shield was used in the construction of the Solntsevskaya and Big Circle Lines,” added the head of the Moscow Department of Transport and Engineering Infrastructure Construction

    Vasily Desyatkov.

    The areas affected by construction work on the Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya line will be landscaped and greened. Earlier, Sergei Sobyanin announced about the start of the tunnel the right-hand transfer tunnel between the Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye and Lipovaya Roshcha metro stations.

    The Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya metro line will make the dynamically developing territory in the west of the capital more accessible, where a new modern district is being created — the SberCity business cluster. Work is underway at all launch sites of the future line inside the Moscow Ring Road.

    The first two metro stations, Delovoy Tsentr and Shelepikha, were opened in 2018 as part of the Big Circle Line. In 2021, construction began on the first and second launch complexes of the Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya line from Shelepikha to Lipovaya Roshcha, and the Zvenigorodskaya, Narodnoye Opolchenie, and Bulvar Generala Karbysheva stations are currently under active construction. Before this, Sergei Sobyanin ordered to speed up the pace of construction of the Biryulevskaya and Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya metro lines.

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    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152594073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: For technological leadership: HSE created a digital Repository of socio-economic information

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    HSE University has launched a unique Repository of socio-economic information, replacing the outdated platform of the unified archive of economic and sociological data. Not only the appearance and functionality have been modernized, but also the concept of the platform itself.

    The repository is intended to become a gold fund, a showcase of the results of socio-economic and humanitarian research at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    All university employees can post the results of their research through the personal account of the Repository, which is accessed through authentication – entering a corporate login and password. The publication of materials is carried out after pre-moderation by specialized specialists and is regulated Regulation on the organization of depositing and access to the results of fundamental and applied scientific research in the socio-economic and humanitarian spheres of the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    The uniqueness of the platform lies in its multilingualism, modern search system, multi-level system of access to materials, automatic transformation of sociological survey codebooks into interactive dashboards with infographics.

    The platform development plans include expanding its functionality – implementing international standards for entering metadata, replenishing the fund with prepared data sets for use in social and humanitarian research, expanding the functions of the search system, developing a role model, and providing the opportunity for external depositors to publish their materials.

    Instructions for depositing will be posted on the website. Center for Transfer and Management of Socio-Economic Information — the coordinator of the Repository, as well as in a special section on the platform itself.

    Vera Vishnyakova, Director of the Center for Transfer and Management of Socioeconomic Information at the National Research University Higher School of Economics

    “In the context of sanctions restrictions and the shutdown of access to the world’s leading hubs of scientific information, the HSE Repository of Socioeconomic Information is becoming a key domestic infrastructure solution for exchanging knowledge with foreign partners and accumulating unique data on socioeconomic and humanitarian research.”

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pubs Code Adjudicator launches website to provide new resources for tied tenants

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Pubs Code Adjudicator launches website to provide new resources for tied tenants

    A new website has been created to help tied tenants access support from the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA).

    Fiona Dickie Pubs Code Adjudicator

    A new website has been created to help tied tenants access support from the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA).

    The new independent website Pubs Code Adjudicator provides tied tenants with refreshed resources and aims to provide a clearer understanding of the Pubs Code and the independent role of the PCA.

    The PCA is responsible for enforcing the Pubs Code, a law which protects the rights of tied pub tenants of the six largest pub companies in England and Wales – Admiral, Greene King, Marston’s, Punch Pubs, Star Pubs, and Stonegate.

    As part of the launch, the PCA has created a new brand identity to further cement its independence and help the PCA be more visible in the industry. The branding uses a shield icon alongside classic pub iconography, including pint glasses and pumps with nods to beer and wine in the colour palette.

    Fiona Dickie, Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) commented: “It is vital that tied tenants are able to understand their rights under the Pubs Code and that they can easily access business critical information in a simple, digestible format.

    “We have listened to their feedback to create a fit-for-purpose, new resource. This is more than just a new, bright look for the PCA. It is paramount that we not only have a website that gives tied tenants better support, but one which demonstrates the independence of the PCA’s arbitration service, offering binding dispute resolution for Pubs Code disputes.

    “To do our job effectively, we must be at the heart of the tied pub trade and have the trust of tied tenants to work independently of the pub companies and government. I spend as much time as possible out and about, including at trade shows, discussing the impact of the Code and its effectiveness with tied tenants and licensees, industry leaders and pub-owning businesses. But ultimately, having the right resources accessible in an instant on phones, tablets and laptops is one of the best ways we can help tied tenants understand how the Pubs Code protects them.”

    Views from tied tenants and other industry representatives were collected to inform the requirements for the new site.

    The new user-friendly website has a clear, intuitive layout for improved user flow. Tied pub tenants will be able to find the PCA’s suite of accessible factsheets, guiding them throughout their tenancy – from the very beginning before agreements are signed, through their tenancy and to the end of their term. The site’s improved search functionality also allows visitors to access information more easily, including published arbitration awards. This increased transparency will further the PCA’s objective to promote understanding of Pubs Code arbitration and demonstrate to tenants how the PCA responds to breaches of the Pubs Code.

    The PCA’s current presence on www.gov.uk/pca will remain live to host transparency information such as corporate reports.

    The PCA’s Annual Tied Tenants Survey, which seeks the opinion of more than 1,200 tied tenants to monitor satisfaction levels with pub companies, has concluded. Results are benchmarked against previous years and will be announced in June.

    To see the new website visit Pubs Code Adjudicator.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: More than 13 thousand ventilation shafts of collectors will be washed in the capital

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Specialists from the city services complex will flush more than 13 thousand ventilation shafts of collectors as part of the month of improvement, which has been taking place in the capital since April 1. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement Petr Biryukov.

    “Ventilation shafts are above-ground parts of utility collectors that provide air flow into them. This is necessary for the uninterrupted operation of underground engineering structures. After the winter, we will flush over 13 thousand ventilation shafts throughout the city, paint the metal gratings if necessary, and renew the granite cladding,” said Pyotr Biryukov.

    During the work, special detergents and high-pressure cleaning systems are used, for example the Poseidon apparatus.

    Modernization of ventilation shafts has been carried out in the capital since 2011, when large-scale programs for the improvement of streets and public spaces began to be implemented. In 2025, it is planned to put more than 300 objects in order. During the work, craftsmen use materials and equipment from Russian manufacturers. The main task is to organically fit the structures into the urban landscape, so modernized grates have replaced the old structures.

    The capital’s collector system is a unique underground city, which has no analogues in Russia or the world in terms of length, network ramifications and compactness of the communications laid inside. The total length of the collectors is 819 kilometers.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152625073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: CRI Enters Into Binding LOI to Acquire Black Raven Past-Producer Antimony-Gold Property, NL

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Churchill Resources Inc. (“Churchill“) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding letter of intent dated April 14, 2025 (the “LOI”) to acquire a 100% undivided interest in the Black Raven Antimony Property, located approximately 60 km northwest of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, from property owners Eddie and Roland Quinlan. The property encloses two small-scale past producing mines which operated between 1890 and 1918 exploiting stibnite, gold and arsenopyrite. These past producers and two related occurrences constitute gold, antimony, silver +/- copper, zinc and lead targets in veins and stockworks. The historical mines and other occurrences are located within close proximity to each other, in a larger-scale geological environment containing intense veining and alteration associated with felsic intrusions within a mafic volcanic domain.

    Antimony is a critical element for the energy, transportation, and military industries with China, Russia, Tajikstan, and Burma generating over 90% of world production. Since China’s recent export ban (September 15, 2024), the price of antimony has increased roughly five-fold to >$50,000/tonne which is approximately 3x the current price of nickel. Churchill’s Taylor Brook Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-Vanadium-Titanium Property, and Florence Lake Nickel Property, are both in good standing for a number of years, such that further exploration and development can await improved market conditions sentiment while the Company focuses on high-grade antimony-gold and other critical minerals.  

    The Beaver Brook Antimony Mine owned by China Minmetals, and currently on care and maintenance due to declining resources, is located ~100 km south of Black Raven. It is reported that the owners are actively exploring for more deposits to feed the mill. (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/antimony-mine-closure-1.6703205)

    The two past-producing mines, as well as the Taylors Room prospect and Western Head porphyry target, are described within the Government of Newfoundland’s Mineral Occurrence Data System (“MODS”), and in assessment reports, as summarized below:

    Frost Cove Antimony Mine (MOD # 002E10 SB001) –

    • sporadic production between 1890-1918
    • Two adits extend ~65m along Sb-Au veins, at 3m and 20m above sea-level and are still accessible
    • Vein system/host felsic intrusion traced and sampled on surface for 800m
    • Channel sample of 2.85% Sb, 0.05g/t Au, 1.6g/t Ag over 1.6m reported at adit entrance by Golden Hind Ventures along with 30% Sb, 28.27 g/t Au, 44.8g/t Ag over 0.43m, 800m along strike. (Sheppard, 1984, Assessment Report)

    Stewart Gold-Antimony Mine (MOD # 002E10 AU001) –

    • sporadic production from 1890 to 1916
    • Shaft to ~30m depth and some development along main stockwork/vein trend
    • Samples from the ore dump assayed up to 18 g/t Au, 7% zinc and 14g/t gold by Pleasant Ridge Resources Inc. (Kruse, 2014, Technical Report)
    • 2014 due-diligence sample by Kruse graded 8.10g/t Au and 926ppm Cu.

    Taylors Room Gold Prospect (MOD # 002E10 AU002) –

    • shaft to ~50m depth with some development reported
    • Swarm of ~50 small qtz-asp-py-sb veins ~300m long by several metres wide
    • Numerous trenches to be cleaned out and sampled
    • Quinlan grab samples up to 32.2 g/t Au, 22opt Ag, 10% zinc and 1.4 % Cu (Quinlan 2013 Assessment Report).

    Western Head Cu-Mo Porphyry Target (MOD # 002E10 CU005) –

    • porphyry body ranges over ~1000m in diameter
    • Consistent soil/rock geochem anomalies in Cu, Mo, Au and Ag, no drilling
    • Chip sampling in 1967 by Newmont (returned 0.13% Cu, 300ppb Au over 61m and 0.42% Cu, 600ppm Au over 13m (Fogwill, 1968, Report on Western Head Cu Prospect)
    • Quinlan continuous channel of 57m assayed 0.22% Cu, 37 ppb Au & 37 ppm Mo incl 22m of 0.41% Cu, 59 ppb Au, 73 ppm Mo (Quinlan, 2013 Assessment Report)
    • Quinlan 2024 Winkie 4 holes to 50-60m at 45o in four compass directions – all hit mineralized Cu-Au-Ag stockwork in altered felsics (0.1-0.3% Cu, 50-350ppb Au plus Ag) (Quinlan, 2024 Assessment Report)

    Churchill intends to immediately conduct a re-sampling program on the surface showings and any accessible historical workings, and compilations of all historical data already in progress. The entire property requires modern, helicopter-borne geophysical and LiDAR surveys and Churchill has identified a leading contractor to do this work. Follow-up prospecting and systematic trenching, with channel sampling work as required, are being planned with initiation this coming Spring; the derived geological and geochemical data will used to outline targets along strike and at depth to the historical workings.

    The data reported in this News Release is historic in nature and has not yet been verified by a Qualified Person. Churchill has relied on the information supplied in the Government of Newfoundland filed assessment reports and from information found in MODS published by the Newfoundland Department of Natural Resources. The surface grab samples described in this news release are selective by nature and are unlikely to represent average grades of the property. Historical surface antimony and gold results are presented in the following figures.

    Black Raven Property

    The Black Raven Property is comprised of nine map-staked licenses constituting a single contiguous block of 125 claims that in total which cover 3,125ha or 31.25km2. Churchill and the vendors have agreed to a 4km wide area of interest around the property boundaries as part of this agreement.

    LOI Terms

    Under the terms of the LOI, the Company shall have the exclusive option for a period of 24 months to acquire an undivided 100% ownership interest in the Black Raven Antimony Property by:

    1. issuing an aggregate of 2,000,000 common shares in the capital of Churchill (“Common Shares”) to the Quinlans upon the execution date of a definitive option agreement (“Option Agreement”) and making a cash payment of $20,000;
    2. incurring a minimum of $1,200,000 in exploration expenditures within 24 months following the execution date of the Option Agreement, provided that a minimum of $400,000 in exploration expenditures is incurred on or prior to the date that is 12 months following the execution date of the Option Agreement
    3. issuing an aggregate of 4,000,000 Common Shares to the Quinlans on or prior to the date that is 12 months following the execution of the Option Agreement and making a cash payment of $40,000; and
    4. issuing an aggregate of 6,000,000 Common Shares to the Quinlans on or prior to the date that is 24 months following the execution of the Option Agreement and making a cash payment of $60,000.

    Following the date that the option is deemed to have been exercised in accordance with its terms, Churchill will issue and grant to the Quinlans a 2.0% net smelter royalty on any minerals produced from the claims comprising the Black Raven Antimony Property. If the option is exercised, Churchill will also make a one-time cash payment to the Quinlans in the amount of $100,000 on or prior to the date that is the sixth anniversary of the execution of the Option Agreement.

    The transaction, including the issuance of Common Shares to the Quinlans, is subject to all the necessary approvals from the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”). Any securities issued in connection with the transaction will be subject to applicable statutory hold periods.

    The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Derek H.C Wilton, P.Geo., FGC, who is a “qualified person” as defined under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”). Mr. Wilton is an honourary research professor of Economic Geology at Memorial University in St. John’s and is independent of the Company for the purposes of NI 43-101.

    References:

    Fogwill, W.D., 1968. Report on a copper prospect at Western Head, Moreton’s Harbour in the Notre Dame Bay Area, Newfoundland. Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey, Assessment File 2E/10/0350, 1968, 48 pages

    Kruse, Stefan, 2014. Technical Report on the Black Raven Property, Moreton’s Harbour Area Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada for Pleasant Ridge Resources Inc., May 14, 2014

    Quinlan E, 2013. First Year Assessment Report for 019872M, Ninth Year Assessment Report for 015553M, and Third Year Assessment Report for 017787M for Exploration within the Black Raven Property, NTS Map Sheet 2E/10. Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey Assessment Report, 69 pages

    Sheppard, B., 1984. First Year Assessment Report on Geological, Geochemical and Geophyisical Exploration on License 2363 on Claim Blocks 3533-3534 in Moreton’s Harbour Area on New World Island, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador Assessment File 2E/10/0507, 1984, 28 pages.

    About Churchill Resources

    Churchill Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on strategic, critical minerals in Canada, principally at its prospective Taylor Brook, Florence Lake, and Black Raven properties in Newfoundland & Labrador. The Churchill management team, board, and advisors have decades of combined experience in mineral exploration and in the establishment of successful publicly listed mining companies, both in Canada and around the world. Churchill’s Newfoundland and Labrador projects have the potential to benefit from the province’s large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class nickel mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise.

    Further Information

    For further information regarding Churchill, please contact:

    Churchill Resources Inc.
    Paul Sobie, Chief Executive Officer
    psobie@churchillresources.com
    Tel.   416.365.0930 (o)
             647.988.0930 (m)

    Alec Rowlands, Business Development & IR
    Alec.rowlands1@gmail.com
    Tel.    416.721.4732 (m)

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements about Churchill’s objectives, goals and exploration activities proposed to be conducted on its properties; future growth potential of Churchill, including whether any proposed exploration programs at any of its properties will be successful; exploration results; and future exploration plans and costs. Wherever possible, words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict” or “potential” or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the entering into of a definitive Option Agreement and other ancillary transaction documents with respect to the Black Raven Antimony Property and the exercise of such option; the number of Common Shares that may be issued in connection with the transactions discussed herein, closing conditions and receive necessary regulatory approvals These statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof.

    Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: exploration results on the Black Raven Antimony Property; the expected benefits to Churchill relating to the exploration proposed to be conducted on its properties; receipt of all regulatory approvals in connection with the transaction contemplated herein; failure to identify any additional mineral resources or significant mineralization; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Churchill’s properties, if required; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining and mineral exploration; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; soil sampling results being preliminary in nature and are not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit; and title to properties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Churchill cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Churchill assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    An infographic accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9356bd16-4799-4797-a465-84fafebf0cf5

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mercury and Cicor Group Create Long-Term Strategic Business Relationship In Support of European Defense

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANDOVER, Mass., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, today announced it has entered into a strategic supply agreement under which Cicor Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: CICN) will acquire a manufacturing operation in Plan-Les-Ouates, Switzerland, and supply Mercury with electronic products over the next five years.

    Mercury Mission Systems International S.A. is a leading provider of mission-critical processing products and solutions to the international aerospace and defense industry. In anticipation of increased European and global demand for commercial defense products, Mercury will transition its Swiss electronic board manufacturing operations to Cicor, the leading European manufacturer for aerospace and defense electronics. This will allow Mercury’s facilities in Switzerland, Spain, and the United Kingdom to focus on their core competencies of engineering design and systems integration, which is expected to drive the company’s continued success and next phase of growth in the international market.

    The transaction is expected to be completed within approximately one month, subject to customary closing conditions including end customer consents. Mercury and Cicor have jointly decided to relocate production to the Cicor sites in Newport, United Kingdom, and Bronschhofen, Switzerland, within the next 18 months. As part of the agreement, Mercury will purchase boards from Cicor, as well continue to source boards from Mercury’s U.S. operations, to ensure a robust supply chain. Both parties intend to further expand the strategic business relationship in the coming years.

    “Mercury remains dedicated to delivering mission-critical processing capabilities to the European and global aerospace and defense sector,” said Paul Tanner, Vice President of Mercury International. “This agreement with Cicor will allow us to scale quickly to meet the growing demand for leading-edge commercial processing technologies around the world.”

    Mercury Systems – Innovation that matters® 
    Mercury Systems is a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, making advanced technologies profoundly more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defense missions. The Mercury Processing Platform allows customers to tap into innovative capabilities from silicon to system scale, turning data into decisions on timelines that matter. Mercury’s products and solutions are deployed in more than 300 programs and across 35 countries, enabling a broad range of applications in mission computing, sensor processing, command and control, and communications. Mercury is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and has 23 locations worldwide. To learn more, visit mrcy.com. (Nasdaq: MRCY) 

    Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement 
    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the Company’s focus on enhanced execution of the Company’s strategic plan. You can identify these statements by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “likely,” “forecast,” “probable,” “potential,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, continued funding of defense programs, the timing and amounts of such funding, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in the Company’s markets, effects of any U.S. federal government shutdown or extended continuing resolution, effects of geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in or cost increases related to completing development, engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, changes in, or in the U.S. government’s interpretation of, federal export control or procurement rules and regulations, changes in, or in the interpretation or enforcement of, environmental rules and regulations, market acceptance of the Company’s products, shortages in or delays in receiving components, supply chain delays or volatility for critical components, production delays or unanticipated expenses including due to quality issues or manufacturing execution issues, capacity underutilization, increases in scrap or inventory write-offs, failure to achieve or maintain manufacturing quality certifications, such as AS9100, the impact of supply chain disruption, inflation and labor shortages, among other things, on program execution and the resulting effect on customer satisfaction, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions, restructurings, and operational efficiency initiatives or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, effects of shareholder activism, increases in interest rates, changes to industrial security and cyber-security regulations and requirements and impacts from any cyber or insider threat events, changes in tax rates or tax regulations, changes to interest rate swaps or other cash flow hedging arrangements, changes to generally accepted accounting principles, difficulties in retaining key employees and customers, litigation, including the dispute arising with the former CEO over his resignation, unanticipated costs under fixed-price service and system integration engagements, and various other factors beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 28, 2024 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made.

    INVESTOR CONTACT
    Tyler Hojo
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    Tyler.Hojo@mrcy.com

    MEDIA CONTACT
    Turner Brinton
    Senior Director, Corporate Communications
    Turner.Brinton@mrcy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Blue Moon Metals Inc. to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Blue Moon Metals Inc. (TSX-V: MOON; OTCQX: BMOOF), a company advancing three brownfield polymetallic projects, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Blue Moon Metals Inc. upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB® Venture Market.

    Blue Moon Metals Inc. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “BMOOF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

    The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market from the OTCQB Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors.

    “We are pleased to be upgraded to the OTCQX Best Market from the OTCQB Venture Market,” said Christian Kargl-Simard, CEO of Blue Moon Metals Inc. “With our zinc-gold-silver-copper Blue Moon Mine in the United States ready for underground exploration and development, we have many US Investors ready to invest in the Company. Our Blue Moon Mine should be producing metals critical to the global economy and national security by the end of this decade, and the OTCQX Market will facilitate that path.”

    About Blue Moon Metals Inc.
    Blue Moon is advancing three brownfield polymetallic projects, including the Nussir copper-gold-silver project in Norway, the NSG copper-zinc-gold-silver project in Norway and the Blue Moon zinc-gold-silver-copper project in the United States. All three projects are well located with existing local infrastructure including roads, power and historical infrastructure. Zinc and copper are currently on the USGS and EU list of metals critical to the global economy and national security.

    About OTC Markets Group Inc.

    OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market, and Pink® Open Market.

    Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

    OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATSTM are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

    To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

    Media Contact:
    OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: First UK birth after womb transplant is a medical breakthrough – but raises important ethical questions

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura O’Donovan, Lecturer in Law, University of Sheffield

    Costs and who will get access to the treatment are key questions that will need to be answered. Antonio Marca/ Shutterstock

    A baby girl named Amy Isabel has become the first child in the UK to be born to a mother who has had a womb transplant. Amy is one of around 65 children worldwide born as a result of pioneering research into the procedure.

    This breakthrough provides hope for many of the estimated 15,000 UK women with uterine factor infertility – which means they are unable to have children naturally due to problems with their womb, or because they were born without one. Previously, adoption and surrogacy were their only reproductive options. This latest success could some day make womb transplantation another option for these patients.

    However, before this new treatment is offered more widely, complex questions will need to be answered about how it will be resourced, how wombs will be procured and who will get access to the treatment.

    The cost of a transplant

    The first birth by a mother following a womb transplant happened in Sweden in 2014. Since then, the number of womb transplant programmes being established globally has greatly increased.

    The past 12 years have seen significant advances in the field. These include live births following a womb transplant from a deceased donor and the expansion of donor and recipient acceptance criteria. We’ve also seen the introduction of robotic-assisted surgery, which has made it possible to perform donor retrieval surgery in a faster, less invasive and more precise way.

    While most transplant centres only offer the procedure as part of research trials, several now offer it in clinic – including in the UK.

    The UK’s womb-transplant programme is currently funded by charitable donations from Womb Transplant UK, who currently only have plans to fund up to 15 living donor procedures. The procedure is expensive – costing the charity an estimated £25,000-£30,000. And it appears that this amount only covers the cost of the transplant, despite the fact that many other costs need to be factored in – such as IVF treatment, medications and follow-up care.

    At present, prospective recipients normally bear the costs of the IVF treatment needed themselves. To be eligible for the transplant, women must have first produced and stored at least five embryos. IVF is necessary as the transplanted uterus will not be connected to the patient’s ovaries. This means that pregnancy through sexual intercourse is not possible. But before womb transplants can become routinely available within the NHS, commissioners will have to decide whether this treatment should be publicly funded – and under what circumstances.

    On the face of it, public funding seems justified in the interests of patient autonomy and well-being. There are many psychological harms associated with infertility – such as depression, anxiety, stress and diminished quality of life. These harms must be taken seriously.

    However, NHS resources are constrained – and there is already a “postcode lottery” of unequal access to IVF, with people in certain areas of England being less able to access NHS treatment. So there’s a risk that similar inequalities will arise for womb transplants if the procedure is NHS-funded.

    Who gets priority?

    If womb transplants are ever to become a routine procedure in the UK, difficult decisions will also need to be made about organ allocation policies.

    According to the law in England, adults are considered to have agreed to become organ donors when they die unless they have opted out or are in an excluded group (such as those lacking mental capacity). However, this “deemed consent” only applies to commonly transplanted organs and tissues such as skin, hearts and lungs. It doesn’t apply to novel or rare transplants, which would include wombs. The NHS organ donor register also excludes the womb. Family members would therefore need to give explicit consent to the donation of their relative’s womb after death.

    Living organ donors in the UK are able to specify a named recipient (such as a family member). Deceased donors can also request for directed allocation to a specific person. But this is only permitted so long as the offer to donate is unconditional and certain criteria are met, such as the recipient being able to receive the organ and being in need of a transplant.

    More generally, since organs and tissues are scarce resources, complex policies are currently used to ensure fair and transparent allocation. Clinical need also guides allocation so that the sickest patients are prioritised for a transplant.

    However, the same logic cannot apply to womb transplants. This is because absolute uterine factor infertility does not come in degrees. All women with the condition have a 0% chance of becoming pregnant.

    As such, considerations that normally play no role in allocating life-saving organs could be explored in the context of womb transplantation. For instance, priority might be given to those who are childless. Age may also be relevant, especially given that the fertility treatment needed to create embryos is only funded by the NHS if a woman is below a certain age. The age limit varies by region, but can be as low as 35 in some places.

    Policy decisions will also be needed about whether wombs are included in donor registers to increase their supply. Even if they are, people may prove less willing to donate reproductive organs than lifesaving organs and tissues. These decisions could also have knock-on effects on public trust in transplantation and organ-donation willingness more widely. And the inclusion of novel and rare organs could lead to more blanket opt-outs from organ donation altogether.

    Next steps

    Given the relative novelty and experimental nature of the procedure, there has not yet been a comprehensive roll-out of womb transplants as a mainstream fertility treatment anywhere in the world. In the UK, we’re not even at the beginning of that journey. Before that happens, womb transplants would need to be demonstrably cost-effective relative to other NHS-funded fertility treatments.

    Nevertheless, there’s an opportunity here for the UK to become a world leader in creating and applying equitable access policies for womb transplants. To do this well, it will be necessary to carefully consider the clinical and health economic data, the ethical and legal issues, and the views of all those affected – especially those with uterine factor infertility.

    Laura O’Donovan has previously collaborated with members of the Womb Transplant UK research team.

    Nicola J. Williams currently receives funding from The Wellcome Trust (grant number: 222858_Z_21_Z) and previously held a Leverhulme ECR fellowship (grant number: ECF-2018-113). She is currently chair of the Special Interest Group: Ethics and Law for the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology and has previously collaborated with members of Womb Transplant UK.

    Stephen Wilkinson currently receives funding from Wellcome (grant number: 222858_Z_21_Z). He has previously collaborated with members of Womb Transplant UK. He is a member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (NCoB) but this article is a personal view and unrelated to his NCoB role.

    – ref. First UK birth after womb transplant is a medical breakthrough – but raises important ethical questions – https://theconversation.com/first-uk-birth-after-womb-transplant-is-a-medical-breakthrough-but-raises-important-ethical-questions-254154

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How mine water could warm up the UK’s forgotten coal towns

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jingyi Li, Research Associate, Geothermal Energy and Climate Change, University of Manchester

    Historic coal mining in north-east England. Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    The Ukraine war sent shockwaves through global energy markets, driving up prices and leaving households across the UK struggling with soaring energy bills. But beneath the ground, in disused coal mines, lies a hidden resource – warm water. This underused geothermal source could be transformed into affordable, low-carbon heating for homes and businesses, especially in regions hardest hit economically by the decline of coal.

    Across the UK, around 25% of the population lives above disused coal mines. This underground warmth could be harnessed by pumping naturally warm water to the surface and using heat pumps to raise its temperature for heating. This could lower energy bills and cut emissions by about the same as removing 44,000 cars from the roads annually, according to our calculations. Despite this promise, mine-water heating remains largely underutilised across the UK, as deployment has lagged far behind, leaving most of the resource untapped.

    Although flagship projects like the one in Gateshead, operational since 2023, demonstrate the feasibility of mine-water heating in the UK, they remain the exception. Deployment has been especially slow even in high-potential areas like south Wales. Meanwhile, the mine-water heating scheme at Seaham Garden Village, near Sunderland, has only recently kicked off construction after a prolonged delay since its initial planning in 2019.

    Our new research shows that despite growing interest, projects across the UK continue to be stalled by funding gaps, regulatory hurdles and a shortage of skilled workers. Without immediate action, these former coal-mining communities are at risk of falling further behind as the country moves towards cleaner energy for net zero, widening the gap between wealthier and disadvantaged regions.

    The solution is simple but not easy: sufficient and accessible funding schemes especially for those undeserved communities, streamlined regulations and support from fossil fuel companies, whose engineering expertise can be applied to mine water heating. Technology could transform a forgotten coal legacy into a sustainable future for communities in need.

    Coal production history v today’s mining village.
    Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    The UK has a vast network of abandoned coal mines, especially in north-east England, which once produced 14% of the nation’s coal. However, around a quarter of the population in this region lives below the poverty line today.

    Many households in the north east experience fuel poverty at rates higher than the national average, with energy bills that are often higher than in most other parts of England. Mine-water heating could help address this burden, but to make a meaningful difference, both the number and scale of schemes must be increased nationwide.

    Gateshead mine water heat scheme.
    Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    However, current government funding schemes, like the heat networks delivery unit, only cover about 33% of capital costs according to our interviewee, leaving local authorities and developers to find the rest. This competitive model disadvantages poorer areas that need the most support. Without solid financial backing, many projects will never get off the ground.

    The Coal Authority has played a key role in piloting early mine water schemes, but industry feedback points to a need for faster, more transparent deployment pathways. Developers face regulatory uncertainty in accessing mine-water heat from the Coal Authority, citing delays and procedural complexity as barriers to investment.

    Ambiguities in the regulatory framework for accessing this form of geothermal heat create delays and add to the financial burden for developers. The expertise required, such as drilling and pipework, is common in the UK’s longstanding oil and gas industry, but our research found that the current small-to-medium scale and uncertain future of mine water heating sector make it difficult to attract these skilled workers.

    Learning from the past

    Often the simplest and most reliable designs are the most effective. William Reid Clanny, a 19th-century inventor, made mine-safety lamps more sophisticated but ultimately delicate and impractical – his design required manual air pumping, used fragile glass that broke easily underground, and was too heavy for regular use. The same principle applies to mine-water heating. Straightforward, direct policies can cut through red tape to get projects up and running without unnecessary bureaucratic complications.

    Simple safety lamps like these were used by UK miners.
    Image Seeker/Shutterstock

    For mine-water heating to work on a larger scale, funding must be easier to access, especially for regions hardest hit by the decline of coal. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero could allocate funds specifically for these areas, giving them a fair chance to develop projects without having to compete with wealthier regions.

    New rules should clearly set a timeline for gaining the permission to access and exploit the underground heat. This would give developers confidence and attract investment. The US and New Zealand show how clear rules can boost interest in renewables.

    To overcome the skills shortage, the Indian government introduced a corporate social responsibility law whereby companies are required to invest a portion of their profits into local projects. Applying this approach in the UK could encourage fossil fuel companies to fund training and support local green initiatives. It could also provide opportunities for laid-off workers unable to find similar high-paying jobs abroad and training for local workers in former mining communities.

    Mine water isn’t just a low-carbon heating source, it’s a chance to deliver justice to communities long left behind. But achieving this will require decisive action from policymakers. Unlocking this hidden resource can help power the UK’s green transition.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Cathy Hollis receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council. She is affiliated with and President of the International Association of Sedimentology, a not-for-profit, non-political scientific society.

    Alejandro Gallego Schmid and Jingyi Li do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How mine water could warm up the UK’s forgotten coal towns – https://theconversation.com/how-mine-water-could-warm-up-the-uks-forgotten-coal-towns-241834

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Does Russia have military interest in Indonesia? Here’s what we know – and why Australia would be concerned

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Sussex, Associate Professor (Adj), Griffith Asia Institute; and Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University

    A news report that Russia has sought to base long-range aircraft in Indonesia caught Australia’s political leaders by surprise during an already hectic election campaign.

    The military publication Janes reported on Tuesday that Russia had requested permission for its aircraft to be based at the Manuhua Air Force Base in Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua.

    The base is just 1,300 kilometres away from Darwin.

    Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles issued a statement denying the report, saying his Indonesian counterpart assured him there would be no Russian planes based in Indonesia. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was seeking “further clarification” with Jakarta about the Janes report.

    Janes is a respected outlet when it comes to defence news, so it’s likely the Russians did float the idea, even if it might have been done at lower levels.

    Why would Russia be cosying up to Indonesia?

    Since Prabowo Subianto came to power as Indonesia’s new president last October, Moscow and Jakarta have sought to deepen their military ties. In fact, the two countries conducted their first-ever joint naval exercises a month after Prabowo took office.

    But this isn’t a totally new strategy by Moscow, which has tried on numerous occasions to pivot to Asia to give itself more economic heft and leverage in the region.

    The Kremlin is also cognisant that Europe won’t be a friend for the foreseeable future. As such, it’s even more pressing for Russia to establish itself as a player in the Indo-Pacific region – and with that comes a miltary and security presence.

    About ten years ago, for instance, the Russian regime secured an agreement with Vietnam to allow its air force to refuel their aircraft at a former US base in the country. Russia also had interest in reestablishing a submarine base in Vietnam and has sold submarines to the country.

    In addition, Moscow has sought to sell defence technology and fighter jets to Indonesia for some time, seeing it as a potentially lucrative market for Russian arms. Beyond defence, the bilateral relationship has also focused on energy and education.

    These attempts to deepen Moscow-Jakarta ties form part of a targeted Russian campaign to boost its relationships with a number of Southeast Asian nations.

    What about the timing?

    If the Janes report is accurate, the timing of the purported approach from Russia would be interesting. The report said it came after a meeting between Sergei Shoigu (recently demoted from Russia’s defence minister to an inferior role as secretary of the Russian Security Council) and Indonesia’s defence minister in February of this year.

    At the time, the United States was distracted by the first chaotic weeks of US President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

    So, if Russia did make such a request, it would be highly opportunistic, especially given Jakarta has been keen to deepen ties with Moscow.

    It is also noteworthy that Indonesia recently joined the BRICS, the group of rapidly emerging economies that also includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and Russia, among others.



    Read more:
    Indonesia’s BRICS agenda: 2 reasons Prabowo’s foreign policy contrasts with Jokowi’s

    How concerned should Australia be?

    Even though both Canberra and Jakarta dismissed the report, there was good reason for Australia to be concerned.

    Russia’s long-range aviation assets, notably the venerable Tu-95, which is used for reconnaissance as well as strategic bombing, can easily travel over 10,000 kilometres.

    From a base in Indonesia, this would give the Russian air force the ability to conduct ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaisance) missions during Australian military exercises, gather data on military installations in the Northern Territory (which also host US Marines), and even conduct surveillance on US military activities in Guam.

    Equally, given the closeness of ties between Beijing and Moscow, any Russian intelligence that was gathered could be shared with China.

    The reported Russian military interest in Indonesia will also have irritated Australian foreign policy makers, especially since Canberra has invested significant diplomatic capital in boosting Australia-Indonesia ties.

    Fortunately, the closeness of the relationship, which includes recently upgraded defence ties, will also have allowed for some plain speaking from Australian interlocutors.

    They will doubtless have pointed out that agreeing to any such Kremlin request would cast significant doubt on Indonesian claims about non-alignment. It would also be viewed unfavourably by other regional actors, who have no interest in seeing an enhanced Russian military presence in the region.

    The assurance from Jakarta that no Russian planes would be based in Indonesia is therefore a positive development.

    But ultimately the reported Russian request is another example of the messy and fragmented world we now live in.

    It highlights the reality that Australia will sometimes have to do business with partners who have friends we don’t like. Under those conditions, being firm on issues that threaten our national interests – like the prospective basing of military assets by a hostile power close to our shores – becomes all the more important.

    Matthew Sussex has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Atlantic Council, the Fulbright Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation, the Lowy Institute and various Australian government departments and agencies.

    – ref. Does Russia have military interest in Indonesia? Here’s what we know – and why Australia would be concerned – https://theconversation.com/does-russia-have-military-interest-in-indonesia-heres-what-we-know-and-why-australia-would-be-concerned-254601

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Isle of Wight Libraries join national celebration for World Book Night 15 April 2025 Isle of Wight Libraries join national celebration for World Book Night

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    Isle of Wight Council libraries will be taking part in World Book Night, a national celebration of reading and books, on 23 April.

    This annual event invites everyone, regardless of whether they consider themselves ‘readers’ or not, to dedicate time to reading any book in any format.

    At the heart of World Book Night 2025 are ‘Quick Reads’ — short books and great stories by bestselling authors, written in an accessible, easy-to-read style.

    The Isle of Wight Library Service is offering a fantastic selection of Quick Reads available in all of their libraries.

    If you’re thinking about getting back into reading, Quick Reads could be the perfect option for you this World Book Night.

    The Isle of Wight Library Service is inviting Islanders to celebrate with them at Ryde, Lord Louis, and Sandown libraries.

    These libraries will host events on Wednesday, 23 April, alongside organisations and individuals across the country, to share the transformative power of reading.

    From 6pm to 7pm, the libraries will hold book swaps and encourage ‘bookish’ conversation over drinks and nibbles, kindly provided by the Friends of the Library.

    Then, from 7pm to 8pm, they will join in the official ‘Reading Hour,’ where everyone is encouraged to dedicate time to reading.

    Please note that booking is required to attend these events.

    Louise Emery, development librarian, said: “World Book Night is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to come together and celebrate the joy of reading.

    “We hope to see many new and familiar faces at our events, sharing their love for books and stories.”

    Reading for pleasure for just 30 minutes a week can increase life satisfaction.

    One in four readers say that a book has helped them realise that others have gone through similar experiences, helping them feel better about their situation

    Photo: Getty Images

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Drivers urged to drive egg-stra safely this Easter

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Last updated:

    As we head towards the start of the Easter break (starting Good Friday, 18 April), many of us will be heading off in our cars for holidays or days out, making this time a peak period for travel, especially for longer journeys.

    Liverpool City Council is teaming up with National Highways to remind drivers that just like spring cleaning helps refresh our homes, a little car TLC can help avoid unwanted breakdowns. The National Highways research shows: 

    • 17% of drivers say they don’t carry out any vehicle maintenance checks before a long journey
    • 28% rely on someone else to check their car’s safety, while 21% assume their annual MOT is enough
    • Drivers who have experienced a breakdown estimated 57 minutes of added time to their journey 
    • Only 60% see car checks as an essential task before leaving the house

    To coincide with this new research, National Highways is launching T.R.I.P, an acronym which reminds drivers to:

    • Top–up. Fuel, oil and screen wash 
    • Rest. Plan your journey in advance with regular stops to prevent driver fatigue
    • Inspect. Check tyre pressure and tread
    • Prepare. Have a plan for severe weather conditions. 

    For more information click here to learn about vehicle checks.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –