NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Growth and local jobs top of the agenda as Cardiff Capital Region Investment Zone advances

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Growth and local jobs top of the agenda as Cardiff Capital Region Investment Zone advances

    Investment Zone to drive innovation and growth in advanced manufacturing, digital and technology sectors

    • Zone will develop semiconductor hub in Newport and science and tech park in Cardiff as part of the government’s transformative Industrial Strategy announced today
    • Expected to attract £500m private sector investment and create 4000 new jobs as part of the government’s Plan for Change

    The Cardiff Capital Region Investment Zone has taken a major step forward with the announcement of its industrial and key sites, giving a huge boost to regional investment and job creation.

    The Investment Zone – a joint initiative between the UK and Welsh Governments – will drive innovation and growth across the advanced manufacturing and digital and technology sectors, with a focus on the region’s world-class compound semiconductor cluster. 

    Backed by £160m of UK Government funding, the Zone will develop the semiconductor hub in Newport, where key businesses including KLA, IQE and Vishay are located, and develop a science and technology park to become the focus point for R&D activity and investment in Cardiff. 

    The Investment Zone – one of two planned for Wales – is expected to attract £500m of private sector investment, create 4000 new jobs and unlock 3m square feet of manufacturing, R&D and innovation capacity. 

    UK Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Local Growth Alex Norris said: 

    Unleashing the potential of our cities and regions is at the heart of the Industrial Strategy and the Plan for Change. 

    The Cardiff Capital Region Investment Zone Investment Zone, which we’re backing with £160m of funding, will build on the region’s industrial strengths to shape an exciting future for local people – creating new skilled jobs and driving economic growth locally and across Wales.

    Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:

    This step forward for the Cardiff Capital Region Investment Zone is a huge boost for the world-class business and industry within the area.

    It will drive growth, create 4,000 jobs and build on the talent and expertise that already exists in this part of Wales.

    Working alongside Welsh Government we are building the economy of the future and delivering for working people across the country.

    Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said: 

    The Cardiff and Newport Investment Zone marks a transformative step forward for South East Wales and demonstrates our firm commitment to establishing the region as a global powerhouse in compound semiconductors.

    We will continue working closely with the South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee and the UK Government to build on the region’s strengths, attract significant private investment, strengthen regional partnerships and deliver real benefits that people across Wales will feel in their everyday lives.

    Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, Leader, Monmouthshire Council, and Chair, Cardiff Capital Region said: 

    This is a tremendous step forward for the Investment Zone. We look forward to building upon our strong industrial base and world-class research in semiconductors to drive innovation in emerging technologies, and fast-growing markets, whilst working together with UK and Welsh Government.

    By aligning our efforts with the region’s unique assets and fostering collaboration across sectors, we aim to create a dynamic environment where new ideas thrive, investment is attracted, and meaningful impact is delivered to people and places across the region.

    The news comes as part of the Industrial Strategy announcement today (Monday).

    As set out in the strategy, advanced manufacturing and digital and technology are two key growth-driving sectors.

    The news follows the confirmation of the industrial and geographic focuses of two Investment Zones in Scotland earlier this month, and the Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone earlier this year.

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Health Recognized for Responsible Antibiotic Use

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    A commitment to responsible use of antibiotics earns UConn Health’s John Dempsey Hospital the designation of “Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence” from the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

    Certificate from the Infectious Diseases Society of America

    With this designation, the IDSA recognizes institutions that have established stewardship programs, led by infectious diseases physicians and pharmacists, to advance science in antimicrobial resistance, and that have surpassed high standards aligned with evidence-based national guidelines.

    “Evolving antimicrobial resistance patterns and the introduction of new therapeutics have made antibiotic prescribing more challenging than ever,” says Kevin Chamberlin, UConn Health’s chief pharmacy officer. “This Center of Excellence designation is a testament to the sound antimicrobial stewardship we practice that protects our limited options for our most vulnerable patients.”

    John Dempsey Hospital is one of four hospitals in Connecticut designated as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence, and among fewer than 200 hospitals in the world that have earned the distinction since the ISDA started this program in 2017.

    Core criteria include implementation of stewardship protocols by integrating best practices to slow the emergency of resistance, optimize the treatment of infections, reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use, and address other challenging areas of antimicrobial stewardship.

    “This shows that we are using multidisciplinary collaboration to ensure that we’re using antibiotics in the most quality way and optimizing those antibiotics across care, both on the inpatient and outpatient side,” says Gillian Kuszewski ’03 (PHARM), ’05 Pharm.D., university director of UConn Health’s pharmacy residency programs.

    Kuszewski co-leads UConn Health’s antibiotic stewardship program with Dr. David Banach ’06 MD, MPH, infectious diseases physician and UConn Health’s hospital epidemiologist, and Jeffrey Aeschlimann ’93 (PHARM), a UConn School of Pharmacy faculty member and clinician in UConn Health’s pharmacy practice.

    From left: Dr. David Banach, Gillian Kuszewski, and Jeffrey Aeschlimann lead UConn Health’s antibiotic stewardship program. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco, UConn Health)

    “Antibiotic stewardship is a global health priority,” Banach says. “The goal of using the right antibiotic for the right patient at the right time for the right duration is really becoming recognized as a key public health measure, both for reducing resistance and also reducing antibiotic-associated side effects and adverse events like C. diff.”

    C. diff, or Clostridioides difficile infection, is one of the most common health care-associated infections. It is highly contagious and difficult to treat.

    “One of the important things the stewardship program does is minimize unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which has been shown to also decrease C. diff rates in hospitals and health care settings,” Aeschlimann says.

    While this is the first time UConn Health has applied for this ISDA designation, antimicrobial stewardship has been a priority going back more than a decade, predating regulatory requirements. Aeschlimann and Dr. Kevin Dieckhaus, who today is chief of UConn Health’s Division of Infectious Diseases, started the antibiotic stewardship committee in 2013. Since then, it has grown to include representation from throughout the institution, including microbiology lab professionals, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, informatics specialists, infection preventionists, and students, residents and fellows.

    “We’ve always been doing these things along the way, and we felt now was the right time to sit down and formally submit an application,” Kuszewski says. “We’ve always done extremely well with our program when regulatory bodies like the Joint Commission come to visit. From a regulatory perspective, we’ve consistently received really good feedback from them on our antimicrobial stewardship activities.”

    She says the committee has established protocols, policies, and workflows to guide and support front-line providers in making the best choices.

    “We’ve supported, for example, processes to make sure that even after the patient leaves the emergency department, they’re on the right antibiotic based on follow-up information that we get from cultures,” Kuszewski says.

    “We have the collaborations between those who prescribe antibiotics and those who have expertise to offer and help support optimal prescribing,” Banach says.

    And the committee’s guidance has made its way into the electronic health record system to provide an additional resource for prescribers.

    “We try to develop either order sets or clinical pathways or popups, whatever we think might work best, to guide clinicians to pick the right antibiotic choice,” Aeschlimann says.

    Another strategy is to prioritize documentation of allergies to help inform prescribing decisions.

    “They can choose an antibiotic with the least risk of a negative outcome,” Kuszewski says. “Penicillin allergy documentation often leads to unnecessary use of certain antibiotics that come with greater risks. Perhaps a penicillin might cause some temporary stomach upset for a patient and is not really a true allergy. Clarifying this documentation in a patient’s medical record can help providers determine which antibiotic carries the least risk in treating an infection.”

    Kuszewski notes that UConn Health leadership has been supportive of the antimicrobial stewardship efforts since the beginning.

    “Not only are we following standards, but we’re also seeing better outcomes,” she says. “We also have results that show that we’re using less broad-spectrum antibiotics than what we’re expected to use, and our C. diff rates are down. The outcomes are actually tangible. It’s not just what we say we’re doing, but we’re seeing good results.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: 3D Systems Advances Regenerative Medical Solutions for First-of-its-Kind Peripheral Nerve Repair

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Collaboration with French MedTech company, TISSIUM, has resulted in FDA approval for unique 3D-printed polymeric solution for repair of peripheral nerve damage
    • 3D Systems’ bioprinting system enabled production of a 3D-printed bioabsorbable medical device leveraging TISSIUM’s proprietary biomorphic programable polymers—a major industry milestone that sets new standard for high resolution elastomeric 3D-printed medical implants
    • Builds on 3D Systems’ pioneering work to develop additive manufacturing solutions for regenerative medicine applications
    • 3D Systems’ solutions accelerating additive manufacturing use in bioprinting—total market anticipated to reach more than $2 billion by end of 2029

    ROCK HILL, South Carolina, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) announced that its 3D bioprinting technologies have enabled FDA approval for the regenerative repair of peripheral nerve damage. For the last several years, 3D Systems has partnered with TISSIUM, a French MedTech company that is a pioneer in the development of biomorphic programmable polymers for tissue reconstruction, to develop a bespoke 3D printing solution for the repair of damaged peripheral nerves. Combining TISSIUM’s expertise and proprietary biomorphic programable polymers with 3D Systems’ ground-breaking regenerative medicine bioprinting technologies has resulted in the successful development of a fully bioabsorbable 3D-printed medical device for nerve repair utilizing a unique photopolymer. This device, called COAPTIUM® CONNECT with TISSIUM Light, is a first-of-its-kind, atraumatic, sutureless solution for the repair of peripheral nerves. Earlier this week, TISSIUM announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted De Novo marketing authorization for this solution. This milestone validates the polymer’s clinical potential and paves the way for its use across a broad spectrum of transformative applications. Its unique polymer characteristics enable the production of high-resolution, elastomeric biodegradable implants that are unique in the industry.

    “This is a significant advancement in patient care,” said Scott Turner, vice president, advanced systems, 3D Systems. “It has been tremendously rewarding to work alongside the talented team at TISSIUM to design a complete 3D bioprinted solution that offers the potential for patients to recover from peripheral nerve damage. I truly believe this will redefine treatment paradigms and offer hope to individuals that have suffered from the effects of nerve damage in regaining their quality of life.”

    This milestone is yet another proof point of 3D Systems’ nearly decade-long leadership position in bioprinting. In 2017, 3D Systems entered into a joint development program with United Therapeutics Corporation, the goal of which is to establish an unlimited supply of human lungs, requiring no immunosuppression, allowing all patients with end-stage lung disease to receive transplants which will enable them to enjoy long and active lives. 3D Systems has focused primarily on establishing the 3D printing technology to produce scaffolds meeting the extreme precision and resolution requirements for a functional human lung and to do so in a manner that yields the physical, mechanical, and biocompatibility performance to influence cell behavior and reproduction required for extended use in the human body. Its Print to Perfusion™ process enables 3D printing of high-resolution scaffolds, which can be perfused with living cells to create tissues. Through the combination of bioprinting technology, biocompatible 3D printing materials, and a broad range of cell types including patient-derived cells, the Company’s biomedical engineers can construct patient-specific living tissues.

    “Over the past several years, we have made phenomenal progress building upon Chuck Hull’s invention of 3D printing, and pushing its capabilities into new frontiers,” said Dr. Jeffrey Graves, president & CEO, 3D Systems. “Whether in our medical device business through the production of patient-specific implants and surgical solutions, or through the work our regenerative medicine team is doing, 3D Systems is making a profound impact not only on how healthcare is delivered, but on the quality of patients’ lives, and continues to solidify what I believe is an unparalleled role we play in advancing medicine with additive manufacturing applications. This latest accomplishment by TISSIUM, enabled by our unique 3D printing technology, is one more example of how 3D Systems is transforming patient care for a better future.”

    According to Markets and Markets1, the global 3D bioprinting market was valued at $1.3 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach $2.4 billion in 2029. Nearly 40 years ago, 3D Systems created the innovation of 3D printing and reimagined the approaches and processes for product development, parts manufacturing, and personalized healthcare through additive manufacturing solutions. The Company’s additive manufacturing solutions are transforming how healthcare is delivered. As a pioneer in personalized healthcare solutions, 3D Systems has worked with surgeons for over a decade to plan more than 150,000 patient-specific cases and additively manufacture more than two million implants and instruments for 100+ CE-marked and FDA-cleared devices from its world-class, FDA-registered, ISO 13485-certified facilities in Littleton, Colorado, and Leuven, Belgium. 3D Systems is leveraging this experience to innovate bioprinting technologies to transform patient care. By enabling the fabrication of living tissues, the Company believes its bioprinting technology will unlock the promise and potential — to develop new therapeutics, and to improve patient lives.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “estimates,” “intends,” “anticipates” or “plans” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as to the company’s beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the company. The factors described under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in the company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as of the date of the statement. 3D Systems undertakes no obligation to update or review any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

    About 3D Systems
    For nearly 40 years, Chuck Hull’s curiosity and desire to improve the way products were designed and manufactured gave birth to 3D printing, 3D Systems, and the additive manufacturing industry. Since then, that same spark continues to ignite the 3D Systems team as we work side-by-side with our customers to change the way industries innovate. As a full-service solutions partner, we deliver industry-leading 3D printing technologies, materials and software to high-value markets such as medical and dental; aerospace, space and defense; transportation and motorsports; AI infrastructure; and durable goods. Each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise and passion of our employees who endeavor to achieve our shared goal of Transforming Manufacturing for a Better Future. More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

    Investor Contact: investor.relations@3dsystems.com
    Media Contact: press@3dsystems.com

    1 Markets and Markets, 3D Bioprinting Market: Growth, Size, Share, and Trends (May 2024).

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxbridge / SurancePlus CEO Jay Madhu to Speak during Ethereum Community Conference (EthCC) – Cannes, at the Gamma Prime Investor Forum

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: OXBR) (“Oxbridge Re”), a leader in digitizing reinsurance securities as tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), together with its subsidiary SurancePlus, today announced its participation during the Ethereum Community Conference (EthCC), to be held in Cannes, France, June 30–July 3, 2025. The event brings together blockchain builders, institutional investors, and capital allocators from around the world to explore the next wave of decentralized finance and tokenized assets.

    As part of the conference, Chairman and CEO Jay Madhu will speak at the Gamma Prime Investor Forum, a private gathering hosted alongside EthCC that showcases institutional-grade opportunities in the RWA space.

    Jay Madhu, CEO of Oxbridge and SurancePlus, commented: “We look forward to speaking during EthCC – Cannes about RWA tokenization and public markets This is an especially exciting time for Oxbridge as we review a range of potentially transformative strategic initiatives.”

    About Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited

    Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: OXBR, OXBRW) (“Oxbridge”) is headquartered in the Cayman Islands. The company offers tokenized Real-World Assets (“RWAs”) as tokenized reinsurance securities and reinsurance business solutions to property and casualty insurers, through its wholly owned subsidiaries SurancePlus Inc., Oxbridge Re NS, and Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited.

    Insurance businesses in the Gulf Coast region of the United States purchase property and casualty reinsurance through our licensed reinsurers Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited and Oxbridge Re NS.

    Our Web3-focused subsidiary, SurancePlus Inc. (“SurancePlus”), has developed the first “on chain” reinsurance RWA of its kind to be sponsored by a subsidiary of a publicly traded company. By digitizing interests in reinsurance contracts as on-chain RWAs, SurancePlus has democratized the availability of reinsurance as an alternative investment to both U.S. and non U.S. investors.

    Company Contact:

    Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited
    Jay Madhu, CEO
    +1 345-749-7570
    jmadhu@oxbridgere.com

    About Gamma Prime

    Gamma Prime is a next-generation investment platform delivering institutional-grade access to uncorrelated alternative investments. With over $3.6B AUM of funds and $460M of investors onboarded, Gamma Prime has curated a vast menu of reg-compliant alternatives – both digital assets and RWAs – that fits investor profiles. The partnership with SurancePlus expands investor access to high-yield, low-correlation reinsurance-backed digital securities.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar words and expressions are intended to signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and conditions but rather are subject to various risks and uncertainties. A detailed discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included in the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained in our Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on 26th March 2025 and in our other filings with the SEC. The occurrence of any of these risks and uncertainties could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Any forward-looking statements made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and, except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statement contained in this press release, even if the Company’s expectations or any related events, conditions or circumstances change.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ofsted to strengthen inspections through new team structures

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Ofsted to strengthen inspections through new team structures

    Following feedback from last year’s Big Listen and the recent consultation on inspection reform, Ofsted has today announced a new structure for inspection teams in schools and further education, focused on improving consistency.

    The new team structure will make the best use of the complementary skills and expertise of Ofsted’s employed His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and its contracted Ofsted inspectors (OIs) – who are often serving practitioners in schools and colleges.  

    The changes mean that following the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025:  

    • all schools and further education inspections will be led by current His Majesty’s Inspectors, or OIs with recent HMI experience, drawing on their more in-depth inspection expertise and training  

    • Ofsted will make the best use of OI’s current sector knowledge and experience by deploying them as team inspectors, placing greater emphasis on matching their expertise to specific types of provision to complement the inspection expertise brought by His Majesty’s Inspectors

    This change recognises the value Ofsted places on the unique strengths and expertise of His Majesty’s Inspectors and OIs. By more deliberately and strategically combining the different expertise of His Majesty’s Inspectors and OIs on inspection teams, Ofsted will be able to deliver its renewed approach to education inspection with more insightful, context-aware inspections that will better serve children, learners and education providers.  

    During the Big Listen, Ofsted heard that inspectors do not always have the necessary expertise or experience in the specific types of provision they inspect (for example, primary or special schools, or apprenticeship providers), which makes it harder for them to understand the context the provider is working in. Therefore, from November, most school and further education and skills inspections will have at least one inspector on the team with previous experience of working in a similar type of provision.   

    These changes build on the many improvements Ofsted has already made to make sure inspections are consistent; for example, Fridays are now used to gather teams of His Majesty’s Inspectors for reflection and training, and senior staff hold regular meetings to review inspection outcomes and provide oversight of the most complex cases. 

    Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, said:  

    We want to make sure our inspections are as consistent as possible, from Cornwall to Northumberland. We have already put stronger quality assurance measures in place, and utilising the expertise of our workforce as effectively as we can is another significant step forward.  

    All inspection teams will have the right blend of inspection expertise and current sector insight. This will help us better understand the context of the schools and colleges we inspect, to provide a fair and accurate report for parents.

    Steve Rollett, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), said:

    It is welcome that Ofsted are taking the issue of consistency seriously. Having the most experienced inspectors lead inspections should support consistency, which would be a positive step.

    We know Ofsted has also committed to making improvements to its proposed toolkits and methodology, and we hope these changes will provide further reassurance on consistency.

    Notes to editors

    • Because of its unique contexts and requirements, our early years inspection model works differently. In early years, inspections are typically conducted by individual inspectors rather than teams.

    Press office

    8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday 0300 013 0415

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two drug kingpins jailed for life following Met EncroChat investigation

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men have been jailed for life for importing and dealing a tonne of cocaine and plotting a murder.

    The Met’s investigation uncovered the two men’s plan to commit a murder, as well as their role in delivering millions of pounds worth of drugs across the capital and beyond.

    The evidence of the offences were identified after officers trawled through thousands of messages on encrypted communication service EncroChat.

    Thought to be impenetrable by law enforcement, Met officers accessed chats between James Harding and Jayes Kharouti.

    It was identified that James Harding, 34 (01.01.1991), of Alton, Hampshire, was the head of a sophisticated organised drug dealing network, turning over an estimated £5 million profit in just 10 weeks. Harding resided in Dubai at the time of his arrest.

    Detective Chief Inspector Jim Casey, who led the investigation, said:

    “This sentencing shows the severity of the crimes the duo committed.

    “Following one of the largest EncroChat investigations in the Met’s history, I am pleased that both criminals are serving the time they deserve.

    “Not only did they have a detailed plan to kill, their conspiracy to import and deal drugs harmed a number of our communities in London and across the country.

    “This sends a clear message to other potential offenders: we will investigate and we will put you before the courts.”

    Harding was found guilty by the jury of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to commit murder on Tuesday, 24 June at The Old Bailey, following a seven-week trial.

    He was sentenced to life at The Old Bailey on Thursday, 26 June, and will have to serve a minimum of 32 years’ imprisonment.

    Kharouti, 39, (09.02.1986) of Depot Road, Epsom, previously admitted to his role in supplying drugs on Friday, 8 November 2024 at The Old Bailey. He was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder alongside Harding on Tuesday, 24 June at the same court.

    He was sentenced to life at The Old Bailey on Thursday, 26 June, and will have to serve a minimum of 26 years’ imprisonment.

    Chats on the encrypted messaging site unveiled they both spoke, in detail, about their plan to kill a suspected drug courier from a ‘rival crime network’.

    This case is part of a wider operation to take down those who utilised EncroChat, after the National Crime Agency (NCA) passed information onto the Met after European agencies cracked the encrypted communications platform.

    So far, Met investigations have led to more than 5,000 years-worth of prison sentences for criminals on the site.

    The investigation

    Following the thorough investigation into a series of conversations on EncroChat, the Met discovered Harding used the handle “thetopsking”, while Kharouti used “besttops”. They used the platform to confidently communicate with each other about their vast criminal enterprise.

    The Met spent hundreds of hours reviewing and analysing these messages. Among them were clear conspiracies to carry out a murder of a rival drug gang member with detailed plans, involving recruiting paid hitmen, arranging firearms and getaway vehicles. They had also discussed times, dates and locations.

    This was on top of plans to coordinate deliveries of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine across the country, manage their vast finances and discuss security threats.

    The court heard that approximately 50 importations were made into the UK, with a total weight of one tonne, between April and June 2020.

    This allowed Harding to live a lavish lifestyle in the United Arab Emirates, where he conducted his criminal enterprise.

    The arrests

    Harding was arrested on Monday, 27 December 2021 at Geneva Airport, Switzerland. On Friday, 27 May 2022, he was extradited from Switzerland to the UK when he was arrested by Met officers.

    Kharouti’s home was searched in 2020 after he was linked to the messages. Police found a handset with the same number he gave to Harding. He fled the country shortly after this, before being found in Turkey and extradited back to the UK.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: AGNICO EAGLE PROVIDES NOTICE OF RELEASE OF SECOND QUARTER 2025 RESULTS AND CONFERENCE CALL

    Source: Agnico Eagle Mines

    Stock Symbol: AEM (NYSE and TSX)

    TORONTO, June 26, 2025 /CNW/ – Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE: AEM) (TSX: AEM) (“Agnico Eagle” or the “Company“) today announced that it will release its second quarter 2025 results on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, after normal trading hours.

    Second Quarter 2025 Results Conference Call and Webcast

    Agnico Eagle’s senior management will host a conference call on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 11:00 AM (E.D.T.) to discuss the Company’s financial and operating results.

    Via Webcast:

    To listen to the live webcast of the conference call, you may register on the Company website at www.agnicoeagle.com, or directly via the link here.

    Via Phone:

    To join the conference call by phone, please dial 416.945.7677 or toll-free 1.888.699.1199 to be entered into the call by an operator. To ensure your participation, please call approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call.

    To join the conference call without operator assistance, you may register your phone number here 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call to receive an instant automated call back.

    Replay Archive:

    Please dial 289.819.1450 or toll-free 1.888.660.6345, access code 68663 #. The conference call replay will expire on August 31, 2025.

    The webcast, along with presentation slides, will be archived for 180 days on the Company’s website.

    About Agnico Eagle

    Agnico Eagle is a Canadian based and led senior gold mining company and the third largest gold producer in the world, producing precious metals from operations in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico, with a pipeline of high-quality exploration and development projects. Agnico Eagle is a partner of choice within the mining industry, recognized globally for its leading sustainability practices. Agnico Eagle was founded in 1957 and has consistently created value for its shareholders, declaring a cash dividend every year since 1983.

    View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agnico-eagle-provides-notice-of-release-of-second-quarter-2025-results-and-conference-call-302491697.html

    SOURCE Agnico Eagle Mines Limited

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Operating in the Future Electromagnetic Environment symposium 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Operating in the Future Electromagnetic Environment symposium 2025

    Representatives from industry, academia and government are invited to join the OFEME symposium to work alongside Dstl’s scientists and shape future thinking.

    The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hosts its sixth Operating in the Future Electromagnetic Environment (OFEME) symposium from 18 to 20 November 2025 in Newport, Wales.

    The event, supported by the Electromagnetic Environment (EME) Hub, is designed as an in-person event, but there will be options to join virtually if you are unable to join us in Wales.

    Importance of the electromagnetic environment

    The EME is crucial for many sectors including healthcare and mobility (moving people, goods and services), and for a connected society. In defence, spectrum dependent systems are present across land, maritime, air and space. Their uses include communications, sensing, weapons systems and more.

    As demand grows, reliable access to the electromagnetic spectrum becomes more difficult, creating a challenge for UK information advantage and maintaining situational awareness.

    From a defence perspective, adversaries will actively contest access, such as through electromagnetic warfare, to deliberately deny or degrade access. Maintaining freedom of action and delivering effects in and through the congested and contested electromagnetic environment is therefore an essential and growing challenge.

    Symposium details

    The symposium this year will continue to expand its scope included in the previous events.

    The event will cover:

    • shared challenges for operating within the future electromagnetic environment, emerging sensing and PNT technologies, both inside and outside of defence
    • how research and development investment can be harnessed in future approaches

    The event will feature:

    • a range of keynote speakers
    • technical presentations
    • panel discussions
    • poster sessions
    • interactive workshops
    • networking sessions

    These activities will cover advances and implications of a variety of technical topics including:

    • space
    • metamaterials
    • semiconductors
    • electro-optics (to include photonics)
    • quantum advantage (position, navigation and timing (PNT))
    • filamentation
    • filters
    • artificial intelligence
    • semantic communications

    Who can attend

    Academics, industry partners (including small and medium-sized enterprises and non-traditional defence suppliers), PhD students and colleagues from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and across government are all invited to attend the symposium.

    The event will provide space to network and discuss collaboration opportunities with Dstl scientists to shape future thinking on how to address sensing challenges.

    Pre-register for this event

    You must pre-register your interest online if you would like to attend this symposium, by Friday 3 October 2025.

    You will then receive a link to complete the symposium delegate registration process.

    Submit your poster

    If you would like to create a poster abstract highlighting the themes of the symposium, please complete our online form with a PDF of your poster by 5pm on Friday 12 September 2025.

    We will let you know the outcome of your submission by Friday 19 September 2025.

    Posters will be presented across both of the 2 conference days. Some authors will also be invited to give lightning talks based on their poster abstracts.

    We are also looking for sponsors to support this year’s symposium. Specifically funding towards a 90-minute reception at the end of day 2, which will help promote networking and knowledge sharing. Sponsorship would cover the costs of holding this reception.

    Please let us know if you’re interested in sponsoring by emailing: OFEME_Symposium@dstl.gov.uk by 5pm on Friday 12 September 2025.

    Any information that is to be presented by any party at this symposium and further that is detailed within this event will be deemed to be in the public domain and therefore will not require further approval for its use by the receiving parties not withstanding any rights of ownership of information set in law. We will ask for a PDF copy of your presentation to be sent to us.

    Please email the EME Hub emehub@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk  for any further information.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: SFO cracks down on corruption through international alliance

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    SFO cracks down on corruption through international alliance

    UK Serious Fraud Office joins global anti-corruption alliance to combat cross-border corruption.

    • Serious Fraud Office joins International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre to strengthen the fight against cross-border corruption

    • Move follows creation of pioneering tri-national taskforce with France and Switzerland

    • Enhanced intelligence gathering will target companies and individuals involved in overseas corruption involving politically exposed persons

    The Serious Fraud Office has today expanded its global reach by joining the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), strengthening the UK’s ability to tackle grand corruption and illicit finance across borders.

    This strategic alliance builds on the SFO’s recent establishment of a taskforce with French and Swiss authorities to tackle international bribery and corruption.

    Based within the National Crime Agency, the IACCC brings together specialist law enforcement officers from agencies around the world to tackle allegations of grand corruption that span multiple jurisdictions.

    Organisations with a proven intention to fight domestic and international corruption can be considered for membership, with the SFO gaining enhanced access to key partners in the fight against grand corruption involving politically exposed persons. 

    The partnership will boost the SFO’s capacity to gather intelligence and evidence on companies and individuals suspected of corruption overseas while maintaining full control over its investigations.

    Nick Ephgrave QPM, Director at the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), said:

    This is another step forward for the SFO and further demonstration of our determination to use every power and partnership we can to confront the threat of bribery and corruption.

    This membership will bring us closer to global law enforcement and strengthen our intelligence gathering capabilities on those companies and individuals engaged in international bribery and corruption.

    The SFO recently issued new guidance to companies on their responsibilities to report suspected criminality.

    Rob Jones, Director General of Operations at the NCA, said:

    We welcome the SFO’s membership of the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre. Their membership will assist the collective effort of supporting overseas partners with hugely important investigations into grand corruption.

    Since its launch in 2017 the IACCC has helped identify over £1.8 billion of suspected stolen assets, supported the freezing of nearly half of those assets in various global jurisdictions, and helped with the arrest and charging of a significant number of suspects involved in high profile investigations in over 40 separate countries.

    Press Office

    Email news@sfo.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number +44 (0)7557 009842

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Don’t surrender’ to Indonesian pressure over West Papua, Bomanak warns MSG

    Asia Pacific Report

    A West Papuan independence movement leader has warned the Melanesian Spearhead Group after its 23rd leaders summit in Suva, Fiji, to not give in to a “neocolonial trade in betrayal and abandonment” over West Papua.

    While endorsing and acknowledging the “unconditional support” of Melanesian people to the West Papuan cause for decolonisation, OPM chair and commander Jeffrey P Bomanak
    spoke against “surrendering” to Indonesia which was carrying out a policy of “bank cheque diplomacy” in a bid to destroy solidarity.

    Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka took over the chairmanship of the MSG this week from his Vanuatu counterpart Jotham Napat and vowed to build on the hard work and success that had been laid before it.

    He said he would not take the responsibility of chairmanship lightly, especially as they were confronted with an increasingly fragmented global landscape that demanded more from them.

    PNG Prime Minister James Marape called on MSG member states to put West Papua and Kanaky New Caledonia back on the agenda for full MSG membership.

    Marape said that while high-level dialogue with Indonesia over West Papua and France about New Caledonia must continue, it was culturally “un-Melanesian” not to give them a seat at the table.

    West Papua currently holds observer status in the MSG, which includes Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji — and Indonesia as an associate member.

    PNG ‘subtle shift’
    PNG recognises the West Papuan region as five provinces of Indonesia, making Marape’s remarks in Suva a “subtle shift that may unsettle Jakarta”, reports Gorethy Kenneth in the PNG Post-Courier.

    West Papuans have waged a long-standing Melanesian struggle for independence from Indonesia since 1969.

    The MSG resolved to send separate letters of concern to the French and Indonesian presidents.

    The OPM letter warning the MSG. Image: Screenshot APR

    In a statement, Bomanak thanked the Melanesians of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) of Kanaky New Caledonia for “unconditionally support[ing] your West Papuan brothers and sisters, subjected to dispossession, enslavement, genocide, ethnocide, infanticide, and ethnic cleansing, [as] the noblest of acts.”

    “We will never forget these Melanesian brothers and sisters who remain faithfully loyal to our cultural identity no matter how many decades is our war of liberation and no matter how many bags of gold and silver Indonesia offers for the betrayal of ancestral kinship.

    “When the late [Vanuatu Prime Minister] Father Walter Lini declared, ‘Melanesia is not free unless West Papua is free,”’ he was setting the benchmark for leadership and loyalty across the entire group of Melanesian nations.

    “Father Lini was not talking about a timeframe of five months, or five years, or five decades.

    “Father Lini was talking about an illegal invasion and military occupation of West Papua by a barbaric nation wanting West Papua’s gold and forests and willing to exterminate all of us for this wealth.

    ‘Noble declaration’
    “That this noble declaration of kinship and loyalty now has a commercial value that can be bought and sold like a commodity by those without Father Lini’s courage and leadership, and betrayed for cheap materialism, is an act of historic infamy that will be recorded by Melanesian historians and taught in all our nations’ universities long after West Papua is liberated.”

    OPM leader Jeffrey Bomanak . . . his letter warns against surrendering to Indonesian control. Image: OPM

    Bomanak was condemning the decision of the MSG to regard the “West Papua problem” as an internal issue for Indonesia.

    “The illegal occupation of West Papua and the genocide of West Papuans is not an internal issue to be solved by the barbaric occupier.

    “Indonesia’s position as an associate member of MSG is a form of colonial corruption of the Melanesian people.

    “We will continue to fight without MSG because the struggle for independence and sovereignty is our fundamental right of the Papuan people’s granted by God.

    “Every member of MSG can recommend to the United Nations that West Papua deserves the same right of liberation and nation-state sovereignty that was achieved without compromise by Timor-Leste — the other nation illegally invaded by Indonesia and also subjected to genocide.”

    Bomanak said the MSG’s remarks stood in stark contrast to Father Lini’s solidarity with West Papua and were “tantamount to sharing in the destruction of West Papua”.

    ‘Blood money’
    It was also collaborating in the “extermination of West Papuans for economic benefit, for Batik Largesse. Blood money!”

    The Papua ‘problem’ was not a human rights problem but a problem of the Papuan people’s political right for independence and sovereignty based on international law and the right to self-determination.

    It was an international problem that had not been resolved.

    “In fact, to say it is simply a ‘problem’ ignores the fate of the genocide of 500,000 victims.”

    Bomanak said MSG leaders should make clear recommendations to the Indonesian government to resolve the “Papua problem” at the international level based on UN procedures and involving the demilitarisation of West Papua with all Indonesian defence and security forces “leaving the land they invaded and unlawfully occupied.”

    Indonesia’s position as an associate member in the MSG was a systematic new colonialisation by Indonesia in the home of the Melanesian people.

    Indonesia well understood the weaknesses of each Melanesian leader and “carries out bank cheque diplomacy accordingly to destroy the solidarity so profoundly declared by the late Father Walter Lini.”

    “No surrender!”

    MSG leaders in Suva . . . Jeremy Manele (Solomon Islands, from left), James Marape (PNG), Sitiveni Rabuka (Fiji), Jotham Napat (Vanuatu), and Roch Wamytan (FLNKS spokesperson). Image: PNG Post-Courier

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: E-seminar: Verification of frozen poultry via HADH

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    E-seminar: Verification of frozen poultry via HADH

    An e-seminar produced as part of the Joint Knowledge Transfer Framework for Food Standards and Food Safety Analysis

    This e-seminar provides a guide for the implementation of a method for the verification of the labelling of previously frozen poultry by measurement of hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (HADH) activity.

    When meat is frozen and then thawed, the muscle mitochondria (a type of intramuscular organelle) are damaged during the process and the enzyme HADH is released into the intracellular fluid. The relative increase in the amount of HADH found in the intracellular fluid before and after analytical method freezing procedure may be indicative as to whether the meat has previously undergone freezing. The measurement of HADH activity in the intracellular fluid, taken by pressing the meat and analysing the fluid using a spectrophotometer, is a simple, rapid and reliable procedure for a laboratory to undertake when evaluating the reported cryological history of raw chicken or turkey samples.

    This e-seminar provides information and guidance relevant to understanding how to apply an HADH-based spectrophotometric method to differentiate between chilled and previously frozen poultry samples.

    This e-seminar was produced by the Joint Knowledge Transfer Framework for Food Standards and Food Safety Analysis, funded by the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Food Standards Scotland and the Department for Science Innovation and Technology via the Government Chemist.

    Watch the E-seminar: Verification of frozen poultry via HADH

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Planning Inspectorate publishes Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Planning Inspectorate publishes Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

    Progress in planning delivery highlighted in annual performance review

    Today sees the publication of the Planning Inspectorate’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2024/25. 

    The report details performance against our mission to deliver timely, high-quality, and cost-effective planning decisions, recommendations and advice.

    In his foreword Chief Executive Paul Morrison highlights work to improve the ‘flow’ of cases through the system and the importance of engaging with partners as he reflects on the last year and future ambitions.

    He writes:

    Our progress reflects the professionalism and determination of colleagues across the Planning Inspectorate, and the strength of engagement from partners throughout the system.

    We’ve done all of this with an eye on the horizon. The government’s ambitions in this Parliament set a clear and stretching direction. Supporting that agenda will take more than throughput. It will take a planning system that flows, connects, and delivers with confidence.

    This year has shown what’s possible when we align purpose with partnership. We’re not at the finish line, but we are moving, together, in the right direction.

    Highlights from the last year include:

    • We provided 17 national infrastructure applications recommendations to Secretaries of State and gave advice to 80 pre-application Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, which provide our communities with roads, railways, reservoirs, and electricity.

    • 28,000 homes (approximately) approved during 2024/25 due to appeal, which would not have been built originally.

    • We found 22 local plans sound, ensuring that the proposals meet citizens’ and businesses’ future needs and giving security to local areas planning their development.

    • We worked with 144 local planning authorities through the householder appeal service pilot, unlocking new functionality for the entire appeals process.

    The Annual Report and Accounts covers the period of April 2024 to March 2025.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Music ends, consequences don’t: Campaign warns drivers post-festival 26 June 2025 Music ends, consequences don’t: Campaign warns drivers post-festival

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    With the Isle of Wight Festival now behind us and a summer full of events still ahead, a timely road safety campaign is reminding revellers that the party’s consequences can linger long after the music stops.

    In a joint effort with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Safer Roads Partnership, thousands of ferry passengers travelling by car were recently met with a clear message: Don’t risk driving under the influence the morning after drinking.

    The campaign, which featured eye-catching adverts and face-to-face engagement at key ferry terminals in Lymington, Portsmouth, and Southampton over the Isle of Wight Festival weekend, aimed to raise awareness about how alcohol can remain in your system well into the next day — potentially putting drivers unknowingly over the legal limit.

    At the heart of the initiative is the Morning After calculator, a free online tool that helps people estimate how long it takes for alcohol to leave their body. It’s not a green light to drink more, but a guide to help people make safer choices.

    Even with the festival period ending, summer has only just begun and the tool can be used at any time.

    Lewis Campbell, road safety officer for the Isle of Wight Council, praised the campaign’s reach: “A big thank you to all of our partners within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Safer Roads Partnership for supporting this important campaign.

    “This has been another successful event at the mainland ports with more than 10,000 people engaged. We are very grateful for the support received by local ferry operators.”

    He added: “The campaign highlights the importance of planning your journeys and your alcohol consumption if you know you must drive the following day. The Morning After calculator can help you do that.

    “However, to be clear, there is no safe level of alcohol when it comes to driving.”

    The consequences of drink driving are serious. Offenders can face hefty fines, driving bans, and even prison. And it’s not just about being caught behind the wheel — simply being found in a stationary vehicle while intoxicated, with the keys in the ignition, could lead to a £2,500 fine, a three-month prison sentence, and a driving ban.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Farmers backed to tackle endemic diseases with more funded vet visits

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Farmers backed to tackle endemic diseases with more funded vet visits

    Government funded vet visits to now include health assessments for multiple herds on the same farm helping to support better health and profitability within the sector. 

    Credit: Peter O’Connor

    Livestock farmers can now access funded vet visits for multiple herds or flocks belonging to the same farming business from today (26th June), helping to support better health and profitability within the sector. 

    The expansion to the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway provides farmers a more comprehensive understanding of livestock health on farms with many groups of animals, whether mixed holdings or larger farms with many groups of a single species.  

    Since funded vet visits began in 2023 there have been more than 8,000 visits benefiting hundreds of thousands of animals, with over 95% of farmers saying that they have or will take action based on the advice of their vet. The strong uptake and implementation of the advice supports increased disease resilience meaning healthier animals and greater food security which in turn will boost farmers profits. In simple terms healthier, happier cows produce more milk. 

    The application is quick taking less than 90 seconds to apply and less than 3 minutes to claim for the funding. 

    Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, said:     

    Increased disease resilience means healthier animals and greater food security, boosting farmers profits.  

    The vet visit roll-out gives eligible farmers access to tailored support to each herd or flock. It is one step in the Government’s plan to protect rural livelihoods, tackle disease and safeguard high welfare standards across our food chain.   

    Bryan and Liz Griffiths, Livestock farmers in North Devon, said:  

    We have received government supported vet visits since the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway began. These have allowed us to focus on issues specific to our farm as well as the set program. 

    Going forward the new multi-flock and herd option along with the multi-species option will allow funding for a review and follow up for each flock and species on the farm, all through one agreement, which is great.

    Keepers of beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep or pigs, can all apply for a vet of their choice to assess all their herds and flocks along with an optional, funded, follow-up assessment.   

    Visits will be able to support monitoring and treatment of diseases including conditions Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) in cattle, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) in pigs, and worming resistance in sheep. 

    Applications take just 90 seconds and can be applied for here: Apply for funding to improve animal health and welfare – GOV.UK)

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How Nato summit shows Europe and US no longer have a common enemy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Corbett, Senior Lecturer in Defence Studies, King’s College London

    Mark Rutte had an unenviable task at the Hague summit this week. The Nato secretary-general had to work with diverging American and European views of current security threats. After Rutte made extraordinary efforts at highly deferential, overt flattery of Donald Trump to secure crucial outcomes for the alliance, he seems to have succeeded for now.

    But what this meeting and the run-up has made increasingly clear is that the US and Europe no longer perceive themselves as having a single common enemy. Nato was established in 1949 as a defensive alliance against the acknowledged threat from the USSR. This defined the alliance through the cold war until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea in 2014, Nato has focused on Moscow as the major threat to international peace. But the increasingly bellicose China is demanding more attention from the US.

    There are some symbolic moves that signal how things are changing. Every Nato summit declaration since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has used the same form of words: “We adhere to international law and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and are committed to upholding the rules-based international order.”

    The declaration published during the Hague summit on June 25 conspicuously does not mention either. Indeed, in a departure from recent declarations, the five paragraphs of the Hague summit declaration are brutally short and focused entirely on portraying the alliance solely in terms of military capability and economic investment to sustain that. No mention of international law and order this time.

    This appears to be a carefully orchestrated output of a deliberately shortened summit designed to contain Trump’s unpredictable interventions. This also seems symptomatic of a widening division between the American strategic trajectory and the security interests perceived by Canada and the European members of Nato.

    That this declaration was so short, and so focused on such a narrow range of issues suggests there were unusually entrenched differences that could not be surmounted.

    Since the onslaught of the full Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Nato allies have been united in their criticism of Russia and support for Ukraine; until now.

    Since January, the Trump administration has not authorised any military aid to Ukraine and significantly reduced material support to Ukraine and criticism of Russia. Trump has sought to end the war rapidly on terms effectively capitulating to Russian aggression; his proposal suggests recognising Russia’s control over Crimea and de facto control over some other occupied territories (Luhansk, parts of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson) He has also suggested Ukraine would not join Nato but might receive security guarantees and the right to join the EU.

    Meanwhile, European allies have sought to fund and support Ukraine’s defensive efforts, increasing aid and military support, and continuing to ramp up sanctions.

    Another sign of the differing priorities of Europe and Canada v the US, was the decision by Pete Hegseth, US secretary of defense, to step back from leadership of the Ukraine defence contact group, an ad-hoc coalition of states across the world providing military support to Ukraine. Hegseth also symbolically failed to attend the group’s pre-summit meeting in June.

    Trump has long been adamant that Nato members should meet their 2014 commitment to spend 2% of their GDP on defence, and Rutte recognised that. In 2018, Trump suggested that this should be increased to 4 or 5% but this was dismissed as unreasonable. Now, in a decision which indicates increasing concern about both Russia as a threat and US support, Nato members (except for Spain) have agreed to increase spending to 5% of GDP on defence over the next 10 years.

    Donald Trump gives a press conference after the Nato summit.

    Nato’s article 3 requires states to maintain and develop their capacity to resist attack. However, since 2022, it has become increasingly apparent that many Nato members are unprepared for any major military engagement. At the same time, they are increasingly feeling that Russia is more of a threat on their doorsteps. There has been recognition, particularly among the Baltic states, Germany, France and the UK that they need to increase their military spending and preparedness.

    For the US to focus more on China, US forces will shift a greater percentage of the US Navy to the Pacific. It will also assign its most capable new ships and aircraft to the region and increase general presence operations, training and developmental exercises, and engagement and cooperation with allied and other navies in the western Pacific. To do this US forces will need to reduce commitments in Europe, and European allies must replace those capabilities in order to sustain deterrence against Russia.

    The bedrock of the Nato treaty, article 5, is commonly paraphrased as “an attack on one is an attack on all”. On his way to the Hague summit, Trump seemed unsure about the US commitment to Nato. Asked to clarify this at the summit, he stated: “I stand with it [Article 5]. That’s why I’m here. If I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here.”

    Lord Ismay, the first secretary-general of Nato, famously (if apocryphally) suggested that the purpose of the alliance was to keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down. Germany is now an integral part of Nato, and the Americans are in, if distracted. But there are cracks, and Rutte will have his hands full managing Trump’s declining interest in protecting Europe if he is to keep the Russians at bay.

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

    – ref. How Nato summit shows Europe and US no longer have a common enemy – https://theconversation.com/how-nato-summit-shows-europe-and-us-no-longer-have-a-common-enemy-259842

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How Nato summit shows Europe and US no longer have a common enemy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Corbett, Senior Lecturer in Defence Studies, King’s College London

    Mark Rutte had an unenviable task at the Hague summit this week. The Nato secretary-general had to work with diverging American and European views of current security threats. After Rutte made extraordinary efforts at highly deferential, overt flattery of Donald Trump to secure crucial outcomes for the alliance, he seems to have succeeded for now.

    But what this meeting and the run-up has made increasingly clear is that the US and Europe no longer perceive themselves as having a single common enemy. Nato was established in 1949 as a defensive alliance against the acknowledged threat from the USSR. This defined the alliance through the cold war until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea in 2014, Nato has focused on Moscow as the major threat to international peace. But the increasingly bellicose China is demanding more attention from the US.

    There are some symbolic moves that signal how things are changing. Every Nato summit declaration since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has used the same form of words: “We adhere to international law and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and are committed to upholding the rules-based international order.”

    The declaration published during the Hague summit on June 25 conspicuously does not mention either. Indeed, in a departure from recent declarations, the five paragraphs of the Hague summit declaration are brutally short and focused entirely on portraying the alliance solely in terms of military capability and economic investment to sustain that. No mention of international law and order this time.

    This appears to be a carefully orchestrated output of a deliberately shortened summit designed to contain Trump’s unpredictable interventions. This also seems symptomatic of a widening division between the American strategic trajectory and the security interests perceived by Canada and the European members of Nato.

    That this declaration was so short, and so focused on such a narrow range of issues suggests there were unusually entrenched differences that could not be surmounted.

    Since the onslaught of the full Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Nato allies have been united in their criticism of Russia and support for Ukraine; until now.

    Since January, the Trump administration has not authorised any military aid to Ukraine and significantly reduced material support to Ukraine and criticism of Russia. Trump has sought to end the war rapidly on terms effectively capitulating to Russian aggression; his proposal suggests recognising Russia’s control over Crimea and de facto control over some other occupied territories (Luhansk, parts of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson) He has also suggested Ukraine would not join Nato but might receive security guarantees and the right to join the EU.

    Meanwhile, European allies have sought to fund and support Ukraine’s defensive efforts, increasing aid and military support, and continuing to ramp up sanctions.

    Another sign of the differing priorities of Europe and Canada v the US, was the decision by Pete Hegseth, US secretary of defense, to step back from leadership of the Ukraine defence contact group, an ad-hoc coalition of states across the world providing military support to Ukraine. Hegseth also symbolically failed to attend the group’s pre-summit meeting in June.

    Trump has long been adamant that Nato members should meet their 2014 commitment to spend 2% of their GDP on defence, and Rutte recognised that. In 2018, Trump suggested that this should be increased to 4 or 5% but this was dismissed as unreasonable. Now, in a decision which indicates increasing concern about both Russia as a threat and US support, Nato members (except for Spain) have agreed to increase spending to 5% of GDP on defence over the next 10 years.

    Donald Trump gives a press conference after the Nato summit.

    Nato’s article 3 requires states to maintain and develop their capacity to resist attack. However, since 2022, it has become increasingly apparent that many Nato members are unprepared for any major military engagement. At the same time, they are increasingly feeling that Russia is more of a threat on their doorsteps. There has been recognition, particularly among the Baltic states, Germany, France and the UK that they need to increase their military spending and preparedness.

    For the US to focus more on China, US forces will shift a greater percentage of the US Navy to the Pacific. It will also assign its most capable new ships and aircraft to the region and increase general presence operations, training and developmental exercises, and engagement and cooperation with allied and other navies in the western Pacific. To do this US forces will need to reduce commitments in Europe, and European allies must replace those capabilities in order to sustain deterrence against Russia.

    The bedrock of the Nato treaty, article 5, is commonly paraphrased as “an attack on one is an attack on all”. On his way to the Hague summit, Trump seemed unsure about the US commitment to Nato. Asked to clarify this at the summit, he stated: “I stand with it [Article 5]. That’s why I’m here. If I didn’t stand with it, I wouldn’t be here.”

    Lord Ismay, the first secretary-general of Nato, famously (if apocryphally) suggested that the purpose of the alliance was to keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down. Germany is now an integral part of Nato, and the Americans are in, if distracted. But there are cracks, and Rutte will have his hands full managing Trump’s declining interest in protecting Europe if he is to keep the Russians at bay.

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

    – ref. How Nato summit shows Europe and US no longer have a common enemy – https://theconversation.com/how-nato-summit-shows-europe-and-us-no-longer-have-a-common-enemy-259842

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Bonn ‘talking shop’ at odds with urgency needed to save forests, climate

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Bonn, Germany – A lack of urgency to address the escalating climate crisis has marred the Bonn Climate Change Conference, leaving much work to be done to deliver real progress on climate and biodiversity action at COP30 in Brazil.   

    Ambition to accelerate mitigation, including transitioning away from fossil fuels in upcoming 2035 climate action plans was lacking and talks stalled on climate finance and the Baku to Belém roadmap to mobilise up to US$1.3 trillion for developing countries became polarised. Efforts to secure an end to deforestation by 2030 also struggled to find a landing ground.

    An Lambrechts, Biodiversity Policy Expert, Greenpeace International, said: “As temperatures escalate, efforts to end deforestation and protect critical ecosystems are an essential part of the 1.5°C solution. But if an action plan to end forest destruction is to be agreed in Belém, parties must grasp the urgency and deliver a transformative COP30 forest outcome.

    “While there were some positive signs for potential progress on synergies between climate and biodiversity action in Belém, there’s been far too much procrastination in Bonn and too little decision-making. We believe in multilateralism, but that spirit needs to be reinvigorated ahead of COP30 to accelerate the protection and restoration of critical ecosystems.”

    Lorelei Limousin, Climate and Fossil Fuels Campaigner, Greenpeace France said: “The 1.5°C goal is getting harder every day and ambition to deliver the Paris Agreement must be ramped up in 2035 climate action plans. As custodian of the Paris Agreement, France must drive ambition and needs to support EU targets for both 2035 and 2040 that are aligned with 1.5°C.

    “Macron’s attempts to weaken EU ambition is sabotaging the Paris Agreement in its 10th anniversary year, putting at risk EU climate leadership. Instead of backtracking, France – and the EU – need to signal they’ll move ahead and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.

    “But the EU and Global North as a whole, must also help unlock robust public climate finance to help stimulate climate action in developing countries. One clear solution is to give the bill to the fossil fuel producers and make them pay for the climate destruction their products cause.”

    Camila Jardim, International Politics Specialist, Greenpeace Brazil said: “Amid challenging times, this is a great opportunity for Brazilian climate leadership to emerge. As COP30 host, Brazil can make the goal of halting global deforestation and forest degradation a reality, delivering a fruitful COP30 legacy to forests all over the world.

    “2035 NDCs and bridging the 1.5°C ambition gap is the make-or-break for COP30. A strong COP outcome is needed to combat the expected shortfall in ambition alongside finance to enable greater action in developing countries. But in Bonn a stalemate on emission reductions and finance was exposed, as the Global Stocktake and NDCs became a new taboo in negotiation rooms and developed countries refused to step up on finance. This needs to change – it’s time to act.” 

    ENDS

    Contacts:
    Aaron Gray-Block, Climate Politics Communications Manager, Greenpeace International, [email protected]

    Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]

    Join the Greenpeace UNFCCC WhatsApp Update Group

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Public views sought on the licensing of sexual entertainment venues

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    A new consultation has been launched seeking the public’s views on the licensing of Sexual Entertainment Venues in Aberdeen.

    The Council’s Licensing Committee resolved on 3 December 2019 to licence Sexual Entertainment Venues.  The existing Sexual Entertainment Venue Licensing Policy was approved on 14th December 2021 and became effective from 1st March 2022.  

    Members of the committee are looking to undertake a formal review of the policy to establish whether it remains fit for purpose and to ensure details such as the numerical limit of premises remain at the appropriate level.

    Committee convener Councillor Gill Al-Samarai: “It is almost three years since our existing policy was introduced and we are encouraging interested parties to make their views known as to whether or not it requires amending.

    “In developing the current licensing policy, we took care to balance the freedom of individuals to engage in legal employment and activities with the right to exercise appropriate control and regulation to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of the staff and patrons. The same approach will underpin our consultation and any changes that need to be made to further ensure public safety.”

    There are currently six licensed Sexual Entertainment Venues in Aberdeen city centre, although it is thought that one of the premises is not currently operating as a Sexual Entertainment Venue and another of the premises is currently up for sale.  

    It was previously decided that there should be zero licenced Sexual Entertainment Venues outwith Aberdeen city centre, as locations outside the city centre were deemed not suitable for the licensable activity.

    The committee is seeking views on:  
    •    the appropriate number of Sexual Entertainment Venues in Aberdeen city centre;
    •    whether the number of Sexual Entertainment Venue premises outwith Aberdeen city centre should remain at zero; and
    •    what matters should be taken into consideration in any amendments of the existing policy.  
    Premises are classed as a Sexual Entertainment Venue if:
    •    sexual entertainment is provided before a live audience for the direct or indirect financial benefit of the organiser; 
    •    sexual entertainment is any live performance or live display of nudity provided for the sole or principal purpose of sexual stimulation of members of the audience.
    Premises where sexual entertainment is provided on no more than four occasions in a 12-month period are not to be treated as Sexual Entertainment Venues.

    To take part in the consultation: Sexual Entertainment Venue Licensing Policy Consultation 2025

    The consultation ends on 31 July and feedback received will be included in the report to Licensing Committee on 27 August 2025.
     

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Give your view on the future of local government in Norwich

    Source: City of Norwich

    Norwich City Council is inviting residents to take part in a series of local engagement events this summer, as councils seek views on the future of local government in Norfolk.

    The Government is reducing the number of councils and bring services together to be provided by new ‘unitary councils’ (also known as unitary authorities), instead of by existing borough, city, district and county councils. 

    All Norfolk councils have been asked to send in their proposals for what the future of service delivery could look like. If areas can’t agree a proposal for the future, the Government has said it will pass a law to proceed with its own proposal. 

    Engagement events in Norwich

    The Norwich events, running from 1 to 19 July in all wards of the city, are part of a collaborative effort between six local authorities to explore how local services can be delivered more effectively, efficiently, and closer to the communities they serve.

    Residents are encouraged to attend their local ward event to learn more, ask questions, and share their views. Each event will be hosted by council representatives and will offer an opportunity to discuss what matters most to local people—from housing and transport to community services and the environment.

    Event details:

    Events will take place in locations across Norwich.

    Tuesday 1 July – Crome Ward
    Witard Road shops, Heartsease, NR7 9XD
    2 to 5pm

    Wednesday 2 July – Town Close Ward
    Outside Bread and Roses Café, Vauxhall Street, NR2 2AA
    10am to midday

    Thursday 3 July – University Ward
    Enfield Road playground, NR5 8LE
    2:30 to 4:30pm

    Friday 4 July – Mancroft Ward

    Outside the Forum, Millennium Plain, NR2 1TF
    11:30am to 4pm

    Monday 7 July – Lakenham Ward
    Jubilee Park, Long John Hill, NR1 2EX
    3 to 6pm

    Tuesday 8 July – Nelson Ward
    Heigham Park, The Avenues, NR2 3JF
    1:30 to 4:30pm

    Wednesday 9 July – Bowthorpe Ward
    Outside Roys of Bowthorpe, Wendene, NR5 9HA
    11am to 1:30pm

    Thursday 10 July – Thorpe Hamlet Ward
    St. Matthew’s Church, Telegraph Lane West, NR1 4JA
    3:30 to 6pm

    Monday 14 July – Wensum Ward
    West End Street Gardens, NR2 4NA
    3pm to 5:30pm

    Tuesday 15 July – Sewell Ward
    Sewell Park, St. Clement’s Hill, NR3 4BX
    3 to 6pm

    Wednesday 16 July – Eaton Ward
    Waitrose, Church Lane, NR4 6NU
    2 to 4pm

    Thursday 17 July – Catton Grove Ward
    Catton Grove Community Centre, Jewson Road, NR3 3RQ
    11am to 2pm

    Saturday 19 July – Mile Cross Ward
    The Phoenix Centre, Mile Cross Road, NR3 2LD
    11:am to 4pm

    Have your say:

    Residents can also read more about the proposals and take part in the consultation online at: https://futurenorfolk.com

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council rolls out smart messaging to tackle debt fairly

    Source: City of Derby

    A new messaging service aimed at collecting debt more efficiently and ethically has been launched by Derby City Council.

    A key feature of the messaging service is its integration with an advanced AI-powered dashboard, which gathers and analyses information from across Council systems.

    The dashboard gives staff a detailed view of outstanding debt, allowing the Council to examine individual cases and identify where it needs to offer support to minimise debt, and maximise income collection.

    From 26 June, businesses in the city who don’t pay their business rates by Direct Debit can expect timely emails to remind them of upcoming payments and when instalments are overdue.

    This proactive approach aims to help businesses avoid arrears and potential costly recovery actions.

    Similar messaging services for Council Tax payers and sundry debtors are also set to launch shortly and are the latest applications in the Council’s pioneering AI programme.

    Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa, Cabinet Member for Digital and Organisational Transformation at Derby City Council said:

    At a time when every penny counts, it’s more important than ever that the Council manages its limited finances responsibly.

    This new service, supported by advanced technology, gives us a much more detailed view of individual cases. It means we can take a more tailored and compassionate approach to debt collection — ensuring support is targeted where it’s needed most, while still being fair and effective.

    It’s a great example of how smart use of technology can benefit the Council, city businesses and our residents.

    The Council has a legal duty and responsibility to Derby’s citizens to ensure that outstanding debt is paid promptly and in line with relevant legislation, best practice, and ethical collection methods.

    In February 2024, Cabinet approved a revised debt management policy. This provides a framework for the Council to manage its debt while ensuring that customers receive appropriate assistance, guidance and support, and that mutually agreed repayment arrangements are affordable and sustainable.

    Details on all payment methods, how to set up Direct Debits and paperless billing, can be found on the Council’s website.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Public consultation opens into Port Clarence Landfill

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Public consultation opens into Port Clarence Landfill

    The Environment Agency has opened a public consultation relating to Augean North Ltd’s revised environmental safety case.

    A public consultation has opened into a new environmental safety case (ESC) submitted by Augean North Ltd related to its environmental permit application in Teesside.

    Augean has applied for permission to dispose of low-level radioactive waste at its Port Clarence Landfill site in Teesside.

    This site has two existing permitted landfills: one for hazardous waste and one for non-hazardous waste. The application seeks to allow low-level radioactive waste disposal in both.  

    Augean submitted its application on 14 August 2019. Following a public consultation, which ended in January 2020, the Environment Agency reviewed the environmental safety case that supported its application.

    An ESC is a comprehensive document that demonstrates how an operator plans to ensure environmental safety.

    In September 2020, the Environment Agency requested more information from the operator, and in response to this request, Augean has now submitted a revised ESC and a document that addresses each of the Environment Agency requests in detail.

    Agency ‘welcomes people’s comments’

    The Environment Agency has opened a public consultation, which will close on 4 August 2025.

    People can view the consultation documents here: Port Clarence Landfill Site Revised Environmental Safety Case – Environment Agency – Citizen Space.

    Gary Wallace, area environment manager at the Environment Agency, said:

    It’s important the community has the opportunity to review the revised environmental safety case, which has changed significantly since the original public consultation.

    We welcome people’s comments on the new information received and relevant environmental factors people feel are important.

    Our technical assessment is ongoing and once we have reviewed the documents and information from the consultation we will make a draft decision on the application.

    The revised ESC is a large document, with the most significant changes below: 

    • a more detailed assessment of the potential evolution of the coastline and Tees Estuary and the impacts this may have on the landfill 
    • a more detailed assessment of the potential for flooding of the site due to extreme weather conditions/storm surge, or as a result of future climate change 
    • new and revised scenarios for assessing impacts to humans and the environment from the waste following closure of the landfill 
    • demonstration that the Port Clarence Landfill provides an optimised approach for the disposal of all low-level streams covered by the permit application 
    • additional information on the proposed environmental monitoring programme 

    People can respond to the consultation directly on the website or alternatively by e-mail to pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk

    Background

    Environmental permits 

    • Environmental permits set out strict legal conditions with which an operator must comply in order to protect people and the environment. Should an environmental permit be issued, the Environment Agency has responsibility for enforcing its conditions.
    • The Environment Agency’s powers include enforcement notices, suspension and revocation of permits, fines and ultimately criminal sanctions, including prosecution.
    • The Environment Agency may only refuse a permit if it does not meet one or more of the legal requirements under environmental legislation, including if it will have a significant impact on the environment or harm human health. If all the requirements are met, we are legally required to issue a permit.

    Consultation responses  

    • Responses to the consultation can be made electronically.
    • People can respond directly on the website or alternatively by e-mail to pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk
    • Those unable to view the documents or make representation via the consultation website or by e-mail should contact the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cases of Salmonella and Campylobacter highest in a decade

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Cases of Salmonella and Campylobacter highest in a decade

    Both Campylobacter and Salmonella cases show a 17.1% increase from 2023 to 2024.

    The latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) annual data shows a significant rise in Campylobacter and Salmonella infections in England compared to the previous year. UKHSA is reminding people to take precautionary measures against catching these bacteria, which are common causes of food poisoning. Young children, elderly adults and those with weakened immune systems should take extra care as they are at higher risk of developing severe illness.  

    Campylobacter cases have increased by 17.1% from 60,055 in 2023 to 70,352 in 2024, reaching 121.9 reports per 100,000 population. This represents the highest number of cases recorded in the past decade. Adults aged 50 to 79 years account for 44% of all reports. Similarly, Salmonella infections reached a decade high, with a 17.1% increase from 2023, rising from 8,872 cases in 2023 to 10,388 cases in 2024. Children under 10 years old were particularly affected, accounting for 21.5% of cases.  

    Campylobacter and Salmonella infections are usually caught by eating contaminated food, including poultry, meat, eggs, raw fruit or vegetables, and unpasteurised milk products. Infection may also occur through close contact with people with the infection – particularly in household settings – and by cross-contamination in the kitchen, for example when utensils are used for both cooked and uncooked foods.  

    UKHSA and Food Standard Agency (FSA) experts are investigating further with partner agencies to understand the reasons behind this increase in Salmonella and Campylobacter cases. 

    Cases of the parasite Cryptosporidium decreased by 16.4% compared to 2023, with 5,708 cases reported in 2024, although this was the second highest number of cases reported in the past decade. The number of infections in April 2024 were unusually high, associated with large outbreaks linked to lambing events and petting farm venues, and an outbreak in South Devon associated with mains water.

    The 2023 data for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) shows a slight decrease of 2.2% compared to 2022 overall. The higher rate in 2022 was likely explained by a large STEC O157 outbreak. In 2023, even if the overall number of STEC cases decreased slightly, the number of STEC non-O157 cases increased by 14% (from 1,988 cases in 2022 to 2,260 cases in 2023). This was likely attributable to an increase in the number of diagnostic laboratories using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in recent years, which lead to a significant increase in the detection of non-O157 STEC in England. 

    Both Cryptosporidium and STEC can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with animals or their environments, contact with faeces (such as, during nappy changing), consumption or handling of contaminated food or water, and person-to-person contact.  

    All these gastrointestinal infections can cause similar symptoms, including diarrhoea (sometimes bloody), stomach pains and cramps, vomiting and mild fever. Whilst most people recover within one to two weeks of infection, young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems face higher risks of developing serious illness or complications. In severe cases, STEC can cause haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a serious and potentially life-threatening condition primarily affecting the kidneys.   

    Dr Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director, Gastrointestinal infections at UKHSA said:  

    Our extensive surveillance is showing high levels of gastrointestinal infections in England. We continue to work closely with partners to detect, investigate and halt the spread of infections.

    These infections spread in many ways, including through contaminated food or water, contact with an infected person as well as contact with an infected animal or their environment. Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet or handling raw meat, before meals and after contact with animals or farms can prevent infections. Additionally, anyone experiencing diarrhoea or vomiting should avoid handling or preparing food for others. Do not return to work, and children should not attend school or nursery, until at least 48 hours after symptoms have subsided.

    Dr James Cooper, Deputy Director of Food Policy at the FSA, said:  

    Public safety is our highest priority. The FSA works closely with UKHSA and other partners to monitor and assess the latest foodborne disease data. We are working together to understand the reasons behind the rise in Campylobacter and Salmonella cases, as well as trends in other pathogens. This analysis will help us take the necessary action to protect public health.   

    We’ve launched a new campaign to help people stay safe – find out more on food.gov.uk. We’re also working with industry and local authorities to support businesses to meet their legal responsibility to make sure food is safe. Consumers can further protect themselves by checking Food Hygiene Ratings on food.gov.uk.   

    When preparing food at home, people can reduce their risk of food poisoning by following good hygiene practices and by following advice on the 4Cs of food hygiene: chilling, cleaning, cooking, and avoiding cross-contamination.

    Following good food hygiene and the 4Cs when preparing food can help protect you and others from food poisoning: 

    • cook food correctly by following the guidance on time and temperature on product labels 

    • chill your food below 5 degrees, this will stop or significantly slow the growth of bacteria 

    • clean food equipment and surfaces thoroughly, this helps to stop harmful bacteria and viruses from spreading onto food 

    • avoid cross-contamination which might lead to bacteria passing from raw foods to ready-to-eat foods via things like re-usable shopping bags, knives and chopping boards, cloths and work surfaces 

    • use food and drink by the ‘use by’ date on the label, even if it looks and smells fine – eating food after this date could put your health at risk as you can not smell or taste bacteria which make you ill 

    • good personal hygiene is essential when you’re preparing food, this will help ensure that bacteria you may have come into contact with isn’t passed to your friends, family and neighbours in their food 

     For more details, please visit: Food Standards Agency: Food safety and hygiene at home .

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The future of secure care

    Source: Scottish Government

    £4.1 million to help restore capacity.

    Funding of over £4 million to establish new secure care houses has been announced by the Scottish Government.

    The funding will allow for restored capacity and enable a different approach to be developed to ensure children with the greatest need are able to access intensive support. Additionally, this investment will support the creation of three four-bed secure houses, as well as a further four-bed contingency resource.

    There are currently 82 contracted secure places provided by four independent charitable organisations in Scotland – Rossie, Good Shepherd Centre, Kibble and St. Mary’s Kenmure.

    Children’s Minister Natalie Don-Innes said:

    “It is imperative that we continuously improve how we care for those children who have the greatest need of support.  We also need to address the challenges currently facing the secure care system, and this funding will ensure that both these aims can be met.

    “Scotland is rightly proud of our unique, welfare based and focused approach to care and justice for children and young people. We want to build on that tradition and the current strengths of the system, while embracing a future vision for change as set out in the ‘Reimagining Secure Care’ report. And with that change, it is important that we maintain a resolute focus in ensuring that children and young people’s needs and rights remain at the heart of this process.”

    Background

    This follows the publication of the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice’s (CYCJ) report on ‘Reimagining Secure Care’ which outlines a transformative vision for the future of secure care, and broader children’s care, in Scotland. The Scottish Government has responded to this report.

    More than 18% of the contracted beds are not available from the independent charities offering them. This is due to various factors, including reduced capacity at St Mary’s Kenmure, the complexity of individual children’s needs which requires additional staffing and an increase in the average length of stay for those children sentence and remanded to secure care.

    The Scottish Government has increased the number of available beds in secure care by four since April 2025 to support restoring capacity. This funding will further strengthen capacity for the future.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New partnership approach to boost adult skills and job opportunities

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Thursday, 26th June 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council has approved a new plan to help more adults gain the skills they need to find and stay in work.

    The new Adult Skills and Employment Framework was considered by the council’s cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday 24 June.

    The plan aims to raise skill levels across the city and support more residents into better jobs by working closely with partners in education, training and employment.

    It will help make sure more people can take advantage of local job opportunities and contribute to a growing city economy. It also supports the council’s wider aim to improve residents’ health, wellbeing and quality of life.

    Alongside consulting a broad range of organisations, the council has worked with partners including the Chamber of Commerce, Staffordshire Providers Group and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to shape the framework. This joint approach ensures the plan reflects local needs and builds on what is already in place.

    A new Local Skills and Employment Partnership will also be set up to lead the work, helping partners to stay joined-up and focused on long-term improvements.

    Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for children’s services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “There is so much untapped potential in our city and by creating more opportunities for residents to enhance and improve their skills, we will help more people thrive in the workplace and social life.

     “Supporting people to gain the knowledge and experience they need to secure good jobs will not only improve their quality of life, but also help them build a more secure future. Working with partners across different sectors and types of institutions is crucial to this, as it will mean everyone can make the most of the opportunities available to them in Stoke-on-Trent.

    “Together, we will ensure the building of a bigger and better economy, as well as improving the overall wellbeing of the population.”

    For more information on the city council’s post-16 employment and learning hub go to www.stoke.gov.uk/adultlearning

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: It’s smooth-sailing thanks to Kyle’s handy Tall Ships guide Hundreds of Aberdeen sail trainees embarking on the adventure of a lifetime as part in the Tall Ships Races 2025 don’t know it but they are successfully navigating the event thanks to a helping hand from University student Kyle Buchan.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Over the course of seven weeks, Kyle put himself in the shoes of a trainee in order to understand the diverse range of information they might need.

    Hundreds of Aberdeen sail trainees embarking on the adventure of a lifetime as part in the Tall Ships Races 2025 don’t know it but they are successfully navigating the event thanks to a helping hand from University student Kyle Buchan.
    The third year Business Management and Geography student was tasked with collating the official Sail Trainee Handbook when he took on the job of Tall Ships Project Intern with Aberdeen City Council earlier this year.
    Over the course of seven weeks, Kyle put himself in the shoes of a trainee in order to understand the diverse range of information they might need.
    “It has been a great project to work on,” said the 20-year-old. “The opportunity to be a sail trainee was open to people of all backgrounds aged between 15 and 25 living in the AB postcode.
    “That meant across the 230-strong group of trainees there was a really wide range of experience, confidence and, for some, the need to also provide information and reassurance for parents too.”
    The resulting 3,500-word handbook being issued to the trainees contains a list of frequently asked questions, travel arrangements for those arriving from France or taking part in the Norwegian leg, information on the ships they will be sailing on, the itinerary for the days at sea, what to expect when they dock in each port, events in each host city – and much, much more.

    This is such a big event for the city and I wanted to play a part in it. I’m really proud to have been involved in producing the handbook and hope the trainees find it as useful as we designed it to be.” Kyle Buchan, third year Business Management and Geography student

    “We wanted to make sure we’d answered all the questions people might have so they could focus on enjoying the experience,” said Kyle.
    “That meant not just working with people across the Council, I had to liaise with teams in Kristiansand and Dunkirk to find out what would be happening when the Ships arrived in their ports, the arrangements in place for the trainees and activities they can take part in while there.
    “This is such a big event for the city and I wanted to play a part in it. I’m really proud to have been involved in producing the handbook and hope the trainees find it as useful as we designed it to be.”
    Since completing his internship Kyle also volunteered his time at several of the supporting events taking place in the run up to the Tall Ships arrival.
    “There’s a real buzz around the city and I’m looking forward to seeing the ships arrive and enjoying all the activities at the quayside knowing I’ve played a small part in making it happen.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leia swaps scrubs for sails to support Tall Ships Locum Emergency Medicine consultant Dr Leia Kane will be part of a crack team of medics on stand-by to deal with any mishaps involving the 400,000 plus visitors attending this summer’s Tall Ships Races Aberdeen.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    On top of her day job with NHS Grampian and undertaking a PhD at the University looking at stress and recovery in doctors, Leia (right) works with Enhanced Care Services, a leading provider of event medical services at events across the UK

    Locum Emergency Medicine consultant Dr Leia Kane will be part of a crack team of medics on stand-by to deal with any mishaps involving the 400,000 plus visitors attending this summer’s Tall Ships Races Aberdeen.
    On top of her day job with NHS Grampian and undertaking a PhD at the University looking at stress and recovery in doctors, Leia works with Enhanced Care Services, a leading provider of event medical services which provides medical and first aid staff at a wide range of events across the UK.
    She will be part of the team manning a quayside field hospital during the Tall Ships, offering on-site medical assistance for everything from cuts and blisters through to resuscitation and critical care.
    “We’ve provided support at all sorts of events, from Wimbledon to the Hackney Half Marathon,” explained Leia. “The team includes senior doctors, emergency medicine nurses, paramedics and many other health care professionals from all over the country – people who offer the skills they have in their day jobs to help at big public events.
    “We only work together like this for maybe half a dozen days across the year but everyone is a specialist in what they do and, once we’re on an event site together, the professional bonds kick in and we’re absolutely ready for anything.”

    We only work together like this for maybe half a dozen days across the year but everyone is a specialist in what they do and, once we’re on an event site together, the professional bonds kick in and we’re absolutely ready for anything.” Locum emergency medicine consultant Dr Leia Kane

    With more than 400,000 visitors expected to attend the events across its duration, organisers are expecting an additional requirement for medical care across the local population and are prepped to deal with all eventualities.
    “Different events come with different requirements but we are equipped to deal with almost anything,” added Leia. “The Half Marathon saw us dealing with a lot of people who were struggling with the warm weather, they were over-heating and collapsing.
    “Ironman Wales in comparison was totally different, with lots of people in the water or experiencing bike crashes. From a professional perspective, it’s an opportunity to test out different skills while remaining on alert to deal with the unexpected.
    “Should we need to, we also have dedicated pathways to get people to the right place within the NHS Grampian system without delay.”
    While technically on duty, Leia and her teammates still hope to be able to enjoy being part of the once in a generation event for the city: “The Tall Ships is an incredible event and I can’t wait to be part of it. The buzz of all these people coming to Aberdeen just to have a really good time is fantastic. There’ll be so much going on and we’ll be there for the full four days so I’m looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rodney navigates the unknown by charting Tall Ships carbon footprint A student intern is making waves in the maritime sustainability sector by helping calculate the carbon footprint of the Tall Ships Races Aberdeen.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    It is believed that the project might mark the first ever carbon footprint report for a Tall Ships event, and the output by the team could even set the benchmark for future events.

    A student intern is making waves in the maritime sustainability sector by helping calculate the carbon footprint of the Tall Ships Races Aberdeen.
    MSc Sustainability Transitions student Rodney Ekow Keelson is part of a team tasked with figuring out the impact of the Tall Ships Races when the event sails into Aberdeen in July.
    Working with the Tall Ships team, the 23-year-old is currently assessing different methods of gathering data to determine which will deliver the greatest depth of results.
    “The challenge lies in determining the most effective way to gather a large volume of data during the event setup, throughout the four days of the Tall Ships event, and during the post-event breakdown.
    “We need to take a range of factors into account, including energy consumption, ship emissions, and the impact of quayside concerts. The most complex and potentially most significant area is understanding how people will travel to the event. We will also need to carefully assess which data we can feasibly collect within the limited time available.
    “Visitors will be making their way to Aberdeen from neighbouring towns, cities and further afield in cars, buses, trains, planes – and ships.
    “A lot of work will go into evaluating the best channels for us to get the information we need.”

    I’ve never been involved in anything like the Tall Ships or an event of this scale but carbon accounting is a really interesting field and this is great experience.” MSc Sustainability Transitions student Rodney Ekow Keelson

    Rodney is currently on the MSc Sustainability Transitions programme, designed to train the future generation of innovators and thinkers who have the passion and ambition to deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and become true sustainability leaders which the world needs.
    It is believed that the project might mark the first ever carbon footprint report for a Tall Ships event, and the output by the team could even set the benchmark for future events.
    “Aberdeen has lots of pioneering green projects and the city’s port wants to become the UK’s first net zero port by 2040. This project really demonstrates the city’s commitment to sustainability and I’m excited to be part of it,” added Rodney, who studied Economics as an undergraduate.
    “I’ve never been involved in anything like the Tall Ships or an event of this scale but carbon accounting is a really interesting field and this is great experience.”
    Dr Piotr Niewiadomski, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography and MSc Sustainability Transitions Programme Director, said: “I’m truly delighted that one of our MSc Sustainability Transitions students has a chance to work with the Tall Ships team and make an important contribution to such a challenging task. Not only does it reflect Rodney’s individual ambitions and capabilities, but it also demonstrates the value of our MSc degree which trains future sustainability experts who will be in a position to lead the sustainability and net zero agenda in many different sectors.”
    The project will run until September 2025.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Morven sets sail – for a second time! Postgraduate psychological studies student Morven Reddy is no stranger to the Tall Ships Races. This summer she’ll be setting sail as a sail trainee, racing from Dunkirk in France to her home city of Aberdeen.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Six years ago Morven journeyed from Aalborg, Denmark to Fredrikstad in Norway on the Lord Nelson

    Postgraduate psychological studies student Morven Reddy is no stranger to the Tall Ships Races. This summer she’ll be setting sail as a sail trainee, racing from Dunkirk in France to her home city of Aberdeen.
    But it’s not the first time at sea for Morven, who first took part in the Tall Ships Races in 2019 at just 17 years old.
    Six years ago she journeyed from Aalborg, Denmark to Fredrikstad in Norway on the Lord Nelson.
    Morven explains: “I loved doing Tall Ships in 2019. It was an experience like no other with people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds coming together to race a variety of unique vessels.
    “I originally found out about the Tall Ships Races when I was seeking sailing experience as it was a childhood dream of mine to join the Royal Navy. I knew from the moment I disembarked the Lord Nelson that it was something I would love to do again if I ever had the chance.
    “In 2021, when I was finishing my sixth year exams I was diagnosed with a blood cancer, which prevents me from joining the Royal Navy, but I promised myself that when I finished chemotherapy I would find other ways to get out onto the ocean and hopefully do the Tall Ships Race again.
    “When I first saw the Aberdeenshire Council adverts for applying to become a sail trainee this year, I applied without a second thought and I am so grateful I was one of the 200 odd that were chosen to participate.”
    This summer Morven will be onboard the 54 metre A Class Gulden Leeuw in a race expected to take six days, a prospect about which she says she is “beyond excited”.
    She continues: “I am looking forward to sailing on the Gulden Leeuw as she is one of the world’s largest three-mast-topsail schooners and was used as training ship for a Danish nautical college which means she will be a great vessel for racing on.
    “I am very excited and proud to be sailing into my hometown of Aberdeen. I am looking forward to being able to wave at my family and friends in the crowd as we sail in.

    The opportunity to participate in the Tall Ships Race 2025 is so unique that I know will help develop skills that I can use in every aspect of my life.” Postgraduate psychological studies student Morven Reddy

    “The training has gone well so far. I am lucky, having previously experienced a Tall Ships Race and have previous sailing experience, that I know what to expect which has been good to reassure some of my crewmates as many have never sailed before.
    “When we dock in Aberdeen I am looking forward to participating in the crew parade and competitions as they are always really fun and a great way to end such a special adventure. There will also be the prize giving ceremony as this event is a race to see who can go from Dunkirk to Aberdeen the fastest within each size category.”
    Having competed in the races before, Morven has a bit of a head start and knows what to expect. And while there was time to take in the unique setting on her last journey, Morven says it certainly wasn’t a pleasure cruise.
    “We do four-hour watches, so you’re on for four hours and then off for four hours which takes some getting used to. The worst one was midnight to 4am. You are assigned to a group and you have a Watch Master who oversees you.
    “Some watches you could be prepping food and setting tables for mealtimes, or you could be up on deck tidying ropes and putting stuff away. There might be things happening with the sails – it really depended what watches you’re on.
    “You might be on deck with whoever is at the helm, steering the boat and you’re basically watching all angles to make sure there aren’t any hazards around about you – such as other vessels or fishing lines. The weirdest story I heard was when someone came across a sofa floating in the middle of the ocean that they had to avoid!
    “At one point we were alongside submarines. They weren’t on the radar and we didn’t even know what country they belonged to!”
    With the countdown on, Morven is raring to go and make her second Tall Ships race another unforgettable experience.
    “The opportunity to participate in the Tall Ships Race 2025 is so unique that I know will help develop skills that I can use in every aspect of my life. Sailing in a race on any vessel, but even more so on a big ship like the Gulden Leeuw, requires discipline, teamwork, open and effective communication, constant problem-solving skills, comradery and organisation.
    “As I discovered in 2019, this is truly a life changing experience which will allow people to see their true potential whilst building some amazing friendships. I met some amazing people in 2019 from all sorts of different backgrounds and I am still in touch with some of them today. It’s so unique it’s hard to put into words, but I am incredibly excited and grateful that I get the opportunity to do it again.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council awarded share of €7.5m PEACEPLUS funding to deliver community cross border walking programme

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is proud to announce it has been awarded funding from PEACEPLUS to help deliver ‘Walking for All’, a participation-based walking programme which will engage over 14,000 people in walking in rural areas in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

    The funding announcement of €7,536,957 from PEACEPLUS is a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

    Walking for All aims to create healthier rural communities by encouraging participation in walking through organised, volunteer-led walks. These short walks, guided by trained volunteers, will be held in local community spaces and will also aim to bring diverse communities together, fostering acceptance and respect for differences.

    Key outcomes of this cross-border cross-community project include the appointment of dedicated Walking for All Officers, who will oversee the recruitment and training of Volunteer Walk Leaders. These leaders will support the creation of nearly 600 walking groups across rural communities, with the aim of engaging thousands of individuals in regular, social walks.

    The project involves 19 partners. Outscape, a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation, will co-ordinate and lead the project. Delivery on the ground across Northern Ireland will be undertaken by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, 7 other Northern Ireland Local Authorities and Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust. There will be 6 Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in Republic of Ireland who will also be responsible for project delivery including Louth, Cavan, Leitrim, Monaghan, Donegal and Sligo. Sport Ireland, Mountaineering Ireland and the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland are support partners and were instrumental in the development of the programme.

    Lord Mayor Alderman Stephen Moutray said: “We are delighted to be one of the delivery partners for Walking for All and receive this funding from the Special EU Programmes Body to implement Walking for All. Being part of this programme under the mentorship of Outscape, we can take significant steps towards improving the health and wellbeing of rural communities in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon.

    “We look forward to being part of this collaborative approach which will use walking to address issues associated with people’s health, social exclusion and isolation.”

    Gina McIntyre, CEO Special EU Programmes Body commented: “Significant developments have been made in the provision of collaborative cross-border services in recent years, providing equality of access for citizens in rural areas. The EU INTERREG programme enabled much of this work and PEACEPLUS funding now builds – and further expands – these collaborative initiatives into areas of increasing wellbeing and reducing social isolation in rural areas.”

    Speaking on the project’s potential impact, Caro-Lynne Ferris, Executive Director at Outscape commented: “This is the most ambitious project Outscape has undertaken to date, and it marks a major milestone for both Northern Ireland and the border counties. We are excited to work with communities across NI and ROI, helping them embrace walking as a means to better health and strengthen social connections. This project will be a powerful catalyst for increased social cohesion and community wellbeing, with impacts that extend far beyond its duration.”

    Spanning the next three years, the project represents a significant step towards Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council achieving its vision of ‘A happy, healthy and connected community, a vibrant and sustainable economy and appealing places for living, working and learning’ by delivering on one of its strategic goals of providing opportunities which improve quality of life and wellbeing for our communities in outdoor activities.  Walking For All also aligns with key government priorities, including the draft Obesity Strategy ‘Healthy Futures’ in Northern Ireland.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pupils and council join forces for nature on lough shore

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Pupils from St Mary’s PS pictured at their environmental survey.

    The shores of Lough Neagh have proven to be the perfect location for local school pupils determined to make a positive impact on their environment and wildlife, with the help of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council.

    Butterflies, wildflowers and a Great Crested Grebe were just some of the wonderful flora and fauna spotted and recorded by the pupils of St Mary’s Primary School in Maghery.

    As part of their project to promote and protect biodiversity, the children have been helping to manage a wild meadow at Maghery Country Park.

    Pupils and staff from St Mary’s PS Maghery pictured with officers from ABC Council at their environmental survey.

    The school adopted an area of wet grassland in Maghery Country Park which frequently flooded and was difficult for the Council’s Ground Maintenance team to manage.  Under the supervision of the Biodiversity Team at Oxford Island the project was agreed.

    The council agreed not to cut the grass area until the end of September allowing native wildflowers to grow and set seed. To assess the impact of their project, the school joined council officers last week, to carry out a survey of the range of native wildflowers growing in the uncut wet grassland, and a butterfly walk to count and identify species.

    The pupils who enjoyed a boat trip, also carried out a successful bird survey, when they spotted a range of species including Grey Heron, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Swallow, Mallard and Tufted duck.

    Council officers have praised the work of the pupils who had also participated in a Himalayan Balsam Bash to remove the non-native Himalayan Balsam invasive species which competes with the local wildflowers vital for pollinators.

    To find out more about environmental education programmes at Oxford Island, including an exciting summer programme of environmental activities for children, please visit – www.getactiveabc.com/facility/oxfordisland/

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