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Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Dedication and professionalism of Armed Forces rewarded with above inflation pay rise

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Dedication and professionalism of Armed Forces rewarded with above inflation pay rise

    Government recognises professionalism and dedication of the Armed Forces with 4.5% pay rise, which follows last year’s record pay deal for personnel.

    Military personnel are to receive an above inflation pay rise of 4.5% (3.75% for senior officers), recognising their extraordinary professionalism and the sacrifices they make to keep the British people safe.   

    The award forms part of the government’s efforts to fix recruitment and retention, while demonstrating how it is renewing the contract with those who serve.   

    The pay rise maintains the MOD’s status as a National Living Wage employer, while recognising the important work of military personnel in keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad – foundational to this government’s Plan for Change.  

    This pay award follows last year’s headline award of 6% (5% for senior officers) and a significant uplift for new recruits of approximately 35%, ensuring all full-time members of the Armed Forces were paid the National Living Wage for the first time. This means Armed Forces personnel have received a cumulative pay award of 10.5% (8.75% for senior officers) since July 2024.  

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:  

    Our people are what make the UK Armed Forces’ reputation one of the best around the world. Our forces work tirelessly to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.  

    Today’s above inflation pay award recognises their dedication and underlines this Government’s commitment to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve.

    Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said: 

    This Armed Forces pay award continues to demonstrate our commitment to our people. It ensures that those who work so hard for our safety and security are supported.  

    To do what they do takes immense courage, determination and sacrifice and I’m pleased to see so much done to recognise their efforts.  

    Pay, accommodation and pension are key pieces of a bigger puzzle, and we will continue to put those pieces together to ensure the strength of our military for years to come.

    Starting salaries for Other Ranks who have completed initial training will increase to approximately £26,334, benefiting around 7,800 of our most junior personnel. 

    Starting pay for junior officers will rise to around £34,676. 

    The package includes two new targeted retention payments for specific Royal Navy Catering Services personnel, addressing critical retention challenges in this specialist area. 

    A new Afloat Environmental Allowance will replace existing provisions, bringing coherence and clarity to recognise different conditions across naval platforms. 

    Medical specialists will benefit from an increased Medical Officers’ Golden Hello to enhance its attractiveness for consultants and registrars in specialisms with workforce capability gaps. 

    The Government has already taken decisive action to tackle recruitment and retention challenges by announcing new financial retention packages.   

    Around 5,000 eligible aircraft engineers across all three Services are eligible to receive £30,000 when they sign up for an additional three years of service. And a new £8,000 retention payment for around 4,000 eligible Army Privates and Lance Corporals each year for the next three years when they sign up for an additional three years of Service.  

    This announcement follows recent action taken by the department to improve the offer for our Armed Forces personnel. This includes improving living conditions through a new Consumer Charter to provide homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation, and are creating a new, independently-appointed, Armed Forces Commissioner who will have the power to investigate issues raised directly by serving personnel and their families. 

    Last year the Armed Forces saw a headline award of 6% (5% for senior officers) and a significant uplift for new recruits of approximately 35%. The Government has taken decisive action to tackle recruitment and retention challenges by announcing new financial retention packages.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Anti-environmentalism is on the rise but it’s full of contradictions

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alastair Bonnett, Professor of Geography, Newcastle University

    Vadim Sadovski/Shutterstock

    Anti-environmentalism is gaining ground. Attacks on the net zero goal and hostility to conservation measures and anti-pollution targets are becoming more common. And, as recent election results have shown, these tactics are reshaping politics in Britain and across the west.

    Anti-environmentalism is a rejection of both environmental initiatives and activism. But despite its sudden rise and bold rhetoric, it is built on shaky foundations. The messages it offers are often contradictory and row against the tide of everyday experience.

    Take the US president, Donald Trump. He dismantled many environmental protections in his last term of office, and is now removing those that are left – including support for research that even mentions the word climate. Yet he told a rally in Wisconsin in 2024: “I’m an environmentalist. I want clean air and clean water. Really clean water. Really clean air.”

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Some of the contradictions of anti-environmentalism reflect its departure from traditional conservatism. Although routinely identified as “conservative”, the populist anti-green politics of Republicans in the US and Reform in the UK, along with the AfD in Germany and National Rally in France, represent a radical challenge to the ideals of continuity and conservation that were once at the heart of conservatism.

    The Conservative Environment Network is an organisation which pitches itself as an “independent forum for conservatives in the UK and around the world who support net zero, nature restoration and resource security”. Much of this network’s work involves reminding people that important environmental protections, from America’s national parks to controls on pollution and climate change in Britain and elsewhere, were introduced by conservatives.

    But few on the right appear to be listening. A populist tide is washing this conservative tradition away, despite the fact that support for environmental protection remains very popular.

    Polling indicates that 80% of people in the UK worry about climate change. Public backing for the work of the US Environmental Protection Agency is also overwhelming, including among Republican voters.

    In part, this support reflects the fact that environmental damage is an everyday reality: unpredictable weather, the collapse of animal and insect populations, and a range of other challenges are not just on the TV, they are outside the window.

    In my research for a forthcoming book on environmental nostalgia across the world, I keep bumping into an irony. In western nations, voices from the right say they want their country back, yet appear hostile to environmental policies that would protect their country and ensure its survival.

    There are many reasons for this disconnect, including resentment against initiatives that require lifestyle and livelihood changes. However, the enmity and disengagement is more complicated than a simple rejection of nature.

    Many people – including Trump himself – claim they are environmentalists even when the evidence suggests otherwise. The signs and symbols of environmental care are knitted into every aspect of our commercial and cultural life: if wildlife could sue for copyright, there would a lot of rich bears.

    I argue that a distinction can be made between what I call “cold” and “hot” forms of environmentalism. The former values and mourns the loss of nature, but as a spectacle to be observed – a set of appealing images of flora and fauna – while the latter feels implicated and anxious.

    The former position allows people to claim they love nature yet be indifferent or even hostile to initiatives to save it. However, the line between cold and hot, or between anti- and pro-environmentalist, is neither fixed nor hard.

    Another quality of anti-environmentalism is that its beliefs are changeable, even quixotic. Climate change is an example.

    Reform’s leaders have long flirted with climate change denial. “Climate change has happened for millions of years,” explained former Reform UK leader Richard Tice in 2024, adding that “the idea that you can stop the power of the Sun or volcanoes is simply ludicrous”. Tice has not changed his views but later the same year, the party’s new leader, Nigel Farage, told the BBC that he was “not arguing the science”.

    Like other populist parties, Reform adopts a mobile position on the environment, moving between denying that climate change is happening or that humans are causing it, and the very different contention that anthropogenic climate change is real but that environmental targets are unreachable and unfair, given that other nations (China is often mentioned) supposedly do so little.

    A post-western paradox

    Researchers are only just starting to think about anti-environmentalism. One key analysis is environmental politics researcher John Hultgren’s The Smoke and the Spoils: Anti-Environmentalism and Class Struggle in the United States. This new book explains how Republicans managed to convince working-class voters that there is “zero-sum dichotomy between jobs and environmental protection, workers and environmentalists”.

    This kind of binary has also been found by contributors to The Handbook of Anti-Environmentalism, who identify and critique the stereotyping of environmentalism as middle-class and elite in several western countries.

    Yet the geographical focus of these pioneering works misses yet another of the paradoxes of anti-environmentalism: that although its rhetoric often accuses China and other non-western countries of doing little, there has been a significant environmental turn in both policy and public attitudes beyond Europe and the US.

    Environmentalism is becoming post-western. This is partly because the realities of environmental damage are so stark across much of Asia and Africa.

    Extreme temperatures and unpredictable rainfall are leading to food insecurity and community displacement. Environmentalism in the African Sahel and south Asia might better be called “survivalism”.

    And despite its continuing reliance on fossil fuels, China’s state-led vision of a transition to a conservationist and decarbonised “ecological civilisation” is positioning it as a global environmental leader.

    Stereotypes of environmentalism being primarily a western concern are crumbling. Because of this, along with the many contradictions that beset it, the rise of anti-environmentalism appears not only complex, but curious and unsustainable.

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

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

    Alastair Bonnett 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. Anti-environmentalism is on the rise but it’s full of contradictions – https://theconversation.com/anti-environmentalism-is-on-the-rise-but-its-full-of-contradictions-256911

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why gait quality matters as you age

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Helen Dawes, Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter

    Studio Romantic/Shutterstock

    Walking is one of the most important things we do for our quality of life. In fact, research shows it contributes more than any other physical activity to how well we live day to day. Yet one in three people over the age of 60 report having some difficulty walking.

    As we age, gradual changes in our bodies and health can alter how we walk, often without us realising. But the way we walk, known as our gait pattern, matters more than we might think. Poor gait doesn’t just make walking harder and more tiring; it can lead to joint strain, instability, and a greater risk of falls.

    Think of your gait like a heart rhythm. Just as an electrocardiogram (ECG) shows whether your heart is functioning properly, your gait also has a rhythm. When that rhythm is off, it may be one of the earliest signs that you’re not ageing as well as you could be.

    Thanks to new technology, we can now measure gait quality more easily and precisely. One promising tool is the Heel2Toe wearable sensor. This small device attaches to your shoe and tracks the movement of your ankle as you walk, capturing your gait cycle in real time.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    A healthy step begins with a strong heel strike. Your weight then rolls across the sole of your foot, ending with a push-off from the toes. As your foot lifts, it swings forward cleanly – no dragging or scuffing. This smooth sequence creates a rhythm in your ankle movements, one that, when consistent, resembles a kind of “walking ECG”.

    But over time, many people unconsciously adopt less efficient movement patterns. These altered gaits may feel normal, but they’re often unstable, tiring or unsafe.

    Poor gait can increase the risk of falls.
    https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/asian-senior-male-falling-on-ground-2147078055

    Poor gait reduces confidence, increases fall risk, and can discourage people from walking at all. And the less we walk, the weaker our muscles become – making the problem worse. It’s a vicious cycle.

    Relearning to walk well

    The good news is that we can retrain our gait.

    The Heel2Toe sensor doesn’t just monitor your movements – it also encourages better walking. When it detects a good step (one that begins with a strong heel strike), it delivers an audio cue as positive feedback. Over time, these cues help you rediscover a stronger, steadier walking pattern. Good gait becomes your new normal. Tools like Heel2Toe help people tune in to their body’s signals and make sustainable progress.

    The goal isn’t just to move more – it’s to move better.

    Of course, being physically active is only one aspect of what it means to live well as we grow older.

    To get a more complete picture of healthy ageing researchers have developed a tool that measures how often older adults experience key aspects of wellbeing. This tool – the Opal measure (Older Persons for Active Living) – goes beyond tracking what people do. It asks how they feel about their lives.

    Opal can help people understand their own wellbeing and it offers policymakers and communities a way to evaluate how well their services support older citizens – not just physically, but socially and emotionally too.

    For people, this means that even small improvements, like better gait, can lead to meaningful changes in how you feel: more confident, more mobile and more independent.

    For communities, it’s a reminder that promoting physical activity is important – but not enough. We also need programs, spaces and services that foster connection, purpose, creativity and joy.

    What does ‘active living’ really mean?

    In a 2024 international study, older adults in Canada, UK, US and the Netherlands shared what “active living” means to them – across four languages and cultural contexts.

    They identified 17 distinct “ways of being” that contribute to feeling active. Physical health was just one part. Others included feeling: confident, connected, creative, energised, encouraged, engaged, happy, mentally healthy, independent, interested, mentally sharp, motivated, resilient and self-sufficient.

    In other words, active living isn’t just about taking (or counting) steps, it’s about how you feel while taking them.

    Ageing is inevitable. But ageing well? That’s something we can shape – step by step.

    Helen Dawes is Director of International Affairs of PhysioBiometrics Inc. she receives funding from NIHR Exeter Biomedical Resarch Council and NIHR Exeter Sustainable Health Technology Centre.

    Nancy Mayo is co-founder and President of PhysioBiometrics Inc. a company that commercializes the Heel2Toe sensor to make it available for all. She has received funding from Healthy Brains for Health Lives (HBHL), McGill University, to develop and test the Heel2Toe sensor.

    – ref. Why gait quality matters as you age – https://theconversation.com/why-gait-quality-matters-as-you-age-256636

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Transfer of South Western Railway’s services into public ownership

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Written statement to Parliament

    Transfer of South Western Railway’s services into public ownership

    South Western Railway’s services will transfer into public ownership on 25 May 2025.

    Following my statement in December last year, I can confirm to the House that, on Sunday 25 May 2025, South Western Railway’s services will transfer into public ownership.

    South Western Railway’s services are the first to transfer to public ownership under the Passenger Railways Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, a landmark piece of legislation passed by Parliament in November. From Sunday, operations will be run by a new public sector operator – South Western Railway Limited. For now this will be a subsidiary of the public corporation, DfT Operator Limited (DfTO), which will eventually transfer into Great British Railways (GBR), once established.

    C2C’s services will be next to transfer into public ownership on 20 July 2025 and, as previously announced, I have issued an expiry notice to Greater Anglia confirming that their contract with the department will now expire on 12 October 2025. Greater Anglia’s services will transfer into public ownership on this date.

    Sunday marks a watershed moment in the government’s plan to return the railways to the service of passengers and reform our broken railways, ending 30 years of fragmentation and delivers on our manifesto commitment to bring passenger services back into public control and put passengers firmly at the heart of the railways.

    Public ownership will ensure services are run in the interests of passengers, not shareholders, and is a vital step in enabling the government to bring track and train together. But public ownership alone is not a silver bullet and will not fix the structural problems hindering the railways currently. That will take time.

    Under this government’s plan to unify track and train under one organisation, GBR will be the single ‘directing mind’ for the railway, putting passengers and customers first, rebuilding trust in the railway and simplifying the industry.

    In February, the government’s consultation on the Railways Bill outlined plans to establish GBR, which will consolidate the 14 different train operating companies, Network Rail and DfTO into a single organisation. The Railways Bill will be laid in this Parliamentary session and I expect GBR to be operational around 12 months after the bill receives Royal Assent

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NHS workers awarded real terms pay rises for second year in row

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    NHS workers awarded real terms pay rises for second year in row

    NHS workers, including doctors and nurses, will receive real terms pay rises after the Health Secretary accepted the Pay Review Bodies’ pay recommendations

    • All NHS staff to be awarded above inflation pay rises for second year in a row as government recognises their hard work in rebuilding our broken NHS.
    • Department’s endorsement of Pay Review Body recommendations will be backdated to April and will appear in pay packets from August.
    • Pay uplifts will be funded by cutting duplication and waste in the central health budget.

    All NHS workers, including doctors and nurses, will receive real terms pay rises for the second year in a row, as the Health Secretary has today accepted the independent Pay Review Bodies’ headline pay recommendations for all NHS staff.  

    The government is funding a pay rise of 4% for consultants, specialty doctors, specialists and GPs, with dentists also receiving a contract uplift to increase their pay. In addition, the Department of Health and Social Care has worked closely with unions to deliver on non-pay arrangements, agreed as part of last year’s deals, to improve working conditions for these staff groups.   

    Resident Doctors will see their pay rise by an average of 5.4% (a 4% rise plus a consolidated payment of £750).  

    Agenda for Change (AfC) staff, which includes nurses, health visitors, midwives, ambulance staff, porters and cleaners will see their pay rise by 3.6%. This has increased the starting salary of a nurse, for example, from £27,055 in 2022/2023 to around £31,050 this year – an increase of around £4,000 over the last three years.  

    Alongside the real terms pay increase for AfC staff, the government has also accepted the PRB recommendation to allow the NHS Staff Council to undertake pay structure reform next year to resolve outstanding concerns about banding within the AfC pay structure.  

     Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 

    These are thoroughly deserved pay rises for all our hard-working nurses, doctors and other NHS staff. We inherited a broken health service with extremely low morale after years of pay erosion and poor industrial relations.  

    Which is why, despite the difficult financial situation the nation faces, we are backing our health workers with above-inflation pay rises for the second year in a row. This government was never going to be able to fully reverse a decade and a half of neglect in under a year, but this year’s pay increases – and last year’s – represent significant progress in making sure that NHS staff are properly recognised for the outstanding work they do. 

    In the past ten months, through our Plan for Change, we have worked with staff to cut waiting lists by 200,000 and put the NHS on the road to recovery. These real terms pay rises demonstrate our commitment to continue on our shared mission, to build an NHS fit for the future.

    Sir Jim Mackey, NHS chief executive, said:  

    Today’s announcement of a real terms pay rise shows the government’s support for NHS staff and is recognition of their huge efforts and hard work over the last year.  

    It is particularly welcome as it comes amid significant pressure on the public purse, and so the NHS will in turn focus on reform, cutting waste and reducing duplication to be as efficient as possible, while also offering patients faster and better care.

    All pay uplifts will be backdated to April 1st and will appear in pay packets from August – two months earlier than last year and the earliest award in years. 

    The above inflation pay awards come at a time of serious pressure on the public finances. The Department of Health and Social Care can award across-the-board pay rises above the affordability figure set out by the government (2.8%) because of reforms already being made to cut waste and unnecessary bureaucracy across the health service. 

    Over the past few months, we have identified how extra funds will be freed up by cutting duplication between the department and NHSE, cutting NHSE headcount, slashing budgets for corporate services like NHS communications teams, and bringing down ICB costs by 50%. As a result of the savings found, none of the pay increases will be paid for by cutting frontline services. 

    The government has also reiterated its desire to get NHS staff their money more quickly in future awards. This year’s was the earliest in years, but this government want to go faster in the future, so that the pay award process is bought back into line with the financial year.  

    The government has committed to remitting the pay review bodies for 2026/27 before the end of July, two months before last year, with an ambition to implement awards as soon as possible in 2026/27. 

    Notes to Editors 

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: BNP Paribas Primary New Issues: MID-Stabilisation Notice – Wolseley Group

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    22.05.2025

    Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

    [WOLSELEY GROUP PLC]

    Mid-stabilisation Period Announcement

    [Further to the pre-stabilisation period announcement dated 16.05.2025] BNP Paribas (contact: Stanford Hartman telephone: 0207 595 8222) hereby gives notice that the Stabilisation Manager(s) named below undertook stabilisation (within the meaning of [Article 3.2(d) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU/596/2014) / [and of] the rules of the Financial Conduct Authority)] in relation to the offer of the following securities, as set out below.

    Securities

    Issuer: WOLSELEY GROUP FINCO PLC
    Guarantor (if any): N/A
    Aggregate nominal amount: 350,000,000 GBP
    Description: Senior Secured Fixed Rate Notes
    Stabilisation Manager(s): BNP Paribas, Lloyds Bank, Wells Fargo, RBC, BOFA

    Stabilisation transaction[s]

    Date and time: Price: Quantity Stabilisation trading venue:
     16/05/2025  17:10:48  99.25  1,000,000.00  OTC
     16/05/2025  17:12:20  98.625  1,375,000.00  OTC
     16/05/2025  17:12:26 98.625 125,000.00 OTC
     16/05/2025  17:12:26  98.625  125,000.00  OTC
    19/05/2025  09:21:51 98.50 -2,000,000.00 OTC
    19/05/2025  09:32:45 98.625 -1,700,000.00 OTC
    19/05/2025  09:56:38 99.00 -200,000.00 OTC
    19/05/2025  09:59:05 98.83 -2,354,000.00 OTC
    19/05/2025  10:02:33 99.23 -500,000.00 OTC
    19/05/2025  11:31:42 99.015 1,000,000.00 OTC
    19/05/2025  15:10:28 99.1 -1,000,000.00 OTC
    20/05/2025  12:05:52 99.5 -2,000,000.00 OTC
    20/05/2025  12:34:15 99.375 500,000.00 OTC
    21/05/2025  17:04:09 99.55 2,300,000.00 OTC

    This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

    This announcement and the offer of the securities to which it relates are only addressed to and directed at persons outside the United Kingdom and persons in the United Kingdom who have professional experience in matters related to investments or who are high net worth persons within Article 12(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in the United Kingdom.

    In addition, if and to the extent that this announcement is communicated in, or the offer of the securities to which it relates is made in, the UK or any EEA Member State before the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in the UK or that Member State in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “Prospectus  Regulation”) (or which has been approved by a competent authority in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in the UK or that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation), this announcement and the offer are only addressed to and directed at persons in the UK or that Member State who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (or who are other persons to whom the offer may lawfully be addressed) and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in the UK or that Member State.

    This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities referred to above have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. There has not been and will not be a public offer of the securities in the United States.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark government partnership signed with North Macedonia

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    Landmark government partnership signed with North Macedonia

    The new Government Partnership will drive economic growth across both countries through increased collaboration on infrastructure projects.

    Today marks a new era for UK-North Macedonia relations, following the signing of a Government-to-Government Partnership (G2G) which will boost trade and drive economic growth. This Partnership supports the delivery of critical infrastructure projects across various sectors, including transport, health, energy, and technology. It will be able to draw on a wide range of support, including technical assistance programmes and up to £5 billion in UK Export Finance support available for projects in North Macedonia.

    The formal signing ceremony took place at the historic Old Admiralty Building in London on Thursday 22nd May 2025, with the UK Minister for Exports, Gareth Thomas MP, and the Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Aleksandar Nikoloski, in attendance.

    This G2G underscores the commitment of both nations to collaborate on critical infrastructure projects that deliver social, economic, and environmental benefits. By leveraging the expertise and innovation of both countries, this Partnership will drive the development of resilient infrastructure that fosters growth and prosperity.

    The exchange of knowledge and best practice between our two countries will be central to this G2G, drawing from the expertise of both nation’s respective infrastructure fields. This means the UK Government and British businesses working in partnership with the government of North Macedonia and their local supply chain to deliver infrastructure projects across North Macedonia. This approach will generate mutual benefits for both nations through the sharing of innovation to deliver resilient infrastructure that drives growth.

    Minister of Exports, Gareth Thomas MP expressed his enthusiasm:

    This partnership opens up a new chapter in our bilateral relationship with North Macedonia.

    The UK has a wealth of experience in delivering high-quality infrastructure across the world and I am delighted to be kicking off this new partnership that will help more British businesses export to North Macedonia.

    The UK Ambassador to North Macedonia, Matthew Lawson said:

    We have achieved a significant milestone in the UK – North Macedonia relations with the signing of the Government-to-Government Partnership by UK Minister for Exports, Gareth Thomas MP, and the Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Aleksandar Nikoloski.

    The G2G will further strengthen the already excellent trade ties between our countries and support the delivery of critical infrastructure projects in different sectors, including transport, health, energy, and technology in North Macedonia. As the British Ambassador I am proud that our governments have reached this landmark partnership that will benefit the citizens of both countries. We stand strong and united together.

    This G2G builds on a strong existing bilateral relationship between the UK and North Macedonia. Recently, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski welcomed a new Strategic Partnership at the European Political Community Summit in Tirana on the 16th May 2025. This G2G represents the start of our enhanced trade and infrastructure collaboration.

    Chris Barton, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe also expressed his support:

    I am delighted that this G2G will support stronger collaboration across our governments and businesses to deliver economic growth for both our nations and good-quality infrastructure for the citizens of North Macedonia.

    Notes to editors:

    • government to government (G2G) partnerships are formal arrangements under which we agree to provide another government is provided with access to UK public and private expertise for specific projects or programmes that create commercial benefits

    • total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and North Macedonia was £1.7 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2024

    • the UK is North Macedonia’s second largest trading partner in the 4 quarters to the end of Q3 2024

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Your passport to summer fun is here with getactiveabc!

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    The brightest, hottest and happiest season is here…hello summer!! For children and young people across the borough, it’s that long-awaited season of freedom. It’s goodbye school, hello pool; it’s memories made in flip flops, topped off with ice-cream, picnics and never-ending days of playing and exploring!

    Let the experienced and energised getactiveabc coaches make it a summer to remember with a wonder world of summer experiences!

    Multi-sports, gymnastics and dance camps

    Through energetic sessions that feel more like fun than fitness, kids will learn about movement, co-ordination, teamwork and self-expression, all of which will boost their confidence (suitable for 5–11-year-olds. Various locations available). Find out more!

    Wet and wild watersports

    In, on and off the water, make a splash with South Lake Watersports! Hit the water or the road with kayak, paddleboard and bicycle hire (free for getactiveabc members); dip your toe into something new with the ‘Learn to’ sessions; achieve your ‘Start, Discover and Paddle Safer’ qualification from Paddle UK; join South Lake Paddlers Club; take on the giant inflatable (free for getactiveabc members) or have a blast at the multi-activity sessions of wet and dry adrenaline pumping fun with aqua inflatables, archery, mountain bikes, paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing! Find out more!

    Stay cool in the pool!

    Our crazy £2 swims at Banbridge, Orchard and South Lake Leisure Centres are here! Boost water confidence with swimming courses and lessons, gain a lifeguard qualification and take on ‘The Beast’ – the new 50m indoor inflatable obstacle course that lets you bounce, slide and giggle through the challenge! Additional needs and quiet sessions are also available. Find out more!

    Craigavon Golf & Ski Centre

    Summer fun specials continue at Craigavon Golf and Ski Centre for kids, families, parties and youth clubs. Individual/family/group tubing and footgolf mean lots of laughs and fun for everyone on and off the slopes! Find out more!

    Inclusive summer scheme

    The ABC Inclusive Summer Schemes, taking place in Dromore and Richhill, provide inclusive sports and physical activity opportunities for children with a disability, along with siblings and friends. Find out more!

    The getactiveabc sizzling programme of activities and events continues to soar throughout the summer! Watch out for special offers and more with Love Parks Week, The South Lake Junior Triathlon, indoor inflatables, Craigavon Lake Run, Bike Week, Oxford Island Nature activities, Men’s Health Week, All Out Trekking at Gosford, Teen Gym, Get Girls Moving, golf at Loughgall and Silverwood and much more!

    Click here to read all about the getactiveabc summer programme!

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bin Collections & Recycling Centres Operating as Normal Over May Bank Holiday

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Bin Collections & Recycling Centres Operating as Normal Over May Bank Holiday

    22 May 2025

    Derry City and Strabane District Council is reminding residents that bin collections and Recycling Centres will continue as normal on the upcoming May Bank Holiday, Monday 26th May 2025.

    Residents are advised to leave out their bins as usual on collection day. The Council is encouraging everyone to stay committed to recycling by using Blue and Brown bins correctly, helping reduce household waste over the holiday weekend.

    Please note that Council offices on Strand Road, Derry, and Derry Road, Strabane, will be closed on Monday 26th May and will reopen on Tuesday 27th May. Registry Offices in both Derry and Strabane will also be closed on the Monday, reopening the following day.

    For those enjoying local attractions, the Guildhall and Tower Museum will remain open and welcoming visitors over the Bank Holiday weekend.

    Council-operated cemeteries will remain open daily from 8:00am to 8:00pm throughout the holiday period.

    The Council’s Out of Hours Dog Warden Service will be in operation to respond to ongoing dog attacks on people or animals. To report an incident, call 07734 128096. Please note that while the Council is not obligated to respond to other reports outside of normal hours, serious voicemails will be assessed.

    All Council parks and greenways will be open, and the public is encouraged to enjoy these spaces responsibly keeping them clean by using the bins provided.

    The Alley Theatre will also be open throughout the weekend, with Encore’s The Little Mermaid showing on Saturday 24th May.

    Leisure Services Opening Times – Bank Holiday Monday 26th May:

    • Open: Bishop’s Field, Templemore Sports Complex, Riversdale Leisure Centre, Melvin Sports Complex, Derg Valley Leisure Centre
    • Closed: Brooke Park, City Baths, Foyle Arena, Brandywell 

    Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr, encouraged residents to make the most of the long weekend:

    “I’d like to wish everyone across our city and district a relaxing and enjoyable Bank Holiday. Let’s continue taking pride in our beautiful environment by recycling, respecting public spaces, and supporting our local attractions and services.”

    For full and up-to-date service details, please visit the Council website:
     www.derrystrabane.com/services/opening-hours

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New police search guidance following Supreme Court decision

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Police chiefs have been reviewing the implications of last month’s UK Supreme Court judgment in relation to the scope of the Equality Act on sex and gender.

    Police chiefs have been reviewing the implications of last month’s UK Supreme Court judgment in relation to the scope of the Equality Act on sex and gender.

    The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has today (Thursday) published draft interim guidance on searches of members of the transgender community, as well as searches carried out by transgender police officers and staff.

    It makes clear that thorough police searches, such as those which expose intimate body parts, should be carried out by police officers and staff of the same biological sex as the detained person.

    There may be very limited exceptions considered where someone requests to be searched by an officer of their gender.

    The guidance is explicit that any search not conducted in line with biological sex must have the written consent of the detainee, the officer carrying out the search as well as the authorising officer.

    The guidance has been circulated to every police force in the country.

    The interim guidance is based on legal advice and has been developed after seeking views across policing as well as those of other agencies.

    It reflects working practice which already happens every day across policing, where officers and detainees make requests about searches for a multitude of reasons.

    Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the NPCC, said: “Our aim has been to implement the Supreme Court judgment in a pragmatic and consistent way across policing.

    “We have moved at pace to develop this interim guidance, as it is important that officers and staff have guidance on how searches should be conducted in light of the Supreme Court ruling.

    “We are keen to work with the Home Office to consider the impact of the Supreme Court decision on legislation and help ensure there is consistency and clarity for policing and our partners.

    “We understand the depth of feeling there is on these issues, both among transgender communities as well as those who hold gender critical views. Policing remains committed to treating everyone with fairness, dignity and respect.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council to consult on the disposal and change of use of Inverness Common Good land

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The Highland Council has launched a statutory Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 consultation giving the Inverness residents until 15 July 2025 to respond to a proposal to dispose, by lease, and change the use of an area within common good land for the development of a green hydrogen production facility. 

    The area of land subject to the consultation is located at the former waste landfill site at East Longman, Inverness.  The area is no longer used for landfill however parts of it continue to be restricted under statutory controls in terms of development and public access.  In 2022 the restriction was removed in part within the former landfill site and therefore has become available for development.   

    The former landfill site is owned by the Council in terms of the Royal Charter of King James VI dated 1591, and as such, considered to be common good land.

    Storegga Hydrogen (Cromarty) Limited has approached the Council seeking to lease an area of available common good land to construct and operate a green hydrogen production facility.  Using renewable energy sources, the development would produce approximately 6,400 tonnes of electrolytic hydrogen annually, with production planned to play a vital role in the decarbonisation of a large industrial site within the Longman Industrial Estate.  Hydrogen would also be supplied to other users.  The facility could reduce carbon emissions by 45,000 tonnes of CO2e per year – equivalent to removing 32,000 fossil fuelled cars from Scotland’s roads.

    The Council is keen to hear the views of Inverness residents on the proposal utilising common good land.  All submissions will be given full regard before a decision is taken.  If following the consultation, the Council wish to proceed with the proposal, they must seek the consent of the Sheriff Court.

    The consultation representations and responses including the final decision will be published on the Council’s website.

    The consultation is specifically related to common good requirements.  Should the proposed development proceed, further statutory consents will be required, including those related to planning.

    The consultation document and information on the process to dispose or change the use of common good property is available here  

    Please submit written responses by close of play 15 July 2025 either by email –  common.good@highland.gov.uk or by post – Common Good Fund Officer, The Highland Council HQ, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Social Value Charter to Ensure Communities Get Fair Share

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The work underway to ensure that Highland communities can benefit from profits being generated by renewable developments will be under the spotlight at next week’s meeting of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee.

    At the meeting on Thursday 29 May, Members will receive an update on progress with the Highland Social Value Charter, which aims to ensure that if developments get the go ahead there is a clear community benefit. Members will also be asked to agree to continue to make representations to both the Scottish and UK Governments on the need for mandatory community benefit.

    The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans has written formally to Scottish Renewables seeking their immediate engagement with the Social Value Charter.

    He said: “Once they have planning permission, developers are not obliged to follow through on providing community benefit. As a result, companies can make empty promises and let down our communities. This has to change.

    “Given the scale of the on-shore and off shore energy pipeline being anticipated in the Highlands and the concerns of communities about potential impacts of these plans, it is important that public and private sector partners work together, so our communities can benefit for years to come.”

    Councillor Gowans added: “Engagement with Scottish and Southern Energy Transmission to sign up to the Charter is underway and we will be pressing ahead to finalise the commitment from them and other developers to fully support the Charter. I look forward to discussing the Charter in more detail as part of the Committee next Thursday.”

    The Highland Social Value Charter (HSVC) was agreed by the Council and Community Planning Partnership Board in June 2024. The Charter articulates the expectations of the Highland area for any renewables and green energy developments. Included within this are fundamental principles that all communities across Highland should benefit from renewables investment and that in addition to direct benefit to local areas, support to wider infrastructure should form part of the ask on developers.

    22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chair welcomes over £600k of regeneration funding for Highland project

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The Chair of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, has welcomed the announcement that a Highland project has been successful in applying for funding support under the latest round of funding from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF).

    Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association (GURCA) in Drumnadrochit has been awarded £602,500 to redevelop and remodel Glen Urquhart public hall into a thriving and more energy efficient community hub. The refurbished hall will include flexible spaces (including meeting rooms) with increased capacity to meet the needs of a wider range of groups and users. (Total project cost £1,580,187)

    Cllr Ken Gowans said: “It is terrific news that this very worthy community-led project is set to benefit from RCGF funding support. There is a lot of competition across the whole of Scotland to get a share of the fund so to have over £600k awarded in the Highlands is good news.

    “The RCGF is all about targeting financial support to provide a boost to social and economic regeneration. I wish everyone involved in this project well as they now press ahead with their plans. This is an ambitious project to make a real difference, so I look forward to seeing the benefit it brings to the local community.”

    Scottish Ministers and COSLA have recently announced a new funding round for RCGF funding.  Further details will be on the Community Regeneration Fund website shortly. About the fund | Community Regeneration Funding | The Highland Council

    22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: France: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Paris, France – May 22, 2025

    An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Manuela Goretti and comprising Florian Misch, Rasmane Ouedraogo, Maryam Vaziri, and Torsten Wezel, conducted discussions during May 12-22 for the 2025 Article IV Consultation with France. At the end of the visit, the mission issued the following statement:

    The French economy has demonstrated resilience despite high uncertainty, with disinflation progressing well and the labor market remaining robust. However, high and rising public debt, combined with significant domestic and external headwinds to the recovery, highlights the need to strengthen public finances and pursuing structural reforms to foster sustainable growth. The French authorities’ commitment to bring the deficit below 3 percent of GDP by 2029 is welcome and should be supported by a credible and well-designed package of measures. Advancing France’s structural reform agenda will be crucial to boost productivity and facilitate fiscal consolidation. While the financial sector remains resilient, strong supervisory practices need to continue adapting to an increasingly complex financial landscape. France’s sustained efforts to deepen the European single market remain critical to support the economy and strengthen its ability to withstand shocks.

    Economic Outlook

    High domestic and external uncertainty is expected to continue weighing on the short-term economic outlook. Real GDP growth is projected to slow to 0.6 percent in 2025 and reach 1 percent in 2026. These projections reflect a delayed recovery in private consumption and investment due to weak confidence and fiscal tightening this year, despite some uplift from monetary policy easing. Weaker external demand, amid trade tensions, market volatility, and geo-economic uncertainty, is expected to further dampen exports and investment prospects. These projections are based on the April World Economic Outlook global assumptions and do not reflect the latest trade policy announcements. Over the medium term, growth is projected to converge to around 1.2 percent, before decelerating towards its long-term potential of 1 percent reflecting both demographic trends and need for further structural reforms. The disinflationary process is progressing well, with average headline inflation projected at 1.2 percent in 2025, due to base effects and lower energy prices, and core inflation at 1.9 percent.

    The outlook remains subject to significant downside risks, notwithstanding potential upsides. Deepening geoeconomic fragmentation and rising trade tensions could disrupt trade and financial flows and dampen economic activity. In such an environment, uncertainty would increase, and financial conditions could tighten further, reducing domestic demand and worsening debt dynamics. Political fragmentation and social tensions could delay fiscal consolidation and reform efforts, further weighing on confidence and the outlook, raising fiscal risks. On the upside, easing trade tensions and renewed structural reform momentum could improve growth prospects over the medium term. Domestic reforms could be strengthened through deeper coordination and integration at the EU level. Consumption could be stronger if household saving rates eased more rapidly on the back of dissipating uncertainty. Business investment and export performance could also surprise on the upside, driven by higher demand—in France and in the rest of Europe—including for defense as well as digital and green technologies.

    Fiscal Policy: Reducing Debt while Refocusing Spending Priorities

    Building on the 2025 budget, the authorities are committed to implementing their Medium-term Fiscal Structural Plan (MTFSP) to bring the deficit below 3 percent of GDP by 2029. While the envisaged adjustment is appropriate to improve debt dynamics and strengthen France’s resilience to shocks, it needs to be supported by a credible and well-designed package of measures and remains subject to implementation risks, as evidenced by recent setbacks. Under staff’s current policy baseline scenario, which incorporates only legislated and clearly specified measures, the deficit is projected to decline to 5.4 percent of GDP in 2025, in line with the budget target. However pending approval of significant additional measures, it would remain around 6 percent of GDP in the medium-term, keeping debt on an upward trend until 2030. While short-term risks remain manageable, debt dynamics have weakened significantly, following consecutive fiscal slippages in 2023 and 2024, and remain highly sensitive to the real interest rate and growth path. In this context, France’s commitment to undertake further fiscal consolidation, as per EU rules, represents an important mitigating factor.

    Significant additional fiscal efforts will be crucial to preserve fiscal space and create room to absorb rising spending demands, while placing debt on a downward path. Staff recommends a frontloaded structural fiscal effort of 1.1 percent of GDP in 2026, followed by an average of about 0.9 percent of GDP per year over the medium term, broadly in line with the authorities’ plans. The recommended adjustment would allow the country to exit the excessive deficit procedure by end-2029, as targeted. Staff’s debt sustainability analysis indicates that the recommended fiscal path would markedly reduce medium-term debt sustainability risks, with the debt-stabilizing primary balance being reached in 2027.

    Achieving this substantial fiscal consolidation will require decisive actions and difficult decisions to ensure equity and fairness amid challenging trade-offs:

    • Given France’s already high tax-to-GDP ratio, any new tax measures should be focused on reducing inefficient tax expenditures and tackling tax avoidance while improving equity. While exceptional temporary revenue measures can help kickstart much needed fiscal adjustment, France’s level of taxation—among the highest in the EU—indicates that sustained tax-based fiscal consolidation, of the magnitude necessary to advance France’s medium-term plans, would hamper business confidence, household consumption, and growth potential. Building on recent experiences, the authorities should continue to monitor and evaluate tax expenditure programs to address inefficiencies vis-à-vis intended objectives and generate savings. This approach would also simplify the tax system and facilitate revenue forecasting.

    • The authorities should focus on rationalizing spending and strengthening its efficiency, with concerted action across all government levels: central government, social security, and local governments. France has the highest spending-to-GDP ratio among EU countries. There are several avenues to rationalize spending and improve its quality, while preserving growth-enhancing investment in key priority areas and mitigating distributional impacts on the most vulnerable. The planned expansion of spending reviews and efforts to minimize overlaps across government entities, including local governments, can streamline spending by addressing inefficiencies and reducing red tape. There is also scope to further improve the targeting of social benefits, including by reviewing eligibility and duration of unemployment benefits, to better target active labor market initiatives, as well as to further simplify and harmonize pension schemes, while ensuring a balanced system, building on the 2023 pension reform. These efforts would foster less fragmented and longer careers while enhancing the sustainability and intergenerational equity of the social security system. Enhanced monitoring and financial coordination can also generate savings at the local and national levels.

    The authorities’ initiatives to reinforce public finances forecasting and budget controls, in response to recent fiscal slippages, are welcome. The March 2025 Action plan by the authorities aims at enhancing monitoring of tax revenue, fostering greater transparency, and reinforcing the role of the High Council for Public Finances. Sustained efforts in these areas are essential to identify and proactively address fiscal risks, strengthen public finance management, and enhance fiscal policy credibility. Contingency plans will be also needed to ensure that pressing priority spending needs, including in defense, are met without compromising public finances.

    Macrostructural Policies to Support Jobs and Productivity Growth

    Raising weak productivity growth is critical for sustaining France’s economic prospects, in the face of substantial fiscal consolidation needs. The per capita income gap between France and the US has increased since the early 2000s and now exceeds 20 percent, primarily due to lower productivity and employment in France. Macro-structural reforms can play a critical role in lifting potential output, while facilitating fiscal consolidation efforts. For example, an increase in potential GDP growth of 0.3 percentage points could help reduce public debt by nearly 10 percent of GDP over the long term.

    France is well-positioned to capitalize on the green and digital transitions through greater efforts to support innovation and access to capital. France’s comparative advantage in low-carbon technologies and its potential to become a European hub for Artificial Intelligence can foster the development of new technologies and support growth. Ongoing efforts by the authorities to review and rationalize state aid and R&D tax expenditures by focusing on the most impactful schemes and better targeting eligibility criteria can boost innovation and help close gaps with peers. Enhancing access to finance and reducing financing costs for productive but credit-constrained firms is crucial and should be supported by advancing the EU Savings and Investment Union which can increase the availability of capital and its efficient allocation.

    To support entrepreneurship, policies should focus on easing entry barriers and reducing the regulatory burden. France performs relatively well in terms of product market regulation, but reducing administrative market entry barriers for firms, especially in some services sectors, is crucial for boosting business dynamism and productivity growth. The Simplification Bill, currently under discussion, would be an important step towards further reducing the regulatory burden and streamlining requirements, particularly for small and medium size firms. At the European level, deepening the single market through the removal of remaining intra-EU trade barriers and greater harmonization of regulations can help firms achieve economies of scale and incentivize innovation by expanding market size.

    Sustained efforts to promote employment and job quality remain critical to facilitate green and digital transitions, amid an aging workforce, and boost productivity growth. While employment rates have increased, they remain low in segments of the population compared to other countries. Possible areas for policy intervention include further social benefit reforms to enhance work incentives and reduce career fragmentation, particularly among younger and older individuals. These measures can be complemented by efforts to further raise labor force participation of women, including through recent initiatives to support STEM careers, and better integrate migrants into the labor market. Promoting workforce skills and healthy aging would also contribute to job quality.

    Adapting to a Complex Financial Landscape

    The banking sector has demonstrated resilience to recent shocks, supported by prudent lending standards and strong precautionary buffers. While profitability remains below the EU average, banks’ solvency and liquidity positions are robust, with adequate buffers. Sound prudential measures are mitigating housing market risks as property prices stabilize, while risks to the banking sector from corporate indebtedness and sovereign exposures remain manageable. Notwithstanding high uncertainty, financial stability risks remain contained, with French banks showing resilience under severe geopolitical and recessionary stress test scenarios, applied in the context of the IMF’s 2025 Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP).

    The connections between the banking system, insurance firms, and domestic funding markets warrant continued close monitoring. The FSAP stress test indicates that investment funds possess sufficient liquidity to withstand large redemption shocks, and French banks’ liquidity buffers can absorb potential market shocks from associated fixed-income sell-offs. Moreover, liquidity management tools to contain redemption risks have been widely adopted. Nevertheless, amid global uncertainty and episodes of high market volatility, there is scope to further strengthen oversight through greater monitoring and data sharing on fund liability structures as well as closer collaboration among non-bank financial institutions supervisors in France and at the EU level.

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/05/22/CS-France-2025

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Syria: Sanctions eased, but economic recovery demands global support – Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    The Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, today (21 May) “warmly” welcomed last week’s announcement by United States President Donald Trump on the cessation of sanctions on Syria, as well as similar steps recently announced by the European Union and the United Kingdom.

    Briefing the Security Council remotely from Damascus, Pedersen said, “I have long called for bold steps on sanctions, as have millions of Syrians in and outside the country.”

    The Special Envoy said there “are indeed historic developments,” which “hold major potential to improve living conditions across the country and to support the Syrian political transition,” as well as giving the Syrian people “a chance to grapple with the legacy of misrule, conflict, abuses and poverty from which they are trying to emerge.”

    Pedersen said, “we also know that Syria faces significant structural challenges, with an economy ravaged by over a
    decade of war and conflict, and a host of other destabilizing factors. Revitalizing a devastated economy will require from the interim authorities sustained actions including on overall economic reform and governance standards across the financial system, and this will need international support.”

    He also noted “alarm at renewed Israeli airstrikes in Syria in the reporting period, including during the violence in Druze areas and close to the presidential palace.”

    Such attacks, Pedersen said, “are unacceptable and must cease,” and Syria’s “sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity must be respected.”

    He said, “there are clearly diplomatic possibilities and these must be prioritized.”

    Also briefing remotely, the Geneva Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva (OCHA) Director, Ramesh Rajasingham, said, “16.5 million Syrians need protection and humanitarian assistance. Over half of the population is food insecure. Nearly 3 million people face severe food insecurity.”

    Rajasingham noted that “more than 670,000 men, women and children have been displaced since November last year. This includes some 15,000 people displaced between 30 April and 6 May from Rural Damascus due to the violence in Druze-majority areas.”

    At the same time, he said, “since December, over 1 million internally displaced people have returned to their areas of origin, including some 330,000 people from camps in north-west Syria.”

    Highlighting the alarming funding situation, he warned that as of today, only 10 percent has been funded of the $2 billion needed to reach 8 million people from January through June of this year.

    United States representative John Kelley told the Council that President Trump pledged sanctions relief, will give Syrians, “a chance at greatness,” adding that Trump “wants to see Syria and the entire region thrive.”

    Kelley said, “that’s why he’s made a bold decision on Syria with the hope the new government will take this opportunity to rebuild and take the country from being a source of instability to a source of stability.”

    For his part, Syria’s representative Riyad Khaddour said, “today, we are witnessing the international community’s eagerness to embrace this pivotal moment re-opening its doors to Syria and engaging actively with it. This clearly culminated with the visit of the President of the United States to the region in which included key milestones and constructive decisions, most notably, President Trump’s courageous decision announced from Riyadh – a location of great symbolic significance – to lift sanctions on Syria.”

    Khaddour said, “the new Syria is in sincere pursuit of becoming a state of peace and partnership, not a battleground for conflicts or a platform for foreign ambitions. The new Syria welcomes constructive cooperation initiatives based on mutual interests and mutual respect.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JJTPqnrGoE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Measures to support people with Down syndrome and initiatives for the self-representation of people with disabilities – E-001954/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001954/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Victor Negrescu (S&D)

    In the European Union, including Romania, people with Down syndrome continue to face structural barriers to accessing education, social services and employment and to participating in civic life. In the absence of clear European standards and a framework on the recognition of self-representation, these members of the public are often excluded from decision-making processes that directly affect their lives. In Romania, parents and organisations working to support young people with Down syndrome – such as those recently involved in the Erasmus+ project ‘European Self Advocates’ – are calling for a coordinated European approach that respects their dignity, opinions and fundamental rights.

    Questions:

    • 1.What concrete measures does the Commission have in mind for developing common EU standards for social, educational and support services for people with Down syndrome, with a view to ensuring their equal treatment and genuine inclusion in all Member States?
    • 2.How does the Commission intend to support initiatives promoting the self-representation of people with intellectual disabilities, including those with Down syndrome, so that their voice is heard and respected in decision-making processes at local, national and European level?

    Submitted: 15.5.2025

    Last updated: 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – DEVE delegation to Mauritania on 26-28 May 2025 – Committee on Development

    Source: European Parliament

    Mauritania is a solid and priority partner for the European Union in the region of West Africa and the Sahel. The EU’s Global Gateway Strategy and the response to drivers of fragility combining humanitarian-development-peacebuilding will be the focus of a DEVE mission to the country.

    The mission will be composed of the following Members:

    • Chair: Ms Hildegard BENTELE, EPP (Germany) – DEVE 2nd Vice-Chair
    • Mr Robert BIEDROŃ, S&D (Poland) – DEVE 4th Vice-Chair
    • Mr Reinhold LOPATKA, EPP (Austria)
    • Ms Murielle LAURENT, S&D (France)
    • Mr Rody TOLASSY, PfE (France)

    For the content of the mission please refer to the link below:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Non-evaluation of FATCA agreements by Member States and protection of fundamental rights of EU citizens – E-001950/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001950/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    François-Xavier Bellamy (PPE)

    On 13 April 2021, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) invited Member States to re-evaluate their international agreements involving transfers of personal data, in particular agreements struck with the United States under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), in order to make these agreements compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Four years later, and not a single Member State has published the required evaluation. This inaction constitutes a blatant violation of the obligation of responsibility laid down in Article 24 of the GDPR. During this time, the data of thousands of EU citizens continues to be passed on to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US tax authority, without demonstrated legal safeguards.

    In France, the Finance Act for 2022 required the French Government to submit a report on the implementation of its information exchange commitments, in line with the GDPR and the recommendations of the EDPB. This report has never seen the light of day. The lack of political will to protect fundamental rights is clear.

    At the same time, the IRS publicly asserts its right to collect data outside the United States, in total disregard of EU legislation.

    • 1.Does the Commission consider it acceptable that this situation persists?
    • 2.Does the Commission plan to launch infringement proceedings against the Member States that are failing to fulfil their obligations under EU law?
    • 3.And, above all: is the Commission finally ready to guarantee that EU citizens’ data will be duly protected, even from non-EU powers?

    Submitted: 14.5.2025

    Last updated: 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 10 new Joint Cadet Centres delivered in Wales

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    10 new Joint Cadet Centres delivered in Wales

    10 new Joint Cadet Centres are being delivered in Wales as part of a national effort to modernise the reserve and cadet estate.

    Cadets and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers outside their new Joint Cadet Centre in Caldicot. Copyright: RFCA for Wales.

    Under the Secretary of State-directed Reserve Estates Optimisation Programme (REOP), a number of sites across Wales were identified for development as new shared Joint Cadet Centres. As a result, 10 new centres are being created either as refurbished sites or brand-new modular builds, e.g. Caldicot in the south.

    The project is RFCA for Wales’ contribution to the government’s drive to improve the cadet and reserve estate across the UK. This comes after a national review of the reserve and cadet estate in 2020, which examined the reach, condition, suitability and value-for-money of every cadet and reserve building in the UK.

    While the initiative is being led by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the council of RFCAs, regional RFCAs and Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) are closely involved. The REOP has so far delivered 59 out of 88 planned projects, which will amount to c. £45 million invested once complete, and just over £5 million invested across the 10 sites in Wales.

    RFCA for Wales Head of Estates, Mr Phil Young, said:

    We are adapting and improving our estate to ensure we have the right buildings in the right locations to meet the needs of cadets in the future.

    The programme in Wales has meant that 12 cadet and reserve sites are being disposed of, contributing to a more efficient estate. One of the latest developments is a new Joint Cadet Centre in Penarth, where 2 existing air cadet buildings were extended and reconfigured to create one building. The local army cadets also make use of the new shared accommodation.

    In Caldicot, the old Army Cadet Force building in Mill Lane was razed to the ground to make way for a bespoke £1.2 million building which opened its doors last summer, with space for collaborative training between the army and air cadets.

    Kerris Drew, Staff Sergeant Instructor of Caldicot ACF, said:

    This new state-of-art building is great – it’s so much bigger than the old one with better facilities, including more classrooms which allow us to carry out more efficient and targeted training with the cadets. Outside there is a parade area for drill practice and a garden with wildlife boxes. It also has a spacious stores room, offices and even air conditioning.

    5 new centres have already been created at Blaina, Blackwood, Caldicot, Penarth and Pengam-Cascade, and a further 5 are in the works at Tredegar, Bangor, Bridgend, Ammanford and Ebbw Vale.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: April 2025 Transaction Data

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    April 2025 Transaction Data

    This data provides information about the number and types of applications that HM Land Registry completed in April 2025.

    NicoElNino/Shutterstock.com

    Please note this data shows what HM Land Registry has been able to process during the time period covered and is not necessarily a reflection of market activity.

    In April:

    • HM Land Registry completed over 1,811,920 applications to change or query the Land Register 
    • The South East topped the table of regional applications with 408,047

    HM Land Registry completed 1,811,924 applications in April compared with 1,974,155 in March 2025 and 1,953,642 last April 2024, of which: 

    • 285,129 were applications for register updates compared with 295,653 in March
    • 1,058,989 were applications for an official copy of a register compared with 1,097,576 in March
    • 158,279 were search and hold queries (official searches) compared with 263,960 in March
    • 78,380 were transactions for value compared with 83,730 in March * 14,592 were postal applications from non-account holders compared with 15,564 in March

    Applications by region and country 

    Region/country February applications March applications April applications
    South East 401,605 444,651 408,047
    Greater London 340,916 370,483 336,247
    North West 207,672 227,167 208,094
    South West 175,173 191,416 174,721
    West Midlands 156,886 169,372 155,674
    Yorkshire and the Humber 143,216 157,393 145,196
    East Midlands 133,701 145,134 133,700
    North 88,757 96,664 90,391
    East Anglia 76,081 84,604 77,323
    Isles of Scilly 64 77 53
    Wales 82,335 87,088 82,370
    England and Wales (not assigned) 94 106 108
    Total 1,806,500 1,974,155 1,811,924

    Top 5 local authority areas 

    April 2024 applications

    Top 5 Local authority areas April applications
    Birmingham 29,015
    City of Westminster 23,624
    Leeds 20,615
    North Yorkshire 20,400
    Buckinghamshire 18,668

    March 2025 applications

    Top 5 local authority areas March applications
    Birmingham 31,179
    City of Westminster 26,760
    North Yorkshire 22,416
    Leeds 21,919
    Cornwall 21,623

    Top 5 customers 

    April 2024 applications

    Top 5 customers April applications
    Infotrack Limited 195,556
    Enact 33,159
    O’Neill Patient 30,861
    Landmark Information Group Ltd 29,905
    Orbital Witness Limited 28,157

    March 2025 applications

    Top 5 customers March applications
    Infotrack Limited 212,489
    Enact 35,812
    O’Neill Patient 30,751
    Landmark Information Group Ltd 29,962
    Orbital Witness Limited 28,718

    Access the full dataset on our Use land and property data service.

    Next publication 

    Transaction Data is published on the 15th working day of each month. The May 2025 data will be published at 11am on Friday 20 June 2025.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £26 million CashBack for Communities

    Source: Scottish Government

    Increased funding to help young people away from crime.

    Projects supporting young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities are to receive up to £26 million over the next three years.

    The Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme uses money recovered from seized criminal assets to provide crucial support to young people who may be at risk of becoming involved in offending or antisocial behaviour.

    Successful projects in the programme’s next stage (2026-2029) will deliver a range of activities and support for those aged 10 to 25, to help tackle some of the underlying causes of antisocial behaviour and criminal activity. Projects will also provide access to trusted adults who young people can confide in.

    Since 2008 CashBack for Communities has invested £156 million and supported around 1.4 million young people across all 32 local authorities in Scotland.

    Visiting a project based at Glasgow’s Easterhouse Sports Centre, Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown said:

    “CashBack for Communities is inspiring. It turns the proceeds of crime into life-changing opportunities for the thousands of young people who take part in projects across Scotland every year.

    “Over the course of the next three years of the programme, we are providing £26 million to organisations to deliver diversionary and support work with children and young people. By learning new skills and boosting their confidence, it helps young people in our communities who are at risk of becoming involved in crime be diverted from that path and realise their potential.

    “Since its inception more than a million young people have received support to turn their lives around, with opportunities provided into employment, education or volunteering. CashBack’s success is also testament to the work of law enforcement partners in disrupting organised crime groups – bringing them to justice and seizing their ill-gotten gains, using them to deliver a successful programme across the country.”

    Background

    CashBack for Communities is a Scottish Government initiative which takes funds recovered through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and invests them back into communities. It supports delivery of Scottish Government’s Vision for Justice in Scotland.

    More information on the CashBack for Communities programme. Applications for funding open on 12 June 2025.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Professor Beth Lord appointed to REF role The University of Aberdeen’s Professor Beth Lord has been appointed as deputy chair of an expert sub-panel that will assess research in REF 2029.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Professor Beth Lord

    The University of Aberdeen’s Professor Beth Lord has been appointed as deputy chair of an expert sub-panel that will assess research in REF 2029.
    The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a process of academic review. UK institutions make submissions into units of assessment (UoAs) each of which is assessed by an expert sub-panel , working under the guidance of four main panels.
    Professor Lord is deputy chair of the Philosophy sub-panel (UoA 30) working with Professor Bill Child from the University of Oxford as chair.
    They are now working to appoint a team of sub-panellists, ensuring that membership reflects the full range of required expertise. These appointments will be announced in summer 2025.
    The sub-panel chairs and deputy chairs will lead their members through the criteria-setting phase, beginning later this year, and on through to the assessment phase in 2029 when sub-panellists will evaluate submissions from universities across the UK.
    Professor Lord, Head of the School of Divinity, History, Philosophy & Art History, said: “I’m honoured to have been invited to serve as deputy chair for the Philosophy sub-panel.
    “REF is an important exercise in assessing the quality of UK university research and provides governments, funders and the public with confidence that research is world-class and impactful.
    “Leading this process is a great opportunity to serve the profession, and I am looking forward to getting started.”
    REF Director Rebecca Fairbairn said: “I’m delighted to welcome this outstanding group to lead the REF 2029 sub-panels. Their deep expertise and broad perspectives will be central to building an assessment process that is fair, rigorous, and trusted by the research community. We have been working in partnership with the sector throughout this process, and I’m grateful to everyone who expressed interest – your engagement is what strengthens the credibility and value of the REF across our research landscape.”
    The list of appointed chairs and deputy chairs can be found on the REF webpages.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sign-up to new Statistics Jersey alerts22 May 2025 ​Islanders are being encouraged to sign-up to receive email notifications about key statistics on Jersey’s economy and population as soon as they’re released. The email notification service is part of… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    22 May 2025

    ​Islanders are being encouraged to sign-up to receive email notifications about key statistics on Jersey’s economy and population as soon as they’re released. 

    The email notification service is part of Statistics Jersey’s new website, www.stats.je , launched earlier this month.  

    Until recently, Statistics Jersey published its reports and data on www.gov.je. Following amendments to the Statistics and Census (Jersey) Law, this information has been moved to www.stats.je.  

    Islanders who previously received email notifications about Statistics Jersey publications from www.gov.je will no longer receive these and will need to sign-up for notifications from www.stats.je . 

    The new website www.stats.je offers user-friendly statistical data compiled by Statistics Jersey as well as improved interactivity for policy makers, businesses and the general public.  Users can now see Jersey’s key indicators, such as the RPI and the House Price Index, at a glance as well as being able to explore interactive charts and download reports. ​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sunderland welcomes a new Mayor and Mayoress – Councillor Ehthesham Haque and Councillor Lynda Scanlan.

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Sunderland’s new Mayor and Mayoress were officially sworn in at the meeting of full council yesterday (Wednesday 21 May).

    They took over the ceremonial chains of office from the retiring Mayor and Consort, Councillor Allison Chisnall and Consort Mr Alistair Thomson.

    Sunderland’s new Mayor Councillor Ehthesham Haque is the cities youngest Mayor at 28-years-old and first Mayor of Asian descent.

    Cllr Haque has lived in Sunderland since the age of 10, after relocating with his family from London. A former pupil of Richard Avenue Primary and Thornhill Comprehensive, he continued his studies at Sunderland College, the University of Sunderland, and later Cambridge University.

    Elected as a Ward Councillor for Barnes in 2023, he works as a Civil Servant and has a strong passion for politics and community service. He served on the Health and Scrutiny Committee and was Governor at his former primary school prior to becoming Deputy Mayor.

    Cllr Haque lives with his wife and family in Sunderland and is committed to working hard for his constituents and the wider city.

    New Mayor, Cllr Haque said: “To have been elected Mayor of Sunderland is the proudest achievement of my life so far and I am honoured to serve the City of Sunderland. I am looking forward to celebrating the people of this city and its businesses, charities and communities.”

    Cllr Haque’s Chaplain will be The Reverend Canon Clare MacLaren, Provost of Sunderland Minster, High Street West, Sunderland.

    Sunderland’s new Mayoress Cllr Scanlan has served in both Millfield and Hendon Wards after first being elected councillor for Millfield in 2011. She also served as Mayor in 2018 to 2019 and is no stranger to mayoral duties.

    New Mayoress, Cllr Scanlan said: “I have been a member of council for over a decade, and I am thrilled to be elected Mayoress of Sunderland. There are so many fantastic opportunities coming up in the year ahead to showcase this city, and support events such as Active Sunderland sports events, the Christmas light switch on, and Remembrance Day parades.”

    The new Mayor and Mayoress, will be supporting Love, Amelia and Hopespring charities, which both support children and families.

    Also sworn in by full Council as Deputy Mayor for 2025-2026 is Councillor Melanie Thornton and the Deputy Mayoress will be Councillor Thornton’s mother, Carol Hopps.

    Cllr Thornton has lived in Sunderland’s Coalfield area all her life, growing up in East Rainton and Hetton. She now lives in Hetton Downs and supports local groups including Friends of Hetton Lyons Country Park and Coalfields Pride, which she chairs. Elected as a City Councillor for Copt Hill in 2019, she previously chaired the Planning and Highways Committee and is honoured to now serve as Deputy Mayor of Sunderland.

    The outgoing Mayor, Cllr Chisnall said: “It has been an honour and privilege to serve as Mayor of Sunderland. I have enjoyed working with Councillor Haque as Deputy Mayor and Councillor Scanlan. I wish the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor the best of luck for this coming year.

    “I will look back at my time in office with such fondness. Taking part in events like the Mayor’s Civic Ball, The Christmas Light Switch On, and VE Day has been an honour.

    “We are also incredibly grateful to have been able to raise around £20,000.00 for our chosen charities Castletown Scouts Group, Hylton Castle Trust, and The Royalty Theatre.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales Reinforces Commitment to Malaysia at LIMA 2025 with New Leadership and Contracts Awarded

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales Reinforces Commitment to Malaysia at LIMA 2025
    with New Leadership and Contracts Awarded

    • As a strategic partner in helping Malaysia achieve air sovereignty, Thales has been awarded the role to supply two additional Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400α) radars by the Ministry of Defence for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), following the previous contract for the first radar at the end of 2023.
    • Thales will enhance tactical communications for land forces and reinforce its radio communications capabilities through the signing of a strategic MoU with Malaysian defence partner, ADS, to collaborate on radio projects.
    • Thales has also been selected to deploy the AW139 flight simulator to the Royal Malaysian Police with local partner Novatis Resources through the LOA signed in presence of Thales.
    • To drive the Thales business forward, Florian Riou has been appointed Country Director for Thales in Malaysia, effective 1 July 2025.
    Thales’s GM400α radar © Thales” id=”image-a30cd6be-5247-44f2-87e6-7e1b9bfd9e1d” data-id=”a30cd6be-5247-44f2-87e6-7e1b9bfd9e1d” data-original=”https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/a30cd6be-5247-44f2-87e6-7e1b9bfd9e1d/-/inline/no/ABC.jpg” data-mfp-src=”https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/a30cd6be-5247-44f2-87e6-7e1b9bfd9e1d/-/format/auto/” alt=”Thales’s GM400α radar © Thales”/>
    Thales’s GM400α radar © Thales

    On the occasion of the LIMA 2025 exhibition in Langkawi, Thales’ commitment to Malaysian defence is once again recognised by the Malaysian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces. With a steady economic growth outlook, the Malaysian government is keen to advance the country’s military modernisation and Thales remains at the forefront of this, with the Memorandum of Understanding & Letter of Award received for equipment ranging from radars to radios.

    I. Two additional GM400α long-range radars for superior situational air awareness

    To strengthen the air surveillance and air defence capabilities of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Thales will supply two additional long-range air surveillance GM400α radars, following the ceremony held on Day 3 of LIMA 2025, in presence of Francois-Xavier Boutes, Country Director of Thales Malaysia and YBhg Datuk Lokman Hakim bin Ali, Secretary General from the Ministry of Defence, and witnessed by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin, Minister of Defence. The award of these two additional radars underscores the trust held by the RMAF in Thales’ radar technology, following the first GM400α contract signed at the end of 2023. Thanks to its high mobility, high availability, easy upgradeability and seamless integration, the GM400α offers armed forces with a valuable tool to gain tactical advantage, detecting all types of threats early and providing precious minutes for decision-making and action (515km range). Today more than 270 Ground Master field-proven family air surveillance radars have been sold worldwide.

    In Malaysia, Thales will partner Weststar Group once again to deploy the radars in line with the operational requirements of the RMAF. Thales will also engage in the Transfer of Knowledge and Train-the-Trainer courses delivered under the Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP), while strengthening its installed base in Malaysia for long-range surveillance radars. By building local expertise, Thales will enhance the efficiency of radar maintenance, enhance the autonomy of the RMAF and ensure timely on-ground maintenance support close to the end-users. Thales’ radar expertise in Malaysia runs deep, as the country was also the launch customer for the precursor GM400 radar in 2009.

    II. Enhancing tactical and radio communications for Malaysia

    To further deepen its expertise in radio and tactical communications, Thales has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with partner ADS Sdn. Bhd. Signed on Day 2 of LIMA between Brig Gen Dato’ Abdul Hadi bin Abdul Razak (R), ADS and Nicolas Bouverot, VP Thales Asia, the collaboration will see both parties working on the latest digital technologies for handheld radios and other tactical communications.

    III. A helicopter training simulator marks a first contract with Royal Malaysian Police (RMP)

    Pascale Sourisse, CEO, Thales International witnessed the signing of an LOA, together with Malaysian partner Novatis Resources to deliver a Reality-H® AW139 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) to be used for pilot training with the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP). The Thales Reality H Full Flight Simulator is the world’s most advanced commercial helicopter simulator, and will be qualified to meet Level D standard, the highest level of qualification for a simulator. This marks a first engagement with the RMP, where pilots of the Police Air Wing Training Academy and other government agencies including the fire brigade and coast guard can benefit from realistic and immersive training, customised to the Malaysian environment and terrain.

    IV. New leadership for Thales in Malaysia

    To drive the growing business in Malaysia, Florian Riou has been appointed Country Director for Thales in Malaysia and Brunei and will effectively take on the role on 1st of July 2025. Florian brings close to 18 years of professional experience in foreign trade policy and trade compliance, with roles held in the French Ministry of Economics and Finance and Safran Group. With Thales since 2017, Florian’s most recent role was as Group Trade Compliance Director for Thales, based in France.

    “These latest agreements are recognition of how Thales’ solutions are supporting the needs of the Malaysian government and Malaysian forces. Our air surveillance radars are bringing air superiority to the Royal Malaysian Air Force in some of most challenging tropical environments. In addition, our history in tactical radio communications dates back several decades in Malaysia and looks set to continue as we collaborate with strong local partners to develop home-grown expertise and joint solutions to support the Army. We appreciate the renewed trust established with Thales to help drive the modernisation of its armed forces.” Pascale Sourisse, CEO, Thales International.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Proactive planning enforcement transforms Newport’s high street 22 May 2025 Community Council reveals that financial support has seen a large section of Newport’s high street restored

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council has revealed that its financial support has seen a large section of Newport’s high street buildings restored, transforming the look and feel for residents and visitors alike.

    The Isle of Wight Council’s Planning Enforcement Strategy allows parish, town and community councils to fund additional planning enforcement in their patch to target specific areas. In the case of Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council, the priorities were buildings along Carisbrooke High Street and Newport High Street that were untidy and falling into a state of disrepair.

    With the extra capacity, the Isle of Wight Council has been able to work with property owners and occupiers to tackle over 50 untidy buildings. This partnership approach has seen 39 buildings being successfully restored through remedial works, with many more lined up for the same treatment. There has also been a ripple effect, where properties are now being restored without the need for intervention from the Council.

    The improved visual appearance of the high street has been positive and such changes are known to help improve civic pride and wellbeing too.

    Councillor Paul Fuller, cabinet member for planning, coastal protection and flooding, said: “the success of proactive planning enforcement action in Newport has been wonderful to see.”

    “It is positive to see landowners voluntarily taking measures to maintain and restore their buildings and shop frontages.”

    “Using proactive planning enforcement action to restore the appearance of buildings will help regain a sense of community and respect for the town which will hopefully create a socioeconomic benefit by drawing business back to the high street.”

    “This change will not only be visible to local residents, but to visitors and tourists visiting the Isle of Wight.”

    Councillor Vix Lowthion, chair of Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council said: “the visible improvements in our town centre and beyond have been remarked upon by visitors and locals alike.”

    “Our community council could only achieve these results through working in partnership with the IW Council, who have listened closely to the priorities of local ward councillors throughout.” 

    “I know I can speak for us all when I say it has certainly been money well spent.”

    Any parish or town councils who are interested in joining Lake Parish Council, Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council, Ryde Town Council and Sandown Town Council in funding additional planning enforcement capacity for their area should contact enforcement.team@iow.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UK: Creative industry figures urge Starmer to act against Gaza genocide- ‘you know what is happening’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    116 leading UK and Irish creatives have urged Keir Starmer to act over Israel’s escalating atrocities in Gaza, criticising UK arms exports, settlement trade, and lack of ICC support – open letter 

    Riz Ahmed, Dame Harriet Walker, Maxine Peake, Nish Kumar, Paloma Faith and others condemn UK government inaction on Gaza 

    The Prime Minister must ‘stand up for justice and human rights’ and ‘words are no longer enough; we need to see action’ – Creatives 

    Artists gather outside Downing Street to hold placards urging the PM to act to stop the genocide and human rights abuses in Gaza 

    Over 100 leading voices from across the UK and Ireland’s film, television, and creative industries including Riz Ahmed, Dame Harriet Walker, Maxine Peake, Nish Kumar, Paloma Faith, Juliet Stevenson and many more have united to call on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take urgent action in response to Israel’s escalating atrocities in Gaza and the wider Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).   

    In a public letter, the group condemn “all attacks on civilians” but emphasise that as well as Israel’s decades-long military occupation, expansion of illegal settlements, and system of apartheid, Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, as described by Amnesty International in its report “You feel Like You Are Subhuman”.  

    “We are deeply troubled by your lack of meaningful action to help deter Israel’s horrifying and calculated violations of Palestinian rights,” the letter states to the Prime Minister. 

    Since October 2023, more than 20,000 children have reportedly been killed in Gaza. The group point to the use of 2,000lb bombs dropped from F-35 fighter jets – supplied with UK-made components – as part of a devastating campaign that includes siege tactics blocking access to food, water, electricity, and medicine for over two million civilians. 

    “You know what is happening,” they write to the Prime Minister, and state “your Government is failing to fulfil its obligation to prevent the ongoing genocide in Gaza.” 

    The letter also highlights a stark double standard in UK policy: banning imports from Russian-occupied Crimea, while allowing trade with Israeli settlements in the illegally Occupied Palestinian Territory. The International Court of Justice has made clear that countries must not support illegal occupations – including through trade.

    In addition to arms and trade, the group call on the UK government to fully support the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region. 

    Their demands include: 

    • An immediate suspension of all UK arms exports to Israel 
    • A ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory 
    • Compliance with international legal rulings, including those of the ICJ and ICC 

    The group implores the Prime Minister “to stand up for justice and human rights” and that “words are no longer enough; we need to see action”. 

    Artists gather outside Downing Street to deliver the letter and hold placards urging the PM to act to stop Israel’s genocide and human rights abuses in Gaza. 

    The artists held placards bearing messages from residents of Gaza that capture the urgency and human toll of the crisis: 

    • “I don’t want my child to die hungry” – Gaza Resident, Occupied Gaza 
    • “You may send your child to bring water only for him to return in a body bag” – Gaza Resident, Occupied Gaza 

    These statements are a stark reminder of the daily reality for civilians under Israel’s illegal blockade.  

    About the Signatories 

    This statement by Amnesty International has been endorsed by a coalition of UK-based professionals across the creative industries – filmmakers, actors, writers, artists and cultural leaders – who believe in the power of art, law, and collective voice in the face of injustice. 

    Ahmed Masoud; Aisling Bea; Aiysha Hart; Alan Moore; Alexander McKinnon; Alexei Sayle; Alice Roberts; Alisdair Beckett; King Amrita Acharia; Andrea Arnold Anjli; Mohindra Anneika; Rose Annie Mac; Sir Anish Kapoor CBE; Anoushka Shankar; Dr Ariel Caine; Bernadette O’Brien; Bertie Carvel; President of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation; Brian Eno; Briony Hannah; Brona C Titley; Charlotte Church; Chipo Chung; David Morrissey; Deborah Frances-White; Declan McKenna; Denise Gough; Emma D’Arcy; Esther Freud; Esther Manito; Fionn O’Loinsigh; Francesca Martinez; Frankie Boyle; Frederico Gaggio; Grace Petrie; Dame Harriet Walter; Himesh Patel; Ian Rickson; Imran Yusuf; Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness; Inua Ellams MBE; Ivor Graeme; Jackie Clune; James Acaster; Jan Pearson; Janie Dee; Jason Fleming; Jay Griffiths; Jen Brister; Jessica Fostekew; Jim Loach; John Higgs; Josie Long; Jolyon Rubinstein; Juliet Stevenson CBE; Kathy Lette; Kerry Godliman; Khalid Abdalla; Ken Loach; Lise Meyer; Lolly Adefope; Louisa Young; Love Ssegga; Mae Martin; Mahtab Hussain; Manjinder Virk; Mariam Haque; Marnie Dickens; Max Porter; Maxine Peake; Dr Michael Hrebeniak; Misan Harriman; Mystery Jets; Nadia Sawalha; Nicola Thorp; Nikesh Patel; Nikesh Shukla; Nikita Gill; Nimmi Harasgama; Nish Kumar; Paapa Essiedu; Paloma Faith; Paul Laverty; Penny Woolcock; Peter Wyer; Rebecca O’Brien; Rida Hamidou; Riz Ahmed; Robin Ince; Robin Morrissey; Roger Hartley; Roisin O’Loughlin; Ruth Lass; Salena Godden; Sam Spruell; Sara Masry; Sarah Agha; Sasha Behar; Selma Dabbagh; Shazia Mirza; Simon Rix; Sonali Bhattacharyya; Stewart Lee; Steve Coogan; Susan Lynch; Suzi Ruffell; Thomas Browne; Thomas Combes; Thusitha Jayasundera; Tobias Menzies; Dame Tracey Emin; Tracey Seaward; Vijay Mistry; Vivian Munn; Young Fathers (all members); Zainab Hassan 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council leaders visit Portakabin to champion skills and apprenticeships

    Source: City of York

    The Deputy Leader of City of York Council, alongside senior council officers, recently visited the Portakabin head office in York.

    Portakabin, the market leader in the manufacture and construction of modular buildings, is one of York’s largest employers, with over 1,000 people working across its head office and manufacturing facility in the city. The company has proudly called York home for more than 60 years.

    As a globally recognised brand, Portakabin recently welcomed local leaders to its York headquarters to discuss future growth opportunities, the importance of strong public-private partnerships, and to reflect on recent successes, including a thriving apprenticeship scheme that is opening skilled career paths for young people across the region.

    The apprenticeship scheme at Portakabin offers its people development opportunities, with 98% of apprentices offered a full-time career with the company once their apprenticeship completes.

    Apprenticeships range from the required skills for modular building construction such as electrical apprenticeships, to product design, quantity surveying, finance, and marketing.

    Councillor Pete Kilbane, Deputy Leader of the Council with responsibility for Economy and Culture, said:

    I was delighted to accept the invitation from Portakabin to visit their head office and hear about the work taking place to provide skilled and well-paid jobs.

    “York is a fantastic place to do business, we have a highly skilled population, and it is a great place to live.

    “A key priority of this council is for the city to have a fair, thriving, green economy for all, which provides opportunities and well-paid jobs. Portakabin are one of many amazing businesses in York who will help us to achieve that ambition. It was particularly good to hear so much about their apprenticeship schemes and how that is turning into long-term careers for our young people.”

    Dan Ibbetson, CEO at Portakabin said:

    We were delighted to welcome Councillor Pete Kilbane to our Head Office here in York. We are proud to be a York based business, delivering exceptional spaces across the UK and Northern Europe from our home here in Huntington.

    “Our successes are testament to the people that work here, the highly skilled and motivated teams that deliver a meaningful impact both in work and the wider York community. It was a pleasure to give Councillor Kilbane and other senior leaders from the council an insight into the people, community and spaces we deliver here at Portakabin.”

    For businesses big and small there’s lots of support available to help your business prosper and thrive through the council’s Growth Managers. For more information visit our Grow Your Business webpage or email economicgrowth@york.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Official launch of LGBTQIA+ Awareness Week

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Official launch of LGBTQIA+ Awareness Week

    22 May 2025

    The launch of LGBTQIA+ Awareness Week took place last week with a special event and exhibition of a section of the Pride Quilt, created over thirty years ago.

    The event was attended by members of UNISON who first initiated Awareness Week, LGBTQIA support organisations Rainbow and Foyle Pride, and members of the Council’s recently established LGBTQIA+ Working Group, plus many friends and supporters of the LGBTQIA+ community.

    The section of the Quilt on display is a tribute to those who sadly lost their lives to AIDS and members of the family of one of the event’s founders Patrick Doherty were present at the launch. Patrick, who died from the disease, was fondly remembered by his family at the event, in particular his sister Karen who gave a moving speech about the ongoing need for support for the LGBTQIA+ community locally.

    Also speaking at the launch, Martin McConnelogue and Michael McLaughlin, fellow co-founders of LGBTQIA+ Awareness Week, stressed the importance of providing support for a marginalized community. They welcomed the event and the presence of the Doherty family and also thanked local organisations and Council for making a local launch possible. This was echoed by Jason Dunne of Foyle Pride.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Funding for Major City Projects Welcomed

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    Funding from the Scottish Government to assist major projects in Dundee is being welcome by senior councillors.

    Awards will be used to support development of the Dundee Museum of Transport at the former Maryfield tram depot and assist efforts to improve the Lochee area of the city.

    £1 million is coming from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund for the museum of transport. (link to museum news release on website)

    Meanwhile, the Scottish Government’s Vacant & Derelict Land Investment Programme is awarding £695,000 towards the ongoing Lochee Placemaking Project.

    This will support work to improve and unlock a number of vacant sites along Lochee High Street.

    Scottish Government investment will allow the addition of a major new water and drainage system in the High Street to allow development of social housing.

    Councillor Steven Rome, Dundee City Council convener of Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure, said: “I am delighted that the Dundee Museum of Transport is receiving another major award to help in the journey to redevelop the former tram depot into a new attraction..

    “There is real excitement building around the project and I would like to congratulate all connected with the museum for this significant step forward.”

    Depute convener of Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Cllr Siobhan Tolland, added: “I welcome funding from the Scottish Government which will help us to invest in the future of Lochee.

    “This will assist in transforming currently derelict sites making them viable for the development of much needed social housing in the area.”

    “The Lochee Placemaking project, which will be taken forward with Scottish Water, will provide drainage solutions at locations on Lochee High Street, Bank Street and the former Bright Street church.

    “It will allow us to take forward positive projects for the area and its people.”

    The Lochee Placemaking Project is already underway with refurbishment of two shop units, while preparation work is taking place for a major new mural at Bank Street.

    A new landscaped area will be provided at the corner of Bank Street and High Street and a heritage trail will be established.

    Construction works are expected to start in autumn and will continue into early next year.

    Support has come from the Lochee Residents and Tenants association and Love Lochee who have raised funds for the heritage trail and mural and assisted the council in efforts to attract funding.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –