NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cardiff set for UK Government jobs boost to drive growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Cardiff set for UK Government jobs boost to drive growth

    Cardiff has been named as one of 13 locations where more Civil Service jobs will be moved in a boost for the local economy.

    Tŷ William Morgan House, Cardiff

    Under the shake up, government roles will be shifted outside of London to towns and cities in all four nations of the UK, delivering and developing policy closer to the communities it affects.

    The move is projected to bring £729 million worth of economic benefit to the 13 growth areas by 2030.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, said:

    To deliver our Plan for Change, we are taking more decision-making out of Whitehall and moving it closer to communities all across the UK.

    By relocating thousands of Civil Service roles we will not only save taxpayers money, we will make this Government one that better reflects the country it serves. We will also be making sure that Government jobs support economic growth throughout the country.

    As we radically reform the state, we are going to make it much easier for talented people everywhere to join the Civil Service and help us rebuild Britain.

    Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

    It is great news that Wales will be a major beneficiary of UK Government plans to develop policy closer to the communities it affects.

    This decision builds upon the strong presence that the UK Government already has in Wales while driving growth, boosting jobs and giving opportunity for Welsh talent to thrive.

    Currently, 9,230 civil service roles are based in Cardiff. More than 31,500 full time equivalent roles are based in Wales, with 14 major UK Government departments having a presence in the nation. 

    Thousands more government jobs will be moved to the 13 towns and cities across the UK, which have been named today.

    Government departments now will submit plans for how many roles they plan to move to each of the locations as part of the spending review.

    Changes will be introduced so talented young people from across the UK are able to progress straight from school or university into the Civil Service and rise all the way up to the most senior roles, without ever having worked in Whitehall.

    To ensure those based outside of London have equal professional growth and development opportunities, with full end-to-end careers, the Government will locate 50% of UK-based Senior Civil Servants in regional offices by 2030. 

    This will be supported by a new approach to the Fast Stream programme, which is the Civil Service graduate scheme, with at least 50% of placements offered outside of London. 

    The Prime Minister is keen to further enhance the impact of Government in places across the country, so that the Civil Service has an active presence in communities and contributes to local growth and job creation.

    The plans will see more roles working closer to frontline services, facilitating greater understanding of the real issues facing local services and people, and how central government policy can support them.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour’s values are worth less than the paper they are printed on

    Source: Scottish Greens

    14 May 2025 Justice

    Scottish Greens react to Sarwar backing anti-migrant policies

    More in Justice

    Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has backed Keir Starmer’s anti-migrant policy announcements in a move that will “damage Scottish public services” according to Scottish Greens Co-Leader Lorna Slater.

    During a visit to Larkhall, the Scottish Labour leader told journalists, “I think right across the board we need to see our net migration figures come down,” and “I do support the Prime Minister in wanting to reform our immigration system. I do think we have to control our borders.”

    On Monday, the Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “we risk becoming an island of strangers” in an Enoch Powell-esque speech and asserted that all migrants should “speak English”.

    Reacting to Sarwar’s comments, Scottish Greens Co-Leader Lorna Slater said:

    “Anas Sarwar promised to ‘stand up to Keir Starmer’ ahead of last year’s election, but time and again he’s defended the cynical and cruel actions of this UK Labour Government, against the interests of Scotland.

    “From cutting the winter fuel payment for pensioners, to abandoning WASPI women, and now throwing migrant workers under the bus, this Labour government has proven that they will do just about anything to pander to the far-right and Anas Sarwar will back them all the way.

    “Anas Sarwar must surely know that these latest anti-migrant policies will only serve to damage Scottish public services and legitimise the hateful rhetoric of Nigel Farage.

    “People across the country can see that Scottish Labour’s values are worth less than the paper they are printed on. Sarwar has once again failed Scotland.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston’s Mayor, Councillor Phil Crowe, bids farewell

    Source: City of Preston

    14 May 2025

    Today, Councillor Philip Crowe, the 696th Mayor of Preston, steps down from his role, making way for Councillor Sue Whittam, who will proudly take on the title of Madam Mayor. 

    “It’s been an honour and a privilege to serve as Mayor of Preston.” 

    To mark the occasion, Councillor Crowe will address fellow councillors and guests at the Mayor Making ceremony in the Council Chamber at Preston Town Hall. 

    Reflecting on his time as Mayor, Councillor Crowe has shared many memorable highlights, from unveiling the Feathers McGraw statue and opening the new Animate Leisure Complex, to meeting famous faces like Nick Park and Paddy McGuinness, and attending the unforgettable Radio 2 in the Park event, where he made a guest appearance on stage in front of thousands with Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox.

    Speaking fondly about that weekend, Councillor Crowe said: 

    “That was brilliant — I was dying to see the Pet Shop Boys. We were taken to this huge tent, filled with screens, surrounded by police, fire and rescue, the ambulance service, and Preston City Council.  

    “Then the head of security announced, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Mayor and Mayoress of Preston,’ and everyone stood up. It was incredible.” 

    Throughout his mayoral year, Councillor Crowe has championed several charities, including Furniture for Education Worldwide (FEW), Let’s Grow Preston, and Disability Equality North West.

    He is especially proud of his ongoing work with FEW in The Gambia. 

    Reflecting on his time as Mayor, Councillor Crowe said: 

    “Every day has brought a new highlight. The number of people who volunteer in Preston is phenomenal. In addition to my mayoral duties, I’m also honoured to serve as Honorary President of St Catherine’s Hospice, which alone has more than 600 volunteers.” 

    Though his mayoral chapter is ending, Councillor Crowe will continue to serve as a councillor and remain committed to supporting his community. 

    Councillor Crowe added: 

    “I never imagined becoming a councillor, let alone the Mayor. It’s been an honour and a privilege to represent the city I love.”

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Exciting times ahead for transport in Edinburgh

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Writing in today’s Evening News, Transport and Environment Convener Stephen Jenkinson goes into some of the key transport business of the day.

    At the end of April, I was lucky enough to visit the North Bridge and see firsthand the specialist work that we’re undertaking to restore this structure to its former glory. This site was one of the first places I visited when taking over as Convener last year and I’m very impressed with the progress that the project team has made since then. One particularly striking element was the paintwork being completed by hand on the cast iron façade. This is in addition to resurfacing work, grit blasting structural steelwork, repairing and improving the footway paving and underdrainage amongst a host of other improvements. I’m really excited for the scaffolding to come down and unveil this piece of Edinburgh’s history – restored ready to step into the modern age.

    Regarding modernity, another significant development that is on the way is the Tap On Tap Off (ToTo) launch which is set for next week. This new integrated ticketing system across both Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses will allow residents and visitors to travel more efficiently and at the best value; with ticket prices automatically capped at the cheapest daily and weekly rate.

    Our excellent public transport system is an inclusive form of travel, which provides an alternative to car use for people across the city, but in particular for people with lower incomes or those with mobility issues. Encouraging low carbon travel is also a key element of our wider climate ambitions and I’m sure this development will encourage greater use of our public transport network.

    I’m committed to keeping Edinburgh moving and ToTo is a very welcome addition.  

    In terms of committee business, one key report which we’ll consider next week is on the prioritisation of the City Mobility Plan. This report sets out our proposed capital investment programme over the next decade, including which projects to take forward and which to pause. Prioritising allows us to work smarter with the resources we have available – making sure we have a clear and achievable path to achieving our objectives. 

    These goals include improving how we move around the city, including prioritising public transport, providing safer conditions for walking, wheeling and cycling and reducing harmful emissions.

    When considering prioritisation, we scored projects against 15 separate criteria points which include impact on road safety, public transport, inequality, and capital raising challenges.

    This is a complex and thorough piece of work which allows the City Mobility Plan to be agile, and able to adapt in the future as necessary.

    However, one key element in this conversation is the fact that we remain dependent on external funding for many projects, particularly from the Scottish Government and by extension Transport Scotland.

    Complex projects which take years to plan and complete but which are subject to annual external funding decisions makes this situation inherently difficult, we need commitment and stability from the Scottish Government if we’re to deliver the changes which our city needs and deserves.

    I look forward to debating this important issue with colleagues next week.

    We live in interesting and ever evolving times for transport in Edinburgh. I’m committed to keeping the city moving sustainably as we press ahead with our bold vision for the future.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: England awaits era-defining tournament as new Women’s Rugby World Cup Trophy unveiled and further tickets released

    Source: City of Sunderland

    – Government, host locations and teams celebrate 100 days to go to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025’s opening match in Sunderland

     – New Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy introduced to mark an era-defining tournament that will feature representatives from all regional associations for the first time.

    – Unstoppable momentum is building in England with a record 300,000 tickets already purchased and a further wave of tickets released today at 09:00 BST.

    – New trophy to embark on a nationwide tour of the eight host locations bringing fans and communities across England closer to the tournament.

    With just 100 days to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 kicks off in Sunderland, World Rugby has today unveiled a bold new trophy – a symbol of the game’s unstoppable global rise – and announced the release of additional tickets for what promises to be a generational moment for the sport.

    The record-breaking tournament has already surpassed all expectations with 300,000 tickets already sold, more than double the total attendance from RWC 2021 in New Zealand, and is now firmly on course to become the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in history, not just in scale, but in impact.

    Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director Sarah Massey said: “We are just 100 days away from welcoming the world to England for what will be the biggest and best Women’s Rugby World Cup yet.

    The excitement is real, and the momentum is building by the day, as this tournament promises to be an unforgettable experience for everyone. With more tickets going on sale today, don’t miss out on seeing rugby’s powerful personalities and unstoppable athletes take to the global stage.”

    A  N E W  S Y M B O L  F O R  A  N E W  E R A

    To mark the 100 days to go milestone, World Rugby unveiled the new Women’s Rugby World Cup Trophy at London’s Battersea Power Station. The reveal, broadcast live on the BBC Morning Live, brought together senior figures from World Rugby, RWC 2025 LOC, UK Government, host cities, and Rugby World Cup legends to celebrate the progress and energy of the women’s game and look ahead to an era-defining tournament.

    Crafted in sterling silver and plated with 24-carat gold, the newly designed trophy is a modern expression of excellence and ambition. It fuses history and future by retaining the iconic twin handles of the original prize while introducing a sleek, oval silhouette, with names of past champions engraved on its base acknowledging the trailblazers who have shaped the game.

    The world map etched into the surface symbolises the game’s universal reach, celebrating the nations that have competed on the Rugby World Cup stage and the new stars who will carry the game forward. For the first time at RWC 2025, all six World Rugby regions will be represented across the 16 nations involved with a South American team, Brazil, making their debut on the sport’s biggest stage.

    As previous recipients and representatives of future players who may lift it high, a group of Women’s Rugby World Cup champions and legends of the game including Rachael Burford (ENG), Gill Burns (ENG), Monalisa Codling (NZL), Katy Daley-McLean (ENG), Fiao’o Fa’amausili (NZL), Sarah Hunter (ENG), Farah Palmer (NZL), Anna Richards (NZL) and Melodie Robinson (NZL) were involved in the trophy’s design process.

    World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox said: “This trophy represents far more than a tournament; it reflects a movement. A movement fuelled by passion, shaped by trailblazers, and driven by the next generation of women and girls stepping into the game around the world.

    “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is set to redefine what’s possible in women’s sport. The new trophy is a worthy emblem of the incredible athletes who will compete in England, and of the legacy we are building together with our partners, starting with the RFU, and through programmes like Impact Beyond 2025.”

    Former English international and Rugby World Cup winner Katy Daley-McLean added: “With the potential on this tournament being the biggest Women’s World Cup yet, it seemed an appropriate time for a new trophy. This trophy hopefully connects the past to the present allowing all to remember the trailblazing of those that came before us.”

    The trophy will now embark on a nationwide tour of England over the next three weeks, bringing fans and communities closer to the tournament in the build-up to kick-off. All eight host locations – Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Exeter, London, Manchester, Northampton, Sunderland and York – are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the new trophy and engaging their communities ahead of their first matches.

    A  T O U R N A M E N T  B A C K E D  B Y  L E G A C Y  A N D  P A R T N E R S H I P

    A joint-venture between World Rugby and the RFU, with funding from the UK Government, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is designed not only to deliver a worldclass tournament, but to create a lasting, positive impact for women and girls in sport. This includes investing in programmes that improve access, participation and experiences at all levels of the game.

    At the heart of this domestic legacy is Impact ’25, led by the RFU and supported by UK Sport, which is already delivering strong results across England and the home unions. More than 850 clubs have received support to grow the women’s game, while over 1,400 female coaches and match officials have been newly qualified. Girls’ participation is up 9.3% year-on-year, and £2.7 million has been invested to improve facilities and inclusivity in clubs. Community grants, sanitary provision and skills training have also reached thousands of new participants, with a strong focus on building confidence, connection and opportunity.

    RFU Executive Director of Women’s Game Alex Teasdale said: “2025 is a groundbreaking year for women’s rugby and we are thrilled to be host nation for what is set to be the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in history. We are already seeing huge strides forward in the women and girls’ game, thanks to the building anticipation for the tournament and our Rugby World Cup legacy programme Impact ’25. We are excited to see the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 encourage and inspire the next generation of women and girls to play and watch rugby.”

    Globally, Impact Beyond 2025 is World Rugby’s strategic legacy programme, designed to harness the power of this tournament to grow the game and promote gender equity worldwide. Focused on three pillars—participation and profile, careers and leadership, and capability and expertise—the programme includes initiatives such as Rugby Rising Play, the sport’s first global participation programme for girls, and a series of six regional summits aimed at strengthening women’s rugby around the world.

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “In just 100 days, we will host the biggest and bestsupported Women’s Rugby World Cup in history. As well as creating unforgettable moments, the tournament will help to inspire the next generation of girls and boys, bring communities together, and grow the game for years to come.

    “But this tournament is about more than what happens on the pitch. Through our Plan for Change and the Impact ’25 legacy programme, we’re investing in 850 clubs across the country — upgrading facilities, opening up access, and inspiring more people to get involved in the game they love.”

    T I C K E T  S A L E S  G A I N  M O M E N T U M  A H E A D  O F  B L O C K B U S T E R  O P E N I N G

    Following recent ticket sales phases, the public response has been overwhelming. With over 300,000 tickets now sold, fans have shown an unprecedented appetite for women’s rugby, reinforcing England 2025 as the must-attend sporting event of the year and breaking the attendance record held by the last edition in New Zealand (150,000).

    More tickets go on general sale today at 09:00 BST on a first come, first served basis, including popular matches such as the opening encounter between England and the USA at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

    With high demand and limited inventory for some matches, fans are reminded to only purchase tickets through official sources to ensure a safe and secure buying experience and guaranteed entry into the venues. An official resale platform will launch on 24 June, enabling fans who can no longer attend to sell their tickets securely at face value to fellow supporters via tickets.rugbyworldcup.com.

    Supporters around the world can also get involved ahead of kick-off by joining the “Road to Twickenham”, a free and fun global fitness challenge powered by Stepathlon. Available now via the Official Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 app, the initiative encourages fans of all ages and abilities to get active, win exclusive prizes, and celebrate the women’s game together as the countdown to the final at Twickenham Stadium on 27 September continues. It’s a powerful way for communities across the world to connect with the tournament and share in the spirit of progress, health and unity

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cllr Carmine Grimshaw appointed new Lord Mayor of Manchester

    Source: City of Manchester

    Miles Platting and Newton Heath councillor Carmine Grimshaw has been appointed the new Lord Mayor of Manchester following a meeting of the full today (14 May). 

    A lifelong Mancunian, Carmine’s journey from the streets of Ancoats to the halls of local government is a testament to his dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the community.  

    Born and raised in Ancoats, Carmine grew up in a close-knit family, experiencing first hand the transformative changes in the city. He attended Saint Michael’s RC Primary School and later Saint Luke’s Secondary School in Beswick before embarking on his career as a sewing machine mechanic.  

    Following the closure of his employer Raffles & Co in the 1980s, he transitioned into street trading, earning his license in 1983 and becoming a familiar presence on Thomas Street in what is now known as the Northern Quarter. His advocacy for fellow traders led to the formation of the Manchester Street Traders Association in 1990, reinforcing his commitment to safeguarding local businesses.  

    Throughout the years, Carmine has continually worked to support Manchester’s communities. His tenure as chair of the A-5 Off-Licence Forum shows his concerns for responsible licensing and community safety.

    He and his twin brother Brian opened a convenience store in Newton Heath in 1993. The ambitious move was made possible with the help of their friend and former Lord Mayor the late Cllr Hugh Barrett and was a further nod to his service to the local community.  

    In 2012, his passion for civic engagement led him to public office, where he has tirelessly represented the residents of Miles Platting and Newton Heath for more than a decade. His leadership on various committees, including the Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee and the Licensing Policy Committee, has been instrumental in shaping policies that benefit Manchester’s citizens.  

    Throughout his tenure as Lord Mayor, Carmine will have the support of Lady Mayoress, Elaine Grimshaw and a Consort, Councillor June Hitchen. 

    Carmine is the proud father of twin sons, Carmine and Louis, along with youngest son, Jack, as well as three grandchildren, Zara and twins Honey and Rico. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leeds welcomes the announcement that more Civil Service roles will be moved to the city

    Source: City of Leeds

    Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said:

    “We welcome the Government’s continued recognition of Leeds as a key hub for Civil Service roles. With over 14,000 civil servants already based in Leeds, this announcement builds on our role as a major centre for government outside London.

    “Relocating more roles will bring decision-making closer to the communities it serves, support the creation of good jobs, and provide long-term whole career opportunities including for our talented apprentices, graduates and professionals.

    “The Leeds Health and Social Care Hub, which brings together the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS, local government, universities and other partners exemplifies how central government can work hand-in-hand with local delivery organisations to improve outcomes for patients and residents.

    “This move adds to the momentum we’re already seeing in Leeds as a leading financial centre, with major organisations like the Financial Conduct Authority, the Bank of England and the National Wealth Fund choosing to locate roles here – reinforcing the city’s growing national importance as a centre for public service and economic opportunity.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Final Government response to the Infected Blood Inquiry

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Final Government response to the Infected Blood Inquiry

    The government publishes its final response to the Infected Blood Inquiry’s May 2024 report.

    • Government’s final response to the Infected Blood Inquiry’s May 2024 report highlights progress delivering Inquiry’s twelve recommendations.

    • Progress includes nearly £100 million so far in compensation to victims and over £1.2 billion in interim payments, committing £500,000 to advocacy charities, and greater support for patients with liver damage.

    • Sir Robert Francis KC, Interim Chair of Infected Blood Compensation Authority, will also continue his role for another 18 months.

    Nearly £100 million in compensation has been paid to victims of the Infected Blood Scandal so far, alongside over £1.2 billion in interim payments, as the government publishes its final response to the Infected Blood Inquiry’s May 2024 report – highlighting progress delivering the Inquiry’s twelve recommendations.

    Recognising the unspeakable suffering of victims, the government accepts all twelve of the Inquiry’s recommendations, with some accepted in full, and others accepted in principle. There are no recommendations that the government has not accepted. 

    Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, said:

    Today is an important milestone, nearly one year on from the publication of the Inquiry’s report.  

    The victims of this scandal have suffered unspeakably. We remain fully committed to cooperating with the Inquiry, are acting on its twelve recommendations, and are grateful for its work to date.

    We have paid nearly £100 million in compensation so far, and have set aside £11.8 billion to deliver what is one of the most comprehensive compensation schemes in modern history.

    The government is delivering Recommendation 1, to set up a compensation scheme. Compensation is paid through the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), an independent organisation that was set up on the Inquiry’s recommendation in its Second Interim Report. IBCA has paid out £96.6 million in compensation so far to victims of the Infected Blood Scandal, building on over £1.2 billion already paid out by the government in interim payments.

    Government is delivering Recommendation 10, to empower the voices of infected blood patients, by paying £500,000 to patient advocacy charities. These funds will be paid to specific charities that have been recommended by the Inquiry, and meetings are underway to agree on awards. 

    Government is also delivering Recommendation 6, to monitor patients with liver damage, by ensuring that all patients with liver damage will have their care overseen by a medical consultant. Patients with a Hepatitis C diagnosis will receive greater follow-up and monitoring, and NHS England will also be proactively identifying patients with bleeding disorders to ensure they receive appropriate testing, treatment and ongoing monitoring.

    Today, the Government is also announcing that Sir Robert Francis KC, Interim Chair of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, will remain in his role for another 18 months. The decision to extend his term was taken to provide continuity for the organisation and the infected blood community, and ensure compensation continues to be delivered without delay.

    The Inquiry has set out its intention to publish a further report on compensation, and the Government remains committed to cooperating with the Inquiry.

    Commenting on his extension, Sir Robert Francis KC said:

    I am honoured to continue serving as ​Interim ​Chair of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.

    My priority remains to ensure that we pay compensation to those impacted by the scandal as quickly as possible, while maintaining transparency and compassion throughout our work.​

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Expanding NHS orthopaedic services

    Source: Scottish Government

    Major increase in surgical procedures

    Health Secretary Neil Gray visited Gartnavel General Hospital today to see first-hand how Scottish Government investment is supporting increased capacity in orthopaedic services to deliver faster care for patients.

    The visit follows the Programme for Government announced by the First Minister last week,  which committed to the delivery of more than 150,000 additional NHS appointments and procedures, including in surgical procedures such as hip and knee replacements compared to last year.

    This investment is part of the government’s commitment to strengthening the NHS and ensuring timely access to essential treatments.

    During his visit, Mr. Gray toured Gartnavel’s state-of-the-art theatre complex, where he met with frontline staff involved in the expanded orthopaedic services. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will be allocated funding to support the delivery of additional orthopaedic procedures through extra elective theatres at the hospital.

    Health Secretary Neil Gray said:

    “The Scottish Government is determined to increase capacity in our NHS – making sure people can get the quality care they need when they need it. 

    “Increasing orthopaedic capacity here means faster, more efficient care for those who need it most, allowing patients to regain mobility and quality of life without unnecessary delays.

    “We have seen real progress in the last year, with more than 105,000 appointments and procedures delivered through an additional £30 million of targeted investment in 2024-25. Now we want to build on that momentum through the additional £200 million set out in this year’s Budget to reduce waiting lists and to help support reduction of delayed discharge.”

    Background

    The Programme for Government 2025-26 includes a wide range of measures to support the NHS and improve public health, including:

    • Over 150,000 additional NHS appointments and procedures, with a 50% increase in surgical procedures such as hip and knee replacement compared with last year.
    • 100,000 enhanced GP appointments by March 2026 for high-risk conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, obesity, and smoking.
    • Enhanced diagnostic pathways, including targeted cancer pathways, to help tackle backlogs and achieve the 62-day referral to treatment standard.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Life and legacy’ of Spitfire designer Reginald Mitchell to be celebrated on 130th anniversary of his birth

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 14th May 2025

    The “life and legacy” of Reginald Mitchell will be celebrated in a day of events on the 130th anniversary of his birth.

    The Supermarine Spitfire designer was born on 20 May 1895 in Kidsgrove and moved to Normacot shortly after he was born.   

    Invited guests will gather in the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery at 10.30am on Tuesday 20 May for an event to remember his lasting contribution to engineering and the aeronautical industry.   

    A host of speakers have been arranged, including Julian Mitchell, Reginald’s great nephew and Paul Beaver, Trustee of the National Spitfire Project and the author of Spitfire People, Spitfire Evolution and Mitchell – Father of the Spitfire. 

    The event is by invitation and tickets are limited. Residents of Stoke-on-Trent can request tickets by contacting karen.convey@stoke.gov.uk 

    In the afternoon, the staff at the Reginald Mitchell pub in Hanley have organised an event for guests and veterans including the Tri-Services.  

    The team at the JD Wetherspoon pub on Parliament Row is inviting veterans to attend from 2.30pm to 4.30pm and enjoy a hot drink and a slice of a large Spitfire cake being made for the occasion.  

    Mr Mitchell will host a quiz for customers from 4.30pm with the winning team receiving a 12-piece vintage prints dinner set from Churchill China, the same tableware used by Wetherspoons, valued at over £150. 

    The pub will have a display of aeroplanes designed by children from Reginald Mitchell Primary School. The bar will be stocked with a range of beer featuring names all linked to aviation and the city’s centenary.   

    Guests will be encouraged to make paper aeroplanes to take part in a fun competition for charity. Entrants will launch their plane off the top bar balcony to see which one flies the furthest. Entry is £2 with proceeds going to the Young Lives vs Cancer charity.   

    A series of events to celebrate Reginal Mitchell’s birthday week are planned in the pub.   

    Cllr Steve Watkins, Deputy Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: “This special day will look back at the life of Reginald Mitchell and how his work has inspired generations of engineers since he passed away at 42. He and his team led the world in aircraft design. It’s part of our centenary celebrations and will tell his story and look at how his legacy is encouraging young engineers to take up a career in the industry today.  

    “It’s been great to work with the staff at the Reginald Mitchell pub who are making plans to mark this occasion throughout the week with other events.  They’re keen to encourage veterans to pop in and enjoy a chat and catch-up over tea and cake while learning more about Reginald.” 

    Julian Mitchell said: “130 years on and RJ is still making a real impact on our local community and beyond. Celebrating his engineering genius and design creativity is at the heart of our Operation Spitfire for Schools project. 

    “We’re helping students understand what is possible in their futures and highlight examples of local people who have done amazing things.” 

    Debbie Whittingham, Regional Manager and Employee Director at JD Wetherspoons, said: “It is fantastic to have the opportunity to join in the celebrations for both the centenary of Stoke-on-Trent and Reginald Mitchell’s birthday celebrations. The Reginald Mitchell is a beautiful and historic building, and we are very proud to be able to honour his name and legacy. 

    “We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to share a fun week of events and to celebrate this legend of a man. We want to show our pride in Stoke-on-Trent and its incredible legacy to the world as one of the great cities of the industrial revolution.  

    “This was thanks to the creative, hardworking and spirited people of this city who made it all happen.” 

    Events in The Reginald Mitchell pub  

    • Monday 19 May: 7pm – History talk with local social media star ‘Jenna the Red Haired Stokie’. Small charge, all going to charity.  
    • Wednesday 21 May: 11am –  History talk in the upstairs bar area from local historian Mervyn Edwards. £5 entry ‘The lost pubs of Hanley’. ‘Why were they built and how did they survive so long?  Who were the landlords and patrons associated with them – and how many do you remember?’  
    • 7pm – Film night. Battle of Britain to be shown on the big screen with a 1940s fancy dress competition. Prize for the best dressed.  
    • Thursday 22 May: 7pm-9pm Pottery in the Pub. A pottery workshop hosted by the Clay Rooms. £30 per person (£5 going to Young Lives vs Cancer charity). Visit theclayrooms.co.uk to book. Free tea and coffee. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Rising heat, rising risk: managing forest fires in a warming world

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    Wildfires are becoming more intense, more frequent, and more destructive, stretching across continents, ecosystems, and communities.

    In the 2023-2024 season, 3.9 million km² of land burned globally, with carbon emissions 16% above average. Major wildfire events included Canada’s worst season, with 150,000 km² burned and 232 thousand people evacuated, Greece’s largest wildfire on record (900 km²), and deadly fires in Hawaii and Chile, claiming over 200 lives, according to the State of Wildfires 2023-24: CAMS data support assessment – Copernicus. As we approach the 2025 fire season in the Northern Hemisphere, which typically runs from June to October, California has already faced devastating fires in January, outside the usual fire season.

    This growing trend of longer and more intense fire seasons highlights that wildfires are no longer confined to a specific time of year, but are now a year-round global threat.

    Wildfires are escalating into a global crisis, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems, public health, and the climate. They worsen air pollution, increase carbon emissions, disrupt water supplies, and increase the risk of floods and landslides, compounding vulnerabilities in both rural and urban areas.

    Recognizing this urgency, the UNECE/FAO Working Party on Forest Statistics, Economics and Management, a UN expert body that facilitates technical cooperation on forest data, management, and policy, and oversees expert teams working on these topics, brought together country delegates and experts to explore what is driving this crisis, what it is doing to our forests, and what can be done to manage it.

    Fire is not always an enemy. It has long played a vital role in many forest ecosystems, clearing dead vegetation, recycling nutrients, and fostering diversity. Some forest types even depend on periodic burns to regenerate. When strategically managed, including through practices like controlling and prescribed burning, fire becomes a powerful tool to maintain healthy forests and reduce the risk of larger, more destructive wildfires.

    The balance, however, is shifting. Driven primarily by climate change, wildfires are now pushing ecosystems to their limits. Longer dry seasons, hotter temperatures, and erratic weather are turning manageable fires into landscape-scale disasters.

    As countries prepare for the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP30) in Belém, Brazil, the session emphasized that wildfire risk must be integrated into climate strategies. Forests are a key line of defense against global warming, but only if they are protected and managed sustainably.

    The session concluded with a clear message: a proactive, data-driven, and climate-smart approach is essential.

    Stronger forest resilience measures are needed, including sustainable management, landscape restoration, and fuel load reduction through prescribed burns. Increased investment in firefighting capacity and improved land-use planning are also crucial to protect communities in fire-prone areas.

    Experts highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration, citing initiatives like the Global Fire Management Hub and tools such as EFFIS and INForest to support data collection and evidence-based policies.

    The path forward must recognize fire’s dual role: as both a threat and a tool in building resilient forest landscapes.

    Resources and further reading

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary speech in Lviv on the Special Tribunal

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Foreign Secretary speech in Lviv on the Special Tribunal

    David Lammy outlines UK support for the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine during a visit to Lviv, Ukraine.

    It is a fitting time and place for this discussion.   

    It is remarkable that eighty years ago, Allied governments were dealing with detained Nazis, and thinking about accountability for the atrocities.  

    Some considered simple revenge.   But others favoured a different approach.   

    Holding those criminals accountable under international law.   

    Drawing in part on work by two great sons of this great city, Rafael Lemkin Sir Hersch Lauterpacht. 

    The resulting Nuremberg trials were a milestone in building a global order rooted in the rule of law and human rights.   

    Today, the pursuit of such a global order again seems a tall order.  

    Russia is waging a war of aggression, with mounting evidence that Russian soldiers are committing atrocities we would have hoped to consign to history – attacks which rain down on civilians, the deportation of children, torture and sexual abuse of civilians and prisoners of war.   

    Russian leaders show not the slightest concern for the lives of individuals or the laws of war.   

    But we need to remember figures like Lemkin were not naïve idealists.  Indeed, Sir Hersch wrote about anchoring his philosophy of international law in the ‘realities of international life’.  

    Precisely our task today.   

    We have it in our hands to hold those responsible for the invasion of Ukraine to account.  The UK is proud to have supported the idea of a Special Tribunal since the outset. 

    A Tribunal is an essential part of the armoury of justice, alongside the efforts of Ukrainian authorities to bring prosecutions inside Ukraine, and the work of the ICC.   

    As the country where Sir Hersch made his home, we are proud to support the Lviv Joint Statement and endorse the legal foundations for this Tribunal.  

    It will take time for a Tribunal to become operational. We support using the framework of the Council of Europe. But also believe we must expand the Core Group to more partners from beyond Europe.   

    The whole world is outraged at Russian crimes. The whole world should now come together to hold Russia to account. We must rally all countries in support of justice.  

    Our friends in Ukraine are staying true to the legacy of VE Day.  

    The legacy of Lemkin and Sir Hersch. 

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change needed at sheltered plus schemes say councillors

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Home  »  Latest News   »   Change needed at sheltered plus schemes say councillors

    Change is desperately needed at Canterbury City Council’s Sheltered Plus housing schemes to save it and its tenants money and boost the quality of people’s homes. 

    That the is the conclusion of councillors from all political parties who took part in the Older Persons’ Accommodation Working Group after carefully examining the evidence. 

    Its report will be discussed by the Overview Committee at its meeting on 22 May. 

    The working group’s report says: “Sheltered Plus was put in place in 2018 with a large financial subsidy from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and a guarantee that it would remain unaltered for two years. 

    “The council has honoured that commitment and more. Six years have passed and the environment in which the council’s housing operates has changed dramatically and the status quo is not financially sustainable.” 

    The HRA is the dedicated account the council uses to pay for council housing and which tenants pay their rent into. 

    The report goes on: “The buildings are ageing and require significant capital investment for repairs, maintenance and modernisation. 

    “Many are dated with limited space [for tenants], no Wi-Fi or electric vehicle charging points.  

    “Society has changed dramatically since the schemes were designed and they no longer meet the needs or aspirations of many of today’s over-60s, which is reflected in limited demand.   

    “However, housing need in general is increasing and the council must make the best use of its scarce supply of affordable homes for the benefit of local households of all ages that desperately need a home. 

    “This review has conducted extensive research and the findings are clear.   

    “The full cost of the Sheltered Plus service is unaffordable to many because key elements of the service, such as night reassurance cover and the laundry service do not qualify for Housing Benefit, as they are personal care and not related to the provision of accommodation.   

    “The unfunded costs have been met by the HRA, which is not what it is intended for and, with the other financial pressures on the HRA, the situation is unsustainable. 

    “If the council is to survive as a social landlord, this hole in the finances must be addressed and services must adapt to changes in society to ensure they remain relevant for current and future generations.” 

    The working group recommendations include: 

    • standardising the service in sheltered housing and Sheltered Plus to provide a consistent service across the whole sheltered housing portfolio including removing the laundry service and stopping the provision of night reassurance cover 
    • reducing the number of Independent Living Managers 
    • improving the support provided by the Lifeline service 
    • expanding provision, including telecare and telehealth 
    • installing modern CCTV equipment, monitored by the council’s Central Control room 

    In its report, the working group recognises the current Sheltered Plus arrangements give tenants and their families peace of mind and make them feel secure. 

    It wants to listen closely to their views and concerns so we can take these fully into account before a decision is taken. 

    The same applies to those council staff members that would be affected. 

    The working group is recommending a comprehensive 12-week consultation.  

    This will include personal one-to-one meetings with tenants and their families as well as gathering the views of the Resident Engagement Panel and Independent Living Forum which represent tenants and meetings with key stakeholders. 

    The working group says each tenant would need a personalised support plan if the transition were to go ahead so residents are able to be carefully helped into the new arrangements. 

    The current Sheltered Plus service is unique and not found anywhere else in Kent.  

    It is provided at 127 properties across four schemes: 

    • Lang Court in Whitstable  
    • Cranmer House in Canterbury  
    • Collard House in Canterbury  
    • Whitgift Court in Canterbury  

    The service was designed through consultation with tenants and their families after Kent County Council withdrew its Supporting People Grant in March 2018. 

    They voted to keep and pay for services beyond standard sheltered housing including: 

    • an on-site, non-residential Independent Living Manager during weekday office hours 
    • a supported laundry service during weekdays because the kitchens of individual flats are too small to install a domestic washing machine, and tenants sometimes find the controls of the commercial-style machines in the communal laundry too heavy to operate 
    • on-call night reassurance service, seven nights a week, in case of emergency 
    • signposting to taking up activities, training, work or engaging with the community   
    • advice about accessing health care and social care.   

    At Whitgift Court and Lang Court there is a dedicated member of staff, whereas Collard House and Cranmer House share a member of staff and pay commensurately less.  

    The night reassurance service does not provide a hands-on response in an emergency but contacts the relevant service or family member.  

    The full cost of the Sheltered Plus service is too expensive for most tenants and a commitment was given by the council to subsidise the service for two years before it was reviewed, with the deficit underwritten by the HRA. 

    Both sheltered housing and Sheltered Plus are supported by the council’s Lifeline service which enables tenants to raise an alarm in an emergency. 

    The Overview Committee will meet at the Guildhall, St Peter’s Place, at 7pm on Thursday 22 May. 

    You can view the agenda and the working group’s full report here. 

    Published: 14 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Win a free wedding package with Go CV for Valentine’s Day 2026!

    Source: City of Coventry

    Coventry couples planning or thinking about marriage, can have the chance of winning a wedding package with Go CV, to take place on Valentine’s Day.

    The fantastic prize, worth over £5,000, includes a marriage ceremony hosted in the Black Prince Room at Cheylesmore Manor House (Coventry Register Office), a wedding reception venue at Drapers’ Hall including buffet, dining set-up and service staff, plus overnight accommodation in a Junior Suite at the Telegraph Hotel with breakfast.

    The lucky winners will also have flower bouquets provided by Isabel’s Flower Studio, photographs by UR Rosa Photography, precious moments you could share on social media by Electric Joy Moments Content Creator and Brody Swain as Wedding Toastmaster at the ceremony and reception.

    To have the chance of winning this amazing prize, complete the form on the Go CV website and tell us in no more than 300 words why you deserve to win.  Entrants for this wonderful prize need to be a Coventry resident and also hold a fully validated Go CV card.

    Councillor Kamran Caan, Cabinet Member, Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, said:

    “Being a Go CV cardholder brings many benefits to our city residents so if you are already a member, check out to see how you can enter. If you’re not already a member, then I’d encourage you to sign up and get the chance to enter the competition.”

    “I’m sure there are Coventry couples out there who would love the opportunity to win this prize, especially as for many people, the costs involved in having a wedding or ceremony are a challenge.

    “It’s really important that we continue to promote through Go CV the amazing cultural venues and attractions we have in the city. Through the funding we’ve attracted, this is a really exciting and creative way to raise the profile of the city’s cultural assets and, of course, provide a brilliant opportunity for a Coventry couple.

    “Good luck to all entrants and I look forward to hearing more about the lucky couple.”

    Full details on what the package includes, how to apply, terms and conditions and lots more information with details about the  partners’ offers included in the prize, are available at go-cv.co.uk/winawedding .

    Deadline for entries are 23.59, on Sunday 15 June 2025.   Winners will be notified by the end of June and must consent to publicity of their special day.

    Wednesday, 14th May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Hola Prime and Pro Basketball Player Karl-Anthony Towns Team up for ‘Speed is Success’ Campaign, Redefining Prop Trading

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Hola Prime, a leading global proprietary trading firm, is proud to announce Basketball Champion, Karl Anthony Towns as its first-ever brand ambassador. This partnership marks a significant moment in Hola Prime’s journey, highlighting its commitment to reshaping modern prop trading around what truly matters – speed, performance, discipline, and fairness.

    The announcement coincides with the launch of Hola Prime’s new brand campaign, ‘Speed is Success’, produced by one of the top agencies. The campaign draws a compelling parallel between elite sports and trading – in both, speed is not just an advantage, but the edge. The cinematic film captures how success depends on reacting swiftly, thinking clearly under pressure, and executing with discipline, whether on the court or in the market.

    “At Hola Prime, we have always believed that trading, at its core, is a performance profession,” said Somesh Kapuria, Founder and CEO of Hola Prime. “It’s not about luck or shortcuts. It’s about building skill, managing risk, staying calm under pressure, and performing when it matters most. Karl-Anthony Towns personifies these values. His career reflects what we encourage in our traders – consistency, resilience, and the courage to keep improving every day. And Hola Prime compliments their skills with a fair and transparent trading environment, and super fast payouts.” Explaining his decision to collaborate with Hola Prime, Karl-Anthony Towns said, “What drew me to Hola Prime is how they’re flipping the script – not just in finance, but in how people see trading,” said Karl-Anthony Towns. “As a pro athlete, I know what it means to bet on yourself, and that’s exactly what Hola Prime is about, so I’m happy to be their first ambassador and to help bring that mindset to the next generation.”

    Hola Prime’s decision to collaborate with an elite athlete reflects its belief that trading, like sports, rewards those who move fast, think fast, and execute fast. It’s a natural extension of its trader-centric approach – creating a platform where individuals thrive through speed, strategy, and discipline.

    With innovations like transparent pricing, under-one-hour payouts, one-on-one mentorship, and clear trading rules, Hola Prime is redefining trading speed from execution to earnings. The ‘Speed is Success’ campaign champions a new era of fair, fast, and performance-driven trading – empowering individuals to thrive through agility, skill, and accountability.

    The partnership with Towns positions Hola Prime as a standout in a saturated market – more than just a platform, it is a movement. With the star power of a professional basketball giant and the soul of a fintech disruptor, Hola Prime is redefining what trading looks like in 2025 and beyond.

    Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/yE0Mj3BIBhc?si=ie_IEyAYMRbh471N

    About Hola Prime

    Hola Prime is a global proprietary trading firm with offices in the UK, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Dubai, and India. It supports a diverse community of traders across 175+ countries, offering access to over 150 financial instruments across multiple trading platforms. The firm is known for its structured approach to risk management, transparency, and trader-centric operations. Learn more at holaprime.com.

    Social Links

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holaprime_global/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtVEJa1Ml132Be7tnk-DjeQ

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hola-prime/?viewAsMember=true

    X: https://x.com/HolaPrimeGlobal

    Discord: https://discord.gg/TJ7TcHPXBf

    Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/HolaPrime/

    Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/HolaPrime/

    Medium: https://medium.com/@social_46267

    Media Contact

    Company: Hola Prime

    Contact: Media Team

    Email: marketing@holaprime.com

    Website: https://holaprime.com/

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Crypto Bull Market Heats Up — BexBack Launches No KYC, 100x Leverage & Double Bonus Campaign to Maximize Trader Profits

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Bitcoin breaks above $100,000 and Ethereum posts rapid gains, the cryptocurrency market is roaring back into a full-fledged bull run. In response, leading derivatives exchange BexBack has launched a new campaign offering powerful trading incentives to help users seize opportunities during this high-volatility cycle.

    BexBack’s Limited-Time Bull Market Campaign Includes:

    • 100% Deposit Bonus
      Instantly double your trading capital. Bonus funds can be used as margin to open larger positions and absorb volatility.
    • $100 Trading Bonus
      Available to new users who deposit at least 0.01 BTC or 1000 USDT and complete their first trade within 7 days of registration.
    • 100x Leverage on 50+ Crypto Futures
      Trade BTC, ETH, SOL, ADA, XRP, and 50+ major altcoins with up to 100x leverage.
    • No KYC Required
      Register and start trading in seconds using just an email address. BexBack respects user privacy and lowers barriers to entry.
    • Zero Spread, Deep Liquidity, Lightning-Fast Execution
      All trades are executed at the displayed price — no slippage, no spread, no surprises.

    Why Traders Are Choosing BexBack

    • Global access with 24/7 multilingual support
    • Zero deposit fees and generous bonus programs
    • Professional-grade infrastructure, ideal for both beginners and experts
    • Fast onboarding with no identity verification required

    About BexBack

    BexBack is a global cryptocurrency derivatives exchange offering up to 100x leverage on 50+ perpetual contracts. Headquartered in Singapore, the platform serves over 500,000 traders worldwide.

    With operational offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, BexBack combines regulatory integrity with innovative trading tools to provide a secure, fast, and accessible trading experience across regions.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e888da51-f612-41b5-9c42-3b3ae7d36997

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/97c84753-3fa7-4e83-9c9e-e30b1a6f6112

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/84c2c52f-c11b-449d-9911-beb71ac5c416

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0ff9c396-8c98-4627-93a6-a3e7dc9206c3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Social platform Stocktwits and other sources of ‘alternative data’ may be hurting financial analysts’ long-term forecasts

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Thierry Foucault, Professeur de Finance, HEC Paris Business School

    Since the beginning of the century, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has increased more than 800%, from less than 1,000 to more than 9,000. This profusion has had a number of strange and disturbing repercussions. One of them is that companies are selling data from satellite images of parking lots to financial analysts. Analysts then use this information to help gauge a store’s foot traffic, compare a retailer to competitors and estimate its revenue.

    This is just one example of the new information, or “alternative data”, that is now available to analysts to help them make their predictions about future stock performance. In the past, analysts would make predictions based on firms’ public financial statements.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    According to our research, the plethora of new sources of data has improved short-term predictions but worsened long-term analysis, which could have profound consequences.

    Tweets, twits and credit card data

    In a paper on alternative data’s effect on financial forecasting, we counted more than 500 companies that sold alternative data in 2017, a number that ballooned from less than 50 in 1996. Today, the alternative data broker Datarade lists more than 3,000 alternative datasets for sale.

    In addition to satellite images, sources of new information include Google, credit card statistics and social media such as X or Stocktwits, a popular X-like platform where investors share ideas about the market. For instance, Stocktwits users share charts showing the evolution of the price of a given stock (e.g. Apple stock) and explanations of why the evolution predicts a price increase or decrease. Users also mention the launch of a new product by a firm and whether it makes them bullish or bearish about the firm’s stock.

    Using data from the Institutional Brokers’ Estimate System (I/B/E/S) and regression analyses, we measured the quality of 65 million equity analysts’ forecasts from 1983 to 2017 by comparing analysts’ predictions with the actual earnings per share of companies’ stock.

    We found, as others had, that the availability of more data explains why stock analysts have become progressively better at making short-term projections. We went further, however, by asking how this alternative data affected long-term projections. And we found that over the same period that saw a rise in accuracy of short-term projections, there was a drop in validity of long-term forecasts.

    More data, but limited attention

    Because of its nature, alternative data – information about firms in the moment – is useful mostly for short-term forecasts. Longer-term analysis – from one to five years into the future – is a much more important judgment.

    Previous papers have proved the common-sense proposition that analysts have a limited amount of attention. If analysts have a large portfolio of firms to cover, for example, their scattered concentration begins to yield diminishing returns.

    We wanted to know whether the increased accuracy of short-term forecasts and declining accuracy of long-term predictions – which we had observed in our analysis of the I/B/E/S data – was due to a concomitant proliferation of alternative sources for financial information.

    To investigate this proposition, we analyzed all discussions of stocks on Stocktwits that took place between 2009 and 2017. As might be expected, certain stocks like Apple, Google or Walmart generated much more discussion than those of small companies that aren’t even listed on the Nasdaq.

    We conjectured that analysts who followed stocks that were heavily discussed on the platform – and so, who were exposed to a lot of alternative data – would experience a larger decline in the quality of their long-term forecasts than analysts who followed stocks that were little discussed. And after controlling for factors such as firms’ size, years in business and sales growth, that’s exactly what we found.

    We inferred that because analysts had easy access to information for short-term analysis, they directed their energy there, which meant they had less attention for long-term forecasting.

    The broader consequences of poor long-term forecasting

    The consequences of this inundation of alternative data may be profound. When assessing a stock’s value, investors must take into account both short- and long-term forecasts. If the quality of long-term forecasts deteriorates, there is a good chance that stock prices will not accurately reflect a firm’s value.

    Moreover, a firm would like to see the value of its decisions reflected in the price of its stock. But if a firm’s long-term decisions are incorrectly taken into account by analysts, it might be less willing to make investments that will only pay off years away.

    In the mining industry, for instance, it takes time to build a new mine. It’s going to take maybe nine, 10 years for an investment to start producing cash flows. Companies might be less willing to make such investments if, say, their stocks may be undervalued because market participants have less accurate forecasts of these investments’ impacts on firms’ cash flows – the subject of another paper we are working on.

    The example of investment in carbon reduction is even more alarming. That kind of investment also tends to pay off in the long run, when global warming will be an even bigger issue. Firms may have less incentive to make the investment if the worth of that investment is not quickly reflected in their valuation.

    Practical applications

    The results of our research suggest that it might be wise for financial firms to separate teams that research short-term results and those that make long-term forecasts. This would alleviate the problem of one person or team being flooded with data relevant to short-term forecasting and then also expected to research long-term results. Our findings are also noteworthy for investors looking for bargains: though there are downsides to poor long-term forecasting, it could present an opportunity for those able to identify undervalued firms.

    Thierry Foucault a reçu des financements du European Research Council (ERC).

    – ref. Social platform Stocktwits and other sources of ‘alternative data’ may be hurting financial analysts’ long-term forecasts – https://theconversation.com/social-platform-stocktwits-and-other-sources-of-alternative-data-may-be-hurting-financial-analysts-long-term-forecasts-244102

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Do people really want to know their risk of getting Alzheimer’s?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Claudia Cooper, Professor of Psychological Medicine, Queen Mary University of London

    Tricky Shark/Shutterstock.com

    A new study has highlighted the complex emotions and ethical dilemmas of learning your future risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Among 274 healthy research participants from the US aged 65 and over, 40% declined to receive their personal risk estimates – despite having initially expressed an interest in doing so.

    These risk estimates were based on demographic data, brain imaging and blood biomarkers, offering an 82 to 84% accuracy in predicting the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease within five years. By comparison, age alone can predict this risk with 79% accuracy.

    So the value of these tests is modest in people without any cognitive symptoms, and there are potential risks to disclosing them. People told they are at increased risk of dementia describe how this can feel like an illness in itself – or being in limbo between health and disease – and cause distress.

    Participants who did not want to be tested cited the uncertainty of the result, the burden of knowing, and their negative experiences of witnessing Alzheimer’s disease in others. Those with a family history of Alzheimer’s were less likely to want to know their results – perhaps because of greater exposure to these negative experiences.

    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.

    Black participants were less likely to want to know, too, which the researchers suggest could relate to greater experiences of stress, stigma and discrimination, making the prospect of a positive test result feel more threatening.

    Perhaps the question here is not why more people didn’t want to know the result, but whether researchers should routinely offer them at all, given the lack of certainty of the results and the potential for distress.

    Another issue is their limited usefulness for people without symptoms. Addressing lifestyle risk factors, such as eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, can reduce cognitive decline, a message the public is increasingly aware of. But knowing your risk doesn’t change the advice.

    In contrast to areas like breast cancer, where people at high risk of the disease can be offered preventative measures, such as drugs, surgery or enhanced screening, there are no comparable interventions to reduce dementia risk in people without symptoms.

    The authors of the new study explain that researchers used to be cautious about not sharing test results with participants in Alzheimer’s studies. But now there’s a growing expectation that people will be given their results. A proposed “bill of rights” for dementia research participants includes the right to get their results and have them clearly explained.

    It’s hard to explain how uncertain these results can be. People often worry about getting dementia in general, not just Alzheimer’s, which makes up about two-thirds of all cases. Some people who are told they have a low risk of Alzheimer’s may still develop another form of dementia, such as vascular dementia.

    The wider science that produced these future risk estimates has enabled the development of new diagnostic technologies unimaginable ten years ago. Similar blood tests can detect Alzheimer’s disease pathology in people with cognitive symptoms with over 90% accuracy, potentially enabling more accurate and timely dementia diagnoses.

    Blood tests

    Two major UK research programmes are piloting these blood tests in the NHS to support the more accurate diagnoses of some forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Improved and earlier detection is needed: a third of people with dementia in England and Northern Ireland are never diagnosed.

    The benefits of the first drugs to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease are modest. In the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence hasn’t yet been convinced that these drugs are worth the cost for the NHS.

    The NHS is trialling blood tests to spot early signs of Alzheimer’s.
    AntonSAN/Shutterstock.com

    Some might question a focus on identifying future risks for dementia before we have good treatments. But developing better treatments depends on the new scientific discoveries that are helping us detect Alzheimer’s earlier. Finding a treatment for an illness requires a detailed understanding of how that illness develops.

    We are closer to delivering accurate detection of Alzheimer’s disease than curative treatment. This presents a dilemma of how much to know about personal risk. Rights-based approaches situate this dilemma with the participant, to decide whether to know rather than researchers to decide whether to tell.

    For researchers, disclosing results compassionately and clearly is difficult and for some, the knowledge will cause distress, however well it is conveyed. The option to receive results should come with warnings.

    Claudia Cooper receives funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Dementia and Neurodegeneration Policy Research Unit (NIHR206110) and is supported by an NIHR Senior Investigator award (NIHR205009). The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the NIHR, the NHS or the Department of Health and Social Care. She received funding from ESRC/NIHR for the APPLE-Tree secondary dementia prevention programme from 2019-24 (ES/S010408/1). She works as a Professor of Psychological Medicine at Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London.

    – ref. Do people really want to know their risk of getting Alzheimer’s? – https://theconversation.com/do-people-really-want-to-know-their-risk-of-getting-alzheimers-256340

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bitter Honey by Lola Akinmade Åkerström explores how mothers carry their histories into their daughters’ lives

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Olumayokun Ogunde, PhD Candidate in English, City St George’s, University of London

    In Bitter Honey, novelist Lola Akinmade Åkerström explores the emotional undercurrents of motherhood and daughterhood. The novel reflects on how the past bears down on the present. How mothers carry their histories into their daughters’ lives – often uninvited, sometimes unrecognised.

    My research is concerned with narratives that crack open the heart of African motherhood, stories that strive not only to expose pain, but to understand it. Bitter Honey gestures towards this emotional terrain.

    One particular line is emblematic of this exploration: “‘When I was your age, I moved to Sweden without my mother. With nobody.’ Tina has heard this story a million times.” It captures both the weariness of inherited trauma and the fragility of the desire for understanding that threads through the novel.

    Bitter Honey begins with the promise of protagonist Tina’s rising stardom. Alone in a dressing room, navigating fame and the sudden reappearance of her absentee father, Tina’s story has all the markings of a Bildungsroman (a coming-of-age novel shaped by psychological and moral growth). But the novel’s emotional nucleus is not fame, nor even fatherhood – it’s Tina’s mother, Nancy. Or at least, it wants to be.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Nancy’s story is one of deep and curdled regret. Akinmade crafts a portrait of a woman who once stood at the cusp of a glamorous new world, having fallen in love with Malik, an ambassador’s son who offers her access to elite circles, state dinners and the Swedish prime minister. But it is Lars, her white Swedish professor, who slowly unpicks the seams of her life.

    The novel promises a sense of romantic tension, inviting the reader to feel torn between Malik’s genuine warmth and Lars’s sophistication. But no such ambivalence materialises.

    Lars is not charming. He is jealous, controlling and ultimately predatory. Akinmade’s portrayal of Lars makes it clear: he is not a romantic dilemma, he is a colonising force. Nancy’s life with him is one of slow suffocation, and her daughter Tina is born of that rupture.

    Throughout the novel, there are subtle allusions and at times more overt depictions of Tina’s struggle with her mixed heritage. However, these moments feel overwritten, particularly in lines such as Tina’s desire to “fully wear her mixed skin”.

    While the phrasing may aim for poetic resonance, for me, it comes across as reductive. The metaphor inadvertently simplifies a complex and embodied experience, raising uneasy questions. Can identity be worn? Is it something that can be adorned, removed or chosen at will?

    Akinmade appears to be engaging with the constructedness of race and the illusion of agency within African diasporic identity. But Tina’s exploration of these themes lacks depth. There remains a striking incongruity between how she understands herself and how the world perceives her.

    At times her lack of critical self-awareness is jarring. Particularly when set against the more richly developed and emotionally layered portrayal of Nancy.

    Love and regret

    Where Akinmade excels is in her rendering of Nancy. Her character is more vividly drawn, more emotionally accessible than Tina’s. We see her consumed by grief and fear, mothering from a place of survival rather than nurture.

    “She would have resisted him. Even if it meant Tobias and Tina vanishing into thin air, never existing.” This is the agonising truth of Nancy’s lifetime: that her children are reminders of her own loss of agency. Her love is knotted with regret.

    There’s an urgent question running through Bitter Honey. What does it mean to parent when your life has been violently derailed by structures beyond your control?

    This legacy of cultural dislocation is a theme Akinmade touches on but stops short of fully exploring. Nancy, as an immigrant mother, carries a kind of preemptive grief. Her decisions are shaped not just by personal trauma but by a constant anticipation of harm. The immigrant mother often exists in survival mode, where care is expressed not through softness, but vigilance.

    “You figured I have no agency without him?” A line Tina delivers in a moment of confrontation typifies the novel’s uneven dialogue. Akinmade at times stumbles into phrasing that feels stilted or overwrought, reducing what could be moments of real emotional depth into awkward exchanges. Yet her broader ambition, to map generational wounds and diasporic complexity, is clear.

    The novel’s scope is wide. We move between Sweden and the United States, from the 70s to 2006, witnessing how each locale produces different shades of diasporic identity.

    Akinmade is particularly attuned to how Gambian communities shift across contexts – Gambians in Sweden are not like those in London or in New York. This specificity highlights that place informs not only experience but the perception of self.

    Ultimately, Bitter Honey is at its most compelling when it slows down, when it allows Nancy’s grief to speak plainly. One of the novel’s most poignant lines arrives when Nancy warns Tina before she signs with an American label that brands her the “Swedish siren”.

    “The world gives you your heart’s desires, then violently rips it away from your hands when you’re most vulnerable. Please stay vigilant.” Here, Akinmade captures the cruel irony of diasporic ambition, the way success can echo colonial exploitation, offering visibility at the cost of safety.

    Through Tina, the reader is kept at a remove from the raw reality of Nancy. The moments where we begin to glimpse the true texture of her life, her regret, her protectiveness, her survival, are all too fleeting.

    What would their lives look like without this fear? This is the novel’s quiet, unanswered question. Are these maternal guardrails protection or shackles? Bitter Honey doesn’t offer a resolution. But in asking, it reveals the aching legacy that mothers like Nancy pass down: not just trauma, but the impossible task of surviving without softness.

    Olumayokun Ogunde 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. Bitter Honey by Lola Akinmade Åkerström explores how mothers carry their histories into their daughters’ lives – https://theconversation.com/bitter-honey-by-lola-akinmade-akerstrom-explores-how-mothers-carry-their-histories-into-their-daughters-lives-254527

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From boomers to Gen Z: How to solve the public sector succession crisis

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By W. Dominika Wranik, Professor, Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University

    Public servants are the backbone of Canadian government. Canadians expect them to act in the best interest of society, to uphold Canadian democratic institutions, to steward public monies and to deliver programs and services.

    But as retirements surge, how can governments attract young people to work for them? It’s difficult when governments suffer from poor reputations, low public trust and offer working conditions that may not appeal to young people.

    What do young Canadians want from their careers, and what will it take for public service to win them over?

    This issue, among others concerning Canadian public servants, are currently being studied at the Professional Motivations Research Lab at Dalhousie University. The lab is led by the lead author of this piece, Dominika Wranik, whose work focuses on measuring and explaining the motivations of professionals in the public service.

    The lab’s insights shed light on the factors that influence how young people make decisions about whether to work for the public sector.

    Looming labour shortage

    In 1966, there were 7.7 working-age individuals for every senior in Canada. But in 2022, the ratio dropped to 3.4 and is projected to drop further over the next decade.

    A labour shortage will create increased competition for top talent between the public and private sector, an issue for governments as research has shown a growing disinterest among youth in pursuing civil service careers.

    Recruitment to the public service is further complicated by declining perceptions of competence and trust in Canadian public institutions. With studies demonstrating that applicants’ perceptions of an organization’s competence affect their attraction to working there, Canadian governments also run the risk of losing potential applicants who don’t view Canada’s public institutions as being competent or trustworthy.

    These challenges come as young Canadians enter the workforce with more career options than ever before, and different expectations from previous generations.

    Salary not the sole motivator

    Young Canadians are not solely interested in high incomes, but also in workplaces that provide a healthy work/life balance and align with their values.

    Data collected in 2024, for example, shows that 87 per cent of British Columbians between the ages of 18 and 34 prefer employers that are socially and environmentally responsible, with 61 per cent stating they would only work for such companies.

    This means Canadian governments are currently finding themselves in a perilous situation, where rising suspicion about their trustworthiness and competence, paired with growing disinterest in the public sector as a whole, means they’re not positioned well to navigate an impending labour shortage.

    Strengthening their capacity to attract and recruit the next generation of workers is therefore imperative, not only for upholding public institutions, but also for rebuilding trust in government.

    In the effort to resolve this issue and enhance recruitment to the public service, Canadian government officials must pore over existing research into the factors that determine why youth and those just entering the labour market — people between the ages of 13 to 27, known as Gen Z — pursue or refrain from pursing public service jobs.

    Some research suggests the three variables that potentially predict whether a member of Gen Z is inclined to pursue a career in the public sector are:

    Perceptions

    In terms of perceptions of the public sector, a recent study found that when choosing between the public and private sectors, university students in Norway and Poland were most influenced by their views of the public sector.

    The more positive the outlook — for example, that public sector work is considered less bureaucratic and less inefficient — the higher the preference to work in the public sector, and vice versa.

    This finding was echoed by racialized minorities in the United States. A 2022 study found that Black, Asian and Latinx young adults between the ages of 18-36 were largely turned off by government work due to perceptions that they weren’t represented or well-served by their “largely white, male and wealthy” local, state or federal government representatives.

    In Canada, a study led by the Public Policy Forum discovered that perceptions of the nature of government work also had a significant impact on a student’s decision to pursue a career in the public sector. Students who chose to enter the public service cited “opportunities to examine a wide range of complex challenges and help create policy solutions that can have a positive impact on many communities.”

    Motivations

    In terms of having public service motivation (PSM) — which refers to an individual’s inclination to serve the public interest — studies have found that members of Gen Z are more likely to be drawn to the public sector if they are high in PSM.

    Specifically, a study of Gen Z students in criminal justice programs found that those who identified with PSM tenets — such as “meaningful public service is very important to me” and “making a difference in society means more to me than personal achievements” — had a significantly higher likelihood of choosing the public sector over the private sector.

    Similarly, an interdisciplinary sample of undergraduate students with higher levels of PSM — and who therefore identified with the PSM dimensions of self-sacrifice, compassion and commitment to public values — were more likely to have a preference for the public sector.

    Job attributes

    Preferred job attributes also influence the employment choices of members of Gen Z. The aforementioned research on Norwegian and Polish youth and another 2017 study by Canada’s Public Policy Forum (2017) find that when Gen Z students are interested in public sector work, it’s due to the semblance of financial and job security.

    Given the growing disinterest among the Canadian population in pursuing employment in the public sector, new insights about what attracts Gen Z workers to the public sector should be required reading by governments across Canada.



    Read more:
    Public service reflections: Why the role of civil servants must evolve to ensure public trust

    Understanding Gen Z’s misgiving about public sector work will help better position governments to compete with the private sector to recruit the next generation of employees.

    With perceptions of government competence and trustworthiness continuing to fall, it is imperative that Canadian public policymakers take significant steps to engage with Gen Z students and workers to create employment conditions that are attractive and aligned with their values.

    The next generation of government leaders in Canada are currently in high school, college or university classrooms across the country, meaning that research centred in educational institutions is uniquely positioned to uncover valuable regarding how public sector employment is perceived.

    Therefore, government-led engagement that is conducted through town halls, workshops and focus groups can help strengthen trust in government while familiarizing Gen Z students with government careers.

    W. Dominika Wranik receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. In the past, she has held funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Mitacs, Research Nova Scotia, and the EU Horizon 2020, as well as short-term funding from several provincial and federal government departments. Dr. Wranik serves as an expert consultant for Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC).

    Alec Brooks and Payton Nicol do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. From boomers to Gen Z: How to solve the public sector succession crisis – https://theconversation.com/from-boomers-to-gen-z-how-to-solve-the-public-sector-succession-crisis-255077

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • India, Austria reaffirm strong bilateral ties, discuss Ukraine conflict and regional security

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger held a telephonic conversation on Tuesday, reaffirming their commitment to deepening India-Austria bilateral relations and addressing pressing global challenges.
     
    Dr. Jaishankar, in a post on X, said he appreciated the conversation with Minister Meinl-Reisinger and congratulated her on her recent appointment. The two leaders expressed mutual agreement on the need for zero tolerance towards terrorism and firmly rejected any form of nuclear blackmail.
     
    In a separate post on X, Minister Meinl-Reisinger described the exchange as a “very good phone call,” noting that both countries are committed to elevating their already strong partnership. She reiterated Austria’s condemnation of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, calling it a “vital step toward de-escalation.”
     
    The Austrian minister also emphasized the need for a collective global effort to end the war in Ukraine. “Now is the time for Russia to stop the killing and agree to the ceasefire,” she said, underscoring Austria’s continued call for peace.

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE helps Central Asian practitioners tackle youth crime at its roots

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE helps Central Asian practitioners tackle youth crime at its roots

    Participants at a regional training course on multi-stakeholder co-operation in youth crime prevention for law enforcement and social services professionals, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 14 May 2025. (OSCE) Photo details

    As part of efforts to help prevent young people from becoming criminals, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities held a regional training course on multi-stakeholder co-operation in youth crime prevention for law enforcement and social services professionals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 13 and 14 May.
    The 28 participants were law enforcement and social services sector representatives who work with and for youth. They took part in interactive sessions, group work, and expert-led discussion to strengthen their knowledge and skills in identifying and prioritizing youth crime cases, and addressing root causes such as social vulnerability, exposure to criminal recruitment and lack of access to support services.
    The course participants also explored how international models can be adapted to address local and regional challenges. They placed particular emphasis on the German “Kurve Kriegen” youth crime prevention initiative as an example of a good practice.
    Looking at the future, participants discussed next steps and national follow-up activities, including potential pilot youth crime prevention practices inspired by international good practices. They concluded the event by committing to turning their ideas into concrete action and strengthening early prevention efforts across Central Asia.
    The training course was part of the OSCE-wide multi-year extrabudgetary project “Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns addressing threats of organized crime and corruption”, funded by Germany with additional support from Andorra, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland and Thailand.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council welcomes extra £2 million potholes cash as highways improvements ramp up

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The council had already committed to a £9.7 million highways capital programme, including a raft of road repairs across the city.

    Now an extra £2 million has been secured from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) via West Midlands Combined Authority, meaning even more potholes can be filled and surface works carried out.

    As part of council work that was already planned, crews will be in action around the city this spring and summer – including resurfacing Cannock Road at the end of July.

    Other roads to be resurfaced in the coming weeks include: Merridale Road, Wellington Road, Millfields Road, Wood End Road, Lichfield Street, Hall Lane, Wrottesely Road, Ruskin Avenue, Whitgreave Avenue, Prestwood Road and Neachells Lane.

    The full list of roads in line for repairs to date can be seen below. More roads will be added to the programme and people will be kept updated on progress.

    With more than 460 miles of road and over 800 miles of footway to maintain, the City of Wolverhampton Council, like all other authorities in the country, must prioritise where to focus.

    It does this through examining data from condition surveys and road inspections, determining where resurfacing or other surface treatments can make the most difference.

    The programme follows a preventative approach aimed at reducing the need for thousands of pothole repairs the council carries out every year.

    Councillor Qaiser Azeem, Cabinet Member for Transport and Green City at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “We know how important keeping our roads in a good condition is to people.

    “That is why we are investing in more highways improvements and people will see even more work taking place across the city over the coming weeks and months.

    “We welcome this additional funding, and we will make sure it’s put to use tackling more potholes on our city’s roads.

    “We take responsibility of maintaining our highways network very seriously and understand how an efficient, safe and smooth flowing highway network for all modes of transport is important for economic productivity and social connection.”

    As well as road resurfacing and pothole repairs the council’s highways capital programme for 2025/26 also includes resurfacing footpaths, car park and streetlighting upgrades, road safety schemes and more.

    This budget includes an additional £500,000 investment from the council as part of its commitment to addressing the issue of potholes.

    People can report potholes in Wolverhampton by visiting Report a pothole
    https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/parking-and-roads/roads/report-pothole here Report a pothole | City Of Wolverhampton Council

    From graffiti, fly posting and flytipping to potholes and faulty streetlights, people can also report issues, details and locations quickly and easily via Love Clean Streets App
    https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/contact-us/love-clean-streets-app Love Clean Streets App | City Of Wolverhampton Council Photographs can also be submitted.

    Planned road resurfacing
    Cannock Road from Stafford Steet to Springfield Road
    Merridale Road from Chapel Ash to Oaks Crescent Park/Graiseley
    Lichfield Street from Bow Street to Mount Pleasant
    A41 Wellington Road from Prouds Lane to Mount Pleasant
    Neachells Lane, including Planetary Road to Wednesfield Way, Wednesfield Way to Alfred Squire Road and Alfred Squire Road to High Street
    Wrottesley Road from Wergs Road to Chilgrove Gardens
    Wood End Road – Roundabout to Amos Lane
    A4039 Millfields Road
    Whitgreave Avenue to the roundabout at Leacroft Avenue
    Ruskin Avenue – Entire length
    Hall Lane from Hurst Road to Robert Wynd
    Prestwood Road from Bushbury Road to Thorneycroft Lane
    Planned surface treatment
    Fairview Road
    Blackhalve Lane from Cannock Road to City boundary
    A449 Penn Road from southbound roundabout Penn Road to the end of the dual carriageway near Lonsdale Road
    Birches Barn Road from Bradmore Road to roundabout Stubbs Road
    Rookery Street from roundabout at Well Lane to Rookery Bridge
    Springhill Lane from Warstones Road to city boundary (Wynne Crescent)
    Bhylls Lane from Langley Road to Castlecroft Road
    B4484 – Pear Tree Lane from roundabout Blackhalve Lane to Cannock Road
    Birchfield Avenue and Nethy Drive
    Cockshutts Lane
    Downing Close
    Bilston Road from Moseley Road to Keyway
    Elston Hall Lane from Short Road to Three Tuns Lane
    Millfields Road from Manor Road to Tarmac Road
    Wellington Road from no.121 to Stowheath Lane East Park
    Moseley Road from Willenhall Road to Waite Road
    A41 Bilston Road from eastbound roundabout Ring Road to Commercial Road
    A459 Dudley Road from Goldthorn Hill to Bromley Street
    A4123 Birmingham Road from Cockshutts Lane to Grove Street
    Darlaston Lane from city boundary to Bilston Road
    Warstones Road from Coalway Road to the roundabout at Stourbridge Road
    Earl Croft Road and Enville Road and back of footway Warstones Drive
    Codsall Road from city boundary to roundabout at Pendeford Avenue
    Kirby Close to King Street 
    B4161 – Henwood Road and Tettenhall Road
    B4163 – Salop Street – Oxford Street – Bank Street
    A41 – Wellington Road to Prouds Lane
    Cumberland Road – Cumberland Road – Prouds Lane and back of footway Central Avenue

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Olga Haygood Named S44 Energy CEO to Lead OaaS EV Charging

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MONTVALE, N.J., May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — S44, a technology leader specializing in transformative software solutions for the automotive and energy sectors, today announced Olga Haygood as CEO of S44 Energy. Haygood, who has been leading S44 Energy’s strategic initiatives and product innovation, brings more than two decades of leadership experience to the role. As CEO, she will continue to drive S44 Energy’s mission to break software barriers and scale charging infrastructure, advancing a more sustainable, accessible future.

    Over the past five years, Haygood has played a critical role in S44’s evolution, helping transform the company into a global leader in EV and mobility software. As Chief Growth Marketing Officer, she spearheaded the development of CitrineOS, the open-source charge station management system (CSMS), now part of Linux Foundation Energy. Her leadership extended across marketing, sales, brand and business development, helping shape S44’s overall strategy and guiding its expansion into international markets.

    In 2024, Haygood grew S44 Energy with professional services for EV charging software while developing a new product in stealth. As CEO, she will launch the company’s new Open-as-a-Service (OaaS) platform, revolutionizing how EV charging networks are deployed and operated. This new product will provide unparalleled flexibility, transparency and scalability for operators worldwide.

    “The industry doesn’t need another software company. It needs a catalyst. A way to unlock EV infrastructure at scale,” said Haygood. “As the leader of S44 Energy, I look forward to helping CPOs deploy charging networks that are reliable, flexible and future-proof.

    Before joining S44, Haygood held leadership roles at global agencies including J. Walter Thompson and Wunderman, where she worked with Fortune 500 clients such as Northrop Grumman, GE Digital and Walmart. Her background spans public policy, marketing, branding and culture transformation, with a consistent focus on building high-performing, mission-aligned teams.

    To learn more about S44 Energy, visit the company website and follow it on LinkedIn for updates about its OaaS EV charging software.

    About S44
    S44 is a technology group comprising two specialized companies: S44 Energy and S44 Automotive. S44 Energy is a software company dedicated to advancing e-mobility through scalable, open EV charging solutions for charge point operators, fleets and infrastructure providers. With a commitment to open standards, innovation and sustainability, S44 Energy empowers the transition to electric mobility. S44 Automotive, a SaaS provider to automotive retailers and OEMs, offers solutions for personalization, predictive analytics, and product configurators — enhancing customer experiences and improving sales efficiency.

    Headquartered in the U.S. and Germany, S44 Holdings leverages the strengths of its two companies to drive innovation and transformation across the mobility ecosystem.

    Media Contact
    Liesse Jayalath
    Look Left Marketing
    s44@lookleftmarketing.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NB Private Equity Limited: Holding(s) in Company

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings

    1. Issuer Details
    ISIN
    GG00B1ZBD492
    Issuer Name
    NB PRIVATE EQUITY PARTNERS LIMITED
    UK or Non-UK Issuer
    Non-UK
    2. Reason for Notification
    An acquisition or disposal of voting rights; An event changing the breakdown of voting rights
    3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation
    Name
    Quilter Plc
    City of registered office (if applicable)
    London
    Country of registered office (if applicable)
    United Kingdom
    4. Details of the shareholder
    Full name of shareholder(s) if different from the person(s) subject to the notification obligation, above

    City of registered office (if applicable)

    Country of registered office (if applicable)

    5. Date on which the threshold was crossed or reached
    08-May-2025
    6. Date on which Issuer notified
    14-May-2025
    7. Total positions of person(s) subject to the notification obligation

    . % of voting rights attached to shares (total of 8.A) % of voting rights through financial instruments (total of 8.B 1 + 8.B 2) Total of both in % (8.A + 8.B) Total number of voting rights held in issuer
    Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached 9.997996 0.000000 9.997996 4558054
    Position of previous notification (if applicable) 10.002160 0.000000 10.002160  

    8. Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reached
    8A. Voting rights attached to shares

    Class/Type of shares ISIN code(if possible) Number of direct voting rights (DTR5.1) Number of indirect voting rights (DTR5.2.1) % of direct voting rights (DTR5.1) % of indirect voting rights (DTR5.2.1)
    GG00B1ZBD492   4558054   9.997996
    Sub Total 8.A 4558054 9.997996%

    8B1. Financial Instruments according to (DTR5.3.1R.(1) (a))

    Type of financial instrument Expiration date Exercise/conversion period Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/converted % of voting rights
             
    Sub Total 8.B1      

    8B2. Financial Instruments with similar economic effect according to (DTR5.3.1R.(1) (b))

    Type of financial instrument Expiration date Exercise/conversion period Physical or cash settlement Number of voting rights % of voting rights
               
    Sub Total 8.B2      

    9. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation
    2. Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entities (please add additional rows as necessary)

    Ultimate controlling person Name of controlled undertaking % of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold % of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold Total of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
    Quilter Plc Quilter Investors Limited 0.321743   0.321743%
    Quilter Plc Quilter Cheviot Europe Limited 0.331779   0.331779%
    Quilter Plc Quilter Cheviot Limited 8.182416   8.182416%
    Quilter Plc Quilter Cheviot International Limited 1.162057   1.162057%

    10. In case of proxy voting
    Name of the proxy holder

    The number and % of voting rights held

    The date until which the voting rights will be held

    11. Additional Information

    12. Date of Completion
    14-May-2025
    13. Place Of Completion
    London, UK

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fiera Capital Corporation announces $60 million bought deal offering of 7.75% Senior Subordinated Unsecured Debentures

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MONTREAL, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fiera Capital Corporation (“Fiera Capital” or the “Company”) (TSX: FSZ) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Scotiabank, CIBC Capital Markets, Desjardins Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets, as joint bookrunners, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters which also included National Bank Financial Inc., BMO Capital Markets, TD Securities Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp., iA Private Wealth Inc. and Raymond James Ltd. (collectively, the “Underwriters”), whereby the Underwriters have agreed to purchase $60 million aggregate principal amount of senior subordinated unsecured debentures due June 30, 2030 (the “Debentures”) at a price of $1,000 per Debenture (the “Offering”). Fiera Capital has also granted the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional $9 million aggregate principal amount of Debentures, on the same terms and conditions, exercisable in whole or in part, for a period of 30 days following closing of the Offering. The Offering is expected to close on or about June 3, 2025.

    The Debentures will bear interest at a rate of 7.75% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on June 30 and December 31 of each year, with the first interest payment on December 31, 2025. The December 31, 2025 interest payment will represent accrued interest from the closing of the Offering, to but excluding December 31, 2025. The Debentures will mature on June 30, 2030 (the “Maturity Date”).

    The Debentures will not be redeemable prior to June 30, 2028 (the “First Call Date”), except upon the occurrence of a change of control of the Company in accordance with the terms of the indenture (the “Indenture”) governing the Debentures. On and after the First Call Date and prior to June 30, 2029, the Debentures will be redeemable in whole or in part from time to time at the Company’s option at a redemption price equal to 103.875% of the principal amount of the Debentures redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the date set for redemption. On and after June 30, 2029 and prior to the Maturity Date, the Debentures will be redeemable, in whole or in part, from time to time at the Company’s option at par plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the date set for redemption. The Company shall provide not more than 60 nor less than 30 days’ prior notice of redemption of the Debentures.

    The Company will have the option to satisfy its obligation to repay the principal amount of the Debentures due at redemption or maturity by issuing and delivering that number of freely tradeable Class A subordinate voting shares (the “Class A Shares”) in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

    The Debentures will not be convertible into Class A Shares at the option of the holders at any time.

    The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the redemption of the Company’s 8.25% Senior Subordinated Unsecured Debentures due December 31, 2026 (the “2026 Debentures”) that the Company intends to effect on the first call-date, December 31, 2025, and for general corporate purposes. Pending such use, the net proceeds from the Offering will temporarily be used by the Company to reduce indebtedness under the Company’s unsecured revolving credit facility. The foregoing is not a redemption notice with respect to the 2026 Debentures. Any redemption of the 2026 Debentures will be made pursuant to a notice of redemption under the indenture governing those securities.

    The Debentures will be direct, senior subordinated unsecured obligations of the Company which will rank pari passu with one another and will rank (a) effectively subordinate to any existing and future secured indebtedness of the Company but only (other than with respect to the Senior Credit Facilities (as defined in the Indenture)) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such secured indebtedness, (b) subordinate to the obligations under the current and future Senior Credit Facilities (as defined in the Indenture), (c) pari passu with the Company’s existing 2026 Debentures and 6.00% Senior Subordinated Unsecured Debentures due June 30, 2027 and, except as prescribed by law, all existing and future unsecured indebtedness (other than the Senior Credit Facilities) that by its terms is not subordinated in right of payment to the Debentures, including indebtedness to trade creditors, and (d) senior to all existing and future unsecured indebtedness that by its terms is subordinated in right of payment to the Debentures, including any convertible unsecured subordinated debentures which may be issued by the Company in the future. In addition, the Debentures will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of the Company’s subsidiaries.

    A preliminary short form prospectus will be filed with securities regulatory authorities in all provinces of Canada. The Offering is subject to customary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

    The securities to be offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of such Act. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    Legal advisors

    Legal advice is being provided to Fiera Capital by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. Legal advice is being provided to the Underwriters by Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This document may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to future events or, future performance reflecting management’s expectations or beliefs regarding future events, including, without limitation, business and economic conditions, outlook and trends, Fiera Capital’s growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, objectives, plans and strategic priorities, new initiatives, such as those related to sustainability and other statements that do not refer to historical facts. In particular, this press release includes forward-looking statements relating to the proposed timing of completion of the Offering and the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the Offering. Such forward-looking statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. These forward-looking statements may typically be identified by words and expressions such as “assumption, “continue”, “estimate”, “forecast”, “goal”, “guidance”, “likely”, “plan”, “objective”, “outlook”, “potential”, “foresee”, “project”, “strategy”, “target”, and other similar words or expressions or future or conditional verbs (including in their negative form), such as “aim”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “expect”, “foresee”, “intend”, “may”, “plan”, “predict”, “seek”, “should”, “strive” and “would”.

    Forward-looking statements, by their very nature, are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and are based on several assumptions, which make it possible for actual results or events to differ materially from management’s expectations and that predictions, forecasts, projections, expectations, conclusions or statements will not prove to be accurate. As a result, Fiera Capital does not guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, the failure or delay in satisfying any of the conditions to the completion of the Offering. Additional factors include, but are not limited to, market and general economic conditions, the nature of the financial services industry, and the risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Fiera Capital’s interim condensed and annual consolidated financial statements, and its latest Annual Report and Annual Information Form filed on www.sedarplus.ca. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document, and Fiera Capital assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

    About Fiera Capital Corporation

    Fiera Capital is a leading independent asset management firm with a growing global presence. The Company delivers customized and multi-asset solutions across public and private market asset classes to institutional, financial intermediary and private wealth clients across North America, Europe and key markets in Asia and the Middle East. Fiera Capital’s depth of expertise, diversified investment platform and commitment to delivering outstanding service are core to our mission of being at the forefront of investment management science to create sustainable wealth for clients. Fiera Capital trades under the ticker FSZ on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

    Headquartered in Montreal, Fiera Capital, with its affiliates in various jurisdictions, has offices in over a dozen cities around the world, including New York (U.S.), London (UK), Hong Kong (SAR) and Abu Dhabi (ADGM).

    Each affiliated entity (each an “Affiliate”) of Fiera Capital only provides investment advisory or investment management services or offers investment funds in the jurisdictions where the Affiliate is authorized to provide services pursuant to the relevant registrations, an exemption from such registrations and/or the relevant product is registered or exempt from registration.

    Fiera Capital does not provide investment advice to U.S. clients or offer investment advisory services in the U.S. In the U.S., asset management services are provided by Fiera Capital’s Affiliates who are investment advisers that are registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or exempt from registration. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. For details on the particular registration of, or exemptions therefrom relied upon by, any Fiera Capital entity, please consult https://www.fieracapital.com/en/registrations-and-exemptions

    Additional information about Fiera Capital, including its Annual Information Form, is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca

    SOURCE Fiera Capital Corporation

    The information contained in press releases and company news is valid as of the date indicated. You should not assume that statements remain accurate or valid after the date.

    For more information: Analysts and investors, Marie-France Guay, Senior Vice President, Treasury and Investor Relations, Fiera Capital Corporation, 514 294-5878, mguay@fieracapital.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lady Gaga bomb plot: Thwarted plan lifts veil on the gamification of hate and gendered nature of online radicalization

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By David Nemer, Associate Professor in the Department of Media Studies, University of Virginia

    Lady Gaga performs at Copacabana Beach on May 3, 2025, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation

    The more than 2 million people who attended Lady Gaga’s free concert on Copacabana Beach on May 3, 2025, had no idea of a plot that, if successful, would have turned the event into a tragedy fueled by hate. Just hours before a sea of admirers waved fans in sync with the singer during the event, the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police thwarted a planned attack involving Molotov cocktails and improvised bombs – and targeting the American singer’s LGBTQ following.

    Two people have since been arrested over the plot, which was organized by users of digital platforms such as Discord. The intent, authorities say, was radicalizing and recruiting teenagers to carry out the planned attack.

    Those responsible hoped to entice these young people into actions that would gain online notoriety.

    More than 2 million people are said to have attended the Lady Gaga concert in Rio.
    Daniel Ramalho/AFP via Getty Images

    Although authorities were able to prevent the attack, the incident stands as a stark warning about the growth of hate networks among youth − and how platforms fuel the radicalization of teenagers, especially boys and young men.

    As experts in the anthropology of technology and information science, we see something deeply generational about this phenomenon. The recent Netflix series “Adolescence” broke viewership records by portraying an environment in which young people live in hyperconnected online spheres, absent of state oversight and parental supervision. In these spheres, bullying toxic masculinity permeates, and violence – often targeted at women and sexual minorities – is normalized.

    The show was set in the U.K., but it holds up a mirror to the world. Data from polling company Gallup reveals a growing ideological divide between young men and women in Gen Z across the globe. Too often, that divide, in which young men and boys are turning against progressive values, is being expressed through actions associated with the “manosphere,” such as misogyny and incel behavior.

    Platforms for hate

    In the United States, women aged 18 to 30 are now 30 percentage points more liberal than their male counterparts, according to Gallup’s surveys. In Germany, where a right-wing coalition recently won national elections and the extreme-right AfD party is rising in popularity at an alarming rate, the gap is also 30 points. In Poland, although the far-right left power at the end of 2023 after eight years, nearly half of men ages 18 to 21 support far-right parties − compared with just one-sixth of women in the same age range.

    This polarization is emerging just as online platforms such as Discord, TikTok and Reddit have become formative spaces of identity.

    Instead of promoting diversity, however, many of these platforms have been used as machines for producing and spreading hate. The 2021 study Mapping Discord’s Darkside, published in the journal New Media & Society, shows that despite marketing efforts to distance itself from the far right, Discord hosts thousands of servers associated with neo-Nazi, misogynistic, racist, transphobic and conspiratorial discourse. Researchers identified 2,741 such servers − with more than 850,000 active members.

    These networks end up functioning as recruitment hubs, where young people − especially boys − are lured in by edgy memes, promises of belonging and identity games based on excluding others. Discord’s structure, which prioritizes privacy and decentralization, has become fertile ground for the emergence of what scholar Adrienne Massanari calls “toxic technocultures.”

    Services such as Disboard − an informal search engine for Discord servers − are used to recruit teens into communities that glorify Nazism, encourage hatred toward women and people from the LGBTQ+ community, and even offer “services” for coordinated attacks on other servers. And this appears to be the case in the thwarted attack on the Lady Gaga concert.

    Presenting a challenge

    A significant factor in the success of these radicalizing environments is gamification − the use of gamelike elements such as challenges, rewards and leaderboards in nongame contexts. When applied to social networks and extremist forums, gamification turns engagement into competition and hate speech into a playful challenge.

    This practice makes the entrance into extremism more palatable for young, impressionable people by masking violence behind seemingly harmless mechanics. As noted in the European Commission’s 2021 report Gamification and Online Hate Speech, gamification has become a powerful tool for normalizing and spreading hate, particularly among young people seeking recognition and belonging.

    This process, known as “bottom-up gamification,” occurs when users create the rules, symbolic rewards and challenges. For example, by turning hate speech into “challenges” that involve humiliating women or people from the LGBTQ+ community online, the dehumanization of targets is presented in playful, viral ways.

    Turning hate into entertainment

    The investigation into the foiled attack on Lady Gaga’s Copacabana concert revealed exactly this mechanism: The attack was treated as a “collective challenge,” with youths recruited to build Molotov cocktails and explosive backpacks in order to gain notoriety on social media.

    The logic of gamification also creates a structure of “achievement” and “scoring” that fosters competition and reinforces radical ideology. As shown in the 2022 study by criminologists Suraj Lakhani and Susann Wiedlitzka, attacks such as the 2019 mosque attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 51 people were killed, were planned and executed with strong inspiration from gaming, including live broadcasts similar to “Let’s Play” sessions, in which people offer live commentary during walk-throughs of games, typically first-person shooting games, and viewer comments that treat the number of deaths as a “score.”

    More than 50 people were killed in the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques in New Zealand on March 15, 2019.
    Omer Kablan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    This aestheticization of violence serves as a bonding element among young men in digital spaces, especially those who already feel marginalized or frustrated and who find in these games of hate a sense of belonging and affirmation. In this way, gamification transforms hate into entertainment, strengthening ties in toxic communities and making it harder to recognize the behavior as extremism.

    Turning a generation off hate

    Society is, we believe, facing a dual challenge: the need for moderation of platforms and for support for measures preventing men and boys from being drawn into toxic digital spaces.

    The gender divide within Gen Z is no small matter, too. It reflects, in broad terms, a rift between a generation of young women who, empowered by #MeToo and other feminist movements, have embraced progressive causes, and a generation of men who, threatened by their perceived diminished power in this new environment, are being co-opted by far-right and misogynistic discourse in digital spaces.

    This gap has real consequences in personal relationships, in schools and for democracy at large. But it also reveals something that we believe must be stated clearly: Platform regulation is not just a technical issue. The future of a generation cannot be built on algorithms that reward hate and radicalization.

    This article is a translated and adapted version of a story that was originally published by The Conversation Brazil on May 8, 2025.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Lady Gaga bomb plot: Thwarted plan lifts veil on the gamification of hate and gendered nature of online radicalization – https://theconversation.com/lady-gaga-bomb-plot-thwarted-plan-lifts-veil-on-the-gamification-of-hate-and-gendered-nature-of-online-radicalization-256199

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Territorial concessions will be central to any Ukraine peace deal, and to Russia’s long-term plan

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    If the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, meet in Istanbul on May 15, territory – and who controls it – will be high on their agenda.

    Putin offered to start direct talks between Russia and Ukraine at a press conference on May 11. Donald Trump pushed Zelensky to accept this offer in a social media post, saying that “Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY.”

    The Ukrainian president, still buoyed by a meeting with the British, French, German and Polish leaders that called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, agreed shortly afterwards.

    Russia has said it wants to focus on the Istanbul communique of March 2022 and a subsequent draft agreement that was negotiated, but never adopted, by the two sides in April 2022.

    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.

    These 2022 negotiations focused on Ukraine becoming a permanently neutral state and on which nations would provide security guarantees for any deal. They also relegated discussions over Crimea to separate negotiations with a ten-to-15-year timeframe.

    Russia uses the phrase “the current situation on the ground” as thinly disguised code for territorial questions that have become more contentious over the past three years. This relates to Russian gains on the battlefield and the illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions in September 2022 (in addition to Crimea, which Russia also illegally annexed in 2014).

    Russia’s position, as articulated recently by the country’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, is that “the international recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, the DPR, the LPR, the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as part of Russia is … imperative”.

    This is clearly a non-starter for Ukraine, as repeatedly stated by Zelensky. There could, however, be some flexibility on accepting that some parts of sovereign Ukrainian territory are under temporary Russian control. This has been suggested by both Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, and Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko.


    Institute for the Study of War.

    Black Sea’s strategic value

    The territories that Russia currently occupies, and claims, in Ukraine have varying strategic, economic and symbolic value for Moscow and Kyiv. The areas with the greatest strategic value include Crimea and the territories on the shores of the Azov Sea, which provide Russia with a land corridor to Crimea.

    The international recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, as apparently suggested under the terms of an agreement hashed out by Putin and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, could expand the areas of the Black Sea that Russia can claim to legally control.

    This could then be used by the Kremlin as a launchpad for renewed attacks on Ukraine and to threaten Nato’s eastern maritime flank in Romania and Bulgaria. Any permanent recognition of Russia’s control of these territories is, therefore, unacceptable to Ukraine and its European partners.



    Read more:
    Russia-China ties on full display on Victory Day – but all is not as well as Putin is making out

    Donetsk and Luhansk are of lower strategic value, compared with Crimea and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. However, they do have economic value because of the substantial resources located there. These include some of the mineral and other resources that were the subject of a separate deal which the US and Ukraine concluded on April 30.

    They also include Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia and a large labour force among their estimated population of between 4.5 million to 5.5 million people who will be critical to Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.

    Beyond the strategic and economic value of the illegally occupied territories, the symbolism that both sides attach to their control is the most significant obstacle to any deal, given how irreconcilable Moscow’s and Kyiv’s positions are. For both sides, control of these territories, or loss thereof, is what defines victory or defeat in the war.

    Putin may be able to claim that some territorial gains in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 are a victory for Russia. But even for him any compromise that would see Russia give up territory that it has conquered – often at exceptionally high cost – would be a risky gamble for the stability of his regime.

    Anything less than the complete restoration of the country’s territorial integrity in its 1991 borders would imply recognition of defeat in the war for Ukraine. This would critically threaten the stability of the Zelensky government, whose political programme rests on exactly the premise of a return to the 1991 borders.

    Long-term consequences

    As a result, the Ukrainian leadership has become hostage to its own information strategy, which has placed the “return of all territories” at the top of the criteria for victory. This is a goal widely shared among Ukrainians, according to a poll conducted by the Razumkov Center in March 2025. But it will be hard to achieve.



    Read more:
    US-Ukraine minerals deal looks better for Kyiv than expected – but Trump is an unpredictable partner

    Apart from the potential domestic fall-out from any territorial compromises that Ukraine may be forced to make, there is another reason why the territorial question has become so intractable.

    Beyond any strategic, economic and symbolic value that the occupied Ukrainian territories hold from the Kremlin’s perspective, control over territory has always been an instrument for Russia to pursue its broader geopolitical agenda of exercising influence over its neighbours – from Moldova, to Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine.

    It is also important to remember that Russia’s territorial claims in Ukraine have gradually expanded since 2014. Until September 2022, when it annexed the other four regions, Russia laid claim to Crimea only.

    There is no guarantee that any territorial concession from Kyiv now would put a permanent end to Moscow’s territorial expansionism. It is therefore worrying that Trump envoy Witkoff, in an interview with the Breitbart news website, reiterated the US view that the two sides need to find compromises on who controls which territories.

    Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was not a war over territory as such, but was part of Moscow’s agenda to restore the sphere of influence that it lost at the end of the cold war. This agenda is far from finished.

    The strategy of both Moscow and Washington to focus on territorial consequences may lead to a ceasefire. But it will not address the fundamental issue of how to deal with a vengeful and revisionist autocracy on Europe’s doorsteps.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    Tetyana Malyarenko 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. Territorial concessions will be central to any Ukraine peace deal, and to Russia’s long-term plan – https://theconversation.com/territorial-concessions-will-be-central-to-any-ukraine-peace-deal-and-to-russias-long-term-plan-256347

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Top EMEA banks see revenue surge in 2024 despite rate cuts and turmoil, finds GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    The top 20 Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) banks saw a healthy 14% increase in combined revenue from $1.4 trillion in 2023 to $1.6 trillion in 2024, despite a challenging macroeconomic landscape defined by geopolitical friction, rate normalization, and tariff uncertainties, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Murthy Grandhi, Company Profiles Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “European central banks implemented multiple rate cuts throughout 2024, reversing the aggressive hiking cycle of previous years. This easing supported lending growth, improved credit demand, and stimulated consumer and business activity. However, declining interest margins also pressured net interest income, forcing banks to rely more heavily on fee income and trading operations.”

    Ranked by revenue, HSBC Holdings led the EMEA region with $157.8 billion, followed closely by BNP Paribas ($148.6 billion) and Banco Santander ($147.2 billion). These institutions capitalized on diversified international exposure and stable credit portfolios in a year marked by both opportunities and headwinds.

    Notably, revenue growth across the board was largely positive, with all 20 banks reporting year-over-year (YoY) gains. Russia’s Sberbank Rossii and VTB Bank recorded the highest revenue growth rates at 54.0% and 48.4%, respectively. These gains likely reflect ruble depreciation effects, domestic market dominance, and a pivot toward internal financial resilience amid ongoing Western sanctions.

    Southern European banks also delivered strong results. BBVA posted a 30.3% increase in revenue, driven by robust lending activity in Latin American markets and digital transformation initiatives. Spain’s Banco Santander reported a 6.8% revenue growth and a 13.6% rise in net income, showcasing stable margins and improving

    Among French institutions, Societe Generale stood out with a 68.5% surge in net income, despite moderate revenue growth of 10.6%. The recovery in profitability is attributed to a successful cost-reduction program and a rebalancing of risk-weighted assets. Credit Agricole and BNP Paribas also performed well, underpinned by strong corporate banking and wealth management divisions.

    In the UK, HSBC and Barclays continued to benefit from diversified global operations. HSBC saw a modest 1.9% increase in net income on a 6.7% revenue gain, reflecting stable interest income and expanding operations in Asia. Barclays’ 12.0% revenue growth and 23.3% net income jump reflect efficiency gains and rising fee-based income.

    Conversely, UBS Group AG posted the sharpest decline in net income, down 81.4% despite a strong 22.3% rise in revenue. This anomaly is likely linked to the integration of Credit Suisse, involving one-time restructuring costs and asset impairments.

    German and Dutch banks experienced moderate top-line growth but faced downward pressure on earnings. Deutsche Bank’s net income fell by 29.4% despite a 12.0% revenue increase, potentially due to elevated risk provisions and a cautious lending stance amid economic uncertainty.

    Grandhi concludes: “Looking ahead, EMEA banks face a challenging 2025. The escalating tariff war between major economies, combined with continued geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, is expected to create volatility in capital markets and cross-border trade.

    “Rising operational costs, currency fluctuations, and potential regulatory shifts may compress margins. However, banks with strong digital infrastructure, diversified geographical exposure, and robust capital buffers—such as HSBC, Santander, and BNP Paribas—are better positioned to absorb shocks.

    “While revenue momentum is likely to continue in the short term, profitability may come under strain. Institutions will need to prioritize operational efficiency, credit risk management, and strategic realignment to navigate an increasingly fragmented global financial landscape.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Healthy eating barriers for Essex under-5s revealed

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    A child’s meal tray

    The first-ever study to examine food and nutrition in preschools in Essex has uncovered significant challenges in providing healthy meals to under-5s.

    Led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and commissioned by Essex County Council Public Health, the Nourishing Our Future (NOF) preschools report identified food costs and managing food preferences – including an increasing reluctance to try new foods – as the two biggest obstacles to healthy eating in the county.

    Essex has extremes of health and wealth within its population of 1.5 million and the 2023-24 National Child Measurement Programme found that 21% of reception-age children (4-5 years old) in Essex are living with obesity or are overweight, underlining the need for targeted local interventions.

    Of Essex’s 298 preschools, 67 took part in the Nourishing Our Future study, which set out to understand the current food environment and identify possible improvements.

    The study involved workshops, an online survey, menu and photo analysis and parent interviews, and is published on the same day that report authors Dr Kay Aaronricks and the NOF team at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), along with Emily Fallon and Susie Threadgold of Essex County Council, are presenting findings to MPs at an event held by the Food Foundation at the House of Commons.

    When it comes to barriers to providing nutritious meals, 59% of preschools in Essex consider the cost of food to be the greatest challenge, with children’s food preferences and allergies the second biggest factor.

    The majority of preschools in the county (57%) only have basic food preparation facilities, such as a microwave, and over two thirds (69%) of children in Essex bring their own food to preschool in the form of parent-provided lunchboxes.

    The study identified that these lunchboxes often contained high levels of processed food and had greater nutritional variability than meals provided by the preschools. It also found many lunchboxes of two to four-year-olds included pouches of baby food.

    In contrast, meals provided by preschools more consistently adhered to nutritional guidelines, featuring higher protein content, more fruits and vegetables, and less processed food.

    One preschool said: “We face a significant challenge with promoting healthy eating to families.  Our children’s lunchboxes consist of a lot of processed, unhealthy foods that are high in sugar and additives.”

    Another said: “Children are sometimes not used to being encouraged to try anything new! This is evident in some lunch boxes, where the contents never vary.”

    One preschool adopts “family mealtimes” to encourage children to try different food. They said: “A lot of children have never eaten the type of food we serve such as soup or pulses and only consume fruit from pouches… It is an increasing challenge to encourage children to try new foods but our family mealtimes where they can watch other children and staff eating and drinking really helps.”

    An analysis of 414 photographs of meals (87% home-packed food and 13% provided by the preschool) studied nutritional content. While starchy carbohydrates were well-aligned with portion size guidelines and fruit and vegetables slightly exceeded the target, dairy provision was slightly below and protein was significantly below guidelines.

    When it comes to promoting healthier lunchboxes, 75% of communication with parents is carried out at drop off or pick up times Preschools also said they would appreciate support on how to better advise and engage parents in healthier food choices.

    The rising cost of food was the single greatest challenge to healthy eating identified by the study. As a recent report by the Food Foundation set out, healthier foods are more than twice as expensive per calorie than less healthy foods. For preschools that provide lunches, delivering high-quality, nutritious meals is becoming increasingly difficult.

    Preschools, along with childminders and day nurseries, are not permitted to charge a compulsory fee for food, meaning the cost is borne by the early years settings themselves or through a voluntary contribution from parents.

    Practitioners consistently highlighted the financial strain, with one preschool noting, “Fresh food is increasing in price all the time; food purchasing in general has risen significantly over the last two years.”

    Trying to provide food on a budget, while also catering to children’s individual food preferences and allergies, adds to the difficulty. One preschool said: “We really try to accommodate food allergies, but more and more children are showing [as] intolerant and [have an] allergy and it is really increasing our spending on food.”

    Policy recommendations set out in the Nourishing Our Future report include a nationally funded early years food scheme to support both preschool and parent-provided meals, ensuring affordability and respecting parental choice, establishing public health support for parents on healthy eating, including nutrition advice, and developing targeted programmes to help children build positive relationships around food preferences.

    “Our study involved preschools from across Essex, as well as parents, which is important as parents’ voices are often missing from healthy food policy development.

    “The report shows that although there is a great deal of excellent work being done by preschools across Essex, there is a need for action to improve the nutritional landscape for young children, including improving children’s relationship with food.

    “We would like to see appropriate national funding for preschools to allow them to provide healthy food for all children. However, simply replacing lunchboxes with setting-provided food for one meal a day won’t solve the wider issues for the child or their family, such as what will they eat at the weekend or during the holidays.

    “We must support all families in being able to access affordable, healthy food alongside appropriate nutritional advice, because healthy food should be available to all. Of course, there are much wider societal issues around the prevalence of convenience, ultra processed food and the targeted marketing of foods that are high in fat salt and sugar, and tackling this also needs to be a priority.”

    Dr Kay Aaronricks, Head of the School of Education at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)

    The full report is available here: https://nourishingourfuture.co.uk/2025/05/14/preschool-briefing/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –