NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iran announces new round of talks with EU3 in Istanbul on July 25

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TEHRAN, July 21 (Xinhua) — Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that a new round of talks between Tehran and the E3 group, comprising France, Britain and Germany, is planned to be held in Istanbul, Turkey on July 25.

    The official said the talks would focus on lifting sanctions on Iran and issues related to the Iranian nuclear programme, with Tehran set out its demands “in all seriousness”. The meeting would be at deputy foreign minister level and would be attended by the EU deputy high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

    E. Baghaei criticized the three European countries that signed the 2015 nuclear deal for their “inappropriate” stance and silence in the face of Israel’s recent military “aggression” against Iran. The Iranian diplomat said these countries should be held accountable for their stance.

    He also mentioned the E3’s threats to trigger the sanctions snapback mechanism, stressing that resorting to it is “senseless, illegal and immoral.”

    The sanctions snapback mechanism is part of the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It allows other parties to reimpose all international sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the agreement.

    Iran and the EU3 have held six rounds of talks since September last year, when delegations began dialogue on a range of issues including Tehran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session in New York. The latest round took place in Istanbul in mid-May.

    In July 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with six countries – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. Under the deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State University

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. MicroStockHub-iStock/Getty Images Plus

    Champions of the almost entirely party-line vote in the U.S. Senate to erase US$1.1 billion in already approved funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting called their action a refusal to subsidize liberal media.

    “Public broadcasting has long been overtaken by partisan activists,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, insisting there is no need for government to fund what he regards as biased media. “If you want to watch the left-wing propaganda, turn on MSNBC,” Cruz said.

    Accusing the media of liberal bias has been a consistent conservative complaint since the civil rights era, when white Southerners insisted news outlets were slanting their stories against segregation. During his presidential campaign in 1964, U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona complained that the media was against him, an accusation that has been repeated by every Republican presidential candidate since.

    But those charges of bias rarely survive empirical scrutiny.

    As chair of a public policy institute devoted to strengthening deliberative democracy, I have written two books about the media and the presidency, and another about media ethics. My research traces how news institutions shape civic life and why healthy democracies rely on journalism that is independent of both market pressure and partisan talking points.

    That independence in the United States – enshrined in the press freedom clause of the First Amendment – gives journalists the ability to hold government accountable, expose abuses of power and thereby support democracy.

    GOP Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to reporters as Senate Republicans vote on President Donald Trump’s request to cancel about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting spending on July 16, 2025.
    AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

    Trusting independence

    Ad Fontes Media, a self-described “public benefit company” whose mission is to rate media for credibility and bias, have placed the reporting of “PBS NewsHour” under 10 points left of the ideological center. They label it as both “reliable” and based in “analysis/fact.” “Fox and Friends,” by contrast, the popular morning show on Fox News, is nearly 20 points to the right. The scale starts at zero and runs 42 points to the left to measure progressive bias and 42 points to the right to measure conservative bias. Ratings are provided by three-person panels comprising left-, right- and center-leaning reviewers.

    A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Science Advances that tracked more than 6,000 political reporters likewise found “no evidence of liberal media bias” in the stories they chose to cover, even though most journalists are more left-leaning than the rest of the population.

    A similar 2016 study published in Public Opinion Quarterly said that media are more similar than dissimilar and, excepting political scandals, “major
    news organizations present topics in a largely nonpartisan manner,
    casting neither Democrats nor Republicans in a particularly favorable
    or unfavorable light    .”

    Surveys show public media’s audiences do not see it as biased. A national poll of likely voters released July 14, 2025, found that 53% of respondents trust public media to report news “fully, accurately and fairly,” while only 35% extend that trust to “the media in general.” A majority also opposed eliminating federal support.

    Contrast these numbers with attitudes about public broadcasters such as MTVA in Hungary or the TVP in Poland, where the state controls most content. Protests in Budapest October 2024 drew thousands demanding an end to “propaganda.” Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reports that TVP is the least trusted news outlet in the country.

    While critics sometimes conflate American public broadcasting with state-run outlets, the structures are very different.

    Safeguards for editorial freedom

    In state-run media systems, a government agency hires editors, dictates coverage and provides full funding from the treasury. Public officials determine – or make up – what is newsworthy. Individual media operations survive only so long as the party in power is happy.

    Public broadcasting in the U.S. works in almost exactly the opposite way: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private nonprofit with a statutory “firewall” that forbids political interference.

    More than 70% of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s federal appropriation for 2025 of US$1.1 billion flows through to roughly 1,500 independently governed local stations, most of which are NPR or PBS affiliates but some of which are unaffiliated community broadcasters. CPB headquarters retains only about 5% of that federal funding.

    Stations survive by combining this modest federal grant money with listener donations, underwriting and foundation support. That creates a diversified revenue mix that further safeguards their editorial freedom.

    And while stations share content, each also has latitude when it comes to programming and news coverage, especially at the local level.

    As a public-private partnership, individual communities mostly own the public broadcasting system and its affiliate stations. Congress allocates funds, while community nonprofits, university boards, state authorities or other local license holders actually own and run the stations. Individual monthly donors are often called “members” and sometimes have voting rights in station-governance matters. Membership contributions make up the largest share of revenue for most stations, providing another safeguard for editorial independence.

    A host and guest in July 2024 sit inside a recording studio at KMXT, the public radio station on Kodiak Island in Alaska.
    Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal

    Broadly shared civic commons

    And then there are public media’s critical benefits to democracy itself.

    A 2021 report from the European Broadcasting Union links public broadcasting with higher voter turnout, better factual knowledge and lower susceptibility to extremist rhetoric.

    Experts warn that even small cuts will exacerbate an already pernicious problem with political disinformation in the U.S., as citizens lose access to free information that fosters media literacy and encourages trust across demographics.

    In many ways, public media remains the last broadly shared civic commons. It is both commercial-free and independently edited.

    Another study, by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School in 2022, affirmed that “countries with independent and well-funded public broadcasting systems also consistently have stronger democracies.”

    The study highlighted how public media works to bridge divides and foster understanding across polarized groups. Unlike commercial media, where the profit motive often creates incentives to emphasize conflict and sensationalism, public media generally seeks to provide balanced perspectives that encourage dialogue and mutual respect. Reports are often longer and more in-depth than those by other news outlets.

    Such attention to nuance provides a critical counterweight to the fragmented, often hyperpartisan news bubbles that pervade cable news and social media. And this skillful, more balanced treatment helps to ameliorate political polarization and misinformation.

    In all, public media’s unique structure and mission make democracy healthier in the U.S. and across the world. Public media prioritizes education and civic enlightenment. It gives citizens important tools for navigating complex issues to make informed decisions – whether those decisions are about whom to vote for or about public policy itself. Maintaining and strengthening public broadcasting preserves media diversity and advances important principles of self-government.

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. Ronald Reagan once described a free press as vital for the United States to succeed in its “noble experiment in self-government.” From that perspective, more independent reporting – not less – will prove the best remedy for any worry about partisan spin.

    Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy – https://theconversation.com/pbs-and-npr-are-generally-unbiased-independent-of-government-propaganda-and-provide-key-benefits-to-us-democracy-261512

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Budapest Pride Parade as a pretext for a ‘moralist Commission’ to overstep its powers and disregard national child protection laws for ideologically motivated reasons – E-002845/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002845/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Mary Khan (ESN), Petra Steger (PfE)

    On 18 March 2025 the Hungarian Parliament passed a law prohibiting gatherings that violate the Hungarian Child Protection Act. Breaking this law exposes participants to fines of up to EUR 500 and organisers to prison sentences of up to one year. Subsequently, on 14 April 2025, a constitutional amendment was passed by a two-thirds majority that places child protection above all fundamental rights except the right to life and stipulates that there are only two genders. Flying in the face of this legitimate expression of national sovereignty, on 25 June 2025 Commission President von der Leyen ordered Hungary to uphold fundamental rights and demanded that the Budapest Pride parade, which had been staged as propaganda despite being banned, be allowed to take place with impunity.[1] In so doing, the Commission once again overstepped its authority and interfered in internal affairs – a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of a democratically legitimate Member State. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s unambiguous response that what happens on Hungary’s streets is not to be decided in Brussels therefore deserves recognition and broad European support.

    • 1.On what legal basis is the Commission President calling for events that are banned in Member States to be allowed to take place with impunity?
    • 2.Does the Commission not see a contradiction in promoting diversity while at the same time wilfully delegitimising the culturally established values and democratic constitutional decisions of individual Member States?
    • 3.What measures is the Commission taking to protect national child protection laws from ideological influence by EU institutions, bodies, agencies and other entities?

    Submitted: 11.7.2025

    • [1] https://orf.at/stories/3397824/
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Actions to tackle the misuse of geographical indications and the production and distribution of counterfeit products – E-002869/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002869/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Dimitris Tsiodras (PPE)

    Products with geographical indications such as olive oil, meat, cheese, dairy products and beverages such as beer and wine are particularly vulnerable to counterfeiting. For example, alcoholic beverages have one of the highest counterfeiting rates compared to other products, with annual losses of EUR 2 289 million in sales and almost 5 700 jobs in the EU. In Greece alone, EUR 49 million in sales and over 200 jobs are lost in this sector every year. According to Europol,[1] criminals forge labels and packaging and adapt production processes, while counterfeit products containing dangerous substances have also been seized. These phenomena cause irreparable harm to producers and pose a significant risk to consumer health.

    In light of the above:

    • 1.How does the Commission intend to tackle imports of such products while ensuring a level playing field for European producers?
    • 2.What measures does the Commission intend to put in place to tackle the misuse of geographical indications and to strengthen cross-border cooperation and enforcement of anti-counterfeiting legislation?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    • [1] Report by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) on the Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment in the European Union for 2025 (SOCTA).
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Pollution in the River Ul – municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis (Portugal) – E-002856/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002856/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Ana Miguel Pedro (PPE)

    The source of the River Ul is in Fajões, in São Mamede, in Portugal. It flows through the municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis and is an important watercourse for the local ecosystem and the quality of life of those who live nearby.

    In recent weeks, residents have raised numerous complaints, citing obvious signs of pollution in the river, including persistent white foam and an intense, unpleasant odour that even reaches neighbouring homes.

    This evidence indicates the presence of polluting discharges that are potentially industrial or domestic in origin and pose a risk to the environment, public health and local biodiversity. The situation could be a breach of the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000).

    • 1.Is the Commission aware of this situation?
    • 2.Does the Commission believe that the situation could breach the obligations laid down in Directive 2000/60/EC, in particular as regards the protection of the quality of surface water bodies?
    • 3.Is the Commission in a position to urge the relevant municipal authorities to investigate and, where appropriate, take immediate corrective action to ensure EU environmental legislation is followed?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Additional financial support to address the migration problem affecting Greece – E-002860/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002860/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Georgios Aftias (PPE)

    Flows of migrants from Libya have recently shot up. Southern Greece – in particular Crete – is under severe pressure every day as a result of people arriving on boats, often under dangerous conditions. According to all forecasts, the waves of migrants from Libya are set to continue, owing to the Libyan government’s failure or even inability to contain them. The European Union has an obligation to stand with Greece, a frontline country which is once again being disproportionately burdened.

    Given the above, can the Commission say:

    • 1.What additional financial measures does it intend to take to tackle this new problem, which is getting worse every day?
    • 2.How will the process of curbing flows and supporting areas directly affected, such as Crete and Gavdos, be financed?
    • 3.When are the new, increased funds expected to be approved so that the situation can be dealt with effectively before all control is lost?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Commission measures to protect Greece’s sovereign rights following the Libyan Note Verbale – E-002866/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002866/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Yannis Maniatis (S&D)

    At a time when the EU is trying to assert its geopolitical ‘stature’, there are still countries that blatantly disregard the sovereign rights of its Member States and – by extension – the interests of the Union.

    As from 2011-2014, Greece has adopted legislation (Law 4001/2011) and mapped the outer boundaries of the Greek continental shelf and EEZ on the basis of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Nonetheless, not only do Türkiye and Libya not respect this international treaty, but they are in flagrant violation of it by signing the illegal and invalid Turkish-Libyan memorandum of understanding, which has not even been ratified by the Libyan Parliament.

    In response to the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (12 June) of a Greek tender for hydrocarbon exploration, the Libyan Government sent a Note Verbale to the UN in which – in breach of international law – it challenges the principle of the median line for defining the EEZs of Greece and Libya, threatening research that contributes to the EU’s energy autonomy. The Turkish-Libyan memorandum was condemned at a recent European Council meeting, which deemed that it violated the sovereign rights of Member States, was incompatible with the law of the sea and could not produce legal consequences for non-EU countries.

    What practical measures does the Commission intend to take against Libya to turn the European Council’s condemnatory decision into real action?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Advancing women’s health – E-002864/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002864/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Michalis Hadjipantela (PPE)

    The promotion of women’s health and fertility rights across the European Union is undoubtedly a core aspect of public health policy and gender equality. The Commission’s 2025 report entitled ‘EU research on advancing women’s health’[1] highlights that over EUR 2 billion has been invested in research related to women’s health under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. Despite this promising investment, chronic conditions such as endometriosis, which affects approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, remain undiagnosed and underfunded in many Member States, including Cyprus.

    In Cyprus, women continue to face significant barriers in accessing timely diagnoses and effective treatment for gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, both of which are linked to fertility issues. Also, public health data collection, awareness campaigns and fertility support services remain limited.

    Can the Commission therefore clarify:

    • 1.What specific EU funding sources are currently available or planned to support women’s health and fertility, particularly in Cyprus?
    • 2.What proportion of this funding targets endometriosis research, treatment and awareness?
    • 3.What steps is the Commission taking to ensure that EU-level research and funding are translated into tangible improvements in healthcare provision for women in Cyprus?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    • [1] https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/43771686-4a5c-11f0-85ba-01aa75ed71a1/language-en.
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Classification of poultry by-products and obstacles to biogas use – E-002843/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002843/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Asger Christensen (Renew)

    Each year, millions of spent hens in Denmark, Sweden and Finland pose a logistical and sustainability challenge because of insufficient slaughterhouse capacity. The only specialised facility in the region operates well below the scale needed to process the volume of end-of-lay hens.

    Mobile slaughter systems, such as the Danish BioChick solution, offer a practical and animal welfare-friendly alternative. The process involves the hens being stunned, inspected by a veterinary surgeon, and acidified to a pH of 2 to yield a product suitable for biogas generation. However, under Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009[1], this material is classified as Category 2, whereas it would be Category 3 if processed in a traditional slaughterhouse. This classification prevents its use in renewable energy, despite similar hygiene and safety standards and better animal welfare standards.

    In parallel, new EU transport rules may further restrict long-distance movement of spent hens, increasing the relevance of mobile slaughter and biogas conversion as one of the few sustainable solutions.

    • 1.Does the Commission consider this classification proportionate when equivalent standards are met?
    • 2.Will the Commission revise the rules to allow Category 3 classification in such cases?
    • 3.How does the Commission plan to support biogas use of spent hens in areas without adequate slaughter capacity?

    Submitted: 11.7.2025

    • [1] Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 (Animal by-products Regulation) (OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1069/oj).
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK pledges lifesaving aid for Gaza

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK pledges lifesaving aid for Gaza

    Tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza will receive additional humanitarian aid funded by the UK government.

    • UK government announces new £60m humanitarian aid package to support healthcare, food and water.
    • Includes vital funding to treat patients at UK-Med field hospitals in Gaza
    • Aid package will help provide emergency food, shelter and support for over 2 million people

    Tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza will receive additional humanitarian aid funded by the UK government.  

    In a statement to Parliament, the Foreign Secretary David Lammy outlined that food assistance programmes, water and sanitation services and maternal and children’s healthcare will be scaled up through this new £60 million funding.  

    This will include continued support to two field hospitals in Gaza run by UK-Med. UK-Med are a frontline medical organisation deployed to crises who have now treated over 500,000 Gazans over the course of the conflict. 24,000 of these were in the past fortnight alone, with UK-Med treating a range of medical conditions as well as injuries related to the conflict.   

    This announcement also includes £20 million in support for UNRWA’s essential services for Palestinian refugees. This funding will provide emergency food, shelter and other support for over 2 million people, as well support UNRWA’s wider work across the region. UNWRA’s work in Gaza ensures water provision reaches up to 600,000 people monthly across Gaza. 

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 

    UK aid has been saving lives and under the most appalling circumstances, it is saving lives today.

    Today I am announcing extra humanitarian assistance in Gaza to support tens of thousands of civilians that are urgently in need this year. This includes supporting UK-Med to sustain the vital operations they perform right now in Gaza. 

    The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths – almost 1000 civilians have been killed since May seeking aid. We continue to call for, work for, and vote for an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages at every possible opportunity. We will keep doing so until this war is over.

    UK-Med CEO David Wightwick said:

    I have never seen a crisis of this scale and severity, and it has only deteriorated in recent months.

    UK Government funding is vital in supporting UK-Med to deliver over 500,000 patient consultations in Gaza during this conflict.

    I want to thank our 400-strong team on the ground for their determination, professionalism and tireless work to address the medical needs of Gazans in incredibly difficult circumstances.

    This announcement is part of the £101 million of Official Development Assistance the UK has committed to the OPTs this financial year. It demonstrates the UK’s commitment to playing a leading role in alleviating Palestinian suffering and building security, in support of the government’s Plan for Change.   

    The Foreign Secretary reflected on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza in his statement and thanked medics and humanitarian workers for the work they are doing in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances.  

    He said the new aid system in Gaza – which has seen almost 900 people killed since May while seeking food and water – was creating further disorder for Hamas to exploit.

    The Foreign Secretary reiterated his complete condemnation of the Israeli defence minister’s plan for the forcible displacement of Gaza’s entire population into Rafah, with the potential for deportation.

    The UK also announced £7m of support to strengthen governance in the OPTs, including supporting the Palestinian Authority’s delivery of their reform agenda. 

    The UK continues to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, a surge in aid and a path towards long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.

    Background: 

    ·       This £60m funding is part of the UK’s £101m programme for the Occupied Palestinian Territories this year. 

    ·       Of this, £7.5m will go to UK-Med to operate their two field hospitals  

    ·       £20m for UNRWA to support their essential services for Palestinian refugees 

    ·       £7m will go to strengthen governance, accountability and civic space in the OPTs, including supporting the PA’s delivery of their reform agenda. 

    ·       Please see the Foreign Secretary’s statement to parliament: Foreign Secretary statement on the Middle East, 21 July 2025 

    ·       Please see the joint statement on behalf of 26 partners on the OPTs: Occupied Palestinian Territories: joint statement, 21 July 2025 – GOV.UK

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Council shortlisted for three national awards

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The Highland Council has been shortlisted for three awards at the 2025 APSE Service Awards.

    The awards are specific to frontline services provided by UK local authorities and celebrate excellence in local public services.

    The nominations include:

    • Best Service Team: Parks, Grounds and Horticultural
    • Best Service Team: Technical Services
    • Best Community and Neighbourhood initiative for the Burnside Play Area Project

    Debbie Sutton, Chief Officer – Operations and Maintenance, said: “This is a wonderful achievement for our Operations and Maintenance team which celebrates the team’s hard work and commitment to providing a high standard of public services for our local communities. I wish the team well at the awards ceremony later in the year.”

    Winners will be announced at the APSE Annual Charity Awards Dinner in Glasgow on Thursday 11 September 2025, where the awards will be agreed by a panel of expert judges.

    Speaking about the Awards, Mo Baines, APSE Chief Executive, said:” With reorganisation on the horizon for many councils and increased discussions around greater devolution for local government across the UK, these awards are an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication of our frontline service teams and their tireless work to support and improve their local communities. Through innovation and tenacity, you continue to strive for excellence even in difficult circumstances. Congratulations to all the finalists, we look forward to seeing you in Glasgow!”

    The Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) is a not-for-profit local government body working with over 300 councils throughout the UK to promote excellence in public services.

    21 Jul 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Birmingham signs up to West Midlands Growth Plan

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Monday, 21st July 2025

    The West Midlands Growth Plan has been launched by the regional mayor alongside local authority leaders.

    Birmingham City Council leader Cllr John Cotton attended the launch and signed up to the plan that will drive a new era of prosperity in all parts of the region by creating 100,000 good jobs in fast-growing industries, getting tens of thousands of residents into work, improving public transport, and building 120,000 homes.

    The plan also sets out actions to reduce poverty and deprivation and make further progress towards net zero.

    Cllr Cotton said: “This is great news for the people of Birmingham and the wider region. Birmingham is the beating heart of the West Midlands and when we thrive, the whole country thrives.

    “Increasingly, businesses want to invest here and families want to live work here and this growth plan will bring more jobs and skills, better transport and much-needed housing, as well as support our vital net zero ambitions.”

    The Growth Plan will build on new projects and funding secured by the Mayor since he took office.

    This includes hundreds of new social homes, £2.4bn to improve transport, more than £10m of support for local businesses, five million free bus journeys ahead of bringing the network back under public control and a flagship Investment Zone, offering tax breaks and other benefits for companies.

    The Mayor has also agreed a new tram line to East Birmingham which has proved pivotal in landing the £3bn Sports Quarter regeneration project by American financier and Birmingham City FC co-owner Tom Wagner.

    Full details can be found on the WMCA website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP rebounds close to $4, PBK Miner officially launches AI smart XRP cloud mining contract this week

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, United Kingdom, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As XRP rebounds from a recent dip below $2 to approach the $4 mark, PBK Miner has officially launched a new suite of XRP cloud mining contracts this week to meet growing global demand from holders and short-term investors. The launch has already triggered a 297% spike in platform activity within just 72 hours, confirming the surge of investor interest in low-risk, high-yield crypto mining options.

    This launch comes at a time when the XRP market is regaining momentum after a volatile correction, creating an ideal opportunity for investors looking to capitalize on XRP’s recovery with stable, AI-driven cloud mining plans.While XRP price remains just below the critical $4 threshold, PBK Miner’s groundbreaking cloud mining model is driving more holders to participate and increasing the perceived value of the asset.
    XRP’s performance has caught the market off guard. Just a few days ago, it briefly fell below the psychological $2 mark, sparking market concerns about further declines. However, XRP has since rebounded strongly. This period of consolidation coincided with PBK Miner’s launch of innovative XRP cloud mining contracts – a move that quickly attracted the attention of long-term holders and new market participants.
    Visit the official PBK Miner website: https://pbkminer.com

    Breaking the Rules: Cloud Mining Designed for XRP
    PBK Miner cloud mining is a remote cryptocurrency mining solution that supports multiple digital assets, including XRP. Users can use PBK Miner’s powerful computing infrastructure to earn income without having to purchase mining hardware or perform any technical maintenance. By utilizing high-performance mining facilities, PBK Miner enables users to continuously solve complex blockchain algorithms and receive real-time mining rewards.
    Unlike traditional mining methods that rely on Proof of Work (PoW), XRP uses a consensus protocol, which makes traditional mining infeasible. PBK Miner solves this challenge by simulating a cloud mining model that allows users to receive XRP rewards through mining contracts.
    Key Features of PBK Miner XRP Cloud Mining Contracts
    •No Hardware Required: Open to all users – no mining equipment or technical setup required
    •Daily Payouts: Mining earnings are withdrawn daily based on your active contract
    •Safe Custody: Assets are protected by PBK Miner’s industry-grade security protocols
    •Flexible Contract Terms: Contract amounts range from $10 to $100,000, and terms range from 1 to 50 days
    Flexible XRP Mining Contracts Now Available
    Following the huge success of BTC cloud mining contracts, PBK Miner now offers over 10 different XRP mining contracts. With weekly purchases growing 295%, users can choose a plan that fits their budget and financial goals. All contracts support XRP mining and guarantee a full return of principal at maturity, providing a low-risk entry point for beginners and experienced investors.
    $100 Plan – 2 days – Earn $3.50 per day
    $1,000 Plan – 10 days – Earn $13.50 per day
    $5,000 Plan – 30 days – Earn $77.50 per day
    $10,000 Plan – 45 days – Earn $165.00 per day
    These numbers are not theoretical predictions – they are backed by real-time data from over 8 million users worldwide, powered by PBK Miner’s high-performance infrastructure and AI-optimized profit model.

    [Click here to explore more cloud mining plans.]

    PBK Miner turns market consolidation into opportunity with XRP mining contracts

    A spokesperson for PBK Miner said: “While some believe XRP is still a long way from breaking $3, we see this as a strategic entry point. Our platform allows users to earn real XRP mining rewards in completely secure funds – whether the market is rising, falling or consolidating. This launch comes at a critical time and will inject new vitality into the XRP ecosystem.”
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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: AI and other future technologies will be necessary — but not sufficient — for enacting the UN’s Pact for the Future

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joyeeta Gupta, Professor, Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam

    In September 2024, members of the United Nations adopted the Pact for the Future at the Summit of the Future, held in New York City. The pact, including its two annexes on the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact, builds on multilateral agreements following the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.



    Read more:
    How the United Nations’ Pact for the Future could help heal a fractured world

    The pact commits to “protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through the actions stated in the pact.” These actions address the digital divide, inclusion, digital space that respects human rights and promotes responsible governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

    Additionally, the Declaration on Future Generations includes 10 principles and some actions. The pact also encourages accelerated development of AI, while considering both its positive and negative aspects within a broader aim to protect human rights.

    A 1972 image of the Earth taken during the Apollo 17 mission. Planetary justice means considering human and non-human life, Earth systems and responsible management of resources.
    (NASA)

    Meeting needs

    As the former co-chair of the Earth Commission and current co-chair of the UN 10-member group, I have worked on incorporating justice issues within environmental studies. Along with my colleagues, we recently published an article where we explain how we have developed Earth system boundaries based on the principle of not causing significant harm to others as part of a broader human rights and Earth systems justice approach.

    While the pact acknowledges and builds on the Sustainable Development Goals, it does not adequately take into account the latest science that shows we have crossed many safe and just Earth system boundaries. There’s also a challenge here: if we were to meet everyone’s minimum needs as required by the social Sustainable Development Goals, we will cross boundaries further.

    A human rights approach

    The pact and its annexes make reference to justice, future generations and Africa. Justice is anchored in a human rights approach. The pact only mentions reducing harm in relation to digital platforms and explosive weapons, but this could be strengthened with the addition of the no-harm principle — not causing significant harm to human and non-human others — in other areas such as climate change. Other forms of justice are scarcely accounted for.

    These include epistemic justice (or how different knowledge systems are included), and data justice (the right to create, control, access, apply and profit from data). Procedural justice — the right to information, decision-making, civic space and courts relating to the allocation of resources and responsibilities — is also vital.

    Other important forms of justice include recognition justice, interspecies, and intragenerational justice. Earth system justice is needed to identify and live within Earth system boundaries and equitably share resources and risks.

    The pact notes that “if we do not change course, we risk tipping into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown,” but it does not make reference to the latest science on planetary boundaries.

    Climate justice

    We argue that implementing the pact requires recognizing how boundaries, foundations and inequality are inextricably are linked together. The Earth Commission argues that safe planetary boundaries are not necessarily just. To minimize significant harm to others, it may be necessary to have more stringent targets.

    For example, 1.5 C is the proposed safe climate boundary for climate change, while 1 C is the proposed just boundary since, at this level, already tens of millions of people are exposed to extreme heat and humidity. Eight safe and just boundaries for climate, water, nutrients, biosphere and aerosols have been identified, seven of which have been crossed.



    Read more:
    What are ‘planetary boundaries’ and why should we care?

    In terms of foundations, theoretically, meeting people’s minimum needs would lead to further crossing these boundaries. We need to recognize that living within safe and just boundaries requires meeting everyone’s minimum needs.

    This requires deploying efficient technologies and redistributing resources to make up the deficit. But governments are reluctant to take this approach, probably because it limits the use of resources and sinks.

    Technological support

    Living within climate boundaries will require a just transition. Globally, if we wish to remain below the safe climate boundary, we will have to completely stop using fossil fuels. Since most remaining fossil fuel reserves are in the developing world, this will put a heavy burden on them. At the same time, climate impacts are considerable, so finance for a just energy transformation is needed.

    While the pact restates the importance of the 2030 agenda in bolstering sustainable development, it lacks a credible mechanism for monitoring whether the national pledges are implemented. This will require strong collaboration among policy, science and the private sector.

    There is a wealth of information in Earth observations from space that can assist in monitoring progress. This information, if made available to researchers and policymakers, can be integrated into national, regional and global environmental risk assessments.

    Digital twins are another technological development that can support these assessments. The European Commission’s Digital Twin of the Ocean, for example, is a virtual model. It integrates diverse ocean data sources and leverages the power of big data, advanced computing and AI to provide real-time insights and scenario simulations under a variety of conditions. Such systems can enhance our ability to cope with environmental challenges.

    As AI is likely to dramatically develop in the few two years, it is critical to be ready to shape and use its potential in a positive way to implement the Pact while reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.

    A ‘cash flow crisis’

    Finally, the pact calls for urgent, predictable and stable funding for the UN and developing countries. This will enable UN bodies to deliver services and administer programs in accordance with international law. The UN Secretariat is facing a severe “cash flow crisis,” as major contributors are paying too late or too little.

    The UN Honour Roll lists member states that have paid membership fees in full: 151 of 193 countries paid in full, but only 51 of them on time in 2024. Among 13 countries with assessed fees of more than US$50 million, only Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Germany and Italy paid on time.

    With most members paying late, and large ones not paying till later or only partially, this severely constrains the ability of the UN to provide planned, impartial and inclusive services to the global community.

    There is also a need for funding to enable developing countries to adapt and transform. But if such funding comes through loans, this may further exacerbate existing developing country debt: in 2023, developing countries made debt repayments of US$1.4 trillion.

    We need redistribution of resources. Until then, it is critical that new technologies such as AI are deployed to help us return within the boundaries and meet minimum needs without exacerbating climate change through its fossil fuels dependence. The UN plays a critical role in facilitating human, environmental and earthy system justice, but shrinking resources hamper its ability to deliver.

    Joyeeta Gupta receives funding from European Research Council and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

    – ref. AI and other future technologies will be necessary — but not sufficient — for enacting the UN’s Pact for the Future – https://theconversation.com/ai-and-other-future-technologies-will-be-necessary-but-not-sufficient-for-enacting-the-uns-pact-for-the-future-247511

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary statement on the Middle East, 21 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Foreign Secretary statement on the Middle East, 21 July 2025

    The Foreign Secretary made a statement to parliament on the Middle East

    With permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Middle East.

    I’ll begin on Syria.

    We have been horrified by the recent violence in the south, including civilian deaths.

    Clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias have quickly escalated into intense fighting between government forces and further Israeli strikes on the Syrian military.

    As I said directly to Foreign Minister Shaibani we want to see the fighting ended, civilians protected and the rights of all Syrians upheld.

    The violence in Suwayda must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.

    We want humanitarian access to be restored, aid delivered and Syria’s sovereignty must be respected. 

    The UK can be proud of our support to the Syrian people over many, many years.

    And a stable Syria matters to the UK’s national interest, for terrorism, for irregular migration, for regional stability.

    We must work to prevent extremism, sectarianism or lawlessness taking hold now that Assad is gone.

    That’s why we are backing a sustainable ceasefire and that is why we support an inclusive transition.

    And that’s why I visited Damascus recently to support and to press the new government to meet its commitments.

    I will now turn to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    It’s two and a half months since Prime Minister Netanyahu restarted offensive operations.

    The IDF has driven Palestinians out of 86 per cent of Gaza, leaving around two million people trapped in an area scarcely over twenty square miles.

    Whatever this Israeli government might claim, repeated displacement of so many civilians is not keeping them safe. In fact, it’s quite the reverse.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, the new Israeli aid system is inhumane, it’s dangerous and it deprives Gazans of human dignity.

    It contradicts long-stablished humanitarian principles. It creates disorder Hamas is exploiting with distribution points reduced from 400 to just four.

    It forces desperate civilians, children among them, to scramble unsafely for the essentials of life.

    It’s a grotesque spectacle, wreaking a terrible human cost.

    Almost 1000 civilians have been killed since May seeking aid, including 100 over this weekend alone.

    There are near daily reports of Israeli troops opening fire on people trying to access food.

    Israeli jets have hit women and children waiting for a health clinic to open.

    An Israeli drone has struck down children filling water containers which Israeli officials blamed on a ‘technical error’.

    Hamas is contributing to the chaos and taking advantage of it.

    I utterly condemn the killing of civilians seeking to meet their most basic needs.

    The Israeli government must answer:

    What possible military justification can there be for strikes that have killed desperate, starving children?

    What immediate actions are they taking to stop this litany of horrors?

    What will they do to hold those responsible to account?

    Mr Deputy Speaker, I have said before I am a steadfast supporter of Israel’s security and right to exist.

    I treasure the many connections between our peoples

    And the horrors of October 7th must never be forgotten.

    But I firmly believe the Israeli government’s actions are doing untold damage to Israel’s standing in the world and undermining Israel’s long-term security.

    Netanyahu should listen to the Israeli people, 82 per cent of whom desperately want a ceasefire.

    And to the hostages’ families because they know it offers the best chance to bring their loved ones home.

    Those hostages may be hidden in cramped tunnels under the ruins of Gaza but we will not forget them or Hamas’s despicable actions and we will continue to demand their unconditional release.

    This offensive puts them in grave danger.

    But still Netanyahu persists.

    Indeed, Minister Katz has gone further proposing to drive Gaza’s entire population into Rafah, imprisoning Palestinians, unless persuaded to emigrate.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a cruel vision which must never come to pass.

    I condemn it unequivocally.

    Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.

    Many Israelis themselves are appalled.

    A former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said ‘it marches us into the abyss’. He was right.

    Mr Speaker, today I joined a joint statement by 25 Foreign Ministers with a simple, urgent message:

    the war in Gaza must end now.

    There is no military solution.

    Negotiations will secure the hostages.

    Further bloodshed serves no purpose. 

    Hamas and Israel must both commit to a ceasefire now. 

    And the next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire.

    I thank the US, Qatar, and Egypt for their tireless efforts.

    And I am sure all Members share my intense frustration it has not happened.

    Until there is such a breakthrough, we must keep doing all we can to relieve suffering.

    UK aid has saved lives.

    Reaching hundreds of thousands with food, water, hygiene, and sanitation, and essential healthcare.

    And under the most appalling circumstances our aid is saving lives today.

    That includes, the almost nine million pounds the UK has provided to UK-Med, since we entered office,

    reaching half a million patients inside Gaza, 24,000 in the past fortnight alone.

    Like 3-year old Razan.

    UK-funded medics removed a bullet from her neck after nearly three hours of surgery.

    These doctors and nurses working in the most extreme conditions are true heroes.

    They deserve the thanks and admiration of the entire House.

    We are also working, of course, multilaterally.

    The 149 trucks from the World Food Programme and UNICEF entering Gaza in recent day included food supplies funded by the UK.

    And thousands more trucks laden with aid paid for by British taxpayers can enter, the moment the Israeli government lets it.

    Today, I am announcing an extra £40 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza this year, including seven and a half million for UK-Med to sustain their vital operations in Gaza and save more lives.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, accompanying the horrors in Gaza, there is an accelerating campaign to prevent a future Palestinian state in the West Bank.

    It’s embraced by Netanyahu, it’s encouraged by his Ministers. It’s driven by an extremist ideology which wants to suffocate the two-state solution, the only route to a lasting peace and security.

    We see it in the unprecedented pace of settlement expansion.

    In the shocking levels of settler violence, even settler terrorism,

    for that is what the most egregious ideological attacks are.

    And in the deliberate attempts to squeeze the Palestinian Authority, unjustly denying it access to its own funds, and it harms Israel’s long-term interests.

    Now, the Israeli government is reintroducing plans to construct new units in the E1 area of occupied east Jerusalem.

    If built, this settlement would separate the West Bank’s north from its south and Palestinians in the West Bank from East Jerusalem.

    These plans are wholly unacceptable.

    They are illegal.

    And they must not happen.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, we are also striving to keep open the prospects of a two-state solution.

    UK assistance has been preserving the Palestinian Authority, contributing to essential Palestinian workers’ salaries and supporting them to progress critical reforms.

    Today, I can confirm we are enhancing our support, providing £7 million to strengthen the PA and Palestinian governance, implementing the agreement signed by myself and PM Mustafa earlier this year.

    And we’re delivering the reform plans President Abbas has set out.

    I can also confirm that we are providing £20 million to support UNRWA’s many services for Palestinian refugees.

    And alongside this support, we are leading diplomatic efforts to show there must be a viable peaceful pathway to a Palestinian state, involving the PA, not Hamas, in security and governance of the area.

    Hamas can have no role in the governance of Gaza nor use it as a launchpad for terrorism.

    Israeli Ministers should support the PA – not actively undermine its economy, as Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are doing.

    The UK is co-leading with Egypt the humanitarian and reconstruction track for the forthcoming Two-State Solution Conference.

    And we are pushing to agree plans for a credible next phase in Gaza with a responsible, reformed PA at their core.

    So we turn any temporary ceasefire into a lasting peace.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, in our year in office, this Labour Government has acted to address this horrendous conflict.

    We restored funding to UNRWA, after the Tories froze it.

    We suspended arms export licenses, when the Tories declined to act.

    We have provided nearly a quarter of a billion in humanitarian assistance, this year and next, getting medical treatment and food to hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza.

    We have stood with the hostage families at every stage.

    We’ve worked with Jordan to fly medicines into Gaza, with Egypt to treat medically evacuated civilians, with Kuwait and UNICEF to help children in Gaza.

    We’ve delivered three sanctions packages on violent settlers, suspended trade negotiations with this Israeli government and sanctioned far-right Israeli Ministers for incitement.

    We have defended the independence of international courts. We signed a landmark agreement with the Palestinian Authority, and hosted the Palestinian Prime Minister in London, pushing for the reform it needs.

    We called for…

    worked for…

    and voted for…

    an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages at every possible opportunity.

    And we will keep doing so until this war is over, Hamas release the hostages and we finally have a pathway to a two-state solution.

    I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Liberia: President Boakai Hails the Kingdom of Belgium on its National Day Observance

    Source: APO


    .

    The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has sent a congratulatory message to His Majesty King Philippe, King of the Kingdom of Belgium on the occasion of Belgium’s National Day on July 21, 2025.

    According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Boakai, on behalf of the Republic of Liberia and in his own name, extended warmest congratulations and best wishes to the Kingdom of Belgium as they commemorate their National Day.

    The Liberian leader indicated that the occasion provides an opportunity to celebrate the enduring values of unity, democracy and prosperity that Belgium has long upheld. 

    He noted that his government cherishes the long-lasting bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two nations which is built on mutual respect and shared aspirations for peace, development and global solidarity. 

    President Boakai stressed that as the Belgian people mark this important day, Liberia joins in honoring their rich history, cultural heritage and remarkable achievements. 

    “May the future bring continued progress, united, and the well-being to your nation and people”, the Liberia President stated. 

    He then extended best wishes for His Majesty personal well-being, and for the people of Belgium sustained prosperity.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Microsoft supports making Europe’s languages and cultures more accessible in the digital realm

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft supports making Europe’s languages and cultures more accessible in the digital realm

    Editor’s Note: This blog is also available in Italian, Spanish, French, and German.

    Europe is home to more than 200 languages and a rich cultural legacy that spans thousands of years, preserved in millions of cultural assets that tell the story of its people. But these languages are more than carriers of heritage and history—they support both culture and commerce by making it possible for people to connect, create, and do business.

    Yet, as the world digitizes, much of Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity risks being left behind. The majority of online web content—the primary source of training data for today’s Large Language Models (LLMs)—is in English. Much of it reflects an American perspective. The European Commission has warned that the continent’s ambition to digitize its vast cultural corpus remains “significantly out of reach.” As Europe’s leaders have recognized, without urgent action, this imbalance is not just a cultural concern—it’s a commercial one. AI that doesn’t understand Europe’s languages, histories, and values can’t fully serve its people, its businesses, or its future.

    That’s why today in Paris, we’re deepening our commitment to Europe’s digital future with two new initiatives focused on making what’s uniquely European more open and accessible—its languages and culture. This builds on our European Digital Commitments, announced earlier this year, to expand AI and cloud infrastructure, strengthen digital resilience and data privacy protections, enhance cybersecurity, and support Europe’s digital sovereignty and broader economy.

    First, to support the development of more multilingual LLMs in Europe and for Europe, we’re basing employees from two of our innovation centers in Strasbourg, France—long a crossroads of cultures and now home to key European institutions. These centers will help expand the availability of multilingual data for AI development—leveraging Microsoft Azure, our technical expertise, and partnerships across Europe to promote more inclusive language representation in AI models. As part of this effort, we’re also issuing a call for proposals to help expand the supply of digital content for 10 European languages.

    Second, to help ensure Europe’s cultural richness is represented and accessible in the digital realm, we’re expanding Microsoft’s Culture AI initiative, which helps to safeguard languages, landmarks, and artifacts through digital replicas and data collaboration. Since 2019, Microsoft has digitally preserved heritage including Ancient Olympia in Greece, Mount St. Michel in France, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and the 80th Anniversary of the Allied Beach Landings in Normandy, to name a few. Today we’re announcing that this fall, Microsoft will begin work with the French Ministry of Culture and the French firm Iconem to create a digital replica of Notre Dame—Paris’ newly restored, 862-year-old Gothic masterpiece.

    This type of support for Europe and its diversity is not new to Microsoft. These latest steps to support languages and culture are informed by our more than 40 years of experience serving countries and cultures across Europe and around the world. Early on, we learned that empowering every person on the planet requires that the technologies we offer must be available in the languages the world speaks. That is why today Windows supports over 90 languages, including all official European Union languages as well as languages including Basque, Catalan, Galician, Luxembourgish, Valencian, and more. Microsoft 365 also has a broad reach, with support through Office applications in more than 30 European languages, including all official languages of the European Union.

    The urgency of bridging the language gap

    The European Union has 24 official languages, with dozens more acknowledged at the national or regional level. Yet many of these languages—even those that are part of the official 24, like Danish, Finnish, Swedish, and Greek—represent less than 0.6% of web content. Others, such as Maltese, Irish, Estonian, Latvian, and Slovenian, are barely visible online. While only 5% of the world’s population speaks English as a first language, English text makes up half of web content, dominating the data used to train AI models.

    This digital underrepresentation has real consequences, as LLMs rely heavily on web content for training. When a language lacks sufficient online presence, it risks being excluded from future AI services. While larger, general-purpose models can handle multiple languages, they can still miss the linguistic nuance, cultural context, and regional depth needed for truly inclusive applications. LLMs trained on limited data are less accurate, have higher hallucinations and errors, struggle with vocabulary, and reflect more bias.[1]

    As an example, Llama 3.1, a popular open source model, shows a performance gap of more than 15 percentage points between answering in English and Greek and a gap of more than 25 points when comparing English to Latvian. This mean that if this model was a high school student, she would be at the top of her class in English but at the middle of her class in Greek and at the bottom in Latvian. And this disparity between languages is seen in all major performance LLM tests.[2]

    In many cases, languages with deep cultural heritage, such as Breton, Occitan, and Romansh, which UNESCO classifies as endangered, are largely unsupported in today’s mainstream AI systems.

    The economic power of language

    This lopsided development of language models has real economic consequences. When AI systems can’t understand or respond in a region’s language, they limit access to services and opportunities, undermining both local businesses and broader economic growth.

    Broad AI diffusion—adoption and use across economies—will be one of the most important drivers of innovation and productivity growth over the next decade. Like electricity and other general-purpose technologies in the past, AI represents the next stage of industrialization.

    For communities whose languages are underrepresented online, the benefits of AI risk remaining out of reach. Imagine a small business owner in Malta who speaks only Maltese. Currently, the advanced AI tools for tasks like market analysis or content generation likely don’t operate in Maltese, limiting how this entrepreneur can leverage AI. Or consider a Polish-speaking student in a town outside Warsaw who can’t find AI educational resources in his language, potentially impacting learning opportunities. And even when an AI platform nominally supports a language, the experience may be sub-par.

    European governments and institutions have recognized the importance of addressing this situation. To drive economic competitiveness in the AI era, Europe will need to break down the language barriers and spur AI diffusion across the continent. According to the European Commission, only 13.5% of EU businesses use AI. The EU AI Continent Action Plan notes that breaking down language barriers in the single market could boost intra-EU trade by up to EUR 360 billion.

    New steps to address language gaps

    To help bridge this language gap, Microsoft will collaborate with European partners to increase the availability of multilingual data. In partnership with the ICube Laboratory at the University of Strasbourg—an institution dedicated to engineering, computer science, and imaging—we will support AI training efforts by placing personnel from the Microsoft Open Innovation Center (MOIC) and our AI for Good Lab in Strasbourg, France. This team will be backed by a global internal network of more than 70 Microsoft engineers, data scientists, and policy professionals. This collaboration between the MOIC, Microsoft AI for Good Lab, and the University of Strasbourg will also fund two post-doctoral researchers and provide up to US $1 million in Azure credits.

    This team will start by tapping into Microsoft’s own store of multilingual data, making it accessible and transparent to the European public, including open source developers. This includes, for example, multilingual text data from GitHub and voice data sets. MOIC and GitHub will partner with Hugging Face, a popular collaboration platform for AI model development, to host and make the data broadly accessible. This builds on our existing relationship with Hugging Face to make a broad range of open models in the Hugging Face model collection available for 1-click deployment in the Azure Model Catalogue. This includes last week’s release of the latest contributions toward multilingual AI—the SmoILM3 model, a highly efficient 3B model parameter multi-lingual model with support for 6 languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

    MOIC will also partner with Common Crawl, one of the largest free and open repositories of web crawled data. MOIC will fund work at Common Crawl, leveraging native speakers to annotate and seed European language data in the publicly available Common Crawl data set.

    In addition, the MOIC and the AI for Good Lab will issue a call for proposals to help expand the supply of digital content for 10 European languages by making their text collections available responsibly and ethically on their own terms for multilingual AI development and experiences. Applications for grants will be available on the AI for Good Lab website, beginning on 1 September 2025. In selecting recipients, the MOIC and the AI for Good Lab will focus on opportunities to unlock data in languages with relatively low representation in online content, such as Estonian, Alsatian, Slovak, Greek, and Maltese. Grants will provide recipients with Azure credits and engineering and technical support.

    While more multilingual data is essential, better technology tools and know-how can also help. For example, many languages use scripts (writing systems) that currently pose challenges for models originally designed for the Latin alphabet. Cyrillic characters, the Greek alphabet, and Arabic’s cursive script each have different properties. Off-the-shelf “tokenizers” often break these scripts in suboptimal ways. This can hurt a model’s ability to learn long-range context or accurate spelling in those languages. New advances in techniques that enable a model to handle any script uniformly can help. Better mechanisms to create synthetic data and to better process and curate that data can also help, especially when they manage privacy and sensitive data concerns effectively.

    The MOIC and the AI for Good Lab will work to facilitate the development and sharing of knowledge, tools, and capabilities to address these issues and empower European developers. The AI for Good Lab will publish a blueprint to detail how to create high-quality language datasets and train local LLMs to get more power out of the data that exists. These two groups will also support relevant research, organize convenings, co-invest in data commons projects, and ensure that knowledge, tools, and capabilities are available where they’re needed most. These teams also will continue to support efforts such as those of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Basque Center for Language Technology, and the University of Santiago de Compostela to release AI models trained in Spanish, Catalan, Basque, and Galician on Azure AI Foundry. This initiative empowers developers to build AI systems that operate in Spain’s official languages, fostering innovation and inclusivity.

    Finally, to advance responsible AI research and help close the language gap, Microsoft is launching two new academic collaborations in Europe at the University of Strasbourg and IE University School of Science & Technology in Spain. Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab and MOIC will partner with the University of Strasbourg to provide Azure grants to support joint AI research. At IE University School of Science & Technology, the Microsoft AI for Good Lab will provide Azure grants to support joint research targeting low resource languages, including support for related capstone projects to accelerate new solutions focused on language and AI.

    New steps to help digitally safeguard Europe’s cultural legacy

    Since 2019, Microsoft’s Culture AI initiative has focused on using artificial intelligence around the world to help preserve the languages, places, stories, and artifacts that define human history.  Powered by the AI for Good Lab and through partnerships with nonprofits, universities, governments, and cultural institutions, the initiative supports projects that digitize and protect cultural heritage—from endangered languages to iconic landmarks, including in France, Rome, and Greece. Whether it’s creating digital replicas of historic sites or making museum collections more accessible, the goal is to ensure that cultural identity and diversity are not only preserved but made more inclusive and discoverable in the digital age.

    Today we are announcing our next project, building a digital replica in partnership with the French Ministry of Culture and the French firm Iconem. The project will create a digital twin of Notre Dame in Paris, an architectural and cultural landmark shaped over centuries. Construction of Notre Dame began in 1163 and continued for nearly 200 years, resulting in a 128-meter-long Gothic masterpiece with twin towers rising 69 meters above the Seine. After a devastating fire in 2019, Notre Dame re-opened to the public at the end of 2024. The project will use the technology and methods we developed with Iconem to create a digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica last year, which was based on more than 400,000 photos and advanced AI algorithms, in partnership with the Vatican.

    Just as last year’s project documented for the Vatican every detail of St. Peter’s, this new project will create a digital replica that will preserve permanently in digital form every detail of Notre Dame, ensuring that its structure, story, and symbolism are protected and accessible for generations to come. By combining advanced imaging with AI, we will create and donate to the French State a digital twin that can be used by preservationists and be displayed in the future Musée Notre Dame de Paris.

    In addition to the project at Notre Dame, we are also announcing today a partnership with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and in collaboration with Iconem to digitize nearly 1,500 cinematic model sets from shows at the Opera National de Paris between 1800 and 1914. The digitized model sets will be made available through interactive, educational experiences and exhibitions and as a dataset made available on the Bibliothèque Nationale de France’s Gallica platform for cultural AI and research projects.

    Finally, we are embarking on new work with the Musée des Arts Décoratifs to make publicly accessible the detailed digital descriptions of approximately 1.5 million artifacts from the Middle Ages to the present day. This step will enable researchers in history, art history, and conservation to access this new information for study and use in their own AI-driven research.

    Looking ahead: Taking a principled approach

    We take these new steps today with humility and respect, recognizing that the preservation of Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity is a task for Europeans to be led by Europeans. The European Union has already launched a multi-state effort to pool EU language data and digitize all types of cultural heritage. Our role is to contribute to and support these and similar efforts. None of what we are announcing today will create any proprietary data or technology for Microsoft itself.

    Ultimately, the best way to empower more people across Europe to address these needs is to equip them with the AI skills that will enable them to be successful in these fields. As the European Commission recently concluded, a deficit of digital skills in the cultural sector is inhibiting efforts to digitalize cultural heritage works across Europe. To help bridge this skills gap, the MOIC and the AI for Good Lab will share what we know and learn about how to do this critical work.

    Technology should reflect the richness of humanity—not strip it away. By taking intentional steps now, we can help ensure that AI doesn’t erase linguistic and cultural diversity but strengthens it.

    This is one of the defining equity challenges of the AI era. And if we work together—with purpose and urgency—we can close the gap and build a digital future that honors every language, every culture, and every community across Europe.

    [1] P. Rohera, C. Ginimav, G. Sawant, and R. Joshi, “Better To Ask in English? Evaluating Factual Accuracy of Multilingual LLMs in English and Low-Resource Languages,” Apr. 28, 2025, arXiv: arXiv:2504.20022. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2504.20022.

    [2] K. Thellmann et al., “Towards Multilingual LLM Evaluation for European Languages,” Oct. 17, 2024, arXiv: arXiv:2410.08928. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2410.08928.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI: Caisse Française de Financement Local EMTN 2025-14

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris, 21 July 2025

    Capitalised terms used herein shall have the meaning specified for such terms in the Caisse Française de Financement Local base prospectus to the €75,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme dated 10 June 2025 (the “Base Prospectus”).

    Caisse Française de Financement Local has decided to issue on 23 July 2025 – Euro 60,000,000 Floating Rate Obligations Foncières due 23 July 2040.

    The Base Prospectus dated 10 June 2025 approved by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers and the Final Terms relating to the issue are available on the website of the Issuer (https://sfil.fr/caffil-notre-filiale/), on the website of the AMF (www.amf-france.org), and with the Paying Agent indicated in the Base Prospectus.

    The Final Terms relating to the issue will be available on the website of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (www.bourse.lu).

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: OpenAI to expand UK office and work with government departments to turbocharge the UK’s AI infrastructure and transform public services

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    OpenAI to expand UK office and work with government departments to turbocharge the UK’s AI infrastructure and transform public services

    OpenAI and the UK government have today signed a new strategic partnership.

    OpenAI and UKL sign strategic partnership.

    • One of the world’s leading AI labs inks a new government partnership, revealing plans to explore investing in UK AI infrastructure and regional growth zones to revitalise communities with jobs and growth.

    • Initiative will also see OpenAI share more technical information with UK AI Security Institute to deepen government knowledge of AI capabilities and security risks, as well as supporting the government’s mission to use AI to transform taxpayer-funded services.

    • OpenAI also confirms its intention to increase its footprint in the UK, building up its research and engineering teams to deliver on the partnership arrangement.

    OpenAI and the UK government have today signed a new strategic partnership setting out plans to expand AI security research collaborations, explore investing in UK AI infrastructure like data centres, and find new ways for taxpayer funded services like security and education to make best use of the latest tech.

    It comes as OpenAI deepens its commitment to the UK, with plans to increase the size of its London office to follow. The move will build out what started as the company’s first international location just 2 years ago, where research and engineering teams contribute to the development of frontier AI models, and support is provided to UK business, developers and start-ups.

    The partnership will explore where it can deploy AI in areas such as justice, defence and security, and education technology in line with UK standards and guidelines to demonstrate the opportunity to make taxpayer funded services more efficient and effective.

    Signed today by Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ sets out intent to build on the UK’s strengths in science, innovation and talent to “maintain a world-leading UK AI ecosystem rooted in democratic values”.

    Under the partnership, OpenAI will also explore potential routes to deliver the infrastructure priorities laid out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, recognising the importance of UK sovereign capability in achieving the economic benefits of AI. The move could mean that world-changing AI tech is developed in the UK, driving discoveries that will deliver growth.

    It expands to share that OpenAI could look to invest in and support AI Growth Zones, first announced in the AI Opportunities Action Plan which has since been backed by £2 billion in the Spending Review.

    With over 200 bids from across the country, AI Growth Zones are set to become hotbeds for AI infrastructure attracting billions of pounds in investment each. Today’s news follows the UK government confirming that Scotland and Wales will both host AI Growth Zones in its Compute Strategy.

    The initiative follows the UK investing up to £500 million in sovereign AI that will be spent backing national AI champions and partnering with world leading companies like OpenAI. This partnership is an important element of our mission to ensure the UK continues to participate actively in the development of frontier AI, and that UK citizens continue to benefit from the economic growth provided by cutting-edge models.

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    AI will be fundamental in driving the change we need to see across the country – whether that’s in fixing the NHS, breaking down barriers to opportunity or driving economic growth. That’s why we need to make sure Britain is front and centre when it comes to developing and deploying AI, so we can make sure it works for us.

    This can’t be achieved without companies like OpenAI, who are driving this revolution forward internationally. This partnership will see more of their work taking place in the UK, creating high-paid tech jobs, driving investment in infrastructure, and crucially giving our country agency over how this world-changing technology moves forward.

    OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, said:

    AI is a core technology for nation building that will transform economies and deliver growth. Britain has a strong legacy of scientific leadership and its government was one of the first to recognise the potential of AI through its AI Opportunities Action Plan.

    Now, it’s time to deliver on the plan’s goals by turning ambition to action and delivering prosperity for all.

    The AI lab could also work with government to identify how advanced AI models could help to improve the public services that millions of people use every day, and driving economic growth across the country.

    OpenAI’s large language model, ChatGPT, already underpins multiple tools in ‘Humphrey’, Whitehall’s AI assistant that aims to speed up the civil service by taking away admin burdens.

    For example, GPT 4o is used in ‘Consult’, the bespoke tool that speeds up the policy making process by automatically sorting public responses to consultations – doing a task that takes officials weeks in minutes, while leaving important decisions to experts.

    In addition to supporting infrastructure plans laid out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, OpenAI may also explore developing state-of-the-art, AI-enabled R&D infrastructure in the UK, focused on shared areas of strategic interest with the UK government.

    Notes to editors

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New chapter for Tinside as new community spaces officially open

    Source: City of Plymouth

    New spaces for young people and the community are now officially open at Tinside Lido, paving the way for year-round use of one of Plymouth’s most iconic waterfront landmarks.

    The lido, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, has been carefully restored and reimagined as part of the UK’s first National Marine Park, with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Horizons Award, the UK Government’s Youth Investment Fund and Levelling Up Fund and Plymouth City Council.

    The project has transformed underused areas of the Grade II-listed Art Deco building, safeguarding it for future generations while creating new opportunities for people to connect with Plymouth Sound.

    It has brought the first floor of the lido back into use as a flexible, multi-purpose space for youth activities, digital learning, training and events, supported by a new kitchen and bar facility. The sun terrace has been revitalised with a café pod and a pop-up event space with ramped access to ensure everyone can enjoy the views across Plymouth Sound.

    In addition, the smaller building that provides both pool and cove access, has been remodelled to provide a youth space with improved accessibility and changing facilities.

    Councillor Tudor Evans OBE, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “People use the word iconic all the time but Tinside honestly is. It’s treasured not only by the people of Plymouth but visitors from far and wide – and offers some of the most breathtaking views in the city, if not the country. But it’s not just a spectacular place to go for a swim and take in our amazing waterfront.

    “This regeneration has brought a whole new life to the lido and is such an important project for the city. It’s not only protected a much-loved part of Plymouth’s heritage. It’s helped to secure its future, by creating new, inspirational spaces that the whole community – and visitors to the city – can enjoy for many years to come. Exciting times are ahead!”

    Taryn Nixon OBE, trustee at The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Chair of England – London and South Committee, said: “Tinside Lido is a shining example of reinvesting in our heritage to create amazing new opportunities for people and for the city. The lido has been such an iconic part of Plymouth’s identity since 1935 and thanks to National Lottery players it has been given new life, in its 90th birthday year, for completely new audiences to connect with Plymouth’s rich ocean heritage. The Heritage Fund is very proud to have been able to support this ambitious project and the wider Plymouth Sound National Marine Park through our Heritage Horizon Awards.”

    The National Lottery Heritage Fund launched the Heritage Horizons Awards in 2019 to support ambitious, innovative and transformational projects that will revolutionise UK heritage. These awards help to transform lives and economies, put the UK at the lead of major environmental, cultural and heritage projects, and show confidence in the heritage sector to rebuild and thrive. As part of this, Plymouth Sound National Marine Park received £11.6 million to help create the UK’s first National Marine Park, revolutionising the way Plymouth interacts with its marine heritage.

    Plymouth Active, which operates Tinside Lido in partnership with the Council, has also welcomed the project’s completion, noting its significance for the future of the lido and its commitment to giving every child in Plymouth the opportunity to learn to swim.

    Rhys Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Plymouth Active, said: “We’re delighted to see these new spaces at Tinside Lido open for the community. Tinside is a vital part of our mission to give every child in Plymouth the chance to learn to swim and develop a love for the water. The new facilities also open up opportunities for events and activities that will help sustain Tinside for future generations.”

    The restoration also paves the way for new uses to support the lido’s long-term sustainability, with the potential to host silent discos, open-air cinema events and weddings, generating income that will help sustain free and low-cost youth activities beyond the five-year Heritage Horizons Award period.

    Originally opened in 1935 and refurbished for the first time in 2005, Tinside’s careful preservation and transformation is a testament to the city’s commitment to adapting its historic assets for modern needs. The substantial repairs and improvements carried out as part of this project ensure that Tinside will continue to be a much-loved feature of Plymouth’s waterfront while supporting the health, wellbeing and aspirations of young people in Britain’s Ocean City.

    To find out more about what’s on at Tinside and how to book the space for your event, visit the Tinside Lido website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press Release – Path Forward for Runway Rehabilitation Monday 21 July 2025

    Source: Channel Islands – States of Alderney

    Press Release
    Date: 21st July 2025
    Alderney Charts a Practical Path Forward for Runway Rehabilitation

    Following extensive work by the Chair of the General Services Committee, Iain Macfarlane, and the States of Alderney’s Head of Operations, two fully costed and technically sound proposals for the full rehabilitation of Alderney’s runway, taxiway, and apron infrastructure have now been delivered to, and gratefully received by the States of Guernsey’s Trading Supervisory Board (STSB) President, Mark Helyar.

    This work has been undertaken in alignment with the political direction set by the States of Guernsey’s 11th April 2025 resolution, which called for a pragmatic, cost-effective, Code B-compliant solution.

    These proposals prioritise the urgent airside works — runway, taxiway, and apron — to ensure the airport remains safe and operational. Land-side upgrades, such as the terminal and control tower, remain important and can be addressed once this critical phase is complete.

    “This has been a focused and determined piece of work,” said Mr Macfarlane. “Our goal from the outset was to demonstrate that viable, cost-effective, and deliverable solutions do exist — and we’ve done exactly that. We’ve drawn a line under the years of uncertainty and turned the conversation back to action.”

    He continued: “We now hope for an expedited route forward, building on the diligent work of our Members and Officers. We’re keen to hear the views of STSB and Ports, and we hope they are ready to progress delivery.”

    Mr. Abel, Chair of the Policy & Finance Committee added:
    “I am pleased to see two pragmatic runway rehabilitation proposals that could be delivered in a short space of time that clearly warrant review by STSB.”
    The proposals have been drafted to meet all necessary technical standards, grounded in prior contractor involvement and site knowledge, and are intended to enable the States of Guernsey to assess them against previously commissioned specifications.

    The States is ensuring it is being proactive having been given a seat at the table on the Runway Project Board and stands ready to support the next stage of this vital project as it is eager to see it finally delivered. The States recognizes the increasing pressures on the public purse for both Alderney and Guernsey and we therefore remain committed to being part of the solution to wider Bailiwick challenges by working collaboratively with our colleagues in the States of Guernsey to the benefit of the Bailiwick taxpayer.

    Ends
    Media contact: Publications.Alderney@gov.gg

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Football Governance Act becomes law in historic moment for English football

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Football Governance Act becomes law in historic moment for English football

    Historic Football Governance Act receives Royal Assent, establishing new Independent Football Regulator to safeguard the future of the national sport

    • Plan for Change in action, as government delivers on promise made to fans in the manifesto, addressing existential threats to clubs and putting supporters back at the heart of the game
    • World-first Regulator will work to stop rogue owners, ensure clubs are financially sustainable, with powers to ensure money flows through the pyramid.

    Football fans will now have a greater say in how their beloved clubs are run, as the Football Governance Act has today received Royal Assent and passed into law, in a landmark moment for the game.

    As promised in this Government’s manifesto, the Act will create the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), which will mark the biggest reform to football governance in a generation – helping to protect clubs across the country.

    The Act follows a long journey to law, which began following the attempted breakaway European Super League, and a series of high-profile cases of clubs facing financial ruin. 

    Over recent years fans from the likes of Bury, Macclesfield Town, Derby County, Reading and many others have been left to suffer the consequences of reckless mismanagement, excessive risk-taking and financial catastrophe at their club. 

    The new regime is designed to raise standards across the game, supporting the government’s Plan for Change by ensuring English football can continue to deliver huge economic benefits across the country.

    It will improve financial sustainability, introducing a set of rules that improves the resilience across the top five men’s leagues, empowers fans and keeps clubs at the centre of their communities. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    This is a proud and defining moment for English football.

    As someone who has loved the game all my life, I know just how deeply it runs through our communities. It’s where memories are made, and generations come together.

    Our landmark Football Governance Act delivers on the promise we made to fans. It will protect the clubs they cherish, and the vital role they play in our economy.  

    Through our Plan for Change, we are ushering in a stronger, fairer future for the game we all love.

    Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy said: 

    Football clubs have been built and sustained by fans for generations, but too often they have had nowhere to turn when their clubs have faced crisis. Today that changes as this Act will give hope and assurance to people, with the Regulator working to protect clubs in towns and cities all over the country, where football clubs mean so much, to so many. 

    From Southend to Blackpool, Portsmouth to Wigan, these reforms have been driven by fans, for fans. I will be forever proud that this Government has delivered on its manifesto pledge to support them by reforming football’s governance, and I pay tribute to all those that have helped us deliver this historic moment for the nation’s game.

    The Regulator’s new powers will include:

    • Tough new financial regulation to improve resilience across the football pyramid to ensure clubs are sustainable for the long term
    • Stronger, statutory Owners’ and Directors’ Tests to make sure club custodians are suitable and aren’t using illicit finances with powers to force rogue owners to sell up
    • New standards for fan engagement in club decision-making 
    • Bars on clubs joining closed-shop competitions and breakaway leagues 
    • Backstop powers to ensure a fair financial distribution between leagues 
    • New statutory protections for key club heritage aspects like home shirt colours and club badges and stadium moves

    The IFR will be launched later this year and will consult industry on its proposed rules, guidance and approach to licensing clubs before implementing the new regime. A transition team, the Shadow Football Regulator, was established in 2024 to lead this process and is already engaging widely with industry and fan groups. The process of appointing a senior leadership team is ongoing with the announcement of an Interim CEO and Board expected shortly.

    Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) chief executive Kevin Miles said:

    This is an historic moment for football in this country and we are very proud that the FSA was at the heart of change, helping to bring in laws which can help protect the clubs we love from the worst excesses of owners throughout the professional game.

    We look forward to working with the regulator, as well as the FA and leagues it covers, to ensure that the supporter voice continues to be at the forefront of debate as fans are the beating heart of the game. Club owners can no longer mark their own homework.

    Sarah Turner, Chair of Supporters Trust at Reading (STAR) said:

    As Reading fans, we’ve seen the damage caused by rogue owners and welcome the independent regulator. When football clubs fail due to rogue ownership, it doesn’t just mean a team slides down the table. Jobs are lost, community projects are cut and businesses suffer – be that via unpaid suppliers or under-occupied pubs.

    We know that football is a business, but it is a business unlike any other. There are fans, not customers, players are heroes, not assets, and in these fractured times we should be working doubly hard to protect industries that create unity, community and – very occasionally – unparalleled joy.

    Kieran Maguire, Associate Professor in Football Finance at University of Liverpool said:

    This legislation represents a vital step forward in protecting clubs from exploitation, ensuring they are run more responsibly, and giving supporters a greater voice in how their clubs are managed.

    Introducing an independent football regulator is a necessary safeguard to ensure that clubs are not treated solely as assets, but as cultural cornerstones with deep local and national significance.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Droughts are causing record devastation worldwide, UN-backed report reveals

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    This is according to a new report from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) and the International Drought Resilience Alliance on the global impacts of droughts from 2023 to 2025.

    “Drought is a silent killer. It creeps in, drains resources, and devastates lives in slow motion. Its scars run deep,” said UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw.

    “This is not a dry spell,” stressed Dr. Mark Svoboda, report co-author and NDMC Director. “This is a slow-moving global catastrophe, the worst I’ve ever seen. This report underscores the need for systematic monitoring of how drought affects lives, livelihoods, and the health of the ecosystems that we all depend on.” 

    Record devastation in Africa

    According to the report, as 90 million people face acute hunger across Eastern and Southern Africa, some areas in the region have been experiencing the worst drought ever recorded.

    In Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, maize and wheat crops have suffered repeated failures. In Zimbabwe in particular, the 2024 corn crop was down 70 per cent year on year, maize prices doubled, and 9,000 cattle died of thirst and starvation.

    Some 43,000 people in Somalia died in 2022 alone due to drought-linked hunger. The crisis continued through 2025, with a quarter of the population facing crisis-level food insecurity at the beginning of the year.

    As a result of drought, Zambia is suffering one of the world’s worst energy crises: in April, the Zambezi River plummeted to 20 per cent of its long-term average, and the country’s largest hydroelectric plant, the Kariba Dam, fell to 7 per cent generation capacity, causing electricity blackouts of up to 21 hours a day. This has led to the shuttering of hospitals, bakeries, and factories, further compounding the devastation.

    Worldwide impacts

    But the effects of drought extend beyond Africa. For example, by September 2023 in Spain, two years of drought and record heat caused a 50 per cent drop in the olive crop, doubling olive oil prices nationwide.

    In Türkiye, drought-accelerated groundwater depletion has triggered sinkholes, endangering communities and their infrastructure while reducing aquifer storage capacity.

    In the Amazon Basin, record-low river levels in 2023 and 2024 led to mass deaths of fish and endangered dolphins, disrupted drinking water supplies and created transport challenges for hundreds of thousands. Ongoing deforestation and fires also threaten to shift the Amazon from a carbon sink to a carbon source.

    Declining water levels in the Panama Canal slashed transit by more than one-third, leading to major global trade disruptions. Among the spillover effects were declines in American soybean exports and shortages and rising prices reported in UK grocery stores.

    Call for cooperation and solutions

    The report listed several recommendations to help combat this crisis, including stronger early warning systems, real-time drought and drought impact monitoring, and nature-based solutions such as watershed restoration and indigenous crop use.

    It also called for more resilient infrastructure – including off-grid energy and alternative water supply systems – and global cooperation, particularly regarding transboundary river basins and trade routes. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Rightwing populist Sanseitō party shakes Japan with election surge

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rin Ushiyama, Lecturer in Sociology, Queen’s University Belfast

    Japan held elections for its upper house, the House of Councillors, on July 20. The vote proved a challenge for the conservative ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP), which has been reeling from corruption scandals, rising prices and US tariffs on Japanese exports.

    The ruling coalition, composed of the LDP and its junior partner, Kōmeitō, lost its majority in the house. While the centre-left Constitutional Democratic party maintained its position as the largest opposition group, the breakout success of the election was that of Sanseitō, an ultranationalist populist party.

    Sanseitō successfully framed immigration as a central issue in the election campaign, with the provocative slogan “Japanese First”. The party won 14 seats in the 248-seat chamber, a substantial jump from the single seat it won in the last election in 2022.

    Sanseitō calls itself a party of “ordinary Japanese citizens with the same mindset who came together”. It was formed in 2020 by Sōhei Kamiya, a conservative career politician who served as a city councillor in Suita, a city in Osaka Prefecture, before being elected to the House of Councillors.

    Although Sanseitō was initially known for its stance against the COVID-19 vaccine, it has more recently campaigned on an anti-foreigner and anti-immigration platform. The party, which also holds three seats in the powerful lower house, has quickly gained seats in regional and national elections. It most recently won three seats in Tokyo’s prefectural elections in June 2025.

    Sanseitō is “anti-globalist”, urging voters to feel proud of their ethnicity and culture. Polls suggest the party is popular among younger men aged between 18 and 30.

    Throughout the most recent election campaign, Kamiya repeatedly spread far-right conspiracy theories and misinformation. This included arguing multinational corporations caused the pandemic, as well as that foreigners commit crimes en masse and can avoid paying inheritance tax. Social media has amplified Sanseitō’s xenophobic messaging.

    Sanseitō’s electoral success is reminiscent of other right-wing populist parties across Europe and North America, which also place immigration as a core issue.

    Kamiya denies being a xenophobe. But he has expressed support for the Republican party in the US, Reform in the UK, Alternativ für Deutschland in Germany and Rassemblement National in France. Echoing other right-wing populist leaders, Kamiya has promised tax cuts, home-grown industries, regulation of foreigners and patriotic education.

    However, while Sanseitō rides the global wave of right-wing populism, it also has deeply Japanese roots. Following Japan’s defeat in the second world war, a distinct current of right-wing thought developed, defending “traditional values” and glorifying Japan’s imperial past.

    Tensions have flared periodically over issues such as history education and official visits to Yasukuni Shrine, where those who died in service of Japan – including military leaders convicted of war crimes – are commemorated. There have also been disputes around the memorialisation of so-called “comfort women”, who were forced into sex slavery by Japanese forces before and during the war.

    Building on these currents, Sanseitō represents a new generation of Japanese conservatism, not just an emulation of foreign populist leaders.

    What happens next?

    Sanseitō’s rise could have a pivotal influence on Japan’s political landscape. While the prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has indicated he will not resign, the ruling coalition has now lost control of both houses. Ishiba may need to seek support from other parties and may face leadership challenges.

    He also must respond to issues Sanseitō has raised. LDP policymakers are now aware of public anxieties surrounding migration, excessive tourism and cultural integration. Seeking to co-opt some of Sanseitō’s proposals, the government has already banned tourists from driving and set up a new government agency to address concerns about non-Japanese nationals. It has also pledged to reduce illegal immigration to zero.

    But the government is facing steep economic and demographic challenges, such as US tariffs, a rapidly ageing and declining population, and a record-low birth rate. So it cannot afford to cut immigration dramatically. Policymakers will have to balance economic needs with hardening public attitudes towards foreigners.

    It’s not just immigration that will be at stake. Ishiba will need to navigate wedge issues that could split the LDP’s conservative support base. These include same-sex marriage, the use of separate surnames by married couples, and female succession to the throne.

    It’s too early to say whether Sanseitō can sustain its momentum. Numerous populist leaders in Japan before Kamiya have succeeded in turning mistrust of the political class into votes at the ballot box. However, few have been able to translate it into meaningful political change across multiple election cycles.

    For instance, Shinji Ishimaru made headlines in 2024 after placing second in the race for Tokyo governor. But his Path to Reform party, which promised educational reform, struggled in the latest election. Reiwa Shinsengumi, the left populist party led by Tarō Yamamoto, also enjoyed success in previous elections but remains small.

    Only time will tell if Sanseitō will become a major political party or yet another minority group on the fringes. But it’s clear anti-immigration populism has arrived in Japan. And it looks like it’s here to stay.

    Rin Ushiyama 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. Rightwing populist Sanseitō party shakes Japan with election surge – https://theconversation.com/rightwing-populist-sanseito-party-shakes-japan-with-election-surge-261303

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Environment Secretary Steve Reed: Response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed: Response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report

    Statement to the House of Commons outlining the government response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report.

    Mr Speaker, I would like to update the House on the Government’s plans to reform the water sector.

    The water industry quite clearly is failing. 

    Our rivers, lakes and seas are polluted with record levels of sewage.

    Water pipes have been left to crumble into disrepair.

    And I share customers’ fury at rising bills.

    There are hosepipe bans right now in place across the country because not a single new reservoir has been built in over 30 years.

    And the lack of water infrastructure is blocking economic growth.

    Water companies have been allowed to profit at the expense of the British people when they should have been investing to fix our broken water pipes.

    They got away with this because of a broken regulatory system that has failed customers and failed the environment. 

    The public expressed their fury during last year’s General Election, and they voted for change.  

    That change will now come. 

    In just one year, we have put in place the building blocks for change.

    First, we restored accountability by giving the regulators more teeth with a ban on unfair bonuses, severe and automatic penalties for breaking the law, and jail sentences for the most serious offences.  

    Second, we are investing £104 billion pounds of private sector funding to rebuild the water network.

    Upgrading crumbling pipes, repairing leaks, building new sewage treatment works, and digging out new reservoirs.

    This is the single biggest investment in the water sector’s history and it allows me to make a new commitment to the country:

    That this Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of this decade.

    This is the most ambitious commitment ever made by any government about water pollution.  And it’s just the start. 

    Because over a decade of national renewal, we will restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.

    The third building block for change is today’s final report from Sir Jon Cunliffe’s Independent Water Commission. 

    And I’d like to express my thanks to Sir Jon, his officials and all those who have contributed to this outstanding piece of work.

    I agree with Sir Jon that water regulation has been too weak, too complex and ineffective. 

    Having four separate regulators with overlapping and conflicting remits has failed customers and the environment. 

    Ofwat has failed to protect customers from water companies’ mismanagement of their hard-earned money and failed to protect our waterways from record levels of pollution. 

    Today I can announce that this Government will abolish Ofwat. 

    We will bring water functions from four different regulators into one.

    A single powerful super-regulator responsible for the entire water sector, and with the teeth to enforce the high standards the public rightly demand. 

    The new regulator will stand firmly on the side of customers, investors and the environment and it will prevent the abuses of the past.

    For customers, it will oversee investment and upgrade work so hardworking British families are never again hit by the shocking bill hikes we saw last year.

    For investors, it will provide the clarity and direction required for a strong partnership between Government, the sector and investors to attract billions of pounds of new funding.

    For the environment, it will reduce all forms of pollution to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good. 

    We will work closely with the Welsh government to devolve economic regulation of water to Wales.

    I will publish a White Paper this Autumn giving the Government’s full response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report, and launch a consultation on it. 

    Following that, I will bring forward a new water reform bill early during the lifetime of this Parliament.

    Ofwat will remain in place during the transition to the new regulator and I will ensure they provide the right leadership to oversee the current price review and investment plan during that time.

    To provide clarity during this period, I will issue an interim Strategic Policy Statement to Ofwat and give Ministerial directions to the Environment Agency, setting out our expectations and requirements. We will publish a transition plan as part of our full Government response in the Autumn.  

    Today we are immediately taking forward a number of Sir Jon’s recommendations.

    First, we will establish a new statutory water ombudsman – a single, free service to help customers resolve complaints such as incorrect bills, leaking pipes or water supply failures.

    The new ombudsman will have the legal powers to protect customers and will bring the water dispute resolution process in line with other utilities like energy – it is part of the Government’s ambition to put customers at the heart of water regulation.

    Second, we will end the era of water companies marking their own homework.   

    We will end operator self-monitoring and transition to Open Monitoring to increase transparency and help restore public trust.

    Water companies are already required to publish data on some sewage spills within one hour. We will roll out real-time monitoring across the wastewater system. All this data will be made publicly available online.

    This will ensure both the regulator – and the public – have the power to hold water companies fully accountable.

    Third, we commit to including a regional element within the new regulator to ensure greater local involvement in water planning.  By moving to a catchment-based model for water system planning, we can tackle all sources of pollution entering waterways so they can be cleaned up more effectively and more quickly.

    This will ensure, for the first time, that water infrastructure investment plans align with spatial planning to support faster regional economic growth.  The lack of water infrastructure that held back development around Cambridge and Oxford for so long will not happen again.

    The new regulatory framework will recognise the risks investors take and, if they meet their obligations, they will see a fair, stable return on their investment.

    Just last week, I signed the Government’s new Water Skills Pledge to make sure the sector has the skills and workforce it needs to deliver this vast investment.  

    This Government was elected to clean up water pollution and ensure unacceptable water bill hikes can never happen again.    

    We now have all the building blocks in place to make that happen. 

    We are establishing a new partnership based on effective regulation where water companies, investors, communities and the Government will work together to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Is a ‘nanny state’ a price worth paying to keep the NHS free? The evidence shows it could work

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University

    Nanny says no. SOK Studio/Shutterstock

    The UK government’s new ten-year-plan to transform the NHS includes a focus on preventing ill health rather than treating illness. But to what extent should people depend on the state to help them make healthy decisions?

    Some think any kind of nudge in that direction is symptomatic of a “nanny state” overstepping its boundaries. Others might argue that nanny knows best, or that governments should do whatever works best both economically and to keep people healthy.

    Either way, if a country like the UK wants to keep providing free (or at least tax-payer funded) and universal healthcare, rather than charging every patient for their specific needs, its choices are limited.

    Take obesity for example, which is estimated to cost the NHS around £12.6 billion a year – more than 5% of its total budget.

    In 2022, 28.7% of adults in the UK had obesity, compared to 10.9% in France, 14.3% in Denmark and 22% in Belgium. (In the US, it was 42.8%.)

    Government analysis claims that if everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by just 216 calories a day – roughly equivalent to a single 500ml bottle of fizzy drink – obesity would be halved, and so would the associated costs. It also estimates that cutting the calorie count of a daily diet by just 50 calories would lift 340,000 children and 2 million adults out of obesity.

    But how should it persuade people to cut those calories? Happy to ignore accusations of being a nanny state, the UK government is now working with food retailers and manufacturers to encourage people to make healthier choices.

    Under the plan, products will be made with less sugar and fat. And the data that supermarkets own about your shopping habits (through online shopping and loyalty cards) will be used to nudge you towards more fruits and vegetables and fewer bags of crisps. Businesses that fail to induce changes in customer consumption will face financial penalties.

    And perhaps this is more effective than personal responsibility. Recent alternative policies which relied on individual action like following diets using the NHS weight loss app have not worked.

    The UK has also invested hundred of millions of pounds trying to encourage people to burn calories by walking and cycling more. But the country remains reluctant to reduce its car-dependence, with its cities poorly served by public transport. Walking and cycling are just not that popular.

    So perhaps state intervention is the only policy British people are willing to accept. Understandably, they want the freedom to make their own choices when it comes to exercise, eating and drinking, but they also want to keep the NHS free. Only 7% would support charging people for their use of healthcare.

    Fat tax

    Another option is to tax the consumption of fat and sugar to pay for the cost it imposes on others. In 2016, the UK was among the first countries to introduce a tax on sugary drinks. Since then, the total amount of sugar in British soft drinks has decreased by 46%, because changing the recipes means the producers pay less tax.

    Research shows that the tax also deters younger people from buying too much sugar. However, it does little to reduce consumption among those who have the most sugar-intensive diets, just like alcohol taxes do nothing to convince the most addicted alcoholics to drink less.

    There is also a valid argument that taxing sugar and fat is unfair. Unhealthy food is a much larger proportion of the budget of poorer households than it is for wealthier one, making it a regressive tax.

    Love for the NHS.
    John Gomez/Shutterstock

    Yet policies nudging people towards healthy choices often have a good track record. A study of food labelling policies which placed warning labels on high sugar and high calorie foods in Chile showed that people bought less of them.

    To stay below the threshold, firms then changed their recipes, just like with the tax. In that case, the warnings led to people consuming 11.5% less sugar and 2.8% less fat.

    While paternalistic interventions can be annoying or upsetting, pretending obesity is purely an individual choice is misleading. Obesity starts in childhood, and can destroy future choices. Children with obesity are more likely to be bullied, and don’t do as well at school.

    The state regularly bans harmful products without controversy. Even if you wanted to, you could not insulate your house with asbestos, and the UK is currently busy banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2009.

    With NHS waiting lists remaining at record highs, and a struggling economy, risk of the country becoming a nanny state by trying to encourage healthier food might actually be a pretty minor one.

    Renaud Foucart 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. Is a ‘nanny state’ a price worth paying to keep the NHS free? The evidence shows it could work – https://theconversation.com/is-a-nanny-state-a-price-worth-paying-to-keep-the-nhs-free-the-evidence-shows-it-could-work-260539

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MHRA’s 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts and Impact Report show progress on safety, innovation, and regulatory excellence

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    MHRA’s 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts and Impact Report show progress on safety, innovation, and regulatory excellence

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published its 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts, and accompanying Impact Report.

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published its 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts, and accompanying Impact Report, demonstrating how we have enhanced patient safety across the UK, restored our performance to ensure we are meeting regulatory timelines, and sharing our success in enabling access to life-changing medical products.

    As an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, the MHRA plays a critical role in protecting public health while supporting the UK’s £100 billion life sciences sector. Over the past year, the agency has significantly improved its core operations by enhancing safety systems, clearing licensing backlogs, and helping bring safe innovative treatments and technologies to patients faster.

    Highlights of the MHRA’s work in 2024–25 include:

    • Clearing all statutory backlogs by March 2025 and consistently meeting statutory targets for clinical trials.
    • Approving more than 2,000 licences for medicines, including 54 new medicines, such as treatments for Alzheimer’s, rare diseases, and cancer.
    • Assessing over 5,000 clinical trial applications and launching the UK’s most significant clinical trial regulatory reform in over two decades.
    • Supporting patient safety through the assessment of over 100,000 adverse drug reaction reports and blocking over 1.5 million unregulated online listings.
    • Piloting a world-first AI Airlock to safely develop artificial intelligence in medical devices.
    • Providing over 127,000 units of biological standards worldwide and launching new World Health Organisation-endorsed standards to strengthen global pandemic preparedness.

    The reports also reflect the MHRA’s strengthened focus on patient and public engagement, environmental sustainability, and global regulatory collaboration, with over £7 million in research grants supporting cutting-edge regulatory science.

    The reports also highlight the MHRA’s focus on strengthening internal capability and real-world evidence. Through the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), the agency continues to support public health research with anonymised data from UK GP practices.

    Internally, the MHRA has enhanced its digital infrastructure, improved cyber resilience, and modernised customer services, while investing in its people through graduate schemes, apprenticeships, and strong governance.

    View the MHRA Annual Report and Accounts 2024–25 and MHRA Impact Report 2024–25.

    For media enquiries, please contact: newscentre@mhra.gov.uk or call 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: ASM share buyback update July 14 – 18, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Almere, The Netherlands
    July 21, 2025, 5:45 p.m. CET

    ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) reports the following transactions, conducted under ASM’s current share buyback program.

    Date Repurchased shares Average price Repurchased value
    July 16, 2025 4,942 € 509.82 € 2,519,531
    July 17, 2025 4,348 € 518.38 € 2,253,926
    Total 9,290 € 513.83 € 4,773,457

    These repurchases were made as part of the €150 million share buyback program which started on April 30, 2025. Of the total program, 43.6% has been repurchased. For further details including individual transaction information please visit: www.asm.com/investors/dividends-share-buybacks.

    About ASM International

    ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and its subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and process solutions to produce semiconductor devices for wafer processing, and have facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. ASM International’s common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol: ASM). For more information, visit ASM’s website at www.asm.com.

    This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Contacts  
    Investor and media relations Investor relations
    Victor Bareño Valentina Fantigrossi
    T: +31 88 100 8500 T: +31 88 100 8502
    E: investor.relations@asm.com E: investor.relations@asm.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK secures £2 billion investment from major Korean bank

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK secures £2 billion investment from major Korean bank

    South Korea’s oldest banking firm, Shinhan Bank, will facilitate £2 billion of investment into the UK’s financial services sector by 2030.

    • Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson opens the expanded UK office of Shinhan Bank, the Republic of Korea’s oldest banking firm.
    • Expansion comes as Shinhan aims to facilitate £2 billion of investment into the UK’s financial services sector by 2030, supporting the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy.
    • Announcement builds on the £460 million Shinhan has already invested in the UK, in a major vote of confidence in the economy and delivering growth as part of the Plan for Change.

    New collaboration between the UK government and a top Korean banking company will unlock £2 billion of investment into Britain, boosting economic growth and driving forward the government’s Plan for Change.

    Shinhan, the Republic of Korea’s second largest bank, aims to finance the investment over the next 5 years into energy, digital assets, infrastructure projects as well as businesses based in the UK’s thriving financial services sector.

    The bank’s expansion and investment plans follows £460 million the business has already invested in the UK since 2023. This latest vote of confidence reaffirms the UK’s position as a global investment destination.

    The plans back the government’s aim to significantly increase long-term business investment following the publication of the Modern Industrial Strategy, which marks a new era of collaboration between government and high growth industries, slashing energy bills for industry, increasing skills, and boosting investment to unlock the UK’s economic potential.

    Today [Monday 21 July], Minister for Investment Baroness Poppy Gustafsson opened the expanded office for Shinhan Bank in London and met with President and CEO of Shinhan Bank, Jung Sang Hyuk. 

    Minister for Investment Baroness Poppy Gustafsson CBE said: 

    The UK is a top investment destination, and Shinhan’s latest investment will help us make the UK the number one destination for financial services by 2035, delivering on our Plan for Change. 

    Financial Services are a UK success story, and one of the eight growth sectors we identified with the biggest potential for growth in our modern Industrial Strategy, as we look to boost the economy and put more money in people’s pockets.

    Shinhan Bank President & CEO Jung Sang Hyuk said:

    The expansion of London office is a strategic decision aimed at proactively responding to the rapidly changing financial environment and delivering greater value and higher-level services to our customers. The (Shinhan) Head Office will remain fully committed to providing strong support, enabling London office to take on an even more central role within London’s financial market and to grow together as a trusted financial partner.

    Securing foreign direct investment is key to delivering economic growth, and companies like Shinhan investing billions in the UK economy shows the government’s Plan for Change is working – creating jobs and putting more money in working people’s pockets.

    The news also builds on the positive findings from Deloitte’s latest survey which found that finance leaders see the UK as the joint-most attractive destination when it comes to investment.

    Economic growth is the Government’s central mission and unlocking new investment opportunities with South Korea is vital to achieving this, as the UK looks to build on the £21 billion record-level of investment the country has attracted from Korean businesses.

    This major investment comes just days after the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, which aims to position the UK as the number one destination for financial services companies by 2035.

    Today’s announcement also follows the Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson’s visit to South Korea earlier this month, where she met a range of investors and businesses including SeAH, Hana Bank and Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) to encourage further investment into the country.

    Notes to editors:

    • For more info on Deloitte’s latest survey of the UK’s investment attractiveness – please see here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City centre’s first distillery and bar now open in Derby Market Hall

    Source: City of Derby

    A brand-new distillery and bar is now open in Derby Market Hall, bringing locally crafted spirits, cocktails, and a stylish new venue to the heart of the city centre.

    The Spirit Run Distillery and Bar officially opened its doors to the public on Saturday 19 July, with the occasion being marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the leader of Derby City Council, Councillor Nadine Peatfield.

    The new venue will join the list of growing traders at Derby Market Hall, a Grade II-listed Victorian building in the heart of the city. The Spirit Run is the latest venture from Darley Abbey Wines, situated in the newly renovated former Poultry Market space, adjoining Osnabruck Square.

    The distillery offers a truly unique experience to visitors, allowing customers to admire the iconic stills while enjoying a cocktail, refreshing gin, or a glass of wine. It will offer high-quality spirits crafted in bespoke, British-made copper stills, built by Somerset company, BritStill. 

    Innovative gin and cocktail experiences will also be available to customers, guiding them on an immersive journey through the process before tasting. These experiences, and the venue itself, can be booked for mixed groups or private parties.

    The bar will specialise in spirits, featuring a strong cocktail menu and showcasing The Spirit Run’s own creations alongside those from other local distillers and well-known brands. Customers can also choose from a range of draft beers, including selections from Derbyshire’s Thornbridge brewery, and explore a select rotating list of ‘discovery wines’ for an ambitious tasting experience. 

    The Spirit Run is also teaming up with fellow Derby Market Hall traders, including Cheeky Pancakes and Japanese street food trader SHIO, to offer customers some tasty small plates to go with their favourite drink. Keep a look out for IZAKAYA – a new Sunday Japanese Brunch Club featuring sushi and small plates from SHIO, paired with drinks from The Spirit Run. The event will feature on Sundays in September.

    The new addition forms part of Derby Market Hall’s phased reopening, which has seen several new traders joining the historic building in recent months. More traders are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. 

    Nichol Malia-Barlow, owner of The Spirit Run, said:

    I’m absolutely thrilled that The Spirit Run is now open. We’ve had an amazing opportunity to bring something truly unique to the heart of Derby as the city centre’s first distillery. The historic Market Hall is the perfect location for The Spirit Run.

    Not only will customers have a place where they can socialise and catch up with friends over drinks, but they’ll also be able to see their favourite wines, gin, rum, and more, being produced in the distillery. We welcome everyone to come and view the transformed space.

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Strategy, Regeneration and Policy, said:

    It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of the opening of The Spirit Run on Saturday 19 July. The Spirit Run is a perfect addition to the iconic Derby Market Hall, offering a truly unique experience to each visitor as the first distillery in Derby’s city centre. 

    I’m really proud that we are showcasing the best of Derby and Derbyshire’s local talent. The Market Hall is thriving and offers something truly unique to each visitor. I’m looking forward to announcing more traders soon.

    I also can’t wait to try a cocktail that’s been made in the Market Hall; gin just happens to be my favourite tipple!

    Darley Abbey Wines, which began as a wine merchant in 2007, has steadily expanded its offerings. They opened a popular wine bar at Darley Abbey Mills, known for its live music and tasting events, and established Darley Abbey Distillery in 2020. Located at the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, their home is a seventeenth-century cotton mill which once produced the finest cotton thread. Today, Darley Abbey Wines expertly crafts fine spirits in small batches, honouring the building’s rich history. 

    Their first gin, The Uncommon Thread London Dry, launched in November 2022 to great success. The new Derby Market Hall distillery will allow them to increase production, expand existing and new brands, and facilitate exciting small-batch local projects and collaborations.

    The iconic Derby Market Hall reopened in May following a £35.1 million restoration, creating a vibrant venue that brings together the best of the region’s independent shopping, eating, drinking, and entertainment under one beautiful roof. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –