Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Europe: World Health Day (7 Apr. 2025)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    On this World Health Day, France reiterates its support for a coordinated approach at the international level aimed at guaranteeing solid healthcare systems and universal access to care while resolutely combating inequality This is a prerequisite for collective health security.

    During this difficult international period, France reaffirms its full support for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the central role it plays in the global health architecture. It embodies international cooperation, scientific rigor and scrupulous standard-setting.

    France also reiterates its support for all international organizations that deal with global health. It is one of the main funders of such efforts and remains committed to the swift adoption of a pandemic agreement.

    In order to ensure global health security, France works in particular to advance the fight against epidemics; the promotion of maternal and child health; the One Health approach, which underscores the close ties between human health, animal health and ecosystems; universal health coverage; and the strengthening of healthcare systems. In this regard, the WHO Academy in Lyon, which opened its doors in December 2024, aims to become a global center of excellence for the training of healthcare workers.

    France reaffirms its commitment to global health and its conviction that health is a fundamental right for every human being. Since 2000, we have helped provide antiretroviral treatments to 25 million people with HIV/AIDS, treat more than 7 million tuberculosis patients, and distribute nearly 230 million mosquito nets. We have also participated in the vaccination of more than a billion children since 2000 and, through the Muskoka Fund, we funded care for more than 22 million women and children in 2023 to reduce maternal and child mortality.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to announcement of a £600 million investment from the UK Government and the Wellcome Trust to create a new Health Data Research Service

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the new Health Data Research Service, funded by the UK Government and the Wellcome Trust. 

    Understanding Patient Data, said:

    “We welcome today’s announcement of a new health data research service, jointly funded by Wellcome and the UK government.

    “The Health Data Research Service aims to create a secure single access point for existing datasets, streamlining the process for researchers and potentially speeding up life-saving medical breakthroughs.

    “This is a valuable step towards implementing the Sudlow review recommendations and making better use of existing health data to support research, innovation, and improved health outcomes.

    “At Understanding Patient Data, we’ve consistently seen that people are supportive of their data being used for public benefit — when there are clear safeguards in place, transparency about how decisions are made, and visible patient and public involvement in decision-making. The governance arrangements put in place for the health research service need to meet these expectations to ensure that public trust is earned and maintained.

    “In light of ongoing financial pressures and substantial change to how the NHS is managed, continued investment in public engagement is more critical than ever. The health data research service has the opportunity to build strong foundations from the start: transparent governance, clear accountability, and a commitment to delivering measurable public benefit.”

    Janet Valentine, Executive Director Innovation and Research Policy, ABPI said:

    “The scale and ambition of the Prime Minister’s announcement today shows he understands the huge opportunity for the UK to be a global leader in clinical research, and that unlocking research access to health data and speeding up the set-up of clinical trials are fundamental to achieving that goal. 

    “Public and patient confidence in the responsible use of health data will be critical to the success of the service, which is why the government is right to work closely with a trusted partner like the Wellcome Trust. 

    “To make the most of this opportunity, it will be essential to build on the existing strengths and expertise within the UK health data system. It will also be vital that the pharmaceutical industry, as a major investor in research and development of innovative medicines, plays an integral role in the design and implementation of the new health data research service.”

    Government press release – Prime Minister turbocharges medical research: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-turbocharges-medical-research#:~:text=The%20Prime%20Minister%20has%20today,new%20Health%20Data%20Research%20Service

    Wellcome Explainer: https://wellcome.org/news/national-data-service-will-simplify-access-health-data-research

    Declared interests

    The nature of this story means everyone quoted above could be perceived to have a stake in it. As such, they are implicit in each person’s affiliation.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM remarks at Jaguar Land Rover: 7 April 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    PM remarks at Jaguar Land Rover: 7 April 2025

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave remarks at Jaguar Land Rover manufacturing site in the West Midlands.

    Thank you Rachel and thank you Adrian.  

    And can I just say a big thank you to the entire workforce here. Some of you are here with us this afternoon. I just want to say thank you for showing us what you do. We have been able to see some of the skill and experience that you put into this incredible product, years and years in the making and the technology.

    But thank you also for making us proud to be British, because as each car rolls off here, that is rolling off your production line. That is your commitment, your toil, your work, your professionalism. But it is then a product which you should be rightly proud of, and we are really proud of as a country. 

    I know how much you put into that, and I want you to know just how much we appreciate what you do. 

    Thank you for everyone for joining us this afternoon. 

    Jaguar Land Rover, our leading exporter of goods, employing thousands of people across the West Midlands and beyond. 

    That proud symbol of British engineering brilliance. And brilliance is the right word. It is our industrial heritage, but also in my strongly held view, it is our industrial future, not just our heritage. 

    My message to you is simple: these are challenging times, but we have chosen to come here because we are going to back you to the hilt. 

    I think it’s really significant that after the announcement on Wednesday, we had Adrian with us in Downing Street at 7 o’clock the next morning, and here we are on Monday, so read into that a statement of intent because it is a statement of intent about how important this is for you, for us and for the country. 

    As Rachel has said, there is no doubt about the challenge, but this is a moment for cool heads.

    No one wins from a trade war. 

    But it is also a moment for urgency. 

    Because we have to rise, together as nation to the great challenge of our age, and it is the great challenge to renew Britain so that we are secure in this era of global instability. 

    Nobody is pretending that tariffs are good news. You know that better than anyone.  

    25% tariffs on automative exports. 10% on other goods. 

    That is a huge challenge to our future. The global economic consequences could be profound. But this moment has also made something very clear. 

    That this is not a passing phase. And just as we’ve seen with our national security and defence, particularly in relation to the war in Ukraine, now with our commerce and trade, 

    This is a changing and completely new world. 

    An era where old assumptions, long taken for granted, simply no longer apply. 

    Before the election – I called it an age of insecurity. And that is the right phrase. Insecurity. Because that’s how this is felt in the lives of working people. Insecurity and worry for builders, for carers, for nursers, for factory workers like people here in Coventry, working harder and harder for the pound in their pocket, yet watching this rising tide of insecurity threaten to sweep away the things we cherish in our communities. 

    Trust me – I know people will be feeling that right now. 

    But to those people, I say, we have your back. 

    This government will not just sit back and hope. 

    That is how politics has failed you in recent years. 

    Attempting to manage crises without fundamental change just leads to managed decline. 

    So no – we’re going to seize the possibilities. 

    Fight for the future. On defence spending, on AI, on clean British energy and on manufacturing, including car building.

    Make those forces work for Britain. Rewire our economy and our state so that once again they serve the interests of working people. 

    This is why we are rewiring the state completely.  

    Ripping up the regulation that stops it being a force for good. 

    Building new homes, new towns, new infrastructure. 

    Accelerating the investment that will finally unlock the potential of every community.  

    And let me be really clear as well. Our future is in our hands. 

    And so of course – we will keep calm and fight for the best deal with the US and we have been discussing that intensely in the last few days. 

    But we’re also going to work with our key partners to reduce barriers to trade across the globe. 

    Accelerate trade deals with the rest of the world and champion the cause of free and open trade – right across the globe. And just like car building, that has always been our heritage – and we won’t turn our backs on it now. 

    And look, when it comes to the US, I will only strike a deal if it is in the national interest. If it is the right thing to do for our security. If it protects the pound in the pocket that working people, across our country, work so hard to earn for their family. 

    That is my priority. That is always my priority. Strength abroad – security and renewal at home. 

    And on that journey of renewal we take another step today with our car industry. 

    You know, there are people in this country who love to talk down our manufacturing. They say – we don’t make anything important anymore. ‘That’s not Britain’. Well – I would invite anyone who thinks like that to come here and see what you do in this factory. 

    Anyone who is talking down manufacturing. Come here to Jaguar Land Rover and see what you are doing and they wouldn’t say that again. 

    Because just as I’ve said, when we were going around earlier, what I saw made me proud.

    And I hope that if I feel proud of what you are doing, you are entitled to feel proud of what you are doing. 

    This is British brilliance in the flesh. 

    You’re making cars here – but you’re also representing our country with each car as it departs. That’s the pride that always goes with making things. 

    And I’ve said it many times before, but I will say it again: my dad worked in a factory. He was an engineer. He made things with his hands. And he taught me as I was growing up, you should value the things that we make.

    And that’s what brilliant about manufacturing. And manufacturing shapes the identity of a place. This place, and of a community and a country. And that’s how it gets in your blood.  

    Which is why electric vehicles are so important. Yes – of course it’s about the climate and you won’t hear me undermining the urgency of that cause. 

    But it’s also about taking the pride, the heritage, the identity of places like this and securing it for the future. 

    That’s what the previous government never understood. The link between manufacturing and who we are as a country. 

    But those days are over. They are finished. This is a government of industrial renewal.

    Because my choice, in this volatile world is to back British brilliance. 

    I believe that British car companies should be at the forefront of the electric revolution. This is a race we belong in. 

    And so I think EV targets are a good thing. 

    They are good for the climate. Good for business certainty and investment. Good for British manufacturing. 

    But I accept – those targets have to work for British manufacturers.  

    And I don’t want British firms, like this one put in a position where you have to pay a hefty fine or buy credits from foreign EV companies. 

    So today – we’re going to introduce much more flexibility into EV mandates.  

    We’re going to help car companies based in Britain reach the targets in a way that supports growth. 

    We’re going to cut any fines – which I do not want or expect to see – by 20% and any money that is raised – would be invested directly back into support for the British car industry. 

    We’re also going to take action on hybrids because these cars make a massive difference to reducing emissions. 

    I mean, if you drive a Toyota Prius around town. Or, perhaps if you work here, a Range Rover you probably spend a lot of the time in electric mode. So I think for these vehicles a 2030 ban is too soon. So we’ll push that back to 2035 – for all hybrids. That’s a new step we are taking and a new announcement today. 

    And because we’re not ideological about how we cut carbon emissions, we’ll also make sure that cleaner, efficient, petrol cars sold before 2030 count towards your EV mandate. That will be good for British car manufacturers like this one. 

    As Rachel has said, we are also putting £2.3 billion pounds into the British car industry, giving people tax breaks worth hundreds of millions of pounds a year to help them switch to electric. 

    Improving charging infrastructure. That is a massive factor when people are thinking about switching and our approach means we are seeing a new public charging point popping up every half an hour.

    Because this is the moment when we back British business and charge up the electric revolution. 

    British electric cars running off clean British power, made by British workers. 

    British cars for British workers! 

    And as you know by the way switching to electric can also save you up to £1100 a year so if we get this right it can help the cost of living as well. 

    But look – it’s not just our car industry we need to back. 

    In the coming days and weeks, we are going to use industrial policy to shelter British business from the storm. 

    Take our life sciences sector, another shining example of British brilliance. An absolutely pivotal part of our export economy. We’re going to back them, as well. 

    We’re going to rip up the red tape. Cut the stifling bureaucracy that slows down clinical trials. Now Britain used to be better at this but we’ve taken our foot off the pedal.  

    The latest data says it takes over 250 days to set up a clinical trial. I’m going to slash that to 150.  

    And on top of that, I can also announce – a new investment up to £600 million in a new Health Data Research Service. A welcome partnership with the Wellcome Trust strengthening the genome cluster in Cambridge. 

    Making sure that patient data in our NHS is unlocked for the public good. An opportunity for growth – but more importantly to save lives with cutting edge medicine and Britain is so good at this. 

    We saw that in the pandemic. And we now need to pick up the pace again. This country has never waited around for history to shape us. We have shaped history – and we will do so again now. 

    Take our future into our hands. Do everything necessary to defend our national interest. 

    Strengthen our alliances, increase our defence power, support our businesses, jobs and workers. 

    Rebuild, in defiance of a volatile world, our industrial strength. 

    That is the purpose of this Government. Security and renewal. The world may be changing but we are driving forward securing our future with a clear Plan for Change.  

    Thank you. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: E Ink Marquee™ Highlights Technological Breakthrough for Electrophoretic Displays at Touch Taiwan 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BILLERICA,Mass., April 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — E Ink (8069.TW) the originator, pioneer, and global commercial leader in electronic paper (ePaper) technology, today announced its latest technological breakthrough with E Ink Marquee™. E Ink successfully developed a 4-particle color system that allows for vibrant color with an extended temperature range for outdoor and digital out of home (DOOH) signage.

    E Ink Marquee stands out for its exceptional energy efficiency and broad temperature range, making it ideal for outdoor deployments. Unlike conventional LCD and LED displays, Marquee’s thermal performance reduces the need for complex cooling systems, offering a cost-effective outdoor signage solution. Moreover, Marquee’s ability to seamlessly switch pages expands its versatility across various applications, from interactive street furniture displays to dynamic advertising platforms, enabling seamless integration with brand activations and programmatic campaigns.

    “The future of E Ink is becoming more colorful with our E Ink Marquee innovation,” said Johnson Lee, CEO, E Ink. “E Ink Marquee will be a cornerstone of our organization and define the future of display technology across industries.”

    Preliminary performance metrics for E Ink Marquee’s full-color application features an operating temperature range between -20 and 65 °C., with ongoing development of the newest displays focused on reaching sizes as large as 75” diagonal and update times between 5-7 seconds.

    “Building upon our pioneering ePaper foundation established in 1997, E Ink Marquee represents an exciting evolution.” said Edzer Huitema, US CTO, E Ink. “We expect E Ink Marquee to redefine the digital display industry and challenge people’s perception of E Ink and what is possible.”

    While E Ink Marquee’s roadmap is still being defined, Touch Taiwan 2025 serves as an important opportunity to showcase the recent breakthrough and provide a glimpse into the future of digital displays. If visitors would like to experience the latest E Ink technology demonstrations, they can visit booth #L717 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center from April 16-18. E Ink Marquee will also be shown at Display Week in San Jose, CA from May 13-15.

    E Ink’s ePaper technology is energy-efficient and non-emissive, reducing power consumption and carbon emissions compared to paper and LCDs. Solar-powered ePaper signage can run entirely on renewable energy, ideal for net-zero initiatives. Through its PESG framework, E Ink delivers low-carbon solutions that accelerate this transition. According to FTSE Russell, 99.9% of the company’s product sales revenue is green, and Moody’s has verified E Ink’s green loans as compliant with Green Loan Principles, awarding a positive sustainability score. These achievements highlight E Ink’s strong environmental performance and alignment with international standards.

    About E Ink

    E Ink Holdings Inc. (8069.TWO), based on technology from MIT’s Media Lab, provides an ideal display medium for applications spanning eReaders and eNotes, retail, home, hospital, transportation, logistics, and more, enabling customers to put displays in locations previously impossible. E Ink’s electrophoretic display products make it the worldwide leader for ePaper. Its low power displays enable customers to reach their sustainability goals, and E Ink has pledged using 100% renewable energy in 2030 and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040. E Ink has been recognized for their efforts by receiving, validation from Science-Based Targets (SBTi) and is listed in both the DJSI World and DJSI Emerging Indexes. Listed in Taiwan’s Taipei Exchange (TPEx) and the Luxembourg market, E Ink Holdings is now the world’s largest supplier of ePaper displays. For more information please visit www.eink.com. E Ink. We Make Surfaces Smart and Green.

    Contact:
    V2 Communications for E Ink
    eink@v2comms.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e2fda7da-28df-4d0a-8ad8-38b9a3ca0a68

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbe5deea-4bd6-4961-bd83-cb4972606c76

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK MPs question Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, 8 April – Liaison Committee

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    MPs on the Liaison Committee question the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer.

    The areas of questioning include:

    – Growth

    – International affairs and defence

    – Welfare reforms and health

    Chaired by Dame Meg Hillier MP, the Liaison Committee questions the Prime Minister of the day about the policy of Government at regular intervals.

    #SelectCommittees #UKPolitics #Politics #Economy #PublicServices

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmTYCOPuNi0

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Launches 100x Leverage Crypto Futures Trading with Double Deposit Bonus and $50 Welcome Bonus – No KYC Required

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, April 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the past 24 hours, most major cryptocurrencies have plunged more than 10%, with Bitcoin briefly falling below $75,000. The sharp sell-off was triggered by President Trump’s new tariff war, sparking panic across global markets. Analysts are warning: the bear market may have officially arrived.

    In a bear market, smart investors know that simply holding spot assets is not enough. 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred strategy to profit from both market rises and falls. BexBack Exchange is leading the way, empowering traders with the tools and bonuses needed to succeed.

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

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    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ee0aebfe-90c4-4cd2-a708-74385492ed4d

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f9d764c-0923-4c8f-86e1-cdae727da08a

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d39264e2-48e9-4d9d-8d59-c689c2149150

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/76b552a8-2e93-4fe6-915e-d416a5808878

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister turbocharges medical research

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Prime Minister turbocharges medical research

    Better and faster access to NHS data for researchers with gold standard security and privacy measures.

    • Latest in a series of pro-growth measures to build a strong, resilient economy with more well-paid jobs.     
    • Changes will help make Britain the best country in the world for medical research, driving growth that puts more money in people’s pockets as part of the Plan for Change.
    • Next step in delivering the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy and unlocking the potential of the Oxford‑Cambridge Growth Corridor.

    The Prime Minister has today announced action to accelerate the discovery of life-saving drugs, improve patient care and make Britain the best place in the world for medical research.

    The Government and the Wellcome Trust will invest up to £600 million to create a new Health Data Research Service. This will transform the access to NHS data by providing a secure single access point to national-scale datasets, slashing red tape for researchers.

    Clinical trials will also be fast-tracked to accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future, with the current time it takes to get a clinical trial set up cut to 150 days by March 2026 – where latest data collected in 2022 was over 250 days. This will be achieved by cutting bureaucracy and standardising contracts so time isn’t wasted on negotiating separate details across different NHS organisations, and ensuring transparency by publishing trust level data for the first time.

    Through this new drive, patients will have improved access to new treatments and technologies. We already saw the power of health data during the pandemic and this will allow the NHS to make huge strides in patient care.

    The changes are a major boost for the life sciences sector as the Government goes further and faster in delivering the Plan for Change and reshaping our economy in response to the new era of global insecurity.

    They follow key steps to support the British car industry and form part of our modern Industrial Strategy, which includes life sciences. Full plans will be published alongside the Spending Review later this year.

    Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

    The new era of global insecurity requires a Government that steps up, not stands aside.

    That is why we are going further and faster in reshaping our economy and delivering our Plan for Change.

    Life sciences, like our brilliant car industry, is a great British success story.

    The measures I am announcing today will turbo-charge medical research and deliver better patient care. I am determined to make Britain the best place in the world to invest in medical research.

    That is not just good for patients and their families. It means growth that puts more money in working people’s pockets with more, better paid jobs.

    Patient confidentiality will continue to be held to a gold standard with these changes – with rigorous security measures being in place, like anonymity and virtual locked rooms, to ensure no one’s health data is compromised.

    The Health Data Research Service brings access to data for medical research into one secure and easy-to-use location, meaning a researcher doesn’t have to navigate different systems or make multiple applications for information for the same project.

    This improvement – which will begin from the end of 2026 – will speed up the process and could set the UK on a path to cure cancer, dementia, and arthritis quicker, which will improve patient outcomes and help turbocharge the economy.

    It follows the recent decision to scrap NHS England to do away with unnecessary bureaucracy and make government work better for people, patients, and the economy.

    The new service will be housed at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridgeshire, where Wellcome is building a range of new R&D lab and office spaces to expand the current campus’s capacity for innovative genomics and biodata companies.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

    Our Plan for Change will unleash the unparalleled power of NHS data, catalysing our efforts to fix the broken health service.

    We will unblock the barriers preventing our greatest scientists from safely accessing what they need to save patients’ lives – while keeping data secure.

    This venture will drive vital investment into the UK and put us at the epicentre of breakthroughs in science.

    If we can combine the care of the NHS with the ingenuity of our world-leading scientists, our health service could truly become the envy of the world.

     Science Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:

    Building an NHS fit for the future is central to this government’s Plan for Change. Ensuring our research community can access the data which will drive untold improvements for patients across the country is key to that ambition.

    This is a service which has truly transformative potential – giving health experts access to the insights they need to drive forward more research and more clinical trials quicker than ever before.

    Protecting the data and anonymity of patients is non-negotiable. That’s why we’re also putting robust protections in place to make sure the incredible benefits we will all receive from this service will never come at a personal cost.

    Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said:

    Improving health for future patients and future generations depends on medical research, and that depends on data.

    Bringing health data together will allow scientists to understand diseases, to prevent them and to develop new treatments more quickly and more effectively to improve future health.

    John-Arne Røttingen, Chief Executive of Wellcome, said:

    There is so much more we could learn from health data in this country by joining it up better.

    The new service will give researchers a way to easily harness the data held across different parts of the NHS. The simpler it is to analyse data or identify patients to join clinical trials, the more quickly we can improve our understanding of illness and develop new treatments.

    Providing a single, secure service for approved researchers will take away the significant overhead associated of locating, accessing and comparing disparate datasets. It will create opportunities for patients to access new treatments through trials that would otherwise have been hard to arrange or conduct.

    We’re pleased to be providing our support to help establish the new service quickly. This public-philanthropic partnership will put public trust in the use of health data at the heart of its approach.

    Dr Vin Diwakar, National Director of Transformation at NHS England, said:

    We’ve seen over the past few years the vital role that research plays in improving healthcare – from the rollout of the Covid vaccine to the development of new cancer treatments – and this new service will transform how that research is carried out.

    The Health Data Research Service will remove the complexities of accessing data through multiple systems while making sure the very highest security and privacy measures remain in place, including using secure data environments to protect patient confidentiality and ensure NHS data doesn’t leave NHS IT systems.

    We’ll continue to seek feedback from the public as we develop the service and will only allow access to NHS data where there is likely to be a direct benefit to NHS patients – so that health researchers can get the data they need faster, and patients can benefit from advances in treatments much sooner.

    Executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, Dr Ian Walker, said:

    This is a welcome and much-needed investment from the government. The information held within NHS data could help to improve our understanding of diseases like cancer and contribute to the creation of effective new treatments.

    Despite its huge potential, access to this data has long been a significant challenge for the research sector, and anything that unleashes the power of NHS data, whilst protecting the security and anonymity of patients, will help enormously.

    The UK can lead the world in data science for the benefits of patients both at home and abroad. It will be essential to consult with patients every step of the way.

    STAKEHOLDER REACTION

    Professor Cathie Sudlow, Former Chief Scientist and Strategic Advisor, Health Data Research UK, and author of the Sudlow Review: Uniting the UK’s Health Data: A Huge Opportunity for Society, said:

    Today’s announcement of a Health Data Research Service, a central recommendation of my recently published review of the UK’s health data landscape, is a major step forward for UK health research. It has the potential to be a game-changer, by accelerating secure, trustworthy, data-driven research to improve patient care and public health for the tens of millions of people in this country and beyond.

    The service should enable faster, more reliable access for approved researchers to the data needed to tackle society’s most pressing health research needs – to develop and test new approaches for preventing, diagnosing and treating health conditions such as cancer, dementia, heart disease, depression, arthritis and infectious outbreaks. It should support better studies, quicker answers for the health and care system and, ultimately, faster, better outcomes for patients and their families.

    Turning this investment from the UK Government and Wellcome into something that delivers will demand focus, cooperation across multiple organisations,  attention to detail and – crucially – ongoing, meaningful involvement of patients, public and health and care professionals. However, with the UK’s rich health data assets and strong life sciences and data science research capabilities, I am confident that we can make this work for everyone’s benefit.

    Nicola Perrin, Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities, said:

    The announcement of a Health Data Research Service is excellent news – for patients, for the NHS and for UK life sciences. Sustained, ringfenced funding – from the Government and Wellcome as a charitable funder – is the best way to unlock the power of NHS data to transform research and to improve health outcomes. 

    This partnership is exactly what is needed to help to ensure a trustworthy approach, and to build confidence among public, patients and healthcare professionals which will be so crucial for success. We look forward to engaging closely with the new HRDS as the plans develop, building on and consolidating the multiple initiatives that currently exist for data access.

    Dame Cally Palmer, Chief Executive of The Royal Marsden, said:

    I’ve seen first-hand how harnessing NHS data can accelerate and improve cancer research – so today’s news is hugely welcome for cancer patients and researchers alike. 

    By offering our world leading researchers a centralised, convenient and highly secure central hub for medical research, innovative and potentially life changing developments could become more likely, helping to transform cancer patient lives.

    Emma Walmsley, Chief Executive Officer, GSK, said:

    We welcome the ambition and urgency of today’s announcements on health data and clinical trials. The UK has unique potential to bring health data securely together with an NHS system that recognises the value of innovation, to accelerate and deliver the next generation of medicines and vaccines for patients. This offers value to society and to the economy. What matters now is execution at pace and we stand ready to support.

    Hilary Evans-Newton, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

    This is a game-changing initiative that could drive faster progress for people with dementia and bring us closer to a cure. Better access to high-quality NHS data will help researchers understand the diseases behind dementia in greater detail, spot those at risk sooner, and develop effective new treatments more quickly.

    The UK is home to some of the most detailed, nationwide, life-long health datasets in the world, with huge potential to transform how we prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat major health conditions. But right now, researchers face barriers that stop them unlocking this data’s full, life-saving power. By cutting red tape around data access and clinical trials, the UK can accelerate the development of new diagnostics and treatments, and become a magnet for global investment. Dementia is the nation’s biggest killer, and with no treatments currently available on the NHS that slow or stop the condition, this momentum couldn’t come at a more urgent time.

    To make the new Health Data Research Service work, people affected by dementia must be at the heart of how the system is designed. With the right safeguards in place, trusted access to NHS data can be a powerful force for good – helping the UK lead the world in life sciences and transform the outlook for everyone affected by dementia in the UK.

    Dr Samantha Walker, Director of Research and Innovation at Asthma + Lung UK, said:

    The new health data service has the potential to make a huge difference to the health of the nation. Improved access to such a wealth of data is fantastic news for health research, and will help researchers better understand lung disease, which will affect 12 million people in the UK during their lifetime.

    Decades-long underinvestment has left lung research on life support. But this new investment into data will help scientists better understand early development and progression of lung disease, ultimately leading to better diagnosis, treatment and management.

    Every five minutes, someone in the UK dies a from lung condition. ​Urgent action is needed to increase investment into lung research to give everyone fighting for breath a future. Because breakthroughs can happen and when they do, they save lives. Our vision is a world where everyone has healthy lungs.

    Professor James Leiper, Director of Research at the British Heart Foundation, said:

    This investment in the huge potential of data science is a welcome and farsighted move.

    Health data has the power to give us unparalleled insights into cardiovascular disease, and will supercharge research which promises to save lives in the years to come.

    Ensuring cardiovascular researchers have simplified access to the wealth of data the NHS holds, while also ensuring security and patient confidentiality, will place the UK at the cutting edge of data science for health. We look forward to hearing further detail on plans in the coming months.

    Jacob Lant, Chief Executive at National Voices, said: 

    As patients, our health records can fuel a revolution in medical research that will both help the NHS and ensure communities across the country get faster access to groundbreaking new treatments.

    The Government’s new partnership with the Wellcome Trust can unlock this potential by offering scientists easier access to data, but crucially also giving the public concrete guarantees around data security and anonymity. This is vital to building the public trust needed to move forward and realise the full benefits of modern medical research.

    Dr. Sam Barrell, CEO of LifeArc, said:

    Rapid, transparent, and secure access to high-quality linked health data is essential for translation of research into tangible patient benefit. This is especially crucial for those with rare diseases, where large-scale data and international collaboration are vital.

    Today’s funding announcement is a welcome signal to the sector that the UK is committed to making life science life changing, powered by health data.

    Kieran Winterburn, Alzheimer’s Society’s Head of National Influencing, said:

    Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. Research will beat dementia, but we need to make it a reality sooner – through more funding, more partnership working, better access to data and more people taking part in dementia research.

    That’s why Alzheimer’s Society welcomes the Prime Minister’s announcement today that red tape will be slashed for researchers, with a new secure, single access point to NHS data. Dementia researchers can face gridlock with a lengthy and complex process to access NHS data, navigating through various systems to gather the information they need for vital population and clinical studies.

    As well as improving access to existing data, we also need to see improvements in the recording, analysis and collation of health data generally. There’s a serious disconnect between the scale and urgency of dementia as a condition and the relative scarcity of existing data on it. Having more data on dementia published will be crucial to improving diagnosis, care, and service planning.

    We’re so proud that Alzheimer’s Society-funded research 30 years ago led to the breakthroughs in disease-modifying treatments we’ve seen recently.  Research we fund now, powered by better access to data, will be pivotal in unlocking more breakthroughs.

    Dr Jeanette Dickson, Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said:

    We know the UK can deliver high quality international practice-changing research and this tremendous initiative will enable our scientists to perform at their best by providing safe access to essential data – which in turn will improve care, speed up innovation and drive economic growth.

    Anna Steere, Head of Understanding Patient Data, said:

    This is a really welcome step toward improving how health data is used to speed up research and deliver public benefit. Research shows that people are generally supportive of their data being used in this way — but they want to see transparency, strong governance and security at the heart. We are pleased to see a commitment to working with patient groups in shaping how the service is designed and run. Getting this right from the outset is key to building lasting public confidence.

    Professor Ford is also the Co-Founder and Director of the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank in Wales, said:

    I am really delighted to hear of this recent announcement, which will bring a very substantial and much needed investment into the UK’s data infrastructure. The SAIL Databank looks forward to playing its part in making the new exciting vision a reality.

    The National Data Guardian, Dr Nicola Byrne, said:

    Access to data is essential for researchers and innovators to transform great ideas into real health improvements. With the right safeguards in place, the public is eager to see data used to drive new treatments, improve services, and tackle health inequalities.

    To maintain the public’s trust, it’s crucial that data security, clear public benefits, and full transparency around data access and use remain at the forefront. I look forward to working with others to ensure the new Health Data Research Service meets these expectations, unlocking the power of data to benefit patients and the public alike.

    Professor Andrew Morris, Director of Health Data Research UK, said:

    As a doctor and researcher, the announcement of a Health Data Research Service is a day many of us have been waiting for. It is a big investment in the future health of the nation. 

    We have a rich abundance of health data in this country thanks to the NHS. The team at HDR UK demonstrated for the first time last year that UK wide studies harnessing data on 68M people is possible for public benefit. But the system remains slow and fragmented which means that safe and secure research using the data is delayed or prevented for months and years. This is stalling advances that could benefit millions of patients and is wasting taxpayers’ money and medical charity donations invested in research.

    A Health Data Research Service was the main recommendation of the Sudlow Review, which offered a set of solutions to tackle these problems and for which Health Data Research UK provided the secretariat. So I am delighted that within a few months of publication.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Powerful conference addresses the serious issue of ending violence against women and girls

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Ending Violence against Women and Girls Conference Armagh City Hotel Armagh 31 March 2025 CREDIT: LiamMcArdle.com

    “Violence against women and girls is a very serious challenge in our society – and one that affects everyone. It is a problem that is hidden in plain sight and every day impacts the lives of women and girls, in our schools, in our communities, and in our workplaces.

    “Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council stand committed to challenging harmful attitudes towards women and girls, and to work to promote a culture of respect and equality.  To create a community where women and girls are safe, respected, and empowered. So that every woman and girl can live with dignity, safety and freedom.”

    This was the message from the Deputy Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Kyle Savage at a recent, hard-hitting conference addressing the serious issue of ending violence against women and girls.

    Entitled ‘It’s In Your Hands’, the conference had around 200 attendees and featured a number of high profile speakers who covered topics including coercive control, partner violence, what a healthy relationship should look like and how we can educate everyone in our communities to prevent abuse and harm against women and girls.

    There were also interactive sessions where those in attendance could really think about the impact that they can make – as individuals and organisations – to help make the borough a safer place for women and girls.

    Speakers included Dr Ngozi Anyadike-Danes, a Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Ulster University, Marcella Leonard MBE and Noel McNally who bravely spoke about his daughter Natalie.

    This event was organised by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and funded by The Executive Office.

    For more information on this issue please log onto https://www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/safeguarding/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Work begins on new play zone

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Plans for new football and basketball facilities in Southwick to help tackle inequalities in access to sport are taking a step closer to being delivered.

    The start of the construction phase of a Football Foundation PlayZone in Southwick, has been made possible thanks to Sunderland City Council securing a £198,076 grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, £10,000 from North Sunderland Area Committee and £34,955 from the city’s Healthy City Fund.  

    The new multi-sport pitch will be one of more than 200 PlayZones to be delivered across the country, offering a wide range of opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to be active in a way that suits them and get involved in sport and physical activity. 

    This investment will support the development of brand-new facilities, as well as bringing back to life old facilities through refurbishment works. The PlayZone will also include smart -access technology and a booking system. 

    The PlayZone in Southwick will be managed by Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Project and will be open to the public to book seven days a week.  

    Ruth Walker, who operates the project, said: “This is an exciting development for the area, bringing a former games area back to use and making the area look great, it’s going to be fantastic. The new facility is for the local community to use, it’s going to make an enormous difference to getting our local community active as well as giving young people something positive to do.” 

    Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation said: “When it comes to tackling the greatest inequalities to becoming active, the Football Foundation knows a ‘one-size fits all’ approach doesn’t work. That’s why community engagement is at the heart of our PlayZones programme.  

    “As with all PlayZones, the new facility in Southwick has been shaped by the local community who’ll be able to step out onto the pitch and get active in a way that suits them. 

    “Thanks to the funding we receive from our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Foundation will be delivering over 200 PlayZones like this one across the country.”  

    Cllr Beth Jones Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said:  “We are delighted to have been able to secure this funding from the Football Foundation to help regenerate a local community.

    “The PlayZone represents our commitment to ensuring that sport, physical activity and play are central to the well-being of communities and that everyone can access safe and modern facilities. This space will not only enhance physical well-being but also serve as a gathering place for families and friends to develop new, positive experiences with sport, play and physical activity.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Government plans do not go far enough on rent controls

    Source: Scottish Greens

    Greens reacts to SNP plans for weak rent controls

    The Scottish Government’s Housing Bill amendments do not go far enough in tackling sky high rents or supporting tenants, say the Scottish Greens.

    The comments, from Green MSP Maggie Chapman, come as the government has published amendments to the upcoming Housing Bill that would allow rent increases to the level of the CPI annual rate of inflation plus 1%, up to a maximum increase of 6% in rent control areas.

    There are no plans in place to provide protection for tenants since the government allowed protections introduced by the Scottish Greens to expire last week.

    Ms Chapman said: 

    “The Housing Bill can and must be the biggest extension of renters rights since devolution, and should finally end the grip that the landlord lobby has on the rights and wellbeing of tenants.

    “That is what was at the heart of the Bill that Patrick Harvie introduced when he was a Green Minister.

    “I don’t believe that what the government is proposing goes far enough. It certainly doesn’t live up to the scale of the crisis that far too many are facing. They would see above inflation hikes even in areas where rents and living costs have been allowed to spiral out of control.

    “We will be publishing proposals in the days ahead that will take a very different approach and will offer support and stability to people and families on the frontline of the housing emergency.

    “Homes are for living in and not for squeezing every last penny of profit from. Everyone deserves a warm, comfortable and affordable place to call home, and it is crucial that the Housing Bill delivers that.”

    Last week the Scottish Government allowed renter protections introduced by the Scottish Greens to expire, removing an effective cap on the worst rent hikes.

    Ms Chapman added: 

    “By allowing renter protections to expire the Scottish Government has thrown people to the mercy of a broken market and rogue landlords who have proven that they cannot be trusted.

    “There are few things that create as much anxiety and poverty as rip-off rents. Our parliament and our government needs to lead the way and make Scotland the best country it can be for renters rights.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Welsh food and drink delicacies earn protected status

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Welsh food and drink delicacies earn protected status

    Welsh gin, oysters and honey granted protected status under UK Geographical Indication schemes

    Welsh gin, oysters and honey are to join the list of food and drink products granted protected geographical indication (PGI) status under the UK’s Geographical Indication schemes. 

    Dovey Native Botanical Gin, Pembrokeshire Native Oysters, Pembrokeshire Rock Oysters and Welsh Heather Honey have been formally recognised for their distinctive qualities and regional heritage, ensuring only authentic items meeting strict production standards and geographical requirements can be marketed under these protected names. 

    Welsh culinary tradition dates back centuries, with its food and drink deeply rooted in the nation’s landscape, culture, and history. From nutrient-rich waters producing exceptional seafood to vibrant heather moorlands ideal for honey production, Welsh producers have long crafted distinctive products shaped by local environments and passed-down expertise.  

    This recognition gives producers a valuable market advantage while preserving traditional production methods, protecting and championing local products while creating economic opportunity across all parts of the UK under the Government’s Plan for Change. 

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

    The UK is home to a feast of flavours from every corner of the British Isles, and these new protections help celebrate the outstanding craftsmanship and heritage behind Welsh food and drink.  

    By giving these products unique status, we’re helping local businesses grow while ensuring consumers can enjoy authentic regional specialities for generations to come. 

    These additions join other popular Welsh products already recognised under the GI scheme, including Anglesey Sea Salt, Welsh Leeks, Traditional Welsh Cider and Single-malt Welsh Whisky, showcasing the rich culinary heritage of Wales. 

    Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

    Dovey gin, Pembrokeshire oysters and Welsh honey are fantastic products and it’s right that they are being recognised as the high-quality, specialist items they are.

    The GI scheme guarantees quality and excellence while celebrating our outstanding local Welsh produce and driving growth in this vital sector.

    Wales’ Deputy First Minister,  Huw Irranca-Davies, who has responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said:

    This recognition strengthens Wales’ growing family of protected foods, showcases the extraordinary quality of our produce, and reflects our commitment to high-quality, sustainable food production.

     From the mountains to the coast, Wales produces some of the UK’s most iconic foods, cultivated with care and tradition. Each GI product tells the story of our landscape, our producers’ expertise and our proud culinary heritage.

    With these new registrations, the total number of UK GIs now reaches 97, representing premium produce from across all four nations of the United Kingdom. 

    The GI schemes support UK food and drink businesses by protecting the reputation of regional products, promoting traditional and agricultural activity while boosting growth in local economies. 

    Danny Cameron of Dovey Native Botanical Gin said:

    Having GI Status is a good thing and helps to raise awareness of Botanical gin being provenance-based and produced to such a strict and high quality.

    Gruffydd Rees of Gwenyn Gruffydd Ltd in Carmarthenshire said:

    I am delighted that Welsh Heather Honey’s precise origin and characteristics have been recognised. The UK GI application process is long, and it is wonderful that Wales is the first UK nation to have a honey receive PGI status.

    Jake Davies, Atlantic Edge Oysters, said:

    Having a PGI Status will attract a broader audience and market who are more aware of GI products and will allow us to join the GI family which has a number of fantastic products.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: ASUS “Design You Can Feel” Exhibition Opens at Milan Design Week 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ASUS today announced the opening of its all-new “Design You Can Feel” exhibition at Milan Design Week. The show explores the themes of materiality, craftsmanship, and artificial intelligence (AI) to explain the design thinking behind ASUS products, including the latest ASUS Zenbook laptops.

    The event also features playful interactive exhibits that explore the latest ASUS products and the design stories behind them as well as a spectacular immersive installation by Studio INI, the experimental design and research studio founded by Nassia Inglessis.

    Taking place at Galleria Meravigli, a historic 1920s gallery in the heart of Milan, the exhibition will run from April 8 to 13. It is open to the public from 10:00AM to 6:00PM each day and is free to attend.

    An interactive sensory experience: “Willful Wonder”, a bespoke installation by Studio INI

    The themes of the Design You Can Feel exhibition will be encapsulated by a specially commissioned installation by Studio INI. Housed beneath the curved glass ceiling of Galleria Meravigli, the installation dynamically responds as visitors walk through it, their presence activating wing-like, semi-transparent panels that open and close behind them.

    The wings, composed of an aluminum honeycomb with elements made from the ASUS proprietary material Ceraluminum™, engage the senses by reflecting and absorbing light, inviting visitors to interact with the structure as they pass through it. The entire installation mirrors Zenbook’s slim silhouette by sculpting lightness and mimicking nature’s sensitive triggering mechanisms, creating a playful interplay of revealing and concealing movements.

    “At Studio INI, we seek to create what we call an embodied intelligence in our designs – we create a seamless connection between built architecture and the human element,” said Studio INI founder Nassia Inglessis.

    “As people walk through the installation and touch the Ceraluminum™, each touch will be recorded by the changes in its conductivity. So, people will be able to see a spatial representation of their behavior in the installation.”

    Building on Studio INI’s expertise in creating experiential public artworks, the installation draws inspiration from the ASUS Zenbook laptop, known for its innovative, lightweight design and Ceraluminum™ material, to create a kinetic, biomimetic sculpture. The installation measures changes in conductivity caused by visitors’ touch to create an AI-generated model representing their real-world interactions with the piece.

    In “Willful Wonder,” humans and technology unite in an interactive journey. This fusion of technology and aesthetics mirrors the ASUS commitment to innovation, cutting-edge engineering, nature-inspired materials, and meticulous design, resulting in high-performing, practical, dynamic, lightweight, and beautiful devices.

    ASUS Design Thinking: The Inside Story

    The Design You Can Feel exhibition will showcase the latest ASUS products and the design stories behind them through playful interactive exhibits. It will encourage users to feel the lightness, duality, slimness, and sleekness of the ASUS Zenbook, the fragrance of the Adol, the outdoor functionality of ProArt, and the unique style of ROG.

    This includes the “Design Thinking: The Inside Story” exhibit, which delves into the heart of ASUS design philosophy and allows visitors to experience the company’s latest innovations firsthand. At ASUS, design thinking is more than just a process; it’s ingrained in the company’s DNA. ASUS embraces a human-centered approach that prioritizes user needs and experiences. The designs are not only aesthetically pleasing but also address real challenges, ensuring that innovation is intuitive, practical, and meaningful. By focusing on user-driven design, ASUS creates solutions that are both impactful and practical.

    Through hands-on demonstrations, visitors will discover how ASUS seamlessly blends aesthetics with functionality, focusing on enhancing everyday life. From ultra-lightweight designs crafted with revolutionary materials to versatile devices that adapt to various workflows, and even explorations into new sensory experiences, this event will showcase how the ASUS commitment to excellence and user-driven innovation shapes the future of technology.

    Next, visitors can step into the world of “Ceraluminum™: A Tribute to Nature’s Wonder” and explore the revolutionary material that’s redefining laptop design. This showcases the unique qualities of Ceraluminum™, a patented ASUS material born from modern alchemy, blending exceptional durability with exquisite craftsmanship. Visitors can discover how plasma discharges transform aluminum into a ceramic-like layer, offering unparalleled wear, scratch, and shock resistance, all while maintaining a smudge-free elegance.

    An additional attraction will be the debut of the Ceraluminum™ Signature Edition, a collection of Zenbook laptops that pay homage to Earth’s breathtaking landscapes. Each of the four distinctive finishes—Obsidian Black, Pamukkale White, Terra Mocha, and Luminous Blue—tells a story of nature’s splendor, from volcanic terrains and cascading terraces to desert dunes and bioluminescent shores. Inspired by nature and designed for a sustainable future, Ceraluminum™ eliminates traditional chemical manufacturing processes, making it 100% recyclable and environmentally responsible. This is a celebration of innovation, sustainability, and the enduring beauty of our planet.

    “At our core, we believe in the power of sensory experiences to forge meaningful connections with design. It’s all about crafting products that allow each user to feel and make good use of our innovations,” said H.W. Wei, Associate VP of ASUS Design Center.

    ASUS Zenbook Ceraluminum™ Signature Edition

    ASUS will unveil a stunning limited-edition series, a tribute to the iconic Zenbook line and the revolutionary Ceraluminum™ material, a patented technology that merges the lightness of metal with the resilience of ceramics.

    The innovative Ceraluminum™, created via ceramization of aluminum, boasts a fracture toughness three times higher than anodized aluminum while remaining remarkably lightweight. This material revolution, showcased in the Zenbook Signature Editions, underscores the dedication ASUS has to both innovation and environmental responsibility. It elevates the celebrated Zenbook line’s legacy of cutting-edge engineering and sleek design into a tangible celebration of Ceraluminum and nature’s splendor.

    Each Signature Edition Zenbook showcases the artistry of Ceraluminum, featuring a unique finish inspired by the dynamic landscapes that shape our world. This collection transforms the Zenbook into a celebration of both premium technology and the organic beauty of nature, highlighting the sensory-rich experience that Ceraluminum enables. The laptops will be displayed alongside corresponding sleeves and packaging, providing a complete visual and tactile journey.

    The ASUS Zenbook Ceraluminum Signature Edition collection is a celebration of the Zenbook and the unique beauty of Ceraluminum, inspired by Earth’s most breathtaking landscapes, each representing the raw power and beauty that shape our world. Each finish is a reminder of the ASUS commitment – not just to design, but to a philosophy – to create tools that are as enduring as the landscapes that inspire them.

    Ceraluminum™ Signature Edition release date: To be announced. Please see here to learn more about ASUS Ceraluminum™: The making of Ceraluminum™

    Design You Can Feel

    Galleria Meravigli
    Via Gaetano Negri 6
    20123 Milano
    Italy
    April 8 to 13, 2025
    10:00AM to 6:00PM daily
    https://asus.click/mdw25_pr

    NOTES TO EDITORS

    More on ASUS at Milan Design Week: https://www.asus.com/ca-en/content/zenbook/
    About ASUS Zenbook Ceraluminum™ Signature Edition: https://youtu.be/OoOHFiBDu9g
    About the Making of Ceraluminum™: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1T3HgeX8qU
    ASUS Zenbook Design Why and How: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cypFEe7-Fg
    ASUS Zenbook: https://www.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/for-home/zenbook/
    ASUS ProArt: https://www.asus.com/ca-en/proart/
    ASUS Vivobook: https://www.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/for-home/vivobook/
    ASUS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asus/posts/
    ASUS Pressroom: http://press.asus.com
    ASUS Canada Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asuscanada/
    ASUS Canada Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asus_ca
    ASUS Canada YouTube: https://ca.asus.click/youtube
    ASUS Global X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/asus

    About ASUS

    ASUS is a global technology leader that provides the world’s most innovative and intuitive devices, components, and solutions to deliver incredible experiences that enhance the lives of people everywhere. With its team of 5,000 in-house R&D experts, the company is world-renowned for continuously reimagining today’s technologies. Consistently ranked as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, ASUS is also committed to sustaining an incredible future. The goal is to create a net zero enterprise that helps drive the shift towards a circular economy, with a responsible supply chain creating shared value for every one of us.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b4da4f22-6ab8-47b5-8d8d-4818e6665a45

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Audited results of INVL Technology of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The equity and the net asset value of INVL Technology amounted to EUR 51.43 million, which is 18.2% more than a year earlier. The per share value of its equity and NAV was EUR 4.2896 and grew 19%. 

    The company had a net profit last year of EUR 8.09 million.

    The annual information is published in the European Single Electronic Format (ESEF) in compliance with the requirements of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/815 of 17 December 2018 (xhtml file format is attached). This is the official format for the annual information that will be approved by the Ordinary General Shareholders‘ Meeting. The annual information (without the auditor‘s report) is additionally provided in pdf format as a copy of the published ESEF information.

    Additional information:

    INVL Technology, a company that invests in IT businesses, had an audited net profit of EUR 8.09 million in 2024, 56.5% more than in 2023 when the net profit was EUR 5.17 million.

    The company’s equity and net asset value were EUR 51.43 million at the end of December 2024, which is 18.2% more than a year earlier. The per share value of its equity and NAV was EUR 4.2896 and grew 19%.

    “INVL Technology’s portfolio companies working in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, supercomputing, and the development and deployment of information systems had good operating results. We are continuing work with potential investors on the process of selling the business,” says Kazimieras Tonkūnas, INVL Technology’s managing partner.

    In mid-March this year, the company announced that it had signed an agreement with the Zurich branch of M&A intermediation service provider Corum Group’s Luxembourg-based unit Corum Group International, to advise and serve as M&A intermediary on the sale of the company’s portfolio of businesses.

    Performance of INVL Technology’s business holdings

    In 2024, INVL Technology’s portfolio companies had aggregated revenues of EUR 66.23 million, which is 5.8 % more than in 2023. Their gross profit increased 9.7 % in the period of comparison to EUR 19.78 million, while their aggregated EBITDA grew 42.7 % to EUR 5.13 million.

    INVL Technology owns and manages the cybersecurity company NRD Cyber Security, the GovTech company NRD Companies, and the Baltic IT company Novian.

    The consolidated revenue of NRD Cyber Security, which also owns NRD Bangladesh, increased 37.6% in 2024 compared to 2023 to EUR 10.19 million. NRD Cyber Security’s gross profit grew 12.7% in the same period of comparison to EUR 4.50 million, while its EBITDA rose 6.9% during the year to EUR 1.22 million.

    NRD Companies had consolidated revenue of EUR 9.97 million last year, 9.3% less than in 2023. It had a gross profit of EUR 4.83 million in 2024, or 9.8% more than the previous year, while its group EBITDA decreased by 4.1% to EUR 1.30 million. Norway-based NRD Companies has the subsidiaries Norway Registers Development in Norway, with a branch in Lithuania, and NRD Systems and Etronika in Lithuania.

    Novian had consolidated revenues of EUR 38.90 million in 2024, 2.4% more than in 2023, while its gross profit of EUR 8.80 million was 14.4% larger than the year before. The Novian group’s EBITDA more than doubled last year to EUR 2.58 million. The group consists of Novian in Lithuania with the technology-area businesses Novian Technologies, Zissor in Norway, Novian Eesti in Estonia, Andmevara in Moldova, and Novian Rwanda (earlier Norway Registers Development Rwanda) in Rwanda, and the software services businesses Novian Systems and Novian Pro in Lithuania.

    INVL Technology, which is managed by INVL Asset Management, the leading alternative asset manager in the Baltics, is a closed-end investment company which must exit its investments no later than mid-July 2026 and distribute the money to shareholders.

    The person authorized to provide additional information:
    Kazimieras Tonkūnas
    INVL Technology Managing Partner
    E-mail k.tonkunas@invltechnology.lt

    Attachments

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Presentation of INVL Technology

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    INVL Technology announces a presentation that will be used for the meetings with investors.

    Additional information:

    INVL Technology, a company that invests in IT businesses, had an audited net profit of EUR 8.09 million in 2024, 56.5% more than in 2023 when the net profit was EUR 5.17 million.

    The company’s equity and net asset value were EUR 51.43 million at the end of December 2024, which is 18.2% more than a year earlier. The per share value of its equity and NAV was EUR 4.2896 and grew 19%.

    “INVL Technology’s portfolio companies working in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, supercomputing, and the development and deployment of information systems had good operating results. We are continuing work with potential investors on the process of selling the business,” says Kazimieras Tonkūnas, INVL Technology’s managing partner.

    In mid-March this year, the company announced that it had signed an agreement with the Zurich branch of M&A intermediation service provider Corum Group’s Luxembourg-based unit Corum Group International, to advise and serve as M&A intermediary on the sale of the company’s portfolio of businesses.

    Performance of INVL Technology’s business holdings

    In 2024, INVL Technology’s portfolio companies had aggregated revenues of EUR 66.23 million, which is 5.8 % more than in 2023. Their gross profit increased 9.7 % in the period of comparison to EUR 19.78 million, while their aggregated EBITDA grew 42.7 % to EUR 5.13 million.

    INVL Technology owns and manages the cybersecurity company NRD Cyber Security, the GovTech company NRD Companies, and the Baltic IT company Novian.

    The consolidated revenue of NRD Cyber Security, which also owns NRD Bangladesh, increased 37.6% in 2024 compared to 2023 to EUR 10.19 million. NRD Cyber Security’s gross profit grew 12.7% in the same period of comparison to EUR 4.50 million, while its EBITDA rose 6.9% during the year to EUR 1.22 million.

    NRD Companies had consolidated revenue of EUR 9.97 million last year, 9.3% less than in 2023. It had a gross profit of EUR 4.83 million in 2024, or 9.8% more than the previous year, while its group EBITDA decreased by 4.1% to EUR 1.30 million. Norway-based NRD Companies has the subsidiaries Norway Registers Development in Norway, with a branch in Lithuania, and NRD Systems and Etronika in Lithuania.

    Novian had consolidated revenues of EUR 38.90 million in 2024, 2.4% more than in 2023, while its gross profit of EUR 8.80 million was 14.4% larger than the year before. The Novian group’s EBITDA more than doubled last year to EUR 2.58 million. The group consists of Novian in Lithuania with the technology-area businesses Novian Technologies, Zissor in Norway, Novian Eesti in Estonia, Andmevara in Moldova, and Novian Rwanda (earlier Norway Registers Development Rwanda) in Rwanda, and the software services businesses Novian Systems and Novian Pro in Lithuania.

    INVL Technology, which is managed by INVL Asset Management, the leading alternative asset manager in the Baltics, is a closed-end investment company which must exit its investments no later than mid-July 2026 and distribute the money to shareholders.

    The person authorized to provide additional information:
    Kazimieras Tonkūnas
    INVL Technology Managing Partner
    E-mail k.tonkunas@invltechnology.lt

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Global: How the struggles of the UK hospitality sector could hit the rest of the economy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Zoe Adjey, Senior Lecturer in Hospitality and Events, University of East London

    Across the UK, Mother’s Day represented a vital revenue opportunity for the hospitality sector. Bars, restaurants, cafés and pubs would have anticipated a boost courtesy of family groups – and some spring-like weather. Sadly though, due to some harsh financial realities including higher tax and wage bills coming into force now, many of these establishments may not survive to serve customers next Mother’s Day.

    The budget has introduced measures that are projected to directly increase the average hospitality wage bill by up to 8.5% thanks to increases in the minimum wage and employer national insurance contributions.

    The UK’s most recent GDP figures showed the country’s economy shrank by 0.1% in January. But behind this small decline there was a more concerning trend. Trade in the hospitality industry fell by 2.4% – the biggest economic contraction among the figures – after it had shown promising growth of 0.9% in December.

    It’s likely that customers saw so-called “awful April” on the horizon – bringing rises in a range of utility and consumer costs – and were beginning to curb their spending. But costs are rising for venues too. Many of those bars, cafés, restaurants and hotels that remain open will have to increase prices and cut opening hours to make the numbers add up.

    Behind each closed pub or empty restaurant lies a story that goes far beyond its four walls. I’ve worked in the sector since my teenage years – from family-run establishments on the Northern Irish coast to venues in London and overseas – and I’ve seen firsthand how business closures affect people. Now, as a lecturer in hospitality, I can see what support this unique sector needs to weather the storm.

    I have seen small seaside cafes where owners knew every customer by name, providing essential social connections for elderly visitors who may not have had another social interaction that day. When these cafes closed, the community bonds were severed overnight.

    Every shuttered hotel or bar means people losing their livelihoods, perhaps mothers working part-time to balance employment and childcare or students funding their education. The impact of these closures is immediate and profound, and extends throughout the supply chain.

    They affect the dairy farmer who supplied the milk, the baker who made fresh pastries each morning, and the technician who serviced the coffee machines. This interconnected web generated £121 billion in economic activity in 2022 across the UK.

    Weddings and wakes

    Pubs and cafes are more than just businesses. Often, they’re the beating hearts of communities. These are the spaces where neighbours stop to chat, where chance encounters bloom into lifelong friendships and romances, and where people come together for weddings and wakes. When the shutters come down, it represents a tear in the community fabric and threatens the cohesion of neighbourhoods.

    As the gathering places where communities come together, pubs and cafes simultaneously create livelihoods that support those same communities. Hospitality in the UK employs an extraordinary 3.5 million people directly (and another three million indirectly through supply chains and support industries). This makes it the UK’s third largest employer, behind only retail and healthcare.

    This dual role, as both social hub and major employer, makes these establishments uniquely valuable.

    The stark GDP figures for hospitality at the start of 2025 expose a concerning shift in consumer habits, with fewer people choosing to book a table in a restaurant, instead making do with buying in groceries for a meal at home. This harks back to the times of COVID lockdowns. Even people who still visit hospitality venues are spending less per visit, compounding the revenue challenges.

    When a family chooses to eat at home rather than visit their local restaurant, the impact extends far beyond that empty table. Farmers, delivery drivers, kitchen manufacturers and cleaning services (to name just some) all feel the pinch.

    For the small businesses in the hospitality supply chain – many of which derive more than 80% of their income from the sector – this spending shift is an existential threat. Historically, such changes in consumer behaviour have been early indicators of broader economic downturns, making this pattern particularly worrying.

    A VAT reduction offers a compelling solution for UK hospitality business. European countries like Italy and France charge 10% on “food for immediate consumption”, while in Greece it’s 13%. These are far below the UK’s 20%. A change along these lines could protect customers against price rises, improve business cash flow, and offset the wage and NI contribution increases.

    And there is precedent for this. During the 2008 recession, Chancellor Alistair Darling cut VAT from 17.5% to 15% for 13 months as part of a stimulus. The following year’s budget reported “positive early signs” of lower prices supporting consumer spending.

    But right now, this combination of rising costs and reduced consumer spending creates a perfect storm for an industry that has traditionally underpinned economic recoveries. With millions of people relying on hospitality for their livelihoods, this trajectory of decline must be corrected – or there will be profound implications for the wider pattern of economic growth across the UK.

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

    ref. How the struggles of the UK hospitality sector could hit the rest of the economy – https://theconversation.com/how-the-struggles-of-the-uk-hospitality-sector-could-hit-the-rest-of-the-economy-253507

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: American liberators of Nazi camps got ‘a lifelong vaccine against extremism’ − their wartime experiences are a warning for today

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sara J. Brenneis, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Spanish, Amherst College

    A staged recreation of Mauthausen’s liberation, May 6, 1945. Spanish prisoners documented the camp’s actual liberation the day prior using Nazi cameras. National Archives and Records, Cpl. Donald R. Ornitz, US Signal Corps/Administration, III-SC-206395

    When American soldiers liberated the Mauthausen Nazi concentration camp in Austria 80 years ago this May, Spanish prisoners welcomed them with a message of antifascist solidarity.

    The Spaniards hung a banner made from stolen bed sheets over one of Mauthausen’s gates. In English, Spanish and Russian, it read: “The Spanish Antifascists Greet the Liberating Forces.”

    Both American servicemen and Spanish survivors remember the camp’s liberation as a win in their shared fight against extremism, my research on the Spanish prisoners in Mauthausen finds. They all understood the authoritarian governments of Nazi Germany, Italy and Spain as fascist regimes that used extremist views rooted in intolerance and nationalism to persecute millions of people and imperil democracy across Europe.

    World War II, the Holocaust and the horrors of Nazi violence have no modern equivalent. Nevertheless, extremism is now threatening democracy in the United States in recognizable ways.

    As the Trump administration executes summary deportations, works to suppress dissent, fundamentally restructures the federal government and defies judges, experts warn that the country is turning toward authoritarianism.

    As a scholar of the Mauthausen camp, I believe that understanding how American soldiers and Spanish prisoners experienced its liberation offers a valuable lesson on the real and present dangers of extremism.

    ‘We knew then why we had to stop Hitler’

    In 1938, the Nazis established Mauthausen, a forced labor camp in Austria, with an international prisoner population. My research shows that the Nazis murdered 16,000 Jews and 66,000 non-Jewish prisoners at Mauthausen between 1938 and 1945, including 60% of the roughly 7,200 Spaniards imprisoned there.

    The Spanish prisoners were committed antifascist resistors sent there in 1940 and 1941. Known as Republicans or Loyalists, they had fought against Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War and Adolf Hitler in World War II.

    The young men with the 11th Armored Division of the U.S. Army who liberated Mauthausen would never forget the moment they discovered the camp. It was May 5, 1945, just days before the war ended in Europe. A platoon led by Staff Sgt. Albert J. Kosiek was repairing bridges in this tucked-away corner of Austria when a Swiss Red Cross delegate alerted them to a large Nazi concentration camp nearby.

    Mauthausen’s international survivors were among the Nazis’ last prisoners to be freed.

    George Sherman was a 19-year-old tank gunner from Brooklyn when his patrol found Mauthausen. He was Jewish and had read about the Nazi camps in Europe in the Army’s newspaper.

    American liberators rolling into the Mauthausen concentration camp on May 5, 1945, as photographed by prisoner Francesc Boix. Sgt. Harry Saunders is standing on the left fender.
    Francesc Boix/Courtesy of Collections of the Mauthausen Memorial

    Still, seeing a concentration camp with his own eyes was alarming.

    “The piles of bodies” struck him, he remembered in an oral history recorded for the University of South Florida in 2008. So did “these people walking around like God knows – skeletons and whatnot.”

    Sgt. Harry Saunders, a 23-year-old radio operator from Chicago, also remembered the moment he saw the Mauthausen survivors. They were men and women of all nationalities.

    “The live skeletons, the people that were in the camp, it was indescribable, it was such a shock,” he said in a 2002 interview for the Mauthausen Memorial’s Oral History Collection in Vienna.

    One of the Spanish prisoners at Mauthausen, Francesc Boix, had stolen a camera from the SS in the chaotic moments before the camp’s liberation. Boix photographed Sgt. Saunders rumbling into the concentration camp on an armored car.

    Saunders kept that photograph for the rest of his life. It captured a moment of clarity for him.

    “When we liberated Mauthausen, we really knew then why we had to stop Hitler and why we really went to war,” he said in the interview.

    Frank Hartzell, a technical sergeant with the 11th Armored Division, was 20 when he helped to liberate Mauthausen. He turned 100 this year. We met in mid-March 2025 and discussed his wartime experience.

    “What I saw and experienced appalled me,” Hartzell told me.

    The outrage has stayed with him for 80 years.

    ‘Starved and crippled but alive’

    The American liberators toured the gas chambers and the crematory ovens in Mauthausen.

    Maj. Franklin Lee Clark saw the dead stacked up in “piles like cord wood to the point that they had to bring in bulldozers and make mass graves,” and took photos to document it.

    The Spanish banner hanging on the Mauthausen prison gate, May 1945.
    Franklin Lee Clark/Emory University Archives, Witnesses to the Holocaust Project

    Soldiers from the 11th Armored Division directed locals to bury the men and women murdered by the Nazis. The local Austrians claimed they had not known about their town’s concentration camp. But a farmer who lived nearby had been upset about all the dead bodies visible from her property. She filed a complaint asking the Nazis either to stop “these inhuman deeds” or do them “where one does not see it.”

    The American liberators made sure that the townspeople could no longer look away from the murderous rampage carried out in their backyards.

    While Boix was taking photos of American soldiers during liberation, the soldiers were taking photos of the welcome banner the Spaniards had painted.

    On the back of one snapshot, a Signal Corps soldier typed out his impressions of their message: “I really know what that word (antifascist) means. We liberated these prisoners in the Mauthausen concentration camp near Linz, Austria. They were Poles, Hungarians and Spanish Loyalists (remember the Loyalists?). They had men and women in this camp. Starved and crippled but alive.”

    After Mauthausen was liberated, the freed Loyalists set to work documenting the Nazis’ crimes. Along with his countrymen Joan de Diego, Casimir Climent and others, Spanish survivor Joaquín López Raimundo compiled lists of Mauthausen victims and their Nazi captors. Using the Nazis’ own typewriters, they spent two weeks listing the names and personal details of Spanish victims of Mauthausen and of the SS who had killed them.

    The result was page after page of evidence they handed over to American war crimes investigators and the International Red Cross.

    Boix, meanwhile, gave the Americans hundreds of photo negatives he had rescued from the camp’s photography lab.

    Boix later testified about these images in the war crime trials at Nuremberg and Dachau. He described seeing the Nazis beat, torture and murder their victims in Mauthausen and then photograph the bodies. For 2½ years, Boix stole the photographic evidence of their crimes.

    He “could not keep those negatives because it was so dangerous,” he testified at Dachau, so he “hid them in various places until the liberation.”

    Testimony in the Nuremberg war crime trials. Francesc Boix’s testimony begins at 7:44. (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy National Archives and Records Administration. Producer: US Signal Corps)

    A lifelong vaccine against extremism

    For the American liberators, their up-close view of the horrors of Mauthausen and their interactions with the Spanish antifascist survivors was a lifelong vaccine against extremism.

    They witnessed how a fascist leader tore the world apart. They saw with their own eyes the death and destruction of political extremism.

    When I interviewed Hartzell, he expressed concern that the United States is going down a dangerous path.

    “The USA today is not the USA I fought and came close to dying for,” Hartzell told me.

    As American Mauthausen liberator Maj. George E. King warned an interviewer in 1980:

    “This is the lesson we have to learn: It could happen here.”

    Sara J. Brenneis 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. American liberators of Nazi camps got ‘a lifelong vaccine against extremism’ − their wartime experiences are a warning for today – https://theconversation.com/american-liberators-of-nazi-camps-got-a-lifelong-vaccine-against-extremism-their-wartime-experiences-are-a-warning-for-today-248813

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New guide to research and innovation challenges for climate adaptation released

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    New guide to research and innovation challenges for climate adaptation released

    A new report identifying the research and innovation needed to support the UK to adapt effectively to climate change has been released.

    Image of a bumblebee collecting pollen from a bluebell.

    A new report identifying the research and innovation needed to support the UK to adapt effectively to climate change has been released today.  

    Developed by the Government Office for Science and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Climate Adaptation Research and Innovation Framework (CARIF) outlines the research and innovation needed around climate adaptation. 

    CARIF is designed to make it easier for government, industry, and research communities to work together to tackle the challenges we face around adapting to climate change. The new framework is the first time the UK research needs across government and across sectors have been brought together in one place.   

    Environment Minister Emma Hardy said:

    We are already seeing the impact of climate change and extreme weather on people’s lives, from transport disruption to flooding in people’s homes.  

    This is why, alongside our research into climate adaptation, we are exploring how we can set out stronger objectives to drive action to increase our preparedness for the impacts of climate change up to and beyond the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028.

    Government Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Dame Angela McLean said:

    We need new research to make the UK more resilient to climate change, and innovation to improve how effectively and affordably we ready systems for change. The UK has world-leading science capabilities which we can harness to ensure we are ready for future climate impacts.  

    We have spoken with academia, industry, UK government and the financial sector to produce this first Climate Adaptation Research and Innovation Framework. It aims to drive use of our science capabilities to address the climate adaptation challenge.

    CARIF covers 11 sectors including nature, working land and seas, food security, water supply, energy, telecommunications and ICT, transport, town and cities and community preparedness/response, buildings, health, and business and finance.  

    Read the Climate Adaptation Research and Innovation Framework here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government and industry to train up ‘clean power army’

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government and industry to train up ‘clean power army’

    Government and industry to train up ‘clean power army’ of apprentice engineers, welders, and technicians.

    • Clean energy sector to create thousands of new apprenticeships as part of Plan for Change
    • Energy Secretary tells industry forum that a clean power army of engineers, welders and technicians will be required to deliver clean power by 2030, and that government will work with industry to build it, with Regional Skills Pilots in Aberdeen, Cheshire, Lincolnshire, and Pembrokeshire
    • Work and Pensions Secretary says the government will “give this generation the tools they need to seize the opportunity that is the clean energy transition”

    Young people will be trained to fill thousands of clean energy jobs and apprenticeships needed to deliver clean power by 2030 as part of the government’s Plan for Change to get Britain working and unlock growth.  

    The Energy Secretary has told industry, unions and trade bodies that the government will work with them to build a clean power army to hit ambitious targets for clean power by 2030 at a forum convened with the Work and Pensions Secretary today (Monday 7 April 2025).  

    The transition to clean power will create thousands of opportunities across the sector, from renewables to upgrading the UK’s grid infrastructure.  

    National Grid alone plans to support around 55,000 more jobs by the end of the decade and SSE Transmission plans are supporting a further 37,000 jobs, 17,500 of which would be in Scotland. Scottish Power’s SP Energy Networks plans to double its transmission workforce to create around 1,400 jobs and support a further 11,000 jobs across the UK – with all 3 plans subject to approvals by the regulator.    

    The government is driving forward with Regional Skills Pilot in the clean energy sector. Aberdeen, Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire have all been identified as key growth regions for clean energy. Local partners will receive funding to identify the skills support that is needed in their area to deliver clean power by 2030, which will protect households and businesses from unstable fossil fuel markets for good. 

    Funding could go towards new training centres, courses or career advisers – supporting local people into opportunities in industries such as welding, electrical engineering, and construction.    

    The government is wasting no time in investing in good jobs for British industries, including thousands of new, skilled jobs being supported in the North East of England as contracts for the first carbon capture, usage and storage were signed in December, following a £21.7 billion commitment from the government to ensure the UK’s vision for CCUS becomes a reality. The government has also invested £55 million for port of Cromarty, to transform it into a major hub for the UK’s world-leading floating offshore wind industry, creating hundreds of skilled jobs and generating growth.  

    The latest CBI Economics figures show jobs supported by net zero sectors increased by 10% last year, with the average annual wage across the sector at £43,000 – £5,600 higher than the national average.  

    The push to support more clean energy jobs comes as the government delivers the most ambitious reforms of the UK’s energy system in a generation and record investment into homegrown clean energy projects. 

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  

    The energy sector has always been a source of good, skilled, and unionised jobs for young people across the UK, providing secure, well-paid employment for life.   

    To meet our target to reach clean power by 2030, we need a clean power army of engineers, welders and technicians – giving thousands of young people the opportunity to play a vital role in tackling the climate crisis, increasing our energy security and boosting the economy to deliver our Plan for Change.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:    

    With almost a million young people neither earning nor learning it is vital that we give this generation the tools they need to seize the opportunity that is the clean energy transition.  

    Our plan to Get Britian Working will overhaul employment support, giving everyone the tools and skills they need to and build a stronger, more prosperous future for them and their families.

    The government launched its Get Britain Working white paper late last year, outlining the biggest employment reforms in a generation and boost employment including reforming Jobcentres to create a genuinely public employment service so everyone can get personalised skills and employment support, as well as a Youth Guarantee ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn. Alongside government work to drive up employment and opportunities, the renewable sector will also continue to turbocharge the economy.  

    The government is working closely with employers to train up Britain’s young people to seize clean energy opportunities. Trade unions will also have an essential role in building the UK’s skilled energy workforce, with the government determined to drive world-class pay, terms, and conditions in the clean energy sector. The government is already driving better access and conditions for unions in the energy sector- since July EDF Renewables UK and Ireland have signed one of the first renewables industry recognition agreements with Prospect, Unite, GMB and UNISON.   

    The government has also launched Skills England and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions.    

    Opportunities are already being created through a number of schemes and initiatives to deliver training and skills for apprentices and workers transitioning from the fossil fuel sector, including innovative schemes such as the:  

    • Skills Passport: This supports oil and gas workers to identify routes into several roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance
    • Your Apprenticeship app: A new app designed by the government with extensive input from apprentices to provide easier access to essential tools, resources, and support to help apprentices to thrive in their qualification

    Whilst driving up employment and opportunities, the renewable sector will also continue to turbocharge the economy.  

    CBI Economics analysis commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows that the net zero sector already contributes £83 billion annually to the UK economy, with further investment into projects predicted to grow this even further.  

    Government research has also revealed the extent in which apprenticeships can help drive this growth, with apprentices in England across the economy estimated to create £25 billion of economic growth over their lifetime.  

    Through investment and initiatives, the government will help build the pipeline of skilled workers needed to deliver clean power by 2030, which will unlock £40 billion of investment a year and reindustrialise Britain with thousands of good jobs across the country. This underscores the government’s commitment to deliver a jobs-rich clean energy transition, putting communities and trade unions at the heart of the UK’s clean energy future.    

    Notes to editors

    Skills is a devolved policy area, and therefore the remit of Skills England and the Your Apprenticeship App will only cover England. However, Skills England will assess skills needs across the whole of the UK and DESNZ is working closely with the devolved governments on ensuring we have the skilled workforce for the clean energy transition, including through the Regional Skills Pilots.   

    The RIIO T3 business plans for the UK’s 3 electricity transmission companies are all subject to approval by the energy regulator Ofgem.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Moorways Sports Village set for £327,000 gym expansion

    Source: City of Derby

    The fitness suite at Moorways Sports Village is set to be expanded to more than 200 stations as part of an exciting £327,000 project.

    The centre, run by award-winning operator Everyone Active in partnership with Derby City Council, will increase the size of the gym to cover the majority of the second floor.

    Once completed, Moorways will be home to one of the largest gyms in Everyone Active’s portfolio of more than 230 centres across the country.

    Works are due to begin on Monday, April 21 and are scheduled to be completed by Friday, June 20. The improved gym will feature around 55 more stations, an increase of 38 per cent on the current set-up. It will include:

    • Brand new functional area including sled track
    • Brand new resistance and Hammer Strength plate-loaded machines
    • Booty Builder dual hip thrust bench
    • Brand new recovery area
    • Brand new additional treadmills

    It is not anticipated that the works will cause any disruption, with members able to use all facilities as normal while upgrades are ongoing.

    As part of the project, group fitness facilities will be relocated to the first floor, where the existing meeting rooms are being transformed into a brand-new multi-purpose studio.

    Everyone Active’s general manager, Myles Hickman, said: 

    This fantastic project is hugely exciting news and we cannot wait to show the local community the new and improved gym on their doorstep.

    The upgrades will enable us to accommodate more people, providing a wider range of state-of-the-art equipment which aligns with current fitness trends.

    No matter what your age, interests or ability, the gym at Moorways and our helpful colleagues will enable you to achieve your perfect workout.

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

    It’s wonderful to see how Moorways Sport Village is thriving. This exciting project to expand the fitness suite will enhance the gym experience for members and allow even more Derby citizens to boost their health and wellbeing.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of Annual General Meeting in Karolinska Development AB (publ)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The shareholders of Karolinska Development AB (publ), reg. no. 556707-5048, (“Karolinska Development” or the “Company”) are invited to the Annual General Meeting, on Thursday May 15, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. (CEST), at Nanna Svartz väg 2, 171 65 Solna, Sweden.

    The Board of Directors has resolved that shareholders shall have the right to exercise their voting rights in advance through postal voting pursuant to item 13 in the articles of association. Therefore, shareholders may choose to exercise their voting rights at the AGM by attending in person, by postal voting or through a proxy.

    Participation in person

    A shareholder who would like to participate at the AGM in person must:

    both be entered in the register of the shareholders maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB by Wednesday May 7, 2025,

    and give notice of his or her intention to participate to the Company no later than Friday May 9, 2025, at the address Karolinska Development, “AGM”, Nanna Svartz väg 6A, 171 65, Solna, Sweden, or through email eva.montgomerie@karolinskadevelopment.com. When giving notice to participate, please provide name, personal identity number or company registration number, telephone number and number of represented shares.

    Participation by postal voting

    Shareholders who wish to participate in the AGM by postal voting must:

    both be registered in the register of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB as per Wednesday May 7, 2025,

    and notify their intention to participate by submitting their postal vote in accordance with the instructions below, so that the postal vote is received by Karolinska Development no later than Friday May 9, 2025.

    Shareholders may exercise their voting rights at the AGM by voting in advance through postal voting pursuant to item 13 in the articles of association, referring to Chapter 7, Section 4 a of the Swedish Companies Act.

    For advance voting, a special form must be used. Forms in Swedish and English are available for download on the Company’s website, www.karolinskadevelopment.com.The advance voting form is valid as notification of participation at the AGM.

    The completed advance voting form must be received by the Company no later than Friday May 9, 2025. The completed form shall be sent to Karolinska Development by e-mail to eva.montgomerie@karolinskadevelopment.com or by regular mail to Karolinska Development, “AGM”, Nanna Svartz väg 6A, 171 65, Solna, Sweden. The shareholder may not provide special instructions or conditions in the advance voting form. If so, the vote (i.e. the advance vote in its entirety) is invalid. Further instructions and conditions are provided in the form for advance voting.

    Those who wish to withdraw a submitted postal vote and instead exercise their voting rights by participating in the AGM in person or through a proxy must give notice thereof to the AGM’s secretariat prior to the opening of the AGM.

    Participation by proxy

    If the shareholders are represented by proxy, a written proxy must be issued and submitted to the Company at the above address well in advance of the AGM. The proxy is valid during the period set forth in the proxy, however, at most five years from the issuance. If a proxy is issued by a legal entity, a copy of the legal entity’s registration certificate or similar document evidencing signatory powers must be enclosed. Proxy forms in Swedish and English are available for download on the Company’s website, www.karolinskadevelopment.com.

    Nominee registered shares

    For shareholders who have their shares nominee-registered through a bank or other nominee, the following applies in order to be entitled to participate in the meeting. In addition to giving notice of participation, such shareholder must re-register its shares in its own name so that the shareholder is registered in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as of the record date Wednesday May 7, 2025. Such re-registration may be temporary (so-called voting rights registration). Shareholders who wish to register their shares in their own names must, in accordance with the respective nominee’s routines, request that the nominee make such registration. Voting rights registration that have been requested by the shareholder at such time that the registration has been completed by the nominee no later than Friday May 9, 2025, will be taken into account in the preparation of the share register.

    Proposal for agenda

    1.    Election of chairman of the meeting
    2.    Preparation and approval of the voting list
    3.    Approval of the agenda
    4.    Election of one or two persons to verify the minutes
    5.    Determination of whether the meeting was duly convened
    6.    Presentation of the annual report and the auditor’s report and the group annual report and the auditor’s group report
    7.    Resolutions regarding
    a)   adoption of the profit and loss statement and the balance sheet, and consolidated profit and loss statement and consolidated balance sheet
    b)   appropriation of the Company’s result according to the adopted balance sheet
    c)   discharge from liability for the directors and the CEO
    8.    Resolution regarding the number of directors and auditors and deputy auditors to be appointed
    9.    Resolution in respect of the fees for the Board of Directors and for the auditors
    10.    Election of chairman of the Board of Directors, directors and auditors and deputy auditors
    11.    Principles for appointing members and instruction for the Nomination Committee
    12.    Resolution on approval of the Board of Directors’ Remuneration Report 2024
    13.    The Board of Directors’ proposal regarding authorization for the Board of Directors to resolve on transfer of own shares
    14.    The Board of Directors’ proposal regarding authorization for the Board of Directors to resolve on new issues of shares
    15.    Closing of the meeting

    Items 1 and 8–11: The Nomination Committee’s proposal regarding chairman at the meeting; number of directors, auditors and deputy auditors to be appointed; fees for the Board of Directors and auditors; election of chairman of the Board of Directors, directors, auditors and deputy auditors and principles for appointing members and instruction for the Nomination Committee

    The Nomination Committee has consisted of Yan Cheng (chairman), appointed by Worldwide International Investments Ltd; Jack Li, appointed by invoX Pharma Ltd; Jan Dworsky, appointed by Swedbank Robur Microcap fond; Hans Wigzell, appointed by Insamlingsstiftelsen för främjande och utveckling av medicinsk forskning vid KI; Peter Markborn, appointed by Styviken Invest AS.

    The Nomination Committee proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolves as follows:

    Lawyer Annika Andersson (Cirio Law Firm) is appointed to chair the Annual General Meeting.

    The number of directors will be five and no deputies will be appointed.

    The number of auditors will be one and no deputy auditor will be appointed.

    The chairman will be paid a fixed amount of SEK 400,000 to be paid out in proportion to board meetings attended. All other directors will be paid a fixed amount of SEK 200,000 to be paid out in proportion to board meetings attended. The fees to the directors remain unchanged compared to previous year.

    The auditors will be paid as per invoice.  

    Re-election of the directors Ben Toogood, Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand, Philip Duong and Will Zeng, and election of Anders Härfstrand as director for the time until the end of the 2026 Annual General Meeting.

    Re-election of Ben Toogood as new Chairman of the Board of Directors.

    Anders Härfstrand was born 1956. He holds a M.D and Ph.D from the Karolinska Institute. His other appointments include work as founder of Härfstrand Consulting AG, Switzerland, co- founder of P4BIOS, USA and consultant to CIS Biopharma, Switzerland. Anders Härfstrand has many years of experience from the pharmaceutical industry with a global track record of success in building commercial operations, marketing and sales management, and product development. His previous assignments include member of the executive management of Pharmacia, Pfizer-Japan and Serono, CEO for various European biotech companies as well as chairman of the board and board member of public and private companies in the USA and Europe. He has also been a former board member of Karolinska Development. Anders Härfstrand holds no shares in Karolinska Development. He is independent in relation to the Company, its executive management and the Company’s major shareholders.

    The composition of the Board of Directors meets the independence requirement of the Swedish Corporate Governance Code.

    The Nomination Committee proposes that voting shall take place individually.

    Re-election of Ernst & Young Aktiebolag as auditor in accordance with the audit committee’s recommendation, currently with Oskar Wall as auditor in charge, for the time until the end of the 2026 Annual General Meeting. The audit committee has prior to the 2025 Annual General Meeting carried out a procurement process as procurement of audit in accordance with applicable legislation shall take place after the same accounting firm has been auditor for a ten-year period.  

    The Nomination Committee shall have five members. Every year, the five largest owners (voting power, as set forth in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as of the last banking day in August) shall appoint one member each. The chairman of the Board of Directors shall convene the first meeting. If a shareholder does not exercise its right to appoint a member, the shareholder next in order of voting power, who has not already appointed a member or has a right to appoint a member, shall have the right to appoint a member to the Nominating Committee. The members of the Nomination Committee shall be made public as soon as the members have been appointed, and in no case later than six months prior to the Annual General Meeting. The members shall among themselves appoint the chairman of the committee. If a member resigns or is prevented from pursuing his/her assignment, the shareholder that has appointed such member shall appoint a new member. In the event that the shareholding in the Company is materially changed, before the Nomination Committee has completed its assignment, the Nomination Committee may decide to change the composition of the Nomination Committee, as determined by the Nomination Committee (considering the principles applicable for the appointment of the Nomination Committee). Any change in the composition of the Nomination Committee shall be announced as soon as possible. No fees shall be paid to the members of the Nomination Committee. Out of pocket expenses shall be reimbursed by the Company. The mandate of the committee shall be until the members of the succeeding committee have been announced.

    The Nomination Committee is to make proposals to the Annual General Meeting regarding the election of Chair of the Annual General Meeting, number of board members, Chair of the Board and other board members and remuneration to the board members. The Nomination Committee is also to make proposals regarding the Company’s auditor, remuneration to the Company’s auditor and election of members of the Nomination Committee or principles for the selection of a Nomination Committee. The Nomination Committee shall conduct an annual evaluation of this instruction and when necessary propose to amend it to the Annual General Meeting. The Nomination Committee shall otherwise carry out the tasks that, according to the Swedish Corporate Governance Code, are the responsibility of the Nomination Committee.

    Item 7 b: Appropriation of the Company’s result according to the adopted balance sheet

    The Board of Directors and the CEO propose that the amount at disposal of the Annual General Meeting, in total SEK 1,235,972,877, shall be carried forward.

    Item 12: Resolution on approval of the Board of Directors’ Remuneration Report 2024

    The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM approve the Board of Directors’ remuneration report for 2024 in accordance with Chapter 8, Section 53 a of the Swedish Companies Act.

    Item 13: The Board of Directors’ proposal regarding authorization for the Board of Directors to resolve on transfer of own shares

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolves to authorize the Board of Directors, for the period until the next Annual General Meeting, on one or more occasions, with or without deviation from the shareholders’ preferential rights, to resolve on transfer of all shares of series B held by the Company at any given time. The Company holds 244,285 shares of series B at the time of the publication of this notice. Transfer may take place on Nasdaq Stockholm or otherwise. Transfer on Nasdaq Stockholm shall be made at a price per share within the registered price interval at any given time, being the interval between the highest bid and lowest ask price. Otherwise, transfer shall be made on market terms. Payment for shares shall be made in cash, in kind or by set-off.

    The purpose of the authorization for transferring own shares and the reasons for potential deviation from the shareholders’ preferential rights, is to give the Board of Directors the possibility to adjust the Company’s capital structure, to use repurchased shares as payment for, or financing of, acquisitions or investments in order to create increased value for the shareholders.

    A resolution in accordance with the Board of Directors’ proposal requires support from shareholders with not less than 2/3 of votes cast as well as shares represented at the meeting.

    Item 14: The Board of Directors’ proposal regarding authorization for the Board of Directors to resolve on new issues of shares

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolves to authorize the Board of Directors, for the period until the next Annual General Meeting to resolve, on one or more occasions, with or without deviation from the shareholders’ preferential rights, and for payment in cash, by set-off or in kind, to issue new shares of series B up to a number that, at the time of the first resolution under this authorization, corresponds to twenty (20) per cent of the total share capital; provided however that any such issue must not result in the Company’s share capital exceeding the Company’s maximum allowed share capital as set out in the articles of association.

    A resolution in accordance with the Board of Directors’ proposal requires support from shareholders with not less than 2/3 of votes cast as well as shares represented at the meeting.

    Miscellaneous

    The annual report, auditor’s report, remuneration report and other documents that are to be made available in accordance with the Swedish Companies Act, are available at the Company on Nanna Svartz väg 2, 171 65, Solna, Sweden and at the Company’s website, www.karolinskadevelopment.com, no later than three weeks before the AGM, and will be sent to shareholders who so request and provide their postal address.

    The Board of Directors and the CEO shall, if requested by any shareholder and if the Board of Directors is of the opinion that it can be done without causing material harm to the Company, provide disclosures about conditions that may impact assessment of an item of business on the agenda, about conditions that may impact assessment of the Company’s or a subsidiary’s financial situation, and about the Company’s relationship with another group company.

    As per the date of this notice, there are 270,077,594 shares, representing a total of 293,074,943 votes outstanding in the Company, distributed among 2,555,261 shares of series A (with 25,552,610 votes) and 267,522,333 shares of series B (with 267,522,333 votes). As per the date of this notice, the Company holds 244,285 treasury shares of series B.

    Processing of personal data

    For information on how your personal data is processed in connection to the Annual General Meeting see the privacy policy available on Euroclear Sweden AB’s website: https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf

    Solna in April 2025
    Karolinska Development AB (publ)
    The Board of Directors

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Zero Hash Further Enhances its Leading Position as the Crypto-as-a-service provider for Brokerage Firms

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zero Hash, the leading infrastructure for stablecoins and crypto, today announced that it is one of the first in the industry to complete an independent assessment of its infrastructure against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulation Systems Compliance and Integrity (“Reg SCI”) requirements. While not subject to Reg SCI, Zero Hash has taken the effort to voluntarily confirm that its systems exceed the most stringent capacity, integrity, security, resiliency, and infrastructure standards in financial markets.

    This milestone reinforces Zero Hash’s unrivaled position as the go-to infrastructure provider for the explosion of digital assets adoption among broker-dealers, asset managers, and financial institutions globally. Zero Hash powers many of the leading brokerage and neo-banks including Interactive Brokers, tastytrade, Current and MoneyLion. The rigorous third-party assessment was conducted by Schellman Compliance LLC, which verified that Zero Hash exceeds Reg SCI’s high standards and maintains industry-leading, robust, secure, and resilient systems.

    “Although Zero Hash does not deal in securities, many of our customers are overseen by the SEC. This assessment further demonstrates what sets us apart – our unwavering commitment to providing the most comprehensive, scalable, and secure solutions for our customers and end users,” said Scott Minneman, Chief Information Security Officer at Zero Hash. “We are powering the future of finance. Having Reg SCI verification further secures our position as the partner of choice for the world’s largest financial institutions embracing digital assets.”

    About Zero Hash
    Zero Hash is the leading crypto and stablecoin infrastructure provider that seamlessly connects fiat, crypto, and stablecoins in one platform, enabling a better way to move and transfer money and value globally.

    Through its embeddable infrastructure, start-ups, enterprises, and Fortune 500 companies build a diverse range of use cases, including cross-border payments, commerce, trading, remittance, payroll, tokenization, wallets, and on/off-ramps.

    Zero Hash Holdings is backed by investors, including Point72 Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and NYCA.

    Zero Hash Trust Company LLC will be established in North Carolina and hold a non-depository trust charter issued by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks.

    Zero Hash LLC is a FinCen-registered Money Service Business and a regulated Money Transmitter that can operate in 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Zero Hash LLC and Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC are licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. In Canada, Zero Hash LLC is registered as a Money Service Business with FINTRAC.

    Zero Hash Australia Pty Ltd. is registered with AUSTRAC as a Digital Currency Exchange Provider, with DCE registered provider number DCE100804170-001. Zero Hash Australia Pty Ltd. is registered on the New Zealand register of financial service providers, with Financial Service Provider (FSP) number FSP1004503. Zero Hash Europe B.V. is registered as a Virtual Asset Services Provider (VASP) by the Dutch Central Bank (Relation number: R193684). Zero Hash Europe Sp. Zoo is registered as a VASP by the Tax Administration Chamber of Poland in Katowice (Registration number RDWW – 1212).

    Media Contacts
    Zero Hash
    Shaun O’Keeffe
    (855) 744-7333
    media@zerohash.com 

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Inquiry into the Southport attack begins today

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Inquiry into the Southport attack begins today

    The Home Secretary announces the first phase of the Southport Inquiry starts today and appoints Rt Hon Sir Adrian Fulford as chair.

    The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper has announced that the first phase of the Southport Inquiry will start today.

    The Home Secretary previously announced in January 2025 that an inquiry would be launched following the conviction of the perpetrator of the 2024 Southport attack, to examine what went wrong in this horrific case and how services should respond to fixated youth violence.

    Sir Adrian Fulford has been appointed as the chair following consultation with the victims and families of those killed or affected by the attacks and plans to travel to meet them as a first priority.

    This follows the Prime Minister’s commitment to leave no stone unturned in uncovering how this attack happened and to not let any institution of the state deflect from their failure.

    Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper said:

    The brutal murder of three young girls: Bebe, Elsie and Alice in Southport was an unimaginable tragedy – we owe it to their families, and all those affected on that terrible day to quickly understand what went wrong, answer difficult questions and do everything in our power to prevent something like this from happening again.

    The Southport Inquiry will provide insights into any failings that allowed a young man with a previous history of violence, to commit this horrendous attack. 

    Sir Adrian Fulford will bring a wealth of legal and criminal justice expertise to this role, and I am pleased he has agreed to chair the inquiry.

    The inquiry will be statutory. This follows representations made by families and victims of the attack and means the Inquiry has all the necessary legal powers to receive evidence and hear witness testimony effectively.

    It will take place in 2 phases. The first will thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and the events leading up to it. This will include examining an overall timeline of the perpetrator’s history and interactions with various public bodies including criminal justice, education, social care, and healthcare, as well as decision-making and information-sharing by local services and agencies.

    The second is expected to examine the wider issues of children and young people being drawn into extreme violence.

    Sir Adrian Fulford will bring an impartial and extensive legal background, particularly on issues relating to policing and the criminal justice system.

    He is a retired Lord Justice of Appeal and former judge of the International Criminal Court 2003 to 2012. Previously, he was the Vice-President of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) in 2019 and was the first Investigatory Powers Commissioner between 2017 to 2019.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Brandywell becomes first Peace Pitch in the League of Ireland

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Brandywell becomes first Peace Pitch in the League of Ireland

    7 April 2025

    The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium has become the first ground in the League of Ireland to receive an international designation celebrating peace and reconciliation through football.
    The Peace Field initiative will see the Lone Moor Road stadium twinned with Flanders Peace Field in Mesen, Belgium – the site of the First World War Christmas Truces of 1914 when German, British and Allied soldiers played games of football during a break in fighting.
    The Brandywell has received the designation in recognition of The Life Hack Project in the Rath Mor Centre which aims to support young people to build and develop life skills that foster good relations, build confidence and relations and make them more employable.
    A plaque to commemorate the twinning, stating that all games on the pitch will be played in the spirit of the 1914 Christmas truces, was presented to representatives from The Life Hack Project, Derry City and Strabane District Council and Derry City Football Club before the weekend’s League of Ireland Premier Division home game against Cork City.
    The plaque will be displayed in the stadium and a duplicate will be erected at the Flanders Peace Pitch in Belgium alongside 76 other Peace Fields from six different continents across the world.
    Mayor of Derry and Strabane Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr praised The Lifehack Project saying: “I am delighted the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium has received this international designation which pairs it with one of the most famous sports fields in world history.
    “It is just recognition for the key work The Life Hack Project do to improve the quality of life and employment prospects of our young people.
    “It also serves as a timely reminder of the reconciliatory impact sport can have by bringing people together through a shared passion for play.”
    Richie McRory, Lifehack Project Coordinator added: “Over the last three years young people from the Lifehack Project based in Creggan have engaged on a cross community and cross border basis with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
    “We have hosted and attended a number of football events that have encouraged inclusion, reconciliation and participation.

    “Through these events we have developed a very positive relationship with Limestone United and become involved with the International Peace Field Project.

    “We are very proud to receive the Peace Plaque on behalf of Derry City FC from our friends at Limestone UTD.

    “We look forward to continued work and participation in the Peace Field Project.”

    A spokesperson for Derry City Football Club added: “Derry City Football Club is truly honoured that the Ryan McBride Brandywell stadium has become the first in the league of Ireland to receive this international designation.

    “Ironically, the club is currently undertaking a complete review of our underage and Academy structures.

    “We absolutely share the goals of the city’s Lifehack Project and our City Council of supporting and developing the young people of the North West and beyond through sport.

    “We are delighted to associate with the Flanders Peace Field in Mesen, the site of that iconic ‘Christmas Truce’ football game in 1914. 

    “As we also celebrate the opening of the Brandywell’s new North Stand this evening, Derry City FC is fully committed to doing everything we can to support the growth of sport in the region.”

    While the Brandywell is the first League of Ireland stadium to receive Peace Pitch status, Limestone United on the North Belfast interface received the designation in 2023.
    Brian Casey, Limestone United, added: “The club were privileged to present the peace plaque to Derry City with our friends from the Lifehack project who do amazing work with young people from the Creggan area of the city.

    “Lifehack participated in the opening of the Limestone United Peace pitch at Seaview Football grounds, the home of Crusaders FC, so it’s great to see another brilliant club having a Peace Pitch and contributing to building peace in our community.” 
    Ernie Brennan, CEO of the Children’s Football Association added: “The Peace Field Project chimes with the city of human rights, it is all about the essence of play.
    “All children play without prejudice, when Allied and German soldiers stood up to shake hands, exchange gifts and play games on Christmas Day, 1914, the humanitarian act served to remind mankind that childhood is a time we all revert too, for love, peace and happiness.” 
    For more information on the Children’s Football Alliance and the Peace Field Project visit https://www.childrensfootballalliance.com/peace-field-projects/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Breastfeeding Friendly Sunderland

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Sunderland venues are signing up to support breastfeeding mothers and their families through the Breastfeeding Friendly Sunderland Pledge.

    Venues across the city are now proudly displaying the Breastfeeding Friendly Sunderland logo after signing up to be friendly and welcoming places for breastfeeding mothers. Cafes, restaurants, leisure centres and more have now joined this pledge, helping mothers feel comfortable and confident to breastfeed their babies when they’re out and about in the city.

    Councillor Kelly Chequer, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Safer Communities at Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re really excited about rolling out the Breastfeeding Friendly Sunderland Pledge, which is all about creating friendly and welcoming places for breastfeeding mams and families.

    “This is a real step forward in making our city more supportive and welcoming for breastfeeding, one of the most natural things in the world with benefits for baby’s and mother’s health too.”

    “Legally, women can breastfeed in any public space and when you see the Breastfeeding Friendly Sunderland logo, you know that the venue has staff and volunteers who support breastfeeding mothers and that there will be a clean and comfortable place to breastfeed in.

    “We’re delighted that over 30 venues have already signed up to the pledge and we’re looking forward to seeing more signing up in the coming months, making it easier for breastfeeding mothers to get out and about and enjoy everything our city has to offer.”

    Breastfeeding has numerous health benefits for both babies and mothers. It provides essential nutrients, strengthens the baby’s immune system, helps women recover after birth, and can even lower the risk of some cancers. Also, it’s eco-friendly and free.

    Registered venues include Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Creative City Smart Hubs, Family Hubs, University of Sunderland, Everyone Active Centres, Sunderland City Council Registrars, local restaurants, cafes and community venues. Just look for the Breastfeeding Friendly Sunderland logo to find them.

    A full list of all the venues which have signed up, can be found here: Breastfeeding Friendly Sunderland Venues | Links for Life Sunderland

    The owner of Coffee 57 Michael Johnson said: “We are more than happy to support the initiative, and hope we play a part in making it a success.”

    Tamsin Austin, Venue Director at The Fire Station, stated: “As an inclusive venue it’s important to us that we provide a safe and welcoming space for all, which includes mothers who wish to breastfeed their babies. We’re delighted to be part of Breastfeeding Friendly Sunderland to show our support for families in Sunderland and beyond.”

    Venues can find out more and sign up to the pledge here: How does my business / venue get involved? | Links for Life Sunderland

    There’s lots of support to help with breastfeeding in Sunderland.

    For more information contact:

    Health Visiting on 03000031552 or visit: Growing Healthy 0-19 Sunderland | HDFT Childrens Health Service 

    Or download the app here  Download Our App | HDFT Childrens Health Service Start for Life – Together for Children 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa’s Strategic Diplomacy Fuels Mining Sector Growth

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

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 7, 2025/APO Group/ —

    African nations are leveraging strategic partnerships to attract investment and strengthen their mining sectors. As competition between Western and Eastern powers intensifies over critical minerals, Africa has emerged as a key player in global supply chains, balancing geopolitical interests while maximizing economic benefits. With global markets racing to secure resources for the energy transition and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the upcoming African Mining Week will facilitate collaboration between African governments and international stakeholders.

    U.S.–DRC Partnership to Unlock Mineral Wealth

    In March 2025, the U.S. State Department reaffirmed (https://apo-opa.co/43JPLr8) its interest in engaging with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to unlock its estimated $1.2 trillion in untapped mineral resources. Cooperation between the two countries could yield a transformative impact on the sector, with U.S. financing and technical expertise unlocking the potential of the world’s largest cobalt producer and Africa’s largest copper producer. The U.S. has already played an active role in the financing and development of the Lobito Corridor, facilitating mineral transport and trade between the DRC, Angola, Zambia and international markets.

    EU Expands Mining, Green Energy Investments

    This month, the European Union (EU) pledged €4.7 billion (https://apo-opa.co/42q3265) to South Africa to support raw material value addition, the energy transition, local vaccine manufacturing and green hydrogen production. South Africa, home to the world’s largest deposits of platinum group metals (PGMs), will leverage this funding to enhance PGM production to meet growing demand for electrolysers used in green hydrogen applications. This follows South Africa’s $1 billion green hydrogen partnership with Denmark and the Netherlands established in 2023. Neighboring Namibia has also attracted European investment, with the EU committing €25 million to Namibia Hydrogen Fund Managers in September 2024 to propel the country’s green hydrogen sector. Meanwhile, Uganda is taking steps to develop its mining sector with the support of the EU and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, having launched the Sustainable Development of the Mining Sector project earlier this month. 

    China Strengthens its Position in African Mining

    China remains one of the largest investors in African mining, with both state-owned and private firms driving sector growth. In September 2024, China pledged $50 billion over three years for infrastructure and mineral development across the continent. Key projects in the DRC include CMOC’s $2.5 billion expansion of the Tenke Fungurume Mine and Sinohydro and China Railway’s $7 billion infrastructure-for-minerals deal in copper and cobalt mining. China has also invested heavily in Zimbabwe’s lithium sector and pledged $1 billion to upgrade the Tazara Railway, improving East Africa’s mineral exports.

    Growing Global Interest in Africa’s Mining Sector

    Beyond the U.S., EU and China, countries like Canada, Australia and the UAE are ramping up mining investments in Africa. Canadian firms are expanding their footprint in West Africa’s gold sector, Australian companies are backing lithium and rare earth projects in southern Africa and the UAE is securing stakes in critical mineral supply chains through strategic joint ventures. African Mining Week, taking place October 1-3 in Cape Town, will provide a platform for African nations to engage global investors, strengthen cooperation and accelerate resource development.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Security: Water safety advice as warmer weather continues

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    As warmer weather returns to London and more people are out enjoying the sunshine, the Met’s Marine Policing Unit (MPU) is raising awareness of the dangers of entering the capital’s waterways.

    Chief Inspector Rob Ranstead, who leads the Met’s MPU, said: “We absolutely understand the natural draw of rivers, lakes and open water across the city. However, we have sadly seen a recent rise in incidents where people have got into difficulty – and very tragically, some have lost their lives.

    “So I want to make a direct appeal to the public: please enjoy London’s waterways safely, but never underestimate the risks.

    “Open water may appear calm and inviting, but it can be dangerously deceptive. Strong currents, sudden drops, hidden hazards and cold-water shock can affect even the strongest swimmers. Once a person is in the Thames, for example, they will almost definitely struggle to keep afloat or in control. The river holds currents stronger than any person and moves at extreme speeds. The water may look calm but the tides are extremely strong and fast, able to easily drag someone a mile in just ten minutes.”

    Our key advice is simple but potentially lifesaving:

    • Do not swim in open water unless it is part of a supervised and safe environment.
    • Never enter the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
    • Talk to your children and young people about the risks—many incidents involve teenagers during school breaks or weekends.

    Chief Inspector Ranstead added: “Our officers patrol the River Thames and many of London’s waterways on a daily basis. We see the heartbreak and devastation these preventable tragedies cause – with families changed forever in a matter of seconds. Working with partners we are increasing our visibility and delivering water safety education, but we need the help of the public. Please respect the water, look after one another, and think twice before taking unnecessary risks.”

    On average the Met’s MPU is called to over 140 incidents each month on the River Thames. They work with partner agencies such as the RNLI, HM Coastguard, Port of London Authority, Tidal Thames Water Safety Forum and London Fire Brigade, to help keep the tidal stretch of the Thames safe for Londoners.

    + If you find yourself in the water please follow the RNLI’s ‘Float to Live’ steps:

    – If you fall into water, fight your instinct to thrash around.

    – Lean back, extend your arms and legs.

    – If you need to, gently move them around to help you float.

    – Float until you can control your breathing.

    – Only then, call for help or swim to safety.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Resolutions of Baltic Horizon Fund repeat general meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    A repeat extraordinary General Meeting of Baltic Horizon Fund unit-holders and Swedish Depositary Receipt (hereinafter the “SDR”) holders (hereinafter together the “Investors”) took place on 7 April 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia.  

    The repeat meeting was convened as the required quorum was not reached during the initial extraordinary General Meeting on 27 March 2025. In accordance with section 10.11 of the fund rules of Baltic Horizon Fund the repeat General Meeting is permitted to adopt resolutions regardless of the number of votes represented at the meeting, unless otherwise stipulated in the fund rules.

    9 Investors were registered as attending to the meeting, holding 47,673,338 Baltic Horizon Fund units/SDRs which represent 33,2% of the total number of votes of the fund.

    The agenda of the meeting was to decide on the appointment of the new members of the supervisory board, the remuneration to be paid to them and the removal of the current supervisory board members.

    The General Meeting resolved: 

    1. To elect Andrius Smaliukas as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years;
    2. The resolution was passed, 100% of the votes represented at the meeting were in favour.

      1. To elect Milda Dargužaitė as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years;
      2. The resolution was passed, 100% of the votes represented at the meeting were in favour.

        1. To elect Antanas Anskaitis as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years;
        2. The resolution was passed, 100% of the votes represented at the meeting were in favour.

          1. To pay remuneration to the chairman of the supervisory board for fulfilling obligations of the member of the supervisory board in the amount of EUR 36,000 per calendar year;
          2. The resolution was passed, 90,1% of the votes represented at the meeting were in favour. There were no votes against the resolution, but 6 investors remained impartial.

            1. To pay remuneration to supervisory board members, other than  the chairman, for fulfilling obligations of the member of the supervisory board in the amount of EUR 11,000 per calendar year;
            2. The resolution was passed, 90,2% of the votes represented at the meeting were in favour. There were no votes against the resolution, but 5 investors remained impartial.

              1. To recall Reimo Hammerberg, Monica Hammer and David Bergendahl from the position of supervisory board member with the last date of the office being 30 April 2025.
              2. The resolution was passed, 100% of the votes represented at the meeting were in favour.

                All investors registered to participate at the meeting participated in voting.

                The meeting recording is available here.

                The minutes of the meeting will be made available within seven days via the website of the Baltic Horizon Fund.

                For additional information, please contact:

                Tarmo Karotam
                Baltic Horizon Fund manager
                E-mail tarmo.karotam@nh-cap.com
                www.baltichorizon.com

                The Fund is a registered contractual public closed-end real estate fund that is managed by Alternative Investment Fund Manager license holder Northern Horizon Capital AS. 

                Distribution: GlobeNewswire, Nasdaq Tallinn, Nasdaq Stockholm, www.baltichorizon.com

                To receive Nasdaq announcements and news from Baltic Horizon Fund about its projects, plans and more, register on www.baltichorizon.com. You can also follow Baltic Horizon Fund on www.baltichorizon.com and on LinkedIn, FacebookX and YouTube.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government to listen, learn and deliver as consultation on transformational welfare reforms begins

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Government to listen, learn and deliver as consultation on transformational welfare reforms begins

    Welfare reforms must be shaped by and for disabled people, the Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said today [Monday 07 April], as the official consultation on the government’s proposals begins.

    • Publication of all accessible versions set to trigger the start of official consultation into welfare reforms announced by Work and Pensions Secretary.
    • Disabled people and those with health conditions are encouraged to have their say so their views are at the heart of the new system.
    • Reforms will fix the broken welfare system by giving people genuine support to unlock work and boost living standards as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    Welfare reforms must be shaped by and for disabled people, the Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said today [Monday 07 April], as the official consultation on the Government’s proposals begins.

    It comes as the government commits to the establishment of ‘collaboration committees’ to further develop the reforms, bringing together groups of people for specific work areas to provide discussion, challenge, and make recommendations. 

    Announced on Tuesday 18 March, the proposed reforms will ensure that sick and disabled people have the same opportunities to work as anyone else, and will unlock work, boost living standards, and help grow the economy as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    They will also seek to overhaul the broken benefits system so it supports those who need it, while helping those who can work into jobs and delivering fairness to the taxpayer. 

    The Minister for Social Security and Disability is urging those likely to be affected by the changes – either individually or through disability charities and organisations – to have their say through the consultation, ensuring their views help shape the proposed changes.

    Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said:

    We inherited a broken welfare system, which incentivises ill-health, locks people out of work and isn’t fit for a future in which so many of us will face long-term health conditions.

    We want a system that genuinely works for disabled people and those with health conditions, as well as the country and the economy, and we want to hear their views and voices at the heart of the new system. 

    I encourage people to engage so they can have their say as we listen, learn and deliver support which will help millions into work, put welfare spending on a more sustainable path, and unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.

    The 12-week consultation on reforms to health and disability support officially launches today with publication of all accessible versions of the Pathways to Work Green Paper. 

    The proposed reforms aim to support people into work, protect people who can never work and put the welfare system on a sustainable footing so that it can continue to support those in need now and into the future. One in three of us faces a long-term health condition, so we all need a system that can support us to stay in work or get back into work.

    The measures are the latest step in the government’s drive to build a modern welfare system that helps people get jobs rather than creating unnecessary barriers, with ministers’ proposed plans set to:

    • Provide more tailored employment support for those who can work, breaking down barriers to opportunity.
    • Simplify the system and reduce unnecessary assessments, cutting bureaucracy and making it easier to navigate.
    • Improve the way financial support is assessed and delivered, ensuring it reaches those who need it most and that people using the system have a better experience and are treated with dignity and respect.
    • Build a more flexible approach that recognises the diverse needs of disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

    Without changes, it is forecast that the system could cost as much as £70 billion a year by the end of the decade and risk not being there for people when they need it in future.

    Issues open for consultation include:

    • Supporting people to thrive with the new support offer.
    • Supporting employers and making work more accessible.
    • Reforming the structure of the health and disability benefits system.

    These are part of the wider reforms that also include reintroducing reassessments for people on incapacity benefits who have the capability to work to ensure they have the right support and aren’t indefinitely written off, targeting Personal Independence Payments for those with higher needs, and rebalancing payment levels in Universal Credit.

    Additional Information:

    • For more information and to have your say, please see the Pathways to Work – GOV.UK consultation page.  The consultation closes on Friday 30 June 2025.
    • The Government announced the biggest shake up to welfare for a generation: Biggest shake up to welfare system in a generation to get Britain working – GOV.UK
    • Please see the Health and Disability Green Paper: Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper – GOV.UK
    • DWP intend to run a number of accessible virtual and face-to-face events on the Green Paper to hear from stakeholders, including disabled people and their representative organisations, directly. More information on these events and registration is advertised on the consultation pages on GOV.UK. 
    • We are committing to the establishment of ‘collaboration committees’ to further develop our reforms. This means we will bring together groups of people for specific work areas who will meet to collaborate with civil servants and provide discussion, challenge, and recommendations. Each group will have a different mix of people including both those with lived experience of the policy area and other experts.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City housing partners spring into action to help community centre

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Through Wolverhampton Council’s housing framework, Morro Partnerships is currently developing 2 sites in Bushbury for new council homes – ‘Magic Gardens’ off Sandmere Rise and land off Old Fallings Crescent.

    As part of its commitment to communities, members of Morro Partnerships’ new build team joined council volunteers and roped in members of D&R Contract Services Limited to redecorate the nearby Bushbury Triangle Resource Centre.

    The centre on Stanley Road offers free community services and support to residents in need, with activities including children’s gardening clubs, free breakfasts and bingo. It also provides office space for other local organisations to run services, including homelessness support.

    The building interior was showing signs of wear and tear – but has now been painted from top to bottom by the housing partners, using paint donated by Dulux.

    Steve Harris, Bushbury Triangle Chair of Trustees, said: “We are really grateful as we couldn’t do it ourselves. It has vastly transformed the building which hadn’t been decorated in 25 years.

    “Having a nicer environment will help us provide better services to the community and encourage people to use the centre.”

    City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Housing, Councillor Steve Evans, said: “Bushbury Triangle Resource Centre provides invaluable support and services to city residents and continues to grow in popularity.

    “Their home needed a refresh and hats off to the staff from the council housing team and everyone else for volunteering their time to help, equipment and supplies to support this invaluable asset at the heart of the Bushbury community.

    “When we select our council housing development partners, as well as demanding they deliver quality and sustainable homes for our residents, we expect them to provide wider benefits to the community.

    “We have built a thriving working relationship with Morro Partnerships and I’m delighted they are supportive of our work to maintain well connected neighbourhoods.”

    Morro Partnerships Head of Social Purpose, Abdul Mozzamdar, said: “Bushbury Triangle Resource Centre is an invaluable service for the local community, which I experienced firsthand when I visited the centre last November.

    “The commitment from the volunteering residents is highly commendable, and it is a key example of true community spirit, which I feel should be emulated across all cities, towns and villages in England.

    “Morro Partnerships has committed to supporting communities in which we work, live, and play, and this intervention highlights our commitment to make lasting changes for the community to enjoy for generations to come.

    “A big thank you goes to D&R Contract Services Limited for their support in helping the community.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council helps to deliver social change

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Council was delighted to support cultural diversity and inclusion awareness events across Southern Regional College (SRC). In an increasingly interconnected world, students at the college immersed themselves in the vibrant tapestry of cultures that enrich Northern Ireland.

    The events featured a dynamic mix of workshops, discussions and performances, all designed to showcase the rich diversity within local communities. Students had the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders from the Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon Community Development and Good Relations Team, Victim Support NI and the Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI).

    Artsekta, an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to transforming communities through shared creative experiences, brought the essence of global cultures to life with captivating dance performances from Mexico, China and India. These performances were followed by insightful talks on the traditions and heritage of these countries. Student Celine Maria Corhea also spoke on her Romanian roots and gave fellow students an insight into her heritage.

    Victim Support NI and the PSNI addressed sensitive topics which included discrimination, prejudice and social challenges which continue to remain present within our communities. Discussions centred on how individuals can safely confront negativity and introduced students to various local support services available for those who witness or experience hate crime in their community.

    Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Councillor Sarah Duffy, said; “ABC Council is delighted to work in partnership with SRC to support their cultural diversity and inclusion events. Communities across our borough are passionate about celebrating diversity, fostering inclusivity and working towards a shared and brighter future for all and we as a council are proud to play our part.”

    Speaking on the events, Michael Availa from Victim Support NI commented; “With hate crime rising across NI, the Hate Crime Advocacy Service wants to ensure that SRC students are keenly aware of how to identify, report and seek support for hate incidents and that the community is resilient. Having worked with SRC over the last year, it is very clear that its students are ‘ahead of the curve’ on these issues and readily embrace diversity.”

    The events at SRC’s Armagh and Lurgan campuses were funded by The Executive Office District Council’s Good Relations Action Plan and delivered in partnership with Artsekta, Victim Support, PCSP, the Community Development and Good Relations Team and SRC.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom