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Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft Ability Summit 2025: Accessibility in the AI era

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft Ability Summit 2025: Accessibility in the AI era

    Today, we hosted the 15th annual Microsoft Ability Summit, with over 20,000 attendees from 164 countries coming together virtually to discuss the future of AI and accessibility. Microsoft has a long-standing commitment to investing in accessibility, grounded in our business model and going back over three decades from the earliest accessibility features in Windows 95 and continuing today with new hardware and software functionalities powered by AI. We are innovating faster than ever before and people with disabilities continue to lead the way.

    Accessibility is a fundamental right for people with disabilities and makes technology easier for everyone. We see this reflected in how customers are using Microsoft technologies around the world. Copilot for Microsoft 365 is unlocking workplace productivity like never before, more than 10 million people use Edge each month to have the web Read Aloud, over 1 million people use Immersive Reader to make webpages easier to read and partners like Tobii Dynavox and Special Olympics are bringing AI to people with disabilities globally. And these are just some of the highlights of what we shared today!

    Here’s a quick summary of the new accessibility products, features and programs announced at the 2025 Ability Summit.

    What’s new in 2025?

    We announced that the Xbox Adaptive Joystick is now available for purchase exclusively at Microsoft Store. With more than 429 million players with disabilities worldwide, we know each player has unique needs and preferences for how they choose to play. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick is a singular, wired controller primarily designed to meet the needs of players with limited mobility. Its versatility helps players seamlessly incorporate it into their existing gaming setups. Built with the Gaming and Disability community who inform the development of Xbox products from the beginning. The joystick joins our family of adaptive accessories including the mouse, pen, adaptive kit and Xbox Adaptive Controller. For more details visit Xbox Support.

    And all our Microsoft hardware comes in packaging designed to be accessible and sustainable. No more plastic clamshells! To help others with accessible packaging, today at the Summit, the Packaging and Content Team at Microsoft published its Accessible Packaging Design Guide, which offers practical guidelines, best practices and strategies to create accessible packaging and foster a trusted customer experience.

    At the Summit, Microsoft teams and partners also shared ways they are working to further advance accessibility through technology:

    • Tobii Dynavox is integrating Microsoft Neural Voice, a capability of Azure AI Speech, into their assistive communication solutions. This AI-powered feature gives more personal options for individuals who use assistive communication devices using eye gaze. Neural Voices are available in over 50 languages within their apps TD Talk and TD Phone.
    • Microsoft Teams will improve for those using Sign Language View. Later this year, Teams will be able to identify when someone is using sign language and feature them prominently as a speaker in the meeting. These video customizations are part of our ongoing product development to help deliver clear and accessible communication for everyone.
    • Copilot is powering neurodiverse talent. Recently, an EY study found that Copilot helped 76% of neurodiverse employees perform better at work by enhancing communication, memory recall and focus. At the Summit, we shared how new simple features like Team Reflow and PowerPoint Designer are helping people do their work. See four early adopters of Copilot in New York share their stories.

    YouTube Video

    • AI comes to Narrator. Rich image descriptions powered by AI will be coming to Narrator in Windows Insider Preview this spring and Azure AI Foundry announced new UI improvements to reduce cognitive load.
    • Over 5 million learners around the world have participated in our Accessibility Skilling program and we’re grateful to our partners including Teach Access, Computacenter UK and the City of New York. The free, virtual training includes the latest on AI and is available for organizations to use in their learning management systems.
    • Speech recognition improved up to 60%. The Speech Accessibility Project, led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, unlocked a breakthrough improving accuracy gains for non-standard speech, and the Azure platform team demonstrated how developers can leverage GitHub Copilot to write accessible code.
    • Special Olympics shared how Copilot has been a game-changing training companion for their coaches and athletes with intellectual and development disabilities for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

    All this progress is possible because of the people who design technology with accessibility in mind. In this way, technology benefits everyone, creating a more productive and efficient workplace. It is beautiful to see that reflected in this profile of Dave Dame, Senior Director of Accessibility and Human Factors at Microsoft, where he shared how accessible technology helps him thrive as a leader.

    Onward

    For over 30 years, Microsoft has focused on accessibility in our products. Accessibility makes our tools and technologies easier for everyone and accelerates innovation for the world. From the introduction of Sticky Keys and speech recognition in Windows 95 to Seeing AI in 2016 and beyond, accessibility innovations have benefited people in ways we designed for and ways we could have never expected. Just think about how closed captions are now invaluable for everyone watching videos and calls.

    AI has the potential to create significant advancements across every sector of our economy and society. We will continue to be grounded and responsible in our approach as we work to get the latest technology to the people who can benefit from it the most.

    Whether this is your first or fifteenth Ability Summit, thank you for joining and we hope you picked up a new feature, skill or nugget that helps you, your community or your organization get the most out of technology. All content will be available to watch after the event.

    Let’s move forward together.

    Tags: accessibility, AI, AI for Accessibility, Azure, Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft Ability Summit, Microsoft Teams, XBOX

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: The ceasefire in Gaza Palestine must be immediately restored

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    In the early hours of 18 March, Israeli forces launched strikes right across the Gaza Strip, Palestine, shattering the ceasefire which had been in place since mid-January 2025. In Gaza, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have so far received hundreds of wounded patients, and many more who arrived at facilities dead on arrival.

    MSF is urging Israel not to restart hostilities and to immediately restore the ceasefire and lift a two-week long blockade on supplies. Responding to the latest developments, Claire Magone, General Director of MSF France, issued the following comments:

    “We are horrified by the attacks launched by Israel today on the people of Gaza, shattering the nearly two-month-old ceasefire. Out of the hundreds killed, according to the Ministry of Health, MSF received 75 dead on arrival and scores of wounded in just three of the facilities we support.

    Our staff were completely taken by surprise and found themselves once again having to deal with influxes of mass casualties, many of whom were children.

    In line with the tactics that the Israeli authorities have applied since October 2023, they have once again chosen to collectively punish the people of Gaza – with the explicit approval of their closest ally, the United States – striking with an intensity not seen since the early stages of the war. For over 15 months, before the ceasefire, people in Gaza were indiscriminately killed, mutilated, wounded, and displaced.

    Israeli forces undertaking these latest ruthless attacks and evacuation orders make us fear that a new phase of military operations in Gaza is about to begin. Palestinians in Gaza will simply not be able to withstand this, neither physically nor mentally. Their hopes of recovering at least part of their previous lives are being shattered. 

    Since the ceasefire came into effect on 19 January, people have been struggling to restore the basics of their day to day lives after a drawn out, devastating military campaign, which has annihilated the very fabric of society in Gaza. Israel has once again cut access to humanitarian aid and basic goods.

    MSF calls for the ceasefire to be immediately restored and for Israel to not restart its campaign of destruction and the nightmarish, massive bombing on the people of Gaza. MSF also calls for the blockade to be lifted, and for people to regain unrestricted access to basic supplies and aid. Injured people and patients requiring urgent medical care should be allowed to seek care outside of Gaza, provided their right to a safe and dignified return is granted.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Press Statement on UN Interim Security Force for Abyei Detention, Abduction and Looting by Rapid Support Forces

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Christina Markus Lassen (Denmark):

    The members of the Security Council unequivocally condemned the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) 28 February detention of over 60 UN peacekeepers, armed abduction of eight civilian personnel and looting of a United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) logistics convoy consisting of eight vehicles and 280,000 litres of fuel, following a routine fuel delivery to the Joint Border Verification Monitoring Mission’s (JBVMM) headquarters in Kadugli.

    The members of the Security Council further expressed deep alarm over threats to the safety and security of UNISFA peacekeepers and civilian personnel.  The members of the Security Council condemned all forms of violence against UN personnel and civilians, including targeted kidnapping, and reiterated that attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes, reminded all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law, and called for the Rapid Support Forces to be held accountable.

    The members of the Security Council urgently called for the immediate return of UNISFA trucks and fuel.  They also called on all parties to allow UNISFA to implement its mandated tasks in full and without interference, including providing support to the Joint Border Verification Monitoring Mission.

    The members of the Security Council commended the UNISFA Acting Head of Mission/Force Commander’s efforts to successfully return all victims to safety.  They reiterated their full support to UNISFA and expressed their appreciation for UNISFA’s troop- and police-contributing countries.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The 30,000 year old vulture that reveals a completely new type of fossilisation

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Valentina Rossi, Postdoctoral researcher, Palaeontology, University College Cork

    Fossilised feathers of the wing of a Pleistocene Vulture from central Italy. Edoardo Terranova, CC BY-SA

    A surprising discovery in the feathers of a fossil vulture from central Italy has revealed that volcanic deposits can preserve delicate tissue structures in unprecedented detail, offering new insights into the fossilisation process.

    In 1889 in the foothills of Mount Tuscolo, 25km south-east of Rome, farm workers discovered something extraordinary. While digging the ground for a new vineyard, they encountered a layer of bedrock with a strange void. This contained the skeleton of a large bird, including apparent imprints of its plumage on the surrounding rocks.

    The bizarre find prompted the landowner to call in the renowned Italian geologist Romolo Meli. By the time of Meli’s arrival on site, however, the workers had consigned most of the fossil blocks to the waste pile, and many were broken.

    After salvaging most of the rocks, Meli identified the specimen as a fossilised griffon vulture. He also noted that the preservation of the plumage was unusual considering the host rock was volcanic.



    Read more:
    Pompeii: ancient remains are helping scientists learn what happens to a body caught in a volcanic eruption

    Meli produced a report about the discovery later that year, and then the fossil vulture faded into obscurity and most of the rock samples were lost. All that remains today are blocks containing the plumage of one wing and the imprint of the bird’s head and neck.

    A few years ago, advances in analytical approaches to studying fossils prompted researchers to become more interested in the specimen, which probably dates from around 30,000 years ago. In 2014 one of us (Dawid Iurino) led a new study using CT scanning (computed tomography) of the imprint of the head and neck.

    This revealed three-dimensional details of the bird’s eyelids, tongue and the texture of its skin and neck (see the video below). Such fine preservation of biological features exceeds even that of the victims of Pompeii.

    In our new study, we then examined the feathers and it became clear that we were looking at something out of the ordinary. Our preliminary microscope analyses surprisingly revealed that the feathers, which have an orange colour that contrasts with the host rock, were preserved in three dimensions.

    Three-dimensional fossil feathers are more commonly found in amber, whereas those in rocks are normally two-dimensional thin layers of dark-coloured organic matter.

    Yet there were still important unanswered questions around how the feathers were preserved in a volcanic deposit, so we carried out some further investigations.

    A new way to fossilise

    The fossil feather.
    Edoardo Terranova, CC BY-SA

    A more detailed microscopic analysis revealed that this three-dimensional preservation extended to the delicate branches of the feathers. We could even see feather structures that were less than one micron (0.001mm) wide, specifically tiny cell organelles (part of a cell) called melanosomes whose pigments contribute to the colouration of feathers.

    Even stranger was the fact that the fossil feather was made of a mineral called zeolite. This mineral is not associated with any other fossil tissues, revealing a means of fossilisation that has never been recorded before. It came about because zeolite forms via the dissolution of volcanic ash and glass.

    The fossil’s level of tissue detail, plus the chemical composition of the feathers, indicates some important differences between the pyroclastic flows that entombed the vulture and the flow that buried Pompeii.

    The ancient residents of Pompeii were buried alive by hot fast-moving, turbulent flows of gas and ashes known as pyroclastic flows, at temperatures exceeding 500°C. At these temperatures, their soft tissues were vaporised, leaving only skeletons and charcoal.

    On the other hand, we do not know exactly how the vulture died. It may have been asphyxiated by toxic clouds of volcanic gas, or may have been killed directly by the pyroclastic flow. What we do know is that the flow was relatively cool because it was diluted with water or far from the volcanic source.

    The processes by which the volcanic sediment hardened into rock and formed zeolite happened relatively quickly (within days), which may explain why delicate structures such as feathers can preserve well in three dimensions. This opens up the possibility that many other ash-rich volcanic rocks may contain remarkable fossils, and are therefore exciting new targets for palaeontological research.

    Valentina Rossi received funding from The Palaeontological Association (UK) and The Paleontological Society (USA). She is currently receiving funding from the European Research Council (H2020-ERC-CoG-1010003293-PALAEOCHEM awarded to Prof. Maria Mcnamara).

    Maria McNamara receives funding from the European Research Council and Research Ireland.

    Dawid Iurino 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. The 30,000 year old vulture that reveals a completely new type of fossilisation – https://theconversation.com/the-30-000-year-old-vulture-that-reveals-a-completely-new-type-of-fossilisation-252400

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What Trump could learn from the British and Irish trade war of the 1930s

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Carr, Lecturer in History and Politics, Anglia Ruskin University

    The Blue Water Bridge border crossing connects Michigan in the US with Ontario in Canada. ehrlif/Shutterstock

    During his election campaign, US president Donald Trump claimed the word tariff is “more beautiful than ‘love’”. Now in office, Trump has targeted his closest neighbours and trading partners with those self same policies. He initially concentrated his levies on Canada, China and Mexico – two of which share land borders with the US – before implementing blanket tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports.

    History shows us the impacts these policies can have. In 1932, during Neville Chamberlain’s time as British chancellor, the country slapped what became 40% levies on key exports (including cattle, butter and other agricultural products) from the then Irish Free State. These were promptly met by Irish retaliation on British goods including coal and steel.

    A trade war ensued – and lasted in some form for almost six years.

    As with Trump today, raising tariffs is often partly about some other policy goal. As far as the British-Irish trade war goes, I show in my new book Britain and Ireland From the Treaty to the Troubles that the initial beef (pun intended) was over a decades-long debt obligation. These annuities, as they were known, were predominantly owed by Irish farmers to Anglo-Irish landowners, and were widely disliked.

    In early 1932 Éamon de Valera secured electoral victory in Ireland for his Fianna Fáil party, partly on the basis of refusing to hand over this money. At £5 million, it was a significant sum for a government that took in around £25 million annually.

    Instead, de Valera planned to use the annuities for domestic purposes. He wanted to reward his agricultural and working-class electoral bases principally in Ireland’s west, as well as win over new voters with the nationalist and anti-English nature of his message.

    The legality of the annuities dispute was ambiguous. But de Valera withheld the money, and to recoup the missing millions the British imposed tariffs and punitive quotas. This was swiftly followed by retaliatory measures from Dublin – just as Trump’s moves have seen reaction from abroad.

    The stakes were high. A massive 92% of Irish exports went to the UK, and civil servants in Dublin fretted about the knock-on effects. In the short term, they were right to. Exports of cattle, bacon and other goods collapsed, and emergency domestic subsidy was needed to plug the gap.

    Irish attempts to land a major trade deal with the US by way of compensation went nowhere, and Britain remained its key customer for decades.

    Yet, unlike Trump, de Valera had a clear end goal into which the tariff war fitted rather well. He wanted to retool Irish farming away from livestock towards crops, and invest in Ireland’s nascent industry elsewhere. This included expanding the country’s energy independence and kick-starting its manufacturing sector.

    The retained annuities and the increased political capital his government gained from the trade war both helped with these objectives.

    It took until about 1937, after two more election wins and a referendum victory for de Valera, for British leaders to accept that the Irish public broadly backed their leader. They realised that a bilateral agreement was necessary.

    The dispute was finally ended in April 1938. As the ink dried on a deal that saw tariffs dropped in exchange for a one-off payment from Dublin and the return of three ports to Ireland, the British media hailed the achievement of Chamberlain – now prime minister.

    But this reaction also tells us something. Initially, Chamberlain was portrayed as a genius who had clearly won. But then critics pointed to it being a rather better deal for de Valera (the £10 million one-off sum was nowhere near the £100 million the British had a nominal claim for).

    In this new stance, it had been a great deal precisely because Chamberlain had been so magnanimous. A terrible deal was actually a great deal. Some of that mentality could be seen in reactions to the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler a few months later.

    All told, the consequences had been significant. Perhaps 3% of the Irish economy was lost.

    In the meantime, Irish immigration to Britain consequently ticked up as people looked for work. Smuggling at the Northern Irish border ballooned, leading to additional costs to police a frontier where cattle were hurried across unmanned fields and rivers to avoid the tariff.

    Guinness even moved production to London in order to avoid future tariffs.
    gabriel12/Shutterstock

    Major Irish-based industry, including Guinness and Ford, moved operations to the London periphery (Park Royal and Dagenham respectively) to avoid any future duties. Although Ford kept some tractor production in Cork in the south of Ireland, for large parts of its European and imperial business the only way was now Essex.

    All this meant economic dislocation and diplomatic animosity at a point where the geopolitical outlook was troubled – not an unfamiliar story. Although Ireland remained neutral during the second world war – the ultimate show for de Valera of its independence – intelligence cooperation and the service of Irish men and women in the Allied war effort illustrated that the two countries just about muddled through.

    But today, tariffs provoking wider turmoil remains a big worry. As former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau noted, Trump’s actions are “a very dumb thing to do” and could lead to “exactly what our opponents around the world want to see … a dispute between two friends and neighbours”.

    Trump may also be wise to note that de Valera’s position was bolstered when he could claim that he was being bullied by a more powerful neighbour. In the past few weeks, the Canadian Liberal Party has surged back in the polls, partly on the back of the same dynamics. The little guy sometimes swings back.

    Richard Carr 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. What Trump could learn from the British and Irish trade war of the 1930s – https://theconversation.com/what-trump-could-learn-from-the-british-and-irish-trade-war-of-the-1930s-252128

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Young people to benefit from creative education boost

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Young people to benefit from creative education boost

    New package announced to support young people to access high-quality arts education and enrichment activities as well as AI and tech opportunities.

    Young people across the country will have greater access to high-quality arts education, wider creative and sporting activities as well as opportunities to gain in-demand skills in AI and tech under plans announced today (18 March) by the Education Secretary.

    The announcements will help deliver the government’s Plan for Change to break the link between background and success, driving high and rising school standards so every child can achieve and thrive. 

    The plans include the development of a National Centre for Arts & Music Education which will promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school – including through the government’s network of music hubs. An Enrichment Framework will also be developed in collaboration with a panel of experts, covering a wide range of extra-curricular activities from sport to debating and volunteering. Alongside this, a new Digital, AI and Technology Task and Finish Group made up of sector and digital experts will advise the government on what changes can be made to prepare children and young people for the jobs of the future.

    It comes as the curriculum and assessment review expert panel, led by Professor Becky Francis, publishes its interim report and sets out its next steps to develop a curriculum and assessment system that will set young people up with the essential knowledge they need for life and work. 

    The Education Secretary has also confirmed today that compulsory tests, checks and assessments that ensure children leave primary school with solid foundations in reading, writing and maths will remain a core part of the curriculum and assessment system. This is in recognition of the role they play in providing crucial information to schools, parents and government on pupils’ progress and helping to close the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

    I welcome the important progress Becky Francis and her expert review are making to drive forward work to take the curriculum into the modern era and help deliver on the government’s Plan for Change.

    That means keeping what’s working and evolving what’s not. The report is clear on the importance of primary school assessment, which are simply non-negotiable if we are going to keep pushing standards up for every child and close the attainment gap.

    High standards must also mean greater opportunities and a curriculum fit for the world of today and tomorrow. Our new National Centre for Arts and Music, alongside a renewed focus on giving young people the AI and technical skills they need, are significant steps on the path to making sure every child, wherever they grow up, leaves school truly ready for life and work.

    Plans announced today include:

    • The appointment of a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education to support the delivery of high-quality arts education through a new online training offer for teachers, promoting opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school – including through the government’s network of Music Hubs – and boost partnerships between schools and cultural providers.
    • To support schools to offer pupils high-quality creative and other extra-curricular activities, a new Enrichment Framework will be developed in collaboration with a panel of experts. The Framework is expected to cover a wide range of activities which could be anything from sport to gardening, board games to school bands, or debating to volunteering.
    • A new Digital, AI and Technology Task and Finish Group made up of sector and digital experts will also be established. The group will advise the government on what changes can be made to improve the AI and digital skills talent pipeline, prepare children and young people for the jobs of the future, and drive better teaching and learning through the use of AI and Technology. The group will report to the Education Secretary before the end of the academic year.

    Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said: 

    Arts and music bring people together and are enjoyed by communities across the country. We want every child and young person to have equal opportunities to access a high quality arts and music education, to ensure creativity can be explored by all and not just the privileged few.

    The government’s new National Centre for Arts and Music Education will ensure more children and young people’s untapped potential can be unleashed, improving the pipeline of talent for our world class creative industries.

    Darren Henley CBE, CEO of Arts Council England said:

    This bold innovation will nurture England’s next generation of creators, performers and audiences, levelling the playing field for all young people whatever their background. Subjects like art and design, dance, drama and music are central to every child’s education. They come with the added bonus of equipping young people for life by boosting their creativity, their confidence and their social skills. A National Centre for Arts and Music Education is a vital initiative, and we welcome it wholeheartedly.

    Kate Varah, Executive Director and Co-CEO, National Theatre 

    Access to excellent arts teaching and experiences at school should be a right for all young people to fuel a creative nation. The National Theatre welcomes today’s announcement from the Department for Education that it will establish a new National Centre for Arts & Music Education, recognising the need to support high quality arts provision in schools. We look forward to consulting with the DfE on the remit of the new Centre and its relationship to the arts sector. It’s brilliant to see the Government’s clear focus on the value of the arts in schools and the need to ensure equity of access for all young people.

    Ruth Marvel OBE – CEO The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

    Enrichment activities and high-quality personal development are a crucial part of a well-balanced, enriched education for all young people – helping them to develop essential skills for life and work, explore their individual interests and talents, and build meaningful relationships with trusted adults and peers. 

    We are therefore delighted that Government has responded to calls from DofE, NCS and our partners across the youth and education sectors and today announced it will develop an enrichment framework. The framework, together with best practice guidance and benchmarks, will support schools and colleges to deliver a high-quality enrichment offer for all young people. We look forward to working with the Government, alongside other expert partners, to develop this essential framework.

    The plans come alongside wider measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to deliver high-quality teachers in every classroom, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change by breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child and young person the best life chances.

    Last year the government launched a Review of the curriculum and assessment system, led by Professor Becky Francis, to look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve – in particular those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, or with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). 

    The curriculum and assessment review interim report highlights the value of primary assessment, citing its importance in supporting children’s transition from primary to secondary, establishing whether children have learned the national curriculum and the role of assessment in holding schools to account.

    Alongside the review, the government is also continuing to drive high and rising school standards so every family can be confident they have access to a good local school for their child.

    This includes through the landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which will ensure there are high-quality teachers in every classroom, there is a floor on pay and no ceiling, so all teachers can rely on a core offer and all schools can innovate to attract and retain the best talent.

    These measures, alongside new regional improvement teams and Ofsted reforms, will make sure every child has an education as good as the best.

    The bill will also ensure that, once the curriculum has been revised to take account of the recommendations of the review, all state schools – including academies who currently do not have to follow the national curriculum – will be required to teach the national curriculum up to age 16. This will give parents certainty over their children’s education and allow all children to benefit from the strengthened curriculum, whatever type of school they go to.

    Notes to Editors

    • Primary school tests and assessments include the phonics screening check (taken in year 1 at age five or six), the multiplication tables check, (taken in year 4 at aged eight or nine) as well as maths, reading and grammar, punctuation and spelling tests and assessments taken in year 6 (aged 10 or 11 just before pupils leave primary school).

    • The National Centre for Arts and Music is expected to be established in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. It will be expected to:
      • Promote arts education – including signposting to industry-backed careers guidance, and to opportunities to support children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through our national network of Music Hubs.
      • Support excellent arts teaching – through a new online CPD offer for primary and secondary school teachers, and support to access the brilliant teacher development provision available from cultural providers.
      • Support partnerships – bolstering collaboration between schools and the many arts and cultural organisations with fantastic offers for children and young people, to maximise those opportunities for the most children, no matter where they live.
    • The DfE, working closely with DCMS, has committed to publishing the new Enrichment Framework by the end of the year. Building on the work of the sector, we will develop the framework alongside a working group consisting of experts from schools, youth, sports and arts organisations and research bodies. The framework will highlight effective practice on enrichment by:
      • identifying and reflecting practice in the best schools to set out what a high-quality enrichment offer looks like – we will consider with the sector whether standardised benchmarks and tools can form a useful part of that support.
      • providing advice for schools with how to plan a high-quality enrichment offer more strategically and intentionally and how to make use of specific programmes to increase access to sport and arts
    • The new Digital, AI and Technology Task and Finish Group will advise on how  the school and college education system in England can ensure that every child and young person is equipped to thrive in an AI and digital world, creating strong foundations for access to more specialist AI and digital pathways and making the most of the opportunities to use AI and educational technology to drive better teaching and learning. We intend that this work will commence shortly and conclude before the end of the academic year.

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s press encounter following the informal meeting on Cyprus

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    From the very start of my mandate, I have been committed to the security and wellbeing of the Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. 

    And today was another attempt to find a way forward. 

    These discussions were held in a constructive atmosphere, with both sides showing clear commitment to making progress and continuing dialogue. 

    Mr. Tatar and Mr. Christodoulides have agreed the following group of initiatives to build trust: opening four crossing points; demining; creation of a technical committee on youth; initiatives on the environment and climate change, including the impacts on mining areas; solar energy in the buffer zone; and the restoration of cemeteries. 

    We agreed to have in this format the next meeting end of July, and I will appoint a Personal Envoy to prepare the next steps.

    Question : Mr. Secretary-General, based on today’s developments, what you have announced, basically more confidence building measures, so are you confident that the two sides will be able to eventually move forward, to actually having substantive talks as regards the solution of the Cyprus problem?

    Secretary-General : I think it is important to note that even before Crans-Montana, and we are talking about 2017 until now, there was no real progress on any aspect.  And today, there was meaningful progress.  And I hope that the confidence-building measures or the initiatives to build trust, together with the decision to have very soon a next meeting, and the acceptance by all of the appointment of a [Personal] Envoy on Cyprus to prepare the next steps, demonstrates the sense of commitment and the sense of urgency that I believe were extremely important.  It is a new atmosphere.

    Question: Mr. Secretary-General.  Ms. Holguin will continue her job, or you will appoint a new representative?

    Secretary-General: I will appoint a new [personal] envoy. It is not yet chosen. Before the meeting, I didn’t even know if I would be able to appoint an envoy.

    Question: Good afternoon, Secretary-General. What, if anything, can the UN do about the situation in Gaza right now? Thank you.

    Secretary-General: Unfortunately, we are witnessing a situation in which we had an intolerable level of suffering for the Palestinian people, with the air strikes that killed hundreds of people. We have humanitarian aid still blocked. And I believe that the role of the UN is to do everything to convince the parties and to have the international community pressing for three essential aspects: First, for the ceasefire to be fully respected. Second, for humanitarian aid to have access to Gaza in an unimpeded way. And third, for the unconditional release of hostages. And we will not, we will not give up on these objectives.

    Thank you very much. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Cyprus talks show ‘new atmosphere’ between divided island’s leaders: Guterres

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    UN-led efforts to kick-start talks on the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus have resulted in agreements on new trust-building measures.

    There’s a positive “new atmosphere” surrounding the discussions, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday.

    Speaking in Geneva after a second day of informal talks, the UN chief underscored his commitment to ensuring the security and well-being of the Cypriots – the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots – “from the very start of my mandate…today was another attempt to find a way forward”.

    Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Ersin Tatar, leader of the Turkish Cypriots, had gathered in Geneva along with guarantors Greece, Türkiye and the United Kingdom at the request of the UN chief.

    Common ground

    “Mr. Tatar and Mr. Christodoulides have agreed the following group of initiatives to build trust,” he said, listing “opening of the four crossing points, demining, creation of a technical committee on youth, initiatives on the environment and climate change including the impacts on mining areas; solar energy in the buffer zone and the restoration of cemeteries”.

    The UN has pushed for negotiations towards a settlement of the issues which led to the division of the island, with the Security Council authorising a UN peacekeeping force in 1964, UNFICYP.

    In the absence of a permanent agreement, the force remains on the island to supervise ceasefire lines, a buffer zone and to support humanitarian activities.

    Previous push for progress

    Mr. Guterres attempted to bring the two sides together in 2017 at the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana but talks ultimately broke down. A further push was made in 2021.

    In contrast, the latest discussions saw “meaningful progress”, the UN chief insisted. “I hope that the confidence-building measures or the initiatives to build trust, together with the decision to have very soon a next meeting and the acceptance by all of the appointment of a Special Envoy on Cyprus to prepare the next steps, demonstrates the sense of commitment and the sense of urgency that I believe were extremely important. It’s a new atmosphere.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: AGNICO EAGLE COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF 100% OF O3 MINING

    Source: Agnico Eagle Mines

    (All amounts expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted)

    TORONTO, March 18, 2025 /CNW/ – Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE: AEM) (TSX: AEM) (“Agnico Eagle“) and O3 Mining Inc. (TSXV: OIII), (OTCQX: OIIIF) (“O3 Mining“) are pleased to jointly announce that Agnico Eagle has today completed the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding common shares of O3 Mining (the “Common Shares“) pursuant to the amalgamation (the “Amalgamation“) of O3 Mining and Agnico Eagle Abitibi Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agnico Eagle.  O3 Mining is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agnico Eagle. 

    The Amalgamation constituted the subsequent acquisition transaction contemplated by Agnico Eagle’s board-supported take-over bid to acquire O3 Mining. Under the Amalgamation, shareholders of O3 Mining, other than Agnico Eagle, will receive $1.67 in cash per Common Share (the “Consideration“).

    It is expected that the Common Shares will be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange on or around March 20, 2025 and O3 Mining will file an application to cease to be a reporting issuer under Canadian securities laws.

    Additional Information and How to Receive the Consideration

    Additional information concerning the Amalgamation is contained in the notice of special meeting and management information circular of O3 Mining (the “Circular“) dated February 13, 2025.  The Circular is available under O3 Mining’s issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    In order to receive the Consideration (less applicable withholdings), each registered shareholder must properly complete and duly execute the letter of transmittal enclosed with the Circular and deliver such letter of transmittal, together with all other necessary documents and instruments to Odyssey Trust Company, in its capacity as depositary for the Amalgamation, at the address specified in the letter of transmittal and otherwise in accordance with the instructions contained in the letter of transmittal.  Non-registered shareholders whose Common Shares are registered in the name of an investment advisor, broker, bank, trust company, custodian, nominee or other intermediary must contact such intermediary for instructions and assistance in exchanging their Common Shares for the Consideration.  

    If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group, by phone at 1-877-452-7187 or by e-mail at assistance@laurelhill.com.

    Information for Warrantholders

    Any warrants to acquire Common Shares (the “Warrants“) that remain outstanding may be exercised prior to the expiry time thereof in accordance with the terms of the Warrant Indenture governing the Warrants, as amended, and will receive on exercise, in lieu of Common Shares, $1.67 in cash. The Warrant Indenture has been amended by a supplemental indenture to give effect to the foregoing. In connection such amendment, the exercise form to be used by holders of outstanding Warrants has been amended and replaced with an amended exercise form attached as Appendix E to the Circular.  For additional information, please contact investor.relations@agnicoeagle.com or call (416) 947-1212.

    About Agnico Eagle Mines Limited

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

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on current expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations about future events as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking information and statements are based on estimates of management by Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining, at the time they were made, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the timing for the delisting of O3 Mining from the TSX Venture Exchange and for O3 Mining to cease to be a reporting issuer; and the receipt of $1.67 in cash on the exercise of Warrants. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include, without limitation, expectations relating to the timing for the delisting of the Common Shares and O3 Mining (or its successor) filing an application to cease to be a reporting issuer under applicable securities laws; and expectations concerning the outstanding Warrants. Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining caution that the foregoing list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining believe, or believed at the time, to be reasonable expectations and assumptions, there is no assurance that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither O3 Mining, nor Agnico Eagle nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining do not undertake, and assume no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a forecast, projection or estimate of the future financial performance of Agnico Eagle or any of its affiliates or O3 Mining.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. 

    SOURCE O3 Mining Inc.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: More than $5B paid out to independent developers since launch of ID@Xbox

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: More than $5B paid out to independent developers since launch of ID@Xbox

    Today, we’re excited to host developers from 10 countries at our annual hands-on preview event for press and creators. Among them are 11 Xbox Play Anywhere and six Xbox Game Pass titles, including Winter Burrow from Pinecreek in Denmark, Detective Dotson from Masala Games in India, and Promise Mascot Academy from Kaizen Works in the UK.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Canada must treat its food system as a matter of national defence

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Karen Foster, Associate Professor, Sociology and Social Anthropology and Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Rural Futures for Atlantic Canada, Dalhousie University

    Rising tensions between Canada and the United States have made increased military investment and a renewed focus on national defence all but inevitable.

    A recent Angus Reid poll found three in four Canadians want to see the country’s military strengthened in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Canada as the 51st state. In early March, former prime minister Justin Trudeau committed publicly to increasing military spending.

    While it makes sense for a country feeling vulnerable to invasion to look at recruiting new soldiers and increasing its arsenal, there is an additional facet of national defence that is too often overlooked: food preparedness.

    Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs are already “stoking a new nationalism” in Canadians and sparking interest in buying local, but food should be part of the national defence conversation, too.

    The double edge of globalization

    The globalization of food systems, in Canada and the rest of the world, has intensified since the Second World War. This has brought some benefits, such as year-round access to fresh produce, but it has also made Canada’s food systems vulnerable to the whims of its trading partners.

    Academics focused on food security and sovereignty have long raised concerns about import-dependence on key nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables.

    Even in 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic shone a harsh light on food supply chains in Canada, research showed that the production of fresh produce was declining while imports were increasing.

    Now, faced with both a trade war and annexation threats, Canada must confront whether its domestic food systems can feed its population in a crisis — economic, political, environmental or otherwise.

    Food systems and national defence

    Trade-dependent countries worldwide are recognizing food security as a matter of national defence. Some, like Sweden, are making plans to take stock of the capacity and resilience of their food systems, and actively working toward a system that can sustain the lives of their citizens in a crisis.

    Sweden’s total goods trade accounted for 67 per cent of its GDP in 2023, compared to Canada’s 53 per cent. Despite its high level of trade dependence, Sweden has put food at the heart of the country’s total defence approach to national security.

    Total defence is a defence policy that emphasizes both traditional military activities and civilian activities, including their food systems.

    The Swedish government, in its defence resolution, states: “A well-functioning and robust food supply and personal preparedness of the civil population are ultimately a matter of survival and maintaining the will to defend.”

    This approach is not focused only on individual or household levels of preparedness — that is, whether people have enough in their pantries — but also includes the overall preparedness of the systems that produce, process and distribute food.

    Canada, with its heavy reliance on global trade and the U.S. as a primary trading partner, would do well to take note.

    Food sovereignty in Canada

    There are hundreds of scholars and thousands of community entities working to make Canada’s food systems more sustainable and resilient in the face of financialization, farmland consolidation and the globalization of supply chains.

    In Québec, for example, there is a growing movement to mobilize and empower producers, community entities, the agrifood sector, policymakers and additional stakeholders to build more resilient, territorial food systems across the province.



    Read more:
    Making our food fairer: Don’t Call Me Resilient EP 12

    Canadian experts play a key role in global discussions on food systems resilience, with scholars contributing to the United Nations Committee on World Food Security’s Building Resilient Food Systems draft report. This report is designed to help countries make their food systems more resilient, equitable and sustainable.

    Yet Canada’s efforts are not co-ordinated, empowered or moving fast enough in the push for greater food sovereignty. The point is not to abandon trade, but to manage it more strategically.

    Both international and domestic markets are crucial for Canadian farmers, and many local companies are devoted to importing everyday goods like coffee, tea and bananas under fair trade and agroecological conditions.

    Trade relations, however, are about more than economics; they involve building political partnerships with Mexico, the European Union, Asian countries and beyond — something Canada needs now more than ever.

    Sweden has already recognized this. Its food preparedness strategy involves deepening co-operation with like-minded Nordic countries and collaborating around the supply, transport, stockpiling and testing of food.

    Crisis-proofing Canada’s food systems

    To ensure Canada can feed itself in a crisis, the government must invest in domestic production, processing and distribution infrastructure. This would create more efficient, connected local markets that removes some of the burden of buying local from individuals.



    Read more:
    Boycotting U.S. products allows Canadians to take a rare political stand in their daily lives

    The Canadian government must also promote diversification in production and export. Canada needs to move away from monoculture farming and toward more regional networks and agroecological approaches. These approaches are more resilient to both crops themselves and the diverse markets they open up, reducing Canada’s dependence on single trading partners like the U.S.

    Key agricultural policies such as the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership need to go beyond the long-standing focus on prioritizing export markets. They must also invest in infrastructure and partnerships in Canada to strengthen their support of Canadian producers, ranchers, fisheries and food system players at home, to help them work together at a regional scale.

    Correcting power imbalances in our food systems is also critical. Greater local and regional autonomy over how food is produced, processed and distributed would help with this. These strategies would make Canada less vulnerable to supply chain disruption.

    Countries like Sweden recognize these efforts as part of national defence — an approach Canada should consider.

    But while we fight annexation from the kitchen table, we must recognize it doesn’t start there; it starts at a higher level. Only better policy, infrastructure and systemic change can prepare Canada to be more proactive and resilient in the face of world crises — economic or otherwise.

    Karen Foster receives research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) as well as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). She is the director of the SSHRC/AAFC-funded Common Ground Canada Network.

    Alicia Martin is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the SSHRC/AAFC-funded Common Ground Canada Network.

    Gavin Fridell receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada. He is a member of the Trade and Investment Research Project at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

    Kathleen Kevany receives funding from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, for the Food Impact Network research and knowledge mobilization for the handbook of sustainable diets; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for food waste prevention work, and Mitacs for internships on food procurement and food environment analysis.

    I am advised to Farm to Cafeteria Canada (F2CC) an NGO.

    – ref. Why Canada must treat its food system as a matter of national defence – https://theconversation.com/why-canada-must-treat-its-food-system-as-a-matter-of-national-defence-251118

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with Prime Minister Mitsotakis of Greece: 18 March 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM call with Prime Minister Mitsotakis of Greece: 18 March 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis this afternoon.

    The leaders discussed the Coalition of the Willing call that the Prime Minister chaired on Saturday, and both leaders agreed that all must work together to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position.

    The Prime Minister updated Prime Minister Mitsotakis on the upcoming military planning meeting taking place this week in the UK.

    He reiterated that Europe’s defence and security is paramount, and both leaders agreed that the political momentum must continue to achieve a peace that will be secure and that will last.

    The Prime Minister underscored that the ball is in President Putin’s court and that Russia must come to the table to accept the US ceasefire deal.

    They agreed to stay in touch.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Deputy Lord Mayor Designate announced

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Lord Mayor Designate Councillor Kathy Watkin has announced that Councillor Chip Tofan will be her Deputy for the year.

    Chip was born in Iasi, Romania, graduating from Iasi Gheorghe Ashachi University, with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and now runs his own business providing consultancy services.

    Chip was first elected to Plymouth City Council in May 2022, representing Eggbuckland Ward.

    During his time as a councillor, Chip has been a member of different committees including Scrutiny, Licensing, Natural Infrastructure and the Growth Scrutiny Panel.

    Councillor Tofan said: “I am really pleased that Kathy has asked me to be her Deputy for the next year, I look forward to joining her at civic events and meeting residents of Plymouth, it truly is an honour.

    “I am happy to extend my passion for helping the community from the Eggbuckland ward to the wider community.”

    Lord Mayor Designate, Councillor Kathy Watkin, said: “I am thrilled that Chip has agreed to be my Deputy for the next year, I look forward to us working together.

    “I have known Chip for many years as a friendly, community minded gentleman.

    “Of Romanian heritage, he gained his UK citizenship in Plymouth. As such, he is uniquely placed to understand the challenges facing people of diverse languages and cultures we welcome to Plymouth and can demonstrate that with hard work and commitment anyone can achieve their goals in this great city.

    “Although a relative newcomer to Plymouth City Council he is very enthusiastic about the challenge offered by being Deputy Lord Mayor of Plymouth and will be a huge support to me in my mayoral year.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Grave of Missing Windsor Soldier of World War One Identified in Belgium

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    News story

    Grave of Missing Windsor Soldier of World War One Identified in Belgium

    More than a century after his death, the previously unmarked grave of Corporal of Horse (CoH) Charles Edward Dean has finally been identified and marked.

    The headstone of Corporal of Horse Dean (Crown Copyright)

    A rededication service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium, this morning (18 March 25). 

    JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said: 

    I am grateful to the researcher who originally submitted evidence suggesting the location of Charles Dean’s grave. In rededicating his grave today, we have reunited his mortal remains with his name, ensuring that his sacrifice will not be forgotten.

    Corporal of Horse Charles Edward Dean, 1877 – 13 May 1915 

    Charles Edward Dean was born in 1877 to James Albert Dean and his wife Fanny, in Wiltshire. James was a boiler maker, and Charles grew up with six siblings – four older and two younger. 

    In 1900 Charles joined the Household Cavalry, signing up for 12 years long service with the Life Guards on 9 March. He had been promoted to the rank of Corporal by the time he married Ada Josephine Taylor in Rotherhithe on 25 April 1908. Shortly after the wedding Charles and Ada moved to Windsor where they had four children together – Edward born in 1908, Ada in 1910 (who died in infancy), Elsie in 1912 and Charles who was born two weeks after his father’s death in May 1915. 

    Being a regular soldier, Charles was put into action quickly on the outbreak of war in 1914, and we know that the first detachment of the 2nd Life Guards sailed for Belgium on 6 October 1914. By May 1915 the Life Guards were in the Ieper (Ypres) area, digging trenches and receiving instruction on how to use gas masks, following the first use of gas in the area just a few weeks earlier. On the night of 12 -13 May they were tasked with relieving The Buffs from the trenches near Potijze. The Battalion War Diary is scant on information about what happened that night, but in total 35 men of the 2nd Life Guards lost their lives on these two days, Charles being one of them. Half of these men have no known grave to this day. 

    In July 1921 a casualty of the war was discovered by the teams looking for field graves. His resting place was not marked in anyway, but was near Crump Farm, between Potijze and Verlorenhoek. The team responsible for documenting the discovery of the body and ensuring his reburial could find nothing to identify him by name, so they recorded instead that he was an unknown Serjeant Major of the 2nd Life Guards – a description they derived from his clothing, the crown and chevrons on his uniform, and his numerals. Two other men from the 2nd Life Guards were also recovered from the same spot. All three were buried a few miles from where they were found at Bedford House Cemetery. Only one of the three was identified by name, Lance Corporal WH Butler who was carrying a disc with his name on it. The third man had only a numeral which meant he could be identified as a member of the 2nd Life Guards, but no rank could be attributed to him. 

    In 2020 a case was submitted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in which a researcher claimed to have identified the unknown ‘Sergeant Major’. They correctly pointed out that this rank does not exist in the Household Cavalry, but that the same insignia can be attributed to the rank of Corporal of Horse. Research showed that only one man of this rank was missing in this area at this time, and as such he could be identified as Charles Edward Dean. 

    The service was supported by serving soldiers of the Household Cavalry.

    Captain Charles Carr-Smith, Musician Benjamin Kinch, Padre Thomas Sander & Captain Henry Tregear of the Household Cavalry (Crown Copyright)

    The service was conducted by the Reverend Tom Sander, Chaplain to The Household Cavalry. 

    The Reverend Sander said: 

    It is an honour to officiate at these services of rededication for fallen servicemen who gave their lives in the service of our country. In these services we unite their final resting place with their earthly name and, what was once known only to God, is now known in the sign of all. May their names be held in everlasting remembrance, and may they rest in peace and rise in glory.

    The headstone was replaced by CWGC. Director for the Central and Southern Europe Area at the CWGC, Xavier Puppinck, said: 

    We are honoured to mark the final resting place of Corporal of Horse Charles Edward Dean. We thank the researcher and all those involved who helped to confirm Corporal Dean’s previously unmarked grave. His sacrifice is now formally recognised with a new headstone, and we are committed to preserving his grave, along with those of his comrades, in perpetuity.

    Corporal of Horse Dean’s family stand with the Military Party behind his headstone (Crown Copyright)

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela. Delivered by the UK Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Thank you, Mr President.

    We thank the Fact-Finding Mission for its update which remains critical to improving human rights in Venezuela and ensuring accountability.

    The human rights situation in Venezuela remains grave. Over seven months have passed since the presidential election, and the Venezuelan authorities have still not produced any credible evidence of votes cast. The subsequent repression against political figures, journalists, trade unionists, and civil society continues. This has contributed to a culture of fear as fundamental freedoms continue to be eroded.

    The continued reports of enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and deaths in detention are alarming and unacceptable. Despite some conditional releases, over 1,000 Venezuelans and foreign nationals remain arbitrarily detained. We call for their immediate and unconditional release.

    We continue to support a Venezuelan-led democratic and peaceful transition that will respect each and every vote cast on 28 July. Venezuela needs a strong civil society and tolerance for democratic opposition to support democratic normalisation.

    Señora Valiñas,

    What is your assessment of the state of civic space in Venezuela and what are your recommendations to address this?

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Dassault Systèmes: Filing of the 2024 Universal Registration Document

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France — March 18, 2025

    Filing of the 2024 Universal Registration Document

    Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) announces the filing on March 18, 2025 of its French 2024 Universal Registration Document (constituting the Annual Financial Report) with the Autorité des marchés financiers.  

    The French version of this document is available on Dassault Systèmes’ website at https://investor.3ds.com/fr (sections Regulated information or Events & Publications/ Reports). Hard copies of the French 2024 Universal Registration Document are also available upon request at Dassault Systèmes’ headquarters (10, rue Marcel Dassault, CS 40501 – 78946 Vélizy-Villacoublay, France). The English version will be available on Dassault Systèmes’ website (https://investor.3ds.com/) in the coming days.

    The following documents are included in the Universal Registration Document in accordance with legal provisions:

    • 2024 Annual Financial Report;
    • Board of Directors’ Report on corporate governance;
    • Sustainability Report; and
    • Description of the share repurchase program proposed to the General Shareholders’ Meeting.

    ###

    ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    Dassault Systèmes is a catalyst for human progress. Since 1981, the company has pioneered virtual worlds to improve real life for consumers, patients and citizens. With Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 350 000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, can collaborate, imagine and create sustainable innovations that drive meaningful impact. For more information, visit www.3ds.com.

    Dassault Systèmes Investor Relations Team                FTI Consulting
    Béatrix Martinez :                                        Arnaud de Cheffontaines: +33 1 47 03 69 48
    +33 1 61 62 40 73                                        Jamie Ricketts : +44 20 3727 1600
    investors@3ds.com                                        

    Dassault Systèmes Press Contacts
    Corporate / France        
    Arnaud Malherbe: +33 1 61 62 87 73
    arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com        

    © Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Use of any Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their express written approval.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foster carers enjoyed a day of recognition, support and inspiration

    Source: City of Derby

    Over 350 foster carers from Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire came together last week at Goosedale Hall for a special event of recognition. The day was all about celebrating the amazing work foster carers do for children in their care and their local communities.

    Organised by Mockingbird, part of Foster for East Midlands Councils, the event focused on the theme: Hope, Healing, and Humour. Foster carers joined in interactive sessions to learn, share experiences, and connect with others.

    Helen Fearn, Trauma Aware Care, discussed the importance of trauma-aware care, while Karen Hazard, Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist and Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner, explained how sensory therapy can support children’s development. Amy Johnson (BA MA MA Diet & Nutrition Dip L4, and Coach), Director of Feelgood Wellbeing Ltd, shared practical ways to promote wellbeing, and special guest comedian Kiri Pritchard-Mclean brought laughter and warmth as she recounted her own experiences as a respite foster carer.

    Brenda Hall, a foster carer from Derbyshire, said,

    It was so great to come together as foster carers, share our experiences, listen to support, and also laugh. The whole day was amazing, from the crèche for the young children to the keynote speakers and the refreshments. I and other carers felt truly appreciated.

    Another foster carer who attended the event shared their experience, saying,

    Listening to the speakers and being around like-minded people was truly inspirational, and having a day like this to myself was invaluable. Fostering can be both rewarding and challenging, so being able to connect with others, share experiences, and gain new insights really makes a difference. It was amazing to feel supported, appreciated, and reminded of the positive impact we have on children’s lives.

    Local authorities also took this opportunity to thank foster carers for their dedication. Every day, these carers make a huge difference by keeping children safe and supported in their communities.

    Mockingbird is an award-winning program led by The Fostering Network. It helps foster families build strong, supportive communities. This model has been a huge success across Foster for East Midlands Councils, creating a caring network for children and carers.

    Andrea Dore, Mockingbird Team Manager said,

    It was fantastic to see so many foster carers come together and take time for themselves. Fostering can be challenging and events like this provide a valuable opportunity to recharge, share experiences and feel part of a strong support network. The keynote speakers played a crucial role in this, offering expert advice on trauma-aware care, sensory therapy and wellbeing. Seeing carers leave feeling uplifted, inspired and appreciated was truly rewarding.

    Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Lead Council’s Cabinet Member for Foster East Midlands Councils said:

    Foster carers play an essential role in transforming children’s lives, providing them with stability, care and encouragement. This event was a wonderful chance to acknowledge their dedication and give them the recognition they truly deserve. My immense thanks on behalf of the children and young people for your commitment and support. It is immeasurably important for each of them.

    Right now, there is an urgent need for local authority foster carers. Across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire, over 3,300 children are in care, but only half find foster homes. More carers are needed for children of all ages, especially for siblings, teenagers and children with special needs.

    Foster for East Midlands Councils, is a regional fostering hub which was launched in collaboration with four local councils in May 2024 to enhance recruitment and support for foster carers. This dedicated team guides prospective carers through every step of the process from enquiry to application. Once approved the support network of the councils provides 24/7 support and comprehensive training ensuring carers are well-prepared to meet the diverse needs of children in their care.

    For more information, visit fosterforeastmidlands.org.uk, attend a fostering information event, or call us at 0303 3132 950.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The facts about the Colum Marks case

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by TUV party secretary Ann McClure:

    “This is yet another report from the Police Ombudsman which is seriously lacking in balance. One might have hoped that she would have learned from the recent High Court judgement which should have called time on her desire to always play to the anti-police gallery but clearly not. Then of course the Ombudsman would have resigned in light of that judgement. She didn’t and is still delivering ridiculous findings which attempt to blacken the good name of the RUC.

    “The facts of this case are stark. Colum Marks was a member of a proscribed terrorist organisation and actively involved in a terrorist act when he was thankfully neutralised by a brave RUC officer.

    “There is no dispute about the fact that Marks – had he not been shot – would have been involved in a mortar attack which was designed to result in murder.

    “No finding by the discredited Ombudsman should be permitted to obscure the reality driven home simply by restating the facts of the case.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the media following the informal meeting on Cyprus

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    From the very start of my mandate, I have been committed to the security and wellbeing of the Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. 

    And today was another attempt to find a way forward. 

    These discussions were held in a constructive atmosphere, with both sides showing clear commitment to making progress and continuing dialogue. 

    Mr. Tatar and Mr. Christodoulides have agreed the following group of initiatives to build trust: opening four crossing points; demining; creation of a technical committee on youth; initiatives on the environment and climate change, including the impacts on mining areas; solar energy in the buffer zone; and the restoration of cemeteries. 

    We agreed to have in this format the next meeting end of July, and I will appoint a Personal Envoy to prepare the next steps.

    Question : Mr. Secretary-General, based on today’s developments, what you have announced, basically more confidence building measures, so are you confident that the two sides will be able to eventually move forward, to actually having substantive talks as regards the solution of the Cyprus problem?

    Secretary-General : I think it is important to note that even before Crans-Montana, and we are talking about 2017 until now, there was no real progress on any aspect.  And today, there was meaningful progress.  And I hope that the confidence-building measures or the initiatives to build trust, together with the decision to have very soon a next meeting, and the acceptance by all of the appointment of a [Personal] Envoy on Cyprus to prepare the next steps, demonstrates the sense of commitment and the sense of urgency that I believe were extremely important.  It is a new atmosphere.

    Question: Mr. Secretary-General.  Ms. Holguin will continue her job, or you will appoint a new representative?

    Secretary-General: I will appoint a new [personal] envoy. It is not yet chosen. Before the meeting, I didn’t even know if I would be able to appoint an envoy.

    Question: Good afternoon, Secretary-General. What, if anything, can the UN do about the situation in Gaza right now? Thank you.

    Secretary-General: Unfortunately, we are witnessing a situation in which we had an intolerable level of suffering for the Palestinian people, with the air strikes that killed hundreds of people. We have humanitarian aid still blocked. And I believe that the role of the UN is to do everything to convince the parties and to have the international community pressing for three essential aspects: First, for the ceasefire to be fully respected. Second, for humanitarian aid to have access to Gaza in an unimpeded way. And third, for the unconditional release of hostages. And we will not, we will not give up on these objectives.

    Thank you very much. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Salford City Council celebrates social workers during Social Work Week 

    Source: City of Salford

    • The awareness week is an opportunity to celebrate the successes of social workers and the impact the profession has on communities
    • Social workers provide a wide range of support, helping children and adults to maximise their life chances and reach their full potential
    • Salford City Council currently provides social care to 5,446 adults and children  

    This year’s Social Work Week, 17 to 21 March 2025, which coincides with World Social Work Day on 18 March, aims to bring people together to celebrate the successes of social workers and to pay tribute to the impact the profession has on communities. 

    Key themes of the awareness week this year are focused on:

    • Data and insight: how to ensure that social workers practice and its regulation is data driven and how this can improve people’s experience of the profession.
    • Education and training: how are social workers supported throughout each step of their career journey and why continuous learning and supervision is essential.
    • Innovation: learnings from the adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve professional practice and where are the ethical tensions.
    • Professional identity: understanding if a greater sense of professional identity is crucial for the future of social work.
    • Safe and effective practice: how professional competence contributes to building public trust in the social work profession and what can be learnt from fitness to practise.

    Social workers work autonomously and collaborate as part of a professional team to provide a wide range of support, helping children and adults to maximise their life chances and reach their full potential.

    In what is very much a rewarding career, the role can be a demanding and emotional one. Social workers are often the unsung heroes, and this is an opportunity to celebrate the amazing work that our social workers do with residents of Salford.

    They advise, help and protect children and adults with support needs from harm or abuse and support them to live independently. From helping keep a family under pressure together to supporting someone with mental health problems, learning disabilities and those on the autism spectrum, social workers have to make difficult decisions that impact people’s lives based on the best interests of children and adults.

    Social workers also help people to overcome significant difficulties, such as substance addictions, domestic abuse, mental health challenges, and homelessness and poverty, supporting them to be empowered and live independently, develop positive relationships and access education, training and employment.

    Salford City Council provides:

    • 13 types of social care services to vulnerable adults and children across the city
    • an average of 129,545 hours of care to adults/children each month
    • social care to 5,446 adults and children

    Councillor Jim Cammell, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services at Salford City Council said: “We are proud of the work we do to improve the lives of our children, young people and families in Salford, and our social workers are absolutely key to that. I want to recognise the dedication and valuable work that our social workers do, and also the teams who support them, to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive.”

    “Through this national recognition, we can help to inform and educate the public on what social work is and work collaboratively with other local authorities and government bodies to share valuable knowledge that can help to address the challenges and create positive solutions. This week is an important part of recognising and celebrating social workers’ commitment and dedication, and to thank them for the incredible work they do every day.”

    Councillor John Merry, Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health at Salford City Council said: “Social care is a very important part of our work with our communities and partners to help everyone lead fulfilling, healthy, and independent lives in Salford. This week is a great way of highlighting all the unseen but vital support that social work provides for residents to care for their strengths, connections, and families, in their own homes and communities.”

    Councillor Mishal Saeed, Executive Support Social Care and Mental Health at Salford City Council said: “Our social workers play a vital role in supporting residents in the community, helping their wellbeing in order to live longer and better lives and feel connected to others in their area. This week is an important part of recognising and celebrating social workers commitment and dedication.” 

    Share this

    Date published
    Tuesday 18 March 2025

    Press and media enquiries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council’s Shop a Tipper scheme leads to successful prosecution – and gift card reward

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    A city resident reported an incident of suspected fly tipping to the council through Shop a Tipper. Because their information led to a prosecution, the resident received a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton gift card.

    Officers are now reminding offenders that they are being watched – and warning them not to ignore council investigations.

    In the latest prosecution, Shannon Mattox, of Waltho Street, Whitmore Reans, was found guilty in her absence of one obstruction charge under section 110 of The Environment Act 1995 for failing to comply with investigating officers’ requests for assistance.

    Dudley Magistrates Court ordered Mattox to pay a fine and costs totalling £1,716 during the hearing on 12 March. The costs awarded to the council will be reinvested back into its environmental crime service.

    In this case, a woman was seen on 16 February last year wheeling a bin with a house number on it. She was then seen throwing bags of household waste from the bin onto an open space off Waltho Street.

    Correspondence with a name and address was found among the waste and Mattox was served with a notice asking her to attend the Civic Centre. She failed to attend as required.

    The incident was reported under the council’s Shop a Tipper scheme by 3 independent witnesses. One of the witnesses provided an information statement and will receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton gift card.

    Under the council’s Shop a Tipper campaign, residents are encouraged to report any incidents of fly tipping.

    If the information provided leads to successful identification, and Fixed Penalty Notices are issued and paid or a prosecution takes place, residents receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton gift card.

    Residents can contact 01902 552700 with information or report online at Fly-Tipping – Shop a Tipper.

    Eight gift cards have recently been given out to residents in Whitmore Reans, Penn, Bushbury South and Heath Town.

    In total, 29 gift cards have been issued under the Shop a Tipper scheme. In each case, residents have reported incidents of fly tipping and provided the council with evidence to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice.

    In addition to the reporting scheme, officers from the council’s environmental crime team have seized 2 vehicles in the last 3 weeks in relation to fly tipping offences under their ongoing work.

    Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “This is a great result for our Shop a Tipper scheme, and I’d really like to thank the resident who came forward and provided the vital information which led to another successful prosecution.

    “Shop a Tipper allows residents to report this horrible crime and means our officers can investigate and bring people to justice.

    “We continue to work hard to deter fly tipping through a variety of methods including our Shop a Tipper scheme, CCTV cameras, a drone and the recent increase in our Fixed Penalty Notice to £1,000.

    “Suspected fly tippers should be aware that they are being watched – and they can’t ignore our investigations.”

    Residents are reminded that waste can be disposed of free of charge at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (tips) which are open 7 days a week from 8am to 4pm. Centres are at Anchor Lane, Lanesfield, Bilston and Shaw Road, Wolverhampton.

    A bulky item collection service to dispose of big unwanted items is also available, find out more at Bulky item collection.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Albanian alpine police officers undergo intensive training organized by OSCE Presence, Austria

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

    Headline: Albanian alpine police officers undergo intensive training organized by OSCE Presence, Austria

    Training of Albanian Alpine Police, Korça, 13 March 2025. (OSCE) Photo details

    Thirty police officers from the alpine units of Tirana, Fier and Shkodra participated in a specialized training programme in the mountains of Korça from 10 to 13 March 2025. Organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania, in close co-operation with trainers from the Austrian Federal Police, this intensive course aimed to enhance Albanian police officers’ ability to navigate and operate in challenging alpine environments, ensuring the safety and security of both local communities and tourists.
    Building on the foundation laid by a previous training in Theth in 2022, this programme marked another significant step in Albania’s efforts to improve its law enforcement capabilities in mountainous terrains. The Theth training was a milestone in strengthening the operational readiness of Albania’s alpine police and this latest session further advanced those objectives.
    Austria, renowned for its expertise in alpine policing, provided highly experienced trainers who led participants through a combination of theoretical and practical exercises. Officers were trained in essential skills such as effective rescue operations, safety protocols and tactical mountain policing. The course also included rigorous endurance tests, quick-thinking drills and adaptability training for emergency situations. Participants gained hands-on experience in first aid, casualty evacuation and the use of specialized alpine equipment, including ropes and harnesses crucial for survival in extreme conditions.
    Speaking at the closing ceremony, Deputy Head of Presence Clarisse Pasztory emphasized that, in co-operation with the Austrian Ministry of Interior, the OSCE Presence will continue to support further training for Albania’s alpine police.
    Director of the National Security Force, Hamdi Fjora, highlighted that, following a joint needs assessment with Austrian experts, a selected group of officers will undergo a training-of-trainers programme. This initiative aims to integrate alpine training into the annual curriculum of Albania’s public security structures, ensuring continuous capacity-building in this field.
    The activity was part of a project implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania and funded by the Austrian government.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Siân Berry’s message to Labour: stop scapegoating and stigmatising those in need

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    / by Green Party

    Reacting to the statement from Liz Kendal’s to parliament today on proposed cuts to welfare benefits [1], Siân Berry MP said:

    “I’ve heard nothing today that reassures me the Government will stop scapegoating and stigmatising those in need, while impoverishing them to the tune of £5 billion. Young and disabled people should have the support and backing of the Government but instead they have been badly let down this month with the active trailing of terrifying plans.

    “It’s clear that these plans were plotted without the input of those whose lives will be most impacted. Disabled people must be listened to before any changes are made, and I hope that Labour backbenchers will join me in being their fiercest defenders and fight off the worst of these plans.

    “The Chancellor must listen as well, to growing calls from Green MPs, the public and even many millionaires for a wealth tax. How can she stoop as low as any Conservative Chancellor and take money away from disabled people rather than get a grip on the obscene wealth being hoarded in this country? This morally indefensible choice will have devastating consequences, and the Government should be ready to answer for it.”

    Notes

    [1] Deep cuts, Pip and ‘right to try’ work: the key changes in UK benefits overhaul | Welfare | The Guardian

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Aid should never be used as a political tool: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Aid should never be used as a political tool: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza.

    Thank you President and thank you to USG Fletcher for his sobering briefing. 

    I also want to thank Algeria and Somalia for calling this meeting – an initiative which the UK fully supports considering the alarming humanitarian situation.

    President, this meeting comes at a critical moment. 

    As my Foreign Secretary has said, the civilian casualties from Israeli strikes overnight are appalling.

    I want to be clear, a return to fighting will only result in the deaths of further Palestinian civilians, Israeli hostages and IDF soldiers. 

    This conflict cannot be resolved through military means.

    We want to see the ceasefire re-established as soon as possible.

    The humanitarian situation in Gaza was already catastrophic. 

    After 17 days, Israel continues to block all aid entering Gaza. Crossing points have been shut off. Bakeries are closing. Hospitals and desalination plants are running on generators that could stop at any moment.

    This is horrifying and unacceptable.

    Humanitarian aid should never be used as a political tool. 

    We are calling for the following urgent steps to bring this terrifying situation back from the brink.

    First, we call for the protection of civilians, and for safe, rapid, unimpeded humanitarian access. 

    We call on Israel to fulfil its international obligations and allow for a rapid and unhindered resurgence in the flow of aid. 

    This includes the supply of items such as medical equipment, shelter items, and water and sanitation equipment, essential to meet humanitarian and early recovery needs in Gaza, but which remain restricted. 

    Failure to deliver this not only risks undoing the vital humanitarian progress made during phase one of the ceasefire agreement; it also risks violating international humanitarian law.

    Second, we urge all parties to return urgently to dialogue and to implement the ceasefire agreement in full, including scaling up aid and releasing the 59 hostages who have been cruelly held by Hamas for over 500 days and have endured unimaginable suffering. 

    For Israel to be secure, these terrorists can have no role in Gaza’s future. But cutting off aid and resuming the fighting is not a means to this end.

    Finally, we reiterate that civilians of Gaza who have suffered so much must be allowed to return to their homes and rebuild their lives.

    Colleagues, we urge all parties to return to the ceasefire deal and get back to the path of peace. 

    A negotiated two-state solution is the best way to ensure long-term security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Showcases the Future of AI-Powered Connected Living at ‘World of Samsung’ 2025

    Source: Samsung

    LONDON, U.K. – 18 March 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a pioneer for connected device experiences, hosts ‘World of Samsung’ from this Tuesday, 18th March, in Frankfurt, Germany. The event spotlights Samsung’s latest AI-powered innovations across televisions, audio, smart home, digital appliances, gaming, and mobile, showcasing how AI is transforming technology into a seamless extension of everyday life.
     

    [Left to Right – Charlie Bae, Director of Product Business Management (TV and AV), Diana Diefenbach, Senior Manager of Technical Product for DA, Stephanie Chosen, Brand and Product Marketing for MX, Benjamin Braun, Chief Marketing Officer for Samsung Europe]
     
    “At Samsung, we’re committed to making all the devices you use smarter and more connected” said Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe’s Chief Marketing Officer. “World of Samsung is not just about showcasing products – it’s about demonstrating how AI can make daily life better. Whether it’s Vision AI[1] optimising your TV settings for the best viewing or sound experience, or AI-powered mobile and home appliances that adapt to your habits, we’re showing how technology can feel more personal and tangible than ever before.”
     
    Bringing together media and partners, World of Samsung offers a hands-on experience with the latest AI innovations – showing that the connected home of the future is no longer a concept, but a reality. From entertainment and productivity to effortless daily convenience, Samsung is redefining how people interact with technology in ways that are both meaningful and tailored to their unique lifestyles.
     
    Transforming Home Entertainment
    For 19 consecutive years, Samsung has been the world’s number one selling TV brand[2], continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation to deliver exceptional picture quality and cutting-edge AI capabilities. Additionally, for the past 11 years, Samsung has also been the number one selling brand for sound bars[3], ensuring an immersive audio experience that complements its industry-leading displays. Samsung believes that every viewer deserves a screen tailored to their space and lifestyle. That’s why, in 2025, Samsung is offering cinema-quality viewing across a range of screen sizes – from 24 inches all the way up to an expansive 115 inches – without compromise.
     
    Samsung’s 2025 TV line-up introduces the next evolution of AI-powered picture and sound. The latest Neo QLED, OLED, and QLED models, including The Frame and The Frame Pro, integrate advanced AI technologies to redefine the way we experience content. For example, AI Picture Optimiser enhances every frame in real time, using deep learning to intelligently adjust brightness, contrast, and colour for a more lifelike viewing experience.
     
    Meanwhile, Colour Booster Pro, powered by Samsung’s real Quantum Dot technology, expands the colour volume for richer, more vibrant visuals. As a leader in display innovation, Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology utilises ultra-fine semiconductor particles to achieve unbeatable colour accuracy and brightness. Since pioneering no-cadmium Quantum Dots in 2015, Samsung has continued to lead the industry, delivering stunning, true-to-life visuals across its QLED and QD-OLED displays, enhanced by Samsung’s use of indium-based Quantum Dots for exceptional colour purity.
     
    For art lovers, Samsung showcases its biggest Art Store ever, with over 3,000 pieces from 70 world-renowned museums and institutions, now available across all 2025 microLED, Neo QLED and QLED models. Strengthening its commitment to digital art, Samsung is also expanding its partnership with Art Basel, bringing museum-quality artwork directly into customers’ homes. Plus, with Q-Symphony, users can enjoy an immersive audiovisual experience, seamlessly connecting up to three devices with their TV to produce cinematic sound.
     
    Beyond stunning visuals, Samsung is making sure its TVs stay smart and secure for years to come, with 7 years of One UI Tizen updates, backed by Samsung Knox Matrix, ensuring a future-proof and protected entertainment experience.
     
    Samsung is redefining gaming with AI-driven innovations, from AI Auto Game Mode, which optimises visuals and response times for competitive play, to Samsung Gaming Hub, offering seamless access to top cloud gaming services. Coming soon to Europe, the Odyssey OLED G8, the world’s first 27” 4K OLED gaming monitor, delivers ultra-high 166 PPI density and a 240Hz refresh rate for stunning detail and smooth gameplay. Also launching soon, the 49″ Dual QHD Odyssey G9 boasts an impressive 1ms response time and 1000R curved screen for a more immersive experience.
     

     
    AI Home: Smarter Living, Seamlessly Connected
    World of Samsung also showcases how Samsung is bringing AI-powered intelligence to the heart of the home with its latest Bespoke AI appliances and SmartThings connectivity. With SmartThings as the backbone of this ecosystem, Samsung continues to enhance AI Energy Mode[4], helping users reduce electricity costs by charging your Jet Bot AI during non-peak hours or washing a smaller load in cooler temperatures while automating everyday household tasks. Whether optimising energy consumption, providing real-time home insights, or enhancing daily routines, Samsung’s AI-powered solutions are redefining what’s possible in the connected home.
     

     
    Age of Accelerated Mobile Experiences
    At World of Samsung, the Galaxy S25 series takes centre stage, marking a new era of AI-powered mobile experiences. With Galaxy AI, Samsung is making everyday tasks faster, smarter, and more intuitive, whether through Live Translate[5], which enables seamless real-time call translations, or Generative Edit[6] and Drawing Assist[7], which bring AI-driven creativity to photo editing. Additionally, the Now Bar[8] keeps users effortlessly informed with real-time updates on messages, calendar events, and more, directly from the lock screen.
     
    Also showcased is the Galaxy Book5 series, bringing next-level AI computing with AI Select and Samsung Studio, making image, video, and document editing more efficient than ever. Samsung’s mobile innovations go beyond individual devices, integrating seamlessly into the AI-powered ecosystem. With SmartThings Home Insight, users can monitor everything from their pet’s well-being via JetBot to their home’s energy consumption, all from their Galaxy device.
     
    For more information on Samsung’s full range of AI-enhanced products, visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/
     

     
    [1] Available features may vary by model.
    [2] Samsung TV has been ranked No.1 selling TV Brand for 19 consecutive years by Omdia- Samsung Electronics Marks 19 Consecutive Years as the Global TV Market Leader – Samsung Newsroom U.K.
    [3] Samsung has been ranked No.1 selling soundbar brand for 11 consecutive years by FutureSource Consulting- Samsung Soundbar Tops Global Sales for 11th Consecutive Year – Samsung Newsroom U.K.
    [4] Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.
    [5] Live Translate requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Live Translate is only available on the pre-installed Samsung Phone app. Certain languages may require language pack download. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.
    [6] Generative Edit feature for Photo Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Editing with Generative Edit may result in a resized photo. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.
    [7] Drawing assist feature requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.
    [8] Some functional widgets may require a network connection and/or Samsung Account login

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. Delivered by the UK Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Mr President,

    Commissioners, thank you for providing your reflections from your recent historic visits to Syria.

    We welcome the access you have been granted by the interim authorities, and the promising steps they have taken to pursue evidence gathering and preservation efforts. We would also like to acknowledge the important sentiments we heard from His Excellency the Permanent Representative of Syria this morning.

    Your reports to date have left us with no illusions: Assad oversaw a reign of terror and tyranny that systematically oppressed the Syrian people with complete impunity. As part of the transition Syrians must, finally, see accountability and justice. We therefore support the continuation of the Commissioners’ work, which provides a clear evidence base for the Syrian people in their pursuit of this. 

    But we must be realistic. National reconciliation and processes to address violations and abuses will take time. The journey towards truth, reconciliation and healing will require vigilance.

    Recent reports that large numbers of civilians have been killed in the coastal areas of Syria are horrific. The answer to those horrors cannot be further retribution. It must lie in the interim authorities’ commitment to the protection of all Syrians, in word and deed.

    Commissioners,

    How can the international community support Syria to ensure that sensitive information and sites are preserved to ensure eventual accountability?

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westminster launches ‘10 by 10’ programme to empower children with new experiences | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    Westminster City Council has launched the 10 by 10 programme designed to give children the opportunity to take part in 10 enriching activities by the time they turn 10-years-old.

    The 10 by 10 programme aims to offer all children free and low-cost opportunities to explore new talents, learn important life skills, and experience everything on offer across Westminster. 10 by 10 represents one of many council initiatives that is intended to reduce inequalities in the City – an objective which sits at the heart of our Fairer Westminster strategy.

    In partnership with schools and local organisations, we have curated a wide-ranging offer to empower children to complete the 10 activities before they turn 10-years-old. All activities are hosted here:

    westminster.gov.uk/10by10

    Examples of the activities on offer include free swimming at Westminster’s leisure centres using the ActiveWestminster Discount Card – ActiveWestminster; sporting, arts and creative sessions via our partner, Young Westminster Foundation Our City | What’s On for Young Londoners; and youth specific opportunities at fantastic museums across Westminster.

    The activities we will be supporting are:

    1. Join in competitive team sports

    2. Play an instrument

    3. Learn to swim

    4. Take part in drama and performing arts. Attending a theatre production

    5. Visit the seaside and the countryside

    6. Experience museums, galleries, and heritage sites in Westminster that include the National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain, Cartoon Museum, Somerset House, (and sites in nearby local authorities – like Natural History Museum, Science Museum, London Zoo)

    7. Take part in camping trips and overnight residentials

    8. Learn to ride a bike to improve children’s confidence

    9. Take part in debating

    10. Register with a library and use it at least 5 times per year

    10 by 10 is an exciting addition to the council’s children’s services department, which was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in January 2025. The programme joins other vital family support services, such as our Family Hubs which are located across Westminster and specialised support for children with disabilities, including the Tresham Centres.

    This campaign is part of the council’s effort to create further awareness of free and low-cost activities in the borough with specific consideration for affordability for residents.

    By ensuring that all children have access to these experiences, we are taking important steps toward creating a fairer and more inclusive city for all.

    Pictured is: Cllr Less, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services; Cllr Hug, Leader of the Council; Lyndsy Killip, Executive Headteacher of London Community Education Federation; Iraklis Kolokotronis, Head of Early Years 

    Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Cllr Aicha Less said:

    All children deserve equal access to enriching activities and the ‘10 by 10’ campaign offers a way to remove barriers that often deny access to these life-changing opportunities.

    Throughout the process we have kept affordability for families in mind – with all activities being offered for free or at a low cost so no child misses out.

    I encourage parents, carers and guardians to get their children involved to empower them with new knowledge, experiences, and confidence.

    To see the free and low-cost activities on offer to help children complete the 10 by 10 check out the directory on the Family Information Hub: westminster.gov.uk/10by10

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘High ambition for all pupils’ at Good rated school

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Inspectors visited Edward the Elder Primary School last month and, in their report published this week, found that everyone ‘subscribes to the values of partnership for achievement’.

    Staff, pupils and parents ‘are right to be proud of their school’, with pupils achieving ‘high standards’ in reading, writing and mathematics.

    Staff hold ‘consistently high expectations’ for how pupils should behave, and they are described as ‘very polite and friendly’ and praised for the way they ‘concentrate and listen well’.

    The curriculum is ‘well thought through with carefully considered concepts, knowledge and vocabulary identified’. The school, part of Elston Hall Learning Trust, prioritises reading, with staff ‘experts in early reading’ and pupils achieving high standards in the subject.

    Edward the Elder is a ‘very inclusive school with ambition for pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)’. Pupils with SEND are identified swiftly and support is introduced to help them to succeed. As a result, pupils with SEND ‘achieve well’.

    The school also ‘places importance on building pupils’ character’, with residential visits and a range of inclusive extra curricular activities and visits which ‘enrich the curriculum’.

    Edward the Elder is ‘highly visible in the local community’, regularly involving parents and carers in pupils’ learning, and governors and trustees know their roles and responsibilities well, having ‘an in depth understanding of the work of the school’.

    Inspectors concluded that Edward the Elder Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at its last inspection in 2019, when it was judged to be Good.

    Headteacher Bridget Highman said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome of our recent Ofsted inspection.

    “This result reflects the hard work, dedication and commitment of our talented staff, governors, supportive families, and, most importantly, our wonderful pupils at Team Edwards.

    “It is a testament to the strong community spirit we have here and throughout our Trust, and we will continue to work together to provide the best possible learning environment for every child in our care.”

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added: “This is an excellent report about a school which has high expectations for its pupils, and which is supporting them to achieve these high expectations.

    “I would like to congratulate Bridget Highman, her leadership team and staff, the governors and trustees and of course the parents and pupils on their continuing success.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City marks World Social Work Day

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    They were open to all City of Wolverhampton Council social workers and adults and children’s social care practitioners across 4 venues, with staff invited to share good practice and reflect on the theme of this year’s World Social Work Day, which is ‘Strengthening Intergenerational Solidarity for Enduring Wellbeing’.

    It emphasises the importance of caring and respecting across generations to build strong societies, sustain the environment, and share wisdom for a better future.

    Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: “World Social Work Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work social workers do day in, day out, for our city’s adults, children and young people.

    “We arranged a series of activities enabling social workers and social care practitioners to collaborate with one another, and to learn and to share good practice across Children’s and Adult Services, and staff were encouraged to have meaningful conversations about all things related to World Social Work Day.”

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added: “Our social workers do an incredible job, often in very difficult circumstances, and it is important that we recognise the vital role they play, not just on World Social Work Day but indeed every day of the year.”

    For more details about World Social Work Day, organised by the International Federation of Social Workers, please visit IFSW.

    For more information about social work jobs available with the City of Wolverhampton Council, please visit Be the Social Worker you want to be.

    Meanwhile, the British Association of Social Workers is once again recognising colleagues from the council as part of its Amazing Social Workers campaign which is running on social media throughout World Social Work Month – visit Facebook and X over the coming days for more information.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ARU to host Plant Empowerment’s first UK workshop

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is to host an exclusive workshop aimed at anyone involved in indoor crop production, focusing on increasing yields while cutting resource use.

    Taking place at ARU’s Chelmsford campus on 6-7 May, it will be the first time that Netherlands-based Plant Empowerment – global leaders in sustainable crop production – have run a workshop in the UK.

    Plant Empowerment are renowned for their data-driven approach to optimising plant growth by maintaining natural balances, and their philosophy focuses on enhancing crop resilience, increasing yields, and ensuring efficient use of water, energy, and nutrients.

    The two-day event will feature practical demonstrations and expert insights aimed at growers, industry leaders, innovators, and academics.

    Anglia Ruskin University’s Writtle campus, located just outside Chelmsford, is a leading centre for agricultural and horticultural courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Established as a specialist land-based institution in 1893, Writtle merged with Anglia Ruskin University last year to become ARU Writtle.

    “Plant Empowerment view a greenhouse as a connected ecosystem, where light, water, climate, and nutrients must work in harmony to maximise plant health and productivity. Their innovative approach is transforming indoor crop production, and we’re excited to host their first UK workshop here at ARU.

    “Attendees will benefit from interactive sessions, live demonstrations of technology applications – including greenhouse management and environmental control – and networking opportunities focused on tackling food security and sustainability challenges.”

    Dr Kami Baghalian, Senior Lecturer in Crop Production at ARU Writtle

    Topics that will be covered during the workshop include Exploring the Rootzone: Understanding its critical role in crop health; Light and Irrigation: Managing resources for maximum growth efficiency; A Fresh Approach to Pest and Disease Management: Reducing crop risks through innovation; and Optimal Pollination Strategies: Tailored techniques for both summer and winter conditions.

    The workshop is free for academics and places cost £150 for industry participants. To book, visit https://store.anglia.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/conferences-events/fse-conferences-courses-and-events/fse-conference-courses-events/2-day-plant-empowerment-workshop

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –