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Category: European Union

  • MIL-Evening Report: Democracy’s bad eggs: corruption, pork-barrelling and abuses of power

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University

    The question of how best to eliminate corruption has exercised the minds of philosophers as much as the practical drafters of legislation from Ancient Greek and Roman times.

    Within the political sphere, the notion of “corruption” has fluctuated between broad and narrow conceptions.

    The broad conception relates to the decay of institutions or of the stature of the individuals who comprise them. On the other hand, the narrow conception focuses on the abuse of public office for private gain.

    There is also “grey corruption” – which involves questionable behaviour involving a breach of integrity standards that does not necessarily amount to criminal conduct.

    This could include where a person has undue influence over a politician, such as by essentially buying that power through making large donations or hiring expensive lobbyists, particularly where it causes public officials to behave in corrupt ways.

    However the notion is defined, it is clear the fight against corruption is one of the basic tasks of a liberal democracy, perhaps even of an effectively functioning civil society.

    Corruption control is a pressing issue worldwide: the United Nations estimated the economic cost of corruption at 5% of global domestic product or $3.6 trillion annually.

    Australia has had a number of major corruption scandals throughout its history. Corruption was rife in the colonial era, where wealthy landholders sought to influence parliamentarians with monetary bribes.

    This has been followed by several major corruption scandals, such as the Fitzgerald inquiry, which revealed widespread police corruption involving illegal gambling and prostitution.

    What are anti-corruption commissions?

    Anti-corruption commissions are arguably the most significant tool developed in liberal democracies to fight corruption in recent times.

    The first anti-corruption commission in Australia, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), was established in New South Wales in 1988 by then premier Nick Greiner.

    Infamously, a few years later, Greiner became the first premier to resign due to an ICAC investigation.

    Over the next few decades, all states and territories have set up their own anti-corruption or integrity commissions.

    In 2023, the Commonwealth followed suit with the introduction of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), a promise made by Anthony Albanese in the lead-up to the 2022 election after considerable pressure from the public and from within parliament.

    As a result, Australia now has a comprehensive network of broad-based public sector anti-corruption agencies covering all levels of government – a significant development nationally and internationally.

    Anti-corruption commissions are tasked with investigating serious and systemic corrupt conduct in government. This includes not just members of the House and Senate, but their staff and public servants.

    In performing their functions, these commissions have strong coercive powers, equivalent to the powers of a royal commission. This includes the power to compel documents and witnesses.

    Some anti-corruption commissions such as the NACC and NSW’s ICAC have the power to conduct public hearings if they believe it’s in the public interest. This increases transparency in government. But concerns have been expressed about reputational damage for those subject to investigations.

    Anti-corruption commissions also have corruption prevention functions. They are tasked with educating the public about the detrimental effects of corruption on public administration.

    Reports of anti-corruption commissions are often attended by significant media publicity, leading to public awareness of corruption in government.

    Why are anti-corruption commissions needed?

    It has become well accepted that effective anti-corruption institutions play an important role as institutions supporting constitutional democracy.

    The state anti-corruption bodies have brought to light many indiscretions by politicians that would have otherwise remained hidden.

    Without these commissions, corruption in the public sector can take root without us knowing about it. An anti-corruption agency is a powerful deterrent against improper behaviour.

    Yet anti-corruption commissions tend to be unpopular within governments because they scrutinise government action. This means the a commission may expose improper conduct or corruption within their ranks.

    It is common for governments hostile to anti-corruption commissions to attack them, including by reducing their powers or funding.

    This is despite their integral role in our democracy. Alongside other oversight bodies such as the ombudsman (who investigates maladministration within government) and auditor-general (who performs audits of government expenditure), anti-corruption commissions form part of an intricate, interlocking integrity framework that monitors executive action.

    Who watches the watchdogs?

    A big question is about how we ensure anti-corruption commissions do not overstep their bounds. Given their broad coercive powers, how do we hold them to account?

    From their inception, concerns have been expressed about the potential for anti-corruption bodies to infringe on civil liberties, and the possibility they may exceed or abuse their powers.

    In Australia, anti-corruption commissions are subject to a strong system of accountability through parliaments and the courts. They report to dedicated parliamentary committees who scrutinise their actions and decisions. Complaints against anti-corruption commissions can be made to a dedicated inspectorate – an independent statutory officer who oversees their actions.

    Anti-corruption commissions are also subject to judicial review by the courts to ensure they don’t exceed their legal boundaries. Court scrutiny occurs when a person investigated by an anti-corruption commission takes their grievance to court.

    To be effective, anti-corruption commissions require strong powers and institutional independence. But this needs to be balanced with accountability and the protection of individual rights.

    What is pork barrelling and what are some recent examples?

    Pork barrelling involves governments channelling public funds to seats they hold or seats they would like to win from an opponent, as a way of winning voters’ favour. This means the money is used for political purposes, rather than proper allocation according to merit.

    We have been inundated with pork barrelling scandals in recent years. This includes the car park rorts scandal, where 77% of the commuter car park sites selected were in electorates held by the then Coalition government, rather than in areas of real need with congestion issues.

    This followed close on the heels of the “sports rorts” scandal. Minister Bridget McKenzie resigned from cabinet following allegations she had intervened in the sport grants program to benefit the Coalition government while in a position of conflict of interest.

    My research has shown that pork barrelling is an intractable problem across multiple governments over many decades. It takes different forms based on electoral systems.

    Australia has a single member electorate parliamentary system, which makes it more susceptible to pork barrelling than multi-member electorates such as Norway or Spain. The belief is that politicians who “bring home the bacon” for their constituents are electorally rewarded for doing so.

    This means there are incentives for the central cabinet to strategically apportion benefits to marginal electorates to increase prospects of electoral success. There is also an incentive to bias the apportionment of funds towards the party in power.

    In short, rorts scandals keep happening because governments believe that channelling money to marginal and government electorates will win them elections.

    Potentially the NACC could investigate rorts scandals, but only where it amounts to serious or systemic corrupt conduct.

    How do we fix the grants system?

    At the federal level, we have sophisticated financial management legislation that provides a framework for grant rules. The Commonwealth grant rules provide a detailed set of guidelines that ministers and government officials must follow on grant application and selection processes.

    However, there are significant loopholes in the rules. For example, the “car park rorts” scandal is not covered by these rules because it involves money being channelled through the states.

    Also, there are no sanctions for breaching the rules. So ministers and government officials can break the rules without any repercussions.

    To fix the system, we need to reform the rules about grants allocation and close the loopholes. We also need to impose punishment for breaching the rules.

    It is imperative our grants administration system be reformed to ensure that taxpayer funds are protected from governmental abuse. If the ministerial discretion available in grants processes is improperly used, this can give rise to political favouritism and corruption.

    How corrupt is Australia compared to other countries?

    There is a public perception that a small elite is reaping large benefits in Australian society in terms of political influence and its flow-on dividends.

    In Australia, the “game of mates” is flourishing. There’s now a revolving door in politics with many politicians, advisers and senior government officials leaving the public sector to become well-paid lobbyists.

    Add to that the appointments of political “mates” to commissions, tribunals and cushy ambassadorships and the blatant misuse of parliamentary entitlements such as helicopter trips on taxpayer funds.

    Political parties are also accepting millions of dollars in donations from lobbyists and others interested in influencing policy outcomes.

    All of this adds to the perception that the system is rigged – and not in favour of the person on the street.

    Australia has fallen steadily in Transparency International’s global corruption index, from 8th place in 2012 to 14th in 2024. But even so, Australia is the 14th-least corrupt country in the world, which is still a respectable ranking.

    More alarming is the fact that one in 30 Australian public servants said in a survey last year they had seen a colleague acting in a corrupt manner.

    The types of corruption witnessed included cronyism or nepotism (favourable treatment of friends or family members without proper regard to merit). Fraud, forgery, embezzlement and conflicts of interest were also reported.

    In the 1980s, there were incidences of large-scale corruption that rocked the country, culminating in the Fitzgerald Inquiry in Queensland and the WA Inc Royal Commission in Western Australia. These scandals led to the resignations and imprisonments of various former ministers and officials.

    Although we have not sunk to such depths since then, state anti-corruption commissions, such as the NSW ICAC, have uncovered various instances of corruption in recent years. The NSW ICAC’s inquiries have led to the resignations of several politicians, as well as the conviction of former Labor MP Eric Obeid.

    Another classic case of corruption exposed by the ICAC led to the downfall of former Newcastle lord mayor, Jeff McCloy. McCloy famously bragged that politicians treated him like a “walking ATM” and admitted to giving two MPs envelopes of cash amounting to $10,000.

    In Victoria, the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission’s (IBAC) revealed that a lobbyist funnelled suitcases of cash totalling more than $100,000 from a property developer to a councillor, under the guise of sham transactions.

    These explosive scandals involving corrupt conduct by public officials have eroded public trust in politicians. But the exposure of these scandals by anti-corruption commissions have an important deterrent and educative effect on public officials and the broader public.

    Our faith in government has been eroded by a lack of transparency and the perception that those in power are enjoying unfair benefits. The active investigations by robust institutions such as anti-corruption commissions will act as checks and balances on governmental power – and are key to a vibrant democracy.

    This is an edited extract from How Australian Democracy Works, a new book from leading authors at The Conversation on all aspects of our political system and its history, out March 4.

    Yee-Fui Ng 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. Democracy’s bad eggs: corruption, pork-barrelling and abuses of power – https://theconversation.com/democracys-bad-eggs-corruption-pork-barrelling-and-abuses-of-power-229888

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Digital Luddites are rising. They want to democratise tech, not destroy it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Raffaele F Ciriello, Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

    Have you ever been called a Luddite? We have – usually as an insult, rooted in a popular misconception that Luddites are anti-progress fanatics.

    Nothing could be further from the truth. The original 19th century Luddites weren’t against technology. Rather, they resisted its oppressive use.

    Their rebellion was violently suppressed. But their core critique lives on: technology should benefit all of humanity, not a privileged few.

    Today, as Silicon Valley billionaires and United States president Donald Trump turbocharge corporate control of public digital infrastructure, this critique rings truer than ever.

    In response, we are a seeing a growing surge of attempts to wrest back control of technology for democratic ends. This is a kind of “digital Luddism” which echoes past struggles against high-tech injustice.

    The original Luddites

    The Luddites were 19th century English textile workers who destroyed machinery threatening their craft and livelihoods. Historians call their tactics “collective bargaining by riot”. They were fighting against technologies that centralised power and stripped workers of dignity.

    Luddite resistance was part of broader struggles for labour rights and socioeconomic justice.

    For example, in 18th century France, silk weavers similarly revolted against mechanisation that devalued their craft.

    Earlier, England’s Diggers and Levellers resisted the privatisation of communal lands. This foreshadowed today’s battles over corporate control of digital infrastructure.

    The Luddites faced severe punishment, including imprisonment and even execution. Despite this, their legacy endures. Today, dismissing critics of Big Tech as “Luddites” repeats the mistake of conflating resistance to exploitation with fear of progress.

    The Luddite resistance in the 19th century was part of broader struggles for labour rights and socioeconomic justice.
    Working Class Movement Library catalogue

    In the most extreme scenario, unchecked corporate power allied with monstrous government polices can lead to atrocities. In Nazi Germany, for example, Dehomag, a former subsidiary of computer giant IBM, provided data systems to the Nazis to track victims. Chemical company IG Farben also supplied Zyklon B gas for extermination camps. Many other companies profited from forced labour and funded the regime. This shows how complicity can make oppression more efficient.

    Today, digital technologies are deepening inequality, eroding democracy, undermining privacy, and concentrating power.

    Digital technologies are also fuelling surveillance capitalism, the displacement of human workers by AI algorithms and the growth of monopolistic platforms.

    Platforms and AI systems governed by “broligarchs” such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are also shaping politics, culture, and beliefs globally.

    Digital Luddism, also known as neo-Luddism, tackles these issues through three strategies: resistance, removal and replacement.

    Resistance: blocking harmful systems

    Technology is not inevitable — it’s a choice. Sustained collective action can counter corporate dominance and align tech with democratic values.

    In 2018, more than 3,000 Google workers protested the company’s military AI contract, forcing it to adopt ethical guidelines. However, in February this year, Google expanded defence deals, showing how resistance must be sustained.

    Three years later, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen exposed the harmful algorithms at the heart of the social media platform.

    Then, in 2024, Amazon and Google staff also staged walkouts over a US$1.2 billion AI contract linked to Israeli military operations.

    Creative industries are also fighting back. For example, in 2023 screenwriters and actors in Hollywood protested against AI replacing their roles. Similarly, Australia’s “right to disconnect” law reflects Luddite principles of reclaiming autonomy.

    Non-profit organisations such as the Algorithmic Justice League and the Electronic Frontier Foundation empower digital rights advocates to take back control over digital spaces by exposing AI bias and through legal litigation.

    Digital Luddism doesn’t reject innovation. It demands technology serve stakeholders, not shareholders.

    Removal: dismantling entrenched power

    Some systems are beyond reform, requiring direct intervention. Removal involves political action and legal regulation. It also involves public pressure to break monopolies or impose penalties on unethical corporations.

    For example, the TraffickingHub petition has garnered more than two million signatories to hold adult website PornHub accountable for unethical or unlawful content. This has led financial institutions, such as Visa and Mastercard, to cut ties to the website. For more than 20 years, hacker collective Anonymous has carried out cyber-attacks on authoritarian regimes, extremists and corporations.

    Digital Luddites can also lend a hand to the long arm of the law.

    The European Union’s 2023 Digital Markets Act broke Apple’s app store monopoly. This sparked a surge in small EU developers.

    Big Tech has also repeatedly faced huge fines and antitrust lawsuits. However, breaking up or nationalising these corporations remains rhetoric for now.

    Replacement: building ethical alternatives

    Proprietary corporate systems have long been challenged by free, open-source alternatives.

    But digital Luddism isn’t just about using different tools. It’s about systemic change towards sustainable, transparent and user-controlled infrastructure.

    After Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, decentralised alternatives that let users control content flourished. For example, Bluesky grew from 1 million to more than 27 million users in one year.

    The Australian government is also responding to a broader public demand for platform independence. For example, it has introduced policies aimed at enhancing people’s data rights. Its Digital Transformation Agency is also advocating for improved open data standards.

    Open-source AI projects such as China’s DeepSeek and HuggingFace’s Deep Research now rival corporate models, proving open tech is a force to reckon with.

    The original Luddites smashed machines. But the global nature of today’s digital infrastructure makes physical sabotage impractical. That’s why digital Luddism isn’t about smashing screens. Instead, it’s about smashing oppressive systems.

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

    – ref. Digital Luddites are rising. They want to democratise tech, not destroy it – https://theconversation.com/digital-luddites-are-rising-they-want-to-democratise-tech-not-destroy-it-251155

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NI Secretary meets with Windsor Framework Monitoring Panel

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    NI Secretary meets with Windsor Framework Monitoring Panel

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland met Independent Monitoring Panel following announcement of first monitoring period for UK Internal Market Guarantee

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Independent Monitoring Panel met today (3 March) to discuss the panel’s role in scrutinising the ‘UK Internal Market Guarantee’.

    Both parties discussed the announcement made to Parliament by the Northern Ireland Secretary on 24 February 2025, confirming the first six month reporting period for the Internal Market Guarantee commenced on 1 January and will conclude on 30 June 2025. The Panel will report to the Secretary of State thereafter.

    The Internal Market Guarantee relates to movements taking place under the UK Internal Market System and undertakes that more than 80% of all freight movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be treated as ‘not at risk’ of moving onwards to the EU, and therefore moving within the UK internal market.

    The members of the Panel expressed their commitment to the role and thanked those who have been involved in supporting the arrangements for it to scrutinise and report on goods movements data. The Panel confirmed to the Secretary of State that it will engage with business organisations representing affected traders and other stakeholders in support of the commitments in Safeguarding the Union Command Paper and commence that in the second half of the reporting period.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland said:

    “Today’s meeting demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting the UK internal market. I look forward to working with the panel and receiving their recommendations.”

    Alistair Hamilton, Chair of the Independent Monitoring Panel said:

    “Our desire is to ensure, within the parameters of the Windsor Framework, that our work will help to reduce and remove burdens for businesses and citizens and maximise the competitiveness and opportunities for Northern Ireland businesses.”

    Background

    A commitment to establish the Independent Monitoring Panel was made in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper published in January 2024. The Panel’s role is to report to the Government on:

    • the performance of the ‘UK Internal Market Guarantee’ as set out in the Command Paper; 
    • the activities of public authorities delivering the operational activity to give effect to the Windsor Framework; and
    • how the Government’s wider ambitions on improving UK-EU trade could support smooth flows of trade within the UK internal market.

    On 19 September 2024, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland appointed Alistair Hamilton CBE, Aidan Reilly and Dr Anna Jerzewska to the Panel.

    Further information on the Panel’s work will be made available online in due course.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Woodbridge International Closes Sale of Manzanos Wines S.L. to Domaines Michel Boutin

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Woodbridge International, a global mergers and acquisitions firm, is pleased to announce the acquisition of a majority stake of its client, Manzanos Wines S.L. by Domaines Michel Boutin.

    Manzanos Wines is a wine producer and exporter with a 132-year history of providing high-quality wines from the Navarra and Rioja regions of Spain. The Company owns 10 wineries, with a total of 3,770 acres of vineyards under its management. Manzanos is the only Spanish wine producer with U.S. importers license, with an office in Miami and warehouses in Miami, New jersey and California.

    A passionate entrepreneur and philanthropist, Michel Boutin worked for 19 years in securities management and is now focusing on the acquisition and development of real estate companies in the funeral and wine sectors. He seeks to serve people by offering them an experience that exceeds their expectations and creates a Wow effect. A humanist, collaborator and unifier, he knows how to surround himself with professionals and experts to implement improvement processes to increase the quality of services and the performance of companies. A popularizer, motivator and coach, he is involved in his community to use his experience and skills in human resources, business development and finance.

    Woodbridge International’s ground-breaking approach to marketing a company globally has transformed the way the sell-side M&A industry does business. Woodbridge is a Mariner Company.

    For more information, contact Don Krier, dkrier@woodbridgegrp.com, or call 203-389-8400 x 201.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni’s statement on incident in Mannheim

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    3 Marzo 2025

    I offer my condolences following what happened in Mannheim today.
    We express our closeness to the people affected and their loved ones, our best wishes to the injured and our full solidarity to the whole of Germany. Attempts to destabilise democratic nations will not prevail and it is our commitment to remain vigilant against all forms of violence. 

    [Courtesy translation]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 58: Sri Lanka Core Group Statement at the General Debate on Item 2

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 58: Sri Lanka Core Group Statement at the General Debate on Item 2

    Sri Lanka Statement at the 58 Human Rights Council during the Item 2 General Debate. Delivered by UK Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, on behalf of the Core Group on Sri Lanka.

    Thank you, Mr President,   

    This statement is by the Sri Lanka Core Group comprising Canada, Malawi, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and the United Kingdom.   

    High Commissioner, we wish to thank you for your oral update on Sri Lanka

    We would like to commend Sri Lanka’s peaceful elections and the smooth transition of power last year. We recognise that the new Sri Lankan Government has only been in place for four months, and we encourage Sri Lanka to use  the  opportunity that this transition represents to address the challenges it faces.   

    We appreciate the Government’s commitment to making meaningful progress on reconciliation and the initial steps taken, including returning land, lifting roadblocks, and allowing communities in the North and East to commemorate the past and to memorialise their loved ones. 

    In order to build and sustain trust, it is essential to ensure the protection of civil society spaces, including by ending surveillance and intimidation of civil society actors and organisations.  

    We welcome commitments to implement devolution in accordance with the constitution and to make progress on governance reforms.    

    We take note of the Government’s stated intention to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act and emphasise that any new legislation should be in line with Sri Lanka’s international obligations. We encourage the release of those who remain detained under the Act.  

    As the Government seeks to make progress on human rights and corruption cases, we urge that any comprehensive reconciliation and accountability process carry the support of affected communities, build on past recommendations and meet international standards.   

    We also encourage the Government to re-invigorate the work of domestic institutions focused on reparations and missing persons. 

    We reaffirm our willingness to work with the Government to ensure that any future transitional justice mechanisms are independent, inclusive, meaningful, and meet the expectations of affected communities.   

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why you should check for ‘Irish pinky toe’ – and what to do if you have one

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lauren Connell, Podiatrist & Doctoral Researcher, University of Galway

    staras/Shutterstock

    Does your small toe hide beneath the next its next-door neighbour? Although there isn’t scientific evidence this condition known as “Irish pinky toe” is more common in Ireland, it’s a popular idea that it’s a genetic trait among some people with Celtic heritage. And as podiatrists in Ireland, it is certainly something we see every day.

    An Irish pinky toe may look unusual, cause pain or increase your chances of losing it altogether. Added pressure on the toe or toenail can also cause corns, calluses, thickened toenails and even ulcers that may lead to amputation.

    If you’ve ever thought, “What is wrong with that little toe?” or “Why don’t I have a nail on that toe?” then here’s why you might need to take extra care to avoid potential wounds – and even amputation – in future. Fortunately, toe amputations are a relatively rare occurrence but can be offered if the toe continues to cause pain after all other treatments have been tried or if there is infection or gangrene.

    Because an Irish pinky toe sits under the one beside it and often rotates, this can cause pressure on the neighbouring toe. If two bones or joints are pressed close together, this may cause the skin to thicken and result in a corn.

    This might also happen if the little toenail irritates the skin and, if the nail is long or sharp, this might pierce the skin and cause a wound or an infection.

    The little toe and toenail may also rub up against the lining of your shoes, leading to painful friction blisters or shoes that wear out quickly. Wellington boots may be ideal for music festivals and the rainy Irish weather but don’t tend to fit very well, causing the foot to slide about inside.

    Repeated friction or trauma may even damage the nail matrix, the part that makes nail, attached to the bone. This could lead to permanent thickening of the nail, that may become unsightly and cause pain.

    The “Irish pinky toenail” is similar. This is when the toenail may split in two or an extra nail-like skin lesion develops. Sometimes, it may look like you have two nails, a condition described by podiatrists as a petaloid nail or a Lister’s or Durlacher corn. It’s difficult to determine how common petaloid nails are because they’re underdiagnosed and rarely reported.

    What can I do?

    Whatever your heritage, show your pinky toes some love and avoid future problems by trying to avoid tight footwear, especially boots with a firm toe, such as steel toe caps, court shoes, or any shoe with an unforgiving fabric such as a patent finish.

    Some people might throw on any old socks in the morning but ill-fitting socks can contribute to problem foot health – socks that do not stretch, or have heavy seams, may increase the pressure on your pinky toes. Pain or problems may be caused by the toe itself or, perhaps, a sock seam, rigid fabric or the style of shoe. It’s worth investing in high quality, breathable fabrics for socks, such as cotton or bamboo.

    If you have to wear specific safety footwear for your job, such as in farming and construction, you may find higher quality, thicker socks are better than boots with thick fabrics in the toe, that will wear down over time. Perhaps also consider investing in a silicone-lined toe sleeve, which acts like a hat for your toes and protects them from the pressure of footwear.

    Alternatively, it’s possible “prop the toe” by making custom supports. We do this by creating a silicone device which lifts the toe off the ground, separates tight toes or improves the toes position, to avoid future problems. For existing corns, callus or wounds, it’s best to get a trained specialist who can remove excess nail or skin painlessly with a blade to reduce discomfort.

    Irish pinky toes don’t always always cause pain, but if they do, there are ways to reduce it, one step at a time.

    Lauren Connell is the owner of L.A Podiatry.

    Benjamin Bullen 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. Why you should check for ‘Irish pinky toe’ – and what to do if you have one – https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-check-for-irish-pinky-toe-and-what-to-do-if-you-have-one-250800

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI could supercharge human collective intelligence in everything from disaster relief to medical research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hao Cui, Research Fellow in AI-Enhanced Collective Intelligence, Trinity College Dublin

    Top tech team: surgeons operating with help frm artificial intelligence. Have a nice day Photo

    Imagine a large city recovering from a devastating hurricane. Roads are flooded, the power is down, and local authorities are overwhelmed. Emergency responders are doing their best, but the chaos is massive.

    AI-controlled drones survey the damage from above, while intelligent systems process satellite images and data from sensors on the ground and air to identify which neighbourhoods are most vulnerable.

    Meanwhile, AI-equipped robots are deployed to deliver food, water and medical supplies into areas that human responders can’t reach. Emergency teams, guided and coordinated by AI and the insights it produces, are able to prioritise their efforts, sending rescue squads where they’re needed most.

    This is no longer the realm of science fiction. In a recent paper published in the journal Patterns, we argue that it’s an emerging and inevitable reality.

    Collective intelligence is the shared intelligence of a group or groups of people working together. Different groups of people with diverse skills, such as firefighters and drone operators, for instance, work together to generate better ideas and solutions. AI can enhance this human collective intelligence, and transform how we approach large-scale crises. It’s a form of what’s called hybrid collective intelligence.

    Instead of simply relying on human intuition or traditional tools, experts can use AI to process vast amounts of data, identify patterns and make predictions. By enhancing human decision-making, AI systems offer faster and more accurate insights – whether in medical research, disaster response, or environmental protection.

    AI can do this, by for example, processing large datasets and uncovering insights that would take much longer for humans to identify. AI can also get involved in physical tasks. In manufacturing, AI-powered robots can automate assembly lines, helping improve efficiency and reduce downtime.

    Equally crucial is information exchange, where AI enhances the flow of information, helping human teams coordinate more effectively and make data-driven decisions faster. Finally, AI can act as social catalysts to facilitate more effective collaboration within human teams or even help build hybrid teams of humans and machines working alongside one another.

    AI-driven improvements to all these different aspects can make the entire, interconnected system more adaptive and intelligent.

    We’re already seeing the impact of AI-enhanced collective intelligence. In disaster response, AI systems already analyse satellite imagery and sensor data, generating risk assessments that help human responders to prioritise rescue efforts and allocate resources efficiently.

    In healthcare, AI already helps doctors make faster and more accurate diagnoses by analysing large patient datasets. Medical teams refine AI recommendations with their expertise, ensuring the best possible treatment plans. Robots equipped with AI can assist surgeons in performing delicate tasks, allowing for greater precision.

    In media, AI curates and verifies news from global sources, assisting journalists in fact-checking and uncovering misinformation. This collaboration can strengthen the accuracy and reliability of information in an era of digital media. However, AI can also drive the dissemination of fake news and disinformation. These include deep fake videos of, for example, politicians, which have the potential to affect elections.

    In the public sector, AI-powered policy simulations help governments anticipate the impacts of regulations. Crowd-sourced citizen feedback, combined with AI analysis, can give a sense of the public mood.

    Environmental protection is another area benefiting from AI-enhanced collective intelligence. AI systems can analyse patterns data on pollution, deforestation, and wildlife movements, guiding human efforts to address environmental challenges more effectively.

    As we can see, AI-enhanced collective intelligence is already here, transforming how we approach some of the world’s toughest problems. The key is to recognise that AI is a collaborator, not a competitor. When we combine human creativity, intuition, and ethics with AI’s data processing power, the possibilities for what we can be achieved are substantial.

    As we look towards the future, AI’s potential becomes even more exciting. From addressing global health challenges like pandemic prevention to developing solutions to the climate crisis, AI will be at the forefront of tackling issues once thought insurmountable. But this potential comes with responsibility.

    It’s up to us to guide how this collaboration evolves, ensuring that AI is used responsibly and ethically in ways that enhance human capabilities rather than diminish them. We must engage in shaping policies and frameworks that promote transparency, fairness and inclusivity through a new sociology of humans and machines.

    Collaboration across industries, governments, and communities will be crucial to unlocking AI’s full potential. Together, we can build a future where AI not only augments human intelligence but also helps solve the challenges of tomorrow, creating a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous world for all.

    Hao Cui receives funding from the Research Ireland.

    Taha Yasseri 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. AI could supercharge human collective intelligence in everything from disaster relief to medical research – https://theconversation.com/ai-could-supercharge-human-collective-intelligence-in-everything-from-disaster-relief-to-medical-research-249437

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How gas keeps the UK’s electricity bills so high – despite lots of cheap wind power

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael Tamvakis, Professor of Commodity Economics and Finance, City St George’s, University of London

    The UK has become a world leader in offshore wind power. iweta0077 / shutterstock

    Gas and electricity bills will rise again for millions of UK households on April 1, when the latest energy price cap takes effect. A typical household will pay £111 more per year.

    Though prices have fallen somewhat since their peak in 2022, bills are still considerably higher than they have been historically. That’s despite the construction over the past decade of vast wind farms in the North Sea – which, once built, provide electricity for very little extra cost.

    So what explains the UK’s pricey gas and electricity?

    Since the 1990s, the UK has been dependent on natural gas in more ways than one. In 2023 (the most recent year for which we have full statistics), gas accounted for 33% of the UK’s energy and almost as much of the electricity it generated. That year, wind contributed 29% to generation and solar an additional 5%, which is of some significance.

    As nearly all households are connected to mains gas, most energy bills reflect the global price of gas.

    The UK has to compete with demand for gas from other markets, especially, but not exclusively, the EU. The higher the demand, the higher the price. Before the Ukrainian crisis, many EU economies, especially Germany, were able to source abundant gas through pipelines from Russia.

    The UK, like other big European countries such as Spain, Italy and France, was able to meet some of its gas supply via pipelines (from Norway in the case of the UK), but also in the form of more expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) from as far afield as Qatar, Algeria, West Africa and, more recently, the US.

    Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the flow of pipeline gas has almost entirely stopped. Germany and western EU countries have to compete with everyone else to source their gas from Norway or international LNG markets. A few countries on the eastern side of the EU, such as Austria and Hungary, are still sourcing their gas from Russia but face western criticism for that continued dependence.

    This all matters to UK consumers because most of a household’s average energy bill reflects the vagaries of the international gas market. A relatively harsh winter in Europe means they have purchased more gas and paid more for it. In a global market the UK consumer will have to pay this price as well. Even a harsh winter in Japan means that more LNG is directed there, increasing prices for UK and EU consumers.

    We can’t suddenly turn on the wind

    Even the growth in renewables, especially wind power, does not offer protection against the vagaries of the global gas markets. It is well known that wind energy is intermittent and therefore difficult to forecast and base generation plans on.

    Wind energy is what people in the electricity industry call “non-dispatchable”. Because electricity is a universal good, which we expect to have whenever we ask for it, the national grid needs to be able to balance the randomness of wind generation with the immediate response of a reliable, quick-start, “dispatchable” source of generation. Gas fits the bill.

    As a result, expensive gas which is called on to make up for the loss of wind or solar generation, ends up setting the electricity price (called the “system price”) most days. Other countries experience something similar. Germany, for instance, generates just 15% of its electricity from gas (albeit with a further 25% from coal) and gets a higher proportion from renewables (28% wind and 12% solar). Yet it still has to use gas frequently to balance the electrical system, with the same effect as in the UK.

    Ultimately, the more variable renewable electricity we inject into the system, the more we need to plan for, and invest in, infrastructure that can support it. That means a smarter grid, fewer grid bottlenecks within the UK, more and bigger interconnections to other European countries and battery solutions which can store electricity both for short periods (minutes and hours) and for days and even weeks.

    Putting all these elements in place is a Herculean task. Gas fills the gap, but in a way which is more expensive (for now) and continues emitting greenhouse gases, albeit at half the rate that coal did.

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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. How gas keeps the UK’s electricity bills so high – despite lots of cheap wind power – https://theconversation.com/how-gas-keeps-the-uks-electricity-bills-so-high-despite-lots-of-cheap-wind-power-251136

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Armada Way trees

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Steve Hughes, Chief Executive of Plymouth City Centre Company and Cllr Tudor Evans, Leader of the Council

    The first of 169 new trees destined for Armada Way have been planted in the ground as the regeneration continues to progress at pace.

    Three silver limes have been anchored today and six cockspur hawthorns and 10 double crimson hawthorns will be arriving in the next few weeks to be planted between existing single rows of trees on both sides of Zone 1a – near the Copthorne Hotel.

    A second row is being created on each side to create the avenue of trees that will line either side of this important city centre street.

    Tree pits, a metre deep, had already been dug in readiness and ground workers will backfill the planted trees with soil that’s good for tree root growth and topsoil.

    Council leader Tudor Evans OBE said: “We wanted to mark this moment – it is a big deal. “Anyone who has been in the city centre recently will know that the scheme is cracking on at an incredible pace. There’s a lot still to do but this marks the start of the re-greening of Armada Way.”

    City Centre manager Steve Hughes added: “We know that companies are in conversation about sites in the city centre as a direct result of the recently completed work on Old Town Street.

    “We also know that investors are keeping a watching eye on this scheme. We are aware there’s a bit of pain for some traders – but long term there’s a lot to be gained. This project will be transformational.”

    Trees are semi mature on arrival and because of their height, will be put into position by mechanical excavators for planting.

    A bit more about the trees:

    • Silver limes – very suitable for inner city planting near surface infrastructure – 6.5 metres on arrival
    • Cockspur hawthorns – good for urban and coastal planting, tolerant of air pollution and does well in very wet and dry soil. Measuring around 4.5 metres when planted
    • Double crimson hawthorns – resilient and thrive in nearly all locations, a fantastic flower display in May. Measuring five metres when planted.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Disrupting a global cybercrime network abusing generative AI

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Disrupting a global cybercrime network abusing generative AI

    In an amended complaint to recent civil litigation, Microsoft is naming the primary developers of malicious tools designed to bypass the guardrails of generative AI services, including Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service. We are pursuing this legal action now against identified defendants to stop their conduct, to continue to dismantle their illicit operation, and to deter others intent on weaponizing our AI technology.

    The individuals named are: (1) Arian Yadegarnia aka “Fiz” of Iran, (2) Alan Krysiak aka “Drago” of United Kingdom, (3) Ricky Yuen aka “cg-dot” of Hong Kong, China, and (4) Phát Phùng Tấn aka “Asakuri” of Vietnam. These actors are at the center of a global cybercrime network Microsoft tracks as Storm-2139. Members of Storm-2139 exploited exposed customer credentials scraped from public sources to unlawfully access accounts with certain generative AI services. They then altered the capabilities of these services and resold access to other malicious actors, providing detailed instructions on how to generate harmful and illicit content, including non-consensual intimate images of celebrities and other sexually explicit content.

    This activity is prohibited under the terms of use for our generative AI services and required deliberate efforts to bypass our safeguards. We are not naming specific celebrities to keep their identities private and have excluded synthetic imagery and prompts from our filings to prevent the further circulation of harmful content.

    Storm-2139: A global network of creators, providers and end users.

    In December 2024, Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) filed a lawsuit in the Eastern District of Virginia alleging various causes of action against 10 unidentified “John Does” participating in activities that violate U.S. law and Microsoft’s Acceptable Use Policy and Code of Conduct. Through this initial filing, we were able to gather more information about the operations of the criminal enterprise.  

    Storm-2139 is organized into three main categories: creators, providers, and users. Creators developed the illicit tools that enabled the abuse of AI generated services. Providers then modified and supplied these tools to end users often with varying tiers of service and payment. Finally, users then used these tools to generate violating synthetic content, often centered around celebrities and sexual imagery.  

    Below is a visual representation of Storm-2139, which displays internet aliases uncovered as part of our investigation as well as the countries in which we believe the associated personas are located.    

    Storm-2139’s organizational structure.
    Screenshot of “Fiz’s” LinkedIn profile

    Through its ongoing investigation, Microsoft has identified several of the above-listed personas, including, but not limited to, the four named defendants. While we have identified two actors located in the United States—specifically, in Illinois and Florida—those identities remain undisclosed to avoid interfering with potential criminal investigations. Microsoft is preparing criminal referrals to United States and foreign law enforcement representatives. 

    Cybercriminals react to Microsoft’s website seizure and court filing.

    As part of our initial filing, the Court issued a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction enabling Microsoft to seize a website instrumental to the criminal operation, effectively disrupting the group’s ability to operationalize their services. The seizure of this website and subsequent unsealing of the legal filings in January generated an immediate reaction from actors, in some cases causing group members to turn on and point fingers at one another. We observed chatter about the lawsuit on the group’s monitored communication channels, speculating on the identities of the “John Does” and potential consequences.  

    Screenshot of online chatter discussing “Fiz’s” real name.

    In these channels, certain members also “doxed” Microsoft’s counsel of record, posting their names, personal information, and in some instances photographs. Doxing can result in real-world harm, ranging from identity theft to harassment.   

    Screenshot from post on online channels providing information about the case lawyers.

    As a result, Microsoft’s counsel received a variety of emails, including several from suspected members of Storm-2139 attempting to cast blame on other members of the operation.  

    Screenshots of emails received by counsel of record.

    This reaction underscores the impact of Microsoft’s legal actions and demonstrates how these measures can effectively disrupt a cybercriminal network by seizing infrastructure and create a powerful deterrent impact among its members. 

    Continuing our commitment to combatting the abuse of generative AI.

    We take the misuse of AI very seriously, recognizing the serious and lasting impacts of abusive imagery for victims. Microsoft remains committed to protecting users by embedding robust AI guardrails and safeguarding our services from illegal and harmful content. Last year, we committed to continuing to innovate on new ways to keep users safe by outlining a comprehensive approach to combat abusive AI-generated content. We published a whitepaper with recommendations for U.S. policymakers on modernizing criminal law to equip law enforcement with the tools necessary to bring bad actors to justice. We also provided an update on our approach to intimate image abuse, detailing the steps we take to protect our services from such harm, whether synthetic or otherwise. 

    As we’ve said before, no disruption is complete in one day. Going after malicious actors requires persistence and ongoing vigilance. By unmasking these individuals and shining a light on their malicious activities, Microsoft aims to set a precedent in the fight against AI technology misuse.  

    Tags: AI, cybercrime, Digital Crimes Unit, Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit, Responsible AI

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft partners shaping the future of healthcare with Microsoft Dragon Copilot

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft partners shaping the future of healthcare with Microsoft Dragon Copilot

    Today, Microsoft is introducing Microsoft Dragon Copilot, the first AI assistant for clinical workflow that brings together proven natural language voice dictation and ambient listening capabilities with fine-tuned generative AI and healthcare-adapted safeguards. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot enables healthcare partners and their customers to unlock new levels of efficiency and care by streamlining documentation, surfacing pertinent information, and automating tasks so clinicians can focus more on their patients and themselves.

    Dragon Copilot Partner Resources

    Dragon Copilot is bolstered by our collaboration with healthcare industry experts across our extensive global ecosystem of trusted partners. We work with leading independent software vendors (ISVs), system integrators (SIs), and cloud service providers (CSPs) across the globe to help our customers drive better healthcare outcomes.

    Unlock new AI use cases with Dragon Copilot

    Partnering with Microsoft allows organizations to tap into Dragon Copilot to accelerate innovation and unlock new avenues for future business growth through the Microsoft commercial marketplace.

    Dragon Copilot’s trusted AI models are trained on healthcare data, providing a host of AI solution possibilities. Partners can build even stronger healthcare solutions and offerings by leveraging a comprehensive end-to-end toolchain—including Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft Copilot Studio, and Microsoft Azure AI Foundry. Plus, a single integration to Dragon Copilot extends a partner’s AI clinical use cases throughout the entire Microsoft Azure ecosystem, opening new opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

    Embrace innovation with responsible AI

    Dragon Copilot’s new capabilities are built on a secure data estate and incorporate healthcare-specific clinical, chat, and compliance safeguards for accurate and safe AI outputs. They also align to Microsoft’s responsible AI principles to help guide AI development and use—transparency, reliability and safety, fairness, inclusiveness, accountability, privacy, and security. We remain committed to developing responsible AI by design and ensuring that these technologies positively impact both the healthcare ecosystem and broader society and will share our learnings on this journey with our customers.

    Driving better healthcare outcomes together

    Our healthcare partner ecosystem is constantly growing, highlighted below are just a few of the more than 30 major partners already working with Microsoft. We’re committed to advancing AI innovation in healthcare together with a diverse partner community that spans regions, partner types, and specialties.

    Independent software vendors

    Dragon Copilot empowers ISVs with trusted AI models to create innovative AI-powered use cases, along with opportunities for new revenue channels through the extensibility framework. Several of our industry-leading ISV partners—including MEDITECH, ChipSoft, Dedalus, Canary Speech, and Softway—are helping bring Dragon Copilot to life.

    Leading U.S.-based electronic health provider (EHR) provider MEDITECH is embedding Dragon Copilot into their Expanse EHR solution to improve clinical workflows.

    “We understand the challenges clinicians face today, and Dragon Copilot represents a significant step forward in alleviating those burdens. Integrating this innovative solution directly into Expanse streamlines documentation and ordering processes, reduces cognitive overload, and ultimately empowers providers to deliver superior, more patient-centered care. At MEDITECH, we’re proud to partner on solutions that prioritize both efficiency and clinician well-being.”

    —Cathy Turner, Chief Marketing and Nurse Executive, MEDITECH

    ChipSoft, an EHR provider serving Dutch-speaking markets, is integrating new healthcare AI applications into their EHR solution HiX using Dragon Copilot to address the growing demand for digital solutions that reduce the workload of healthcare professionals.

    “We are excited to bring this cutting-edge AI platform to healthcare professionals, enabling them to work more efficiently and effectively. With the availability of AI in HiX, we take an important step in supporting healthcare professionals with their administrative burden. This helps to keep healthcare accessible despite increasing demand and ongoing staff shortages.”

     —Hans Mulder, CEO of ChipSoft

    European electronic medical record (EMR) market leader Dedalus, based in Italy, is integrating Dragon Copilot into their EMR solutions, providing clients with healthcare IT innovations that enhance clinical efficiency and improve patient outcomes.  

    Additionally, Canary Speech, a US-based leader in voice AI, sees Dragon Copilot as an opportunity to integrate their innovative voice technology with Microsoft’s robust cloud and AI capabilities, driving advancements in early disease detection, mental health assessment, and overall patient care.

    “Microsoft’s commitment to working with partners is helping drive digital transformation in healthcare. [The investments Microsoft is making into its partner ecosystem] are helping us transform our business to deliver impactful, human-centered solutions.”

    —Henry O’Connell, CEO and co-founder of Canary Speech

    French healthcare enterprise resource planning (ERP) system provider Softway provides solutions that focus on the needs of the user, including improving the quality of life of nurses at work, optimizing care processes, increasing organizational efficiency, and improving quality of care.

    “We are committed to serving healthcare professionals, designing digital solutions that enable them to make informed decisions, while preserving their well-being and providing quality patient care. Partnering with Microsoft allows us to respond to the major challenges faced by healthcare organizations by providing innovative tools and applications.”

    —Sherley Brothier, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Softway Medical Group

    System integrators

    With powerful AI infrastructure and technology that works across EMRs, Dragon Copilot provides SIs with a strong foundation for new AI use cases and integrations. Our SI partners such as Accenture-Avanade, Kyndryl, and Cognizant, to name a few, are at the forefront of AI innovation.

    To boost clinician productivity and provide better patient services, the Accenture-Avanade partnership uses generative AI capabilities powered by Tejash Shah, M.D., Managing Director and Global Care Reinvention Lead, Accenture Health

    Additionally, Kyndryl—the world’s largest IT infrastructure provider—co-creates solutions to help healthcare organizations reach their peak digital performance.

    “Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in Kyndryl’s commitment to optimizing clinical workflows and improving patient care through ambient listening with advanced AI technology. We’re thrilled to be a Microsoft partner as we work to address clinician burnout and improve the overall healthcare experience. By automating routine tasks, we can help clinicians reclaim valuable time to spend with their patients, bringing the joy back into care.”

    —Trent Sanders, Vice President for U.S. Healthcare and Life Sciences, Kyndryl

    Cognizant plans to integrate Dragon Copilot into its TriZetto Provider Solutions with the goal to provide their clients with state-of-the-art capabilities to streamline documentation and improve efficiencies.

    “This innovative solution represents an opportunity for us to help our clients transform the way they provide care. Dragon Copilot’s integrated AI technologies aim to enhance operational efficiency, reduce clinician burnout, and improve patient care. This partnership with Microsoft will underscore our commitment to driving innovation in healthcare and delivering exceptional value to our clients.”

    —Dr. Scott R. Schell PhD MD MBA, Chief Medical Officer, Cognizant

    Cloud service providers

    Dragon Copilot enables CSPs to reach new markets by leveraging robust AI infrastructure and technology that works across EHRs and EMRs to create innovative service offerings. We’re partnering with trailblazing CSP partners—including CDW, ORdigiNAL, and Clinically Speaking—to boost efficiency in healthcare with Dragon Copilot.

    Combined with the power of Mike Grisamore, Vice President of Healthcare, CDW

    A global value-added distributor based in the Netherlands, ORdigiNAL empowers healthcare organizations with the tools to improve operational efficiency and patient experience.

    “At ORdigiNAL, we recognize the critical need for technology that supports clinicians without disrupting their workflow. By partnering with Microsoft on Dragon Copilot, we are bringing an AI solution to healthcare professionals worldwide, helping them improve care quality, increase efficiency, and enhance patient outcomes.”

    —Jordy Onrust, CEO and owner of ORdigiNAL

    EHR solution provider Clinically Speaking is looking forward to integrating the ambient and generative AI capabilities of Dragon Copilot to advance their documentation solutions and improve healthcare provider office workflows.

    “Combining our significant user base with the new AI and ambient recording capabilities from Microsoft, Clinically Speaking is uniquely positioned to deliver the maximum benefit from this new technology.”

    —Michael Janas, President of Clinically Speaking

    Join our partner ecosystem today

    Whether you want to build, integrate, migrate, extend, or sell with Microsoft, we’ll help you grow across our extensive global healthcare channel.

    Read the Dragon Copilot announcement

    Cyril Belikoff

    Vice President, Commercial Cloud and AI

    As the worldwide Go-to-Market Marketing leader for Microsoft Solutions and Partner marketing, Cyril Belikoff spearheads a team that drives a multi-billion-dollar business through field sales, marketing, and partnerships. By understanding the challenges faced by their customers, they help to digitally transform businesses through improved efficiency, optimization, and skilling.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How rebellion against moralizing has become a surprising rallying point for the political right

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Alexis Shotwell, Professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Carleton University

    A couple of weeks before the astonishing Feb. 28 White House Oval Office meeting that saw United States President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance scold Ukraine’s leader, Vance told European leaders at the Munich Security Conference: “If American democracy can survive 10 years of Greta Thunberg’s scolding, you guys can survive a few months of Elon Musk.”

    Vance was responding — with humour, he said — to pushback over Elon Musk’s vocal support for Germany’s far-right parties, expressed on X in a livestream event and in a December 2024 German newspaper op-ed.

    Newsweek reported that the administration of Germany’s lower house of parliament “is investigating whether Musk’s support for the AfD on the platform where he has 210 million followers could constitute an illegal party donation.”

    Are Musk’s actions, which some allege are interference, comparable to a young woman’s moralizing?

    It might seem odd to equate the richest person in the world supporting far-right political parties with an eco-activist saying politicians should address climate change. However, there is a long history of people seeing scolding as one of the worst things we can do.

    Our research has been concerned with how “purity politics” shape people’s attempts to live ethical lives, and what it means to reason about ecological catastrophe. We are writing a book about how rebellion against moralizing has become a surprising rallying point for the political right, and how to think about moralizing more broadly.



    Read more:
    How Trump’s compulsion to dominate sabotages dealmaking, undermines democracy and threatens global stability

    Rage against moralizing

    Whereas conservatives used to be defenders of morals, they now rage against moralizing, seeing “wokism” as a threat to freedom. Religious conservatives used to position themselves as bastions of morality. But research shows secular societies do not behave less morally as a whole than religious ones.

    Philosopher Judith Butler argues that while Trump displays a “shameless sadism”
    we are seeing his supporters revel in his rejection of moral repression.

    The rejection of moralizing seems to be creating a terrain in which many on the right feel liberated by the current turn against “wokism.” But even on the left, some now worry about too much moralism in what is called “cancel culture.”



    Read more:
    Cancel culture looks a lot like old-fashioned church discipline

    How did moralizing come to this? Could understanding this help us navigate political deadlocks? The history of philosophy has some surprising suggestions here.

    Traditionalism, scolding

    First: there are some dangers in moralizing. One is a kind of traditionalism, which shows up in the creation of moral panics about transgender people, street gangs, abortion, immigrants and so on.

    Another is if someone scolds: “you should take the bus rather than driving” — but the bus doesn’t run to your neighbourhood. Moralizing like this is just posturing. Maybe it makes the driver feel bad, but it doesn’t create more public transit.

    Still, many of us have strong ethical convictions, and we try to live according to what we believe is right or wrong. Even if we judge someone else for the way they are living or behaving, we might hesitate to say something directly. Having personal ethics is socially acceptable; telling others what to do turns us into a scold. Why?

    Our stance

    The word “ethos” in ancient Greek means something like “posture” or “standing.” Aristotle saw ethos as marking our credibility, our character; we enact our ethics only in a shared world. Contemporary ethical approaches often focus on the personal side of this, setting an example without pushing values on others.

    Aristotle saw ‘ethos’ as marking our character.
    (Shutterstock)

    The related word “moral” comes from the Latin mores, usually understood as naming shared customs. Ancient Roman philosopher Cicero used the term moralis to translate ethos, (ἠθική) from Greek. “Morals” were regarded as “the common consent of all living together, constituted from shared traditions,” to quote the influential definition of Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro.

    This “common consent” did not claim to apply to everyone. As late as the 16th century, philosophers such as Michel de Montaigne, Cardano or Agrippa of Nettesheim developed a comparative study of various customs and value systems known as “scienta moralis.”

    Moral philosophers discussed different inclinations and life-ways of people without postulating one superior norm that would govern everyone. There was a Christian strand of moral theology that saw morality as a universal principle, but even after the era of 16th-century Reformation in the western church, it was not primarily about condemnation and judgement. Rather, this branch of “humanist” moral inquiry examined how people create and maintain shared norms in a pluralistic society.

    This changed with ideas that we could have a universally applicable moral science, governed by reason. Philosophers like Immanuel Kant helped formulate this idea. If we think of morality as a law everyone can be subjected to, it makes sense that people rebel against it.

    Channeling opponents of moralizing

    When Vance characterised Thunberg as “scolding,” he unwittingly channelled opponents of moralizing, such as philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

    Nietzsche once defined his philosophical project as a “declaration of war against morals and moralists.” For him and the thinkers he inspired, moralizing is conceived as a negative emotion motivated by resentment and envy.



    Read more:
    Stephen Bannon’s world: Dangerous minds in dangerous times

    Nietzsche’s almost total rejection of morals can be understood as one of the many roots of the contemporary hesitation (though this idea is debated). No one wants to be denigrated by being seen as one of the sheep who unquestioningly embraces a herd mentality.

    In this context, paradoxically, moralizing — scolding — has come to mean that anyone who says they think something is bad, or should be otherwise, is oppressing the people they criticize.

    ‘Scolding’ people in power

    When we look at the extraordinary difference in power between Musk and Thunberg, this definition of moralizing begins to seem a little weird. Is scolding so dangerous to people in power?

    For people interested in pushing back against authoritarianism, maybe we should hope that it is. We can look to the earlier ideal of morality as forging “common consent” for direction here.

    In the philosophical sense, addressing our “mores” suggests moving towards a collective re-evaluation of how people want to live. Saying “no, I do not agree with this” can perhaps express our character in a way that shapes our shared world.

    Moralizing could then be the process of building new customs. It would be about building morale and seeing hope and agency in these admittedly dire times. Moralizing with others, rather than at them, could help people move beyond feeling immobilized and cynical.

    Studies about “bystander intervention” usually focus on the ways that people go along with things they think are wrong. Research does suggest our moral actions are shaped by the people around us, but this also means moral courage is contagious.

    Standing up for something allows other people to also express their moral convictions. It can be a testament about hope or agency and could be more powerful than we think.

    It is perhaps the fear of this powerful potential that is the core of truth in Vance’s otherwise absurd equation.

    Perhaps this signals the true threat moralizing poses to the status quo — the possibility that there is a better way to live together in a shared world.

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

    – ref. How rebellion against moralizing has become a surprising rallying point for the political right – https://theconversation.com/how-rebellion-against-moralizing-has-become-a-surprising-rallying-point-for-the-political-right-250549

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Launches AI-Ready Data Storage for Carriers to Embrace AI Mar 04, 2025

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Launches AI-Ready Data Storage for Carriers to Embrace AI
    Mar 04, 2025

    [Barcelona, Spain, March 3, 2025] At MWC 2025 Barcelona, Dr. Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line, delivered a keynote speech on AI-Ready Data Storage Accelerates Telco-to-Techco Transformation. The speech, delivered at the product and solution launch event.
    Dr. Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line, delivered a keynote speech

    Dr. Peter Zhou believes the AI-powered transformation of various industries is creating a golden era for data. Global carriers are continuously exploring business value by capitalizing on and monetizing application scenarios, such as smart home and digital factories. And that means higher demands on data storage, service capabilities, and business models.
    To address these challenges, “Huawei Data Storage provides the AI-Ready data lake solution, diverse data storage services, and the FlashEver business model, empowering carriers to turn their disordered data into high-quality assets to unlock the value of data,” as Dr. Peter Zhou said.
    The AI-Ready data lake breaks data silos, making data visible, manageable, and available
    For mission-critical production workloads, Huawei launches the New-Gen OceanStor Dorado Converged All-Flash Storage and OceanStor A Series High-Performance AI Storage. These solutions boast 100 million–level IOPS, financial-grade reliability, and efficient AI training and inference, supporting tens of billions of daily charging services and robust mobile financial services. Further, the enhanced object storage enables seamless integration of carrier services with cloud-native and AI applications.
    For mass data, the Huawei New-Gen OceanStor Pacific All-Flash Scale-Out Storage provides industry-high density and low power consumption. The storage provides exabyte-level scalability to handle cost pressure from emerging services like live streams and XR games.
    Another new offering is the New-Gen OceanProtect All-Flash Backup Storage for data protection. The storage offers five times faster data recovery than industry alternatives, accommodating service needs such as emergency drills and AI application development to protect the value of every bit.
    Diverse data storage services are fueling carrier AI evolution
    Carriers face several challenges in adopting AI, including weak data engineering, inadequate efficient AI model development platforms, long data preparation times, slow model training, and complex AI application development. The Huawei DCS AI Solution provides a one-stop AI full-process toolchain and containerized environment, accelerating fine-tuning and large-scale deployment of AI models.
    FlashEver business model maximizes carrier investment
    Changes in services and technologies are placing greater investment demands on carriers. Dr. Peter Zhou shared FlashEver, the business model that protects investments, providing an evolutionary, flexible architecture to enable seamless upgrades for live-network equipment. Also, Huawei storage platform services offer flexible purchase options, SLA assurance, and diverse storage and data services, ensuring high-quality customer experiences.
    Dr. Peter Zhou reaffirmed Huawei’s commitment to continuous innovation, specifically building the AI-ready data storage foundation and future-proof storage power to fuel the AI adoption across the carrier industry.
    MWC Barcelona 2025 is held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.
    In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.
    For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei: Helping Carriers Reshape Business, Infrastructure, and O&M with AI Mar 04, 2025

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei: Helping Carriers Reshape Business, Infrastructure, and O&M with AI
    Mar 04, 2025

    [Barcelona, Spain, March 3, 2025] During MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei is gathering carriers, industry partners, and opinion leaders from around the world to explore the intersection of 5G networks and AI, and how they can support one another to unlock new growth opportunities.
    The company is showcasing a sweeping range of solutions:
    AI-to-X – Shorthand for AI-to-Consumers, AI-to-Businesses, and AI-to-Homes, including a series of solutions that can help carriers expand into AI services for new, more targeted domains and achieve business growth
    AI-Centric Network solution – Helping carriers build networks that can meet the challenging demands of new AI applications to ensure a smooth and superior experience
    AI-powered O&M – Using AI to revitalize network O&M, and helping carriers achieve L4 autonomous networks (AN) for fully intelligent O&M
    These discussions come at a time when high-quality, open-source AI models are developing fast, powering a new, more diverse wave of innovation in AI applications.
    Huawei’s booth at MWC Barcelona 2025

    Huawei’s theme this year is “Accelerating the Intelligent World”, and their star-studded booth in Hall 1 is designed to represent countless bits of intelligence lighting up the night’s sky. The company is showcasing its innovation in digital infrastructure and service applications for individuals, homes, and enterprises, as well as success stories created together with its customers and partners.
    Evolving 5G networks to seize new opportunities
    By the end of 2024, there were more than 2.1 billion 5G users around the world, and the numbers continue to grow. Huawei has been working with carriers to drive the development of 5G through both business and network innovation, helping them transition from mobile Internet to mobile AI.
    In 2024, a number of pioneering carriers have already kicked off commercial 5G-Advanced (5G-A), launching 5G-A packages for users in more than 200 cities around the world. For consumers, these packages take advantage of 5G-A’s enhanced capabilities to provide an optimized user experience for scenarios like livestreaming and gaming, as well as metro and business travel. For carriers, these packages are an opportunity to go beyond traditional connectivity and start monetizing a more personalized experience for different users. Carrier progress in these domains has propelled the industry into an era of AI-powered 5G-A connectivity.
    Huawei is actively working with carriers in China, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific to explore innovative experience monetization models, define application scenarios, design new offerings, and build their user base. This shift of focus from connectivity to experience has both improved user experience and increased carrier revenue.
    AI-Centric Network
    Huawei launched its AI-Centric Network solution that helps carriers upgrade their ICT network infrastructure to meet new demands on bandwidth, latency, coverage, and O&M brought about by a flood of new AI applications. It’s designed to help quickly reshape telecom service and business models to seize new opportunities in the age of AI.
    With the rapid development of technologies like 5G-A, cloud, and AI, carriers will need to upgrade from connectivity service providers to digital service providers. To guide this process, Huawei is launching a three-layer technology architecture for carriers looking to transform from telcos to techcos, helping them tap into new business domains and open the door to new growth opportunities.
    Accelerating Industrial Intelligence
    At this year’s MWC, Huawei’s Enterprise Business is demonstrating how different industries can incorporate AI into their unique business scenarios using the company’s industrial intelligence reference architecture.During the event, Huawei unveiled 83 different industry showcases with customers, and launched ten 10 major solutions to accelerate intelligent transformation together with its partners.
    Pushing the boundaries of consumer devices and experience
    Huawei’s consumer business will showcase a lineup of high-end, fashion-forward, and technology-driven flagship products at the event. Through multiple scenario-based experience zones, the company will share its latest innovations in foldable phones, fitness and health, photography, and creativity, focusing on how technology can further enrich people’s everyday lives.
    Huawei believes in a human-centric approach to developing technology that shapes the future. In 2025, the company will continue to develop consumer products that push the boundaries of technology, provide an ultimate smart experience for all user scenarios, and build a high-end brand that consumers both love and trust.
    MWC Barcelona 2025 will be held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.
    In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.
    For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei: Helping Carriers Reshape Business, Infrastructure, and O&M with AI

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei: Helping Carriers Reshape Business, Infrastructure, and O&M with AI

    [Barcelona, Spain, March 3, 2025] During MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei is gathering carriers, industry partners, and opinion leaders from around the world to explore the intersection of 5G networks and AI, and how they can support one another to unlock new growth opportunities.
    The company is showcasing a sweeping range of solutions:
    AI-to-X – Shorthand for AI-to-Consumers, AI-to-Businesses, and AI-to-Homes, including a series of solutions that can help carriers expand into AI services for new, more targeted domains and achieve business growth
    AI-Centric Network solution – Helping carriers build networks that can meet the challenging demands of new AI applications to ensure a smooth and superior experience
    AI-powered O&M – Using AI to revitalize network O&M, and helping carriers achieve L4 autonomous networks (AN) for fully intelligent O&M
    These discussions come at a time when high-quality, open-source AI models are developing fast, powering a new, more diverse wave of innovation in AI applications.
    Huawei’s booth at MWC Barcelona 2025

    Huawei’s theme this year is “Accelerating the Intelligent World”, and their star-studded booth in Hall 1 is designed to represent countless bits of intelligence lighting up the night’s sky. The company is showcasing its innovation in digital infrastructure and service applications for individuals, homes, and enterprises, as well as success stories created together with its customers and partners.
    Evolving 5G networks to seize new opportunities
    By the end of 2024, there were more than 2.1 billion 5G users around the world, and the numbers continue to grow. Huawei has been working with carriers to drive the development of 5G through both business and network innovation, helping them transition from mobile Internet to mobile AI.
    In 2024, a number of pioneering carriers have already kicked off commercial 5G-Advanced (5G-A), launching 5G-A packages for users in more than 200 cities around the world. For consumers, these packages take advantage of 5G-A’s enhanced capabilities to provide an optimized user experience for scenarios like livestreaming and gaming, as well as metro and business travel. For carriers, these packages are an opportunity to go beyond traditional connectivity and start monetizing a more personalized experience for different users. Carrier progress in these domains has propelled the industry into an era of AI-powered 5G-A connectivity.
    Huawei is actively working with carriers in China, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific to explore innovative experience monetization models, define application scenarios, design new offerings, and build their user base. This shift of focus from connectivity to experience has both improved user experience and increased carrier revenue.
    AI-Centric Network
    Huawei launched its AI-Centric Network solution that helps carriers upgrade their ICT network infrastructure to meet new demands on bandwidth, latency, coverage, and O&M brought about by a flood of new AI applications. It’s designed to help quickly reshape telecom service and business models to seize new opportunities in the age of AI.
    With the rapid development of technologies like 5G-A, cloud, and AI, carriers will need to upgrade from connectivity service providers to digital service providers. To guide this process, Huawei is launching a three-layer technology architecture for carriers looking to transform from telcos to techcos, helping them tap into new business domains and open the door to new growth opportunities.
    Accelerating Industrial Intelligence
    At this year’s MWC, Huawei’s Enterprise Business is demonstrating how different industries can incorporate AI into their unique business scenarios using the company’s industrial intelligence reference architecture.During the event, Huawei unveiled 83 different industry showcases with customers, and launched ten 10 major solutions to accelerate intelligent transformation together with its partners.
    Pushing the boundaries of consumer devices and experience
    Huawei’s consumer business will showcase a lineup of high-end, fashion-forward, and technology-driven flagship products at the event. Through multiple scenario-based experience zones, the company will share its latest innovations in foldable phones, fitness and health, photography, and creativity, focusing on how technology can further enrich people’s everyday lives.
    Huawei believes in a human-centric approach to developing technology that shapes the future. In 2025, the company will continue to develop consumer products that push the boundaries of technology, provide an ultimate smart experience for all user scenarios, and build a high-end brand that consumers both love and trust.
    MWC Barcelona 2025 will be held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.
    In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.
    For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Launches AI-Ready Data Storage for Carriers to Embrace AI

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Launches AI-Ready Data Storage for Carriers to Embrace AI

    [Barcelona, Spain, March 3, 2025] At MWC 2025 Barcelona, Dr. Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line, delivered a keynote speech on AI-Ready Data Storage Accelerates Telco-to-Techco Transformation. The speech, delivered at the product and solution launch event.
    Dr. Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line, delivered a keynote speech

    Dr. Peter Zhou believes the AI-powered transformation of various industries is creating a golden era for data. Global carriers are continuously exploring business value by capitalizing on and monetizing application scenarios, such as smart home and digital factories. And that means higher demands on data storage, service capabilities, and business models.
    To address these challenges, “Huawei Data Storage provides the AI-Ready data lake solution, diverse data storage services, and the FlashEver business model, empowering carriers to turn their disordered data into high-quality assets to unlock the value of data,” as Dr. Peter Zhou said.
    The AI-Ready data lake breaks data silos, making data visible, manageable, and available
    For mission-critical production workloads, Huawei launches the New-Gen OceanStor Dorado Converged All-Flash Storage and OceanStor A Series High-Performance AI Storage. These solutions boast 100 million–level IOPS, financial-grade reliability, and efficient AI training and inference, supporting tens of billions of daily charging services and robust mobile financial services. Further, the enhanced object storage enables seamless integration of carrier services with cloud-native and AI applications.
    For mass data, the Huawei New-Gen OceanStor Pacific All-Flash Scale-Out Storage provides industry-high density and low power consumption. The storage provides exabyte-level scalability to handle cost pressure from emerging services like live streams and XR games.
    Another new offering is the New-Gen OceanProtect All-Flash Backup Storage for data protection. The storage offers five times faster data recovery than industry alternatives, accommodating service needs such as emergency drills and AI application development to protect the value of every bit.
    Diverse data storage services are fueling carrier AI evolution
    Carriers face several challenges in adopting AI, including weak data engineering, inadequate efficient AI model development platforms, long data preparation times, slow model training, and complex AI application development. The Huawei DCS AI Solution provides a one-stop AI full-process toolchain and containerized environment, accelerating fine-tuning and large-scale deployment of AI models.
    FlashEver business model maximizes carrier investment
    Changes in services and technologies are placing greater investment demands on carriers. Dr. Peter Zhou shared FlashEver, the business model that protects investments, providing an evolutionary, flexible architecture to enable seamless upgrades for live-network equipment. Also, Huawei storage platform services offer flexible purchase options, SLA assurance, and diverse storage and data services, ensuring high-quality customer experiences.
    Dr. Peter Zhou reaffirmed Huawei’s commitment to continuous innovation, specifically building the AI-ready data storage foundation and future-proof storage power to fuel the AI adoption across the carrier industry.
    MWC Barcelona 2025 is held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.
    In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.
    For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Planisware – Monthly information relating to the total number of shares and voting rights making-up the share capital – February 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Monthly information relating to the total number of shares and voting rights making-up the share capital

    Information mensuelle relative au nombre total d’actions et de droits de vote composant le capital social

    Article L. 233-8 II of the French Commercial code and article 223-16
    of the AMF General Regulation

    Article L. 233-8-II du Code de commerce et article 223-16 du Règlement général de l’AMF

    Name and address of the Company:         Planisware SA
    Dénomination sociale de l’émetteur :        200 avenue de Paris
    92320 Châtillon
    France
    (ISIN code : FR001400PFU4)

    Date Total number
    of shares
    Nombre total d’actions composant le capital    		 Number of theorical
    voting rights
    Nombre de droits
    de vote théoriques    		 Number of effective
    voting rights*
    Nombre de droits
    de vote effectifs*
    28/02/2025 70,024,000 70,024,000 70,018,300

    *Treasury shares excluded / Actions auto-détenues exclues

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Creativity is blossoming in Plymouth communities

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Communities across Plymouth are set to team up with local creatives and artists to create blossom-inspired art this spring.

    Plymouth City Council’s Green Communities team has partnered up with the National Trust’s Cotehele property to offer communities in Devonport, Keyham, and around Central Park, the opportunity to work with professional creatives.

    It is all part of the National Trust’s Blossom Together initiative – a multi-year programme that aims to get the UK celebrating its blossom season and help people connect with nature.

    After a competitive application process, four South West based creatives have been awarded the Green Communities Blossom Creative Commissions, funded by National Trust Blossom funding.

    The creatives have a broad range of skills to offer Plymouth communities, from powerful poetry to puppet making and from nature art to petal printing.

    The successful creatives are poet and performer Liv Torc, local storyteller and puppet maker Samantha Webb, nature artist and illustrator Devon Tipping, and printmaker, Grace Beswick. Between March and May, these four creatives will host workshops in Devonport, Keyham and Central Park, inspiring communities to celebrate and explore blossom as never before.

    Photograph of the artists

    The fruits of everyone’s work will be shown in a touring showcase at the end of May.

    Budding artists and participants will be able to see their artwork at Cotehele, Antony House, Saltram House, as well as in Devonport, Keyham, and Central Park, so watch this space…

    Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: “As long-time supporters of the National Trust’s Blossom initiative, I’m so pleased that we are able to host this unique opportunity for communities to get involved in art projects in their area.

    “I look forward to seeing the creative pieces that come from the workshops and of course, visiting the showcase later in the year.”

    Also through the Blossom project, the Green Communities team and Cotehele will be offering skill sharing workshops and lots of other ways to get involved in springtime celebrations. To find out more about what’s happening go to www.greenmindsplymouth.com/greenhubs

    This project is made possible through the National Trust’s national Blossom funding.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First of the Armada Way trees planted

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Steve Hughes, Chief Executive of Plymouth City Centre Company and Cllr Tudor Evans, Leader of the Council

    The first of 169 new trees destined for Armada Way have been planted in the ground as the regeneration continues to progress at pace.

    Three silver limes have been anchored today and six cockspur hawthorns and 10 double crimson hawthorns will be arriving in the next few weeks to be planted between existing single rows of trees on both sides of Zone 1a – near the Copthorne Hotel.

    A second row is being created on each side to create the avenue of trees that will line either side of this important city centre street.

    Tree pits, a metre deep, had already been dug in readiness and ground workers will backfill the planted trees with soil that’s good for tree root growth and topsoil.

    Council leader Tudor Evans OBE said: “We wanted to mark this moment – it is a big deal. “Anyone who has been in the city centre recently will know that the scheme is cracking on at an incredible pace. There’s a lot still to do but this marks the start of the re-greening of Armada Way.”

    City Centre manager Steve Hughes added: “We know that companies are in conversation about sites in the city centre as a direct result of the recently completed work on Old Town Street.

    “We also know that investors are keeping a watching eye on this scheme. We are aware there’s a bit of pain for some traders – but long term there’s a lot to be gained. This project will be transformational.”

    Trees are semi mature on arrival and because of their height, will be put into position by mechanical excavators for planting.

    A bit more about the trees:

    • Silver limes – very suitable for inner city planting near surface infrastructure – 6.5 metres on arrival
    • Cockspur hawthorns – good for urban and coastal planting, tolerant of air pollution and does well in very wet and dry soil. Measuring around 4.5 metres when planted
    • Double crimson hawthorns – resilient and thrive in nearly all locations, a fantastic flower display in May. Measuring five metres when planted.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on proposed changes to crown green bowling provision in Leeds

    Source: City of Leeds

    New proposals have been announced that aim to put crown green bowling provision in Leeds on a more secure financial footing and safeguard the long-term local future of the sport.

    Leeds City Council confirmed at the start of the year that it was considering a range of money-saving options for municipal greens as part of its efforts to tackle the severe budget pressures being faced by all its services.

    One of those options would have seen the number of greens reduced from 61 to 31, delivering a net annual saving of £140,000 on the council’s £360,000-per-year maintenance costs.

    Now, following a public consultation process and productive dialogue with the local bowling community, the council has drawn up revised proposals that it hopes will allow many more of the city’s greens to stay open.

    These proposals will generate savings and additional revenue for the council – and, crucially, are designed to increase participation in the sport by placing an onus on bowling clubs to recruit new players.

    Figures for 2024/25 show that – across the city’s 47 clubs – there are a total of 1,184 adult full-year season ticket holders.

    The council has already committed itself to the continued maintenance of all existing municipal greens until the end of the 2025 summer season.

    Key elements of the new plan, published today on the council’s website, include:

    • Raising the cost of an adult full-year season ticket from £45 to £90 from the start of April 2025;
    • Setting clubs a target of having at least 20 adult full-year season ticket holders per summer green by the end of September this year;
    • Requiring any clubs that are unable to meet that target to make up the resulting shortfall in season ticket revenue themselves;
    • Setting clubs a target of having at least 26 adult full-year season ticket holders per summer green by the end of September 2028;
    • Requiring clubs to cover their own electricity and water costs, the vast majority of which are currently paid by the council;
    • Exploring ways – such as a community asset transfer – in which some clubs could, if they wish to do so, operate independently of the council on a self-sustaining basis.

    Clubs will be offered the opportunity for individual meetings with the council this month to discuss how they will be affected by the new arrangements.

    A decision on whether to press ahead with the plan is due to be taken on or after March 20.

    The proposed £90 season ticket cost is equivalent to £1.73 per week for people who bowl all year round or £3.46 for each week of the sport’s summer season. Clubs would also be able to give players the option of staggering their payments.

    Asked for their views on possible price rises during January’s consultation process, 48 per cent of respondents said they would be prepared to pay between £50 and £99. Thirty-five per cent, meanwhile, said they would be prepared to pay more than £100 and 15 per cent were prepared to pay more than £150.

    The consultation also showed that, if usage figures for 2024 were replicated, 14 of the city’s 47 clubs would not meet the new ’20 per green’ target for season tickets.

    There is scope, however, for clubs to boost their numbers by encouraging players who currently pay on a per-session basis to make season ticket purchases instead.

    During the consultation, clubs also suggested sponsorship or the securing of grants as possible ways they could make up any shortfall in season ticket revenue or fund their electricity and water costs.

    Most clubs currently contribute a token annual amount of £50 each to these utility costs, with the council covering the rest of a combined bill that this year is expected to be between £40,000 and £60,000.

    Under the revised plan, clubs will have to pay their full electricity costs from 2025/26 onwards and full water costs from 2026/27 onwards.

    Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said:

    “The council has been clear that, given the severity of the financial challenges it is currently facing, significant savings need to be made across a whole range of service areas.

    “Equally, however, we have stressed that decisions on how such savings can be achieved will take full account of the needs and views of local people.

    “This has been our approach since we first announced that changes were being planned to Leeds’s crown green bowling provision.

    “The recent public consultation underlined the important contribution that bowling makes to life in many of the city’s communities, and has helped us shape our revised proposals.

    “We will now continue to engage with clubs and players as we seek to deliver a more secure financial future for the sport in Leeds.”

    The current number of municipal greens in Leeds is far higher than in other large cities such as Bradford, Sheffield and Manchester.

    The public consultation on the original options for changes to local provision ran between January 7 and 26.

    Note to editors:

    Each bowls season runs from the start of April until the end of March the following year. Within that, the sport’s summer season runs from the start of April until the end of September.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: CoinShares Announces Exercise of Employee Incentive Plan Options

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Monday, 3 March 2025 | SAINT HELIER, Jersey – CoinShares International Limited (“CoinShares” or the “Company“) (Nasdaq Stockholm Market: CS; US OTCQX: CNSRF), a global investment firm specializing in digital assets, today announced that a total of 52,241 options in the Company’s Employee Incentive Plan – November 2020 Tranche have been exercised for the corresponding number of shares, at an exercise price of GBP 1.43 (SEK 19.29) per share. Through the exercise of the employee share options, the Company receives a total of GBP 74,705 (SEK 1,007,566.36).

    The exercise request will be settled from the current balance of own shares held by the Company. After the issuance of these shares, the total number of shares in issue in CoinShares will be 66,678,210 and the Company will hold a total of 147,759 own shares.

    About CoinShares

    CoinShares is a leading global investment company specialising in digital assets, that delivers a broad range of financial services across investment management, trading and securities to a wide array of clients that includes corporations, financial institutions and individuals. Focusing on crypto since 2013, the firm is headquartered in Jersey, with offices in France, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US. CoinShares is regulated in Jersey by the Jersey Financial Services Commission, in France by the Autorité des marchés financiers, and in the US by the Securities and Exchange Commission, National Futures Association and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. CoinShares is publicly listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm under the ticker CS and the OTCQX under the ticker CNSRF.

    For more information on CoinShares, please visit: https://coinshares.com
    Company | +44 (0)1534 513 100 | enquiries@coinshares.com
    Investor Relations | +44 (0)1534 513 100 | enquiries@coinshares.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Finance in Common Summit urges global development finance institutions to harness collective power to address global poverty

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

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 3, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The fifth edition of the Finance in Common Summit (FiCS) concluded on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa, with strong calls for global development finance institutions to work together to address poverty and development challenges. South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana led the call.

    The summit, which was co-sponsored by the African Development Bank and took place alongside the G20 Finance Ministers’ Meeting, was themed “Fostering Infrastructure and Finance for Fair and Sustainable Growth.”

    Godongwana described the meeting as an unprecedented gathering of key financial players, saying: “Your determination and commitment will change the world. Your determination and will have an impact on global poverty.”

    The minister linked the summit’s goals to South Africa’s development trajectory, highlighting the structural reforms the country had undertaken in the electricity, roads, and port sectors, which have opened new investment opportunities to development partners.

    African Development Bank Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Hassatou Diop N’Sele—one of several senior officials of the Bank Group at FiCS—represented Bank Group President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina at a meeting on Wednesday organized by the Council of Europe Development Bank. At the meeting, multilateral development banks reaffirmed a shared commitment to maximize their collective impact.

    During the G20 meetings of Finance Ministers and central bank governors, Hassatou Diop N’Sele said, “We call on G20 nations to enhance financial commitments, especially for the 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund, to simplify processes for accessing climate finance, and to create enabling policies that facilitate sustainable capital flows to Africa.”

    In her various interventions during FiCS, she discussed the innovative financing tools and initiatives launched by the African Development Bank to leverage resources and mobilize the private sector at scale, including the landmark hybrid capital transactions successfully replicated by other development finance institutions and the Africa Investment Forum.

    N’Sele emphasized the urgency for philanthropies and foundations to further strengthen their partnerships with multilateral development banks and to fully embrace innovation to amplify their impact. She also recognized the challenges for expanding climate finance in Africa and reflected on such solutions and platforms as the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa, designed to catalyze bankable, greener infrastructure projects at scale and speed.

    The African Development Bank delegation highlighted the progress of Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/4bolqQE), an initiative to accelerate access to electricity for 300 million Africans by 2030. The Bank, working with the World Bank and other development finance institutions and private sector partners, has committed $18.2 billion to this effort.

    Senior leaders of the Bank stressed the need for urgent action. Nnenna Nwabufo, Bank Group Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, said: “Africa is not looking for aid, we are looking for partnerships.”.

    She added: “The time for pilot projects that deliver incremental progress is over. We need investments that enable our nations to take ownership of their development, fostering resilience, self-sufficiency, and sustainable growth that benefits both Africa and the global economy.”

    Solomon Quaynor, the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, called for faster implementation of infrastructure projects. “Africa can no longer sustain infrastructure projects that take seven to 10 years to complete – we must accelerate development to deliver within three years, prioritizing green infrastructure,” he said.

    The African continent needs $2.7 trillion through 2030 to meet its climate action goals, but receives only 3.6% of all global climate finance, despite its minimal contribution to global emissions.

    The African Development Bank’s Director General for Southern Africa, Leila Mokaddem, emphasized that Africa’s green transition must be inclusive. She said: “With 600 million Africans still without electricity, our transition cannot be about climate goals alone. It must be about jobs, industrialization and economic opportunity. The African Development Bank is supporting this vision through its Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy to create 25 million jobs and equip 50 million young Africans with green economy skills by the end of this year.”

    The summit achieved several significant breakthroughs in expanding the scope and impact of development financing. Key outcomes included: the endorsement by G20 finance ministers of public development banks’ crucial role in international financial architecture; steps toward setting up frameworks to support cultural industries as valid asset classes; and the formation of a coalition between public development banks and civil society to ensure that development finance serves communities.

    CEO of Agence Française de Développement and Chair of the Finance in Common Summit Rémy Rioux noted: “We have made tremendous progress in building public development banks as an asset class through innovation, commitment, and shared values. In times of uncertainty and conflict, we are offering a calm, collective alternative.”

    “This has truly been an African FiCS,” said Boitumelo Mosako, CEO of the Development Bank of Southern Africa. He added:  “With 34% of delegates coming from the continent, we have shown that Africa is unstoppable as the second fastest growing region in the world.”

    Following the Finance in Common Summit, the Fourth Finance for Development Conference will take place in Spain between June and July this year. Being organized by the United Nations and the Spanish government, that summit will feature continuing discussions on reshaping the international financial architecture to better serve development needs.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government to turbocharge defence innovation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government to turbocharge defence innovation

    New defence innovation body to deliver cutting-edge military tech to British troops and create highly skilled jobs across the UK.

    • Chancellor and Defence Secretary and Business Secretary host joint roundtable with leaders from 15 of the country’s top defence firms
    • Government to launch new defence innovation organisation to quickly deliver cutting-edge military tech to British troops and create highly skilled jobs across the UK
    • Follows PM’s announcement to deliver largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War

    A new defence innovation body to harness UK ingenuity and boost military technology is set to be launched, as part of a drive to turbocharge innovation in defence and deliver growth as part of the Plan for Change.

    The Chancellor, Defence Secretary and Business Secretary have today (28 February) confirmed that a new UK defence innovation organisation will work with innovative firms to rapidly get cutting-edge military technology into the hands of British troops, and harness the ingenuity of the UK’s leading tech and manufacturing sectors.

    This new unit – which will be launched at the Spring Statement – is a clear demonstration of how the Government is moving at pace to drive reform in defence and use defence as an engine of economic growth.

    The Chancellor, Defence Secretary and Business Secretary today met leaders from 15 British defence firms of all sizes at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire – one of the RAF’s busiest stations with airborne intelligence aircraft and systems – to discuss the how the new unit will operate.

    Developed as part of Defence Reform – the biggest overhaul of defence for more than 50 years – the new body is set to simplify and streamline the innovation system within MOD. It will take a new approach by moving quickly and decisively, using different ways of contracting, to enable UK companies to scale up innovative prototypes rapidly by setting out a clear pathway, working with the Government, from initial production to manufacturing at scale. 

    As part of a defence innovation drive, the government will also look to enhance investment in defence start-ups and scale-up technology and capability, including through the National Security Strategic Investment Fund. Ministers will work with the venture capital and investment community, as well as industry, to leverage private investment in the technology of the future.

    The meeting comes after the Prime Minister outlined the Government’s commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027 and the Chancellor’s message to European allies at the G20 in South Africa to jointly go further and faster on defence.

    The new innovation unit will help equip Britain’s Armed Forces with cutting-edge tech and grow high-tech British businesses in the defence tech ecosystem. It will take the lessons from the rapidly changing nature of warfare, as seen in the conflict in Ukraine.

    Increased defence spending will support highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. Last year, defence spending supported over 430,000 jobs across the UK, the equivalent to one in every 60, and 68% of defence spending goes outside of London and the Southeast, benefitting every nation and region of the country.

    Backing the defence industry will protect UK citizens from threats at home but will also create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number one mission to deliver economic growth.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:

    The world is less certain than it has been for a generation. History tells us that government and industry must rise to meet these moments together. We need to invest in sophisticated, innovative kit and get it into the hands of our fighting men and women.

    In the world we face, national security and economic growth are going to go hand in hand. High-skilled, well-paid jobs across the UK will both make our country safer and put pounds in people’s pockets.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey said:

    The world is changing, and we are changing defence. We will back the high-growth, high-tech UK defence firms of the future, to boost our national security and make defence an engine for growth.

    We will make the UK a defence innovation leader, funding and supporting firms of all sizes to take state-of-the-art technology from the drawing board to the production line, and into the hands of our Armed Forces.

    Defence has a crucial role to play in economic growth across the UK – built on the foundation of the largest sustained funding increase since the Cold War – to support thousands of highly skilled jobs.

    Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds said:

    A strong, robust defence sector is vital for a Britain that’s both secure at home and strong abroad, and ensures a world where business can benefit from the economic security it brings.

    Nearly half a million UK graduates get good, well-paid jobs thanks to our aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. These are areas where the UK excels on the global stage, and where our innovation can add billions to the economy.

    That’s why our Plan for Change puts defence at the heart of our Industrial Strategy, helping us drive economic growth while bolstering our national security for the long term.

    Science and Tech Secretary, Peter Kyle said:

    Britain’s science and research expertise has always played a role in keeping us safe, and still does: from inventions like radar and codebreaking machines in the 20th century, through to innovations around drone technology and cybersecurity, today.

    We are dedicated to making sure the UK tech sector has everything it needs to continue to thrive, and to keep playing a critical role in our national security.

    As set out in the Plan for Change, national security is the first duty of the government, and investment in defence will protect UK citizens from threats at home while also creating a secure and stable environment for economic growth.

    Economic growth is central to the Government’s Plan for Change to put more money into the pockets of working people and will be a core objective of the defence innovation organisation.

    The joint meeting with defence industry organisations comes on the final day of the consultation for the Defence Industrial Strategy, which will ensure a strong defence sector and resilient supply chains across the whole of the UK.

    Industry leaders’ quotes:

    Andy Fraser, Saab UK Group Managing Director said:

    Saab UK welcomes the announcement that the UK Government will increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2027, with a route to 3% in the next Parliament.

    We live in a challenging world which requires industry and government in the UK to work together more closely. In the UK, we know that the defence industry benefits growth, investment and offers fantastic careers – while also helping to ensure the UK’s resilience. Saab UK has recently opened new facilities in the UK because we know that together we can achieve our aim to keep people and society safe.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM statement to the House of Commons: 3 March 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Oral statement to Parliament

    PM statement to the House of Commons: 3 March 2025

    The Prime Minister’s statement to the House of Commons on Ukraine.

    Mr. Speaker… 

    Less than a week since I called on this House to show the courage of our predecessors…

    We see clearly before us – the test of our times.  

    A crossroads in our history.   

    So with permission I will update the House on my efforts… 

    To secure a strong, just and lasting peace… 

    Following Russia’s vile invasion of Ukraine. 

    Mr. Speaker – it begins in this House… 

    Where on Tuesday, I announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

    A recognition of the fact that once again, we live in an era…

    Where peace in Europe depends upon strength and deterrence.

    But also – a rediscovery of the old post-war argument… 

    Long-held on these benches…  

    That economic security is national security. 

    Because Mr. Speaker, the demands we now have to make of Britain… 

    Must come alongside a new foundation of security for working people. 

    The tough choices we made last week… 

    They are not done. 

    We must use the process of getting to 3% of our national income spent on defence… 

    To fundamentally rebuild British industry. 

    Use our investment in military spending…

    To create new jobs and apprenticeships in every part of our country. 

    And that’s why, last night, I announced a deal that perfectly symbolises this new era. 

    A partnership with Ukraine… 

    That allows them to use £1.6 billion of UK Export Finance… 

    To buy 5,000 air defence missiles, manufactured in Belfast. 

    That means UK jobs… 

    UK skills… 

    UK finance…

    Pulling together for our national interest… 

    Putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace… 

    And protecting innocent civilians from the terror of Russian drones. 

    Mr. Speaker, my efforts continued on Thursday… 

    When I met President Trump in the White House… 

    To strengthen our relationship with America. 

    Now, what happened in his subsequent meeting with President Zelenskyy… 

    Is something nobody in this House wants to see. 

    But I do want to be crystal clear… 

    We must strengthen our relationship with America… 

    For our security, for our technology, for our trade and investment… 

    They are and always will be – indispensable. 

    And we will never choose between either side of the Atlantic. 

    In fact, Mr. Speaker… 

    If anything, the past week has shown that that idea to be totally unserious. 

    Because while some people may enjoy the simplicity of taking a side…  

    This week has shown with total clarity… 

    That the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine. 

    So I welcome the opportunity for a new economic deal with the US… 

    Confirmed by the President last week… 

    Because it is an opportunity I am determined to pursue. 

    I welcome the positive discussions we had on European security… 

    Including his clear support for Article 5 of NATO.   

    I welcome the understanding, from our dialogue…  

    That our two nations will work together on security arrangements for a lasting peace in Ukraine. 

    And I also welcome the President’s continued commitment to that peace… 

    Which nobody in this House should doubt for a second – is sincere. 

    Mr. Speaker, I now turn to events this weekend…

    And the moving scenes that greeted President Zelenskyy as he arrived in London on Saturday. 

    Mr. Speaker I saw for myself that he was taken aback when the crowd in Whitehall cheered at the top of their voices, and they were speaking for the whole of our country.

    A reminder – that this Government, this House and this nation… 

    Stand in unwavering support behind him and the people of Ukraine. 

    Mr. Speaker, we resolved together…

    To move forward the strong cause of just and lasting peace for Ukraine.  

    And then on Sunday… 

    I hosted European leaders from across our continent, equally committed to this cause…  

    Including President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni… 

    The leaders of NATO, the European Commission and Council… 

    And the Prime Minister of Canada… 

    A vital ally of this country, the Commonwealth and Ukraine… 

    Responsible for training over 40,000 Ukrainian troops.  

    I also had the privilege beforehand… 

    Of speaking online to the leaders of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia… 

    Each of whom, as close as they are to the frontline with Russia… 

    Stressed the urgency of the moment. 

    And Mr. Speaker, it was a productive summit.  

    Together, we agreed a clear strategy.  

    That the United Kingdom, France and our allies…  

    Will work closely with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting… 

    Which we will then discuss directly with the United States. 

    It is a plan that has four clear principles, which I will now share in full with the House. 

    First, that we must keep the military aid to Ukraine flowing…

    Keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia. 

    And to that end, alongside our partnership on air defence…

    We are doubling-down on military aid. 

    Already this year we have taken our support to record levels…

    But on Saturday we also agreed a new £2.2 billion loan for Ukraine… 

    Backed, not by the British taxpayer…

    But by the profits from frozen Russian assets.

    Second, we agreed that any lasting peace must guarantee the sovereignty and security of Ukraine. 

    And that Ukraine must be at the table when negotiating their future… 

    That is absolutely vital. 

    Third, we agreed that in the event of a peace deal…

    We will continue to boost Ukraine’s defences and Ukraine’s deterrence. 

    And finally, fourth…

    We agreed to develop a “coalition of the willing” ready to defend a deal in Ukraine… 

    And guarantee the peace. 

    After all, the Ukrainian position is completely understandable. 

    For them – the war did not begin three years ago…

    That was merely the latest and most brutal escalation.  

    They have signed agreements with Putin, before. 

    They have experienced the nature of his diplomacy…

    And the calibre of his word.  

    We can’t accept a weak deal like Minsk again… 

    No, we must proceed with strength… 

    And that does now require – urgently… 

    A coalition of the willing. 

    Mr. Speaker – we agreed on Sunday that those willing to play a role in this… 

    Will intensify planning now.  

    And as this House would expect… 

    Britain will play a leading role. 

    With, if necessary and together with others… 

    Boots on the ground and planes in the air. 

    Mr. Speaker, it is right that Europe do the heavy lifting… 

    To support peace on our continent. 

    But to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing. 

    I want to assure the House… 

    I take none of this lightly. 

    I visited British troops in Estonia.

    And no aspect of my role weighs more heavily… 

    Than the deployment of British troops in the service of the defence and security in Europe.

    And yet I do feel very strongly…  

    That the future of Ukraine is vital for our national security. 

    Russia is a menace in our waters and skies… 

    They have launched cyber-attacks on our NHS… 

    Assassination attempts in our streets.  

    In this House, we stand by Ukraine because it is the right thing to do… 

    But we also stand by them because it is in our interest to do so. 

    Because if we do not achieve a lasting peace…

    Then the instability and insecurity that has hit the living standards of working people in Britain…

    That will only get worse. 

    And Putin’s appetite for conflict and chaos…

    That will only grow. 

    So a strong peace…

    A just peace… 

    A lasting peace… 

    That has now to be our goal.  

    It is vital… 

    It is in our interest… 

    And its pursuit – Britain will lead from the front. 

    For the security of our continent…

    The security of our country…

    And the security of the British people… 

    We must now win the peace. 

    And I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK E-petition debate relating to VAT and business rates relief for independent schools – Monday 3 March

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    The Petitions Committee has scheduled a debate relating to VAT and business rates relief for independent schools.

    John Lamont MP has been asked by the Committee to open the debate. The Government will send a Minister to respond.

    Read the petition:
    https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/701268

    Find petitions you agree with, and sign them: https://petition.parliament.uk/

    What are petition debates?

    Petition debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to Government Ministers.

    Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means that MPs will not vote on the issues raised in the petition at the end of the debate.

    The Petitions Committee can only schedule debates on petitions to parliament started on petition.parliament.uk

    Find out more about how petition debates work: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/content/194347/how-petitions-debates-work/

    Stay up-to-date
    Follow the Committee on Twitter for real-time updates on its work: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions

    Thumbnail image ©UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mzTseFt3uY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK How can the UK protect creators in the age of AI? | House of Lords

    Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

    Members discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on copyright law, and how to balance innovation with creators’ rights.

    Read a transcript of this question:
    https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-02-27/debates/BDDCAD16-73CE-4206-8C65-D3D3CC9FC5C8/Debate

    Catch-up on House of Lords business:

    Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
    Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/

    Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:

    • X: https://twitter.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/houseoflords.parliament.uk
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/UKHouseofLords/
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/ukhouseoflords/albums
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-house-of-lords
    • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@UKHouseOfLords

    #HouseOfLords #UKParliament

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqG1vWUN2dk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland

    The Irish and UK Governments have today announced new appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland.

    Earlier today, the Irish and United Kingdom Governments announced new appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland.

    The appointments are:

    • Ms Shona McCarthy, Chair
    • Ms Janet McConkey,
    • Ms Katy Hayward,
    • Ms Anne Conaghan
    • Ms Anne Carr,
    • Ms Angila Chada,
    • Mr Bill Pauley,

    In announcing these appointments, the two governments expressed their very warm appreciation for the services given by the outgoing Board Members whose term of office had ended. Particular thanks are due to Mr Paddy Harte who has shown exceptional leadership of the Board through his service as Chairman during the past six years.

    Notes to Editors

    The International Fund for Ireland is an international organisation established by the Irish and British Governments in 1986 with the objectives of promoting economic and social advance and of encouraging contact, dialogue and reconciliation between Unionists and Nationalists throughout Ireland. Contributors to the Fund have included the United States of America, the European Union, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Irish and UK Governments. Ms Anne Carr and Ms Anne Conaghan, who were Members of the previous Board, have been re- appointed for a further term.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft Dragon Copilot provides the healthcare industry’s first AI assistant for clinical workflow

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft Dragon Copilot provides the healthcare industry’s first AI assistant for clinical workflow

    By combining and extending the proven capabilities of Dragon Medical One (DMO) and DAX Copilot (DAX), Dragon Copilot promotes clinician well-being, increases efficiency, improves patient experiences and drives financial impact

    REDMOND, Wash. — March 3, 2025 — On Monday, Microsoft Corp. is unveiling Microsoft Dragon Copilot, the first AI assistant for clinical workflow that brings together the trusted natural language voice dictation capabilities of DMO with the ambient listening capabilities of DAX, fine-tuned generative AI and healthcare-adapted safeguards. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot is built on a secure modern architecture that enables organizations to deliver enhanced experiences and outcomes across care settings for providers and patients alike.

    Clinician burnout in the U.S. dropped from 53% in 2023 to 48% in 2024, in part due to technology advancements. However, with an aging population, and persistent burnout felt across the profession, a significant U.S. workforce shortage is projected. In response, health systems are adopting AI to streamline administrative tasks, enhance care access, and enable faster clinical insights to improve healthcare globally.

    “At Microsoft, we have long believed that AI has the incredible potential to free clinicians from much of the administrative burden in healthcare and enable them to refocus on taking care of patients,” said Joe Petro, corporate vice president of Microsoft Health and Life Sciences Solutions and Platforms. “With the launch of our new Dragon Copilot, we are introducing the first unified voice AI experience to the market, drawing on our trusted, decades-long expertise that has consistently enhanced provider wellness and improved clinical and financial outcomes for provider organizations and the patients they serve.”

    “With Dragon Copilot, we’re not just enhancing how we work in the EHR — we’re tapping into a Microsoft-powered ecosystem where AI assistance extends across our organization, delivering a consistent and intelligent experience everywhere we work,” said Dr. R. Hal Baker, senior vice president and chief digital and chief information officer, WellSpan Health. “It’s this ability to enhance the patient experience while streamlining clinician workflows that makes Dragon Copilot such a game-changer.”

    Dragon Copilot combines DMO’s speech capabilities, which has helped clinicians document billions of patient records, and DAX’s ambient AI technology, which has assisted over 3 million ambient patient conversations across 600 healthcare organizations in the past month alone. With these ambient AI capabilities, organizations have already realized significant outcomes, with clinicians reporting five minutes saved per encounter,[1] 70% of clinicians reporting reduced feelings of burnout and fatigue,[2] 62% of clinicians stating they are less likely to leave their organization,[3] while 93% of patients report a better overall experience.[4]

    Key features of Dragon Copilot allow clinicians and other care providers across specialties to:

    • Streamline documentation: Clinicians can take advantage of multilanguage ambient note creation, automated tasks and multilanguage support, personalized style and formatting, natural language dictation capabilities, speech memos, editing, customized texts, templates, AI prompts, and more in one singular user interface.
    • Surface information: The embedded AI assistant functionality allows clinicians to conduct general-purpose medical information searches from trusted content sources.
    • Automate tasks: New capabilities allow clinicians to automate key tasks, such as conversational orders, note and clinical evidence summaries, referral letters, and after-visit summaries, in one centralized workspace.

    Clinicians working across ambulatory, inpatient, emergency departments and other care settings will benefit from Dragon Copilot’s fast, accurate, secure and intuitive speech and ambient capabilities to document care, navigate electronic health record (EHR) workflows, and perform other administrative tasks. Dragon Copilot will be generally available in the U.S. and Canada in May, followed by the U.K., Germany, France and the Netherlands. Microsoft is also committed to bringing a new Dragon experience to other key markets using Dragon Medical today.

    “We are aware of the administrative burnout affecting our clinicians, and the need for improved care access for our patients, and the newest evolution of Dragon represents a significant step forward in alleviating this strain,” said Glen Kearns, EVP and CIO, The Ottawa Hospital. “We are thrilled to be one of the first customers in Canada to use Microsoft’s ambient and generative AI technology. The newest evolution of Dragon Copilot could help alleviate documentation burden for our clinical teams.”

    With Microsoft’s extensive healthcare industry partner ecosystem, healthcare organizations can unlock more value from Dragon Copilot by accessing new solutions and integrated offerings. These partners include leading EHR providers, independent software vendors, system integrators and cloud service providers that each play a unique role in enabling organizations to deliver meaningful outcomes using the Dragon Copilot solution.

    Embracing AI innovations with a secure data estate and responsible AI

    Dragon’s new capabilities are built on a secure data estate and incorporate healthcare-specific clinical, chat and compliance safeguards for accurate and safe AI outputs. They also align to Microsoft’s responsible AI principles to help guide AI development and use —transparency, reliability and safety, fairness, inclusiveness, accountability, privacy, and security. We remain committed to developing responsible AI by design and ensuring that these technologies positively impact both the healthcare ecosystem and broader society and will share our learnings on this journey with our customers.

    For more information on Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, please visit the Microsoft health and life sciences press site here. For more information on Dragon Copilot, click here or visit us at booth #2221 at HIMSS.

    Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

    For more information, press only:

    Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications, (425) 638-7777,
    [email protected]

    Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit Microsoft Source at https://news.microsoft.com/source. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

    [1] Microsoft survey of 879 clinicians across 340 healthcare organizations using DAX Copilot; July 2024

    [2] Microsoft survey of 879 clinicians across 340 healthcare organizations using DAX Copilot; July 2024

    [3] Microsoft survey of 879 clinicians across 340 healthcare organizations using DAX Copilot; July 2024

    [4] Survey of 413 patients conducted by multiple healthcare organizations whose clinicians use DAX Copilot; June 2024

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting our young people as they leave care

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Around 100 young people a year will continue to have a safe haven as part of a supported accommodation programme for young people in care and care leavers.

    Supported accommodation means young people aged 16 and over in care or care experienced have the chance to live in a more ‘independent’ home, usually a shared house with their own bedroom and communal use of bathrooms, kitchen and living rooms. Staff are on hand 24 hours a day to offer support.

    The houses usually support four or five young people, but for those who need more support, there are flats which only accommodate one young person at a time with staff.

    Young people in care can live there from the age of 16, but the services can also support those who are 18+ while future plans for their living arrangements are made.

    The set up helps them gain independence while still getting the support they need and as one young person said: “The place is amazing; it’s well set up and a good start for people moving towards independence.”

    Another said: “I’ve just moved in and really enjoying making my flat my own.  I like my flat to have nice cosy spaces.  It’s really nice that I also know a couple of other people here already.”

    We’re extending the current contract from 1 April 2025, which means our young people will continue to receive high-quality care and support.

    The contract ensures that local homes are always available for Plymouth’s young people, with the flexibility to grow the number of available beds if needed. This helps keep our young people close to their communities and support networks, demonstrating our commitment to making the move to adult life as smooth as possible.

    As part of the contract, providers have been supported with grants to improve their services, including staff training, case management and building improvements.

    Councillor Jemima Laing, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, said, “This initiative is more than just providing a place to stay. It’s about giving our young people the foundation they need to build a successful future and helping them develop the skills and confidence to live independently.”

    Alison Simpson, who is our new care leavers champion added: “Some of these young people simply have not had the support that many of us take for granted. It’s things like learning how to shop on a budget, how to cook and how to look after themselves. These are great stepping stones to independence.

    Cllr Alison Simpson, Care Leavers Champion

    “I have spent my working life in a variety of social care fields, and with all age groups.  Supporting care leavers is such an important responsibility, and I am looking forward with great excitement to bringing my experience to bear in this new role.”

    With 528 children in our care and 126 of them aged 16 or over there are a steady stream of young people leaving care, Alison will be supporting the cabinet member in her work to improve the lives of young people who have not had the easiest start in life.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –