NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Global: Team conflict at work can boost creativity, but it depends on the ‘fighters’ as much as the fights

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Brad Harris, Professor of management, associate dean of MBA programs, HEC Paris Business School

    For many corporate teams, the notion of “good conflict” is merely a myth. Most often, conflict is seen as a roadblock to success–especially when it involves clashing personalities or disagreements over strategy. But what if, in certain cases, the right kind of team conflict fuels creativity? That’s the idea behind our new research, which suggests that, handled well, some team fights might just be the key to sparking fresh ideas.

    And it turns out that who is in conflict can make all the difference.

    Researchers have long explored how team conflicts affect creativity, with some arguing that the right conflict can boost creativity, and others saying that conflict erodes it. Unfortunately, the findings have been all over the place so far. A common research approach has been to lump all conflict into the same bucket, or to separate task-centered conflict and relationship-oriented conflict and then assume they affect everyone in the team equally. But as we’re learning, these approaches might be too simplistic.

    Newer research, including our own, suggests that considering the roles of individual team members, and particularly their network status in the team, can paint a much clearer picture of how conflict can affect creativity. In particular, conflicts involving “critical members”–those who play a central role in a team’s workflow–seem to be where the real action is.

    The (sometimes) bright side of conflict

    In any team, disagreements about the task at hand–such as how to distribute resources, make decisions or handle workflow – are bound to happen. These are known as “task conflicts”. And traditional research has often considered such disputes as potentially helpful, arguing that they can bring in new perspectives, spur discussion and, if managed properly, enhance team creativity. That said, data often tell a different, more complicated story. We started our research as an attempt to reconcile some of the inconclusive results.

    Using network analysis, which is a way to explore the unique interactions and relationships between individuals, in 70 new product development teams, we found that task conflicts involving critical members of a team can indeed spark creativity by pushing the team to reflect on their work. But this is only under certain conditions. Specifically, critical members’ task-related disagreements seem to have creative potential when they occur in teams that report higher levels of shared goals. These results hold even when accounting for all other task conflicts in the team.

    Here’s how it works: when a critical member – the one others depend on for essential information – engages in task conflict, teams are forced to take a step back, reassess what’s happening and consider new approaches. It pushes the team out of autopilot mode and, so long as team members are aligned with shared goals, it encourages a mindset of flexibility and fresh ideas, which are the lifeblood of creativity. Absent shared goals, we don’t really see much creative benefit from critical members’ task conflicts, which is not surprising – why do the hard work of questioning the status quo if you don’t agree on the outcome you want? As it turns out, much of what we have traditionally assumed about and measured in task conflict does not really help us understand how it is conducive to creativity; what happens with the critical members in the center of a team’s network is where the fruits of diverse thinking can emerge.

    The dark side of conflict

    On the flip side, personal spats – known as “relationship conflicts” – have a different effect. These are conflicts that aren’t really about the work itself, but rather stem from personality clashes or interpersonal issues.

    Past research has been pretty clear about the negative effects of team relationship conflict on creativity, but our work shows that when these conflicts involve critical members, the effects are even more deleterious. Namely, critical members’ interpersonal conflicts erode the team’s cohesion, i.e., the “glue” of the group, which destroys the trust and safety needed to try new, creative things.

    When critical members possess high levels of emotional intelligence, the worst of these negative effects can be mitigated. In short, emotional intelligence helps these key players handle personal tensions in a way that keeps the team together, even when conflicts pop up. So, once again, our study’s findings emphasize that the way conflict affects teamwork is largely dependent on how the people in the center of the network experience it.

    Practical takeaways

    So, what can leaders do to harness the creative potential of conflict while minimizing its downsides? Here are a few actionable steps:

    Get crystal clear on goals: By establishing common goals, leaders create an environment where task conflicts are more likely to be constructive. When team members are all pulling in the same direction, disagreements about how to get there can be resolved more productively, driving the team to reflect and adapt in creative ways.

    Coach for emotional intelligence: Because relationship conflicts involving critical members can harm cohesion, it’s essential to equip these key players with the emotional skills needed to manage personal tensions. Often, star individual contributors find themselves in the center of a team’s network because of their task-related skills, not because of their interpersonal ones. This is a dangerous recipe! Selecting for or coaching on emotional intelligence can help set critical members up to handle conflicts in ways that don’t damage team unity, preserving the group’s creative potential.

    Reconsider conflict: Recognize that not all conflicts are equally disruptive – or equally beneficial. A well-designed team structure will consider both the roles of critical members and how conflicts involving them can shape team dynamics. Leaders can look at conflict not just as a problem, but as a potential driver of creativity, depending on who is involved and how it’s handled.

    Overall, traditional research on team conflict treated task and relationship conflicts as if they affect everyone equally. This might explain why we still know relatively little about links between conflict and creativity. Thanks to advances in how we explore team data using more complex network analyses, we can see that conflict involving critical members disproportionately affects team dynamics and creativity – and start identifying ways to manage conflict in more productive ways.

    Brad Harris ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

    – ref. Team conflict at work can boost creativity, but it depends on the ‘fighters’ as much as the fights – https://theconversation.com/team-conflict-at-work-can-boost-creativity-but-it-depends-on-the-fighters-as-much-as-the-fights-247934

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study from Microsoft Azure Quantum on measuring topological qubits

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Nature looks at Microsoft Azure Quantum on measuring topological qubits. 

    Professor George Booth, Professor of Theoretical Physics at King’s College London, said:

    What is the significance of this work?

    “Companies have typically measured their progress in terms of qubits, or quantum units of information that they compute and by this measurement Microsoft have lagged behind others. However, they have instead focused on the long-game by working on a system which is inherently more resilient to noise and interference – using so called ‘topological’ qubits. This noise resilience could pay off in the long term, as processing quantum information (rather than the classical bits that traditional computers work with) is inherently fragile.

    These topological qubits protect the information they carry by using the properties of a new type of “emergent particle, a Majorana fermion, which means that it is harder for this information to be lost as it is processed. However, this added layer of complexity when constructing these qubits when compared to competing architectures.

    “This work demonstrates progress on measuring these topological qubits, which is an essential operation to realise the potential of these devices. They stop short of unambiguously demonstrating that they can measure a full topological qubit but get closer to a viable topological qubit.

    What does it mean for progress in quantum computing?

    “There is no doubt that having competition between scientific platforms for quantum computing compounds the probability that (at least) one will emerge as a viable platform. This is a step in the direction of a very different platform that could compete with the more mature technologies pioneered by the likes of Google. There is still a significant way to go from here in demonstrating that the technology can be scaled up, but Microsoft is bullish about their roadmap for the future. 

    “Ultimately, the importance of this work will probably only be able to be judged in hindsight, if and when the technology reaches maturity compared to other platforms. However, it is certainly an impressive technical achievement, demonstrating control over these emergent particles at the most fundamental levels.

    Is this good quality research?  Are the conclusions backed up by solid data? How does this work fit with the existing evidence?

    “It is a highly technical paper, and works hard to present the scientific facts without hyperbole. They are cautious, likely since Microsoft have been burnt before by their claims of developing topological qubits in a paper which had to be later retracted after scientific flaws were pointed out. In this work, they are much more tempered about their conclusions that they are actually measuring a topological qubit, but present the evidence that it is at least highly likely.”

    Have the authors accounted for confounders?  Are there important limitations to be aware of?

    “The work is clearly seen by all as a step on a long road and not an ending point. Within the paper, it even takes care not to overstate the implications of the work, or even the certainty by which they have measured a topological state. 

    “I think that for many in the field there is still some healthy scepticism of the timescales for the roadmaps of some of these tech companies towards a quantum computer that is routinely solving practical problems, but this paper demonstrates that fundamental hurdles are being overcome. Whether a claim of ‘years’ is accurate will remain to be seen.

    What are the implications in the real world?  Is there any overspeculation? 

    “The end goal of this line of research is a ‘universal’ quantum computer. This would be able to simulate certain problems much faster than classical supercomputers would ever be able to. 

    “Of these problems where a speedup can be demonstrated, certain ones are causing the most interest and are likely driving the investment. Namely, these are breaking encryption protocols, chemical simulations to design new drugs and materials, and solving certain ‘difficult’ optimisation problems, like a logistical supply chain issue. 

    “These are not problems that most people have to tackle on a day-to-day basis, so they will likely always be specialist machines for these jobs and not something that most people would have or need access to. However, there is significant commercial interest in these activities, and therefore a significant payoff to the company who can develop the viable technology first.”

    Prof Paul Stevenson, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Surrey, said:

    “Microsoft have pioneered the idea of so-called “topological qubits” as the basic building blocks of future quantum computers, but so far have failed to demonstrate working devices while competitors have been building basic quantum computers for a few years now using other qubit technology.  What Microsoft are counting on is that their devices, once realised, will be naturally much more robust by design than the somewhat temperamental competing technologies.  Their latest result shows that they have managed to build roughly one half of one qubit.  Now the challenge is to build that up first into a single qubit, then an array of qubits, at which point they will be very serious competitors in the field.  The new papers are a significant step, but as with much promising work in quantum computing, the next steps are difficult and until the next steps have been achieved, it is too soon to be anything more than cautiously optimistic.”

    ‘Interferometric Single-Shot Parity Measurement in InAs-Al Hybrid Devices’ by Morteza Aghaee et al. was published in Nature at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 19 February 2025. 

    Declared interests

    Professor George Booth:

    • Research funding from US DoD (neither for defense or quantum computing activities)
    • Funding from the UKRI (on a grant related to quantum computing software)
    • He is on the scientific board of a drug design company leveraging the use of emerging quantum computers

    Prof Paul Stevenson: I am funded for my research by direct UK government research council grants, and grants from AWE, part of MOD.  I am a member of UK Government research council funding and advisory panels and a UK delegate to the NuPECC European Nuclear Physics committee

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at aspartame artificial sweetener and insulin levels and blood vessel inflammation in mice

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Cell Metabolism looks at the artificial sweetener aspartame, insulin levels and blood inflammation in mice. 

    Prof Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine/Honorary Consultant, University of Glasgow, said:

    “This seems like worrying findings but of course, before it can taken seriously, the findings have to be replicated in man.  There is no good evidence from trials that exogenous insulin increases cardiovascular risks in people with prior cardiovascular disease AND in people with type 1, by improving glucose levels, exogenous insulin lowers many risks.  Whether excess pancreatic insulin occurs with aspartame in amounts regularly consumed occurs and then accelerates vascular risks in man is also not proven.  For now, I remain happy to take sweeteners and related diet beverages instead of sugar filled drinks as the former limits excess calorie intake.”

    Prof James Leiper, Director of Research, British Heart Foundation, said:

    “This study has revealed much more about the known potential risks of artificial sweeteners.  In these mice, a diet that included an artificially high level of aspartame did exacerbate the size and number of fatty plaques in their arteries.  The effect of these plaques was not measured here, but they are known to greatly increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

    “While it is important to note that these findings have not yet been seen in humans, the results highlight the importance of further research to determine whether these additions to our food, and their effect on insulin levels, are contributing to an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

    “These sweeteners are now found in many foods and drinks, and people are probably consuming more than they realise.  But this research is not a green light to have more sugar instead.  We all need to reduce our intake of the processed foods and beverages that contain high levels of fat, sugars, sweeteners and salt.  This is the best way of ensuring a healthy diet and a lowered risk of heart and circulatory disease.”

    Prof Oliver Jones, Professor of Chemistry, RMIT University in Melbourne, said:

    “I have several concerns about this study.

    “The authors claim that the consumption of Aspartame by adults and children “often exceeds those levels recommended by the FDA” – this is extremely unlikely in my view.  The FDA-acceptable daily intake of Aspartame is 50 mg per kg of body weight per day.  I weigh 80 kg, so this means this means the FDA-based safe dose for me is 4000 mg (or 4 grams) of Aspartame per day, every day, for life.  Given a diet drink contains about 200 mg of Aspartame, I would have to drink the equivalent of 20 cans of diet soda a day to get this dose.  A child of 40 kg would have to drink 10 cans a day, every day.  Even then, the 50 mg/kg dose has a safety factor of 100 built-in.

    “The study design also has some issues.  The main one is that the authors used a particular type of lab mouse called an ApoE mouse, which is bred to be prone to heart disease.  They also fed it a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, which itself increases the risk of heart disease.  They also don’t seem to have measured how much of the Aspartame water the mice drank, or the Aspartame level in the blood, so it is unknown what the mice actually received.

    “To my mind, the authors’ admission that feeding mice that are already genetically susceptible to heart disease with a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet that is known to cause heart disease “diminishes clinical relevance” is somewhat of an understatement.

    “Contrary to the paper’s claims, it is quite well-established that Aspartame doesn’t stimulate glucose or insulin levels in humans [1, 2].

    “Aspartame is essentially just two common amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine) joined together.  In the gut, it is broken down to aspartic acid and phenylalanine.  There is no reason to think amino acids from Aspartame would be worse than those from any other source.

    “The authors would appear to think little work has been done on safety testing in Aspartame; this is just not true.  All food ingredients are rigorously tested and safety assessed before they are approved for use.  Aspartame is one of the most researched ingredients in the world.  It is just that a lot of the data is in safety assessments for regulatory approval, not the academic literature.

    “Finally, even if Aspartame did cause some increase in cardiovascular risk (which this study does not prove), then that risk would likely be very small compared to things like high fat/high sugar diets and lack of exercise, etc.

    “In short, I don’t think this study itself gives us more reason to worry about diet drinks or aspartame.”

    References

    1 Santos, N. C., de Araujo, L. M., De Luca Canto, G., Guerra, E. N. S., Coelho, M. S., Borin, M. de F. (2017). Metabolic effects of aspartame in adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 58(12), 2068-2081. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1304358

    2 Stern S.B., Bleicher S.J., Flores A., Gombos G., Recitas D., Shu J. Administration of aspartame in non-insulin-dependent diabetics. (1976) Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health,. 2(2):429-39. https:// 10.1080/15287397609529444

    ‘Sweetener aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation’ by Weijie Wu et al. was published in Cell Metabolism at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 19 February 2025. 

    DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2025.01.006

    Declared interests

    Prof Naveed Sattar: “Takes occasional diet drinks.

    Has consulted for several companies that make diabetes medicines but also contributed to several lifestyle trials.

    “For Novo Nordisk: have consulted for company in advisory boards but not on any of their weight loss drug trial committees; am on steering committee for ZEUS trial but this is not a weight loss trial product but anti-inflammatory.  Do not have any shares either for any product in health etc.

    “N.S. declares consulting fees and/or speaker honoraria from Abbott Laboratories, Afimmune, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, and Sanofi; and grant support paid to his university from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Roche Diagnostics.”

    Prof James Leiper: “No conflicts of interest to declare.”

    Prof Oliver Jones: “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Local Plan takes another step closer to unlocking York’s development and growth ambitions

    Source: City of York

    City of York Council is set to consider the adoption of its Local Plan following the findings of the Inspector’s Report on the Examination of City of York’s Local Plan.

    The Local Plan will be presented for consideration at Full Council on Thursday 27 February.

    City of York Council is set to consider the adoption of its Local Plan following the findings of the Inspector’s Report on the Examination of City of York’s Local Plan, which will be presented for consideration at Full Council on Thursday 27 February.  

    Once adopted, this Plan will be the city’s first comprehensive development framework since 1956 and will guide York’s growth for the next decade, marking a pivotal milestone in the city’s future development and growth ambitions, whilst establishing the city’s green belt and historic setting for the first time. 

    The Local Plan outlines the vision for sustainable housing, economic development, and infrastructure in York. It addresses key priorities such as affordable housing, environmental sustainability, and the protection of York’s historic character. The Plan provides a policy framework for decisions on development, shaping the city’s future spatial development until 2038. 

    As part of the adoption process, the Council will review the Inspector’s recommendations and the main modifications to housing allocations, green belt boundaries, and transport infrastructure planning. The final decision on whether to formally adopt the Local Plan will be made at the Full Council meeting on Thursday 27 February. 

    Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of the Council, said: 

    “The Local Plan is an historic step in shaping York’s bright future, and we’re excited about what it means for our city. We welcome the Inspector’s findings and are confident that their modifications will strengthen the Plan, ensuring it supports York’s vision for a sustainable, inclusive city for all. The Plan provides us with a clear roadmap for how our city will develop and grow over the next decade – meeting the needs of our residents and businesses.  

    “A huge thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to bring this Plan to life. We truly appreciate your dedication and commitment to York’s future.” 

    Cllr Katie Lomas, Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality, and Inclusion, added: 

    “This Local Plan is designed to support the growth of York while promoting equality, accessibility, and sustainability. We are particularly focused on ensuring that affordable housing remains a central component of this Plan, along with infrastructure that meets the needs of all residents, including those from the most disadvantaged groups. This is a long-term investment in creating a fairer, greener York for future generations.” 

    Cllr. Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities, commented: 

    “The Local Plan represents the outcome of 7 years extensive consultation, public hearings, and thorough examination. The Plan outlines significant investments in housing, transport, and employment opportunities, which will help drive York’s economy and provide much-needed infrastructure. For York to prosper we need to be ambitious, and this Plan unlocks the potential to make those ambitions a reality.” 
     
    Inspector’s Report and Next Steps 

    The Inspector’s Report, published following extensive independent examination, recognised that the Local Plan meets all statutory duties to cooperate and aligns with national planning policies. However, the Report also identified certain areas requiring modifications to ensure the Plan’s soundness, particularly regarding the housing supply, green belt boundaries, and infrastructure delivery.  

    The Council has already responded to the Inspector’s recommendations, requesting main modifications that will address these deficiencies. Full Council will be asked to adopt the plan with the Inspectors’ modifications. 

    The Local Plan in Brief 

    The Local Plan will provide a comprehensive strategy for:
     
    •    Delivering 20,000 new homes over the duration of the plan, including a significant proportion of affordable housing.

     
    •    Allocating sites for economic growth, including areas for employment and retail expansion. 

    •    Investing in sustainable transport infrastructure, including improved bus routes, cycling paths, and EV charging stations. 

    •    Mitigating and adapting to climate change with enhanced green infrastructure, flood defences, and energy-efficient building standards. 

    •    Safeguarding York’s historic and cultural heritage while ensuring new development respects the city’s unique character. 

    •    Setting the city’s green belt and protecting the historic setting for the first time. 

    The adoption of the Local Plan represents a turning point in York’s growth, ensuring that development is sustainable, well-planned, and consistent with local priorities. 

    For more details on the Inspector’s Report and the upcoming Full Council meeting, visit the City of York Council website at www.york.gov.uk/LocalPlanInspectorsReport. 

    Full Council takes place on Thursday 27 February, the agenda is available to view online at https://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=331&MId=15004 and the meeting will be available to view live or on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.   
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement following fire at Dyce Academy

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: “Dyce Academy remains closed to pupils and staff following a fire overnight.

    “Council officers and the headteacher have not yet been able to gain access to the school building to fully assess the extent of the damage. They have been advised that the fire damage appears to be contained to a small number of rooms, however they expect there to be extensive smoke and water damage, and a need for repair work required before pupils and staff can return to the building.

    “In order to fully assess and address the damage, and to ensure that utilities are fully operational, Council officers are working on the assumption that the school will be closed for the remainder of this week (Thursday 20 and Friday 21 February). The situation will be reviewed tomorrow (Thursday 20 February). The headteacher will provide a formal update to parents, carers and school staff on the situation on Friday morning. All options to facilitate pupils’ learning from Monday are being considered.

    “School Google Classrooms will be fully operational on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 February, and work will be posted to allow for online learning activities over these two days. Overview information will also be shared on Year Group Classrooms.  Learners will be able to access this from their school Chromebook, or from their own devices using the online app or via the school website.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Edinburgh Libraries launch new recycling programme to promote sustainability and digital reuse

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Edinburgh Libraries have held the official launch of a new recycling programme aimed at promoting sustainability and digital reuse across the city.

    The service secured £23,000 in funding from the Public Library Improvement Fund, awarded by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), which supports innovative initiatives in areas such as digital upskilling, sustainability, and inclusivity.

    This funding will allow Edinburgh Libraries to collaborate with Edinburgh Remakery to introduce Tech Donation Boxes to 15 libraries, these boxes will provide Edinburgh residents with an easy, welcoming, and accessible way to donate their old devices. Donated tech devices will be repaired and reused when possible or responsibly recycled when necessary, contributing to a circular economy and reducing electronic waste.

    The programme was officially launched at Craigmillar Library last night (Tuesday 18 February), where attendees were introduced to the project and had the chance to participate in various activities, including a Making Jewellery with Recycled Materials workshop (featuring old computer parts, circuit boards, and more), a Climate Fresk Quiz, and an exhibition showcasing children’s crafts made from recycled materials.

    Councillor Val Walker, Culture and Communities Convener said:

    In 2023 Edinburgh Remakery tech boxes were hosted within two libraries –Central Library and Wester Hailes Library. The response from the public was fantastic, and the library service was successful in securing an award from Edinburgh Remakery for the high volume of donations received.
    Thanks to this new funding, we’re able to extend our partnership with the Edinburgh Remakery, working across 15 public libraries to host Tech Donation Boxes and expand the role of our libraries in promoting sustainability throughout the city.

    Elaine Brown, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Remakery, said: 

    At Edinburgh Remakery, we are passionate about giving old tech a second life, and this partnership with Edinburgh Libraries is a fantastic step towards a more sustainable and digitally inclusive city. By making tech donation easy and accessible, we are not only reducing electronic waste but also ensuring that more people can benefit from refurbished devices. Together, we are creating a future where waste is minimised, and resources are maximised for the benefit of our community.
     

    Published: February 19th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Plans for new affordable homes in Lancaster’s Canal Quarter progress, with measures to address parking concern Proposals for new affordable homes as part of Lancaster’s Canal Quarter development site ..

    Source: City of Lancaster

    Proposals for new affordable homes as part of Lancaster’s Canal Quarter development site have taken a further step forward.

    Lancaster City Council has long held ambitions to develop the Canal Quarter, with a masterplan for the area setting out how the derelict and underused site will be transformed into a vibrant new neighbourhood.

    The first of the sites to be made available, the Nelson Street car park, is now set to be redeveloped with South Lakes Housing and Tyson Construction given exclusive rights to draw up proposals for a new affordable housing and mixed tenure development. The project has been developed with the support of the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF2) from the One Public Estate programme.

    But with it likely to be at least a year before the development gets underway and the car park closes, motorists and businesses have been reassured that temporary and long-term measures will be in place to make up for any loss of parking spaces.

    Work is already underway to increase the available spaces on other car parks and the Castle car park is also set to reopen in April 2026, providing a boost to the city’s parking spaces.

    More extensive parking on Kingsway is also being explored, which would provide overspill capacity and extra spaces for busy times such as when festivals and events are taking place.

    By April 2026, despite losing Nelson Street, it’s planned that the total number of spaces will increase to 1,554, rising to 1,654 with Kingsway. This exceeds the current availability of 1,329.

    In the long-term, the potential for multi storey car parking or the use of decking to increase the capacity of current car parks in the city is also being investigated.

    Councillor Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council and portfolio holder for housing, said: “The development of the Nelson Street car park will make an important contribution to the supply of new housing within the city centre, including the provision of affordable homes.

    “We’ve listened to the city’s businesses and understand their concerns over the loss of these valuable car parking spaces.

    “That’s why, by the time the car park has to close for development, we will have measures in place that should lead to an overall net increase across the city compared to what we have currently.”

    The council is also looking to introduce a new car park vehicle counting system to make it easier for motorists to find a space at busy times.

    This system will provide motorists with real time occupancy data, meaning they will be able to see where there is capacity available. It is currently out to procurement with a view to being installed later this year.

    The development of 49 affordable homes is set to be built by South Lakes Housing (SLH) to help meet the urgent need for affordable housing throughout the area.  SLH is an independent, not-for-profit housing association and has previously worked with the city council on the award-winning Lune Walk development at Halton

    Last updated: 19 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study of glacier melt this century

    Source: United Kingdom – Science Media Centre

    A study published in Nature estimates global glacier melting from 2000 to 2023. 

    Prof Andrew Shepherd, Head of Department of Geography and Environmental Science, Northumbria University, said:

    “This is really important as it’s an authoritative assessment from the community working on this topic. It confirms that the pace of glacier melting is accelerating over time. Glacier melting has two main impacts; it causes sea level rise and it disrupts the water supply in rivers that are fed by meltwater. Around 2 billion people depend on meltwater from glaciers and so their retreat is a big problem for society – it’s not just that we are losing them from our landscape, they are an important part of our daily lives.

    “Even small amounts of sea level rise matter because it leads to more frequent coastal flooding. Every centimetre of sea level rise exposes another 2 million people to annual flooding somewhere on our planet.

    “Community assessments like GLAMBIE are vital as they give people confidence to make use of their findings. That includes other climate scientists, governments, and industry, plus of course anyone who is concerned about the impacts of global warming. Around 2 billion people depend on meltwater from glaciers and so their retreat is a big problem for society – it’s not just that we are losing them from our landscape, they are an important part of our daily lives.”

    Prof Martin Siegert, Professor of Geosciences and Deputy VC at the University of Exeter, said:

    “Two centimetres might not sound a lot, but this is the contribution from small glaciers – not the whole of the ice on the planet, and not from Greenland and Antarctica. Sea level has risen by 20cm since 1850; 50% from the sea being warmer and expanding, 50% (10cm) due to glacier melt. However, ice sheets are now losing mass at increasing rates (6x more than 30 years ago), and when they change, we stop talking centimetres and start talking metres. For example, the last ice age was 20,000 years ago, and between then and 10,000 years ago as we warmed out of the ice age, sea level rose by 130m, due primarily to collapse of ice sheets.

    “This research is concerning to us, because it predicts further glacier loss, which can be considered like a ‘canary in the coal mine’ for ice sheet reaction to global warming and far more sea level rise this century and beyond. The IPCC indicates 0.5-1m this century – but that is with a 66% certainty – hence 1/3 chance it could be higher under ‘strong’ warming, which unfortunately is the pathway we are on presently.”

    ‘Community estimate of global glacier mass changes from 2000 to 2023’ by The GlaMBIE Team was published in Nature at 16:15 UK time on Wednesday 19th February. 

    Declared interests

    Prof Andrew Shepherd: No conflicts to declare

    Prof Martin Siegert: No COI

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Dassault Systèmes: disclosure of trading in own shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France — February 19, 2025

    DISCLOSURE OF TRADING IN OWN SHARES
    (Repurchase program decided by the General Meeting of
    Shareholders of May 22, 2024)

    Issuer: Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA)
    Type of securities: Ordinary shares
    Period: From February 11 to February 14, 2025

    Detailed information (presentation by day and by market and transaction-by-transaction details) can be consulted on the website of Dassault Systèmes: https://investor.3ds.com/regulated-information/permanent-information

    Presentation of the trading in own shares by day and by market

    Name of issuer Identification code of the issuer Date of trading Identification code of the financial instrument Daily total volume
    (in number of shares)    		 Daily weighted average acquisition price of the shares* Market
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 17 669 39,9992 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 10 507 39,9990 DXE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 2 952 39,9900 TQE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 4 000 39,9900 AQE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 9695002I9DJHZ3449O66 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 46 773 40,0000 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 287 836 39,9865 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 61 161 39,9939 DXE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 11 649 39,9922 TQE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 10 039 39,9933 AQE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 34 419 39,9966 DXE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 9695002I9DJHZ3449O66 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 208 462 40,0000 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 13-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 55 259 40,0000 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 13-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 20 327 40,0000 DXE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 9695002I9DJHZ3449O66 13-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 56 509 40,0000 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 14-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 8 496 39,9932 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 14-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 5 105 39,9890 DXE

    (*)The weighted average unit price is a rounded price

    ###

    ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

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

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

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

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

     ; 

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: DDB Miner Announces New High-Yield Investment Plans for 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DDB Miner, a leading cryptocurrency mining platform, has launched new investment plans designed to maximize earnings while ensuring sustainability and efficiency. With its advanced technology and renewable energy-powered mining operations, DDB Miner offers a seamless and profitable way for investors to generate passive income. The latest investment options allow users to earn up to $9,999 per day with minimal effort.

    New Investment Plans for 2025

    DDB Miner introduces flexible investment options tailored to different levels of investors, ranging from beginners to experienced traders. These plans offer daily returns and include a principal return upon contract expiration. The updated plans include:

    • Starter Plan
      • Investment: $12
      • Daily Return: $0.50
      • Includes a $12 welcome bonus
    • Boosted Hash Power
      • Investment: $100
      • Daily Return: $6
      • Designed for steady profits
    • Top Hash Power
      • Investment: $500
      • Daily Return: $31.50
      • Ideal for long-term growth
    • Premium Contracts
      • Investments range from $8,000 to $50,000
      • Increasing returns based on contract size

    These investment opportunities ensure daily payouts, reliable earnings, and a secure method to grow wealth passively.

    Why Choose DDB Miner?

    Since its founding in 2017, DDB Miner has grown to accommodate over 9 million members worldwide. The platform is recognized for its advanced infrastructure, transparency, and strong commitment to sustainable mining. Here’s what makes DDB Miner stand out:

    • Solar-Powered Mining – Utilizing renewable energy, reducing costs, and minimizing environmental impact
    • Secure and Transparent Operations – Protecting user assets with advanced SSL encryption
    • User-Friendly Interface – A simple and intuitive platform, suitable for both beginners and experienced investors
    • Fast & Reliable Payouts – Investors receive guaranteed daily earnings
    • 24/7 Customer Support – A dedicated team is available to assist users at any time

    How to Get Started?

    Getting started with DDB Miner is quick and easy. Investors can begin earning by following these simple steps:

    1. Sign Up & Get a $12 Bonus – Register on DDB Miner’s official website and receive an instant welcome bonus.
    2. Select an Investment Plan – Choose a contract that aligns with your financial goals and budget.
    3. Start Earning Daily – Once your contract is active, the mining process begins automatically, generating passive income with no manual effort required.

    A Secure and Profitable Future

    As cryptocurrency continues to evolve, DDB Miner remains at the forefront of providing secure, transparent, and high-yield investment opportunities. Whether you’re a newcomer exploring passive income options or an experienced investor looking for steady returns, these new plans offer an excellent way to capitalize on cryptocurrency mining.

    DDB Miner’s commitment to sustainability, security, and profitability makes it a top choice for those looking to enhance their financial future. With a trusted platform, innovative mining technology, and a focus on user satisfaction, DDB Miner is paving the way for a new era of crypto investments.

    Sign up now, claim your $12 bonus, and start your journey to financial freedom. Visit the official website for more details: https://ddbminer.com/

    Media Contact:
    Katerina Audrey
    DDB Miner Media Relations
    Email: info@ddbminer.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by DDB Miner. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the sponsor and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in cloud mining and related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1c2f09cc-02cf-45fd-887e-db8a15e701bc

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d5f2fe4-b799-4736-904c-23ff4a781b15

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5d5d0768-9947-4a65-9331-bfc2475e3d73

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8266c1a6-b8dd-4457-9091-41f63d0dec0a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni visits Pope Francis

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    19 Febbraio 2025

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, visited the Holy Father at the Gemelli hospital in Rome today. President Meloni wished Pope Francis a speedy recovery, on behalf of the Government and the entire nation.

    “I was very glad to find him alert and responsive – said President Meloni –. We joked around as always. He hasn’t lost his proverbial sense of humour”.

    [Courtesy translation]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: UTM Offshore Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to Join Industry Leaders at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025

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

    PARIS, France, February 19, 2025/APO Group/ —

    As a leader in offshore energy, Julius Rone, CEO of UTM Offshore, is confirmed to speak at the upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum in Paris. UTM Offshore is currently playing a pivotal role in Nigeria’s energy sector, including the development of the country’s first floating LNG (FLNG) facility, along with broader investments in Africa’s energy future.

    The company’s $5 billion UTM FLNG project continues to progress, with significant milestones achieved in design, construction and timeline for production. The 2.8 MTPA facility is poised to make a substantial contribution to Nigeria’s LNG capacity, strengthening the country’s position in the global energy market. In September 2024, UTM Offshore received the license from the Nigerian Federal Government to construct the project, bringing it one step closer to making a final investment decision, which is expected in 2025.

    IAE 2025 (apo-opa.co/3Qlfj69) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    The UTM FLNG facility serves as a prime example of the steps required to secure significant funding for large-scale gas projects, including diversifying funding sources, securing off-take agreements and gaining government support. According to Rone, UTM Offshore signed an MOU with the African Export-Import Bank in 2021 to raise up to $2 billion for the project. The bank has since received preliminary approval to invest $350 million, while UTM has secured contracts with JGC Corp and KBR Inc. for the facility’s design. Additionally, Vitol Group has entered into an LNG off-take agreement, and last year, UTM signed a deal with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company for it to acquire a 20% stake in the project.

    UTM Offshore’s participation at IAE 2025 underscores the company’s commitment to maximizing returns on investment in Africa’s energy sector, particularly through projects like UTM FLNG that connect the global investment community to Africa’s emerging energy opportunities. As Africa becomes an increasingly important player in the global energy landscape, UTM Offshore’s initiatives represent the continent’s growing capacity to provide sustainable energy solutions while fostering collaboration with international investors and stakeholders.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Is Nigeria in danger of a coup? What the country should do to avoid one – political analyst

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Moshood, Senior Lecturer Department of Political Science, Lagos State University

    African countries have had nine successful military coups since 2020. In west and central Africa, there have been at least 10 coup attempts in the same period. Those of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Guinea were successful. A number of social, economic and political factors have been identified as responsible for the truncation of democracy in those countries.

    In this interview, The Conversation Africa asks political scientist Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Moshood, who has recently published research on preventing military coups in Nigeria, about what drives coups, whether those factors are present in Nigeria and what steps Nigeria could take to protect its democracy.

    What are the drivers of recent coups in Africa?

    One major reason is leaders who have used the idea of democracy to advance their own economic gains. The result is corruption, which has deepened the gap between the rich and the poor.

    While liberal democracy widens opportunity in developed countries, the reverse is the case in Nigeria, due largely to corruption and lack of effective leadership.

    Also, democracy in parts of Africa, including Nigeria, has not been able to advance development and make a positive impact on the people. To ringfence democracy from military intervention, it must advance development for the people.

    Another factor is the strategic importance of Africa, which has historically attracted foreign powers. With the partitioning of Africa in Berlin in 1884, European powers created spheres of influence which have continued to haunt many African countries.

    These strategic interests have continued to infiltrate politics and cause instability on the continent.

    In my recent work, I argued that foreign influence and strategic importance make coups more likely to occur in African countries including Nigeria.

    Just like coups in the post-independence era, some recent coups in west Africa have the fingerprints of foreign powers. For instance, Russia is implicated in the 2020 and 2021 coups in Mali and the Burkina Faso coup.

    The UK, the US, China and France are all interested in Africa. Since the expulsion of France from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the former colonial power has been seeking another regional haven in Nigeria. This has raised suspicion in some quarters.

    Also, colonialism left a legacy of division between a country’s people and their army. Recruitment dislocated the previous warriors and empowered new ones. The military under colonialism was perceived by civilians as protecting the interests of the colonial ruling elite.

    In the post-colonial period, the military is perceived as protecting the interests of the African ruling elite. This arrangement goes on until the military, having been exposed to politics, decides to seize power for itself. Oftentimes, citizens give legitimacy to this kind of coup because they have always seen the political elite as self serving. Military coups in Sudan and Mali are examples of this.

    Are these factors present in Nigeria today?

    The sociopolitical and economic conditions that led to coups in other countries in west Africa are present in Nigeria.

    Nigeria is still largely divided along lines of clans and religion. Insecurity is at high levels across the country. The removal of the petrol subsidy has caused economic problems.

    Commodity prices have skyrocketed. Food inflation reached 40.75% in 2024 – its highest level in 25 years.

    The colonial legacy in Nigeria is still evident in the north versus south divide that plagues the country’s politics. Bad leaders exploit the division for their own selfish gain by using marginalisation rhetoric.

    Nigeria is still strongly tied to the apron strings of the western powers. This explains why Nigeria’s presidential aspirants prefer to go to Chatham House, London to speak rather than talk to the people they intend to lead.

    Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu’s relationship with France is raising eyebrows in the country. The president recently signed new deals with France in the areas of renewable energy, transportation, agriculture and critical infrastructure. There are concerns because this is coming soon after nearly all former French allies in west Africa have broken ties with the European country.

    These factors often lead to increasing disaffection, which in turn can ignite a military takeover, as happened in Niger, Guinea and Gabon.

    How can a military comeback be prevented in Nigeria?

    Effective leadership would help reduce colonial legacies, improve democracy and mitigate foreign influence. This would foster confidence among dissimilar ethnic communities as policies towards inclusiveness and development of the country were implemented.

    Military professionalism would further specialise the military and give them focus. There should be less involvement of the military in politics.

    In peace time, the military can also be kept engaged as a service provider in agriculture, health and social work as done, for instance, in the US.

    Regional organisations like the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union should be proactive in condemning any derailment in democratic practices and values by political actors. They should not only react by imposing sanctions after a military takeover.

    Nigeria needs to think about developing a homegrown democracy as advocated by the late Claude Ake, the Nigerian political scientist.

    The process and method of democratisation should be affordable to all to participate. Democratic leaders must be scrutinised and their level of wealth ascertained before and after leaving office.

    Democratic institutions must be strengthened to prevent corrupt people from taking over offices. Democratic leaders in Nigeria and other African countries must seek indigenous solutions to their challenges.

    – Is Nigeria in danger of a coup? What the country should do to avoid one – political analyst
    – https://theconversation.com/is-nigeria-in-danger-of-a-coup-what-the-country-should-do-to-avoid-one-political-analyst-248281

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK supports UNSMIL’s call for a full investigation into mass graves of migrants: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Libya.

    I thank USG DiCarlo for her briefing this morning.

    I also welcome the recent appointment of Hanna Tetteh as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Libya.

    We look forward to working with her to harness the momentum of UNSMIL’s new political initiative. 

    I echo the USG’s thanks to DSRSG Koury for her leadership over the past nine months.

    I would like to make three points.

    First, we welcome the establishment of the Advisory Committee as an important first step in UNSMIL’s political track. 

    With the Committee’s expertise, and under SRSG Tetteh’s leadership, this initiative has the potential to chart a positive path towards a more stable and representative Libya.

    Second, the status quo in Libya remains fragile. 

    Increasing competition between Libyan actors over state resources has led to unprecedented levels of pressure being exerted on Libya’s economic institutions, threatening Libya’s peace, stability and security.

    To that end, we welcome the adoption last month of a new designation criteria for the UN sanctions regime on Libya to hold those who exploit Libyan crude oil and petroleum accountable and help to safeguard Libyan resources.

    Third, we are appalled by the recent discovery of multiple mass graves of migrants. 

    The Panel of Experts’ final report showed that trafficking networks in Libya are expanding. 

    The UK supports UNSMIL’s call for a full investigation into these discoveries. 

    We encourage Libyan leaders to engage with the UN and the humanitarian community to end impunity for those who trade in human suffering, and ensure all migrants and refugees are treated in accordance with international human rights law. 

    The UK has recently provided $5.6 million to the refugee response in Libya.

    President, until a unifying political agreement is achieved in Libya, it will be impossible to unlock its great potential. 

    The UK urges Libya’s leaders to engage seriously with SRSG Tetteh and UNSMIL’s political process, in the interests of all Libyans.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is Nigeria in danger of a coup? What the country should do to avoid one – political analyst

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Moshood, Senior Lecturer Department of Political Science, Lagos State University

    African countries have had nine successful military coups since 2020. In west and central Africa, there have been at least 10 coup attempts in the same period. Those of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Guinea were successful. A number of social, economic and political factors have been identified as responsible for the truncation of democracy in those countries.

    In this interview, The Conversation Africa asks political scientist Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Moshood, who has recently published research on preventing military coups in Nigeria, about what drives coups, whether those factors are present in Nigeria and what steps Nigeria could take to protect its democracy.

    What are the drivers of recent coups in Africa?

    One major reason is leaders who have used the idea of democracy to advance their own economic gains. The result is corruption, which has deepened the gap between the rich and the poor.

    While liberal democracy widens opportunity in developed countries, the reverse is the case in Nigeria, due largely to corruption and lack of effective leadership.

    Also, democracy in parts of Africa, including Nigeria, has not been able to advance development and make a positive impact on the people. To ringfence democracy from military intervention, it must advance development for the people.

    Another factor is the strategic importance of Africa, which has historically attracted foreign powers. With the partitioning of Africa in Berlin in 1884, European powers created spheres of influence which have continued to haunt many African countries.

    These strategic interests have continued to infiltrate politics and cause instability on the continent.

    In my recent work, I argued that foreign influence and strategic importance make coups more likely to occur in African countries including Nigeria.

    Just like coups in the post-independence era, some recent coups in west Africa have the fingerprints of foreign powers. For instance, Russia is implicated in the 2020 and 2021 coups in Mali and the Burkina Faso coup.

    The UK, the US, China and France are all interested in Africa. Since the expulsion of France from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the former colonial power has been seeking another regional haven in Nigeria. This has raised suspicion in some quarters.

    Also, colonialism left a legacy of division between a country’s people and their army. Recruitment dislocated the previous warriors and empowered new ones. The military under colonialism was perceived by civilians as protecting the interests of the colonial ruling elite.

    In the post-colonial period, the military is perceived as protecting the interests of the African ruling elite. This arrangement goes on until the military, having been exposed to politics, decides to seize power for itself. Oftentimes, citizens give legitimacy to this kind of coup because they have always seen the political elite as self serving. Military coups in Sudan and Mali are examples of this.

    Are these factors present in Nigeria today?

    The sociopolitical and economic conditions that led to coups in other countries in west Africa are present in Nigeria.

    Nigeria is still largely divided along lines of clans and religion. Insecurity is at high levels across the country. The removal of the petrol subsidy has caused economic problems.

    Commodity prices have skyrocketed. Food inflation reached 40.75% in 2024 – its highest level in 25 years.

    The colonial legacy in Nigeria is still evident in the north versus south divide that plagues the country’s politics. Bad leaders exploit the division for their own selfish gain by using marginalisation rhetoric.

    Nigeria is still strongly tied to the apron strings of the western powers. This explains why Nigeria’s presidential aspirants prefer to go to Chatham House, London to speak rather than talk to the people they intend to lead.

    Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu’s relationship with France is raising eyebrows in the country. The president recently signed new deals with France in the areas of renewable energy, transportation, agriculture and critical infrastructure. There are concerns because this is coming soon after nearly all former French allies in west Africa have broken ties with the European country.

    These factors often lead to increasing disaffection, which in turn can ignite a military takeover, as happened in Niger, Guinea and Gabon.

    How can a military comeback be prevented in Nigeria?

    Effective leadership would help reduce colonial legacies, improve democracy and mitigate foreign influence. This would foster confidence among dissimilar ethnic communities as policies towards inclusiveness and development of the country were implemented.

    Military professionalism would further specialise the military and give them focus. There should be less involvement of the military in politics.

    In peace time, the military can also be kept engaged as a service provider in agriculture, health and social work as done, for instance, in the US.

    Regional organisations like the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union should be proactive in condemning any derailment in democratic practices and values by political actors. They should not only react by imposing sanctions after a military takeover.

    Nigeria needs to think about developing a homegrown democracy as advocated by the late Claude Ake, the Nigerian political scientist.

    The process and method of democratisation should be affordable to all to participate. Democratic leaders must be scrutinised and their level of wealth ascertained before and after leaving office.

    Democratic institutions must be strengthened to prevent corrupt people from taking over offices. Democratic leaders in Nigeria and other African countries must seek indigenous solutions to their challenges.

    Abdul-Wasi Babatunde Moshood receives funding from TETFUND Institution Based Research IBR, He is a Member of Academic Staff Union of University, Network for Democracy and Development NDD, among others. He is currently the Acting Head of Department of Political Science, Lagos State University.

    – ref. Is Nigeria in danger of a coup? What the country should do to avoid one – political analyst – https://theconversation.com/is-nigeria-in-danger-of-a-coup-what-the-country-should-do-to-avoid-one-political-analyst-248281

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: International Day for Commemorating Air Crash Victims and their Families 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    AAIB remembers all those affected by air accidents

    Thursday, 20th February 2025 is the International Day Commemorating Air Crash Victims and Their Families.

    Recent events in the USA, South Korea, Brazil and Kazakhstan remind us of the impact these events have on the loved ones of those involved.

    Our dedicated team remains committed to conducting thorough and independent investigations, working to improve aviation safety and prevent future accidents.

    We acknowledge the profound impact these events have on families and will continue to ensure they are treated with respect and are kept informed throughout our investigation process.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: 100x Leverage, Double Deposit Bonus, and $50 Welcome Bonus at BexBack – Start Trading with No KYC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With Bitcoin’s price fluctuating below $100,000, many analysts predict a prolonged period of high volatility in the crypto market. Holding spot positions may struggle to generate short-term profits in such conditions. As a result, 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred tool for seasoned investors looking to maximize potential gains in this volatile market. BexBack Exchange is ramping up its efforts to offer traders unmatched promotional packages. The platform now features a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, providing exceptional opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?

    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

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

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

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/714b490f-cc1c-412f-beb4-9b3dc1ec2e06

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/36cd0ec5-a1f7-4760-b807-c2db6a7c6909

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/508c5eb7-e23a-4a46-ab45-202db77ee998

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9cd05d1-9e67-4cc0-be44-b7a42a2a1bdc

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: National Wealth Fund makes first investment in Scotland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scottish Secretary welcomes £43.5m boost for sustainable packaging firm that will encourage growth, creating jobs and prosperity

    The National Wealth Fund has made its first investment in Scotland since its transformation to help boost growth as part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change.

    The NWF is committing £43.5m in direct equity for sustainable packaging company Pulpex, which is to build its first commercial-scale manufacturing facility near Glasgow. A further £10m co-investment is coming from the Scottish National Investment Bank with an additional boost coming from existing investors to take the total funds behind the firm to £62m.

    The company has developed a unique fibre-based bottle as an alternative to glass and plastic. The product is manufactured from sustainably-sourced wood pulp and designed to be recycled in the same way as paper or card in normal household recycling streams. Its patented technology results in a recyclable and biodegradable end-product with a lower carbon impact than current glass or plastic packaging.

    Pulpex’s Glasgow plant, which will produce 50 million bottles per year and create the UK’s first fibre bottle supply chain, will create 35 new jobs in Scotland.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    Our Plan for Change is about going further and faster to kickstart economic growth so working people have more money in their pockets.  That’s why we established the National Wealth Fund which in the last six months has fuelled 8,600 jobs and unlocked £1.6 billion of private investment in the industries that turbocharge growth in our economy. This latest NWF investment is welcome news, creating jobs, sustainable growth and opportunity in Scotland.  

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

    I’m delighted to see this first investment in Scotland from the new National Wealth Fund. Boosting business is a cornerstone of our Plan for Change and will create jobs and opportunities to raise living standards.

    Just last month, we announced that Glasgow had been chosen as one of four areas where the UK Government will develop investment pipelines and this new Pulpex facility, to be built on the outskirts of the city, is a prime example of how supporting regional growth will benefit people right across the UK. The firm’s innovative bottling solution will aid the decarbonisation of our packaging industry and help accelerate our Net Zero goals as we drive delivery of clean power by 2030.

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

    “This investment by the Scottish National Investment Bank will build on Glasgow’s rich history of innovation and deliver more green jobs for the future. To drive investment into Scotland, we have allocated £200 million to the Bank for the next financial year. The Bank has a strong track record of success and has generated more than £1.4 billion of private sector investment since opening for business in 2020.”

    The investment announced today will enable the construction of Pulpex’s first manufacturing facility to reach commercial-scale capacity. The financing will help create the conditions for growth in both Scotland and the wider alternative packaging sector. 

    A move from plastic and glass to paper packaging will enable a step change in decarbonising the packaging industry and its efforts to increase the recycling rates of consumer goods, with the material benefiting from the highest recycling rates and most sophisticated infrastructure compared to other packaging alternatives.

    In the UK alone, over 38.5 million plastic bottles are used every day, with around 16 million ending up in landfill, being burnt, or littering the environment and waterways, according to Water UK. The UK’s 25 Year Environment Plan aims to double resource productivity and eliminate all avoidable waste, including plastic, by 2050. This means investments in economically viable and ready-to-go options like Pulpex are critical interventions for the future sustainability of the consumer goods industry.

    John Flint, National Wealth Fund CEO, said:

    “We need to recycle more and unlock the growth potential of the circular economy. That requires sophisticated, long-term investment, both in infrastructure and packaging innovation. Exciting technological advancements like Pulpex are a great example of that potential, but they need catalytic investment to scale and commercialise. Through financing Pulpex’s new facility in Glasgow, we will help remove barriers to future investment from private capital and lay the foundations for further growth.”

    Scott Winston, Pulpex, said:

    “Thanks to the National Wealth Fund, the Scottish National Investment Bank, our Pulpex team and to our stakeholders for their continued support. This investment will drive the decarbonisation of the packaging sector using leading edge Material Bioscience to ensure this much-needed alternative to glass and plastic will deliver its ambition. Accelerated by the incredible business ecosystem that flourishes within Glasgow, this will be a visible shining star demonstrating the scalability of Pulpex technology for partners to adopt globally.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City council set to appoint new contractor for waste-to-energy services  

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Hanford Site

    Published: Wednesday, 19th February 2025

    The cabinet has been asked to give officers the green light to enter a contract and project agreement for disposal of waste at the site. 

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council is set to appoint a contractor to run waste-to-energy services at the Hanford site for the next five years. The current contract ends at the end of March this year.  

    The cabinet has been asked to give officers the green light to enter a contract and project agreement for disposal of waste at the site. 
     
    The new operation and maintenance contract will ensure the current plan is capable of operating for a further five years, providing the best value and most environmentally sustainable means of disposing residual waste in the city.  

    The terms would include an option to extend for a further two years, if required.  

    The cabinet is also set to approve moving ahead with developing plans for the energy-from-waste facility post 2030.  

    The move will give the council certainty moving forward – providing the city with a cost-effective, efficient, centrally-located waste disposal service, while the new facility is developed. 
     
    Councillor Amjid Wazir OBE, cabinet member for city pride, enforcement and sustainability for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This announcement is great news Thanks to effective management and strategic investment in the facility, the plant has already reduced its emissions reduced by around 20 per cent over the last couple of years. At the same time, capacity and availability have increased. its also seen capacity and availability increase.  

     
    “While these improvements are significant, the plant is coming to the end of its useful life and we now need to start future planning for securing a replacement facility for the disposal of residual waste. 

    “The energy-from-waste site ensure almost no waste goes to landfill. In fact, the reduction is to just 0.1 per cent and provided the most cost-effective outcome ensuring financial resources can be protected for frontline services. Secure, low-cost carbon energy will be generated and made available for use within the city.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Illegal tobacco and vapes seized in shops across Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay

    Source: City of Plymouth

    More than £37,000 of illegal tobacco, vapes and cash was seized by Trading Standards officers during a recent operation.

    The five-week operation during January and February saw officers from the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, supported by Devon and Cornwall Police and Avon and Somerset Police,  look for illegal tobacco.

    During the operation officers visited 14 shops across the region including in Brixham, Crediton, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, Paignton, Plymouth, Taunton, Teignmouth and Wellington.

    They used detection dogs to look for hidden stashes.

    Only one shop was found to not be selling illegal products. All but one of the 14 shops were found to be selling illegal products.

    Alex Fry, Operations Manager for Heart of the South West Trading Standards, said: “The removal of illegal tobacco and vapes from the marketplace is a high priority for us and we have conducted a number of intelligence-led operations over the last few weeks.

    “The service uses detection dogs so regardless of where it is hidden, in a storage container or retail premises, the dogs have the ability to sniff out even small quantities of tobacco and vapes that are hidden from view.

    “The sale of counterfeit and illicit tobacco and illegal vapes is big business and those shops involved can undercut other local general stores who are trying to operate legally during difficult economic conditions.”

    Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, said: “We are working hard to make Plymouth a healthier city and removing cheap, illegal tobacco and vapes from our shops is a high priority.

    “This is not a victimless crime. The availability of these products at pocket money prices encourages children to start smoking and vaping and the proceeds are often used to fund other criminal activities.

    “We are finding increasingly elaborate methods to hide illegal tobacco but no matter where it’s hidden on the premises our detection dogs can find it.”

    Investigations into those premises found selling the items are ongoing. To report concerns of counterfeit or other illegal products email [email protected] or phone 01392 383000.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council cuts savings target as it sets budget for 2025/2026

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The council’s Cabinet was today (Wednesday 19 February) expected approve a finance report that sets a balanced budget for 2025/26.

    The report also reveals the council has reduced the amount it needs to save over the next 2 years from £32.6 million to £17.2 million by 2026/2027.

    Council Leader Stephen Simkins said that despite the difficult financial climate, their priority remained delivering “what matters most to residents.”

    He said: “Thanks to lots of hard work to deliver savings proposals and some additional funding from the new Government, we’ve been able to bring down our deficit.

    “This doesn’t mean the financial challenges have gone away – far from it. There is still a lot of hard work to be done and more difficult decisions ahead, but we will never stop being ambitious for our city.

    “By managing the financial challenge and making savings in some areas, we are able to invest more in what matters most to our residents.”

    Independent Auditors Grant Thornton recently gave the council a ‘clean bill of health’ for its annual statement of accounts and said that it provided ‘value for money’ in its annual auditor’s report.

    Councillor Louise Miles, Cabinet Member for Resources, said this demonstrated that the council managed public funds well and was open and transparent with residents on its spending plans.

    She said: “I’m proud to set a balanced budget for the year ahead which means we will continue to deliver excellent services while having a positive impact on the lives of everyone who lives in our city.

    “I’d like to thank residents for their understanding as we review and make changes to some of the services we deliver. I’d also like to thank those who responded to our budget consultation. Our engagement with residents is an ongoing process and we welcome everyone’s views on our plans.”

    The budget report will now be debated at next week’s meeting of Full Council (Wednesday 26 February).

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: MEF Unveils NaaS Network APIs for an AI-Driven Economy and Application-Led Connectivity

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEF a global industry association of enterprises and network, cloud, security, and technology providers accelerating enterprise digital transformation, today announced its NaaS Network APIs. As applications increasingly rely on APIs to optimize quality of experience, MEF – working with GSMA, CAMARA and its members – is enabling an AI-driven economy where applications can dynamically request and adjust network performance on demand.

    These capabilities will be demonstrated at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, March 3-6 in Barcelona, Spain, as part of the GSMA Open Gateway Showcase. MEF, along with industry leaders Colt and Orange will present a Quality on Demand (QoD) demonstration leveraging open-source CAMARA APIs to enable real-time, automated network interactions.

    Traditionally, network performance was managed manually or through static configurations, limiting adaptability. As enterprises increasingly rely on AI, real-time analytics, and immersive technologies, networks must evolve to meet shifting demands. MEF’s NaaS Network APIs, in combination with GSMA Open Gateway and CAMARA APIs, enable applications to intelligently adjust network resources on demand—paving the way for a new era of adaptive, automated connectivity.

    “NaaS Network APIs are a significant step forward in MEF’s API strategy, enabling new opportunities for AI enabled applications, real-time automation, and secure service delivery across wired and wireless networks,” said Pascal Menezes, CTO, MEF. “By integrating open-source CAMARA APIs with MEF standards, enterprises and developers can dynamically program the network, ensuring that edge-native applications—from autonomous vehicles to AI-powered real time analytics—operate with reliable performance and security. This is a major milestone in advancing NaaS with AI, automation, and cybersecurity at its core.”

    At MWC 2025’s GSMA Open Gateway Showcase, the QoD demonstration with MEF, Colt, and Orange will highlight how edge-native applications can seamlessly interact with both mobile and fixed-line networks to dynamically provision resources. The demo features a converged approach to network quality, with Orange’s 5G Quality on Demand capability optimizing mobile network performance, and Colt’s On-Demand NaaS platform ensuring dynamic service quality across the core backbone network. By leveraging CAMARA APIs, MEF standards and software defined networking, the application intelligently provisions and adjusts network resources in real time, enabling adaptive, cross-domain connectivity for a wide range of use cases, including AI, cloud gaming, tele-robotics, and Industry 4.0 applications.

    Henry Calvert, Head of Networks, GSMA, said: “Through this showcase MEF, Colt and Orange are bringing to life the benefits that open QoD APIs can deliver. By integrating QoD APIs, enterprise developers can enhance a whole range of digital services from online gaming and entertainment streaming through to powering smart mobility, beyond line of sight aviation and industry 4.0. However, for these services to gain strong adoption around the world, it’s vital that the mobile ecosystem unifies behind a common approach, as we’re seeing here, through the GSMA Open Gateway and CAMARA initiative.”

    Mirko Voltolini, VP Technology and Innovation, Colt Technology Services, said, “Our technology demonstration with MEF and Orange is a powerful example of collaboration driving innovation and pushing boundaries. It paves the way for a more integrated and effortless service experience for our customers as we embrace the Digital AI Era.” 

    Emmanuel Rochas, CEO Orange Wholesale International, said, “Combining MEF APIs and CAMARA APIs unleashes the potential of Fixed and Mobile network convergence, enabling any application to seamlessly and transparently switch between the two networks.
    This ‘Quality on Demand’ use case applies to SD-WAN design for businesses, supports many other use cases where managing quality is required in order to deliver the right level of service. This project reinforces our commitment to providing our customers with a seamless user experience across our networks, in a federated approach with our peers.  Our NaaS offering, Click, is a key part of this approach and is already embraced by our customers.”

    Experience MEF’s NaaS Network APIs in action at MWC 2025 in the GSMA Open Gateway Showcase to see how innovative network APIs are shaping the future of AI, automation, and edge-native applications. For more information about MEF visit www.mef.net.

    About MEF
    MEF is a global consortium of enterprises and service, cloud, cybersecurity, and technology providers collaborating to accelerate enterprise digital transformation. It delivers standards-based frameworks, services, technologies, APIs, and certification programs to enable Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) across an automated ecosystem. MEF is the defining authority for certified Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) business and operational APIs and Carrier Ethernet, SASE, SD-WAN, Zero Trust, and Security Service Edge (SSE) technologies and services. MEF’s Global NaaS Event (GNE) convenes industry leaders building and delivering the next generation of NaaS solutions. For more information about MEF, visit MEF.net and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

    Media Contact:
    Melissa Power
    MEF
    pr@mef.net

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Applied Closed 2024 with More Agencies Selecting Applied Epic as Platform of Choice, Including 7 of Top 10 Largest Insurance Brokers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Chicago, IL., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Systems® today announced more agencies are choosing to consolidate and standardize on Applied Epic® and its Digital Agency® technology than any other system. Notably, seven of the top 10 largest brokers ranked by Business Insurance in 2024 have chosen Applied Epic to automate their operations and create more intelligence and productivity.

    Applied’s Digital Agency solution offers a comprehensive management system, coupled with an integrated payments and accounting reconciliation hub, the leading personal and commercial lines rating and automation solutions, and the largest network of carrier connectivity, all backed by award-winning customer support and extensive cyber-security protection. As the leading insurance technology specialist, Applied grounds its solutions in an unparalleled depth of expertise in insurance-specific workflows and the largest insurance datasets in the industry. Applied’s vertical focus creates unique value for its customers, enabling Applied to deliver the practical power of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) in insurance-specific solutions that create productivity and support more profitable revenue growth. Unlike generalized solutions, Applied’s products require minimal customization and reduce reliance on multiple disparate systems by delivering an integrated suite of insurance solutions that cover the end-to-end policy lifecycle. This helps insurance agencies focus their precious resources on the most valuable work – building, retaining, and growing their client relationships and books of business.

    In 2024, Applied significantly expanded its AI investments by acquiring Planck, the leading insurance-specific AI company. Planck massively enhances Applied’s AI capabilities, providing the expertise to take advantage of the rapid development of powerful AI models by applying them to insurance-specific workflows and datasets, allowing Applied to deliver value across the Digital Roundtrip of Insurance. Applied recently launched AI capabilities within Applied Epic, including robust communication summarization that helps CSRs and producers gain back hours in their workday. Applied will soon launch the Applied Book Builder product, focused on delivering powerful insights and efficiencies for the renewal and new business prospecting processes, and will follow that with an exciting lineup of other AI-enabled products throughout 2025 and beyond. By delivering these AI capabilities natively within Applied’s product ecosystem, agencies can confidently use them, knowing their data remains within the security infrastructure of existing systems and processes.

    “AI is emerging as a powerful capability that presents the insurance industry with new opportunities to grow their businesses more profitably,” said Taylor Rhodes, chief executive officer of Applied Systems. “While any company will have access to generalized AI models and capabilities, the way to make AI most effective is to marry it with industry-specific expertise and datasets so that AI can learn your business and provide powerful insights and automation that are specifically relevant to your business strategy. As the leading insurance technology partner, we are focused on building unmatched value through connecting the Digital Roundtrip of Insurance, infusing it with insurance-specific AI capabilities throughout the policy lifecycle.”

    # # #


    About Applied Systems
    Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the world’s largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied’s people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CDPQ announces increase to previously announced sale of common shares of Intact Financial

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MONTREAL, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CDPQ today announced that it has increased the size of its previously announced sale of common shares of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC). Pursuant to the amended terms, CDPQ has agreed to sell 3,577,000 common shares, representing approximately 2.0% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Intact as of February 19, 2025.

    The common shares are being sold at a gross price of $278.60 per share, which has been underwritten by CIBC Capital Markets and National Bank Financial. CDPQ expects to receive gross cash proceeds of approximately $996,552,200 from the offering.

    ABOUT CDPQ
    At CDPQ, we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public pension and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at June 30, 2024, CDPQ’s net assets totalled CAD 452 billion. For more information, visit cdpq.com, consult our LinkedIn or Instagram pages, or follow us on X.

    CDPQ is a registered trademark owned by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and licensed for use by its subsidiaries. 

    ABOUT INTACT FINANCIAL CORPORATION
    Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC) is the largest provider of Property and Casualty (P&C) insurance in Canada, a leading Specialty lines insurer with international expertise and a leader in Commercial lines in the UK and Ireland. The business has grown organically and through acquisitions to almost $24 billion of total annual operating direct premiums written (DPW).
    In Canada, Intact distributes insurance under the Intact Insurance brand through agencies and a wide network of brokers, including its whollyowned subsidiary BrokerLink. Intact also distributes directly to consumers through the belairdirect brand and affinity partnerships. Additionally, Intact provides exclusive and tailored offerings to high-net-worth customers through Intact Prestige. In the US, Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions provides a range of Specialty insurance products and services through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, wholesalers and managing general agencies. Across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, Intact provides Personal, Commercial and/or Specialty insurance solutions through the RSA, 123.ie, NIG and FarmWeb brands.

    For more information
    MEDIA RELATIONS TEAM
    CDPQ
    + 1 514 847-5493
    medias@cdpq.com

    Caroline Audet
    Manager, Media Relations and Public Affairs, Intact Financial
    Intact Financial Corporation
    416 227-7905/514 985-7165
    media@intact.net

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The dangers of ‘Jekyll and Hyde leadership’: Why making amends after workplace abuse can hurt more than it helps

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By John Sumanth, James Farr Fellow & Associate Professor of Management, Wake Forest University

    Not the picture of leadership. LMPC via Getty Images

    A glance at the day’s headlines reveals a universal truth: Leadership matters.

    Whether uplifting and ethical or toxic and abusive, leaders profoundly shape our lives. And this is especially true on the job. Research consistently shows that leadership influences employees’ attitudes, behaviors and emotions, driving key organizational outcomes such as creativity, employee engagement, well-being and financial performance.

    Unfortunately, research also shows that supervisors abuse their employees far too often and then try to manage impressions to compensate for their bad behavior. But what happens when a leader tries to “make up” for past abuse by suddenly acting ethically? And do employees have to experience the abuse firsthand for it to hurt them?

    As professors who study management – and who’ve heard horror stories of employees working under mercurial bosses – we wanted to find answers. So we conducted a study, which was recently published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

    Our research includes multiple samples of full-time employees in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. To begin, we surveyed 222 employees and 66 supervisors to gather insights into workplace leadership and work experiences. We focused on two contrasting leadership behaviors: ethical leadership and abusive supervision. We also conducted experiments with 400 people, presenting them with stories about managers who alternately display both ethical leadership and abusive supervision and asking them how they would respond.

    Across these studies, we found that employees who experience such oscillating leadership often end up worse off – in terms of their emotional well-being and job performance – than if they were consistently being abused. By going back and forth between abusive and ethical behaviors, leaders create greater confusion, leaving their employees emotionally exhausted.

    Instead of providing relief, acts of ethical leadership ironically serve to amplify the damage done by prior abusive behavior.

    Jekyll and Hyde leadership in practice

    As an example, consider Steve Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Apple for more than a decade until his death in 2011. While Jobs was an icon to many people, he reportedly swung between toxic and positive leadership behavior while dealing with subordinates.

    For example, when Jobs’ exacting standards weren’t met, he would reportedly storm into meetings and profanely berate the team responsible for not living up to his lofty expectations. Yet, despite these outbursts, he was also described as a leader who believed in his employees’ potential, expressing unwavering confidence in their abilities and empowering them to exceed their own expectations.

    This kind of unpredictable leadership can leave workers emotionally exhausted, wondering: “Which version of my boss will show up today? Will this kindness last, or is it just a setup for another blow?” Unsurprisingly, this isn’t good for productivity.

    Employees value stability and predictability in their leaders. A supervisor who bounces between harsh criticism and warm praise creates an emotional roller coaster for the team. When employees see a supervisor as unpredictable, they experience more stress and emotional exhaustion, which hurts their job performance and willingness to share ideas.

    Interestingly, we found that workers don’t even need to be directly targeted by an abusive supervisor to be affected; employees whose immediate supervisors get the Jekyll-and-Hyde treatment from their higher-ups suffer similar consequences.

    These negative reactions occur, in part, because employees begin to doubt that their immediate supervisors are able to effectively influence higher-level leaders. In other words, the psychological toll of Jekyll-and-Hyde leaders isn’t limited to direct encounters but can also be experienced vicariously.

    How companies can banish Mr. Hyde

    The good news is that organizations can break this cycle – and workers are likely to be less stressed and more productive when they do. Here are three steps every organization can take:

    • Train leaders to manage stress without lashing out. High-pressure environments are prevalent these days, but abusive leader behavior doesn’t have to be. Providing leaders with tools like emotional intelligence training and conflict resolution skills can help leaders navigate both personal and professional challenges more constructively.

    • Address the abusive behavior directly. When abusive actions occur, ignoring them or asking the leader to “be nicer next time” isn’t enough. Structured interventions – like one-on-one coaching, counseling or formal sanctions – are essential for generating real change. Employees need to see that the organization is living up to its stated values and ideals.

    • Foster a culture of trust and accountability. Tools like 360-degree feedback reports – which involve feedback from supervisors, peers and subordinates – can help leaders gain deeper insight into their behaviors. These can be used not just for development, but also for heightened accountability. Creating a climate of psychological safety – in which employees can report concerns without fear of retaliation – is key to rebuilding trust. So is ensuring clear, consistent responses to reports of abusive supervision.

    Great leaders understand the power of trust and setting an example. Employees want leaders they can rely on, not ones who keep them guessing. So leaders should be wary about employing ethical leadership as a quick fix for past mistakes. Rather, it’s about showing up consistently, authentically, and with integrity every single day.

    For leaders at all levels, the takeaway is simple: Consistency fosters success. Organizations that prioritize stable, ethical leadership create workplaces where employees feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work.

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

    – ref. The dangers of ‘Jekyll and Hyde leadership’:
    Why making amends after workplace abuse can hurt more than it helps – https://theconversation.com/the-dangers-of-jekyll-and-hyde-leadership-why-making-amends-after-workplace-abuse-can-hurt-more-than-it-helps-244622

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serving police officer sentenced after assaulting a person while off duty

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A serving police officer has been sentenced after being convicted of assaulting a person known to her.

    Officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards investigated two assaults, which took place on 15 October 2022 in Essex and 3 November 2022 in Haringey, when PC Brown was off duty.

    PC Rachael Brown, attached to the Met’s North West Command Unit, was charged on 11 July 2024 and found guilty of two counts of assault on 19 December at Highbury Magistrates’ Court. She was sentenced at the same court on 18 February to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and a two-year restraining order.

    Chief Superintendent Sara Leach, the senior officer responsible for policing in north-west London said: “There is no place in the Met for officers who commit criminal offences. Any allegations will be thoroughly investigated and where appropriate brought before the courts.

    “PC Brown was suspended from duty in July. Following this outcome, misconduct proceedings will now commence.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Ashtrom Renewable Energy Announces Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with CPS Energy for El Patrimonio Solar Project in Texas

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ashtrom Renewable Energy, a global independent power producer and renewable energy developer and subsidiary of Ashtrom Group, has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to sell electricity to the municipality of San Antonio, Texas through CPS Energy, the city’s local utility company.

    According to the signed agreement, CPS Energy (Aa2 Moody’s) will purchase approximately 70% of the electricity produced by the project, along with purchasing green certificates (RECs), for a period of 20 years at a predetermined fixed price. Under the agreement, Ashtrom has committed to achieve the commercial operation of the El Patrimonio project by the second half of 2027. The remaining electricity produced by the project is expected to be sold within Texas’s open electricity market. The project will produce electricity equivalent to the annual consumption for about 37,500 households.

    “We are proud to announce a significant collaboration and the signing of an important agreement with CPS Energy, the largest municipal utility company in the U.S.,” said Yitsik Mermelstein, CEO of Ashtrom Renewable Energy. “The agreement is not only an expression of our great partnership with CPS Energy, but also a central pillar in realizing our strategic vision to expand renewable energy activities in the country. This step strengthens our position as a leading player in the industry and is a significant milestone in the company’s growth journey.”

    El Patrimonio is Ashtrom’s second solar project in Texas, marking a key achievement for the company that further deepens its presence in the ERCOT market. The completion of the PPA is expected to accelerate the project’s development and construction processes. The solar project is expected to be constructed in Bexar County, Texas, with a planned capacity of approximately 150 megawatts (AC).

    In addition to delivering electricity to San Antonio, the El Patrimonio project will support the local economy and community through educational activities. Ashtrom will establish an annual scholarship program, offer field tours of the El Patrimonio site for local students, and host job fairs on-site. Through these efforts, Ashtrom aims to enhance community knowledge of renewable energy and the role people can play in its future.

    About Ashtrom Renewable Energy

    Ashtrom Renewable Energy is delivering clean energy at scale. We build best-in-class renewable energy projects in the United States and around the globe. With a hands-on, risk-informed approach that emphasizes strategic and cost-effective execution, the company is an independent power producer (IPP) led by a team of energy experts with decades of experience in solar and wind siting, development, construction, financing, and operation. Ashtrom Renewable Energy leverages the financial stability and culture of excellence cultivated by Ashtrom Group (TASE: ASHG), a leading infrastructure, construction, and real estate development company with a 60-year legacy of success. With a development pipeline of ~1.8 GWdc in the U.S. and ~2.5 GWdc worldwide, Ashtrom Renewable Energy is poised to rapidly scale its development and investment activities in the U.S. market for the long term. Learn more about Ashtrom Renewable Energy at https://www.ashtromrenewableenergy.co.il/en

    About Ashtrom Group 
    Ashtrom is one of Israel’s leading construction and real estate companies whose shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange 90 index The group operates in several operating sectors: Construction and infrastructure contracting in Israel – including, inter alia, residential and infrastructural contract constructions; Franchise – participation in tenders and executing planning, operations and financing activities for large-scale infrastructure and residential projects; Housing entrepreneurship in Israel, through Ashdar, a subsidiary that is a leader and among the oldest companies in the field; Investment and entrepreneurial real estate, through Ashtrom Properties, a subsidiary operating in Israel, Germany and England, holding and managing shopping malls and commercial centers, office buildings and employment centers, industrial structures and more; Industries – mainly manufacturing, marketing and selling raw materials to the construction industry and importing and marketing finishing products for the construction industry; Construction and infrastructures contracting abroad, as well as residential real estate development in the U.S. and Europe – performed by Ashtrom International; Renewable energy – investment in wind, solar, storage and other energy related projects in Israel and worldwide. Ashtrom Group chairperson is Mr. Rami Nussbaum, and the group’s CEO is Mr. Gil Gueron.

    Media Contact
    Nic Savo
    nic@teamsilverline.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Civilians at breaking point in eastern DR Congo warns top aid official, in call to resume talks

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    As the Security Council prepared to gather on Wednesday to debate the international community’s response to the growing emergency in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN’s top aid official there urged all warring parties to allow lifesaving relief supplies to reach the most vulnerable.

    “The rapid and uninterrupted expansion of the conflict, particularly in South Kivu province, continues to inflict a heavy toll on the civilian population,” said UN humanitarian coordinator for DRC, Bruno Lemarquis. “The population can no longer continue to pay such a heavy price for a conflict that continues to spread and now threatens the stability of the entire region.”

    The veteran aid official’s appeal came as yet more vulnerable people reportedly fled combat zones amid advancing and heavily armed Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. On Sunday the opposition fighters took control of Bukavu – the second major eastern DRC city to fall, in a matter of weeks.

    “It is imperative to put an end to the confrontations” and resume dialogue, Mr. Lemarquis insisted, as he echoed concerns stressed by the UN Secretary-General that the continuing M23 offensive threatens regional stability.

    For aid teams who remain committed to helping vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities impacted by the fighting, Mr. Lemarquis signalled that the most urgent priorities include reopening airports for humanitarian flights in Goma – capital of North Kivu and Kavumu in South Kivu, both now controlled by M23.

    ‘Tense’ situation in Bukavu

    The security situation in Bukavu remains tense, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, which also reported that commercial boats have resumed services on Lake Kivu between Bukavu and Goma.

    Humanitarian partners have also reported widespread looting in various part of Bukavu over the weekend, including a UN World Food Programme warehouse containing 7,000 tonnes of supplies.

    “Several churches and collective centres in Bukavu are reportedly hosting displaced people,” OCHA noted in an update, adding that humanitarian assessment activities resumed on Tuesday “and will continue tomorrow as conditions permit”.

    In addition to the urgent need for humanitarian supply flights, the UN aid coordinator urged respect for international law regarding the rights of internally displaced people (IDPs). Just last week, relief agencies expressed concern at a 72-hour ultimatum issued by M23 representatives to IDPs in Goma who were told to go back to their villages.

    “Any return can only take place on a voluntary basis, under safe, dignified and sustainable conditions, in accordance with international principles,” Mr. Lemarquis explained.

    Neutrality at core of mission

    The UN aid coordinator also insisted that relief teams’ “sole mission” was to provide vital assistance and protection to the most vulnerable, “wherever they may be…This action is guided by the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity, and independence, without taking sides or engaging in political considerations.”

    The DRC emergency is one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world; it follows decades of clashes between the Congolese armed forces and various non-State armed groups, widespread human rights violations and sexual violence.

    Humanitarian needs are staggering and not just in eastern DRC, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, which noted that seven million people within the country are displaced and more than one million have sought asylum beyond the country’s borders.

    Most of these refugees are hosted by Angola, Burundi, the Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia. At the same time, the DRC – a country seven times the size of Germany – also hosts more than half a million refugees and asylum-seekers.

    This latest crisis in DRC’s east has already uprooted hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in a matter of weeks. Between 10 and 15,000 people have now crossed into neighbouring Burundi in a matter of days.

    “UNHCR urgently calls for increased support to assist refugees and prevent further suffering,” it said in an online appeal. “We also urge an immediate end to hostilities in eastern DRC to prevent more displacement and civilian harm.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Greenland’s rapidly melting ice and landslide-prone fjords make the oil and minerals Trump covets dangerous to extract

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Paul Bierman, Fellow of the Gund Institute for Environment, Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Vermont

    Greenland has large deposits of rare earth minerals along its coasts, but these are also geologically hazardous regions. Alex Hibbert/The Image Bank via Getty Images

    Since Donald Trump regained the presidency, he has coveted Greenland. Trump has insisted that the U.S. will control the island, currently an autonomous territory of Denmark, and if his overtures are rejected, perhaps seize Greenland by force.

    During a recent congressional hearing, senators and expert witnesses focused on Greenland’s strategic value and its natural resources: critical minerals, fossil fuels and hydropower. No one mentioned the hazards, many of them exacerbated by human-induced climate change, that those longing to possess and develop the island will inevitably encounter.

    That’s imprudent, because the Arctic’s climate is changing more rapidly than anywhere on Earth. Such rapid warming further increases the already substantial economic and personal risk for those living, working and extracting resources on Greenland, and for the rest of the planet.

    Arctic surface temperatures have been rising faster than the global average.
    Arctic Report Card 2024, NOAA Climate.gov

    I am a geoscientist who studies the environmental history of Greenland and its ice sheet, including natural hazards and climate change. That knowledge is essential for understanding the risks that military and extractive efforts face on Greenland today and in the future.

    Greenland: Land of extremes

    Greenland is unlike where most people live. The climate is frigid. For much of the year, sea ice clings to the coast, making it inaccessible.

    An ice sheet, up to 2 miles thick, covers more than 80% of the island. The population, about 56,000 people, lives along the island’s steep, rocky coastline.

    While researching my book “When the Ice is Gone,” I discovered how Greenland’s harsh climate and vast wilderness stymied past colonial endeavors. During World War II, dozens of U.S. military pilots, disoriented by thick fog and running out of fuel, crashed onto the ice sheet. An iceberg from Greenland sunk the Titanic in 1912, and 46 years later, another sunk a Danish vessel specifically designed to fend off ice, killing all 95 aboard.

    Now amplified by climate change, natural hazards make resource extraction and military endeavors in Greenland uncertain, expensive and potentially deadly.

    Rock on the move

    Greenland’s coastal landscape is prone to rockslides. The hazard arises because the coast is where people live and where rock isn’t hidden under the ice sheet. In some places, that rock contains critical minerals, such as gold, as well as other rare metals used for technology, including for circuit boards and electrical vehicle batteries.

    The unstable slopes reflect how the ice sheet eroded the deep fjords when it was larger. Now that the ice has melted, nothing buttresses the near-vertical valley walls, and so, they collapse.

    In 2017, a northwestern Greenland mountainside fell 3,000 feet into the deep waters of the fjord below. Moments later, the wave that rockfall generated (a tsunami) washed over the nearby villages of Nuugaatsiaq and Illorsuit. The water, laden with icebergs and sea ice, ripped homes from their foundations as people and sled dogs ran for their lives. By the time it was over, four people were dead and both villages lay in ruin.

    Steep fjord walls around the island are littered with the scars of past rockslides. The evidence shows that at one point in the last 10,000 years, one of those slides dropped rock sufficient to fill 3.2 million Olympic swimming pools into the water below. In 2023, another rockslide triggered a tsunami that sloshed back and forth for nine days in a Greenland fjord.

    A cellphone video captures the June 2017 tsunami wave coming ashore in northwestern Greenland.

    There’s no network of paved roads across Greenland. The only feasible way to move heavy equipment, minerals and fossil fuels would be by sea. Docks, mines and buildings within tens of feet of sea level would be vulnerable to rockslide-induced tsunamis.

    Melting ice will be deadly and expensive

    Human-induced global warming, driven by fossil fuel combustion, speeds the melting of Greenland’s ice. That melting is threatening the island’s infrastructure and the lifestyles of native people, who over millennia have adapted their transportation and food systems to the presence of snow and ice. Record floods, fed by warmth-induced melting of the ice sheet, have recently swept away bridges that stood for half a century.

    As the climate warms, permafrost – frozen rock and soil – which underlies the island, thaws. This destabilizes the landscape, weakening steep slopes and damaging critical infrastructure.

    An excavator tries to save a bridge over the Watson River at Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. Part of the bridge and the machine were eventually swept away by the rushing meltwater from the Greenland Ice Sheet during a heat wave in July 2012.

    Permafrost melt is already threatening the U.S. military base on Greenland. As the ice melts and the ground settles under runways, cracks and craters form – a hazard for airplanes. Buildings tilt as their foundations settle into the softening soil, including critical radar installations that have scanned the skies for missiles and bombers since the 1950s.

    Greenland’s icebergs can threaten oil rigs. As the warming climate speeds the flow of Greenland’s glaciers, they calve more icebergs in the ocean. The problem is worse close to Greenland, but some icebergs drift toward Canada, endangering oil rigs there. Ships stand guard, ready to tow threatening icebergs away.

    An iceberg passes near an oil drilling rig in eastern Canada.
    Geoffrey Whiteway/500px Plus via Getty Images

    Greenland’s government banned drilling for fossil fuels in 2021 out of concern for the environment. Yet, Trump and his allies remain eager to see exploration resume off the island, despite exceptionally high costs, less than stellar results from initial drilling, and the ever-present risk of icebergs.

    As Greenland’s ice melts and water flows into the ocean, sea level changes, but in ways that might not be intuitive. Away from the island, sea level is rising about an inch each six years. But close to the ice sheet, it’s the land that’s rising. Gradually freed of the weight of its ice, the rock beneath Greenland, long depressed by the massive ice sheet, rebounds. That rise is rapid – more than 6 feet per century. Soon, many harbors in Greenland may become too shallow for ship traffic.

    Streams of meltwater flow over the silt-covered surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet as it melts in summer heat near Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland.
    REDA/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    Greenland’s challenging past and future

    History clearly shows that many past military and colonial endeavors failed in Greenland because they showed little consideration of the island’s harsh climate and dynamic ice sheet.

    Changing climate drove Norse settlers out of Greenland 700 years ago. Explorers trying to cross the ice sheet lost their lives to the cold. American bases built inside the ice sheet, such as Camp Century, were quickly crushed as the encasing snow deformed.

    In the past, the American focus in Greenland was on short-term gains with little regard for the future. Abandoned U.S. military bases from World War II, scattered around the island and in need of cleanup, are one example. Forced relocation of Greenlandic Inuit communities during the Cold War is another. I believe that Trump’s demands today for American control of the island to exploit its resources are similarly shortsighted.

    Piles of rusting fuel drums sit at an abandoned U.S. base from World War II in Ikateq, in eastern Greenland.
    Posnov/Moment via Getty Images

    However, when it comes to the planet’s livability, I’ve argued that the greatest strategic and economic value of Greenland to the world is not its location or its natural resources, but its ice. That white snow and ice reflect sunlight, keeping Earth cool. And the ice sheet, perched on land, keeps water out of the ocean. As it melts, Greenland’s ice sheet will raise global sea level, up to about 23 feet when all the ice is gone.

    Climate-driven sea level rise is already flooding coastal regions around the world, including major economic centers. As that continues, estimates suggest that the damage will total trillions of dollars. Unless Greenland’s ice remains frozen, coastal inundation will force the largest migration that humanity has ever witnessed. Such changes are predicted to destabilize the global economic and strategic world order.

    These examples show that disregarding the risks of natural hazards and climate change in Greenland courts disaster, both locally and globally.

    Paul Bierman receives funding from the US National Science Foundation and the University of Vermont Gund Institute for Environment

    – ref. Greenland’s rapidly melting ice and landslide-prone fjords make the oil and minerals Trump covets dangerous to extract – https://theconversation.com/greenlands-rapidly-melting-ice-and-landslide-prone-fjords-make-the-oil-and-minerals-trump-covets-dangerous-to-extract-249985

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New animal licensing policy on the way

    Source: City of Plymouth

    A new animal licensing policy looks set to be adopted which will help make things clearer for people who run businesses involving animals, such as dog breeding, boarding of cats and dogs, including day care for dogs, keeping or training animals for exhibition and hiring out horses.

    The new policy, which comes into effect on 1 April, outlines our process for issuing an animal activities licence, but sets out clearly that applicants must:

    • have no relevant convictions
    • have not been disqualified from holding a licence
    • have the knowledge, experience, compliance history, and ability to comply with licence rules and safeguard the welfare of animals in their care
    • has made suitable management and training arrangements to safeguard and protect any staff and/or members of the public who may be affected by the licensed activity.

    As part of this policy, all applicants and licence holders need to submit a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, issued within three months before making an application.

    The policy applies to both those looking to start a business and those already running one. For those already running a business, they will need to comply with the new requirements when they renew their licence.

    There are 60 licensees in Plymouth:

    • selling animals as pets – ten
    • cat boarding – four
    • commercial day care – one
    • dog kennelling – one
    • dog breeding – six
    • home boarding – 36
    • animal exhibition – two

    Currently, there is no database to track animal welfare offences and disqualifications related to animals. A DBS check will strengthen the council’s ability to determine whether someone is suitable to hold a licence, operate the business and comply with licence conditions.

    There will also be a requirement for applicants to submit a written safeguarding policy and provide training for staff whose activities involve contact with children or vulnerable adults. Applicants and licence holders whose activities involve such contact must introduce a staff vetting procedure.

    Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member with responsibility for licensing, said: “This is about making it absolutely clear what we expect from people who run businesses looking after animals. While the vast majority show the utmost professionalism, we are sadly all too aware of some awful cases where a quick buck trumps the welfare of the animals.

    “It’s important that these rules are in place to protect animals from incidents like overbreeding, overcrowding when boarding and from people who aren’t aware of the rules that come with handling animals and the care that comes with it. Getting a licence is the first step if you’re thinking of starting a business which involves animals.”

    A person who carries out a licensable activity without a licence commits a criminal offence and is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for up to six months, a fine or both.

    If you think someone is unlicensed or have a complaint you can report the issue.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –