NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair returns to first direct arena Leeds

    Source: City of Leeds

    The Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair takes place this week, showcasing a range of paid employment and educational opportunities from across Leeds and the wider region.

    Everyone is welcome at the free-to-attend event, organised by Leeds City Council, which is being held at the first direct arena Leeds, between 1-7pm on Wednesday, 12th February 2025.

    On the day, over 100 exhibitors will be providing information, advice, and live apprenticeship vacancies. 

    Visitors can find out about the different types of apprenticeships on offer, what they involve, and how they work, including higher and degree apprenticeships.   

    A wide range of sectors will be represented at the fair, including accounting, business and administration, catering and hospitality, construction, creative design, care services, digital, education, engineering, finance, hair and beauty, health, law, protective services and many more.

    Deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, Councillor Jonathan Pryor, said: “Apprenticeships offer something for everyone, from hands-on learning to degree-level qualifications, providing a fantastic route into a wide range of careers. 

    “Over the years, this fair has aided the journey of thousands of people into highly skilled and rewarding jobs. As the fastest-growing city in England, we continue to attract more quality employers each year, which is reflected in the range of apprenticeship opportunities to be showcased at this year’s fair. 

    “I would recommend anyone considering an apprenticeship to attend and find out more about opportunities in Leeds.”

    Exhibitors who will be there on the day to showcase their apprenticeship opportunities include Springfield Training, Leeds Manufacturing Festival, Jet2, Appris, Bank of England, CML, Royal Navy, KPMG, The Coders Guild, JCT 600, plus many more.  

    The event is free to attend, and everyone is welcome. Tickets are available to book online in advance at: https://bit.ly/larf25

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Spaghetti Government

    Source: ACT Party

    The Haps

    The country turned 185 on Thursday, but not everyone wanted to celebrate and debate. David Seymour’s address is here. They turned their backs and took his microphone, but nobody actually tried to argue that division based on ancestry is better than liberal democracy.

    Spaghetti Government

    Just over a year ago the New Zealand Initiative, a think tank, released a short and brilliant report on Government in New Zealand. Cabinet Congestion: The Growth of a ministerial maze.

    The gist of the report is that our Government has far more Ministers, and far more portfolios, than similar-sized countries. For example the Government of Ireland has fifteen ministers with eighteen portfolios and eighteen departments.

    Once upon a time New Zealand was roughly like that. Cabinet had sixteen ministers who all attended the main Cabinet meeting. Each Minister had one or two departments they were responsible for, and that was also their portfolio. For example, if you were the Minister of Police, you were responsible for Police, Police was your portfolio, and you were the only Minister of Police.

    Then came the MMP and the Government required multiple parties. It meant the Bolger Government needed to share power, but wouldn’t. Instead, Ministerial power was diluted with a little water in the wine.

    National negotiated the position of ‘Treasurer’ for Winston Peters, because they couldn’t imagine giving up Finance. The idea of a Minister outside Cabinet was also born, meaning Ministers who don’t attend the main Cabinet meeting. Four of these new Ministers meant 20 in total.

    Not to be outdone, Helen Clark formed an even bigger Government three years later. Cabinet expanded to 20 Ministers, and Ministers outside cabinet doubled to eight. Then there were 28.

    Not much has changed since then, except for an eruption of portfolios and departments. We now have a Ministry for Pacific Peoples, and a Ministry for Ethnic Affairs. Then there are portfolios without a specific department, including Racing, Mental Health, Auckland, the South Island, to name a few of the 78 Portfolios that now exist.

    There are other complications. For example needing to pick nearly 30 Ministers from a Government majority of just over 60 MPs affects quality. It means nearly half of MPs are Ministers when their ‘side’ is in Government. There’s been more than a few in recent years who wouldn’t have got a job like being a Minister otherwise.

    Most Ministers have multiple portfolios, around three to four on average. They’ll be less effective at, say, improving foreign relations if they’re also responsible for local government (Nanaia Mahuta was terrible at both). They’ll be less effective because they can’t specialise, but also because a specialist is less likely to be appointed in the first place.

    On the other hand, many departments have multiple ministers. There are three in Education, but that’s nothing compared with the 18 that MBIE is responsible to. Who is in charge?

    As the Initiative report argues, confusion empowers the bureaucracy. They can face multiple Ministers who themselves have many other jobs, often in totally unrelated areas. This makes it extremely difficult to shrink Government, or get much done at all.

    Some will criticise ACT for creating the Minister for Regulation. The Party would respond that restricting how other people can use their property is the most important government power to restrain besides taxing and spending. The latter has the Minister of Finance and Treasury, but who restrains regulation?

    ACT is now at the centre of government for the first time, and sits at the table that’s been set over the last thirty years of MMP. If the Party was charged with setting the table, there would be fewer placemats.

    How would we do it again? Any future Government should stick to three rules when it’s being set up.

    1. Every Minister sits in Cabinet so they’re part of every discussion.
    2. Every Minister has a department, so there are no portfolios that don’t involve managing a department.
    3. No Department has more than one Minister, so every public servant knows who they’re accountable to.

    This would mean getting rid of about half the portfolios and eight Ministers. It would go a long way to improving government efficiency and allow the government to get a lot more done much faster with much less ‘resource.’

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by President Meloni

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    8 Febbraio 2025

    Both personally and on behalf of the entire Government, I would like to wish the new President of the National Association of Magistrates (‘Associazione Nazionale Magistrati’), Cesare Parodi, and the Board members elected today, all the best with their work. I welcome the request President Parodi has already made to meet with the Government, and I hope that healthy dialogue can resume without delay on the key issues regarding the administration of justice in our nation, respecting the autonomy of politics and the judiciary.

    [Courtesy translation]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: SLC announces new Darlington apprenticeships during National Apprenticeship Week

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    SLC is recruiting 12 new Student Finance Officer apprentices in Darlington

    To mark National Apprenticeship Week (10-16 February), the Student Loans Company (SLC) has announced it is recruiting 12 new apprentices in Darlington.

    Applications for the Student Finance Officer (SFO) Apprenticeships are now open, and successful candidates will join the organisation’s Customer Operations team in July.

    SLC supports students across the UK to invest in their futures and unlock their potential by administering loans and grants to students in universities and colleges across the UK. The new SFO apprentices will be at the heart of this operation, supporting customers through their student finance journeys and helping to process around 1.5million applications each year.

    The 18-month programme is being delivered in conjunction with Darlington College and apprentices will work towards will work towards apprenticeship certificates in L3 Business Administrator.

    Jackie Currie, Executive Director of Customer Operations at SLC said: “It’s fantastic to be launching our latest apprentice search during National Apprenticeship Week. The theme for the week is ‘Skills for Life’ and I’m proud of the role that SLC plays in developing the talent of the future, through our apprenticeship programmes.  

    “I’m looking forward to welcoming our new apprentices to the Customer Operations Team this summer and would urge people across the North East to apply. It’s a fantastic opportunity to work and gain experience within a large public sector organisation and achieve a recognised qualification at the same time.”

    SLC currently has 29 apprentices working across all areas of the organisation, with many former apprentices continuing to progress their careers with SLC after completing their qualification.

    Thomas Goodliffe (21) joined SLC as an SFO Apprentice in 2023. He completed his Level 3 Business Administration qualification with distinction and was named Darlington College’s Apprentice of the Year award in 2024. He now has a permanent SFO position.

    He said: “I would strongly recommend SLC’s apprenticeship programme, particularly if you are just starting out and want to work and study at the same time. I received fantastic support from SLC and Darlington College, which helped me to make the most of my experience.

    “The skills that I have gained, both at work and through my studies, have given me a great start to my career and there are so many opportunities at SLC which will allow me to keep learning and developing. I’m already planning my next career steps and feel excited about what the future holds.”

    For more information and to apply, please visit https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/student-loans-company-hub/.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: JLT Mobile Computers wins major order worth SEK 22M to leading American company in the food production industry

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Växjö, Sweden, January 10 2025 * * * JLT Mobile Computers, a leading supplier of rugged computers for demanding environments, today announces that its American subsidiary has won an order for a leading food producer in the US. The order includes JLT’s logistics computers JLT1214N at a total value of SEK 22M, plus 1-year service level agreements. The units are scheduled for delivery during the first half of this year.

    The company has been a JLT customer for many years. The reliability, dependability and performance of the JLT1214N computers have been consistently demonstrated over long periods of time. Their renewed choice of JLT for their rugged computer solution is a testament to their trust in the high-quality products and service from JLT.

    To learn more about JLT Mobile Computers and the company’s products, services and solutions, visit jltmobile.com. Additional financial information is available online on JLT’s investor pages.

    This information is information that JLT Mobile Computers AB (pub) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out below at 09:30 pm CET on Monday, January 10, 2025.

    About JLT Mobile Computers

    JLT Mobile Computers is a leading supplier of rugged mobile computing devices and solutions for demanding environments. 30 years of development and manufacturing experience have enabled JLT to set the standard in rugged computing, combining outstanding product quality with expert service, support and solutions to ensure trouble-free business operations for customers in warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, mining, ports and agriculture. JLT operates globally from offices in Sweden, France, and the US, complemented by an extensive network of sales partners in local markets. The company was founded in 1994, and the share has been listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market stock exchange since 2002 under the symbol JLT. Eminova Fondkommission AB acts as Certified Adviser. Learn more at jltmobile.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse calls for gender to be an integral part of the AI Action Summit (10.02.25)

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

    In light of the upcoming Global AI Action Summit organised by France, we, the undersigned members countries of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse emphasize the critical need to address human rights and gender equality issues in the era of artificial intelligence (AI).

    With the rapid digital transformation of our societies, AI offers a new set of opportunities to advance the human rights of women, young women and girls in all their diversity and LGBTQI+ persons, and promote gender equality. AI can help all women and girls fully realize their human rights, including their right to education, their right to freedom of expression, of association and of peaceful assembly, to access information and to participate in cultural life and relevant decision-making processes. However, it also introduces a distinct set of challenges and risks, mirroring and amplifying existing gender biases and inequalities. While we recognise the critical role of AI as a driver of innovation and progress, we strongly affirm that these advances can only achieve their full potential if AI is designed, developed, evaluated, tested, deployed and used by applying a human rights-based approach, with gender equality at its core.

    Currently, only 22% of AI professionals are women. This significant underrepresentation, particularly affecting global majority countries, increases the risk of AI systems perpetuating gender stereotypes and biases, and other forms of biases, discriminatory social norms and harmful outcomes. AI models, often trained on historically biased and discriminatory datasets, reproduce and amplify discrimination and stereotypes with lasting and tangible consequences, ranging from discriminatory recruitment practices to highly inadequate medical treatment for women. Moreover, the lack of “safety-by-design” measures in AI models further exacerbates risks of technology facilitated gender-based violence , with significant consequences for women and girls’ mental and physical health and safety, as well as economic and political participation. Available evidence suggests that the majority of deepfakes available online are pornographic and disproportionately target women. As such, the rapid weaponisation of AI may first impact a few, but then extends to many. When the human rights of women and girls and LGBTQI+ persons are at risk, all human rights are threatened. Whether in the daily use of AI models and systems or in multilateral fora and AI governance, the gendered impacts of AI have long been overlooked and led to existing online and offline threats disproportionately affecting women and girls in all their diversity.

    Against this background, multilateral cooperation at the intersection of AI and gender has become essential. Since 2022, the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse has brought together countries to prioritise, understand, prevent, and address technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including in the era of AI, in multilateral fora. Complementary, the Laboratory for Women’s Rights Online was established to unite states, international organisations, private platforms, and civil society organisations in cooperating and developing transnational technical solutions to combat online and technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The Generation Equality’s Action Coalition for Technology and Innovation has also adopted a similar multi-stakeholder approach, playing a key role in addressing TFGBV on the multilateral scale.

    In 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted its first resolution on AI, Seizing the opportunities of safe secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development (A/RES/78/265) and its first Resolution on Eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls in the digital environment (A/C.3/79/L.17) driven by France and the Netherlands. Additionally, the adoption of the GA Resolution 78/213 Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the context of digital technologies (2023), the UN Agreed Conclusions from the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women on Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls (2023), as well as the Global Digital Compact (2024)–the first global text on the governance of digital technologies–and the UN Convention against Cybercrime (2024), the first international criminal justice treaty aimed at strengthening international cooperation for combating crimes committed by means of ICT systems, marked a significant step in addressing, protecting and defending human rights, including gender equality and the rights of women and girls in the digital environment.

    Building on the recent progress and joint efforts to ensure effective international AI governance and accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs, we propose increased action to prioritise the rights of all women and girls in the digital environment at the upcoming AI Action Summit. First organised by the UK and later by South Korea, the next Summit will take place in France.

    As part of the upcoming AI Action Summit, we, the undersigned countries of this declaration, call on states to recognise the gendered impact of AI on all women and girls and LGBTQI+ persons in all aspects of the digital world, recognising the continuity and interrelation between offline and online gender-based violence and the increase in technology-facilitated gender-based violence. We call on States to implement and uphold safeguards to protect the human rights of women and girls in all their diversity in the digital environment, including the online/offline continuum. We also urge the digital technology and AI sector to adopt safety-by-design principles throughout the lifecycle of AI systems, from design to development and deployment. We urge both States and the digital technology and AI sector to promote AI literacy for all, especially for all women and girls, in order to bridge the gender digital divide and to equip women, in particular those in vulnerable situations, with the knowledge to critically engage with AI by the means of promotion of equitable access and participation in the digital sphere and the empowerment of individuals to identify, mitigate, prevent and eradicate gender biases, stereotypes, discriminations, and violence.

    We, the undersigned countries of this declaration, members of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, reaffirm our shared determination and commitment to building a digital future grounded in human rights, fully integrating women’s rights and gender considerations at the upcoming AI Action Summit in Paris, February 2025.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Portsmouth’s social work degree apprentices fulfil lifelong dream to support families

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    A duo of degree apprentices in children’s social care at Portsmouth City Council are fulfilling lifelong ambitions to support families in their community.

    Victoria Nash, a family support worker and Sonja Renfrew, a newly qualified social worker have shared their stories during National Apprenticeship Week 2025.

    National Apprenticeship Week (10 – 16 February 2025) is a week-long celebration that brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals and organisations.

    Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council said:

    “Portsmouth is fortunate to have a dedicated and loyal workforce of social care practitioners who support families every day. Apprenticeships enable colleagues to upskill within children’s social care to become social workers.

    “This helps us address some of the challenges around social work recruitment. Portsmouth is not immune to these challenges and is taking steps to strengthen its teams with employment programmes that develop staff internally who may wish to progress in their careers.”

    For those who already work in children’s social care, practitioners without a degree have the option to undertake a social work apprenticeship.

    Sonja began her career in London before moving to Portsmouth to support a local charity. She joined the council in 2017 as a family mentor progressing to become an education and early help worker. Sonja said:

    “I moved to Portsmouth and worked with a local charity called the EC Roberts Centre. This experience inspired me to consider the apprenticeship route as the best fit for me. It is a continuation of my work with the most vulnerable members of our society.

    “A standout moment for me was when I was at university on my apprenticeship during my third year. I volunteered to play the social worker being cross examined for a court skills session. The solicitor cross examined me and didn’t hold back. However, I remained calm, collected, and even managed to correct him at one point!

    “I got some amazing feedback from the university staff involved as well as my fellow degree apprentices. Certainly, a memorable moment!”

    Sonja completed her degree apprenticeship and has started her first year in employment as a newly qualified social worker this year.

    By providing accessible, work-based routes into social work for existing staff members, apprenticeships help expand the talent pipeline while equipping future social workers with vital skills and experience.

    Victoria started a social work diploma at university when she was 19 years old but did not complete the qualification as she felt she lacked life experience. As a family support officer working with families up to tier three, Victoria wanted to revisit a social work qualification. Victoria said:

    “I have worked for Portsmouth City Council for many years in different roles that support families. I wanted to explore my options that would allow me to work on tier four assessments. This required a formal social work qualification.

    “The apprenticeship was the best route for me. I have had to carefully balance my work, life and family commitments but I have loved every moment.

    “During my training, I have found the cohort of students I work with to be very supportive, as well as my university lecturers. It has also been insightful to link my current practice to the theory.

    “If you work for an internal service and want to progress by doing an apprenticeship, take the leap. I haven’t looked back since!”

    Social work degree apprenticeships aren’t advertised externally at Portsmouth City Council. However, it remains a valid training route for existing staff wanting to become social workers.

    External options including the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme and Step Up to Social Work scheme are available for those who have compatible level six qualifications (degree or equivalent). Each programme has its own entry criteria.

    For more information on social work degree apprenticeships, visit www.strongerfutures.co.uk/national-apprenticeship-week

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni’s statement on affront to Foiba of Basovizza memorial

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    8 Febbraio 2025

    The Foiba of Basovizza is a sacred place, a national monument, to be honoured with silence and prayer. Dishonouring Basovizza, and what’s more, with repugnant graffiti evoking dramatic events in our history, does not only mean trampling on the memory of the martyrs of the Foibe massacres, but also means dishonouring the nation as a whole. This was an act of unprecedented gravity, which cannot go unpunished.

    [Courtesy translation]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: AI and satellites speed up planning approvals by tracking wild habitats across England

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    New records reveal the government is utilising AI and technology to enhance public services, including streamlining MOT inspections and speeding up planning with satellite habitat mapping.

    How AI is improving public services and new AI Playbook will drive public sector use.

    • New records reveal how government is using AI and tech to deliver for the public – including by streamlining MOT garage inspections and using satellite habitat mapping to speed up planning
    • Comes alongside practical tips to help public sector build tech to speed up decision making and transform services for working people – delivering the Plan for Change
    • Guidance shares top tips from development of GOV.UK Chat and other advanced tech on using safeguards to ensure the tech works in the public’s interest

    AI and satellite images are being used to predict how natural habitats are changing across the country, so more current data can be used to accelerate planning proposals and stop NIMBYism getting in the way of growth and the Plan for Change. 

    Satellite images and machine learning – a type of AI – are being used by Natural England to build a detailed map of “Living England”, showing the current extent of habitats across the country. Rather than the manual surveys of the past, changes to English habitats will now be tracked more efficiently and across the country – speeding up decisions around planning and land use while better protecting nature. 

    Details of the project are being released today alongside 13 other examples of how AI and algorithmic tools are used to speed up decision making and improve public services – spanning examples including how AI is being used to better predict the weather and keep standards high at MOT testing centres.

    A new AI Playbook, published today, gives public sector technical experts top tips and guiding principles on how to replicate this work and build AI to help their organisations fix services for citizens – ultimately delivering on the government’s ambition to transform public services with AI.

    Civil servants are guided on how to buy and manage the development of AI technology in their departments and encouraged to work with AI companies closely so the technology can be put to work more quickly. 

    Today’s announcement comes as world leaders gather for the AI Action Summit in Paris, and follow’s the publication of the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which has put the UK on course to revolutionise public services and become an AI superpower – already attracting over £14 billion in investment since launching just last month.  

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: 

    Every corner of the public sector can be using technology to save money, speed things up, and crucially, improve public services for people across the UK, driving our Plan for Change forward. 

    The publication of our AI Playbook today comes with a call to arms for tech specialists across the public sector – use the guidance we are sharing to put AI to work in your organisations at whiplash speed, so we can repair our broken public services together.

    Natural England’s Chief Scientist, Professor Sallie Bailey said:

    Nature restoration, development and economic growth are not opposing forces – they can and must work together to create a sustainable future for both people and wildlife.

    Our Living England project is harnessing the power of AI to inform and support planning decisions far more efficiently. This means we can make the biggest impact for Nature recovery, while helping to deliver the new homes and infrastructure the country needs.

    The AI Playbook, published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, outlines ten principles civil servants building AI should follow, making sure they: 

    • Have meaningful human control at the right stages, so any decisions recommended by technology can be monitored properly, and changed rapidly if needed. 

    • Choose the right tool for the right job and avoid using AI where more basic technology can fulfil the same task. 

    • Work with teams responsible for buying technology right from the start, to make sure agreements struck with private sector companies can be utilised to maximum potential in this rapidly evolving market. 

    The Playbook also insists that public servants working with AI do so openly and collaboratively, making sure the public know how technology is being used and allowing other public sector organisations to benefit from work that has already taken place.  

    Other records being released today detail how the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) uses AI to prioritise which of the 23,000 active MOT testing garages should receive an inspection next. 

    Producing a traffic light rating for every garage, the AI tool takes in data from MOT tests to spot anomalies and identify which garages should be checked first, so inspectors can confirm they are working to crucial safety standards. Previously, inspections were based only on the amount of time that had passed since the last check. 

    Today’s release follows the Technology Secretary publishing the blueprint for a modern digital government, setting out how his department will use AI and technology to help the public sector improve their services and target £45 billion in potential efficiency savings every year. This is as well as announcing a bundle of tools to be known as “Humphrey” and set to be made available to all civil servants soon.  

    Among other things, the tools will help civil servants assess responses to consultations, take minutes at meetings and analyse decades of debate from the Houses of Parliament. 

    Notes to editors

    Find the AI Playbook here.

    The full list of Algorithmic Transparency Records being published today is as follows. 

    Met Office (DSIT)

    Weather and climate forecasting: A combination of multiple different algorithmic tools used to produce weather forecasts.

    Natural England (Defra)

    Living England map: Habitat mapping for the whole of England using satellite imagery, targeted field survey and machine learning.

    DVSA (DfT)

    MOT Risk Rating: An algorithmic to identify potential non-compliance in MOT testing, and prioritise visits to MOT garages.

    Wilton Park

    Data Cleaning Tool: Enables compliance with The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by identifying and automatically cleaning personal data from the Wilton Park customer database.

    OSCB (DBT)

    Interest Calculator: Assists small business owners to calculate the amount of interest due on an overdue invoice.

    National Highways (DfT)

    Highways webchat: provides customers with an additional communication channel to get immediate answers to their questions using publicly available information (such as traffic information).

    The search engine for GOV.UK. It enables users to search for information and services on GOV.UK by entering a search query to view results that are relevant to their query.

    NHS Business Services Authority (DHSC)

    Residency Checker for EHIC/GHIC/PRC: A process to support confirmation of UK residency for entitlement to healthcare in an European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.

    Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

    Employment and Support Allowance Online Medical Matching: A tool which helps Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) officials process claims more quickly.

    Money and Pensions Service (MaPs)

    Budget Planner: A free online tool that helps users track and categorize their spending, provides a detailed breakdown of their finances, and offers personalized tips to improve their money management.

    Money and Pensions Service (MaPs)

    Redundancy Pay Calculator: Online tool designed to help individuals who have been or are at risk of being made redundant understand their legal rights, calculate their potential redundancy pay, assess their financial situation, and explore available benefits and support.

    Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

    The Effective Proposal Framework: Used by Probation Practitioners at pre-sentence stage and as part of pre-release planning to identify requirements, licence conditions and interventions for individuals based on their risk and need profile.

    Health Research Authority (DHSC)

    Proportionate Review Toolkit: A toolkit to help Research Ethics Committee applicants determine whether their project would be eligible for proportionate review.

    His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

    Logo Detection and Classification Toolkit: A tool to detect unauthorised uses of HMRC’s logo.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: IP Fabric 7.0 Transforms Cloud and Edge Innovation Across Hybrid Networks

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IP Fabric, the Automated Network Assurance Platform, today announced the release of Version 7.0, designed to simplify compliance with regulations and security frameworks and strengthen operational resiliency across multicloud environments.

    Global enterprises require an end-to-end view of complex cloud and edge environments. Legacy solutions only provide a technology- or domain-specific view, which doesn’t meet the mandate of boards, CISOs and IT leaders, who must balance security, stability, compliance and risk with the pursuit of strategic transformation.

    IP Fabric 7.0 addresses this with a comprehensive view of infrastructure and intelligent analytics, creating the security and operational posture for innovation (e.g., automation, AI, cloud migration, SD-WAN). This lets teams deliver secure services, ensure business continuity, plan and manage budgets, and optimize processes across domains.

    “The release of IP Fabric 7.0 represents another step in empowering all IT teams to achieve panoramic network visibility, efficiency and collaboration,” said Pavel Bykov, CEO and co-founder of IP Fabric. “New features let organizations streamline workflows and proactively address infrastructure and security challenges like never before.”

    Key features in IP Fabric 7.0

    1. Improved Productivity Across Teams and Business Functions
      • 160+ Automated Intent Verification Checks: Proactively identify and address compliance, configuration and maintenance risks with out-of-the-box integrated vendor database checks.
      • Multi-View Dashboards: Create custom dashboards to provide tailored views for the executive team, security practitioners, platform engineers, network engineers and more — without writing a single line of code.
      • Shareable Snapshots and Tables: Enhance collaboration with Shareable Snapshots, which are fully functional simulations of the network (also known as digital twins), and tables, which let users analyze and correlate network state information and parameters across multiple devices.
      • Exportable Network Diagrams: Seamlessly export network diagrams to Visio and other platforms for broader usability.
    2. End-to-End Visibility
      • Expanded Cloud Discovery and Support: Troubleshoot faster with unified data, gain full visibility into backend-to-frontend application communications and prepare for cloud migrations or repatriations. New inventory tables and AWS Direct Connect Transit VIF support enable deeper insights into traffic flow in AWS, especially when leveraging Transit Gateways and multiple VIFs.
      • Enhanced SD-WAN Support: Increase visibility for security teams with new insight into the performance and connectivity of SD-WAN in Silverpeak and Viptela.
      • Auto-Discovery of Security Technology: Identify vulnerabilities and automate security and compliance remediation with instant insights from Check Point, Palo Alto Networks and Stormshield.
      • Advanced Routing Data: Unlock insights into the exact BGP routes devices advertise to neighbors for faster troubleshooting, smarter optimizations and increased confidence that routing aligns with network policies. New BGP capabilities also enable AWS Direct Connect visibility.
    3. Accelerated Business Outcomes
      • Early Snapshot Insights: Network snapshots record the state of the network in time, retrieve historical information, follow network state changes, analyze connectivity and more. Now users can access partial data from devices, tables and diagrams while snapshots are still processing to get insights faster for large environments.
      • Interactive API Documentation: Test CRUD (create/read/update/delete) commands directly in the platform so DevOps and platform engineers can more efficiently build complex lifecycle automation workflows.

    For a complete list of features included in IP Fabric 7.0 visit the company blog.

    About IP Fabric
    IP Fabric is the industry’s leading Automated Network Assurance Platform, offering a continuously validated view of cloud, network and security infrastructure to improve stability, security and spend. Within minutes, the platform creates a unified view of devices, state, configurations and interdependencies, normalizing multi-vendor data and revealing operational truth through automated compliance checks.

    By uncovering risks and providing actionable insights, IP Fabric enables enterprises to accelerate IT and business transformation while reducing costs. Trusted by industry leaders like Red Hat, Major League Baseball and Air France, IP Fabric delivers the foundation for a secure and modern network.

    Learn more at www.ipfabric.io and follow the company on LinkedIn.

    Media Contact
    Liesse Jayalath
    ipfabric@lookleftmarketing.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Municipality Finance issues EUR 10 million notes under its MTN programme

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Municipality Finance Plc
    Stock exchange release
    10 February 2025 at 10:00 am (EET)

    Municipality Finance issues EUR 10 million notes under its MTN programme

    Municipality Finance Plc issues EUR 10 million notes on 11 February 2025. The maturity date of the notes is 11 February 2035. The notes bear interest at a fixed rate of 2.819% per annum.

    The notes are issued under MuniFin’s EUR 50 billion programme for the issuance of debt instruments. The offering circular, the supplemental offering circular and the final terms of the notes are available in English on the company’s website at https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/for-investors.

    MuniFin has applied for the notes to be admitted to trading on the Helsinki Stock Exchange maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki. The public trading is expected to commence on 11 February 2025.

    ABN AMRO Bank N.V. plc acts as the dealer for the issue of the notes.

    MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC

    Further information:

    Joakim Holmström
    Executive Vice President, Capital Markets and Sustainability
    tel. +358 50 444 3638

    MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland’s largest credit institutions. The company is owned by Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the Republic of Finland.
    The Group’s balance sheet totals over EUR 50 billion.

    MuniFin builds a better and more sustainable future with its customers. MuniFin’s customers include municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, corporate entities under their control, and non-profit organisations nominated by the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA). Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs.

    MuniFin’s customers are domestic but the company operates in a completely global business environment. The company is an active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green and social bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board.

    Read more: https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/

    Important Information

    The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into any such country or jurisdiction or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, any securities or other financial instruments in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

    This communication does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Notification of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them in Konsolidator A/S

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no 5-2025

    Søborg, February 10, 2025

    Notification of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them in Konsolidator A/S

    In accordance with the Market Abuse Regulation article 19, Konsolidator must notify Finanstilsynet and publicly disclose transactions made by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them on trading of Konsolidator shares.

    Konsolidator A/S hereby notify and submit the attached transactions of shares in Konsolidator. 

    Contacts

    Certified Adviser

    About Konsolidator
    Konsolidator A/S is a financial consolidation software company whose primary objective is to make Group CFOs around the world better through automated financial consolidation and reporting in the cloud. Created by CFOs and auditors and powered by innovative technology, Konsolidator removes the complexity of financial consolidation and enables the CFO to save time and gain actionable insights based on key performance data to become a vital part of strategic decision-making. Konsolidator was listed at Nasdaq First North Growth Market Denmark in 2019. Ticker Code: KONSOL

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Oma Savings Bank Plc’s Financial Statements Release 1 January – 31 December 2024: The year ended with a fourth quarter in line with expectations – comparable profit before taxes was strong for 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OMA SAVINGS BANK PLC, STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 10 FEBRUARY 2025 AT 9.15 A.M. EET, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS RELEASE

    Oma Savings Bank Plc’s Financial Statements Release 1 January – 31 December 2024: The year ended with a fourth quarter in line with expectations – comparable profit before taxes was strong for 2024

    This release is a summary of Oma Savings Bank’s (OmaSp) January-December 2024 Financial Statements Release, which can be read from the pdf file attached to this stock exchange release and on the Company’s web pages www.omasp.fi

    CEO Sarianna Liiri:
    “The year 2024 has been very exceptional in the history of OmaSp. Both main sources of income developed in line with expectations and the year ended with a good quarter. Significant investments in the development of risk management processes and the implementation of an extensive action plan continued. The acquisition of Handelsbanken AB’s Finnish SME business and the expansion of the distribution network strengthened OmaSp’s market position towards the end of the year and provide a good starting point for the year beginning.

    The comparable profit before taxes was EUR 27.9 million for the fourth quarter and the comparable return on equity was 15.6 percent.

    As expected, changes in market interest rates were reflected in the development of net interest income, and in the last quarter net interest income fell by 11 percent from the comparison period. The net interest income increased by 8 percent for the whole year. Our customers value our personal and easily accessible service model. This is reflected in the development of the number of customers, which remained despite an exceptional year at a good level. With Handelsbanken’s business acquisition, OmaSp gained approximately 10,000 new customers in the autumn, and in addition to this, approximately 1,000 new customer relationships were organically created every month. In particular, fee and commission income and expenses net were increased by card and payment fees, which increased by 16 percent from the previous year. Fee and commission income and expenses net increased by 8 percent in the last quarter and by 7 percent for the full year. At the end of the year, the business focus has been especially on the reception of customers who have transferred from Handelsbanken and the start of operations in three new branches. With the expanded distribution network OmaSp now has excellent coverage in all of Finland’s key growth and provincial centers.

    OmaSp’s loan portfolio and deposit base were boosted by volumes transferred from Handelsbanken. The portfolio of housing loans grew by 5 percent, corporate loan portfolio by 8 percent and deposits by 6 percent from a year ago.

    Accumulation of impairment losses on financial assets was significantly affected by non-compliance with the guidelines and related additional allowances. In 2024, credit losses amounted to approximately EUR 84 million, of which approximately EUR 64 million were related to non-compliance with the guidelines. In the last quarter, the credit loss level remained at last year’s level.

    The Company has continued to make significant investments in risk management and the implementation of the action plan launched in the summer. As a result, the cost level remained high in the last quarter of the year. An additional EUR 5.4 million was invested in risk management processes in October–December and comparable costs increased by 44 percent during the fourth quarter. Expenses were also increased by the increased number of personnel. During the financial year, the Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA) carried out audits of the Company. Based on the audits, the observations raised by the supervisor and the development targets already identified by the Company itself support each other. The measures to develop the processes are proceeding well on schedule and the goal is to complete the development measures planned during 2024 in the first half of 2025.

    The comparable cost/income ratio remains at a good level despite significant investments and was 47.7 percent in the last quarter.

    Customer and personnel satisfaction at the center of everything
    OmaSp’s competitive advantage has been and will continue to be built on excellent customer experience. According to research, customer and personnel satisfaction have remained at an excellent level as in previous years, despite the exceptional year. Our personnel are our most essential resource, so committed and motivated personnel play a vitally important role for OmaSp’s future success. The renewed board of the Company started its work in December, and we have got five experienced board experts to strengthen the bank’s operations. In addition, the Company’s new CEO, Karri Alameri, will start his work in April at the latest.

    OmaSp’s financial position is stable, and the Company’s solvency and liquidity position is at a good level. The total capital (TC) ratio was 15.6 percent at the end of the year and the accumulation of equity is nearly EUR 580 million.

    After the changes implemented in 2024, we will now be able to focus on our core business and strengthen the customer experience of our existing and new customers. OmaSp’s ambition is to enable and solve the needs of households and small and medium-sized enterprises in all areas of the bank’s operations. In February, the history of OmaSp stretches back 150 years. From these strong starting points, we will continue in 2025 with confidence.

    Warm thanks to all customers and owners, and especially to OmaSp’s personnel for 2024!”

    January-December 2024
    • Oma Savings Bank Plc’s Extraordinary General Meeting was held on 10 December 2024. The Extraordinary General Meeting confirmed on the remuneration, number and composition of the members of the Board of Directors. The number of members of the Board of Directors was confirmed to be eight, i.e. the number of members increased by one. Aki Jaskari, Jaakko Ossa and Jaana Sandström were re-elected as Board members and Juhana Brotherus, Irma Gillberg-Hjelt, Carl Pettersson, Kati Riikonen and Juha Volotinen were elected as new members.
    • The Company’s Board of Directors appointed Karri Alameri, B.Sc. (Econ.), CEFA as the Company’s new CEO on 30 September 2024. Alameri will start his position no later than 1 April 2025.
    • On 1 September 2024, the Company completed the acquisition of Svenska Handelsbanken AB’s SME business in Finland as planned. The deposit portfolio transferred to the Company was approximately EUR 440 million and the loan portfolio approximately EUR 500 million. A goodwill of EUR 15.3 million was recognised from the acquisition. Approximately 10,000 customers transferred to the Company in the acquisition, and at the same time 30 people transferred to the Company as old employees.
    • During the second quarter, the Company launched an extensive risk management action plan (the “Noste”), which has been implemented according to plan.
    • In January–December, net interest income grew 8.1% compared with the same period last year. Net interest income totalled EUR 213.1 (197.0) million. In the last quarter, net interest income decreased by 10.5% compared to the comparison period.
    • Home mortgage portfolio increased by 5.0% during the previous 12 months. Corporate loan portfolio increased by 8.0% during the previous 12 months.
    • Deposit base increased by 5.5% over the past 12 months.
    • In January-December, fee and commission income and expenses (net) increased due to volume growth by 7.0%. In the last quarter, fee and commission income and expenses (net) increased by 7.5% compared to the comparison period.
    • In January–December, total operating income grew by 9.3% compared to the comparison period. In the last quarter, comparable total operating income remained at the same level compared to the last quarter and was EUR 68.2 (69.4) million.
    • In January-December, total operating expenses grew in total by 22.6%. The growth is mainly explained by expenses arising from business arrangements as well as from extensive risk management development projects and investigation costs related to non-compliance with the guidelines. In addition, the number of personnel increased during the year due to the business arrangements, the opening of new branches and the strengthening of risk management processes. Other operating expenses were in total EUR 69.3 (52.5) million, of which the development costs of the risk management action plan and investigation costs related to non-compliance with the guidelines amounted to EUR 11.8 million.
    • Comparable total operating expenses grew by 44.0% in the last quarter and were EUR 32.4 (22.5) million. Of this the risk management action plan (the ”Noste”) amounted to EUR 5.4 million.
    • For January-December, the impairment losses on financial assets were in total EUR -83.4 (-17.1) million. A total of EUR 64.4 million in impairment losses on financial assets were recorded in relation to non-compliance with the guidelines, of which EUR 4.9 million was final impairment losses on financial assets. Impairment losses on financial assets amounted to EUR 7.6 (7.3) million in the last quarter.
    • For January-December, profit before taxes was EUR 74.6 (138.0) million. For the last quarter, profit before taxes was EUR 22.6 (35.5) million.
    • In January-December, comparable profit before taxes was EUR 86.7 (143.6) million. For the last quarter, comparable profit before taxes was EUR 27.9 (38.8) million.
    • In January-December, cost/income ratio was 41.3 (36.9)%. In the last quarter, cost/income ratio was 52.9 (35.4)%. In January-December, comparable cost/income ratio was 37.8 (35.1)%. In the last quarter, comparable cost/income ratio was 47.7 (32.8)%.
    • In January-December, comparable return on equity (ROE) was 12.4 (25.3)%. For the last quarter, comparable return on equity (ROE) was 15.6 (23.5)%.
    • Total capital (TC) ratio was 15.6 (16.5)%.

    The Group’s key figures (1,000 euros) 1–12/2024 1–12/2023 Δ% 2024 Q4 2023 Q4 Δ%
    Net interest income 213,097 197,045 8% 50,913 56,907 -11%
    Fee and commission income and expenses, net 50,745 47,421 7% 13,105 12,188 8%
    Total operating income 270,068 247,067 9% 64,381 67,190 -4%
    Total operating expenses -111,004 -90,550 23% -33,917 -23,483 44%
    Impairment losses on financial assets, net -83,379 -17,126 387% -7,572 -7,269 4%
    Profit before taxes 74,589 138,048 -46% 22,582 35,546 -36%
    Cost/income ratio, % 41.3% 36.9% 12% 52.9% 35.4% 49%
    Balance sheet total 7,709,090 7,642,906 1% 7,709,090 7,642,906 1%
    Equity 576,143 541,052 6% 576,143 541,052 6%
    Return on assets (ROA) % 0.8% 1.6% -52% 0.9% 1.5% -40%
    Return on equity (ROE) % 10.7% 24.3% -56% 12.6% 21.5% -41%
    Earnings per share (EPS), EUR 1.80 3.49 -48% 0.54 0.85 -36%
    Total capital (TC) ratio % 15.6% 16.5% -6% 15.6% 16.5% -6%
    Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio % 14.4% 14.9% -3% 14.4% 14.9% -3%
                 
    Comparable profit before taxes 86,656 143,609 -40% 27,945 38,790 -28%
    Comparable cost/income ratio, % 37.8% 35.1% 8% 47.7% 32.8% 45%
    Comparable return on equity (ROE) % 12.4% 25.3% -51% 15.6% 23.5% -34%

    Outlook for the financial year 2025:
    The Company’s business outlook for the financial year 2025 will be affected by lower market interest rates and the continued high cost level due to IT investments and system improvements required by risk management and quality processes. In addition, the Company continues to invest in customer experience on different channels. The uncertainty of the operating environment and economic situation affects the development of balance sheet items and comparable profit for the financial year 2025.

    Oma Savings Bank Plc provides earnings guidance on comparable profit before taxes for 2025. Earnings guidance is based on the forecast for the entire year, which takes into account the current market and business situation. Forecasts are based on the management’s insight into the Group’s business development.

    We estimate the Group’s comparable profit before taxes to be EUR 65-80 million for the financial year 2025 (comparable profit before taxes was EUR 86.7 million in the financial year 2024).

    Board of Directors’ proposal for the distribution of profit to AGM
    The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting a dividend in accordance with the dividend policy, at least 20% of the Company’s net profit. The proposal for the distribution of profit aims to increase capital buffers and maintain strong liquidity. The Board of Directors proposes that, on the basis of the Financial Statements to be adopted for 2024, a dividend of EUR 0.36 be paid from the Parent Company’s distributable profits for each share entitled to a dividend for 2024.

    The proposed record date for dividends would be 10 April 2025 and the payment date 17 April 2025.

    No material changes have taken place in the Company’s financial position after the financial year. The Company’s liquidity is good, and the proposed profit distribution does not compromise the Company’s liquidity according to the Board of Directors’ insight.

    General Meeting 
    The Annual General Meeting is scheduled to be held on 8 April 2024. The Company’s Board of Directors will convene the Annual General Meeting separately at a later date.

    Oma Savings Bank Plc

    Additional information:
    Sarianna Liiri, CEO, puh. +358 40 835 6712, sarianna.liiri@omasp.fi
    Minna Sillanpää, CCO, tel. +358 50 66592, minna.sillanpaa@omasp.fi

    DISTRIBUTION
    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Major media
    www.omasp.fi

    OmaSp is a solvent and profitable Finnish bank. About 500 professionals provide nationwide services through OmaSp’s 48 branch offices and digital service channels to over 200,000 private and corporate customers. OmaSp focuses primarily on retail banking operations and provides its clients with a broad range of banking services both through its own balance sheet as well as by acting as an intermediary for its partners’ products. The intermediated products include credit, investment and loan insurance products. OmaSp is also engaged in mortgage banking operations.

    OmaSp core idea is to provide personal service and to be local and close to its customers, both in digital and traditional channels. OmaSp strives to offer premium level customer experience through personal service and easy accessibility. In addition, the development of the operations and services is customer-oriented. The personnel is committed and OmaSp seeks to support their career development with versatile tasks and continuous development. A substantial part of the personnel also own shares in OmaSp.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ADB and Local Currency Financing: A 20-Year Journey

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    •  ADB’s pioneering efforts in issuing local currency bonds over the past 20 years have not only mitigated currency risks for borrowers but also opened local markets to foreign investment and development finance.
    •  Innovations like currency-linked bonds and the rapid development of derivative markets have enhanced liquidity and enabled tailored funding solutions, significantly advancing local currency financing in Asia and the Pacific.
    •  Local currency finance, initially focused on private sector loans, is expanding into sovereign lending, signaling ADB’s evolving role in fostering financial innovation and development across the region.

    Twenty years ago, ADB issued its first local currency bond. The Indian rupee bond represented about $110 million equivalent at the time. Over the following three years, ADB raised funding from onshore bond issues in Malaysian ringgit, Thai baht, Chinese renminbi and Philippine peso – acting as an “icebreaker” to open these markets to foreign issuers.

    Such borrowing exercises introduced a new funding stream for ADB’s development assistance, allowing borrowers to mitigate potential currency risks associated with borrowing in foreign currencies.

    Fast forward to today, and local currency finance has gone mainstream. Development partners are no longer surprised when ADB issues bonds denominated in currencies as diverse as the Azerbaijan manat, the Indonesian rupiah or the Mongolian togrog and they recognize the invaluable role that local currency finance plays in crowding in foreign investment to developing countries.

    About a third of ADB’s private sector loans are currently delivered in local currencies, with the Thai baht, Indian rupee, Chinese renminbi, Kazakhstan tenge, and Georgian lari featuring prominently. ADB’s aggregate local currency portfolio reached more than $3.75 billion equivalent as of 31 October 2024 across more than 15 local currencies with local currency loans expected to reach 50% of private sector lending over the next years.

    What has catalyzed local currency finance?

    Over the last 20 years, local capital markets have evolved and developed significantly  across Asia and the Pacific. These developments were driven by the experience of the 1997/98 Asian financial crisis, which was at least partially caused by excessive foreign currency exposures.

    Since then, regulators, banks, and investors have made significant strides to develop local currency bond markets and improve the local currency capital market infrastructure.

    Over the last 20 years, local capital markets have evolved and developed significantly across Asia and the Pacific.

    ADB can reach certain target borrowers more effectively when it offers loans in their own currencies rather than in dollars, euros, or yen. For many of the projects that ADB supports, foreign currency denominated loans would not be feasible: a dairy business owner in Mongolia has no understanding of the risks involved in borrowing a foreign currency. Equally, a female worker in rural Kazakhstan would not begin to consider borrowing a home loan in a foreign currency. For both of these projects, ADB was able to provide suitable local currency financing solutions to meet borrower needs and avoid foreign currency mismatches.

    Importantly, the rapid development of derivative markets in the region, which include the availability of both interest rate and cross-currency swaps in several markets, has facilitated the management of liquidity by decoupling funding and disbursement transactions, while also allowing for tailored back-to-back funding transactions.

    The availability of longer-tenor financing solutions has also improved significantly in a number of the more developed Asian markets: for example, ADB was able to derive a 20-year Thai baht funding solution through the cross-currency swap market to finance a project in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, which delivered a perfect hedge for the borrower.

    Similar liquidity of varying tenors is now available in swap and bond markets in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

    A capital market innovation: the emergence of currency-linked bonds

    Another important innovation has also improved the availability of local currency financing: the so-called “currency-linked bond” has been a game changer for development finance.  In essence, this is a debt security denominated in a local currency but settled in US dollars.

    It relies on international documentation usually under English law, settlement occurs in international central securities depositaries, and the bonds are listed on major international stock exchanges. The impact of such structures is to crowd in international investors into local currencies by providing an easily accessible trading infrastructure.

    ADB issued its first Indian rupee currency-linked bond in 2014 and since then has issued such instruments in Armenian dram, Azerbaijan manat, Georgian lari, Indonesian rupiah, Kazakhstan tenge, Kyrgyz sum, Mongolian togrog, Pakistan rupees and Philippine pesos. In Indian rupees alone, ADB has raised more than one billion US dollars equivalent to finance private sector projects.

    Issuing innovative local currency bonds

    In countries such as Georgia and Kazakhstan where the environment is enabled, ADB has issued multiple domestic bonds including fixed rate, floating rate and even inflation-linked. Furthermore, ADB auctioned the first green (2020) and gender (2021) bonds on the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange, delivering a new asset class to the local market.

    In Georgia, ADB was the first organization to issue its domestic bonds through the Georgian Securities Settlement System (GSSS) in 2015, which operates delivery versus payment Real Time Gross Settlements (RTGS) with central bank money through the National Bank of Georgia.

    In Kazakhstan, ADB settled its domestically issued bonds through the Kazakhstan Securities Depositary, which crucially has an operational “bridge” with Clearstream in Luxembourg.

    These innovations have fostered knowledge sharing and the shift of local currency issuance infrastructure towards international best practices.

    Creating local currency liquidity pools

    Liquidity pools are commonly used to warehouse the proceeds of bond issues in mainstream currencies until project disbursements happen. ADB has developed liquidity pools in Chinese renminbi and Indian rupees, which have played an important role in shepherding in high levels of local currency development finance by providing continuous availability of funding, decoupling such availability from any specific funding transactions Further liquidity pools are in the making, as ADB’s pipelines in local currency grow and evolve.

    Working closely with national regulators and market participants, ADB’s engagement in local currency markets over the last 20 years has made significant progress.

    The next frontier: sovereign local currency loans

    Local currency finance is already well established as a financing source for ADB’s private sector loans, but it has been deployed much less in the sovereign context, which for ADB represents the largest share of lending activity. A number of sovereign borrowers have recently started to avail  local currency solutions from ADB, including a recently  completed $1.45 billion sovereign local currency loan conversion.

    Working closely with national regulators and market participants, ADB’s engagement in local currency markets over the last 20 years has made significant progress: ADB is now able to offer funding solutions in more than 15 local currencies in Asia and the Pacific. As local currency markets will further develop, the future of local currency financing in the Asia-Pacific region looks bright. 

    Authors: Roberta Casali, ADB Vice-President for Finance and Risk; Tobias Hoschka, ADB Treasurer; Jonathan Grosvenor, former ADB Assistant Treasurer

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    Subjects
    • ADB funds and products
    • Finance sector development

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Netcompany enters into an agreement with SDC to create ‘the future of banking services’

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement (inside information)
    No. 09/2025

                                                     10 February 2025

    Netcompany Group A/S (“Netcompany”), SDC A/S, (“SDC”), and a majority part of the shareholders of SDC have today entered into an agreement of a transaction whereby a newly formed company of Netcompany and SDC will merge into a combined company fully owned by Netcompany. Together, Netcompany and SDC will create innovative and best-in-class banking solutions and services to the benefit of current banks running on SDC’s platform, as well as for new banks to be onboarded to the platform in the future.

    The transaction values SDC at DKK 1 billion and will include a cash payment of DKK 1 billion from Netcompany to SDC’s shareholders. The cash consideration is funded by way of utilising current credit facilities.

    Closing of the transaction is expected to take place around mid-2025, subject to regulatory and other customary conditions.

    Strategic rationale
    The transaction with SDC provides a strong foothold for Netcompany in the financial services industry, which is the highest spending vertical within IT services in Europe. In 2025, the total addressable market in DK, NO, and SE is estimated to be more than DKK 44 billion and the market is expected to grow more than 10% annually towards 2028, supporting Netcompany’s ambition of delivering continued sustainable organic growth.

    Within the financial services industry, Netcompany offers a solid product and platform suite, including AMPLIO, mit.dk, AMI and EASLEY, combined with products from Festina Finance such as Festina Advisor and Festina Life and Pension. These products and platforms supplemented by SDC’s core banking platform will be the foundation of ‘the future of banking services’. Together, Netcompany and SDC will improve the banking experience for bank customers, as well as bank employees and advisors, by introducing improved and personalised advice, self-service solutions, and end-to-end digital processes to support activities such as housing journeys and onboarding, through new industry-specific and vendor-independent banking services.

    Following the transaction, the combined workforce of Netcompany and SDC is more than 9,200 FTEs.

    André Rogaczewski, CEO Netcompany states:
    “I am thrilled to announce that we have successfully agreed on a transaction with the majority shareholders of SDC. This strategic move marks a significant milestone for Netcompany, and it aligns with our Go-To-Market strategy to expand our capabilities and enhance our service offerings within the financial services industry.
    Digitalisation is the key driver for strengthening Europe’s most critical societal areas – including the financial services industry. Netcompany already provides the digital foundation with our products and platforms in the areas of pension, customs and tax, transport and logistics, and now we are going to do the same in the financial services industry. With SDC’s core banking platform and Netcompany’s innovative DNA, products, and platforms, we are looking into unprecedented opportunities for the entire banking sector. The goal of this transaction is to create innovative and best-in-class services in Denmark, Scandinavia, and the rest of Europe, to the benefit of current and future customers, thereby adding substantial value for our shareholders and stakeholders.”

    Klaus Skjødt, Chair SDC states:
    “This is a significant milestone in SDC’s history, as we are now building upon past investments in the market’s most modern core banking platform and future-proofed online and mobile banking. Together with Netcompany, we have a shared ambition to make the banking sector a driving force for digital innovation, setting new standards for the advice and service customers can expect from their bank. We will achieve the scale and development power necessary to enhance our competitiveness and create the market’s strongest banking experience.”

    About SDC

    • SDC is a prominent IT service provider headquartered in Ballerup, Denmark, specialising in delivering comprehensive IT solutions to the financial services industry across the Nordic region.
    • SDC was founded in 1963 and offers a wide range of services, including core banking systems, digital banking solutions, and regulatory compliance tools.
    • At the end of 2024 SDC’s workforce counted 980 FTEs in three countries.
    • Prior to closing of the transaction, SDC is owned by its member banks. SDC functions as the internal IT department of the member banks, which are also in turn customers of SDC, as well as other commercial non-member banks.
    • In 2023, SDC realised revenue of DKK 1,837 million and EBITDA of DKK 286.8 million.
    • For additional information: https://www.sdc.dk/

    About Netcompany

    • Netcompany is a leading IT services company headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a strong focus on digital transformation in Europe.
    • Netcompany was founded in 2000 and delivers innovative and high-quality solutions to both public and private sector clients.
    • At the end of 2024 Netcompany’s workforce counted 8,260 FTEs in nine countries.
    • In 2024, Netcompany realised revenue of DKK 6,540.6 million and adjusted EBITDA of DKK 1,097.9 million in 2024.
    • For additional information: https://www.netcompany.com/

    Summary of the transaction

    • Netcompany will acquire 100% of the shares in SDC for a cash consideration at closing of DKK 1 billion.
    • Netcompany will make the acquisition through a newly formed company – Netcompany Banking Services A/S – which will be merging with SDC and as a consequence resulting in a fully owned subsidiary of Netcompany in which the activities of SDC are fully embedded.
    • The cash consideration is funded by way of utilising current credit facilities. The transaction will be fully debt financed within the existing covenants.
    • Due to integration costs, the transaction is expected to have a dilutive impact on EPS for the financial year 2025.
    • The transaction is expected to be EPS accretive to Netcompany from 2026 compared to 2024. Furthermore, the transaction is expected to be double-digit percentage EPS accretive by 2028 – also compared to 2024.
    • The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals in Denmark, Norway, and Faroe Island and other customary conditions.
    • Netcompany and the majority shareholders, who will continue as customers in the newly formed company after closing, will enter into a commercial IT-framework agreement (to enter into effect after closing) based on an already agreed term sheet. The agreed term sheet includes key provisions on the continued delivery of the current as-is services on a commercial market conform delivery and payment basis, a governance model with continued involvement of Netcompany and the bank customers, a fair and market-based exit model, and the transformation of the SDC platform to create ‘the future of banking services’.
    • As the agreed transaction structure is set as a merger, the closing of the transaction will formally require a two-thirds approval at a general meeting in both Netcompany’s newly formed company and SDC. The majority shareholders representing 70.94% of the outstanding share capital and voting rights in SDC have at signing of the agreement with Netcompany irrevocably provided their commitment to vote for the merger.
    • The remaining shareholders, and customers of SDC, will be given the opportunity to enter into a commercial IT-framework agreement with Netcompany on the same terms as the majority shareholders and irrevocably provide their approval to vote for the merger.

    Financial Guidance
    Financial guidance for 2025 for Netcompany on a stand-alone basis, as provided in the Annual Report 2024, is based on organic performance metrics and hence maintained. Organic revenue growth is expected between 5% and 10% and adjusted EBITDA margin between 16% and 19%.

    Netcompany expects to reinitiate it’s share buyback programmes after closing of the transaction and expects leverage at the end of 2025 to be around 1.5x.

    Webcast
    In connection with the publication of the merger, Netcompany will host a conference call on Monday, 10 February 2025 at 8.15 am CET. The conference call will be held in English and can be followed live via the company’s website; www.netcompany.com

    Dial-in details for investors and analysts:
    DK: +45 78 76 84 90
    UK: +44 20 3769 6819
    US: +1 646 787 0157

    PIN: 598046

    Webcast Player URL: https://netcompany-as.eventcdn.net/events/webcast-10-februar-2025

    Additional information
    For additional information, please contact:

    Netcompany Group A/S
    Thomas Johansen, CFO, +45 51 19 32 24
    Frederikke Linde, Head of IR, +45 60 62 60 87

    Disclaimer
    This announcement contains forward-looking statements that reflect Netcompany’s current expectations and views of future events. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by terms and phrases such as “estimate”, “expect”, “target”, “plan”, “project”, “will” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to: the expected characteristics of the combined company; expected financial results and characteristics of the combined company; expected timing of the launch and closing of the proposed transaction and satisfaction of conditions precedent, including -regulatory conditions; and the expected benefits of the proposed transaction, including related synergies. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of future performance, taking into account the information currently available to us. These statements are only predictions based upon our current expectations and projections about future events. Risks and uncertainties include: the ability of Netcompany to integrate SDC into Netcompany’s operations; the performance of the global economy; the capacity for growth in internet and technology usage; the consolidation and convergence of the industry, its suppliers and its customers; the effect of changes in governmental regulations; disruption from the proposed transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; and the impact on the combined company (after giving effect to the proposed transaction with SDC and the shareholders of SDC) of any of the foregoing risks or forward-looking statements, as well as other risk factors listed from time to time in Netcompany’s public disclosures. The forward-looking statements should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included elsewhere, including the risk factors included in any public disclosures of Netcompany. Any forward-looking statements made in this announcement are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by us will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, us or our business or operations. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Inside information: Nokia announces a leadership transition – Justin Hotard appointed as successor to Pekka Lundmark

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Inside information
    10 February 2025 at 08:00 EET

    Inside information: Nokia announces a leadership transition – Justin Hotard appointed as successor to Pekka Lundmark

    Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced a leadership transition. Nokia’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Pekka Lundmark, has informed the Board that he will step down. The Board has appointed Justin Hotard as the next President and Chief Executive Officer of Nokia. He will start in his new role on 1 April 2025. 

    Hotard joins Nokia with more than 25 years’ experience with global technology companies, driving innovation, technology leadership and delivering revenue growth. He currently leads the Data Center & AI Group at Intel. Prior to this role, he held several leadership roles at large technology companies, including Hewlett Packard Enterprise and NCR Corporation. He will be based at Nokia’s headquarters in Espoo, Finland.

    “I am delighted to welcome Justin to Nokia. He has a strong track record of accelerating growth in technology companies along with vast expertise in AI and data center markets, which are critical areas for Nokia’s future growth. In his previous positions, and throughout the selection process, he has demonstrated the strategic insight, vision, leadership and value creation mindset required for a CEO of Nokia,” said Sari Baldauf, Chair of Nokia’s Board of Directors.

    “I am honored by the opportunity to lead Nokia, a global leader in connectivity with a unique heritage in technology. Networks are the backbone that power society and businesses, and enable generational technology shifts like the one we are currently experiencing in AI. I am excited to get started and look forward to continuing Nokia’s transformation journey to maximize its potential for growth and value creation,” said Justin Hotard.

    After leading Nokia since 2020, Nokia’s current President and CEO, Pekka Lundmark, has decided to step down from executive roles and move on to the next phase of his career.

    “I want to thank Pekka for his significant contributions to Nokia, he will leave with our highest respect. The planning for this leadership transition was initiated when Pekka indicated to the Board that he would like to consider moving on from executive roles when the repositioning of the business was in a more advanced stage, and when the right successor had been identified. Now, both of those conditions have been met, and he has decided to step down,” said Sari Baldauf.

    She continued: “Pekka joined at a difficult time in Nokia’s history. Under his tenure, Nokia has re-established its technology leadership in 5G radio networks and built a strong position in cloud-native core networks. Network Infrastructure has delivered growth and significant profit improvement, and Nokia has secured the longevity of its patent licensing business. At the same time, Nokia has built strong foundations in new growth areas, refreshed the company’s brand and culture, transformed its operating model and rebalanced its portfolio.”

    “Leading Nokia has been a privilege. When I returned to Nokia in 2020, I called it a homecoming, and it really has felt like one. I am proud of the work our brilliant team has done in re-establishing our technology leadership and competitiveness, and positioning the company for growth in data centers, private wireless and industrial edge, and defense. This is the right time for me to move on. I have led listed companies for more than two decades and although I do not plan to stop working, I want to move on from executive roles to work in a different capacity, such as a board professional. Justin is a great choice for Nokia and I look forward to working with him on a smooth transition,” said Nokia’s President and CEO Pekka Lundmark. 

    Lundmark will step down on 31 March 2025. He will continue as an advisor to the new CEO until the end of the year. 

    An event for media and financial analysts will be held today at 10:00 EET. Link to join the webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/hjd9zmyx.

    Journalists and financial analysts, who wish to ask a question during the event, must dial-in to an audio-only conference call line. The attendees must pre-register here: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10196883/fe7f25be61.

    If you wish to ask a question on the call, you must mute the webcast and only use the participant dial-in during the Q&A session as there is a delay of approximately 15-30 seconds.

    Journalists and financial analysts can join via webcast or in person (Nokia’s Executive Experience Center at Karakaari 18, Espoo). Members of the media and analysts who want to participate in person, are kindly requested to show their press credential or valid ID on arrival.

    Justin Hotard, CV

    Born: 1974

    Nationality: US national 

    Experience:

    • Intel, Santa Clara, CA, 2024–present: Executive Vice President and General Manager, Data Center & AI Group
    • Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Houston, TX / Tokyo, Japan, 2015–2024: various leadership positions including:
      • Executive Vice President and General Manager, High Performance Computing, AI & Labs
      • President and Managing Director, Japan and China
    • NCR Corporation, Duluth, GA, 2007–2014: various leadership positions including: President and General Manager, Global Small Business Cloud Platform
    • Symbol Technologies (acquired by Motorola, Inc), Holtsville, NY, 2003–2007: Director, Product Management and Senior Manager, Corporate Development
    • Motorola, Inc, Arlington, IL, 1996–2000: Senior Systems Engineer

    Education:

    • Master of Business Administration, MIT Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, MA, 2002
    • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 1997

    About Nokia 
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications

    Nokia
    Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 931 580 507
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    Certain statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect Nokia’s current expectations and views of future developments and include statements regarding: A) expectations, plans, benefits or outlook related to our strategies, projects, programs, product launches, growth management, licenses, sustainability and other ESG targets, operational key performance indicators and decisions on market exits; B) expectations, plans or benefits related to future performance of our businesses (including the expected impact, timing and duration of potential global pandemics, geopolitical conflicts and the general or regional macroeconomic conditions on our businesses, our supply chain, the timing of market changes or turning points in demand and our customers’ businesses) and any future dividends and other distributions of profit; C) expectations and targets regarding financial performance and results of operations, including market share, prices, net sales, income, margins, cash flows, cost savings, the timing of receivables, operating expenses, provisions, impairments, taxes, currency exchange rates, hedging, investment funds, inflation, product cost reductions, competitiveness, revenue generation in any specific region, and licensing income and payments; D) ability to execute, expectations, plans or benefits related to our ongoing transactions, investments and changes in organizational structure and operating model; E) impact on revenue with respect to litigation/renewal discussions; and F) any statements preceded by or including “anticipate”, “continue”, “believe”, “envisage”, “expect”, “aim”, “will”, “target”, “may”, “would”, “see”, “plan” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from such statements. These statements are based on management’s best assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to them. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based upon our current expectations and views of future events and developments and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Factors, including risks and uncertainties that could cause these differences, include those risks and uncertainties specified in our 2023 annual report on Form 20-F published on 29 February 2024 under Operating and financial review and prospects – Risk factors. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Eugene Doyle: Trump and foolish old men who redraw maps

    COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle

    It generally ends badly.  An old tyrant embarks on an ill-considered project that involves redrawing maps.

    They are heedless to wise counsel and indifferent to indigenous interests or experience.  Before they fail, are killed, deposed or otherwise disposed of, these vicious old men can cause immense harm.

    To see Trump through this lens, let’s look at a group of men who tested their cartographic skills and failed:  King Lear and, of course, Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte, and latterly, George W Bush and Saddam Hussein.

    I even throw in a Pope.  But let’s start first with Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump himself.

    Benjamin Netanyahu and a map of a ‘New Middle East’ — without Palestine
    In September 2023, a month before the Hamas attack on Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to an almost-empty UN General Assembly.  Few wanted to share the same air as the man.

    In his speech, he presented a map of a “New Middle East” — one that contained a Greater Israel but no Palestine.

    In a piece in The Jordan Times titled: “Cartography of genocide”, Ramzy Baroud explained why Netanyahu erased Palestine from the map figuratively.  Hamas leaders also understood the message all too well.

    “Generally, there was a consensus in the political bureau: We have to move, we have to take action. If we don’t do it, Palestine will be forgotten — totally deleted from the international map,” Dr Bassem Naim, a leading Hamas official said in the outstanding Al Jazeera documentary October 7.

    Hearing Trump and Netanyahu last week, the Hamas assessment was clear-eyed and prescient.

    Donald Trump
     In defiance of UN resolutions and international law, he recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, recognised the Syrian Golan Heights as part of Israel, and now wants to turn Gaza into a US real estate development, reconquer Panama, turn Canada into the 51st State of the USA, rename the Gulf of Mexico and seize Greenland, if necessary by force.

    And it’s only February.  The US spent blood, treasure and decades building the Rules-Based International Order.  Biden and Trump have left it in tatters.

    Trump is a fitting avatar for the American state: morally corrupt, narcissistic, burning down all the temples to international law, and generally causing chaos as he flames his way into ignominy.

    The past week — where “Bonkers is the New Normal” — reminded me of a famous Onion headline: “FBI Uncovers Al-Qaeda Plot To Just Sit Back And Enjoy Collapse Of United States”.

    The Iranians made a brilliant counter-offer to the US plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza and create a US statelet next to Israel — send the Israelis to Greenland! Unlike the genocidal US and Israeli leadership, the Iranians were kidding.

    Point taken, though.

    King Lear: ‘Meantime we will express our darker purpose. Give me the map there.’

    Lear makes the list because of Shakespeare’s understanding of tyrants and those who oppose them.

    Trump, like Lear, surrounds himself with a college of schemers, deviants and psychopaths. Image: www.solidarity.co.nz

    Kent: My life I never held but as a pawn to wage against thy enemies.

    Lear: Out of my sight!

    Kent and all those who sought to steer the King towards a more prudent course were treated as enemies and traitors. I think of Ambassador Chas Freeman, John Mearsheimer, Colonel Larry Wilkerson, George Beebe and all the other wiser heads who have been pushed to the periphery in much the same way.

    Trump, like Lear, surrounds himself with a college of schemers, deviants and psychopaths.

    Napoleon Bonaparte
     I was fortunate to study “France on the Eve of Revolution” with the great French historian Antoine Casanova.  His fellow Corsican caused a fair bit of mayhem with his intention to redraw the map of Europe.

    British statesman William Pitt the Younger reeled in horror as Napoleon got to work, “Roll up that map; it will not be wanted these 10 years,” he presciently said.

    Bonaparte was an important historical figure who left a mixed and contested legacy.

    Before effective resistance could be organised, he abolished the Holy Roman Empire (good job), created the Confederation of the Rhine, invaded Russia and, albeit sometimes for the better, torched many of the traditional power structures.

    Millions died in his wars.

    We appear to be back to all that: a leader who tears up all rule books.  Trump endorses the US-Israeli right of conquest, sanctions the International Criminal Court (ICC) for trying to hold Israel and the US to the same standard as others, and hands out the highest offices to his family and confidantes.

    Hitler
     “Lebensraum” (Living space) was the Nazi concept that propelled the German war machine to seize new territories, redraw maps.  As they marched, the soldiers often sang “Deutschland über alles” (Germany above all), their ultra-nationalist anthem that expressed a desire to create a Greater Germany — to Make Germany Great Again.

    All sounds a bit similar to this discussion of Trump and Netanyahu, doesn’t it?  Again: whose side should we be on?

    Saddam Hussein and George W Bush
     When it comes to doomed bids to remake the Middle East by launching illegal wars, these are two buttocks of the same bum.  Now we have the Trump-Netanyahu pair.

    Will countries like Australia, New Zealand and the UK really sign up for the current US-Israeli land grab?  Will they all continue to yawn and look away as massive crimes against humanity are committed?   I fear so, and in so doing, they rob their side of all legitimacy.

    Pope Alexander VI
     There is a smack of the Borgias about the Trumps. They share values — libertinism and nepotism, to name two — and both, through cunning rather than aptitude, managed to achieve great power.

    Pope Alexander VI, born Rodrigo Borgia, father to Lucretia and Cesare, was Pope in 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

    1494. The Treaty of Tordesillas hands the New World over to the Spanish and Portuguese. Image: www.solidarity.co.nz

    He was responsible for the greatest reworking of the map of the world: the Treaty of Tordesillas which divided the “New World” between the Spanish and Portuguese empires. Millions died; trillions were stolen.

    We still live with the depravities the Europeans and their heritors unleashed upon the world.

    I’m sure the Greenlanders, the Canadians, the Panamanians and whoever else the United States sets their sights on will resist the unwelcome attempt to colour the map of their country in stars & stripes.

    History is littered with blind map re-makers, foolish old men who draw new maps on old lands.

    Like Sykes, Picot, Balfour and others, Trump thinks with a flourish of his pen he can whisk away identity and deep roots. Love of country and long-suffering mean Palestinians will never accept a handful of coins and parcels of land spread across West Asia or Africa as compensation for a stolen homeland.

    They have earned the right to Palestine not least because of the blood-spattered identity that they have carved out of every inch of land through their immense courage and steadfastness. We should stand with them.

    Eugene Doyle is a community organiser and activist in Wellington, New Zealand. He received an Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian award in 2023 for community service. His first demonstration was at the age of 12 against the Vietnam War. This article was first published at his public policy website Solidarity and is republished here with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What do the changes to IUD access mean for Australian women?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Mazza, Director, SPHERE NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Primary Care and Professor and Head of the Department of General Practice, Monash University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Ahead of the government’s response this week to a Senate inquiry into access to reproductive health care in Australia, the government has announced new measures to make it easier to get an intrauterine device, or IUD.

    Payments to doctors and nurse practitioners to insert and remove these devices will increase. The government will also set up eight centres to train health-care professionals in IUD insertion, and ensure they are skilled and confident.

    The Coalition has vowed to match this commitment if it wins the federal election.

    So what are IUDs? And how might these changes impact Australian women?

    ‘Set and forget’ contraception

    IUDs are small devices that are implanted in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. There are two types: “hormonal IUDs”, which contain the hormone levonorgestrel, and “copper IUDs”.

    Another long-acting reversible contraceptive, the contraceptive implant, is about 4cm long, made of plastic and inserted just under the skin in the arm.

    Hormonal IUDs (known by brand names Mirena and Kyleena in Australia) and the contraceptive implant are subsidised under the PBS, costing A$31.60 ($7.70 concession). However copper IUDs aren’t, and cost around $100.

    However, women may face significant out-of-pocket costs to have IUDs and implants inserted.

    IUDs are types of long-acting reversible contraception. They are often called “set and forget” because once inserted, nothing more needs to be done. Long-acting reversible contraceptives are the most effective way to prevent pregnancy (over 99%).

    This compares with the commonly used contraceptive pills containing estrogen and progestogen, which need to be taken every day. These have a failure rate of 8-9% with typical use.

    The hormonal IUDs’ contraceptive effect lasts for eight years, while a copper IUD can last up to ten years, depending on the type. The contraceptive implant protects against pregnancy for three years.

    IUDs are a ‘set and forget’ form of contraception.
    Yashkin Ilya/Shutterstock

    The levonorgestrel in hormonal IUDs acts locally inside the uterus to thin the lining of the womb, so much so that after about six months of use, many women experience very little, if any, bleeding.

    This reduction in menstruation can prevent or reduce conditions such as heavy menstrual bleeding, iron deficiency and period pain.

    Like all contraceptives, there are potential side effects. IUD insertion is painful, there is a small risk of expulsion of IUDs and they may not be positioned correctly at the time of insertion.

    Copper IUDs may cause heavier bleeding than usual.

    And the contraceptive implant is associated with unpredictable (although mostly tolerable) bleeding patterns.

    Australian women are less likely to use them

    Just 6% of women use an IUD and another 5% use the contraceptive implant.

    This compares with Sweden, where 30.9% use a long-acting reversible contraceptive, and in England, it’s over 30%.

    Part of the reason is many women don’t know much about these contraceptive options, especially about IUDs.

    But our research found that women were more likely to choose an IUD when their doctor incorporated information about how much more effective long-acting reversible contraceptives were during contraceptive consultations, and could refer women to get an insertion done quickly if they didn’t provide insertions themselves.

    Some women rely on the pill because they don’t know they have other options.
    Layue/Shutterstock

    Women often struggle to find a GP who can insert an IUD and face long waiting times to get one inserted.

    Despite a small increase to the Medicare rebate in 2022, the current rebate doesn’t reflect the costs or time needed by GPs to conduct the insertion. This has put a lot of GPs off from providing this service.

    It can also be difficult for GPs to take time off from their clinical work to do the training, with courses costing around $1,500 and GPs not earning any income while attending.

    What did the Senate inquiry recommend?

    To overcome these issues, a Senate inquiry into barriers to reproductive health care recommended:

    • appropriate remuneration and reimbursement for GPs providing IUD and implant insertion and removal services, including through increased Medicare rebates

    • improved insertion and removal training to support the increased use of IUDs and implants in Australia.

    How does this announcement stack up?

    The new women’s health package directly addresses these issues by:

    • increasing the clinician rebate for inserting and removing IUDs and implants

    • providing Medicare rebates for nurse practitioner insertions

    • providing GPs with an incentive to bulk bill insertions so women will not face any out-of-pocket costs

    • funding eight centres across Australia to train clinicians to ensure they’re trained, skilled and confident in IUD insertion.

    These measures complement announcements made last year to provide training scholarships for GPs and nurses to train in IUD insertion and to fund an online “community of practice” to support practitioners to provide these services.

    With the increased rebates rolling out from November 1, and the training centres in the next year or two, we should see many more GPs skilled up and providing IUDs in the next few years.

    This should make it more affordable and much easier for women to find a clinician to insert it.

    Another reproductive health issue remains unaddressed

    The government is expected to table its response in parliament this week to the reproductive health care access Senate inquiry.

    While there have been many improvements in access to medical abortion, particularly the ability for women to receive a medical abortion via telehealth through Medicare, key challenges remain in ensuring all Australian women can access surgical abortion.

    Policymakers will need to focus attention on training a new generation of clinicians to undertake surgical abortions, and developing transparent local pathways for women to access care.

    Danielle Mazza has received funding for research and conference attendance and served on advisory boards for Bayer, Organon, MSD and Gedeon Rechter. SPHERE and the ACCORd trial mentioned in the article were funded by the NHMRC and the Extend Prefer study by the Australian Department of Health. The roundtable on barriers to LARC was funded by Bayer.

    – ref. What do the changes to IUD access mean for Australian women? – https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-changes-to-iud-access-mean-for-australian-women-249473

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As Coles slashes its product range, will well-known brands disappear from supermarket shelves?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flavio Macau, Associate Dean – School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University

    Hitra/Shutterstock

    Coles is reducing its product range by at least 10%, a move that has sparked public backlash and renewed discussions about the role of supermarkets in the cost-of-living crisis.

    In cutting the range of items on offer Coles is moving closer to Aldi and Costco’s strategy to grow exclusive brands and limit product range.

    The goal is to boost profitability by reducing costs, increasing sales, and increasing control over the supply chain.

    Coles is unlikely to cut traditional brands, especially those from companies with significant market power like Coca-Cola or Nestle. In a battle between giants, the status quo is likely to prevail.

    Smaller suppliers are likely to bear the load as they struggle to renew contracts and face increased competition from home brands.

    To fully understand the reasons behind this move and its impact on the cost of living, insights from psychology, finance, and supply chain management come in handy.

    Why cut back on brands?

    The Coles move is all about profitability.

    Over the past decade, competition in the Australian supermarket sector has intensified. Coles’ market share declined from 31% to 25% between 2013 and 2023, while Woolworths’ share fell from 41% to 37%.

    This shift reflects the rise of Aldi, which now holds approximately 10% of the market, and its strong position in the home brand space.

    Aldi’s smaller range helps to keep costs down.
    Audreycmk/Shutterstock

    To boost profitability with a smaller customer base, Coles needs to find ways to enhance its earnings. This can be achieved by raising prices, cutting costs, or increasing the market share of its home brands.

    Raising prices vs cutting costs

    Raising prices is not a viable option, as consumers are already struggling with high food prices inflation and the rising cost-of-living. However, there is room to cut costs.

    One approach is to squeeze suppliers, but again this is unlikely to be effective. The consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), is holding an inquiry into concerns that the supermarkets are using their market power to the disadvantage of their suppliers and consumers.

    Additionally, as producers exit unprofitable businesses, supermarkets risk supply chain disruptions due to increased market concentration among surviving suppliers.

    Another strategy is to reduce complexity. The more product variety there is, the more complicated and expensive it becomes to manage. Tasks such as stocking shelves, adjusting prices, maintaining inventory, managing delivery schedules, and disposing of expired products all contribute to higher costs.

    Anna Croft, Coles’ operations and sustainability officer, explained the strategy when telling investors in November that 13 basic table salts could be cut to five.

    Simplifying the product range can also boost sales. When faced with too many options, consumers can experience “choice overload”. A widely recognised study in psychology found that people are more likely to make a purchase when presented with a limited selection rather than an extensive array of choices.

    Coles has pointed to shampoo and salt as two potential product ranges that can be simplified.
    I.K.Media/Shutterstock

    Shifting to home brands

    Simplifying the range will likely focus on items where Coles has a home brand. Home brands now account for 33.5% of Coles’ sales, with 6,000 products. About 1,100 were added over the past year.

    This move is a response to competitors like Aldi and Costco. While Coles and Woolworths manage over 25,000 items in their stores, Aldi limits its offering to about 1,800 products.

    Coles is focusing on its home brands to better compete with non-branded offerings from Aldi. In its report to the ACCC, the supermarket highlights its investment in expanding its own-brand range to provide more affordable prices, up to 40% cheaper than similar proprietary brands.

    While consumers may have fewer choices, it is expected that they will benefit from better prices.

    This shift towards home brands is not exclusive to Australia. In the United States, private label sales hit a record in 2023 across a range of items from beauty products to general merchandise. In the United Kingdom, home brand products now account for over half of supermarket sales.

    Have we been here before?

    Almost 10 years ago, Woolworths and Coles started a significant move to adjust their price positioning in response to the competition. Along with Metcash (IGA), they reduced product ranges in 2015–16 by 10% to 15% to simplify the weekly grocery shop for consumers.

    At that time, the culling of products put suppliers under pressure (as now) while consumers were ambivalent: some wanted more brand variety and others preferred less.

    As history repeats itself, it will be interesting to see if Woolworths and Metcash will follow the latest move from Coles and how customers, suppliers, and the ACCC will react this time.

    A/Prof Flavio Macau is affiliated with the Project Management Institute (PMI)

    – ref. As Coles slashes its product range, will well-known brands disappear from supermarket shelves? – https://theconversation.com/as-coles-slashes-its-product-range-will-well-known-brands-disappear-from-supermarket-shelves-249274

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Singing in a new year of musical exploration

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    This photo taken from Jingshan Park on Aug. 12, 2024 shows the National Centre for the Performing Arts on a sunny day in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

    As the new year unfolds, the China NCPA Chorus, the resident chorus of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, is set to embark on an exciting journey with a fresh, diverse season of offerings.

    Based on the core theme of “Unbounded”, the 2025 season will push the boundaries of choral art by blending classical traditions with modern interpretations and global influences, says Zhang Yao, vice-president of the NCPA.

    This includes an array of choral music, operas, symphonic choral works and concerts in approximately 30 performances running throughout the year.

    To celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Italy in 2025, the new season will explore Italian opera and folk music, blending multimedia and stage design to bring these genres to life in fresh and exciting ways under the leadership of the NCPA’s music director, Lyu Jia.

    More concerts are planned to bring the world’s musical treasures to the stage, demonstrating how choral art can break boundaries and experiment with new forms. For example, World Music Tour, China NCPA Chorus: World Famous Songs Concert, conducted by Jiao Miao, will feature famous songs from around the world, including Mexican dance music, New Zealand folk music, and French love songs. The chorus will explore ways to merge vocals with musical instruments, including the free, vigorous rhythms of Africa and South America.

    Choral Theater, a special themed series combining theater with sound, will invite audiences into the stories to experience emotional rhythms.

    The Merriment Adventure, a concert version of the operas The Merry Widow, a comic operetta in three acts by Hungarian composer Franz Lehar, and Die Fledermaus, an operetta by Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, will present the comedic characteristics of operetta through bright, lively rhythms and lighthearted, humorous content, bringing delight to the audience through the twists and turns of the plot.

    “Fifteen years ago, a group of passionate voices came together to found the China NCPA Chorus, and today, it has become a beloved pillar of the arts community in the country,” says resident conductor Jiao, who has been with the chorus since its inception. “We’ve built a large fan base over the past 15 years, and with this new Choral Theater series, we want to find a way to be innovative with contemporary Chinese choral art by telling stories with sound and cross-border collaborations.”

    Jiao adds that to appeal to younger audiences, the new series will also include Cinderella, a concert based on the classic fairy tale, and The Tale of Fuxi and Nyuwa, a concert themed around the snake zodiac sign from classical Chinese mythology. These performances will help educate Chinese culture to children through music and audiovisual experiences.

    The symphonic choral section will highlight some of the most beautiful pieces in the choral repertoire. Conducted by Li Xincao, the chorus will present a powerful rendition of the Yellow River Cantata in commemoration of the 120th anniversary of composer Xian Xinghai. It will also present Carmina Burana, a cantata for orchestra, chorus, and vocal soloists by the German composer Carl Orff, which is famous for its grandeur, in collaboration with the China Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Yu Long.

    As a versatile ensemble, the China NCPA Chorus will also take on four major opera productions in the first half of the season — the Chinese operas The Long March and Minning Town, and Verdi’s La Traviata and Il Trovatore.

    “The full version of the Yellow River Cantata, in particular, impressed me deeply. It felt like every note told the heroic story of the Chinese people. Over time, I followed the chorus’ performances, and in 2023, when they toured Shenzhen, Guangdong province, where I live, I attended the concert. I traveled to Beijing last year for their 15th anniversary concert, which remains a great memory,” says Xing Jiachuan, a concertgoer who became a fan after watching the chorus’ performances on the NCPA’s online channel.

    Famous dramatist and poet Zou Jingzhi has worked closely with the chorus. “I collaborated with the chorus on the opera Xi Shi, which I composed in 2010. Hearing them for the first time, I was deeply moved by their youthful, passionate and powerful voices. I could feel the singers’ overflowing passion for choral art,” he says.

    Zou has worked with the chorus on other operas, such as The Chinese Orphan (2011) and The Long March (2016). “Their enthusiasm is infectious, and the energy they bring to the stage is unparalleled,” he adds.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Spring Festival temple fair held in Malta

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A young girl watches a puppet during a temple fair at the China Cultural Center in Valletta, Malta, on Feb. 8, 2025. The temple fair celebrating the traditional Chinese Spring Festival was held here on Saturday, drawing around 300 attendees eager to experience the richness of Chinese culture and intangible cultural heritage. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

    A festive temple fair celebrating the traditional Chinese Spring Festival was held at the China Cultural Center in Malta on Saturday, drawing around 300 attendees eager to experience the richness of Chinese culture and intangible cultural heritage.

    Visitors were greeted at the entrance with a lively lion dance performance. Inside the exhibition hall, the air was filled with the aroma of tea as attendees explored displays of national and Zhejiang provincial intangible cultural heritage, including sugar painting, rice sculptures, puppetry, shadow puppetry, and woodblock printing.

    While watching a puppet performance by Chinese artists, guests also had the opportunity to try their hand at creating sugar paintings and woodblock prints.

    “The Spring Festival is not only a celebration for the Chinese people but also a UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage and a festival for the world,” Charmaine St. John, mayor of Santa Lucija, told Xinhua. “Just like the Spring Festival temple fair, we can share happiness through Chinese traditions, culture, and art.”

    Dawson Camilleri, a longtime member of the China Cultural Center, attended the event with friends. They experimented with woodblock printing and were fascinated by the technique. “It’s amazing how vivid images appear on paper with simple smearing,” he told Xinhua, emphasizing the significance of printing in cultural transmission. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sharing their love of culture

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Golden threads dance between silver needles, threading vitality into the intricate snake-pattern embroidered fan in the warm sunlight in winter.

    As the vibrant colors bring the snake to life, Liu Xiaoyan, an embroidery master, weaves her heartfelt wishes for a prosperous Year of the Snake with each stitch.

    Liu was demonstrating her craft in a fun park in Greece on Jan 19, which is part of a cultural trip she and her team are on, called “Happy Spring Festival “organized by the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center to spread Chinese culture to the countries they travel to.

    The cultural celebration is an annual activity held since 2016 to celebrate the Chinese New Year with Chinese community in other countries as well as other local people wanting to discover more about Chinese traditional culture. This year’s activity included a series of events in Greece, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Turkiye, and Nigeria.

    In her display table, Liu presented over 40 exquisite and captivating embroidery pieces, ranging from garments and scrolls to smaller items such as brooches and earrings to display the enchantment of Chinese aesthetics. Passersby couldn’t help but stop and admire the works, with some excitedly trying their hands at creating their own embroidered fans.

    “We are happy for this,” said Nadia, a local woman who watched Liu’s performance in Athens, “The Chinese community in Athens is really vibrant and strong, and I hope you’re going to be healthy and happy throughout the Year of the Snake.”

    “My heartfelt thanks to you — both the artistic works and the food are amazing,” said a local man named Vassili, who was happy watching Liu’s performance and expressed his “Happy the Year of the Snake” congratulations to all.

    What Liu displayed at the exhibition is the art of Beijing embroidery, recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of the nation, to which she is inheritor and master of arts and crafts in Beijing. Liu’s family has had a long connection with the world of tailoring as four generations of her family worked as tailors, which brought her an early exposure to the craft of embroidery and naturally sparked her interest in Beijing embroidery, a form of classical Chinese royal embroidery that dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

    Characterized by exquisite details and auspicious patterns, the demanding techniques of Beijing embroidery are a time-consuming challenge. “It took me three months to embroider just one peony leaf at my first attempt,” Liu recalled.

    The skills needed to become an exceptional embroiderer, however, were not the only lessons Liu learned from several masters of Beijing embroidery over the course of 17 years.

    “My teachers always advised me not to limit myself to the needle and thread,” Liu recalled. “Instead, they encouraged me to think about how I could carry the essence of Chinese traditional culture into the modern era, ensuring this form of national intangible cultural heritage would continue to thrive.”

    In addition to mixing the popular snake motif for the New Year into embroidery works, such as fans, brooches, and earrings, Liu also experimented with traditional colors and techniques to convey grand messages of the times through these small pieces.

    Hitting new heights

    “Turquoise and lapis green are commonly used in traditional Chinese painting. With these two colors in this mountain-shaped brooch, I hope to convey our current pursuit of a better life and a cleaner environment,” Liu said, pointing to the brooch she was wearing.

    From Jan 18 to 28, during the “Happy Spring Festival” trip, Liu showcased her works in Greece and Italy. “For me, it’s not only an opportunity to show Chinese traditional culture, but also a way to inspire me to keep this intangible cultural heritage alive by learning the tastes of global audiences and the methods of my global counterparts,” Liu said.

    Organized jointly by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and local Chinese embassies, consulates and cultural centers, among other institutions, the “Happy Spring Festival” events feature a diverse array of activities such as display of Liu’s embroidery products, interactive activities with local audiences, Chinese New Year photo exhibitions, exhibitions of award-winning entries from the Global Zodiac Design Competition, and VR exhibitions of Beijing’s Central Axis that was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, all showcasing the rich connotations of Chinese New Year culture.

    Another of the intangible cultural heritage practitioners taking part is Ha Xin, a fifth-generation inheritor of kite-making skills named after his family name, which, with a history of over 160 years, was included on the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008. While all ordinary kite-making procedures are similar and involve making the different parts of the skeleton of the kite with bamboo, then gluing them together and covering the framework with paper, Ha’s kites are uniquely artistic as he invests a lot of time and energy into the drawing and design.

    For Ha, drawing is the gene of the kites he makes and he usually spends over 20 days drawing on a kite. His grandfather, the third-generation inheritor of the art, once said: “A kite might last only about 100 years but the drawing and design on it might exist much longer.”

    Ha’s drawings on the kite include birds, butterflies, goldfish and dragons. This time he has creatively designed kites with drawings of Dala horses in Sweden and moose of Norway, to convey China’s friendliness to the people of Scandinavian countries, which are his trip destinations.

    To make it interactive, Ha has also halfmade a large dragon kite and invited local audiences to participate in finishing the kite on-site. “By allowing locals to do it together, I hope they can enjoy the process and gain a love for the Chinese art of kites.”

    Expressive dance

    The Beijing Dance Academy also participated in this year’s activity. Zeng Ming, a teacher in its Department of Chinese Classical Dance, led a group of seven dancers to perform in Nigeria and Turkiye, showcasing the beauty of Chinese classical dance.

    Among the performances was Zeng’s solo dance titled Calligraphy and Painting. This piece is a fusion of two traditional Chinese art forms — calligraphy and classical dance. In the performance, Zeng held a calligraphy brush throughout, using the movements of writing as a form of expressive dance.

    The dance reflects the passion and flowing strokes of Chinese calligraphy. As the music progresses, the rhythm of the dance grows more intense, akin to the moment when ancient Chinese literati moved their brushes vigorously to express their inner passion with strokes powerful enough to penetrate the paper.

    Calligraphy and Painting is not only a celebration of Chinese calligraphy but also a vivid portrayal of the artistry and philosophy behind it, according to Zeng. By integrating the fluid motions of calligraphy with dynamic dance steps, Zeng’s performance embodies the harmony of body, mind, and spirit.

    The dance accentuates the elegance and intricate beauty of Chinese calligraphy, while also conveying its deep cultural significance, reflecting the Chinese literati spirit and profound historical roots of Chinese tradition.

    Through the performance, Zeng and his fellow dancers brought Chinese culture to international audiences, demonstrating how Chinese classical dance and calligraphy can transcend cultural boundaries and resonate with people worldwide. There are also dances in which the dancers manipulate long silk ribbons to resemble snake, through which they hope to wish the audiences a happy Year of the Snake.

    “I believe that in this overseas performance, we represent our country and demonstrate the grandeur and broadmindedness of China as a nation of etiquette,” Zeng said, “We want the audiences to see the spirit of the Chinese people and feel the depth of Chinese culture.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Improving lives through AI

    Source: Scottish Government

    Funding for artificial intelligence projects.

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is to be harnessed to develop technologies to address issues such as cancer risk amongst rescue workers.

    The latest round of the Scottish Government’s CivTech programme has awarded up to £9 million to 14 companies developing AI products to tackle challenges faced by charities and public sector organisations. CivTech 10 is the first round of the programme to focus on AI.

    Products being developed include:

    • a software to help identify toxic contaminants to address the risk of cancer for firefighters.
    • an AI system which can help teachers with administrative tasks.  
    • using drones and an automated mapping system to monitor puffin populations in a less invasive way.
    • an AI support system to enable entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

    Previous rounds of CivTech have seen £20 million invested into 90 companies and entrepreneurs since 2016. These include software company Volunteero which developed a mobile app to help charities manage administrative tasks.

    Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:

    “Scotland is well-placed to harness the advantages of artificial intelligence with its rich history of innovation and high concentration of world-leading universities and colleges.

    “The rapidly growing AI sector offers opportunities for Scotland, from helping to detect health issues such as lung cancer earlier, to enabling businesses to work more efficiently.

    “Through CivTech, we are revolutionising how public sector organisations work by collaborating with businesses to develop products which improve lives.”

    Rebekah MacLeod, Lead Project Liaison Officer at White Ribbon Scotland, a charity tackling violence against women which uses Volunteero’s app, said:

    “Working with Volunteero through the CivTech programme has completely changed how we work as a charity.

    “The app means we spend less time worrying about paperwork and more time working with men and boys to directly address violence against women and girls.

    “This includes encouraging more men and boys to speak out about violence against women and girls.”

    Background

    CivTech companies have created more than 400 jobs and attracted more than £126 million of private sector investment. Nearly 80% of products developed in past rounds of CivTech are still in use.

    Products being developed in CivTech 10 are:

    • Technology developed by Rowden to help firefighters improve their situational awareness in emergency situations.
    • A system to detect and monitor firefighters’ exposure to toxins created by FireHazResearch.
    • Drones and an automated mapping system from EOLAS and The University of Edinburgh to monitor puffin colonies in a less invasive way.
    • Sensors developed by Arctech Innovation to monitor breeding success, seasonal changes and harmful disease in puffins.
    • Technology for public sector organisations to use data securely, developed by Verifoxx.
    • A platform for citizens and policy makers to understand how AI and other emerging technologies could be used in the public sector, developed by CrownShy.
    • A programme created by Talent Engine to provide detailed labour market insights to target skills and development training in Glasgow.
    • An AI tool from Rethink Carbon to document woodland and peatland projects.
    • A new approach to monitoring carbon balances from woodland and peatland projects from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
    • Sylvera are developing advanced remote-sensing capabilities to enhance monitoring of carbon projects.
    • An AI programme to forecast pharmaceutical demand by postcode area to help reduce waste, developed by PharmovoAI.
    • A planning tool created by Looper to help NHS Scotland reduce waste and emissions.
    • An AI system to support teachers with administrative tasks, developed by SupportEd.
    • A software from BobbAI to help entrepreneurs to access business growth resources and support services. 

    CivTech 10 Challenges and details of the CivTech process are available online.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI is being used in social services – but we must make sure it doesn’t traumatise clients

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suvradip Maitra, PhD Student, Australian National University

    Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock

    Late last year, ChatGPT was used by a Victorian child protection worker to draft documents. In a glaring error, ChatGPT referred to a “doll” used for sexual purposes as an “age-appropriate toy”. Following this, the Victorian information commissioner banned the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in child protection.

    Unfortunately, many harmful AI systems will not garner such public visibility. It’s crucial that people who use social services – such as employment, homelessness or domestic violence services – are aware they may be subject to AI. Additionally, service providers should be well informed about how to use AI safely.

    Fortunately, emerging regulations and tools, such as our trauma-informed AI toolkit, can help to reduce AI harm.

    How do social services use AI?

    AI has captured global attention with promises of better service delivery. In a strained social services sector, AI promises to reduce backlogs, lower administrative burdens and allocate resources more effectively while enhancing services. It’s no surprise a range of social service providers are using AI in various ways.

    Chatbots simulate human conversation with the use of voice, text or images. These programs are increasingly used for a range of tasks. For instance, they can provide mental health support or offer employment advice. They can also speed up data processing or help quickly create reports.

    However, chatbots can easily produce harmful or inaccurate responses. For instance, the United States National Eating Disorders Association deployed the chatbot Tessa to support clients experiencing eating disorders. But it was quickly pulled offline when advocates flagged Tessa was providing harmful weight loss advice.

    Recommender systems use AI to make personalised suggestions or options. These could include targeting job or rental ads, or educational material based on data available to service providers.

    But recommender systems can be discriminatory, such as when LinkedIn showed more job ads to men than women. They can also reinforce existing anxieties. For instance, pregnant women have been recommended alarming pregnancy videos on social media.

    Recognition systems classify data such as images or text to compare one dataset to another. These systems can complete many tasks, such as face matching to verify identity or transcribing voice to text.

    Such systems can raise surveillance, privacy, inaccuracy and discrimination concerns. A homeless shelter in Canada stopped using facial recognition cameras because they risked privacy breaches – it’s difficult to obtain informed consent from mentally unwell or intoxicated people using the shelter.

    Risk-assessment systems use AI to predict the likelihood of a specific outcome occurring. Many systems have been used to calculate the risk of child abuse, long-term unemployment, or tax and welfare fraud.

    Often data used in these systems can recreate societal inequalities, causing harm to already-marginalised peoples. In one such case, a tool in the US used for identifying risk of child mistreatment unfairly targeted poor, black and biracial families and families with disabilities.

    A Dutch risk assessment tool seeking to identify childcare benefits fraud was shut down for being racist, while an AI system in France faces similar accusations.



    Read more:
    Algorithms that predict crime are watching – and judging us by the cards we’ve been dealt

    The need for a trauma-informed approach

    Concerningly, our research shows using AI in social services can cause or perpetuate trauma for the people who use the services.

    The American Psychological Association defines trauma as an emotional response to a range of events, such as accidents, abuse or the death of a loved one. Broadly understood, trauma can be experienced at an individual or group level and be passed down through generations. Trauma experienced by First Nations people in Australia as a result of colonisation is an example of group trauma.

    Between 57% and 75% of Australians experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.

    Many social service providers have long adopted a trauma-informed approach. It prioritises trust, safety, choice, empowerment, transparency, and cultural, historical and gender-based considerations. A trauma-informed service provider understands the impact of trauma and recognises signs of trauma in users.

    Service providers should be wary of abandoning these core principles despite the allure of the often hyped capabilities of AI.

    Can social services use AI responsibly?

    To reduce the risk of causing or perpetuating trauma, social service providers should carefully evaluate any AI system before using it.

    For AI systems already in place, evaluation can help monitor their impact and ensure they are operating safely.

    We have developed a trauma-informed AI assessment toolkit that helps service providers to assess the safety of their planned or current use of AI. The toolkit is based on the principles of trauma-informed care, case studies of AI harms, and design workshops with service providers. An online version of the toolkit is about to be piloted within organisations.

    By posing a series of questions, the toolkit enables service providers to consider whether risks outweigh the benefits. For instance, is the AI system co-designed with users? Can users opt out of being subject to the AI system?

    It guides service providers through a series of practical considerations to enhance the safe use of AI.

    Social services do not have to avoid AI altogether. But social service providers and users should be aware of the risks of harm from AI – so they can intentionally shape AI for good.

    The Conversation

    The project was funded by the Notre Dame-IBM Technology Ethics Lab.

    Suvradip Maitra is funded by an Australian Government Research Training Program Domestic Scholarship.

    Lyndal Sleep was funded by the University of Notre Dame for this research. She is affiliated with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society.

    Paul Henman receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC). He is affiliated with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society.

    Suzanna Fay received funding from the Notre Dame-IBM Technology Ethics Lab for this project.

    – ref. AI is being used in social services – but we must make sure it doesn’t traumatise clients – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-being-used-in-social-services-but-we-must-make-sure-it-doesnt-traumatise-clients-248555

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government fires starting gun on AI Growth Zones to turbocharge Plan for Change

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Thousands of new jobs are set to be created as bidding opens for AI Growth Zones.

    Local authorities can submit proposals to become the next AI Growth Zone.

    • UK government ramps up its Plan for Change as new AI Growth Zone bidding opens
    • Development hotbeds for AI set to revitalise local communities, attract fresh investment and deliver new opportunities
    • Interest is already building for high-potential sites in Scotland, Wales, the North East and North West – with others now poised to come forward

    Thousands of new jobs are set to be created as the government opens bidding for its AI Growth Zones in a major drive to revitalise local communities as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    Local and regional authorities across the UK are being encouraged to put their communities forward to become dedicated hotbeds for AI infrastructure development and attracting millions in private investment.

    The UK government will put particular focus on deindustrialised areas of the country to become the next AI Growth Zones as local and regional authorities submit their proposals, including sites with existing access to power or which would be suitable to establish major energy infrastructure.

    This closely follows the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which has put the UK on course to revolutionise public services and become an AI superpower – already attracting over £14 billion in investment since launching just last month. 

    Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle, said: 

    We set out our new blueprint for AI less than a month ago, and we’re already delivering on that vision by harnessing technology to supercharge our Plan for Change.

    These new AI Growth Zones will deliver untold opportunities – sparking new jobs, fresh investment and ensuring every corner of the country has a real stake in our AI-powered future. 

    We’re leaving no stone unturned in how we can harness expertise from all over the UK to deliver new opportunities, fresh growth, better public services and cement our position as an AI pioneer, and that’s the message I will be sending to international partners and AI companies at the AI Action Summit.

    As part of the talks, he will also bang the drum for more inward investment to deliver the AI Opportunities Action Plan, including to build the infrastructure needed across AI Growth Zones.

    Industry – including energy companies and data centre developers – are also being called upon to help drive forward government plans to rollout AI Growth Zones. Their proposals will help to inform the final selection of sites and broader policy decisions later this year, meaning the government will be able to move swiftly to secure investment and drive growth in regions across the country. 

    Interest is already building for promising sites in Scotland, Wales, the North East, and North West, with further exploratory work now set to begin on additional locations across the UK.

    Scotland Office Minister, Kirsty McNeill, said:

    Scotland has always been a leader in innovation, with our rich history of pioneering advancements in fields such as engineering, medicine, and technology, which continues today.

    The UK government’s Plan for Change looks to harness AI’s potential in these industries and unlock new opportunities for innovation and economic growth.

    Scotland is already at the centre of these plans, with our world-leading universities at the forefront of AI development and our industrial heritage providing a range of possible sites.  I would encourage our Local Authorities to explore becoming an AI Growth Zone, which will help attract further investment.

    These areas will speed up planning permission to rapidly build AI infrastructure including data centres and give them the energy connections needed to power AI innovations in areas like healthcare. As part of this, the government will work with network operators to rapidly scale each zone to 500MW+, enough to power roughly two million homes.

    This will attract significant private investment, create local jobs and strengthen the UK’s global AI leadership – delivering opportunities for working people across the country as part of the AI Opportunities Action Plan announced less than two weeks ago. The ideal ingredients and key criteria for communities looking to host AI Growth Zones include: 

    • sites with large existing power connections (with a current capacity of 500+ MW) or a clear vision on how energy capacity can be increased. 
    • deindustrialised areas with land and infrastructure standing ready for redevelopment. 
    • locations close to suitable sites for major energy infrastructure such as nuclear reactors, solar stations and wind farms, or battery storage. 

    This expression of interest also extends to AI data centre companies and energy firms who are looking to tap into the potential of AI Growth Zones to deliver on the government’s AI blueprint.  

    Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:

    It was great to be invited to visit 10 Downing Street last week to talk about the massive potential AI has to bring a huge leap forward in industries across our nation.

    Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge technology – from the friction match to the railways and the chemical industry.

    My job above everything is to bring good, well-paid, long-term jobs to local people. We have everything we need to host an AI Growth Zone in our region. We have the land, we have the power and we have shown in our efforts at Teesworks how we can get huge projects moving forward at pace.

    As part of these industry proposals, data centre developers and energy firms are being called on to set out: timelines and development milestones which detail how they will plan to ramp up energy capacity; partnership opportunities with local authorities and a plan for how their proposals will support the UK’s AI ambitions, as well as what additional support is needed from government to help drive forward their proposals. 

    Announcing its response to the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the government confirmed the first of these AI Growth Zones will be based in Culham, Oxfordshire – home of the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority. This site will also serve as a testing ground to drive forward research on how sustainable energy like fusion technology can power the UK’s AI ambitions. The creation of a new AI Energy Council chaired by the Science and Energy Secretaries will also help to ensure responsible energy sources are being used to drive forward the UK’s AI blueprint, directly supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.

    The AI Opportunities Action Plan announced last month is also at the heart of the government’s Industrial Strategy and the first plank of the upcoming Digital and Technology Sector Plan, to be published in the coming months. Following the opening of the expression of interest, the government will open the formal selection process in the spring, with the first AI Growth Zones then due to be announced in the summer.

    Further information

    Information on the AI Growth Zones: expression of interest.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-wide blitz on illegal working to strengthen border security

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Most successful January in over half a decade for Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams tackling illegal working.

    A record-breaking January for illegal working enforcement activity has been revealed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper as the government’s landmark Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill returns to Parliament for its second reading, today (Monday 10 February).     

    Tackling illegal working plays a vital part in the Home Office’s system-wide approach to ending the promise of false jobs used by smuggling gangs to sell spaces on boats and taking down their business models as we restore order to the immigration system. 

    Following a drive from this government to have more deployable enforcement staff, a renewed crackdown on those attempting to undermine the UK’s borders last month saw the highest January in over half a decade for enforcement activity.   

    Throughout January alone, Immigration Enforcement teams descended on 828 premises, including nail bars, convenience stores, restaurants and car washes, marking a 48% rise compared to the previous January. Arrests also surged to 609, demonstrating a 73% increase from just 352 the previous year.    

    More broadly, between 5 July last year and 31 January, both illegal working visits and arrests have soared by around 38% compared to the same 12 months prior. During the same period, the Home Office issued a total of 1,090 civil penalty notices. Employers could face a fine of up to £60,000 per worker if found liable.   

    In many cases, those who come to the UK and end up working illegally are sold false promises about their ability to live and work in the UK, creating a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives by crossing the Channel on a small boat.  

    In reality, illegal working is inextricably linked to squalid living conditions, little to no pay and inhumane working hours. By paying so little, rogue employers often attempt to avoid paying their fair share in taxes to contribute to the economy and undercut honest competitors who follow the law.   

    Under its Plan for Change, the government is delivering steadfast action to restore order to the UK immigration system and the surge in enforcement activity to crack down on illegal working is a vital cog in the government’s wider machine to identify, disrupt and tackle irregular migration across the country.    

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:     

    The immigration rules must be respected and enforced. For far too long, employers have been able to take on and exploit illegal migrants and too many people have been able to arrive and work illegally with no enforcement action ever taken.

    Not only does this create a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives by crossing the Channel in a small boat, but it results in the abuse of vulnerable people, the immigration system and our economy.   

    That’s why, as part of our Plan for Change, we are boosting enforcement to record levels alongside tough new legislation to smash the criminal gangs that undermine our border security and who have been getting away with it for far too long.

    While enforcement teams respond to illegal working intelligence in all sectors, a significant proportion of last month’s activity took place at restaurants, takeaways and cafes as well as in the food, drink and tobacco industry.  

    An operation in Cheshire to vape shops led to 10 immigration arrests and 2 criminal arrests for counterfeit documents, with civil penalty referral notices being made to employers, and a visit to an Indian restaurant in Humberside led to 7 arrests and 4 detentions. Elsewhere, in South London, a visit to a grocery warehouse resulted in 6 arrests and 4 people being detained.  

    As part of this activity, Immigrant Enforcement play a critical safeguarding role, working closely with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and other organisations to allow employees to report labour exploitation.    

    Eddy Montgomery, Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime, said:     

    These figures demonstrate the commitment of my teams to crack down on those who think they can flout our immigration system.   

    I hope it sends a strong signal that there is no hiding place from the law, and we will continue to ramp up our activity to ensure those involved face the full consequences.   

    We also know that many people who end up working illegally are often subjected to extremely poor conditions, so we will continue to do all we can to safeguard and protect the most vulnerable.

    Border Security is central to the government’s Plan for Change and, alongside enforcement activity, the Home Office is ramping up returns of individuals with no right to be in the UK. Just last month, the department smashed its target to drive the removal of foreign criminals and immigration offenders to the highest level since 2018, with 16,400 people removed since the election. This figure is expected to go up later today when the Home Office publishes updated figures running to the end of January.  

    Since July, bespoke charter flights have also removed immigration offenders to countries around the world, including 4 of the biggest returns flights in the UK’s history carrying more than 800 people. Individuals removed since the election include criminals convicted of drug offences, theft, rape and murder.   

    We’re also working upstream to deter people from entering the UK illegally by launching a new international campaign to debunk people smugglers’ lies.  

    Social media adverts went live in Vietnam in December and Albania in January, highlighting real stories from migrants who entered the UK illegally, only to face debt, exploitation, and a life far from what they were promised. The campaign also warns prospective migrants about the realities of illegal working, as the government continues to crack down on employers who break the law and exploit people for profit. 

    In the months ahead, we will go further than ever by introducing new counter terror-style powers to identify, disrupt and smash people smuggling gangs as part of new, robust legislation to protect UK borders, set to be discussed in Parliament today.    

    The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will grant law enforcement additional powers to take earlier and more effective action against organised crime gangs, including seizing mobile phones from people who come to the UK illegally before the point of arrest. 

    Next month, the government will go further by hosting a landmark Border Security Summit at the historic Lancaster House in London.   

    A watershed moment in the UK’s fight against Organised Immigration Crime, the summit will bring together delegates from over 40 countries, as well as guest participants from a range of international institutions, including the European Union.   

    The summit will be held on Monday 31 March and Tuesday 1 April, and will facilitate a range of discussions on the best ways to tackle criminal networks facilitating organised immigration crime and migrant smuggling.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister takes part in National HIV Testing Week

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    In support of National HIV Testing Week, the Prime Minister undertook a public rapid HIV home test, available for free, in No10 Downing Street.

    • Prime Minister takes part in National HIV Testing Week – UK Government backed drive offering free, quick and easy HIV self and home testing kits. 
    • First Serving Prime Minister and serving G7 leader to take a public HIV test.  
    • HIV Testing Week to drive efforts to reach estimated 4,700 undiagnosed people living in England to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.

    In support of National HIV Testing Week, the Prime Minister undertook a public rapid HIV home test, available for free, in No10 Downing Street. 

    By taking part in the campaign, he will be the first serving British Prime Minister and serving G7 leader to take a public test on camera. 

    Joined by Terrence Higgins Trust Patron Beverley Knight, the Prime Minister took a rapid home test to raise awareness that during National HIV Testing Week, anyone in England can order a free and confidential HIV test from www.freetesting.hiv to do at home. 

    The campaign which sees up to 20,000 funded kits being available to the public – centres on regular home or self-testing – one way to meet the Government’s ambition to end new HIV cases in England by 2030 committed to by the Prime Minister in December. 

    After undertaking a test, the Prime Minister said:

    It is really important to do it, and I am pleased to have taken part too. It’s easy, it is quick. And during testing week you can get a test free – so it is a great time to also take part.

    If people test, they will know their status, it is better that people know, and that is a good thing because you can then get access to treatment, and that will also help meet our collective target to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.

    It comes as polling by YouGov, on behalf of leading HIV Charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, has found that more than 80% of adults in England are unaware it is possible to test for HIV at home.  

    However, when prompted as an option, at-home testing was the most popular way to know your HIV status, with 44% of people saying it would be their preference.  

    The Prime Minister has committed to ending new HIV cases in England by 2030, with a new HIV Action Plan to be published in summer 2025.  

    Once diagnosed, people living with HIV can access free, effective treatment which means they can have a normal life expectancy and can’t pass on the virus.   

    Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust said: 

    The Prime Minister has made history by becoming the first G7 leader to publicly take an HIV test while in office and has led by example.  

    This free, quick and simple test sends a powerful message to the country and to the public. During National HIV Testing Week, anyone in England can order a test to their home, whether that’s to Downing Street, to Penzance or to Berwick-up-Tweed. 

    England can be the first country in the world to end new HIV transmissions, but we are not on track to do so by 2030. Scaling up HIV testing will be crucial to our shared goal. We are delighted that Keir Starmer is leading from the front in this mission.

    Beverley Knight MBE said: 

    Living with HIV today is a world away from the experience that my late best friend Tyrone endured in the early 2000s. People living with HIV can now easily know their status, can access effective treatment and live a long, healthy life. I wish this was case for Ty. In his memory, I’m using my voice alongside the Prime Minister to make everyone aware of how easy it is to test. People need to hear the crucial message that thanks to effective medication people living with HIV can’t pass it on, so we can end this epidemic once and for all.

    Rebecca Mbewe, an author and speaker, who is living with HIV said: 

    Testing for HIV is the only way to know your status, and it helps you stay in control of your health. If you do have a positive result, you won’t be on your own. I have been living with HIV for close to 30 years, I am still able to do anything and everything that I like. I still have my glass of gin and tonic. I can still go out and dance. Thanks to free, effective medication, I have a full life, I can’t pass HIV on and I have a normal life expectancy. Every time I have a birthday I love telling people my age. It’s a statement. It’s a celebration.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: Prime Minister takes part in National HIV Testing Week

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    In support of National HIV Testing Week, the Prime Minister undertook a public rapid HIV home test, available for free, in No10 Downing Street.

    • Prime Minister takes part in National HIV Testing Week – UK Government backed drive offering free, quick and easy HIV self and home testing kits. 
    • First Serving Prime Minister and serving G7 leader to take a public HIV test.  
    • HIV Testing Week to drive efforts to reach estimated 4,700 undiagnosed people living in England to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.

    In support of National HIV Testing Week, the Prime Minister undertook a public rapid HIV home test, available for free, in No10 Downing Street. 

    By taking part in the campaign, he will be the first serving British Prime Minister and serving G7 leader to take a public test on camera. 

    Joined by Terrence Higgins Trust Patron Beverley Knight, the Prime Minister took a rapid home test to raise awareness that during National HIV Testing Week, anyone in England can order a free and confidential HIV test from www.freetesting.hiv to do at home. 

    The campaign which sees up to 20,000 funded kits being available to the public – centres on regular home or self-testing – one way to meet the Government’s ambition to end new HIV cases in England by 2030 committed to by the Prime Minister in December. 

    After undertaking a test, the Prime Minister said:

    It is really important to do it, and I am pleased to have taken part too. It’s easy, it is quick. And during testing week you can get a test free – so it is a great time to also take part.

    If people test, they will know their status, it is better that people know, and that is a good thing because you can then get access to treatment, and that will also help meet our collective target to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.

    It comes as polling by YouGov, on behalf of leading HIV Charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, has found that more than 80% of adults in England are unaware it is possible to test for HIV at home.  

    However, when prompted as an option, at-home testing was the most popular way to know your HIV status, with 44% of people saying it would be their preference.  

    The Prime Minister has committed to ending new HIV cases in England by 2030, with a new HIV Action Plan to be published in summer 2025.  

    Once diagnosed, people living with HIV can access free, effective treatment which means they can have a normal life expectancy and can’t pass on the virus.   

    Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust said: 

    The Prime Minister has made history by becoming the first G7 leader to publicly take an HIV test while in office and has led by example.  

    This free, quick and simple test sends a powerful message to the country and to the public. During National HIV Testing Week, anyone in England can order a test to their home, whether that’s to Downing Street, to Penzance or to Berwick-up-Tweed. 

    England can be the first country in the world to end new HIV transmissions, but we are not on track to do so by 2030. Scaling up HIV testing will be crucial to our shared goal. We are delighted that Keir Starmer is leading from the front in this mission.

    Beverley Knight MBE said: 

    Living with HIV today is a world away from the experience that my late best friend Tyrone endured in the early 2000s. People living with HIV can now easily know their status, can access effective treatment and live a long, healthy life. I wish this was case for Ty. In his memory, I’m using my voice alongside the Prime Minister to make everyone aware of how easy it is to test. People need to hear the crucial message that thanks to effective medication people living with HIV can’t pass it on, so we can end this epidemic once and for all.

    Rebecca Mbewe, an author and speaker, who is living with HIV said: 

    Testing for HIV is the only way to know your status, and it helps you stay in control of your health. If you do have a positive result, you won’t be on your own. I have been living with HIV for close to 30 years, I am still able to do anything and everything that I like. I still have my glass of gin and tonic. I can still go out and dance. Thanks to free, effective medication, I have a full life, I can’t pass HIV on and I have a normal life expectancy. Every time I have a birthday I love telling people my age. It’s a statement. It’s a celebration.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKETO, Brussels hosts receptions in Türkiye and Italy to celebrate Chinese New Year (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    HKETO, Brussels hosts receptions in Türkiye and Italy to celebrate Chinese New Year (with photos)
    HKETO, Brussels hosts receptions in Türkiye and Italy to celebrate Chinese New Year (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) hosted Chinese New Year receptions in Istanbul and Izmir, Türkiye respectively on January 30 and 31, followed by Milan, Italy on February 6, to carry on its series of celebration activities for the Year of the Snake.            The Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung emphasised in her welcoming remarks at the reception in Istanbul that Hong Kong remained as the prime gateway and super connector between China and the rest of the world, with our distinctive advantages under “One Country, Two Systems”.            “As an international financial, trade and shipping centre, and international hub for high caliber talents, we welcome more investors, innovators, start-ups and talents to make Hong Kong your partner and base for grapping the opportunities at both regional and global levels,” said Ms Yung.           Ms Yung highlighted that Hong Kong’s appeal as a global destination continues to grow. She also shared the good news of the reduction in liquor tax, and encouraged enterprises to take Hong Kong as a hub for global wine and liquor trade.            “We invite you to visit Hong Kong and indulge in its tempting gastronomic experience, complemented by high-quality wines and liquors,” added Ms Yung.            HKETO, Brussels took the opportunity to showcase Hong Kong’s unique East-meets-West culture. A cross-media performance fused with Chinese kung-fu, modern electronic music, comic and animation inspired by Hong Kong action movies was presented by the Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base), showcasing the innovation and creativity of young artists in Hong Kong. The guests attending the reception in Milan were greeted by a delightful mix of Italian opera aria and Cantonese songs performed by an ensemble of talented Hong Kong musicians.           The receptions in Istanbul, Izmir and Milan brought together 400 guests, including officials from national governments, consulates and embassies, financial and business sectors, academia, cultural and creative sectors, media and the Chinese community, in Türkiye and Italy to mark the enduring friendship with Hong Kong. They were co-organised with Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

     
    Ends/Monday, February 10, 2025Issued at HKT 3:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Mantri to inaugurate Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Raksha Mantri to inaugurate Aero India 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on February 10, 2025

    Showcasing air power, cutting-edge innovations & potential new global collaborations, the five-day event to provide thrust to the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047

    Aero India 2025 will advance our vision of a strong, capable, secure & self-reliant India: Shri Rajnath Singh

    Participation of over 900 exhibitors & 90 countries set to make it the biggest-ever Aero India till date; Approx. 30 Defence Ministers & over 100 OEMs to attend

    Domestic defence production expected to cross Rs 1.60 lakh crore by 2025-26, with exports touching Rs 30,000 crore mark: RM

    Posted On: 09 FEB 2025 6:21PM by PIB Delhi

    The 15th edition of Aero India, Asia’s biggest aerospace and defence exhibition, will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 10, 2025. With the broad theme of ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities’, the five-day extravaganza will showcase India’s aerial prowess and indigenous cutting-edge innovations alongside state-of-the-art products of global aerospace companies. In line with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision, the event will also provide a stage to forge international collaborations to fast-track the indigenisation process, thereby providing a thrust to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s resolve of making the country Viksit Bharat by 2047.

    Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on the eve of the event, Raksha Mantri described Aero India as a crucial platform, which will drive forward the Government’s vision of a strong, capable India, secure and self-reliant India. “Aero India is a platform that showcases the strength, resilience, and self-reliance of New India. It is not just crucial for India’s defence preparedness, but it also plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of our nation. It will demonstrate our defence capabilities and forge global partnerships. Our goal is to enhance collaboration in areas of common interest with our friendly nations, fostering deeper cooperation and shared progress. The event is not just a showcase of technology and innovation, but will also serve as a source of inspiration for our youth, fostering scientific temperament and a spirit of innovation,” he said.

    Organised in a total area of over 42,000 sq m and with the confirmed participation of over 900 exhibitors, including 150 foreign companies, the event is set to be the biggest-ever Aero India till date. Shri Rajnath Singh termed the participation of more than 90 countries as a testament to the growing global confidence in India’s aerospace and defence capabilities. “Defence ministers or representatives from about 30 countries have come to participate in this event. The presence of Air Chiefs and Secretaries from 43 countries further highlights the significance of this event – not just for India, but for the entire international defence community,” he said.

    Highlighting the transformation of the defence and aerospace sector in the recent years, Raksha Mantri asserted that, today, India is not only capable of designing and developing major platforms and equipment within India, it has also successfully established a vast supply chain within the country. “Advanced platforms like Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand and C-295 Transport Aircraft are now being produced in India. We have also taken a firm resolve to manufacture fifth-generation fighter aircraft within the country. From the advanced variants of the Agni missile, the Astra missile system, and the Pinaka missile system to the cutting-edge Hypersonic missile system and the Akash air defence system, we have built numerous success stories. These achievements have played a crucial role in strengthening our defence sector, making India more self-reliant and secure,” he said.

    Shri Rajnath Singh added that post corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board, the newly formed companies have started performing exceptionally well in defence production. “Under a well-considered and well-developed plan, we have actively worked to empower the private sector in the defence and aerospace industries. Today, India has a thriving private defence industry that has firmly established itself and is making significant contributions to our national security,” he said.

    Raksha Mantri expressed confidence that defence production, having crossed the record figure of Rs 1.27 lakh crore, will exceed Rs 1.60 lakh crore by the end of 2025-26. Defence exports, which touched the record figure of Rs 21,000 crore, he said, will surpass Rs 30,000 crore.

    Shri Rajnath Singh underlined the crucial role being played by the defence industrial sector in making India an economic super power. He stated that any breakthrough in the defence sector not only strengthens national security, but also impacts the economy. Technologies developed for defence applications promote innovation in the civil sector as well, leading to employment generation and economic development, he said. He termed Aero India a significant driver of economic strength, contributing to the overall growth and development of the economy. He expressed confidence that Aero India will be remembered as a historic milestone in India’s journey towards becoming a global leader in the aerospace and defence sector.

    The 15thAero India will be held between 10thand 14thFebruary 2025. February 10thto 12thhave been reserved as business days, with 13th& 14thset as public days for people to witness the show. The event comprises Defence Ministers’ Conclave; CEOs Roundtable; inauguration of India & iDEX Pavilions; Manthan iDEX event; Samarthya Indigenisation event; Valedictory function; seminars; breath-taking airshows and an exhibition of aerospace companies.

    Defence Ministers’ Conclave

    With the aim to strengthen defence cooperation with friendly nations amidst a rapidly-evolving global security landscape, Raksha Mantri will host the Defence Ministers’ Conclave on February 11 in hybrid mode. The theme this year ‘Building Resilience through International Defence and Global Engagement (BRIDGE)’ underscores the importance of supply chain resilience and strategic collaboration in defence.

    The last edition witnessed the participation of 27 Defence Ministers and Deputy Defence Ministers alongside 15 Defence & Service Chiefs and 12 Permanent Secretaries. This year, the participation has expanded as representatives from more than 80 countries are likely to participate in the conclave. Approx. 30 Defence Ministers in addition to Defence/Service Chiefs and Permanent Secretaries from friendly nations will attend the event.

    The conclave will provide a crucial platform to address key aspects such as Defence capacity building through investment, joint ventures & co-production, Collaboration in R&D, training & technological advancements in AI & space, Maritime security cooperation and strategic partnerships.

    CEOs Roundtable

    CEOs Roundtable 2025 will be chaired by Raksha Mantri on February 10, on the theme ‘Enabling Defence Cooperation through Global Engagement (EDGE)’. Over 100 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have confirmed their participation in the event. These include 55 from 19 countries (USA, France, Russia, South Korea, UK, Japan, Israel & Brazil etc), 35 Indian (Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge Ltd, Adani Defence & Aerospace, Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd, BrahMos Aerospace & Ashok Leyland Defence) and 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). Shri Rajnath Singh had addressed over 73 CEOs of 28 Foreign OEMs and 45 Indian OEMs in the 2023 edition of the event.

    Major foreign OEMs including Airbus (France), Ultra Maritime (USA), GNT (South Korea), John Cockerill Defence (UK), Mitsubishi (Japan), Rafael Advance Defence System (Israel), Safran (France) and Liebherr Aerospace (France) are expected to highlight their future plans, Joint Ventures, collaborations, partnerships with Indian companies for production of spares parts, development of aero-engines, setting up of Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) facilities and establishment of R&D facilities etc.

    India Pavilion

    The India Pavilion will provide an opportunity to Indian Defence Industries to showcase their design, development, innovation and manufacturing capabilities. It will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri on February 10. The grandeur show at India Pavilion would signify the ‘Flight of Self-Reliance’ which encapsulates India’s journey towards becoming a global aerospace and defence powerhouse.

    India Pavilion will be divided into five distinct zones displaying indigenous capabilities in aero aviation, land aviation and naval aviation, def-space and niche technologies domains.  More than 275 exhibits will be at display through various mediums, represented by complete defence ecosystem of the country which includes DPSUs, design houses, private corporates including MSMEs and start-ups. The Central Area exhibits will include a striking display of marquee platforms including Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, Combat Air Teaming System, Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter.

    iDEX Pavilion

     The iDEX Pavilion will be inaugurated by Raksha Mantri on February 10. It will showcase cutting-edge indigenously developed products and technologies, marking a significant milestone in India’s defence innovation journey. Leading innovators will display their indigenously-developed products spanning a wide-range of advanced domains including Aerospace, DefSpace, Aero Structures, Anti-drone systems, Autonomous Systems, Robotics, Communication, Cybersecurity, Surveillance & Tracking, Unmanned Ground Vehicles etc. The Pavilion will also feature a dedicated section highlighting the winners of Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme, showcasing their ground-breaking work in critical and niche technologies.

    iDEX has successfully onboarded over 600 start-ups and MSMEs, marking a significant milestone in fostering innovation. Furthermore, 40 prototypes developed under iDEX have received official clearance for procurement, with 31 procurement contracts worth Rs 1,560 crore already signed.

    Manthan

    Manthan 2025, the flagship annual defence innovation event, will be graced by Raksha Mantri on February 12. Organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO), the event will bring together stakeholders of the defence innovation ecosystem including innovators, industry leaders, academia, incubators, investors, thought leaders, senior government officials etc.

    Manthan will deliberate on emerging challenges and opportunities in the sector, with a focus on supporting defence start-ups and MSMEs, enhancing innovation capabilities, and fostering strategic collaborations within the defence ecosystem. It stands as a testament to the scale and speed of iDEX, showcasing the rapid strides made in defence innovation and the pivotal role of start-ups in transforming India’s defence capabilities.

    Samarthya

    On the success story of indigenisation and innovation in the defence sector, an Indigenisation event on the theme ‘SAMARTHYA’ will be held on February 12 alongside the Valedictory function which will be graced by Raksha Mantri. This event is first-of-its-kind during Aero India, as it will showcase India’s indigenous ingenuity in defence manufacturing by demonstrating some of the major items indigenised by DPSUs, DRDO and Services with the involvement of the private sector.

    Bilateral Meetings

    Bilateral meetings at the levels of Raksha Mantri/Raksha Rajya Mantri/Chief of Defence Staff/Service Chiefs/Defence Secretary/Secretary (Defence Production) will take place on the sidelines of Aero India 2025.

    Seminars

    A number of seminars on a variety of topics will be organised as part of Aero India 2025. On February 11, Raksha Mantri is scheduled to address a seminar organised by the Indian Air Force on the theme ‘Manned Unmanned teams for Aerial Warfare – concept to targeting’ and another organised by DRDO on the theme ‘DRDO Industry Synergy towards Viksit Bharat’.

    Other seminars on the themes – Mission DefSpace: From Vision to Reality – A Progress Report; Indigenous Development of Aerospace Materials: Strengthening India’s Self-Reliance; Transition to Aatmanirbhar Indian Naval Aviation 2047 and its associated ecosystem; Transformation of Maritime Aviation by Adopting Technological trends and Indigenisation; Aligning Technologies to Future Conflicts; and Investment Opportunities for Aerospace & Defence Manufacturers in Karnataka – will also be held as part of the event.

    Historic First – Su-57 and F-35 at Aero India

    For the first time in history, Aero India 2025 will witness the participation of two of the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft – the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35 Lightning II. It marks a milestone in global defence collaboration and technological advancement, offering aviation enthusiasts and defence experts an unparalleled prospect to witness these state-of-the-art warplanes.

     

    • Su-57: Russia’s premier stealth multirole fighter is designed for superior air superiority and strike capabilities. Equipped with advanced avionics, supercruise capability, and stealth technology, it is making its debut at Aero India 2025. Visitors can expect high-speed aerial manoeuvres and tactical demonstrations that highlight the fighter’s agility, stealth and firepower.

     

    • F-35 Lightning II: The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the most widely-deployed fifth-generation fighter, integrates advanced stealth, unparalleled situational awareness and networked combat capabilities. Its presence at Aero India 2025 will enable visitors to witness the flagship of US Air Force.

     

    The inclusion of both the Su-57 and F-35 highlights India’s position as a key hub for international defence and aerospace collaboration. Aero India 2025 will provide a rare side-by-side comparison of Eastern and Western fifth-generation fighter technology, offering defence analysts, military personnel and aviation enthusiasts valuable insights into their respective capabilities.

     

    Visitor-Friendly Experience

    With key infrastructure upgrades and improved amenities, Aero India 2025 promises to be bigger, smoother and more visitor-friendly than ever before.

     

    • Enhanced Infrastructure & Traffic Management: Recognising past challenges, extensive improvements have been made to facilitate seamless entry, movement and connectivity and there has been close coordination between Ministry of Defence, Indian Air Force (IAF), various arms of Karnataka State Government like Bengaluru Traffic Police, BBMP, NHAI, and Namma Metro. Approach roads have been widened to optimise traffic flow around Air Force Station Yelahanka so as to ease congestion and improve movement around the venue.

     

    • Security and Emergency Preparedness: Red drone zones have been designated and published with countermeasures in place to tackle unauthorised drone activity. Rapid Mobile Units will be deployed strategically to provide quick assistance and emergency support. Continuous mock drills with multiple agencies are being conducted to ensure practical and implementable contingency plans.

     

    • Exhibitor & Visitor Experience Enhancements: To enhance the experience for exhibitors and business delegates, the exhibition area has been revamped with several key upgrades:

     

    • Expanded and better-ventilated exhibition halls to accommodate more exhibitors and visitors comfortably.
    • Improved seating and rest zones throughout the venue.
    • Additional food courts and refreshment kiosks, including Indira Canteens (at parking areas).
    • Lost and found counters and ATM kiosks for visitor convenience.
    • Multiple water points, medical aid posts, and a dedicated cardiac aid post for emergencies, including medical evacuation.

     

    • Multi-Layered Security Measures: Ensuring the safety of all attendees, a multi-layered security system is being deployed in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bengaluru Police, CISF, and Intelligence Agencies. Measures include:

     

    • Enhanced security protocols and faster access control.
    • An operational Command and Control Centre for real-time responses to security concerns.
    • 24/7 CCTV monitoring for situational awareness.
    • Dedicated screening zones for visitors, exhibitors, and VIPs.
    • Disaster management and fire safety committees to handle emergencies.

     

    • Connectivity & Digital Infrastructure: To address connectivity challenges, all telecom service providers are deploying temporary mobile towers and network boosters for uninterrupted communication. A dedicated Aero India 2025 mobile app has also been launched which will provide live updates, navigation assistance, and event scheduling. Secure digital communication channels have also been established for coordination among agencies. Additionally, provisions have been made to support increased electricity demands during the event while ensuring safety.

     

    • Airspace Management & Demonstrations: Aero India demonstrations and aircraft movements are a major highlight of Aero India 2025. In coordination with AAI and HAL, the Indian Air Force has structured a dedicated Airspace management plan including:

     

    • Temporary flight restrictions around Aero India Force Station Yelahanka to maintain safety during scheduled demonstrations.
    • Strategic Aircraft parking and refuelling plans for domestic and international participants.

     

    • Business and Innovation Support: The Aero India provides a platform for collaborations and to facilitate B2B, G2B interactions and hosting roundtable discussions to showcase technological advancements. Special focus will be given to supporting start-ups and MSMEs by providing them with a global platform to present indigenous innovations.

     

    • Sustainability Initiatives: Aero India 2025 is committed to sustainability and has incorporated several eco-friendly measures in its conduct like:

     

    • Reduced vehicle movement to minimise pollution and enhance pedestrian comfort.
    • Exclusive use of more than 100 E Karts for movement of visitors in the exhibition venue.
    • Comprehensive waste management, including increased recycling bins, waste segregation zones, and timely disposal of waste.

     

    With these multi-agency collaborations, Aero India 2025 is set to be one of the most well-coordinated and better organised editions to date.

     

    Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff & Secretary, Department of Military Affairs General Anil Chauhan, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka Dr Shalini Rajneesh, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, other senior officials of Ministry of Defence and industry leaders attended the curtain raiser press conference.

    *******

    VK/SR/SPS/Savvy

    (Release ID: 2101170) Visitor Counter : 115

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –