NewzIntel.com

Category: Great Britain

  • MIL-OSI Global: Doctor shortages have hobbled health care for decades − and the trend could be worsening

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rochelle Walensky, Bayer Fellow in Health and Biotech, American Academy in Berlin, Senior Fellow in the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School

    Specialists across numerous fields of medicine are in short supply. sudok1/iStock via Getty Images

    Americans are increasingly waiting weeks or even months to get an appointment to see a health care specialist.

    This delay comes at a time when the population of aging adults is rising dramatically. By 2050, the number of adults over 85 is expected to triple, which will intensify the strain on an already stretched health care system. We wrote about this worsening challenge and its implications for the health care workforce in a January 2025 report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

    We are health care scholars who are acutely aware of the severe shortfall of specialists in America’s health care system. One of us, Rochelle Walensky, witnessed the consequences of this shortage firsthand as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from January 2020 to June 2023, during the critical early years of the pandemic.

    The COVID-19 pandemic brought the physician and overall health care workforce shortage to the forefront. Amid the excess daily deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19, many people died of potentially preventable deaths due to delayed care for heart attacks, deferred cancer screenings and overwhelmed emergency departments and intensive care units.

    Even before the pandemic, 80% of U.S. counties lacked a single infectious disease physician. Before going to the CDC, I – Dr. Walensky – was chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. When COVID-19 hit our hospitals, we were in desperate need of more infectious disease expertise. I was just one of them.

    At the local level, these infectious disease-trained subspecialists provide essential services when it comes to preventing and controlling transmissible outbreaks, carrying out diagnostic testing, developing treatment guidelines, informing hospital capacity planning and offering resources for community outreach. Each of these experts plays a vital role at the bedside and in systems management toward effective clinical, hospital and community responses to infectious disease outbreaks.

    Uneven health care outcomes and access

    For decades, experts have warned of an impending decline in the physician workforce.

    Now, Americans across all regions, specialties and socioeconomic backgrounds are experiencing that decline firsthand or personally.

    The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis projects a national shortage of 140,000 physicians by 2036, with that shortfall spanning multiple specialties, including primary care, obstetrics, cardiology and geriatrics.

    However, some geographic areas in the country – especially some of those with the poorest health – are disproportionately affected. The brunt of the effect will be felt in rural areas: An estimated 56% shortage is predicted in nonmetro areas, versus only 6% in metro areas.

    States such as Massachusetts, New York and Maryland boast the highest density of physicians per 100,000 people, while states such as Idaho, Mississippi and Oklahoma rank among those with the lowest. And even in states with the highest physician density, demand may still overwhelm access.

    Although doctor shortages do not necessarily cause poor health outcomes, regions with fewer physicians tend to have lower life expectancy. The mean life expectancy in Mississippi is six years lower than that of Hawaii and more than four years below the national average. This underscores the substantial differences in health outcomes depending on where you live in the U.S.

    Notably, areas with fewer doctors also see higher rates of chronic conditions such as chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes and poor mental health. This crisis is further exacerbated by the aging baby boomer population, which places increasing demand on an already strained health care system due to rising rates – especially among those over 85 – of multiple chronic diseases, complex health care needs and the concurrent use of multiple medications.

    Rural areas have always had lower access to medical care compared with urban centers, and this divide could get far worse with the looming physician shortage.
    Chalabala/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    How the US reached this point

    Some of these workforce challenges stem from the unintended consequences of policy changes that were originally aimed at improving the rigor of medical education or curtailing a once-anticipated physician glut.

    For example, the 1910 Flexner Report was commissioned to restructure American medical education with the goals of standardizing curricula and improving quality. While the report succeeded at those goals, it was shortsighted in important ways. For instance, it recommended closing rather than strengthening 89 of the 155 existing medical schools at the time. This created medical school deserts that persist in some U.S. regions to this day.

    Additionally, the report further divided the study of medicine, focused on disease, from the study of public health, which is focused on health care systems, populations and society. This separation has led to siloed communication and data systems that continue to hinder coordinated responses to public health crises.

    Decades after the Flexner Report, in 1980, policymakers anticipated a physician oversupply based on medical school enrollment projections and government investments in the medical workforce. In response, funding constraints were introduced by Congress to limit residency and fellowship training slots available after medical school.

    But by the early 2000s, discussions shifted to concerns about physician shortages. Despite the calls for reforms to address the issues more than a decade ago, the funding and training constraints have remained largely unchanged. These have created a persistent bottleneck in postgraduate medical training that requires acts of Congress to reverse.

    Primary care doctors provide continuity for patients; without them, people tend to experience more complex health care needs and poorer outcomes.

    Forces shaping the physician bottleneck

    In the wake of the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, states with restrictive abortion policies are now facing an emerging and troubling workforce challenge: It may get more difficult to recruit and retain tomorrow’s medical school grads.

    Research surveys suggest that 82% of future physicians, not just obstetricians, prefer to train and work in states that uphold abortion access. While it may seem obvious that obstetricians would want to avoid the increasing liabilities associated with the Dobbs decision, another point is less obvious: Most medical trainees are between the ages of 25 and 35, prime childbearing years, and may themselves want access to a full range of obstetric care.

    And given that 20% of physicians are married to other physicians and an additional 25% to other health professionals, marriage within the health care workforce may also play a substantial role. A physician choosing not to practice in one of the 14 states with limited abortion access, many of which already rank among the poorest in health outcomes and lowest in physician densities, may not only take their expertise but also their partner’s elsewhere.

    Shifting the trajectory

    The doctor shortage requires a combination of solutions, starting with addressing the high cost of medical education and training. Medical school enrollment has increased by only 10% over the past decade, far insufficient to address both the shortage today and the projected growth of the aging population needing care.

    In addition, many students carry large amounts of debt, which frequently limits who can pursue the profession. And existing scholarship and compensation programs have been only modestly effective in incentivizing providers to work in high-need areas.

    In our New England Journal of Medicine report, we laid out several specific strategies that could help address the shortages and the potential workforce crisis. For instance:

    Rather than the traditional medical education model – four years of broad medical training followed by three to seven years of residency – medical schools could offer more specialized training pathways. These streamlined programs would focus on the skills needed for specific medical specialties, potentially reducing training duration and costs.

    Reforming physician compensation could also help address imbalances in the health care system. Specialists and subspecialists typically earn substantially more than primary care doctors, despite the high demand for primary care. Raising primary care salaries and offering incentives, such as student loan forgiveness for physicians in high-need areas, could encourage more doctors to practice where they are needed most.

    Additionally, addressing physician burnout is crucial, particularly in primary care, where administrative burdens such as billing and charting contribute to stress and attrition. Reducing these burdens, potentially through novel AI-driven solutions, could allow doctors to focus more on patient care and less on paperwork.

    These are just an assortment of strategies we propose, and time is of the essence. One thing is certain: The U.S. urgently needs more doctors, and everyone’s health depends on it.

    Dr Rochelle P. Walensky is the Bayer Fellow in Health and Biotech, American Academy in Berlin. She reported receiving personal fees from Madryn Asset Management for serving as a senior policy advisor, Consonance Capital for serving as a senior advisory board member, and Doris Duke Foundation for serving as a trustee; consulting fees from Infectious Diseases Society of America; and nonfinancial support from The Carter Center for being a member of the board of directors outside the submitted work.

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

    – ref. Doctor shortages have hobbled health care for decades − and the trend could be worsening – https://theconversation.com/doctor-shortages-have-hobbled-health-care-for-decades-and-the-trend-could-be-worsening-251222

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans to El Salvador sparks legal questions likely to reach the Supreme Court

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer Selin, Associate Professor of Law, Arizona State University

    Prisoners stand in a cell as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a tour of the Terrorist Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on March 26, 2025. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    A federal appeals court on March 26, 2025, upheld a temporary block on President Donald Trump’s deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants, including alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, to a maximum security prison in El Salvador.

    The court was skeptical of Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to defend the deportations. The act, passed in 1798, gives the president the power to detain and remove people from the United States in times of war.

    On March 28, Trump asked the Supreme Court for permission under the act to resume deporting Venezuelans to El Salvador while legal battles continue.

    Attorney General Pam Bondi previously said the deportations are necessary as part of “modern-day warfare” against narco-terrorists.

    Nanya Gupta, policy director of the American Immigration Council, is among experts who note that the Trump administration’s evidence against the migrants, which relied in part on the immigrants’ tattoos and deleted social media pictures, is “flimsy.”

    Those who are challenging Trump’s actions in court say the administration has violated constitutional principles of due process. That’s because it gave the migrants no opportunity to refute the government’s claims that they were gang members.

    But what is due process? And how does the government balance this important right against national security?

    As a constitutional law professor who studies government institutions, I recognize the delicate balance government must strike in protecting civil rights and liberties while allowing presidential administrations to preserve national security and foreign policy interests.

    Ultimately, the U.S. Constitution’s framers left it to the courts to determine this balance.

    Due process explained

    The phrase “due process of law” goes back to at least 1215. That’s when England’s Magna Carta established the principle that government is not above the law.

    This principle guided the framers of the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Amendment and 14th Amendment, for example, prohibit federal and state governments from depriving people of their “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

    But what constitutes due process has varied over time.

    Government officials see the limits of their power from one lens. People affected by the exercise of that power view it differently.

    To combat this problem, the Constitution’s framers placed the judiciary in charge of determining what due process means and when people’s due process rights have been violated.

    Court decisions on the issue traditionally weigh the government’s interests in taking specific actions against claims that those actions violate people’s civil rights and liberties.

    Even when the law authorizes the president to detain people, historically the Supreme Court has held that those people should receive notice of the reason for their detention, and they should have a fair opportunity to rebut the government’s claims.

    When the high court, for example, heard cases about the rights of detainees held in Guantanamo Bay by President George W. Bush after 9/11, it ruled that principles of due process apply to noncitizens and even those whom the government designates as enemy combatants.

    One of the important considerations in legal analysis of the procedures the government must follow when depriving people of their liberty is the risk that the government will make a mistake in its decision-making.

    For example, some representatives of the deported Venezuelan migrants argue that they have been falsely accused of having ties to Tren de Aragua based on their country of origin and tattoos. They claim that without more investigation, including an opportunity for the migrants to present their evidence refuting the government’s claims, there is a large risk that government will mistakenly deport people.

    When can the president avoid due process?

    In some cases, the president can skirt traditional due process considerations in pursuit of broader policy concerns.

    As put by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in his initial order blocking the deportations, the president’s action in this area implicate “a host of complicated legal issues, including fundamental and sensitive questions about the often-circumscribed extent of judicial power in matters of foreign policy and national security.”

    Before Trump took executive action using the Alien Enemies Act, the measure had only been used three times – all during times of war.

    The act was part of a series of four laws passed in 1798 known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. These laws, among other things, gave the president the power to deport any noncitizen thought to be dangerous.

    A woman holds a sign during a rally on March 18, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela, to protest the deportation from the U.S. of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang, who were transferred to an El Salvador prison.
    AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos

    President Thomas Jefferson allowed most of the acts to expire. But Jefferson and subsequent presidents kept in place the provisions that empowered the president to detain or deport noncitizens in times of war, “invasion” or “predatory incursion” by foreign powers.

    Today, the law authorizes the president to apprehend and remove people over the age of 14 that the administration determines to be “alien enemies.” However, it places procedural requirements on the president.

    Notably, the president’s ability to act requires a declared war against or an “invasion or predatory excursion” by a foreign nation. In such an event, the president must issue a proclamation saying he plans on using the act against perceived enemies.

    To justify the Venezuelan deportations, Trump issued a proclamation on March 15 claiming Tren de Aragua is perpetrating and threatening an invasion against the U.S.

    But the act also says people considered alien enemies must be given reasonable time to settle their affairs and voluntarily depart from the country. And it gives the courts power to regulate whether such persons even fall within the definition of “alien enemies.”

    The Venezuelan migrants claim Trump has violated these parts of the act.

    The current fight

    This is where things become complicated.

    All parties in the case acknowledge that the Alien Enemies Act grants the president authority to act. However, the argument is whether the government has given people the opportunity to challenge the government’s decision to classify them as “alien enemies.”

    Trump claims Tren de Aragua is a foreign terrorist organization engaged in warfare against the U.S. in the form of narco-terrorism – the use of drug trade to influence government operations.

    His administration argues that it doesn’t have to tell migrants it considers them alien enemies. And the administration says it’s not required to give them time to ask the courts to step in before they are deported.

    In a March 24 hearing on the issue, D.C. Circuit Court Judge Patricia A. Millet noted that during World War II, even the “Nazis got better treatment under the Alien Enemies Act.”

    The dispute has prompted international questions about the legality of the U.S. government’s deportation procedures and its treatment of the migrants.

    And Democratic members of Congress have called for an investigation into the administration’s deportation practices.

    The case will most likely head to the Supreme Court to determine what due process means and when the president can act in the name of national security to limit people’s due process rights. That’s just as the framers of the Constitution intended.

    Jennifer L. Selin has received funding and/or support for her research on the executive branch from the Administrative Conference of the United States. The views in this piece are those of the author and do not represent the position of the Administrative Conference or the federal government.

    – ref. Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans to El Salvador sparks legal questions likely to reach the Supreme Court – https://theconversation.com/trumps-use-of-the-alien-enemies-act-to-deport-venezuelans-to-el-salvador-sparks-legal-questions-likely-to-reach-the-supreme-court-253011

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Autistic stimming explained – and why stopping it can lead to burnout

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Aimee Grant, Senior Lecturer in Public Health and Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow, Swansea University

    Many autistic people use everyday objects in repetitive ways. engagestock/Shutterstock

    Stimming – short for “self-stimulatory behaviour” – is a form of self-soothing commonly seen in autistic people. It can involve repetitive movements, sounds, or actions and is commonly regarded in medical literature as part of “rigid and repetitive behaviour”.

    This type of framing tends to cast stimming in a negative light, leading health professionals, teachers and even parents to try to stop it. But stimming is a vital self-protective strategy for autistic people, and suppressing it can have serious consequences.

    While stimming isn’t unique to autism, autistic people tend to stim more frequently and sometimes in more noticeable ways. It often involves physical movements such as hand-flapping, rocking, spinning or tiptoeing. Many autistic people also use different objects in repetitive ways, such as lining them up in patterns or keeping their hands busy with everyday items or stim toys.

    But stimming goes beyond movement – it can involve any of the senses. Some people stim through sound, repeating words or phrases because they are satisfying to say or hear. Others engage in “scripting,” like having conversations that follow a set pattern or re-watching favourite films for the comfort of predictability. Oral stims, such as chewing on pens, clothing or “chewllery” are also common.

    When considered in this broader sense, many people – autistic or not – have at least one form of stimming. Yet autistic children are often encouraged to stop theirs, with alternatives like keeping their hands in their pockets suggested instead. These substitutes don’t offer the same sensory input, however, and can make self-regulation more difficult.

    Many autistic adults report having lost their natural stims over time. This is either through conscious suppression or because they were conditioned to stop in childhood. Some still suppress stimming out of fear of negative reactions from others, despite it being beneficial to their wellbeing. There is also evidence that some autistic people are discouraged from stimming in the workplace.

    Masking

    The exact mechanisms behind stimming aren’t fully understood yet. But it is widely acknowledged that it provides soothing sensory input, helping autistic people cope with overwhelming environments. Suppressing stimming is uncomfortable and is one aspect of “masking”, which is the conscious or unconscious act of not doing natural autistic traits to avoid negative social consequences.

    Masking is particularly common among autistic women and has been linked to increased anxiety, burnout and even suicide. It can also affect education, work, relationships and overall quality of life.

    It’s crucial for society – especially parents, teachers and employers – to become more accepting of stimming. Research shows that greater understanding leads to greater acceptance.

    The only instances where intervention might be necessary are when stimming is self-injurious or poses a risk to others, in which case a safer alternative stim should be encouraged. Otherwise, the best response is simple – let people stim freely. And if you’re autistic, research shows you can use it to bond with other autistic people.

    So, if you see an autistic child or adult stimming, there’s no need to comment or intervene. My mum used to say that “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” – that principle that applies here too.

    Aimee Grant receives funding from receives funding from UKRI, the Wellcome Trust and the Morgan Advanced Studies Institute. She is a non-executive director of Disability Wales.

    – ref. Autistic stimming explained – and why stopping it can lead to burnout – https://theconversation.com/autistic-stimming-explained-and-why-stopping-it-can-lead-to-burnout-252088

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Climate change isn’t fair but Tony Juniper’s new book explains how a green transition could be ‘just’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alix Dietzel, Senior Lecturer in Climate Justice, University of Bristol

    Tony Juniper. Jason Bye, CC BY-NC-ND

    Inequality – between the rich and poor or between the powerful and the weak – is the main factor stalling action on environmental problems including biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change, according to British environmentalist Tony Juniper.

    In his new book, Just Earth: How a Fairer World Will Save the Planet, he argues that “if we want to build a secure future, both environmental priorities and social justice must be pursued together”. Much of this is about how decisions are made: “Disadvantaged groups rarely have a say, while those deciding on policy continue to comprise a narrow social segment.”

    It is interesting to see Juniper’s views on the topic of a just transition, given his decades of experience. Juniper has served as the executive director of environmental charity Friends of the Earth, he was a Green party parliamentary candidate in the 2011 general election and previously led The Wildlife Trusts. He is currently chair of Natural England, the official government organisation working for the conservation and restoration of the natural environment.

    His views on this subject certainly matter. His key message that social justice is at the heart of solving environmental problems helps to explain why we have collectively failed to address these.

    This injustice is an issue that has been raised for decades by those most affected by environmental issues, those who work in the environment sector and academics like me who focus on environmental justice.

    The UK environment sector, for example, is notoriously one of the least diverse, with only 3.5% of those working in environmental jobs identifying as an ethnic minority. In addition, the climate change movement is sometimes portrayed by the media as a middle-class preoccupation. Research shows a tendency for mainstream media to position environmentalism as a position of the wealthy. That’s reflected by the use of distancing terminology such as “middle-class tree huggers”.

    However, 39% of UK working class voters experience climate anxiety. That’s only slightly below the 42% of middle-class voters.

    Levels of climate concern have stayed high throughout both the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crises, while support for government action on climate mitigation policies, such as decreased meat consumption and flying, has remained steady.

    At the global level, there have always been tensions between developed and developing countries in terms of what is “fair”. Entrenched power dynamics ensure that developed countries have historically won out when deciding what a fair future looks like.

    Most recently, those tensions have been evident in the lack of clarity around how loss and damage will be funded and managed – who will pay out when an island disappears, or a village becomes inhabitable to due drought, for example? There’s also much debate around how a new finance goal should be defined, with huge disagreements between the developed and developing countries.

    As Juniper explains, not only is it unclear what fairness means at global negotiations, there is clear evidence that these tend to favour the more powerful countries, such as the US or members of the EU, and create an unjust regime. Steven Vanderheiden, one of the earliest climate justice philosophers, claims that developing nations are usually offered a “take it or leave it” deal, such as the new finance goal of US$300 billion (£232 billion) or about half of what developing countries were asking for, once developed nations have made decisions without them.

    A fairer vision

    In response to these inequalities and ongoing tensions, Juniper sets out a vision for a fairer, greener society – also known as a just transition.

    A just transition is hard to define. It was once a relatively well demarcated and clearly grounded concept associated with worker’s rights.

    Over time, it has become an increasingly all-encompassing policy objective, untethered from any specific policies, political objectives or priorities. Indeed, while there are certainly overlaps between the different visions of a just transition, significant aspects directly contradict one another.

    Just Earth by Tony Juniper is out now.
    CC BY-NC-ND

    Many of the messages in Juniper’s book have been shouted by those less privileged for decades. By using his platform to amplify the importance of climate justice, he is striving to make a difference. However, the voices of those from affected communities in developing countries, the working class in richer countries, and women (who will be hardest hit by climate change) are somewhat absent.

    Juniper neatly encompasses 40-plus years of global negotiations on climate change and biodiversity, reflecting on core issues blocking progress, such as populism and fossil fuel interests. Getting your head around negotiations is a complex task – and it’s one that Juniper executes very well.

    Juniper also discusses rising inequality, especially post-COVID, and the intersecting relationship between affluence and environmental destruction, with the richest consuming far more than the poorest and the top 10% wealthiest individuals having emitting more greenhouse gases than the poorest 50%.

    He sets out the impacts of consumption, particularly of the wealthiest, and the unfairness of those being hit hardest consuming the least. He carefully dissects why indefinite growth of GDP can no longer be taken as a given.

    Then he sets out his vision for a just transition with a ten-point agenda, including new measures of progress. He suggests focusing on wellbeing and sustainable consumption, not GDP.

    He highlights the importance of financing the future and raising the transition war chest – that involves carbon tax regimes and additional public resources for environmental protection to build climate resilience. He advises switching subsidies to green energy rather than fossil fuels, and also advocates for the use of ecocide law to protect future generations.

    While progress is possible, Juniper is a realist. He outlines how much our culture needs to shift away from consumption, competition, devaluing nature, and towards a fairer society for all. As he puts it: “We have nowhere else to go. There is just Earth.”

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

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

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

    – ref. Climate change isn’t fair but Tony Juniper’s new book explains how a green transition could be ‘just’ – https://theconversation.com/climate-change-isnt-fair-but-tony-junipers-new-book-explains-how-a-green-transition-could-be-just-250671

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Encounter Festival Announces 2025 Plans Following Another Successful Year

    Source: City of Preston

    Encounter Festival will return on Saturday, 20 September 2025, marking its tenth anniversary with its most ambitious programme yet.

    Following a year of record engagement, plans are in place to create a Festival Village across the Harris Quarter, providing new opportunities for community involvement, and expanding Preston’s Torchlight Procession.

    Since its pilot in 2015, Encounter Festival has grown significantly; attracting 47,000 visitors in 2024 and continuing its ambition to provide a platform for high-quality arts, performances, and community engagement. An application for Arts Council England funding has been submitted, with a decision expected in April, supporting plans to grow the festival’s scale and impact for audiences.

    Record Engagement and a Growing Audience

    Encounter Festival continues to reach new audiences, with nearly one in five visitors experiencing arts and culture for the first time and a growing number attending from outside of the city. The latest evaluation report highlights that the festival is diversifying its audience, with visitors in 2024 representing 16 of the 17 recognised ethnic identities, up from 11 the previous year.

    Visitors described the festival as a ‘welcoming and inclusive space’ that brings communities together through shared experiences.

    One attendee commented:

    ‘Amazing that a festival of that scale is in Preston; to be part of it was an amazing opportunity.’

    The festival continues to create opportunities for artists, performers, and organisations, supporting local talent and attracting nationally recognised acts. Over 2,000 artists and performers participated in 2024, crediting Encounter Festival as an important platform for their development. Supporting young people is a core strand of the Encounter Festival programme. Last year, the festival collaborated with youth-centred organisation Blaze Arts.

    An individual at Blaze commented on the success of the collaboration, stating that it gave ‘young people the chance to develop their production skills, event organising skills and project management’.

    Exciting Plans for 2025

    Encounter Festival’s tenth anniversary will provide an opportunity to build on its success and further strengthen its role as a key link between Preston’s cultural events, including the city’s historic Preston Guild celebrations.

    The 2025 festival will take a major step forward, creating a Festival Village across The Harris Quarter, designed to encourage visitors to stay all day and into the evening. This will connect key locations across the city centre, providing spaces for live performances and interactive activities.

    The Torchlight Procession will also expand, with more groups set to take part, making it the largest procession in the festival’s history. A dedicated programme will support new community groups and cultural organisations to get involved, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to inclusivity and participation.

    Sarah Threlfall, Deputy Chief Executive & Director of Community & Wellbeing at Preston City Council said:

    “Encounter Festival continues to grow in impact and significance, bringing thousands of people into Preston’s city centre each year. As we approach the festival’s tenth anniversary, we look forward to developing an even stronger programme that reflects the city’s creativity, ambition, and diversity. We encourage local businesses, artists, and communities to get involved and help shape what promises to be a landmark event in 2025.”

    The 2025 event programme will see Preston host a range of large-scale cultural events throughout the year, including, Preston Caribbean Carnival, Preston City Mela, and Preston Pride. Encounter Festival will continue to develop its programme in

    collaboration with local and national artists, providing even more opportunities for community participation and engagement.

    Encounter Festival’s mission is to celebrate and nurture creativity, ambition, and community spirit in Preston and beyond. With its diverse programming and strong focus on local engagement, the festival is poised to continue its growth and success.

    Further programme details will be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit Encounter Festival.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £1bn gift transfer to British Museum given green light

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    £1bn gift transfer to British Museum given green light

    The Charity Commission has given its formal permission for the most valuable object donation in British museum history to go ahead.

    In November 2024, the Trustees of the Sir Percival David Foundation announced they were to make a permanent donation of their collection of Chinese ceramics to the British Museum.

    The collection numbers around 1,700 pieces estimated at around £1bn.

    The gift was subject to regulatory authority from the Commission, which has the power to authorise payments or transfers of assets from charities where this is not explicitly allowed for in the charity’s governing document.

    The Commission has now provided written authority under the Charities Act to change the Foundation’s governing document to enable the permanent transfer of the collection.

    In such cases, the relevant trustees need to think about how best to further the charity’s purpose before making the gift.

    In this case, the Sir Percival David Foundation was keen to fulfil its founder’s determination to use his collection to inform and inspire people, by keeping it on public view and enabling academic study of the pieces, while managing the charity’s resources effectively by transferring the costs of maintaining the collection.

    Sir Percival David (1892–1964) was a British businessman who collected ceramics in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and China. Sir Percival’s collection has been on loan to the British Museum since 2009 in the specially designed bilingual Room 95, where it has been studied and enjoyed by millions of visitors.

    Head of Regulatory Authority at the Charity Commission, Christine Barker, said:

    We are pleased to have given authority for this remarkable transfer to go ahead. The Foundation’s trustees are clear that ensuring the safe and accessible display of their founder’s collection is fully aligned with their charitable objects.

    Our team are dedicated to considering such applications carefully, balancing the need to reflect changing circumstances against the importance of ensuring trustees safeguard their assets to pursue their charitable aims.

    Director of the British Museum, Dr Nicholas Cullinan said:

    I am humbled by the generosity of the Trustees of the Sir Percival David Foundation in permanently entrusting their incomparable private collection to the British Museum and thank the Charity Commission for their support in now approving the transfer.

    These celebrated objects add a special dimension to our own collection and together offer scholars, researchers and visitors around the world the incredible opportunity to study and enjoy the very best examples of Chinese craftsmanship anywhere in existence.

    Chair of The Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art and The Sir Percival David Foundation Academic and Research Fund Colin Sheaf FSA said:

    Sir Percival was motivated by three principal concerns. These were to preserve the whole collection together for posterity, to display it publicly and safely in its entirety, and to ensure that his superb porcelain should not only be admired by connoisseurs for its beauty but should also educate the widest possible audience about China’s historic culture which he greatly admired.

    With the valued support of the Charity Commission, the Foundation Trustees have taken this major decision because they believe that this transfer entirely meets the philanthropic intentions and long-term wishes of the Founder almost a century ago.

    Highlights from the Sir Percival David collection include the ‘David vases’ from 1351. Their discovery revolutionised the dating for blue and white ceramics.

    The collection also includes a “Chicken cup” used to serve wine for the Chenghua emperor (1465–87) and Ru wares made for the Northern Song dynasty court around 1086.

    In the past year the Charity Commission considered 545 applications for the transfer of money or assets, often to enable trustees to switch these holdings to more modern charity structures.

    Ends

    Notes to editors

    1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM remarks at the Organised Immigration Summit in central London: 31 March 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    PM remarks at the Organised Immigration Summit in central London: 31 March 2025

    The Prime Minister’s remarks at the Organised Immigration Summit in central London today (Monday 31 March).

    It’s great to welcome you all to Lancaster House. It was right here, earlier this month that the UK convened leaders from across Europe together with President Zelenskyy to support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

    Because we know that Ukraine’s security is our security. And we can only deliver it by taking bold action at home, with the biggest increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

    And also, by working together with our international partners. 

    Now – the same is clearly true for the security of our borders.

    Illegal migration is a massive driver of global insecurity. It undermines our ability to control who comes here. And that makes people angry. 

    It makes me angry, frankly because it is unfair on ordinary working people who pay the price, from the cost of hotels to our public services struggling under the strain.

    And it’s unfair on the illegal migrants themselves. Because these are vulnerable people being ruthlessly exploited by vile gangs.

    So look, we must each take decisive action in our own countries to deal with this. Nobody can doubt that the people we serve want this issue sorted.

    But the truth is – we can only smash these gangs, once and for all if we work together.

    Because this evil trade, it exploits the cracks between our institutions. Pits nations against one another. Profits from our inability at the political level to come together.

    And that’s why from the moment I took office we said the UK would convene this Summit.

    And I’m delighted today to be joined by all of you. Representatives from more than 40 countries across the world, building a truly international effort to defeat organised immigration crime.

    And let me tell you why. Let me take you back to a visit I made as a relatively new Member of Parliament in 2016 to the camp on the outskirts of Calais.

    I can still picture it now. The muddy ground, sodden with rain and human waste. 

    Children as young as five and seven, the same age as my children were then huddling together in freezing temperatures with almost nothing to keep them warm.

    Now, of course, that infamous camp has long since gone. But the evil of the people smuggling businesses that put people there, that remains.

    The gangs remain. That exploitation of desperation, misery and false hope – that all remains.

    There’s nothing progressive or compassionate about turning a blind eye to this. Nothing progressive or compassionate about continuing that false hope which attracts people to make those journeys.

    No – we have got to get to grips with it once and for all. That’s why when I spoke at the INTERPOL meeting in Glasgow last year I said we need to treat people-smuggling as a global security threat similar if you like to terrorism.

    We’ve got to bring to bear all the powers we have at our disposal in much the same way we do against terrorism.

    Before I was a politician, I was the Director of Public Prosecutions in England and Wales. We worked across borders throughout Europe and beyond to foil numerous plots.

    Saving thousands of lives in the process. We prevented planes from being blown up over the Atlantic. And we brought the perpetrators to justice.

    So I believe we should treat organised immigration crime in the exactly same way. I simply don’t believe organised immigration crime cannot be tackled.

    So – we’ve got to combine resources. Share intelligence and tactics. Tackle the problem upstream at every step of the people smuggling journey, from North Africa and the Middle East to the high streets of our biggest cities. 

    And look, to that end, we’ve already got to work. Begun to make progress since I came into office. The UK has re-set its entire approach to international collaboration.

    I’ve put smashing the gangs on the agenda of international summits. Showing that the UK now means business. Working together with our allies. We’ve struck new agreements and plans with so many of the countries represented in the room here today.

     Take our work with France as a good example. Now previously – their maritime doctrine prevented French law enforcement from responding to small boats in shallow waters.

    But now we’re working with them to change that, to make sure we get new border patrols and specialist units on the French coast using state-of-the-art surveillance technology.

    With Germany another example, if you can believe it, it wasn’t technically illegal to facilitate people-smuggling to a country outside the EU, like the United Kingdom. But now it will be.

    And with our new bilateral agreement Germany will be able to prosecute the criminal networks facilitating this vile trade.

    Just a few examples of the international collaboration that is so important to taking this challenge on. And it’s beginning to bear fruit.

    At the end of last year, a major operation by French, German and British law enforcement smashed an Iraqi smuggling network with multiple arrests and the seizure seizing hundreds of boats and engines.

    In Amsterdam, a man was arrested on suspicion of supplying hundreds of small boat parts to people smugglers.

    That was a joint operation with our National Crime Agency together with Dutch and Belgian police.

    We’re also working upstream to address factors that drive people towards small boats in the first place.

    Working with the authorities in Albania and Vietnam on campaigns to deter those who are thinking about making that perilous journey.

    Because there is also nothing progressive about allowing working age people to come here illegally instead of supporting them to build their own economies, secure a better future for their own countries, and build a safer, more prosperous world.

    But look – as we work together more closely I think than ever before we’ve also got to take the tough measures at home in our own countries.

    That doesn’t mean gimmicks. You may be familiar with the gimmicks of the last 14 years here in Britain. It means understanding the problem.

    And coming up with pragmatic solutions that work. Actually, fixing what’s wrong.

    Few things show this more clearly, than our approach to border security. We inherited this total fragmentation between our policing, our Border Force and our intelligence agencies.

    A fragmentation that made it crystal clear, when I looked at it, that there were gaps in our defence. An open invitation at our borders for the people smugglers to crack on.

    To be honest it should have been fixed years ago. But we’re doing it now with our new Border Security Command. Led by Martin Hewitt – who many of you I think will know.

    We’re recruiting hundreds of specialist investigators from across our police, our Border Force and intelligence agencies. Creating an elite Border Force. Working with our international partners. Ending the fragmentation. 

    £150 million invested over the next two years and new powers and criminal offences to get the job done. So the police will be able to seize the phones and devices of migrants arriving on our shores and gather intelligence about the smugglers. 

    The police will be able to act when they have reason to believe preparations are being made for criminal activity instead of waiting for a crime to happen before they can act.

    And it will be an offence to endanger lives at sea to prevent more tragic deaths in the Channel.

    We are also redeploying resources away from the Tory’s wasteful Rwanda scheme. A scheme that spent over 700 million pounds of taxpayer money to remove just four volunteers.

    You know, even if that scheme had gone well, they were claiming they might remove – 300 people a year.

    Since coming to office – I can announce today we have returned more than 24,000 people who have no right to be here. 

    That would have taken the Rwanda scheme 80 years to achieve. This is what I mean about not giving in to gimmicks. Just focusing our efforts and resources on the nuts and bolts of removing people. Getting the asylum system working properly. That’s how we’ve delivered the highest returns rate for eight years and the four biggest return flights ever.

    We’re also ramping up the deportation of Foreign National Offenders with a new team of specialist frontline staff going into our prisons, speeding up the removal of prisoners who have no right to be in this country.

    Now, all of this is providing a real disincentive to people thinking about coming to Britain illegally. But if we’re talking about incentives – we need to talk about the people smugglers as well.

    Because they don’t care about borders. They don’t care about the people they traffic. And they don’t care about our country and our people.

    They only care about one thing: money. They make huge profits out of ruining people’s lives. I mean – a few months ago, I went to see some of the boats that had been seized at the NCA headquarters. 

    Now we call them small boats, but honestly they’re not worthy of the name boat. I don’t know what you would call them. To me they look like death traps.

    Flimsy. Rubber. No firm structure. You would not let your children climb aboard, even for a second in shallow waters.

    Seriously – if they were a car, they’d be off the road in minutes. The police would intervene. 

    And don’t tell me they’ve got any purpose other than people smuggling. So I see no reason why we can’t go after them. And so we are.

    We have seized hundreds of boats and engines, driving up the costs for the smugglers.

    We have taken down 18,000 social media accounts. That’s 10,000 more than last year, disrupting the way smugglers promote their services.

    And more than that, we have announced a new sanctions regime. Treating people smugglers like terrorists. Freezing their assets, banning their travel.

    Putting them behind bars – where they belong. But just as important – putting their entire model, out of business, securing our borders on behalf of working people.

    Because as I said at the start – this is about fairness. And there is little that strikes working people as more unfair than watching illegal migration drive down their wages, their terms and their conditions through illegal work in their community. 

    We have to be honest here. For too long, the UK has been a soft touch on this. While the last government were busy with their Rwanda gimmick, they left the door wide open for illegal working.

    Especially in short-term or zero-hours roles like in construction, beauty salons and courier services.

    And while of course most companies do the responsible thing and carry out right to work checks.

    Too many dodgy firms have been exploiting a loophole to skip this process: hiring illegal workers, undercutting honest businesses, driving down the wages of ordinary working people. 

    And all of this, of course fuelling that poisonous narrative of the gangs who promise the dream of a better life to vulnerable people yet deliver a nightmare of squalid conditions and appalling exploitation.

    Well, today we are changing that because this government is introducing a tough new law to force all companies to carry out these checks on right to work.

    They take just minutes to complete – so they are not burdensome for business. And they can be done free of charge – so there will be no excuses.

    And no ability to claim they didn’t know they had illegal workers. And failure to comply will result in fines of up to £60,000. Prison terms of up to 5 years and the potential closure of their business.

    Now, none of these strategies on their own are a silver bullet. I know that.

    But each of them is another tool. An arsenal we are building up to smash the gangs once and for all.

    We must pull every lever available. And that is what this Labour government is doing. 

    No short cuts, no gimmicks. Just the hard graft of sleeves-rolled-up, practical government. 

    Securing our borders. Getting a grip on illegal migration. Delivering our Plan for Change.

    We want to work with you and with everyone who is as determined as we are to end the misery and evil of people-smuggling.

    Because together we will save lives.

    We will secure our borders.

    We will smash the gangs that undermine our security…

    And deliver fairness for the working people we serve.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Scottish benefit to replace DLA

    Source: Scottish Government

    Work underway to move the benefits of over 66,000 people by end of year

    Disability Living Allowance for adults is being replaced by a new Scottish benefit.

    Work has begun to move the benefit awards of over 66,000 people to Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance.

    The new benefit will now be paid by Social Security Scotland instead of the Department for Work and Pensions.

    There will be no gaps in payments or reductions in the support people get because of the transfer.

    People getting DLA do not need to do anything as the transfer will happen automatically.

    Social Security Scotland will send letters to let people know when their benefit is being moved and another when the move is complete. The transfer process will take four to eight weeks.

    Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said:

    “I am pleased work has begun to transfer the benefit awards of every adult in Scotland currently getting DLA to our new benefit.

    “I want to reassure people affected that their payments will transfer safely and securely, with no gaps or reductions to the support they receive.

    “The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring everyone gets the financial support they’re entitled to and this has not changed following the UK Government’s announcement on welfare.”

    Background

    Scottish Adult DLA was introduced to provide support for adults who were still getting DLA on 21 March 2025. Like DLA for adults, it is not open to new applications.

    People born after 8 April 1948 can choose to apply for Adult Disability Payment after their transfer to Scottish Adult DLA is complete.

    Social Security Scotland recommends anyone thinking of doing this to get independent advice on which benefit is best for them as some people might be better off on one benefit than the other.

    Once a decision has been made on their application for Adult Disability Payment they cannot return to Scottish Adult DLA.

    Adults of working age who are newly in need of disability support can apply for Adult Disability Payment.

    Pensioners can apply for Pension Age Disability Payment, the replacement for Attendance Allowance, in most of Scotland.

    Where Pension Age Disability Payment is not yet available, pensioners can apply for Attendance Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Strengthening Scotland’s NHS

    Source: Scottish Government

    New plan to focus on delivery.

    Health Secretary Neil Gray has set out how the Scottish Government plans to improve access to treatment, reduce waiting times and shift the balance of care from hospitals to primary care through the publication of the Operational Improvement Plan.

    Through the additional £200 million investment contained in the Budget to reduce waiting times and improve flow through hospital, we will create 150,000 extra appointments and procedures using greater use of regional and national working.

    By introducing a seven-day service in radiology, using mobile scanning units and additional recruitment, 95% of referrals will be seen within six weeks by March 2026, reducing backlogs in MRI, CT, ultrasound and endoscopy procedures.

    To improve flow in acute hospitals and support increases in community care, we will expand Hospital at Home to at least 2,000 beds by the end of 2026, meaning the service, which provides hospital level care in the comfort of the patients home, will become the biggest hospital in Scotland. By this summer there will be specialist staff in frailty teams in every A&E department in Scotland. Flow Navigation Centres, which direct patients to the most appropriate service for their condition, will be able to refer patients to more services, reducing the number of people who have to wait in A&E.

    Investment in primary care will make it easier for people to see a doctor, dentist, optometrist or community pharmacist, and £10.5 million will be invested in general practice to take targeted action to prevent heart disease and frailty. 

    Digital services will be expanded to modernise services and improve efficiency, with the Digital Front Door app launching in Lanarkshire in December. This launch will be followed by a national roll-out in 2026, allowing people to securely access their hospital appointments, receive communications and find local services. Over time it will be expanded to include social care and community health services.

    On a visit to Kirklands Hospital’s Flow Navigation Centre, Health Secretary Neil Gray said:

    “This plan details how the Scottish Government will deliver a more accessible NHS, with reductions to long-waits and the pressures we currently see. It shows how we will use the £21.7 billion health and social care investment in the 2025-26 Budget to deliver significant improvements for patients.

    “We want to increase the number of appointments, speed up treatment and make it easier to see a doctor. By better using digital technology, we will embrace innovation and increase efficiencies.

    “This plan is ambitious but realistic, and builds on the incredible work of our amazing health and social care staff across our health boards, to deliver real change.”

    Background

    NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan

    Focusing on the short term, the Operational Improvement Plan details specific commitments for NHS Scotland that build on the wider delivery plans of Scotland’s health boards. Supported by increased investment in the 2025-26 Scottish Budget, the plan focuses on four main areas:

    • Improving access to treatment
    • Shifting the balance of care from hospitals to primary care
    • Improving access to health and social care services through digital and technological innovation
    • Working with people to prevent illness and more proactively meet their needs.

    Improving public services and NHS renewal: First Minister’s speech – 27 January 2025 – gov.scot

    Protecting, strengthening and renewing the NHS – gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Provocative new play explores social media and secret societies

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Provocative new play explores social media and secret societies

    31 March 2025

    The highly anticipated hit play Widow’s Son, written by Belfast playwright John McAteer, is coming to the Alley Theatre, Strabane on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd April for an unforgettable theatrical experience. This clever, witty, and timely piece explores the clash between modern obsession with social media and the long-standing traditions of secret societies.

    The play tells the story of Andrew McKay, an aspiring journalist who fancies himself as a hard-hitting investigator. He’s made a name for himself infiltrating various eccentric groups – whether it’s the Flat Earth Society, the UFO Believers Association, or even The Dog’s Trust – all in the name of content for his popular YouTube podcast. But his latest mission is his boldest yet: to infiltrate the world’s oldest secret society, the Freemasons.

    His mission is driven by the potential of uncovering the hidden truths of this ancient group. But soon, Andrew learns the harsh reality: according to ancient Masonic laws, falsely claiming membership triggers a swift and brutal punishment. As the walls close in on Andrew, he begins to question whether such ancient penalties still hold weight in the modern world – or if his misadventure will have dire consequences.

    Written by Belfast playwright John McAteer, Widow’s Son is a sharp, witty, and refreshing take on the intersection of modern media and ancient traditions. The play is full of dark humour, unexpected twists, and a thought-provoking exploration of secrets, power, and consequences. Audience members should note this performance contains strong language and is not recommended for children.

    Tickets are available now at www.alley-theatre.com or call the Alley Theatre Box Office on 028 71 384444.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Willis Sustainable Fuels Progresses Teesside SAF Project

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COCONUT CREEK, Fla., March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: WLFC) (“WLFC” or the “Company”), the leading lessor of commercial aircraft engines and global provider of aviation services, today announced that its subsidiary, Willis Sustainable Fuels (UK) Limited (“WSF”), has entered into license and engineering agreements with two global leaders in sustainable technology, Johnson Matthey and Axens. These partnerships significantly advance WSF’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project in Teesside, Northeastern England. WSF is targeting Q1 2028 to begin commercial operations at its SAF production facility, with an anticipated annual production capacity of 14,000 tonnes (equalling approximately 50,000 litres a day) of SAF.

    “Through this collaboration, WSF will leverage Johnson Matthey’s and Axens’ market-leading technologies to support the production of SAF at our facility in Teesside, UK,” said Amy Ruddock, Senior Vice President, Sustainable Aviation & Corporate Development of WLFC. “Working with industry leaders will allow us to accelerate progress toward our vision for a cleaner, more sustainable future.”

    This project received a grant from the UK Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuels Fund and represents an important step towards the UK government’s 2050 net-zero target and its goal of having five commercial-scale SAF plants under construction by 2025. WSF is currently executing the detailed design phase of the project. McDermott will perform early engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) related services for the project.

    “Our FT CANS™ technology was developed in partnership with bp and revolutionizes the sustainable fuel sector by enabling production at commercial scale. We look forward to working with Willis Sustainable Fuels on this innovative project that will benefit the UK and beyond,” said Alberto Giovanzana, Managing Director – Licensing at Johnson Matthey

    “Axens is honored to be chosen as a partner in this pivotal energy transition project to support the emergence of the advanced SAF market in the UK. We are dedicated to accompanying Willis every step of the way, ensuring the successful implementation of innovative solutions that drive sustainable progress,” said Jacques Rault, Executive Vice President Technology & Technical Support of Axens.

    The project’s technology is intended to produce 100% SAF that can be seamlessly blended with conventional jet fuel for immediate use with existing commercial aircraft engines. The fuel produced is projected to offer greenhouse gas emissions savings of approximately 80% compared to today’s fuels.

    WSF remains committed to the aviation industry’s transformation to a more sustainable future by investing in, developing and producing scalable solutions to decarbonize aviation. For more information on WSF, visit www.willissustainablefuels.com.

    About Willis Lease Finance Corporation

    Willis Lease Finance Corporation (“WLFC”) leases large and regional spare commercial aircraft engines, auxiliary power units and aircraft to airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers and maintenance, repair, and overhaul providers worldwide. These leasing activities are integrated with engine and aircraft trading, engine lease pools and asset management services through Willis Asset Management Limited, as well as various end-of-life solutions for engines and aviation materials provided through Willis Aeronautical Services, Inc. Through Willis Engine Repair Center®, Jet Centre by Willis, and Willis Aviation Services Limited, the Company’s service offerings include Part 145 engine maintenance, aircraft line and base maintenance, aircraft disassembly, parking and storage, airport FBO and ground and cargo handling services. Willis Sustainable Fuels intends to develop, build and operate projects to help decarbonize aviation.

    Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Do not unduly rely on forward-looking statements, which give only expectations about the future and are not guarantees. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which the forward-looking statement is based, except as required by law. Our actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: the effects on the airline industry and the global economy of events such as war, terrorist activity and the COVID-19 pandemic; changes in oil prices, rising inflation and other disruptions to world markets; trends in the airline industry and our ability to capitalize on those trends, including growth rates of markets and other economic factors; risks associated with owning and leasing jet engines and aircraft; our ability to successfully negotiate equipment purchases, sales and leases, to collect outstanding amounts due and to control costs and expenses; changes in interest rates and availability of capital, both to us and our customers; our ability to continue to meet changing customer demands; regulatory changes affecting airline operations, aircraft maintenance, accounting standards and taxes; the market value of engines and other assets in our portfolio; and risks detailed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other continuing  and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is advisable, however, to consult any further disclosures the Company makes on related subjects in such filings. These statements constitute the Company’s cautionary statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

    About Johnson Matthey
    Johnson Matthey is a global leader in sustainable technologies. For over 200 years Johnson Matthey has used advanced metals chemistry to tackle the world’s biggest challenges.

    Many of the world’s leading energy, chemicals and automotive companies depend on Johnson Matthey’s technology and expertise to decarbonise, reduce harmful emissions, and improve their sustainability.

    And now, as the world faces the challenges of climate change, energy supply and resource scarcity, Johnson Matthey is actively providing solutions for its customers. Through inspiring science and continued innovation, we’re catalysing the net zero transition for millions of people every day. For more information visit www.matthey.com.

    About Axens
    The Axens Group (www.axens.net) offers a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass into cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates, the chemical recycling of plastics, natural gas treatment and conversion options, water treatment and carbon capture. Their offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility studies to start-up and monitoring of units throughout their lifecycle. This unique position guarantees optimum performance and a reduced environmental footprint. Axens’ international offering is based on highly qualified human resources, modern production facilities and an extensive global network for industrial, technical support and sales services. Axens is an IFP Energies Nouvelles Group company.

    To find out more, visit Axens’ website and follow Axens on X and LinkedIn.

    Contact press: press@axens.net 

     CONTACT: Lynn Mailliard Kohler
      Director, Global Corporate Communications
      (415) 328-4798
      lkohler@willislease.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police seeking witnesses to fatal crash in CBD

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police have released images of two cars seen in the CBD just after a pedestrian died in a crash on Wakefield Street.

    Police and emergency services were called to the intersection of Wakefield Street and Frome Street, Adelaide about 9.30pm on Sunday 30 March by reports of a collision.

    It is believed the pedestrian was crossing Wakefield Street when he was struck by a Nissan four-wheel drive, then by a second vehicle, a Mazda station wagon.

    Sadly, the 65-year-old Adelaide man died at the scene.

    The driver of the Nissan, a 61-year-old Mitchell Park man, was arrested by Major Crash officers and charged with cause death by careless driving.  He was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 18 June.

    The driver of the Mazda, a 20-year-old Hillcrest man, is assisting police with their enquiries.

    Both vehicles were towed from the scene for forensic examination.

    Major Crash Investigation Section has released two images of two separate cars following an investigation.

    Following the initial collision between the Nissan utility and the pedestrian a dark sedan with a spoiler on the rear and a white SUV were seen in CCTV footage to pass through the collision scene in a westerly direction.

    These two vehicles are not believed to be involved in the collision (images below).

    Police are appealing for the driver of both vehicles or any other witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    Please reference 25-034M.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How should police officers use force? The Kristian White case is an insight into what the community thinks

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Ryan, Lecturer in Criminology, Deakin University

    When a jury in the New South Wales Supreme Court found Kristian White guilty of manslaughter, it was the first verdict of its kind in recent Australian history.

    The verdict is significant because it offered a rare opportunity for the community to have a prominent say in what should and shouldn’t be regarded as reasonable use of force by police.

    The sentence of a two-year community-based order means White won’t spend any time behind bars – a judgement that surprised some legal scholars.

    Clare Nowland, aged 95, died after she was tasered by White, a police officer, in a nursing home in 2023. Nowland had approached White in distress while holding a steak knife. She fell after being tasered and died a week later in hospital.

    In finding White guilty, the jury drew an important line in the sand around the appropriate use of tasers, and use of force more generally, by police in Australia.

    It follows an emerging international trend, suggesting community expectations around police use of force are shifting. Recent convictions of Derek Chauvin in the United States and Benjamin Monk in the United Kingdom demonstrate this.

    We don’t know much about what the public thinks about this issue. While this case is highly specific, it’s the first major window into what everyday people think police should and shouldn’t be able to do in the line of duty.

    Excessive force: what are the rules?

    Excessive use of force by police is notoriously difficult to define.

    “Situational use of force” models, such as that used in the NSW Police, offer little insight, for officers or juries, about what level of force is appropriate for what level of resistance.

    Officers in NSW are reminded that “the decision to apply force, including use of a Taser, is an individual one for which every officer will be held accountable”.

    In this model, any officer who carries an array of weapons (as White did on that fateful evening) must be an expert in how to use those weapons proportionately to the threat they face.

    But what tangible guidance do they have about what constitutes excessive force? Given persistent concerns among police scholars about deficiencies in training and other policy documents, it can be hard to discern what is reasonable or excessive force legally.

    Every critical incident carries specific and different dynamics, and officers cannot realistically be trained for every possible scenario. Much depends on their individual decision-making.

    So can we reach a definition?

    How then can we find a universal way to recognise “excessive force”?

    One of the better definitions of such force comes from North American police ethics scholar Carl Klockars, who suggested in 1996 excessive force was “any force that a police officer of the highest skill might find a way to avoid”.

    This definition encourages us to think (and talk) more about what a police officer of the highest skill looks like. This is important in an era when ideas about what police can and should do are strongly shaped by Hollywood fantasies.

    In the tragic set of circumstances that unfolded in the Cooma aged care home, we can ask ourselves: what might an officer of the highest skill have done?

    Notably, a recently retired senior officer answered this question in the media the day after the events unfolded. He said “they could have thrown a blanket over her”.

    Evidently, the jury agreed there were other options available that didn’t involve the use of a taser.

    Modern policing must reckon with what a highly skilled officer looks like, especially as the profession adopts so-called “less lethal” force technologies such as tasers. What characteristics do we really want in a police officer’s “skills armoury”? Do we want a good aim, a strong physical presence, high levels of empathy or perhaps ethical decision-making? What should be prioritised?

    The Nowland case has asked these questions. The jury’s verdict set the stage for a sentence that established a higher standard for policing vulnerable people, which made it surprising that a non-custodial sentence was ultimately imposed.

    What does the public think?

    The sentencing outcome will spur more debate and has disappointed Nowland’s family.

    Justice Ian Harrison found there were mitigating factors, such as White’s claim he felt “justified” in his actions. As a police officer, this likely carried significant weight to reduce moral culpability and the need for “punishment”.

    Justice Harrison also found White’s actions fell at the lower end of objective seriousness for manslaughter.

    But what about ensuring the sentence reflects community ideals about policing standards, as reflected in the guilty verdict?

    Many may now wonder whether there is any kind of police misuse of a taser that could be deemed worthy of the ultimate penalty of imprisonment.

    But the case nevertheless remains a watershed moment. It provides an insight into what the public expects of police, and how strongly courts choose to reinforce those expectations.

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

    – ref. How should police officers use force? The Kristian White case is an insight into what the community thinks – https://theconversation.com/how-should-police-officers-use-force-the-kristian-white-case-is-an-insight-into-what-the-community-thinks-245151

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: A new code for Scotland’s pubs and bars

    Source: Scottish Government

    Levelling the playing field.

    New measures have come into force to give Scotland’s tied pub tenants more rights and greater protection.

    From today (Monday 31 March), the Scottish Pubs Code will enable tied pub tenants to stock a wider range of beers beyond those supplied through the pub-owning business, providing more choice for customers and supporting local breweries. Pub-owning businesses will also have to provide prospective tenants with more information on things like business costs, helping them make more informed choices.

    Further elements of the Code will be introduced in June. These will include allowing tenants to request different leases that will give them greater responsibility and flexibility in the way that they run their business.

    An independent Scottish Pubs Code Adjudicator – Sarah Havlin – has started work overseeing the application of the Code and ruling on any disputes.

    The Code has undergone extensive consultation and is intended to create a fairer operating environment between tenants and landlords, reduce costly disputes and help safeguard the future of Scotland’s tied tenanted pubs and bars.

    Employment Minister Tom Arthur said:

    “This is a good deal for Scotland’s hospitality sector. We are rebalancing the relationship between pub tenants and pub-owning businesses, making it easier to do business and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs in the tied pub sector.

    “And it is a boost for customers who could now find a much fuller array of local draught beers in their favourite pubs.

    “I will continue to engage with the sector to ensure that the Code places the interests of both tenants and landlords at its heart.”

    Background

    Scotland has an estimated 700 tied pubs, representing 16% of all licensed establishments. A tied pub is leased from a pub-owning business by a tenant who is required to buy their beer and sometimes other products from that business.

    Sarah Havlin was formally appointed as the Scottish Pubs Code Adjudicator in June 2024. Sarah is a solicitor by background and has acted in several judicial and quasi-judicial roles, including as the Certification Officer of Northern Ireland, a quasi-judicial and statutory regulation role in trade union affairs. She has played a significant role in the review of local government boundaries in Northern Ireland since 2008 and is currently the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner of Northern Ireland. She has previously served as Assistant District Electoral Areas Commissioner and as an independent Ministerial advisor on the revised terms and conditions for local government representatives.

    The work of the Adjudicator and the effectiveness of the Code will be reviewed after 31 March 2026 and every three years thereafter.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig memorial unveiling

    Source: New South Wales – News

    A tight-knit country community will honour and remember a local police officer during a special memorial unveiling event this Sunday.

    A life-size silhouette of Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig and accompanying plaque will be unveiled by SA Governor, Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC and Doig family members at Lucindale’s Centenary Park from 2pm Sunday.

    On 17 November 2023, Brevet Sergeant Doig, 53, was killed in the line of duty on a property at Senior in South Australia’s upper south-east.

    He joined South Australia Police in 1989 and served the Limestone Coast community for more than a decade, taking up the Lucindale post in 2011.

    SA Police Legacy, Police Association of South Australia, Wall to Wall and Cops 4 Kids have worked with SAPOL to organise the memorial following an outpouring of donations and support after Brevet Sergeant Doig’s death.

    He was posthumously awarded the South Australia Police Bravery Medal for saving the lives of two police colleagues.

    The memorial silhouette is based on a 2013 photo (pictured) taken during Brevet Sergeant Doig’s Lucindale posting, where he stands proudly next to a patrol vehicle.

    Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens will join fellow SAPOL members, the Doig family and other dignitaries and guests to celebrate Brevet Sergeant Doig’s life and career.

    “The Lucindale community has been extremely generous, which is a testament to the impact Brevet Sergeant Doig had during his career,” Commissioner Stevens said.

    “He leaves behind a legacy of community service and will forever be remembered for his courage and sacrifice.”

    Along with being the officer-in-charge at the Lucindale police station, Brevet Sergeant Doig was well known around town for volunteering at several sporting clubs and participating in crime prevention activities.

    SA Police Legacy Board President Kellie Watkins will emcee this Sunday’s event, which will include a Commissioner’s address, memorial unveiling, prayer and blessing, minute’s silence, speech by brother Brett Doig and a SAPOL course mate, and conclude with the laying of tributes.

    The Band of the South Australia Police will also perform The Requiescant – played at funerals and memorial ceremonies for Australian police officers killed on duty.

    Coinciding with the unveiling, Lucindale Lions Club has renamed a structure in the local park to be the ‘Jason Doig PBM LEM Memorial Shelter’.

    Members of the public are invited to attend the memorial event on Sunday, April 6 at Lucindale Centenary Park, Musgrave Avenue, 1.45pm for a 2pm start.

    A life-size silhouette and plaque will be unveiled at Lucindale this Sunday in honour of Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New services for patients under record pharmacy funding deal

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New services for patients under record pharmacy funding deal

    Patients to benefit from new services thanks to funding deal agreed between the government and Community Pharmacy England (CPE).

    • More services for patients at their local pharmacy and record investment for community pharmacies
    • Full-year funding package is the first to be agreed by the sector since 2023
    • Deal with Community Pharmacy England signals government’s first step towards rebuilding community pharmacy through its Plan for Change

    Patients will receive more services as community pharmacies receive record investment in the government’s first step to rebuilding community pharmacy through its Plan for Change. This demonstrates our commitment to rebuild community pharmacy for the long term.

    The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed it has agreed funding with Community Pharmacy England worth an extra £617 million over two years following a six-week consultation with the organisation.

    On top of this, the government is writing off £193 million of debt for community pharmacy owners to give them confidence going into the new financial year on April 1.

    The increase signals the government’s first steps in addressing the years of underfunding and neglect that has left the sector facing significant financial shortfalls.

    The investment comes alongside reforms to deliver a raft of patient benefits, as part of the government’s agenda to shift the focus of care from hospitals into the community, so that people can more easily access care and support on their high streets. The greater range of services provided will not only improve access for patients, but also free up GP time and cut waiting lists by avoiding the need for people to book in to see their GP.

    This includes:

    • Making the ‘morning-after pill’ available free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS for the first time ever, ending the postcode lottery women face in accessing the medicine and reducing inequalities.
    • Offering patients suffering depression convenient support at pharmacies when they are prescribed antidepressants, to boost mental health support in the community.
    • Cutting red tape and bureaucracy to give patients easier access to consultations, with more of the pharmacy team able to deliver a wider number of services such as medicines and prescriptions advice, Pharmacy First services, and carrying out blood pressure checks.
    • Boosting financial incentives for pharmacists to identify patients with undiagnosed high blood pressure and take pressure off GPs.
    • Boosting funding for medicine supply so patients have better access to the medicines prescribed for them. This includes writing off the historic debt linked to dispensing activity during the pandemic and increasing fees linked to dispensing prescriptions.

    Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said:

    Community pharmacists are at the heart of local healthcare, and we want them to play a bigger role as we shift care out of hospitals and into the community through our Plan for Change.

    We’re working to turn around a decade of underfunding and neglect that has left the sector on the brink of collapse.

    This package of record investment and reform is a vital first step to getting community pharmacies back on their feet and fit for the future.

    The agreement shows how this government is working in partnership with community pharmacy to deliver more care for patients closer to their home, freeing up GP appointments, and catching ill-health earlier and preventing it in the first place.

    The deal is the first full-year funding to be agreed by Community Pharmacy England since 2023 after it rejected an offer from the previous administration.

    It includes confirmation of a final funding settlement for this year (2024/25) worth an extra £106 million compared to the previous year, and a further £375 million for 2025/26. It takes the total package for the coming year to £3.073 billion.

    A further £30 million has also been freed up by devolving funding for blood pressure and contraception services to pharmacies.

    In total, the 2025/26 uplift represents a 15% increase in government spending on the previous year, higher than the record 5.8% growth in the total NHS budget.

    Community Pharmacy England Chief Executive Janet Morrison said:

    As highly trusted and accessible healthcare locations, community pharmacies have so much to offer patients and the NHS to help shift more care into communities.

    But we came to these negotiations as a sector in crisis – with the impact of a decade’s worth of real-terms cuts to funding leaving pharmacy businesses fighting to survive, and closures continuing at an alarming rate.

    We are pleased that this settlement takes a positive first step in the right direction for pharmacies, towards stabilisation and a better future.

    A sustainable community pharmacy sector can and must play a huge part in the future of the NHS.

    David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England:

    This positive investment underscores the importance of community pharmacy as an integral part of the NHS team, providing clinical care, optimising the use of medicines, and supporting people in their neighbourhoods to prevent ill-health.

    Thank you to community pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy teams across England for your professionalism, innovation and commitment. I look forward to continuing our exciting work together to develop future professional practice, building on the achievements in education and training and workforce development that we have so far progressed.

    Amanda Doyle, National Director – Primary Care and Community Services, said:

    I welcome this funding deal for pharmacies, and I am pleased that community pharmacists will be able to build on their success in supporting patients through expanding their roles in recent years.

    Community pharmacists and their teams are delivering important clinical services for patients in the heart of their local communities, and, through Pharmacy First, patients have been given easy access to support for common conditions, as well as blood pressure checks, oral contraception and vaccinations. This funding secures their good work for patients for the future.

    The government has promised to deliver three big shifts through its 10 Year Health Plan, including moving care from hospitals into the community.

    Community pharmacies will play a vital role in delivering patient services at convenient locations under this plan, as well as helping the government’s wider objectives to build an NHS fit for the future through its Plan for Change.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New rules simplifying recycling for workplaces in England come into force

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New rules simplifying recycling for workplaces in England come into force

    New regulations requiring businesses to separate recycling from waste come into effect

    New rules on how workplaces in England sort their recycling and waste have now come into force, ending confusion over what goes where and enabling consistent, more streamlined collections. 

    The measures as part of the Government’s Simpler Recycling plans will boost flatlining recycling rates, reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill or for incineration, and deliver cost savings for some businesses, while replacing previous legislation which could have required them to have up to six bins.  

    From today (Monday 31 March), workplaces with 10 or more employees will need to arrange for the collection of the following:  

    • dry recyclable materials – including plastic, metal, glass, and paper and card 

    • food waste  

    • residual (non-recyclable) waste

    Workplaces will need to separate paper and card from the other dry recyclables unless their waste collector collects them together. They will also have the freedom to decide on the size of containers and frequency of collections based on the volume of waste they produce.   

    This is a sensible, pragmatic approach to the collection of materials for the businesses and other premises in scope, which include residential homes, universities and schools, and hospitals or nursing homes.   

    Simplifying the approach will mean more high-quality recycled material can be sourced domestically, which can then be used by manufacturers to make new products as part of the transition to a more circular economy.  

    This will reduce carbon emissions, cut environmental and societal impacts from waste disposal, and support growth of the UK reprocessing industry. 

    Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:

    We are committed to ending the throwaway society, boosting recycling rates which have stalled for too long, and driving growth through the Government’s Plan for Change. 

    Simplifying the rules for workplaces will make recycling easier, maximising environmental benefits, delivering cost savings and stimulating growth.  

    We’ll continue to work hand-in-hand with businesses to deliver our reforms to drive up recycling rates and ensure there’s more recycled content in the products we buy.

    As of 31 March, the Environment Agency has assumed responsibilities as the regulator for Simpler Recycling, meaning it is committed to supporting businesses – both waste producers and collectors – with their new duties. 

    This includes helping businesses to understand the actions they need to take to ensure compliance with the regulations. 

    Steve Molyneux, deputy director of waste and resources regulation at the Environment Agency, said: 

    The implementation of Simpler Recycling for workplaces is a pivotal moment and a huge step forward, driving change in the waste market, optimising the use of our precious resources, and contributing to a circular economy. 

    We are committed to supporting businesses with their new duties. We will take a pragmatic approach to implementation and will work with stakeholders to support them in overcoming any difficulties they might face in relation to compliance.

    Simpler Recycling in England is integral to the Government’s commitment to move to a circular economy in which resources are kept in use for longer and waste is reduced; the path to net zero is accelerated; and the economy prospers thanks to investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs. 

    Further measures under Simpler Recycling to come mean the public will be able to recycle the same materials across England, whether at home, work or school. 

    By 31 March 2026, local authorities will be required to collect the core recyclable waste streams from all households in England. This includes introducing weekly food waste collections for most homes, unless their councils have a transitional arrangement in place, giving them a later start date in legislation. 

    Kerbside plastic film collections from workplaces and households will also be introduced by 31 March 2027. 

    Workplaces with fewer than 10 employees have until 31 March 2027 to arrange for the recycling of the core recyclable waste streams. 

    Alongside extended producer responsibility for packaging and the deposit return scheme for drinks containers, Simpler Recycling in England is estimated to deliver greenhouse gas emissions savings equivalent to £11.8 billion and make a significant contribution towards meeting the ambition to recycle 65% of municipal waste by 2035. 

    The reforms will also drive up recycling rates – household recycling rates in England have flatlined at around 44-45% since 2015.  

    The implementation of Simpler Recycling for workplaces follows Environment Secretary Steve Reed setting out a new plan to transform the nation’s economy on 27 March, ensuring resources and products are used more sustainably and delivering cleaner streets and a healthy countryside. 

    The Environment Secretary confirmed the first five priority sectors that the independent Circular Economy Taskforce will focus on to make the greatest difference, which are textiles, transport, construction, agri-food, and chemicals and plastics.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK hosts first major international summit to tackle illegal migration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    UK hosts first major international summit to tackle illegal migration

    The UK has mobilised over 40 countries and organisations to launch an unprecedented global fight against ruthless people smuggling gangs.

    The UK is spearheading the toughest ever international crackdown on organised immigration crime as the Prime Minister and Home Secretary host a landmark summit today (31 March). 

    The Organised Immigration Crime (OIC) Summit brings together over 40 countries, including the United States, Vietnam, Iraq, and France, to unite behind a new approach to dismantle people smuggling gangs and deliver on working people’s priorities for secure borders.

    This is the first time the full range of factors driving illegal migration, from the supply chain in small boats to anti-trafficking measures, illicit finance and social media advertising, have been explored at a global summit of this scale.

    The summit will also see representatives from Meta, X and TikTok discuss how to jointly tackle the online promotion of irregular migration. 

    Through the summit, the government will use all available levers at its disposal to push forward progress in bringing gangs to justice, tackle the global threat of organised immigration crime and protect vulnerable people from exploitation.

    To back this drive, the Home Secretary has today announced £30 million of funding going directly to high impact operations from the Border Security Command to tackle supply chains, illicit finances and trafficking routes across Europe, the Western Balkans, Asia, and Africa. 

    An additional £3 million will enable the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to increase its capacity to prosecute organised international smugglers and expand its international footprint to support the Border Security Command to pursue, disrupt and arrest those responsible for dangerous people smuggling operations. 

    This reflects the Prime Minister’s long-held view, informed by his work as Chief Prosecutor, that cross border cooperation is the foundation of tackling international gangs and securing Britain’s borders.

    In remarks delivered later today, the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, is expected to say: 

    This vile trade exploits the cracks between our institutions, pits nations against one another and profits from our inability at the political level to come together. 

    When I was the Director of Public Prosecutions, we worked across borders throughout Europe and beyond to foil numerous plots, saving thousands of lives in the process. We prevented planes from being blown up over the Atlantic and brought the perpetrators to justice. 

    I believe we should treat organised immigration crime in the same way. 

    I simply do not believe organised immigration crime cannot be tackled. We’ve got to combine our resources, share intelligence and tactics, and tackle the problem upstream at every step of the people smuggling routes.

    The summit will deliver concrete outcomes across Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, and North America by strengthening international partnerships, enhancing intelligence sharing, and implementing targeted disruptions to Organised Immigration Crime networks.

    As a direct result, we will be able to strengthen UK borders and security and create a more efficient and manageable asylum system, taking the burden away from housing, the NHS and schools, and giving hotels back to the local economy.  

    Speaking ahead of the summit, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:   

    Smuggler and trafficking gangs make their money crossing borders so law enforcement needs to work together across borders to bring them down. Only a coordinated international response, across the whole irregular migration route, can effectively dismantle these networks.  

    The Organised Immigration Crime Summit is the first of its kind and will reinforce the UK’s position as a leader by securing international commitments to disrupt Organised Immigration Crime at every stage of the business model.   

    The summit demonstrates mine and the Prime Minister’s absolute dedication to disrupting the callous Organised Criminal Gangs, strengthening our borders and ultimately save countless lives.

    The UK’s global leadership on this is issue is already delivering results. France has agreed to launch a unit of specialist officers who are mobile, highly trained and equipped to respond dynamically to prevent small boat launches. 

    Germany has committed to strengthen their laws against those who facilitate smuggling to the UK and a new UK-Italy taskforce is hitting people smugglers’ financial flows. After boosting the resources for the National Crime Agency to work with international law enforcement partners, they have seized 600 boats and engines since July. 

    Along with this, work continues at home through giving law enforcement tougher powers than ever to smash the smuggling gangs, ramping up removals to record levels and surging illegal working raids to end the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats. 

    This comprehensive approach is a vital aspect of the government’s Plan for Change, with the threat from organised immigration crime increasing in scale and complexity.  

    Organised immigration crime spans multiple countries, nationalities, and criminal methodologies, with recent estimate of the total global income from migrant smuggling reaching $10 billion last year.

    Criminal gangs headed by hundreds of kingpins are using sophisticated online tactics, the abuse of legitimate goods and services, and illicit financial networks to facilitate dangerous and illegal journeys which undermine border security and put thousands of lives at risk each year.  

    The summit will also examine the work of the government’s Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) in supporting the US, by providing innovative space-based maritime surveillance capability to monitor and dismantle any vessels along Haiti’s north coast suspected to be involved in illegal immigration, illegal fishing activities and drug smuggling.

    The JMSC is harnessing cutting edge technology and capabilities to provide 24 hour monitoring of UK waters and ensure our borders are secure, by using satellite to provide a better overall understanding of incoming threats to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The UK government is working with our partners in Turks and Caicos to support and protect the Island from irregular migration. 

    This collaboration demonstrates the UK government’s commitment to deploying advanced capabilities against illegal migration while protecting overseas territories. 

    There has also been a series of major arrests of smuggling kingpins, including: 

    • arrests linked to a major Syrian organised crime group responsible for smuggling at least 750 migrants into the UK and Europe
    • the arrest of a Turkish national suspected of being a huge supplier of small boats
    • the conviction of 2 men in Wales who ran a smuggling ring moving thousands of migrants across Europe
    • the arrests in February of 6 men wanted in Belgium over their suspected involvement in a major people smuggling ring

    These arrests come alongside the NCA working with the authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for the first time, to facilitate the arrests of 3 men linked to a Kurdish people smuggling organised crime group, as well as an increase in the takedown of social media accounts linked to people smugglers.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £16 million boost to improve flood protection for farmers and rural communities

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    £16 million boost to improve flood protection for farmers and rural communities

    Additional funding for internal drainage boards (IDBs) to boost farm and rural flood resilience, bringing total IDB Fund to £91 million

    A flooded field

    More than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land across England will receive a significant, further boost to its flood protection thanks to £16 million in additional funding for internal drainage boards (IDBs), Floods Minister Emma Hardy announced today (Monday 31 March).

    Some 91,000 homes and businesses are also expected to benefit from the IDB Fund, which has been bolstered to a total of £91 million on top of the previously allocated £75 million as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    IDBs are the vital local public bodies who manage water levels for agricultural and environmental needs across the country. They serve 1.2 million hectares of land covering 9.7% of the country’s total land area, operate around 500 pumping stations, and maintain more than 22,000 kilometres (13,700 miles) of watercourses.

    The funding will go towards helping IDBs with operational expenses following the devastating winter storms of 2023/4, including bankrolling the repair of pumping stations.

    It will also enable investment in modernising and upgrading IDB assets and waterways to ensure they are fit for the future.

    As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, the investment will improve resilience for farmland, flood infrastructure and rural communities, delivering growth and supporting agricultural production.

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

    Flooding can take a devastating toll on farmers and rural communities. This additional funding will ensure rural flood assets are more resilient or fully replaced, putting IDBs on a firm footing to deliver their vital work on flood and water management for years to come.

    Thousands of properties and tens of thousands of hectares of farmland are already seeing their flood resilience improved as part of the Government’s Plan for Change and today’s further investment will help support our farmers further.

    The Environment Agency manages the Fund and will distribute grants to IDBs by the end of April 2025 .

    Ian Hodge, Environment Agency Chief Engineer and Director of Asset Management & Engineering, said:

    By increasing the IDB Fund with an additional £16 million, we are equipping these essential public bodies to address the mounting challenges posed by climate change, including more frequent and severe weather events.

    This funding ensures IDBs can repair flood risk management assets, manage rising costs, and continue their crucial work in reducing flood risks.

    Beyond safeguarding communities, this investment will enable internal drainage boards to manage water levels more effectively for agricultural productivity and environmental priorities, bolstering resilience and adaptability for years to come.

    So far, the IDB Fund  has provided £53 million for more than 200 projects between July 2024 and March 2025. It will have supported 91 of the nation’s 112 IDBs upon completion.

    Bill Symons, clerk to the York Consortium of Drainage Boards who benefitted from the Fund, said:

    The IDB Fund has allowed us to deliver more sustainable, higher quality works on flood infrastructure badly damaged by storms and flooding. This was proving to be an expensive, unfunded legacy.

    The funding has reduced financial pressure locally at a critical time after a period of flooding and loss of productivity in agriculture, along with shortages of funds in local authorities.

    We have used local workforces and contractors to deliver some of our more expensive and problematic bank slips and delivered more than we could do normally thanks to the fund.

    Further projects already delivered through the IDB Fund include the replacement of pumps and pumping station infrastructure, much of which was built in the 1960s and damaged during recent storm and flood events.

    A £1.3 million project to install four new pumps at Marshfield and Lapperditch pumping stations in the Lower Severn catchment near Gloucester has just been completed, meaning the stations will be able to operate for at least another 25 years. The new pumps also support River Severn flood defences, 12 kilometres of roads, and fish and eels, as well as reducing the amount of time farmland in the area spends under water.

    Elsewhere, funding has also been used to repair flood embankments, desilt drainage ditches, install telemetry and water control structures for remote operation, and improve fish and eel passages.   

    More than 64% of England’s agricultural land graded excellent and suitable for a wide range of crops with consistently high yields – known as Grade 1 Agricultural Land – is within regions managed by IDBs. Approximately 20% of arable production is from land in or close to IDBs.

    In February, the Government committed a record £2.65 billion investment over two years towards the construction of new flood schemes alongside the repair and maintenance of existing assets as part of its Plan for Change.

    The Environment Agency has today published a list of the schemes across the nation to benefit from funding for the next year.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government to build over 1,000 flood schemes across the country

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government to build over 1,000 flood schemes across the country

    Schemes supported as part of record £2.65 billion two-year investment to protect communities from flooding

    Flood defences on the River Severn

    Over 1,000 flood schemes will be built or repaired to protect thousands of homes and businesses from the dangers of flooding, the Government and Environment Agency have announced.

    Investing a record £2.65 billion over two years towards the construction of new flood schemes and the repair and maintenance of existing ones, the government has published today the full list of projects supported over the next year.

    During the two-year investment, 1,000 flood schemes have been or will continue to be supported. This year around £430 million is going towards their construction, while a further £220 million will be used to reinstate flood defences to their full standard of service and original design life to help protect communities. Further funding has been earmarked for repairing existing flood assets utilised in flood events, such as pumps, as well as important activity to warn and inform the public of flooding risks.

    As the frequency of extreme weather events continues to increase due to climate change, there are more and more devastating impacts for communities across the country, costing the UK economy billions each year.

    This investment is part of the Government’s Plan for Change, delivering security for working people and renewal for our country. It will boost economic growth in local communities, by protecting businesses, delivering new jobs, and supporting a stable economy in the face of the increasing risk of flooding as a result of climate change.

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

    The role of Government is to protect its citizens. However, we inherited flood defences in their worst condition on record.

    Through our Plan for Change, this government will deliver a decade of national renewal and economic growth. As part of that we are investing a record £2.65 billion to build and repair over 1,000 flood defences across the country.

    Flagship schemes to receive funding this year include:

    • Derby Flood Risk Management Scheme in Derbyshire, which will receive £34.6 million and protect 673 homes. 
    • North Portsea Island Coastal Flood and Erosion Risk Management Scheme in Hampshire, which will receive £13.8 million and protect 1,081 homes.
    • Preston and South Ribble Flood Risk Management Scheme in Lancashire, which will receive £10.4 million and protect 1,537 homes.
    • Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill Flood Defences in Dorset, which will receive £12.2 million and protect 135 homes. 
    • Benacre and Kessingland Flood Risk Management Scheme in Suffolk, which will receive £10.1 million and protect 86 homes. 
    • Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme in Yorkshire, which will receive £5 million and protect 414 homes.

    Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management for the Environment Agency, said:

    Protecting communities in England from the devastating impact of flooding is our priority and this is more important than ever as climate change brings more extreme weather to the nation.

    The delivery of these schemes will be welcome news for homeowners and businesses, who have experienced flooding in the past and may face more extreme weather as our climate continues to change.

    Our focus is now on working with local councils and Regional Flood and Coastal Committees to deliver these schemes on time, ensuring as many properties as possible are protected.

    The Government has prioritised £140 million to ensure that 29 schemes, which are in progress but struggling with cost pressures, can be delivered without further delays, protecting nearby communities as soon as possible. The list of supported schemes has also been confirmed by the Environment Agency and includes flood defences in Great Yarmouth and the Alverstoke Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Scheme on the south coast.

    Notes to editors:

    • The attached list covers projects receiving funding in 2025/6.
    • Schemes proceeding in 2026/7 and beyond will be subject to the routine RFCC consenting process and decisions at SR25.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New proposals to ban heather burning on peatland to protect air, water and wildlife

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New proposals to ban heather burning on peatland to protect air, water and wildlife

    Extension to ban of burning on deep peat proposed by Government, so that an extra 146,000 hectares are protected

    • Peatlands store carbon, improve water quality, provide valuable habitat for wildlife, and help protect communities from flooding

    • Action will improve air quality in villages, towns and cities, help deliver manifesto commitments to reach Net Zero by 2050 and expand wildlife-rich habitat, as part of our Plan for Change

    Nature-rich peatland habitats are to be better protected under plans set out by the Government today (Monday 31 March), which would ban burning on peat in the uplands, improving health and wellbeing of people in nearby communities.

    Sometimes described as the country’s lungs, peatlands are a vital resource which can store carbon, reduce flood risk, improve water quality, and support rare wildlife such as the golden plover and curlews. They are also some of our richest habitats for dragonflies with 25 of the UK’s 38 species found on upland peatbogs.

    However, 80% of England’s peatlands are currently degraded. Burning on peatland increases heather growth, which dries out the peatland, causing it to actually emit rather than store carbon.

    Burning of vegetation including heather on this scale causes the release of harmful smoke into the air, impacting air quality across communities. This includes harmful air pollutants for human health, including ones strongly associated with strokes, cardiovascular disease, asthma and some lung cancers.

    Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

    Our peatlands are this country’s Amazon Rainforest – home to our most precious wildlife, storing carbon and reducing flooding risk.

    The UK has 13% of the world’s blanket bog. A rare global habitat, it is a precious part of our national heritage, and that is why we‘re announcing a consultation on these measures to ensure deep peat is better protected.

    These changes will benefit communities by improving air and water quality, and protect homes and businesses from flood damage, which supports economic stability and security under our Plan for Change. 

    If implemented, these changes will increase the area currently protected from 222,000 to more than 368,000 hectares of England’s total 677,250 hectares of deep peat, meaning an area equivalent to the size of Greater London, Greater Manchester and West Midlands put together will now be better protected.

    The definition of deep peat will be revised, so that deep peat is counted as anything over 30cms rather than 40cms. The entire area of upland deep peat that is potentially subject to burning will be protected.

    This approach is being supported by evidence provided by Natural England. Any prescribed burning would need to be done under strict licence, issued where there is a clear need, for example to reduce wildfire risk.  

    The move comes as part of wider government plans to support nature recovery and clean up the air for our health, wellbeing and the environment. It is an important step in tackling the underlying drivers of ill-health as outlined in the Government’s mission to improve health and follows announcements on the wild release and management of beavers in England, a new approach to neonicotinoid pesticides on crops grown in England and new measures to strengthen our protected areas and meet 30×30.  The Government has also pledged up to £400 million for tree planting and peatland restoration, as part of its Nature for Climate Fund. 

    The consultation will run for eight weeks from today and the public and land managers are urged to have their say. The Government is proposing to refine the existing licencing system whereby applicants need to successfully explain why alternative methods have not or would not work and show how they intend to move the land away from the need to burn in future in order to receive a licence. One of the grounds to apply for a licence to burn will be to reduce the risk of wildfire, so we can balance environmental protection with practical land management. 

    The supporting evidence has also been published today. Natural England published a comprehensive updated Evidence Review on ‘The effects of managed burning on upland peatland biodiversity, carbon and water’, along with a Definition of Favourable Conservation Status for Blanket bog, which sets out its view on favourable conservation status for Blanket bog in England.
    The England Peat Map, a detailed, open-access map of England’s peatlands, covering extent, depth, and condition, is being developed by Natural England and will be published later in the spring. 

    Notes to editors: 

    • The consultation on proposed changes to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 will allow stakeholders time to comment and for responses to be analysed and fed into subsequent policy development. 

    • The consultation is available on gov.uk and will run until 25 May. 

    • It is proposed that the increase in total area protected would be achieved by changing the designated area from Sites of Special Scientific Interest that are also Special Areas of Conservation and/or Special Protection Areas to Less Favoured Areas.  

    • In addition, the proposed changes would extend the regulations to protect shallower peat, over 30cm. 

    • The amended licencing regime proposed by the consultation would enable land managers and owners to apply for a licence to burn in limited circumstances. For their application to be successful they must explain why alternative methods have not or would not work and demonstrate how they intend to move the land away from the need to burn in future.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Three high-range drink drivers detected in states north

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Three high-range drink drivers detected in states north

    Sunday, 30 March 2025 – 7:43 am.

    Police detected three high-range drink drivers in the North overnight Friday including a woman who was nearly five times the legal alcohol limit.
    About 6.30pm Friday a Northern Highway Patrol officer stopped a 38-year-old woman on the Midland Highway near Symmons Plains, after reports the driver had been been weaving across the road at Epping Forest.
    During the intercept police discovered the driver – from NSW – had two passengers in the car who were both licensed and sober.
    The NSW woman was taken to the Longford Police Station where she was breath tested, returning a reading of 0.234 – nearly five times the legal alcohol limit.
    She was arrested, and charged and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
    She will appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court at a later date.
    In the early hours of Saturday morning, Launceston police intercepted two further high-range drink drivers.
    A 31-year-old Ravenswood man on Invermay Road who returned a reading of 0.159 – more than three times the legal limit and a 25-year-old Ravenswood man in Launceston CBD who returned a reading of 0.148 – nearly three times the legal limit.
    Northern Road Policing Services Acting Sergeant Rockliff said driving while under the influence of alcohol, particularly such high levels, posed a serious risk not only to the drivers, but all other road users.
    “We would like to thank the members of the public who reported the woman’s driving behaviour at Epping Forest,” he said.
    “Anyone with information about dangerous driving should contact police on 131 444.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man charged with drink driving and driving under the influence, Kingston

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Man charged with drink driving and driving under the influence, Kingston

    Sunday, 30 March 2025 – 9:05 am.

    A 41-year-old Kingston man has been charged with drink driving and driving under the influence following a two-vehicle crash on the Channel Highway, Kingston yesterday.
    Police were called to the crash about 2pm Saturday 29 March.
    A driver of one of the vehicles returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.255 – more than five times the legal alcohol limit.
    Thankfully, nobody was injured in the crash.
    Kingston Police would like to thank the members of the community who assisted at the crash prior to the arrival of emergency services.
    The man will appear in court at a later date.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Cooee Point Reserve incident

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Cooee Point Reserve incident

    Sunday, 30 March 2025 – 9:48 am.

    A pedestrian has been flown to Melbourne in a critical condition following an incident at Cooee Point Reserve overnight.
    Police and emergency services were called to Cooee Road about midnight after reports a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle.
    The pedestrian was taken to the Northwest Regional Hospital with serious injuries before being airlifted to Melbourne in a critical condition.
    The driver of the vehicle – a 17-year-old-boy- presented to the Burnie Police Station a short time after the incident and was assisting police with their inquiries.
    Investigations into the circumstances leading up to the crash are ongoing.
    Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal crash, Orford

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Fatal crash, Orford

    Sunday, 30 March 2025 – 6:00 pm.

    Sadly, a man in his 60s has died after a single-vehicle crash at Orford today.
    Police and emergency services were called to the scene on the Tasman Highway just before 12.45pm Sunday after reports a camper had left the road, and crashed into a tree.
    The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle sadly died at the scene. 
    At this stage it is believed the man suffered a medical episode.
    Investigations into the crash are ongoing and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
    Our thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update: Attempted murder arrest at Morphett Vale

    Source: New South Wales – News

    A woman has been arrested following a violent altercation at Morphett Vale that resulted in two people sustaining stab wounds.

    Police and paramedics were called to Columba Street, Morphett Vale about 12.45am on Saturday 29 March by reports of a serious assault.

    When officers arrived, they located the occupant of the house, a 27-year-old Morphett Vale man, with multiple stab wounds.

    He was taken to hospital with serious injuries, but they are no longer believed to be life-threatening at this time.

    It will be alleged that four people attended and forced their way into the property and a violent altercation occurred inside the house.

    While police were at the scene at Morphett Vale, another man, aged 22 from Port Noarlunga, also presented at Flinders Medical Centre with serious stab wounds, believed to have occurred in the same incident.

    Southern District CIB detectives, with the assistance of Major Crime detectives, and forensic response officers, attended and examined the scene overnight.

    This incident is not believed to be random.

    A 21-year-old woman from Christie Downs was arrested and charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass and attempted murder.  She was refused police bail and will appear in Christies Beach Magistrates Court on Monday 31 March.

    The investigation is continuing and anyone with information that may assist or has any CCTV or dashcam footage from the street is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 0000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au – you can remain anonymous.

    CO2500013126

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Pursuit ends in arrest

    Source: New South Wales – News

    A pair have been arrested after a pursuit through the western suburbs yesterday evening.

    ​Just before 6.30pm on Sunday 30 March, patrols spotted a white Holden sedan stationary in Edward’s Park, Adelaide. The vehicle was stationary within an area only permitted for authorised vehicles to access. Police indicated for the driver to speak to police before he drove away from police. Police activated emergency lights, indicating for the driver to stop the vehicle. The vehicle continued to drive from police.

    The car stopped for a short time and then took off again. Police followed the car as it headed west on Port Road.  PolAir were quickly in the air and tracked the car as it travelled south on Tapley Hills Road and onto West Lake Boulevard.  The driver drove through two red lights on Cheltenham Parade and Addison Road.

    The car was tracked through the back streets of Pennington and then west onto Grand Junction Road.   The car was successfully spiked as it approached Addison Road and the vehicle came to a stop on Grand Junction Road.

    The driver and the passenger refused to exit the car and officers had to break the car window to arrest the occupants.

    The driver, a 27-year-old man from Ingle Farm, was breath tested and he provided a positive result of 0.107 – more than double the legal limit.  He was charged with dangerous driving to escape a police pursuit, failing to stop, driving whilst unlicenced and a raft of other traffic offences.

    The passenger, a 28-year-old woman from Queensland, was charged with resisting arrest.  They have both been refused police bail and will appear in Port Adeliade Magistrates Court on Monday 31 March.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Pedestrian dies in crash on Wakefield Street

    Source: New South Wales – News

    A pedestrian died after being struck by a car on Wakefield Street in the city last night.

    Police and emergency services were called to the intersection of Wakefield Street and Frome Street, Adelaide about 9.30pm on Sunday 30 March by reports of a collision.

    It is believed the pedestrian was crossing Wakefield Street when he was struck by a Nissan four-wheel drive, then by a second vehicle, a Mazda station wagon.

    Sadly, the 65-year-old Adelaide man died at the scene.

    The driver of the Nissan, a 61-year-old Mitchell Park man, was arrested by Major Crash officers and charged with cause death by careless driving.  He was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 18 June.

    The driver of the Mazda, a 20-year-old Hillcrest man, is assisting police with their enquiries.

    Both vehicles were towed from the scene for forensic examination.

    Major Crash investigators closed Wakefield Street while they examined the scene overnight, but the road has reopened.

    The pedestrian’s death is the 23rd life lost on South Australian roads so far this year.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens propose end of tax relief for Trump’s military

    Source: Scottish Greens

    30 Mar 2025 External Affairs

    We can’t let Scotland be used as a US outpost.

    More in External Affairs

    With the White House expanding its military presence in Scotland, the Scottish Greens will lodge proposals in Parliament to end tax exemptions for foreign armed forces.

    Greens finance spokesperson Ross Greer has lodged the proposals as an amendment to the upcoming Housing (Scotland) Bill.

    At present, foreign militaries are exempt from paying Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (previously known as Stamp Duty) when buying property.

    From the 1960s to the 1990s, Scotland was home to a number of US military bases, including nuclear armed submarines at the Holy Loch on the Clyde, and sites on the Mull of Kintyre and in Edzell in Aberdeenshire. There is also an ongoing US military presence at Prestwick Airport, which is regularly used as a rest and refuelling stop for transatlantic flights.

    America has recently established its first new military site in Scotland since the 1990s at Lossiemouth, with concerns that this presence will grow under President Trump.

    Mr Greer said:

    “Scotland cannot go back to being a US military outpost. We certainly shouldn’t be exempting them from a tax which everyone else pays when buying property here.

    “This tax break only encourages Trump to increase his military presence in Scotland, something we should be trying to avoid. His recent attacks on Europe and his alignment with Putin’s Russia make it clear that his government is not our ally.

    “Ending this exemption is the fair thing to do. Why should the American military get to avoid paying its fair share? 

    “Rather than rolling out the red carpet to Trump’s troops, this change would also signal that Scotland stands with the victims of US foreign policy, particularly the people of Ukraine and Palestine.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New Active Travel Plan to get more Canberrans outdoors

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The new plan outlines Canberra’s future cycling network.

    Encouraging more Canberrans to walk and ride across Canberra’s extensive path network will be aided by further ACT Government investment in active travel initiatives.

    The government’s Active Travel Plan 2024–2030 aims to drive a connected, safe and convenient active travel network in the ACT.

    The new plan outlines ways to help Canberrans choose active travel options over other modes of travel.

    Active travel options include:

    • walking
    • cycling
    • micromobility vehicles – such as e-scooters.

    The aim is to make these options safer, more accessible, convenient and enjoyable – whether for transport, recreation or social activities.

    Community feedback gathered over the past two years helped shape both the Plan and Design Guide. These documents support the design and prioritisation of the ACT’s walking and riding infrastructure and programs.

    The Plan’s priority is safe infrastructure for walking and riding. It highlights key walking areas and outlines Canberra’s future cycling network.

    Other actions include providing more secure bike parking and targeted programs to remove barriers and encourage people to use active travel and public transport.

    New funding for active travel infrastructure

    The ACT Government will provide a further $4 million in funding to support active travel improvements.

    This is part of a 50:50 funding agreement with the Australian Government under the Commonwealth’s Road Safety Program.

    The additional funding comes in addition to the $29.5 million in funding provided in the 2023–24 ACT Budget to support active travel, and brings total spending across the budget and forward estimates on active travel to over $94 million.

    The Kingston Cycleway: a key active travel project

    The Kingston Cycleway is a key active travel project proposed to receive funding under the Road Safety Program. The new high-quality cycleway connecting Kingston and the Inner South through to the City on the C2 cycle route will be delivered in two stages.

    Construction of the first stage – a pop-up bi-directional protected cycle lane on Bowen Drive between the Kings Avenue underpass and Bowen Park – will begin in the coming weeks.

    The government is trialling this infrastructure in Canberra, with funding also committed to investigate other corridors suited to pop-up cycle lanes.

    Detailed design of the second stage, connecting Bowen Park with Cunningham Street via Eastlake Parade, will start in the coming months.

    Additional projects proposed include:

    • a new pedestrian crossing on New South Wales Crescent, improving safe access to Telopea Park
    • improvements to the City to Woden C4 cycle route via the Lake Burley Griffin cycling circuit on Alexandrina Drive in Yarralumla, including raised crossings, lighting and signage
    • improvements to the City to Belconnen C3 cycle route through a new raised crossing on Bauhinia Street, O’Connor
    • upgrades to the cycling crossing point on the Adelaide Avenue on-ramp at the Hopetoun Circuit intersection, including a pedestrian crossing and cycle lane improvements
    • a new raised pedestrian crossing on Bowman Street in Jamison
    • pedestrian safety improvements on Beasley Street at the bus stops in front of the Torrens shops, including two new kerb ramps to facilitate crossing.

    These investments build on the significant pipeline of active travel projects already underway.

    Existing projects include the Garden City Cycle Route, new shared paths along Sulwood Drive and William Hovell Drive, and improvements to paths around Lake Ginninderra and the Tuggeranong foreshore.

    With Canberra consistently ranking as one of Australia’s best cities for walking and cycling, it’s hoped the new plan will help even more Canberrans embrace active travel options.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –