NewzIntel.com

Category: Great Britain

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Donald Trump should not be welcome in Scotland

    Source: Scottish Greens

    28 Feb 2025 External Affairs

    We must recognise the threat he poses to global security, democracy and our climate.

    More in External Affairs

    Donald Trump does not deserve a warm welcome and must be met with protest on his visit to Scotland, say the Scottish Greens. 

    The US President has been invited to meet with King Charles in Scotland to discuss their “mutual interests” and plan a second state visit.

    Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP said:

    “In the short time since Donald Trump has re-entered the White House he has unleashed some of the most destructive policies of any US President in living memory. 

    “Despite Keir Starmer’s sickening deference to him, Trump is not a friendly leader and should not be treated as if he was. He is a dangerous, fraudulent, misogynistic, racist, climate-change denier, and one who openly opposes democratic values.

    “During his first Presidency he repeatedly promoted the work of fascists, and in recent weeks high profile members of his government have been openly advancing the interests of far right parties in Europe, interfering in our domestic politics in a way that would once have sparked global outrage. It was only two weeks ago that his Vice President was spreading misinformation about abortion rights in Scotland to a global audience.

    “The threat Trump represents to global security, to democracy, to human rights and to our climate could not be clearer. To offer him such a warm welcome and the trappings of a state visit is a slap in the face to the millions of people across the US and beyond who are frightened for their friends and family who are having their rights eroded or removed.

    “The UK Labour Government is utterly failing to recognise the threat he poses and the urgent strategic choice this country faces. Either we stand reunited with democratic Europe, or we assist Trump in ushering in a frightening new era, one where international law is replaced by the whim of tyrants and their billionaire backers.”

    Mr Harvie added:

    “I have no doubt that Donald Trump’s visit will be met with protests and a great deal of anger. 

    “Only this week the First Minister was calling for a united front against the far right. That must also mean standing up to Donald Trump and the toxic and hateful politics that he represents.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Wild beavers: Nature’s engineers to return to English waterways

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Wild beavers: Nature’s engineers to return to English waterways

    Government to allow reintroduction of beavers into the wild after centuries of absence in a huge boost for nature conservation

    Credit: Beaver Trust

    • Brilliant beavers reduce flood risk, create new wetlands, and boost biodiversity
    • Reintroductions to be carefully managed under licence from Natural England

    Nature’s original master builder – the Eurasian beaver – is set to return to our waterways after centuries of absence, following a government decision to allow wild release.   

    Beavers are prodigious ecosystem engineers and proven climate champions – creating natural flood defences that can reduce flood risks and building wetlands which are thriving havens for wildlife.   

    Known as a keystone species because the habitats they create benefit myriad other species, they were once abundant in England but became extinct due to overhunting. In recent years, beavers have been returning to our waterways through a system of licensed releases into enclosures, and a limited trial of wild release in Devon.  

    Now in a major boost for conservation, the government has today (Friday 28 February) set out a new approach which will allow beavers to live wild in England’s treasured landscapes.  

    Ministers have set out how we will provide the certainty needed for conservationists, landowners and farmers in a new policy statement. It includes the detail of a new licensing system, support for landowners and farmers, and a commitment to produce a plan in consultation with these stakeholders for the long-term management of beavers in England.  

    The return of beavers will be carefully managed to avoid impacts on farming, food production and infrastructure. New wild release projects will need to have a project plan in place covering a 10-year period to support the introduction of beavers into a landscape before Natural England would consider granting a licence. 

    Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:  

    “Beavers are cherished creatures who bring so many benefits for people and our precious natural environment. They create wetlands which are havens for wildlife, reduce flood risk and improve the water quality of our rivers.  
       
    “Reintroducing beavers to the wild is a critical milestone for this Government’s plan to protect and restore our natural world.” 

    Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:   

    “Beavers have been missing from our landscapes for about four hundred years and this careful approach for their planned return is a significant landmark for Nature recovery in England. 

    “Beavers are environmental engineers. The dams, ponds and canals they build not only create amazingly rich habitats for many other species, but can also help reduce flood risk, purify water and catch carbon.  

    “Under licence from Natural England, the release of wild beavers will be managed to secure the long-term environmental benefits while seeking to minimise and avoid unwanted impacts.” 

    All existing beaver populations will be allowed to remain and expand naturally and will ensure that appropriate management measures are put in place. Existing populations of wild beavers will continue to be proactively managed by their local beaver management group.    

    Through this carefully planned reintroduction programme which is defined by a 5 step management approach, we will support farmers and communities to live alongside beavers, ensuring these natural problem-solvers benefit everyone.  

    The government will also now begin work on developing a long-term beaver management plan in England. This will build on the approach announced today and be developed with input from key stakeholders, to ensure we meet the challenges and opportunities posed by an expanding beaver population well into the future.  

    It is expected that the first release of wild beavers will happen at Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve soon with a licence issued to the National Trust.

    Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust said:  

    “This is fantastic news for nature recovery and people’s livelihoods. Beavers are unparalleled in their ability to restore landscapes, create wetlands that manage flood risk, improve our water quality, and bring back wildlife.   

    “Since 2020, we’ve introduced beavers at three National Trust sites through licensed, enclosed releases. We’ve seen first-hand the amazing benefits these fascinating mammals provide, and we’re thrilled to receive a licence for the first wild beaver release in England.  

    “It’s important to us, and the communities we work in, that beaver releases across wider landscapes happen in a responsible, carefully managed way. This licensing process is in everyone’s best interests. It will lead to well-chosen sites, minimise disruption to other landowners, and ensure local communities are fully consulted and involved enabling both people and nature thrive.”   

    Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency said:  

    “As part of our work to reduce flood risk and restore rivers to good health, the return of wild beavers will improve water quality, boost biodiversity and build resilience to climate change through nature-based solutions.  

    “Beavers help reduce flooding in nearby towns, remove pollutants from our precious waterways and help to create clean water. Working alongside our partners, the Environment Agency will continue to support the careful management of wild beavers”. 

    Applications for further wild release licences will first need to submit an ‘expression of interest’ to Natural England. The deadline for the first round of applications is 2 May 2025, with further application windows due to open in due course.   

    Additional information: 

    Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer of Beaver Trust said: 

    “This landmark moment in England’s beaver story could be a significant step toward helping to address some of the key environmental challenges we face. We welcome Government recognition of beavers’ potential and hope they now demonstrate their commitment through widespread license granting and proactive restoration of this species across England.  

    “We are generations behind the rest of Europe in bringing this species back, we have high levels of public support for their return, so we now need a government-led national strategy and effective mitigation framework in order to facilitate population expansion and to realise the valuable societal benefits beavers can bring.  

    “We look forward to seeing details of the government’s announcement and hope that it will support measures that encourage people to live alongside beavers and form a productive step toward normalising this native species.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Plan to tackle £70 million in unclaimed benefits in Highland

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Independent research shows that there is an estimated total of £70 million of unclaimed benefits in the Highland area, including £6.9 million unclaimed pension credits affecting 3000 people.  

    This means that thousands of people across Highland are currently missing out on additional financial help they are entitled to.  Securing these additional sources of income will support people to live independently and well in their communities. 

    Convener Bill Lobban added: “We are proposing the establishment of a Commission, funded by £0.300m of Reserves, to accelerate our approach to tackling poverty by identifying direct actions to shape service delivery, improve early intervention and develop integrated approaches to tackling poverty and inequality in Highland. The work would also link to other Council Delivery Plan themes such as employability, housing and health and wellbeing.” 

    Leader of the Council Raymond Bremner said: “Our proposed investment programme would target £0.870m to deliver direct support and consider ways to improve our collective approach to tackling poverty and inequality in the Highlands. This will be supported by increased funding of £0.250m to support new posts in existing Welfare services to help people draw down more of their entitled benefits. 

    “Proposals also include investing £0.320m to increase the provision of Pupil Equity Funding direct to schools and to provide targeted support within schools and the wider community to support those families experiencing poverty, as well as maximising the take-up of unclaimed welfare benefits.”  

    You can find help and advice with regard to welfare on our website. https://www.highland.gov.uk/welfare 

    Budget proposals will be considered by Council at its meeting on 6 March. 

    28 Feb 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tongan advocates condemn Treaty Principles Bill, slam colonisation

    By Khalia Strong of Pacific Media Network

    Tongan community leaders and artists in New Zealand have criticised the Treaty Principles Bill while highlighting the ongoing impact of colonisation in Aotearoa and the Pacific.

    Oral submissions continued this week for the public to voice their view on the controversial proposed bill, which aims to redefine the legal framework of the nation’s founding document, the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi.

    Aotearoa Tongan Response Group member Pakilau Manase Lua echoed words from the Waitangi Day commemorations earlier this month.

    “The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill and its champions and enablers represent the spirit of the coloniser,” he said.

    Pakilau said New Zealand’s history included forcible takeovers of Sāmoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau.

    “The New Zealand government, or the Crown, has shown time and again that it has a pattern of trampling on the mana and sovereignty of indigenous peoples, not just here in Aotearoa, but also in the Pacific region.”

    Poet Karlo Mila spoke as part of a submission by a collective of artists, Mana Moana,

    “Have you ever paused to wonder why we speak English here, half a world away from England? It’s a global history of Christian white supremacy, who, with apostolic authority, ordained the doctrine of discovery to create a new world order,” she said.

    “Yes, this is where the ‘new’ in New Zealand comes from, invasion for advantage and profit, presenting itself as progress, as civilising, as salvation, as enlightenment itself — the greatest gaslighting feat of history.”

    Bill used as political weapon
    She argued that the bill was being used as a political weapon, and government rhetoric was causing division.

    “We watch political parties sow seeds of disunity using disingenuous history, harnessing hate speech and the haka of destiny, scapegoating ‘vulnerable enemies’ . . . Yes, for us, it’s a forest fire out there, and brown bodies are moving political targets, every inflammatory word finding kindling in kindred racists.”

    Pakilau said that because Tonga had never been formally colonised, Tongans had a unique view of the unfolding situation.

    “We know what sovereignty tastes like, we know what it smells like and feels like, especially when it’s trampled on.

    “Ask the American Samoans, who provide more soldiers per capita than any state of America to join the US Army, but are not allowed to vote for the country they are prepared to die for.

    “Ask the mighty 28th Maori Battalion, who field Marshal Erwin Rommel famously said, ‘Give me the Māori Battalion and I will rule the world’, they bled and died for a country that denied them the very rights promised under the Treaty.

    “The Treaty of Waitangi Bill is essentially threatening to do the same thing again, it is re-traumatising Māori and opening old wounds.”

    A vision for the future
     Mila, who also has European and Sāmoan ancestry, said the answer to how to proceed was in the Treaty’s Indigenous text.

    “The answer is Te Tiriti, not separatist exclusion. It’s the fair terms of inclusion, an ancestral strategy for harmony, a covenant of cooperation. It’s how we live ethically on a land that was never ceded.”

    Flags displayed at Waitangi treaty grounds 2024. Image: PMN News/Atutahi Potaka-Dewes

    Aotearoa Tongan Response Group chair Anahila Kanongata’a said Tongans were Tangata Tiriti (people of the Treaty), and the bill denigrated the rights of Māori as Tangata Whenua (people of the land).

    “How many times has the Crown breached the Treaty? Too, too many times.

    “What this bill is attempting to do is retrospectively annul those breaches by extinguishing Māori sovereignty or tino rangatiritanga over their own affairs, as promised to them in their Tiriti, the Te Reo Māori text.”

    Kanongata’a called on the Crown to rescind the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, honour Te Tiriti, and issue a formal apology to Māori, similar to what had been done for the Dawn Raids.

    Hundreds gather at Treaty Grounds for the annual Waitangi Day dawn service. Image: PMN Digital/Joseph Safiti

    “As a former member of Parliament, I am proud of the fact that an apology was made for the way our people were treated during the Dawn Raids.

    “We were directly affected, yes, it was painful and most of our loved ones never got to see or hear the apology, but imagine the pain Māori must feel to be essentially dispossessed, disempowered and effectively disowned of their sovereignty on their own lands.”

    The bill’s architect, Act Party leader David Seymour, sayid the nationwide discussion on Treaty principles was crucial for future generations.

    “In a democracy, the citizens are always ready to decide the future. That’s how it works.”

    Republished from PMN News with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: No. 5/2025 – Notice to convene annual general meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nasdaq Copenhagen                                                                                   
    Nikolaj Plads 6
    DK-1067 Copenhagen K   

    Copenhagen, 28 February 2025
    ANNOUNCEMENT no. 5/2025

    CEMAT A/S
    Company reg. (CVR) no. 24 93 28 18
    Annual general meeting

    The Board of Directors hereby convene the annual general meeting of Cemat A/S (the “Company”) for Wednesday, 26 March 2025, at 1:00 pm at the office of DLA Piper Denmark, Oslo Plads 2, 2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark.

    Agenda

    The agenda of the annual general meeting is the following:

    1. The management’s report on the Company’s activities during the past financial year.
    1. Presentation of the audited annual report for adoption.
    1. The Board of Directors’ proposal for appropriation of profit or covering of loss according to the adopted annual report.
    1. Presentation of and indicative vote on remuneration report.
    1. Approval of the Board of Directors’ fees for the current financial year.
    1. Election of members to the Board of Directors.
    2. Appointment of auditor.
    1. Proposals from the Board of Directors or shareholders.
    1. Any other business.

    Complete proposals

    Re item 1     The management’s report on the Company’s activities during the past financial year.

    The Board of Directors proposes that the general meeting takes note of the management’s report.

    Re item 2     Presentation of the audited annual report for adoption.

    The Board of Directors proposes that the general meeting adopts the annual report.

    Re item 3     The Board of Directors’ proposal for appropriation of profit or covering of loss according to the adopted annual report.

    The Board of Directors proposes that the profit for the year as recorded in the Annual Report as adopted by the general meeting be carried forward to next year.   

    Re item 4     Presentation of and indicative vote on remuneration report.

    The Board of Directors proposes that the general meeting adopts the presented remuneration report.

    Re item 5     Approval of the Board of Directors’ fees for the current financial year.

    The Board of Directors proposes that members of the Board of Directors will receive the basic fee of DKK 220,000 for the financial year 2025.

    The chairman of the Board of Directors will receive the basic fee multiplied by a factor of 2.5, and the vice-chairman will receive the basic fee multiplied by a factor of 1.75.

    Re item 6     Election of members to the Board of Directors.

    The Board of Directors proposes to re-elect:

    Frede Clausen, chairman, born 1959
    Professional board member
    Various banking qualifications
    Graduate Diploma in Business Administration
    Elected chairman in 2018
    Other duties and offices:
    Frede Clausen Holding ApS (CEO)
    Core Poland Residential V (board member)
    Malik Supply A/S (chairman)
    Developnord A/S (chairman)
    Søndergaard Holding Aalborg ApS (chairman)
    Palma Ejendomme ApS (chairman)
    Ejendomsselskabet Gøteborgvej 18 ApS (vice-chairman)
    PL Holding Aalborg A/S (chairman)
    Radioanalyzer ApS (chairman)
    Independent
    Special qualifications: Strategic management, business development and real estate
    Languages: Danish and English

    Eivind Dam Jensen, vice-chairman, born 1951
    Estate Agent
    Member of the Danish Association of Chartered Estate Agents
    Diploma in Administration
    Elected vice-chairman in 2005
    Other duties and offices:
    Owner of Chartered Estate Agency E. Dam Jensen
    Chairman and sole shareholder of A/S Eivind Dam Jensen
    Owner of Brundtland Golfcenter (via A/S Eivind Dam Jensen)
    Non-independent
    Special competences: Purchase, sale, valuation and letting of commercial and
    investment properties and property management
    Languages: Danish, English and German.

    Joanna L. Iwanowska-Nielsen, born 1968
    Real Estate Expert
    Degree in International Trade, Organisation and Management
    from the Warsaw School of Economics
    Joined the Board of Directors in 2016
    Directorships and other managerial positions:
    Member of the board of directors of Sustainable Malkowo
    Advisor to the Board of Directors, Ecofarm Foundation
    Member of the board of directors of Coille Righ Green Energy, Scotland
    Member of the board of directors of WildaNova
    Member of the board at NielsenNielsen Ltd (UK)
    Managing Partner in NOLTA Consultants and NOLTA Career Experts
    Board Member of EPI (European Property Institute) think tank
    Member of Warsaw Women in Real Estate & Development
    Founding Member of Women in Global Health’s CEE Chapter
    No directorships in other Danish companies
    Independent
    Special qualifications:
    Experience in the real estate trade in Poland, CEE and
    internationally (development, strategy, sales and project
    management in both the commercial and residential property
    sectors, including sustainable housing, farming enterprises and energy solutions)
    EMCC accredited business coach & mentor
    Languages: Polish, English and Russian.

    Brian Winther Almind, born 1966
    Executive Vice President, DSV Group Property
    Joined the Board of Directors in 2023
    Other duties and offices:
    Shipping agent – Ellegard Transport, of which 2 years were in Verona, Italy
    Traffic manager – DFDS Transport
    Traffic manager – DHL A/S
    Executive Vice President – DSV A/S since 1997
    Directorships and other managerial positions:
    Member of the board in several companies owned by DSV A/S
    Network – European Logistics Forum (ELF), VL 111
    No directorships in other Danish companies
    Special competences:
    Generel management, business development, integration of companies. Property in relation with purchase of land, public sector handling, project management, building activities, purchase and sale, leasing, law, strategy, finances, various large projects in more than 90 countries.  
    Languages: Danish and English.

    Re item 7     Appointment of auditor.

    The Board of Directors proposes that BDO Statsautoriseret Revisionsaktieselskab be reappointed.

    Re item 8     Proposals from the Board of Directors.

    No proposals have been received from the board of directors or executive board

    General information

    The Company’s nominal share capital amounts to DKK 4,997,006.06, divided into 249,850,303 shares of DKK 0.02 each. Each share of DKK 0.02 entitles the holder to one vote.

    The Company has concluded a connection agreement with VP Securities A/S. The financial rights of the shareholders may thus be exercised through VP Securities A/S.

    Requirements for adoption

    Items 2-7 considered at the general meeting will be determined by a simple majority of votes, see article 10.1 of the Company’s articles of association as well as section 105 of the Danish Companies Act.

    The Company’s website

    This notice, including the agenda, remuneration report, information about the total number of shares and voting rights on the date of the notice and proxy, postal voting and registration forms for ordering an entry card, will be made available to the shareholders on the Company’s website, www.cemat.dk, under “Investor/General Meetings” from 28 February 2025.

    This notice has also been published via Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S, the IT system of the Danish Business Authority and the Company’s website as well as by e-mail to the shareholders having requested e-mail notification of general meetings when stating their e-mail addresses.

    Date of registration

    The shareholders will be entitled to exercise the right to vote attaching to the shareholders’ shares, by attendance at the Company’s general meetings or by post pro rata to their shareholding at the date of registration, which is one week before the general meeting.

    The date of registration is Wednesday, 19 March 2025.

    The shareholding of each individual shareholder will be determined at the end of the date of registration based on the number of shares held by the shareholder according to the register of shareholders as well as any notice of ownership received by the Company for the purpose of registration in the register of shareholders, but not yet been registered. In order to be registered in the register of shareholders and included in the calculation, notices of shareholdings must be documented by a transcript from VP Securities A/S or other similar documentation. This documentation must be received by the Company before the end of the date of registration.

    Only the persons who are shareholders of the Company on the date of registration will be entitled to participate and vote at the general meeting but see below regarding the shareholders’ timely request for entry cards.

    Accordingly, any person who has purchased shares, whether by transfer or otherwise, will not be entitled to vote on the shares in question at the general meeting, unless he or she has been recorded in the register of shareholders or has notified the Company and provided documentation of his or her acquisition, no later than on the date of registration, which is Wednesday, 19 March 2025.

    Entry cards

    In order to participate in the general meeting, the shareholders must request an entry card for the general meeting no later than Friday, 21 March 2025. Entry cards may be requested electronically via www.cemat.dk until Friday, 21 March 2025, at 23:59 using MitID or custody account number and password on the Company’s shareholder portal. Shareholders registering for the general meeting electronically will immediately receive a confirmation of their registration.

    It is also possible to request an entry card by forwarding a completed registration form to the Company’s keeper of the register of shareholders, Computershare A/S, Lottenborgvej 26D, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, which must receive the form by Friday, 21 March 2025 at 23.59. The registration form is available at www.cemat.dk.

    Please notice that ordered admission cards will no longer be sent out by ordinary mail.

    Admission cards ordered via the shareholder portal will be sent out electronically via email to the email address specified in the shareholder portal upon registration. The admission card must be presented at the annual general meeting either electronically on a smartphone/tablet or in a printed version.

    Admission cards can be picked up at the entrance of the general meeting upon presentation of a valid ID.

    Proxy

    Shareholders are entitled to attend by proxy. An electronic proxy instrument may also be submitted via the shareholder portal until Friday, 21 March 2025, at 23:59.

    The complete proxy form must be received by the Company’s keeper of the register of shareholders, Computershare A/S, by Friday, 21 March 2025, at 23:59. The proxy form is available at www.cemat.dk.

    Postal voting

    Shareholders may elect to vote by post, i.e., by casting their votes in writing, before the general meeting, instead of attending the general meeting and voting there.

    Shareholders who elect to vote by post may submit their postal vote electronically via the shareholder portal or send their postal vote to Computershare A/S where it must be received by Tuesday, 25 March 2025, at 16:00.

    Once received, a postal vote cannot be recalled. Please note that letters may sometimes take several days to reach their destination.

    Questions

    Shareholders will have an opportunity to ask questions to the agenda as well as to the other materials for the general meeting before the general meeting.

    Any questions concerning this announcement may be directed to info@cemat.dk.

    Cemat A/S

    Frede Clausen
    Chairman of the Board of Directors

    This announcement has been issued in Danish and English. In case of any inconsistencies, the Danish version will prevail.

    Please write to investor@cemat.dk to deregister from this mailing list.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Publication of Wildlife Crime in Scotland 2023

    Source: Scottish Government

    An Official Statistics in Development publication for Scotland

    The latest statistics on wildlife crime in Scotland were published today by the Chief Statistician for Scotland. Recorded wildlife crime offences were down by 23%, from 286 offences in 2021-22 to 220 offences in 2022-23, bringing recorded wildlife crime back close to pre-pandemic levels.

    These statistics also contain data on Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service cases, criminal proceedings and scientific evidence and intelligence. Key results from the report include:

    • Over half of all recorded wildlife crimes were categorised as either offences involving birds (31%) or fish poaching (25%).
    • The Police Scotland divisions with the highest recorded wildlife offences in 2022-23 were the Highlands and Islands (35), the Lothians and Scottish Borders (32) and the North East (31).
    • The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service received 63 cases in 2022-23 relating to wildlife crime (which may include more than 1 offence per case), with fish poaching being the most common category (30 cases). Of these 63 cases, 37 (59%) received an alternative to prosecution (e.g. fine), 15 (24%) were prosecuted, and 11 (17%) resulted in no action.
    • Criminal proceedings statistics for 2022-23 show that 36 people were proceeded against for wildlife crimes – a substantial increase from 2021-22 (20 people) and 2020-21 (2 people) which had been impacted by court closures and reduced capacities.

    Background

    When a wildlife crime is suspected, the first step is for it to be reported to the police (or detected by the police), and then recorded. Further steps may include investigation to assess whether the recorded crime should be part of a case submitted to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and then a decision on whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to be prosecuted. Ultimately a court case may result in a conviction or acquittal. All these stages may be supported by relevant scientific evidence and intelligence.

    This report presents statistics relating to 2022-23 for the various stages described above. Although these sets of statistics are related, direct comparisons between them cannot be made due to differences in data sources, timing and the bases on which statistics were collated. For example, several recorded crimes may be included in one COPFS case (involving multiple sources of scientific evidence), and subsequent criminal proceedings may occur in a different year.

    Official statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New traffic calming measures to be introduced

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The measures, devised in conjunction with community representatives and local Elected Members, aim to reduce vehicle speeds within each village and deter unnecessary commercial traffic along certain routes.

    The work will be completed in phases, starting with the installation of ramps across the main roads at the entrances to the villages of Abernyte, Balbeggie, Burrelton/Woodside, Guildtown, and Meigle.

    This work is scheduled to take place throughout March, ahead of the new road’s opening.

    The Council will monitor vehicle speeds and consult with each community before deciding on the installation of additional ramps or speed cushions within the villages.

    In addition, the 20mph speed limits in the centres of Burrelton, Coupar Angus, Meigle, and Scone will be extended to cover all residential streets, aligning with other communities in the area.

    Further measures will include the installation of Puffin crossings and electronic vehicle-activated signs in communities currently lacking these safety features. The Council will continue to assess and prioritise future road safety projects in consultation with local elected members and community councils.

    Councillor Eric Drysdale, Convener of Perth and Kinross Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee said: “The opening of Destiny Bridge and New Kingsway will make a huge difference to traffic flow and reduce journey times but will lead to a rise in traffic in some areas.

    “We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents. These traffic calming measures are essential to manage the expected increase in traffic and to maintain the quality of life in our villages.

    “We will work closely with the communities to monitor the effectiveness of these measures and make any necessary adjustments.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City leaders reaffirm that innovation and growth remains priority

    Source: City of Leeds

    In response to the Government’s announcement of delays to the development of the new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary, leaders from Leeds City Council, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to innovation and growth across the city.

    The partnership has confirmed it would continue to deliver on its long-term vision for driving innovation and growth in the city to create a healthier, greener and more inclusive future for all.

    This follows the confirmation of funding and a start date of between 2033 and 2035 for the development of the new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary.

    Despite the Government’s announcement of delays to the development of the new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary, City leaders are pleased to announce that plans for the Leeds Innovation Village, a key neighbourhood within the city’s £2 billion Leeds innovation Arc, and one of the flagship projects of the £160 million West Yorkshire Investment Zone – will still go ahead, with ambitions to start construction later this year.

    The Village, which is set to bring about £13 billion in economic growth for the city and around 4,000 jobs will continue and is already into its first phase. This includes the redevelopment of the Old Medical School on the Leeds General Infirmary site into a cutting-edge healthtech innovation hub by one of the UK’s most active, privately-owned, mixed-use developers, Scarborough Group International.

    Dame Linda Pollard DBE DL Hon. LLD, Chair of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

    “Our plans for a new hospital are more than healthcare and play a pivotal role in harnessing innovation and stimulating growth across Leeds and beyond. Despite the announcement of disappointing delays to our new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary, plans for the Leeds Innovation Village will still go ahead, with early phases already underway.”

    The development of a new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary, alongside wider plans to boost growth and innovation across the city, are a central part of the West Yorkshire Mayor’s local growth plan, which aims to boost the region’s fastest growing business sectors with a special focus on health and life sciences, in line with the Government’s emerging national industrial strategy.

    This latest commitment builds on a wide range of successful innovation assets across the Innovation Arc including:

    · The successful and vibrant community of innovators and entrepreneurs at Nexus, a state-of-the-art innovation hub on the University of Leeds campus. Nexus has raised £134m in private investment since launching in 2019, with a return on investment of £1.92 for every £1. To date, it has worked with 191 companies and brings together the brightest minds in business, technology and academia and cites over half of its member businesses as healthtech innovators.

    · Leeds Teaching Hospital’s fast-growing Innovation Pop Up, located in the Innovation Village on the Leeds General Infirmary site, has grown its membership to over 50 industry members

    during its first three years and is currently collaborating on around 40 projects with industry partners. The Pop Up brings work nationally and internationally to bring together world-leading clinicians and healthtech industry partners to grow innovation, research and technology for the benefit of patients.

    · Leeds Becket University’s £80m Leeds School of Art building which provides industry standard facilities for over 2500 students and 100 staff studying and researching in film, TV, technology, sound, music, drama, dance and fashion. The centre provides wider cultural and industry partnerships across Leeds.

    · An envisaged route of the West Yorkshire Mayor’s Mass Transit system would see trams run along the spine of the Innovation Arc, linking Leeds station and the South Bank to Harehills. This would bring modern, sustainable transport modes to the heart of the Innovation Arc, reducing north-south travel times, creating potential hubs around stops, and providing connections to the wider area.

    The renewed commitment will see Leeds continue its journey as one of the UK’s most stable, forward-thinking and attractive locations for health and care research and innovation. With the backing of strong collaborative leadership, Leeds ranks as the third most attractive location for healthtech firms which are ready to launch or looking to move, having the highest number of biomedical scientist undergraduates in the country and being home to nine of the top 10 investors in research and development.*”

    Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

    “As the home of NHS England and Europe’s largest teaching hospital, Leeds is an international magnet for health innovation, and there is no setback that can stop us from realising our potential.

    “With our multimillion-pound Investment Zone driving the development of the Old Medical School into a world-leading centre of medical and technological innovation, we will deliver jobs and growth here in West Yorkshire while transforming the lives of patients worldwide.

    “We will also continue to make the case for the all-important new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary to be built as soon as possible, as part of our wider plans to build a well-connected Innovation Arc across the city of Leeds through our new Mass Transit system, driving growth.

    Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council said:

    “We remain absolutely committed to our long-term vision for the city of stimulating innovation and economic growth that drives and delivers measurable impact towards a healthier, greener and inclusive future for all.

    “The Leeds Innovation Village, a key neighbourhood within the city’s £2 billion Innovation Arc, will progress as planned, and we’re excited about the potential it holds to drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve healthcare. The transformation of the Old Medical School into a new cutting-edge health innovation hub will further solidify Leeds’ position as a global healthtech hub.”

    -ENDS-

    For further information, please contact Jessica Hardman, Head of Communications (BtLW), Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Jessica.hardman3@nhs.net

    Notes

    This recommitment has been made by:

    Professor Phil Wood, Chief Executive, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Cllr James Lewis, Leader, Leeds City Council; Tracy Brabin, Mayor, West Yorkshire Combined Authority; Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Leeds; Professor Peter Slee, Vice Chancellor, Leeds Beckett University.

    *Pursing excellence report, an independent analysis of Leeds’ research and innovation in health and care, March 2024 (commissioned by Leeds Academic Health Partnership)

    The Leeds Innovation Arc, the city’s £2billion city centre science park, is a global destination for people, investment and innovation in one of the UK’s fastest growing and greenest cities with an ecosystem addressing the biggest societal challenges of our time through collaborative, diverse and innovative solutions. The Arc is home to some of the most significant innovation assets in the north of England, both public and private sector, including our two biggest universities, the hospital and Nexus at the University of Leeds, a hub for an increasing number of innovative businesses including SeeAI, Itecho Health and Atlas Endoscopy.

    Leeds City Council’s work as a city on innovation builds on our participation in the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology Regional Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program (MIT REAP) which fueled Leeds’ drive to grow the regional innovation ecosystem and bench mark ourselves and our progress.

    The Government review into the New Hospital Programme, which the new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary was part, has now concluded. The Secretary of State for Health announced on Monday 20 January that the new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary has been included in Wave 2 of the programme and will not now start construction until some time between 2033-2035.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lancaster City Council sets its budget for 2025/26 Maintaining a resilient financial foundation and protecting essential services are at the heart..

    Source: City of Lancaster

    Lancaster City Council has set its budget for 2025/26

    Maintaining a resilient financial foundation and protecting essential services are at the heart of Lancaster City Council’s budget for 2025/26, which was agreed on Wednesday (February 26).

    Like many local authorities, the city council has to deal with increases in its operating costs, along with higher interest rates, and a real-terms cut in core funding from the Government.

    Following months of hard work by officers and councillors, a balanced budget has been achieved for 2025/26 without use of reserves.

    The city council’s component of Council Tax, its most stable source of funding, will increase by an average of 2.99%, or 14p a week, for a Band D property. Once again, this increase is lower than the percentage hikes imposed by other authorities that receive the majority of residents’ council tax payments.

    In the next financial year, Band D property residents will pay an average of £5.08 a week (£264.30 a year) to the city council for the services which it provides.

    As 80% of the district’s homes are in the lowest bands (A to C) the actual increase will be lower for most households. The council has also agreed to continue 100% Council Tax Support benefit for those on the lowest incomes, one of a minority of local authorities in England to do so.

    Councillor Tim Hamilton-Cox, cabinet member with responsibility for finance, said: “As with all public services, the city council remains under pressure financially but is determined to protect the vital services it provides for the community.

    “With those significant challenges in mind I can be satisfied that we have delivered a balanced budget, maintained the range of our services and external grants, and ensured that we can continue to invest in the future of our district.

    “A majority of councillors supported the £27m (which includes over £6m of external funding) programme of capital investment in 2025/26. The programme includes replacement of half of the refuse collection vehicle fleet in order to maintain reliability of service; investment in the council’s existing assets to reduce operating costs; and in new assets to generate new long-term income streams for the council.”

    2024/25

    2025/26

    Increase

    £

    £

    £

    %

    Lancashire County Council

    1,653.29  

    1,735.79

    82.50

    4.99

    Lancashire Police & Crime

    263.40

    277.40  

    14

    5.32

    Lancashire Fire Authority

    84.73

    89.73

    5 

    5.90

    Lancaster City Council  

    256.63

    264.30

    7.67

    2.99

    Total

    2,258.05     

    2,367.22

    109.17

    4.83

    In addition, residents living in areas with a parish council pay an additional precept to their parish council.

    Last updated: 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coming up next week at the London Assembly W/C 3 March

    Source: Mayor of London

    PUBLIC MEETINGS
      
    Tuesday 4 March
     
    Q&A with the Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy
    Environment Committee     – Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    The London Assembly Environment Committee will meet with the Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy for a question and answer session, exploring the progress made in achieving the Mayor’s manifesto priorities, as well as wider progress on areas in the London Environmental Strategy and London’s 2030 net zero target.

    Other topics will include noise pollution, airport expansion, the proposed new green roots fund, and swimmable rivers.

    The guests are:

    • Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy
    • Megan Life, Assistant Director for Environment and Energy, Greater London Authority (GLA)
    • Pete Daw, Head of Climate Change, GLA

    MEDIA CONTACT: Tony Smith on 07763 251727 / [email protected] 
     
    Wednesday 5 March
     
    End-of-life Care in London
    Health Committee – Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    The London Assembly Health Committee will ask guests about the state of end-of-life care provision in London, with a particular focus on end-of-life care for elderly people.

    The guests are:

    Panel 1: 10am – 11.25am

    •    Dr Katherine Buxton, Clinical Director for Palliative and End-of-Life Care Network, NHS England, London
    •    Dr Lyndsey Williams, General Practitioner and Clinical Lead for End-of-Life Care, North West London Integrated Care Board
    •    Sarah Scobie, Deputy Director of Research, Nuffield Trust

    Panel 2: 11.30am – 1pm

    • Becca Trower, Joint CEO and Clinical Director, St Raphael’s Hospice
    • Ruth Driscoll, Associate Director for Policy & Public Affairs, Marie Curie
    • Dr Armita Jamali, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, The Royal Marsden and Royal Brompton Hospitals
    • Dr Libby Sallnow, Associate Professor, Head of Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, University College London

    MEDIA CONTACT: Alison Bell on 07887 832918 / [email protected]  
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor says acquisition of Timberquay is significant milestone in university expansion plans

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Mayor says acquisition of Timberquay is significant milestone in university expansion plans

    28 February 2025

    The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr has welcomed news that the Department for the Economy and Ulster University have acquired the Timber Quay building on Derry’s Strand Road as part of plans to expand the university.

    Mayor Barr said the news marked a significant milestone for the city and district that would bolster the expansion of Ulster University’s Derry~Londonderry campus.

    She said: “We continue to champion the growth of Magee, recognising its transformative potential to drive economic prosperity, create opportunities for our young people, and enhance our city’s vibrant cultural and intellectual landscape. The expansion of the university is not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about investing in our future. It’s about creating a dynamic learning environment that attracts and retains talent, fosters innovation, and strengthens our position as a hub for education and research. The availability of Timber Quay will enable the university to increase its student numbers and drive forward the ambition to reach 10,000 students by 2032.”

    Mayor Barr added that the expansion of the university will further contribute to the catalytic investment that is the cornerstone of the Derry and Strabane City Deal, playing a crucial role in driving economic and social transformation for the region.

    “This expansion is not merely about increasing student numbers; it’s about creating a hub of innovation, research, and skilled workforce development. Projects like the Cognitive Analytics & Digital Robotics Innovation Centre (CADRIC) and the School of Medicine are designed to attract further investment, stimulate job creation, and create class leading research that will enhance our local economy ultimately securing a prosperous future for Derry and Strabane.”

    The Mayor concluded that the acquisition of Timber Quay would also have a positive impact on the wider community including local businesses who will benefit from increased footfall, with the potential to attract further investment, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

    “I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Department, Ulster University, and all the stakeholders who have played a crucial role in making this happen. This achievement is an example of successful collaboration to achieve a common goal.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Mandeville School (Buckinghamshire): warning notice

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    The Mandeville School (Buckinghamshire): warning notice

    Warning notice to the Insignis Academy Trust in relation to The Mandeville School.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    The Mandeville School: warning notice

    PDF, 185 KB, 2 pages

    Details

    Notice relating to: The Mandeville School

    URN: 148851

    Notice issued to: Insignis Academy Trust

    Reason for issue: ‘requires significant improvement’ Ofsted judgement

    DfE regional director: Dame Kate Dethridge

    DfE regional director office: South East

    Local authority: Buckinghamshire County Council

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: GBN at final stage of Small Modular Reactor selection process

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    GBN at final stage of Small Modular Reactor selection process

    Great British Nuclear at final stage of Small Modular Reactor selection process

    Great British Nuclear (GBN) has entered the final stage of the UK’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR) selection process and is on track to make final decisions in the Spring.

    An Invitation to Submit Final Tender (ISFT) has been issued to the four remaining vendors, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy International LLC, Holtec Britain Ltd, Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd, and Westinghouse Electric Company UK Ltd.

    Earlier in February, the Prime Minister pledged to put Britain back in the global race for nuclear energy, and to reform planning rules to make it easier to build fleets of SMRs in England and Wales.

    SMRs are smaller than traditional nuclear power plants and their modular construction could provide a way of delivering nuclear more quickly and cost-effectively. They could also be built in a greater variety of locations, and be co-located with energy-intensive industrial sites such as AI data centres.

    GBN’s Chair, Simon Bowen, said:

    “This is an exciting moment for Great British Nuclear and the UK as we reach the final stage of the technology selection process for the Small Modular Reactor programme.”

    “Nuclear energy is vital for economic growth and delivering secure, reliable, home-generated power that is capable of meeting future demand, enabling Net Zero, and reducing the UK’s dependence on importing fossil fuels.”

    “Since GBN was launched in 2023, the team has made huge strides in delivering a fair, robust, and transparent process for technology selection.”

    Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, said:

    “Small modular reactors will support our mission to become a clean energy superpower.

    “That’s why we are backing new nuclear technology to help secure our energy independence and grow the economy.”

    For more information, please contact:

    Cory Reynolds, Director of Communications and Government Relations
    e: cory.reynolds@gbnuclear.gov.uk m: 07701 235045

    Ieuan Williams, Head of Stakeholder and Media Relations
    e: ieuan.williams@gbnuclear.gov.uk m: 07889 108555

    Notes to Editors

    • GBN has now concluded the negotiation phase with the four bidders participating in SMR competition
    • To reach this stage, each of the four designs was subject to a robust analysis
    • GBN has evaluated each technology, including aspects such as safety, deliverability, and their ability to support development of a fleet of SMRs
    • GBN considers the designs, each of which is proceeding through the UK’s regulatory process, are viable options for development
    • GBN owns land for potential new nuclear development at both Wylfa on Ynys Môn/Anglesey and Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire. GBN is working closely with the local communities at these sites to consider how future new nuclear projects could benefit their communities

    About Great British Nuclear (GBN)

    Great British Nuclear (GBN) is the Government delivery body dedicated to supporting the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies in the UK. As an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), GBN plays a crucial role in ensuring the UK’s energy security and achieving net-zero carbon emissions. GBN focuses on fostering innovation, facilitating investment, and coordinating efforts across the nuclear industry to build a resilient and sustainable energy future.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: BSTDB, TBC Bank to Boost Local Currency Financing in Georgia

    Source: Black Sea Trade and Development Bank

    Press Release | 11-Feb-2025

    New Partnership to Strengthen SMEs in the Country

    The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) has extended a GEL 135 million local-currency loan to TBC Bank Georgia. The financing will be on-lent to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to support their investment programmes, working capital needs, and expansion into domestic and international markets, thus enhancing SMEs’ competitiveness and export capacity.

    In addition, the funding will boost local-currency financing opportunities for private companies while reducing their dependence on foreign currency borrowings and protecting business owners from direct exposure to exchange rate risk.

    “Our new agreement with TBC Bank reinforces our commitment to fostering long-term partnerships while advancing access to local currency financing for Georgian small businesses,” said Dr. Serhat Köksal, BSTDB President. “By boosting lending in Georgian Lari, we aim to support economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen businesses’ ability to succeed in their domestic markets. This initiative also enhances the resilience and competitiveness of Georgia’s banking sector by mitigating currency risks.”

    Vakhtang Butskhrikidze, CEO, TBC Bank, commented: “We are delighted to continue and further strengthen our cooperation with BSTDB. This transaction reflects both institutions’ strong commitment to support Georgian MSMEs, which are key contributors to economic growth and job creation in the country. On the back of supporting de-dollarisation of the financial sector, this facility will further strengthen TBC’s position as a leading local currency provider on the market. I would like to thank BSTDB for being a long-standing supporter of TBC and look forward to executing many more successful deals in the future”.

    BSTDB has been cooperating with TBC Group since 2003, providing over USD 192 million in revolving trade finance, SME finance, and leasing facilities.

     

    TBC Bank Group PLC (“TBC PLC”) is a public limited company registered in England and Wales and is the parent company of TBC Bank Georgia and TBC Uzbekistan. TBC Bank Georgia, together with its subsidiaries, is the leading financial services group in Georgia, with a total market share of 38.7% of customer loans and 38.4% of customer deposits as of 30 September 2024, according to data published by the National Bank of Georgia. TBC PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol TBCG and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. It is also a member of the FTSE4Good Index Series and the MSCI United Kingdom Small Cap Index.

    The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) is an international financial institution established by Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. The BSTDB headquarters are in Thessaloniki, Greece. BSTDB supports economic development and regional cooperation by providing loans, credit lines, equity and guarantees for projects and trade financing in the public and private sectors in its member countries. The authorized capital of the Bank is EUR 3.45 billion. For information on BSTDB, visit www.bstdb.org.

     

    Contact: Haroula Christodoulou

    : @BSTDB

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Greens call for action on ending conversion practices

    Source: Scottish Greens

    28 Feb 2025 Equality

    Conversion practices have no place in Scotland.

    More in Equality

    As LGBT+ History Month comes to an end, the Scottish Greens have called on the Scottish Government to make history and finally deliver on its commitment to end conversion practices ahead of next year’s LGBT+ History Month.

    Conversion practices are any acts intended to change or suppress someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation.

    A promise to ban the cruel, callous practices was part of the Bute House Agreement that Scottish Greens negotiated after the last Holyrood elections.

    However, the SNP dropped this commitment as soon as the Greens were out the room, opting to work with a Westminster government that is dragging its heels.

    Scottish Greens spokesperson for Equalities, Maggie Chapman MSP, said:

    “Nobody should be told that they are not good enough or that who they are is somehow wrong.

    “Conversion practices are cruel and abusive and have no place in a modern or progressive Scotland.

    “The SNP committed to a ban, but they have outsourced the work to a UK Labour government that has sat on its hands and shown that it cannot be trusted when it comes to equality.

    “Far too many people have been made to suffer for far too long. We don’t have time to waste. Survivors of conversion practices should not be made to wait for another parliament to act when we have already promised action in Scotland and have the powers to deliver it. We can ban conversion practices in Scotland now.

    “It is time for the Scottish Government to lay out a timeline and a plan and to stand up for LGBTQIA+ people who are feeling under fire at the moment. It must go beyond words and bring in protections in law.”

    Ms Chapman added:

    “The theme of this year’s LGBT+ History Month has been Activism and Social Change. We don’t just want to celebrate historical social movements – we want to be inspired to make our own social change and history that will be celebrated in the future.

    “If the Scottish Government is committed to building a better, safer and more equal Scotland then they must do the right thing and work with us to ensure that we end conversion practices for good.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regulator criticises governance at Sikh TV charity

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Regulator criticises governance at Sikh TV charity

    The Charity Commission, the regulator of charities in England and Wales, has found serious failings at Sikh Channel Community Broadcasting Company Limited.

    The charity operated a television channel, which was based in Birmingham, to advance the knowledge of the Sikh faith.

    An official inquiry report, published today, found that the former trustees of the charity had not sufficiently overseen the actions of the charity’s then CEO, which in turn led to failures in the administration, financial control and governance of the charity.

    A new board of trustees was appointed over the course of the inquiry, and they took the decision to wind up and dissolve the charity. Additionally, the former CEO has formally undertaken not to act as a trustee or in a senior role at a charity for ten years.

    Background

    The Commission began engaging with the charity in 2019, after concerns arose about the charity’s fundraising partnership with the unregistered organisation Sikh Youth UK, an organisation which was already subject to a statutory inquiry.

    Concerns were also raised about the relationship between the charity and companies connected to the charity’s CEO.

    Findings

    In its report, the Commission finds that:

    • Trustees failed to manage a clear conflict of interest in relation to the appointment of the CEO of the charity. The CEO, who was also a trustee at the time, appointed himself to the role without an open recruitment process, and in breach of the charity’s governing document. The trustees were all family members of the CEO, and inquiry found that the trustees had insufficient control and oversight of his actions, leading to breaches of charity law. This amounted to misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees at the time.
    • The CEO, at the relevant times, acted as a de-facto trustee, and set himself a yearly salary of £40,000, which was unauthorised. Additionally, the inquiry found that the charity made a bank transfer for £654 to a private company owned and directed by the CEO. The payments of the unauthorised salary, the bank transfer and loans to a trading subsidiary of the charity showed a lack of financial control by the trustees, and failure to act in the charity’s best interests.
    • The charity began a fundraising partnership with an unregistered organisation, Sikh Youth UK. It organised a fundraiser, stating that money raised would pay for Sikh Youth UK support workers. However, the Commission found that it misled members of the public by not stating that 40% of their donations would be kept by the Sikh Channel Community Broadcasting for its general expenditure. The inquiry found that the then trustees’ failure to conduct due diligence on Sikh Youth UK, failure to monitor the use of the charity’s funds, and the misleading nature of the fundraising appeal were all misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees of the charity at the time.

    Regulatory action

    • The CEO of the charity gave a formal undertaking that he would not act, be appointed, or accept a position as trustee or senior manager of any charity including non-registered charities and would refrain from acting as a trustee or senior manager for a period of ten years without the express written permission of the Commission.

    Joshua Farbridge, Head of Compliance, Visits and Inspections at Charity Commission said:

    Our findings serve as a cautionary tale against allowing any one person to dominate and assume control of a charity.

    In this case, the trustees failed in their duty to oversee and manage the actions of the CEO, resulting in significant failures in the charity’s administration and governance.

    As a result of our intervention, and the identified misconduct and/or mismanagement, the CEO has committed to refraining from acting as a trustee of a charity for ten years.

    The full report detailing the findings of this inquiry can be found on gov.uk.

    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.
    2. On 13 November 2019, the Commission opened a statutory inquiry into The Sikh Channel Community Broadcasting Company Limited under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011.
    3. A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. An inquiry will investigate and establish the facts of the case so that the Commission can determine the extent of any misconduct and/or mismanagement; the extent of the risk to the charity, its work, property, beneficiaries, employees or volunteers; and decide what action is needed to resolve the concerns.
    4. The inquiry made an Order dated 19 March 2020 under section 76(3)(g)11 of the Act to appoint Mr Philip Watts and Ms Sarah Tomlinson of Anthony Collins Solicitors to act as Interim Managers for the charity from the date of that Order. A Notice of Appeal dated 28 April 2020 was submitted to the Charity Tribunal first Tier in which the new trustees appealed against the appointment of the IMs. The Tribunal determined that the legal test was met, namely that the inquiry was open and ongoing into the charity, and that there had been mismanagement in the charity. However, the Tribunal did not consider in their discretion that an interim manager should be appointed, and instead considered that additional trustees could be appointed to strengthen the trustee board. As such, the trustees’ appeal against the Order was allowed and the IMs appointment therefore immediately ceased on 31 July 2020.

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How ‘muscular Christianity’ strove to bring men back to religion – and what it can teach us today

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gavin Brown, Lecturer in Religious Education, Australian Catholic University

    Wikimedia Commons

    Most people recognise organisations such as the YMCA and the Boy Scouts, or events such as the Modern Olympic Games, summer camps and wilderness retreats.

    Few, though, have ever heard of the movement from which they took their principal inspiration: muscular Christianity.

    The term sounds odd indeed, conjuring up images of Jesus with an impressively chiselled physique or, for devotees of the eighties, Vangelis’ memorable soundtrack to Chariots of Fire.
    However, the term arose because it once carried Christian hopes of a solution to a longstanding problem: men.

    That is, in the 19th century especially, Christian churches became particularly alarmed more and more men were leaving religion to women – from attendance at worship to running parish organisations or establishing charitable endeavours.

    Worse still was the fear Christianity itself had become soft and even effeminate through the Victorian age.

    Christians, especially the Protestants who started the movement, needed to present Christianity in ways attractive to men. But how?

    A literary beginning

    In 1857, the Englishman Thomas Hughes published the novel Tom Brown’s School Days, followed later by Tom Brown at Oxford in 1859.

    In the first book, Tom attends the prestigious Rugby School, before making his way to Oxford in the sequel. This character would epitomise a “muscular Christian”, as Hughes put it. In the sequel, Hughes wrote:

    The least of the muscular Christians has hold of the old chivalrous and Christian belief, that a man’s body is given him to be trained and brought into subjection, and then used for the protection of the weak, the advancement of all righteous causes, and the subduing of the earth which God has given to the children of men.

    Author Thomas Hughes largely based Tom Brown’s School Days on his own years at Rugby School.
    Wikimedia Commons

    Men precisely as men could use their bodies to Christianise the world. A movement with twin aims was born: first, encourage men to embrace their physicality and second, through such disciplining of their bodies, to glorify God.

    Rise and fall

    From England, the movement spread through the Anglosphere, including Australia.

    And it has some impressive credentials. Pierre de Coubertin’s inspiration for reviving the Olympic Games was, in part, inspired by reading Tom Brown’s School Days.

    In the United States, the YMCA – the Young Men’s Christian Association – in New York added a gymnasium in 1869, which soon became a permanent fixture at the “Y.” The physical director at Boston’s Y coined the term “body building”. James Naismith would later invent basketball in 1891 while working at a Y.

    The YMCA on Melbourne’s St. Kilda Road during WWI.
    Aussie~mobs/flickr

    Many Protestant churches drew upon muscular Christianity to bring men back into the fold. They masculinised church services through hymns which celebrated manliness and virtue, encouraged ministers to embody more masculine traits, brought men into the company of other men through brotherhoods and promoted vigorous missionary activity.

    Even Jesus received a makeover – arguably the most popular being Warner Sallman’s 1940 portrait painting Head of Christ.

    Sallman’s original motivation for such depictions came from the dean of a Chicago Bible College in 1914:

    I hope you can give us your conception of Christ. And I hope it’s a manly one. Most of our pictures today are too effeminate.

    There is evidence, too, of Catholics muscling in. Take, for example, Notre Dame’s football team’s successes in the 1920s and 30s in the US, or the Italian cyclist Gino Bartali, winner of the Tour de France in 1938 and 1948 and, according to the Catholic press, the ideal Catholic sportsman.

    Most historians will mark the decline of the movement after the first world war, though its influence continues to be felt to this day.

    A continuing legacy?

    So, apart from indulging in historical curiosity, what does it offer us?

    Muscular Christianity highlights both the dangers and continuing challenges raised when navigating the complex relationship between religion, culture and gender.

    It pursued a worthy goal, but tended to play a zero-sum gender game: gains for men in the churches often came at the expense of women. Such emphasis on masculinity easily slipped into gender bias, where a “church full of men” was deemed more valuable than churches full of women.

    The effort to bolster masculinity also traded in narrow gender stereotypes, though as the historian Clifford Putney reminds us, there was some flow-on effect for women and their organisational engagement in sport and physical activity.

    Some evangelical Christians have recently re-engaged its ethos.

    And perhaps muscular Christianity still has something valuable to say. At the very least, scratch beneath the surface of modern Western culture and you will often find Christianity or values which originated from it.

    Muscular Christianity can also remind us to reconnect with our bodies. We now live in a world which, as Australian author Michael Frost argues, has become increasingly “excarnate” – that is, less bodily.

    Muscular Christianity recognised bodies matter and matter spiritually. It encouraged people not to treat health and physical activity as ends in their own right or as a servant of the ego but, rather, a means to an end: wholeness, good character, the cultivation of virtue and the selfless desire to help others.

    An 1867 wood engraving of the Lady Muscular Christians.
    Wikimedia Commons

    Gavin Brown 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 ‘muscular Christianity’ strove to bring men back to religion – and what it can teach us today – https://theconversation.com/how-muscular-christianity-strove-to-bring-men-back-to-religion-and-what-it-can-teach-us-today-249485

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Yes, paper straws suck. Rather than bring back plastic ones, let’s avoid single-use items

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bhavna Middha, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University

    Dragon Images/Shutterstock

    When US President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to return to plastic straws, claiming the paper version is ineffective and “disgustingly dissolves in your mouth”, he was widely criticised for setting back efforts to reduce plastic pollution. But many alternatives designed to help phase out single-use plastics don’t really solve the problem at all.

    It’s not unusual to see plastic bans challenged or overturned. However, a government ban on the substitute is altogether new.

    It’s true paper straws can disintegrate and become soggy before we finish a drink. Problems with finding viable substitutes to single-use plastics is one of the many challenges involved in phasing them out.

    Sometimes, swapping one single-use item for another really is more trouble than it’s worth. A better approach would be to change our society’s single-use and disposal mindset.

    The problem with plastic

    Plastic pollution is an urgent problem for the environment and human health. Microplastics are everywhere, from Antarctica to our brains.

    Plastic is made from fossil fuels, and so contributes to global warming. What’s more, plastic production is forecast to triple by 2050.

    But recycling is difficult. Less than 10% of the world’s plastic has been recycled.

    So we need to reduce our use of plastic in the first place, rather than trying to clean it up afterwards.

    Substituting plastic straws for paper still involves using virgin materials.
    JeniFoto/Shutterstock

    Poor substitutes and other traps

    Trump rejected paper straws, saying they “don’t work” as well as plastic straws. The poor consumer experience of drinking through a soggy straw is one thing, but there are other problems too.

    Swapping one problematic or hazardous material for another is sometimes called “regrettable substitution”, because the replacement has its own issues. For example, one harmful chemical used to make plastics is often replaced with others that are as bad or worse.

    Paper straws, like paper cups, are often coated with plastics such as polyethylene or acrylic resin. This makes them difficult to recycle but also raises the risk of pollution. Some paper straws have been shown to contain more “forever chemicals” (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS) than plastic.

    Along with paper, other plant-based materials such as corn starch and bamboo are increasingly replacing single-use plastics – especially in food packaging. These substitutes carry a cost that is passed down to consumers, and many are more expensive to produce than plastic.

    Some are labelled “compostable” or “biodegradable”. The term compostable suggests they will break down in home compost heaps or green waste bins, but that has been called into question.

    Unfortunately, the term “biodegradable” does not necessarily mean a material will break down in home compost, or even landfill. It may require heat or pressure – in an industrial setting – for it to disintegrate enough to be harmless or safely used on your garden.

    When it comes to straws, paper, bamboo, metal and glass have all been adopted as substitutes. Metal and glass straws could be dangerous for kids and less able-bodied people. They can also be hard to clean. Again, “biodegradable plastic” products have been accused of greenwashing and have been banned from organic composting bins in New South Wales and potentially Victoria because they don’t disintegrate well or are contaminated.

    Meanwhile, thicker plastic bags labelled “reusable” have been introduced following bans on lightweight “single-use” plastic bags. While these durable bags may be reused for months at a time, they will eventually wear out and then they are even harder to break down in landfill.

    Plastic bans can be problematic

    Governments all over the world have attempted to ban single-use plastic. Often these bans are introduced without considering how the products are used in daily life and how those services will be replaced. The changes may disadvantage certain groups and new supply chains need to be created.

    Often, governments wanting to be seen as protecting the environment target the low-hanging fruit such as plastic straws and plastic bags, rather than packaging as a whole.

    So it’s no surprise these bans have faced opposition. Many have already been repealed or diluted.

    In India, for example, the plastic ban was criticised for shifting the burden of waste management away from larger, more polluting industries on to smaller businesses. Larger establishments were also accused of passing the costs of substitute packaging, such as more expensive paper and cloth, to consumers.

    Better to avoid single-use items

    It’s time to stop searching for the perfect substitute. Let’s instead focus on getting rid of single-use items altogether.

    Remember, straws were originally used for very specific cases and places: very young children and others unable to drink straight from a cup. They might still need straws.

    Single-use bottles are unnecessary. We should learn from Germany’s glass bottle reuse system and set up circular loops of production and distribution.

    Get serious about reducing plastic packaging

    While some packaging – even some plastics – is needed for food safety and freshness, an overhaul of unnecessary packaging would go a long way.

    In the United Kingdom, anti-waste charity WRAP examined fresh produce in supermarkets and called for the government to ban packaging on 21 fruits and vegetables sold in supermarkets by 2030. These included cucumbers, bananas and potatoes.

    Removing unnecessary packaging and plastics involves reconfiguring social rules, knowledge, standards and expectations such as making items without packaging affordable and widely available. We must challenge our disposable society by creating spaces and practices that allow reuse.

    Better policies and regulations

    Policies that prevent plastics from reaching consumers in the first place would be better than bans on single-use items.

    Governments should put the onus on the corporations that have profited from plastic and their role in plastic pollution.

    Supermarkets and the food industry as a whole must also take responsibility for their part in the plastic waste problem.

    Voluntary codes have not worked. Government regulation levels the playing field, but industry expertise and technical and social knowledge is needed to ensure systems work. While not without its challenges, Australia’s tyre recycling system has addressed many similar issues. The scheme’s approach to developing a national market for used tyres could be replicated for plastics, packaging and glass.

    Meaningful change for our environment and health requires government regulations done well and fairly. It also requires coordinated waste infrastructure and industry practices that build on technical expertise and consumers’ lived experience.

    Bhavna Middha receives funding from the Australian Research Council through the Discovery Early Career Research Award.

    Ralph Horne receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) and a range of industry and government partners from time to time, to support research activities relevant to this article. In particular, he is a Chief Investigator on the ARC Research Hub Transformation of Reclaimed Waste Resources to Engineered Materials and Solutions for a Circular Economy (TREMS).

    Kajsa Lundberg 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. Yes, paper straws suck. Rather than bring back plastic ones, let’s avoid single-use items – https://theconversation.com/yes-paper-straws-suck-rather-than-bring-back-plastic-ones-lets-avoid-single-use-items-250266

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Boost for Gaelic broadcasting

    Source: Scottish Government

    Supporting Gaelic dramas.

    Gaelic language broadcasting is to receive an additional £1.8 million to help build on the success of BBC Alba’s crime thriller An t-Eilean.

    The increase is contained in the Scottish Government’s 2025/26 Budget and raises total funding for MG ALBA (the Gaelic Media Service) to £14.8 million in the upcoming financial year.

    Independent research has found that Gaelic media generates £1.34 for every £1 invested and supports 340 jobs across Scotland, including 160 jobs in the islands.

    Deputy First Minister and Gaelic Secretary Kate Forbes announced the new funding on a World Gaelic Week visit to BBC studios in Glasgow, where she met Meredith Brook, who plays the character Sìne Maclean in An t-Eilean (The Island).

    The drama has attracted a record number of viewers since the first episode aired on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on 14 January and has already been sold to broadcasters in other European countries.  

    Ms Forbes said:

    “An t-Eilean’s success demonstrates how supporting a thriving Gaelic broadcasting sector can bring international interest to Scotland.

    “The programme marks a new era of Gaelic TV which could draw tourists into Scotland to support jobs and economic opportunities in the country’s island communities.  

    “This extra funding will enable Gaelic broadcasters to build on existing high-quality content and attract new audiences. To grow Gaelic, we are taking forward the Scottish Languages Bill to strengthen provision of Gaelic education and investing a total of £35.7 million in initiatives to promote the language in 2025-26.”

    Meredith Brook said:

    “The making of An t-Eilean has set an exciting precedent for the future of Gaelic drama on BBC ALBA, telling engaging stories in the Gaelic language with a universal reach.

    “As one of the Gaelic actors in this series, I’m proud to have played such a pivotal role in sharing the language I’m so proud of with the world.” 

    Background

    Pictures from Ms Forbes’ visit to BBC studios are available online.

    Research from Ernst and Young on the economic impact of MG ALBA (the Gaelic Media Service) is available online.

    Togail airson craoladh na Gàidhlig

    A’ cur taic ri dràmathan Gàidhlig

    Gheibh craoladh na Gàidhlig £1.8 millean a bharrachd gus cuideachadh le bhith a’ togail air soirbheachadh dràma eucoir BBC Alba, An t-Eilean.

    Tha an t-àrdachadh seo a’ tighinn bho Bhuidseat Riaghaltas na h-Alba airson 2025/26. Togaidh e am maoineachadh uile gu lèir a gheibh MG ALBA gu £14.8 millean sa bhliadhna ionmhais a tha romhainn.

    Lorg rannsachadh neo-eisimeileach gu bheil meadhanan na Gàidhlig a’ cruthachadh £1.34 airson gach £1 a gheibh iad is a’ cur taic ri 340 dreuchd air feadh Alba, le 160 dhiubh sin anns na h-eileanan.

    Chaidh am maoineachadh ùr a chuir an cèill leis an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear agus Rùnaire na Gàidhlig Ceit Fhoirbeis is i a’ tadhal, mar phàirt de Sheachdain na Gàidhlig, air stiùideothan a’ BhBC ann an Glaschu. An sin, choinnich i ri Meredith Brook, a tha a’ cluich a’ charactair Sìne Nic’IllEathain anns An t-Eilean.

    Tha an dràma air clàran a bhriseadh a thaobh luchd-amhairc bhon a chaidh a’ chiad eapasod a chraoladh air BBC ALBA agus BBC iPlayer air 14 Faoilleach. Chaidh e mu thràth a reic gu craoladairean ann an dùthchannan Eòrpach eile. 

    Thuirt a’ BhCh. Fhoirbeis:

    “Tha soirbheachadh An t-Eilean a’ cur am follais mar as urrainn do roinn mheadhanan Ghàidhlig bheòthail ùidh eadar-nàiseanta a thogail ann an Alba.

    “Tha am prògram a’ comharrachadh linn ùr ann an TBh na Gàidhlig a b’ urrainn luchd-turais a thàladh a dh’Alba gus taic a chur ri obraichean agus cothroman eaconamach ann an coimhearsnachdan eileanach na dùthcha.

    “Bheir am maoineachadh a bharrachd seo cothrom do chraoladairean na Gàidhlig togail air prògraman fìor mhath a tha mu thràth aca is luchd-amhairc ùr a ghlacadh. Gus a’ Ghàidhlig fhàs, tha sinn a’ toirt air adhart Bile nan Cànan Albannach gus foghlam Gàidhlig a neartachadh is a’ cur £35.7 millean uile gu lèir ri iomairtean a bhios a’ cur a’ chànain air adhart ann an 2025-26.”

    Thuirt Meredith Brook:

     “Le bhith a’ dèanamh An t-Eilean, tha sinn air eisimpleir a thabhann a bhrosnaicheas dràmathan do BhBC ALBA san àm ri teachd, a tha ag innse sgeulachdan tarraingeach ann an Gàidhlig a tha a’ suathadh ri cùisean uile-choitcheann.

    “Mar aon de chleasaichean Gàidhlig an t-sreatha seo, ’s e urram tha ann dhomh gun robh pàirt cho cudromach agam ann a bhith a’ cur cànan air a bheil mi cho pròiseil mu choinneamh na cruinne.”

    Cùl-fhiosrachadh

    Gheibhear dealbhan bho thuras na BCh. Fhoirbeis gu stiùideothan a’ BhBC air-loidhne.

    Tha rannsachadh bho Ernst agus Young mu bhuaidh eaconamach MG ALBA ri fhaighinn air-loidhne.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Bureau of Meteorology’s 2025 Autumn Long-Range Forecast

    Source: Weather Warnings – Australia

    27/02/2025

    The Bureau of Meteorology has released its long-range forecast for autumn 2025.

    While autumn is often a time for cooler weather to begin, this season is very likely to be warmer than average across Australia and summer heat may persist into early autumn.

    Rainfall is likely to be in the typical range for the season for most of Australia.

    However, for parts of the far north-west of the country there is a chance of above average rainfall.

    It’s also likely to be drier than usual for most of Queensland except for southern and south-east areas.

    Tropical cyclones, tropical lows, storms and active monsoon bursts are still possible in the north over the coming months, which can bring particularly heavy rain.

    The Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) has identified areas with an increased risk of fire this season for southern areas of Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.

    The Bureau updates the long-range forecast often and you can search the latest details for your location on the Bureau’s website, visit: Long-range forecasts and climate monitoring, Bureau of Meteorology

    2025 Autumn long-range forecast (states and territories)

    New South Wales and the ACT

    Most of NSW (including the ACT) is likely to have rainfall in the typical range for autumn.

    Average autumn rainfall in recent decades has been between 100 and 400 mm along most of eastern NSW, while western and central NSW have between 25 and 100 mm, and up to 600 mm in parts of the north coast.

    Warmer than usual autumn temperatures are very likely across the state.

    Victoria

    Most of Victoria is likely to have rainfall in the typical range for autumn.

    Average autumn rainfall in recent decades ranges between 50 mm in the state’s north-west and up to 300 mm in eastern and alpine areas

    Warmer than usual autumn temperatures are very likely across the state.

    Queensland

    Autumn is likely to be drier than usual for most of Queensland except for southern and south-east areas.

    The southern most quarter of the state is likely to have rainfall in the typical range for autumn.

    Average autumn rainfall in recent decades has been between 200 and 1,200 mm along most of the state’s east, while western and central Queensland have between 25 and 200 mm.

    Warmer than usual autumn temperatures are likely across the state.

    Western Australia

    Most of Western Australia is likely to have rainfall in the typical range for autumn.

    There’s an increased chance of above average rainfall this autumn for parts of the northern Kimberley.

    Average autumn rainfall in recent decades has been between 50 and 300 mm for most of the South West Land Division, between 50 and 200 mm mid-state, and up to 400 mm in the far north.

    Warmer than usual autumn temperatures are likely across the state.

    South Australia

    Most of South Australia is likely to have rainfall in the typical range for autumn.

    Average autumn rainfall in recent decades has been between 50 and 200 mm for urban and agricultural areas, and 10 to 50 mm for the pastoral districts.

    Warmer than usual autumn temperatures are very likely across the state.

    Tasmania

    Most of Tasmania is likely to have rainfall in the typical range for autumn.

    Average autumn rainfall in recent decades has been between 400 and 800 mm for western Tasmania, while eastern areas typically have between 100 and 300 mm.

    Warmer than usual autumn temperatures are very likely across the state.

    Northern Territory

    Most of the Territory is likely to have rainfall in the typical range for this time of year.

    Parts of the east may have below average rainfall.

    Average March to May rainfall in recent decades has been between 100 and 600 mm along most of the north, and inland areas have had between 25 and 100 mm.

    Warmer than usual temperatures are likely across most of the Territory.

    Summer – Preliminary Summary

    Summer has been much warmer than usual for most of Australia.

    Every state and territory had above-average daytime and night-time temperatures.

    Parts of the west and some central areas had their warmest summer on record.

    Summer has been wetter than usual for parts of the country’s east and north-west.

    Conditions have been drier than average across parts of the country’s south and central areas and large parts of the Northern Territory.

    The national summary for summer and February will be on the Bureau’s website from 3 March: News reports and summaries

    Detailed summaries for summer and February conditions for each state and capital city will be published on 5 March.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New deal for GPs will fix the front door of the NHS

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New deal for GPs will fix the front door of the NHS

    GP contract reforms will fix the front door of the NHS and see the return of the family doctor, while helping end the 8am scramble for appointments

    • Biggest doctor’s union backs new government deal with GPs to fix the front door of the NHS and bring back the family doctor 

    • Slashing red tape and cutting box ticking targets will free up GPs and take the first steps to end the 8am scramble for appointments 

    • Reforms will be backed by increased funding to reverse years of under investment in General Practice 

    • Agreement with the BMA on the GP contract for the first time in four years is a reset of relations after recent collective action that has blighted the health service 

    For the first time in four years, government and GP representatives have agreed reforms to GP contracts, to fix the front door of the NHS and bring back the family doctor, which was identified as a priority by the Health and Social Care Secretary when he first joined the department. 

    The new deal agreed yesterday (February 27) between the government and British Medical Association (BMA) will free up doctors from red tape and box-ticking targets to concentrate on what they do best – treating patients. 

    The new agreed contract will modernise general practice by requiring GP surgeries to allow patients to request appointments online throughout working hours from October, freeing up the phones for those who need them most, and making it easier for practices to triage patients based on medical need. The reforms are part of the government’s Plan for Change to make general practice fit for the future and will support GPs in taking the first steps to end the 8am scramble for appointments, which so many patients currently endure every day – in turn improving access to GPs for everyone. 

    The deal for family doctors is backed by the biggest funding boost for General Practice in years, reversing the decade-long cuts to general practice funding as a share of the NHS budget. 

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:     

    Rebuilding the broken NHS starts with GPs. Patients need to be able to easily book an appointment, in the manner they want, with their regular doctor if they choose. 

    Today, we have taken the first step to fixing the front door to the NHS, bringing back the family doctor, and ending the 8am scramble. 

    Over the past decade, funding for GPs has been cut relative to the rest of the NHS, while the number of targets for GPs has soared. That’s why patients are struggling to get an appointment. 

    This government is cutting the red tape that ties up GPs time and backing them with an extra £889 million next year. In return, more patients will be able to request appointments online and see their regular doctor for each appointment. Through the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, we will work with GPs to rebuild the NHS and make it fit for the future.

    Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS England national director for primary care and community services, said:  

    Improving patients’ access to general practice is a huge priority for the NHS and this contract sets out the next steps to put the family doctor at the heart of the shift to a neighbourhood health service.  

    This is the first time in four years that the GP contract has been accepted as proposed and I hope it will be seen as positive for practices, GP teams and patients when introduced in April.  

    It shows how NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have listened and delivered on the priorities that matter most to patients and general practice teams, including a significant increase in funding and extra flexibility in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to recruit more staff including GPs.    

    Other key changes include improved digital access for patients, setting out what patients can expect from their practice in a new charter and encouraging GP teams to identify patients with the greatest need that would most benefit from seeing the same clinician at every appointment.

    Today’s reforms will be underpinned by an extra £889 million to fix the front door of health, bringing total spend on the GPs contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26.  

    The 7.2% boost to the GP contract is faster than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole, helping to reverse the decade long trend of GP practices receiving an ever-decreasing percentage of NHS funding and supporting the shift from hospital to community. Lord Darzi found that the share of the health service’s budget dedicated to primary care had fallen by a quarter between 2009 and 2021.   

    Burdensome red tape on GPs will be reduced by scrapping unnecessary targets like those requiring practices to report on staff wellbeing meetings or to explain how they are reviewing staff access to IT systems. Under the new GP contract, nearly half of the targets (32 of 76) that GPs must report their progress against will be removed. The reforms will free up GPs from pointless box-ticking, so they can spend more time treating patients and delivering the government’s promise to bring back the family doctor.  

    In addition to patients being able to request GP appointments online, they will also gain clearer information about the care they can expect to receive through the online patient charter – including the services available to them – along with more consistent care as the government introduces measures bring back the family doctor. To make sure those most in need are prioritised, GPs will be incentivised to identify patients who would benefit most from seeing the same GP at every appointment, so more patients see their regular doctor each appointment.     

    As part of the government’s plan to cut waiting lists, announced earlier this year as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, GPs will be encouraged to seek specialist advice and guidance when unsure about making a referral to hospital. Up to £80 million of funding will be made available for doctors to liaise with specialist consultants, which can avoid people being added onto waiting lists unnecessarily and speed up patient care. 

    A majority of respondents to the government’s Change NHS online portal have stated fixing difficulties in accessing primary care as a top three priority, and a recent poll by Health Foundation claims it is the number one health concern for 38% of the public.     

    As part of ongoing efforts to rebuild relationships with NHS staff following years of underfunding and neglect, the government and British Medical Association (BMA) engaged in constructive discussions which have led to the BMA’s general practice committee voting in favour of the proposed GP contract. All parties have worked together to find a fair deal for hardworking NHS staff, but also one that acknowledges the wider economic pressures facing the UK and the need to continue to bring down inflation. 

    By fixing the front door of the NHS, these reforms will also ease pressures on other parts of the health service including A&E. 

    The reforms form part of the government’s Plan for Change which will deliver our mission to build an NHS fit for the future, starting with tackling waiting lists. It will also drive progress on making sure fewer lives are lost to the biggest killers by making sure people are diagnosed and treated earlier. Underpinning this work are three big reform shifts – from ‘hospital to community’, bringing care closer to where people live, including through a new neighbourhood health service to deliver more proactive and personalised care; ‘analogue to digital’, by rolling out new technologies and digital approaches to modernise the NHS; and from ‘sickness to prevention’, shortening the amount of time people spend in ill-health by preventing illnesses before they happen.

    This landmark agreement – the first contract agreement reached in four years – represents a step change in relations with NHS staff to help ease workloads for GPs whilst providing better services to patients, as we rebuild the NHS.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Intertrade UK kickstarts drive to boost trade 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Intertrade UK kickstarts drive to boost trade 

    Boost to internal market as Intertrade UK holds its first meeting today. The new body, chaired by Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee, was a key Safeguarding the Union commitment.

    In a further move to strengthen and protect the UK internal market for businesses across the country, Intertrade UK will hold its first meeting today.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn has today announced the five panel members of Intertrade UK who will join the Chair of Intertrade UK, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE. 

    The new body will advise on opportunities to promote and boost trade across the UK, utilising the wide-ranging expertise of its members drawn from industry and academia who are recognised leaders in their fields. 

    Intertrade UK will do this through promoting trade in goods and services across the UK and advising on overcoming identified barriers, considering how best businesses can take advantage of the full opportunities of the UK internal market, and conduct research and publish insights aimed at advancing domestic trade. 

    The first meeting of Intertrade UK will be held this morning in Enniskillen where members will formally adopt the Terms of Reference, discuss and agree a programme of work with key priorities to take forward over the next 18 months.

    Speaking about today’s appointments, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, said: 

    The UK internal market is vital for businesses right across the country, and the Government is committed to taking all steps to protect and strengthen it. 

    East West trade is essential for UK growth, and part of the success of Intertrade UK will be to ensure that people can enjoy the full benefits of the UK internal market for both goods and services. 

    This was an important commitment in the Safeguarding the Union command paper, and with this experienced panel of members in place, I look forward to seeing Intertrade UK play an important role in promoting UK-wide trade and economic growth.

    Chair of Intertrade UK, Baroness Arlene Foster, said: 

    The Safeguarding the Union Command paper had strengthening the UK internal market at its core. I am very pleased that we will have our first meeting of Intertrade UK today which was set up as a consequence of that Command paper so we can take this important work forward. 

    The panel members which have been appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland have a wealth of experience on trade in and out of Northern Ireland and we will immediately get to work looking at challenges which have been identified and if and how these can be practically resolved.

    The establishment of Intertrade UK represents another significant step in delivering on the commitments set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper and a key asset in delivery of this Government’s Growth Mission.

    Notes to editors

    Intertrade UK full panel members: 

    • The Rt Hon. the Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE – Chair of Intertrade UK
    • Dr Esmond Birnie – Senior Economist, Ulster University
    • Kirsty McManus – Northern Ireland Director, Institute of Directors
    • Suzanne Wylie – Chief Executive Officer, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce
    • Roger Pollen – Head of Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland
    • Angela McGowan – Director for Northern Ireland, Confederation of British Industry

    The Terms of Reference will be formally adopted during the meeting.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Appointments to National Library of Australia Council

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Australian Government has appointed Professor Sarah Holland-Batt and reappointed Dr Shane Simpson AM as members of the Council of the National Library of Australia for three-year terms.

    Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said both members would contribute significant experience towards the management and operation of the Library. 

    “Shane has been a valuable member of the Council, providing expertise and knowledge in the arts and law for the past six years and his insight will continue to be of great value.

    “I’d also like to welcome Sarah, whose experience will help the National Library forge stronger connections with Australia’s academic and literary communities.

    “The library holds some of our Nation’s most valuable treasures, and is the custodian of Trove,  so we need strong leadership to guide its administration.”

    The Council – established by the National Library Act 1960 – is the National Library’s governing body and sets the overall strategic direction of the Library.

    Dr Shane Simpson AM is Special Counsel at Simpsons Solicitors, having established the firm in 1986. One of Australia’s most highly regarded intellectual property and entertainment lawyers, Dr Simpson was the founder of the Arts Law Centre of Australia and has served as the Chair of the Bundanon Trust Board, the New South Wales Film and Television Office (now Screen NSW), Museums and Galleries of NSW and various other boards and foundations. In 2011 Dr Simpson was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the law and the arts through leading roles in intellectual property and entertainment law, and as a contributor to a range of cultural organisations.

    Professor Sarah Holland-Batt is an award-winning contemporary poet, editor, critic and academic. Professor Holland-Batt’s books have won several literary prizes, including the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Poetry, the Stella Prize, the Queensland Premier’s Award for State Significance and more. Her poems have been widely published in international journals and magazines, including The New Yorker and Poetry, and have been translated into several languages. In 2025 Professor Holland-Batt was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. Professor Holland-Batt is a member of the Creative Writing and Literary Studies faculty at Queensland University of Technology. She also works as an advisor to various industry bodies and is currently Chair of Australian Book Review.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Work ramps up to return rail service to Wallerawang

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Work ramps up to return rail service to Wallerawang

    Published: 28 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads

    The Minns Labor Government is moving ahead with plans to restore regional rail services to the town of Wallerawang for the first time in 35 years.

    Thanks to a $7 million investment from the government, early work to allow passenger trains to stop at Wallerawang Railway Station will begin next week.

    The geotechnical preparations next week will pave the way in coming weeks for early enabling works to improve the station’s amenity.

    A contract has been awarded for these early enabling works which will involve building assessments and improvements to adjacent buildings including painting, cleaning and refurbishment of existing signage. 

    Then, in coming months, the community will be updated on the final stage which will be minor infrastructure construction works to bring the station up to the standard required to allow trains to stop there.  

    The Wallerawang station, between Lithgow and Bathurst, was closed by the Liberal and Nationals government in 1989 and is currently inaccessible to the public. 

    Once all the necessary work has been completed, passengers will be once again able to catch services to and from Wallerawang, which will operate similarly to Millthorpe, Stuart Town and Tarana stations which operate as unattended stations.

    Details of the train services that will stop at Wallerawang and the associated timetables will be confirmed closer to the station’s re-opening date which is scheduled around the end of 2026.  

    Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:

    “I know how keen the community of Wallerawang and rail advocates are to see Wallerawang Station re-open and I am delighted to announce that early work is starting to enable it once again to host passenger services, instead of trains just passing through.

    “I’m sure this is welcome news for the roughly 2000 people who live in Wallerawang but also those from surrounding villages and towns.

    “They will have increased public transport options to access education, health and employment providing vital connections that will help sustain the economic and social wellbeing of the region. 

    “Returning passenger trains to Wallerawang will also help open up tourism and visitation to the region which offers beautiful scenery, national parks, recreational activities such as mountain biking and fishing spots and farm stays.”

    NSW Labor’s Bathurst spokesperson, Stephen Lawrence said:

    “Wallerawang Railway Station has a special place in NSW rail history and on the eve of its 155 year anniversary, I am excited to see work ramping up on the restoration passenger rail services.

    “The Minns Labor Government is committed to improving access to regional transport option across the state and I look forward to seeing the first train stop at Wallerawang around the end of 2026.”

    Mayor of Lithgow City Council, Cassandra Coleman said:

    “I’d like to thank the Labor government for honouring a promise made by the current state member when he was in government.

    “Railway services are always going to be central to ensuring that this community is economically viable going into the future.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Warrawong Plaza rezoned for 1,300 new homes

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Warrawong Plaza rezoned for 1,300 new homes

    Published: 28 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    Warrawong is ready for an additional 1,300 well-located homes following the approval of new planning controls for Warrawong Plaza.

    The planning proposal at 43-65 Cowper Street, Warrawong, increases the maximum building height from eight to approximately 22 storeys which paves the way for the master planned mixed-use development to provide up to 1,300 new homes, with 15 per cent set aside as affordable housing for at least 15 years.

    This project is another example of the NSW Government helping to increase supply as the housing crisis continues to be the biggest issue facing the state.

    The rezoning will add a minimum of 6,500 square metres of publicly accessible open space, along with pedestrian links to Cowper Street and Northcliffe Drive, and Warrawong Plaza will continue to operate on the site.

    A new bus interchange has been added to the proposal following community feedback during the project’s public exhibition in June and July 2024.

    The proposal’s first homes could be built by 2028, which will help meet the Illawarra’s growing housing needs.  Trading will continue at Warrawong Plaza during construction.

    The proposal comes as Illawarra residents’ ideas help shape the Master Plan for the future of the 32-hectare Warrawong Parklands and around 100 construction jobs that will flow from the NSW Government’s approval of BlueScope’s $200 million Plate Mill refurbishment at nearby Port Kembla.

    Future development applications that are more than $60 million will be assessed by the Department and will be subject to design excellence requirements.

    This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with a greater choice of homes, so young people, families and workers have somewhere to live in the communities they choose.

    For more information, visit the planning proposal webpage. 

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said:

    “The Warrawong Plaza and transport hub offers an ideal infill development opportunity to deliver more well-located homes and affordable housing in this changing suburb.

    “This is an ideal location close to Kully Bay Park, Lake Illawarra and a short drive from Port Kembla’s Beach Pavilion.  

    “Adding new homes will benefit young people, families and key local workers while also offering existing shops with increased customers and the potential for new businesses in the Warrawong CBD.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW’s State Fish, the Eastern Blue Groper, will continue being protected

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 28 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Agriculture

    The NSW Government today announced that the State’s Fish, the Eastern Blue groper, will continue to be protected following scientific advice and community feedback.

    Consequently, the no-line fishing prohibition, implemented 12 months ago, will continue for a further three years from 1 March 2025 to enable further research and monitoring on the species.

    This decision combines with the long-term existing prohibition on spearfishing and commercial fishing of the Eastern Blue Groper to continue the temporary prohibition of line fishing.

    This decision has been taken after the Government considered a range of important factors including recently published scientific information that raised concerns about the potential impacts of climate change and that caution should be taken in managing the species due to their unique biological traits.

    The State’s Fish holds a special place for many people and communities, and this has also contributed to the decision to continue the fishing prohibition of the iconic Eastern Blue Groper.

    This decision aligns with the situation in Victoria where for a long period of time there has been a prohibition of line fishing, spear fishing and commercial fishing for the Blue Groper.

    The Government is committed to the sound management of our fisheries resources while also enabling the important activity of recreational fishing to be undertaken along the coast and inland waters of NSW.

    Steps were taken early last year by the Government to ensure the protection of the State’s Fish, by placing a 12 month prohibition on line fishing for the fish, so research could be done to ascertain the best way to manage the Blue Groper and to enable community consultation.

    The protection afforded by a prohibition on fishing was required following a community outcry on the behaviour of persons found illegally spearing the fish along the NSW coast and a concern for the sustainability of the species.

    During the 12-month period of the ban, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development undertook both community engagement, comprehensive research and stock assessment of the Blue Groper.

    The stock assessment concluded that the Eastern Blue Groper is in a sustainable position, however there is a risk the species is being impacted by climate change and warming waters.

    The decision to continue a ban of line fishing will afford protection for the State Fish while the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development continue scientific monitoring and research of this important species, including looking at how the community can get involved through citizen science programs.

    NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

    “NSW’s State Fish, the Eastern Blue Groper, will continue being protected after the Government considered a range of advice, community feedback and scientific research.

    “There is a strong community interest in the State’s iconic Eastern Blue Groper, and there is a community expectation that we take every step possible to understand any potential impacts that climate change may be having on the species.

    “Three further years of scientific monitoring will deliver a deeper level of understanding of how this wonderful fish is coping with warming conditions and what impact those conditions are having on the population, particularly in our inshore waters where people interact with the Eastern Blue Groper.

    “I know some fishers will be disappointed, but I also know there are many in the NSW community, including fishers, who want this State Fish protected and that is what the Government is doing.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Light at the end of Sydney’s secret train tunnels

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 28 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Transport

    Abandoned train tunnels 20 metres below the Sydney CBD have been turned into a historic tourist hotspot after a million-dollar makeover by the Minns Labor Government.

    Built in the 1920s, visitors will be able to explore hidden parts of the St James Tunnels following restoration and revitalisation works to create a unique underground experience.

    St James Tunnels will combine a historical walking tour with an immersive multimedia and soundscape attraction, offering visitors a snapshot of our city’s transport and wartime past.

    Once utilised as a World War II air raid shelter, tour groups will be able to walk through the disused southern tunnel, extending under Hyde Park, from busy St James station.

    The tunnels were part of visionary engineer John Bradfield’s intended east-west rail corridor, but this was abandoned in the face of the Great Depression and disagreements over rail routes.

    Two of the constructed tunnels at St James station have been in continuous use as part of the City Circle since opening in 1926, but the other two were never put into active service.

    Experience-led tourism is a key priority of the NSW Government, with plans to help transform the state’s visitor economy into a $91 billion powerhouse by 2035.

    The St James Tunnels tour is expected to be a visitor drawcard, similar to award-winning attractions in London which explore disused tube stations and secret wartime shelters.

    The tour is anticipated to run several times a day and will be suitable for visitors aged 13 and above. Once an operator is appointed, tours are expected to commence later this year.

    Minister for Transport John Graham said:

    “These historic tunnels are more than just infrastructure; they are an expression of Sydney’s development as a modern, international city. These tunnels belong to the people of NSW, so it’s fantastic news that they’ll become another of our city’s great public spaces.

    “Tours like Bridgeclimb on the Harbour Bridge are now a must-do experience for Sydney locals and visitors alike. In time, we want to see tours of the St James tunnels become just as popular.

    “I want to congratulate the teams who worked so hard underground in a difficult environment to preserve the heritage of the site and reimagine it into an exciting and educational experience.

    TAM Chief Executive Lyndal Punch said:

    “Transport Asset Manager of NSW (TAM) is proud to be leading this innovative project, unlocking a disused, historic rail asset while using multimedia technology to tell the story of Sydney’s city railway development.

    “This new visitor attraction will ensure the stories of the past continue to inspire future generations.”

    Sydney Trains Chief Executive Matt Longland said:

    “We are very excited be part of this unique transport project which is turning a once disused and unseen heritage site into a fascinating, interactive and educational visitor experience.

    “The St James Tunnels are a window into our transport past, a snapshot of World War II history, and the efforts of the workers who built Sydney’s transport infrastructure.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Work begins on new refuge for women and children fleeing domestic violence in Newcastle LGA

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 28 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Homelessness, Minister for the Hunter, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

    The NSW Government is building a safer New South Wales for women and children escaping domestic violence with construction beginning on a new emergency refuge in the Newcastle LGA.

    Home in Place has started building the nine-unit Core and Cluster complex that will feature a central hub of on-site support services to help victim-survivors rebuild their lives and heal from trauma. The site will also have a dedicated yarning space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

    The NSW Government is investing $8.97 million into the construction, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

    The Core and Cluster model promotes independent living by providing a ‘cluster’ of self-contained accommodation located next to a ‘core’ of support including access to counselling, legal assistance, education, and employment support.

    The NSW Government has invested $426.6 million over four years in the Core and Cluster program to ensure support for more than an additional 2,900 women and children fleeing domestic and family violence across the state each year.

    This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s work to address domestic and family violence in the state from every angle – by investing in primary prevention, early intervention, crisis responses and recovery. Making sure women and children have a safe place to go when they escape abuse is crucial to their recovery and helping them rebuild their lives.

    Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said:

    “Women fleeing abusive relationships need a safe and secure place to rebuild their lives, free from violence and the fear that comes with it.

    “Core and Cluster refuges have already made a significant difference giving women and children a secure place to turn to when they need it most.

    “With more Core and Cluster refuges underway—including right here in the Newcastle LGA—the NSW Government remains committed to providing women and children with the safety and support they deserve.”

    Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:

    “Having a safe place to stay is a crucial element in helping women and children escape domestic violence and recover.

    “We want victim-survivors to know they have somewhere safe to go, with 49 brand new refuges under the Core and Cluster program expected to be operational across the state by 2026. Having services on site also means support is available when they need it most to help them heal, regain their confidence and rebuild their lives.

    “This new refuge in the Newcastle LGA is an important addition to the region, as we work towards building a New South Wales free from domestic and family violence.”

    Minister for Hunter Yasmin Catley said:

    “Domestic and family violence is a huge issue all over NSW, and the Hunter is stepping up to be part of the solution – giving victim-survivors a safe space and a fresh start.

    “We know the hardest part of leaving an unsafe situation is taking that first step, so we’re giving victims the confidence that once they’ve made it, the rest is taken care of – with the solutions they need for the journey ahead, right at their fingertips.”

    Lyndall Robertshaw, CEO Australia of Home in Place, said:

    “With almost four decades of experience in delivering housing projects for people who are most in need in our community, we understand the importance of designing safe spaces that encourage healing and rebuilding.

    “Safe, appropriate housing is a fundamental human right. If you are worrying and organising where you or your family will sleep that night, it is very hard to work, study, raise children, take care of your physical or mental health or contribute to your community.”

    Support:

    If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.

    If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: First Vegas, then the world? Why the NRL is eyeing international markets

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney

    This weekend, Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) continues to trumpet its now annual pilgrimage to open its season in Las Vegas.

    While it’s only the second year of a five-year arrangement, the NRL claims its Vegas experiment has been a great success at a time when the league has been in excellent health on and off the field.

    But why is the Australian league hosting games in Las Vegas? And has this experiment paid dividends?

    The NRL has made the bold decision to play games at Las Vegas.

    The NRL’s Vegas play

    There are a few reasons behind the NRL’s Vegas venture, with money at the heart of it.

    It’s partly about future TV revenue and trying to grab a slice of the US sports gambling market.

    And then there’s sponsors – it’s allowed the NRL to fish in the larger US pond in terms of corporate involvement in the game.

    According to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo:

    Outside of the benefit we get here domestically, in America we’ve now got sponsors that are incremental. We would not have had these sponsors had we not been growing in America. We’ve got a successful travel experience for fans, and we’ve got incremental subscriptions on Watch NRL, so you’ve got real revenue coming in which allows to us to now invest in expansion, and invest in a better product here.

    The move is also part of a grand vision to grow the game internationally.

    The NRL has announced a team from Papua New Guinea will join the league in 2028. It is also aiming for more integration with the Super League in England, perhaps one day eyeing franchises in the US and the Pacific.

    The NRL is also conscious of the US National Football League’s venture into Melbourne in 2026 and the competition that could bring for Pacific talent.



    Read more:
    It’s the most American of sports, so why is the NFL looking to Melbourne for international games?

    There may also be some football diplomacy at play. For example, some Sharks players visited the Los Angles firefighters who fought the recent wildfires for some lessons on leadership and crisis management.

    What happened last year?

    The Vegas venture started a year ago with the Sydney Roosters playing the Brisbane Broncos and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles playing the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a groundbreaking double-header.

    These matches were the first NRL regular season games held outside Australia and New Zealand.

    The crowd at Allegiant Stadium, which holds 65,000 fans, surpassed all expectations, with 40,746 turning up when about 25,000 were expected.

    According to Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, more than 14,000 fans flew from Australia for the games and many Aussie expats living in the US also made the trip.

    In terms of TV audiences in Australia, the experiment was a big hit.

    The Manly-South Sydney clash was the most-watched NRL game ever on Fox Sports, with 838,000 fans tuning in. The Roosters-Broncos contest drew a Fox Sports audience of 786,000.

    According to NRL chairman Peter V’Landys:

    There was a lot of success in Vegas last year that we didn’t even plan, and for me that was record viewership in Australia and […] record attendances at pubs and clubs.

    Stateside reaction

    Of course a lot of Aussies tuned in, but how about US viewers?

    Around 61,000 tuned into Manly-South Sydney while 44,000 watched the Roosters and Broncos, which is well below the threshold of 100,000 viewers for profitable sports broadcasting, according to TV ratings experts Sports Media Watch in the US.

    The NRL set up fan zones and other activities in the build-up to the games in Las Vegas to attract US fans and entertain the visting Aussie tourists.

    This year there will be even more on offer: there are four games instead of two, with the NRL bringing over the Canberra Raiders and the New Zealand Warriors, and reigning four-time premiers the Penrith Panthers and the Cronulla Sharks.

    In addition, there’s an English Super League game, with the Wigan Warriors taking on Warrington Wolves, as well as an Australia-England women’s Test match.

    Is it worth it?

    So, has it been worth all the expense for the NRL?

    According to V’Landys, the competition’s bottom line has been largely unaffected despite the significant costs of the games:

    This year there’s a possibility that we’ll actually return a profit on Vegas and if not, it’ll be a small loss.

    But he’s not leaving anything to chance. In fact, in a televised plea on US TV show Fox and Friends, V’Landys invited President Donald Trump to attend the game.

    Will the president attend? Unlike a major US event like the Superbowl, where Trump was the first sitting president to attend, there’s not a big domestic constituency for rugby league, so chances are he won’t join the revelry in Vegas.

    But it sounds like the NRL, on current projections, won’t need him.

    With the introduction of a new team in PNG in 2028 and a possible 19th outfit in Perth soon after, the NRL has showcased an impressive vision to take the game into new markets.

    Even if a tiny proportion of the US market jumps on board rugby league, it can only help take the game closer to to its goal of being the undisputed number one sport in Australia.

    Tim Harcourt 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. First Vegas, then the world? Why the NRL is eyeing international markets – https://theconversation.com/first-vegas-then-the-world-why-the-nrl-is-eyeing-international-markets-250622

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Regional NSW supported to prevent domestic and family violence

    Source: Australian Ministers for Social Services

    Joint with:

    The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
    Minister for Social Services 
    Minister for National Disability Insurance Scheme

    Senator Deborah O’Neill
    Senator for New South Wales

    The Albanese Labor Government is addressing rates of domestic and family violence, investing $2.86 million to set up two new Men’s Wellness Centres in regional New South Wales.

    Two local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations will design and deliver Men’s Wellness Centres for their local communities, providing culturally appropriate programs and activities for First Nations men to improve their wellbeing and to prevent violence.

    Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service Limited will receive $860,000 to establish a culturally sensitive and safe space for First Nations men in Walgett to address social isolation, promote mental health, preserve cultural knowledge, and foster community resilience. The centre will also have a dedicated space for health checks.

    Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service Limited will receive $2 million to support men through one-on-one and group sessions on alcohol and other drug support, parental support, counselling and therapy, health and legal education, suicide awareness training and education, domestic family violence support.

    This funding is part of a $41.4 million Government investment under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan 2023-2025 to develop 13 Men’s Wellness Centres for First Nations peoples around Australia.

    Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth said the Government is driving change to combat gender-based violence – including working directly with men.

    “Through these new Men’s Wellness Centres, we are boosting the services available for First Nations men, so they have the tools and opportunities to create healthier behaviours and stronger, safer communities,” Minister Rishworth said.

    “Importantly, these new programs are led by the First Nations community, for the First Nations community, to provide culturally safe and connected support.”

    Senator for New South Wales Deborah O’Neill said the Men’s Wellness Centres will provide First Nations men with the culturally safe support they need to build healthier, stronger communities.

    “The Albanese Labor Government is taking real action to address domestic and family violence with this $2.86 million investment in Men’s Wellness Centres for regional NSW,” Senator O’Neill said.

    “This investment by the Albanese Labor Government demonstrates our commitment to community-led solutions and violence prevention – giving men the tools, support, and space to break cycles of violence, strengthen their mental health, and stay connected to culture and community.”

    The initiative will also help progress Target 13 under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap 2020-2030, which aims to reduce all forms of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children by at least 50 per cent by 2031.

    More information on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan 2023-2025 is available at the Department of Social Servies website.

    If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence, call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au for online chat and video call services.

    • Available 24/7: call, text, or online chat
    • Mon-Fri, 9am-midnight AEST (except national public holidays): video call (no appointment needed)

    If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au

    Feeling worried or no good? Connect with 13YARN Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporters on 13 92 76, available 24/7 from any mobile or pay phone, or visit www.13yarn.org.au No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn.

    MIL OSI News –