NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joy as academy rated Good for the first time in its history

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The Lichfield Road school was found to require improvement when it was last inspected in November 2022. Two months later the school joined Matrix Academy Trust, with Ofsted inspectors recognising how much Wednesfield Academy had improved since then.

    In their report, published today (Monday 24 March, 2025), they found the school ‘has undergone a significant period of change and development’, ‘rapidly raised expectations around learning and behaviour’ and ‘developed a highly ambitious and well sequenced curriculum for all pupils’, including those with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). As a result, ‘pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their lives’.

    The school is also continuing to expand its ‘ambitious curriculum’ in the sixth form, with students ‘positive about their learning experiences and the wider opportunities the school provides’.

    Wednesfield Academy ‘is a highly inclusive school where everyone is valued and where expectations for pupils to achieve well are high’. Relationships between pupils and staff are ‘warm and respectful’, with pupils speaking positively to inspectors about the support they receive from staff and how they enjoy their learning. There is a ‘purposeful atmosphere around the school’, and ‘pupils focus on their learning well’.

    The school ‘identifies and supports pupils with SEND well’, with teachers effectively adapting their teaching to meet their needs well, ensuring that pupils with SEND are able to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

    Inspectors also found that pupils’ wellbeing is ‘at the forefront of leaders’ vision, including promoting pupils’ positive mental health’.

    Inspectors concluded that the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision at Wednesfield Academy are all Good.

    Headteacher Joe Phillips said: “I am immensely proud to be Headteacher at Wednesfield Academy and this Ofsted report illustrates the rapid improvement the school has made in just over 2 years.

    “We have so many committed staff and the pupils, as they always are, were a credit to themselves and the academy over the 2 days when Ofsted visited. We want to thank our parents and carers for their ongoing support, and we now look forward to what the future brings as we continue to strive towards excellence.”
     
    Matrix CEO Lynsey Draycott added: “Everyone has put their heart and soul into Wednesfield Academy to make it a school the community can be proud of. Not many schools go from Requires Improvement to Good in just over 2 years. We are so happy that Ofsted recognised everyone’s hard work and the school will only continue to improve.” 

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “This is a fabulous report which demonstrates the great progress that everyone at Wednesfield Academy has made over the last few years.

    “The school’s clear and decisive leadership, coupled with a pupil centred approach, has ensured it has been able to improve both rapidly and sustainably, and I look forward to seeing Wednesfield Academy continue on its upward trajectory over the coming months and years.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Danske Bank share buy-back programme: transactions in week 12

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 14 2025

    Danske Bank

    Bernstorffsgade 40

    DK-1577 København V

    Tel. + 45 33 44 00 00

    24/03/2025

    Page 1 of 1

    Danske Bank share buy-back programme: transactions in week 12

    On 7 February 2025, Danske Bank A/S announced a share buy-back programme for a total of DKK 5 billion, with a maximum of 45,000,000 shares, in the period from 10 February 2025 to 30 January 2026, at the latest, as described in company announcement no. 6 2025.

    The Programme is carried out in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (the “Market Abuse Regulation”) and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 (together with the Market Abuse Regulation, the “Safe Harbour Rules”).

    The following transactions on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S were made under the share buy-back programme in week 12:
      Number of shares VWAP DKK Gross value DKK
    Accumulated, last announcement 125,000 236.8982 29,612,278
    17/03/2025 5,000 239.3872 1,196,936
    18/03/2025 5,000 243.3227 1,216,614
    19/03/2025 5,000 244.0602 1,220,301
    20/03/2025 5,000 241.3281 1,206,641
    21/03/2025 187,100 229.8545 43,005,777
    Total accumulated over week 12 207,100 231.0298 47,846,268
    Total accumulated during the share buyback programme 332,100 233.2386 77,458,546

    With the transactions stated above, the total accumulated number of own shares under the share buy-back programme corresponds to 0.039% of Danske Bank A/S’ share capital.

    Danske Bank

    Contact: Claus Ingar Jensen, Head of Group Investor Relations, tel. +45 25 42 43 70

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mass rollout set to begin of smart car technology

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Smart driving is now a must for new vehicles in China, as major carmakers roll out the feature for mass-market models.

    One day last week saw three companies — Chery, GAC and Geely’s premium arm Zeekr — announce ambitious plans for the technology that was reserved for premium vehicles.

    Chery, Chinese partner of Jaguar Land Rover, unveiled its Falcon smart driving system on Tuesday, saying it will be available across all its brands.

    Li Xueyong, Chery’s executive vice-president, said more than 30 models of different powertrains will be equipped with the Falcon system by the end of 2025.

    The most affordable of them will be the Chery Ant, a mini electric car. With a pre-order price of 65,900 yuan ($9,116), it boasts 23 smart driving functions including automatic parking and Navigate on Autopilot on expressways.

    There are three Falcon solutions: the Falcon 500, 700 and 900, with the last one boasting Level 3 capabilities.

    Autonomous driving is rated at six levels, from zero to five, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers. A Level 2 vehicle can steer, brake and accelerate itself in certain situations, but the drivers must be ready to step in at any time.

    Level 3 cars, in certain areas and under certain conditions, will steer, brake and accelerate by themselves, allowing the drivers to take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road. Chery said its high-level smart driving models will hit the European market in 2026.

    GAC Group unveiled its intelligent driving strategy on Tuesday as well. Feng Xingya, chairman and president of GAC Group, said intelligent driving capabilities will become a critical standard for evaluating automotive products in the future.

    He said GAC will launch China’s first mass-produced Level 3 model by the end of 2025, and it will offer Level 4 vehicles to private car buyers from 2027.

    Earlier this year, Xpeng said it is to launch quasi-L3 software in mid-2025, and full L3 capabilities are to be revealed at the end of the year.

    Changan said it aims to achieve full-scenario L3 driving in 2026, with aspirations to reach L4 capabilities by 2028.

    In terms of Level 2 features, China’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD, fired the first salvo in February, equipping its entire lineup with advanced intelligent driving systems. Among other things, it enables vehicles to drive on expressways and park automatically.

    The most affordable of its models with the feature on the market is the Seagull, priced at 69,800 yuan. The carmaker said its move aims to offer volume car owners access to intelligent driving features to increase safety.

    It said 21 percent of traffic accidents in China are due to fatigued drivers, which can be prevented by automatic emergency braking or steering.

    “We believe that intelligent driving should not be a luxury but a standard feature for all consumers,” said Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD. “By making high-level driver assistance available across our range, we are accelerating the transition toward smarter, safer mobility,” said Wang.

    Traditionally, advanced features such as lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking have been reserved for premium vehicles.

    Models with such functions were usually priced from 150,000 yuan, according to consulting firm McKinsey.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Revised rules aim to boost China auto market

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s push to encourage the automotive industry is taking shape through measures including the expansion of trade-in policies, strengthening the used car market and easing purchasing restrictions, boosting confidence among automakers, dealers and consumers.

    An injection of long-term special treasury bonds amounting to 300 billion yuan ($41.4 billion) will be issued in 2025 to support the expansion of consumer goods trade-in programs, notably automobiles, which was outlined in an action plan revealed by the central government in mid-March.

    Compared to 2024’s 150 billion yuan in treasury bonds, it is expected to invigorate market activity, said Lang Xuehong, deputy secretary-general of the China Automobile Dealers Association.

    Driven by these trade-in policies, domestic passenger vehicle retail sales reached 22.89 million units in 2024, a 5.5 percent year-on-year increase, with rapid growth in new energy vehicles penetration.

    In early 2025, China expanded the scope of vehicle scrapping and replacement while improving subsidy standards for trade-ins. With new trade-in policies rolling out regionally, the China Passenger Car Association estimates that 5 million vehicles will be scrapped and 10 million vehicles will be replaced this year.

    Consequently, domestic car retail sales are projected to reach 23.4 million units, a 2 percent year-on-year increase, while NEV retail sales are expected to hit 13.3 million units, growing 20 percent to capture a 57 percent market share, the CPCA predicted.

    The auto consumption chain is set to be extended through pilot reforms in car distribution and an increased focus on the automotive aftermarket, encompassing car modifications, leasing and recreational vehicle camping.

    Lang noted that the action plan emphasizes service-oriented consumption, which aligns with the current state of the auto industry where car supply exceeds demand, yet the need for high-quality services remains unmet.

    While 4S stores still dominate China’s auto aftermarket, third-party brands are growing rapidly, said Xu Haidong, vice-chief engineer of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

    As the market becomes more standardized and diverse in demand, the value of the auto aftermarket will increase, emerging as a key growth area for China’s auto industry, Xu added.

    The rising popularity of RV camping exemplifies this trend. However, challenges such as inadequate facilities, unstable water and electricity supply as well as insufficient sewerage at campsites hinder the development of this sector.

    Addressing these issues and improving infrastructure could significantly boost consumption and promote automotive culture in China.

    The used car market will also receive a boost through enhanced cross-regional transaction measures and the development of third-party platforms to assist secure and convenient trade, according to the action plan.

    According to CADA statistics, there were 19.61 million used cars transacted in 2024, a 6.52 percent year-on-year increase, with a total transaction value of 1.29 trillion yuan. Notably, the transaction volume of secondhand NEVs exceeded 1 million units for the first time, reaching 1.13 million units, an increase of 47.97 percent.

    Zhang Xiang, an auto industry researcher at the Beijing-based North China University of Technology, noted that China’s used car market is still small compared to Europe and the United States. Expanding this market could benefit both used and new car sales by increasing car turnover.

    He suggested establishing an industry database to collect information on each used car, allowing consumers to transparently purchase secondhand vehicles.

    It is noteworthy that the action plan mentioned reducing consumption limits and removing unreasonable restrictions to ensure that long-term non-plate households can purchase cars.

    Guosen Securities stated that gradually easing purchase restrictions will release new car demand, leading to sales growth, with first-time buyers creating an incremental market.

    A report by China Merchants Securities pointed out that relaxing these restrictions is a low-cost, quick-acting stimulus measure.

    Traffic expert Xu Kangming said that the lottery-based vehicle plate application was initially intended as a short-term measure. However, in some major cities it has lasted for over a decade. This policy is increasingly seen as unfair to households without cars and long-term non-plate applicants. As the number of vehicles grows, the restriction’s effectiveness in alleviating traffic congestion diminishes.

    In recent years, various regions have gradually eased car purchase restrictions. Except for Guizhou and Hainan provinces, which have lifted all restrictions on NEVs, cities such as Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Tianjin have relaxed limits by increasing quotas or optimizing rules.

    An expert noted that for megacities like Beijing and Shanghai, lifting all car purchase restrictions is unlikely. Given the severe traffic congestion, completely removing limits would worsen road conditions.

    According to the Ministry of Public Security, by the end of 2024, Beijing and Shanghai had more than 7 million and 5 million vehicles on their roads, respectively.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 4 key changes you may have missed in the new school funding agreement

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Wilson, Professor of Social Impact, University of Technology Sydney

    Queensland and the federal government have reached an agreement on school funding. This means all Australian states and territories are now signed up to new arrangements, which officially began at the start of 2025.

    The agreement follows more than a year of negotiations between the federal and state governments.

    The agreements mean government schools will receive 25% of funding from the federal government, up from 20%. Cash-strapped state and territory governments now only have to find 75% (down from 80%).

    In some good news for schools, it also means there is now a firm plan to “fully fund” public schools by 2034. This means they will get 100% of the funding recommended by the schooling resource standard (or school funding mechanism) – albeit more than a decade after it was first recommended by the Gonski review in 2011.

    Much of the debate about the agreements has understandably focused on the funding split between federal and state governments.

    But the agreements also tie vital funding for schools to specific targets and reforms for the next ten years. There is plenty of fine print.

    Here are four major changes we can expect to see in schools and classrooms around Australia.



    Read more:
    Underfunded? Overfunded? How school funding works in Australia

    1. A ‘unique’ identifier for all students

    The new agreement will see all students receive a “unique student identifier” as part of a national system.

    This is a number all students will have from the time they start school. It would follow them through school to tertiary education or any other further study or training.

    The idea was first agreed to by the former Council of Australian Governments in 2009 and is already in place for university and vocational education students.

    A long time in the planning, it was included in the last school funding agreement, which expired at the end of 2024, despite little progress.

    At the moment, education systems can easily lose track of students. For example, pre-COVID an estimated 50,000 children and young people were not officially tracked by education authorities.

    The identifier number means governments will be able to track students across school systems. For example, if they move from the public system to the private system. Or if they move states or begin homeschooling.

    The identifier will also provide a greater understanding of the pathways taken by young people after school and potentially make it easier to link senior high schooling with TAFE and other vocational studies.

    Introducing a bill to set up architecture for the indentifier last year, federal Education Minister Jason Clare said it would have “robust privacy measures”, including protection under the Privacy Act.



    Read more:
    NSW has finally struck a school funding deal. What does this mean for schools and students?

    2. A new numeracy check

    Along with rolling out a well-publicised national phonics check for Year 1 (which some states are already doing), the new agreements include a numeracy check for young students.

    While numeracy is checked as part of NAPLAN in Year 3, the test was not designed to provide diagnostic data on individual students.

    The new checks will be used to identify students and schools in need of extra support.

    So far, we have few details on the design or time frames. The checks may also need significant research and development to work effectively. But existing programs (such as in South Australia) show screening checks have the potential to provide better monitoring and resourcing for student needs.

    3. A review of how school funding is calculated

    The new agreement also flags two more significant reviews.

    One will be on the way school funding is calculated – the first review since the current system was devised in 2011.

    The schooling resource standard is an estimate of how much total public funding a school needs to meet its students’ educational needs.

    In 2025, the base rates are A$13,977 for primary students and $17,565 for high school students. On top of these, there are six loadings to provide extra funding for students and schools with additional needs. This includes students with disability, Indigenous students and students in remote areas.

    But as a 2023 Productivity Commission review noted, some individual students qualify under multiple categories, and “the effects can be compounding”. This means this level of disadvantage needs more understanding and policy adjustment.

    The review will examine the methodology behind the base rate and loadings. As part of this, it will hopefully look at transparency around school funding arrangements. The Australian National Audit Office identified this as an issue as far back as 2017.

    4. A review of how schools are measured

    There will also be a review of the national Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia. This details key performance measures for schooling, such as attendance, NAPLAN results and school completion.

    This framework usually has just minor adjustments about every couple of years. But a more significant overhaul is now in the works, with states agreeing a review will look at “possible new and updated measures”.

    These could include indicators for students’ engagement and learning growth, as well as outcomes for students with disability and the teaching workforce.

    An improved national data set holds enormous potential for addressing educational challenges, like declining participation rates, school refusal and teacher shortages.

    Elsewhere in the new agreement, states and territories also agreed to “better understand” how socioeconomic diversity and school attendance are impacting student learning. This can be seen as high-level acknowledgement the current reporting mechanisms and data on students need to improve.

    Now we need to see progress

    The new schools agreement contains some promising new measures to improve outcomes for students and teachers. But we now need to see them implemented.

    As the Productivity Commission and National Audit Office have previously noted, just because something is included in a school funding agreement, does not necessarily mean it will happen on time or as planned.

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

    – ref. 4 key changes you may have missed in the new school funding agreement – https://theconversation.com/4-key-changes-you-may-have-missed-in-the-new-school-funding-agreement-252291

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Chief Unveils New Partnership with LALIGA FOUNDATION to Strengthen Migrant Integration in Peru

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Lima, 24 March 2025 – International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope concluded her first official visit to Peru last Friday, kicking off a strategic partnership between IOM Peru and the premier Spanish football league LALIGA FOUNDATION to promote social cohesion and healthy living among migrant and host community children and teens.

    “The integration of migrants here in Peru is not just a humanitarian effort, it is an opportunity to build stronger, more cohesive societies,” DG Pope said. “Sport unites people across cultures, and no sport is more global than soccer. Through this partnership we are creating spaces where young people – both migrants and Peruvians – can learn teamwork and leadership, as well as fostering connections that go beyond the game.”

    This collaboration, supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), builds upon the achievements of El Balón No Tiene Fronteras (Soccer Has No Borders), a similar programme implemented by IOM in Peru since 2019, which reached over 1,600 children and youth across Peru, fostering social inclusion and strengthening community ties.

    Through soccer clinics, leadership workshops, and community-building events, LALIGA’s coaches will work directly with students and local leaders to promote key values such as respect, sportsmanship, and solidarity. IOM will collaborate closely with the national Ministry of Education to ensure this initiative’s sustainability and broad impact across public schools in Lima with a significant number of migrant students.

    During her visit, DG Pope held meetings with President Dina Boluarte and the Prime Minister, Gustavo Adrianzén, and participated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to boost joint efforts to enhance national development through programmes that support migrants in Peru, Peruvians abroad, and Peruvians returning home.

    DG Pope also met with government officials, donors, private sector representatives, and UN partners; and visited the Central Orientation and Assistance Point (PAO), an IOM-supported site in southern Lima where over 7,000 migrants have received information on basic services and access to documentation, primary health care, and psychosocial support since August 2024.

    For more information, please contact:  

    In Peru: Leesly León, leleon@iom.int  

    In Panama: Jorge Gallo, jgallo@iom.int  

    In Geneva: Daniela Rovina, drovina@iom.int  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Blog: Building Healthy Supply Chains While Cutting Carbon

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Decarbonizing healthcare supply chains is essential to reducing emissions, minimizing waste, and strengthening the resilience of health systems, particularly in vulnerable regions.

    More than 70% of healthcare emissions are generated in the supply chain. This includes the production, procurement, transport, and disposal of health goods and services, such as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical devices, hospital equipment, food, and other items.

    Advancing low-carbon, resilient supply chains will be essential for achieving universal health coverage and equitable healthcare access in vulnerable hotspots in Asia, the Pacific, and globally.

    With momentum growing to decarbonize health care, lowering supply chain emissions will reduce the sector’s overall environmental impact. As demography and urbanization shifts evolve and environmental challenges intensify, the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases will further strain the region’s health systems.

    Without supply chain decarbonization efforts in place, the risks of disruptions due to inflated prices, commodity shortages, or external shocks like disasters could wreak havoc on health systems. The consequences would be particularly dire for the poorest and most vulnerable populations, putting millions of lives at risk.

    The following four actions are recommended to help countries integrate decarbonization across the supply chain:

    Develop eco-designed medical supplies and products. Single-use plastic supplies, such as syringes, IV bags, surgical gloves, and face masks, significantly reduce infection risks in healthcare settings but their production and disposal contribute substantially to carbon emissions and generate large amounts of waste.

    Applying an environmentally-conscious approach to product design and incorporating circular economy principles, such as reducing material use, reusing components where feasible, and enhancing recyclability, can help mitigate environmental impacts.

    Sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics include plant-based polymers, natural rubber, and other biodegradable or compostable materials, which can lower emissions, reduce waste, and improve resilience across the product lifecycle.

    Innovative materials—such as plant starches with plasticizers for flexible or rigid pharmaceutical packaging, plant-based cellulose derivatives like cellulose acetate for lab and pharmaceutical use, and sustainable insulating options like recyclable plastics or cardboard-based alternatives—are transforming the sector by enabling controlled lifespans, improving insulation efficiency, and reducing reliance on energy-intensive refrigeration.

    Decarbonize and build sustainability into manufacturing processes. As the healthcare market grows, medical supply and equipment manufacturers will continue to generate more emissions and waste during production.

    Building green practices into these processes is imperative for sustainable development and can lower operational costs over the long term. Key strategies include responsibly sourcing local and sustainable raw materials. Reduced waste is also needed in production processes such as reusing materials, repurposing products, and recycling.

    Replacing product packaging with biodegradable, reusable, or multi-use materials is also needed.

    Decarbonizing healthcare supply chains is not just an environmental imperative—it’s essential to building resilient, equitable health systems, especially in vulnerable regions.

    Invest in low-carbon transportation and logistics. Medical supply chains are highly complex, requiring a reliable and efficient flow of medicines, medical supplies, and medical devices from manufacturers to in-country distributors and healthcare providers.

    Ensuring the integrity of these essential products while promoting inclusive and sustainable growth necessitates a transition to resilient, low-carbon transportation and logistics systems.

    Key strategies for decarbonizing medical supply chains include optimizing transportation routes, adopting electric vehicles, and reducing supply-demand distances through localized sourcing and production.

    For instance, shifting away from air freight, approximately 40 times more emissions-intensive than sea, road, or rail transport, offers significant carbon savings. Leading pharmaceutical companies have made substantial progress in this regard—AstraZeneca increased its use of sea freight from 5% in 2012 to 65% in 2022, while Merck reduced its reliance on air transport from 65% in 2018 to just 10% in 2021.

    The electrification of short-distance transportation is another crucial step. Battery-powered electric vehicles are well-suited for most journeys under 400 kilometers, reducing emissions associated with fossil fuel-based trucking. Investing in bio-based or synthetic fuels for long-distance travel can help decarbonize air, sea, and heavy-road transport.

    Successful initiatives highlight the potential for transformation. Adopting compressed natural gas for transportation fleets in India has significantly reduced emissions. Similarly, drone technology has played a vital role in enhancing healthcare supply chains, particularly in remote areas. In the Pacific Islands, drones carrying up to three kilograms (6.6 pounds) have improved last-mile medical delivery while reducing the carbon footprint, traveling up to 130 kilometers (81 miles) per flight.

    Implement sustainable healthcare waste management. Millions of tonnes of waste are generated by healthcare activities each year, due largely to the use of single-use plastics and poor waste management practices.

    The pandemic led to a dramatic increase in the volume of healthcare waste globally, while many health facilities across Asia and the Pacific have limited waste management services. The use of chemical disinfectants and incineration to treat waste can result in the release of pollutants into the environment, causing respiratory and other diseases.

    Replacing carbon-intensive incineration with alternative waste treatment technologies like steam-based disinfection and adopting the principles of circularity to increase the reuse and recycling of healthcare products and materials can ease the burden of waste on health systems, reduce unnecessary emissions and human health, and save costs.

    Ensuring a robust regulatory framework to define, monitor, and enforce health safety standards is also a critical step toward resilient health systems.

    Decarbonizing healthcare supply chains is not just an environmental imperative—it’s essential to building resilient, equitable health systems, especially in vulnerable regions.

    Nansu Isadahl and Avdesh Gupta contributed to this blog post.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: AI INFRINGEMENT ALERT – NZ Authors books scraped in LibGEN dataset

    Source: New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ)

    NZ Authors books scraped in LibGEN dataset – NZSA condemns authors intellectual property theft
     
    March 24, 2025 – Over the weekend, The Atlantic published a search tool that allows authors around the world to check if their works have been used in LibGen, an illegal pirate site Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies copied for their AI systems.

    This is a similar tool to the one that journalist Alex Reisner made available for the Books3 AI training dataset last year, but this new list has more than 7.5 million books copied by Meta, Open AI and other AI companies for their AI systems. It is not clear whether Meta Downloaded and used every book in LibGen.

    Thousands of books by NZ writers are included in this latest theft of intellectual property by Big Tech. NZ authors average incomes from their writing is circa $16k per year (Horizon Writers Survey, 2021) and our writers should not be the ones deprived of lost revenue in the development of this new technology. Big Tech can afford to pay licence fees to legally use the content they need to train their AI language models.

    Meta and other AI companies know exactly what they are doing

    AI companies need books for their quality writing, style, expression, long-form narration and content and use this to train their AI models. It appears those companies would rather steal that content than ask and pay for the use of it, as they do all other necessary components, costs and compliance required to run their businesses, such as electricity, wages, government health and safety requirements, and programming.

    Pirate Sites Are Illegal Sources of Books for AI Training 

    Author societies around the world are collaborating with each other, publishers and governments to combat major piracy websites that cost authors millions in lost sales and licence fees.

    In the US, collective action took down Z-Library and its 250 mirror sites and successfully sued Kiss Library, and assisted publishers in actions against LibGen, resulting in blocked domains In the US and multi-million-dollar fines. These sites remain challenging to permanently eliminate as they operate from Russia or Ukraine, and quickly migrate to new domains when blocked. New Zealand currently does not have legislation that allows site blocking to protect intellectual property and our creative industries.
     
    Around the globe Copyright Law is being reviewed and updated to tackle AI development and intellectual property rights. In NZ, The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is the Ministry responsible for the Copyright Act review. MBIE is planning to progress formal consultation in 2025 with the creative industries and the public on Copyright legislation including AI.This is demonstrably urgent.

    NZSA is collating a list of all NZ books from NZSA members and other writers affected by this latest instance of mass piracy.

    The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ) strongly condemns the appropriation of New Zealand Aotearoa authors intellectual property. This unauthorised use is intellectual property theft by Big Tech that infringes existing legislation. The imbalance of power between individual authors defending their property rights versus Big Tech money and might is alarming. The unsanctioned use of work is legally indefensible, and amoral. For the creative industries of Aotearoa to thrive we need robust copyright law, protections and enforcement mechanisms, and appropriate penalties for infringement.

    Article for reference:

    How the Emerging Market for AI Training Data is Eroding Big Tech’s ‘Fair Use’ US Law Copyright Defense: https://authors.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=905a5275ec5c023659502ec21&id=badb3ee21e&e=466373ae7c
    CLNZ/NZSA position statement on AI HERE: https://authors.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=905a5275ec5c023659502ec21&id=bbcb427614&e=466373ae7c

    About NZSA
    The NZSA represents over 1,800 writers in New Zealand. We offer support through advocacy and representation, professional development, information and guidance on publishing and the literary arts, administer prizes and awards and contract/business advice. We work to protect authors incomes and offer memberships for writers at all stages of their careers, including students. Our many assessment and mentorship programmes supported by Creative New Zealand. NZSA is affiliated to International PEN, a voice that upholds freedom of speech and protests against writers falsely silenced and imprisoned around the world. NZSA collaborates across the book sector with other organisations to make NZ books and NZ writers more visible. The NZSA is a not for profit incorporated society and a registered charity in Aotearoa.
    www.authors.org.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Piero Cipollone: Interview with Expansión

    Source: European Central Bank

    Interview with Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, conducted by Andrés Stumpf

    24 March 2025

    The last ECB Governing Council meeting left the door open for a pause in interest rate cuts, or even stopping them all together. Would you be OK with rates remaining at their current level of 2.5%?

    At the time of our March meeting, markets were pricing in a reduction in interest rates over the coming months, including going below 2%, with rates stabilising around that level. To produce our macroeconomic projections we take as given the rate path being priced in by markets and, despite rates being on a downward trajectory, the projections showed inflation converging towards our target at the beginning of 2026, with slightly weaker growth.

    Since then, not only has this narrative been confirmed, but key issues have arisen that have strengthened the arguments in favour of continuing to lower rates. First, energy prices have fallen significantly. The upward revision to projected inflation for this year was based on increased energy costs, but the pressure has eased as this trend reverses. Second, the euro has appreciated and real rates have increased, which contributes to lower inflation.

    And if the United States were to impose tariffs on European exports, that would have a negative impact on demand, which would further strengthen the downward trend in inflation. In the same vein, trade tensions between China and the United States could lead to China redirecting its products to the European market, increasing the downward pressure on prices.

    So will you continue cutting rates?

    We will go into each meeting with an open mind, assessing the available data and taking decisions on a meeting-by-meeting basis. Each adjustment will depend on how the economy evolves and how the uncertainties are resolved, but current conditions make it conceivable that monetary policy will be less restrictive as, at the moment, the outlook remains consistent with our March projections.

    In fact, according to the data we have available, we are likely to reach our inflation objective sooner than our latest projections indicate.

    The ECB’s latest statement signalled that monetary policy is now “meaningfully less restrictive”. Does this solely refer to the rate cuts that have already happened, or might it give us some hints about your next moves?

    That phrase alludes to the fact that we have already come a long way. It doesn’t say anything about the future, and we will go into the next meeting with new data that we will have to assess. If the path and our narrative are confirmed, from my perspective there is room to relax our monetary policy further.

    Would additional rate cuts get us to the famous, much-debated “neutral rate”, which is neither expansionary nor contractionary?

    It’s an interesting theoretical concept, but not particularly useful for conducting monetary policy. At the ECB we have sophisticated models and economists who analyse projections and risks. Their work provides crucial information that enables the Governing Council to take decisions on the basis of sound evidence. The neutral rate sparks an engaging debate, but the range [from 1.75% to 2.25%] is so wide that, depending on where you fall within this apparent neutral range, you could be conducting a totally different monetary policy.

    Europe currently needs substantial investment to tackle the climate transition and the loss of competitiveness, and now also for defence. Can the ECB help to mitigate this challenge?

    The ECB will contribute by providing a stable environment. For us, price stability and the expectation of price stability are essential elements because they encourage long-term planning. Families and businesses can plan, invest and take decisions accordingly.

    We are considering climate change, competitiveness and security challenges and the associated financing needs from that angle, analysing their economic and financial impact from the perspective of price stability. Aside from that, we’re getting into areas that aren’t within the ECB’s mandate.

    In any case, it’s important to avoid monetary policy keeping GDP growth below potential if that isn’t necessary to control inflation. If we are continually growing below potential we will end up undermining that potential. Investment is essential for supporting and growing the economy, and unnecessarily reducing investment can hamper long-term growth and make the economy more vulnerable to shocks.

    So, in this sense, our main contribution will be maintaining price stability, securing a stable economic environment and avoiding unnecessary restrictions on GDP growth.

    Recently you have signalled that the ECB shrinking its balance sheet could make monetary policy more restrictive and demand larger rate cuts.

    It’s more complicated than that. The large asset purchases we carried out in the past lowered long-term sovereign bond yields by as much as 175 basis points. Now, because of the reduction in the size of our balance sheet, this figure is 75 basis points and falling.

    But there’s another important factor. It’s not just about the size of central bank reserves, it’s also about their composition. ECB research shows that the composition of these reserves is very important for banks’ lending ability. The research estimates that debt portfolio holdings (under the ECB’s asset purchase programme (APP) and pandemic emergency purchase programme (PEPP)) will decrease by around €500 billion in 2025. This is associated with a possible €75 billion decline in credit supply. To put this into perspective, it is roughly equivalent to the amount of loans that banks granted to non-financial corporations in 2024.

    Therefore, we should bear in mind that, if nothing else happens, the reduction of the central bank balance sheet is putting pressure on banks’ lending capacity. So we need to monitor this effect and take it into consideration when calibrating our monetary policy stance.

    Growth in Spain is stronger and inflation is somewhat higher. Is the country at risk from the interest rate cuts?

    Inflation in Spain is currently slightly higher due to energy prices, and the stronger growth is in part also driven by supply factors, such as the impact of migration on the labour market. I think Spain’s growth is healthy.

    In any case, there have always been differences between euro area economies, and between regions in individual countries. The important thing is that there is convergence in economic and financial conditions, and we are actually seeing that in many respects. For example, despite all the volatility, risk premia have remained relatively contained.

    What is the current status of the digital euro?

    We are progressing as planned with our preparation phase, which will come to an end in October this year. We have been working on selecting providers. We’ve carried out the procurement process with potential suppliers and are about to finalise it. We are also developing the rulebook, and we’re working on ways to engage more with users.

    In the meantime, we are waiting for the legislative process to be completed. That is a key component.

    Are you optimistic?

    We know that progress has been made and we hope that the process will be concluded within a reasonable amount of time.

    One factor is important: there is a growing sense of urgency. The situation outside the euro area is a source of pressure and demands greater consideration of the risks we face in payments as a result of our fragility and our extreme dependence on foreign providers. I have the impression that this increased sense of urgency has now reached the legislators.

    At the European Parliament, President Lagarde argued that the digital euro is a tool of sovereignty. Would you agree with that?

    I fully agree with that statement. The digital euro is a structural necessity for the European payments market, irrespective of recent developments in other countries. However, recent events further underline the urgent need to make progress in this direction.

    The digital euro is key to reducing our foreign dependence as regards Europeans’ everyday payments. In addition, having more solutions across Europe will make us more competitive, which will lead to lower prices, better services and greater innovation.

    At a time of tensions between the EU and the United States, don’t you think that a public initiative designed to compete with US payment systems could cause further friction?

    I don’t think so, because it’s logical to think that each jurisdiction should have its own infrastructure that it can rely on. Payments are like water or electricity – essential services that every economy needs to ensure are available. In developing a digital euro, we are not seeking a confrontation with anyone. Implementing a digital euro is something that we should have done irrespective of the circumstances. It is about ensuring the resilience of our economy and that we are the master of our own destiny.

    The United States has abandoned plans for a digital dollar and other countries have also put their projects on hold. Why do you think the digital euro should go ahead?

    Every country and every region has its particular characteristics. In Europe we are facing specific challenges, like a fragmented payments market and a dependence on foreign solutions. Other countries and regions do not have the same problems and so may not see the same need.

    In any case, in the United States, there is a proposal that would allow stablecoins to hold their reserves with the Federal Reserve. This could be marketed as a form of hybrid digital dollar. In fact, some stablecoins present themselves as the world’s digital dollar.

    When will people be able to pay with digital euro?

    It very much depends on when the legislative process is finalised. The technical preparations and developments will take time, both on our side and for banks and the market. This could take some two or two-and-a-half years from the moment the decision to issue a digital euro is taken, once the legislation is in place.

    Do you have an estimate of the cost of the project?

    As the legislation is still pending and the procurement phase has not yet been finalised, it is difficult to say what the final cost of the project will be. In the procurement documentation we gave an initial estimate for the elements that will be sourced externally. This was based on market research we had carried out previously. These costs are estimated to be €432 million, including both the infrastructure and the operation of the system for 10-15 years. On top of that there will also be internal development costs, especially for the ledger. The ECB would bear these costs in the same way as it does for the production and issuance of banknotes. And like for banknotes, these costs would be covered by the seigniorage income generated by the digital euro.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Financial Stability Authority’s updated decision on setting the minimum amount of Oma Savings Bank Plc’s own funds and eligible liabilities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OMA SAVINGS BANK PLC, STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 24 MARCH 2025 AT 9.30 A.M. EET, INSIDE INFORMATION

    Financial Stability Authority’s updated decision on setting the minimum amount of Oma Savings Bank Plc’s own funds and eligible liabilities

    The Financial Stability Authority has set an updated level for Oma Savings Bank Plc (OmaSp) for the minimum amount of own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL requirement) for Oma Savings Bank Plc (OmaSp) on 21 March 2025 and revokes the decision issued on 17 April 2024.

    The updated MREL requirement (Minimum Requirement for own funds and Eligible Liabilities) enters into force one year earlier and must be fulfilled at the latest 17 April 2026 (previously 17 April 2027). The updated MREL consists of a total risk-based requirement of 20.88% (previously 20.88%) and a requirement based on the total amount of exposures used in the calculation of the leverage ratio, which is 7.89 percent (previously 7.82 percent).

    CEO Sarianna Liiri:
    ” The updated decision of the Financial Stability Authority does not significantly change the situation from the previous one. The measures are ongoing, and we will complete the future MREL requirement well in advance of its entry into force in accordance with OmaSp’s financing plan.”

    Oma Savings Bank Plc

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

    DISTRIBUTION
    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Major media
    www.omasp.fi

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Tryg A/S – Q1 2025 pre-silent newsletter

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Tryg A/S – Q1 2025 pre-silent newsletter

    Tryg will conduct pre-close analyst calls and meetings during the week commencing on March 24, ahead of the Q1 2025 results, which will be released on April 11. This newsletter aims to inform capital market participants of the key factors influencing the company’s recent financial performance.

    Insurance revenue growth

    Tryg maintains a balanced distribution of insurance revenue across the Scandinavian countries, with approximately 50% of revenue generated in Denmark, 30% in Sweden, and 20% in Norway. In Q1 2024, Tryg reported insurance revenue of DKK 9,531m.

    From 2025 Q1 and onwards the commercial and corporate segments will be reported together in the segment named ‘Commercial’. The commercial segment will experience a smaller spillover effect into 2025 of the derisking of the corporate portfolio carried out in 2024. In general, the group revenue development remains in line with recent development.

    When converting earnings from local currencies to DKK, Tryg’s reporting currency, the expected average value of SEK 100 is DKK 65.6 (66.6 Q1 2024), and NOK 100 is DKK 63.4 (65.6 Q1 2024).

    Claims environment

    Underlying claims development
    Tryg operates a stable business and recent trends in underlying performance should thus be considered reliable indicators for short-term trends. The Group’s underlying claims ratio was 72.3% in Q1 2024. At the capital markets day (CMD) on 4 December 2024, Tryg mentioned that it expects a broadly stable to slightly improving underlying performance in the new strategy period towards 2027.

    Weather claims
    For Q1, normalised weather claims amount to 40% of the annual DKK 800m guidance, equating to DKK 320m. As a reminder, the annual expectation for weather claims is split as follows (in percentages terms): 40% in Q1, 10% in Q2, 20% in Q3 and 30% in Q4.

    In general, a milder than average winter with warmer temperatures has been recorded in Scandinavia. A couple of smaller storms have hit the region (Floriane and  Éowyn). It is important to remember that freezing temperatures always cause bursting pipe claims and more car accidents are reported during the winter due to more difficult weather conditions.

    Large claims
    On an annual basis, Tryg provides guidance for large claims amounting to DKK 800m, evenly distributed across quarters. Occasionally, information about large claims may be available in mass media or local press.

    Interest rates development
    For Q1, we expect an approximate discount rate of 2.3% at the time of writing. The discounting percentage was reported at 2.1% in Q4 2024.

    Run-off expectations towards 2027
    At the 2024 CMD, Tryg stated a long-term run-off expectation of ~2% towards 2027.

    Investment activities

    Tryg has divided its investment activities into a match portfolio (approx. DKK 44bn at Q4 2024) and a free portfolio (approx. DKK 17bn as per Q4 2024). As announced at the 2024 CMD, the free portfolio was derisked during Q4 2024 and is now mainly made up by Scandinavian covered bonds and government bonds (approx. DKK 13bn) and the real estate portfolio (approx. DKK 3bn). As a rule of thumb, the return on bonds can be modelled as 50% NYKRCMB2 and 50% NYKRCMG2 (Bloomberg tickers). For the real estate portfolio, a normalised annual return of 6.5% is assumed. The current buyback program of DKK 2bn started in December will impact the size of the free portfolio accordingly.

    The return of the match portfolio mainly consists of the return on premium provisions, which is expected at DKK 75m per quarter with the current level of interest rates.

    Additionally, the line ‘Other financial income and expenses’ is guided at DKK -90m per quarter and mainly consists of costs related to currency hedges, general balance sheet items and costs related to running the investment operation. As described in the newsletter on inflation hedging dated 17 March 2025, this line now also includes the net result of the inflation hedge. In the medium term, this is expected to average zero, but mismatches may occur in the short term.

    Other income and cost

    Other income and cost are expected between DKK -350m and DKK -370m on a quarterly basis. This is primarily driven by amortisation of intangibles related to the RSA Scandinavia acquisition.

    Number of shares

    At year-end 2024, Tryg reported 613,165k outstanding shares. Tryg announced a DKK 2bn share buyback at the CMD in December 2024, and as at 14 March 2025, 6,010,787 shares have been acquired in the quarter to date. The status of the buyback is announced each Monday at noon CET.

    Outlook statement from annual report 2024

    Tryg reported an insurance service result, adjusted for the more favorable-than-normal large and weather claims outcome, of around DKK 7.2bn in 2024 and it is now targeting its highest ever insurance service result of between DKK 8.0-8.4bn in 2027. The insurance service result is expected to increase gradually throughout the strategy period.

    Tryg will publish the Group’s Q1 results for 2025 on 11 April 2025 at around 7:30 CET.

    Conference call

    Tryg will host a conference call on the day of the release at 10:00 CET. CEO Johan Kirstein Brammer, CFO Allan Kragh Thaysen, CTO Mikael Kärrsten and Head of Financial Reporting Gianandrea Roberti, SVP  will present the results in brief, followed by a Q&A session.

    The conference call will be held in English.

    Date 11 April 2025
    Time 10:00 CET
     

    Dial-in numbers

     Pin code

    		 +45 (DK) 78 76 84 90

    +44 (UK) 203 769 6819

    +1 (US) 646 787 0157

    560768

    You can sign up for an e-mail reminder on tryg.com. The conference call will also be broadcast on this site. An on-demand version will be available shortly after the conference call has ended.

    All Q1 2025 material can be downloaded on tryg.com shortly after the time of release.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Improving outdoor play

    Source: Scottish Government

    £25 million for play park renewal.

    First Minister John Swinney is set to announce £25 million of funding to local authorities to invest in the renewal of play parks across Scotland. 

    All councils will receive a share of the funding to improve the standard of existing play parks – helping to ensure children have access to safe environments to play and socialise in. 

    The funding is supported by the Play Vision Statement and Action Plan for 2025 – 2030, which has been published today.  

    Speaking ahead of a visit to Woodhead Park in Kirkintilloch, as part of the East Dunbartonshire Travelling Cabinet event, the First Minister said: 

    “Playing is key to a child’s healthy development, and by enabling councils to invest in outdoor play parks, we will ensure families can access a safe, high-quality place to play within their communities.

    “This is all part of my driving mission to eradicate child poverty. Other steps we are taking include investing £3 million to develop mitigations for the UK Government’s two-child benefits cap, £37 million to deliver the expansion of the free school meals programme, and putting more money in families’ pockets through the Scottish Child Payment.”   

    COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People, Councillor Tony Buchanan said:

    “COSLA welcomes today’s launch of the Play Vision Statement and Action Plan, play is very important not just for the enjoyment it brings, but also for the part it plays in developing children and young people’s social skills, interests, and curiosity. It also assists in developing relationships between parents, carers and other children and young people. The Play Vision Statement and Action Plan provides a good roadmap for how play can be encouraged and supported.”

    Marguerite Hunter Blair, CEO Play Scotland and Chair of external Play Strategy refresh group said: 

    “We are delighted to be celebrating this clear commitment from the Scottish Government to play opportunities and experiences for all our children and young people. It is fantastic that children’s rights and voices are at the heart of this new vision for play alongside an enthusiastic cross-sectoral collaboration. The clear message coming from the versions of the plan that children have co- produced is simple – more play and better play is good for everyone.” 

    Background  

    The 54th Travelling Cabinet will meet at Kirkintilloch Town Hall on Monday 24 March and hear from the local community at a public discussion at 2pm. 

    The £25 million investment for 2025-26 marks the completion of a £60 million Programme for Government commitment over four years – with a total of 887 play parks renewed as of March 2024. 

    Funding for play parks is supported by the Play Vision Statement and Action Plan for 2025 – 2030.  Read the children’s version  

    The Action Plan highlights the importance of play as a key part of children’ healthy development, learning and physical and mental well-being and includes a number of actions which seek to equalise play opportunities for children across Scotland.  

    Local authorities report annually, in April, on their engagement with children and families, number of play parks identified for renewal, and the number of parks renewed in the previous financial year. The most recent reports were received in April 2024. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM tells councils to prove action on pothole plague to unlock extra cash and reveals £4.8 billion for major roads

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    PM tells councils to prove action on pothole plague to unlock extra cash and reveals £4.8 billion for major roads

    The Plan for Change is tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.

    • £1.6 billion investment to tackle scourge of potholes to be delivered to councils from next month as PM tells councils to put cash to use
    • for the first time every council in England must publish how many potholes they’ve filled or lose road cash
    • local authorities that comply will receive their full share of the £500 million roads pot – enough to fill the equivalent of 7 million potholes a year, as part of the government’s Plan for Change
    • government also announces £4.8 billion for 25/26 for motorways and major A-roads including economy boosting road schemes on the A47 and M3

    The public will now see exactly what’s being done to tackle potholes, as the government demands councils prove their progress or face losing cash. 

    From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the government’s record £1.6 billion highway maintenance funding, including an extra £500 million – enough to fill 7 million potholes a year. 

    But to get the full amount, all councils in England must from today (24 March 2025) publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work. Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25% of the uplift (£125 millionm in total) withheld.

    Also today, the Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8 billion funding for 2025/6 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads.

    This cash will mean getting on with pivotal schemes in construction, such as the A428 Black Cat scheme in Cambridgeshire, and starting vital improvements to the A47 around Norwich and M3 J9 scheme in Hampshire, building thousands of new homes, creating high-paid jobs, connecting ports and airports, to grow the economy and deliver the Plan for Change.  

    It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of 6 potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average £600 to fix. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96% of drivers. 

    This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs. Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.

    Not only are we investing an additional £4.8 billion to deliver vital road schemes and maintain major roads across the country to get Britain moving, next month we start handing councils a record £1.6 billion to repair roads and fill millions of potholes across the country.

    British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us. We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.

    The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: 

    After years of neglect we’re tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.

    The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25% of their £500 million funding boost. 

    Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.

    To ensure councils are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.

    They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse. 

    By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where. The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal. 

    To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.  

    Edmund King, AA president and member of the Pothole Partnership, said:  

    Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction, as it will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes. At the same time, local authorities can share best practice, so others can learn what new innovations and planned maintenance techniques have worked for them.

    The £4.8 billion for National Highways will protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country for people, businesses and freight to help drive for growth as part of Plan for Change.

    The £4.8 billion includes a record £1.3 billion investment to keep this vital network in good repair, so the network remains fit for the future, and £1.8 billion for National Highways’ daily operations that are critical to ensuring the network runs safely and smoothly for millions of people and businesses that rely on it every day. As well as £1.3 billion for essential improvement schemes to unlock growth and housing.  

    Since entering office, the government has approved over £200 million for the A47 Thickthorn Junction, and £290 million for M3 Junction 9 plus £90 million for local road schemes like the A130 Fairglen Interchange, the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, the A350 Chippenham Bypass, the A647 scheme in Leeds. This is a total of over £580 million for schemes to get Britain moving.

    Roads media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Mitsubishi Corporation & Alt Carbon sign agreement to scale carbon removal in South Asia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Partnership agreement to scale carbon removal through a breakthrough Enhanced Rock Weathering tech process.
    • Alt Carbon to generate high-quality, durable Carbon Removal (CDR) credits.

    LONDON, March 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), and Alt Carbon, a Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) company, announced a partnership agreement to scale the removal of carbon dioxide in South Asia. The agreement between the two parties will generate high quality, durable, carbon removal tons that have been created through a breakthrough Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) tech process.

    “Removal of carbon dioxide is critical to meet net-zero emissions by 2050. With Alt Carbon, we have a formidable partner with highly innovative technology in a breakthrough Enhanced Rock Weathering process that locks carbon in the ocean sink. From removing carbon, helping local farmers, and stringent testing measures to generate CDR credits, Alt Carbon is uniquely positioned to capture the ERW market. MC’s commitment to decarbonization is unwavering and reflects our dedication to a sustainable future, as we scale the CDR industry through our collaboration with Alt Carbon in ERW,” said Tadashi Sawamura, GM, Carbon Management Dept., Mitsubishi Corporation.

    Alt Carbon deploys a process called ERW that takes crushed basalt rock and spreads it on large swathes of agricultural land. The rock’s natural reaction with rainwater pulls the CO2 from the air & stores it in the soil, thereby improving crop yields. This dissolved inorganic carbon ultimately reaches the ocean via river networks and remains locked in the ocean for 10,000+ years. 

    ERW is one of the novel techniques for Carbon Removal (CDR) that has been advocated by the The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as a critical tool for reaching Net Zero by 2050. Alt Carbon is tapping into the increased demand for high quality, durable, traceable, carbon removal projects – and it’s operating in a growing market. Alt Carbon’s in-house MRV, team of scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and the Darjeeling-Climate Action Lab (D-CAL) make it one of the leading carbon removal companies in the Global South, ideally placed to remove CO2 at a gigaton scale.

    “Having an institution like Mitsubishi Corporation recognise and support our efforts entrenches our belief in the science and technology behind ERW for carbon removal. In 15 months, we have rigorously tested and modelled our operations and technology in the single pursuit of removing carbon dioxide. This is just the first step, but it feels like a giant leap as MC partners with us to make India a hub for carbon removal,” said Co-founder & CEO Shrey Agarwal, Alt Carbon. 

    Alt Carbon is the first Indian headquartered company to receive a prepurchase agreement from Frontier, an Advance Market Commitment to purchase $1+ billion of permanent carbon removal by 2030. As part of this agreement, Alt Carbon received $500,000 for the purchase of high quality, durable carbon removal tons that have been generated through the Enhanced Rock Weathering process. The participating buyers included Stripe, Shopify, Alphabet, Meta and Watershed (on behalf of Match). Alt Carbon also became the first ERW company globally to receive an offtake agreement from the South Pole & Mitsubishi-led NextGen buyer’s coalition.   

    In order to meaningfully undertake climate action, we require gigaton level projects — i.e. projects that have a shot at removing 1 billion tons of CO2 every year. Alt Carbon is targeting reaching up to 500,000 hectares of land in North East India’s tea belt by 2030, as part of the Darjeeling Revival Project, removing upwards of 5 million tonnes of CO2 every year. Beyond that, the company aims to scale up its operations in South Asia to further work towards its goal of removing 1 billion tons of CO2, each and every year. 

    Notes to the editor
    Media images can be found here. For further information please contact the Alt Carbon press office: Adithya Venkatesan on adithya@alt-carbon.com or +91 94811 74420

    About Alt Carbon
    Alt Carbon is a co2 Removal (cdr) company based out of India transforming Darjeeling’s struggling tea industry from being at-risk from the effects of climate change, to becoming pioneers for climate action. Alt Carbon is on a mission to capture vast amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. Its ambitious goal is to remove 5M MT of CO2 by 2030, with the ultimate aim of reaching a billion tons – for good. For more information please visit https://www.alt-carbon.com/ or follow via LinkedIn. 

    Media Contact:

    Name: Adithya Venkatesan

    Company Name: Alt Carbon

    Designation: Head of Brand

    Email Address: adithya@alt-carbon.com

    Website Link: https://www.alt-carbon.com/

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the Alt Carbon. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d8f7c1b5-2498-42d7-9535-fd8d0fce67fd

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tony Juniper CBE reappointed to continue protecting nature and boosting growth as Natural England Chair

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Tony Juniper CBE reappointed to continue protecting nature and boosting growth as Natural England Chair

    His reappointment comes as Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, is rewiring and reforming Defra and its arm’s-length bodies to unlock growth under the Plan for Change

    Tony Juniper CBE (Photo credit: Jason Bye)

    The Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, has today (Monday 24 March) confirmed that Tony Juniper CBE has been reappointed as Chair of Natural England for a third term.

    Tony’s continued leadership comes as Mr. Reed is rewiring Defra and its arm’s-length bodies to embark on an ambitious programme of reforming regulation and delivery to unleash economic growth across the country, with Natural England playing a major role.

    Planning reforms and a new Nature Restoration Fund under the Secretary of State’s leadership will unblock much needed housing and development whilst supporting nature recovery at scale. It will help developers meet their environmental obligations more efficiently, making it easier to build vital infrastructure like wind farms, railways and roads, gigafactories and data centres.

    Chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper said:

    “It is truly an honour to be reappointed Chair of Natural England. Our role in protecting and restoring the natural environment is vital for the country’s economy, health and security and I am looking forward to two more years supporting government in delivering Nature-positive change.

    “From creating the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves and the King Charles III England Coast Path, launching 12 new landscape-scale Nature Recovery Projects and bringing the iconic beaver back to Britain’s waterways, our work over the past six years is helping turn the tide toward Nature’s recovery.

    “I’m immensely proud of the Natural England team and excited to lead the organisation as we ensure development, growth and nature restoration go forward hand-in-hand – delivering a brighter future for everyone.”

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said:

    “Tony brings a wealth of passion, experience and expertise to the role, which we will need more than ever as we grow the economy and restore our natural world. 

    “Tony and I are fully committed to infrastructure, to housing, to growth. 

    “Our reforms will fast-track development to boost economic growth while funding large-scale environmental improvements across whole landscapes as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.”

    First appointed in 2019, Tony Juniper will become the longest serving chair of Natural England, the government’s statutory adviser on nature. He will continue in the role for two years from 23 April 2025 to 22 April 2027. 

    Natural England is working with the government to deliver the shared ambition to grow nature and the economy for the benefit of everybody. This includes ensuring guidance is fit for purpose and moving toward better strategic planning to secure environmental improvements while development takes place.

    Nature in Britain is in decline. That is why this Government has launched a rapid review to deliver on our legally binding environment targets, including halting the decline of species by 2030. Under his extended chairmanship, Tony will be at the forefront of the Government’s drive to meet these targets.

    Tony Juniper’s reappointment has been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

    There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be made public. Tony has declared that he has not taken part in any significant political activity in the past five years.

    Tony Juniper biography

    • Tony Juniper CBE has been Chair of Natural England since 2019.
    • Prior to joining Natural England, Tony was Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at WWF-UK and President of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts.
    • He is a Fellow of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and former advisor to the Prince of Wales (now King Charles).
    • He began his career as an ornithologist, working with Birdlife International and for many years worked with Friends of the Earth, most recently as Executive Director and Vice Chair of Friends of the Earth International.
    • He is a prolific author publishing many books, including ‘Just Earth: How a Fairer World Will Save the Planet’ and the multi-award-winning bestseller ‘What has Nature ever done for us?’
    • In 2017, Tony was recognised for his services to conservation with a CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours.

    Natural England

    • Natural England is the government’s statutory adviser for the natural environment in England.
    • Natural England’s purpose is to help conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: China urges loosening car quota rules

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    As part of broader efforts to stimulate domestic demand, China has called on cities to further refine their automobile quota systems to better accommodate households without cars of their own, following a series of favorable policies rolled out across the world’s largest auto market.

    The country on March 16 made public a plan on special initiatives to increase consumption. This plan, issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, calls for shifting auto consumption policies from “purchased-based controls” to “usage-based regulation” and ensuring car ownership eligibility for families that have been unsuccessful after long waits as part of the car lottery system.

    Metropolises in China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, have long placed ceilings on car purchases by adopting car lottery systems to combat traffic jams and air pollution, while in recent years, local governments in these and other cities have been introducing new policies to meet increasing demand and raise the quota of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in the car license quota allocation process.

    In January this year, Beijing’s transport authorities announced that 100,000 passenger car license quotas would be allocated in the Chinese capital in 2025 — 80,000 of which will be for NEVs.

    Notably, Beijing will this year also issue an additional 40,000 NEV license quotas aimed specifically at households with no cars of their own. This selection will be based on a point-based ranking system, rewarding those who have been waiting for a long time and prioritizing fairness.

    Similarly, Tianjin Municipality in north China released 30,000 quotas for carless households in 2024, while Hangzhou, a tech hub in China’s eastern Zhejiang Province, has relaxed its eligibility criteria to allow individuals who have applied unsuccessfully at least 48 times to receive alternative car license quotas.

    Shanghai, also in east China, a city which uses an auction system to sell a limited number of license quotas to fossil-fuel and hybrid car buyers, is another location which has sought to lower barriers to car ownership.

    The economic hub’s authorities said at the end of last year that the city would reduce its contribution requirement periods in terms of the social security fund and the paying of individual income tax by non-local residents from three years to one, thereby expanding access to car licence quota auctions.

    Jia Xinguang, executive director of the China Automobile Dealers Association, said that given the plan released on March 16 — related cities can further boost consumption by encouraging citizens to trade in old vehicles.

    Regarding the “usage-based regulation” noted by this plan, cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou have already enforced plate number restrictions, along with tech-enabled traffic solutions.

    In the case of Hangzhou, an AI-powered “City Brain” monitors the city’s traffic in real time and issues alarms for potential congestion, enabling traffic authorities to adjust traffic lights based on vehicle flow. With more than 3,700 parking lots linked to the platform, citizens can park their cars more easily, enjoying a seamless experience that allows them to “pay after parking,” thus preventing traffic jams caused by parking problems.

    “Due to frequent traffic jams, I had long been hesitant to buy a car. But with improvements in traffic management, I’m now considering giving it a try,” said Li Xiang, a Hangzhou resident. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: 14/2025・Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 14 / 2025
    Schindellegi, Switzerland – 24 March 2025


    Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    On 28 February 2025, Trifork initiated a share buyback program in accordance with Regulation No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052, (Safe Harbour regulation). The share buyback program runs from 4 March 2025 up to and including no later than 30 June 2025. The buyback program will not be active from 9 to 15 April 2025. For details, please see company announcement no. 7 of 28 February 2025.

    Under the share buyback program, Trifork will purchase shares for up to a total of DKK 14.92 million (approximately EUR 2 million).

    Prior to the launch of the share buyback, Trifork held 256,329 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.3% of the share capital.

    Under the program, the following transactions have been made:

    Date    Number of shares       Average purchase price (DKK)       Transaction value (DKK)
    Total beginning 19,188 80.74 1,549,334
    17 March 2025 2,000 84.74 169,480
    18 March 2025 2,000 87.22 174,440
    19 March 2025 2,200 90.81 199,782
    20 March 2025 2,100 94.39 198,219
    21 March 2025 1,900 94.01 178,619
    Accumulated 29,388 84.04 2,469,874

    Since the share buyback program was started on 4 March 2025, the total number of repurchased shares is 29,388 at a total amount of DKK 2,469,874.

    With the transactions stated above, Trifork holds a total of 285,717 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.4%. The total number of registered shares in Trifork is 19,744,899. Adjusted for treasury shares, the number of outstanding shares is 19,459,182.


    Investor and media contact
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director & Head of Investor Relations
    frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17


    About Trifork
    Trifork is a pioneering global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative solutions. With 1,229 professionals across 73 business units in 16 countries, Trifork delivers expertise in inspiring, building, and running advanced software solutions across diverse sectors, including public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. Trifork Labs, the Group’s R&D hub, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic and high-potential technology companies. Trifork Group AG is a publicly listed company on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NB Private Equity Partners Announces Transaction in Own Shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, ITALY, DENMARK, JAPAN, THE UNITED STATES, OR TO ANY NATIONAL OF SUCH JURISDICTIONS

    St Peter Port, Guernsey   24 March 2025

    NB Private Equity Partners (“NBPE” or the “Company”) today announces details of Class A Shares bought back pursuant to general authority granted by shareholders of the Company on 12 June 2024 and the share buy-back agreement with Jefferies International Limited.

    Transaction on London Stock Exchange

    Date of purchase of Shares 21 March 2025
    Number of Shares purchased 12,594 Class A Shares
    Highest price/lowest price paid £15.36 / £15.14
    ISIN for the Shares GG00B1ZBD492

    All Class A Shares bought back will be cancelled. Following the cancellation, the number of outstanding Class A Shares is 45,839,264‬. The Company also has 3,150,408 Class A shares held in treasury. For reporting purposes under the FCA’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules the market should use the figure of 45,839,264 voting rights when determining if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company.

    For further information, please contact:

    NBPE Investor Relations        +44 20 3214 9002
    Luke Mason        NBPrivateMarketsIR@nb.com

    Kaso Legg Communications        +44 (0)20 3882 6644

    Charles Gorman        nbpe@kl-communications.com
    Luke Dampier
    Charlotte Francis

    About NB Private Equity Partners Limited
    NBPE invests in direct private equity investments alongside market leading private equity firms globally. NB Alternatives Advisers LLC (the “Investment Manager”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Neuberger Berman Group LLC, is responsible for sourcing, execution and management of NBPE. The vast majority of direct investments are made with no management fee / no carried interest payable to third-party GPs, offering greater fee efficiency than other listed private equity companies. NBPE seeks capital appreciation through growth in net asset value over time while paying a bi-annual dividend.

    LEI number: 213800UJH93NH8IOFQ77

    About Neuberger Berman

    Neuberger Berman is an employee-owned, private, independent investment manager founded in 1939 with 2,800+ employees in 26 countries. The firm manages $500+ billion of equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and hedge fund portfolios for global institutions, advisors and individuals. Neuberger Berman’s investment philosophy is founded on active management, fundamental research and engaged ownership. UNPRI named the firm a Leader, a designation awarded to fewer than 1% of investment firms for excellence in environmental, social and governance practices. Neuberger Berman has been named by Pensions & Investments as the #1 or #2 Best Place to Work in Money Management for each of the last ten years (firms with more than 1,000 employees). Visit www.nb.com for more information. Data as of December 31, 2024, unless noted otherwise.

    This press release appears as a matter of record only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any security.

    NBPE is established as a closed-end investment company domiciled in Guernsey. NBPE has received the necessary consent of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. The value of investments may fluctuate. Results achieved in the past are no guarantee of future results. This document is not intended to constitute legal, tax or accounting advice or investment recommendations. Prospective investors are advised to seek expert legal, financial, tax and other professional advice before making any investment decision. Statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are based on current expectations, estimates, projections, opinions and beliefs of NBPE’s investment manager. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Additionally, this document contains “forward-looking statements.” Actual events or results or the actual performance of NBPE may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such targets or forward-looking statements.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Displacement in northern West Bank takes a toll on Palestinians

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    • Thousands of people are without proper shelter, essential services and access to healthcare in northern parts of the West Bank, Palestine.
    • This follow Israel’s launch of the “Iron Wall” military operation, which is forcibly displacing thousands of Palestinians.
    • Israel must halt the forcible displacement of people in the West Bank, and the humanitarian response must be scaled up.

    JERUSALEM – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns that tens of thousands of displaced people in northern parts of the West Bank, Palestine, are without proper shelter, essential services, and access to healthcare. Following the January 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, Israel launched the “Iron Wall” military operation in the occupied West Bank, forcibly displacing thousands of people, and leaving them in an extremely precarious situation. Israel must immediately halt the forcible displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank, and the humanitarian response must be scaled up and reach those in need. 

    “This scale of forced displacement and destruction of the camps has not been seen for decades,” says Brice de la Vingne, MSF director of operations. “People are unable to return to their homes as Israeli forces have blocked access to the camps, destroying homes and infrastructure.”

    “Camps have become ruins and dust,” says de la Vingne. “Israel must stop this, and the humanitarian response needs to be scaled up.”

    MSF mobile clinic teams provide basic healthcare consultations to forcibly displaced Palestinian refugees in Jenin. They also provide mental health support to children in the form of recreational activities. Northern West Bank, Palestine, March 2025.
    Oday Alshobaki/MSF

    Since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, Israeli forces have increased the use of extreme physical violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as MSF highlighted in our report “Inflicting harm and denying care”. In total, 930 Palestinians have been killed, including 187 children, since the war in Gaza began, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

    Access to healthcare has been severely hindered, as confirmed by MSF teams on the ground who have witnessed the systematic pattern of oppression by Israel on health workers and patients. The situation further deteriorated since the ceasefire in Gaza, and Israel’s “Iron Wall” operation which has effectively emptied the three main refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams in the northern West Bank, forcibly displacing over 40,000 Palestinians, according to OCHA. 

    “The [Israeli] army raided our house and ordered us to evacuate,” says Issam, an MSF patient who was displaced from Nur Shams camp. “We weren’t allowed to take anything with us – not even our documents.”

    “All we received was the warning: ‘Get out’,” says Issam. “Displacement is suffering, a silent anguish, a deep pain in the heart for everyone. You see the tears in people’s eyes, but we hold them back.”

    The mental health situation is alarming, with many patients suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression due to the violent and unpredictable nature of incursions and displacement. 

    “People don’t know what has happened to their homes and have suffered immense losses, including their sense of purpose,” says Mohammad, an MSF community health educator.

    “Drones were flying over the houses, ordering the residents to get out,” says Abdel, a resident of Jenin camp. “They always destroy things, but nothing like this has ever happened before.”

    MSF previously offered support in the three camps but had to adapt activities given the security risks and people’s displacement. Our teams now operate daily mobile clinics in Tulkarem and Jenin to provide medical care to displaced people. Our teams are treating chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension which have worsened due to lack of access to medication; respiratory infections, and osteo-muscular disorders among others.

    An MSF doctor provides a consultation to a patient at the Jenin MSF clinic in the northern West Bank. Palestine, March 2025.
    Oday Alshobaki/MSF

    Our teams also distribute hygiene kits and food parcels to support those who were forced to leave their homes without resources or belongings. MSF is providing water to the Khalil Suleiman hospital, the main hospital in Jenin, to mitigate frequent supply shortages due to damage from the military operations.

    MSF continues to respond to the urgent needs, but the scale of displacement and the escalating humanitarian crisis, amid the inadequate international response, present an immense challenge and needs in the West Bank are only getting worse.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Investing in Melbourne’s booming north

    Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

    The Albanese and Allan Labor Governments are building Victoria’s future, backing an upgrade to the Donnybrook Road and Mitchell Street intersection to cut congestion and improve safety in Melbourne’s growing north.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams today announced a $125 million investment to transform the roundabout at Donnybrook Road and Mitchell Street, delivering additional lanes and a fully signalised intersection.

    The project will deliver a new bridge over Kalkallo Creek and significantly improve safety in the area, with barriers set to be installed around the intersection helping to keep motorists and pedestrians safe.

    The new lanes through the intersection will deliver better access onto the Hume Freeway and help motorists travel through the community.

    The upgrade builds on the construction of a dedicated left turn slip lane in 2023, which has since helped to ease traffic congestion and provide easier access to the Hume Freeway.

    The recent improvements have reduced peak time congestion in the area and alleviated the queuing of traffic on Donnybrook Road and Dwyer Street while also improving access to the Hume Freeway for motorists travelling west.

    The project is part of the Albanese and Allan Labor Government’s joint $1.2 billion Road Blitz, with the Australian Government contributing $1 billion and the State Government contributing $200 million.

    The funding follows our recent $7.05 million investment in a business case to uplift services on the Craigieburn, Upfield and Northern Growth Corridor, exploring the full range of infrastructure upgrades required to respond to growth.

    Infrastructure upgrades that will be assessed include track modifications, electrification, signalling and power upgrades, level crossing removals, additional stabling and potential new stations such as Cloverton/Lockerbie, Beveridge and Summer Hill Road.

    Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

    “My Government is building Victoria’s future.

    “We have allocated more than $1 billion to upgrade local roads across Victoria, to help improve safety and congestion, and slash travel time.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

    “We’re giving Victorians the infrastructure they deserve after being short-changed by the former Coalition government.

    “This will be transformative project for Melbourne’s north, better connecting these growing suburbs with the city and the region.

    “We are committed to delivering critical projects across Victoria that will help keep people moving, which is why we’re investing in Kalkallo.”

    Quotes attributable to Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams

    “As Melbourne’s population continues to grow, we are investing in critical projects that will create better journeys for motorists – just like this upgrade.

    “After ten years of neglect from the Federal Liberal Government, it’s great to have a partner in Canberra that can find Victoria on a map and help deliver critical projects that people rely on every day.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell:

    “Our community deserves the infrastructure that will provide safer and faster travel and the Albanese Labor Government is investing in projects that build our future.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Palestine Occupied Territories – Mass displacements in northern West Bank take a dramatic toll on Palestinians, warns MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    JERUSALEM – Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warns that tens of thousands of displaced people in the northern West Bank, Palestine, are without proper shelter, essential services, and access to healthcare. Following the January 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, Israel launched the “Iron Wall” military operation in the occupied West Bank, forcibly displacing thousands and leaving them in an extremely precarious situation. Israel must immediately halt the forcible displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank and the humanitarian response must be scaled up and reach those in need.

    “This scale of forced displacement and destruction of the camps has not been seen for decades. People are unable to return to their homes as Israeli forces have blocked access to the camps, destroying homes and infrastructure. Camps have become ruins and dust” explains Brice de la Vingne, MSF director of operations. “Israel must stop this, and the humanitarian response needs to be scaled up”.

    Since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, Israeli forces have increased the use of extreme physical violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as MSF highlighted in its report “Inflicting harm and denying care”. In total, 930 Palestinians have been killed including 187 children according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Access to healthcare has been severely hindered as confirmed by MSF teams on the ground who have witnessed the systematic pattern of oppression by Israel on health workers and patients. The situation further deteriorated since the ceasefire in Gaza and Israel’s “Iron Wall” operation which has effectively emptied the three main refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams in northern West Bank forcibly displacing over 40,000 Palestinians according to OCHA.

    “The [Israeli] army raided our house and ordered us to evacuate. We weren’t allowed to take anything with us – not even our documents. All we received was the warning: ‘Get out’,” explains Issam, 55, MSF patient who was displaced from Nur Shams camp. “Displacement is suffering, a silent anguish, a deep pain in the heart for everyone. You see the tears in people’s eyes, but we hold them back.”

    The mental health situation is alarming, with many patients suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression due to the violent and unpredictable nature of incursions and displacement. “People don’t know what has happened to their homes and have suffered immense losses, including their sense of purpose,” says Mohammad, 30, an MSF community health educator.

    “Drones were flying over the houses, ordering the residents to get out.  They always destroy things, but nothing like this has ever happened before” according to Abdel, resident of Jenin camp.

    MSF previously offered support in the three camps but had to adapt activities given the security risks and displacement of the populations. MSF teams now operate daily mobile clinics in Tulkarem and Jenin to provide medical care to displaced people. Our teams are treating chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension which have worsened due to lack of access to medication; respiratory infections, and osteo-muscular disorders among others. MSF teams also distribute hygiene kits and food parcels to support those who were forced to leave their homes without resources or belongings. MSF is providing water to the Khalil Suleiman hospital, the main hospital in Jenin, to mitigate frequent supply shortages due to damage from the military operations.

    MSF continues to respond to the urgent needs, but the scale of displacement and the escalating humanitarian crisis amid the inadequate international response present an immense challenge and needs in the West Bank are only getting worse.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI: Jeito Capital co-leads the oversubscribed €78 million financing in Augustine Therapeutics to develop novel therapies for neuromuscular, cardio-metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Jeito Capital co-leads the oversubscribed €78 million financing in Augustine Therapeutics to develop novel therapies for neuromuscular, cardio-metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases

    • Proceeds from the financing will advance Augustine’s lead candidate, AGT-100216, through a Phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical trial in Charcot-Marie-Tooth and support significant pipeline expansion into cardio-metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases
    • This investment reinforces Jeito’s expertise and interest to breakthrough innovations in neurological diseases that affect large patient populations with high unmet medical needs and limited treatment options

    Paris, France, March 24, 2025 – Jeito Capital (“Jeito”), a global leading independent Private Equity fund dedicated to biopharma, announced today it is co-leading an oversubscribed €77.7 million (USD 84.8 million) Series A financing round in Augustine Therapeutics (“Augustine”), a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapies for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through the inhibition of the cytosolic Histone DeACetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme.

    Jeito and Novo Holdings, new investors, co-led the oversubscribed total financing, joined by existing investors Asabys Partners, who led an initial €17,5 million closing in 2024, Eli Lilly and Company, AdBio Partners, V-Bio Ventures, PMV, VIB and Gemma Frisius Fund, the US-based Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Research Foundation, and Newton Biocapital. Augustine was initially formed and seed-funded by V-Bio Ventures, AdBio Partners, VIB, PMV, and Gemma Frisius Fund.

    Mehdi Ainouche, Senior Principal, and Annette Clancy, Operational Investor at Jeito Capital, will also join Augustine’s Board of Directors respectively as Board member and observer.

    Founded in 2019 in Belgium, as a spin-off from the European-based excellence center VIB-KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Augustine has identified HDAC6 inhibition as a promising approach for the treatment of neuropathies and particularly Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease – a motor and sensory neuropathy that affects the peripheral nervous system, leading to progressive muscle weakness, sensory loss, deformities, and walking difficulties.
    HDAC6 plays a key role in cellular processes related to tissue aging, and its pharmacological inhibition is a promising approach in a number of diseases. Augustine Therapeutics has developed a next-generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6 while preserving its beneficial non-catalytic functions.

    Proceeds from the investment will advance Augustine’s lead candidate, AGT-100216, through a Phase 1/2 proof-of-concept clinical trial in CMT, expected to begin in 2025. The financing will also support pipeline expansion for two other programs in undisclosed neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic indications.

    Through this investment, Jeito leverages its expertise in neurology, a therapeutic area with strong potential for innovation and significant unmet needs. The quality of Augustine’s assets and team – led by Gerhard Koenig who brings more than 30 years of experience in drug development and track-record in biopharma successes – aligns with Jeito’s investment thesis of accelerating the development of groundbreaking medical innovations and unlocking companies’ potential to become future global market leaders.

    Dr. Rafaèle Tordjman, MD, PhD, Founder and CEO of Jeito Capital, said:
    “Through this new investment, Jeito reaffirms its interest in a cutting-edge therapeutic field, where innovation can bring transformative benefits for patients still heavily impacted by the disease. This commitment to the patients is at the core of our mission, and takes on its full meaning through this funding. We are delighted to support Augustine and share our knowledge and experience with its talented teams, to advance novel therapeutics and contribute to the development of future innovative treatments.”

    Mehdi Ainouche, Senior Principal at Jeito Capital, added:
    “This investment illustrates Augustine’s potential for innovation in a therapeutic area where patients have limited to no treatment options. We are therefore happy to co-lead this financing to realize Augustine’s potential, which stands out for both the quality of its research and the expertise of Gerhard and his team. We look forward to our future collaboration, which shares a common ambition: to accelerate clinical development to go faster to patients.”

    Gerhard Koenig, CEO Augustine Therapeutics, concluded:
    “This significant financing is a testament to the innovative medicinal chemistry that Augustine was founded on, which acts via a unique mechanism of action. The therapeutic potential of HDAC6 is widely recognized in our industry, but previous drug approaches have been sub-optimal, particularly for chronic diseases. At Augustine, we believe we have solved these challenges with a novel non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazide producing chemotype which is highly selective and avoids the typical liabilities of prior chemotypes, unlocking HDAC6 inhibition as a therapeutic approach. We now look forward to rapidly advancing our lead candidate into clinical trials for the treatment of CMT, while broadening the potential for our candidates to change treatment paradigms for neurological and cardio-metabolic diseases. I would like to thank our new and existing investors for their unwavering support as we continue to advance into clinical development.”

    About Jeito Capital
    Jeito Capital is a global leading Private Equity fund with a patient benefit driven approach that finances and accelerates the development and growth of ground-breaking medical innovation. Jeito empowers and supports managers through its expert, integrated, multi-talented team and through the investment of significant capital to ensure the growth of companies, building market leaders in their respective therapeutic areas with accelerated patients’ access globally, especially in Europe and the United States. Jeito has built a diversified portfolio of clinical biopharmas with cutting-edge innovations addressing high unmet needs. Jeito Capital is based in Paris with a presence in Europe and the United States.
    For more information, please visit www.jeito.life or follow us on LinkedIn or X.

    About Augustine Therapeutics

    Augustine Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through its next-generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6. Augustine’s HDAC6 inhibitors has been purposefully designed to selectively inhibit HDAC6 while preserving its beneficial non-catalytic functions. Augustine’s lead program, AGT-100216, is the first selective HDAC6 inhibitor for long-term treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. With its novel non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazide producing chemotype, Augustine’s HDAC6 approach is selective, avoids the limitations of other chemotypes, and built for chronic diseases. With this novel approach, the Company will also be targeting diseases beyond CMT, including neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases. Augustine Therapeutics was founded on the ground-breaking research of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch from the VIB-KU Leuven in Belgium.
    For more information visit www.augustinetx.com.

    Contacts:

    Jeito Capital                                        
    Rafaèle Tordjman, Founder & CEO
    Jessica Fadel, EA
    Tel: +33 6 33 44 25 47

    Maior                                                ICR Healthcare
    Stéphanie Elbaz                                Mary-Jane Elliott / Davide Salvi / Kris Lam
    Tel: +33 6 46 05 08 07                        Jeito@icrhealthcare.com
    Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government will allocate almost 1 billion rubles for the repair and technical re-equipment of checkpoints across the state border

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Order of March 21, 2025 No. 670-r

    Document

    Order of March 21, 2025 No. 670-r

    The government continues to work on developing cross-border logistics. In 2025–2027, 859 million rubles will be allocated for the repair and technical re-equipment of checkpoints across the state border. An order to this effect has been signed.

    With federal funding, it is planned to install modern inspection and screening systems at a number of checkpoints, which will reduce the time required to carry out control procedures.

    In total, within the framework of the program for modernizing checkpoints across the state border by 2030, it is planned to reconstruct 87 of the most popular checkpoints and increase their throughput capacity more than twofold. It is also planned to complete equipping checkpoints with modern equipment by this date.

    According to the Presidential Decree “On the national development goals of the Russian Federation until 2030 and for the future until 2036”, by 2030 the volume of transportation along international transport corridors should increase by at least 1.5 times compared to the 2021 level.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin discussed in the DPR the implementation of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Marat Khusnullin held a meeting on the program of socio-economic development of the region and the integration of its activities into the national project “Infrastructure for Life”

    March 23, 2025

    Marat Khusnullin visited the Donetsk People’s Republic and inspected a number of facilities

    March 23, 2025

    Marat Khusnullin visited the Donetsk People’s Republic and inspected a number of facilities

    March 23, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Marat Khusnullin held a meeting on the program of socio-economic development of the region and the integration of its activities into the national project “Infrastructure for Life”

    Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin visited the Donetsk People’s Republic, where he held a meeting on the program for the socio-economic development of the region and the integration of its activities into the national project “Infrastructure for Life”, and also inspected a number of facilities.

    “We discussed the housing restoration program at the meeting, discussed the implementation of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”. We also looked closely at the road renovation program, which the region has worked out very well: a detailed plan is outlined up to 2030 and concerns federal, regional and municipal roads. The main emphasis this year is on repairing the street and road network. I would like to note that we are now preparing to restore four districts of Donetsk that have been under fire for a long time,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    As part of his tour of Mariupol, Marat Khusnullin visited the stadium, the infrastructure of which was completely modernized, and the Institute of Secondary Vocational Education of PSTU.

    “In September 2023, after a large-scale restoration, the Priazovsky State Technical University opened its doors. Today I visited another of its institutions and talked to students. The building from the late 19th century was originally planned for training, and to this day it is an alma mater that trains specialists in 21 areas. Including builders and metallurgists. The plans for the 2025 academic year include accepting more than 1.5 thousand people. The buildings with a total area of about 15 thousand square meters were half-destroyed, they were on fire. They were restored by specialists from the Leningrad Region, and during the work they also discovered a painting from the Soviet period, which depicts builders,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin made working trips to Zaporizhia Oblast and Sevastopol

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Marat Khusnullin visited Zaporizhia region and the city of Sevastopol on working trips

    March 22, 2025

    Marat Khusnullin visited Zaporizhia region and the city of Sevastopol on working trips

    March 22, 2025

    In Melitopol, Marat Khusnullin inspected the construction of a multidisciplinary pediatric medical center

    March 22, 2025

    In Melitopol, Marat Khusnullin got acquainted with the current and completed work at the largest university in the Zaporizhia region – Melitopol State University

    March 22, 2025

    Marat Khusnullin held a meeting on the socio-economic development of the region

    March 22, 2025

    In Melitopol, Marat Khusnullin held a meeting on the socio-economic development of the region

    March 22, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Marat Khusnullin visited Zaporizhia region and the city of Sevastopol on working trips

    Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin visited Zaporizhia Oblast and Sevastopol on working trips. In Melitopol, he checked the progress of construction of a multidisciplinary pediatric medical center, familiarized himself with the current and completed work at the largest university in Zaporizhia Oblast – Melitopol State University, and held a meeting on the socio-economic development of the region.

    “During the meeting, they said that in order to attract people to the Melitopol and Berdyansk agglomerations, it is important to create a modern infrastructure, increasing the volume of housing construction, upgrading housing and communal services facilities, and social facilities. What is encouraging is that positive dynamics are visible in these areas. For example, they are actively working with long-term construction projects. I stopped by one of three such sites on Belyaeva Street in Melitopol. The first house was completed in December last year, and the second is planned to be commissioned in August. In total, there will be about 140 apartments. On my next visit, I hope to see that the construction of investment housing has also begun. They also talked about industrial development, interaction with the Free Economic Zone Territory Development Fund. I looked at how an enterprise producing parts for railway locomotives, motor cars, and rolling stock is working. They are planning to expand the sales market, but they are already sending their products to Penza and Kolomna,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    In the multidisciplinary pediatric medical center with an infectious diseases department under the control of the “Single Customer”, work is currently underway on reinforcing and concreting the foundation slab, reinforcing the columns and basement walls, and the construction of internal walls and partitions has already begun in the infectious diseases building. And at the Melitopol State University, builders are repairing academic buildings, dormitories, gyms, canteens, a library, boiler houses and other facilities located on the territory of the university. As a result, a comfortable educational environment will be created for more than 12 thousand students.

    During a working visit to Sevastopol, Marat Khusnullin met with the region’s governor, Mikhail Razvozhaev, and discussed the development of the region with him.

    “Sevastopol is among the leaders of the Southern Federal District in implementing national and federal projects. I consider it extremely promising in terms of housing development, investment attraction, and, of course, tourism. We will continue our comprehensive work within the framework of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”, – the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexey Overchuk held a meeting with members of the Government of the Republic of Belarus

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Current issues of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries were considered.

    Alexey Overchuk held a meeting with members of the Government of the Republic of Belarus

    March 21, 2025

    Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation with the powers of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Rogozhnik and Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus Kirill Zalessky

    March 21, 2025

    Alexey Overchuk held a meeting with members of the Government of the Republic of Belarus

    March 21, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Alexey Overchuk held a meeting with members of the Government of the Republic of Belarus

    Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk held a working meeting with the delegation of Belarus, headed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation with the powers of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Rogozhnik.

    The Belarusian delegation included the Minister of Industry of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Efimov, the Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus Kirill Zalessky, the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Belarus Alexey Kushnarenko, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Belarus Yury Seliverstov, and the First Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus Ilya Glazko.

    The parties discussed current issues of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Belarus, paying particular attention to the progress of work within the framework of the Main Directions for the Implementation of the Provisions of the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State for 2024–2026, issues of interaction in the energy sector, improving transport connectivity, including increasing the capacity of railway communications and developing the port infrastructure of the two countries, implementing joint import-substituting projects, digitalization and the use of electronic digital signatures. Issues of increasing the availability of mobile communications services in the Union State were also discussed.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: Over the past five years, the project participants

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    March 21 All-Russian project

    “Project

    Project

    “In 2020–2021, over 252 thousand volunteers

    «

    Currently, more than 530 thousand volunteers are involved in helping SVO participants, their family members and residents of border areas. Since the beginning of 2022, they have processed about 652 thousand requests, of which 490 thousand are related to targeted assistance with food and essential goods, 137 thousand requests for psychological support, 21 thousand requests for legal advice, and almost 4 thousand more requests were received by volunteers to care for pets left unattended.

    An important area of work

    To date, more than 7,000 volunteers have carried out 600 humanitarian missions and helped 1.5 million people. 315 volunteers

    The project’s efforts have made it possible to deliver humanitarian supplies faster since the summer of 2024 – the project was launched

    In addition to supporting SVO participants and residents of border areas, project volunteers actively assist in eliminating the consequences of emergencies at the municipal, local and federal levels.

    In total, over the past year, the project participants

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova took part in an extended meeting of the board of Rospotrebnadzor

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Tatyana Golikova took part in an extended meeting of the board of Rospotrebnadzor

    March 21, 2025

    Tatyana Golikova took part in an extended meeting of the board of Rospotrebnadzor

    March 21, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Tatyana Golikova took part in an extended meeting of the board of Rospotrebnadzor

    An extended board meeting was held at Rospotrebnadzor, dedicated to the results of the agency’s activities in 2024 and tasks for 2025. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova, and Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko took part in the work of the board.

    The meeting was opened by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. She emphasized that Rospotrebnadzor regularly faces new challenges and threats, but coordinated work and accumulated experience allow preventing the import and spread of dangerous infections. Based on the century-long history of its existence, the service is constantly developing. Participation in the state programs “Development of Healthcare”, “Ensuring Chemical and Biological Safety of the Russian Federation” and “Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation”, the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Genetic Technologies, the implementation of the “Sanitary Shield of the Country” initiative gave the service the opportunity to reach a new technological level.

    According to Tatyana Golikova, the key area of the service’s work is the country’s biological safety. “Over three years, a network of 54 sequencing centers, 153 PCR centers has been formed, 20 mobile rapid response laboratories and 14 mobile sanitary and quarantine points operate in the regions. Of the 80 biological safety reference centers existing in the country, 46 operate in Rospotrebnadzor institutions,” she noted.

    What was introduced as pilot approaches and innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic has become routine today. “First of all, this is genomic surveillance and population immunological monitoring. Sequencing capacity in the country has increased fivefold since 2021 – up to 10 thousand sequences per week, which makes Russia one of the world leaders in genomic surveillance,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    The second block of tasks of the service is hygiene. The issues of healthy nutrition, clean water, safe environment are becoming increasingly relevant, as they directly affect the health of each person.

    “As part of the national project “Demography” completed in 2024, a large-scale information and communication campaign on healthy eating was conducted with an audience reach of more than 2 billion views. It was possible to achieve a reduction of almost three times the rate of growth of primary obesity incidence in 2019-2024,” said Tatyana Golikova.

    Rospotrebnadzor will continue activities to implement individual healthy nutrition programs within the framework of the federal project “Health for Everyone”, which is part of the national project “Long and Active Life”, which was launched on January 1 of this year.

    An important area of activity is quality control and food safety. The Service has conducted more than 1 million studies of food products for vitamin and macro- and micronutrient content and surveyed more than 675 thousand students in more than 15 thousand schools. A large-scale in-depth assessment of the actual nutrition of schoolchildren made it possible to identify problems in each region and develop recommendations for each of them on the consumption of food products that meet the requirements of healthy nutrition.

    The product traceability system is gradually expanding the list of products for assessing their compliance with mandatory requirements through the Honest Sign application. In September 2024, the procedure for licensing disinfection activities came into force. A lot of work has been done to change the methodological framework, and amendments to the sanitary rules have been prepared.

    The third important block of the service’s work is consumer rights protection.

    At the end of last year, amendments to the legislation aimed at protecting citizens from the imposition of goods or services on them were adopted in the first reading. “We expect that the proposed amendments will strengthen control in this area and, as a result, will increase the effectiveness of protecting the rights of consumers, as well as bona fide entrepreneurs who avoid such tricks in their activities,” noted Tatyana Golikova.

    In addition, in December of last year, amendments were made to the Code of Administrative Offences, which increased the amount of administrative fines for failure by entrepreneurs to submit notification of the commencement of activities and increased the statute of limitations for bringing to administrative responsibility from three to six months.

    An equally important block is science. The service has a unique scientific base, its infrastructure is constantly being modernized.

    Breakthrough research for biological safety is carried out by Rospotrebnadzor scientific institutions, including within the framework of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Genetic Technologies. The latest candidate vaccines against especially dangerous infections have been developed. Plague and tularemia vaccines are already undergoing preclinical trials.

    “49 new rapid tests for diagnosing infections have been created, and the range should be expanded to effectively identify biological threats. The indisputable merit of the service’s scientific organizations is technological independence in the development and production of diagnostic test systems. Today, 100% import substitution of test system production has been ensured, with the release of up to 1 million kits per year,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    The work of the World-Class Genomic Research Center based at the service’s scientific institutions will continue in 2025–2030.

    An equally important block of tasks is international cooperation. The Service monitors and controls infections at near and far approaches. Today, the Service interacts with 30 countries, constantly works in joint centers in Southeast Asia and Latin America. 41 mobile laboratories have been transferred to 16 countries to ensure biological safety. In 2024, the warning and response system in the single epidemiological space of the CIS was strengthened. Fulfilling the initiative of the President of Russia, announced at the Russia-Africa summit in 2023, the geography of the presence of Rospotrebnadzor specialists in Africa has been expanded to 15 countries.

    Tatyana Golikova thanked her colleagues for their success in defending Russia’s position at the WHO and preventing changes to international health regulations.

    All achievements are impossible without the main thing – professional staff. Today, the service employs about 15 thousand young specialists under 35 years of age – this is almost a quarter of all employees. Tatyana Golikova thanked the employees of Rospotrebnadzor for their work and wished them new successes.

    In his speech, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko spoke about the joint work of Rospotrebnadzor and the Ministry of Health, aimed at reducing the total duration of temporary disability among unemployed citizens. By 2030, it is planned to reduce this figure by 15%.

    In turn, the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova announced the results of the department’s activities in 2024 and tasks for 2025. Thus, the unified information system of Rospotrebnadzor allows informing the population and authorities about the quality of drinking water and air within the framework of the Clean Water and Clean Air projects. The interactive water quality control map, which has been in operation since 2022, contains more than 19 million research results.

    An alternative method for determining the contamination of drinking water and reservoirs has been introduced – the “toxicity index”. Methods have been developed for determining eight antibiotics in drinking water.

    Anna Popova emphasized that Rospotrebnadzor actively protects consumer rights in court, which ensures a high level of legal protection in the consumer market. In 2024, 94–98% of claims were made in favor of consumers, the amount of awarded payments amounted to 4.2 billion rubles.

    As part of the federal project “Sanitary Shield of the Country”, a unique fleet of mobile laboratories has been created, which allows for a prompt response to risks: anywhere in the country within 24 hours and in the world – within 48 hours. Since 2023, the AIS “Perimeter” has been operating at 241 checkpoints to assess epidemiological risks in real time. Remote thermometry and testing at the border have also been introduced, and mobile sanitary and quarantine complexes with laboratory support have been installed in 14 constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

    Territorial bodies of Rospotrebnadzor and hygiene and epidemiology centers operate in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Luhansk People’s Republic, Zaporizhia Oblast and Kherson Oblast. Since the summer of 2022, mobile complexes of anti-epidemic teams have been operating in the regions. Mobile laboratories for rapid response have been delivered to four entities, the work of which is integrated into the Rospotrebnadzor network, ensuring readiness to detect infectious diseases.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: Active work has begun on the Adler bypass from the Kudepsta and Vysokoye side

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Construction of Adler bypass

    March 21, 2025

    Construction of Adler bypass

    March 21, 2025

    Construction of Adler bypass

    March 21, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Construction of Adler bypass

    In Krasnodar Krai, the implementation of a large-scale project to build a bypass around Adler continues. It will be part of a prospective road that will run from the federal highway M-4 “Don” to the city of Sochi. Currently, active work is underway on the western section of the future bypass, in the microdistrict of Kudepsta. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

    “We work daily to create comfortable living conditions for citizens, including improving the transport accessibility of the regions. This plays a key role in the development of the economy and other industries. As part of the modernization of the road network in the south of the country, we are building a bypass of Adler. The new road will reduce travel time to the Sochi airport and Krasnaya Polyana and ensure the withdrawal of transit transport from the resort area of Adler. Currently, active work is underway in the Kudepsta microdistrict, on the western side of the future highway. Drilling of wells for the supports of the overpass leading to the Kudepsta sanatorium has begun at the site. Reconstruction of a section of the Sukhum highway is planned in this area, powerful retaining walls will be erected, and the access road to the sanatorium and the existing underground pedestrian crossing will be reconstructed,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the construction of the Adler bypass, with a total length of about 10 km, is divided into several stages. Most of the artificial structures in both the Kudepsta microdistrict and the village of Vysokoye will be erected as part of Stage IV. A positive conclusion from Glavgosexpertiza and permission for its construction were received in January of this year.

    Also, according to the Chairman of the Board of the state company Avtodor, Vyacheslav Petushenko, in order to build the transport interchange of the Adler bypass with the A-147, concreting of the supports of the bridge crossing over the Kudepsta River is being carried out simultaneously in several sections.

    “To save time on the delivery of necessary construction elements, several machines for the production of reinforcement cages were installed directly at the construction sites. At the same time, we are working in the village of Vysokoye in the Adler district, where the bypass will begin. Here, we have begun concreting the foundations of the U-turn overpass across the high-speed direction of the A-149 highway. We are also continuing to expand the overpass as part of the future interchange at the Eastern Portal. After reconstruction, it will become a two-lane one, and we plan to open traffic on it already in the current resort season,” said Vyacheslav Petushenko.

    Currently, 74 units of special equipment and up to 400 specialists are involved in the construction of the Adler bypass.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Mar 24, 2025 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    SPC AC 240557

    Day 2 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1257 AM CDT Mon Mar 24 2025

    Valid 251200Z – 261200Z

    …NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST…

    …SUMMARY…
    Risk for severe weather appears low at this time across the U.S. on
    Tuesday.

    …Discussion…
    A very slowly progressing upper pattern — featuring an eastern U.S.
    trough and a ridge over the interior West — will persist across the
    U.S. Tuesday. Through the second half of the period, an eastern
    Pacific trough is forecast to impinge on the West Coast.

    At the surface, the primary/remnant surface baroclinic zone — which
    will have moved off the eastern seaboard prior to the start of the
    period, is forecast to trail westward from Florida to Texas.

    At this time, it appears that showers and a few thunderstorms will
    affect roughly the southern half of Florida during the afternoon, in
    the vicinity of the surface front, and near sea-breeze boundaries
    south of the front. Gusty winds and small hail may occur with one
    or two of the stronger storms.

    Farther west, a very conditional risk for isolated storm development
    appears to exist across central and northern Texas during the
    afternoon. Steep lapse rates/ample CAPE, but modest flow aloft
    suggests disorganized storms, but low/conditional risk for
    near-severe hail and/or wind is apparent. Overnight, elevated
    convection may develop north of the surface front, over the Oklahoma
    vicinity. However, modest CAPE suggests that any hail should remain
    sub-severe.

    Elsewhere, a few lightning flashes may be possible near Pacific
    Northwest coastal ranges very late in the period, as the upper
    trough approaches. Severe weather is not expected.

    ..Goss.. 03/24/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS02 PTSDY2 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1730Z

    MIL OSI USA News –