NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New rule for driving test changes and cancellations to reduce waiting times

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    New rule for driving test changes and cancellations to reduce waiting times

    Learner drivers will need to give more notice when changing or cancelling their car driving test to avoid losing the test fee from 8 April 2025.

    From 8 April 2025, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will require learner drivers to give 10 full working days’ notice to change or cancel their car driving test without losing the test fee.

    Currently, you must give 3 full working days of notice to avoid losing the test fee.

    Monday to Saturday count as working days but Sundays and public holidays do not.

    No change for other types of driving tests or theory tests

    This new rule only applies to car driving tests.

    Learner drivers will continue to need to give 3 full working days’ notice to change or cancel:

    • theory tests
    • motorcycle tests, lorry and bus driving tests, driving instructor qualification tests and other specialist vehicle driving tests

    Why the rule is changing

    Lots of people who are not ready to take their driving test leave it until the last moment to change or cancel it.

    That appointment then becomes available to other learner drivers. But as it’s so close to the test date, it can be hard for people who are ready to pass to make all the necessary arrangements to use the appointment.

    This can lead to appointments going unused.

    By asking learner drivers to give more notice, it should give other people more chance to use the appointment. This will help to reduce driving test waiting times.

    The change to the rule is one of 7 actions DVSA is taking to reduce driving test waiting times.

    New deadlines to change or cancel without losing the test fee

    DVSA is emailing all learner drivers to tell them the new deadline to change or cancel their test without losing the fee.

    From 8 April 2025, the new deadline will show on the booking details when you check your driving test appointment details.

    To help learner drivers and driving instructors through this change of rule, DVSA has published a list of old and new deadlines to change or cancel a car driving test up to the end of June 2025.

    If you have to change or cancel your test due to special circumstances

    You will still be able to apply for a refund if you have to change or cancel your test at short notice if you have:

    • an illness or injury that means you cannot take your test  
    • suffered a bereavement  
    • to take an exam at a school or college  
    • had your driving licence stolen

    If DVSA cancels your driving test at short notice

    DVSA will continue to pay out-of-pocket expenses for any car driving tests it cancels with fewer than 3 full working days’ notice while it conducts a review of its out-of-pocket expenses process.

    Learner drivers urged to cancel tests if they cannot attend

    DVSA is urging learner drivers to cancel their driving test if they cannot attend, rather than just not turning up.

    During 2024, about 60,000 appointments were wasted because people did not turn up for their test. That’s the same number of tests that 45 full-time driving examiners can do in a year.

    Later this year, DVSA will consult on proposals reduce the number of wasted tests. For those who fail to attend, this includes:

    • increasing the amount of time they have to wait before they’re allowed to book another test
    • considering charging them a penalty fee

    Learner drivers currently have to wait 10 working days before being able to book another test. The consultation will set out the full details of the potential options.

    This is another of the 7 actions that DVSA has set out to reduce driving test waiting times.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Afghanistan: Security Council renews UN mission as WHO warns of health catastrophe

    Source: United Nations 2

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Peace and Security

    The Security Council on Monday extended the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year, as UN agencies reported sharp declines in resources for lifesaving aid.

    Unanimously adopting resolution 2777 (2025), the 15-member council stressed the “critical importance” of a continued presence of UNAMA and other UN agencies across Afghanistan.

    The council also expressed appreciation for the UN’s long-term commitment to the country and its people, reiterating its full support for UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General who leads the mission.

    Ambassadors also expressed “serious concern” over the continued presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, and highlighted the need to combat the production, trade and trafficking of illicit drugs and chemicals used to manufacture narcotics.

    They stressed the need to improve disaster risk reduction, as disasters worsen the humanitarian and socio-economic crisis.

    Cuts could shut down 80 per cent of WHO programmes

    Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan warned on Monday that funding shortages could force the closure of 80 per cent of the agency’s health services there, leaving millions without access to critical medical care.

    As of 4 March, 167 health facilities in 25 provinces had to shut down due to lack of money. A further 220 facilities could close by June, affecting the most vulnerable populations – women, children, the elderly and the displaced and returnees.

    “These closures are not just numbers on a report, they represent mothers unable to give birth safely, children missing lifesaving vaccinations, entire communities left without protection from deadly disease outbreaks,” said Edwin Ceniza Salvador, WHO’s top official in Afghanistan.

    “The consequences will be measured in lives lost,” he warned.

    © WHO

    Eighty percent of WHO-supported facilities in Afghanistan risk shutdown by June.

    Dire health crisis

    Even before the funding cuts, Afghanistan had been battling multiple health emergencies, including outbreaks of measles, malaria, dengue, polio and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.

    Over 16,000 suspected measles cases, including 111 deaths, were reported in January and February 2025. Children are most at risk of illness and death, given “critically low” vaccination rates – only 51 per cent for first dose and 37 per cent for the second.

    While some donors continue to support Afghanistan’s health sector, funding has been significantly reduced as development aid priorities have shifted in recent months.

    Resources for broader humanitarian efforts in the country remain uncertain. With the first quarter coming to an end, the UN-coordinated $2.4 billion Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for 2025 is only about 13 per cent funded.

    “This is not just about funding,” said Dr. Salvador.

    Afghanistan HNRP

    Resource requirements for health programmes under the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025

    Click here for the Plan (pdf)

    “It is a humanitarian emergency that threatens to undo years of progress in strengthening Afghanistan’s health system … every day that passes without our collective support brings more suffering, more preventable deaths and lasting damage to the country’s health care infrastructure.”

    UNAMA in Afghanistan

    Established in 2002, UNAMA is a political mission which facilitates dialogue between political leaders in Afghanistan, regional stakeholders and the international community, to promote inclusive governance and conflict prevention.

    The deputy chief of the mission is also in charge of coordinating the UN’s extensive aid operation in cooperation with the de facto Taliban authorities since they returned to power in 2021.

    It is also mandated by the Security Council to monitor and report on the human rights situation, with a focus on women’s rights, minorities and vulnerable groups.

    UNAMA also supports regional cooperation, encouraging engagement between Afghanistan and neighbouring countries on issues related to security, stability and economic development.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister Thomas-Symonds speech at the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Minister Thomas-Symonds speech at the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

    Minister Thomas-Symonds speech at the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

    It really is a pleasure to be here with you all today.

    But I do want to just begin, by joining Maros in wishing all our Irish friends a very happy St Patricks Day. 

    I’d also like to thank the Assembly…

    …especially the Chairs, Sandro and Marsha…

    …for giving Maros and I this opportunity to speak to you all today.

    And it is that idea of opportunity that I want to talk about…

    …because we have a chance to strengthen the strategic alliance between the UK and the EU…

    …and I want to talk about how – by being ruthlessly pragmatic – we can harness this opportunity, for the benefit of the people that we are all elected to serve.  

    Now this is the very first meeting of the reconstituted Assembly…

    … and I know that you are welcoming members, both new and old.

    Since this Government came into power, we have worked tirelessly to change the UK’s approach. 

     In the recent past, we have been too focused on what divides us…

    …and it’s those differences that have too often defined the agenda.

    But I believe these groups and these meetings must be used for our collective good.

    This Assembly was set up under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement…

    …to ensure the voices of parliamentarians – and, in turn, our citizens – can be heard. 

    You’re all serving the interests of the people who voted for you…

    …and we must use every opportunity available to us to build trust…

    …and improve cooperation.

    And all of you here today – through your membership in the Assembly – are essential to that work.

    Now, I have already met members of both delegations – and I am committed to maintaining that engagement.

    The UK and EU’s future will be defined by how we both tackle our shared challenges together.

    We are living through a period of generational challenge…

    …and I know as political leaders – we all feel the scale of this moment. 

    War in Ukraine…

    …people smuggled in treacherous conditions by treacherous criminals…

    …the price of energy and the cost of inflation…

    …achieving growth and prosperity to boost living standards for our citizens… 

    …all of these challenges are exacerbated by a mindset of division.

    They are problems across our continent…

    …and they require a coordinated response.

    Just look at the actions of our Prime Minister this year.

    He was delighted to be a part of the European Leaders retreat last month…

     …where he made the case for greater cooperation between the EU and the UK.

    On 2 March, he hosted European leaders, as well as the NATO Secretary General and the Presidents of the EU Commission, EU Council and indeed welcomed Canada… 

    …for a summit focused on Ukraine.

    The importance of these meetings cannot be overstated.

    They are emblematic of how seriously this Government takes European security.

    And there is no greater imperative to this than supporting Ukraine.

    In the face of Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion, we must be resilient.

    It is why we recently announced an increase in UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

    We are stepping up, and we know that the EU is stepping up, too.

    It was heartening to see – on the anniversary of the invasion – that the EU reaffirmed its unwavering support.

    And at the European Council meeting earlier this month, where EU leaders agreed a significant increase in defence spending. 

    I know that, together, we are determined to help Ukraine prevail…

    …and rebuild.

    We must keep pushing – together – to find new ways to achieve this.

    At a time of such intense global change, I believe it is vital to recognise what unites the UK and the EU…

    …and understand how our mutual priorities can be realised through teamwork.

    We saw that in action this January…

    …where, on the same day, the UK Chancellor and the President of the European Commission gave speeches about the challenges facing them.

    Both spoke about their desire for growth…

    …both spoke about how their potential had been held back…

    …and both spoke too about the importance of trade openness.

    In fact, both our Prime Minister’s ‘Plan for Change’ and the President’s ‘Competitiveness Compass’ focused on the same priorities…

    …like reducing red tape, improving skills and a more resilient economy.

    The UK government was elected on a mandate to increase our security, keep our citizens safe and to encourage growth.

    Europe is a crucial partner in these priorities…

    …and, indeed, Europe shares those concerns.

    That is why we are living up to the obligations we have in existing Agreements and Frameworks…

    …that is how trust is earned. 

    No more threats to break international law in ‘limited and specific ways’… 

    …and no more undermining of the ECHR.

    So we are respectful of the TCA and the Windsor Framework… 

    …and we want to build on that structure to address emerging challenges and opportunities.

    The Prime Minister has tasked me with leading these discussions with Maros…

    …supported by our new EU Sherpa Micheal Ellam. 

    And I want to thank Maros – not only for the way he has been so constructive in his relationship with me…

    …but for the many years – and no doubt late nights – that he has dedicated to the EU – UK relationship…

    …but also the pragmatism he is known and respected for.  

    And in our discussions I have always been clear about our desire to strengthen our alliance – and I focus on the three priorities I mentioned…

    …on security, safety and prosperity…

    …where I believe there is much benefit to be gained.

    And it’s these priorities I would like to focus on.

    First, security.

    Now, I’ve already spoken about how seriously we’re taking this…

    …and I know that it is a topic you will be discussing later today.

    But it bears repeating: to keep Europe secure, we need to support allies like Ukraine…

    …and work with NATO on security and defence.

    As the Prime Minister said in the UK Parliament recently, we have: 

    “A recognition of the fact that once again, we live in an era where peace in Europe depends upon strength and deterrence.”

    So, we are seeking a broad UK-EU cooperation on security and defence matters…

    …and we’re ready to negotiate a Security and Defence Partnership.

    This has been central to the Prime Minister’s approach with European leaders.

    When he visited the informal European Leaders’ Summit, he discussed what this partnership could include…

    …and what it could address.

    He suggested a focus on R&D…

    …improved military mobility across Europe …

    …greater co-operation on missions and operations…

    …and building on our industrial collaboration.

    Building on that commitment, let me turn to the next pillar: safety.

    I am clear that if we want to protect our respective borders…

    …and keep our citizens safe…

    …then we need to work together.

    The criminals that we all try and combat pay no respect to our borders…

    …whether they’re taking part in the vile global trade in human trafficking…

    …or planning a terrorist attack to push their agenda and terrify our citizens.

    These challenges plague us all…

    …and I believe that it is only through greater cooperation that we can remain safe.

    It’s why we have already increased the UK’s presence at Europol…

    …but I believe we should be going further.

    We need to think of new ways to coordinate our security…

    …and ensure we have the intelligence and skills to combat cross-Europe criminal enterprises.

    And finally, prosperity.

    The European Union is the UK’s biggest trading partner…

    …with trade totalling over £800bn in 2023.

    And while that figure is still impressive, we know it is not as good as it could be.

    A study published last year by Aston University Business School showed that between 2021 and 2023, the goods EU businesses export to the UK were down by 32%…

    …while UK goods exports to the EU were down by 27%.

    What I’m hearing from businesses that I speak to is that this drop is down to them facing more barriers and more costs.

    They’re frustrated, and I can understand why.

    As ‘Businesseurope’ set out in a report this Autumn, and I quote: “There remain many unnecessary barriers to trade and investment. Following the elections of new governments in the EU and UK, there is a clear opportunity to upgrade the relationship to deliver for businesses and citizens.”

    And that is why we want to build on the structures we have – the TCA and the Windsor Framework…

    …to tear down trade barriers and make Brexit work better for the British and European people.

    We have already said that we will seek to negotiate a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement…

    …to help boost trade… 

    and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in both the UK and the EU. 

    Now, all these issues have been at the forefront of our Government’s discussions with the EU.

    In fact, since the UK election, there have been over 70 direct engagements between UK ministers and their EU Counterparts.

    We have agreed to hold regular UK-EU Summits…

    …with the very first one, as Maros has said, being hosted in London on 19th May…

    …which will be a great opportunity to strengthen this work further.

    But ultimately, this is all about building trust…

    …and this Government wants to keep its word…

    …and become a trusted and stable partner.

    Our discussions continue on the full implementation of the TCA and the Withdrawal Agreement …

    …with almost all of our Specialised Committees meeting last year…

    …and there are plans in place to meet again in the coming months.

    The co-chairs continually update each other on their progress…

    …whilst monitoring and reporting on their passage to full and faithful implementation.

    We fully believe in these structures…

    …but we also fully believe in the opportunities to improve the status quo.

    So, ladies and gentlemen, the time for ideologies is over.

    The time for ruthless pragmatism is now.

    And it is the only way we can seek a closer, more cooperative relationship.

    After all, a stronger UK-EU relationship means a stronger Europe.

    This Assembly will be a vital part of that journey…

    …where that mutual interest will be demonstrated and discussed.

    I also know that many of you have deep expertise, insights and passion for this agenda…

    … and I am sure that this forum will be a fantastic way to bring these to bear. 

    I want to thank you for the time you have given me to discuss my work. To say how much that I am looking forward together. 

    This forum, this Assembly is such an important part of hat shared future and what a pleasure it is to discuss this with you today. 

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank, African Water Facility, Association of European Development Finance Institutions to hold Investment Event for Water and Sanitation in Africa

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

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, March 17, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org), African Water Facility (www.AfricanWaterFacility.org), and the Association of European Development Finance Institutions (https://EDFI.eu/) will host a high-level event to generate investment for water and sanitation services in Africa. Taking place on 18 March 2025 in Brussels, the event will bring together development finance institutions, private sector investors, and philanthropic organizations.

    During the event, the African Development Bank and African Water Facility will showcase investment-ready projects and those in their pipeline, offering opportunities for investors and development financiers to support high-impact water and sanitation projects, including homegrown solutions that will drive economic growth, social stability, and public health improvements across Africa.

    Why This Matters

    Africa faces significant water and sanitation challenges, amplified by increasing pressure on strained water resources by the continent’s growing population, which is expected to double by 2050. Currently, 411 million people lack access to safe drinking water, 779 million are without essential sanitation services, and 839 million do not have access to basic hygiene services, according to a 2020 report by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).

    This lack of access contributes to severe public health challenges, including the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea, which have caused over 400,000 deaths annually on the continent, according to the WHO.

    The economic cost of inadequate access to water and sanitation is also high. Inadequate sanitation alone results in losses of up to $5.5 billion per year in sub-Saharan Africa due to healthcare costs and lost productivity. However, investing in climate-resilient water and sanitation services could yield at least $7 in economic returns for every $1 spent.

    “Water and sanitation infrastructure is fundamental to economic growth. Investing in it is not only a necessity, but good business sense. By securing funding for high-impact projects, we can create jobs, improve public health, and grow local economies,” said Mtchera Chirwa, Director for Water Development and Sanitation at the African Development Bank and Coordinator of African Water Facility.

    Beyond funding, the event will facilitate discussions on public-private partnerships, blended finance models, and innovative financing mechanisms to accelerate progress in achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 – universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.

    Association of European Development Finance Institutions (https://EDFI.eu/) CEO David Kuijper said. “As stakeholders in development, together, we have the resources to make transformative change happen. The Association of European Development Finance Institutions (https://EDFI.eu/) values the partnership with the African Development Bank and African Water Facility to convene this event to find financial and technical resources for solutions through projects already on the market in Africa.”

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: One Week to Go to the Inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum

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

    BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), March 17, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The highly anticipated Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2025 is just one week away. Taking place in Brazzaville from March 24-26, the forum will be held under the theme, Securing Growth and Investment in a New Era. With a comprehensive agenda and an impressive roster of high-level speakers, CEIF 2025 brings together top energy executives, investors and policymakers for three days of robust discussions, deal-signings and exhibitions.

    Under the highest patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and the Republic of Congo’s national oil company Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), CEIF 2025 highlights the country’s expanding influence in Africa’s energy landscape. The forum will bring together a diverse range of participants, including SNPC subsidiaries, international oil companies, Congolese and foreign banks, energy organizations and technology providers.

    The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, set for March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the highest patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, will bring together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities. The event will explore the latest gas-to-power projects and provide updates on ongoing expansions across the country.

    The conference will kick off with technical sessions, focused on Congo’s oil and gas market, highlighting the latest advancements in the country’s efforts to expand production, revitalize mature fields and capitalize on its immense reserves. The technical sessions will cover monetizing stranded gas, infrastructure development and opportunities to position Congo as a regional hub.

    The CEIF 2025 program will feature a variety of dedicated panel sessions, technical workshops and presentations designed to provide deep insights into the latest developments and opportunities across the entire energy value chain. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge about ongoing and upcoming projects that contribute to Congo’s energy goals, as well as broader trends affecting the sector.

    One of the highlights of CEIF 2025 will be the official unveiling of Congo’s new Gas Master Plan, which aims to consolidate the country’s existing gas assets while attracting new investments into the sector. Furthermore, a new Gas Code will be unveiled at CEIF 2025 to establish a supportive legal and regulatory framework for gas exploration and production investments.

    As part of an ambition to double oil production to 500,000 barrels per day by 2027, CEIF 2025 will feature the launch of the country’s new oil and gas licensing round. The licensing round will offer onshore, offshore and marginal acreage to potential investors and developers. As such, CEIF 2025 offers a platform for delegates to connect with leading figures in Congo’s energy space. Deal signings will be a focal point of the forum, providing an environment where key decision-makers can engage to forge new business relationships.

    High-level speakers at this monumental forum include Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons; Maixent Raoul Ominga, Director General of the SNPC; Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization; and Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary General of OPEC, among many others. As the premier gathering for energy players in Africa, CEIF 2025 represents the ideal platform to discuss, showcase and maximize growth and partnership investment opportunities across Congo and Central Africa.

    “With one week out, we are positive that CEIF 2025 will cement its position as a pivotal platform for fostering investment, exploring energy opportunities and driving growth in Congo’s dynamic energy sector. As the inaugural edition, this premier event is sure to provide attendees with invaluable knowledge and insights into the region’s robust and burgeoning industry,” states Sandra Jeque, Events and Project Director at Energy Capital & Power.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Resulting in Finger Amputations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon after he bit the victim multiple times, resulting in severe injuries that required the amputation of one finger and the partial amputation of another.

    According to court documents, between December 16, 2021, and December 17, 2021, Darold Zuniefeathers, 28, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, and John Doe had been hanging out with friends when they decided to buy more cigarettes before the gas station closed. Instead of driving to the gas station, Zuniefeathers turned down a side dirt road and assaulted John Doe in the car.

    During the assault, Zuniefeathers struck John Doe repeatedly and bit him multiple times on the torso, arm, and hand. The bites caused severe damage to John Doe’s hand, resulting in the amputation of one finger and the partial amputation of another.

    According to the plea agreement, Zuniefeathers faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing followed by three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin made the announcement today.

    The Zuni Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Reveals World’s First 25-hour Skatepark, Powered by the Galaxy S25 series

    Source: Samsung

     
    London, UK – 17th March 2025 – Building off the success of the ‘Drop in with Samsung’ Flip Park, Samsung, in collaboration with Skateboard GB and supported by EE, launches the groundbreaking ‘Drop in with Samsung 25-hour Skate Park’ Supported by EE. This unique immersive event, taking place at London’s iconic BAYSIXTY6 Skatepark in West London, celebrates skate culture while showcasing the revolutionary capabilities of the new Galaxy S25 series.
     
    This pop-up celebrates Samsung and EE’s commitment to facilitating enhanced accessibility and connectivity within UK skateparks, empowering more individuals to embrace the sport.
     
    Event Details:
    Dates: Wednesday 19th – Thursday 20th March, 2025
    Location: BAYSIXTY6 Skate Park, 66 Acklam Road, London, W10 5YU
    Opening Hours: 6PM on 19th March – 7PM on 20th March
     
    The world’s first 25-hour skatepark is a vibrant homage to all elements of skateboarding culture, featuring 25 hours of music performances, entertainment and content creation experiences, all powered by the Galaxy S25 series. Samsung invites everyone to ‘Drop in with Samsung’ Supported by EE and participate in a dynamic range of activities on offer, all whilst experiencing the exceptional camera capabilities of the latest Galaxy S25 series.
     
    BAYSIXTY6 will undergo a dramatic transformation, with enhanced lighting and design, creating the ultimate backdrop for capturing stunning content with the Galaxy S25’s advanced features, including Nightography Video and Ultra-Wide camera. Whether day or night, attendees can witness firsthand how the device delivers stunning shots in any lighting condition.
     
    Experience the 25-hour immersion:
     
    The 25-Hour Street: A free skate zone for all skill levels, with Samsung product experts on hand to assist with capturing incredible content on the Galaxy S25 series.
    The Ultra-Wide Bowl: A dedicated drop-in area for skaters to showcase their skills, utilising the Ultra-Wide camera to capture expansive angles during the day and stunning night shots with Night mode, or video content with Nightography Video.
    The 25-Hour Zone: Home of the ‘Now Bar’ – a space to learn about Samsung’s latest Galaxy AI innovations and why the Galaxy S25 series is the ultimate true AI companion. The Now Bar is a space to break for some food, grab a drink, and learn how the latest tech can offer ‘New ways to get things done’, with updates on the 25-hour Skatepark schedule and some exclusive product giveaways for most impressive Galaxy S25 skate footage.
    The 25-Hour Shop: Celebrity meet-and-greets with Team Galaxy Skate ambassadors, an immersive mobile gaming station, offering visitors the chance to beat the top score on mobile skateboarding game True Skate, and opportunities to try out the wider Samsung Galaxy product ecosystem.
     
    Event highlights:
    A launch moment to remember with Sky Brown and Team Galaxy Skate talent dropping in, and James Threlfall DJing to set the vibe.
    An exclusive sunrise skate session and shoot curated in partnership with Dazed Media
    Invigorating skate yoga session led by Shankos Skate School
    Design your own board with Big Aye Skateboards – a closed session for under 18s
    Exclusive meet-and-greets with professional skaters, including Olympic medalist Sky Brown
    Social media workshop with skate influencer Stef Nurding and Samsung UK, giving insights on maximising skate content for visibility
    Dedicated skate photography sessions with renowned photographer Garry Jones
    Perfect your trick with pro-skaters in Team Galaxy Skate offering one-on-one lessons
    A panel discussion with leaders from Skateboard GB, who will be talking about what a career in skate looks like and how to get more skateparks in your local community.
     
    Driven by the shared belief to ‘Never Stop Growing,’ Samsung, Skateboard GB and EE are also investing in extended opening hours at ten skateparks across the UK. This initiative, which includes funding for events, product experiences, and skate jams, will empower the personal growth of the next generation of skaters with greater park access, enhanced connectivity, and the tools to capture and share their progress.
     
    Join the ‘Drop in with Samsung 25-hour Skate Park’ Supported by EE. experience from 19th to 20th March, located at BAYSIXTY6. Drop in be part of this interactive experience – check out the full schedule here:
     
    Full 25-hour Skatepark event schedule:
     
    Time:
    Activity:
    Attendance:
    18:00 – 20:00
    Opening skate jam:
    Featuring demos from Team Galaxy Skate, hosted by Marc Churchill and accompanied by tunes from DJ James Threlfall, plus exclusive meet and greet with two-times Olympic Medallist Sky Brown
    Sign-up needed
    (Via Dazed website here)
    20:00 – 22:00
    Skate with Team Galaxy Skate:
    Skate drop-ins accompanied by DJ James Threlfall on the decks
    Drop in on the day
    22:00 – 00:00
    Skate film session:
    Hosted in partnership with City Mill Skate
    Sign-up needed
    (Via Skateboard GB website here)
    00:00 – 04:00
    Artist creation session:
    Hosted by artist Billy Colours – mural creation at BAYSIXTY6, with time-lapse capture
    Invite only
    04:00 – 06:30
    Sunrise skate session and shoot:
    Hosted in partnership with Dazed Club
    Sign-up needed (via Dazed here)
    06:30 – 07:30
    Skate yoga session:
    Hosted in partnership with Shankos Skate School
    Sign-up needed
    (Via Skateboard GB website here)
    07:30 – 10:00
    Pre-school skate breakfast club
    Invite only
    10:00 – 11:00
    Skate Photography Session:
    Hosted by photographer Garry Jones
    Sign-up needed
    (Via Skateboard GB website here)
    11:00 – 12:00
    Social media workshop:
    Hosted by Team Galaxy Skate’s Stef Nurding, Samsung UK and creative agency Iris
    Drop in on the day
    12:00 – 14:00
    Skate activators:
    Hosted in partnership with Skateboard GB and Team Galaxy Skate
    Drop in on the day
    14:00 – 16:00
    How to get skateparks built in your local community:
    Led by Skateboard GB
    Drop in on the day
    16:00 – 17:30
    Lessons with a pro:
    Hosted by Team Galaxy Skate’s Jordan Thackeray and Alex DeCunha
    Sign up needed
    (Via Skateboard GB website here)
    17:30 – 19:00
    Game of S.K.A.T.E
    Hosted by Team Galaxy Skate’s Ashley Mercer
    Drop in on the day
     
    About Skateboard GB
    Skateboard GB is the National Governing Body for skateboarding in England and the home of Olympic skateboarding in Great Britain. The organisation exists to give skateboarders the opportunity to “Skate More, Skate Better” ensuring they are skater-focused in everything that they do; aiming to lead, support, empower and facilitate.
     
    Skateboard GB celebrate and champion everything that is positive about skateboarding’s heritage and culture and work with the skateboarding community to develop more opportunities and better environments to skate, inspiring future generations of skateboarders as a result of success on the world stage.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNECE ModernStats World Workshop 2024

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

     

    Abstracts and papers for the different topics of this workshop can be found below.

    Background:

    Modern statistical production systems require standardization of the processes, information and architectures that are involved in producing statistics, so that those processes can be automated, and information (including data) can be seamlessly passed between different systems, perhaps using software components that have been developed by another organization for the same purpose.

    The need to do this has never been more pressing, due to the multiplicity of different sources of data, different outputs required, and different technologies that may be used to choreograph all of the required elements required to produce statistics.

    This workshop is organized by the Supporting Standards Group, which maintains a set of standards and models for processes, information, architectures and other activities needed to produce statistics, and supports collaboration activities for their implementation, to provide a foundation for modern production.

    This year’s workshop is focused on the objectives of interoperability, governance, and of transparency, traceability and provenance in production, discussing the role of various models and standards for achieving those objectives. There will also be sessions showcasing the use of models and the future of production.

    Abstracts:

    Title Document
    Information Note 1 pdf
    Information Note 2 pdf
    Timetable pdf
    Title Abstract Paper Slides

    Session: Interoperability using Standards and Models

    		      
    The DDI Cross-Domain Integration (DDI-CDI) Specification: Overview and Implementations, CODATA and DDI pdf   pdf
    The statistical production LEGO set: using standard models and tools to build metadata-driven pipelines at StatCan, Statistics Canada pdf   pdf
    Using standards to develop a system for coherent metadata for production and dissemination in Denmark, Statistics Denmark pdf   pdf
    Enhancing Interoperability and Transparency through Linked Open Data Standards: Lessons Learned from the ESS LOD Community of Practice, Eurostat pdf   pdf

    Session: Transparency, traceability and provenance

    		      
    From micro to macro data: ModernStats models for the conceptual modelling of statistical metadata in an interoperability perspective, Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat) pdf   ppsx
    Unlocking data transparency: how improved metadata empowers IMF data users., International Monetary Fund pdf   pdf
    Describing and Querying Data Transformation Scripts: SDTL and SDTH, University of Michigan pdf   pdf

    Session: Governance

    		      
    Streamlining statistical and data production, Statistics Finland pdf   pdf
    The designed governance for a central metadata system, Istat pdf pdf pdf
    A reference framework for structural metadata governance, OECD pdf   pdf
    Simplifying the Reuse of Concepts Across Organisations, Federal Statistical Office (FSO) pdf   pdf

    Session: Using ModernStats models

    		      
    Tau-Argus: Lessons learned of sharing an IT-tool in Official Statistics, Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) pdf   pdf
    Applying GSBPM to processes based on new data sources, Istat pdf   pdf
    Using standards to direct the flow of data: Modernizing production processes at Statistics Iceland, Statistics Iceland pdf   pdf
    Adopting GSBPM in a national statistical institute, Statistics Denmark pdf   pdf
    Modeling of Business Process Activities and Data: GSBPM, GSIM, and BPMN, National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI, México) pdf   pdf

    Session: Modern production in 2025 and beyond

    		      
    Incorporating AI into statistical standards: Enhancing GSBPM with (generative) AI, Statistics Finland pdf pdf pdf
    Modernizing the BIS Data Bank: A Metadata-Driven Approach to Statistical Business Processes and SDMX Integration, Bank for International Settlements pdf   pdf
    A dataset catalogue as a tool for automated and metadata driven statistical production, Statistics Sweden          pdf pdf pdf
    Modernization and agility powered by Communities of Practice, Statistics Netherlands pdf   pdf
    Capabilities and Metadata Standards, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics pdf   pdf
    Tools For Automating Metadata-Driven Processes In Statistics Poland, Statistics Poland pdf   pdf

    Other presentations

    		      

    Updates on the activities and plans of the Supporting Standards Group, Flavio Rizzolo, chair of SSG

    		   pdf pdf

    Update on the HLG Open-Source project, Carlo Vaccari, Project Manager

    		     pdf
    Soapbox presentation on Units of Measurement, OECD     pdf

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Attorney General Alan Wilson joins President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to discuss crime, justice reform at DOJ headquartersRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – On Friday, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi at the Department of Justice headquarters for an important discussion on crime, law enforcement, and justice reform. 

    “When people ask me what keeps me up at night, I talk about a lot of the problems originating at the southern border of the United States,” said Attorney General Wilson. “Roughly two months ago, with the election of President Trump, America plugged the holes in the boat, but the water is still in the boat. The consequences of the policies that the previous administration implemented have created a lot of problems for our states. Gang activity, illegal immigration, and of course, probably most importantly, the fentanyl that is being trafficked into our respective states. I had the opportunity to serve for eight years with our current United States Attorney General Pam Bondi and what she’s doing at the Justice Department is going to be so incredibly helpful to all of us.” 

    The event highlighted the administration’s commitment to tackling violent crime, strengthening border security, and ensuring justice is applied fairly and consistently across the country. Attorney General Wilson stood alongside President Trump and Attorney General Bondi to emphasize the importance of cracking down on drug cartels, strengthening law enforcement partnerships, and upholding the rule of law. 

    During the event, President Trump reaffirmed his administration’s aggressive stance on law and order, announcing new initiatives to dismantle organized crime networks and target repeat offenders. Attorney General Bondi outlined reforms within the Department of Justice to streamline investigations and prosecute criminals more effectively. 

    Attorney General Wilson underscored South Carolina’s commitment to holding criminals accountable and ensuring victims receive the justice they deserve. He praised federal-state partnerships that have led to significant arrests and successful prosecutions in major criminal cases, and South Carolina’s proactive efforts to prevent dangerous criminals from exploiting legal loopholes. 

    To view a recording of the press conference please click HERE.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Recognizes Pharmacy Appreciation Month

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 17, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed March as Pharmacy Appreciation Month to celebrate the many contributions of pharmacists across the province. 

    “This is an opportunity for us to recognize the important work pharmacists do every day – and the role pharmacy technicians and assistants play – in helping care for the people of Saskatchewan,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “We recognize that pharmacists are highly trained and trusted professionals and in many communities, the pharmacy is the first point of contact to access health care.”

    The province has collaborated with pharmacists on initiatives in recent years to improve patient care in the province, including the expansion of pharmacists’ ability to prescribe for certain conditions.

    Pharmacists were first granted the authority to prescribe for three minor ailments in 2012. Currently, Saskatchewan pharmacists can prescribe for 34 conditions such as, cold sores, sinus infections, nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, bladder infections and shingles. The full list of conditions is available at the Government of Saskatchewan website.

    Regulated pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants support pharmacists by performing a variety of technical and dispensary functions, which allow pharmacists to focus on working to their highest scope of practice. Expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice optimizes their skills, builds capacity within the health care system and brings care closer to home, allowing patients to have greater access to health services. 

    There are more than 2,200 practising pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in more than 430 licensed community pharmacies, hospitals and clinics across Saskatchewan.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Supports Farm Safety During Agricultural Safety Week

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 17, 2025

    Agricultural Safety Week Proclaimed in Saskatchewan

    To reinforce its commitment to farm safety, the Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed March 16 – 22, 2025, as Agricultural Safety Week, with a focus on protecting agricultural workers and strengthening safety practices across the province.

    As a leader in the Canadian agricultural sector, Saskatchewan recognizes that farm safety is essential for the wellbeing of workers and families and the long-term success of the industry. The province is proud to support Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW), a national initiative led by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health (CCRAH). Held every March, this initiative reminds producers to make safety a daily priority, as reflected in the week’s hashtag, #FarmSafetyEveryday.

    “Farm safety goes beyond everyday routines,” Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison said. “It is also about being ready for the unexpected. This week is a great opportunity for producers to review their emergency plans and make sure their workers and families know how to respond to a crisis.”

    This year’s Agricultural Safety Week focuses on the key themes of health hazards on the farm, emergency preparedness, grain safety, mental health, road and rail safety and women in agriculture. These themes stress the importance of proactive safety measures, proper training, safety resources and an inclusive workplace culture that recognizes the critical role women play in advancing farm safety.

    Farming comes with unique risks, from working with heavy machinery to handling hazardous materials. Keeping farms safe requires ongoing education and access to essential safety tools to prevent accidents before they happen. To support this, the Government of Saskatchewan continues to invest in farm safety, offering training programs, and educational resources and tools like the Farm Safety Guide to help reduce workplace injuries and create a culture of safety across the sector.

    “The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association is grateful for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s support in promoting the importance of safety on the farm during Canadian Agricultural Safety Week,” CASA Executive Director Sandy Miller said. “This commitment helps raise awareness, reduce risks and ensure safer farms, ranches and agricultural communities. We sincerely thank the ministry for their continued efforts in advancing agricultural safety and for their dedication to the wellbeing of those who grow our food.”

    Saskatchewan residents can show their support for farm safety by wearing an AgSafe ribbon, available at the ministry’s regional offices. A digital version can also be downloaded from CASA’s website.     
    For more information on farm safety resources, including the Farm Safety Guide, visit: saskatchewan.ca/farmsafety. To learn more about Canadian Agricultural Safety Week, visit: www.casa-asca.ca.
                                                                                    

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The NFB at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Three short films selected for official competition.

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    March 17, 2025 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    The National Film Board of Canada will be well represented at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (June 8–14) with a diverse selection of works, including the eagerly awaited return of filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski. Three NFB shorts are featured in this year’s prestigious official competition:

    Quick Facts

    Short Films – Official Competition

    The Girl Who Cried Pearls (La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles) by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (16 min)
    An NFB production (Julie Roy, Marc Bertrand and Christine Noël)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/the-girl-who-cried-pearls

    • The Girl Who Cried Pearls is a handmade, stop-motion animated short by the Oscar-nominated duo of Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski. It was previously featured at Annecy in a Work in Progress session in 2023.
    • This breathtaking modern fable explores greed, wonder and the power of fiction, and features a stellar creative team: Patrick Watson (original score), Olivier Calvert (sound design), Colm Feore (voice, English version) and James Hyndman (voice, French version).

    Bread Will Walk by Alex Boya (11 min 17 s)
    An NFB production (Jelena Popović)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/bread-will-walk

    • A devoted sister flees with her brother, a benevolent, bread-turned zombie. A mob pursues, mouths agape. Streets twist into mazes, reason dissolves, hunger reigns. Can love defy appetite? Bread Will Walk features paper and 2D hand-drawn animation with digital collage.
    • In the original English version of this social satire and timely, absurd dark comedy, every single character is brilliantly voiced by actor Jay Baruchel. The sound design is by Olivier Calvert and the score was composed by Martin Floyd Cesar.

    Hairy Legs (Poil aux jambes) by Andrea Dorfman (17 min)
    An NFB production (Liz Cowie and Rohan Fernando)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/hairy-legs

    • Deciding not to shave her legs at 13 led a young Andrea Dorfman to question and ultimately defy society’s expectations.
    • Blending 2D animation (ink, gouache and watercolour on paper) and stop-motion, Hairy Legs captures with charm, warmth and humour the universality of girls exploring gender, curiosity and freedom.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: NFB.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Recognizing Social Workers: Celebrating Their Impact and Contributions

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 17, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan has officially declared March 17-22, 2025, as Social Work Week in Saskatchewan. This annual recognition aligns with National Social Work Month and recognizes the significant contributions social workers make in supporting and strengthening our communities. 

    “Social workers provide critical support to individuals, families and communities across Saskatchewan, helping people navigate challenges and improve their quality of life,” Social Services Minister Terry Jenson said. “We are grateful for the dedication and expertise of registered social workers who make a meaningful difference in the lives of so many.” 

    There are over 3,000 registered social workers in Saskatchewan, making contributions across various sectors, including health care, education, justice, child welfare, disability services, community-based organizations and private practice. Their work addresses complex social issues such as mental health challenges, family crises and community development. 

    The Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers (SASW) regulates and promotes the profession of social work in the province. The association establishes registration requirements, upholds a code of ethics and standards of practice, provides professional development opportunities, and ensures a robust complaints and discipline process to maintain accountability and public trust. 

    “I would like to thank all Registered Social Workers in Saskatchewan for your dedicated work to enhance the lives of individuals, families and communities,” SASW President Amanda Knievel said. “Registered Social Workers also address broad social issues that impact the lives of Saskatchewan residents and are committed to competent and ethical practice.” 

    For more information on Social Work Week in Saskatchewan, please visit the Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers’ website at www.sasw.ca or the SASW Facebook page.                                                                            

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Nova Scotia’s First Accessibility Standard Addresses Outdoor Spaces, Recreation Buildings

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Province has taken another important step on the way to an accessible Nova Scotia by 2030 – adopting the first of six accessibility standards.

    The government has approved the Built Environment Accessibility Standard. It focuses on rules for outdoor and recreational spaces that will be required in the design and planning of new infrastructure starting April 1, 2026.

    “Every Nova Scotian deserves equal access to buildings and outdoor spaces. This milestone is crucial in our efforts to create a more accessible province and represents a significant step toward ensuring that all Nova Scotians can participate and thrive,” said Justice Minister Becky Druhan, Minister responsible for the Accessibility Act.

    The built environment includes the spaces where people live, work, learn and play across Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations will be amended to address the accessibility of buildings. Together, the building code and the Built Environment Accessibility Standard will enable a more accessible built environment.

    The standard will help ensure things like better parking options, easier access to eating areas and benches in parks, and accessible lockers and pools in new recreation facilities for people with disabilities.

    In addition to the built environment, other areas with standards under development include education, employment, goods and services, public transportation and information and communication.

    Quotes:

    “Nova Scotia has always been an early adopter of new codes and standards. The adoption of the Built Environment Accessibility Standard is no exception and will improve accessibility for all Nova Scotians where they live, work, learn and play, now and in the future.”
    — George Cotaras, President, Nova Scotia Association of Architects

    Quick Facts:

    • Nova Scotians have been extensively involved in developing the built environment standard and others through committees and providing input on recommendations
    • raising awareness of the new built environment standard and educating people about it will continue through 2026
    • almost two in five Nova Scotians over the age of 15 identify as having a disability; this number is expected to grow as the population ages
    • almost 59 per cent of Nova Scotians with disabilities report experiencing barriers in the built environment
    • the accessibility standards will be enacted as regulations under the Accessibility Act

    Additional Resources:

    The Built Environment Accessibility Standard Regulations are available at: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/built-environment/

    Accessibility Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/accessibility.pdf

    More information on accessibility standards in development is at: https://accessible.novascotia.ca/creating-accessibility-standards

    Access By Design 2030, Nova Scotia’s road map for an equitable, inclusive and accessible province where everyone has opportunities to thrive: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/access-by-design/access-by-design-2030.pdf

    News release – Province to Adopt 2020 National Building Codes: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/09/20/province-adopt-2020-national-building-codes

    Other than cropping, Province of Nova Scotia photos are not to be altered in any way

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for 2022 Armed Carjacking in City’s West Oak Lane Section

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Naseem Rashidi Clouden, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 13 by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 121 months in prison and five years of supervised release for one count of carjacking and one count of carrying and using a firearm during, and in relation to, the commission of a crime of violence.

    Clouden was indicted on those violations in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty in November of 2024, admitting to carjacking a woman who was sitting in her mother’s Toyota Camry at approximately 8 p.m. on November 3, 2022, in Philadelphia. As part of his plea, the defendant also admitted that a firearm was used during and in relation to the armed carjacking.

    According to the publicly filed documents in this case, the victim reported that while sitting in her mother’s vehicle in the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia, six men including the defendant approached the vehicle on foot. The defendant and his accomplices pulled on the door handles of the car and ordered the victim out of the vehicle and two of the men pointed guns at her. When she did not move fast enough, one of the men yelled: “shoot her” and the victim immediately complied and got out of the car. Four offenders then jumped into the vehicle and drove away.

    The victim immediately called the police, and two officers enroute to the scene observed the victim’s mother’s vehicle. The officers pursued the vehicle until it stopped on the 6200 block of Old York Road and three men fled from the vehicle on foot. The officers then chased after the men, recovered a firearm on the block, and within a short time, located the defendant hiding under a van. The defendant was taken into custody and identified as one of the persons who committed the carjacking.

    “Naseem Clouden terrorized our city at gunpoint. These offenses are a priority for my office and our partners on Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We simply won’t stand for these senseless acts of violence. The crime of federal carjacking brings significant prison time, as Clouden’s sentence shows: a decade in prison for a crime that took just moments to commit.”

    “‘Shoot her!’ a carjacker yelled, as the victim scrambled to save her own life. Armed carjacking is a brutal, dangerous crime, and thanks to the responding police officers, Naseem Rashidi Clouden has been convicted and sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison for it,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Together with our Carjacking Task Force partners we are applying ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools to stop criminals like this from terrorizing our neighborhoods.”

    “This latest sentencing of a carjacker is a testament to the continued commitment of the Philadelphia Police Department and our law enforcement partners to stem the tide of violent crime in our city,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “Carjacking endangers the safety and peace of mind of our residents, and we will not tolerate it. Through our continued collaboration with federal agencies, we will ensure those who commit these crimes are pursued, prosecuted, and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stram.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Director Emma Burnham of the Antitrust Division’s Criminal Enforcement Section Delivers Remarks to Global Competition Review

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Thank you to Global Competition Review for putting together today’s program. I am grateful for the opportunity to close out what I imagine has been a full day of interesting discussions.

    Let me cut to the chase. As I’m sure you are all aware, like the rest of the federal government, we at the Antitrust Division are in the midst of a transition. I know from my experience at the Division through previous transitions that these periods always raise questions about our enforcement levels and priorities going forward, about how we’ll deploy our finite resources. And I know you all are eager for answers on whether and how our enforcement priorities might shift. Of course, I won’t attempt to speak for our new and incoming leadership team at the Department, but what I can say is that I fully expect robust antitrust enforcement to continue, with cartel enforcement being no exception.

    With that said, I will offer some thoughts on our recent and ongoing criminal enforcement work and our core mission.

    I’ll start with a few simple truths.

    First, our country relies on free markets.

    Second, vigorous antitrust enforcement is essential to protect free markets and ensure that we all receive the benefits of competition.

    Third, that enforcement mission has a critical criminal prosecution component. If we did not prosecute those who commit antitrust crimes like price fixing and monopolization schemes, unchecked collusion, consolidation, and anticompetitive crimes would distort our markets and raise prices — including on everyday products we all rely on, as well as for vital goods and services the government needs to ensure our national security and provide critical infrastructure. This is why areas like healthcare, defense spending, agriculture and food supply, infrastructure and housing, and technology for just a few examples, continue to be staples of our work.

    So, it is not surprising that we are continuing to investigate and charge criminal cases — across a wide array of sectors and across all levels of the economy. These investigations and cases have significant impacts on key areas of public procurement and private spending.

    We are not even through the first quarter of 2025, and already our statistics are tangible evidence that our enforcement is not letting up. Thus far this year, our teams have charged 15 defendants — one company and 14 individuals — and have obtained 24 guilty pleas — two from companies and 22 from individuals. I would be the first to acknowledge that numbers aren’t the whole story. Much of our work goes on behind the scenes, in a covert posture, and the public filings are merely the tip of a vast iceberg.

    But the numbers can certainly tell you something about our priorities. I think you can take away two things from these statistics: first, we are not shying away from enforcement; and second, we remain deeply committed to individual accountability — never forgetting the essential, unique deterrent role that prison sentences serve.

    The recent charges include a slate of guilty pleas in US v. Martinez, a case where 12 individuals were charged with using anticompetitive and violent means to monopolize the market for transmigrante forwarding services in the Los Indios, Texas, area, and to enforce a price fixing and market allocation conspiracy. The majority of defendants have now pleaded guilty, including to landmark criminal monopolization conspiracy charges.

    I’ll note that it was just about three years ago when Antitrust Division officials began observing in public fora like this one that Section 2 of the Sherman Act, like Section 1, is a felony offense and that the Antitrust Division had a long and storied record — albeit interrupted by a half century of underenforcement — of prosecuting monopolization crimes. Several years ago, some may have thought it remarkable to hear from an enforcer that if the facts and the law lead us to the conclusion that a criminal charge based on Section 2 of the Sherman Act is warranted, we’ll charge it. But from where we stand today, the landscape has changed. Several years on, the Division has done exactly what was previewed: we have charged several criminal monopolization cases, using the statute as Congress wrote and intended it to punish those who seek to monopolize markets through anticompetitive means.

    The charges in Martinez are also illustrative for another reason — they show that antitrust crimes occur at all levels of the economy and that antitrust crime can also occur alongside and be carried out with other crimes — including extortion and acts of violence.

    Beyond Martinez, the Division’s recent guilty pleas include defendants charged with conspiracies and schemes targeting government procurement, which our teams investigated with our law enforcement partners through the Procurement Collusion Strike Force. For example, four defendants pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges arising from schemes targeting IT sales to the Department of Defense and intelligence community. Those pleas included a former government official who admitted to accepting bribes in exchange for ensuring that another defendant received government contracts at inflated prices.

    And within the last month, three individuals and one company admitted to rigging bids in the Division’s ongoing investigation into widespread bid rigging and fraud targeting sports equipment for schools that has, in total, resulted in six defendants charged to date, all of whom have pleaded guilty. At least 100 schools throughout Mississippi and elsewhere have been victimized by these conspiracies. And in a different investigation, another defendant recently pleaded guilty to obstruction for destroying evidence, demonstrating yet again that we will pursue cases where defendants seek to obstruct or impede criminal or civil antitrust investigations by destroying evidence or lying to agents and enforcers.

    Additional recent successes relate to our continued pursuit of bid rigging and collusion in construction and infrastructure industries. In an ongoing investigation, four individuals and a company recently admitted rigging bids for commercial roofing services in Florida — a vital industry given that safe, affordable roofing is critical to Florida communities prone to hurricanes. And two more individuals pleaded guilty in a long running investigation of bid rigging of asphalt paving services in the Detroit area. In total seven individuals and three companies have been charged and admitted guilt in that investigation.

    I think it’s also worth noting that these charges continue to expose individuals to real prison sentences — leading to significant general deterrence. Take as one example the most recent criminal antitrust case that went to trial — against two executives, Greg and David Melton, who were convicted of fixing prices, rigging bids, and allocating jobs in the sale of ready-mix concrete in the Savannah, Georgia area. They were sentenced to 41 and 26 months in prison.

    At that sentencing hearing — I will quote from the transcript because it is an important reminder of how courts view these violations — the judge observed that the crime of conviction was, in effect, “years of decisions that stole from the American people, from our economy.”

    The judge went on to say: “That’s what antitrust is. It’s like thievery, because at the bedrock of the greatest economy in the history of the world is competition. That’s what we’ve always been founded on. I have naturalization ceremonies in our courtrooms, and I tell new citizens, welcome to the country where you have the greatest potential and opportunity that you’ll ever have, because we’re a meritocracy. You come here; you do a good job, and you can obtain anything. That’s the American dream.

    When we rig a system, when we rig government or we rig the economy, we steal from that dream.

    It’s very, very serious conduct; and that’s why we have serious consequences for it.”

    And this is precisely why our work continues. Teams are preparing for three trials in the coming months. The first of these, scheduled to begin March 24 in Las Vegas, charges an individual with wage fixing and fraud in the healthcare industry. Next up, is another individual trial, set for April in the District of Idaho, on charges of market allocation in wildfire fighting services sold to the U.S. Forest Service, part of our ongoing work prosecuting procurement collusion through the PCSF. And in May, a team is heading to Oklahoma to try a case against two executives and a company charged with rigging bids and fixing prices in erosion control products and services for highway construction.

    These cases, like so many others we have brought, have a direct impact on the livelihood of regular Americans and are a vital part of our government’s work to safeguard the public’s tax dollars. Their variety — in terms of industry and geography — reflect the breadth of our work and its importance to our country.

    Beyond those cases, our covert and nonpublic work is ongoing. We have more grand jury investigations open now than at any time in my career, more than twice as many investigations as we had a decade ago. I expect to be able to share developments in some of these investigations in the near future.

    In sum, our criminal enforcement work is continuing.

    I want to conclude by recognizing the work that the Antitrust Division does cannot happen without its people — the beating heart of the organization. Fundamentally, the Antitrust Division is its people, who make significant sacrifices to perform their public service roles. They continue to operate at the highest level as they investigate and prosecute cases to protect American consumers and our open markets. I’m so proud of the work they do, and I remain incredibly grateful that I have the opportunity to work alongside them every day. Thank you.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The threat of indifference to poverty, environmental damage and disease – and what it will take to reinvent international solidarity

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Pierre Micheletti, Responsable du diplôme «Santé — Solidarité — Précarité» à la Faculté de médecine de Grenoble, Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)

    The collapse of western funding for international aid–for both emergency humanitarian operations and official development assistance (ODA)–is a major blow. The dramatic consequences for the neglected populations are the result of the structural weaknesses–evident for years [1]–of an economic model of international aid and development whose obsolescence is now plain for all to see. What is particularly dramatic, however, is the abrupt, non-negotiated manner in which the procedures and targets of the withdrawals have been determined.

    The “four temptations” inherent to the financial system in force to date [2]–and now unashamedly embraced by the new US administration–are obvious: the “western-centrism” of the donor countries; the “neo-liberal approach” to international aid where each contributing state chooses which countries to help; the “security concerns” about payments which are governed by strict control procedures to prevent such payments falling into the hands of the enemies of donor countries in conflict areas; and the “temptation to withdraw” funding whenever donor countries experience a major upheaval (Covid-19, economic crises, the rise of nationalism and isolationism, etc.). These trends converge to generate a volumetric insufficiency and suspicions of political soft power in the countries contributing to the annual budgets [3].

    Of course, this is a disaster for international aid and development actors themselves, both in terms of feeling responsible for abandoning the activities developed in the field, and in terms of the redundancy plans that have already hit some of the organisations. Some of these organisations will clearly not survive the current events: even those with little or no reliance on USAID (the US development agency whose aid was ordered frozen for 90 days) will potentially be affected by the knock-on effects of the withdrawal of the leading donor country.

    Du lundi au vendredi + le dimanche, recevez gratuitement les analyses et décryptages de nos experts pour un autre regard sur l’actualité. Abonnez-vous dès aujourd’hui !

    Scaling back aid in an interdependent world

    Even before the United States announced its cuts, other countries had begun to scale back their international aid and development budgets. These include France [4], the UK, Germany and Belgium, to name a few we already know of.

    Organisations for which the “generosity of the public” (which accounts for around 20% of annual humanitarian aid funding) [5] is a major component of their resource structure will not escape the consequences either.

    The economic rebalancing and political tensions resulting from some of the Trump administration’s decisions are indeed likely to have industrial and social repercussions in all the countries that were once privileged partners of the United States, particularly among the members of the European Union. Experience shows the effects that the erosion of certain national parameters can have on the donation processes of the individual donors who support non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Individual donors will have to prioritise a wide range of crises that are now being neglected by government funding, and compassion will then be a matter of personal choice.

    The tension looming everywhere as a result of increasing trade restrictions may have economic and social repercussions, which in turn may lead to higher expectations among the general public and redirect donations toward local, national or family forms of aid and development.

    Some political groups are starting to question the legitimacy and validity of ODA, which recently prompted the director of the Agence française de développement (AFD) to speak out specifically in defence of the actions of the organisation [6].

    The richest countries are gradually developing a dynamic that shows an insane indifference to poverty, environmental degradation and the zoonoses that can result from the abuse of our primary forests. Yet no border can act as an illusory and impenetrable Maginot line to curb the worldwide dangers that define the interdependencies of today’s globalised world [7].

    We cannot be indifferent–neither in Europe nor in North America–to all the forms of abuse inflicted on our planet (and soon to be compounded by the revival of a mutilating and predatory extractive industry), nor to the survival strategies underlying current and future massive population movements, nor to the conflicts that these different mechanisms can generate.

    The danger of losing interest in equality of opportunity

    Two figures immediately reveal the huge gap that already exists in terms of global inequality. The global ODA envelope, provided by OECD countries, amounted to $230 billion in 2023, when “migratory remittances”–sums transferred by migrants to their countries of origin–stood at $830 billion, of which $650 billion were sent to low- and middle-income countries [8]. These sums are a lifeline for the poorest populations. They reflect the inseparable balance of survival between here and there.

    Yet we are being encouraged to accept the idea that, despite these border-free interdependencies, we, in the richest countries, could lose interest in the various mechanisms that are destroying equality of opportunity throughout the world; that an unabashed reaffirmation of “everyone for themselves”, in terms of both consumption and global solidarity, could henceforth serve as a new, unabashed political mantra; and that this would have no long-term consequences for lasting peace…

    Therefore, in a world where, by 2100, the population of Africa could represent 40% of humankind, we risk major turmoil if we turn our backs on the reality that is unfolding [9]. On that continent (and in other places where major vulnerabilities exist), we cannot shy away from showing concern for others–out of a sense of realism if not generosity.

    Together, we must resist the strategy of every man for himself and the law of the strongest promoted by the new leaders of the United States and their affiliates. We must also strive to invent a new model free of the four founding temptations of the existing system, which grew out of the Second World War and the process of decolonisation. This implies creating the conditions for a significant increase in the number of contributing countries for government funds, as well as a diversification of sources for private funds. A new distribution of creative and decision-making power within the governance of a system in need of rebuilding is thus essential. In the aftermath of the current crisis, new battles are emerging to radically overhaul the strategies and methods of international solidarity.

    A version of this article originally appeared under a different headline in Alternatives Humanitaires. It was translated by Derek Scoins for that publication.

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

    – ref. The threat of indifference to poverty, environmental damage and disease – and what it will take to reinvent international solidarity – https://theconversation.com/the-threat-of-indifference-to-poverty-environmental-damage-and-disease-and-what-it-will-take-to-reinvent-international-solidarity-252321

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council’s digital helper Darcie gets an upgrade

    Source: City of Derby

    Residents are now able to interact with an improved and more inclusive online resource as Derby City Council launches an upgraded version of its digital helper, Darcie this week [17 March].

    Introduced to answer citizens’ queries more efficiently, Darcie has undergone significant behind-the-scenes improvements.

    The latest generative AI capabilities mean the digital helper now understands more complex questions and can respond with more detailed answers on a range of Council services, including Council Tax, bins, fostering and registration services.

    Darcie can also now answer queries about adult social care in more detail for the first time.

    In 2023, Derby City Council introduced two digital helpers, Darcie for the council’s customer service centre, and Ali for Derby Homes’ housing enquiries on their respective websites.

    Since their launch, Darcie and Ali have handled more than 1.8m million routine enquiries, resolving 44% of enquiries without input from staff – freeing them to focus on more complex cases.

    Darcie is like a super-smart robot that is trained in the Council’s services, information and advice, and continues to learn from experience. The more Darcie learns, the better they get at understanding and generating answers to queries that feel natural and helpful.

    Darcie now supports the 9 most common languages after English that are spoken by residents, based on Council data. These are:

    • Arabic
    • Czech
    • Pashto
    • Polish
    • Punjabi
    • Romanian
    • Slovak
    • Somali
    • Urdu

    A more advanced version of phone Darcie is set to follow in the coming weeks, and residents are encouraged to visit the Council’s website, try out Darcie, and provide feedback on their experiences, to help guide future improvements.

    Giving feedback is simple. Darcie has Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down buttons for residents to rate a translation or how well the digital helper answered a question. Pressing the Thumbs Down button will open up a text box for more detailed comments.

    The Council is also planning focused sessions with representatives from community, language, and disability groups to ensure Darcie meets diverse needs.

    Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa, Cabinet Member for Digital and Organisational Transformation at Derby City Council said:

    We want to use technology to make a positive difference, and our goal is to make things as easy and user-friendly as possible for residents. The feedback from the testing phase has been good, and now we want to hear more from residents about their experiences before we move forward with the next phase.

    Derby is at the forefront of this technology and, given the lack of precedents, we don’t expect perfection right away. It’s important that we take the time to learn and refine our approach.

    Darcie is an important part in helping us make sure all residents can easily get the information and support they need.   Remember, Darcie is available 24/7 on web and phone and can answer queries at evenings, weekends and holidays. There is always the option to talk to a human advisor if needed during normal office hours.

    I urge all citizens to try Darcie and let us know how we can improve this tool further.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK pledges up to £160 million to support Syria’s recovery and stability in post-Assad era

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    UK pledges up to £160 million to support Syria’s recovery and stability in post-Assad era

    The UK government has pledged up to £160 million in aid to help stabilise Syria following the fall of the Assad regime.

    • The UK will pledge up to £160 million in critical aid at humanitarian Syria conference in Brussels.
    • UK aid, delivered through trusted UN and NGO partners, will provide life-saving support to millions of Syrians, including refugees across the region, to help them to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
    • Ensuring long-term stability in Syria is essential for regional and UK security – the foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    The UK government has committed today to play a leading role in Syria’s post-Assad recovery. Millions of Syrians are set to benefit from lifesaving aid from the UK and international partners, supporting them to rebuild their lives and stabilise the country following the fall of the brutal Assad regime late last year. 

    Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, will today pledge up to £160 million of UK funding – delivered by trusted UN and NGO partners on the ground – to help provide Syrians with critical water, food, healthcare and education in 2025 at the Annual Syria Pledging Conference, hosted by the EU in Brussels.

    Ensuring stability in Syria and the wider region is critical for UK national security, which is the foundation of the government’s Plan for Change.

    In his speech at the conference, which will be attended by members of the international community and the Syrian interim authorities, the Minister will urge the Syrian authorities to ensure the recent violence witnessed in Syria never happens again, reiterating the importance of a properly representative and inclusive political transition. 

    Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer said:

    A stable Syria is vital for ensuring our security at home and abroad, which is critical for delivering our Plan for Change. Today’s pledge of up to £160m underlines our commitment to helping Syrians stabilise and rebuild their country, as well as provide lifesaving aid for Syrians hosted generously in partner countries.  

    This is a critical moment for Syria. The violence in coastal areas earlier this month was horrific. The interim authorities must demonstrate their intent to promote stability, protect minorities and govern in the interests of all Syrians. We welcome the ceasefire agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the interim authorities as an important step in this direction.

    At the conference, the Minister will welcome last week’s ceasefire agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the interim authorities, as well as the authorities’ commitment to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile.

    Notes to Editors: 

    • The UK’s pledge covers support to Syria and the wider region for 2025. 

    • Today’s visit follows the recent decision to lift asset freezes on 24 Syrian entities. These entities were previously used by the Assad regime to fund the oppression of the Syrian people, including the Central Bank of Syria, Syrian Arab Airlines, and energy companies. This reaffirms UK support to the Syrian people in re-building their country and promote security and stability.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New task force launched in Virginia to eliminate transnational criminal organizations

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert of the Eastern District of Virginia along with federal and state partners announced today the recently established Virginia Homeland Security Task Force (VHSTF), an interagency group founded to combat transnational organized crime and coordinate ongoing immigration enforcement efforts across Virginia. In the two weeks since the VHSTF’s creation on March 3, task force members have arrested 247 individuals.

    Hundreds of personnel are supporting the task force, including representatives from U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI’s Washington, Norfolk, and Richmond Field Offices; Homeland Security Investigations; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Marshals Service; Virginia Department of Corrections; Virginia Office of the Attorney General; Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; Virginia State Police; and the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

    The VHSTF is part of Operation Take Back America, which streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    The VHSTF is the first of these task forces. Task force members are building on existing partnerships and initiatives to enforce immigration laws and policies to dismantle TCOs threatening the safety of millions of Virginians.

    These organizations operate across international borders, wholly or in part, by illegal means. Regardless of structure, TCOs destabilize local communities and fuel violence by engaging in drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, human trafficking, assault, kidnapping, murder, and extortion.

    One of the VHSTF’s goals is the elimination of TCOs across Virginia. Task force members seek to target these organizations’ infrastructures — including leaders, intermediaries, and street-level offenders — utilizing the State Department’s new foreign terrorist designations of various gangs, such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13); Cártel de Sinaloa; and Tren de Aragua (TdA). Under the guidance provided by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, leaders and managers of cartels and TCOs may be prosecuted for such crimes as terrorism, racketeering, continuing criminal enterprise offenses, violations of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, and violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

    To date, the VHSTF has arrested numerous gang affiliates, including 18 MS-13 affiliates, six TdA affiliates, and 12 individuals affiliated with other TCOs.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New measure to cut driving test waiting times

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    New measure to cut driving test waiting times

    Latest measure tackles driving test backlog and helps to ensure learners can take their tests without unnecessary delays.

    Fewer driving test slots will be wasted as the government announces an extension to the window for test cancellations to prevent last minute changes.

    From 8 April 2025, learner drivers will need to give more notice when changing or cancelling their car driving test to avoid losing their fee. Currently, customers can cancel up to 3 days ahead of their test without losing their test fee.

    Under the new rules, learners must give 10 full working days’ notice to change or cancel their test without losing the fee.

    This is the latest action in the government’s 7-point plan to reduce waiting times and will allow more slots to be made available.

    Extending the window will also encourage customers to be better prepared and ready to pass when they book their test – as well as encourage learners to change or cancel their test sooner if they’re not ready and so give more chance for appointments to be used by someone else.

    Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, said:

    Driving is more than just a means of transport; it is a lifeline for many, opening doors to jobs, opportunities and ultimately contributing to the growth of our economy. The measures announced today are another vital step in tackling the driving test backlog and ensuring that more learners who are ready to take their test can do so without unnecessary delays.

    These new measures will ensure that driving test appointments are used efficiently, encouraging learners to make adjustments to their schedules sooner, should they not be fully prepared.

    The change announced today (17 March 2025) is part of the government’s 7-point plan to help reduce driving test waiting times.

    Announced in December 2024, the plan includes:

    • recruiting and training 450 driving examiners
    • reviewing and improving the rules for booking driving tests
    • introducing tougher terms and conditions for the service driving instructors use to book and manage car driving tests for their pupils

    Loveday Ryder, DVSA’s Chief Executive, said:

    Extending the short notice cancellation period for driving tests forms part of our 7-point plan to reduce driving test waiting times.

    This will encourage learners to change or cancel their test sooner so we can offer up those slots to other customers.

    We remain committed to reducing driving test waiting times and supporting learners in getting on the road when they are truly ready and safe to do so.

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

    Roads media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Payden & Rygel Receives 2025 LSEG Lipper Fund Award for the Payden California Municipal Social Impact Fund (PYCRX)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Payden & Rygel, one of the largest privately-held global investment advisory firms, today announced that the Payden California Municipal Social Impact Fund (PYCRX) is a LSEG Lipper Fund Awards United States 2025 winner.

    “The 2025 LSEG Lipper Fund Awards are recognizing perhaps the most dramatic three-year period that the markets have seen in decades. Fund managers being recognized have steered their investors through a pandemic, a mild recession, rising geopolitical risks, skyrocketing inflation, and dramatic central bank intervention,” said Otto Christian Kober, Head of Lipper Research, LSEG Data & Analytics. “Whether you’ve been investing for just the past 15 years and have seen only the easy money environment following the Financial Crisis or been an investor for 50 years and feel as if you’ve seen it all, there is no way to have foreseen the range of fundamental and non-financial factors that impacted the markets these past few years.

    “We applaud the 2025 LSEG Lipper Fund Award winners such as Payden & Rygel for delivering outperformance and the accompanying comfort of consistency to investors’ portfolios through a cross-current of global market disruptions,” he added.

    PYCRX was recognized in the California Intermediate Municipal Debt Funds category as the best fund over ten-years. The fund generally invests in intermediate-maturity municipal bonds that are exempt from Federal, state, and local taxes for California residents. The fund seeks to provide attractive current income while preserving capital. Holdings are diversified across sectors and issuers.

    About Payden & Rygel
    With $159 billion under management, Payden & Rygel is one of the largest privately-owned global investment advisers focused on the active management of fixed income and equity portfolios. Payden & Rygel provides a full range of investment strategies and solutions to investors around the globe, including Central Banks, Pension Funds, Insurance Companies, Private Banks, and Foundations. Independent and privately-owned, Payden is headquartered in Los Angeles and has offices in Boston, London, and Milan. Visit www.payden.com for more information about Payden’s investment offerings, including US mutual funds and Irish-domiciled funds (subject to investor eligibility).

    About LSEG Lipper Fund Awards
    For more than 30 years and in over 17 countries worldwide, the highly respected LSEG Lipper Awards have honored funds and fund management firms that have excelled in providing consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers and focused the investment world on top funds. The merit of the winners is based on entirely objective, quantitative criteria. This, coupled with the unmatched depth of fund data, results in a unique level of prestige and ensures the award has lasting value. Renowned fund data and proprietary methodology is the foundation of this prestigious award qualification, recognizing excellence in fund management. Find out more at www.lipperfundawards.com.

    The LSEGLipper Fund Awards, granted annually, highlight funds and fund companies that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers. The LSEGLipper Fund Awards are based on the Lipper Leader for Consistent Return rating, which is a risk-adjusted performance measure calculated over 36, 60 and 120 months. The fund with the highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return (Effective Return) value in each eligible classification wins the LSEGLipper Fund Award. For more information, see lipperfundawards.com. Although LSEG makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, their accuracy is not guaranteed by LSEG Lipper.

    Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate, so investors’ shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. For the most recent month-end performance, which may be higher or lower than that quoted, visit our website at payden.com or call 800 572-9336.

    For more information and to obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus, visit payden.com or call 800 572-9336. Before investing, investors should carefully read and consider investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses and other important information about the Fund, which is contained in these documents.

    Social Impact Investing Risk: The Fund’s policy of investing in municipal securities for which, in the Adviser’s opinion, the proceeds raised are used consistent with positive social and/or environmental practices and outcomes could cause the Fund to perform differently compared to other mutual funds that do not have such a policy. The factors that the Adviser considers in evaluating an investment’s positive social and/or environmental benefits are part of a proprietary security selection methodology and may change over time. There are differences in interpretations of what it means to promote positive social and/or environmental benefits. While the Adviser believes its definitions are reasonable, the portfolio decisions it makes may differ with others’ views.

    Sources for the material contained herein are deemed reliable but cannot be guaranteed. This material is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or an offer to sell or buy any security. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

    For press requests, please contact:
    Angela Z. Dailey | DAI Partners
    dailey@daipartnerspr.com | 714-322-7202
    www.daipartnerspr.com

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investigation with National Trading Standards find ‘nicotine free’ vapes are falsely advertised

    Source: City of Salford

    • A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) initiative tracked the sale of illicit vapes and underage sales, working with Salford City Council
    • Tests carried out on ‘nicotine free’ vapes find one in every eight products were found to contain nicotine 
    • Consumers exposed to nicotine in significant quantities, equal to the amount in a packet of 20 cigarettes

    Led by National Trading Standards (NTS), Salford City Council’s Trading Standards team alongside Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service and the Trading Standards team in Berkshire, have worked collaboratively to test ‘nicotine free’ vapes on sale to UK consumers and track the sale of illicit vapes and underage sales.

    As part of Operation Joseph, the DHSC government funded initiative was set up to tackle specific aspects of enforcement and compliance around the sale of vaping products. The project includes collating national data on enforcement, helping to support local authorities and increase enforcement activity as well as targeted testing and port seizure work. 

    According to data released from NTS at the end of 2024, the sale of illicit vapes and underage sales found:

    • 1.19 million illegal vapes seized by Trading Standards in 2023-24, a 59% increase
    • 299,224 vapes confiscated in Quarter 4 2023-24
    • 24% of 775 test purchases in Quarter 4 2023-24 resulted in illegal sales of vapes to under 18s

    Consumers who expect to buy nicotine free products have been warned, as a result of the investigation, that they are being unknowingly exposed to nicotine and its addictive effects in significant quantities.

    The key findings of 76 products sold and tested as nicotine free vapes showed that:

    • More than one in every eight (13.2%) of products tested contained nicotine in amounts ranging from 0.06 mg/ml to 27.02 mg/ml, the amount equivalent to a packet of 20 cigarettes
    • Of the products found to contain nicotine, they also exceeded the limit on the amount of e-liquid permitted in vapes
    • Consumers have unknowingly taken high levels of nicotine in significant quantities, with eight of ten samples failing at part of tests

    Councillor Barbara Bentham Lead, Member for Neighbourhoods, Environment and Community Safety at Salford City Council said: “As a key priority in our Corporate Plan, it’s pivotal that we make sure that everyone in Salford has the opportunity to live longer, healthier and happier lives. That means protecting the health of our residents and in particular, safeguarding children from the flood of dangerous, illegal products that are being sold in our city and across the UK.

    “As a growing national concern, we are committed to working with partners like National Trading Standards to remove illegal vapes from our communities and urge businesses to ensure that vaping products are not sold to children. Those who choose to ignore legal regulations will face thorough investigations to enforce compliance so that we continue to ensure the highest standards of safety are met.”
     
    Suspected cases can be reported to the Citizens Advice consumer service by calling 0808 223 1133.

    Share this

    Date published
    Monday 17 March 2025

    Press and media enquiries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: KVN League of the State University of Management is looking for organizers

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    KVN is not only writing jokes and performing on stage, it is also a lot of organizational work, allowing you to gain unique management experience in an intensive mode. The KVN League of the State University of Management allows you to give such experience in a specialized university.

    If you love KVN and want to become part of one of the best university leagues in Moscow, you can join the creative team of the First Management League.

    Who we are looking for: – Organizers – if you want to learn how to plan and coordinate events, we are definitely on the same page! – SMM specialists – if you know how to attract attention on social networks and make our events bright and memorable, we will be glad to see you. – Partner managers – if you have a desire to interact with partners and find a common language with different people, then we are ready to be friends and work with you.

    We offer: — Invaluable experience: organizing interregional and all-Russian events, as well as the opportunity to create a portfolio — a great start for a future career. — Training and development: we will teach you everything you need to work successfully both in KVN and in other areas. You will be able to implement your ideas based on real projects. — The opportunity to undergo educational practice: if you want, we can provide you with tasks specifically in your specialty so that you can undergo practice with us in the League.

    Join our team to create unforgettable moments for spectators and participants!

    If you are ready for new challenges and want to learn more, fill out the form here: http://ligakvnguusearch.tilda.ws/

    Let’s make KVN at GUU even better!

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/17/2025

    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: Energy Systems Group Appoints Jeff Blum as CEO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWBURGH, Ind., March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Energy Systems Group (ESG), a leading provider of energy and infrastructure solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Blum as Chief Executive Officer. The addition of this strategic position to ESG’s leadership team reflects the business’s continued commitment to growth and delivering best-in-class energy efficiency and infrastructure solutions to its customers nationwide.

    Blum brings over 30 years of experience in commercial and public facility construction, modernization, and service. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President, U.S. West and Canada, at KONE, a global leader in elevator and escalator solutions. With deep expertise in strategic growth, operational excellence, and building high-performing leadership teams, Blum is well-positioned to drive the company’s next phase of expansion and market leadership.

    “I am honored and excited to take the helm at Energy Systems Group during this exciting chapter of growth,” said Blum. “Energy Systems Group is an incredible company known for transforming facilities and infrastructure through our brilliant people, with a strong track record of delighting our customers and creating a great work environment for all our team members. With the recent integration of Yearout Energy and PacificWest Energy Solutions, ESG is now a larger and more robust energy and infrastructure solutions provider, uniquely positioned to serve customers across an expanded geographic footprint. I look forward to working alongside ESG’s talented team to build on this strong foundation and accelerate the company’s positive impact to our customers and the communities we serve.”

    Now with an expanded portfolio of solutions and services, Energy Systems Group is focused on helping customers improve energy efficiency, reduce costs, and create long-term success. As the company continues to grow, the entire team is committed to delivering proven, practical, and reliable solutions across a wide range of industries.

    About Energy Systems Group

    Energy Systems Group (ESG) is a leading provider of performance-driven energy and infrastructure solutions nationwide. We design, build, and guarantee solutions that improve the reliability, efficiency, and lifespan of critical facilities in the education, government, healthcare, commercial, and industrial sectors. With a commitment to delivering reliable and proven solutions, Energy Systems Group takes a comprehensive approach to facility transformation. Visit energysystemsgroup.com to learn more.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Managers’ transactions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

            

    Company announcement no. 06        
     
    Managers’ transactions

    Spar Nord Bank A/S hereby reports on transactions in Spar Nord Bank A/S shares carried out by persons who have a duty of disclosure, in compliance with Article 19 of the Market Abuse Regulation.

    For further details, please be referred to the attached templates for notification.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 17 March 2025 News release Nearly 50 million people sign up call for clean air action for better health

    Source: World Health Organisation

    In an unprecedented show of unity, more than 47 million health professionals, patients, advocates, representatives from civil society organizations, and individuals worldwide have signed a resounding call for urgent action to reduce air pollution and to protect people’s health from its devastating impacts.

    Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental threats to human health and a major contributor to climate change. Around 7 million people die from air pollution each year, mainly from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

    This global call to action, spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and international health organizations will be presented at the Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, set to take place in Cartagena, Colombia, on 25–27 March 2025.

    “Forty-seven million people from the health community have issued a clarion call for urgent, bold, science-driven action on air pollution, and their voices must be heard,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Around the world, WHO is supporting countries to implement evidence-based tools to address air pollution and prevent the disease it causes. At the second WHO Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Cartagena, we hope to see concrete commitments from countries to implement those tools and save lives.”

    Hosted by WHO and the Government of Colombia, the conference will bring together political leaders, representatives from civil society organizations, UN agencies and academia to drive a global clean air agenda which promises benefits for public health, climate change response and sustainable development, both globally and locally.

    Recognizing the heavy toll of air pollution, the health community is calling on governments to take immediate and ambitious steps to reduce emissions, enforce stricter air quality standards, and transition to cleaner energy sources, unlocking multiple benefits for the health of people and planet. The topic will also be a focus ahead of the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), where world leaders will be called upon to take stronger action.

    Key facts:

    • Air pollution in both cities and rural areas generates fine particulate matter which results in NCDs such as stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, chronic respiratory diseases as well as acute conditions such as pneumonia.  
    • Around 2.1 billion people are exposed to dangerous levels of household air pollution, while using polluting open fires or stoves for cooking.
    • Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), are among the leading causes of death, many are linked to air pollution exposure. The global NCD epidemic claims 41 million lives annually. Addressing air pollution is a key strategy in reducing the burden of NCDs and improving global health.
    • Sources of air pollution are varied and context-specific. The major pollution sources include polluting energy sources used in homes, energy production, industrial emissions, transport, agriculture, waste as well as natural sources such as desert and dust storms or wildfires.

    Improving air quality by implementing well-known and available solutions will prevent premature deaths, improve health, drive sustainable economic development, and mitigate climate change.

    At the conference, countries are expected to commit to concrete measures, including setting and enforcing stronger air quality standards aligned with the WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines. WHO, in collaboration with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), has unveiled the updated 2025 Air Quality Standards database last month, which now includes data from approximately 140 countries, showcasing their air pollution regulatory efforts aimed at protecting public health.

    “While the challenge is immense, progress is possible. Many cities and countries have significantly improved air quality by enforcing stricter pollution limits,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director for Environment, Climate Change and Health. “Clean air is not a privilege; it is a human right as recognized by the UN General Assembly. We need to work together urgently to scale up transitioning from coal-fired power to renewable energy, expanding public and sustainable transport, establishing low-emission zones in cities and promoting clean energy for cooking and solar power in healthcare facilities.”

    The commitments made at the upcoming Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health and the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs will play a crucial role in paving the way for a healthier, more sustainable future for all. Now is the time to take the call and step up efforts for cleaner air, everywhere.

    For interviews, please contact WHO Media Team.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – Life Science REIT Plc

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: Rathbones Group Plc
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		  
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 Life Science REIT Plc
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:  
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 14/03/2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 No

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 1p Ord
      Interests Short positions
      Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 52,962,363 15.13%    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        

            TOTAL:

    		 52,962,363 15.13%    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
           

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
             

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
                   

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit
             

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
           

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
    None

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”
    None

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? No
    Date of disclosure: 17/03/2025
    Contact name: Chinwe Enyi – Compliance Department
    Telephone number: 0151 243 7053

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Syria: Relative of Assad regime’s disappeared speaks of anguish in search for truth and justice

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    A relative of two Syrians tortured and murdered by the Assad regime has spoken of the anguish caused by their enforced disappearance during the country’s civil war.

    Obeida Dabbagh’s brother Mazen, and nephew Patrick – both Syrian-French nationals – were arrested by Air Force Intelligence officials in November 2013.

    Held for years and tortured, there were falsely declared dead in 2018 “years after they disappeared,” Mr. Dabbagh told the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, which meets at the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG).

    Arbitrary victims

    He stressed that his uncle and nephew had not been involved in initially peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad that authorities attempted to crush by carrying out mass arrests, torture and widespread human rights abuses that have been widely condemned by UN senior officials.

    “The Syrian regime, in addition to torture and executions, extorted money from our family, promising us information or release in exchange for exorbitant sums, before expelling [Mazen’s] wife and [his] daughter from our family home in Damascus,” Mr. Dabbagh told the panel, which is one of ten UN human rights Treaty Bodies independent of the Human Rights Council.

    Fight against impunity

    “This fight goes beyond my family,” Mr. Dabbagh continued.

    “It is part of a universal quest for justice and against impunity for war crimes. Through this legal action, I wanted not only to obtain justice for Mazen and Patrick, but also to participate in the global fight against the atrocities committed by the Syrian regime.”

    Before they were arrested, Mazen provided teaching support at a French college in the Syrian capital and his son Patrick was a psychology student at Damascus university.

    Desperate to secure their release, their family approached the Syrian, French and international authorities, including the Red Cross and European Union.

    In 2016, alongside the NGO International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the family filed a complaint with the Paris Prosecutor’s office for crimes against humanity.

    Key French intervention

    This legal action allowed the French justice system to open an investigation and collect key testimonies, particularly from Syrian deserters. This led to an indictment order in March 2023 for three senior Syrian regime officials to stand trial for complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Following their trial in France last May, Ali Mamlouk, Jamil Hassan and Abdel Salam Mahmoud were sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for complicity in imprisonment, torture, enforced disappearance and murder constituting crimes against humanity, as well as for confiscation of property, classified as a war crime.

    International rights framework

    The Committee on Enforced Disappearances monitors how countries implement the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2006 and came into force in December 2010.

    Ratifying countries are legally bound to its provisions, including the prohibition of secret detention, the obligation to search for disappeared persons, the criminalization of enforced disappearance and the commitment to prosecute those responsible.

    For the Committee, independent rights expert Fidelis Kanyongolo highlighted the critical importance of extra-territorial jurisdiction in the Committee’s work, given that many States have yet to ratify the Convention – along with the fact that Syria has not ratified the Rome Statute, which would have allowed the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute serious human rights crimes there.

    In addition, there has been no resolution from the UN Security Council referring grave rights abuses in Syria to the ICC and the domestic justice system remains neither independent nor accountable, Mr, Kanyongolo maintained.

    Trailblazing global accord

    The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance is the first universally legally binding human rights instrument concerning the practice.

    It was preceded by the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1992.

    With 77 State parties today, the Convention remains a key reference, with several of its provisions now reflecting customary international law.

    Call for Justice

    In a statement marking 14 years since the start of the Syrian civil war, the UN Human Rights Council-mandated Commission of Inquiry on Syria called for urgent efforts to hold all perpetrators accountable, both from the Assad era and all warring parties since 2011.

    “Evidence, including documents in prisons, courts and mass grave sites, must be preserved to support future truth and accountability initiatives led by the new Syrian authorities, with the support of key actors such as Syrian civil society,” the Commission stated.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft Software and Systems Academy: A path forward after service

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft Software and Systems Academy: A path forward after service

    After a career in service, many military members are unsure of their next steps when transitioning to civilian work. They often wonder if there’s a place for them in the business world.

    Thanks to a one-of-a-kind Microsoft program championed by one of their own, military members are learning valuable skills to help them establish new careers in the tech industry. The Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) is a 17-week, remote program that has placed nearly 4,000 graduates in tech jobs from more than 1,000 companies over the last decade.

    Learn more about how the MSSA program was created and read the success stories of a cross-section of graduates and MSSA supporters.

    MIL OSI Economics –