NewzIntel.com

Category: United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Highland Council to trial ballot paper overlay to make voting more accessible 

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    In a recent survey of blind and partially sighted people, only a quarter feel that the current system allows them to vote independently and in secret. We want to change that. 

     The Highland Council is trialling a new tactile aid, called a ballot paper overlay during the  Ward 6, Cromarty Firth and Ward 10 Eilean a’ Cheò by-elections. This is a simple, cost-effective cardboard template which is placed over a ballot paper. The overlay has cut out areas which match up with the voting boxes on the ballot paper. There are braille and embossed areas next to each voting box which help the user find their way around the ballot paper. it can easily be separated from the ballot paper, after voting, to maintain secrecy. 

     When used alongside an audio reading of the ballot paper, the overlay can act as a self-service solution for blind and partially sighted voters to vote independently and in secret. 

     Returning Officer, Derek Brown said: “I am delighted that we will be trialling the ballot paper overlay when voters in Wards 6 and 10 go to the polls on Thursday 19 June. When everyone can cast their vote freely and confidently, we all move closer to a fairer, more representative society.  Accessible voting isn’t just a right—it’s a powerful reminder that every person matters, and every vote shapes the future we share.” 

     The Highland Council is trialling this aid in advance of the Scottish Parliament elections to provide voter feedback and raise awareness of this new accessibility aid. There are other aids available in the polling station, including magnifiers and large print ballot paper copies, staff are there are support you when you vote. 

     If you, or someone you support needs assistance or information about what we can do to support you when vote in a polling station, please contact the Elections Team election@highland.gov.uk or visit Local Government By-election | Local Government Elections | The Highland Council 

    2 Jun 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Applications Now Open for Highland Council’s Strategic Events Grant

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The Highland Council is pleased to announce the official launch of its new Strategic Events Grant Fund, a £75,000 initiative designed to support the region’s dynamic events sector and strengthen the local economy during the quieter shoulder and off-season months.

    From today, Monday 2nd June, event organisers across the Highlands can apply for grants ranging from £3,000 to £10,000 to support public events scheduled between September 2025 and March 2026. The fund is part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) programme and aims to stimulate tourism, celebrate local culture, and encourage sustainable economic growth.

    Councillor Ken Gowans, Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said:

    “We’re excited to officially open applications for this important fund. Events are a powerful way to bring communities together, attract visitors, and showcase the unique character of the Highlands. By supporting strategic events during the off-season, we’re helping to extend the tourism calendar and build a more resilient regional economy.”

    The fund is open to a wide variety of public events, including music, food and drink, cultural, sports, and nature-based festivals. Priority will be given to events that demonstrate strategic value, such as those that encourage overnight stays, promote responsible tourism, and align with national and regional strategies including Scotland the Perfect Stage 2024–2035 and The Highland Council’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2024–2030.

    Applications are open now and will close at midnight on Monday 30 June 2025. Successful applicants will be notified by mid-July.

    For full eligibility criteria and to apply, visit Apply for Event Funding | Organising Events | The Highland Council

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to unpublished conference abstract suggesting eating rate has sustained effects on energy intake from Ultra-Processed Diets

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A conference abstract presented at NUTRITION 2025 looks at eating rate and its effects on energy intake from Ultra-Processed Diets. 

    Dr Amanda Avery, Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nottingham, said:

    “This very well considered study explores whether eating rate can make a difference to the amount of food we eat. Previous research has suggested that a 20% difference in eating rate leads to a 9-15% difference in food intake.

    “In this study, the abstract being showcased at the American Nutrition conference,  the researchers used two different diets using commercially prepared ultra processed foods (UPFs). One diet used UPFs with textures that meant that eating rate was slower whilst the second diet used UPFs with textures leading to faster eating rates.

    “Healthy young adults, both males and females with healthy body weights were invited to take part in the study where they were then randomised to be in one ‘block’ or the second block for assignment to the diet. They were not aware which diet they were consuming when – they had one diet for two weeks, then had a two week ‘rest’ and then had the second diet for two weeks. This means that we can compare the results between individuals besides between the two groups.

    “The participants were offered as much food as they wanted when on either of the two diets. Incredibly, but perhaps not surprisingly, the findings on energy intake were consistent – all participants consumed less energy from food when on the two week UPF – slow eating rate diet. The average energy intake was 369kcal/day less when people were following the slow eating rate diet.

    “Whilst there were no significant differences in body weight, this is not surprising given that the study was only being conducted for a two-week period and because participants were switched from one diet to another. However if a person was choosing a diet which led to an extra 350+kcal being consumed each day, then one could expect to see associated increases in body weight over time. 

    “As mentioned, the study was well conducted with many reasons as to why participants may not be able to take part in the study. The researchers were keen to exclude anyone who had strict control over their food intake and also those people who were intentionally trying to reduce their body weight – thus other factors that may have contributed to the findings were limited in the study design.

    “In terms of what this study adds – the study really reinforces the importance of people sitting down and taking time to enjoy their food. Eating foods quickly and ‘on the hoof’ may lead to extra energy intake which may long-term lead to weight gain. Ideally, we should be choosing foods with more texture, such as ultra-processed foods with more texture, but also balanced with vegetables, whole fruits, wholegrain cereals, beans, legumes, lean meat, fish, so that we have to chew the food. As this study has found, food with very little texture, such as certain UPFs, may lead to excess energy intake which over time may increase the risk of obesity, as demonstrated by other studies that have compared the intake of ultra processed with more minimally processed foods.”

     

    Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield, Professor in Diabetes and Metabolic Endocrinology, University of Bristol, said:

    “This study reinforces previous epidemiological, experimental and clinical trial data demonstrating that any manoeuvre to slow eating rate consistently, in this current study by meal texture, reduces an individual’s total calorie intake. Whilst it can be difficult to sustain a reduced eating speed, altering food texture that slows eating speed seems an attractive additional tool for population-based, weight management strategies.”  

    The abstract ‘Eating Rate has Sustained Effects on Energy Intake from Ultra-Processed Diets: A Two-Week Ad Libitum Dietary Randomized Controlled Trial’ by Ciarán G. Forde et al. was presented at the NUTRITION 2025 conference, and the embargo lifted at 19:00 UK time Monday 2 June 2025.

    Declared interests

    Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield: I have conducted experimental and trial studies on slowing eating speed by different methodology, finding results for calorie intake in agreement with the study being described

    Dr Amanda Avery: besides my academic position, I also hold a very part-time position as Consultant dietitian in Nutrition, Research & Health Policy at Slimming World.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Plymouth means business at UKREiiF 2025

    Source: City of Plymouth

    By Cllr Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council

    This May, I had the privilege of leading Plymouth’s delegation to the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds – and what a week it was.

    We went to UKREiiF with a clear purpose: to shout loud and proud about Plymouth’s ambition, our potential, and our readiness for growth. We weren’t just there to attend – we were there to lead, to connect, and to inspire. Because for Plymouth, growth isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a necessity. It’s about jobs, homes, innovation, and opportunity. It’s about building a city that works for everyone.

    From the moment we arrived, the energy was electric. Day one kicked off with a bang – our stand was buzzing with interest, and we hit the ground running with meetings, networking, and a strong presence across the event. We were there alongside major cities and regions, but we made sure Plymouth’s voice was heard. We’re not just a coastal city – we’re a city of ideas, of resilience, and of bold ambition.

    One of the highlights was our panel session, where we brought together key voices to talk about the future of cities like ours. We spoke about the power of place, the importance of sustainable development, and the need for long-term investment in infrastructure and skills. I was proud to see Plymouth leading that conversation – not just reacting to change, but shaping it.

    Throughout the week, we met with investors, developers, government officials, and partners from across the UK. We showcased our major regeneration opportunities – from the Freeport and Oceansgate to the city centre and waterfront. We talked about our strengths in marine, defence, digital, and clean energy. And we made it clear: Plymouth is open for business.But UKREiiF wasn’t just about promotion – it was about connection.

    It was about building relationships that will unlock real benefits for our city. We had meaningful conversations that we’re already following up on – conversations that could lead to new investment, new jobs, and new opportunities for our residents.

    For example, we had a fantastic conversation with Homes England. Earlier this year, we launched a bold new plan together to deliver up to 10,000 new homes in the heart of Plymouth. This isn’t just about numbers – it’s about creating a vibrant, liveable city centre that supports our growing workforce and attracts new talent. At UKREiiF, we built on this momentum with strategic conversations about other key sites.

    Marcus Ralling from Homes England was clear: Plymouth offers one of the most compelling investment stories in the country. With the right partners, we can deliver high-quality homes, strong returns, and transformational change. This partnership is already bearing fruit – and it’s only just beginning.

    What struck me most was the shared sense of purpose in all our conversations. Across the country, councils are grappling with similar challenges – housing, climate change, economic resilience. But there was also a shared optimism. A belief that with the right partnerships, the right vision, and the right leadership, we can build better places. And Plymouth is absolutely part of that story.

    So what do we hope to get out of it? Tangible outcomes. We want to see investment flow into our city. We want to accelerate delivery of key projects. We want to bring partners on board who share our vision for inclusive, sustainable growth. And we want to keep raising Plymouth’s profile – nationally and internationally – as a city that’s going places.

    UKREiiF 2025 was a milestone for us. It showed that Plymouth belongs on the national stage. It showed that we have the ambition, the assets, and the leadership to drive real change. And it reminded me – once again – why I’m so proud to lead this city.

    Growth matters. Not for its own sake, but because of what it means for people. For families looking for a decent home. For young people seeking opportunity. For businesses ready to expand. For communities that deserve investment and pride in place.

    Plymouth is ready. And we’re just getting started.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister Smyth address to Medicine 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Minister Smyth address to Medicine 2025

    Minister Smyth addressed the Royal College of Physicians annual conference

    Since 1948, this organisation has been one of the greatest allies advocating for universal access to health care, high standards in clinical practice, and evidence based medicine.

    And today, I really want to thank our members for everything that you have done over the past 14 years to hold our NHS together.

    Through no fault of your own, you’ve been through the worst crisis in the history of the NHS waiting list at historic highs, patient satisfaction at record lows, people struggling to see a GP, ambulances not turning up on time. Any department is full to bursting.

    That founding promise that the NHS will always be there for us when we needed it, broken.

    But as someone who had my own career 30 years ago in the health service, I completely understand how demoralising this has been for so many staff, how powerless people have felt desperately trying to stop standards slipping or holding a broken system together.

    That’s how I felt as an NHS leader locally, watching the disastrous 2012 reorganisation imposed from the top down, despite all the warnings from frontline leaders and staff. And since then we’ve also had to deal with underinvestment and the global pandemic.

    But while those blows may have left the NHS broken, it’s not beaten.

    Every day there are amazing people delivering outstanding and compassionate care.

    Despite all of those challenges, day in, day out, you show up for work and you fight to deliver the very best care possible for your patients.

    Since coming into office, this government has done everything we can to support you. To restore that basic founding principle that the NHS should always be there for us when we need it. With our Plan for Change, we have hit the ground running.

    As our first step, we promised two million more appointments in our first year.

    Promise made, promise kept: we delivered our promise seven months early and we’ve reached our target, delivering not two, but three million more appointments since July and counting.

    We’ve got waiting lists down by over 200,000 people.

    We ended the strike within three weeks and have now delivered two above-inflation pay rises for NHS staff.

    We’ve invested an extra £26 billion in health and care.

    We’ve recruited 1,500 more GPs, and agreed a GP contract for the first time since the pandemic.

    We’ve delivered the biggest investment to hospitals in a generation.

    The biggest expansion of carer’s allowance since the 1970s.

    A boost for older and disabled people through the Disabled Facilities Grant.

    The biggest real-terms increase to the Public Health Grant in nearly a decade.

    We’ve given pharmacies the biggest funding uplift in a generation.

    For patients, we’ve frozen prescription charges.

    We’ve struck a new deal that will mean women will be able to get the morning-after-pill from pharmacies across the country, absolutely free of charge.

    A lot done, but we know, a hell of a lot more left to do.

    But from day one, we have been clear that investment must come with reform.

    Our job is twofold.

    First, to get the NHS back on its feet, treating patients on time again, and second, to reform the service for the long term, so it is fit for the future.

    This summer we will publish our 10 Year Plan for Health.

    Shifting the focus of healthcare out of hospital and into the community with more investment in primary and community care.

    Bringing our analogue health service into the digital age, arming staff with modern equipment and cutting edge technology.

    And thirdly, turning our sickness service into a preventative health service to help people live well for longer and tackle the biggest killers.

    We’re supporting the effort of prevention through our Smoking and Vapes Bill, to protect children and the most vulnerable to make this generation of kids the first smoke-free generation, and to save untold billions spent on their future care.

    The ban on junk food advertising targeted at children will be a first step in addressing the growing problem of childhood obesity, and those same kids are benefiting from breakfast clubs, so they start school with hungry minds and not hungry bellies.

    Our Mental Health Bill will stop the disgraceful incarceration of learning-disabled adults.

    We’re working with health unions, councils and employers to deliver the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for social care staff.

    And Louise Casey is leading the Commission on Social Care, which will finally get a grip on a system that is broken for too many families.

    Because, as you all know so well, the pressures facing hospitals don’t start in hospitals, just as the problems facing the NHS don’t necessarily start in the NHS, they are a reflection of wider society.

    Fixing broken Britain will require more than fixing a broken NHS.

    After this speech, I’m going to add my own post-it note to your interactive map.

    When my team asked me to think about the most pressing issue in my constituency of Bristol South, I was very quick to answer. Poverty.

    The health service can fix people when they’re broken, but we don’t want people broken.

    The factors that make my constituents unwell are wide ranging, socioeconomic and environmental.

    In other words, the conditions in which we are born, grow, live and work. Secure jobs. Fair pay. Decent housing. Safe streets. Clean air. Accessible transport. The time and affordable facilities to exercise and nutritious food.

    These are the essential building blocks of a healthy life.

    And that’s why this government is focused on economic growth and improving healthy life expectancy for all, while halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between different regions of England.

    And it’s why reform of the health service is so important, because every pound we spend on the health service is a pound that can’t be spent on what you and I call the social determinants of ill health.

    But what everyone else calls feeding hungry children, building warm homes and cleaning up our water and the air that we breathe.

    The NHS has often been compared to an oil tanker that has immense capacity but is slow to change direction. Shifting the focus of our health service will be an immense task, and one that we can only accomplish with your help.

    We’ve already been clear that we’re embarking on a decade of national renewal and that’s why we’re launching a 10 Year Plan.

    Since coming into office, we’ve sought to reset the relationship with medics to improve working lives and restore value.

    This government was never going to be able to completely reverse a decade and a half of decline in only ten months, but this year’s pay awards, the second above inflation pay rise in a row, demonstrates our commitment to rebuilding the NHS and rebuilding the pay conditions and morale of all NHS staff.

    When I joined the NHS 30 years ago, I saw the NHS at what I thought was the worst.

    I remember later on working with the team at the Bristol Royal Infirmary on urgent care, discussing those awful trolley waits, coming into work every day, people trying to find a space or somewhere to discharge people from A&E, conversations that, sadly, are all too familiar again today.

    But I also saw, especially in the years leading up to 2010, the pride people have when they’re working in an improving, well-run system.

    When you’re able to go home at the end of the day, knowing that your patients received the best possible care and the pride, you know that you’re working at the top of your license as part of a team rebuilding a healthier Britain.

    The NHS cannot be saved by one person sitting behind a desk in Whitehall.

    We will only succeed if this is a team effort. From the Prime Minister to the 1.5 million people who work in the service, and the millions of us who use it to take decisions needed to lead healthier, more active lives.

    Turning the NHS around will take time.

    It really won’t be easy, but the prize, the prize available to us is huge and if we get this right, we will be able to say that we were the generation that took the NHS from the worst crisis in its history, got it back on its feet and made it fit for future generations.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Strategic Defence Review oral statement

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Strategic Defence Review oral statement

    Statement from Defence Secretary John Healey on the Strategic Defence Review.

    With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Strategic Defence Review.

    And I have laid the full 130-page review report first before this house. I am grateful to be able to make this statement on the first day back from recess.

    Mr Speaker, the world has changed, and we must respond.

    The SDR is our Plan for Change for Defence.

    A plan to meet the threats we face.

    A plan to step up on European Security and lead in NATO.

    A plan that learns the lessons from Ukraine.

    A plan to seize the defence dividend from our record increase in defence investment, to boost jobs and growth throughout the United Kingdom.

    And a plan to put the men and women of our Armed Forces at the heart of our defence plans: better pay, better kit, better housing.

    Through the SDR will make our Armed Forces stronger, and the British people safer.

    I’d like to thank those who led the SDR… Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, General Barrons and Dr Fiona Hill.

    “The politician, the soldier, and a foreign policy expert”, as they say themselves in their forward. Thye have put in a huge effort, alongside others.

    This is a first-of-its-kind, externally led review.

    A process, in which we received 8 000 submissions from experts, individuals, organisations, and MPs from across the House, including the Shadow Defence Secretary.

    I thank them all – and I thank those in the MOD who have contributed to this SDR.

    This is not just the government’s review it is Britain’s defence review.

    And so, the government endorses the SDR’s vision, accepts its 62 recommendations, which will be implemented.

    Mr Speaker, the threats we face is now more serious and less predictable than at any time since the of Cold War.

    We face war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, new nuclear risks, and daily cyber-attacks at home. 

    Our adversaries are working more in alliance with one another, while technology is changing the way war is fought.

    We are in a new era of threat, which demands a new era for UK Defence.

    Mr Speaker, since the General Election we have demonstrated that we are a government dedicated to delivering for defence.

    Committing the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War… £5 billion extra this year, 2.5% in 2027, the ambition to 3% in the next parliament.

    Mr Speaker, there can be no investment without reform.

    And so we are already driving also the deepest reforms to defence in 50 years.

    And these will ensure clearer responsibilities, better delivery, stronger budget control and new efficiencies, worth £6 billion in this parliament, money all of which will be reinvested directly into defence.

    Mr Speaker, our Armed Forces will always do what’s needed to keep the nation safe –24/7, in more than 50 countries around the world.

    But in a more dangerous world, the SDR confirms that we must move to warfighting readiness.

    Warfighting readiness means stronger deterrence.

    We need stronger deterrence to avoid the huge costs, human and economic that wars create.

    And we prevent wars by being strong enough to fight and win them. And that is what has made NATO the most successful defence alliance in history, over the last 75 years.

    So Mr Speaker, we will establish a “New Hybrid Navy” by:

    … building Dreadnought, AUKUS submarines, cutting-edge warships and new autonomous vessels.

    Our carriers will carry the first hybrid airwings in Europe.

    We will develop the next generation RAF with:

    F35s, upgraded Typhoons, 6th Gen GCAP and autonomous fighters, to defend Britain’s skies and be able to strike anywhere in the world.

    And we will make the British Army 10 times more lethal by:

    Combining the future technology of drones, autonomy and AI with the heavy metal tanks and artillery.

    Mr Speaker for too long, our Army has been asked to do more with less.

    We inherited a long run recruitment crisis – [political content removed].

    Reversing this decline will take time but we are acting to stem the loss now and aiming to increase the British Army to at least 76,000 full time soldiers in the next parliament.

    Mr Speaker, for the first time in a generation, we are a government who want the number of regular soldiers to rise.

    In our homeland, Mr Speaker, this a government that will protect our island home, we’ll do so by:

    Committing £1bn in new funding to homeland air and missile defences,  by creating a new CyberEM Command to defend Britain in the grey zone and by preparing legislation to improve defence readiness.

    Mr. Speaker, as Ukraine shows a country’s armed forces are only as strong as the industry that stands behind them.

    So this SDR begins a new partnership with industry, with innovators and with investors, we will make engine. We will make defence an engine for growth, an engine for growth to create jobs and increase prosperity in every nation and every region of the UK.

    Take our nuclear enterprise.

    We will commit 15 billion pounds in investment into the sovereign warhead programme in this Parliament, supporting over 9000 jobs. We will establish continuous submarine production through investments in Barrow and in Derby, that will allow us to produce a submarine every 18 months, allowing us to grow our nuclear attack submarine fleet to up to 12 submarines, supporting more than 20,000 jobs.

    And on munitions, we will invest 6 billion pounds in this Parliament, including for six new munitions factories and up to 7000 new long-range weapons, supporting nearly 2000 jobs.

    Mr. Speaker, the lives of workers in Barrow or Derby or Govan, where I was with the Prime Minister this morning, are being transformed, not just by this defence investment, but by the pride and purpose that comes with work that comes with defence work. And in the coming years, more communities and more working people will benefit from the defence dividend that this brings.

    Mr. Speaker Ukraine also tells us that whoever gets new technology into the hands of their armed forces fastest will have the advantage. So we will place Britain at the leading edge of innovation in NATO.

    We will double investment into autonomous systems this parliament. We will invest more than a billion pounds to integrate our armed forces through a new digital targeting web, and we will finance a £400 million UK Defence Innovation organization.

    Mr. Speaker, to ensure that Britain gains the maximum benefit from what we invent and what we produce in this country, we will create a new defence exports office in the MOD, driving exports to our allies and driving growth at home.

    Mr. Speaker, the SDR sets a new vision, a new framework for defence investment.

    The work to confirm a new defence investment plan, superseding the last government’s defence equipment plan, will be completed in the autumn.

    It will ensure our frontline forces get what they need when they need it.

    The plan will be deliverable. It will be affordable. It will consider infrastructure alongside capabilities. It will seize the opportunities of advanced tech, and it will seize the opportunities to grow the British economy.

    And Mr. Speaker, as we lose the national service generation, fewer families across this country have a direct connection to the armed forces. And so we must do more to reconnect the nation with those who defend us.

    And so as the SDR recommends, we will increase the number of cadets by 30%, we will introduce a voluntary Gap Year scheme for school and college leavers, and we will develop a new strategic reserve by 2030.

    Mr. Speaker, we must also renew the nation’s contract with those who serve. We’ve already awarded the biggest pay increase in over 20 years, an inflation busting increase this year. And now I’ve announced we will invest 7 billion pounds of funding this parliament for military accommodation, including 1.5 billion of new money for rapid work to deal with the scandal of military family homes.

    Mr. Speaker, this SDR is the first defence review in a generation for growth and for transformation in UK defence. It will end 14 years of hollowing out in our armed forces, and instead, we will see investment increased, the Navy expanded, the army grown, the Air Force upgraded, war fighting readiness, restored, NATO strengthened, the nuclear deterrent, guaranteed advanced technology developed and jobs, jobs created. Jobs created in every nation, and region of this country. Mr. Speaker. Mr. Strategic Defence Review will make Britain, safer, more secure, at home, and stronger abroad.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Requires Keysight to Divest Assets to Proceed with Spirent Acquisition

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Proposed Settlement Requires a Substantial Divestiture Package That Will Preserve Competition for Specialized Communications Test and Measurement Equipment

    The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Keysight Technologies Inc. (Keysight) to divest Spirent Communications plc.’s (Spirent) high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to resolve antitrust concerns arising from their proposed $1.5 billion merger.

    The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.

    “This structural solution preserves competition for key testing equipment used to ensure that data moves quickly and securely across the world. The proposed divestiture to Viavi, an established and innovative test and measurement company, ensures that American consumers and businesses will continue to benefit from competition that promotes innovation, and which allows American companies to maintain global leadership,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Antitrust Division. “This consent decree proceeding secures enforceable commitments from the merging parties, provides transparency into the Antitrust Division’s efforts to resolve merger investigations, and gives the public an opportunity to comment as provided by statute.”

    According to the complaint, Keysight and Spirent dominate the markets in the United States for high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulators. High-tech companies – including chipset manufacturers, cloud computing providers, mobile network operators, government labs, and large enterprises – rely on the Defendants’ products to validate that their networks and network equipment are functional, secure, and integrating the latest technology. The parties together account for 85% of the market for high-speed ethernet testing, more than 60% of the market for network security testing, and more than 50% of the market for RF channel emulators. Keysight and Spirent are each other’s closest competitors in these markets and compete head-to-head to develop and sell this crucial test equipment. Without the proposed divestiture, Keysight’s acquisition of Spirent would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers and American consumers.

    The proposed settlement requires Keysight to divest Spirent’s high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to Viavi, including all tangible and intangible assets necessary to produce and sell these products. Together, these three business lines account for about 40% of Spirent’s total revenues. Viavi is expected to hire certain key Spirent employees that today support the divested business lines.

    Keysight is an American company incorporated in Delaware with its principal office in Santa Rosa, California. Keysight offers design, emulation, and test solutions across a range of industries, including commercial communications; aerospace, defense, and government; and electronic industrial. In 2024, Keysight had global revenue of approximately $4.97 billion.   

    Spirent is a global company incorporated in the United Kingdom with its principal office in Crawley, England. Spirent offers automated test and assurance solutions for networks, cybersecurity, and satellite positioning. In 2024, Spirent had global revenue of approximately $460.2 million.

    As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Jared Hughes, Assistant Chief, Media, Entertainment, and Communications Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 7000, Washington, D.C. 20530 or via email at ATR.MEC.Information@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: England’s water crisis needs more than just new reservoirs – here’s what will help

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hannah Cloke, Professor of Hydrology, University of Reading

    The UK government wants to build more reservoirs like this one (Ladybower reservoir) in the Peak District Jon_Clark/Shutterstock

    England is facing a water crisis. The UK government has just announced plans to fast-track two massive reservoir projects in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, warning that without them, we could run out of drinking water by the mid-2030s. But as a hydrologist who studies Britain’s often erratic weather patterns, I believe these reservoirs alone won’t solve our water problems.

    No major reservoirs have been completed in England since 1992. But the rising population, housing developments and the construction of data centres which use large amounts of water as a coolant are putting intense pressure on our water supplies.

    Meanwhile, climate change is bringing hotter, drier summers that increase the risk of drought, as a warmer atmosphere soaks up more water and moves it around in increasingly extreme patterns. This year’s arid spring has already pushed north-west England into official drought status.

    The government’s solution is to build nine new reservoirs by 2050, potentially providing 670 million litres of extra water daily. The two fast-tracked projects in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire are pencilled for completion in 2036 and 2040 respectively. On paper, this sounds like a sensible response to a growing crisis.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    But here’s the problem: we’re thinking about water all wrong. We need a complete overhaul of the way we use water. We need to plug leaks, cut down on waste and use water more than once in our homes and buildings before sloshing it down the drain. We need to catch more water wherever it falls – not just in the river basins that are linked to big reservoirs.

    Water companies lose billions of litres daily through leaky pipes. Some estimates suggest that around 20% of treated water never reaches taps because it seeps out of ageing infrastructure. Meanwhile, we’re planning to pump water across huge distances from new reservoirs to supply areas that could be managing their local water resources far more efficiently.

    It would be better to make more difficult decisions around the regulation of new buildings, as well as retrofitting older homes and businesses, to cut waste and recycle water where it is used. This isn’t just about taking shorter showers or turning off taps as you brush your teeth – although these things do help.

    We need systematic changes: building standards that require water recycling systems, tighter management of water-hungry developments in already dry areas and serious investment in our crumbling water infrastructure.



    Read more:
    Recycling sewage is a sensible way to improve water security – but would you swallow it?

    The reservoirs planned for Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire will take more than a decade to complete and will cost billions of pounds. In the UK, little research has been done to compare the costs of major infrastructure against a mass roll out of household-level water saving techniques.

    Such schemes are rare in Europe. But evidence from historically water-scarce regions, such as parts of Australia, have shown that widely-adopted community and domestic water storage and recycling is cost effective. In the past, the approach in the UK and most European countries has followed a traditional model that often dates to Victorian times, or before.

    These civic water supply and drainage systems were built to address public health crises and cut water-borne diseases across urban areas.

    But an unprecedented climate calls for unprecedented solutions. These could include the widespread roll out of sustainable drainage solutions that mimic nature and capture rainwater where it falls, on roofs or ditches filled with plants, rather than letting it rush straight down the drains into the rivers.

    Green roofs need to be part of the solution.
    Virrage Images/Shutterstock

    Britain’s weather has always been variable, but it’s now extremely variable. We’ve experienced this seesaw pattern of drought followed by flooding, as seen in the contrast between dry and wet months seen over the past year.

    This all-or-nothing rainfall pattern makes it even more important to capture and store water locally when we have it, rather than relying on large, centralised infrastructure that may be in the wrong place when extreme weather strikes.

    The government’s decision to override local planning objections for these reservoir projects highlights another issue. Communities may be asked to sacrifice their land and landscapes for water infrastructure that primarily serves distant urban areas. This approach feels increasingly outdated when we could manage water more sustainably at the local level.

    None of this means we don’t need new reservoirs. More water storage needs to be part of the solution. But while big reservoir projects may be politically attractive as they are visible examples of government action, they shouldn’t be our only solution, or even our primary one.

    The climate crisis demands that we think differently about water. A warmer world shifts water from region to region more easily, causing problems by its presence or its absence. In the UK, we will increasingly have to treat water as a precious resource, to be more carefully managed wherever we find it.

    Hannah Cloke advises the Environment Agency, the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, local and national governments and humanitarian agencies on the forecasting and warning of natural hazards. She is a member of the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council and a fellow of the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts. Her research is funded by the UKRI Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council, the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

    – ref. England’s water crisis needs more than just new reservoirs – here’s what will help – https://theconversation.com/englands-water-crisis-needs-more-than-just-new-reservoirs-heres-what-will-help-257922

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Does the key to uniting against divisive politics lie in our personal lives?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Peter Beresford, Professor of Citizen Participation, University of East Anglia

    Shutterstock/Top Vector Studio

    Modern Britain is plagued by a sense of disempowerment and political exclusion – a feeling that is, somewhat ironically, shared between groups of people who otherwise feel divided from one another.

    This division has opened the door to a frightening rightwing populism that seeks to set “us” against “them”. And so far, the response from traditional political parties seems to amount to little more than trying to mimic rightwing rhetoric.

    It’s possible that the solution to this drive towards division is simply hiding in plain sight. The term “populist politics” merely means “a political approach that strives to appeal to people who feel their concerns are disregarded”.

    It’s unfortunate but not inevitable that voters are being offered merely the illusion of being listened to rather than real action to address their concerns. People don’t actually want more promises. They want a real say – whether they live in a neglected town in northern England or face personal barriers and discrimination.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    But here’s where the biggest contradiction lies. While formal politics has been moving hard right, our personal politics have been headed determinedly in the opposite direction.

    We have seen a powerful pressure towards the equalisation of roles and relationships in society, across gender, sexuality, ethnicity, age and disability. And these trends stretch far deeper than any narrow preoccupation with the equality, diversity and inclusion agendas that are attacked as “woke” and “elitist”.

    The new social movements that have been the force for such personal, social, cultural and environmental change have also had another underlying agenda – people pressing for a real say in state and other organisations and structures that affect their lives. The growing demand has been for more participation and fewer traditional top-down, paternalistic approaches.

    This has been conspicuous in areas like the NHS and care where patients and service users are demanding more information and explanations and staff are being trained to expect this and respond positively.

    Thus, the rallying call of the women’s movement, “the personal is political”. And here perhaps lies the way forward – shifting the ground from phoney populism to real participation. Can we build on the quiet transformation that’s been taking place in our personal lives and relationships to rebuild our formal politics – highlighting that “the political is personal” too?

    The minority politics we now have which privileges a few over the many is unlikely ever to end until the rest of us can unite as many (albeit overlapping) minorities on equal terms. The present tendency to sort our differences and relative oppression into a hierarchy will merely serve the interest of the ultimate minority – rich and powerful organisations and individuals.

    Joining forces

    The only convincing way to challenge rightwing populism is to give all the groups now set against each other a real say in change. Crucially, it means building equal and inclusive alliances between our different groups and movements – real grassroots work – emulating and learning from the progress we have undoubtedly made in our personal politics.

    It means highlighting what we have in common as much as our differences. None of us has one single monolithic identity – we have multiple overlapping identities which offer insights and understanding into other experiences.

    We’re not so different as populists would have us believe – and we don’t have to hate ourselves or others for being tagged as such. You may be divorced or in a blended family. You almost certainly have experienced your own money worries or faced mental health issues personally or with a loved one. Such intersectionality enters all our personal lives, even if we aren’t familiar with the term.

    Some of the most disempowered groups have key contributions to offer here. Disabled people, including mental health service users, people with learning difficulties and long-term conditions actually have some of the most helpful learning to offer more broadly because of the scale of routine exclusions they face.

    They remind us of the importance of challenging barriers in our environment, such as inaccessible buildings, or communication barriers imposed by ignoring the access needs of deaf, blind and other groups.

    Like the black civil rights movement before them, disabled people have majored in sharing their experiences to build their personal confidence and assertiveness as a basis for empowerment.

    Of course, all this is easier to say than do, it takes time. That’s why in terms of formal political calendars, it’s a strategy we can’t afford to delay. The general election clock is ticking and already Reform is eyeing up next year’s Welsh elections.

    It means building from the bottom, not yielding to top-down rhetoric, and learning from the massive amount of experience we already have from our different movements and activism. As the black lesbian feminist Audre Lorde wrote: “We will not rebuild the master’s house using the master’s tools.” We have to the have confidence instead to join forces to use our own.

    Peter Beresford receives funding from the National Institute for Health Reseearch Applied Research Collaboration East of England as a part-time academic at the University of East Anglia and some of the work in this book was made possible through reseearch undertaken as part of this post

    – ref. Does the key to uniting against divisive politics lie in our personal lives? – https://theconversation.com/does-the-key-to-uniting-against-divisive-politics-lie-in-our-personal-lives-257696

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Plymouth commissions strategic economic research to prepare for once-in-a-generation investment

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Plymouth City Council, working as part of Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP), has commissioned a major economic study to help the city prepare for the opportunities and challenges arising from an investment programme worth in excess of £4.4 billion at HM Naval Base Devonport and Babcock’s Devonport Royal Dockyard.

    The research will provide critical insight into shaping Plymouth’s economic future and maximising the impact of MOD investment over the next decade and beyond. Babcock’s pivotal role in delivering the next phase of the Royal Navy’s submarine programme and the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) with support extending through to at least 2070 represents one of the most sustained and significant long-term financial commitments ever made to the city and wider region.

    To help ensure Plymouth best manages this opportunity, the Council has appointed one of the UK’s leading economic and labour market research consultancies, Stantec, to deliver a detailed economic forecast and skills gap analysis from 2025 – 2035. Working with major city employers including Babcock and Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP), this research will address two key questions: What will Plymouth’s economy look like as a result of this investment? And what skills and workforce capacity will be needed to support it?

    This work builds on earlier research commissioned in partnership with Homes England, elevated by Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP) to support the development of the Plymouth City Centre Housing Vision. It forms a key part of the Council’s evidence base for strategic planning, inward investment, and future funding bids. It also directly supports the delivery of the Plymouth Plan, the city’s long-term strategy that sets out how Plymouth will grow in a sustainable way, covering areas such as housing, jobs, transport and the environment.

    Councillor Tudor Evans OBE, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said:

    ‘This investment is unlike anything Plymouth has seen before—not just in scale, but in its long-term significance. It will shape the future of our economy and our communities, and we need to be ready. This research will give us the hard evidence we need to make good decisions now, so that the benefits are felt across the whole city for decades to come’.

    The commissioning of the study reflects the coordinated approach being taken through Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP), a strategic partnership between Plymouth City Council, Devonport Naval Base, and Babcock International Group, established to align local and national priorities in support of long-term, sustainable growth. The commissioning of this study was fully endorsed at a city-wide skills roundtable in April, which was attended by a large cross-section of industry, academic and other leaders from the city and wider region.

    The research will also play a critical role in helping to attract further investment into Plymouth, supporting bids for additional Government funding and giving confidence to both public and private sector partners looking to invest in the city’s future.

    Brigadier, Mike Tanner OBE, Commander HMNB Devonport, said:

    ‘This study marks another significant step forward for the growth and prosperity of the city. When I arrived in post three years ago, I was able to reassure the city leaders that the Royal Navy and the Naval Base were here to stay. Over the last couple of years, we’ve shown that not only are we staying, we’re modernising and upgrading our capabilities, focused around our submarine maintenance role.  This opens up massive opportunities for highly paid, high skills work inside the Base and together with the City and Babcock our work in the GAP alliance is centred around ensuring Plymouth and the region create those skilled people locally’.

    John Gane, Managing Director for Babcock’s Devonport site, said:

    “Babcock is proud to be deeply rooted in Plymouth, where we’re not just creating jobs – we’re building careers for life. Our investment in people and skills is central to supporting a critical national endeavour, and we remain committed to developing a highly skilled workforce that will sustain both our community and the UK’s defence capability for generations to come.”

    Gareth Brown, Development Economics Director at Stantec, said:

    “Sustainable economic growth requires a comprehensive understanding of the local labour market, and how this needs to evolve strategically over time. Our teams will be supporting Plymouth City Council with a range of insight to identify immediate and long-term focus areas, create job opportunities across different sectors, and unleash the full potential of this investment.”

    The study is expected to conclude by Autumn and will inform both immediate planning priorities and longer-term strategy across skills, housing, infrastructure, and regeneration.

    Notes to Editors

    Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP)

    In September 2024 the Ministry of Defence announced an additional £4.4bn investment over 10 years into HMNB and Babcock’s Devonport Royal Dockyard to support the next phase of the Royal Navy’s submarine works and the continuous at sea deterrent (CASD). The requirement to maintain the Royal Navy’s fleet in Plymouth extends beyond 2070 and therefore creates an extremely rare, long-term financial commitment to Plymouth and its wider region.

    Devonport and the broader defence industry’s local impact is vast. The sector currently contributes 14 per cent of the city’s economic output, with HM Naval Base Devonport and Babcock’s Devonport Royal Dockyard employing 11,600 workers and this number is set to rise significantly as a result of the MoD announcement. Investment in Plymouth is nationally significant and links to similar investments in Barrow-in-Furness and Derby. Nationally, The UK’s Nuclear Strategic Plan for Skills has forecasted an additional nuclear skills requirement of 40,000 new roles by 2030.

    Babcock, Plymouth City Council and the Royal Navy have established Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP) as a partnership to ensure the vital defence outputs are delivered into the future whilst supporting the region’s growth. Through working together in partnership, GAP aims to maximise the opportunities that the MOD investment can drive into local communities.

    Find out more about Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP) here: Growth Alliance Plymouth | Invest Plymouth

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, federal partners arrest nearly 1,500 illegal aliens in Massachusetts during immigration enforcement operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement partners apprehended almost 1,500 illegal aliens during a monthlong enforcement operation focusing on transnational organized crime, gangs and egregious illegal alien offenders throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. During the enhanced operation, named Operation Patriot, officers from ICE Boston partnered with the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the ATF, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Coast Guard to arrest 1,461 illegal alien offenders throughout the month of May.

    “The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a safer place today thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners. Working together, we were able to arrest almost 1,500 illegal aliens throughout the Commonwealth, most of whom had significant criminality in the United States or abroad,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested was breaking our immigration laws, but most of these individuals had significant criminality. They are criminal offenders who victimized innocent people and traumatized entire communities — murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators and members of violent transnational criminal gangs. Some were convicted of violent crimes in the United States, and others were wanted for criminality in their native countries. All made the mistake of attempting to subvert justice by hiding out in Massachusetts.”

    More than half the 1,461 arrested had significant criminal convictions or charges. Seven-hundred and ninety of the alien offenders were charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States or abroad.

    “We are working diligently alongside our fellow law enforcement partners to make our communities safer through the arrest and ultimate removal of nearly 1,500 individuals who flouted the laws of our nation when they chose to remain here without legal status. Among those arrested include truly alarming criminals: murderers wanted in their home countries, child predators, and drug traffickers,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “Public safety and national security remain our number one priority, and we will continue to work every day with our partners toward this goal.”

    Throughout the duration of Operation Patriot, ICE and its federal law enforcement partners targeted egregious criminal alien offenders, including transnational criminal organizations known to operate in and around Boston and throughout Massachusetts. These organizations include the notorious MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Trinitarios and 18th Street gangs.

    “This was a massive, multiagency immigration enforcement operation aimed at keeping our region safe from habitual lawbreakers who have flouted our country’s immigration laws and, in many cases, committed violent crimes that have endangered our families, friends, and neighbors for far too long,” said FBI Boston acting Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Milka. “Together, with our partners, we have identified and removed hundreds of illegal alien offenders from the Commonwealth, including murderers, gang members, child predators and a possible associate of a suspected terrorist, and our work is not done.”

    ICE and its federal law enforcement partners prosecuted numerous targets who had foreign arrest warrants and Interpol Red Notices, apprehending criminal alien offenders wanted by authorities in several foreign countries.

    “Over the past month, CBP has worked diligently alongside our federal law enforcement partners to apprehended criminal aliens illegally present in our country,” said Jennifer De La O, director of field operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Boston. “CBP is unwavering in our commitment to protect the American people and make our country safer. We will continue to ensure that all criminal aliens that violate our laws are taken into custody and removed.”

    ICE and its federal law enforcement partners made many of the apprehensions after local jurisdictions refused to honor immigration detainer requests to turn over the offenders and instead chose to release them from custody, forcing officers and agents to make at-large arrests in Massachusetts communities.

    “DEA is proud to be actively supporting our federal law enforcement partners in these concentrated enforcement operations to remove violent criminal aliens from our communities,” said DEA New England acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau. “We continue to prioritize our drug investigations on those involving violent illegal criminals, particularly those identified as members of designated foreign terrorist organizations. DEA’s mission remains the same: Seize deadly and dangerous drugs before they reach our communities, and bring to justice those criminals responsible for drug manufacturing and distribution.”

    Among the alien offenders apprehended during Operation Patriot, 277 had been previously ordered removed from the United States by a Justice Department immigration judge. However, they refused to comply with the removal order and remained in the country illegally.

    “ATF has worked alongside all of our federal law enforcement partners to assist ICE throughout New England during this enforcement initiative,” said ATF Boston Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson. “We will continue to do so in the coming weeks and months as a part of our mission to keep our communities safe.”  

    During the operation, ICE employed expanded immigration enforcement tactics, which included simultaneous operations on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, where they arrested around 40 illegal aliens, including at least one child sex predator and a member of a violent transnational gang. The U.S. Coast Guard assisted ICE with the safe transport of the aliens from the islands.

    “The Diplomatic Security Service is proud to work with our federal law enforcement partners in support of major enforcement operations like this which undoubtedly make our communities safer and strengthens our national security,” said DSS Boston Special Agent in Charge Matthew O’Brien. “DSS remains an integral law enforcement partner providing daily support to reduce illegal immigration and root out those who endeavor to exploit the U.S. travel system.”

    Among those arrested during Operation Patriot include:

    • An illegally present 55-year-old Salvadoran national with an active Interpol Red Notice for aggravated homicide, robbery, aggravated kidnap and theft in El Salvador. ICE officers arrested him in Lynn.

    • An illegally present 32-year-old Guatemalan national and registered sex offender who is pending criminal charges in Boston for five counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over and trafficking a person for sexual servitude. He was also arrested in Roxbury for aggravated rape of child with a 10-year age gap and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over. ICE lodged two detainers that local jurisdictions refused to honor.

    • An illegally present 37-year-old Honduran national whose most recent arrest in Fall River was for rape, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, witness intimidation, and kidnapping of a minor by relative. He has other arrests in Massachusetts for lewd and lascivious conduct and sexual conduct for fee. He also has several convictions in Massachusetts for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, he has been convicted for operating under the influence of alcohol and operating while intoxicated in Iowa, where he served a year prison.

    • An illegally present 22-year-old Colombian national charged with breaking and entering building during the daytime for a felony, kidnapping, aggravated rape, and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over. Local authorities released him back into the community despite an ICE immigration detainer being in place.

    • An illegally present 39-year-old Honduran national who has convictions in Lynn for obscene material to a minor, enticing a child under 16 and attempt to commit crime. Additionally, he has convictions in Stoughton for larceny and larceny from a person over 60 and disabled.

    • An illegally present 45-year-old Guatemalan national who has a 2020 conviction for murder in Boston, for which he received a life sentence.

    • An illegally present 29-year-old Brazilian national charged in Edgartown with aggravated rape of a child by force, possession of child pornography and dissemination of obscene material. He has and additional arrest in Edgartown for assault and battery (family) and kidnapping.

    • An illegally present 48-year-old Salvadoran national whose criminal history includes charges of aggravated rape of child by force, indecent assault and battery on a person under 14, and open and gross lewdness.

    • An illegally present Ecuadoran national who has a 2018 conviction for soliciting to commit murder. He was sentenced to a year in prison and released back into the community despite the presence of an ICE immigration detainer. ICE officers arrested him in Brockton.

    • An illegally present a Colombian national who was convicted in his native country for trafficking/manufacturing/carrying narcotics. Colombian authorities are currently seeking his custody to serve his sentence of 14 years in prison.

    • An illegally present 40-year-old Guatemalan national charged with assault and battery dangerous weapon (a hammer), threatening to commit crime, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a vehicle), assault and battery on a family member, strangulation/suffocation and intimidation of witness. ICE officers arrested him in Lynn.

    • An illegally present 69-year-old registered sex offender and citizen of Uruguay convicted of indecent assault and battery on a 7-year-old girl.

    • An illegally present 32-year-old citizen of Brazil who has an active Interpol Red Notice from Brazil for drug trafficking and drug trafficking association. In an effort to avoid apprehension in his native country, he fled on a motorcycle from Brazilian military police and threw a brick of cocaine at them.

    • An illegally present 24-year-old citizen of Brazil who has an active Interpol Red Notice out of Brazil, where he is wanted for murder.

    All aliens detained during Operation Patriot will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of their removal proceedings or their deportation from the United States.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBoston and @HSINewEngland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens react to Starmer’s defence plans following Strategic Defence Review

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    / by Green Party

    Reacting to the Strategic Defence Review and Keir Starmer’s speech earlier today outlining the government’s defense spending plans, Ellie Chowns MP, who holds the defence brief for the Parliamentary Green Party, said: 

    “Keir Starmer is sounding like he is on a war path with his “battle-ready, armour-clad nation” rhetoric. Security is not just based on arms expenditure and threats, but on real leadership that uses diplomacy and development too. There must be a real commitment to an international order based on human rights, equality and genuine cooperation.

    “To avoid the horrors of war and armed conflict, we need to look at the deeper causes of insecurity, including poverty and climate breakdown. This is why the Green Party strongly supports the restoration of the international aid budget to at least 0.7% of GNI. And we will continue to argue that real patriotism means ending UK-made weapons or components being sold to dictators, human rights abusers or for use against civilians anywhere in the world.

    “The prime minister has talked up the boost to jobs and the economy through increased defence expenditure, but there are many more jobs of the future to be created right now in the clean, green – and peaceful – economy, a sector growing four times faster than the rest of the economy. This is where the government’s focus for investment should be if they are serious about a secure and resilient future.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civic Prayer Breakfast to start Stoke-on-Trent Day with unity, reflection and community spirit

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Monday, 2nd June 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent Day will begin with a powerful moment of reflection as faith leaders, civic figures and community members gather for the Centenary Civic Prayer Breakfast.

    The event is hosted by Saltbox, at the historic Kings Hall, Stoke from 7:30am to 10:00am.

    This year’s breakfast will take place on the first Stoke-on-Trent Day – marking the day that King George V declared Stoke-on-Trent a city on 5 June 1925.

    Stoke-on-Trent Day will be a yearly celebration on 5 June that celebrates the history, culture, the built and natural environment and the communities that make the city.

    This year’s breakfast marks a special milestone in more ways than one. Not only does it honour 100 years of city status, but it also reaffirms the city’s long-standing commitment to unity, collaboration and public service through one of the largest events of its kind in the UK.

    Last year, more than 300 faith leaders, civic representatives and community activists came together to pray for the city’s future and build relationships across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Since launching in 2010, the Stoke-on-Trent Civic Prayer Breakfast has become a national benchmark, inspiring similar events across the country.

    Lloyd Cooke, CEO of Saltbox said: “The Civic Prayer Breakfast is always a joyful and positive occasion and this year’s special Centenary Day event promises to be even more impactful with over 400 guests attending.”

    This year’s event features a keynote address by Robert Mountford, West Midlands Churches Ecumenical Officer, and a live interview with Dr Fiona Hibberts, Deputy Chief Nurse at University Hospitals North Midlands. Guests will also enjoy performances from Presence Worship’s Paul Critchley, members of the City of Stoke-on-Trent Symphony Orchestra, and the St Peter’s CofE Academy Gospel Choir.

    Tickets are £15, including a full English breakfast, individual table service and free parking.

    The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Steve Watkins, said: “The Civic Prayer Breakfast is a chance to pause and reflect on what matters most – our people, our values and our shared future. In this Centenary Year, I’m proud that our city continues to lead the way in community collaboration and spiritual unity.”

    To book for the Civic Prayer Breakfast:

    By card: Call 07825 745142

    By cheque: Saltbox, Bemersley House, Gitana Street, Hanley, ST1 1DY

    In person: Methodist Book Centre, Gitana Street, Hanley, ST1 1DY

    Email enquiries: email@saltbox.org.uk

    For more Centenary events or to download the Stoke-on-Trent Day celebration toolkit, visit www.sot100.org.uk and follow #SOT100 on social media.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Call for volunteers to help improve Leeds’s parks and green spaces

    Source: City of Leeds

    More people are invited to sign up for green space volunteering opportunities this summer, to mark National Volunteers’ Week (2-8 June).

    Earlier this year, Leeds City Council, in partnership with Voluntary Action Leeds, launched their new scheme Volunteer Team Leeds, with the aim of bringing together and inviting new people to join the city’s vibrant volunteering community.

    In time for summer, people can sign up to new opportunities to volunteer as parks rangers at several sites, helping to plant and nurture flowers and trees, do general maintenance of the park or help look after habitats for wildlife in nature reserves.

    Winnie is one of the regular volunteers at a local nature reserve, led by one of Leeds City Council’s countryside rangers. Having moved to Leeds from Taiwan in 2017, the data specialist decided to join to get more involved in her community.

    “The volunteering has helped me to understand the city a lot better. It also helps me to go out and spend time with some really kind people and make a positive difference in nature. The rangers I meet are all so knowledgeable and I’ve learned so much from them,” she said.

    Also looking for volunteers is Leeds City Council’s public rights of way team, who work tirelessly to record and keep public rights of way open. Volunteers are invited to join the team for task days to keep the network accessible and well maintained which can include repairing stiles and gates or helping with surfacing works.

    Volunteer Team Leeds offers a diverse range of ways to contribute, from city-wide events like Light Night and Leeds International Film Festival, to vital volunteer befriending schemes and looking after the city’s parks.

    Alongside the council opportunities, Voluntary Action Leeds continues to run community and third sector volunteering.

    Councillor Mary Harland, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, and champion for volunteering, said: “Summer is the perfect opportunity to sign up to volunteer with one of our parks and wildlife initiatives, getting to spend time outdoors and pick up a new skill.

    “We believe volunteers are at the heart of our city and with Volunteer Team Leeds we’re hoping to get even more people signing up to share skills, meet people and learn new things.

    “I’d like to encourage all residents of Leeds to sign up and join the growing community of volunteers making a brilliant positive impact through council-supported initiatives across the city.”

    Volunteer Team Leeds is funded through central government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is administered locally by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

    Read more about Volunteer Team Leeds and sign up at www.volunteerteamleeds.co.uk.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Residents invited to help shape the future of local bus transport

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The consultation seeks input from anyone who currently uses, has previously used, or would like to use local bus services. Feedback gathered will play a vital role in designing a new, community-focused public transport model for Perth and Kinross that is integrated, accessible, reliable, efficient, and effective.

    This initiative is part of the Council’s Public Transport Transformation Project, which was approved by councillors to support the development of a proposed transport model to meet the needs of local communities now and in the future.

    The aims of the project include:

    • Reducing social and economic inequalities
    • Tackling climate change
    • Enhancing health and wellbeing
    • Supporting an inclusive local economy

    Council Leader, Councillor Grant Laing, said: “High-quality public transport is essential to our communities and economy, and our aim is to develop a transport model that truly meets the needs of our communities – both now and in the future.

    “We want to understand how well current services are meeting passenger needs and how we can improve them.

    “The input of residents is essential in shaping a public transport model that works for everyone. I encourage all residents to take a few minutes to complete this important consultation.”

    Economy and Infrastructure Committee Convener, Councillor Eric Drysdale, added: “By sharing their experiences, people can help us create a more efficient and user-friendly bus service. Get on board – join the conversation and help us transform public transport for our communities.”

    The consultation opens on Monday 19 May and will run until Friday 18 July. It is available online via the Council’s Consultation Hub: https://consult.pkc.gov.uk

    Paper copies can be requested by calling 01738 476476 or picked up at your local library.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: People encouraged to share views on Perth and Kinross Visitor Levy

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    People and businesses are being asked their views on whether a levy should be charged on people who stay in paid tourist accommodation in Perth and Kinross. The money raised would be used to pay for facilities and infrastructure that support the local tourism industry.

    In May 2024, the Scottish Parliament passed the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act, giving local authorities the ability to charge a set percentage on overnight accommodation paid by visitors and tourists. 

    In February 2025, Perth & Kinross Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee agreed to start a period of public consultation to understand whether and how a Visitor Levy could be implemented in the area.  

    The money raised from a Visitor Levy scheme would be ring-fenced, and would be reinvested to support the Perth and Kinross tourism sector in areas such as:

    • Facilities, infrastructure and services that are used by leisure and business visitors
    • Area promotion and marketing
    • The development of new tourism products
    • Attracting events and festivals
    • Improvements that enhance the overall Perth and Kinross visitor experience

    Since residents and visitors use many of the same facilities, the Visitor Levy has the potential to also benefit people who live in Perth and Kinross.

    The results of the consultation will help shape what any Visitor Levy would look like and at what percentage rate it should be set. Responses to the consultation and any potential levy scheme will be presented to a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council in December 2025.

    Economy and Infrastructure Convener, Councillor Eric Drysdale, said: “Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the Perth and Kinross economy, supporting many jobs. The introduction of a Visitor Levy could provide us with an opportunity to improve our tourism offer even further.

    “As well as developing existing infrastructure, a levy could provide opportunities to look at providing new facilities to help ensure everyone visiting our beautiful area will have a high-quality experience.

    “No decisions have been made on this yet. The Scottish Parliament has given us an opportunity to look at whether a levy should be introduced in Perth and Kinross, and we need to explore what that would look like and any implications it would have.

    “With growing demands for critical services to protect health and social care, support pupils with additional support needs, and tackle poverty, we have a duty to look at any opportunities for additional sources of income which can be invested to support growing our visitor economy. That would then allow core funding to be focused on the services which are needed by the most vulnerable people in our communities.

    “To ensure that any future proposals are aligned as far as possible with the views and expectations of Perth and Kinross visitors, residents, and businesses, we are launching this consultation as part of early-stage engagement.

    “We would like to know your views on where you think any potential funds raised could be invested, how much you think it would be fair to charge visitors, and any exemptions that you think there should be.

    “Our consultation runs until 30 September 2025, and I would encourage local people and businesses to take part and tell us what they think.”

    The consultation is available online. Paper copies are available by calling 01738 476476.

    We are also holding a number of drop-in engagement events over the summer where people are invited to come along to find out more about the proposals and provide feedback: 

    12 June 2025 – Civic Hall, 2 High Street, Perth,4pm – 7pm

    19 June 2025 – Birnam Arts, Birnam, 4pm – 7pm

    24 June 2025 – Blairgowrie Town Hall, 4pm – 7pm

    26 June 2025 – Pitlochry Festival Theatre, 4pm – 7pm

    21 August 2025 -Strathearn Arts, Crieff 4-7pm

    27 August 2025 – Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross, 4pm – 7pm

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New music video celebrating Portsmouth’s city centre

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    A new music video and its soundtrack will be released on 4 June to celebrate the history and community of Portsmouth’s city centre. The music video and new version of the hit single “Downtown” features Portsmouth born singer and songwriter Bradley Jago and is the result of a community project with Portsmouth City Council and Portsmouth arts company Downtown Pompey.

    The video spotlights Portsmouth’s diverse local communities. With funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the Downtown Pompey project ran for three months and partnered with city centre businesses and residents to create a community film to celebrate Commercial Road. The film will be premiered on the Big Screen in Guildhall Square during PRIDE 2025 from the 4 June.

    The Fabulous Josh, Artistic Director of Downtown Pompey said:

    “Commercial Road has been home to many of my childhood memories so being able to work alongside the council to bring Downtown Pompey to our city centre was a wonderful opportunity”.

    We ran open workshops and consultations in Cascades where we met many visitors, residents, businesses and their staff. These conversations helped shaped the final film which features many of these voices and reflects Portsmouth’s diversity and resilience.”

    Also, as Downtown Pompey – the organisation, it has been brilliant to encapsulate the energy and spirit of the communities that we serve”

    Over 60 local people took part in the film alongside local businesses and organisations such as Portsmouth Creates, New Theatre Royal, Natty’s Jerk, Goble Photography, Portsmouth Pride Trust, Solent Gay Men’s Chorus, TADAA – The Alternative Dramatic Arts Academy, The Young Creatives and Chat Over Chai.

    Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of the council with responsibility for economic development said:

    “Portsmouth’s city centre is a vital place for our community and local economy.   This inspiring project enabled through Downtown Pompey is a powerful celebration of our city’s diversity, creativity, and resilience.

    By working closely with residents, businesses, and artists, we’ve created something that truly reflects the spirit of Portsmouth. I’m proud that the council could support this project, and I look forward to seeing it premiere during PRIDE 2025.”

    The Downtown Pompey video is planned to be screened across the year in community spaces and at events.

    For more information visit portsmouthcitycentre.co.uk/downtown-pompey

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canadian soldier of the First World War identified

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 2, 2025 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have identified a previously unknown First World War grave in Adanac Military Cemetery in Miraumont, France, as that of Captain William Webster Wilson, a Canadian soldier. The identification was confirmed through historical and archival research.

    The CAF’s Casualty Identification Program plays a vital role in ensuring that those who made the ultimate sacrifice are never forgotten. Through meticulous research and collaboration, it reconnects fallen soldiers with their families, their units and the nation. The identification of Captain Wilson’s grave more than 100 years after his death is a testament to this commitment. His story – one of service, courage, and sacrifice – now has the recognition it deserves. As we honour his memory, Canadians have the opportunity to reflect on the immense contributions of those who fought for our country.

    William Wilson was born on November 29, 1890, in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Hugh Cunningham and Mary Ann Lyell (née Webster) Wilson. William had a younger brother, Hugh. William joined the Royal Bank of Scotland at the age of 15, working at several branches in Edinburgh. He resigned in 1911, shortly after his mother’s death, immigrated to Canada and joined the Bank of Montreal. He initially worked in Toronto, before joining the branch in Lindsay, Ont. Despite his immigration to Canada and the relocation of his father and brother to a farm in Gilgandra, New South Wales, Australia, the family remained in close contact.

    Before the First World War, William volunteered with local militia units in both Scotland and Canada. While in Lindsay, he was a Captain with the 45th Victoria Regiment and joined the thousands of men who travelled to Valcartier, Que., to enlist following the outbreak of war. He enlisted on September 23, 1914, as an Honorary Captain and Paymaster with the 1st Canadian Divisional Signal Company. After training in Quebec and England, he was taken on strength by his unit in France in April 1915. Originally attached to the 1st Divisional Headquarters, by 1916 he was attached to the Canadian Section of General Headquarters, 3rd Echelon of the British Expeditionary Force.

    By the fall of 1916, gruelling fighting and heavy losses sustained during the Somme Offensive meant that trained men were desperately needed on the front lines. Probably due to his extensive militia experience and recent completion of a machine gun course, Captain Wilson was attached to the 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Canadian Scottish), Canadian Expeditionary Force. On October 8, 1916, the Canadian Corps participated in the Battle of the Ancre Heights, as part of the broader Somme Offensive. The 16th Canadian Battalion was involved in an unsuccessful attempt to capture Regina Trench, and Captain Wilson was reported missing the next day, on October 9. It was not until June 24, 1919, that his brother Hugh received a second-hand account indicating that Captain Wilson had been killed by a shell. At the time of his death, Captain Wilson was 25 years old.

    In 2016, external researchers submitted a report to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) regarding the grave of an unidentified captain of the 16th Battalion buried at Adanac Military Cemetery. Following extensive research, DND’s Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH) determined that the grave could only belong to Captain Wilson, whom the external researchers had not considered as a candidate. DHH researchers determined that, while Captain Wilson was officially commemorated as a member of the Canadian Signal Corps, he had died while serving with the 16th Battalion. The identification was confirmed by the Casualty Identification Review Board in December 2024.

    Captain Wilson’s family was notified of his identification, and the CAF is providing them with ongoing support. A headstone rededication ceremony will take place at the earliest opportunity at Adanac Military Cemetery, which is maintained by the CWGC.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Green Party NI Slams Delay on Safe Leave for Domestic Abuse Victims

    Source: The Green Party in Northern Ireland

    Green Party NI Slams Delay on Safe Leave for Domestic Abuse Victims
    It’s been over three years since the Green Party NI passed the Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) (Northern Ireland) Act, yet victims in Northern Ireland (NI) are still waiting for their right to 10 days paid leave.
    Despite previous assurances, the regulations needed to make this law a reality won’t be in place until at least late 2026 according to Departmental officials.
    Green Party Councillor for Holywood & Clandeboye Lauren Kendall said: “This delay is unacceptable. Safe Leave is already standard in countries like  Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. England and Wales are following suit and catching up. Why is Northern Ireland falling behind?
    Life saving actions need to be swift. The Government has pledged to end violence against women and girls, and tackle domestic and sexual abuse, yet victims are going without vital support.
    This is not good enough, this is a societal issue, a workplace issue, and it should be a priority for this Executive. We will not accept inaction, this must be in place now.
    Last year alone, police recorded nearly  30,000 domestic abuse incidents here. Victims can’t afford to wait any longer for support and protection that is already legislated for The Minister for the Economy must ensure that this is in place as a matter of urgency.”
    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New UK-Moroccan partnerships to grow UK economy

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New UK-Moroccan partnerships to grow UK economy

    Foreign Secretary in Morocco to forge new business opportunities with Morocco

    • British companies front of the queue to deliver infrastructure for the 2030 FIFA World Cup – injecting money into the UK economy 
    • game-changing deals with ministries of water, health, and trade, unlocking contracts in a market where public procurement opportunities are estimated at around £33bn over the next three years, including a £1.2bn Casablanca Airport project, with UK companies a key part of Morocco’s ‘Airports 2030’ programme
    • agreement to partner with Morocco’s national healthcare transformation reforms, worth over £2bn, will create opportunities for UK health sector and a new £150m hospital project, for UK finance and clinical expertise to deliver a 250-bed hospital in Casablanca, will drive revenue for an NHS trust

    The UK has strengthened its partnership with Morocco advancing our relationship worth over £4 billion annually and unlocking opportunities for UK businesses during Foreign Secretary visit to Morocco, ahead of 2030 World Cup.

    As part of the Government’s drive to boost economic growth, the UK and Morocco have announced a series of agreements to deepen collaboration and build business ties between both countries delivering its Plan for Change to boost growth, create jobs and put more money in people’s pockets.

    The Foreign Secretary has signed a series of partnerships unlocking opportunities for UK businesses in projects across the country, where public procurement opportunities are estimated at around £33bn over the next three years. This includes the possibility of infrastructure firms supporting World Cup host cities such Marrakech, Casablanca, and Rabat.

    This will put British businesses at the front of the queue to secure contracts to build Moroccan infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup – injecting money into the construction sector. Since the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, UK expertise and industry has been involved in every major global sporting tournament. Today’s deal places British businesses in an advantageous position to support the 2030 World Cup, continuing Britain’s strong legacy of delivering sporting infrastructure and enduring impact.

    Other announcements include closer UK-Morocco cooperation on migration, counterterrorism, and joint action to tackle water scarcity and climate change, delivering greater security and green growth opportunities for both countries.

    A cooperation agreement on water and ports infrastructure, worth up to £200m, will promote UK expertise in sustainable water management, smart logistics, and green port technologies. An agreement on procurement will create a unique foundation for UK companies to access public tenders in Morocco, with national treatment exemptions ensuring a level playing field for UK innovation and expertise.

    The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:

    Africa has one of the greatest growth potentials of any continent – this young, dynamic population makes the continent an engine room for growth.

    Growth and prosperity will underpin our relationship Morocco and beyond, helping forge new opportunities at home and abroad.

    That is why I am visiting the country, to foster new business relationships between the UK and Morocco, and deliver on our commitment to strengthen our economy. These announcements mean UK businesses will be able to score big in the delivery of the 2030 World Cup.

    The UK has chosen to endorse autonomy within the Moroccan state as the most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis for a mutually-agreed and lasting solution to the Western Sahara dispute, one that can deliver on our commitments to conflict resolution in the region and self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.

    Minister for Trade Policy, Douglas Alexander said:

    Morocco is becoming an increasingly important trade and investment partner for the UK.

    Growth is this government’s top priority and stronger ties with economies like Morocco will pave the way for new opportunities, supporting British businesses and creating jobs.

    UK companies are already securing major commercial wins in Morocco, playing a vital role in delivering critical infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup.

    As part of the visit, the Government has announced that it will adopt a new UK policy position towards Western Sahara. The conflict, ongoing for almost 50 years, has undermined stability and stifled prosperity in the region particularly for the Sahrawi refugees in the Tindouf camps. 

    As a member of the UN Security Council, and as a friend to countries across the region, the UK’s new position seeks to support a mutually-agreed solution to the conflict that supports the UN-led process and respects the principle of self-determination. Approaching the 50-year anniversary of the conflict, it is vital that we leverage this window of opportunity to secure a lasting solution to the dispute, and one that delivers a better future for the people of the Western Saharah.

    The Foreign Secretary’s visit to Morocco is part of the Government’s agenda to reboot cooperation with countries across the continent, underpinned by the UK’s Progressive Realist approach to Foreign Affairs. Across Africa, this means building genuine partnerships that are rooted in mutual respect across trade and investment, security, and tackling the drivers of irregular migration.

    The visit will be used to announce a new deal for the UK healthcare sector to supply equipment to hospitals and medical centres across the country. The deal represents a boost to the UK exports of medical and life sciences equipment, with Morocco due to spend up to £2.8 billion pounds to transform their health care system.

    The Foreign Secretary is attending the Ibrahim Governance Weekend (IGW) in Marrakech where he will meet with counterparts and leaders from across the African continent to discuss shared challenges including security, defence and the climate crisis.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Discover local volunteering opportunities during Volunteers Week 2025

    Source: City of Derby

    This week is Volunteers Week 2025 and we are proud to honour the invaluable contributions of volunteers across the city and to spotlight the diverse opportunities available for residents to get involved.

    Opportunities in Derby City

    Beyond parks and health initiatives, Derby City Council offers various volunteering roles, including positions within the Youth Justice Service, where volunteers assist in youth offender panels to help reduce youth crime. Training is provided, and volunteers play a crucial role in supporting young individuals in the community. Learn more about where you could volunteering on our webpage.

    Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills, said:

    Volunteers Week is a fantastic opportunity to recognise the incredible individuals who give their time, energy and passion to make Derby a better place for everyone. From supporting and enhancing our parks to inspiring healthier lifestyles through Livewell, our volunteers play a vital role in shaping our communities. We’re proud to celebrate their contributions and encourage more residents to get involved and experience the rewards of volunteering.”

    Derby Parks

    For those who relish the outdoors, Derby Parks Volunteers offer a chance to engage in conservation efforts and park enhancements. Volunteers participate in activities such as pond maintenance, habitat restoration, and invasive species control across various parks and green spaces in Derby. You can learn more about how to get involved and what’s on by visiting the Derby Parks Volunteers webpage.

    Livewell

    Livewell celebrates its dedicated volunteers who support Derby residents in achieving healthier lifestyles. Former clients who have completed Livewell’s weight management programme give back by mentoring new participants and leading free community walks in partnership with The Ramblers.

    Paul McGinty, Livewell Coordinator, emphasizes the value of volunteer involvement:

    Individuals who have participated in the Livewell programme understand the challenges of improving health, fitness, and lifestyle. They are well-equipped to assist new clients facing similar obstacles. Volunteering offers a chance to develop new skills, meet people, and gain valuable experience. We encourage more clients and those interested in becoming walk leaders to join us.”

    For more information on what volunteering opportunities are available with Livewell, visit the Livewell website or email paul.mcginty@derby.gov.uk.

    Whether you’re passionate about nature, the arts, health, or community support, there’s a volunteering opportunity waiting for you, get involved and give back to Derby!

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Farage fossil fuel free-for-all a disaster for people and planet

    Source: Scottish Greens

    02 Jun 2025 Climate Energy

    Leaving fossil fuels in the ground and going green is the only way that we can ensure a liveable planet and a sustainable economy

    More in Climate

    Nigel Farage’s plan to boost the profits of fossil fuel companies would destroy investment in the cheap, green renewable energy that Scotland needs, say the Scottish Greens.

    The comments followed a press conference given by Farage, leader of Reform UK, in Aberdeen on Monday 2nd June.

    Reform claimed that they would grant carte blanche to new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea, support fracking, and open new coal mines if in power. In 2024 nearly half of Reform’s donations were linked to climate denial and fossil fuel interests.

    Whilst North Sea oil and gas licenses are reserved to the UK Government, powers over fracking licenses are devolved. The Scottish Parliament voted to ban fracking in Scotland in 2017, and the Scottish Government banned new coal mining in 2022.

    Commenting further, Scottish Green spokesperson for Net Zero and Energy, Patrick Harvie said:

    “Far from being an anti-establishment party, Reform has been courting donations from rich oil and gas moguls who profit from climate breakdown.

    “So it’s no surprise that Farage and his cronies are desperate to do everything they can to shore up the astronomical profits of global corporate interests by promising a carte blanche to fossil fuel giants in the North Sea and across Scotland.

    “Investing in clean, green renewable energy is our best defence against global oil and gas prices, ensuring proper energy security and lower bills.

    “It’s also the best way to protect the long term job security of our world class energy workforce in Scotland – creating high paid, sustainable and secure jobs for decades to come. More than 47,000 people across Scotland are already employed directly or indirectly in the renewables industry in Scotland.

    “Rather than being a party for the people, Reform are happy to stick to a broken energy system that is harmful for people and planet.

    “Leaving fossil fuels in the ground and going green is the only way that we can ensure a liveable future for generations to come.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City prepares to mark first-ever Stoke-on-Trent Day

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Monday, 2nd June 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent Day will be an annual celebration held on 5 June.

    Stoke-on-Trent will officially celebrate Stoke-on-Trent Day for the very first time on Thursday 5 June, 2025 – exactly 100 years since the city was granted city status by King George V.

    Stoke-on-Trent Day will be an annual celebration held on 5 June, honouring the city’s history, culture, natural and built environment, and the diverse communities that call it home.

    The city council has created a free Stoke-on-Trent Day toolkit, filled with ideas, decorations, recipes and activities to help individuals, families, schools, workplaces and community groups join the fun. The toolkit can be downloaded now at sot100.org.uk.

    While it’s a chance to reflect on the past, it’s also about looking ahead with pride and ambition. Stoke-on-Trent is a city shaped by heritage — but full of life, creativity and opportunity today.

    Highlights of the city’s cultural and community landscape include:

    • Official recognition as a World Craft City, joining an international network of creative destinations
    • Over 85 parks and green spaces, teeming with local wildlife and cherished by residents
    • A thriving arts scene, with nine not-for-profit organisations and a wide range of community-led projects
    • A proud ceramics industry, with globally recognised pottery manufacturers like Duchess China and Moorland Pottery still producing in the city
    • World-class museums that preserve and showcase Stoke-on-Trent’s unique story
    • A growing number of independent artisans, makers and creatives
    • Traditional indoor and outdoor markets, offering everything from fresh produce to handmade goods
    • Flagship events like the British Ceramics Biennial and Stoke on Clay, celebrating local art and craft
    • Ongoing investment in heritage restoration and regeneration projects
    • A dynamic food and drink scene, championed by local innovators like Appetite, Feasted and Titanic Brewery
    • Emerging opportunities for business growth and entrepreneurship

    Residents, businesses and schools are encouraged to mark the occasion in their own way – whether it’s hosting a party, attending local events or simply sharing what the city means to them on social media using #SOTDay.

    Photos, videos and stories will be shared across official channels to showcase the city’s spirit and creativity.

    Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Steve Watkins, said: “Stoke-on-Trent Day is a chance for everyone who loves this city – from our diverse local communities to those who have moved away – to come together and celebrate our shared heritage and future.

    “Whether you’re enjoying a Staffordshire oatcake, some traditional lobby, or simply eating and drinking from your favourite local ceramics, it’s about coming together to show pride in our city.

    “Our ceramics – and our people – have spread across the globe and Stoke-on-Trent Day is a chance for everyone to come together and celebrate this fantastic city.”

    The day is part of a wider programme of events throughout 2025, including the People’s Parade on Saturday 7 June, and a host of activities and exhibitions celebrating Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary.

    For more details and to download the Stoke-on-Trent Day toolkit, visit sot100.org.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Phase one of Harris Quarter public realm improvements completed

    Source: City of Preston

    2 June 2025

    Illuminate and Integrate scheme to enhance Preston’s historic and cultural quarter

    Phase one of the Illuminate and Integrate scheme, a key project in the transformation of the Harris Quarter has been completed, with work on Phase two of the project due to start late summer.

    The project has been designed to improve pedestrian and cycle space at a section of Lancaster Road adjacent to the Market Hall and Old Vicarage Road.

    The work includes a new pedestrian and cycle-friendly space with high-quality paving, trees, and other features, such as public seating and an expanded, flexible-use space around the market to create opportunities for alfresco dining.

    A key feature of the works on Old Vicarage is the installation of ‘Gobo’ lighting which projects moving images onto the pavements, lighting the way to Preston Market but also ‘animating’ the journey from the bus station to Animate, the new £45m+ entertainment and leisure complex due to open to the public in February 2025.

    In October, planning permission was granted for the Illuminate element of the scheme with improved lighting consisting of new and replacement columns, wall, canopy lights, and a mixture of heritage and modern lighting.

    Illuminate has also been designed to minimise energy usage, improve the quality of street lighting and make streets feel safer. The lighting improvements extend to additional streets Birley, Earl, Cheapside, and Market Street.

    Phase two of the works will focus on Lancaster Road. The public realm works will maintain the existing service and taxi provision, while Lancaster Road between Old Vicarage and Earl Street will be permanently closed to vehicles.

    This scheme is being delivered by Maple Grove Developments and Eric Wright Civil Engineering on behalf of Preston City Council, under the Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme with funding from Towns Fund, Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council.

    Preston City Council Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building, Councillor Valerie Wise, said:

    “The proposed works are focused on improving the quality of the public spaces and creating safer and better paths between existing spaces and transport hubs such as the bus station. The aim is to encourage footfall and visitors to stay longer into the evening, supporting the Harris Quarter ‘as a go-to cultural destination in the city.’

    John Chesworth, Chair of Preston Towns Fund Strategic Board, added:

    “While it may only be a small part of the overall jigsaw, lighting fundamentally impacts place-making. Quite literally, Illuminate will showcase Preston’s fine architecture, promoting the areas of the Harris Quarter while creating an attractive but dynamic lighting scene and encouraging footfall to this area of Preston.”

    Nick Hague, project director at Maple Grove Developments, continued:

    “The scheme has been designed to sympathetically create a contemporary feel to the area without dismissing the heritage of the Harris Quarter. It’ll promote safety and assurance while helping to create a positive ambience.”

    Lancashire County Council Cabinet member for economic development and growth, Brian Moore, concluded:

    “We’re investing £800k in the city centre and encouraging sustainable transport by improving the links between the bus station and new transformational developments taking place in the Harris Quarter, which gives more options for people to walk and cycle. Making Preston a more attractive place to live and visit helps create new jobs, grow the night-time economy, and create a more vibrant city centre.

    “Alongside the recent improvement work on Ringway and Friargate delivered by the county council, we’re working closely in partnership to improve the wider city centre and provide people with more options for getting around.”

    Towns Fund – Town Deals

    The Towns Fund is working directly with places and putting power in the hands of local businesses and communities to unleash the economic potential of towns and high streets across England. The government wants to see vibrant towns that are more attractive places to live, work and visit; and to increase opportunity across the country so that everyone (wherever they live) can contribute to and benefit from economic growth. Preston 35 is the city’s renewed city investment plan, setting out Preston’s long-term objectives and strategy to transform the City, targeting resources and aligning public and private sector investments to respond to needs and capitalise on opportunities for positive change.

    Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone. For more information, see community wealth building.

    Projects included in Preston’s £200 million Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme are:

    • Animate – £45m multi-use entertainment and leisure complex anchored by a state-of-the-art cinema and bowling venue next to Preston Markets
    • Educate Preston – The creation of a new Careers and Employment, Information, Advice and Guidance Hub in the Harris Quarter.
    • Renewal of Harris Quarter Assets – Investment to support the redevelopment of publicly-owned buildings in the Harris Quarter to support new cultural and community uses, including Amounderness House.
    • Illuminate and Integrate – A project to deliver improved pedestrian and cycleway infrastructure, street lighting and other public realm improvements within the Harris Quarter.
    • Preston Youth Zone – The development of Preston Youth Zone as a state-of-the-art facility for young people in Preston aged eight to 19.
    • #HarrisYourPlace – The refurbishment of the Grade I listed Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library, enhancing and protecting the building for future generations.
    • Preston Pop Ups – £1m pop-up programme of events bringing together new temporary event space, artworks and improvements to public realm infrastructure, aimed at boosting visitor activity in the Harris Quarter.

    The Lancashire Economic Growth and Development Investment Fund (LEGDIF) is a strategic initiative led by Lancashire County Council aimed at fostering economic growth and development within Lancashire. By merging the remaining funds from the Lancashire Economic Recovery & Growth Fund (LERG) and the Lancashire Levelling Up Investment Fund (LLUIF), LEGDIF builds on this success and seeks to support key sectors, including emerging opportunities like cybersecurity.

    The City Deal agreement aims to continue to create new private sector jobs and encourage more new homes to be built across the area. It is an agreement between Preston City Council, South Ribble Borough Council and Lancashire County Council, along with central government and Homes England.

    For more details visit Invest – illuminate and integrate.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York meets air pollution targets citywide for first time

    Source: City of York

    As we approach Clean Air Day on 19 June, City of York Council has released figures showing that all of York is meeting national air pollution targets for the first time.

    Latest air quality monitoring figures from the council for 2024, reported to the Combined Executive Member Decision Session on 3 June 2025, show that the health-based air quality objectives were met at all locations in York for the first time, except during the Covid lockdowns, when traffic emissions reduced due to home working and closure of non-essential retail.  

    Air quality monitoring in some areas of the city, such as around Gillygate and Bootham, has shown that maximum annual levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution improved by 27 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023.

    The significant improvement in air quality is due to actions taken by the council, its partners and by residents. This includes further electrification of buses and council fleet vehicles, policies that incentivise the uptake of more low-emission taxis, anti-idling campaigns encouraging people to turn off their engines when stationary or waiting in traffic and improved electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure – all of which have all helped improve air quality further throughout 2024.

    The council encourages people to walk, cycle or use public transport wherever possible to reduce their exposure and contribution to air pollution, and make the switch to electric vehicles if budgets allow.

    Air pollution is linked to a range of health problems at every stage of life – from premature birth and effects on organ development in childhood,  to causing heart and lung disease, diabetes and strokes in adulthood.

    Every year, air pollution causes up to 43,000 deaths in the UK.

    Find out more through the Clean Air Hub about how air pollution impacts our mental and physical health and the planet’s wellbeing.

    Residents can also sign up for the council’s free pollution forecasting and alert service which sends air pollution alerts and health advice to those most likely to be affected by air pollution to help them minimise their exposure when future pollution episodes are forecast, and to encourage all of us to leave the car at home if possible on those days, to avoid worsening pollution for everyone.

    Cllr Jenny Kent, the Council’s Executive Member for the Environment and Climate Emergency, said:

    “This is brilliant news – what a fantastic achievement to help us celebrate Clean Air Day. By being proactive on improving the air we all breathe, the council has helped to meet air pollution targets for the first time ever in York.

    “Having walked the stretch along Holgate for over a decade with prams and children, along with hundreds of young people travelling to and from 9 schools in the area, I know first hand what a difference this makes. We made a commitment to improve air quality when we published our fourth Air Quality Action Plan last summer and it is rewarding to see that the measures are working. Cleaner air is helping improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in York.

    “This is a really big achievement which we should celebrate, but we are not complacent; we need to see these results and the longer-term downward trend continue”.

    Peter Roderick, director of Public Health at City of York Council, said:

    “Even though we can’t see it, air pollution impacts our health whatever age we are. Improving air quality not only benefits our physical health and the environment but can also protect our mental and brain health. For the whole of York to meet air pollution targets for first time since Covid is a great achievement.

    “We hope Clean Air Day will help raise awareness of air pollution across the city and encourage people to consider their air quality impact in helping to protect everyone’s health. We can all make improvements; share a lift to work, work from home or walk, catch the bus or cycle, if possible.

    “The latest results for the city demonstrate how far we have come in recent years to improve local air quality for everyone, however we recognise that more can be done. Through the council’s Air Quality Action Plan and other complementary strategies, we aim to go beyond National Air Quality Objectives and work towards meeting stricter World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines in the longer term to further improve public health; this will allow us all to benefit from lasting health improvements”.

    Mick Forbes, Engineering Director of First Bus North & West Yorkshire, said:

    “The results are very positive and provide real evidence of the environmental benefits we are achieving with our fully zero-emission fleet on the streets of York, which started on routes through Gillygate in September 2023.

    “We are delighted this is recognised in the air quality assessment by City of York Council and will continue to support its efforts to create cleaner air in the city.

    “By working together with the council we have been able to invest millions of pounds with government funding support to transform our James Street depot, which is one of the first in the country to be declared net zero.”

    Find how to protect your health and cut emissions at the Clean Air Hub 

    Free Clean Air Day resources for use by individuals, schools, businesses, health organisations and community groups are available on the Clean Air Day website 

    The council’s iTravel York website provides a host of sustainable travel resources, including walking resources and cycling resources

    This year’s Clean Air Day campaign on 19 June aims to highlight that air pollution affects your health from before your first breath until your last.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New affordable homes approved to tackle housing crisis

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    A new affordable housing development was given the green light by the Development Management Sub-Committee.

    The approved plans will deliver 49 new homes – comprising a mix of flats, colonies, and terraced houses – on a partly brownfield site adjacent to an established residential area. Of these, four flats will be fully wheelchair accessible.

    Designed by architect Smith Scott Mullan, the affordable housing units will be developed by contractor CCG.

    The site, located east of Burdiehouse Crescent, is ideally located within a 10-minute walk of local amenities, including Valley Park Community Centre, shops, schools, and public transport links. The new homes will also overlook a new recreational and play area.

    Designed as part of the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) programme, the project also sets a benchmark for sustainable urban development.

    The homes will be fully operational as a Net Zero ready development, utilising air source heat pumps, exhaust air pumps, and photovoltaic panels for heating and hot water, eliminating the need for fossil fuel-based heating systems.

    Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said:

    This approval is a vital step in tackling the housing emergency facing our city. Too many people are struggling to find a safe, secure and affordable place to call home and developments like this are a key part of the solution.

    The 49 new homes will not only provide much-needed accommodation for residents, but they do so in a way that is sustainable, inclusive, and community-focused.

    I look forward to seeing work get underway and to welcoming the first residents into a vibrant new part of the community.

    CCG Managing Director, David Wylie, said:

    The Edinburgh Home Demonstrator programme, supported by Scottish Futures Trust, is a hugely important initiative which is helping to shape the future of affordable, ‘Net Zero Ready’ housebuilding in the Edinburgh and South East City Region.

    Burdiehouse is the third development to be brought forward since the launch of the programme in 2021. Like those before it – including the first project delivered by CCG – it will be analysed to help the South East Regional partners understand how ‘Net Zero Ready’ homes can be designed, procured, and delivered at scale to meet local housing demand, and support a just net zero transition by 2045.

    We are delighted to be working in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council once again to bring new homes to Burdiehouse, and we look forward to commencing work on site very soon.

    The project contributes to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal housing programme and represents a new approach to delivering high-quality, climate conscious, and affordable housing.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council Leader Joins Volunteers to Celebrate Their Work in the Community

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    Council Leader has joined volunteers to celebrate and recognise their contribution to community. 

    Mark Flynn, leader of Dundee City Council, joined volunteers at Hilltown Community Centre to thank them for their valuable work during Volunteers’ Week. 

    From 2 to 8 June 2025, Dundee City Council will join thousands of charities and voluntary organisations across the country in recognising the vital role volunteers play in their communities. 

    The campaign highlights the diversity and unity of volunteer work across, illustrating the many ways people help others. 

    Each week, hundreds of adults and young people in Dundee give up their time to volunteer in their communities running food larders, managing community facilities, as sports coaches, running community gardening initiatives, through faith-based organisations, leading uniformed groups, on parent councils, fundraising and much, much more. 

    Council Leader Mark Flynn said: “Throughout the week the council will be hosting several events to highlight and celebrate the great work done by the volunteers who work alongside the council to deliver services across the city. 

    “I would like to thank everyone who volunteers across the city. Your contributions do not go unnoticed. 

    “Getting involved in the community is incredibly rewarding and I would encourage anyone interested to go to your local community centre to find out more about how you can get involved in volunteering.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From period pain to heart disease, the gender health gap is real – here’s how to close it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jennifer Bousfield, Senior Analyst, Health and Care Research Group, RAND Europe

    Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock

    For decades, women’s health has been chronically underfunded and under-researched. The consequences of this neglect are widespread and deeply damaging.

    Millions of women live with avoidable pain, delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatments and poor access to care. The ripple effects reach far beyond individual health: they impact families, workplaces and the wider economy.

    In recent years, some progress has been made. In 2022, the UK government launched the first ever women’s health strategy for England, which was a landmark recognition that the health needs of women have been systematically overlooked in research, policy and service design.

    The strategy pledged better support for menopause, increased funding for research, the creation of women’s health hubs, which provide a convenient location for women to access multiple services, such as gynaecology, sexual health, contraception an menopause care. These hubs aim to improve access, enhance experiences, reduce health inequalities for women and improved coordination across NHS services.

    But just two years later, that momentum is at risk of stalling.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The government’s wider NHS reform efforts, coupled with cost-cutting, have included the withdrawal of national funding incentives for women’s health hubs. This decision has triggered concern across the health sector.

    These hubs were designed to bring together vital services – from menstrual and menopause support to contraception and fertility care – in one location. They have shown promise in narrowing gender health gaps.

    One of us (Jennifer) was involved in a recent evaluation by Rand Europe and the University of Birmingham, which found that women using the hubs reported overwhelmingly positive experiences, and collaboration between hub leaders and local healthcare services were key to their success. Yet many of these services are now at risk of being dismantled before they’ve had a chance to take root.

    This is not a marginal issue. Women make up 51% of the UK population. Still, for decades, they’ve been underrepresented in clinical research, resulting in diagnostic blind spots and treatments that don’t account for female physiology. Conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis and heavy menstrual bleeding affect millions but remain understudied and are frequently dismissed.



    Read more:
    Symptoms of androgen excess in women are too often being overlooked – or dismissed as ‘just cosmetic’

    In other cases – such as heart disease and dementia – a lack of gender-specific understanding can be life-threatening.

    Innovation is booming — but is it reaching the right people?

    At the same time, women’s health is seeing a surge in innovation. The “femtech” sector is booming and expected to be worth US$117 billion globally by 2029 (£86 billion). From AI-powered diagnostic apps and menstrual tracking wearables, to 3D-printed pessaries, advanced ultrasonic imaging tools and new breast cancer therapies, the possibilities are exciting.

    But innovation alone isn’t enough – and it risks deepening existing inequalities if not implemented thoughtfully. The gender health gap persists, and disparities in healthcare access and outcomes are often worse for women based on geography, ethnicity or income. Without inclusive design, these shiny new tools could widen the divide rather than close it.

    There are growing concerns around bias in health technologies, particularly AI. If algorithms are trained on data that doesn’t reflect the diversity of the population, they can miss key symptoms, produce inaccurate results or fail to support women from minority backgrounds. Technology must be matched by transparency, oversight and inclusion.



    Read more:
    AI can guess racial categories from heart scans – what it means and why it matters

    Even the most advanced tools are meaningless without strong systems in place to govern them. Innovation must be embedded into accessible, well-funded services – and those services must be built around the real needs of women. Trust, relevance, and cultural sensitivity aren’t optional extras – they’re essential for success.

    As the UK government moves ahead with NHS reforms, it must not lose sight of the importance of women’s health. Getting this right means more than launching new apps or pilot schemes. It means long-term commitment and investment backed by evidence.

    At RAND Europe, our research points to two central challenges: a lack of equitable access to services and a disconnect between innovation and the needs of women.

    If we want to create meaningful, lasting change, three key priorities must be addressed:

    1. Sustainable funding: short-term pilots of new therapies or treatments often show promise, only to vanish when initial funding ends. Women’s health hubs, and similar services, need stable, long-term support to become embedded parts of the health system – not experiments at risk of collapse.

    2. Stronger cross-sector collaboration: progress depends on better coordination across the NHS, academia, industry, charities and the public. Working together can reduce the duplication of efforts, align priorities and drive real results.

    3. Accessible information and health literacy: for services and innovations to work, people need to understand them. Clear, reliable information is crucial – not just for women, but for healthcare professionals too. Empowering patients to make informed choices is key to improving outcomes.

    Women’s health is not a side issue. It’s a foundation of a healthy, fair society. Investing in it doesn’t just benefit women, it strengthens families, communities and the economy.

    The NHS ten-year plan presents a vital opportunity. If the ambitions of the women’s health strategy are to become reality, they must be baked into long-term planning with clear, measurable goals.

    Sonja Marjanovic receives grant and contract funding for wider portfolios of research on healthcare services and innovation. She works at RAND Europe, a not for profit policy research institute and she is a Trustee of The Nuffield Trust.

    Stephanie Stockwell receives grant and contract funding for wider portfolios of research on healthcare services and innovation. Stephanie Stockwell works at RAND Europe, a not f profit research institute and is on the committee for the physical activity for health division of the Chartered Society of Sport and Exercise Scientists.

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

    – ref. From period pain to heart disease, the gender health gap is real – here’s how to close it – https://theconversation.com/from-period-pain-to-heart-disease-the-gender-health-gap-is-real-heres-how-to-close-it-252565

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Children need more say in their education – here’s why it matters

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yana Manyukhina, Senior Researcher, Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy, UCL

    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    Education shouldn’t be a passive experience, with children simply absorbing the knowledge teachers pass on to them. Research shows that when children have an input into their learning – helping to decide topics to cover, or specific activities, or how they are assessed – they feel more motivated, engaged in learning and happier in school.

    But when we asked children about their opportunities to make choices in their education, they were often downbeat. “I’m a child and I can’t do anything,” one seven-year-old said.

    This powerful statement captures a sentiment we found repeatedly in research for our new book. We set out to understand how much agency children have in their education, and what difference it makes when they do.

    Our 40-month study, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, involved in-depth research across three contrasting primary schools in England: an independent (fee-paying) school, a community state school and an academy state school.

    Academy schools operate independently from local council control with greater curriculum flexibility, while community schools are run directly by local authorities. We spoke with children, observed lessons and interviewed teachers and headteachers.

    The findings were clear: when children have meaningful input into their learning, their motivation soars. But too often, particularly in core subjects such as English and mathematics, children feel like passive recipients rather than active participants in their education. “We don’t decide, we just do what we’re told to do,” one child said.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Children across all three schools consistently expressed a desire for more choice in their education.

    When asked whether they had opportunities to make choices in their learning, one child at the independent school stated: “We don’t really get to choose what we do in the lessons.” This sentiment was echoed in the community state school, where children had no expectation that they could have input into the curriculum.

    They also distinguished between “work” (subjects such as English and mathematics) and “fun” (creative subjects such as art). They described how they enjoyed the latter while the former were subjects they simply “had to do”.

    Most revealing was the contrasting experience in the academy school, which had developed a distinctive approach to curriculum design involving direct pupil input. Here, children reported significantly higher levels of engagement. “I really enjoy school, and I really enjoy being able to pick what we do,” one child told us.

    These voices highlight a crucial point: children don’t expect complete freedom, but they do want meaningful opportunities to influence their experience of school.

    The power of structured freedom

    Our research led to the development of what we call “structured freedom” – a balanced approach that maintains necessary educational structures while creating space for children’s agency. This isn’t about abandoning standards or letting children do whatever they want. Instead, it’s about giving children opportunities for meaningful choice within clear frameworks.

    Children appreciated having choice in how they learned.
    Juice Verve/Shutterstock

    The academy school in our study demonstrated this approach most clearly. The starting point for each year’s curriculum was children helping to shape curriculum topics. They brought in items of interest, ranging from Coca-Cola bottles to pieces of rock. The teachers then connected these objects to required curriculum content through conversations with the children.

    The school maintained clear classroom structures but provided choices about learning activities and assessment methods. Children could select which skills to work on during lessons – whether knowledge-building, research or collaboration – and at what difficulty level. They also documented their learning journey creatively in topic books using photos, pictures, drawings, diagrams or stories.

    This balanced approach paid dividends. Teachers reported higher engagement among children, and genuine enthusiasm for learning across subjects.

    England’s national curriculum has a heavy focus on content – the topics to be taught – and limited attention to children’s agency. However, the national curriculum is under review. This provides a rare opportunity to place children’s agency at the heart of educational reform – not at the expense of standards, but as an essential component of achieving them.

    Our findings also suggest several important considerations for parents. Children who experience agency in their learning show greater motivation, engagement and more positive attitudes toward education.

    With rising concerns about children’s mental health and increasing school absenteeism, supporting agency offers a practical way to reconnect children with learning. Parents might consider asking schools about opportunities for children’s input into curriculum topics, teaching approaches and assessment methods.

    The schools in our study often struggled to enable children’s agency, but they also showed possibilities for the next national curriculum. Listening to children’s voices isn’t only about rights. It’s about creating more effective learning experiences that prepare children for an uncertain future.

    Yana Manyukhina received funding from The Leverhulme Trust for the research reported in this article. She has received funding from a range of organisations for research including from the Helen Hamlyn Trust.

    Dominic Wyse received funding from The Leverhulme Trust for the research reported in this article. He has received funding from a range of organisations for his research including from the Helen Hamlyn Trust.

    Dominic is currently an advisor for the development of the primary curriculum in Ireland and a member of the Literacy Expert Panel for the Welsh Government.

    – ref. Children need more say in their education – here’s why it matters – https://theconversation.com/children-need-more-say-in-their-education-heres-why-it-matters-256272

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DFN Project SEARCH interns celebrate graduation at Kings College A project which aims to increase the number of people with learning disabilities who secure employment in the north-east of Scotland held its annual graduation ceremony at the University of Aberdeen last week.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    A project which aims to increase the number of people with learning disabilities who secure employment in the north-east of Scotland held its annual graduation ceremony at the University of Aberdeen last week.
    The DFN Project SEARCH programme celebrated the achievements of the class of 2024/25 at Kings College Conference Centre on Friday, 30 May.
    The programme is a collaborative project which provides real-life work experience, combined with training in employability and independent-living skills, to young people with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum conditions who want to go on to find paid employment.
    Samantha Waters, Chief Governance Officer and University Secretary, who presented the interns with their graduation certificates, said: “We are delighted to have hosted this unique programme at the University for 12 years. Graduation ceremonies are always special, and this event is a proud moment for the interns, their families, and all our colleagues in the University and beyond who have supported them over the last year.
    “Project SEARCH is instrumental in paving the way for change beyond education and the workplace and into society more generally. Our graduating interns are wonderful ambassadors for young people in the workplace who champion neurodiversity and we wish them every success in the future.”
    Neil Cowie, Principal of North East Scotland College, where the interns are registered students, said: “Graduation ceremonies are always one of the highlights of the calendar and, on behalf of everyone at NESCol and all of our project partners, our congratulations go to the class of 2025.
    “It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the past year but also to look forward to the exciting next steps for a group who have shown great dedication, application and skill as they have progressed through the programme. My thanks go to all who have played their part in supporting and mentoring our interns over the past year – we all look forward to following the stories of our graduates as they thrive in the work and in life.”
    The ceremony also included contributions from senior representatives from Values Into Action Scotland (VIAS), which holds the licence to operate the DFN Project SEARCH programme in Aberdeen.
    Norma Curran, Chief Executive, said: “As an organisation, VIAS is very proud of the achievements of this year’s interns. It is almost impossible to articulate the growth that we have seen in them throughout the year. They are such amazing role models for DFN Project SEARCH University of Aberdeen and this amazing partnership. We are grateful to everyone involved for delivering this special programme for young people in the north-east of Scotland. We are excited to see interns next steps after graduation and wish them all well for a bright future.”
    Highlights from the ceremony included contributions from graduating interns and the premiere of a video showcasing highlights from their Project SEARCH journey.
    Thanks were extended at the ceremony to the representatives of all organisations which support the programme, including funders Aberdeenshire Council and Shell UK Ltd, and several local businesses who generously provided sponsorship and external placement opportunities.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –