January 28, 2025 – Page 2

MIL-OSI Europe: Swiss expert becomes Special Representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office on South Caucasus

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: Switzerland – Federal Administration in English The chairperson-in-office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Finland’s foreign minister Elina Valtonen, has appointed Christoph Späti as the Special Representative of the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship for the South Caucasus. The Swiss expert, who most recently served as programme manager for the South Caucasus in the FDFA’s Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD), took up the post of Special Representative on 21 January 2025. MIL OSI Europe News –

MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Impact of the Russia-Iran Strategic Partnership Agreement on EU-Iran relations – E-000208/2025

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament Question for written answer E-000208/2025to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security PolicyRule 144Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE) The conclusion of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between Russia and Iran on 17 January 2025 and its reported focus on trade, investment and defence, as well as regional and international affairs, has potentially far-reaching geopolitical and security implications for the European Union and its relations with Iran. 1.How does the EEAS assess the possible impact of this strategic agreement on the political and economic relations between the European Union and Iran? 2.How does the EU intend

MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Documents required by financial institutions when entering into contracts with clients – E-000321/2025

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament Question for written answer E-000321/2025to the CommissionRule 144Luděk Niedermayer (PPE) My question concerns the practice followed by some financial institutions in the EU, such as insurance companies, banks, investment companies, telecommunications companies, etc. If a financial institution, when concluding insurance, investment, credit, banking or telecommunications contracts, requires more documents or different types of documents from citizens of other EU countries than it requires from citizens of the country in which it operates, does the Commission consider that there is a breach of Article 18 TFEU, which prohibits discrimination on grounds of nationality, or not? If so, what course of action should be

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Call goes out to traders and charities to be part of Tall Ships spectacular

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen Local traders and charities are invited to be part of a huge outdoor market on Port of Aberdeen quayside that will be at the vibrant heart of the spectacular Tall Ships Races extravaganza this July. Curated on the Quayside will run for four days from Saturday 19 July – Tuesday 22 July, and is being organised by the Council and Aberdeen Inspired, supported by north-east children’s charity Charlie House. Applications to become a stallholder are now open. The colourful market will feature traders and charities across 60 stalls in prime position along Regent Quay, Upper Dock and Blaikie’s Quay. The market

MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – EU-Mercosur agreement – E-000324/2025

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament Question for written answer E-000324/2025to the CommissionRule 144Regina Doherty (PPE) The Commission assures citizens that EU food safety standards will be respected for imported products under the proposed EU-Mercosur agreement, even if sanitary and phytosanitary checks have been reduced and customs procedures simplified. What specific assurances can the Commission provide in terms of respect for EU production standards and product quality? There are currently significant discrepancies between the two parties in terms of production standards, which is impacting exposed sectors, with EU producers having to respect a greater number of regulations, with less support at their disposal and higher labour costs and

MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Applying the Digital Services Act to German public service broadcasters – E-000228/2025

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament Question for written answer E-000228/2025to the CommissionRule 144Christine Anderson (ESN) Germany’s public service broadcasters have massively expanded their online activities. Executives stress the growing importance of the internet for public service broadcasting and see the need for a greater online presence. They are therefore planning, for example, a big streaming push. The development of an ARD-wide streaming network in cooperation with ZDF is in the pipeline. The public broadcasters’ extensive on-demand services and numerous websites provide a wide range of information. Many of these platforms – such as Funk, which is aimed at young people – also allow users to contribute their

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Liverpool marks Holocaust Memorial Day with a special service

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: City of Liverpool The 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia have been marked by a reflective ceremony at Liverpool’s Town Hall. The theme of the service was ‘For a Better Future’ and residents are urged to learn about past horrors so that they never happen again. The Lord Mayor and Rabbi Fagleman from the Allerton Hebrew Congregation lit candles; there were prayers and also a speech delivered by Francine Palant, whose parents were both Holocaust survivors. The event opened with a performance by King David High School musicians. The Lord Mayor, Cllr Richard Kemp

MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Strategy for ending dependency on Turkish imports – E-000223/2025

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament Question for written answer E-000223/2025to the CommissionRule 144Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR), Galato Alexandraki (ECR) The EU imports products from Türkiye, a country that is problematic in many ways, when these products could be replaced by others produced in the EU or in countries around the EU that are not consumed by anti-European and anti-Christian extremist ideologies. The volume of trade with Türkiye makes it easier for changes to be made progressively with a view to avoiding short-term supply chain risks and potential objections from the European Council. The sectors where reliance on Türkiye is not critical are textiles and clothing, automotive spare parts,

MIL-OSI Europe: Latest news – Constitutive Meeting, on 3 October 2024 – Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament The constitutive meeting of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) took place on Thursday, 3 October 2024, in Brussels. During the meeting, the Delegation Members elected Mr Karlo RESSLER (EPP, Croatia) as the new Chair, as well as Ms Biljana BORZAN (S&D, Croatia), as first Vice-Chair and Mr Ivaylo VALCHEV (ECR, Bulgaria), as second Vice-Chair. MIL OSI Europe News –

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leeds inventor’s 70s superbike conquers the cobbles at Leeds museum

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: City of Leeds A pedal-powered prototype designed by a Leeds inventor to take on the toughest terrain has been put through its paces at a Leeds museum. The hulking Fen Easy Rider bicycle was made in the late 1970s to tackle the rugged roads bordering parts of the British countryside, and gives a remarkable insight into the fascinating story of Leeds pioneer Henry Brown, who recently died at the age of 102. This past week, his tenacious two-wheeler took on what may have been its biggest challenge yet, when it was road tested on the Victorian cobbles outside Leeds Industrial Museum. Fitted with a

MIL-OSI Europe: A current flowing to the future

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Investment Bank Just 25 kilometres northwest of Mostar, another man is on a mission to save his local river. Boro Đolo grew up along the banks of the Lištica River. “Here, people learn to swim before they learn to walk,” he says. A soft-spoken grandfather, Đolo spends his free time working with a local organisation to restore the area’s native fish population. Professionally, Đolo has devoted 35 years to the water sector, working for the city of Široki Brijeg. There he leads a project aimed at improving wastewater services to protect the Lištica. The city has already built and rehabilitated 25 kilometres of

MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Funding the construction of a new Greek research vessel – E-000199/2025

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament Question for written answer E-000199/2025to the CommissionRule 144Yannis Maniatis (S&D) Greece, a country with enormous maritime wealth and importance for European maritime policy, is being confronted with the need to renew its basic infrastructure, such as research vessels. Oceanographic vessels are a key tool for studying climate change, implementing the European maritime policy strategy and fulfilling obligations under European directives. Greece’s two existing research vessels (‘AEGAEO’ and ‘PHILIA’) were built in 1985. The oceanographic vessel ‘AEGAEO’, which has been in service for 40 years and supported European programmes worth hundreds of millions of euro, will soon be decommissioned. Despite the fact that

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Otley Bridge: Oak tree to be removed from this Friday (31 January)

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: City of Leeds Leeds City Council is proposing to remove the two trees near to Otley Bridge from this Friday (31 January) so work can begin to replace the deteriorating pedestrian footway. The council must fell the mature oak tree and tulip tree before bird nesting season begins at the end of February to be able to remove the existing footway and install a temporary footway. Up to now the council has been unable to safely remove the two trees despite several site visits. If this were to continue beyond the end-of-February deadline, the only viable alternative to allow pedestrians to cross the River

MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – New parliamentary committee: election of Chairs and Vice-Chairs

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament Housing_thumbnail.png © European Union, 2024 – EP The constitutive meeting of Parliament’s new committee, established in December 2024, will take place on 30 January. During the meeting, the new special committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union, will elect its respective bureau, made up of a Chair and Vice-Chairs, for the duration of the committee’s mandate. MIL OSI Europe News –

MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Hate speech and hate crime targeting LGBTI people – 28-01-2025

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Parliament Hate speech and hate crime are incompatible with the European Union’s common values and fundamental rights, as enshrined in the European Union (EU) Treaties and in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. EU law criminalises hate speech and hate crime, but only if it is related to a limited set of characteristics, namely: race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin. Legislative developments, case-law and policy initiatives have helped to create more equal and welcoming societies – including for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer people – in recent years. Nevertheless, there has also been a significant increase in

MIL-OSI Europe: Commissioner Kubilius’s speech at the European Space Conference

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: EuroStat – European Statistics European Commission Speech Brussels, 28 Jan 2025 We, Europeans, can be proud of our achievements in space. Together we’re worth a quarter of the global space economy. If we want to maintain our lead in space, we need to take bold and decisive steps. MIL OSI Europe News –

MIL-OSI Europe: Netherlands: Rabobank and EIB scale up support for environmentally conscious small businesses

January 28, 2025 11:35 pm

Source: European Investment Bank The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Rabobank are scaling up their support for environmentally conscious businesses. Through this new instrument, €300 million will be made available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working at the forefront of sustainable development. Over the last nine years, in cooperation with the EIB, Rabobank has provided over €1.8 billion in sustainable financing to over 1 000 SMEs. MIL OSI Europe News –

MIL-OSI China: China sees robust increase in EV charging facilities

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: China State Council Information Office An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 8, 2024 shows new energy vehicles charging at a charging station in Changsha County, central China’s Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai) China saw a significant surge in electric vehicle charging facilities in 2024, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. By the end of last year, the total number of electric vehicle charging poles in the country had reached 12.82 million, marking a 49.1 percent year-on-year increase. Of these, public charging poles accounted for approximately 3.58 million, while private charging poles neared 9.24 million. In 2024, China added more than 4.22 million

MIL-OSI China: China’s oil, gas output exceeds 400M tonnes for 1st time

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: China State Council Information Office China’s crude oil and natural gas output exceeded 400 million tonnes of oil equivalent for the first time in 2024, according to the National Energy Administration. The country’s crude oil and natural gas output has sustained a robust annual growth streak of over 10 million tonnes for the eighth consecutive year, the administration said. Crude oil production reached 213 million tonnes in 2024, an increase of 24 million tonnes from 2018, while natural gas production reached 246.4 billion cubic meters, with an average annual growth of over 13 billion cubic meters in the past six years. Offshore and unconventional

MIL-OSI Security: Arrest made in Wimbledon Prep School fatal collision investigation

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police Detectives investigating the fatal collision at the Study Prep School in Wimbledon in July 2023 have arrested the driver as part of their ongoing investigation, as they appeal for further potential witnesses to come forward. The 48-year-old female driver was arrested today, Tuesday 28 January, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is currently in custody. This is the second time she has been arrested for this offence, the first time being at the scene of the collision on 6 July 2023. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau – both eight years old – died when a car

MIL-OSI Europe: Euro area economic and financial developments by institutional sector: third quarter of 2024

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: European Central Bank 28 January 2025 Euro area net saving increased to €820 billion in four quarters up to third quarter of 2024, compared with €804 billion one quarter earlier Household debt-to-income ratio decreased to 82.5% in third quarter of 2024 from 86.2% one year earlier NFCs’ debt-to-GDP ratio (consolidated measure) decreased to 67.4% in third quarter of 2024 from 69.1% one year earlier Total euro area economy Euro area net saving increased to €820 billion (6.8% of euro area net disposable income) in the four quarters up to the third quarter of 2024 compared with €804 billion in the four quarters up to

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Threat detection systems on Royal Navy warships upgraded

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments More than 200 UK jobs will be supported through a new contract to boost the Royal Navy’s warship combat systems and increase their ability to track, analyse and respond to threats in combat. More than 200 UK jobs will be supported through a new contract to boost the Royal Navy’s warship combat systems and increase their ability to track, analyse and respond to threats in combat. The contract, worth £285 million, has been awarded to BAE Systems, to maintain and modernise vital combat management systems (CMS) on Royal Navy vessels, including Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyers,

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Report 02/2025: Derailment of a passenger train at Grange-over-Sands

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments RAIB has today released its report into a derailment of a passenger train at Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, 22 March 2024. The rear of the train following the derailment. R022025_250128_Grange-over-Sands PDF, 11.7 MB, 57 pages This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Request an accessible format. If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@raib.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use. Summary At around 06:05 on

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish House Condition Survey: 2023 Key Findings

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: Scottish Government An Accredited Statistics Publication for Scotland The Chief Statistician has released figures on fuel poverty, energy efficiency, the condition of housing and other key descriptors of the occupied housing stock in Scotland. This is the first release of information from the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) for 2023. Fuel poverty In 2023 an estimated 34% (around 861,000 households) of all households were in fuel poverty. This is higher than the 2022 fuel poverty rate of 31% (around 780,000 households). 19.4% (or 491,000 households of the 861,000 households in fuel poverty) were living in extreme fuel poverty in 2023 which is similar to

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: What action is the Met taking to combat grooming gangs?

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: Mayor of London A 2022 report by Professor Alexis Jay, the former Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, found child sexual abuse to be “endemic” in England and Wales.1 On Thursday 16 January 2025, the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper announced a “rapid audit” of grooming gangs, plus up to five new “victim centred, locally-led inquiries”. The national three-month audit, led by Dame Louise Casey, will “begin soon”.2 The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee will tomorrow question the Metropolitan Police service and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime on the work being done in relation to grooming gangs in London,

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Expert advisory group appointed by independent water commission

January 28, 2025 11:20 pm

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements The independent water commission announces members of the new advisory group Expert advisory group appointed by independent water commission Senior advisory group supporting Sir Jon Cunliffe on major water reset Leading voices from areas including the environment, public health and investment have been announced today (28 January) as the new advisory group to the independent water commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe. Sir Chris Whitty (Chief Medical Officer), Richard Benwell (CEO, Wildlife & Countryside Link), Professor Isabelle Durance (Professor of Integrated Water Sciences at Cardiff University) and Peter Harrison (former CEO, Schroders) are among the nine members advising the

MIL-OSI Africa: Strategic Investments: How Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Deals are Transforming Angola’s Oil & Gas Industry

January 28, 2025 11:05 pm

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report: LUANDA, Angola, January 28, 2025/APO Group/ — Since its inception in 2019, Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) has evolved from an industry dialogue platform into the country’s premier forum for deal-signing and partnerships. Now recognized as Angola’s largest oil and gas gathering, the event has facilitated investments across the energy value chain while fostering public-private partnerships and cross-border collaboration. The upcoming 2025 edition of AOG, set to be launched at a reception event in Luanda on January 28, aims to continue this trajectory of growth. With an intensified focus on deal-making, the event seeks to connect

MIL-OSI Africa: A hot and troubled world of work: how South Africa’s bold new climate act and labour law can align to drive a just transition

January 28, 2025 11:05 pm

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Debbie Collier, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for Transformative Regulation of Work, University of the Western Cape Increased average temperatures, climate variability, and extreme weather events are taking a toll on the environment and disproportionately affecting the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities. This is intensifying challenges in the world of work. Working on a warmer planet increases health and safety risks and affects workers’ well-being and productivity. These risks are a challenge for employment, labour standards, and the creation of decent work. Temperatures in South Africa are rising faster than the global average. And

MIL-OSI Global: A hot and troubled world of work: how South Africa’s bold new climate act and labour law can align to drive a just transition

January 28, 2025 11:05 pm

MIL-OSI Banking: Press Conference “Risks in BaFin’s Focus”, 28 January 2025

January 28, 2025 11:05 pm

Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English Check against delivery. A warm welcome from me too! The environment facing the German financial sector in 2025 will be challenging. At the moment, there is no single key risk. The situation is multifaceted and complex. Companies are having to deal with a diverse range of risks. Risks that are sometimes closely interconnected. Many of these risks can have immediate impacts, while some will only materialise in the long term. This situation is described in the fourth edition of our “Risks in BaFin’s Focus”, which we are publishing today. The picture is also very dynamic. While some risks

Day: January 28, 2025