Source: China State Council Information Office 2
Two people have been rescued after a landslide occurred in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Saturday, local emergency management bureau said.
The landslide took place at about 11:50 a.m. in Jinping Village, Junlian County in the city of Yibin, burying several houses and trapping people.
Rescue forces have rushed to the scene and further information is being confirmed.
President Donald Trump has frozen billions of dollars around the world in aid projects, including more than $268 million allocated by Congress to support independent media and the free flow of information.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has denounced this decision, which has plunged NGOs, media outlets, and journalists doing vital work into chaotic uncertainty — including in the Pacific.
In a statement published on its website, RSF has called for international public and private support to commit to the “sustainability of independent media”.
Since the new American president announced the freeze of US foreign aid on January 20, USAID (United States Agency for International Development) has been in turmoil — its website is inaccessible, its X account has been suspended, the agency’s headquarters was closed and employees told to stay home.
South African-born American billionaire Elon Musk, an unelected official, whom Trump chose to lead the quasi-official Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has called USAID a “criminal organisation” and declared: “We’re shutting [it] down.”
Later that day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he was named acting director of the agency, suggesting its operations were being moved to the State Department.
Almost immediately after the freeze went into effect, journalistic organisations around the world — including media groups in the Pacific — that receive American aid funding started reaching out to RSF expressing confusion, chaos, and uncertainty.
Large and smaller media NGOs affected
The affected organisations include large international NGOs that support independent media like the International Fund for Public Interest Media and smaller, individual media outlets serving audiences living under repressive conditions in countries like Iran and Russia.
“The American aid funding freeze is sowing chaos around the world, including in journalism. The programmes that have been frozen provide vital support to projects that strengthen media, transparency, and democracy,” said Clayton Weimers, executive director of RSF USA.
“President Trump justified this order by charging — without evidence — that a so-called ‘foreign aid industry’ is not aligned with US interests.
“The tragic irony is that this measure will create a vacuum that plays into the hands of propagandists and authoritarian states. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appealing to the international public and private funders to commit to the sustainability of independent media.”
USAID programmes support independent media in more than 30 countries, but it is difficult to assess the full extent of the harm done to the global media.
Many organisations are hesitant to draw attention for fear of risking long-term funding or coming under political attacks.
According to a USAID fact sheet which has since been taken offline, in 2023 the agency funded training and support for 6200 journalists, assisted 707 non-state news outlets, and supported 279 media-sector civil society organisations dedicated to strengthening independent media.
Activities halted overnight
The 2025 foreign aid budget included $268,376,000 allocated by Congress to support “independent media and the free flow of information”.
All over the world, media outlets and organisations have had to halt some of their activities overnight.
“We have articles scheduled until the end of January, but after that, if we haven’t found solutions, we won’t be able to publish anymore,” explains a journalist from a Belarusian exiled media outlet who wished to remain anonymous.
In Cameroon, the funding freeze forced DataCameroon, a public interest media outlet based in the economic capital Douala, to put several projects on hold, including one focused on journalist safety and another covering the upcoming presidential election.
An exiled Iranian media outlet that preferred to remain anonymous was forced to suspend collaboration with its staff for three months and slash salaries to a bare minimum to survive.
An exiled Iranian journalist interviewed by RSF warns that the impact of the funding freeze could silence some of the last remaining free voices, creating a vacuum that Iranian state propaganda would inevitably fill.
“Shutting us off will mean that they’ll have more power,” she says.
USAID: the main donor for Ukrainian media
In Ukraine, where 9 out of 10 outlets rely on subsidies and USAID is the primary donor, several local media have already announced the suspension of their activities and are searching for alternative solutions.
“At Slidstvo.Info, 80 percent of our budget is affected,” said Anna Babinets, CEO and co-founder of this independent investigative media outlet based in Kyiv.
The risk of this suspension is that it could open the door to other sources of funding that may seek to alter the editorial line and independence of these media.
“Some media might be shut down or bought by businessmen or oligarchs. I think Russian money will enter the market. And government propaganda will, of course, intensify,” Babinets said.
RSF has already witnessed the direct effects of such propaganda — a fabricated video, falsely branded with the organisation’s logo, claimed that RSF welcomed the suspension of USAID funding for Ukrainian media — a stance RSF has never endorsed.
This is not the first instance of such disinformation.
Finding alternatives quickly
This situation highlights the financial fragility of the sector.
According to Oleh Dereniuha, editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian local media outlet NikVesti, based in Mykolaiv, a city in southeast Ukraine, “The suspension of US funding is just the tip of the iceberg — a key case that illustrates the severity of the situation.”
Since 2024, independent Ukrainian media outlets have found securing financial sustainability nearly impossible due to the decline in donors.
As a result, even minor budget cuts could put these media outlets in a precarious position.
A recent RSF report stressed the need to focus on the economic recovery of the independent Ukrainian media landscape, weakened by the large-scale Russian invasion of February 24, 2022, which RSF’s study estimated to be at least $96 million over three years.
Moreover, beyond the decline in donor support in Ukraine, media outlets are also facing growing threats to their funding and economic models in other countries.
Georgia’s Transparency of Foreign Influence Law — modelled after Russia’s legislation — has put numerous media organisations at risk. The Georgian Prime Minister welcomed the US president’s decision with approval.
This suspension is officially expected to last only 90 days, according to the US government.
However, some, like Katerina Abramova, communications director for leading exiled Russian media outlet Meduza, fear that the reviews of funding contracts could take much longer.
Abramova is anticipating the risk that these funds may be permanently cut off.
“Exiled media are even in a more fragile position than others, as we can’t monetise our audience and the crowdfunding has its limits — especially when donating to Meduza is a crime in Russia,” Abramova stressed.
By abruptly suspending American aid, the United States has made many media outlets and journalists vulnerable, dealing a significant blow to press freedom.
For all the media outlets interviewed by RSF, the priority is to recover and urgently find alternative funding.
Fiji, Pacific media, aid groups reel shocked by cuts
In Suva, Fiji, as Pacific media groups have been reeling from the shock of the aid cuts, Fijivillage News reports that hundreds of local jobs and assistance to marginalised communities are being impacted because Fiji is an AUSAID hub.
According to an USAID staff member speaking on the condition of anonymity, Trump’s decision has affected hundreds of Fijian jobs due to USAID believing in building local capacity.
The staff member said millions of dollars in grants for strengthening climate resilience, the healthcare system, economic growth, and digital connectivity in rural communities were now on hold.
The staff member also said civil society organisations, especially grantees in rural areas that rely on their aid, were at risk.
Pacific Media Watch and Asia Pacific Report collaborate with Reporters Without Borders.
Source: Republic Of China Taiwan 2
On January 13, the Bureau of Industrial Parks (BIP) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) held the “2025 Lunar New Year Security and Confidentiality Maintenance Coordination Meeting.” The meeting, chaired by Secretary-General Lin, Chian-Huey, gathered representatives from enterprises within the park and local branches to discuss security strategies for the holiday season. The primary goal was to ensure security during the holiday and further strengthen the protection of key national industrial assets.
Secretary-General Lin, Chian-Huey stated that the BIP would continue building upon last year’s security achievements by enhancing patrols mechanisms and risk management. This includes strengthening inspections at financial institutions and high-risk construction sites to ensure the overall safety of the industrial parks during the holiday period. She urged enterprises within the park to collaborate to maintain stability and harmony.
This meeting is one of the key projects of the BIP for the year. It focused on precise response strategies for safeguarding official confidential information and ensuring park security, reviewing the current state of protective facilities, and establishing an emergency response network. In addition, the meeting highlighted anti-fraud and anti-infiltration issues, with awareness campaigns aimed at enhancing vigilance and response capabilities among all attendees. Participants highly praised the BIP’s comprehensive security maintenance plan, recognizing that it not only enhances the sense of security within the park but also creates a safer operation environment for the new year.
According to past data, the BIP implements a well-structured emergency response mechanism during the Lunar New Year, addressing security vulnerabilities and confidentiality protection to uphold stability in the industrial park. This year’s strategy has been further refined with digital management tools and streamlined communication networks, creating a stronger security foundation for the coming year.
The meeting emphasized three key priorities: (1) a systematic security risk assessment covering core infrastructure within the park; (2) continuous improvements to emergency response mechanisms for faster and more efficient crisis handling; and (3) the promotion of fraud prevention and anti-infiltration education to provide multilayered protection against emerging security threats. Moving forward, the BIP is committed to further strengthening its security initiatives and exploring innovative technologies and strategies to protect enterprises and employees within the parks. This meeting also marks a strong start for security management during the Lunar New Year, fully demonstrating the professionalism and dedication of the BIP.
Contact Person: Tseng, Chien-Hua (Government Ethics Office)
Contact Number: 886-7-361-1212 ext 636
Email: chtseng@bip.gov.tw
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – The Trump Administration today brazenly installed Tom Krause, a Silicon Valley executive and associate of billionaire Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to oversee the U.S. Treasury Department’s critical payment systems that manage the cash and debt that finances the federal government. Mr. Krause’s new position gives him control over the Treasury payment system responsible for disbursing more than $5 trillion annually, including Social Security, Medicare, tax refunds and other payments. He also has control over auctions for U.S. Treasury securities, which is the most important financial market in the world and determines the benchmark rate for consumer credit. In 2024, Treasury held 440 auctions and issued $28.5 trillion in securities.
Mr. Krause takes on these enormous responsibilities to manage the Nation’s finances, despite having no background in government operations or in financial markets. The installation of Mr. Krause injects politics into processes that have always been conducted in a nonpartisan fashion.
Mr. Krause, who will reportedly continue to hold his private sector job at Cloud Software Group while taking on this critical full-time role at Treasury, replaces a longtime civil servant who resigned after objecting to Mr. Krause’s demands to stop certain payments — a measure the non-partisan Treasury official resisted as illegal.
U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Subcommittee, which oversees funding for Treasury, is calling for Mr. Krause’s immediate removal. Reed sent a third letter this week warning Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about this matter and stating: “At the very least, the American people deserve someone’s undivided attention for this job.”
Secretary Bessent wrote to Senator Reed on February 4 that Mr. Krause was merely “conducting an ongoing review of Treasury’s systems” and that “to allow him to perform this function, he has been “hired as an expert/consultant.” Only two days later, Mr. Krause is not simply reviewing Treasury’s systems—he in full operational control of them.
Full text of the letter follows:
February 7, 2025
?? ?
The Honorable Scott Bessent, Secretary
U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20220
Dear Secretary Bessent:
Earlier today, you appointed Tom Krause to perform the duties of the Fiscal Assistant Secretary. I urge you to immediately remove Mr. Krause from this position and appoint a nonpartisan career expert, as I requested in my letter dated February 3.
Mr. Krause, an unqualified partisan “special government employee,” was installed by Elon Musk in the Treasury Department earlier this year. Currently, he is the top government official responsible for paying the Nation’s bills on time, including Social Security, Medicare, and tax refunds. He is also responsible for managing the Nation’s finances to remain under the debt limit while the Treasury Department is using extraordinary measures to avoid a catastrophic breach. He is also in charge of the system for auctioning U.S. government bonds. As you know from your long career on Wall Street, Treasuries are the benchmark for how much money Americans are charged for a mortgage or a credit card. A seasoned and nonpolitical expert should be at the helm to ensure the fair, impartial, and responsible administration of public funds.
As a “special government employee,” Mr. Krause is reportedly performing his public duties while remaining in charge of his private company. According to a trade publication, he emailed employees at his company on February 5 that his Treasury post is “in addition to my duties as CEO of Cloud Software Group.” At the very least, the American people deserve someone’s undivided attention for this job.
Given your choice to give this job to a partisan who will apparently be working part time, the buck stops with you if there is any interruption to Treasury’s ability to pay Americans the money they are owed, make interest payments on the debt, or auction Treasury securities.
I request your commitment, no later than February 11, 2025, to remove Mr. Krause as the Fiscal Assistant Secretary and instead appoint a qualified individual who will work for the American people on a full-time basis. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Source: United States AFRICOM
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John W. Brennan, Deputy Commander, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Rose Keravuori, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Africa Command, met with Libyan leaders, Feb. 4-6, to promote increased security cooperation between the United States and Libya.
The two generals and the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Libya Jeremy Berndt met with officials from both the Government of National Unity (GNU) and Libya National Army (LNA) in locations throughout Libya, to include Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sirte, a city where U.S. support to the fight against Da’ish in 2016 helped the people of Sirte and the surrounding region regain peace and stability.
While there, leaders from both the GNU and LNA expressed commitment to greater military unification and cooperation efforts through face-to-face engagements and training that benefits both sides, contributing to Libyan efforts to overcome divisions and foster unity.
“This week was a significant step in forwarding our efforts with Libya’s civilian and military leaders throughout the country,” said Brennan. “Brigadier General Keravuori and I were able to meet with leaders at various levels, to include tactical unit levels, to see where the United States can serve as a catalyst to bring about a unified country able to defeat malign actors who threaten North Africa and U.S. security interests.”
In Benghazi, Brennan, Keravuori and Chargé d’Affaires Berndt met with LNA Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and LNA Ground Forces Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Saddam Haftar. The leaders discussed U.S.-Libya cooperation supporting stability in the country and Libyan-led efforts to reunify military institutions.
The U.S. delegation spent time in Tripoli where they engaged with GNU Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Defense Abdul Hamid Dabaiba and Deputy Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Abdel Salam Zubi, discussing security cooperation, efforts to promote regional stability, and Libyan-led efforts to unify its military and security institutions.
Leaders also met with GNU Chief of Staff General Mohammed Haddad, Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Salah Namroush, and the Director of Military Intelligence and 444 Commander Maj. Gen. Mahmoud Hamza where topics of discussion included professional development of Libya’s military and opportunities to strengthen bilateral defense ties.
Finally, Brennan and Keravuori traveled to Sirte and met again with Lt. Gen. Saddam Haftar and visited several tactical units as well as the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) Headquarters. There they explored training and technical assistance opportunities to enhance cooperation among Libyan security forces throughout the country in accordance with recent United Nations Arms Embargo modifications granted by the U.N. Security Council.
“We thank our partners in the east and west for receiving us and continuing to engage with us on their important efforts to reunify the Libyan military,” said Chargé d’Affaires Berndt. “A strong and unified Libyan military will help Libya safeguard its sovereignty in the face of malign actors and regional instability.”
“On this trip we were able to witness a lot of positive reconstruction and efforts to increase military professionalism in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sirte. What we observed demonstrates Libyan resolve, resilience and desire for stability, economic development, and prosperity through cooperation with the U.S. government and private investment,” said Brennan. “A stronger and more unified Libya is better for the people of Libya and for regional security. We look forward to building on existing defense activities and investments that move toward our shared goals of a safe, secure, and prosperous Libya.”
U.S. Africa Command is one of seven U.S. Department of Defense geographic combatant commands. The command is responsible for all U.S. military operations, exercises, security cooperation, and conducts crisis response on the African continent in order to advance U.S. interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.
For more information, visit our website, Facebook and Twitter pages, or contact U.S. Africa Command Media Relations at africom-pao-media@mail.mil.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement in response to Senate Republicans releasing their blueprint for a first budget reconciliation bill:
“Republicans are making clear with their budget blueprint that they are serious about eliminating the Department of Education, cutting Medicaid and Medicare, and increasing wait times for veterans by slashing the VA. The Senate Republican Budget shows they are blindly following the lead of Elon Musk rather than the needs of the American people. This started with illegal impoundments, and then Musk and DOGE ransacking and infiltrating federal agencies to make arbitrary cuts—and based on the nearly $1 trillion in unspecified spending cuts assumed for this year alone, Republicans are not just okay with Elon Musk running wild, but are encouraging him to target schools, health care, transportation, and other services people who aren’t billionaires rely on.
“Let’s not lose sight of the fact that these cuts are a precursor to Republicans giving massive tax cuts to billionaires while blowing up the deficit and grinding services Americans depend on—like Medicaid and SNAP—down to the bone.
“Prices are rising and families need help. People are right to be outraged that Republicans’ first instinct is to deliver massive giveaways for billionaires while putting a target on nutrition and health care. The single biggest driver of our national debt since 2001 has been Republican tax cuts—and America can’t afford another round. Democrats are ready to right-size our budget by simply asking giant corporations and billionaires to pay their fair share in taxes, while still investing in health care, our schools, environment, and more. I will be on the side of regular working people when I arrive at Wednesday’s Budget Committee markup—not billionaires like Elon Musk.”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in response to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announcing it would set the maximum reimbursement rate for indirect costs to 15%, creating a serious funding shortfall for research institutions of all types across the country. This move will dismantle the biomedical research system, stifle the development of new cures for disease, and rip treatments away from patients in need. It won’t produce cost savings; it will just shift costs to states who can’t afford to pay the difference. Importantly, this action by the Trump administration is illegal. Congress’ bipartisan Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill prohibits modifications to NIH’s indirect costs.
“By proposing an illegal and arbitrary indirect cost rate, Trump and Elon are functionally forcing an indiscriminate funding cut for research institutions across the country that will be nothing short of catastrophic for so much of the lifesaving research patients and families are counting on. This will derail major breakthroughs by forcing research institutions—like the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the University of Washington in my state—to now scramble to make up this massive shortfall, almost certainly forcing layoffs across the country. Sick kids may not get the treatment they need. Clinical trials may be shut down abruptly with dangerous consequences. Just because Elon Musk doesn’t understand indirect costs doesn’t mean Americans should have to pay the price with their lives.
“These resources go toward things like construction, utility costs, and lab operation—if NIH cuts off this support, the research will come to a halt. This funding helps produce breakthroughs that change patients’ lives, prepare us for pandemics and other health threats, and ensure the U.S. continues to be the global leader in biomedical research. After a global pandemic that brought the world economy to a grinding halt and cost more than one million American lives, it’s unthinkable that Trump and Musk want to pull funding that will force public and private labs across America to shutter. I refuse to abandon the millions of families who are fighting cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, substance use disorders, and so much more—I hope Americans everywhere will speak out to reverse this haphazard and dangerous funding cut.”
As a longtime appropriator and former Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, Murray has long fought to boost biomedical research, strengthen public health infrastructure, and make health care more affordable and accessible. Over her years as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, she has secured billions of dollars in increases for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, and during her time as Chair of the HELP Committee she established the new ARPA-H research agency as part of her PREVENT Pandemics Act to advance some of the most cutting-edge research in the field. Senator Murray was also the lead Democratic negotiator of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which delivered a major federal investment to boost NIH research, among many other investments.
Source: Peoples Bank of China
Announcement on Open Market Operations No.24 [2025]
(Open Market Operations Office, February 8, 2025)
In order to keep liquidity adequate in the banking system, the People’s Bank of China conducted reverse repo operations in the amount of RMB14 billion through quantity bidding at a fixed interest rate on February 8, 2025.
Details of the Reverse Repo Operations
|
Maturity |
Volume |
Rate |
|
7 days |
RMB14 billion |
1.50% |
Date of last update Nov. 29 2018
2025年02月08日
Source: China State Council Information Office
China’s second-hand vehicle market recorded steady growth in 2024, with annual transactions climbing 6.52 percent year on year to over 19.61 million units, according to data released by the China Automobile Dealers Association on Saturday.
The total transaction value for the year reached approximately 1.29 trillion yuan (about 180 billion U.S. dollars), the association said.
In December alone, the sector saw robust performance, with sales exceeding 1.9 million units, up 14.4 percent from the same period in 2023 and marking a 6.42 percent increase from November. December transaction revenue stood at about 119.96 billion yuan.
Source: China State Council Information Office
China’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) has urged efforts to expedite the development of standards for road and air collaboration in low-altitude transport and artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting these areas as key priorities for 2025.
The directive was issued during a meeting on Friday, where a task assignment plan to improve transport industry standards between 2024 and 2027 was approved, according to a statement by the MOT.
Measures must be taken to promote intelligent transport as part of the national pilot program for service standardization, aiming to make the country’s transport industry smarter and more digitalized, according to the ministry.
In recent years, China has actively advanced low-altitude transport and logistics, with drones playing a key role in short-haul, cross-region and city deliveries.
Data from the MOT shows that approximately 2.7 million parcels were delivered by drones across the country in 2024.
According to the China low-altitude logistics development report, released by the Linksum Institute of Digital Industry, the industry’s market size expanded from 27.18 billion yuan (about 3.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020 to 58.18 billion yuan in 2023. Projections indicate it could reach 120 to 150 billion yuan by 2025.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
A man has died following a crash involving a ute and a motorbike on Parihauhau Road, Parikino this afternoon.
Emergency services responded to the scene around 1:40pm.
The motorcyclist was located deceased, and the occupants of the vehicle were uninjured.
The Serious Crash Unit has completed a scene examination and the road has since reopened.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Cente
Source: GlobalData
Barclays tech outage highlights legacy banking system risks amid rising digital competition, says GlobalData
Posted in Banking
Barclays, British multinational universal bank, faced a severe 48-hour technical outage (31 January-2 February), disrupting payments and online banking for millions of UK customers. The incident underscores the persistent vulnerabilities of legacy banking systems, despite substantial ICT investments. As digital-native challengers redefine industry standards, traditional banks must accelerate transformation or risk losing relevance in an increasingly competitive financial landscape, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s report, “Barclays Plc – Digital Transformation Strategies,” reveals that the UK’s second-largest bank’s ICT budget in 2023 was estimated at over $1 billion. The duration and severity of last weekend’s technical issue will raise questions about the effectiveness of this significant investment.
Jonathan Vaughan Burleigh, Associate Analyst, Banking and Payments at GlobalData, comments: “The severity of this outage highlights the need for real transformation in digital operations. Simply spending over $1 billion per year on ICT is clearly not enough to guarantee reliability in a digital banking platform. Banks must begin to completely overhaul outdated systems to keep up with the consumer expectations in the modern banking landscape.”
Despite the funding allocated for Barclays’ digital transformation, data from GlobalData’s Financial Services Consumer Survey 2024* reveals that the bank’s customers rated their digital satisfaction below the market average. Barclays is not an outlier in this metric. Many of the largest traditional banking providers rank near the bottom, with Lloyds Bank being the only one of the top five largest banks rated above average.
Vaughan Burleigh continues: “Established ‘traditional’ banks are struggling to adapt their digital platforms to keep up with rapidly changing consumer preferences. It is no coincidence that digital-only banks such as Starling and Monzo rank far above the market average, while banks still operating on legacy technology perform poorly in digital satisfaction. Banks that are digitally native are far more agile. They can resolve issues more quickly, respond to customer preferences with new products, and provide a strong digital offering for their growing consumer bases.”
The need for traditional banks to abandon legacy technology and embrace a digital-first approach extends beyond avoiding technical issues and service outages. While this glitch will certainly damage Barclays’ reputation, the more pressing concern is future customer acquisition and retention.
According to GlobalData’s Competitor Benchmarking Analytics 2024, the key determinants of a bank’s NPS in the UK include personalized experiences, competitively priced products and services, the ability to resolve minor issues online, and the omnichannel nature of the bank’s services. Digital-native banks have become market leaders in these areas, developing new capabilities ahead of larger, traditional players.
Vaughan Burleigh concludes: “The banking landscape has shifted significantly since digital challengers gained popularity. Consumers now expect advanced online capabilities, such as personalized insights and financial education, as basic features of bank accounts. If historically dominant players like Barclays fail to revolutionize their online banking offerings immediately, digital only banks will not only capture the young consumers entering the market but also convince more mature users to abandon sluggish providers in favour of innovative and agile competitors.”
*GlobalData’s 2024 Financial Services Consumer Survey was conducted online in Q2 2024 and had 67,000 respondents across 41 countries, of which 5,003 are from the UK.
Source: GlobalData
Channel 4 dominates 30th Annual Broadcast Awards 2025 with eight wins
Posted in MBI
London, United Kingdom, 07 February 2025 – The Broadcast Awards 2025 celebrated its 30th anniversary on Wednesday night in a star-studded ceremony at JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London, where Channel 4 led the night with an impressive eight wins. The event was organised by Media Business Insight (MBI) Ltd, a GlobalData company.
Marking three decades of celebrating excellence in British television, the event gathered over 1,250 industry professionals to honour the best in TV programmes, talent, and channels.
In a special moment to commemorate the 30th anniversary, the iconic BBC series ‘Gavin & Stacey’ was awarded the prestigious Hall of Fame award, a new category introduced this year to celebrate enduring contributions to British television. James Corden accepted the award on behalf of the series, joined by industry luminaries and celebrity guests including Alan Carr, Vicky Pattison, Susanna Reid, Kate Garraway and Pete Wicks who celebrated the series’ legacy and impact.
Other notable highlights included:
For a full list of the 2025 winners and highlights from the 30th anniversary celebration, visit: Broadcast Awards.
Comedian Sue Perkins returned to host the event, bringing her trademark wit and humour to a packed room of industry leaders for a brilliant evening of celebration.
Chris Curtis, Editor in Chief at Broadcast of MBI, comments: “It was fantastic to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Broadcast Awards by recognising the very best programming of the last 12 months. During a challenging period for the sector, British creative flair and production excellence have really come to the fore, and the awards night was a celebration of everything that is good about our industry.
‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office’ changed government policy, ‘Gavin & Stacey’ is one of the most beloved series of all time, and the hard work and brilliance of colleagues across the sector is ensuring that the next generation of programming will be just as groundbreaking.”
The awards are judged by a specially selected panel of the leading industry figures, celebrating a year of groundbreaking and inspiring content.
The Broadcast Awards 2025 were supported by Access Bookings, Barclays, BBC Studioworks, BMC TV, dock10, EMG/Gravity Media, ES Broadcast, Garden Studios, Iron Mountain Media & Archival Services, Maidstone Studios, Moments Lab, NEP, Pinewood TV Studios, Race Tech, Sargent-Disc, The Complete Camera Company and VERSA Studios.
MBI is the publisher of market-leading titles including Broadcast, Broadcast Sport, Broadcast Tech, KFTV, The Knowledge and Screen International.
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
By building up intelligence around suspects and working at pace, Met officers in Camden arrested a male and recovered 16 stolen phones which are being returned to their owners.
At around 08:00hrs on Thursday, 6 February, officers were alerted to a phone robbery in Euston. The police helicopter had tracked the suspect to the Belsize Park area of Camden, and utilising the intelligence picture built up by the Met, a nearby address was raided.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested at the location after around £1,000 in cash was found at the address along with a quantity of cannabis. 16 mobile phones were found nearby. A Surron electric motorcycle found outside the property was also seized. The boy has been bailed pending further enquiries.
Inspector John Wilde, one of the senior officers policing Camden, said: “This arrest shows what we are doing to deal with theft and robbery offences, including by offenders riding bikes, e-bikes and mopeds.
“We are constantly building intelligence, linking offences and working to establish who might be responsible. And we are responding to robberies at pace.
“These tactics, among others, are enabling us to get significant results like this, recovering stolen goods and drugs, and arresting those we suspect of committing offences.”
If you have been a victim of robbery, please call 999 or, if your phone has been stolen, ask someone nearby to call police urgently. If you have information about those committing robberies or selling stolen good, please call 101, message @MetCC or to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers.
Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia
Issued for WILMINGTON, MELROSE, NECTAR BROOK and MAMBRAY CREEK in the Mount Remarkable National Park in the Flinders Ranges.
Aircraft will continue to work during the day deploying fire retardant to lower the risk of spreading past control lines, and aerial bombing and observational aircraft are supporting them.
Firefighters on day and night shift will continue to closely monitor weather conditions in the coming days and carry out controlled burns when needed to limit the fire from spreading. Fire behaviour is expected to be low to moderate. During these burns, the community may notice more smoke, flames, and embers, especially at night.
Whilst there is still currently no threat to local communities, anyone in Wilmington, Melrose, Nectar Brook, and Mambray Creek is strongly encouraged to stay informed through multiple channels as the situation is continually changing.
Around 79 CFS and Department for Environment and Water firefighters are working on a scrub fire at Alligator Gorge in the Mount Remarkable National Park. They are supported by approximately 23 trucks, 30 Farm Fire Units, heavy machinery, and 6 aircraft, including firebombers and observational aircraft.
Due to the steep terrain with limited safe access for firefighters, the fire remains uncontained and is predicted to burn for the remainder of the week, if not longer. The fire has continued to grow to approximately 3850 ha and currently remains mostly within the national park boundaries, except for some small areas across the northern end.
Mount Remarkable National Park will remain closed until further notice. Emergency services may be working on and around roads in the wider area, and motorists are advised to stay away. If you need to travel on roads in the area, please take care and drive according to the local conditions.
Smoke impacting local communities may increase at different points over the coming days. Please take precautions for your health, and if driving through smoke, ensure you slow down and drive to conditions..
Message ID 0008142
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
China’s National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Saturday renewed a yellow alert for strong winds and forecasted temperature drops in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, where the 9th Asian Winter Games is underway.
From 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, strong winds are expected in parts of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hebei Province, Xizang Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province.
Powerful winds are also expected in parts of the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, waters east of Taiwan Island, the Bashi Channel, and the South China Sea.
The NMC announced the end of Friday’s blue alert for a cold wave but noted that temperatures are expected to drop in parts of Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang Province from Saturday to Sunday, with some areas of Heilongjiang seeing declines of up to 10 degrees Celsius.
China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system for strong winds, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
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2025-01-31
President Lai’s response to Pope Francis’s 2025 World Day of Peace message
President Lai Ching-te recently sent a letter to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to his message marking the 58th World Day of Peace. The following is the full text of the president’s letter to the pope: Your Holiness, In your message for the 2025 World Day of Peace entitled Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace, you called for a cultural change that would bring an end to the governance of interpersonal and international relations by a logic of exploitation and oppression and herald true and lasting peace. I wholeheartedly admire and identify with your point of view. Since transitioning from a medical career to politics, I have remained true to my original intentions in the sense that, while a doctor can help only one person at a time, a public servant can simultaneously assist many people in resolving the difficulties affecting their lives. In my inaugural address in May 2024, I pledged that every day of my term, I would strive to act justly, show mercy, and be humble, which accord with the teachings of the Bible. I promised to treat the Taiwanese people as family and prove myself worthy of their trust and expectations. With an unwavering heart, I have accepted the people’s trust and taken on the solemn responsibility of leading the nation forward and building a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous new Taiwan. In this new year, the changing international landscape continues to present many grave challenges to democratic nations around the world. As the Russia-Ukraine war persists, the steady convergence of authoritarian regimes, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatens the rules-based international order and severely impacts peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the world at large. Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners. A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese people also maintain an unyielding commitment to safeguarding a way of life that encompasses freedom, equality, democracy, and human rights. Taiwan will continue to spare no effort in preserving regional peace and stability and serving as a pilot for global peace. In your World Day of Peace message, you urged prosperous countries to assist poorer ones. This compassion is truly touching. Taiwan is proactively implementing values-based diplomacy and, under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, enhancing allies’ development through a range of initiatives. Over many years, Taiwan has accumulated abundant and unique experience of providing foreign assistance. Seeking to foster self-reliance among disadvantaged countries, we have extended genuine support to help alleviate poverty through such avenues as strengthening basic infrastructure, transferring technology, and cultivating talent. In your message, you reminded countries worldwide that assistance should not be merely an isolated act of charity and pointed to the need to devise a new global financial framework so that food crises, climate change, and other challenges could be jointly addressed. I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organizations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons. Taiwan is willing to shoulder its international responsibilities so that it can contribute and share its valuable experience through many global platforms. On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I again express our interest in collaborating with the Holy See to advance world peace through concrete action. We also aspire to demonstrate Taiwanese values and the Taiwanese spirit and work together with the Holy See to uphold the core values of justice, democracy, freedom, and peace. Please accept, Your Holiness, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration, as well as my best wishes for your good health and the continued growth of the Catholic Church.
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2025-01-31
President Lai meets former US Vice President Mike Pence
On the afternoon of January 17, President Lai Ching-te met with former Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations, noting that he actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, and did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. The president indicated that former Vice President Pence also spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, backing Taiwan’s international participation. President Lai expressed hope for a stronger Taiwan-US partnership to maintain peace and stability throughout the world, and that the two sides can advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Karen Pence to the Presidential Office. Former Vice President Pence is not only an outstanding political leader in the US, but also a staunch supporter of Taiwan on the international stage. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude to former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations. Thanks to former Vice President Pence’s strong backing, ties between Taiwan and the US rose to unprecedented heights during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Former Vice President Pence actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US security cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, helping Taiwan reinforce its self-defense capabilities. He also did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. Former Vice President Pence also paid close attention to the military threats and diplomatic isolation faced by Taiwan. He spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, taking concrete action to back Taiwan’s international participation. We were truly grateful for this. As we speak, China’s political and military intimidation against Taiwan persist. China and other authoritarian regimes, such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran, are continuing to converge and present serious challenges to democracies around the globe. At this moment, free and democratic nations must come together to bolster cooperation. I believe that a stronger Taiwan-US partnership can be an even more powerful force in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world. Former Vice President Pence has previously supported the signing of a trade agreement between Taiwan and the US. Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the new US administration and Congress to advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. This is the first time that former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence are visiting Taiwan, and their visit is significantly meaningful for Taiwan-US exchanges. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to extend a warm welcome. Moving forward, I hope we will jointly realize even more fruitful achievements through Taiwan-US cooperation. Former Vice President Pence then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for his hospitality on his and his wife’s first visit to Taiwan, saying that it is an honor to be here to reaffirm the bonds of friendship between the people of America and the people of Taiwan, which are strong and longstanding. The former vice president indicated that the American people admire the people of Taiwan and all that has been accomplished in a few short decades for Taiwan to rise to one of the world’s preeminent economic powers and free societies. He said that he is grateful for President Lai’s courageous and bold leadership of Taiwan, and grateful to be able to express the support of the overwhelming majority of the American people for this alliance. Former Vice President Pence indicated that the values shared by Taiwan and the US, including freedom, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, bind us together in a partnership that transcends geographic boundaries and cultures. He then assured President Lai that China’s increasingly aggressive posture in the Taiwan Strait and across the Indo-Pacific, for the values and interests that both sides share, is deeply concerning to the American people. Former Vice President Pence stated that America is a Pacific nation, and is committed to the status quo, adding that they recognize it is China that wants to change the status quo that America, Taiwan, and other allies in the region want to preserve, which has created an environment of extraordinary growth and prosperity. The former vice president concluded by once again thanking President Lai and his team for their gracious hospitality and conveying best wishes to him and the people of Taiwan. Former Vice President Pence then assured President Lai that just as Taiwan will never surrender its freedom, he will continue to be a voice for a strong US-Taiwan relationship in the defense and the benefit of Taiwan, the US, and the free world. Later that day, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao hosted a banquet for former Vice President Pence and his delegation at Taipei Guest House to thank him for his longstanding friendship and staunch support for Taiwan-US ties.
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2025-01-31
President Lai meets delegation to 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of US president and vice president
On the morning of January 16, President Lai Ching-te met with Taiwan’s delegation to the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States. In remarks, President Lai stated that democratic Taiwan stands united, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties together. He then entrusted the delegation with three missions: to convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan, convey our firm commitment to democracy, and help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: The 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US will be held on January 20. I want to thank Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), president of the Legislative Yuan, for accepting my invitation to lead our nation’s representative delegation to the event. I also thank Legislative Yuan Members Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞), Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀), Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), Kuo Yu-ching (郭昱晴), and Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) for joining this visit to the US to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. We have gathered together today despite differences in party affiliation because in democratic Taiwan, while parties may compete domestically, when it comes to engagement externally, they stand united and share responsibility, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties and strive for the best interests of the nation. We share the value of defending freedom and democracy, and we share the goal of advancing peace and prosperity. Today, we engage with the world together as those from the same country – the Republic of China (Taiwan). In this complex and volatile new international landscape, and as the nation faces difficulties and challenges, I want to stress that in Formosa, there is no hostility that cannot be let go, and no hardship that cannot be overcome. Unity is the most important, and I hope that Taiwan can stand united, because there is true strength in unity. Democratic Taiwan must stand united in engaging with the world and initiate exchanges with confidence. On that ground, I am entrusting this delegation with three key missions. First, convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan. Just last year, Taiwan and the US celebrated the 45th anniversary of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act. And on May 20, the US sent a senior bipartisan delegation to congratulate me and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao on our inauguration. As the leader of this cross-party delegation, Speaker Han must clearly convey the well-wishes of the people of Taiwan, congratulate President Trump and Vice President Vance on their inauguration, and wish success to the new administration and prosperity to the US. Second, clearly convey the firm commitment of the people of Taiwan to democracy. The theme of these inaugural ceremonies is “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise.” Taiwan and the US share the universal value of democracy and are staunch allies. I hope that the delegation can faithfully convey the firm commitment to democracy that the people of Taiwan have, which will not change even in the face of authoritarian threats. Taiwan is willing to stand side by side with the US and other members of the democratic community to defend the sustainable development of global democracy and prevent the expansion of authoritarianism. Third, help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. In recent years, Taiwan-US relations have continued to grow, with the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st Century Trade having formally taken effect last month. This morning, the House of Representatives also passed the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act. I hope that the delegation can help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone through these exchanges so that our relations continue to grow, our cooperation expands even more, and so that we can achieve even greater success after the new administration takes office. Four years ago, Taiwan’s representative to the US inaugural ceremonies was Vice President Hsiao, who was then our representative to the US. Everyone has a lot to learn from her. I have specially invited everyone here to converse so that you can draw from Vice President Hsiao’s experience and ensure an even smoother visit. Washington, DC was also hit by a rare blizzard recently, and the weather has been very cold, so make sure to stay warm. I am sending everyone off with hand warmers and thermoses so that you can bring some warmth from Taiwan with you on your journey. And I ask that Speaker Han exercise his wisdom to help generate some warmth between the ruling and opposition parties through cooperation, which they can then bring back to Taiwan. Let us unite to give our all for diplomacy so that we can unite to give our all for Taiwan. I wish the delegation a smooth and safe trip, and hope your missions can be carried out successfully. Speaker Han then delivered remarks, stating that it was an honor to be invited by President Lai to organize a delegation to represent our nation at the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US in Washington, DC, and express the Republic of China’s sincere and cordial best wishes. The Legislative Yuan’s president has assumed this important task numerous times in the past, he said, not only to represent the government of the Republic of China, but also to take on the mission of conveying the voices of 23 million people. He went on to say that he is honored to take up the baton, lead eight legislators to the US to attend this celebration that will attract global attention, and express sincere best wishes to newly elected President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the new administration’s team. As enjoined by President Lai, he hopes the delegation’s trip will help open a new chapter in Taiwan-US exchanges. Speaker Han stated that the US is the most free and democratic country in the world. He noted that in 1776 in the US Declaration of Independence, founding father Thomas Jefferson propounded the concept of “unalienable rights,” and emphasized that the people have a right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness, democratic ideas that have long been rooted in the people’s hearts. Today, he said, democracy is also embedded in the DNA of Taiwan’s 23 million people, and this hard-won democratic achievement is a result of the concerted efforts of our pioneering predecessors, thinkers, and activists over the past 100 years. Speaker Han stated that during this visit, the Legislative Yuan delegation hopes to convey the voice of Taiwan as a democratic country. Taiwan’s security, he said, is like the four legs of a table: The first leg is defending the Republic of China, the second is defending freedom and democracy, the third is maintaining Taiwan-US relations, and the fourth is maintaining cross-strait peace. The delegation will travel to the US amidst severe cold weather to show that we value our relationship with the US, and our citizens have great hopes and expectations. Speaker Han stated that this will be a cross-party delegation of eight legislators, all of whom have a strong sense of mission. He hopes that all democratic nations will acknowledge Taiwan’s importance, and pay attention to Taiwan’s 23 million people. The delegation, he said, will do its utmost to convey the goodwill and warmth that the people of Taiwan give to each and every one of our good friends.
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2025-01-31
President Lai confers decoration on former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
On the morning of January 14, President Lai Ching-te conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis of the Republic of Lithuania in recognition of his remarkable contributions to deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Minister Landsbergis for standing firmly with Taiwan and remaining a staunch defender of democratic values, yielding fruitful cooperative results. The president expressed hope that the two countries will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture, and continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy so that together we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Today, by conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister Landsbergis, we recognize his outstanding contributions during his time as foreign minister of Lithuania. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I thank him for the key role he has played in deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the efforts of former Minister Landsbergis, Lithuania was the first European nation to donate vaccines to Taiwan. On that occasion, he stated that “freedom-loving people should look out for each other.” His statement was very moving and left a deep impression on many Taiwanese people. We will never forget it. Former Minister Landsbergis has continued to express the spirit of those words through his concrete actions. With his staunch support, Taiwan and Lithuania have mutually established representative offices. Moreover, our representative office in Lithuania was the first in Europe to incorporate “Taiwan” in its name. As for bilateral cooperation, Taiwan and Lithuania have seen fruitful results in such fields as semiconductors, laser technology, finance, and medicine. Be it overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic or resisting expanding authoritarianism, former Minister Landsbergis has stood firmly with Taiwan and remained a staunch defender of democratic values. We greatly admire and appreciate his spirit. Today, authoritarian regimes continue to converge, posing threats and challenges to democracies around the world. Taiwan, Lithuania, and other democratic countries must come closer together, drawing on the strength of unity, so as to jointly safeguard freedom and democracy and uphold the rules-based international order. Looking ahead, we hope that Taiwan and Lithuania will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture. Let us continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy. Together, we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. In closing, I once again thank you, former Minister Landsbergis, for your support and for all that you have done for Taiwan. We welcome you and your wife to visit often. I wish you both a smooth and successful visit in Taiwan, and hope you leave with lasting memories. Former Minister Landsbergis then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor to receive the decoration today. He noted that only partially can he accept the honor, as there have been many people who worked together with him in the ministry and in the whole country who support the people of Taiwan and see the benefit of supporting democracy in Taiwan. He often says that in Lithuania they remember well the fight for their freedom, and just today, he mentioned, he was shown the permanent exhibition in the Presidential Office, where he saw similar pictures of Taiwanese people fighting for democracy. He emphasized that not even one generation has passed since these events took place here in Taipei or similar events took place in Vilnius. Former Minister Landsbergis said that decision-makers in the Lithuanian government are either people who were themselves fighting for freedom, or, as in his case, those who were sitting on the shoulders of parents who were fighting for freedom. So for them, he underlined, freedom, democracy, liberty, and sovereignty are very real concepts that they cherish, not just things read about in a history book. He said that this is the main connector between Lithuania and Taiwan, a feeling of freedom and support for each other. Former Minister Landsbergis stated that in the face of authoritarians who do not wish us prosperity, who do not wish us freedom and future achievements, what he expects from the future is that the friendship, collaboration, and mutual support between Lithuania and Taiwan will inspire others to join in. This, he said, will make other countries not be afraid to support freedom and democracy, and will allow our group of friends to continue to grow. Lithuanian history, the former minister said, is difficult, and a big part of it was fighting for their freedom. He explained that during the 19th century when Lithuania was part of Russia’s empire, they had several revolutions and uprisings with the aim of becoming free, and that they were fighting for that freedom alongside Poland and Belarus. He then applied a phrase that they used in the revolution of 1864 – “for your freedom and ours,” meaning that they will continue to fight for their freedom while helping Taiwan fight for ours. Also in attendance at the ceremony were former Minister Landsbergis’ wife Dr. Austėja Landsbergienė and Lithuanian Representative to Taiwan Paulius Lukauskas.
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2025-01-31
Presidential Office thanks White House for its statement on enduring US commitment to Indo-Pacific region
On January 10 (US EST), the US White House released a statement on the United States’ Enduring Commitment to the Indo-Pacific Region, in which it reaffirms its position of using a range of methods to help Taiwan maintain a sufficient self-defense capability so as to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on January 11 expressed sincere gratitude to the US government for taking concrete actions to fulfill its security commitments to Taiwan, advancing the close Taiwan-US security partnership, and supporting Taiwan in its efforts to enhance its self-defense capabilities and resilience. Spokesperson Kuo stated that the deepening Taiwan-US security partnership is a critical cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. She noted that Taiwan, as a force for good and regional stability, will continue to work alongside like-minded countries to strengthen defense resilience as we jointly defend the values of freedom and democracy and ensure the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.
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2025-01-01
President Lai delivers 2025 New Year’s Address
On the morning of January 1, President Lai Ching-te delivered his 2025 New Year’s Address, titled “Bolstering National Strength through Democracy to Enter a New Global Landscape,” in the Reception Hall of the Presidential Office. President Lai stated that today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. In this new year, he said, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. The president expressed hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together, allowing Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. President Lai emphasized that in 2025, we must keep firm on the path of democracy, continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies, and continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. The president said that Taiwan will keep going strong, and we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. A translation of President Lai’s address follows: Today is the first day of 2025. With a new year comes new beginnings. I wish that Taiwan enjoys peace, prosperity, and success, and that our people lead happy lives. Taiwan truly finished 2024 strong. Though there were many challenges, there were also many triumphs. We withstood earthquakes and typhoons, and stood firm in the face of constant challenges posed by authoritarianism. We also shared glory as Taiwan won the Premier12 baseball championship, and now Taiwanese people around the world are all familiar with the gesture for Team Taiwan. At the Paris Olympics, Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and Lee Yang (李洋) clinched another gold in men’s doubles badminton. Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) took home Taiwan’s first Olympic gold in boxing. At the International Junior Science Olympiad, every student in our delegation of six won a gold medal. And Yang Shuang-zi’s (楊双子) novel Taiwan Travelogue, translated into English by King Lin (金翎), became a United States National Book Award winner and a tour de force of Taiwan literature on the international level. Our heroes of Taiwan are defined by neither age nor discipline. They have taken home top prizes at international competitions and set new records. They tell Taiwan’s story through their outstanding performances, letting the world see the spirit and culture of Taiwan, and filling all our citizens with pride. My fellow citizens, we have stood together through thick and thin; we have shared our ups and downs. We have wept together, and we have laughed together. We are all one family, all members of Team Taiwan. I want to thank each of our citizens for their dedication, fueling Taiwan’s progress and bringing our nation glory. You have given Taiwan even greater strength to stand out on the global stage. In this new year, we must continue bringing Taiwan’s stories to the world, and make Taiwan’s successes a force for global progress. In 2025, the world will be entering a new landscape. Last year, over 70 countries held elections, and the will of the people has changed with the times. As many countries turn new pages politically, and in the midst of rapid international developments, Taiwan must continue marching forward with steady strides. First, we must keep firm on the path of democracy. Taiwan made it through a dark age of authoritarianism and has since become a glorious beacon of democracy in Asia. This was achieved through the sacrifices of our democratic forebears and the joint efforts of all our citizens. Democracy’s value to Taiwan lies not just in our free way of life, or in the force driving the diverse and vigorous growth of our society. Democracy is the brand that has earned us international trust in terms of diplomacy. No matter the threat or challenge Taiwan may face, democracy is Taiwan’s only path forward. We will not turn back. Domestic competition among political parties is a part of democracy. But domestic political disputes must be resolved democratically, within the constitutional system. This is the only way democracy can continue to grow. The Executive Yuan has the right to request a reconsideration of the controversial bills passed in the Legislative Yuan, giving it room for reexamination. Constitutional institutions can also lodge a petition for a constitutional interpretation, and through Constitutional Court adjudication, ensure a separation of powers, safeguard constitutional order, and gradually consolidate the constitutional system. The people also have the right of election, recall, initiative, and referendum, and can bring together even greater democratic power to show the true meaning of sovereignty in the hands of the people. In this new year, the changing international landscape will present democratic nations around the world with many grave challenges. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas rage on, and we are seeing the continued convergence of authoritarian regimes including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatening the rules-based international order and severely affecting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the world at large. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. Taiwan needs to prepare for danger in times of peace. We must continue increasing our national defense budget, bolster our national defense capabilities, and show our determination to protect our country. Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and security. We must gather together every bit of strength we have to enhance whole-of-society defense resilience, and build capabilities to respond to major disasters and deter threats or encroachment. We must also strengthen communication with society to combat information and cognitive warfare, so that the populace rejects threats and enticements and jointly guards against malicious infiltration by external forces. Here at home, we must consolidate democracy with democracy. Internationally, we must make friends worldwide through democracy. This is how we will ensure security and peace. The more secure Taiwan, the more secure the world. The more resilient Taiwan, the sounder the defense of global democracy. The global democratic community should work even closer together to support the democratic umbrella as we seek ways to resolve the war in Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas. Together, we must uphold stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific, and achieve our goal of global peace. Second, we must continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, and enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. In the first half of 2024, growth in the Taiwan Stock Index was the highest in the world. Our economic growth rate for the year as a whole is expected to reach 4.2 percent, leading among the Four Asian Tigers. Domestic investment is soaring, having exceeded NT$5 trillion, and inflation is gradually stabilizing. Export orders from January to November totaled US$536.6 billion, up 3.7 percent from the same period in 2023. And compared over the same period, exports saw a 9.9 percent increase, reaching US$431.5 billion. Recent surveys also show that in 2024, the average increase in salaries at companies was higher than that in 2023. Additionally, over 90 percent of companies plan to raise salaries this year, which is an eight-year high. All signs indicate that Taiwan’s economic climate continues to recover, and that our economy is growing steadily. Our overall economic performance is impressive; still, we must continue to pay attention to the impact on Taiwan’s industries from the changing geopolitical landscape, uncertainties in the global economic environment, and dumping by the “red supply chain.” For a nation, all sectors and professions are equally important; only when all our industries are strong can Taiwan be strong as a nation. Our micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of Taiwan, and the development of our various industrial parks has given Taiwan the impetus for our prosperity. We must carry the spirit of “Made in Taiwan” forward, bringing it to ever greater heights. Thus, beyond just developing our high-tech industry, our Executive Yuan has already proposed a solution that will help traditional industries and MSMEs comprehensively adopt technology applications, engage in the digital and net-zero twin transition, and develop channels, all for better operational structures and higher productivity. Taiwan must continue enhancing its economic resilience. In recent years, Taiwan has significantly increased its investments in the US, Japan, Europe, and the New Southbound countries, and such investment has already surpassed investment in China. This indicates that our efforts in diversifying markets and reducing reliance on any single market are working. Moving forward, we must keep providing assistance so that Taiwan industries can expand their global presence and market internationally from a solid base here in Taiwan. At the same time, Taiwan must use democracy to promote economic growth with the rest of the world. We must leverage our strengths in the semiconductor and AI industries. We must link with democratic countries so that we can together enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. And through international cooperation across many sectors, such as UAVs, low-orbit communications satellites, robots, military, security and surveillance, or biopharmaceuticals, renewable energy technology, new agriculture, and the circular economy, we must keep abreast of the latest cutting-edge technology and promote diverse development. This approach will help Taiwan remain a leader in advancing global democratic supply chains, ensuring their security and stability. Third, we must continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. Democracy means the people have the final say. Our nation belongs to all 23 million of us, without regard for ethnic group, generation, political party, or whether we live in urban or rural areas. In this new year, we must continue to pursue policies that promote the well-being of the nation and the people. But to that end, the central government needs adequate financial resources to ensure that it can enact each of these measures. Therefore, I hope that the ruling and opposition parties can each soberly reconsider the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures and find a path forward that ensures the lasting peace and stability of our country. For nine consecutive years, the minimum wage has continued to rise. Effective today, the minimum monthly salary is being raised from NT$27,470 to NT$28,590, and the hourly salary from NT$183 to NT$190. We hope by raising the pay for military personnel, civil servants, and educators for two consecutive years, coupled with benefits through wage increases and tax reductions, that private businesses will also raise wages, allowing all our people to enjoy the fruits of our economic growth. I know that everyone wants to pay lower taxes and rent. This year, we will continue to promote tax reductions. For example, unmarried individuals with an annual income of NT$446,000 or less can be exempt from paying income tax. Dual-income families with an annual income of NT$892,000 or less and dual-income families with two children aged six or younger with an annual income of NT$1,461,000 or less are also exempt from paying income tax. Additionally, the number of rent-subsidized housing units will also be increased, from 500,000 to 750,000 units, helping lighten the load for everyone. This year, the age eligibility for claiming Culture Points has been lowered from 16 to 13 years, so that now young people aged between 13 and 22 can receive government support for experiencing more in the arts. Also, our Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative is about to take effect, which will help more young people in Taiwan realize their dreams by taking part in education and exchange activities in many places around the world. We are also in the process of establishing a sports ministry to help young athletes achieve their dreams on the field, court, and beyond. The ministry will also be active in developing various sports industries and bringing sports and athletics more into the lives of the people, making our people healthier as a result. This year, as Taiwan becomes a “super-aged society,” we will launch our Long-term Care 3.0 Plan to provide better all-around care for our seniors. And we will expand the scope of cancer screening eligibility and services, all aimed at creating a Healthy Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan will officially begin collecting fees for its carbon fee system today. This brings us closer in line with global practices and helps us along the path to our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. We will also continue on the path to achieving a Balanced Taiwan. Last month, the Executive Yuan launched the Trillion NT Dollar Investment National Development Plan and its six major regional flagship projects. Both of these initiatives will continue to expand the investment in our public infrastructure and the development of local specialty industries, narrowing urban-rural and wealth gaps so that all our people can live and work in peace and happiness. My fellow citizens, today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. This tells us that national development is moving in the right direction. In this new year, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. We hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together to ensure that national policies are successfully implemented, with the people’s well-being as our top priority. This will allow Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. In this new year, we have many more brilliant stories of Taiwan to share with the world, inspiring all Taiwanese, both here and around the world, to cheer time and again for the glory of Taiwan. Taiwan will keep going strong. And we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. Thank you.
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On February 8, 1724, Peter I issued a decree on the development of science in the Russian state, as a result of which the first Academy of Sciences and Arts appeared in the country. It differed significantly from its Western counterparts by the presence of a university and a gymnasium in its structure, where talented young people studied regardless of their financial status, including commoners. In 1999, on the occasion of the 275th anniversary of the founding of the Academy, a holiday for all scientists, professors and students was established – Russian Science Day.
Over the past year since the last holiday, the State University of Management has made significant progress in various scientific research and development. In 2024, 19 projects were completed, and 8 more are in the implementation stage. Two new dissertation councils were held: Regional and Sectoral Economics, Logistics and Transport Systems (jointly with BPU named after Shukhov). The number of RSCI publications exceeded 3,500 units, and VAK publications – 1,169.
The Advanced Engineering School “RosGeoTech” continues its work together with the GGNTU named after Academician M.D. Millionshchikov. The projects ABRIS (Autonomous unmanned and robotic innovative systems in oil and gas, energy and construction engineering) and “GeoMap” (formation of an interactive map of geothermal resources of Russia) are being implemented. Within the framework of the first, for example, a droneport is being developed – a robotic complex for servicing UAVs.
In the spring of 2024, young scientists from the State University of Management won a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education to implement a large-scale high-tech project in the field of agro-industrial technologies. The digital village project is being developed in a consortium with the Omsk Agrarian Scientific Center (Omsk ASC) and the Udmurt State University (UdSU).
Our scientists and the university management actively participate in various forums and conferences. During the year, 16 such events were attended. Among the largest of them, one can name the IV Congress of Young Scientists in Sirius, where two memorandums of cooperation were signed, an open meeting of the Expert Council on International Educational Scientific Cooperation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation was held, and a scientific session on the topic of opportunities for scientists to grow in rural areas.
Young talents from our university also visit Moscow schools and share their knowledge there as part of the All-Russian campaign “Scientists to Schools”.
Recently, employees of the Reverse Engineering Laboratory of the State University of Management conducted research on the issue of 3D scanning.
Many orders for digitalization of technical documentation come to the inter-university design bureau based at the State University of Management. This work does not look revolutionary, but it has great practical significance for real productions, significantly facilitating their activities.
And that’s not all we can talk about. Our university is preparing to test its own drone, developing a unified digital standard for passenger service, fulfilling orders from well-known developers and city authorities, modeling traffic flows, designing parts for road cleaning equipment, and is constantly looking for new partners.
Projects of SUM scientists win various competitions, and the work of teachers is recognized with the highest prizes and awards. Thus, the team of the First Management headed by the rector Vladimir Stroyev received the Russian Federation Government Prize in the field of education, the head of the Laboratory of Convergent Expertise and Assessment of Technology Maturity Denis Serdechny won a special prize in the Competition for Young Scientists dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the director of the Center for Management of Engineering Projects Vladimir Filatov won in the nomination “My Pedagogical Initiative” of the All-Russian competition “My Country – My Russia”, and the director of the SUM Business Incubator Dmitry Rogov won the All-Russian competition of research “Russian Identity”.
We don’t know yet what will happen next, but our scientists are ready to predict the future using the latest probabilistic methods based on the theory of decision-making under uncertainty. In the meantime, the Council of Young Scientists of the State University of Management shared its plans for the near future, in particular, the intention to hold the School of Young Scientists in February and the spring inter-university conference of young scientists.
And today, as part of the “Science Festival,” a solemn ceremony of initiation and presentation of pre-professional class badges is taking place at the State University of Management, for more than 500 tenth-graders from 18 schools in the capital.
We congratulate all those involved on the Day of Russian Science and wish them great discoveries, breakthrough developments, incredible ideas, and most importantly, the implementation of all their plans and a noticeable contribution to the cause of Russia achieving technological leadership.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/08/2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SINGAPORE, Feb. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Intchains Group Limited (Nasdaq: ICG), an innovative provider of integrated solutions consisting of efficient mining products for altcoins, is excited to announce its launch of the AE BOX under its Goldshell brand on 7 February 2025. The AE BOX, ICG’s first ALEO miner, has a hashrate mode of 37 MH/s±5%, a default hashrate power of 360W±5% and a default hashrate power consumption of 9.73J/MH. The AE BOX promises to empower users to build their own projects in a privacy-focused, decentralised blockchain platform.
Mr Charles Yan, Chief Financial Officer of ICG, said: “The AE BOX enables us to introduce the promising world of ALEO’s zero-knowledge proofing technology to our users. The world of crypto rapidly evolves, and the launch of the AE BOX aims to place our users at the forefront of such developments. Leveraging ALEO’s groundbreaking technology, the AE BOX empowers our users to achieve new levels of efficiency and privacy in their mining operations while providing a safe and secure platform to scale their crypto efforts.”
Product Innovation and Key Advantages
The AE BOX, taps on ALEO’s strengths as crypto’s first-ever decentralised open-source platform utilising zero-knowledge proofing. This promises to bring users limitless computation and absolute privacy. Some of the benefits AE BOX users can look forward to include:
Availability
The AE BOX is available from today (7 February 2025) on Goldshell’s official website, and the AE BOX PRO is also available on Goldshell, with a 180-day warranty from the shipment date.
For more information about ICG, please visit https://intchains.com/ and follow ICG on LinkedIn and X.
AE BOX and AE BOX Pro Product Specifications:
| AE BOX | |
| Hashrate | 37MH/s±5% |
| Power | 360W±5% |
| Power Consumption | 9.73J/MH |
| Algorithm | zkSNARK |
| Cryptocurrency | $ALEO |
| Miner Dimensions | 198*150*96mm |
| Miner Weight | 2.32kg |
| Package Dimensions | 300*220*142mm |
| Package Weight | 2.73kg |
| Noise Level | ≤35dB |
| Connection Port | Dual-Mode |
| Temperature | 0~35℃ |
| Relative Humidity | ≤65% |
| Input Voltage | 110~240V |
| Power Cable | 10A |
| Fan Specification | 4500rmp |
| AE BOX Pro | |
| Hashrate | 44MH/s±5% |
| Power | 460W±5% |
| Power Consumption | 10.45J/MH |
| Algorithm | zkSNARK |
| Cryptocurrency | $ALEO |
| Miner Dimensions | 171*198*96mm |
| Miner Weight | 2.6kg |
| Package Dimensions | 300*220*142mm |
| Package Weight | 3.1kg |
| Noise Level | ≤35dB |
| Connection Port | Dual-Mode |
| Temperature | 0~35℃ |
| Relative Humidity | ≤65% |
| Input Voltage | 110~240V |
| Power Cable | 10A |
| Fan Specification | 4500rmp |
About Intchains Group
Intchains Group Limited (ICG) is an innovative altcoins development company that primarily focuses on providing integrated solutions consisting of mining products for altcoins, and on acquiring and holding ETH-based cryptocurrencies as its long-term asset reserve to support its Web3 industry development initiatives including actively developing Web3-based applications.
Contacts:
Intchains Group Limited
Investor relations
Email: ir@intchains.com
Redhill
Belinda Chan
Tel: +852-9379-3045
Email: belinda.chan@creativegp.com
Source: United Nations 4
By Felipe de Carvalho
During the turbulent early years of Timor-Leste’s independence, the UN was a constant presence, helping to maintain peace and stability. Twenty-four years on, the country has made the successful transition from a host nation for UN peacekeeping operations, to one that contributes to supporting missions elsewhere.
Timor-Leste’s road to peace has not been easy. In 1976, not long after Indonesia became independent it invaded the eastern part of the island of Timor, formerly a Portuguese colony.
An unhappy period of occupation, punctuated by violent repression, followed until 1999 when, with the support of the UN, the small Asian nation embarked on the path of self-determination.
The United Nations Mission in East Timor, UNAMET, conducted the referendum on self-determination in September 1999. Some 78.5 percent of voters opted for independence, but the population found itself confronted by brutal attacks by militia forces in favour of integration with Indonesia.
ONU News/Felipe de Carvalho
Natércia Martins, a Timorese police officer, and former UN member of staff.
Natércia Martins was 19 at the time. She worked for UNAMET, checking the list of those registered to vote. Her polling station was attacked by anti-independence fighters who stabbed two employees to death and forced UN teams to evacuate. In the wave of violence that followed, 14 UNAMET employees would be killed across the country, including her cousin, Ana Lemos.
The International Force for Timor-Leste, INTERFET, approved by the Security Council, made a major contribution to ending the crisis. Ms. Martins says that her cousin’s strength and sacrifice inspired her to join the police, and “ensure safer lives for people, especially women and children.” According to her, the presence of UN peacekeeping missions made the entire Timorese population feel safe, after the trauma of the loss of loved ones and property in the post-referendum crisis.
In the years that followed Timor-Leste and its institutions became more stable, but in 2006 an internal political crisis shook the country, leading to violent clashes that displaced more than 150 thousand people.
UN News/Felipe de Carvalho
Sister Guilhermina, at the convent of the Canossian Mothers in Dili.
One of these places they sought refuge was the Convent of the Canossian Mothers, in Balide, Dili, which once housed 23 thousand. Sister Guilhermina, responsible for the convent at the time, says that there were “shootings everywhere and the people were very afraid”. She thought that when she opened the gates to welcome people, they would only stay for a few hours, but in the end the situation lasted for two years and nine months.
On many occasions, UN peacekeepers provided security for the site, preventing attacks.
“Through dialogues the United Nations always sought a peaceful intervention among the Timorese,” says Sister Guilhermina. The displaced people sheltering in the convent also received support from UN agencies for medical and food assistance, as well as water and sanitation.
In all, Timor-Leste hosted six UN missions (four peacekeeping and two political), up until 2012. “The birth of Timor-Leste was made by the United Nations,” former Peacekeeper Major Luis Pinto told UN News, addingthat the missions in the country were the “most successful in the history of the UN”.
UN Photo/Martine Perret
UN and Timor Police Prepare for Presidential Elections in 2012.
Major Pinto said that during the struggle for freedom, the Timorese simultaneously developed military and political skills. Now they are exporting this experience, fostering dialogue between warring parties in other countries, encouraging them to find common cause.
Timorese soldiers have taken part in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Lebanon and, since 2011, the country has provided military observers to the South Sudan mission.
One of those observers, Major Zequito Ximenes, told UN News that the UN role in bringing peace to his country was influential in his decision to become a blue helmet. “I wanted to contribute to similar missions around the world and make a difference in conflict-affected regions.”
There has been a peacekeeping operations training centre in Timor-Leste since 2018, preparing male and female military personnel for UN missions. The country is prepared to send more peacekeepers to work in areas such as rescue and protection, and a company of engineers, for the building of roads and schools.
To prevent a return to war, Timorese leaders prioritized national reconciliation, and the normalization of relations with Indonesia. These choices, and the support of the international community, have made the country a model for post-conflict stabilization and show a path to peace and security is possible.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Letter Text (PDF)
Washington (February 7, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), member of the Armed Services Committee, today urged National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell, to cancel the planned V-22 Osprey flyover at Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The V-22 has been involved in 21 major accidents since 1992, resulting in 64 deaths. In March 2022, Marine Corps Captain Ross A. Reynolds of Leominster, Massachusetts was piloting a V-22 when it crashed near Norway, killing Captain Reynolds and three other Marines onboard. The most recent crash, off the coast of Japan in November 2023, killed eight service members, including Staff Sergeant Jacob Galliher – a young father from Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Japan and the United States grounded the Osprey after this incident, but flights have since been resumed. As recently as December 2024, an Osprey was forced to land due to an engine failure.
In the letter, the lawmakers write, “On the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps, we appreciate the NFL’s effort to honor servicemembers. But we believe that it is inappropriate to feature the Osprey in this way and that the aircraft should not be included in the flyover.”
The lawmakers continued, “The families of these brave servicemembers are still grieving the loss of their loved ones. They should not have to be reminded of their loss while watching the Super Bowl. Out of respect for the military families and in deference to the safety concerns about the aircraft, we strongly urge you to cancel the planned V-22 Osprey Super Bowl flyover this Sunday.”
In November 2024, the Senators wrote to the Pentagon that the increase in V-22 incidents over the last five years raises serious safety concerns regarding the aircraft, and that it should be grounded until those concerns are resolved.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
A person has died on the northern end of Maketu Beach this afternoon.
Emergency services were advised just after 4pm today that an unresponsive male had washed up on the shoreline.
Despite immediate medical attention, he was sadly unable to be revived.
The man’s death will be referred to the Coroner.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
BISMARCK, N.D. – In 2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted a review of the actual utilization of 24 agency headquarters buildings to better understand how the federal government is utilizing its real estate portfolio. On average, 17 of the 24 agency headquarters reviewed were at 25 percent or less utilization, with some agencies as low as nine percent.
U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Subcommittee, joined EPW Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), House T&I Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO-06), and House T&I Emergency Management Subcommittee Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA-10) in sending a letter to the Trump administration highlighting provisions included in the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which provided new authority for the administration to rightsize the federal real estate portfolio and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
In their letter to Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought, Acting Administrator of the General Service Administration Stephen Ehikian, and Commissioner of the Public Building Service Michael Peters, the lawmakers refer to the “Public Buildings Reforms” section of WRDA 2024. These reforms give the administration new authorities to improve the management of the federal government’s real estate portfolio, address its inefficient utilization of office space, and require federal agencies to bring employees back into the office or lose office space.
“To maximize the effectiveness of these provisions, it is critical that implementation begins as soon as possible to meet deadlines and take full advantage of the authorities provided to the administration in this legislation,” the lawmakers wrote.
The members explained federal real estate portfolio is bloated and, “Even if 100 percent of the federal employees returned to the office, the taxpayer would still be paying for excess space. For example, one agency that was the subject of GAO’s 2023 review reported that, even if all their employees came into the office on the same day, only 67 percent of their headquarters building would be utilized.
“It is unacceptable for American taxpayers to pay for space that is sitting empty, and we urge you to utilize these new authorities to consolidate federal space and support your efforts to direct employees to return to work in-person,” concluded the members. “As Chairmen of the Congressional Committees and Subcommittees with jurisdiction over public buildings and improved grounds of the United States, our committees are willing to assist the administration’s efforts to protect the taxpayer’s dollar.”
Cramer previously joined U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in sending a letter to the Public Building Reform Board, requesting it complete the final round of disposals required under the Federal Assets and Transfers Act (FASTA) and FASTA Reform Act to bring “tangible benefits” to the taxpayer.
Click here for the letter.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
God pageant ceremonies, or Youshen, a traditional Chinese New Year celebration, were held this Spring Festival in villages and communities across Fuzhou, east China’s Fujian province, attracting visitors from all over the country.
Dating back to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), this folk tradition features vibrant parades of local gods and deities to welcome the spring and celebrate the Spring Festival.
People prepare for the god pageant ceremony at Shangdian village in the Changle district of Fuzhou, Fujian province, Jan. 31, 2025. [Photo by Chen Xinyan/China.org.cn]
People prepare for the god pageant ceremony at Shangdian village in the Changle district of Fuzhou, Fujian province, Jan. 31, 2025. [Photo by Chen Xinyan/China.org.cn]
As part of the custom, villagers carry large sculptures of gods and deities through streets and alleys to dispel evil and avert disasters. As the parade passes, families light firecrackers to seek blessings for themselves and their loved ones living and working away from home.
Heavy participation and long duration are hallmarks of the Youshen festivities.
The procession can stretch up to 10 kilometers and crowds can number in the tens of thousands, with several thousand participants, including divine generals, deities and percussion teams. The ceremony often extends late into the night, with the parade illuminated by colorful lanterns, firecrackers and fireworks.
Since videos of Youshen in Fujian’s Houfu village went viral online last year, more smaller-scale god pageant ceremonies have been held in downtown Fuzhou. Locals join in the parades, walking through the streets and communities to offer an “intangible cultural feast” to visitors from across the country.
“Watching Youshen brings me back to my childhood with my family,” said Ms. Yu, one resident participating in the parade in Jin’an, a suburban district of Fuzhou, who asked to be identified only by her first name. “I’m really proud that the tradition is loved by people across the country. I hope it continues to thrive.”
People prepare a large god sculpture in the Jin’an district of Fuzhou, Fujian province, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo by Chen Xinyan/China.org.cn]
Locals perform a drum dance in front of sculptures of gods and deities in the Jin’an district of Fuzhou, Fujian province, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo by Chen Xinyan/China.org.cn]
Source: United States Coast Guard
|
News Release |
U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska |
02/07/2025 10:54 PM EST
JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard ended its search for a missing aircraft with 10 people aboard after it was located Friday afternoon approximately 34 miles southeast of Nome. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew located the aircraft wreckage and lowered two rescue swimmers down to the aircraft. The rescue swimmers located three individuals in the forward part of the aircraft showing no signs of life. The remaining seven people are believed to be inside the aircraft, which was inaccessible due to the condition of the plane. The Coast Guard determined the severity of the wreckage was beyond the possibility of survival.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
A woman has died following a water incident at the Rakaia river mouth this afternoon.
Around 1pm emergency services responded to the south side of the Rakaia River mouth, following reports a group had become stuck in the river after attempting to cross on quad bikes.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Police, and Hato Hone St John responded, with the assistance of a member of the public in a private vessel.
Of the six people recovered, one person was located deceased and one person was transported to hospital in a critical condition by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. and Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a bipartisan letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to draw the agency’s attention to an upcoming pharmaceutical advertisement that is slated to air during the Super Bowl on Sunday to more than 120 million Americans, which misleads patients by omitting any safety or side effect information when promoting a specific type of weight loss medication.
FDA regulates direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for pharmaceuticals to ensure they are not false or misleading, by disclosing side effects, contraindications, and effectiveness information to the public. Under federal law and regulations, the FDA requires that prescription drug advertisements be truthful, not misleading, and balanced—failure to do so risks FDA enforcement action, including civil monetary penalties.
The Senators wrote, “An upcoming Super Bowl advertisement, which has been publicly posted online, appears to showcase a company’s ability to prescribe and dispense GLP-1 medications to patients, including with text and claims about weight loss drugs, and imagery of an injection pen with distinctive characteristics reflective of an existing brand-name medication. However, nowhere in this promotion is there any side effect disclosure, risk, or safety information as would be typically required in a pharmaceutical advertisement.”
“By comparison, the FDA-approved labels and advertisements for brand-name GLP-1 medications include significant risk disclosures to patients about side effects and contraindications, such as warnings about potential gallbladder, pancreas, vomiting, diarrhea, and other implications. Further, for only three seconds during the minute-long commercial does the screen flash in small, barely legible font, that these products are not FDA-approved,” the Senators continued.
The advertisement appears to be exploiting a perceived loophole in federal law regarding the promotions of compounded drugs by telehealth companies. However, the Senators’ letter argues this advertisement does fall under FDA’s jurisdiction, and previews legislation that will soon be introduced to close any gaps regarding prescription drug advertising.
The Senators continued, “We recognize the important roles that pharmaceutical compounding and telehealth play in the health care delivery system, helping to ensure access to FDA-approved products and filling a need for more customized treatments. However, we believe there should be no disparity in pharmaceutical advertising requirements between regulated entities.”
“To the extent this falls within a regulatory loophole for the FDA’s authorities, we plan to soon introduce bipartisan legislation to close this gap, so that patients are not deceived by advertisements that glaringly omit critical safety and side effect information. But, we believe FDA may already have the authority to take enforcement action against marketing that may mislead patients about this company’s products,” the Senators concluded.Recently, a STAT News article highlighted the direct-to-consumer telehealth company Hims & Hers, which will air a Super Bowl ad promoting its GLP-1 weight loss medications.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC — Senate Democrats are warning their GOP colleagues against bankrolling tax cuts for the rich by gutting Medicaid and slashing health care for children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Nearly 80 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) nationally. Medicaid alone covers more than 40 percent of births in the United States. Medicaid offers essential health coverage to people who otherwise couldn’t afford health care, including seniors on fixed incomes, pregnant women, families with young children, and Americans with disabilities. And in addition to covering services Americans rely on to remain healthy, go to school, and thrive at work, Medicaid also provides essential coverage for mental health and treatment for fentanyl addiction that is ravaging red and blue states alike. If Medicaid is compromised millions of American working families would lose nursing home care for older loved ones.
Noting the importance of Medicaid to all fifty states and the fact that it is one of the most cost-effective health insurance programs in the country with massive implications for every state’s budget, all 47 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus today sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), writing: “We urge you to reject proposals that use Medicaid as a piggy bank for partisan priorities and continue to defend the importance of this vital program.”
Despite a weak claim to “love and cherish” Medicaid, President Trump’s Administration has already put a blanket freeze on federal funds flowing to states, jeopardizing access to Medicaid funds. The White House and Congressional Republicans have also engaged in closed-door discussions on slashing vital health programs, circulating a plan that includes draconian Medicaid cuts of up to $2.3 trillion that would take away people’s health benefits; make it harder for them to retain their health care providers; and prevent seniors from getting nursing home care.
The 47 U.S. Senators wrote: “Republicans are proposing cuts to the Medicaid program from hundreds of billions to multiple trillions of dollars. Cuts to Medicaid through drastically changing the program’s financing structure or imposing additional barriers to coverage are dangerous to the millions of people who rely on the program. These proposals will also force states to make difficult decisions that will result in millions getting kicked off their coverage and providers struggling to keep their practices open. States simply cannot absorb these massive funding cuts without hurting children, seniors, people with disabilities, tribal populations, patients with chronic illnesses, and many other Americans who rely on Medicaid.”
If Congressional Republicans carry out their proposals to slash Medicaid it would hit working people hard and shift a greater financial burden on to states, local taxpayers, and already-strained local hospitals and clinics. In more rural areas, it would likely lead to the closure of health facilities, leaving vulnerable communities with fewer options for care and decimating the health care workforce.
Senate Democrats are vowing to do everything they can to protect Medicaid while warning that Republicans’ plan to ram these dangerous cuts through a budget reconciliation process that cannot be filibustered.
“While we disagree on these costly and misguided policies, we are hopeful that there is bipartisan understanding of Medicaid’s importance for millions across the country, that the Medicaid program should be enhanced rather than cut, and that Republican policies should not be paid for at the expense of working-class Americans losing their health care,” the 47 U.S. Senators wrote, highlighting the fact that Medicaid has a proven track record of being cost-effective and creating opportunities for families and businesses and making communities and the nation healthier and stronger.
The letter is signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).
Full text of the letter follows:
Dear Majority Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson:
As we begin a new Congress, we seek to pursue policies that improve the lives of Americans across this country. However, we are deeply concerned about recent reporting on Republican plans to use the budget reconciliation process to advance President Trump’s reckless agenda. While we disagree on these costly and misguided policies, we are hopeful that there is bipartisan understanding of Medicaid’s importance for millions across the country, that the Medicaid program should be enhanced rather than cut, and that Republican policies should not be paid for at the expense of working-class Americans losing their health care.
Medicaid is a lifeline for communities across the country. Nearly 80 million Americans get their health insurance through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provide services Americans rely on to remain healthy, go to school, and thrive at work. Medicaid pays for nearly half of all births in the U.S., provides health insurance coverage to nearly half of all of America’s children, provides care to 3 in 5 nursing home residents, and provides peace of mind to 17 million women of reproductive age. Medicaid is also a lifeline for rural communities, with children and non-elderly adults in rural areas more likely to be covered by Medicaid compared to those in urban areas.
Republicans are proposing cuts to the Medicaid program from hundreds of billions to multiple trillions of dollars. Cuts to Medicaid through drastically changing the program’s financing structure or imposing additional barriers to coverage are dangerous to the millions of people who rely on the program. These proposals will also force states to make difficult decisions that will result in millions getting kicked off their coverage and providers struggling to keep their practices open. States simply cannot absorb these massive funding cuts without hurting children, seniors, people with disabilities, tribal populations, patients with chronic illnesses, and many other Americans who rely on Medicaid.
Speaking about Medicaid last week, President Trump said, “We’re not going to do anything with that, unless we can find some abuse or waste. The people won’t be affected. It will only be more effective and better.”
Given that levels of abuse and waste within Medicaid are not commensurate to cutting billions from the program, President Trump and Congressional Leadership should uphold this commitment to enhance, rather than gut, Medicaid. The American people should be assured that Medicaid will be protected. We urge you to reject proposals that use Medicaid as a piggy bank for partisan priorities and continue to defend the importance of this vital program.
Sincerely,
Source: China State Council Information Office
The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday it found a crashed plane matching the description of the aircraft carrying 10 people that went missing along Alaska’s western coast Thursday afternoon.
The plane was found about 54 km southeast of Nome, a city in western Alaska.
All 10 people on board were confirmed dead, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The wreckage was discovered after an hours-long search operation amid poor weather and low visibility.
The turboprop Cessna Caravan, operated by Bering Air, was reported missing on Thursday afternoon, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The aircraft, carrying nine passengers and a pilot, was en route from Unalakleet, also in the western part of Alaska, to Nome when its position was lost about 19 km offshore, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed.
As of 9 a.m. local time (1800 GMT) on Friday, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department reported that the families of all those on board had been notified. Alaska State Trooper Lt. Ben Endres confirmed that all the passengers were adults on the regularly scheduled commuter flight.
According to FlightRadar24, a live flight-tracking website, the aircraft’s last recorded position was over water 38 minutes after departing Unalakleet. The flight between the two locations typically takes less than an hour.
Source: China State Council Information Office
U.S. stocks tanked on Friday, as traders were unsettled by a mix of tariff and inflation news that added to the week’s volatility.
U.S. stocks broadly declined, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling by 444.23 points, which is equivalent to a drop of 0.99 percent. The S&P 500 traded down by roughly 0.95 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite slid by 1.36 percent. Declines were observed across all sectors of the S&P 500 as investors reacted to prevailing economic uncertainty.
The market took a hit after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his plans for reciprocal tariffs on trading partners, a move that could lead to an across-the-board increase in tariff rates to match those charged by the United States.
“I’ll be announcing that next week reciprocal trade, so that we’re treated evenly with other countries,” said Trump during a meeting with visiting Japanese prime minister. “We’ll have a news conference, and we’ll lay it out pretty simple.”
The preliminary reading of the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index indicated that consumer confidence in February fell to 67.8, notably lower than 71.3 anticipated by economists polled by Dow Jones. “Year-ahead inflation expectations jumped up from 3.3 percent last month to 4.3 percent this month, the highest reading since November 2023 and marking two consecutive months of unusually large increases,” said the survey.
On the jobs front, the United States added 143,000 positions in January – a figure that fell short of December’s revised total of 307,000 and the 169,000 forecast by economists – while the unemployment rate eased to 4 percent, below the expected 4.1 percent, according to the data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday.
Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee called the jobs report “solid” and said it showed “we’re settling into something like full employment.” He added that the central bank “may be on hold” for now, but he still sees interest rates moving lower over the “next 12-18 months.”
In corporate news, Uber shares jumped more than 8 percent to a session high after billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, revealed that his firm holds over 30 million shares in the ride-share company, a stake valued at more than 2 billion U.S. dollars.