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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI China: Museum of War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to reopen

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Museum of War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to reopen

    Updated: July 7, 2025 21:33 Xinhua
    Stone lions are pictured at Lugou Bridge in Beijing, capital of China, July 4, 2025. The Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression will reopen on July 8, offering admission fee-free and reservation-free visits to the public. An exhibition themed “For National Liberation and World Peace” was launched here on Monday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, which will open to public from July 8. The museum is located near Lugou Bridge — also known as Marco Polo Bridge — where Japanese troops attacked Chinese forces on July 7, 1937. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on July 7, 2025 shows a gate of Wanping Town in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit Lugou Bridge in Beijing, capital of China, July 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows shell craters on the wall of Wanping Town in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A “wakened lion” sculpture is pictured in front of the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, capital of China, July 7, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on July 7, 2025 shows a view of the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Police Commissioner commends sentencing in Magaqa case 

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Monday, July 7, 2025

    The National Police Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola has commended the efforts of the investigating team in securing a 25-year imprisonment sentence imposed on hitman Sibusiso Ncengwa for the murder of Sindiso Magaqa in July 2017. 

    The SAPS Political Killings Task Team took over the case in July 2018 after their formation. Within a month, the first hitman, Ncengwa was arrested in August 2018 by the team. Six others were later arrested in December of the same year.

    This as the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday found Ngcengwa guilty on 11 counts with the breakdown as follows: 
    •    Count 1: Conspiracy to commit murder-25years
    •    Count 2: Murder -25 years
    •    Count  3: Attempted murder- 5 Years
    •    Count 4: Attempted murder- 5 years
    •    Count 5: Attempted murder-5years
    •    Count 6: Malicious damage to property – 3years
    •    Count 7: Malicious damage to property- 3 years
    •    Count 8: Malicious damage to property-3 years
    •    Count 9: Unlawful possession of a fully automatic firearm- 5years
    •    Count 10: unlawful Possession of firearms – 5 years.
    •    Count 11: unlawful possession of ammunition- 1year
    •    Count: 1,3 to 11 will run concurrently with Count 2 which is 25 years. 

    “Three other accused are still in custody with the third declared mentally unfit to stand trial. 

    “The third accused is in a mental institution. The trial of the two who are fit to stand trial is expected to be heard between 19 September 2025 to 21 October 2025 in the Pietermaritzburg High Court,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Jobs boost as new fighter jet HQ opens in Reading in key programme milestone

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Jobs boost as new fighter jet HQ opens in Reading in key programme milestone

    A flagship headquarters that will support delivery of a supersonic stealth fighter jet has opened in Reading, where hundreds of skilled personnel will be based.

    • Opening of Global Combat Air Programme flagship headquarters to support the delivery of a supersonic stealth fighter jet, equipped with cutting-edge technologies.
    • The programme already supports over 3,500 UK jobs, 1,000 additional apprenticeships, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change, with more to follow as the programme develops.
    • New figures show defence industry jobs in the South East have increased by 4,500 in just 12 months.

    The new global HQ has been opened today (7 July) in a significant milestone for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) – a joint initiative between the UK, Japan and Italy to develop a next-generation fighter jet. 

    The facility will host the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO) and a joint venture company, called Edgewing, bringing together three industry partners – BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy), and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. (Japan) – responsible for the design and development of the aircraft.

    Opened by Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP today, the new multinational headquarters will help deliver the GCAP programme, bringing together the best minds from across three governments and industry to drive innovation and strengthen each country’s combat air industrial capability, supporting the vision of the Strategic Defence Review.  

    The opening comes on the same day as the Defence Secretary met virtually with Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and Japan’s Defence Minister Gen Nakatani to discuss the latest progress on GCAP. The programme is already creating thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK, Japan, and Italy, including new apprentice and graduate roles, and supporting the strong relationship between industry and the Armed Forces of the three nations.

    There are currently more than 3,500 people, including engineers and programmers, working on GCAP in the UK. A further 1,000 have undertaken GCAP-related apprenticeships or training schemes, supporting the Government’s Plan for Change by driving defence as an engine for economic growth. Many more will follow as the GCAP programme develops in the years ahead.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

    Opening of this global HQ in Reading underlines the UK’s full commitment to GCAP and demonstrates the steps we are taking with our partners to deliver for defence.

    The Strategic Defence Review captured that GCAP will deliver more than cutting-edge military capabilities. It already supports over 3,500 UK jobs, with many more to follow as the programme develops. It is also sustaining a world-leading skilled workforce for the UK’s combat air industry and delivering on the government’s Plan for Change. 

    Through this work we are helping to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of combat air power innovation for decades to come and that defence is engine for growth across the country.

    Newly published figures show 151,000 UK jobs are directly supported by the MOD’s spend with industry, an increase of 14,000 on the previous year. 4,500 of the additional jobs are in the South East, including Reading, as roles in the region jumped to a total of 38,700.

    The opening of the HQ comes after the government announced a historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: General Assembly Takes Up Draft Resolution on Situation in Afghanistan

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Seventy-ninth Session

    83rd Meeting* (AM)

    The General Assembly will hold a debate on the situation in Afghanistan and on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the country (document A/79/947).  The report provides an update on the activities of the United Nations in Afghanistan, including political, humanitarian and human rights efforts. The 193-member organ will also take action on the related draft resolution (document A/79/L.100) introduced by Germany.

    …

    __________

    * The 82nd Meeting was not covered.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairwoman McClain Joins President Trump as He Signs The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Into Law

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    Chairwoman McClain Joins President Trump as He Signs The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Into Law

    Washington, July 4, 2025

    WASHINGTON—House RepublicanChairwomanLisa McClain (R-Mich.) joined President Donald Trump at the White House as he signed into law theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act.

    During the ceremony, President Trump recognized and thankedChairwomanMcClain for her leadership.

    ChairwomanMcClain released the following statement:

    “What a great moment for our country. Months of hard work have paid off, and it was an honor to be at the White House for this historical moment. I thank Speaker Mike Johnson for his leadership in getting this across the finish line in the House. And I thank President Trump for leading our country into our Golden Age. This is just the beginning,” ChairwomanMcClain said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Small Business Advisory Committee to Discuss Regulatory Framework for Finders and Continue Exploring Regulation A

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee announced that it will hold a meeting at the SEC Headquarters in Washington D.C on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 10 a.m. E.T. The meeting will be open to the public, in-person, as well as webcast on the SEC website, and will explore Regulation A and the topic of “finders,” persons who assist companies with limited capital-raising activities in private markets.

    The meeting will start by finalizing discussion of potential regulatory improvements to Regulation A, building upon ideas generated during the previous committee meeting. In keeping with the committee’s efforts to promote small business capital formation, including access to capital for founders who are building businesses outside of prominent entrepreneurial hubs or without robust capital-raising networks, the committee will spend the remainder of the meeting exploring “finders” and related matters.  

    Staff from the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets will provide the committee with an overview of the SEC’s 2020 release, which proposed a limited, conditional exemption from broker registration for “finders.” The committee will also learn more about the role of “finders” and possible regulatory solutions from industry practitioners Gary Ross, Managing Partner at Ross Law Group, and Kelley Arena, Founder at Golden Hour Ventures. As part of this discussion, the committee will explore potential principles, frameworks, conditions, and safeguards that could permit certain “finders” to engage in limited capital-raising activities.  

    For more information about the committee and the full agenda for the meeting, visit the committee webpage.

    The Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee provides advice and recommendations to the SEC on rules, regulations, and policy matters relating to small businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) clinic sees nearly triple rise in malnutrition admissions in northern Nigeria

    Source: APO


    .

    • In-patient admissions at IRC clinics increased sharply: from 241 in March to 672 in May, a 178% rise.
    • Approximately 4.6 million people in the northern BAY states (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe) are projected to experience acute food insecurity between June and September.
    • Over 600,000 children under five are at immediate risk of severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of malnutrition.
    • Children with severe acute malnutrition are 11 times more likely to die than healthy children.

    The IRC is alarmed by rising numbers of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition admitted to IRC clinics across the northeast and northwest of Nigeria. Malnutrition rates are expected to intensify as the lean season sets in amidst growing insecurity, increased climate shocks like severe flooding, and aid cuts. 

    During the lean season, between harvesting periods, children face a high risk of complications like malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and respiratory infections. Rainfall leads to water contamination and cholera outbreaks, while wet conditions increase mosquito breeding and disease spread. 

    Babatunde Ojei, Country Director, IRC Nigeria, said:

    “It’s heartbreaking to see the needs of children growing while the support to reach them is shrinking. Rising insecurity and violence is cutting off communities, leaving the most vulnerable, especially children, without the care they desperately need.”

    Fewer implementing partners are active as donor reluctance, driven by insecurity, limited access, and global aid cuts, continues to restrict funding. While admissions are slightly lower this year compared to last – 763 children were admitted in May 2024 – this reduction in cases reflects reduced access and coverage rather than an improved situation. Activities have been scaled down within community outreach services, limiting screening and resulting in fewer identified cases. The IRC handed over one inpatient treatment site for children with severe acute malnutrition with complications to the government following funding cuts.

    Aid cuts disproportionately impact countries caught at the intersection of conflict and climate crises. Increasingly frequent seasonal flooding is expected to worsen the already critical crisis of severe acute malnutrition in children by destroying food stocks, disrupting agricultural activities, and displacing families: all leading to heightened food insecurity and more cases of acute malnutrition. Last year’s devastating floods triggered a sharp rise in malnutrition, with adult malnutrition also emerging as a serious concern, including widespread cases of stomach ulcers linked to hunger.

    In Nigeria, the IRC is tackling acute malnutrition with teams working across 7 hospitals and 65 community facilities. In 2024, more than 133,000 children under the age of 5 received treatment for acute malnutrition from our teams.

    The IRC is leading innovation on simplified approaches to treating acute malnutrition, and ensuring more children receive life-saving treatment with the same resources.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Kenya: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)-China South-South Cooperation High-level Meeting Held in Nairobi

    Source: APO


    .

    On July 4, the high-level meeting of the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Project was held at the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. Attendees included Mr. Jiang Wensheng, Vice Minister of China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Ms. Tipo, FAO Representative in Kenya ad interim; Dr. Ronoh, Principal Secretary of Kenya’s State Department for Agricultural Development; and Ms. Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya. The meeting focused on deepening agricultural South-South cooperation, enhancing food security, addressing climate change, and promoting rural development.

    China has been supporting Kenya for integrated fall armyworm control and low-carbon tea value chain through the FAO SSC/SSTC framework with promising results. The three parties expressed their commitment to further cooperation in promoting Chinese technologies and experience in developing countries to enhance agricultural productivity, facilitate poverty reduction and rural development, and address climate change. The Kenyan side welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in agricultural sector in Kenya and hopes that China provide trade facilitation for Kenyan agricultural exports to its vast market.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Kenya.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Zinke Votes to Pass the Big Beautiful Bill, Delivering Big, Beautiful Wins for Montana

    Source: US Congressman Ryan Zinke (Western Montana)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke voted to pass the Budget Reconciliation Bill, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a historic win for Montana families, small businesses, and the America First agenda. The legislation delivers on key campaign promises to make life affordable, cut taxes, secure the border, and strengthen essential services; all while protecting public lands. Congressman Zinke successfully led the effort to remove the public land sales provision from the House version of the bill before voting for final passage. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

     “Montanans are struggling to pay their bills, our borders were wide open, and the essential services our citizens rely on were failing,” said Zinke. “Montanans asked for change last November, and today we delivered. This is a win for hardworking Montanans and a win for the country. The bill puts Americans first, delivers real tax relief, secures the border, and protects our public lands from being sold off to the highest bidder. I was never going to back down when it came to public land sales and I’m never going to give up the fight to deliver for Montana. Today we won, and I look forward to the President signing this historic legislation into law.”

     Wins for Montana included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill”:

     Tax Relief for Working Families

    • Child Tax Credit boost for Montana families
    • Eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, meaning more take-home pay for workers
    • Ends federal income taxes for 88% of Social Security recipients
    • Death tax relief for family farms, ranches, and small businesses
    • Rolls back the 1099-K reporting threshold

     Secures the Northern and Southern Border

    • Increased funding for Border Patrol
    • More resources for ICE to deport gang members and cartels
    • Ends taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants

     Protects Essential Services

    • Removes 1.4 million illegal immigrants from Medicaid enrollment
    • Restores work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents receiving food stamps

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Zinke Votes to Pass the Big Beautiful Bill, Delivering Big, Beautiful Wins for Montana

    Source: US Congressman Ryan Zinke (Western Montana)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke voted to pass the Budget Reconciliation Bill, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a historic win for Montana families, small businesses, and the America First agenda. The legislation delivers on key campaign promises to make life affordable, cut taxes, secure the border, and strengthen essential services; all while protecting public lands. Congressman Zinke successfully led the effort to remove the public land sales provision from the House version of the bill before voting for final passage. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

     “Montanans are struggling to pay their bills, our borders were wide open, and the essential services our citizens rely on were failing,” said Zinke. “Montanans asked for change last November, and today we delivered. This is a win for hardworking Montanans and a win for the country. The bill puts Americans first, delivers real tax relief, secures the border, and protects our public lands from being sold off to the highest bidder. I was never going to back down when it came to public land sales and I’m never going to give up the fight to deliver for Montana. Today we won, and I look forward to the President signing this historic legislation into law.”

     Wins for Montana included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill”:

     Tax Relief for Working Families

    • Child Tax Credit boost for Montana families
    • Eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, meaning more take-home pay for workers
    • Ends federal income taxes for 88% of Social Security recipients
    • Death tax relief for family farms, ranches, and small businesses
    • Rolls back the 1099-K reporting threshold

     Secures the Northern and Southern Border

    • Increased funding for Border Patrol
    • More resources for ICE to deport gang members and cartels
    • Ends taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants

     Protects Essential Services

    • Removes 1.4 million illegal immigrants from Medicaid enrollment
    • Restores work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents receiving food stamps

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Thailand’s judiciary is flexing its muscles, but away from PM’s plight, dozens of activists are at the mercy of capricious courts

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Tyrell Haberkorn, Professor of Southeast Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is swarmed by members of the media after a cabinet meeting at Government House on July 1, 2025. Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is currently feeling the sharp end of the country’s powerful judiciary.

    On July 2, 2025, Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Paetongtarn from office as a result of a leaked phone conversation in which she was heard disparaging Thailand’s military and showing deference to former the prime minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, despite an ongoing border dispute between the two countries. Initially set for 14 days, many onlookers believe the court’s suspension is likely to become permanent.

    Meanwhile, far from the prime minister’s office is Arnon Nampa, another Thai national whose future is at the mercy of the Thai judiciary – in this case, the Criminal Court.

    Arnon, a lawyer and internationally recognized human rights defender, is one of 32 political prisoners imprisoned over “lèse majesté,” or insulting the Thai monarchy. He is currently serving a sentence of nearly 30 years for a speech questioning the monarchy during pro-democracy protests in 2020. Unless he is both acquitted in his remaining cases and his current convictions are overturned on appeal, Arnon will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

    The plights of Paetongtarn and Arnon may seem distant. But as a historian of Thai politics, I see the cases as connected by a judiciary using the law and its power to diminish the prospects for democracy in Thailand and constrain the ability of its citizens to participate freely in society.

    Familiar troubles

    The Shinawatra family is no stranger to the reach of both the Thai military and the country’s courts.

    Paetongtarn is the third of her family to be prime minister – and could become the third to be ousted. Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, was removed in a 2006 military coup. Her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted prior to the May 22, 2014, coup. In common with past coups, the juntas who fomented them were shielded from the law, with none facing prosecution.

    For now, it is unclear whether Paetongtarn’s suspension is the precursor to another coup, the dissolution of parliament and new elections, or a reshuffle of the cabinet. But what is clear is that the Constitutional Court’s intervention is one of several in which the nine appointed judges are playing a critical role in the future of Thai democracy.

    Protecting the monarchy

    The root of the judiciary’s power can be found in the way the modern Thai nation was set up nearly 100 years ago.

    On June 24, 1932, Thailand transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. Since then, the country has experienced 13 coups, as the country has shifted from democracy to dictatorship and back again.

    But throughout, the monarchy has remained a constant presence – protected by Article 112 of the Criminal Code, which defines the crime and penalty of lese majesté: “Whoever defames, insults, or threatens the king, queen, heir-apparent or regent shall be subject to three-to-fifteen years imprisonment.”

    The law is widely feared among dissidents in Thailand both because it is interpreted broadly to include any speech or action that is not laudatory and innocent verdicts are rare.

    Although Article 112 has been law since 1957, it was rarely used until after the 2006 coup.

    Since then, cases have risen steadily and reached record levels following a youth-led movement for democracy in 2020. At least 281 people have been, or are currently being, prosecuted for alleged violation of Article 112, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

    Challenging the status quo

    The 2020 youth-led movement for democracy was sparked by the Constitutional Court’s dissolution of the progressive Future Forward Party at the beginning of that year, the disappearance of a Thai dissident in exile in Cambodia, and economic problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In protests in Bangkok and in provinces across the country, they called for a new election, a new constitution and an end to state repression of dissent.

    Pro-democracy activist leader Arnon Nampa speaks to protesters.
    Peerapon Boonyakiat/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    On Aug. 3, 2020, Nampa added another demand: The monarchy must be openly discussed and questioned.

    Without addressing such a key, unquestionable institution in the nation, Arnon argued, the struggle for democracy would inevitably fail.

    This message resonated with many Thai citizens, and despite the fearsome Article 112, protests grew throughout the last months of 2020.

    Students at Thammasat University, the center of student protest since the 1950s, expanded Arnon’s call into a 10-point set of demands for reform of the monarchy.

    Making it clear that they did not aim to abolish the monarchy, the students’ proposal aimed to clarify the monarchy’s economic, political and military role and make it truly constitutional.

    As the protests began to seem unstoppable, with tens of thousands joining, the police began cracking down on demonstrations. Many were arrested for violating anti-COVID-19 measures and other minor laws. By late November 2020, however, Article 112 charges began to be brought against Arnon and other protest leaders for their peaceful speech.

    In September 2023, Arnon was convicted in his first case, and he has been behind bars since. He is joined by other political prisoners, whose numbers grow weekly as their cases move through the judicial process.

    Capricious courts

    Unlike Arnon, Paetongtarn Shinawatra is not facing prison.

    But the Constitutional Court’s decision to suspend her from her position as prime minister because of a leaked recording of an indiscreet telephone conversation is, to many legal minds, a capricious response that has the effect of short-circuiting the democratic process.

    So too, I believe, does bringing the weight of the law against Arnon and other political prisoners in Thailand who remain behind bars as the current political turmoil plays out.

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

    – ref. Thailand’s judiciary is flexing its muscles, but away from PM’s plight, dozens of activists are at the mercy of capricious courts – https://theconversation.com/thailands-judiciary-is-flexing-its-muscles-but-away-from-pms-plight-dozens-of-activists-are-at-the-mercy-of-capricious-courts-260408

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Nations are increasingly ‘playing the field’ when it comes to US and China – a new book explains explains why ‘active nonalignment’ is on the march

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jorge Heine, Outgoing Interim Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, Boston University

    Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, center, flanked by India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaks at the summit of Group of 20 leading economies in Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 19, 2024. Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images

    In 2020, as Latin American countries were contending with the triple challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global economic shock and U.S. policy under the first Trump administration, Jorge Heine, research professor at Boston University and a former Chilean ambassador, in association with two colleagues, Carlos Fortin and Carlos Ominami, put forward the notion of “active nonalignment.”


    Polity Books

    Five years on, the foreign policy approach is more relevant than ever, with trends including the rise of the Global South and the fragmentation of the global order, encouraging countries around the world to reassess their relationships with both the United States and China.

    It led Heine, along with Fortin and Ominami, to follow up on their original arguments in a new book, “The Non-Aligned World,” published in June 2025.

    The Conversation spoke with Heine on what is behind the push toward active nonalignment, and where it may lead.

    For those not familiar, what is active nonalignment?

    Active nonalignment is a foreign policy approach in which countries put their own interests front and center and refuse to take sides in the great power rivalry between the U.S. and China.

    It takes its cue from the Non-Aligned Movement of the 1950s and 1960s but updates it to the realities of the 21st century. Today’s rising Global South is very different from the “Third World” that made up the Non-Aligned Movement. Countries like India, Turkey, Brazil and Indonesia have greater economic heft and wherewithal. They thus have more options than in the past.

    They can pick and choose policies in accordance with what is in their national interests. And because there is competition between Washington and Beijing to win over such countries’ hearts and minds, those looking to promote a nonaligned agenda have greater leverage.

    Traditional international relations literature suggests that in relations between nations, you can either “balance,” meaning take a strong position against another power, or “bandwagon” – that is, go along with the wishes of that power. The notion was that weaker states couldn’t balance against the Great Powers because they don’t have the military power to do so, so they had to bandwagon.

    What we are saying is that there is an intermediate approach: hedging. Countries can hedge their bets or equivocate by playing one power off the other. So, on some issues you side with the U.S., and others you side with China.

    Thus, the grand strategy of active nonalignment is “playing the field,” or in other words, searching for opportunities among what is available in the international environment. This means being constantly on the lookout for potential advantages and available resources – in short, being active, rather than passive or reactive.

    So active nonalignment is not so much a movement as it is a doctrine.

    Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba, right, and Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser attend the first Conference of Non-Aligned Countries in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in September 1961.
    Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    It’s been five years since you first came up with the idea of active nonalignment. Why did you think it was time to revisit it now?

    The notion of active nonalignment came up during the first Trump administration and in the context of a Latin America hit by the triple-whammy of U.S. pressure, a pandemic and the ensuing recession – which in Latin America translated into the biggest economic downturn in 120 years, a 6.6% drop of regional gross domestic product in 2020.

    ANA was intended as a guide for Latin American countries to navigate those difficult moments, and it led us to the publication of a symposium volume with contributions by six former Latin American foreign ministers in November 2021, in which we elaborated on the concept.

    Three months later, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the reaction to it by many countries in Asia and Africa, nonalignment was back with a vengeance.

    Countries like India, Pakistan, South Africa and Indonesia, among others, took positions that were at odds with the West on Ukraine. Many of them, though not all, condemned Russian aggression but also wanted no part in the West’s sanctions on Moscow. These sanctions were seen as unwarranted and as an expression of Western double standards – no sanctions were applied on the U.S. for invading Iraq, of course.

    And then there were the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the resulting war in the Gaza Strip. Countries across the Global South strongly condemned the Hamas attacks, but the West’s response to the subsequent deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians brought home the notion of double standards when it came to international human rights.

    Why weren’t Palestinians deserving of the same compassion as Ukrainians? For many in the Global South, that question hit very hard – the idea that “human rights are limited to Europeans and people who looked like them did not go down well.”

    Thus, South Africa brought a case against Israel in the International Court of Justice alleging genocide, and Brazil spearheaded ceasefire efforts at the United Nations.

    A third development is the expansion of the BRICS bloc of economies from its original five members – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – to 10 members. Although China and Russia are not members of the Global South, those other founding members are, and the BRICS group has promoted key issues on the Global South’s agenda. The addition of countries such as Egypt and Ethiopia has meant that BRICS has increasingly taken on the guise of the Global South forum. Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leading proponent of BRICS, is keen on advancing this Global South agenda.

    All three of these developments have made active nonalignment more relevant than ever before.

    How are China and the US responding to active nonalignment – or are they?

    I’ll give you two examples: Angola and Argentina.

    In Angola, the African country that has received most Chinese cooperation to the tune of US$45 billion, you now have the U.S. financing what is known as the Lobito Corridor – a railway line that stretches from the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Angola’s Atlantic coast.

    Ten years ago, the notion that the U.S. would be financing railway projects in southern Africa would have been considered unfathomable. Yet it has happened. Why? Because China has built significant railway lines in countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia, and the U.S. realized that it was being left behind.

    For the longest time, the U.S. would condemn such Chinese-financed infrastructure projects via the “Belt and Road Initiative” as nothing but “debt-trap diplomacy” designed to saddle developing nations with “white elephants” nobody needed. But a couple of years ago, that tune changed: The U.S. and Europe realized that there is a big infrastructure deficit in Asia, Africa and Latin America that China was stepping in to reduce – and the West was nowhere to be seen in this critical area.

    In short, the West changed it approach – and countries like Angola are now able to play the U.S. off against China for its own national interests.

    Then take Argentina. In 2023, Javier Milei was elected president on a strong anti-China platform. He said his government would have nothing to do with Beijing. But just two years later, Milei announced in an Economist interview that he is a great admirer of Beijing.

    Why? Because Argentina has a very significant foreign debt, and Milei knew that a continued anti-China stance would mean a credit line from Beijing would likely not be renewed. The Argentinian president was under pressure from the International Monetary Fund and Washington to let the credit line with China lapse, but Milei refused to do so and managed to hold his own, playing both sides against the middle.

    Milei is a populist conservative; Brazil’s Lula a leftist. So is active nonalignment immune to ideological differences?

    Absolutely. When people ask me what the difference is between traditional nonalignment and active nonalignment, one of the most obvious things is that the latter is nonideological – it can be used by people of the right, left and center. It is a guide to action, a compass to navigate the waters of a highly troubled world, and can be used by governments of very different ideological hues.

    Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentina President Javier Milei at the 66th Summit of leaders of the Mercosur trading bloc in Buenos Aires on July 3, 2025.
    Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images

    The book talks a lot about the fragmentation of the rules-based order. Where do you see this heading?

    There is little doubt that the liberal international order that framed world politics from 1945 to 2016 has come to an end. Some of its bedrock principles, like multilateralism, free trade and respect for international law and existing international treaties, have been severely undermined.

    We are now in a transitional stage. The notion of the West as a geopolitical entity, as we knew it, has ceased to exist. We now have the extraordinary situation where illiberal forces in Hungary, Germany and Poland, among other places, are being supported by those in power in both Washington and Moscow.

    And this decline of the West has not come about because of any economic issue – the U.S. still represents around 25% of global GDP, much as it did in 1970 – but because of the breakdown of the trans-Atlantic alliance.

    So we are moving toward a very different type of world order – and one in which the Global South has the opportunity to have much more of a role, especially if it deploys active nonalignment.

    How have events since Trump’s inauguration played into your argument?

    The notion of active nonalignment was triggered by the first Trump administration’s pressure on Latin American countries. I would argue that the measures undertaken in Trump’s second administration – the tariffs imposed on 90 countries around the world; the U.S. leaving the Paris climate agreement, the World Health Organization and the U.N. Human Rights Council; and other “America First” policies – have only underscored the validity of active nonalignment as a foreign policy approach.

    The pressures on countries across the Global South are very strong, and there is a temptation to give in to Trump and align with U.S. Yet, all indications are that simply giving in to Trump’s demands isn’t a recipe for success. Those countries that have gone down the route of giving in to Trump’s demands only see more demands after that. Countries need a different approach – and that can be found in active nonalignment.

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

    – ref. Nations are increasingly ‘playing the field’ when it comes to US and China – a new book explains explains why ‘active nonalignment’ is on the march – https://theconversation.com/nations-are-increasingly-playing-the-field-when-it-comes-to-us-and-china-a-new-book-explains-explains-why-active-nonalignment-is-on-the-march-260234

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Permit parking ballot for parts of Devonport and Ham wards

    Source: City of Plymouth

    People living in some areas of Plymouth’s Devonport and Ham wards are being asked for their views on the potential introduction of residents’ parking permits, following a recent survey.

    The survey, carried out between September and October 2024, asked around 14,000 households for their feedback on issues caused by commuter parking in residential streets around the dockyard.

    We commissioned the survey following resident complaints over a number of years that workers park in their streets and make it difficult for them to park near their homes. The aim was to gauge their views on the scale of the problem and potential solutions, before looking at possible next steps.

    After careful consideration of the feedback we are now balloting residents in seven areas, covering specific streets within Morice Town, Keyham and Weston Mill.

    Each of these seven areas meet both of the following key criteria:

    • residents reported difficulty parking in their streets due to non-residents (commuters) parking there
    • and the majority said they would be open to residents’ parking permits being introduced to tackle the problem

    We are asking residents in each area whether they would or would not like a controlled parking zone to be introduced, explaining what this would involve. A controlled parking zone can only be progressed if more than half of its residents respond and more than half of those who cast a vote are in support.

    Councillor John Stephens, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “People living around the dockyard have been telling us for many years that they struggle to park but opinions vary on how this could or should be tackled.

    “We wanted to get a more detailed insight into what people thought the specific challenges and causes were, which is why we invited so many households to take part in the survey. The feedback has been really useful and it’s clear not everyone shares the same views on what the issues are and what should happen.

    “One thing we do know is there are streets where most people who responded felt that commuter parking was the problem and were very receptive to the idea of permits – which is why we are now balloting these seven zones as a first step.”

    Some survey respondents said they experienced difficulty parking but they felt it was mainly due to the number of cars owned by their neighbours compared to spaces. Residents’ parking permits would not resolve this issue and are therefore not being proposed in these areas.

    Maps showing the zones being balloted, along with some questions and answers, can be viewed on our parking ballot page.

    The ballot will run until Thursday 14 August. Residents in the ballot areas will receive letters advising how to respond online or, if they don’t have internet access, request a paper copy or complete it over the phone.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Exercise to test plans to protect the public in the event of an incident at Devonport

    Source: City of Plymouth

    A routine exercise is to be held to test how multiple agencies would work together to protect the public in the unlikely event of a radiation emergency at Babcock’s Devonport facility.

    Plans for dealing with a radiation incident at the co-located site, which supports nuclear powered submarines for the Royal Navy, are set out in the Devonport Off-site Emergency Plan. This outlines how the Ministry of Defence, Babcock International Group (Babcock), emergency services, Plymouth City Council, UK Health Security Agency and other responding agencies, would work together to protect the public.

    The Devonport Off-site Emergency Plan is tested regularly through ‘Short Sermon’ exercises which involve the full range of agencies that would be involved in an emergency response.

    The latest exercise, which will be held over three days, will assess how multiple organisations would be notified of an incident, how the public would be informed and kept up-to-date, decision making and communication around public health and how radiation monitoring would be managed.

    Many Plymouth residents are already familiar with the plans for managing an emergency. The Devonport Off-site Emergency Plan includes a Detailed Emergency Planning Zone, which extends 1.5km from the submarine berths at the Dockyard.

    Residents living in the zone – which also includes a small area of Torpoint and Wilcove in South East Cornwall – receive a booklet about what to do in the event of a radiation emergency. This is updated and reissued every three years. The booklet is also available on the City Council’s website.

    Residents living near the site will also be familiar with the emergency siren, which is tested at 11.30am every Monday morning and used to alert personnel on the Devonport site of an incident.

    Part of the public protection measures outlined in the plan – and referenced in the leaflet – is the distribution of stable iodine tablets to residents living in areas that might be impacted in the unlikely event of a release of radioactive material into the atmosphere. The tablets help protect the thyroid from harmful effects of radioactive iodine.

    The exercise will involve personnel from the Devonport site simulating the distribution of tablets to some nearby households by posting a leaflet through doors. This part of the exercise is scheduled to take place on Thursday 10 July. Residents receiving the leaflet will not need to take any action.

    A Devonport emergency text and phone alert system will also be tested on 10 July. Plymouth City Council, which manages the alerts, will send a test message to everyone who has signed up to receive the emergency notifications for Devonport. Recipients will not need to take any action.

    The alerts are just one of the methods for warning and informing the public in the event of a major incident at the Devonport Site, which is regulated by statute. The Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 (REPPIR 2019) requires local authorities to have a plan to safeguard the public.

    Councillor Sally Haydon, Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, said: “Many Plymouth residents are familiar with the weekly test of the dockyard siren at 11.30am on Monday mornings but there are also extensive plans in place for protecting the public in the unlikely event of a radiation emergency at the Devonport Site.

    “The Council has a duty to ensure the plans are tested regularly so both the site regulators and the public can be assured that everything is in place in the event it is ever needed.

    “The exercise is also a useful opportunity to remind residents that they can sign up to receive text or phone alerts in the event of an emergency. We will be testing the emergency notification system and anyone who is not yet signed up for the free alerts still has time to do so before we test it. There’s information about how to do this on the Council’s website, where you can also find the off-site emergency plan and the public information booklet explaining what to do in the event of an emergency.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Partners across Derby unite to create a safer, more vibrant city centre

    Source: City of Derby

    A safer, more welcoming and vibrant night-time experience in Derby is being made possible thanks to a powerful partnership between local businesses, organisations, and community leaders. Their collective efforts are helping shape a city centre where people feel confident to visit, explore and enjoy Derby City; especially after dark.

    This work has recently earned Derby the prestigious Purple Flag accreditation, a national recognition awarded by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) to places that meet high standards for managing the evening and night-time economy.

    Organisations including Marketing Derby, Derby’s Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), the University of Derby, Derbion, Derbyshire Police, Vaillant, and Derby Museums have all played a vital role in improving safety, accessibility, and cultural appeal in the city after hours.

    From student safety initiatives led by the University of Derby, to late-night shopping and events at Derbion, to visible policing and coordinated city centre management by the BIDs, the efforts are wide-ranging and deeply collaborative. Companies like Vaillant are also engaging with community initiatives, reinforcing the importance of a collective approach to civic responsibility. This collaborative work not only supports Derby’s night-time economy, but also builds a stronger, more inclusive city one where everyone can feel proud to take part in its growth.

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Cabinet Member for City-Centre, Regeneration, Strategy, Policy and leader of Derby City Council, said:

    The Purple Flag is a powerful symbol of what we can achieve when our city works together. From the police and universities to businesses, venues and volunteers, everyone has a part to play in making Derby safer, more welcoming and more vibrant after dark. This isn’t just about awards — it’s about people in Derby. It’s about making sure everyone, from students to families to visitors, feels proud and confident to enjoy our city centre.

    We’re committed to building on this success, working with partners now and into the future to keep improving Derby’s evening experience for all; this includes the new appointment of a City Centre Manager”

    You can learn more about the Purple Flag award on the ATCM website.

    There is plenty going on in Derby, learn more about what’s on by visiting the Derby LIVE webpage. You can learn more about Derby Nightlife on the Visit Derby webpage.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Gas Prices Plunge Under President Trump’s Energy Policies 📉

    Source: US Whitehouse

    Following the cheapest Independence Day gas prices in four years, drivers across America continue to enjoy plummeting prices — boosting family budgets and fueling economic growth from coast to coast.

    The price decline is being reported nationwide:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Modi govt has planned ₹5,000-crore investment to develop northeast waterways: Sarbananda Sonowal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In a major push to boost inland waterways and maritime infrastructure in India’s Northeast, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday announced a slew of initiatives with an investment outlay of ₹5,000 crore. The projects aim to transform the region’s connectivity, trade, tourism, and employment landscape over the next few years.

    Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Sonowal said the Modi government has drawn up comprehensive plans to develop year-round navigable waterways, modern terminals, community jetties, urban water metros, and maritime skill hubs across the region.

    Empowering Northeast Youth

    A key highlight of the plan is the training of 50,000 youth from the Northeast in maritime skills over the next decade. The Maritime Skill Development Centre (MSDC) in Guwahati and a new Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dibrugarh will spearhead this effort, with an investment of ₹200 crore earmarked for the CoE alone. Together, these centres are expected to generate at least 500 jobs annually.

    “Prime Minister Modi has always envisioned how Yuva Shakti can bring real transformation to the country. Our vision is to train, enable and empower 50,000 youth from the Northeast with world-class maritime skills, ensuring meaningful employment and growth,” Sonowal said.

    Strengthening Connectivity and Trade

    The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has undertaken projects worth ₹1,000 crore in the region’s inland waterways sector in the past two years. Of this, ₹300 crore worth of works have been completed, with the remaining ₹700 crore scheduled for completion by 2025.

    Major initiatives include setting up permanent cargo terminals at Pandu, Jogighopa, Dhubri, Bogibeel, Karimganj, and Badarpur; new approach roads to Pandu Port; heritage restoration works in Dibrugarh; and the development of tourist jetties worth ₹299 crore.

    Additionally, 85 community jetties will be built across the Northeast to boost local trade and connectivity. To ensure uninterrupted navigation on major river routes, the government will deploy 10 amphibian and cutter section dredgers at an investment of ₹610 crore.

    A fleet of 100 modern barges operated by German logistics major Rhenus is also expected to become operational on National Waterways 2 and 16 by 2025, significantly enhancing cargo movement across Assam and neighbouring states.

    Kaladan Project to be Operational by 2027

    Providing an update on the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) — a crucial link connecting India’s Northeast with Myanmar — Sonowal said the project would be fully operational by 2027.

    “This strategic initiative, born out of the India-Myanmar Friendship Treaty, will provide the Northeast with direct and shorter access to international sea routes. It will unlock new trade opportunities for Northeast India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar, strengthening regional ties with Southeast Asia,” he said.

    The Kaladan corridor connects Sittwe Port in Myanmar to Paletwa via an inland waterway, and from Paletwa to Zorinpui in Mizoram by road. Goods can also move from Kolkata to Sittwe Port and onward to Teknaf Port in Bangladesh, then by road to Sabroom in Tripura, reducing transit times and logistics costs substantially.

    Focus on Tourism and Urban Transport

    In a bid to boost regional tourism, the government plans to develop tourism and cargo jetties at Silghat, Neamati, Biswanath Ghat, and Guijan with an investment of ₹300 crore. Water Metro projects for modern urban transport have also been proposed for Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh, with feasibility studies already completed.

    Lighthouses will be installed at Pandu, Tezpur, Biswanath, and Bogibeel, equipped with IMD units to provide local weather forecasts. These will be supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

    Sonowal said, “These projects reflect our commitment to transform the Northeast into a vibrant hub for waterways-based trade, tourism, and employment. This is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas — ensuring inclusive growth and development for all.”

  • MIL-OSI USA: Explore Modern Monarchies through the Law Library’s Newest Story Map

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The Law Library is pleased to announce the publication of a new Story Map: Modern Monarchies Around the World. With contributions from former interns Kate Krause and Sam Walkow, this is the 12th Story Map to join the Law Library’s collection.

    The title page of the Modern Monarchies Story Map.

    Each country mapped is one of three types of monarchies: absolute, constitutional, or mixed. Each pop-up on the interactive map also includes links to our Guide to Law Online: Nations of the World for further learning.

    A screenshot from the interactive map feature of the Story Map, demonstrating the pop-up feature.

    You can learn more about how these monarchies change over time through the CIA World Factbook.

    We hope you enjoy the newest addition to our Story Map collection. Tell us any interesting facts you learn during your research, or what other topics you might like to see in future Story Maps!

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it is free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Let’s talk about Russia: Polytechnic’s study guides for Mariupol students

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    From September 1, students of the Priazovsky State Technical University (PSTU) will begin studying the key course “Fundamentals of Russian Statehood” using the unique practical manual “Let’s Talk About Russia”. It was developed by employees of the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

    In recent years, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation has been actively working to reform the humanitarian block of disciplines in the country’s universities. One of the main innovations of the 2023-2024 academic year was the introduction of a patriotic-focused academic subject, “Fundamentals of Russian Statehood”. The need to develop the discipline was especially emphasized by Russian President V.V. Putin at a meeting of the State Council “On the implementation of youth policy in modern conditions”. The head of state pointed out the critical importance of this step in the context of escalating information confrontation, noting the increased vulnerability of the younger generation to targeted attacks from outside. The task has been set to give young people reliable guidelines and reliable knowledge through a fundamental academic course on the “History of Russia” and “Fundamentals of Russian Statehood”.

    In response to the appeal of the teachers of the Priazovsky State Technical University to the Vice-Rector for Educational Activities of SPbPU Lyudmila Pankova, an additional print run of the textbook “Let’s Talk About Russia” was promptly printed and sent to Mariupol. The presentation ceremony took place at the A. A. Zhdanov Memorial House-Museum in Mariupol – a branch of the State Memorial Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad.

    The practical manual was prepared by a team of authors — teachers of the Higher School of Social Sciences of the Humanitarian Institute. The main feature of the publication is its innovative structure, which allows for an organic combination of theoretical training in the course “Fundamentals of Russian Statehood” with various analytical, project and creative tasks.

    By studying the fundamental principles of statehood, value and ideological attitudes of a citizen of the Russian Federation, students will not only learn the information, but also comprehend it through dialogues, discussions, project work and the completion of creative tasks.

    For example, when studying the topic “Diversity of Russian Regions”, students are offered tasks in the form of fillwords and anagrams. The game approach turns the acquisition of material into a fascinating search, developing attentiveness and analytical thinking. Working on the topic “Victories and Trials of Russia”, students create a virtual art gallery of works dedicated to the trials or victories of Russia. Reflecting on the traditional values of Russian society, students analyze how values and moral ideals are reflected in language, works of art, and are fixed in the form of quotes, images, and characters. The children select quotes and suitable images from works of literature and popular culture that most vividly demonstrate the manifestation of a specific value. It is the synthesis of theory and interactive tasks that allows us to form a meaningful personal attitude to the principles and values of Russian statehood, making the learning process as productive and engaging as possible.

    At the present time, the Higher School of Social Sciences of the Humanitarian Institute is completing work on a collective monograph, “Russia’s Civilization Path,” within the framework of a single educational and methodological complex on “Fundamentals of Russian Statehood.” The monograph will become an additional resource for integration processes aimed at forming the socio-cultural sovereignty of our country.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Executive Secretary affirms UNECE support to implement Sevilla Commitment on development financing

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The Sevilla Commitment adopted under the Chairmanship of Spain at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and its related Platform for Action is a powerful recognition of the need to align financial flows and resources with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

    Leading a UNECE delegation in Sevilla, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean welcomed the adoption of the Commitment, and highlighted UNECE’s readiness to support member States’ implementation through its normative work and practical tools.  

    Emphasizing financing for development “as a matter of solidarity, coherence, and shared responsibility”, she stressed that “in the UNECE region, we must not only increase the volume of sustainable finance, but also ensure that its use is strategic, equitable, and effective.” She further underscored UNECE’s commitment to deepen its partnerships with governments, investors, international financial institutions, and civil society to translate these commitments into concrete, measurable progress. 

    In a series of high-profile engagements, the Executive Secretary stressed the need to align financial systems with the imperative of sustainability – from public budgets and tax systems to mobilizing private finance at scale – and to invest in resilient infrastructure, green and digital transitions, trade capacity and industrial policy, social protection and care systems, and climate action. UNECE works with countries to embed sustainability into regulatory frameworks and standards, covering areas including infrastructure, transport, trade, housing, and transboundary environmental governance, thus helping to improve investment conditions. 

    Cooperation to unlock financing in shared basins 

    Among areas of focus was the importance of having strong frameworks in place to finance development in shared basins, showcasing the role of the UN Water Convention, serviced by UNECE. As highlighted in in discussions co-organised with Switzerland and the Netherlands in partnership with the UN Capital Development Fund, water is a key enabler for sustainable development yet faces a huge financing gap: according to OECD, $6.7 trillion are needed by 2030 and $22.6 trillion by 2050 to reach SDG 6. Since 60% of global freshwater is in shared basins, strong cooperation – through legal frameworks, joint institutions, and mechanisms for data sharing and coordination – helps attract and de-risk investment and multiplies benefits for countries. 

    Aiming to realise this potential, countries made a call to action to enhance cross-border cooperation for financing in shared basins, recalling the strong momentum for the UN Water Convention. This is illustrated by the accession just last week of Bangladesh as the first Party from South Asia, joining 55 Parties from across the pan-European region, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. 20 more countries are in the process of accession.  

    Leveraging private finance 

    To complement public financing, the Sevilla Commitment highlights the urgency of mobilizing private investment at scale and, crucially, aligning it with sustainable development. Despite the UNECE region being home to major capital markets and global institutional investors, long-term investment in inclusive, green, and resilient development remains insufficient.  

    In various exchanges, Ms. Molcean welcomed the Commitment’s emphasis on ensuring that private finance is additional to public resources, transparent, and aligned with the SDGs. UNECE contributes to this agenda through the development and application of its Public-Private Partnership and Infrastructure Evaluation and Rating System (PIERS). Already used to evaluate SDG credentials of 284 projects in 60 countries and 24 sectors worth $118 billion, PIERS assesses projects not only for financial viability, but also for their impact on people, planet, prosperity, partnerships, and governance.  

    Regional cooperation  

    Joining forces at FfD4, the UN Regional Commissions emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in financing for development, from unlocking financial innovation to ensuring follow-up of the Sevilla Commitment’s objectives. In particular, the regional level can help identify collective priorities, share policy innovations, and provide peer support.  

    UNECE continues to facilitate such cooperation by convening platforms, producing policy guidelines, and fostering cooperation in areas ranging from transport and trade facilitation to statistics and urban development.  

    Local action 

    The Executive Secretary further highlighted the importance of action at the local level, considering the direct impact on populations of policies and actions in cities. Addressing the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, the Executive Secretary urged that the local level must be adequately financed to localize the SDGs and to ensure full implementation. UNECE’s pioneering Forum of Mayors provides a platform to promote exchange between cities and give them a voice at the multilateral level. The 5th Forum of Mayors will be held 6-7 October 2025 in Geneva, addressing issues including local climate finance mechanisms.   

    Image credit: UN

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Visits Latin America to launch UN Global Road Safety Campaign  

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, will visit Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia and Brazil (23-27 June), to launch the UN global campaign #MakeASafetyStatement, in partnership with JCDecaux. During his visit, he will meet with key government officials, representatives of the international community, private and public sector leaders, and representatives of civil society to promote road safety initiatives and advocate for enhanced measures. 

    This mission aligns with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, which aims to halve road fatalities by 2030. It follows the adoption of a new UN resolution on road safety at the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech, Morocco, earlier this year (18-19February). 

    A Silent Pandemic

    Road traffic crashes claimed more than 145,000 lives across the Americas in 2021, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), representing 12% of global road fatalities that year. Road crashes remain the leading cause of death for children and young people aged 5 to 29 years old globally imposing a significant social and economic burden. According to the World Bank, the cost of road crashes represents between 3% and 6% of GDP in the region.   

    Across the Americas, deaths on the road have registered a 9.37% drop in the decade to 2021. The region’s progress is above the 5% global drop in deaths in the period but is nowhere near fast enough to meet the global goal of halving road deaths by 2030.  

    Latin America is one of the most urbanized regions in the world, making road safety a crucial component of city development strategies. This underscores the urgent need to rethink mobility and invest in road safety. 

    Solutions exist 

    The good news is that solutions exist. Strengthening law enforcement, investing in education and public transport, enhancing road infrastructure and vehicle safety, developing bicycle lanes and pedestrian pathways — especially around schools —and improving post-crash care are all part of a safe and efficient mobility system. Additionally, mobilizing political leadership is crucial to increase funding and action.  

    A 2019 report commissioned by Bloomberg Philanthropies revealed that more than 25,000 lives could be saved and over 170,000 serious injuries prevented by 2030 if United Nations (UN) vehicle safety regulations were applied by four key countries in the region—Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Brazil. 

    “Every year we lose 1.19 million lives on the world’s roads, this is equivalent to the entire population of cities like Monterrey (Mexico), Guatemala or Campinas (Brazil). This is madness, because we know how to stop this carnage. With this campaign we call for urgent action to ensure safe roads for all, everywhere on the continent,” said Jean Todt, UN Special Envoy for Road Safety.   

    Jean-Charles Decaux, Co-CEO of JCDecaux said: “At JCDecaux, we are committed to improving the quality of life for people wherever they live, work and travel, offering innovative, sustainable street furniture and services that meet cities and citizens’ expectations. This is the core of our mission and that is why we are proud to partner with the United Nations and Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, to display this road safety campaign across our global media network. Following its successful rollout in over 50 countries since September 2023, the campaign’s launch in Latin America marks a key milestone, amplifying local road safety efforts and reinforcing public awareness. With our powerful and service-driven media, we are able to relay these vital prevention messages in high-impact locations, promote safe behaviour, and engage all our stakeholders around this major cause. The campaign’s positive tone, supported by international celebrities, helps inspire a new vision for public space: one that is safer, more inclusive, and more harmonious for all.” 

    #MakeASafetyStatement campaign  

    The global #MakeASafetyStatement campaign aims to promote road safety and create secure, inclusive, and sustainable streets worldwide. 

    Celebrities fronting the campaign in Latin America include football icon Ousmane Dembélé, F1 driver Charles Leclerc, tennis legend Novak Djokovic, singer and musician Kylie Minogue, motorcycle racer Marc Marquez, supermodel Naomi Campbell, and actors Patrick Dempsey and Michael Fassbender.  

    Thanks to the support of the International Olympic Committee, Latin American 2024 Olympic champions such as Juan-Manuel Celaya (Mexico, silver medal, diving), Adriana Ruano (Guatemala, gold medal, shooting women’s trap), Atheyna Bylon (Panama, silver medal, boxing), Angel Barajas (Colombia, silver medal, gymnastics), Rebecca Andrade (Brazil, gold medal, artistic gymnastics) have joined the initiative. 

    National focus 

    Mexico 

    In Mexico, 15 to 16,000 people die each year in road accidents.  This puts the fatality rate at 12.4 per 100,000 inhabitants, below the average for the Americas, and for countries such as the USA, Colombia or Brazil, but above Chile or Argentina.  The economic cost of road accidents is estimated at approximately 1.4% of GDP. 

    One third of all road deaths in Mexico are among pedestrians and motorcyclists, so protecting these vulnerable road users should be an urgent priority. It should be noted, however, that road crash statistics are very incomplete. 

    The National Law of Mobility and Road Safety of 2022 called for the adoption of the life-saving ‘safe systems’ approach that makes safety priority in all road-related policies and planning and is laid out in the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety. An exemplary amendment to Mexico’s constitution underpinned the law, making ‘mobility under the conditions of safety, accessibility, efficiency, sustainability, quality, inclusion and equality,’ a universal right for all Mexicans.  

    Although the law mandated the use of certified helmets at the federal level, most Mexican states have not yet legislated mandatory use, resulting in low compliance rates. 

    Guatemala 

    Road crashes remain a significant public health issue in Guatemala, with some 2,352 deaths registered in 2024 on the country’s roads. This brings the death rate at 12.6 per 100,000 population, as per WHO estimates.  

    Motorcycles are involved in half of the crashes and riders represent some 60% of the victims.  Road crashes happen predominantly in urban areas and among vulnerable road users. 

    In the recent period, Guatemala has made some progress in addressing road safety, both through institutional strengthening and the improvement of monitoring systems, legislative response, and intersectoral coordination. 

    Guatemala is currently a party to only 1 of the 7 core UN Road Safety legals instruments and legislation on pedestrian protection and child restraint systems remains fragmented. Helmet use is mandatory, but technical standards are not fully aligned with international best practices (e.g., UN-certified helmet standards ECE 22.05). Enforcement also remains a key challenge.  

    Guatemala currently participates in a project of the UN Road Safety Fund (UN RSF) Safe School Zones, which supports infrastructure improvements and awareness campaigns to protect children around schools. 

    Panama 

    Panama achieved a 45% reduction in road fatalities between 2016 and 2021, from 440 to 243 deaths. Its rate of 7.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants is the fourth lowest on the continent.  

    However, it records a very high level of people with serious injuries after a crash, with about 21 cases per death.   

    Panama is currently implementing 2 projects under the UN Road Safety Fund: Safe School Zones, aimed at reducing child fatalities near schools, and Strengthening Road Safety Legislation, aiming at aligning national laws with global best practices. Two legislative improvements are currently under discussion, on pedestrian protection and child restraints. 

    Colombia 

    Some 8,146 people died on Colombia’s in 2022, a 24% increase compared to the average from 2017 to 2019, driven by the rise in the number of motorcycles (+ over 100%)  and cars (+58%) registered between 2010 and 2022Motorcyclists represented 60% of the victims, and pedestrians 21%. The death rate is at 16 per 100,000 population (WHO), for an economic toll estimated at some 3% of GDP. 

    In recent years, through ANSV (Agencia Nacional de Seguridad Vial), the government has worked with cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali to implement urban safety plans, including developing public transport (express buses and cable cars); upgrading pedestrian infrastructure; developing safer intersections and introducing speed control zones. 

    The new Road Safety strategy (2022-2031) adopted in 2022 officially adopted the Safe System approach. 

    Colombia implements three projects financed by the UNRS, focusing on: institutional strengthening and better crash data systems; Safe and Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning; and an Awareness Campaign for Road Safety and Behavior Change addressing National media and school-based outreach initiatives. 

    Brazil 

    In Brazil, the mortality rate is 15.7 per 100,000 inhabitants.  Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists—compose around 61% of all crash fatalities. The notable rise in motorcycle-related deaths observed over recent years calls for accrued efforts to enforce the use of proper helmets – aligned with UN regulations (e.g., ECE-22.05). 

    Road safety remains a key challenges with the economic toll of road crashes estimated at some 5% of GDP.  This is one powerful reason to rethink mobility and invest in road safety. 

    The adoption of the National Road Safety Plan (2019–2028) , aiming for a 50% reduction in fatalities by 2028, marks a strong direction, and laws exist on helmet usage, child restraints, speed, drink & drug driving, mobile phone ban, etc. However, enforcement gaps remain—especially in speed and seatbelt compliance among rear passengers.   

    Mandatory inspections of vehicles exist, but several modern safety requirements (ABS, Electronic Stability Control, pedestrian protection, etc.) have not yet been made mandatory.   

    The UN RSF Project Improving Crash Prevention on Federal Highways in Brazil develops an interoperable system for road data collection and analysis, enabling effective countermeasures. 

    Photo credit: JCDecaux

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNECE adopts new regulation for emergency lane keeping system and guidance on data storage for automated driving

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    In an effort to harness advanced technologies to strengthen road safety, the UNECE World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) has adopted a new regulation on emergency lane keeping system, and it endorsed the guidance document on data storage for automated driving. 

    The emergency lane keeping system (ELKS) is a driver assisting system that provides warning to the driver and corrects the trajectory only when the driver is unintentionally leaving the lane. Unintentional drifting over lane markings typically happens during long and monotonous journeys and can be particularly dangerous if another vehicle is in the adjacent lane at the moment of changing lanes. If the driver does not react in time, ELKS can actively and quickly steer the vehicle back into its own lane, thus avoiding an accident. 

    The new UNECE regulation establishes uniform provisions for ELKS fitted to passenger vehicles and vans. It stipulates that the system will automatically detect a potential lane departure, provide the driver with an appropriate warning and correct the vehicle’s trajectory when the driver unintentionally leaves the lane. The driver can maintain control and override the system at any time by taking a deliberate action, such as steering or other control inputs. 

    The regulation will enter into force in February 2026.  

    Guidance on data storage for automated driving  

    The data storage system for automated driving is a device or a function that records and stores a set of data (timestamped flags) during the automated driving sequences of any vehicle equipped with level 3, 4 and 5 automated driving systems (ADS) to provide a clear picture of the interactions between the driver and the system whenever an important safety related event occurs. It is used to establish whether the driver or the system was requested to be in control of the driving task, and who was actually performing the driving task. 

    The guidance on data storage for automated driving endorsed by UNECE’s World Forum provides recommendations to enable the evaluation of ADS performance. It proposes what data elements (e.g. data pertaining to sensing and perception, planning and decision, and control) should be recorded and how they should be stored, with provisions regarding access and confidentiality. It suggests that all of the stored data should be readily accessible to entities as defined under national law, and that the manufacturer should ensure the data is promptly available in a standardized and readable format through an electronic communication interface, preferably an internationally recognized standard. 

    The adoption of this guidance document took place in the context of the development of a global regulation on automated driving system, and discussions have already taken place to cover DSSAD in the new regulation currently in development. 

    In another decision that is expected to improve road safety, the World Forum adopted a new series of amendments to the UN Regulation No. 175 on Acceleration Control for Pedal Error (ACPE) to prevent sudden acceleration when the vehicle is driving very slowly (creeping) and to extend the scope of application to vans in addition to passenger cars with automatic transmission.  

    Note to editors   

    About the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations  

    The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, hosted by UNECE, is a unique global platform responsible for the regulatory frameworks regarding the safety and environmental performance of vehicles, their subsystems and parts.   

    The World Forum manages three global agreements on vehicles: 1958 Agreement (UN Regulations); 1998 Agreement (UN Global Technical Regulations); and 1997 Agreement (UN Rules on Periodic Technical Inspections). Any country that is member of the United Nations may participate in the activities of the World Forum and accede to the Agreements.  

    Image credit: Adobe Stock Images by Livinskiy (AI generated)

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Health Homes Coming to HRM

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Three new health homes in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) are expected to welcome more than 20,000 people from the Need a Family Practice Registry.

    The Hobsons Lake Health Home in Beechville, which just opened last month, currently has a family physician, nurse practitioner and a family practice nurse and will be taking on more patients as more healthcare professionals are added. The Citadel Health Home in downtown Halifax and the Needham Health Home in Halifax’s north end are under renovation and expected to be fully operational by October, barring construction or staffing delays.

    “We continue to build and strengthen health homes across the province so patients have access to comprehensive primary healthcare in their communities,” said Adegoke Fadare, MLA for Clayton Park West, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “These health homes will have a significant impact on further reducing the number of people waiting on the Need a Family Practice Registry.”

    The number of patients and staffing levels at the health homes are expected to be as follows:

    • Hobsons Lake – capacity for about 8,600 patients from the Need a Family Practice Registry; this location will have six physicians, three family practice nurses, two nurse practitioners and one full-time and one part-time licensed practical nurse
    • Citadel – capacity for about 6,000 patients from the registry; four physicians, one nurse practitioner, three family practice nurses and one licensed practical nurse
    • Needham – capacity for about 8,600 new patients from the registry; six physicians, one nurse practitioner, three family practice nurses and one licensed practical nurse.

    Over time, all three locations will also have clerical support and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, social workers or dietitians.

    Quotes:

    “The development of health homes across Central Zone is a key part of our strategy to strengthen access to primary care and reduce the number of people waiting for a provider. These clinics will not only connect more than 20,000 people from the Need a Family Practice Registry with a primary care team, but also support long-term system transformation through multidisciplinary staffing, improved co-ordination, and a focus on patient-centred care.”
    — Kolten MacDonell, Director of Primary Health Care, Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health

    Quick Facts:

    • a health home is a place where patients receive comprehensive care from a team of healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers and other allied health professionals
    • Hobsons Lake Health Home is located at 168 Hobsons Lake Dr., Beechville
    • Citadel Health Home is in the former Cleve’s Source for Sports location at Park Lane Mall, 5657 Spring Garden Rd., Halifax
    • Needham Health Home is located at 6074 Lady Hammond Rd., Halifax

    Additional Resources:

    Health homes in Nova Scotia: https://www.nshealth.ca/primary-care-and-family-medicine/health-homes-nova-scotia

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

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Naval fleet led by aircraft carrier Shandong concludes Hong Kong visit 2025-07-07 20:16:59 A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

    The Yuncheng missile frigate leaves the dock of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison’s naval base in Stonecutters Island, Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Jia Xiaopeng/Xinhua)

    HONG KONG, July 7 (Xinhua) — A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base.

    Early that morning, locals and student representatives gathered at the dock of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison’s naval base in Stonecutters Island, where the Zhanjiang missile destroyer and the Yuncheng missile frigate were prepared for departure. In the vibrant waters of Victoria Harbor, the aircraft carrier Shandong and the Yan’an missile destroyer displayed signal flags stating “Thanks for your support” and “Serving the people.”

    Around 10 a.m., the farewell ceremony began, during which the fleet’s commander expressed sincere gratitude to the HKSAR government and the public for their warm welcome. Guests of honor took part in a memorable photo session, capturing the moment.

    After the ceremony, the Zhanjiang and Yuncheng sounded their naval whistles, and the crew lined the sides to wave goodbye to the crowd on the dock. The two vessels then departed to join the Shandong and Yan’an in a designated sea area, escorted by HKSAR helicopters and vessels.

    Throughout their visit, the naval fleet engaged in a variety of activities, including a deck reception, ship tours, training demonstrations, national defense lectures, and cultural exchanges. These events ignited enthusiasm and patriotism among Hong Kong residents.

    Young students proudly unfurled a large national flag on the deck of Shandong, while the elderly moved to tears stood aboard the ships. Residents joined the officers in singing songs, and the dock’s message wall was filled with blessings for the nation and expressions of gratitude for the PLA.

    Statistics indicate that over 30,000 people visited the naval vessels during the fleet’s stay, creating cherished memories for both the naval personnel and their Hong Kong compatriots.

    The aircraft carrier Shandong departs from Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Li Gang/Xinhua)

    Local people take ferries to see off the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy fleet in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

    Citizens taking a ferry see off the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

    The Yuncheng missile frigate leaves Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

    The Zhanjiang missile destroyer leaves Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

    Local people in Hong Kong watch the departure of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy fleet in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

    The Zhanjiang missile destroyer leaves Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Li Tang/Xinhua)

    The aircraft carrier Shandong departs from Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Cheng Zijian/Xinhua)

    The Zhanjiang missile destroyer leaves Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

    The Zhanjiang missile destroyer leaves Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

    Local people in Hong Kong watch the departure of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy fleet in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

    The aircraft carrier Shandong departs from Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Cheng Zijian/Xinhua)

    Local people in Hong Kong watch the departure of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy fleet in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

    The aircraft carrier Shandong departs from Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Cheng Zijian/Xinhua)

    The aircraft carrier Shandong departs from Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Cheng Zijian/Xinhua)

    The aircraft carrier Shandong departs from Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Cheng Zijian/Xinhua)

    The Yuncheng missile frigate leaves the dock of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison’s naval base in Stonecutters Island, Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Feng Li/Xinhua)

    A Hong Kong citizen holding the Chinese national flag sees off the aircraft carrier Shandong under a light tower in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Li Gang/Xinhua)

    Local people taking ferries see off the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy fleet in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

    The aircraft carrier Shandong departs from Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Li Yun)

    The Zhanjiang missile destroyer leaves Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Photo by Li Tang/Xinhua)

    Citizens aboard a boat see off the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong, south China, July 7, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed south China’s Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit.

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government organized a farewell ceremony at the Stonecutters Island Naval Base. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi inspects manufacturing company in Shanxi

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    YANGQUAN, Shanxi, July 7 — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday afternoon inspected a valve manufacturing company in Yangquan City, north China’s Shanxi Province, where he learned about the province’s efforts to promote the transformation and upgrade of industries and high-quality development.

    At the Yangquan Valve Co., Ltd., Xi inspected the company’s production workshop and products display, and had a cordial conversation with workers at the site.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Simpson Cosponsors Bill to Protect Americans’ Energy Choices

    Source: US State of Idaho

    WASHINGTON—Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson cosponsored H.R. 3699 – the Energy Choice Act. This legislation would prohibit states or local governments from banning an energy service’s connection, reconnection, modification, installation, or expansion based on the type or source of energy to be delivered. This legislation is sponsored by Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY).
    “Energy freedom is key to strengthening our domestic energy supply and ensuring Americans have access to reliable sources that best meet their needs,” said Rep. Simpson. “The Energy Choice Act will lower prices in the long run while defending consumer choice against blue-state politicians working to ban certain types of energy. As a longtime member and former Chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, I’ve been proud to support policies related to energy production. I am also pleased that this bill supports both Idahoans’ needs and the Trump administration’s goals by protecting and unleashing American energy.”
    “As an Idaho home builder working to keep housing affordable for our citizens, I commend Rep. Mike Simpson for sponsoring the Energy Choice Act. This bill would ensure housing costs do not needlessly rise by preventing state and local governments from banning the use of natural gas energy in new homes. Such a ban would deprive consumers choice on how they heat and cool their homes and increase energy costs for families in Idaho because gas heating is often more cost-effective than electric systems,” said Steve Martinez, President of Tradewinds General Contracting.
    U.S. Senator Jim Justice (R-WV) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Social media can support or undermine democracy – it comes down to how it’s designed

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lisa Schirch, Professor of the Practice of Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame

    A protester calls out Facebook for facilitating the spread of disinformation. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

    Every design choice that social media platforms make nudges users toward certain actions, values and emotional states.

    It is a design choice to offer a news feed that combines verified news sources with conspiracy blogs – interspersed with photos of a family picnic – with no distinction between these very different types of information. It is a design choice to use algorithms that find the most emotional or outrageous content to show users, hoping it keeps them online. And it is a design choice to send bright red notifications, keeping people in a state of expectation for the next photo or juicy piece of gossip.

    Platform design is a silent pilot steering human behavior.

    Social media platforms are bringing massive changes to how people get their news and how they communicate and behave. For example, the “endless scroll” is a design feature that aims to keep users scrolling and never reaching the bottom of a page where they might decide to pause.

    I’m a political scientist who researches aspects of technology that support democracy and social cohesion, and I’ve observed how the design of social media platforms affects them.

    Democracy is in crisis globally, and technology is playing a role. Most large platforms optimize their designs for profit, not community or democracy. Increasingly, Big Tech is siding with autocrats, and the platforms’ designs help keep society under control.

    There are alternatives, however. Some companies design online platforms to defend democratic values.

    Optimized for profit

    A handful of tech billionaires dominate the global information ecosystem. Without public accountability or oversight, they determine what news shows up on your feed and what data they collect and share.

    Social media companies say they are in the business of connecting people, but they make most of their money as data brokers and advertising firms. Time spent on platforms translates to profit. The more time you spend online, the more ads you see and the more data they can collect from you.

    This ad-based business model demands designs that encourage endless scrolling, social comparison and emotional engagement. Platforms routinely claim they merely reflect user behavior, yet internal documents and whistleblower accounts have shown that toxic content often gets a boost because it captures people’s attention.

    Tech companies design platforms based on extensive psychological research. Examples include flashing notifications that make your phone jump and squeak, colorful rewards when others like your posts, and algorithms that push out the most emotional content to stimulate your most base emotions of anger, shame or glee.

    How social media algorithms work, explained.

    Optimizing designs for user engagement undermines mental health and society. Social media sites favor hype and scandal over factual accuracy, and public manipulation over designing for safety, privacy and user agency. The resulting prevalence of polarizing false and deceptive information is corrosive to democracy.

    Many analysts identified these problems nearly a decade ago. But now there is a new threat: Some tech executives are looking to capture political power to advance a new era of techno-autocracy.

    Optimized for political power

    A techno-autocracy is a political system where an authoritarian government uses technology to control its population. Techno-autocrats spread disinformation and propaganda, using fear tactics to demonize others and distract from corruption. They leverage massive amounts of data, artificial intelligence and surveillance to censor opponents.

    For example, China uses technology to monitor and surveil its population with public cameras. Chinese platforms like WeChat and Weibo automatically scan, block or delete messages and posts for sensitive words like “freedom of speech.” Russia promotes domestic platforms like VK that are closely monitored and partly owned by state-linked entities that use it to promote political propaganda.

    Over a decade ago, tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, and now Vice President JD Vance, began aligning with far-right political philosophers like Curtis Yarvin. They argue that democracy impedes innovation, favoring concentrated decision-making in corporate-controlled mini-states governed through surveillance. Embracing this philosophy of techno-autocracy, they moved from funding and designing the internet to reshaping government.

    Techno-autocrats weaponize social media platforms as part of their plan to dismantle democratic institutions.

    The political capture of both X and Meta also have consequences for global security. At Meta, Mark Zuckerberg removed barriers to right-wing propaganda and openly endorsed President Donald Trump’s agenda. Musk changed X’s algorithm to highlight right-wing content, including Russian propaganda.

    Designing tech for democracy

    Recognizing the power that platform design has on society, some companies are designing new civic participation platforms that support rather than undermine society’s access to verified information and places for public deliberation. These platforms offer design features that big tech companies could adopt for improving democratic engagement that can help counter techno-autocracy.

    In 2014, a group of technologists founded Pol.is, an open-source technology for hosting public deliberation that leverages data science. Pol.is enables participants to propose and vote on policy ideas using what they call “computational democracy.” The Pol.is design avoids personal attacks by having no “reply” button. It offers no flashy newsfeed, and it uses algorithms that identify areas of agreement and disagreement to help people make sense of a diversity of opinions. A prompt question asks for people to offer ideas and vote up or down on other ideas. People participate anonymously, helping to keep the focus on the issues and not the people.

    The civic participation platform Pol.is helps large numbers of people share their views without distractions or personal attacks.

    Taiwan used the Pol.is platform to enable mass civic engagement in the 2014 democracy movement. The U.K. government’s Collective Intelligence Lab used the platform to generate public discussion and generate new policy proposals on climate and health care policies. In Finland, a public foundation called Sitra uses Pol.is in its “What do you think, Finland?” public dialogues.

    Barcelona, Spain, designed a new participatory democracy platform called Decidim in 2017. Now used throughout Spain and Europe, Decidim enables citizens to collaboratively propose, debate and decide on public policies and budgets through transparent digital processes.

    Nobel Peace Laureate Maria Ressa founded Rappler Communities in 2023, a social network in the Philippines that combines journalism, community and technology. It aims to restore trust in institutions by providing safe spaces for exchanging ideas and connecting with neighbors, journalists and civil society groups. Rappler Communities offers the public data privacy and portability, meaning you can take your information – like photos, contacts or messages – from one app or platform and transfer it to another. These design features are not available on the major social media platforms.

    Rappler Communities is a social network in the Philippines that combines journalism, community and technology.
    Screenshot of Rappler Communities

    Tech designed for improving public dialogue is possible – and can even work in the middle of a war zone. In 2024, the Alliance for Middle East Peace began using Remesh.ai, an AI-based platform, to find areas of common ground between Israelis and Palestinians in order to advance the idea of a public peace process and identify elements of a ceasefire agreement.

    Platform designs are a form of social engineering to achieve some sort of goal – because they shape how people behave, think and interact – often invisibly. Designing more and better platforms to support democracy can be an antidote to the wave of global autocracy that is increasingly bolstered by tech platforms that tighten public control.

    Lisa Schirch receives funding from the Ford Foundation. I know the founder of Pol.is and Remesh platforms, mentioned in this article, as well as Maria Ressa of Rappler Communities.

    I will not benefit in any way from describing their work.

    – ref. Social media can support or undermine democracy – it comes down to how it’s designed – https://theconversation.com/social-media-can-support-or-undermine-democracy-it-comes-down-to-how-its-designed-257103

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Turbulent research landscape imperils US brain gain − and ultimately American prosperity

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Marc Zimmer, Professor of Chemistry, Connecticut College

    International students have been a big part of American STEM. Rick Friedman/AFP via Getty Images

    Despite representing only 4% of the world’s population, the United States accounts for over half of science Nobel Prizes awarded since 2000, hosts seven of The Times Higher Education Top 10 science universities, and incubates firms such as Alphabet (Google), Meta and Pfizer that turn federally funded discoveries into billion-dollar markets.

    The domestic STEM talent pool alone cannot sustain this research output. The U.S. is reliant on a steady and strong influx of foreign scientists – a brain gain. In 2021, foreign-born people constituted 43% of doctorate-level scientists and engineers in the U.S. They make up a significant share of America’s elite researchers: Since 2000, 37 of the 104 U.S. Nobel laureates in the hard sciences, more than a third, were born outside the country.

    China, the U.S.’s largest competitor in science, technology, engineering and math endeavors, has a population that is 4.1 times larger than that of the U.S. and so has a larger pool of homegrown talent. Each year, three times as many Chinese citizens (77,000) are awarded STEM Ph.D.s as American citizens (23,000).

    To remain preeminent, the U.S. will need to keep attracting exceptional foreign graduate students, budding entrepreneurs and established scientific leaders.

    Funding and visa policies could flip gain to drain

    This scientific brain gain is being threatened by the Trump administration, which is using federal research funding, scholarships and fellowships as leverage against universities, freezing billions of dollars in grants and contracts to force compliance with its ideological agenda. Its ad hoc approach has been described by higher education leaders as “unprecedented and deeply disturbing,” and a Reagan-appointed judge ruled that 400 National Institutes of Health grants be reinstated because their terminations were “bereft of reasoning, virtually in their entirety.”

    Experts caution that these moves not only risk immediate harm to scientific progress and academic freedom but also erode the public’s trust in science and education, with long-term implications for the nation’s prosperity and security.

    Citing national security concerns, the White House has also targeted visas for Harvard University’s international students and instructed embassies worldwide to halt visa interviews for all international students, citing national security and alleged institutional misconduct. Against a backdrop of court injunctions and legal appeals, the government continues its heightened “national-security” vetting, so thousands of international scholars remain in limbo.

    These measures, combined with travel bans, intensified scrutiny and revocations of existing visas, have disrupted research collaborations and threaten the nation’s continued status as a global leader in science and innovation.

    What US misses with fewer foreign scientists

    The U.S. research brain gain starts with the 281,000 foreign STEM graduate students and 38,000 foreign STEM postdoctoral scholars who annually come to the U.S. I am one of them. After earning my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in South Africa, I left in 1986 to avoid the apartheid‑era military service, completed my chemistry doctorate and postdoc in the U.S., and joined the United States’ brain gain. It’s an opportunity today’s visa climate might have denied me.

    Some other countries are eager to scoop up STEM talent that is unwelcome or unfunded in the U.S.
    Clement Mahoudeau/AFP via Getty Images

    Incentives for the best and brightest foreign science students to come to the U.S. are diminishing at the same time its competitors are increasing their efforts to attract the strongest STEM researchers. For instance, the University of Hong Kong is courting stranded Harvard students with dedicated scholarships, housing and credit-transfer help. A French university program, Safe Place for Science, drew so many American job applicants that it had to shut the portal early. And a Portuguese institute reports a tenfold surge in inquiries from U.S.-based junior faculty.

    Immigrants import new ways of thinking to their research labs. They come from other cultures and have learned their science in different educational systems, which place different emphases on rote learning, historical understanding and interdisciplinary research. They often bring an alternative perspective that a homogeneous scientific community cannot match.

    Immigrants also help move discoveries from the lab to the marketplace. Foreign-born inventors file patents at a higher per‑capita rate than their domestic peers and are 80% more likely to launch a company. Such firms create roughly 50% more jobs than enterprises founded by native-born entrepreneurs and pay wages that are, on average, one percentage point higher.

    The economic stakes are high. Growth models suggest that scientific advances now account for a majority of productivity gains in high‑income countries.

    L. Rafael Reif, the former president of MIT, called international talent the “oxygen” of U.S. innovation; restricting visas chokes that supply. Ongoing cuts and uncertainties in federal funding and visa policy now jeopardize America’s scientific leadership and with it the nation’s long‑term economic growth.

    Marc Zimmer received funding from NIH and NSF.

    – ref. Turbulent research landscape imperils US brain gain − and ultimately American prosperity – https://theconversation.com/turbulent-research-landscape-imperils-us-brain-gain-and-ultimately-american-prosperity-258537

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Global Combat Air Programme Joint Statement: 7 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Global Combat Air Programme Joint Statement: 7 July 2025

    Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Japanese Defense Minister NAKATANI Gen and UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey took part in a virtual meeting.

    On 7 July 2025, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Japanese Defense Minister NAKATANI Gen and UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey took part in a virtual meeting and confirmed the following points:

    1. The three Ministers welcomed the announcement on 20 June by industry to officially launch Edgewing, a Joint Venture that brings together international aerospace leaders BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy) and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd. (Japan).

    2. The three Ministers also welcomed the opening of the new headquarters in Reading for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) International Government Organisation (GIGO) and Edgewing. The GIGO and Edgewing will work together from the HQ, under the streamlined governance structure, delivering the programme at pace alongside teams from across the three nations.

    3. The three Ministers reaffirmed their strong and personal commitment to the programme, and confirmed to accelerate all the necessary work to conclude the first international contract between the GIGO and Edgewing by the end of this year. They also spoke of deepening trilateral cooperation for the shared objectives of GCAP and ensuring its continued success.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: TUV Action Prompts Investigation into Offensive City Hall Pride Window

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    The TUV has prompted a formal equality investigation into Belfast City Council’s decision to install a “Pride” window in City Hall, following a detailed complaint lodged by party secretary and equality spokesperson Ann McClure.
    The complaint, submitted on 24 June 2025 under Schedule 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, highlights serious breaches of the Council’s own Equality Scheme. Chief among the concerns is the inclusion in the window of a slogan that reads: “Save Sodomy from Ulster.”
    Ann McClure said:
    “Many people – including but by no means limited to those who value  Christian teaching – were appalled to see the slogan ‘Save Sodomy from Ulster’ glorified in a public building funded by ratepayers. This is not a neutral or inclusive message – it’s a provocation, and it makes a mockery of the idea that City Hall belongs to everyone in Belfast. Such vulgar language should have no place in our chief civil building in Belfast. It wouldn’t happen in relation to any other movement and frankly no section of society should be granted an exemption from public decency.
    “Such debasing of public discourse is something which needs to be resisted.
    “The Council had a legal duty to consider how this decision would affect people of faith and those with sincerely held beliefs about marriage and sexuality. That process never happened. No screening, no consultation, no effort to understand how this would impact the people of faith. Once TUV established this via a Freedom of Information  request, I felt compelled to take action.
    “I welcome the fact that following my complaint the Council has confirmed that it will now carry out an internal investigation. Under the Equality Scheme, a substantive response is due within 30 working days.
    “My complaint identifies four key failures:
    •     No Equality Screening: The Council relied on a 2012 EQIA unrelated to this specific window and admitted under FOI that no fresh screening was conducted.
    •     No Consultation with Religious Communities: Despite the Equality Scheme requiring engagement with affected groups, including those of religious belief, there is no evidence that churches or faith organisations were consulted.
    •     No Committee Report Addressing Equality Implications: It remains unclear whether any report was brought to committee with the required equality and good relations section.
    •     No Publication of Screening Outcomes: The absence of any published screening outcome breaches the Council’s duty under Section 4.20.
    “I am now calling on Belfast City Council to:
    1.    Immediately cover or remove the offensive portion of the window pending the investigation;
    2.    Undertake retrospective equality screening and proper consultation;
    3.    Apologise to faith communities who were ignored and disrespected by the process;
    4.    Reassert that shared civic buildings must reflect the diversity of all citizens, not just those with one ideological viewpoint.
    “This complaint is about ensuring that expression doesn’t come at the expense of others – especially in a shared public space and funded with public money.
    “I will continue to monitor this process closely and am prepared to escalate the matter to the Equality Commission if the Council fails to uphold its obligations under its Equality Scheme.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –