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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM tells councils to prove action on pothole plague to unlock extra cash and reveals £4.8bn for major roads

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM tells councils to prove action on pothole plague to unlock extra cash and reveals £4.8bn for major roads

    The Plan for Change is tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer

    • £1.6 billion investment to tackle scourge of potholes to be delivered to councils from next month as PM tells councils to put cash to use
    • for the first time every council in England must publish how many potholes they’ve filled or lose road cash
    • local authorities that comply will receive their full share of the £500 million roads pot – enough to fill the equivalent of 7 million potholes a year, as part of the government’s Plan for Change
    • government also announces £4.8 billion for 25/26 for motorways and major A-roads including economy boosting road schemes on the A47 and M3

    The public will now see exactly what’s being done to tackle potholes, as the government demands councils prove their progress or face losing cash. 

    From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the government’s record £1.6bn highway maintenance funding, including an extra £500m – enough to fill 7 million potholes a year. 

    But to get the full amount, all councils in England must from today (24 March 2025) publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work. Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25% of the uplift (£125m in total) withheld.

    Also today, the Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8bn funding for 2025/6 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads.

    This cash will mean getting on with pivotal schemes in construction, such as the A428 Black Cat scheme in Cambridgeshire, and starting vital improvements to the A47 around Norwich and M3 J9 scheme in Hampshire, building thousands of new homes, creating high-paid jobs, connecting ports and airports, to grow the economy and deliver the Plan for Change.  

    It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of 6 potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average £600 to fix. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96% of drivers. 

    This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs. Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.

    Not only are we investing an additional £4.8 billion to deliver vital road schemes and maintain major roads across the country to get Britain moving, next month we start handing councils a record £1.6 billion to repair roads and fill millions of potholes across the country.

    British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us. We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.

    The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: 

    After years of neglect we’re tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.

    The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25 per cent of their £500m funding boost. 

    Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.

    To ensure councils are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.

    They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse. 

    By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where. The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal. 

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

    Edmund King, AA president and member of the Pothole Partnership, said:  

    Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction, as it will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes. At the same time, local authorities can share best practice, so others can learn what new innovations and planned maintenance techniques have worked for them.” 

    The £4.8bn for National Highways will protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country for people, businesses and freight to help drive for growth as part of Plan for Change.

    The £4.8bn includes a record £1.3bn investment to keep this vital network in good repair, so the network remains fit for the future, and £1.8bn for National Highways’ daily operations that are critical to ensuring the network runs safely and smoothly for millions of people and businesses that rely on it every day. As well as £1.3bn for essential improvement schemes to unlock growth and housing.  

    Since entering office, the government has approved over £200m for the A47 Thickthorn Junction, and £290m for M3 Junction 9 plus £90m for local road schemes like the A130 Fairglen Interchange, the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, the A350 Chippenham Bypass, the A647 scheme in Leeds. This is a total of over £580m for schemes to get Britain moving.

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    Published 23 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Housing Bill: Women must be better protected to flee domestic abuse

    Source: Scottish Greens

    23 Mar 2025 Housing

    The Bill must protect as many women as possible.

    More in Housing

    Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman has lodged proposals to expand the definition of domestic abuse to protect more women and children who are facing homelessness. The proposal will be considered as an amendment to the upcoming Housing (Scotland) Bill.

    Ms Chapman believes that the Scottish Government’s current definition within the context of this bill is not broad enough to offer the necessary protections, only covering violent, threatening and intimidating conduct.

    The expanded definition that Ms Chapman is calling for would see controlling, coercive, and degrading behaviour included within the definition – a change that charity organisation Scottish Women’s Aid has long called for.

    Ms Chapman said:

    “Women might feel unable to leave a violent and abusive relationship for fear of ending up homeless, and that sense of feeling trapped only increases when there are children involved in the process.

    “This bill must work to enhance the support we offer women and children, so that they are better protected and able to flee from abuse, without fear of being left homeless or placed in unsuitable and unsafe accommodation due to their experience of abuse not matching the government’s definition.

    “By expanding the definition of domestic abuse, we can help to resolve that fear and create a more hopeful future for women and their families who are rebuilding their lives.”

    Ms Chapman has also lodged an amendment that would force the Scottish Government to implement the findings of their December 2020 report on improving housing outcomes for women and children experiencing domestic abuse.

    The actions called for in the report include: improving how homelessness due to domestic abuse appears in statistics, developing a Housing First pathway for women experiencing domestic abuse, and developing a timetable to implement the Ending Homelessness Together action plan that will ensure the homelessness system meets the needs of diverse groups of women.

    Ms Chapman said:

    “There are groups who have been waiting years for the findings of this report to be put into action. My proposal will bring them forward and help ensure that women and children experiencing domestic abuse are provided with the right services, with the right support and regular reviews to ensure that progress is being made.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Taking on Trump & Farage – and fixing church roofs

    Source: Liberal Democrats UK

    We meet at a time of great peril. For our continent, and for our country.

    Because Donald Trump is not only betraying Ukraine. It’s not only their sovereignty he’s selling out. It’s our security. The security of Europe and the security of our United Kingdom.

    And that is unforgivable.

    Putin might be able to fool Donald Trump into thinking that his ambitions do not extend beyond parts of Ukraine, but we know better. Just look at what he’s already doing in Georgia, in Moldova, in Romania – undermining their democracies and seeking to extend his grip further into Europe.

    Our brave Ukrainian allies are on the frontline. Fighting not just for their homes. Not just for their freedom. But for the freedom and security of people across Europe, including ours here in the UK. Their fight is our fight.

    So to our Ukrainian friends, on behalf of all Liberal Democrats, let me say once again – We thank you. We salute you. We stand with you. Today. Tomorrow. Always.

    And of course, that solidarity must go beyond mere words. That’s why I am proud that the United Kingdom has been Ukraine’s staunchest ally right from the start. Why I am so proud of the tens of thousands of British families who welcomed Ukrainians into their homes. Showing the incredible warmth and generosity of the British people. Why I am proud of all the military assistance we have given to the Ukrainian armed forces – the tanks and training, missiles and drones to repel Putin’s war machine. And it’s why I was proud that the Prime Minister brought Europe and Canada together here in Britain to chart a way forward, the day after those appalling scenes of Trump and Vance ambushing President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.

    And Trump’s so-called “special envoy” might dismiss British leadership as pointless posturing, but we know what it really is… Britain, leading in Europe again, as we have done at the greatest moments in our nation’s history. And friends, it was good to see that again after such a long time, wasn’t it?

    But now we must step up our efforts and do more. Much more. For the defence of Ukraine, for the defence of Europe, and for our own national defence too.

    So we Liberal Democrats have led calls for far more support for Ukraine – funded by the tens of billions of pounds of Russian assets frozen in the UK, and the hundreds of billions of pounds frozen across the G7. We backed proposals for a new European Rearmament Bank, to finance a massive expansion of defence manufacturing here at home and across the continent. We pressed the Government to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP – and now we are continuing to push for cross-party talks to get it to 3%.

    Because the threat we face is existential.

    To our east, a murderous dictator hellbent on building a new Russian empire – and committing atrocities on European soil in pursuit of it. And to our west, for the first time in my life, a President of the United States willing not merely to turn a blind eye to Putin’s aggression – but actually to praise it. A President who has repeatedly demonstrated that he is not a reliable ally to Ukraine, to Britain, to Europe, or to anyone else.

    So the fundamental questions we now face are these:

    How do we deal with Putin?

    And how do we deal with Trump?

    Well, let me tell you how not to deal with them. Just like any bully, you don’t deal with them by curling up in a ball and hoping they’ll leave you alone. You don’t turn a blind eye as they attack your friends, praying that maybe they’ll stop there. You have to stand up. Stand tough. Stand together with our friends. Make clear that an attack on one is an attack on all.

    And that – for the vast majority of people in our country – is our instinctive response. Brits can’t stand a bully.

    What Trump and Putin are doing offends our fundamental British values of decency, fair play, respect for national sovereignty and the rule of law. Almost everyone I speak to – in every part of our country – feels that way. But there is one man who thinks differently.

    One lone holdout. Someone who simply doesn’t seem to get it. A man who splits his time between GB News, Mar-a-Lago… and weirdly selling nappies on social media, apparently. A man who can even, legend has it, occasionally be spotted in the House of Commons and – if you wait long enough – in the town of Clacton-on-Sea. Nigel Farage.

    Unlike you and me, Nigel Farage thinks Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are great. Not in a “look, we have to be pragmatic and work with them” kind of way. More in a teenager with a celebrity crush kind of way.

    Don’t forget, when Farage was asked which world leader he most admired, his answer was Vladimir Putin. Yes, really. Now, to be fair, that was before Donald Trump became President – so I guess Putin might have slipped to number two by now. 

    A tyrant responsible for the brutal suppression of Russia’s own people, and countless atrocities in Ukraine. Who has murdered thousands of innocent civilians. And abducted 20,000 children from their homes. Snatched them away from their families.

    That, apparently, is the sort of man who wins Nigel Farage’s admiration.

    How despicable. How completely out-of-touch with British values. With human values. How unpatriotic. How deeply un-British. And this from a man who thinks he can be our Prime Minister. Not on our watch.

    With war on our continent, an unpredictable President in the White House, and an increasingly volatile world… This is no time for a nationalist.

    We need real British patriotism instead. At home and abroad, our country has big problems to solve. And let’s be absolutely clear: Nigel Farage is not the least bit interested in solving them.

    If Farage had his way, he would turn our great country into little more than a Donald Trump tribute act. He has said it himself: he sees Trump as his inspiration. He wants to do to Britain what Trump is doing to America: All the division. The nasty culture-war nonsense. The economic self-harm of tariffs. Cruelty for the sake of being cruel. Siding with criminals and undermining the rule of law. And of course, limiting your access to healthcare. And making you pay more for it.

    Farage doesn’t like to talk about it much these days, but he has been very clear throughout his long political career that he doesn’t believe in the fundamental NHS principle of universal healthcare free at the point of use. He’s called for an American-style insurance-based model. He says he’s “open to anything” when it comes to the future of the NHS – including privatisation. Just like his idol Donald would want.

    And apart from that, isn’t it striking that Farage has nothing to say about the challenges facing our NHS? Nothing to say about how to make sure people can actually see a doctor or a dentist when they need one. Nothing to say about ambulance delays or crumbling hospitals. Nothing to say about fixing social care, so that our loved ones get the care they need and carers get the support they deserve. And I mean literally – nothing to say. 

    Farage has never uttered the word “care” once in Parliament. Because the truth is: Nigel Farage doesn’t care.

    He hasn’t mentioned the “NHS” once either – or GPs, hospitals, ambulances, dentists. Imagine that. A political party whose leader has nothing at all to say on one of the biggest issues on people’s lips, and the biggest challenges we face. Our country has big problems to solve. And Nigel Farage is not the least bit interested in solving them.

    But friends, that’s not the worst of it, is it? What worries us most about Farage and Reform is the deeply destructive, divisive brand of politics they deploy.

    The weaponisation of difference. The demonisation of diversity. The scapegoating of “the other”. The superficial, simplistic, snake-oil solutions they peddle. We know where it all will lead, if we don’t stop it.

    We know what happens when cynical, opportunistic politicians seize on the struggles and the anxieties of ordinary people – Anxieties about the cost of living. About cultural and technological change. About sovereignty and security. When they exploit those struggles and anxieties for their own selfish ends – When they point the finger of blame at those who differ from you because of their religion or their nationality or the colour of their skin – When they teach that those people threaten your job or your family or your way of life – When they manipulate new forms of media to spread lies, sow fear and stir hatred – When they use those tools to convince you that their cause alone is righteous and all who stand against them are evil… We know where that ends.

    We have seen it before across history – too many times. It is the populist playbook, and its pages are very well-worn. It is ugly. It is powerful. And it is incredibly destructive. Not only to the groups they target – the vulnerable, the minorities – but ultimately to us all. To our whole society. To the very idea of liberal democracy that our United Kingdom embodies.

    And if this sounds alarmist or over-the-top, remember this: It always starts that way.

    With a reasonable, even beguiling face. With an appeal to “common sense” and “plain speaking”. But if allowed to take root, it grows and mutates with such speed and ferocity, till it fills every crack in the foundations of our country… Until those cracks become chasms.

    And what is broken can never be mended. So we know where it leads. We know what is at stake. Not just an election. Not just a set of policies. But the very future of liberal democracy itself.

    That is what’s under threat. And friends – Liberal Democrats – it falls to us to save it.

    Because with the Conservatives desperately chasing Reform’s tail – And Labour sounding more and more like them every day – We Liberal Democrats are the only ones with the courage and the conviction to stand up and offer something different. Offer a positive alternative. Something better… Hope.

    And here’s the good news – Because I know it can feel like the tides of history are against us right now. I know that when you look at Trump in America, Le Pen in France, the AfD in Germany, Reform here in the UK – When the headlines are so often so bleak – It can be tempting to give in to despair.

    Well the good news is this: What we can offer people is even more powerful than all their lies. All their false promises. The easy answers of the populist right. Even more powerful, and even more popular. Real hope.

    Hope based not on empty rhetoric or magical thinking – But on hard work and concrete action that people can see making a difference to their lives and to their communities.

    That’s what good old-fashioned Liberal Democrat community politics has always been all about. Winning people’s trust by getting things done. Showing them what liberal democracy can do for them – not by talking about it, but by rolling up our sleeves and actually doing it. Putting our policies into practice and our ideals into action.

    I don’t know if you heard what Kemi Badenoch said about us recently. Did you hear this?

    She said – and I quote: “A typical Liberal Democrat will be somebody who is good at fixing their church roof. And people in the community like them.”

    Good at fixing the church roof. People in the community like them.

    I think she meant it as an insult! But I’ll happily wear it as a badge of honour.

    Because she’s right. Liberal Democrats fix things.

    And isn’t it telling, that attitude from the Leader of the Conservative Party? 

    Not that she doesn’t like us – I’m not surprised about that. She’s got good reason not to like the Liberal Democrats… After all, we did take 60 seats off them last July! I’ll say that again, Conference… We took 60 seats off the Conservatives! So you can hardly blame them for being a bit upset!

    But what I’m talking about is the sneering attitude of the Leader of the Conservatives. The sneering attitude that says fixing church roofs is somehow beneath her. Even beneath politics altogether. That what happens in our communities is trivial and insignificant compared to debating the true meaning of conservatism on Twitter.

    And it goes far beyond Kemi Badenoch and church roofs. It’s the whole Conservative Party – whether in Westminster or in town halls and county halls across the country. They have abandoned our communities.

    The Conservatives left schools and hospitals to crumble. Left whole areas without enough GPs or dentists. Left water companies to pump filthy sewage into our rivers and seas. And they have left decent, traditional Conservatives without a political home.

    Their out-of-touch, disdainful thinking is why the Conservative Party is in the mess it is today. Treating the day-to-day things that matter in people’s lives not just with indifference, but outright contempt.

    It’s why so many lifelong Conservative voters have turned to the Liberal Democrats. It’s why people rightly kicked them out of government last July – And why we must kick them out of our councils in May too.

    But that Conservative disdain and neglect is also what has opened the door to Reform. And that’s why it’s so important that we Liberal Democrats are rooted in our communities, getting things done.

    Fixing the church roof – and much more besides. Showing people that politics can work for them. That who they vote for can make a difference. That their voice matters. 

    That is how you defeat the populists. How you drain away the cynicism that feeds them. How you win back people’s trust and restore their hope.

    It’s not easy, our way of doing politics.

    Liberal Democrat MPs certainly have to spend a lot more time in our constituencies than Nigel Farage spends in Clacton – although I admit that’s a low bar.

    That’s why no one ever joins the Liberal Democrats as a shortcut to high office. And if that’s why any of you are here today, I’m sorry to have to let you down like this.

    We join because we want to make a difference to our communities and our country. Even though we know it’s hard work. 

    And we join – we all joined – because of a genuine belief in the core Liberal values that have made our country great: Freedom and equality. Community and internationalism. A commitment to human rights, to the environment, and to democracy. And those values are exactly what this moment in history demands.

    At a time when people are facing so many daily challenges on so many different fronts – The cost of living crisis. An economy that is still barely growing. Public services that just aren’t working the way they should. Opportunity that feels further and further out of reach for too many young people.

    These are challenges that can really test our values. When people feel so economically insecure. When times are so tough. Historically these are the times that liberalism has struggled, that progress has stumbled. But these are the times when our liberal values are needed more than ever.

    To build the fair, free and open society we all believe in. So that people can get on in life – with real power to make their own choices and pursue their own dreams.

    Because we understand that if you free people – If you empower them to make their voices heard and hold the powerful properly to account – Then you unleash the best in people and create a better society and a stronger economy as a result.

    So that everyone gets a fair deal. Every child gets the best possible start in life, and everyone sees their hard work and aspiration properly rewarded. Everyone gets the care they need when they need it, and a helping hand if they fall on tough times.

    And friends, how critical are our Liberal, internationalist values right now?

    Not just on Ukraine and defending Europe from Putin – critical though that is. But on so many big, global challenges – from the rise of China to the threat of climate change to the risks of artificial intelligence.

    These are challenges that no nation can afford to ignore. And challenges that no nation can tackle alone. Pulling up the drawbridge simply isn’t an option. Like I said, this is no time for a nationalist.

    What we need is a movement of proud internationalists – People who believe that our country and our people thrive when we are open and outward-looking. Who know that the UK can be an incredible force for good when it stands tall on the world stage. And stands up for what is right. Who recognise that the concerns of one nation inevitably become the concerns of all nations. A movement of proud internationalists. And Liberal Democrats, that is who we are.

    The only party that has consistently opposed the Conservatives’ damaging Brexit deal from the start. The only party arguing for a new deal with the EU, with a Customs Union at its heart – putting us on a path back to the Single Market. The only party still championing international aid, after first the Conservatives and now Labour shamefully cut it.

    And friends, we’re the only party in British politics speaking up in defiance of Donald Trump. The only ones willing to state the obvious truth: that he is no leader of the free world. I mean, this is a man who stands on the White House drive, flogging Teslas for Elon Musk like a particularly bad used car salesman. It’s hardly “Ask not what your country can do for you”, is it?

    And more despicably, this is a man who halted shipments of food, medicine and other essential aid supplies to people around the world who desperately need them. Locking whole shipping containers in port for their contents to rot. So much for Ronald Reagan’s “shining city on a hill”.

    And remember – this is the man Nigel Farage calls his “inspiration”. We’re the only ones willing to say that Trump cannot be relied upon to play by the rules, or stick to agreements. That his presidency is a threat to peace and prosperity in the UK, across Europe, and around the world. And that we must deal with him as he is. Bullying. Narcissistic. Unpredictable. We must deal with Trump from a position of strength, not weakness.

    Like on trade. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that Donald Trump loves tariffs. He says it’s “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”…

    Which, when you think about it, really is a very Donald Trump way of deciding your economic policy, isn’t it?

    Now, as Liberals, we profoundly disagree. After all, it was the Victorian Liberals who overturned centuries of protectionism and ushered in a new era of free trade and prosperity. We can already see the damage Trump’s tariffs are doing to the US economy, with forecasters saying he may plunge it into recession. And we fear the damage his trade war could do to the world economy, impacting jobs and living standards here in the UK too.

    So the question, again, is how do we deal with him?

    And the answer, we say again, is from a position of strength. Regrettably, that’s not Labour’s strategy. They say: “Let’s be nice to him and hope he won’t hurt us”.

    Now Labour’s even talking about scrapping Britain’s tax on social media giants. Changing the UK’s tax policy to appease Donald Trump – and Elon Musk. Well appeasement never works with bullies, and it doesn’t work with Trump – as his tariffs on British steel already show.

    And let me say this to Elon Musk, who I know is my biggest fan… We will make out-of-control social media giants like you pay more – so we can defend our children and young people from the harm you’re causing them.

    But it’s not just Labour bending the knee to this White House. It’s the Conservatives too. They’d have us go to Mar-a-Lago, begging bowl outstretched, pleading for a trade deal on whatever terms Trump will give us. The Conservatives would sell out British farmers to President Trump, just as they sold them out in their damaging trade deals with Australia and New Zealand. And then they’d let Trump’s billionaire mates carve up the NHS between them. 

    Another Elon Musk rebrand, this time to NH-X.

    More and more appeasement – in the futile hope it would protect us from more Trump tariffs in future. But we know it wouldn’t. Of course it wouldn’t.

    Just look at how he’s treated Canada – a steadfast ally who fought fascism alongside the US and the UK. He has hit them with outrageous tariffs, breaking the trade deal between their two countries. Because he doesn’t like the deal, so he doesn’t think he has to stick to it.

    Last month he asked “who would ever sign a thing like this”. The answer, of course, is you did Donald. Only five years ago. His signature means nothing.

    So no, a bad Trump deal won’t protect us from tariffs. And playing nice, being weak, is no way to deal with him either. So let’s stand up to Trump. Let’s stand side by side with the EU and with our Commonwealth ally Canada. I urge the Prime Minister to bring those leaders together here in the UK to agree a coordinated response to Trump’s trade war – just like he’s rightly done on Putin’s murderous war. As others have done, we should hit back with tariffs of our own – starting with those Teslas Trump is so desperate to sell. 

    And Conference, let’s put ourselves in the strongest possible position by rebuilding our trade with Europe – Strengthening British businesses and showing Trump we have other options.

    So you see, when it comes to dealing with Trump – as with the other looming threats in the world right now – it is our liberal belief in internationalism that offers the solution. Conference, with Trump in the White House and Farage leading a Trump tribute act here in the UK – Our role in British politics has never been more essential. Our precious liberal values are the only antidote to their destructive nationalism. Our trademark community politics is the only way to defeat their cynical populism.

    The threat they pose is grave. The challenge before us is great. This is a battle of competing values. A battle of competing visions. A battle for the future.

    We didn’t choose this fight. But friends, I know you are up for it. I know together we can win it.

    For the future of our democracy. For the good of our communities. For the love of our country. Let’s go to battle.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government-backed technologies support those living with dementia

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government-backed technologies support those living with dementia

    Cutting-edge research networks backed by government to tackle debilitating symptoms of dementia including memory loss and communication difficulties

    People living with dementia are set to benefit from government-backed research designed to help them live more independently in their own homes.

    Four new research networks led by the UK’s top researchers, developers, health and social care professionals will focus on creating technologies to help dementia patients manage memory loss, communication difficulties and cope better with everyday tasks, in the hopes of slowing the progress of the disease and maximising the time they can spend safely and happily at home.   

    The teams will work alongside people living with dementia and carers to ensure lived experience and changing needs are at the heart of innovation, delivering the government’s Plan for Change to shift healthcare from hospitals into the community, with better results for patients while also reducing pressure on the NHS. 

    The four successful networks are: 

    • The University of Sheffield – to develop technologies to help dementia patients communicate as their disease progresses, supporting speech and memory challenges  

    • Heriot-Watt University – to develop technology to anticipate, and where possible slow, progression of dementia patients’ symptoms  

    • Northumbria University – to develop local hubs in rural and remote areas, where dementia patients can access technology to help them with everyday tasks  

    • Imperial College London – to develop easily-used tools to support independent living, and using AI to support data analytics  

    The networks will also collaborate with a range of key partners including NHS, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK and local authorities and councils, to deliver the projects, ensuring expertise at all levels is consulted on, and helping to develop the best outcome.  

    The projects are being backed by government, with The Minister of State for Health set to unveil £6.7 million in funding later this week at the World Dementia Council Summit on Tuesday 25th March.  

    The networks are funded by £6.7 million from the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society.  

     Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth, said:  

    Dementia is a cruel and heartbreaking disease, not only for those living with it, but for the families and friends who often watch their loved one become a shadow of the person they once were.   

    Backing these groundbreaking technologies won’t just help people with dementia – it’ll transform their lives, giving people the freedom to stay in their own homes, around the people they love.   

    Moving care out of hospitals and into communities isn’t just smart healthcare – it’s about giving people independence. Britain will be at the forefront of dementia innovation, backing cutting-edge research and rolling out life-changing technologies that deliver real results for patients and families. This is exactly the bold thinking we need at the heart of our Plan for Change.

    Science Minister, Lord Vallance said:

    Dementia is one of the biggest challenges to health and social care of our time. These four networks will take on that challenge, harnessing technology to improve the quality of life for those living with the disease.

    Helping people with Dementia to live more independently will allow us to move their care from hospitals to communities, reducing strain on the NHS and supporting the plans for health that are key to our Plan for Change.

    Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR said: 

    By developing networks and technologies that help people living with dementia stay independent for longer, and closer to home, we can help improve the quality of care that patients and their families receive.  

    I welcome this collaboration which will increase the range of support enabling dementia patients to live independently at home and in their communities and freeing up vital time and resource for other areas of treatment and care.

    Professor David Sharp at Imperial College London, and the Director of Care Research & Technology Centre, at the UK Dementia Research Institute, said:  

    This is a really exciting opportunity that will bring together UK scientists and partners from health and social care, industry, third sector and lived experience, to develop new technologies that will help people affected by dementia to live independently for as long as possible.

    According to an Alzheimer’s Society survey, 85% of people have said they would prefer to stay in their own home for as long as possible if diagnosed with dementia, but many are currently unable to do so. It is hoped these projects will help slow the progression of the disease and provide a better quality of life for people living with dementia, to help people out of hospital and back into the community, where they’re most comfortable.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government unleashes next generation of construction workers to build 1.5m homes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Government unleashes next generation of construction workers to build 1.5m homes

    New training will help deliver 1.5 million homes which will transform communities and drive growth through the Plan for Change.

    • Up to 60,000 more engineers, brickies, sparkies, and chippies to be trained by 2029, as Chancellor outlines how the government will train more workers to tackle skills shortages and inspire the next generation into the construction sector.
    • Reforms will get young people into well paid, high skilled, jobs in the construction sector by funding additional placements, establishing Technical Excellence Colleges, launching new foundation apprenticeships, and expanding Skills Bootcamps.
    • This injection of over £600 million over the next four years will also encourage experienced builders to help train and inspire the next generation.

    Ahead of the Spring Statement next week (Wednesday 26 March) the Chancellor has announced £600 million worth of investment to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers.

    This will deliver well paid jobs across the country in the construction sector and help build 1.5 million homes to transform communities by the end of this Parliament.

    Chancellor, Rachel Reeves said:

    We are determined to get Britain building again, that’s why we are taking on the blockers to build 1.5 million new homes and rebuild our roads, rail and energy infrastructure.

    But none of this is possible without the engineers, brickies, sparkies, and chippies to actually get the work done, which we are facing a massive shortage of. We’ve overhauled the planning system that is holding this country back, now we are gripping the lack of skilled construction workers, delivering on our Plan for Change to boost jobs and growth for working people.

    The sector is facing significant shortages, the latest Office for National Statistics figures show that there are over 35,000 job vacancies and employers report that over half of vacancies can’t be filled due to a lack of required skills – the highest rate of any sector. Demand is expected to increase further to deliver the homes and infrastructure that this country needs.

    Funding and reforms announced today will pay for more training places, ensure a sustainable flow of skilled construction workers and help businesses invest more in training. It will encourage the men and women who have spent decades working on building sites, to pass on their skills to the next generation of construction workers.

    Building the skilled workforce of the future is key to driving economic growth, the central mission of the government’s Plan for Change. These construction jobs are the type of secure, well paid, in demand jobs that will help put more money in working people’s pockets and fuel growth.

    Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:

    Skills are crucial to this government’s mission to grow the economy under our Plan for Change, and nowhere is that clearer than in the construction industry.

    We are being held back by the largescale skills shortages in the construction sector which is a major barrier to the delivery of the growth mission.

    These measures will break down barriers to opportunity for thousands of young people, helping them to thrive in – and build – their local communities.

    Today’s announcement will provide £100 million of new investment to fund 10 new Technical Excellence Colleges and £165m of new funding to help colleges deliver more construction courses.

    Skills Bootcamps in the construction sector will also be expanded, with £100 million of funding to ensure new entrants, returners, or those looking to upskill within the industry will be able to do so. All Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) areas will benefit from £20 million to form partnerships between colleges and construction companies, to boost the number of teachers with construction experience in colleges, sharing their vital expertise by training the next generation of workers.

    Construction will also be one of the key sectors that will benefit from new foundation apprenticeships backed by an additional £40 million, which will be launching in August 2025. This will inspire more young people into the construction industry and allow them to progress and specialise in advanced apprenticeships, giving them the tools they need for a sustained and rewarding career. As part of this new offer, employers will be provided with £2,000 for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain in the construction industry, on top of fully funding the training costs through the new Growth and Skills Levy.

    A further £100 million of government funding, alongside a £32 million contribution from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) will fund over 40,000 industry placements each year for all Level 2 and Level 3 learners, those studying NVQs, BTECs, T-levels, and advanced apprenticeships. This will help get learners ‘site-ready’ and address the ‘leaky pipeline’ of learners who don’t progress into the sector. The CITB will also double the size of their New Entrant Support Team (NEST) programme to support SMEs in recruiting, engaging, and retaining apprentices.

    An additional £80 million capital fund will support employers to deliver bespoke training based on their needs.

    To ensure employers are able to work collaboratively to secure the workforce needed to meet future demand, the government will sponsor a new Construction Skills Mission Board. Co-chaired by government and by Mark Reynolds, Executive Chair of Mace, the Board will be empowered to develop and deliver a construction skills action plan and provide strategic leadership to the construction sector.

    The government’s communications campaigns continue to promote skills and their contribution to opportunity and growth for individuals and employers.

    In collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) through Job Centre Plus, the DfE campaign highlights the construction industry’s value for growth, celebrating employers who contribute significantly to workforce training, and emphasising the benefits of careers in construction. 

    The announcement follows a series of reforms announced during National Apprenticeship Week, including changes to English and maths requirements that will see up to 10,000 more apprentices qualify each year in key sectors, and new shorter apprenticeships. Changes to end point assessments will also mean it is even easier for businesses and providers to support getting people into the workforce.

    Last year the Education Secretary announced new Construction Skills Hubs, funded by industry, which will also speed up the training of construction workers crucial to supporting the government’s homebuilding drive.

    Mark Reynolds, Executive Chair Mace, Co-Chair of the Construction Skills Mission Board and Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership said: 

    This is fantastic news and demonstrates that Government is committed to working with the construction industry to deliver 1.5m homes by the end of this Parliament and its ambitious plans for infrastructure delivery. It’s a hugely significant funding package, and the establishment of the Construction Skills Mission Board will enable us to collaborate with Government to drive change at pace.

    Understandably, construction firms across the country are looking for certainty of pipeline before they commit to investing in new jobs and skills – but this investment by the Chancellor will be critical in giving them the confidence they need. There is now no excuse – industry must embrace the Government’s growth mission and match their ambition.

    Tim Balcon, CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) Chief Executive said:  

    We are delighted with the support the Government is giving the construction sector with increased investment. This package will provide vital support, where it is needed most – it will cut straight to the heart of the construction industry being able to address the challenge of building 1.5m new homes for people that desperately need them.   

    As an industry, we now need to grasp this opportunity and play our part in delivering it. I genuinely believe this is a once-in-a-generation chance to us to recruit and train our workforce – equipping more people with the skills they urgently need now and in the future.

    Steven Boyes, Deputy CEO at Barratt Redrow said: 

    Construction faces a long-standing skills shortage at a time when we are challenging ourselves to build even more much-needed new homes across the country. I started out as a trainee on a Barratt Homes’ construction site 47 years ago, and so welcome this significant, long-term investment in skills, which will create real opportunities for people of all backgrounds to build a successful career in homebuilding.

    Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive and Founder of The 5% Club said:

    We welcome this positive announcement today and the Government’s focus on skills in construction and infrastructure – sectors that are key to driving the UK’s growth. Balfour Beatty and others are investing heavily in skills, but gaps remain, and they’ll only grow as the demand for critical infrastructure – to support clean, secure energy and better connectivity – ramps up. 

    As NISTA takes shape, we’re looking to it to take a holistic view of both skills and supply chain needs to ensure the industry is ready to deliver the infrastructure pipeline. We’re also keen to see the full details of the Growth and Skills Levy, which could make a real difference.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More officers on streets to smoke out illicit tobacco and vapes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    More officers on streets to smoke out illicit tobacco and vapes

    More officers trained and funding provided as clampdown on illegal tobacco and vape trade accelerates.

    Tighter and tougher protections to protect children and communities from illicit tobacco and vapes have been unveiled today (Sunday 22 March) as the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves closer to creating a smokefree UK.   

    A new £10 million boost for Trading Standards will bolster operations in local communities for the next year, to fund an expected 80 more apprentice enforcement officers to stop harmful tobacco and vape products finding their way into neighbourhood shops and stopping underage sales.    

    Officers work closely with local police to take down organised crime groups that operate within networks to supply illegal vapes. Trading Standards plays a key role, operating targeted seizures and sending sniffer dogs to hunt down illicit vapes hidden in shops. 

    Today’s package builds on robust measures in place to tackle illicit tobacco and vapes, including HMRC and Border Force’s £100 million Illicit Tobacco Strategy to crack down on illegal tobacco. Alongside this, the new vaping duty (which will come into force in 2026) will introduce new civil and criminal powers, giving them the ability to seize products and recruit over 200 additional compliance staff.  

    This new funding sits alongside the Tobacco and Vapes Bill which will create the world’s first smoke-free generation, gradually ending the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 and toughening laws to protect children from addiction.  

    The Bill will also introduce new £200 on the spot fines in England and Wales for breaches of age of sale restrictions, alongside powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.     

    This action delivers on the government’s Plan for Change to create an NHS fit for the future by focusing on the crucial role prevention can take in cutting waiting lists, while also making our streets safer by tackling organised crime. 

    Minister for Public Health and Prevention Ashley Dalton said:  

    Buying illicit tobacco and vapes may save a few pennies in your pocket, but they can be incredibly dangerous and are often linked to criminal activity.   

    It’s vital the Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves forward so we can tackle this illicit trade and free our children from a life imprisoned by addiction. By phasing out tobacco, introducing new restrictions on vapes and putting more boots on our streets, we’re taking the concrete action needed to deliver our Plan for Change and bring us that one step closer to a healthier, smoke-free future.”  

    John Herriman, Chief Executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), said:  

    CTSI is very welcoming of the announcement of substantial funding for Trading Standards services across England. This much-needed investment will strengthen our ability to support businesses in complying with current and future tobacco and vaping regulations and will also ensure we are well placed to support the protection of public health. It also reinforces our commitment to taking firm action against anyone who seeks to harm their local communities by choosing to operate outside the law. With these additional resources, we can make a real difference in both keeping consumers safe, and ensuring a fair and responsible marketplace.

    Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said:

    Illicit tobacco and vape products are prevalent in our communities, trapping people – including children and young people – in a dangerous cycle of addiction that could endure for another generation. 

    The scourge of illicit nicotine products are largely powered by organised crime, and the products represent an important money-spinner that help fund organised crime groups’ other illegal schemes, such as human trafficking and modern slavery. 

    While Trading Standards seized more than a million illegal vapes, 19 million counterfeit cigarettes and 5,103kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco last year, further action and resources are needed by enforcement bodies to disrupt supply and clamp down on the perpetrators. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is an important step in the right direction, providing more resources to a stretched Trading Standards workforce who, alongside other enforcement partners, are working hard to help the government meet its aims for a smoke-free generation.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with Prime Minister Dick Schoof of the Netherlands: 23 March 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM call with Prime Minister Dick Schoof of the Netherlands: 23 March 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Dick Schoof of the Netherlands this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Dick Schoof of the Netherlands this afternoon.

    The leaders discussed their respective engagements over the past week in support of Ukraine.

    The Prime Minister reflected on his attendance at the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters on Thursday, noting the impressive military co-ordination taking place and looking ahead to further planning meetings this week.  

    Both also agreed that continued political momentum and action, driven by the members of the Coalition of the Willing, is vital to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for a secure and lasting peace. 

    Moving on to discuss wider European defence and security, the leaders agreed that all countries must step up to meet the mounting threats we face. 

    They added that much closer co-operation on our defensive capabilities will be vitally important in the coming decades in order to protect Europe and secure its future.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First Minister to attend Tartan Week events

    Source: Scottish Government

    Opportunity to promote strong business links with US.

    First Minister John Swinney will undertake a series of engagements in New York as part of Tartan Week, the annual celebration of Scottish heritage and culture in the United States.

    In recognition of the important role of the US as a key investment and trading partner, the First Minister will meet a number of high profile current and potential investors to promote the economic opportunities on offer in Scotland.

    Speaking ahead of his visit, the First Minister said:

    “Scotland enjoys deep AND ENDURING links with the US, which is both our largest inward investor, and second largest export market after the European Union.

    “In 2023, exports of Scottish goods to the US were worth £4 billion. And here in Scotland, more than 700 US-owned enterprises provide employment to more than 115,000 people.

    “Scotland is open for business and is one of the best places in the world to invest. We have a reputation as a world-class entrepreneurial nation, with the number of start-ups, spinouts, and scale up companies growing at pace. We also have the potential to become a strategic hub for future renewable energy investments, specifically by developing and scaling projects in offshore wind, green hydrogen, and energy storage.

    “Tartan Week in April is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Scottish culture, and promote economic opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic.

    “I am looking forward to attending this week’s Tartan Week events, meeting our dynamic diaspora, and engaging with some of our biggest current and potential investors. I want to showcase Scotland’s progressive international outlook, and our focus on innovation, sustainability and growth.”

    Background

    A more detailed itinerary of the First Minister’s programme will be released in due course.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Angelus of the Third Sunday of Lent

    Source: The Holy See

    The following is the text prepared by the Holy Father Francis for the Angelus of this third Sunday of Lent:

    Text prepared by the Holy Father
    Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
    The parable in today’s Gospel tells us about the patience of God, who urges us to make our life a time of conversion. Jesus uses the image of a barren fig tree, which has not borne the anticipated fruit and which, nevertheless, the farmer does not want to cut down: he wants to fertilize it again since “it may bear fruit in the future” (Lk 13:9). This patient farmer is the Lord, who works the soil of our lives with care and waits confidently for our return to Him.
    In this long period of my hospitalization, I have had the opportunity to experience the Lord’s patience, which I also see reflected in the tireless care of the doctors and healthcare workers, as well as in the care and hopes of the relatives of the sick. This trusting patience, anchored in God’s unfailing love, is indeed necessary in our lives, especially when facing the most difficult and painful situations.
    I am saddened by the resumption of heavy Israeli bombing on the Gaza Strip, causing many deaths and injuries. I call for an immediate halt to the weapons; and for the courage to resume dialogue, so that all hostages may be released and a final ceasefire reached. In the Strip, the humanitarian situation is again very serious and requires urgent commitment from the conflicting parties and the international community.
    On the other hand, I am pleased that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on the final text of the peace agreement. I hope that it may be signed as soon as possible, and may thus contribute to establishing lasting peace in the South Caucasus.
    You are continuing to pray for me with great patience and perseverance: thank you very much! I pray for you too. And together, let us pray for an end to wars and for peace, especially in tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    May the Virgin Mary keep you and continue to accompany us on our journey towards Easter.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EUROPE/ROMANIA – In the Footsteps of Jeanne Bigard: Supporting priestly and religious vocations in mission territories

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Bucharest (Agenzia Fides) – The Society of St. Peter the Apostle and its commitment to priestly vocations and consecrated life were the focus of the visit of Father Guy Bognon, Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle (POSPA), to Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The visit, prepared by Father Eugene Blaj, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Romania, provided an opportunity to meet with the bishops of the countries and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies, to discuss the theme of supporting priestly vocations and consecrated life in mission territories, and to strengthen the commitment of the local Church in its missionary dimension. “I have traveled to these countries as a pilgrim to make known the work of the Society I represent, recalling the commitment of the Society’s founder, Jeanne Bigard, who, in her time, with tenacity and perseverance, knocked on the doors of those who could help her support vocations in mission territories,” emphasizes Father Bognon.The visit took the Secretary General to Latin and Greek Catholic dioceses and began at the Nunciature in Bucharest with a meeting with the Apostolic Nuncio to Romania and the Republic of Moldova, Archbishop Giampiero Gloder. Meetings with the bishops of the various dioceses took place throughout the week, with the aim of raising awareness among the clergy and the faithful about the importance of the work of the Society of St. Peter the Apostle. The bishops were asked to identify parishes capable of organizing missionary outreach activities to promote vocations in the mission territories and to contribute specifically to the Society of St. Peter the Apostle.The visit was characterized not only by discussions with the bishops, but also meetings with the faithful, the children of the Holy Childhood Society, and some seminary formators. Furthermore, the Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle explained the essential importance of supporting priestly vocations in mission territories in an interview with Radio Maria.”The meetings with bishops, priests, children of the Holy Childhood Society, and the faithful served to strengthen the will to support priestly vocations and promote solidarity with the churches in mission countries,” said Father Blaj. At the same time, the National Direction of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Romania proposed to the bishops the appointment of a diocesan coordinator for the Holy Childhood, who would be responsible for encouraging and developing missionary work with children in the parishes. “There are currently many groups with whom we organize weekly virtual meetings and regular get-togethers,” explains Matilda Andrici, head of the Holy Childhood in Romania. “We took the opportunity of Father Guy’s visit to ask each of these groups to designate a nun as a contact person in the diocese. This would help us organize regular missionary formation sessions with them, so that they can then go to the parishes to form new groups and encourage missionary work with children,” she emphasizes. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 22/3/2025)

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SOUTH KOREA – Thirty years of commitment, prayer and hope for reconciliation and peace

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Archdiocese of Seoul

    Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – On the main altar of the Cathedral of Seoul stands the symbol of the local Church for the Holy Year: the “Cross for Peace,” handcrafted from barbed wire taken from the “Bamboo Curtain” in the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea along the 38th parallel. In front of this symbolic cross, the 30th anniversary of the founding of the “Korean Committee of the Archdiocese of Seoul for Reconciliation” (KRCAS) was celebrated with a Mass commemorating 30 years of commitment and invoke peace and reconciliation.”In 1995, fifty years after the division of the country and 45 years after the Korean War, the year in which Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan officially expressed his desire to visit North Korea, the Committee for Reconciliation of our Archdiocese was established,” said Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-Taick of Seoul, the current chairman of the KRCAS. The Archbishop, who is also Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, reflected on the committee’s 30-year history, which has always strived to keep alive, on moral, cultural, and spiritual levels, the flame of reconciliation and the hope for a definitive peace and reunification of North and South Korea. In its 30 years of existence, the committee has engaged in prayers, educational initiatives, research, cooperation projects with the North, and a special and ongoing moment of communal prayer: the Eucharist for the Reconciliation and Unity of Korea, celebrated every Tuesday at the Catholic Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, which has now been celebrated for the 1457th time.Regarding current inter-Korean relations, the Archbishop lamented that “the current situation on the Korean peninsula is dominated by the mechanism of hatred, conflict, and division, rather than love, reconciliation, and unity.” Therefore, he urged everyone to “take courage so that we can continue on our path of national reconciliation and remember our mission for peace in this country: inter-Korean reconciliation and the evangelization of all people.”In his homily during the Mass in Seoul, attended by more than 400 faithful, priests, religious, lay people, and North Korean refugees, Archbishop Chung called for conversion “so that hearts may be changed.” He urged the committee to “take the initiative and join forces with other religions, civil society, political circles, as well as other organizations and members of the Church to walk the path of conversion in both North and South Korea.”The Apostolic Nuncio to Korea, Archbishop Giovanni Gaspari, said at the ceremony: “Amid the current tensions and conflicts on the Korean peninsula, your efforts to open a new chapter of reconciliation are more valuable than ever. The Holy See follows these efforts with great attention and joins in prayer for the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula” and hopes that the committee’s work “will bear even richer fruit in the pursuit of peace and reconciliation, and that through its activities, the spirit of reconciliation and unity will be further spread.” During the ceremony, the committee also awarded certificates of merit and recognition to individuals who have distinguished themselves through their commitment to the cause of reconciliation and peace on the Korean Peninsula.The Korea Committee for Reconciliation of the Archdiocese of Seoul was established on March 1, 1995, the 50th anniversary of the liberation from Japan, by the late Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, then Archbishop of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, with the goal of promoting the Church’s responsibility for reconciliation work on the Korean Peninsula. Based on principles such as “transforming hatred into love, discord into reconciliation, and division into unity,” the Committee carried out initiatives centered on three pastoral areas: prayer, peace education, and sharing. Meanwhile, the Committee also established an affiliated research center, the Institute for Peace-Sharing, with a specific academic, social, and cultural research mandate.Every year, the Committee and the Institute organize a special youth pilgrimage called “The Wind of Peace,” which takes place along the Demilitarized Zone on the border between the two Koreas and aims to raise awareness among young people around the world about being apostles of peace. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 22/3/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Mar 23, 2025 1730 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    SPC AC 231707

    Day 2 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1207 PM CDT Sun Mar 23 2025

    Valid 241200Z – 251200Z

    …THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTHEAST
    LOUISIANA INTO SOUTHWEST GEORGIA AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE…

    …SUMMARY…
    A few strong/possibly severe thunderstorms will be possible Monday
    morning and afternoon, from southern Louisiana eastward to southern
    Georgia and the Florida Panhandle.

    …Synopsis…

    An amplified upper pattern is forecast across the CONUS on Monday,
    with an upper trough pivoting over the eastern U.S. while an upper
    ridge builds across the West. A surface cold front is forecast to
    extend from the central Appalachians southwest into southern
    MS/AL/LA, and then westward into south-central TX by midday. This
    front will shift south and east offshore the Atlantic coast into
    north FL and the northern Gulf by evening, while the TX portion of
    the front retreats northward during the afternoon and overnight
    period as a warm front.

    …Southeast LA into southwest GA and the FL Panhandle…

    Morning thunderstorms are likely to be ongoing across the central
    Gulf coast vicinity into southwest GA and the FL Panhandle ahead of
    the main surface cold front. Stronger storms may be capable of
    marginal hail or gusty winds with this initial activity. Another
    round of thunderstorms may develop during the afternoon along the
    cold front, depending on degree of heating and airmass recovery in
    the wake of morning convection. Deep-layer westerly flow will be
    modest, but increasing speed with height will produce
    elongated/straight hodographs. Furthermore, cool temperatures aloft
    (near -15 C at 500 mb) will support midlevel lapse rates near 7
    C/km, and potential MLCAPE values up to 1000-1500 J/kg. This
    suggests any afternoon convection that develops could pose a risk
    for hail.

    …TX Hill Country/Edward Plateau vicinity…

    A conditional severe thunderstorm risk (hail/strong gusts) could
    exist Monday afternoon if thunderstorms can develop. Low-level
    moisture will increase as a surface warm front lifts north across
    the region. However, large-scale ascent will be nebulous at best
    with no appreciable height falls or shortwave impulses noted across
    the area. Deep-layer flow also will remain weak. Nevertheless, some
    CAMs guidance depicts a couple of storms developing during the
    afternoon/early evening in weak upslope flow. However, NAM and RAP
    soundings suggest weak capping from 850-700 mb. Coupled with
    negligible large-scale ascent, this could very well suppress
    convective development. However, cold temperatures aloft and steep
    midlevel lapse rates will support sizable instability (MLCAPE near
    2000 J/kg). Furthermore, strong heating into the 80s F will result
    in a deeply mixed boundary layer. If a storm can develop, some
    potential for isolated hail and gusty winds would be possible. The
    overall risk appears too limited/conditional to include severe
    probabilities at this time.

    ..Leitman.. 03/23/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS02 PTSDY2 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 0600Z

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  • MIL-Evening Report: Trouble at Tesla and protests against Trump’s tariffs suggest consumer boycotts are starting to bite

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin O’Brien, Associate Professor, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University

    Getty Images

    When the United States starts a trade war with your country, how do you fight back? For individuals, one option is to wage a personal trade war and boycott products from the US.

    President Donald Trump has said no nation will be exempt from his tariffs, and this includes both Australia and New Zealand. His tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports, in particular, could hurt the sector in Australia, while New Zealand’s meat and wine exports to the US could also feel the effect.

    So far, political leaders have responded differently. Canada, Mexico and the European Union have imposed reciprocal tariffs on the US, while Australia has indicated it will not retaliate.

    But whether governments choose to push back or not, citizens in those and other countries are making their own stands. This includes artists such as renowned pianist András Schiff, who has cancelled his upcoming US tour.

    Most notably, collective outrage at the US president has led to a growing global boycott of Elon Musk’s Tesla due to his role in the Trump administration. Sales of new Tesla vehicles are down 72% in Australia and 76% in Germany. The share price has dropped by more than 50% since December 2024, with calls for Musk to step down as chief executive.

    Some governments are even encouraging consumer boycotts. The Canadian government, for example, has urged citizens to “fight back against the unjustified US tariffs” by purchasing Canadian products and holidaying in Canada.

    Canadians are clearly embracing this advice. Road trips to the US have dropped by more than 20% in the past month and US liquor brands have been removed from some Canadian stores altogether.

    This rise in calls for boycotts of American brands and companies is unsurprising in the Trump 2.0 era, where the lines between government and corporate America have become increasingly blurred.

    Political change by proxy

    When people want to protest a government policy, but have no political leverage because they’re not citizens of that country, boycotting corporations or brands gives them a voice. These actions are sometimes called “surrogate” or “proxy” boycotts.

    This form of “political consumerism”, where individuals align their consumption choices with their values, is now one of the most common forms of political participation in western liberal democracies.

    When France opposed the war in Iraq in 2003, US supporters of the war aimed boycotts at French imports. Consumers in the US, United Kingdom and elsewhere have boycotted Russian goods over the invasion of Ukraine, and targeted Israel over its military action and policies in Gaza and the West Bank.

    Most famously, protests against the apartheid regime in South Africa from the 1950s through to the 1990s helped isolate and eventually change its government.

    The current boycotts are not just protesting Trump’s trade war, of course. They are also about the role of unelected leaders from the corporate world, such as Musk and the heads of the Big Tech and social media companies, and their perceived self-interest and influence.

    Trump has responded angrily to consumer boycotts, calling the actions against Tesla “illegal”, which they are not. Indeed, political leaders like Trump often argue that consumer action, rather than government regulation, should be relied on to ensure corporations conform to social expectations.

    Ukrainians demonstrate in front of the Lukoil headquarters in Belgium over European imports of Russian fossil fuels, 2022.
    Getty Images

    How to wage a personal trade war

    Consumer boycotts do create change under certain conditions – typically when there is a contained problem that the targeted corporation has the power to solve.

    For example, consumer boycotts against Nestlé in the 1970s over false and dangerous marketing of powdered milk for infants led to changes in the firm’s marketing approaches. Boycotts of Nike products over sweatshop conditions for workers had a direct impact on the company’s bottom line and led to improvements.

    Things may still need to improve at Nestlé and Nike, but these boycotts show consumer pressure can catalyse corporate action. However, it is much harder – though not impossible – for boycott campaigns to succeed when the target is a government.

    Consumers boycotting American products can amplify the impact of their protest by also lobbying retailers. For example, if enough consumers stop buying a bottle of soft drink from the US, major supermarkets like Woolworths and Foodstuffs will stop buying thousands of bottles.

    There are also other ways to “vote with your wallet”. People can engage in “political investorism” by using their power as a shareholder, bank customer or pension-fund member to express their political views.

    After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, for example, investors sought to divest from Russian companies, and superannuation funds were pressured by their members to do the same.

    As consumers and investors, individuals can wage a personal trade war, sending a clear message. Trump may not be willing to listen to the leaders of allied nations, but if consumer and investor pressure is sustained and spreads globally, he may yet hear the voice of corporate America.

    Erin O’Brien receives funding from the Australian Research Council to examine consumer and investor activism for social change. She is affiliated with the Australian Political Studies Association.

    Justine Coneybeer receives funding from the Australian Research Council to investigate ethical investment.

    – ref. Trouble at Tesla and protests against Trump’s tariffs suggest consumer boycotts are starting to bite – https://theconversation.com/trouble-at-tesla-and-protests-against-trumps-tariffs-suggest-consumer-boycotts-are-starting-to-bite-252489

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: SUNDAY SHOWS: Trump Administration Delivers Results

    Source: The White House

    This morning, officials from the Trump Administration took to the airwaves to update the American people on another week of success — from reforming education to ensuring the safety and security of the American people.

    Here’s what you missed:

    Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on State of the Union

    • On the Trump Administration’s goal for education: “Our goal is to make sure that we are providing the best education for students in our country. We cannot be last in the world in education … It is up to us and our responsibility to make sure we are giving them the best access to education.”
    • On local control in education: “Am I, the secretary of education sitting in Washington, going to have a view into a school room where a teacher is trying to take care of a student with special needs? Or is that going to happen better at the local level?”
    • On school choice: “[President Trump] wants to make sure that there is equal access to quality education for every student in our country — which is why he is such a proponent of school choice … He doesn’t believe that ANY child should be trapped in a failing school.”

    Attorney General Pam Bondi on Fox News Sunday

    • On overreach by activist judges: “This is an out-of-control judge … trying to control our entire foreign policy, and he cannot do it… There are 261 reasons why Americans are safer today, and that’s because those people are now in an El Salvador prison … We are going to follow the law and we are going to protect Americans.”

    National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Face the Nation

    • On strikes against Houthi terrorists in Yemen: “75% of our U.S.-flagged shipping now has to go around the southern coast of Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal. Keeping the sea lanes open, keeping trade and commerce open, is a fundamental aspect of our national security. The last administration was not effective. The Trump Administration and President Trump have decided to do something much harder, much tougher.”
    • On Iran’s nuclear program: “Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see. As President Trump has said, this is coming to a head. All options are on the table, and it is time for Iran to walk away completely from its desire to have a nuclear weapon.”

    Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Fox News Sunday

    • On talks to end the war in Ukraine: “I’m not sure how anyone would expect an end to a conflict when you’re not communicating … [President Trump’s] philosophy of peace through strength brings people to the table to clear up misconceptions and to get peace deals done.”

    Border Czar Tom Homan on This Week

    • On deporting illegal immigrant Tren de Aragua gang members: “We’re actually using the laws on the books to enforce immigration law and secure the border … We’re not making this up. Everything we’ve done is based on a statute that was enacted by Congress and signed by a president.”
    • On illegal border crossings: “We’ll use these assets as long as we can until we get to the point that we have total operational control of the border and national security threats have no avenue into this country.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump threats: Is foreign policy the biggest issue for Canadian voters this election?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Adam Chapnick, Professor of Defence Studies, Royal Military College of Canada

    Canadians are heading once again to the polls on April 28 to vote in a federal election.

    This election will offer voters competing visions of Canada’s future at a time when it has become all but impossible to separate foreign policy from domestic politics.

    There’s no question much of the conversation during the campaign will centre on how the next government will deal with United States President Donald Trump amid his continuing threats to Canadian sovereignty.

    But even though the Trump administration has undermined the liberal democratic world order in which Canada has prospered for close to a century, it’s unclear whether threats of a global tariff war, an ongoing divisive conflict in the Middle East and continued Russian aggression in Ukraine will directly affect how Canadians cast their votes.

    Most political scientists have traditionally argued that foreign policy does not matter to Canadians at the voting booth.

    But a recent book by historian Patrice Dutil has claimed that “at least half of Canada’s national elections featured substantive discussions of Canada’s place in the world.”

    So who’s right?

    Foreign policy as an issue

    My new report, “Foreign Policy and Canadian Elections: A Review,” finds truth on both sides.

    Foreign policy is what people who study elections call an “issue,” just like the economy, national security or health care.

    Issues compete with many other considerations — like ideology, perceptions of leadership and the need for change — to determine a voter’s ultimate decision.

    Local candidates can affect how people vote, as can party affiliation. If you live in a riding where your preferred candidate is unlikely to win, you might vote strategically.

    According to Canadian political scientist Elizabeth Gidengil, for an issue like foreign policy to really matter in an election, it must satisfy three conditions:

    • Political parties must position themselves on opposite sides of it;
    • Voters must be aware of the differences between the parties’ views;
    • The balance of opinion on the issue must clearly favour one side over the other.

    That rarely happens in relation to Canadian foreign policy. Our political parties don’t typically differ significantly on world affairs. When they do disagree, it’s unusual for the public to overwhelmingly support one side over the other.



    Read more:
    Trump’s potential embrace of ‘continentalist geopolitics’ poses grave risks to Canada

    Handling the Trump threat

    There are no real divisions between the election’s front-runners — Liberal Mark Carney and Conservative Pierre Poilievre — over how to deal with Trump.

    Both have pledged that Canada will never become the 51st state and have promised to strike back at American tariffs with economic measures of their own.

    Poilievre says he’ll manage Canada-U.S. relations more effectively than the Liberals would, but he has not proposed any different tactics to do so.

    On the other hand, Poilievre was clearly onto something in his endless quest to make the election all about the Justin Trudeau government’s carbon tax and rebate.

    Until Carney replaced Trudeau, the differences between the Conservatives and the Liberals on carbon pricing were stark. Thanks to an extraordinary Conservative marketing campaign, the Canadian public was well aware of those differences — and a significant majority of Canadians sided with Poilievre.

    Now that Carney has axed the tax himself, those differences have become much less significant.

    Domestic politics aside, Trump will still loom large throughout the next five weeks.

    But international and domestic issues have been, and remain, sufficiently interconnected that it’s hard to discuss one to the exclusion of the other.

    Free trade with the United States was a key topic of debate during four election campaigns — 1891, 1911, 1935, 1988 — because of its impact on Canadians’ sense of independence.

    Canadians were divided over conscription during the 1917 election campaign. They differed over support for Britain during the 1956 Suez crisis and throughout the election the following year.

    Just as the American invasion of Iraq split the Liberals and the Canadian Alliance during the election of 2003, so did attitudes towards increased defence spending in 2000. Canadian support for Syrian refugees came up regularly during the 2015 election campaign.

    Still, it’s not clear if these differences affected more than a small number of individual Canadians when they marked their ballots.

    Voters tend to cast their ballots emotionally, and even though Trump is preoccupying the national consciousness at the moment, the leading political parties have not offered us specific policy alternatives to deal with him.

    What’s ahead this election campaign

    Over the next five weeks, Canadians should expect to learn about the leading political parties’ views on relations with the U.S., the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine, foreign interference in the affairs of state and Canada’s global defence.

    Voters can and should demand that those who wish to lead the country are thoughtful and literate on these and other international issues.

    As then Prime Minister Stephen Harper reflected in 2011:

    “Since coming to office — in fact, since becoming prime minister [in 2006] — the thing that’s probably struck me the most in terms of my previous expectations … is not just how important foreign affairs/foreign relations is, but in fact that it’s become almost everything. There’s hardly anything today of any significance that doesn’t have a huge international dimension to it.”

    But expecting party views on foreign policy to shape the election’s outcome is probably unrealistic.

    When we head to the voting booths, most Canadians will likely just listen to their gut.

    Exactly how Carney or Poilievre promises to deal with Trump probably won’t matter nearly as much as who they simply feel will do a better job on a host of issues.

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

    – ref. Trump threats: Is foreign policy the biggest issue for Canadian voters this election? – https://theconversation.com/trump-threats-is-foreign-policy-the-biggest-issue-for-canadian-voters-this-election-247065

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump threats: Is foreign policy really the biggest issue for Canadian voters this election?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Adam Chapnick, Professor of Defence Studies, Royal Military College of Canada

    Canadians are heading once again to the polls on April 28 to vote in a federal election.

    This election will offer voters competing visions of Canada’s future at a time when it has become all but impossible to separate foreign policy from domestic politics.

    There’s no question much of the conversation during the campaign will centre on how the next government will deal with United States President Donald Trump amid his continuing threats to Canadian sovereignty.

    But even though the Trump administration has undermined the liberal democratic world order in which Canada has prospered for close to a century, it’s unclear whether threats of a global tariff war, an ongoing divisive conflict in the Middle East and continued Russian aggression in Ukraine will directly affect how Canadians cast their votes.

    Most political scientists have traditionally argued that foreign policy does not matter to Canadians at the voting booth.

    But a recent book by historian Patrice Dutil has claimed that “at least half of Canada’s national elections featured substantive discussions of Canada’s place in the world.”

    So who’s right?

    Foreign policy as an issue

    My new report, “Foreign Policy and Canadian Elections: A Review,” finds truth on both sides.

    Foreign policy is what people who study elections call an “issue,” just like the economy, national security or health care.

    Issues compete with many other considerations — like ideology, perceptions of leadership and the need for change — to determine a voter’s ultimate decision.

    Local candidates can affect how people vote, as can party affiliation. If you live in a riding where your preferred candidate is unlikely to win, you might vote strategically.

    According to Canadian political scientist Elizabeth Gidengil, for an issue like foreign policy to really matter in an election, it must satisfy three conditions:

    • Political parties must position themselves on opposite sides of it;
    • Voters must be aware of the differences between the parties’ views;
    • The balance of opinion on the issue must clearly favour one side over the other.

    That rarely happens in relation to Canadian foreign policy. Our political parties don’t typically differ significantly on world affairs. When they do disagree, it’s unusual for the public to overwhelmingly support one side over the other.



    Read more:
    Trump’s potential embrace of ‘continentalist geopolitics’ poses grave risks to Canada

    Handling the Trump threat

    There are no real divisions between the election’s front-runners — Liberal Mark Carney and Conservative Pierre Poilievre — over how to deal with Trump.

    Both have pledged that Canada will never become the 51st state and have promised to strike back at American tariffs with economic measures of their own.

    Poilievre says he’ll manage Canada-U.S. relations more effectively than the Liberals would, but he has not proposed any different tactics to do so.

    On the other hand, Poilievre was clearly onto something in his endless quest to make the election all about the Justin Trudeau government’s carbon tax and rebate.

    Until Carney replaced Trudeau, the differences between the Conservatives and the Liberals on carbon pricing were stark. Thanks to an extraordinary Conservative marketing campaign, the Canadian public was well aware of those differences — and a significant majority of Canadians sided with Poilievre.

    Now that Carney has axed the tax himself, those differences have become much less significant.

    Domestic politics aside, Trump will still loom large throughout the next five weeks.

    But international and domestic issues have been, and remain, sufficiently interconnected that it’s hard to discuss one to the exclusion of the other.

    Free trade with the United States was a key topic of debate during four election campaigns — 1891, 1911, 1935, 1988 — because of its impact on Canadians’ sense of independence.

    Canadians were divided over conscription during the 1917 election campaign. They differed over support for Britain during the 1956 Suez crisis and throughout the election the following year.

    Just as the American invasion of Iraq split the Liberals and the Canadian Alliance during the election of 2003, so did attitudes towards increased defence spending in 2000. Canadian support for Syrian refugees came up regularly during the 2015 election campaign.

    Still, it’s not clear if these differences affected more than a small number of individual Canadians when they marked their ballots.

    Voters tend to cast their ballots emotionally, and even though Trump is preoccupying the national consciousness at the moment, the leading political parties have not offered us specific policy alternatives to deal with him.

    What’s ahead this election campaign

    Over the next five weeks, Canadians should expect to learn about the leading political parties’ views on relations with the U.S., the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine, foreign interference in the affairs of state and Canada’s global defence.

    Voters can and should demand that those who wish to lead the country are thoughtful and literate on these and other international issues.

    As then Prime Minister Stephen Harper reflected in 2011:

    “Since coming to office — in fact, since becoming prime minister [in 2006] — the thing that’s probably struck me the most in terms of my previous expectations … is not just how important foreign affairs/foreign relations is, but in fact that it’s become almost everything. There’s hardly anything today of any significance that doesn’t have a huge international dimension to it.”

    But expecting party views on foreign policy to shape the election’s outcome is probably unrealistic.

    When we head to the voting booths, most Canadians will likely just listen to their gut.

    Exactly how Carney or Poilievre promises to deal with Trump probably won’t matter nearly as much as who they simply feel will do a better job on a host of issues.

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

    – ref. Trump threats: Is foreign policy really the biggest issue for Canadian voters this election? – https://theconversation.com/trump-threats-is-foreign-policy-really-the-biggest-issue-for-canadian-voters-this-election-247065

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Asteroid 2024 YR may not hit Earth in 2032, but it — and others — will keep coming back

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Martin Connors, Professor of Astronomy, Mathematics, and Physics, Athabasca University

    A double plume created by the Chelyabinsk meteor that flew over Russia on Feb. 15, 2013. The shock wave caused damage and a small meteorite dropped. (Shutterstock)

    In late 2024, astronomers spotted asteroid 2024 YR4 on a trajectory that could potentially threaten Earth. This observation triggered a fervid series of observations of the object — possibly as big as a football field — to determine that it will not hit. However, an impact on the moon cannot be ruled out.



    Read more:
    What are the chances an asteroid will impact Earth in 2032?

    Then in January of this year, the near approach of an asteroid perhaps a million times more massive went almost unnoticed.

    Asteroid 2024 YR4 has a diameter between 40 to 90 metres and was referred to as a “city-killer” capable of causing regional damage and affecting the climate; the larger asteroid, 887 Alinda, is over four kilometres in diameter and could cause a global extinction event.

    A radar image of asteroid Alinda taken in January 2024. The rectangular region is about three kilometres a side.
    (NASA/JPL)

    Alinda remains just outside Earth’s orbit, while 2024 YR4 does cross our orbit and still could impact Earth; however, this won’t occur in the foreseeable future.

    Asteroid orbits

    Both 887 Alinda and 2024 YR4 orbit the sun three times for every time the massive planet Jupiter goes around once. Since Jupiter’s orbit takes 12 years, the asteroids will take four years to be back on similar paths in 2028. These special kinds of asteroids are dangerous, since they come back regularly.

    Alinda was discovered in 1918 and has made several sequences of near passes at four-year intervals. 2024 YR4 has made what NASA considers close passes every four years since 1948, but was only recently noticed.

    Not since the 1970s has so much attention been paid to asteroids with a three-to-one relation to Jupiter. Such relationships had already been noted as a curiosity by American astronomer Daniel Kirkwood in the late 1800s. Working with very sparse data since few asteroids were known at the time, he noted none went around the sun twice for each Jupiter orbit, nor three times, nor in more complex ratios like seven-to-three or five-to-two.

    These so-called Kirkwood gaps are not obvious since they show up only in plots of the average distance of asteroids from the sun. The gaps remained a mere curiosity of the solar system for about 100 years.

    Numbers of asteroids by averaged distance from the sun, showing the Kirkwood gaps. The gap labelled 3:1 harbors both Alinda and 2024 YR4, located at an average distance 2.5 times Earth’s orbit radius from the sun.
    (NASA/JPL)

    The employment of new computer technologies to calculate orbits revealed the effects of resonance to scientists in the 1970s. Resonance occurs when asteroids appear to move at the same, or a multiple of, the orbit speed of another external object — in this case, Jupiter.

    The Kirkwood gaps are explained by asteroids similarly interacting with Jupiter to leave the asteroid belt, even while their average distance from the sun does not change. By dipping into the inner solar system, these asteroids are often removed from the gaps in a very simple way: by hitting an inner planet like Mars, Venus or Earth.

    Scientists also found that these gaps were not completely empty; Alinda, for example, was in the three-to-one gap. Many more such asteroids have been found, and they are generically named “Alindas,” after the prototypical first discovery whose name origin is a bit obscure.

    Return of the asteroids

    If the bad news is that Kirkwood gaps are due to asteroids hitting inner planets, including Earth, can it get much worse? For Alinda-class asteroids it does. Alindas follow their pumped-up orbit every four years, so properly aligned Alindas get a chance to hit Earth about that often.

    Near passes of these asteroids tend to happen spaced by longer intervals, but when aligned, they come back several times with four-year spacing. A limiting factor is how tilted their orbits are: if they are quite tilted, they are not often at a “height” matching Earth’s, so are less likely to hit.

    The bad news about that is that both Alinda and 2024 YR4 are very nearly in the plane of Earth’s orbit, and are not tilted much, so are more likely to hit.

    The resonant “pumping” stretching the orbit both inward and outward from the asteroid belt has already made 2024 YR4 cross Earth’s orbit, giving it a chance to impact. The much more dangerous Alinda is still being pumped: in about 1,000 years, it may be poised to hit Earth.

    One piece of good news is that 2024 YR4 will miss in 2032, but by coming close it will be kicked out of its Alinda orbit. It will no longer come back every four years.

    However, getting an orbital kick from Earth, its orbit will still cross ours, just not as often. The current orbit shows a somewhat close approach (farther than the moon) in 2052, and beyond that, calculations are not very accurate.

    Other asteroids

    Although Earth is a small target in a big solar system, it does get hit.

    If 2024 YR4 managed to sneak up on us in 2024, can other asteroids also surprise us? The last damaging one to do so appeared undetected on Feb. 15, 2013, over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring many people when its shock wave shattered glass in buildings.

    In 1908, a larger explosion took place over Tunguska, Russian Siberia, a remote region where huge areas of forest were devastated but few people injured.

    Part of the huge region of Siberian forest blown down by the Tunguska meteor explosion of 1908; this photograph was taken in 1929.
    (Leonid Kulik)

    Keeping watch

    While astronomers work diligently to survey the night sky from Earth’s surface, space-based surveys like the upcoming Near-Earth Object (NEO) surveyor can be very efficient in detecting asteroids. They do so by their heat (infrared) radiation and, being in space, can also study the daytime sky.

    According to Amy Mainzer, lead on the NEO surveyor, “we know of only roughly 40 per cent of the asteroids that are both large enough to cause severe regional damage and closely approach Earth’s orbit.” Once launched in late 2027, NEO will “find, track and characterize the most hazardous asteroids and comets,” eventually meeting the U.S. Congress-mandated goal of knowing of 90 cent of them.

    Among asteroids, we must pay special attention to resonant ones, such as 2024 YR4, because eventually, they’ll be back.

    Martin Connors has received funding from NSERC and the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Canadian Space Agency. He is currently a self-funded academic visitor at UCLA.

    – ref. Asteroid 2024 YR may not hit Earth in 2032, but it — and others — will keep coming back – https://theconversation.com/asteroid-2024-yr-may-not-hit-earth-in-2032-but-it-and-others-will-keep-coming-back-250958

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Zaminer Cloud Mining Introduces New Opportunities in Cryptocurrency Mining

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Earn Passive Income with Zaminer

    MIDDLESEX, United Kingdom, March 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As blockchain technology continues to evolve and digital currencies gain traction, the cryptocurrency mining industry is expanding rapidly. ZA FUNDINGS LTD, through its cloud mining platform Zaminer, is introducing innovative solutions to make cryptocurrency mining more accessible, secure, and efficient for users of all levels.

    Simplified and Scalable Cloud Mining

    Zaminer eliminates the need for expensive mining hardware and complex technical setups by leveraging cloud computing. Users can easily create an account and select a computing power package that aligns with their needs, enabling a seamless entry into cryptocurrency mining.

    According to representatives from Zaminer, the platform utilizes state-of-the-art distributed data center technology and advanced mining algorithms to enhance efficiency and optimize mining operations. By removing traditional barriers to entry, Zaminer aims to create a more inclusive mining ecosystem.

    How Users Can Participate

    Zaminer provides an intuitive process for users to start mining cryptocurrencies:

    1. Register an Account: Sign up on the official Zaminer website
    2. Fund the Account: Users can deposit funds via USDT, BTC, and ETH.
    3. Select a Mining Plan: Various computing power packages are available in the “Computing Power Market”.
    4. Start Mining: Once a package is purchased, mining begins automatically, requiring no further manual intervention.
    5. Withdraw Earnings: Users can withdraw funds once their account balance meets the minimum threshold.

    Mining Potential and Considerations

    Mining outcomes depend on factors such as computing power, market conditions, and network difficulty. While some users have found mining to be a viable method of participating in the digital asset economy, results will vary.

    Contract options, durations, and potential earnings

    Key Advantages of the Zaminer Platform Include:

    • Accessibility: No need for specialized equipment or technical expertise.
    • Optimized Profitability: Advanced algorithms enhance mining efficiency
    • Security: Multi-layer encryption and distributed storage protect user assets.
    • Flexible Investment Options: Multiple computing power packages cater to different needs.
    • Global Infrastructure: A network of data centers ensures mining services.

    Advancing the Future of Digital Asset Mining

    As the global digital economy evolves, innovative cloud mining solutions continue to shape the cryptocurrency sector. Zaminer, backed by ZA FUNDINGS LTD, remains committed to developing blockchain-based solutions that provide users with secure and accessible ways to engage in cryptocurrency mining.

    “Our goal is to provide a simplified and efficient mining experience for users interested in participating in the digital economy,” said a Zaminer representative.

    About ZA FUNDINGS LTD

    ZA FUNDINGS LTD is a provider of blockchain-based financial solutions, specializing in cloud mining and digital asset management. Through its flagship platform, Zaminer, the company aims to empower individuals and businesses to participate in the growing cryptocurrency economy.

    Media Contact:
    ZA FUNDINGS LTD
    Email: info@Zaminer.com 
    Website: https://www.zaminer.com/ 

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a69f153c-2ced-4f66-802d-4ed60e20d5f3

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1a02c975-067d-4a3c-9cde-4c998777eaac

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s jewelry industry showcases its sparkle at Beijing fair

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Beijing International Jewellery Fair is underway at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) in Beijing, March 19-23, 2025, hosted by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China (GAC) and the National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group.

    With more than 1,000 booths spread across 22,000 square meters on the first floor of the convention center, the fair highlights the entire jewelry supply chain, cutting-edge technology, innovative designs and intricate craftsmanship.

    Exhibits range from diamonds and colored gems to jade, ready-made items and high-end custom creations. Organizers aim to encourage business and networking opportunities while meeting growing consumer demand through creative crossovers.

    The exhibition space features several themed sections.

    The colored gem area is a highlight this year, with international jewelers displaying collections including Myanmarese pigeon blood ruby, sapphire, Colombian Muzo emerald and others. High-saturation Paraiba tourmaline and spinel provide unique options for collectors.

    The Beijing International Jewellery Fair is underway at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, March 19-23, 2025. The event is hosted by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China and the National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group. [Photo courtesy of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China]

    The crystal section features exhibitors from key markets in Donghai county, Jiangsu province, and Ketang town, Guangdong province. They are displaying a range of products, including natural crystal bead bracelets, rough crystal, rare mineral specimens and artworks blending traditional carving techniques with modern designs.

    The Beijing International Jewellery Fair is underway at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, March 19-23, 2025. The event is hosted by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China and the National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group. [Photo courtesy of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China]

    Traders from Guangdong, Henan, and Yunnan provinces are on hand for those interested in jade. Notable jewelers from prominent jade-trading areas such as Pingzhou, Jieyang and Sihui in Guangdong, Nanyang in Henan, and Ruili and Tengchong in Yunnan are featured. The exhibits include glamorous collectibles, masterpieces by renowned artists, and understated pieces suitable for everyday wear, catering to diverse jewelry preferences.

    The Beijing International Jewellery Fair is underway at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, March 19-23, 2025. The event is hosted by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China and the National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group. [Photo courtesy of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China]

    The pearl section features strong representation from industry associations in Zhejiang province and Shenzhen, the pearl trading center in Beihai city, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and the Hongqiao Pearl Market in Beijing. Nearly 100 pearl businesses are showcasing seawater pearls, including golden South Sea, white Australian South Sea and Tahitian black pearls, as well as freshwater varieties. Trendy accessories and new designs are also on display.

    The Beijing International Jewellery Fair is underway at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, March 19-23, 2025. The event is hosted by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China and the National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group. [Photo courtesy of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China]

    The GAC independent jewelry designers’ collective exhibition has also returned, adding to the fair’s artistic atmosphere with original designs that blend art and commerce. Visitors can find fine jewelry, luxury items and handmade products. Many designers draw from traditional Chinese culture to create unique pieces that offer a fresh perspective.

    The Beijing International Jewellery Fair is underway at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, March 19-23, 2025. The event is hosted by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China and the National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group. [Photo courtesy of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China]

    The fair serves as an important platform for international exchange, showcasing not only renowned Chinese brands but also the latest advancements from other countries. The expanded international section has drawn jewelers from Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand and Italy, presenting unique offerings such as rare colored gems, innovative designs, exquisite craftsmanship and luxurious materials.

    The Beijing International Jewellery Fair is underway at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, March 19-23, 2025. The event is hosted by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China and the National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group. [Photo courtesy of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China]

    African jade, a quartz-quality jade that has gained popularity in recent years, is also on display. This variety, known for its vibrant colors and smooth texture, has drawn attention this year at its own exhibition area.

    The Beijing International Jewellery Fair is underway at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, March 19-23, 2025. The event is hosted by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China and the National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group. [Photo courtesy of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China]

    The National Gems & Jewelry Testing Group, China’s top testing authority, provides free on-site authentication services to reassure buyers. Visitors can have their jewelry tested before purchasing.

    Visitors also have the opportunity to participate in lottery draws for prizes by making purchases or sharing fair-related content on social media platforms.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wealthy Africans often don’t pay tax: the answer lies in smarter collection – expert

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Giovanni Occhiali, Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, Institute of Development Studies

    Faced with some of the worse debt levels in over a decade, African countries are struggling to find ways to balance their books. Increasing revenue sources from their citizens is an obvious place to look.

    A good starting point for African countries would be to focus on the tax contribution of wealthy citizens. This is because the most under performing taxes across the African continent are those bearing on the income of wealthy individuals, namely personal income and property taxes.

    The reasons for this are two fold: People who are better off in some countries often remain invisible to tax authorities. This is even though they have higher tax liabilities. Compare this with citizens who have formal labour contracts. Think of public school teachers or supermarket clerks. Their taxes are withheld by their employers. This makes tax evasion impossible. Most taxes on personal income in Africa are paid by citizens in these forms of employment.

    In contrast, prior to 2015, only one of the top 71 Ugandan government officials and 17 of the country 60 most successful lawyers paid any personal income tax. Similarly, only 16% of all landlords identified in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, during a registration drive in 2021 had registered for taxes.

    This shows that wealthy Africans face lower effective tax rates than average citizens, replicating a trend already demonstrated for the relative tax burden of small and large companies.

    This situation is disheartening. But there are immediate steps that African revenue authorities can take to address this unfairness.

    Research led by the International Centre for Tax and Development, to which I have contributed, shows that revenue increases from wealthy citizens can be obtained by focusing on better enforcement of existing taxes rather than by introducing new ones or hiking tax rates.

    An effective approach to increase wealthy citizens tax contribution relies on three strategies:

    • their identification

    • a simplification of tax compliance processes, and

    • the effective enforcement of existing taxes.

    While these suggestions might seem banal, they can lead to some quick revenue gains: as much as US$5.5 million in Uganda or US$900,000 in a single Nigerian state in one year, or tripling property tax revenue collection in Sierra Leone.

    But these improvements require changes in the way African revenue authorities operate.

    Tax collection services need change of focus

    Revenue services in all African countries need to be better resourced. A typical tax officer on the continent might be responsible for as many as 10 times the number of taxpayers than a tax officer in the Global North.

    First, their efforts need to be redirected away from the registration of small informal businesses. These efforts have been shown to contribute little revenue in countries as diverse as South Africa and Sierra Leone.

    Instead their efforts should be directed a developing a definition of high-net-worth individual appropriate for their domestic context. In Uganda this includes criteria such as having performed land transactions of approximately US$300,000 over five years, or earning approximately US$150,000 in rental income in any given year.

    Due to its federal structure, criteria in Nigeria vary across states, for example including an yearly income above Naira 2 million in Borno and Kano state, with the threshold raising to Naira 15 million in Imo state, Naira 20 million in Niger state and Naira 25 million in Lagos state.

    However, in both countries criteria also cover less directly measurable assets, such as owning high-value commercial forestry or animal ranches in Uganda, or having received contracts from the government in Nigeria’s Kaduna state.

    Property taxes are especially important. Research in Ethiopia and Rwanda shows that investing in real estate represents one of the main strategies to store wealth when inflation and foreign exchange fluctuation make bank deposits unattractive.

    These properties then contribute to increasing the income of wealthy citizens who rent them out or resell them for profit. While we lack granular data on capital gains or rental income taxes, there are good reasons to think they are also significantly underperforming. Capital gains refers to the additional value which an investor accrues when disposing of assets such as houses or companies share previously bought at a lower price.

    Second, this should be followed by the creation of an office to follow the affairs of high net-worth individuals. This already happens for large taxpayers. Most countries, including the majority of anglophone African countries, have a dedicated office following the tax affairs of large companies active in their territory.

    Having dedicated resources for high net-worth individuals would be useful because using the international definition (a net worth of US$1 million) might be hard to operationalise. The reason for this is that most revenue authorities lack detailed data on assets owned by their taxpayers. Even when they know some information, such as the number of houses, estimates of their market value might be lacking.

    African countries are better off relying on data already in their possession as they seek to collect further useful information on their taxpayers. This allows the establishment of a set of multiple core and non-core criteria.

    Third, high-net worth individual units require substantial backing. In the first instance from revenue authorities’ senior management, who in turn needs to have the support of the government in pursuing often well-connected individuals. This backing is needed for actions as apparently easy as obtaining data from other government agencies, without which identification efforts could be quickly thwarted, and becomes crucial when its time to move to enforcement.

    However, a cooperative approach should be the initial choice. One approach is voluntary disclosure programmes with associated tax amnesties. These are useful to obtain information about the assets of wealthy citizens. Additionally, they contribute substantial revenue – as much as US$296 million in South Africa and US$192 million in Nigeria.

    Fourth, requiring candidates running for public office to obtain tax clearance certificates can also be an important source of information and revenue. This has been shown to work in both Uganda and Nigeria.

    This set of actions represents an optimal starting point for African countries looking to improve the tax contribution of wealthy citizens.

    Efforts to produce suitable guidance for wealth taxation for low-income countries by the United Nations, or to introduce a global wealth tax on billionaire by the Brazilian G20, are important to highlight the role of fiscal redistribution in addressing inequality. But many African countries are better off by first being bold about the basics of their tax systems, which can already make them more effective and progressive.

    The International Centre for Tax and Development, where Dr Giovanni Occhiali works, receives funding from the United Kingdom Foregin, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Gates Foundation, and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

    – ref. Wealthy Africans often don’t pay tax: the answer lies in smarter collection – expert – https://theconversation.com/wealthy-africans-often-dont-pay-tax-the-answer-lies-in-smarter-collection-expert-252437

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Ancient Chinese Guqins on display in Budapest

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A special exhibition featuring ancient Chinese zithers, or Guqins, kicked off Friday evening at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest.

    Titled “The Voice of Nature and the Human Soul from China – An Exhibition of Guqins from the China Three Gorges Museum” in China’s southwest city of Chongqing, the display offers a rare glimpse into the artistry, spirituality, and philosophy embedded in this traditional Chinese string instrument, often referred to as the “instrument of the sages.”

    In his welcome address, Lajos Kemecsi, director-general of the Museum of Ethnography, said “The exhibition opening today marks a significant milestone in the complex cooperation between the Museum of Ethnography and its Chinese partner institutions. China’s musical culture has a long and distinguished history, characterized by remarkable richness.”

    Kemecsi added that visitors can experience the unique charm and depth of Chinese instrumental culture through the carefully selected items on display.

    Sun Jie, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, emphasized the symbolic value of holding such an event in Hungary, a country with deep musical traditions.

    It is a great honor to present the ancient art of the Guqin in a nation that cherishes music. This exhibition reflects the long-standing friendship between China and Hungary and will further deepen mutual understanding, he said.

    According to him, the 10 Guqins on display date back hundreds of years and are valued not just as musical instruments but as cultural artifacts combining lacquer art, calligraphy, and the Eastern philosophy of harmony between man and nature.

    Gabor Csaba, deputy state secretary at Hungary’s Ministry of Culture and Innovation, underlined the broader importance of such cultural exchange.

    “Cultural cooperation like this lays the foundation for harmonious development,” he stated. He also noted that Hungary and China celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations last year, reflecting the growing depth of bilateral cultural ties.

    The opening ceremony is accompanied by live performances, including Guqin music, traditional Hanfu dance, and curator-guided tours. The exhibition is open to the public until June 30. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Serbia agree to deepen trade, economic cooperation

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

    BELGRADE, March 22 — A Chinese business delegation has just concluded its visit to Serbia, during which Chinese and Serbian companies reached multiple cooperation intentions in cross-border e-commerce, agricultural trade and information technology.

    During the visit from March 19 to March 21, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with the delegation, led by Ren Hongbin, president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

    In addition, Ren held talks with Serbian government officials, business associations and Expo institutions while attending the China-Serbia Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum.

    Speaking at the forum, Ren reaffirmed China’s commitment to expanding cooperation in trade and investment, consolidating existing areas of cooperation, and exploring innovative cooperation in multiple fields.

    He also voiced China’s support for Serbia’s hosting of the 2027 Belgrade Specialized Expo and invited Serbian businesses to participate in the third China International Supply Chain Expo.

    Meanwhile, the Serbia side said that amid increasing global economic uncertainties, China can bring stability to Serbia’s development, and Serbia is willing to strengthen economic and trade cooperation with China to achieve mutually beneficial growth.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, New Zealand complete historic joint dive expedition to Puysegur Trench

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

    WELLINGTON, March 22 — Chinese and New Zealand scientists have successfully concluded a groundbreaking collaborative dive expedition to the Puysegur Trench, supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Global Trench Exploration and Diving program (Global TREnD).

    “For the first time in history, humans have reached the deepest point of the Puysegur Trench,” said Du Mengran, chief scientist of the joint research expedition, during the Concluding Open Day in Wellington on Friday.

    The expedition unveiled numerous novel phenomena and yielded an extensive collection of valuable biological samples, many of which represent new depth records or are suspected new species, Du said. Additionally, various rock samples were collected, providing critical materials for studying subduction processes and geological mechanisms.

    Over the past three months, the joint China-New Zealand expedition was conducted by the CAS Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE), in collaboration with New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

    The mission marked the first international scientific dive exploration of the Puysegur Trench and the second collaborative deep-sea expedition between China and New Zealand.

    The expedition involved 68 scientists from eight countries, including New Zealand, Malaysia, Denmark, Germany, France, Brazil, India, and China.

    Liu Weidong, director general of the Bureau of International Cooperation, CAS, said this collaborative spirit embodies the essence of scientific exploration, transcending borders to explore the unknown world for mankind.

    Leveraging the cutting-edge full-water-depth manned submersible Fendouzhe (Striver) and the Tansuo series of research vessels, the team conducted the first manned dive exploration in the Puysegur Trench, located in the notoriously treacherous “Roaring Forties” region.

    Despite extreme sea conditions, the team successfully completed 32 dive missions, setting a new Chinese record of 75 hours across five dives. Du highlighted that this mission was jointly designed by Chinese and New Zealand scientists and executed by a multinational team, with nine dive missions completed by foreign scientists.

    Samples and data collected during the expedition were shared among participating scientists, fostering international collaboration.

    Rob Murdoch, NIWA’s deputy chief executive, emphasized that the China-New Zealand partnership provided New Zealand scientists with unique access to deep-sea exploration resources. The ability to gather deep-sea samples and data that would otherwise be unattainable is invaluable, he said, praising the achievement of completing so many dives under the harsh conditions of the Southern Ocean.

    Among the discoveries were new species of invertebrates and fish, significantly expanding scientists’ understanding of New Zealand’s marine biodiversity. The expedition also uncovered rare whale fall-deep-sea organisms that thrive exclusively on the remains of deceased whales.

    Murdoch expressed enthusiasm for continued collaboration in the coming years, focusing on sample processing, data analysis, and publishing the expedition’s final findings.

    This joint mission follows the first manned deep-sea scientific voyage by Chinese and New Zealand scientists in late 2022. That expedition, aboard the research vessel Tansuo-1 and utilizing the Fendouzhe submersible, explored the Scholl Deep, the deepest point of the Kermadec Trench, located north of New Zealand, approximately 10,000 meters below sea level.

    Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong said the deep sea has always been a challenging frontier for human exploration. However, with technological advancements, manned submersibles such as Fendouzhe have turned deep-sea research from fantasy into reality.

    This expedition to the Puysegur Trench will undoubtedly advance human exploration of the deep ocean and contribute to the development of global marine research, Wang said.

    Hadal trenches, defined as deep-sea regions exceeding 6,000 meters in depth, are characterized by extreme conditions, including immense hydrostatic pressure, perpetual darkness, low temperatures, and significant tectonic activity. These unique environments foster complex chemosynthetic ecosystems and harbor unknown life forms, making them a frontier for groundbreaking discoveries in both Earth and life sciences, according to the IDSSE.

    To date, the Global TREnD dive expeditions have been conducted in nine major global hadal trenches, including the Mariana, Yap, Kermadec, Diamantina, Wallaby-Zenith, Java, Kuril-Kamchatka, Aleutian, and Puysegur trenches.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Activist News – PSNA to protest Winston Peters’ policy of appeasement towards the US/Israel

    Source: Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

    PSNA supporters will protest at the Winston Peters public meeting in Ōtautahi/Christchurch this afternoon calling for him to end his policy of appeasement towards the US and Israel.

     

    “Winston Peters’ is New Zealand’s Neville Chamberlain” says PSNA Co National Chair John Minto. “He has refused to condemn any of Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, including the total humanitarian aid blockade of Gaza”

    (Neville Chamberlain was Britain’s Prime Minister from 1937 to 1940.  His name is synonymous with the policy of “appeasement” because he conceded territorial concessions to Nazi Germany in the late 1930s, fruitlessly hoping to avoid war)

     

    “It’s unprecedented in New Zealand history that a government would refuse to condemn Israel breaking its ceasefire agreement and resuming industrial-scale slaughter of civilians.  That is what Israel is doing today in Gaza, with full backing from the White House,” Minto says.

     

    “Chamberlain went to meet Hitler in Munich in 1938 to whitewash Nazi Germany’s takeovers of its neighbours’ lands.”

     

    “Peters has been in Washington to agree to US approval of the occupation of southern Syria, more attacks on Lebanon, resumption of the land grab genocide in Gaza and get a heads-up on US plans to ‘give’ the Occupied West Bank to Israel later this year.”

     

    “If Peters disagrees with any of this, he’s had plenty of chances to say so.”

     

    “New Zealanders are calling for sanctions on Israel but Mr Peters and the National-led government are looking the other way.”

     

    “Today’s protest will be holding Peters to account.”

     

    John Minto

    Co National Chair

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK YouTube short – Earth Hour 2025 🌍

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Tonight, Parliament will join landmarks across the world taking part in #EarthHour 2025.

    All non-essential lights will be switched off from 8:30pm to 9:30pm to raise awareness of environmental issues.

    This is supported by the Speaker of the House of Commons and Lord Speaker @HouseofLords as a demonstration of Parliament’s longstanding commitment to improving sustainability across the estate and beyond.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhkfDOQcxdU

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Taking on Trump

    Source: Liberal Democrats UK

    Amendments

    Drafting Amendments

    The FCC has agreed to make the following drafting amendments to the motion: 

    Delete iii) (lines 12-13) and insert:

    iii) Trump’s suspension of military aid to Ukraine, and lack of commitment to NATO. 

    In iv) (line 15) after ‘Greenland’ insert: ‘…and his threat to annexe Canada as the US 51st state.’ 

    After line 15, insert new v): 

    v) Trump’s reckless comments proposing that Palestinians be removed from Gaza and ‘resettled’ elsewhere – which would constitute a grave violation of international law – undermining the already fragile ceasefire and disregarding the legitimate right of Palestinians for their own state. 

    After line 28, insert new x), xi) and xii): 

    x) Trump’s cancellation of USAID, which could lead to China increasing its influence in the Global South. 

    xi) The disgraceful verbal assault by Trump and Vance on President Zelensky in the Oval Office on 28 February 2025. 

    xii) The Trump Administration’s actions to roll back the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the US, in particular towards trans people, as well as those of women and ethnic minorities.

    Amendment One

    Submitted by: 12 members
    Mover: Helen Maguire MP (Spokesperson for Defence)
    Summation: Baroness Smith of Newnham (Lords Spokesperson for Defence) 

    After line 37, insert:

    Conference welcomes the Government’s decision to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, but expresses concern that doing so by cutting Official Development Assistance will ultimately make the UK less secure. 

    Delete E. b) (lines 69-70) and insert: 

    b) Committing to spending 2.5% of GDP as soon as possible – to be funded by raising the Digital Services Tax from 2% to 10% – and holding cross-party talks to agree a consensus on how to reach spending 3% of GDP on defence. 

    After line 84, insert: 

    d) Support the creation of a Rearmament Bank, together with our European and other allies, to enable greater access to finance for defence programmes.

    Amendment Two

    Submitted by: 12 members
    Mover: James McCleary MP (Spokesperson for Europe) 
    Summation: David Chalmers (Chair of the Federal International Relations Committee)

    At end of line 39, insert: ‘…and that enhancing economic ties with the EU, including by cutting red tape and boosting trade links, is essential for insulating the UK from Trump’s unpredictability as well as growing our economy’. 

    At end of line 57, insert: ‘…and, as the culmination of the third stage in our roadmap, negotiate a new UK-EU Customs Union by 2030 at the latest.’

    Amendment Three

    Submitted by: Yorkshire and Humber 
    Mover: Samuel Jackson 
    Summation: Adrian Ramsdale

    After line 53, insert new B.: 

    B. Ensure Ukraine’s participation in peace negotiations as an equal partner to safeguard against a coerced and detrimental peace settlement.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Making Britain a science superpower

    Source: Liberal Democrats UK

    British scientists and researchers already punch above their weight. This technological innovation is essential to tackling the major challenges of our time; climate breakdown, conflict, economic stagnation, crumbling public services, and social unrest.

    The last Conservative government utterly failed UK science and innovation with a total lack of strategy and interest. From their hostile attitude towards international collaboration and ideological hostility to sensible regulation, to the shambolic adoption of technology in the public sector and chaotic management of the economy putting off investment.

    Now the new Labour Government risks making the same mistakes. Already they have cancelled the exascale supercomputer in Edinburgh, a short-sighted cost-saving measure, symbolic of their lack of vision and understanding of how science and technology works.

    Liberal Democrats take a different approach, one grounded in our values of internationalism, respect for individual rights, and challenging concentrations of power. 

    Today we’re setting out the rescue plan that science and innovation in the UK needs:

    • A national and international science and technology strategy that raises R&D spending to 3.5% of GDP.
    • Measures to invest in education, including through a teacher workforce strategy to ensure every secondary school child is taught STEM subjects by a specialist.
    • A National People Strategy alongside an industrial strategy to ensure the UK workforce has the necessary skills and people are protected from disruption.
    • Measures to strengthen UK universities as world leaders in research including by fully participating in Horizon Europe, and enacting a decade-long program of increasing and improving research funding with a package of measures to improve spin-outs.
    • Sensible regulation of AI, including a National AI Strategy.
    • A comprehensive public sector technology policy and investment plan.
    • Tackling regional inequality through a digital inclusion strategy, national investment in digital infrastructure and investing in local government.
    • Investing in green technologies to help mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Free To Be Who You Are

    Source: Liberal Democrats UK

    The freedom to live your life as the person that you are, secure in the knowledge that their fundamental rights will be protected is not a lot to ask.

    But in our country there are still too many people for whom that is an aspiration.

    Our  LGBTQ+ community face prejudice, discrimination and hostility simply because of who they are. 

    Their health care, their housing, even their education can all be affected. 

    But today I believe  we have taken an important step forward in protecting vital rights and setting out how our government should deliver a positive future for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community.

    Our policy paper: ‘Free To Be Who You Are’  sets out how we will continue to pursue that Liberal Democrat goal of a society where nobody’s life chances are limited or constrained because of who they are.

    Liberal Democrats have been at the forefront of  each of the great strides the UK has made towards LGBTQ+ equality. It was Ed Davey in 2003 who proposed the clause which finally repealed “Section 28”, the Conservatives’ law which prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” by local authorities. 

    Lynne Featherstone – the first ever Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister – was the driving force behind the legislation that made Same Sex marriage happen. 

    And it was the former Liberal Democrat MP John Leech who spearheaded the campaign to pardon Alan Turing and Lib Dem peer Lord Sharkey, tabled the amendment to the Policing and Crime Act 2017 which posthumously pardoned thousands of gay men who had been criminalised for their sexuality.

    Our party had been pushing to lift the ban on men who have sex with men’s ability to donate blood for over 15 years by the time it finally happened in 2021. 

    That is the proud tradition of which we are the keepers.

    We know there is still a lot to do but each step is important to progress in achieving that free and fair society.

    The measures we voted through today will mean:

    • Ensuring LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic abuse and hate crime get the support they deserve, including by delivering training for police and support services
    • Ending anti-LGBTQ+ abuse in social care, by commissioning an urgent investigation into anti-LGBTQ+ abuse in social care with recommendations on how to prevent it.
    • Banning medically unnecessary, non-consensual treatments or surgeries for intersex infants and children.
    • Pushing for all integrated care boards in England to immediately remove the requirement for lesbian couples to pay for artificial insemination before accessing NHS-funded IVF services.
    • Banning all forms of conversion “therapies” and practices.
    • Implementing a new LGBTQ+ Action Plan to coordinate cross-government work on delivering LGBTQ+ equality.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: XploraDEX $XPL Could Be the Most Profitable Launch on XRP Ledger—Join $XPL PreSale and Become an Early Whale

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, Switzerland, March 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The XRP Ledger is buzzing and top traders and analysts are already calling it: XploraDEX’s $XPL token might be the most profitable launch XRPL has ever seen. As the first AI-powered decentralized exchange on XRPL, XploraDEX is bringing next-gen trading automation to one of the most efficient blockchains in the game.

    With the $XPL Presale live and gaining momentum, early adopters are rushing in to secure their allocation before the price skyrockets. The fusion of AI technology and lightning-fast XRPL infrastructure has created a perfect storm and those who move early stand to benefit the most.

    GET $XPL TOKENS NOW

    Why the Smartest Traders Are Backing XploraDEX

    In a market flooded with hype, top-tier traders are backing XploraDEX not because of marketing gimmicksbut because of its real utility and future-proof design.

    Here is What The Smart Investors See:

    AI-Driven Trade Execution – Precision trades with no emotion, powered by real-time machine learning.

    Predictive Analytics – Get ahead of the market with AI insights that spot profitable trends before they unfold.

    Built for XRPL – Ultra-fast settlement, micro-fees, and sustainable scalability.

    Arbitrage & HFT Opportunities – Execute advanced trading strategies previously only available to pros.

    XPL-Powered Ecosystem – Access to staking, fee discounts, governance, and exclusive AI tools.

    XploraDEX is not just another decentralized exchange, it’s a smarter, faster, AI-enhanced trading engine tailored for the XRP ecosystem.

    BUY $XPL TOKEN ON PRESALE

    $XPL: The Token at the Heart of the AI Trading Revolution

    The $XPL token is more than just fuel for XploraDEX—it’s the gateway to the most intelligent DeFi experience on XRPL. Holding $XPL gives you:

    • Access to Premium AI Trading Tools
    • Trading Fee Discounts for liquidity providers and active users
    • Staking & Passive Rewards from platform activity
    • Governance Power over platform upgrades, AI models, and strategic decisions

    With growing presale participation and buzz across the XRP community, $XPL is quickly becoming the most sought-after token on XRPL.

    Buy $XPL Tokens Now: https://sale.xploradex.io

    $XPL Presale is Heating Up – Time Is Running Out

    Early backers are already positioning themselves. As word spreads and demand rises, the window to grab $XPL Token at presale prices is closing fast.

    This is your opportunity to be early, not just on a token, but on a full-scale AI DeFi movement powered by XRPL.

    Join the presale today: https://sale.xploradex.io

    Stay connected and Join the XploraDEX AI Revolution

    Website | $XPL Token Presale | X | Telegram

    Contact:
    Oliver Muller
    oliver@xploradex.io
    contact@xploradex.io

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the XploraDEX. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

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    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bb72ae54-4431-41e9-ac6f-f00ae2ccb597

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NESO to investigate Heathrow power loss

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    NESO to investigate Heathrow power loss

    The Energy Secretary has commissioned the independent National Energy System Operator to investigate the power outage that affected Heathrow Airport

    The Energy Secretary has today (Saturday 22 March) commissioned the independent National Energy System Operator to urgently investigate the power outage incident that impacted Heathrow Airport and the surrounding area. 

    Working with Ofgem, Ed Miliband is using Energy Act powers to formally launch the investigation. This follows the action taken yesterday to restore power to all affected customers.  

    NESO’s investigation will support efforts to build a clear picture of the circumstances surrounding this incident and the UK’s energy resilience more broadly so that it’s prevented from ever happening again.  

    The government’s Plan for Change is rebuilding Britain’s resilience, including boosting the country’s energy security with homegrown power. Separately, the resilience review led by the Cabinet Office is ongoing and is due to conclude in the Spring. 

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: 

    The loss of power to the Heathrow area has caused major disruption to thousands of people and many businesses. We are determined to properly understand what happened and what lessons need to be learned. 

    That is why working with Ofgem, I have today commissioned the National Energy System Operator to carry out an investigation into this specific incident and to understand any wider lessons to be learned on energy resilience for critical national infrastructure, both now and in the future. 

    The government is determined to do everything it can to prevent a repeat of what happened at Heathrow. This review will be an important step in helping us to do so, as we deliver our Plan for Change.

    Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 

    This incident caused significant disruption but Heathrow, National Grid, and our emergency services have worked swiftly to get people travelling again. 

    Heathrow is a massive airport that uses the energy of a small city, so it’s imperative we identify how this power failure happened and learn from this to ensure a vital piece of national infrastructure remains strong. 

    Whilst Heathrow is back to business, some disruption is expected over coming days as things get back to normal so I encourage anyone travelling to check with their airlines and plan their journeys.

    Akshay Kaul, Director General for Infrastructure at Ofgem, said: 

    We saw yesterday the huge disruption that comes when energy supply is disrupted, and it’s important we now understand how that happened. Households and businesses should be able to have confidence in the resilience of critical national infrastructure, and Ofgem will work with the government and others to ensure NESO’s review goes as far as possible to ensuring steps are put in place to avoid any repeat of an incident of this scale in the future. 

    To the extent the review finds any breaches of standards or licence obligations, we will not hesitate to take action.

    NESO chief executive Fintan Slye said:  

    NESO welcomes the government’s commission to review the power outage incident impacting Heathrow and surrounding areas. We will now work with all relevant stakeholders to understand the lessons that can be learned to improve future resilience of Great Britain’s energy system.

    NESO will work with other bodies, including Heathrow Airport, to ensure the investigation is comprehensive and thoroughly examines the causes of the incident.  

    Further details on the scope of the investigation and its Terms of Reference will be agreed by the Energy Secretary, Ofgem and NESO and published in the coming days.  

    NESO are expected to report to DESNZ and Ofgem with initial findings within six weeks.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –