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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: London ETO supports Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble’s concert at British Library (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    London ETO supports Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble’s concert at British Library (with photos)
    London ETO supports Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble’s concert at British Library (with photos)
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         ​The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) supported the Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble’s concert, titled “Resonance of the Silk Road: Past, Present & Future Concert”, at the British Library in London, the United Kingdom, on February 21 (London time).       The event commenced with a reception attended by over 50 guests, including representatives from the diplomatic envoys, the local business, academic and cultural sectors. The Director-General of the London ETO, Mr Gilford Law, delivered a welcome speech at the reception. Mr Law highlighted the cultural parallels between Hong Kong and Dunhuang as modern and historic hubs of international cultural exchange, underscoring their shared spirit of artistic innovation and cross-cultural dialogue.     “The concert exemplifies the power of music in celebrating international friendship. Hong Kong’s rich cultural landscape forms a solid foundation for its development into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, as supported by the National 14th Five-Year Plan. With over 7 000 cultural programmes held throughout the year, ranging from heritage-rich exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, to globally renowned events such as the Hong Kong Sevens and Art Basel, there is always something to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide,” he said.      The Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble has staged over 60 concerts in Hong Kong and across the globe, enchanting audiences with its unique fusion of history and music. Established in 2018, the ensemble features eight young musicians and two resident composers who create original works inspired by ancient scores discovered in Dunhuang, bringing to life the stories behind cultural relics through their performances.

     
    Ends/Saturday, February 22, 2025Issued at HKT 23:24

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Text of the Vice-President’s address at 65th Convocation of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Excerpts)

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 22 FEB 2025 7:27PM by PIB Delhi

    I’m extremely pleased to be at this university and there are two very special reasons.

    One – The name of the university says it all, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and then, the city where it is located is also very, very significant. These two things define what we stand for. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj the name we got only recently. Belated, delayed but then reflects changing times that Bharat home to one-sixth of humanity is getting back into its groove. It is on way to securing its glory. I therefore feel privileged to be associated with this great occasion, 65th Convocation of this great university.

    In last decade, Bharat has seen growth, exponential economic rise, phenomenal infrastructural upsurge, deep digitalisation, technology penetration of unknown scale globally accoladed. No nation in the world has grown so fast in economy and development in the last decade as Bharat has done. The strides we have made in our economy were beyond contemplation few years back. Our jump from 10th or 11th number in global economy status to 5th and on the way to becoming the third in a year or so ahead of Japan and Germany. This nation therefore is full of hope and possibility. India is no longer a nation with potential, it is a nation on the rise, the rise is unstoppable and the rise is incremental.

    Our youth have bountiful opportunity, it is your turn. You are the most important stakeholder in democracy. Our Viksit Bharat is no longer a dream, it is our object. We all are marching towards that object. Some of us will drop on the way on account of age but those before me, young minds, you will be in driver’s seat. You will have to fire on all cylinders the engine of growth. I have no doubt, if not before at 2047 when Bharat celebrates centenary of its independence, India will be a developed nation.

    Now let me indicate to you boys and girls, A developed Nation status is globally not defined but if you look around and find the various elements and parameters, the challenge is daunting, but achievable and implementable. We will have to increase our per capita income eightfold and, time therefore for all of us to move fast, move with commitment that commitment requires that we first believe in our Nation. Nation has always to be the first. We cannot keep National interest subservient to personal interest, to partisan interest, to commercial interest. Commitment to Nationalism is non-negotiable because it is directly connected to our freedom.

    Therefore I call upon you to make your contributions in a massive way. Now an issue arises. What can individuals do? But let me tell you, individuals define a Nation by their discipline, by their decorum, by being good citizens. But let me indicate to begin with ‘Panch Pran’ and these ‘Panch Pran’ you will find are best in our civilizational ethos. They are essence and if I may say, nectar of our civilizational knowledge and worth, and one is, which is very easy, if we practice. Fact is, we are not practising, we have to practice, believe and work day in and day out.

    Social transformation will come when we will have social harmony. Social harmony will define unity in diversity. This will convert our caste, creed, religion, the divisive situations to appear into a force of unity. Let us generate social harmony at all costs. Let us believe in family values, respect our elders, our parents, our neighbours, our neighbourhood. We are a different civilisation, by nature we are not materialistic, we are spiritualistic, we are religious, we are ethical. We are role model to rest of the world, and that model has been in operation for thousands of years. So please imbibe family values, nurture family values, respect your elders, respect your parents, and that cultural strength will give you stamina to contribute for the Nation. A seed of patriotism will automatically blossom. Third, Environmental protection– Now we know it, Climate Change menace, the plant is cliffhanging its existential challenge. धरती माँ के अलावा कोई और स्थान हमारे पास नहीं है। We are trustees, we have recklessly exploited it with the result, the danger is blooming, the time bomb is ticking. We have to do our bit.

    Prime Minister has given a call ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, If we do it sincerely, and many are doing, in millions they are doing it. It will be a game changer but let us believe in environmental protection. Every Nation can be powerful only if it is Aatmanirbhar and for that we must believe in Swadeshi. Let us be Vocal about Local.

     Our Constitution has given us fundamental rights but passage to fundamental rights has to be earned and that passage is when you perform fundamental duties, when you perform civic duties. Just imagine, in a country like ours, public order is challenged, public property is burned, people take to agitations where redress lies not on the street, but either in court of law or in theatres of legislature.

     Time has come for every Indian to assess and audit performance of institutions. Mindset has to be changed, you have to be a very powerful pressure group. You have to ask, your public representatives, the bureaucracy, the executive, are you doing your job? Public representatives are elected through a massive exercise. For what? To engage in debate, dialogue, discussion, work policies for your welfare. Not to disturb function. Are they really doing it? If they are not performing their job, well you have a job cut out for them because now you have the power of social media.

     

    मेरी दृढ़ मान्यता है कि हमको संकल्प लेना पड़ेगा कि हम सदैव इस बात को याद रखेंगे कि हम भारतीय हैं, भारतीयता हमारी पहचान है, राष्ट्रवाद हमारा धर्म।

    राष्ट्र विरोधी ताकतें जो हमारे प्रजातांत्रिक मूल्यों पर कुठाराघात करती हैं, जो हमारे संविधान की आत्मा को धूमेल करना चाहती हैं, जो हमारी संस्थाओं को बदनाम करती हैं, जब वो कुठाराघात हमारे मूल आधार पर करती हैं, ऐसी ताक़तों के ऊपर हमारा प्रतिघात होना चाहिए। ये हर व्यक्ति का कर्तव्य है।

     

    Look around the challenges we are seeing. हमारे भारत में, करोड़ों की संख्या में, ऐसे लोग रह रहे हैं, जिनकों यहां रहने का अधिकार नहीं है। वो किसी न किसी रूप में, अपनी आजीविका का सृजन कर रहे हैं। They are making their livelihood here, they are making demands on our resources, on our education, health sector, housing sector और अब तो बात आगे बढ़ गई है। They are intervening our electoral process. हमारी प्रजातांत्रिक व्यवस्था के अंदर, वो महत्वपूर्ण अंग बनते जा रहे हैं। निर्णायक अंग बनते जा रहे हैं। हम सबका कर्तव्य है, कि हम देश में इस प्रकार की मानसिकता का विस्तार करें। एक ऐसे वातावरण और वायुमंडल का निर्माण करें कि हर भारतीय इस बात के लिए सजग हो जाए।

     

    जब दूसरा देश उन लोगों को यहां भेजता है, अपने देश के कानून के हिसाब से। और वो लोग कौन हैं? हमारे उन लोगों को भ्रमित करकर, लालच दिखाकर, लाभ देकर, उनको ठग कर वहां ले गए। कुछ देशों ने पाया गलत है, वापस भेज दिया पर यह परंपरा दशकों से चल रही है। पर यह काम हम कब शुरू करेंगे? हर भारतीय के मन में यह प्रश्न आना चाहिए, कि हम इसको अति शीघ्र शुरू करेंगे। यह बहुत बड़ी चुनौती हमारे सामने हैं।

    एक नई बात और है, हर व्यक्ति का अधिकार है किस धर्म का पालन करे, हर व्यक्ति का अधिकार है मनमर्जी से धर्म अपनाये पर लालच देकर, लोभ by allurement, by temptation conversion होता है और उसका उद्देश्य होता है We will get supremacy by changing demography of the Nation। इतिहास साक्षी है, दुनिया के कुछ देश उदाहरण हैं। आप मेरे से ज्यादा समझदार हैं, जानकार है, पता लगा सकते हैं। देश का रूप ही मिट गया, वहां जो majority community थी, गायब हो गई।

    We cannot allow this demography invasion, organic demographic growth is acceptable, but if this is disruptive with the sinister design to control, हमारे कान खड़े हो जाने चाहिए। हमारे लिए चिंतन-मंथन का विषय है। हमारा दर्शन, जो सदियों पुराना है, उसको चुनौती है।

    Boys and girls, there is another challenge and please read between the lines, see behind the screen. In a systemic manner. The President is ridiculed, the Prime Minister is ridiculed, my position is ridiculed. Our institutions are tainted. Be it Election Commission or Judiciary. These are activities which are being undertaken by those at their heart, National interest is not there.

    Recently, it has been revealed authoritatively that our elections were sought to be doctored, manipulated. ऐसी परिस्थिति में मेरा आग्रह रहेगा हर व्यक्ति से सजग रहे, सोचिए, पर्दाफ़ाश करें। And I appeal to organisations concerned, time has come to engage into deep investigation, thorough investigation at micro level, expose everyone connected with these sinister designs aimed at destabilizing our nation, trying to manipulate our democracy.

     

     

    ****

    JK/RC/SM

    (Release ID: 2105547) Visitor Counter : 48

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Three Years On: The Effects of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    On the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the war continues along with the crisis. Humanitarians are making a difference but the needs remain immense. Three women at the forefront look back on this milestone and ahead to an uncertain future.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62x9RJGfjY0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Sudden oil supply outages creating turbulence for airline industry

    Source: University of South Australia

    24 February 2025

    UniSA researchers are encouraging airlines to explore sustainable fuel options.

    Unplanned oil supply outages caused by geopolitical instability, military conflicts, natural disasters and technical issues are throwing airline stock markets into chaos and making it more expensive to fly.

    That’s the conclusion from Australian aviation experts in a new paper published in Energy Economics examining the links between unforeseen oil supply disruptions and airline stock prices.

    University of South Australia researchers argue that because fuel accounts for 30% of an airline’s total expenses, the industry is especially sensitive to any sudden fluctuations in the crude oil market, particularly from non-OPEC countries that are more volatile.

    Major airlines such as United Airlines, Delta Airlines and American Airlines are the most affected.

    UniSA aviation lecturer Dr Yifei Cai, who led the study, says the unpredictability of oil supply shocks provides compelling evidence why alternative energy sources are needed, including biofuels and hydrogen.

    “Global airline operations rely heavily on stable fuel supplies, and unexpected oil supply outages make it very difficult for them to predict their costs,” Dr Cai says.

    Co-author, UniSA Aviation Professor Shane Zhang, says that unplanned oil supply outages have a significant impact on oil prices as they can disrupt the balance between oil supply and demand, creating shortages and driving up prices.

    “Our findings suggest that airlines may need to rethink their risk management strategies and fuel hedging practices to mitigate potential financial turbulence caused by such outages,” Prof Zhang says.

    The oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia in March 2020, for example, triggered a significant shift in oil prices and was recognised as a pivotal factor in the stock market crash of 2020.

    The study highlights the potential impact on investment strategies, stock market stability and long-term financial planning in the aviation sector.

    The researchers claim that diversifying fuel supply sources would reduce reliance on a single region or supplier.

    Investing in fuel-efficient aircraft and sustainable initiatives such as biofuels and hydrogen would also lessen dependence on traditional jet fuels and their price fluctuations.

    Prof Zhang says that more than 90% of Australian oil is imported from overseas markets, for example, and it would “make sense” to grow the domestic sustainable aviation fuel industry to reduce the reliance on the overseas supply for traditional jet fuels in the long term.

    Future research will investigate the impacts of unplanned oil supply outages at country levels.

    Notes for editors

    “Accessing the influence of unplanned oil supply outages on airline stock connectedness” is authored by researchers from Wuchang University of Technology and the University of South Australia.
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2024.108145

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au
    Researcher contact: Prof Shane Zhang E: shane.zhang@unisa.edu.au

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada: 23 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM call with Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada: 23 February 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke with the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau this evening. 

    The Prime Minister spoke with the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau this evening. 

    The discussion began by reflecting ahead of tomorrow’s call with G7 and European leaders, to mark three years since Russia’s full-scale illegal invasion of Ukraine – a grim reminder of the continued suffering of the people of Ukraine. 

    They both underscored their unwavering commitment to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position going forward. 

    The leaders reiterated that working together alongside other international leaders was essential to achieve lasting peace and security in Ukraine. 

    They agreed to keep in touch, with both looking forward to speaking again during Monday’s call, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Trudeau.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte: 23 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM meeting with Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte: 23 February 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this evening.

    The Prime Minister spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this evening.

    Ahead of the three-year anniversary of Russia’s barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Prime Minister began by underscoring that Ukraine must be in the strongest position possible. 

    The leaders agreed that there could be no negotiations about Ukraine, without Ukraine. They agreed it was important for Europe to step up in order to ensure European security. 

    The Prime Minister said he would continue to have these vital discussions with international partners, including during his visit to Washington D.C. 

    They agreed to speak soon.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: SUNDAY SHOWS: Most Transparent Administration in History

    Source: The White House

    This morning, the Trump Administration was out in force across the TV networks to update Americans on the progress made in the historic first month of President Trump’s second term.

    Here’s what you missed:

    Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on State of the Union

    Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Sunday Morning Futures

    • On mortgage rates: “Interest rates are down five weeks in a row on the 10-year since President Trump took office — and mortgage rates are down.”
    • On reciprocal tariffs: “We’re just doing what they’re doing and then adding in these other factors. If they remediate those … the tariffs could drop. If they want to continue these unfair trade practices, then the tariff will go up until they are willing to negotiate.”
    • On negotiations around a minerals deal with Ukraine: “This deal is part of President Trump’s long-arc negotiating strategy for peace between Ukraine and Russia … A partnership between Ukraine and the U.S. … It is a win-win.”

    Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Fox News Sunday

    • On restoring the Pentagon’s mission: “President Trump has given another set of lawful orders, and they will be followed … If they’re not followed, then those officers will find the door … We feel really good about the direction the Pentagon is headed under President Trump.”
    • On ending the war in Ukraine: “America more than any other country in the world has invested in helping Ukraine defend itself. Now, it’s time for peace.”

    EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on Sunday Morning Futures

    • On getting back to the agency’s core focus: “It’s time to go back to the basics to ensure we are delivering clean air, land, and water, and we are also unleashing energy dominance … That’s the priority at the EPA under President Trump.”

    Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Face the Nation

    National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Sunday Morning Futures

    • On President Trump’s first month: “What you’re seeing under President Trump’s leadership, in just under a month, is bringing multiple wars to an end. He is a president of peace.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Proposed Combination of Saipem and Subsea7

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Milan, Luxembourg, 23 February 2025 – Saipem and Subsea7 announce that today they have reached an agreement in principle on the key terms of a possible merger of the two companies1 (the “Proposed Combination”) through the execution of a memorandum of understanding (the “MoU”). The Proposed Combination is expected to create a global leader in energy services.

    Highlights

    • The combination of Saipem and Subsea7 (the “Combined Company”) will be renamed Saipem7, and will have a combined backlog of €43 billion2, Revenue of approx. €20 billion3 and EBITDA in excess of €2 billion4
    • A global organisation of over 45,000 people, including more than 9,000 engineers and project managers
    • Highly complementary geographical footprints, competencies and capabilities, vessel fleets and technologies that will benefit the Combined Company’s global client base
    • Saipem and Subsea7 shareholders will own 50% each of the share capital of the Combined Company
    • Subsea7 shareholders will receive 6.688 Saipem shares for each Subsea7 share held. Subsea7 will distribute an extraordinary dividend for an amount equal to €450 million immediately prior to completion
    • Transaction expected to deliver material value creation for the shareholders of both Saipem and Subsea7. Annual synergies of approximately €300 million are expected to be achieved in the third year after completion, with one-off costs to achieve such synergies of approximately €270 million
    • The Combined Company will be listed on both the Milan and Oslo stock exchange
    • Siem Industries, reference shareholder of Subsea7, as well as Eni and CDP Equity, reference shareholders of Saipem, have expressed their strong support and intend to vote in favour of the transaction
    • Completion anticipated to occur in the second half of 2026

    The management of both Saipem and Subsea7 share the conviction that there is compelling logic in creating a global leader in energy services, particularly considering the growing size of clients’ projects. Saipem and Subsea7 are highly complementary in terms of market offerings and geographies. The combination would enhance value for shareholders, and all stakeholders, both in the current market and in the long term.

    CDP Equity, Eni and Siem Industries have entered into a separate Memorandum of Understanding, undertaking to support the Proposed Combination and agreeing on the terms of a Shareholders Agreement, to be effective from completion of the Proposed Combination. As part of this, it is intended that the Combined Company’s Chairman will be designated by Siem Industries and that the Combined Company’s CEO will be designated by CDP Equity and Eni. In addition, it is currently envisaged that Mr Alessandro Puliti will be appointed as CEO of the Combined Company5 while it is currently envisaged that Mr John Evans will be the CEO of the entity that will manage the Offshore business of the Combined Company. Such Offshore business will comprise all of Subsea7 and Saipem’s Offshore Engineering & Construction activities.

    The by-laws of the Combined Company are expected to provide for loyalty shares (double votes).

    Strategic Rationale of the Proposed Combination

    The Proposed Combination would be beneficial to the clients of both Saipem and Subsea7, bringing together the respective strengths of both companies:

    • Comprehensive Solutions for Clients: a full spectrum of offshore and onshore services, from drilling, engineering and construction to life-of-field services and decommissioning, with an increased ability to optimise project schedules for clients in oil, gas, carbon capture and renewable energy
    • World-class Expertise and Experience: a talented, global workforce of over 45,000 people, including more than 9,000 engineers and project managers, in more than 60 countries, contributing to deliver solutions unlocking value for clients
    • Global Reach and Diversified Fleet: an expanded and diversified fleet of more than 60 construction vessels enhancing the Combined Company’s ability to undertake a wide range of projects, from shallow water to ultra-deepwater operations, utilising a full portfolio of heavy lift, high-end J-lay, S-lay and reel-lay rigid pipeline solutions, flexible pipe and umbilical lay services and market-leading wind turbine, foundation and cable lay installation capabilities
    • Innovation and Technology: combined expertise to foster innovation in offshore technologies, ensuring cutting-edge solutions for complex projects

    The transaction would create significant shareholder value through:

    • Synergies: expected annual synergies of approximately €300 million in the third year after completion, driven by fleet optimisation, procurement, sales and marketing, and process efficiencies
    • A More Efficient Capital Investment Programme: optimised allocation of capital across a broader, complementary vessel fleet
    • An Attractive Shareholder Remuneration Policy: post-completion, Saipem7 is expected to pay a dividend of at least 40% of Free Cash Flow6 after repayment of lease liabilities
    • Enhanced Capital Structure: a solid balance sheet that is expected to support an investment grade credit rating
    • Greater Scale in Both Equity and Debt Capital Markets: access to a wider investor base and to more diversified sources of capital

    Transaction Structure and Ownership

    • The Combined Company would be created by way of an EU cross-border statutory merger carried out by way of incorporation of Subsea 7 into Saipem, with the latter to be renamed “Saipem7”. The Combined Company would be headquartered in Milan and have its shares listed on both the Milan and the Oslo stock exchanges
    • Siem Industries (being the largest shareholder of Subsea7) would then own approximately 11.9% of the Combined Company’s capital, while Eni and CDP Equity (being the largest shareholders of Saipem) would own approximately 10.6% and approximately 6.4%, respectively

    Transaction Terms

    • Subsea7 shareholders would receive 6.688 new Saipem7 shares for each Subsea7 share held
    • Assuming all Subsea7 shareholders participate in the merger, the share capital of the Combined Company will be held 50-50% by the current shareholders of Saipem and Subsea7
    • Immediately prior to completion of the Proposed Combination, Subsea7 shareholders would receive an extraordinary cash dividend of €450 million7

    Organisational Structure of the Combined Company

    • The Combined Company will be structured in four businesses: Offshore Engineering & Construction, Onshore Engineering & Construction, Sustainable Infrastructures and Offshore Drilling
    • The Offshore Engineering & Construction business will be incorporated in an operationally autonomous company, named Subsea7 and branded as “Subsea7 – a Saipem7 Company”, and it is currently envisaged that it will be led by Mr John Evans. It will comprise all of Subsea7’s business and the Asset Based Services business of Saipem, representing approximately 83% of the combined group’s EBITDA of the last 12 months as of 30 September 2024. The company will be headquartered in London
    • In line with Saipem’s previous strategy, the Onshore Engineering & Construction will be run with a focus on reducing overall risk and maximising profitability. The Sustainable Infrastructures business will aim to consolidate its presence in the Italian market with potential expansion overseas. The Offshore Drilling division will seek to continue to maximise its EBITDA and cash flow

    Shareholder Remuneration

    • The MoU allows Saipem and Subsea7 to make shareholder distributions of up to $350 million each in 2025, in the form of dividends8,9
    • In 2026, if the Proposed Combination is not completed before the approval of the full year 2025 results of Saipem and Subsea7, the two companies could each distribute by way of dividends10,11 at least $300 million
    • Following completion of the Proposed Combination, the Combined Company is expected to distribute to shareholders at least 40% of Free Cash Flow12 after repayment of lease liabilities

    Shareholders Agreement

    The Memorandum of Understanding amongst Siem Industries, CDP Equity and Eni provides for, inter alia, a three-year shareholder lock-up and standstill obligation and the submission of a common slate for the appointment of the majority of the members of the board of directors of the Combined Company.

    Timing, Conditions Precedent and Approvals

    The entering into and signing of binding definitive documents in respect of the Proposed Combination is conditional, inter alia, on the successful completion of confirmatory due diligence by the parties, the execution of a mutually satisfactory merger agreement (the “Merger Agreement”) and the approval of the final terms of the Proposed Combination by the Board of Directors of Saipem and Subsea7. The parties will also engage with the relevant works council consultations required by the applicable laws.

    Saipem and Subsea7 have undertaken mutual exclusivity obligations in connection with the negotiations of the Proposed Combination.

    Moreover, completion of the Proposed Combination will be subject to customary conditions precedent for a transaction of this nature, including, inter alia, approval by the shareholders’ meetings of both Saipem and Subsea7, the former to be also passed with the so-called whitewash majorities for the purposes of the mandatory takeover bid exemption13, and obtaining the required Italian government approval and customary regulatory clearances.

    Until such conditions precedent are satisfied, there can be no certainty that the Proposed Combination will occur.

    The MoU also provides for termination rights for each of Saipem and Subsea7 in connection with material findings in the context of the confirmatory due diligence, or upon payment of a break-up fee, should any of the companies wish to terminate the negotiations at its discretion before entering into the Merger Agreement.

    The parties currently envisage to submit the final terms of the Proposed Combination to their respective Board of Directors for approval and to enter into the Merger Agreement around mid-2025. Completion is currently anticipated to occur in the second half of 2026.

    Conference Call

    On Monday 24 February 2025, at 10:00 CET, the top management of Saipem and Subsea7 will present the transaction in a dedicated conference call, which can be followed by connecting to the below URL:

    https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/az2o9ou7/

    The document that will be presented by Saipem and Subsea7 top management will be available on the two respective websites (www.saipem.com and www.Subsea7.com). A replay of the call will be available on the two companies’ websites.

    Advisers

    Goldman Sachs International is acting as lead financial advisor to Saipem, and Deutsche Bank AG, Milan Branch as financial advisor to Saipem. Clifford Chance LLP is serving as global legal counsel to Saipem in particular as to matters of Italian, English, US and Luxembourg law, while Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is serving as legal counsel to Saipem as to matters of Norwegian law.

    Kirk Lovegrove & Company Limited is acting as lead financial advisor and Deloitte LLP is acting as financial advisor to Subsea7. Freshfields LLP is serving as global legal counsel to Subsea7 (including as to matters of Italian, US and English Law), while Elvinger Hoss Prussen S.A. and Advokatfirmaet Wiersholm AS are serving as legal counsels as to matters of Luxembourg and Norwegian law, respectively.

    Enquiries

    Saipem is a global leader in the engineering and construction of major projects for the energy and infrastructure sectors, both offshore and onshore. Saipem is “One Company” organized into business lines: Asset Based Services, Drilling, Energy Carriers, Offshore Wind, Sustainable Infrastructures, Robotics & Industrialised Solutions. The company has 6 fabrication yards and an offshore fleet of 21 construction vessels (of which 17 owned and 4 owned by third parties and managed by Saipem) and 15 drilling rigs, of which 9 owned. Always oriented towards technological innovation, the company’s purpose is “Engineering for a sustainable future”. As such Saipem is committed to supporting its clients on the energy transition pathway towards Net Zero, with increasingly digital means, technologies and processes geared for environmental sustainability. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, it is present in more than 50 countries around the world and employs about 30,000 people of over 120 nationalities.

    Subsea7 is a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the energy industry. Subsea7 makes offshore energy transition possible through the continuous evolution of lower-carbon oil and gas and by enabling the growth of renewables and emerging energies.

    +++

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This communication and the information contained in it are provided for information purposes only and are not intended to be and shall not constitute a solicitation of any vote or approval, or an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy, or an invitation or recommendation to subscribe for, acquire or buy securities of Saipem, Subsea 7 or the combined company following the proposed merger of Saipem and Subsea 7 (the “Proposed Business Combination Transaction“) or any other financial products or securities, in any place or jurisdiction, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made in the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, such registration requirements.

    Forward-looking Statements

    This communication contains forward-looking information and statements about Saipem and Subsea7 and their combined business after completion of the Proposed Business Combination Transaction. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates” and similar expressions. Although the managements of Saipem and Subsea7 believe that the respective expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of Saipem and Subsea7 shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Saipem and Subsea7, respectively, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. Except as required by applicable law, neither Saipem nor Subsea7 undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements.

    Important Additional Information about the Proposed Business Combination Transaction

    This communication is not a substitute for a registration statement or for any other document that Saipem or Subsea7 may file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in connection with the Proposed Business Combination Transaction. In connection with the Proposed Business Combination Transaction, Saipem and Subsea7 are filing relevant materials with the SEC, which, to the extent Saipem’s shares will be required to be registered under the U.S. Securities Act, may include a registration statement on Form F-4 that contains a prospectus. If an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act is available, the shares issued in connection with the Proposed Business Combination Transaction will be made available within the United States pursuant to such exemption and not pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form F-4.

    SAIPEM AND SUBSEA7 URGE INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS TO READ ANY SUCH REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT MAY BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT SAIPEM AND SUBSEA7, THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS.

    Investors and shareholders can obtain free copies of the prospectus and other documents filed by Saipem and Subsea7 with the SEC (when they become available) through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Shareholders of Subsea7 are urged to read the prospectus, if and when available, and the other relevant materials when they become available, as well as any supplements and amendments thereto, before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the Proposed Business Combination Transaction and will receive information at an appropriate time on how to obtain these transaction-related documents for free from the parties involved or a duly appointed agent.

    Use of Non-IFRS Financial Measures

    This announcement includes certain non-IFRS financial measures with respect to Saipem and Subsea7, including EBITDA and Net debt. These unaudited non-IFRS financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, measures of Saipem’s and Subsea7’s financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. In addition, these measures may be defined differently than similar terms used by other companies.

    Presentation of Financial Information

    This communication includes financial data regarding Saipem and Subsea7 and the combination of Saipem and Subsea7. The presentation of information in any registration statement that Saipem may file with the SEC may be different than the financial data included herein as the financial data included in any registration statement will be required to comply with the rules and regulations of the SEC. Further, any financial data contained herein representing the combination of Saipem and Subsea7 has not been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC, including the pro forma requirements of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, pro forma financial data contained in any registration statement filed with respect to the Proposed Business Combination Transaction may differ from the pro forma financial data contained herein, and such differences may be material. Any combined company financial data presented herein is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to represent or be indicative of the actual consolidated results of operations or financial position that would have been reported had the Proposed Business Combination Transaction been completed as of October 1st, 2024, and should not be taken as representative of the companies’ future consolidated results of operations or financial position had the Proposed Business Combination Transaction occurred as of such date. These estimates are based on financial information available at the time of the preparation of this communication.

    1 Merger by way of incorporation of Subsea7 into Saipem
    2 Combined backlog for Saipem and Subsea7 as of 30 September 2024
    3 Combined Revenue for Saipem and Subsea7 as per last 12 months as of 30 September 2024
    4 Combined EBITDA for Saipem and Subsea7 as per last 12 months as of 30 September 2024
    5 Subject to approval by the Shareholders’ Meeting and the Board of Directors of the Combined Company
    6 Free Cash Flow is defined as Cash Flow from Operations less Capital Expenditure plus Divestments
    7 Subject to approval by the Shareholders’ Meeting
    8 Subject to approval by the Shareholders’ Meeting and the Board of Directors
    9 The dividend paid by Saipem will be qualified as ordinary in nature
    10 Subject to approval by the Shareholders’ Meeting and the Board of Directors
    11 The dividend paid by Saipem will be qualified as ordinary in nature
    12 Free Cash Flow is defined as Cash Flow from Operations less Capital Expenditure plus Divestments
    13 Pursuant to Art. 49, paragraph 1, letter g) of Consob Regulation 11971/99

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Flags Flown at Half-Staff in Support of Ukraine

    Source: US State of New York


















    Skip to main content

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    Secure ny.gov websites use HTTPS

    A lock icon or https:// means you’ve safely connected to a ny.gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Scam Factories: the inside story of Southeast Asia’s brutal fraud compounds

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ashlynne McGhee, Digital Storytelling Editor

    Scam Factories is a special multimedia and podcast series by The Conversation that explores the inner workings of Southeast Asia’s brutal scam compounds.

    The Conversation’s digital storytelling and podcast teams collaborated with three researchers: Ivan Franceschini, a lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Melbourne; Ling Li, a PhD candidate at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice; and Mark Bo, an independent researcher.

    The researchers have spent the past few years interviewing nearly 100 survivors of these compounds and documenting the rise of the industry in Southeast Asia for a forthcoming book.

    Scam Factories will unfold across three multimedia articles and three podcast episodes this week. We’ll update this page as more is published.

    Part 1

    Our first article explores how people are lured into the industry and what life is like inside the compounds, where scammers are forced to work long hours and are often subjected to violence.

    And in our first podcast episode, No skills required, our researchers travel to a village in Cambodia called Chrey Thom to see what these compounds look like. And we hear from two survivors, a Ugandan man we’re calling George and a Malaysian woman we’re calling Lee, about how they were recruited into compounds in Laos and Myanmar.

    The Conversation contacted all the companies mentioned in this series for a comment, except Jinshui, which we couldn’t contact. We did not receive a response from any of them.

    Credits

    The podcast series was written and produced by Gemma Ware with production assistance from Katie Flood and Mend Mariwany. Sound design by Michelle Macklem. Leila Goldstein was our producer in Cambodia and Halima Athumani recorded for us in Uganda. Hui Lin helped us with Chinese translation. Photos by Roun Ry, KDA, Halima Athumani and Ivan Franceschini.

    Justin Bergman at The Conversation in Australia edited the articles in the series and Matt Garrow worked on the graphical elements of the stories. Series oversight and editing help from Ashlynne McGhee.

    – ref. Scam Factories: the inside story of Southeast Asia’s brutal fraud compounds – https://theconversation.com/scam-factories-the-inside-story-of-southeast-asias-brutal-fraud-compounds-250448

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘It seemed like a good job at first’: how people are trafficked, trapped and forced to scam in Southeast Asia – Scam Factories podcast, Ep 1

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

    Scam Factories is a podcast series from The Conversation Weekly taking you inside Southeast Asia’s brutal fraud compounds. It accompanies a series of articles on The Conversation.

    Hundreds of thousands of people are estimated to work in these scam compounds. Many were trafficked there and then forced into criminality by defrauding people around the world via email, phone and social media.

    The Conversation collaborated for this series with three researchers: Ivan Franceschini, a lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Melbourne, Ling Li, a PhD candidate at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and Mark Bo, an independent researcher. They’ve spent the past few years researching the expansion of scam compounds in the region for a forthcoming book. They’ve interviewed nearly 100 survivors of these compounds, analysed maps and financial documents related to the scam industry, and tracked scammers online to find out how these operations work.

    In this first episode of the podcast series, No Skills Required, we find out how people are recruited and trafficked into the compounds – with many believing they’re going there to do a legitimate job.

    Our researchers travel to a village in Cambodia, Chrey Thom, to see what these compounds look like. And we hear from two survivors, a Ugandan man we’re calling George and a Malaysian woman we’re calling Lee to protect their real identities, about how they were tricked into travelling to compounds in Laos and Myanmar.

    Read an article by Ivan Franceschini and Ling Li which accompanies this episode.

    The Conversation contacted all the companies mentioned in this series for a comment, except Jinshui, which we could not contact. We did not receive a response from any of them.

    This episode was written and produced by Gemma Ware, with assistance from Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. Leila Goldstein was our producer in Cambodia and Halima Athumani recorded for us in Uganda. Hui Lin helped us with Chinese translation. Sound design by Michelle Macklem and editing help from Ashlynee McGhee and Justin Bergman.

    Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here.

    Mark Bo, an independent researcher who works with Ivan Franeschini and Ling Li, is also interviewed in this podcast series. Ivan, Ling, Mark, and others have co-founded EOS Collective, a non-profit organisation dedicated to investigating the criminal networks behind the online scam industry and supporting survivors.

    – ref. ‘It seemed like a good job at first’: how people are trafficked, trapped and forced to scam in Southeast Asia – Scam Factories podcast, Ep 1 – https://theconversation.com/it-seemed-like-a-good-job-at-first-how-people-are-trafficked-trapped-and-forced-to-scam-in-southeast-asia-scam-factories-podcast-ep-1-250444

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Three years on, Australia stands with Ukraine

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today marks three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine./p>

    For three years, Ukraine has bravely resisted Russia’s illegal and immoral war of aggression.

    Australia mourns the loss of life of Ukraine’s citizens and defenders, and the generational toll of Russia’s brutality.

    Australia continues to stand with Ukraine.

    We have committed over $1.5 billion to help Ukraine defend itself, including more than $1.3 billion in military support through vital equipment for the battlefield and the training of Ukrainian forces.

    Australia has been clear since day one that Russia, and those enabling its illegal invasion, will face consequences.

    The Australian Government has today imposed further targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on 70 persons, and targeted financial sanctions on 79 entities.

    This constitutes Australia’s largest sanctions package since February 2022.

    The new sanctions target individuals propping up Russia’s illegal administrations in eastern Ukraine and Crimea, including so-called “ministers”, judges and prosecutors, and individuals responsible for conflict-related sexual violence and the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

    The sanctions also target persons and entities involved in deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including the deployment of North Korean troops to the battlefield.

    Deepening Russia-North Korea military cooperation is a dangerous expansion of Russia’s war, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security.

    Targets in Russia’s defence, transport and finance sectors, and those spreading disinformation to undermine Ukraine and governments around the world, have also been sanctioned.

    Australia has now imposed a total of more than 1,400 sanctions in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    The Government has taken decisive action to ensure Australians are not inadvertently fuelling Russia’s war economy.

    Today we have further tightened trade bans on Russia by prohibiting the supply of commercial drones and components, including the provision of related services.

    Guidance on the operation of these bans can be found on the sanctions guidance webpage.

    Once again, Australia calls on Russia to immediately end its war and adhere fully to its obligations under international law, including in relation to the protection of civilians and treatment of prisoners of war.

    Working with Ukraine and our partners, Australia supports a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scam Factories: the inside story of Southeast Asia’s brutal fraud compounds

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ashlynne McGhee, Digital Storytelling Editor

    Scam Factories is a special multimedia and podcast series by The Conversation that explores the inner workings of Southeast Asia’s brutal scam compounds.

    The Conversation’s digital storytelling and podcast teams collaborated with three researchers: Ivan Franceschini, a lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Melbourne; Ling Li, a PhD candidate at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice; and Mark Bo, an independent researcher.

    The researchers have spent the past few years interviewing nearly 100 survivors of these compounds and documenting the rise of the industry in Southeast Asia for a forthcoming book.

    Scam Factories will unfold across three multimedia articles and three podcast episodes this week. We’ll update this page as more is published.

    Part 1

    Our first article explores how people are lured into the industry and what life is like inside the compounds, where scammers are forced to work long hours and are often subjected to violence.

    And in our first podcast episode, No skills required, our researchers travel to a village in Cambodia called Chrey Thom to see what these compounds look like. And we hear from two survivors, a Ugandan man we’re calling George and a Malaysian woman we’re calling Lee, about how they were recruited into compounds in Laos and Myanmar.

    The Conversation contacted all the companies mentioned in this series for a comment, except Jinshui, which we couldn’t contact. We did not receive a response from any of them.

    Credits

    The podcast series was written and produced by Gemma Ware with production assistance from Katie Flood and Mend Mariwany. Sound design by Michelle Macklem. Leila Goldstein was our producer in Cambodia and Halima Athumani recorded for us in Uganda. Hui Lin helped us with Chinese translation. Photos by Roun Ry, KDA, Halima Athumani and Ivan Franceschini.

    Justin Bergman at The Conversation in Australia edited the articles in the series and Matt Garrow worked on the graphical elements of the stories. Series oversight and editing help from Ashlynne McGhee.

    – ref. Scam Factories: the inside story of Southeast Asia’s brutal fraud compounds – https://theconversation.com/scam-factories-the-inside-story-of-southeast-asias-brutal-fraud-compounds-250448

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: After 3 years of war, Ukrainian business leaders share their lessons on survival

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy L. Kenworthy, Professor of Management, Bond University

    Drop of Light/Shutterstock

    It’s exactly three years since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    During that time, Ukrainians have lived through one of the world’s largest and most brutal humanitarian crises. Yet their resilience remains high.

    The United Nations estimates that 64% of micro, small and medium enterprises had to either suspend or close their operations in Ukraine at some stage after the war began.

    But the vast majority of these have since opened back up.

    Over the past year, our international team of researchers from both Australia and Ukraine sought to find out what might drive such extraordinary resilience. The answer, according to Ukrainian business leaders, is their people.

    Running a business in a war

    Ukrainians are currently living through their third winter of this war. Some of Russia’s latest attacks have targeted the gas infrastructure and other energy facilities crucial for keeping people alive.

    These daily attacks have made previously safe cities no longer safe, leaving residents without water, heat and electricity in bitterly cold conditions.

    According to the UNHCR’s 2025 Global Appeal, Russia’s targeting of homes, hospitals and communities has resulted in civilian deaths, mass displacements, restricted access to humanitarian aid, and severely disrupted essential services.

    For businesses, the war has impacted virtually every aspect of commercial activity. Beyond the immediate threat of coming under direct attack, firms have had to deal with everything from disrupted supply chains through to frequent power outages.

    As one interviewee put it:

    Many of us are afraid our main businesses may go bankrupt. We are constantly facing periods with no electricity which stops businesses and cuts us off from the world. We live with constant air raid alarms, moving in and out of underground shelters. We have a significant shortage of personnel because so many have gone to fight on the front lines or left the country.

    The UN estimates that utilisation of production capacity for Ukraine’s micro, small and medium enterprises dropped from 72.4% before the war to 45.7% in 2023.

    To make matters worse, with millions of people having fled Ukraine, finding and retaining qualified personnel has become extremely difficult.

    Women have been stepping into historically male dominated professions such as mining, truck driving and welding to fill the gap left by men who’ve joined the fight. But there is still a significant labour shortage.

    A diverse range of sectors have continued to operate in Ukraine since the war began, despite labour shortages and other issues.
    Oleksandr Filatov/Shutterstock

    Over the past year, our international team of researchers from both Australia and Ukraine surveyed business leaders from 85 different small and medium-sized businesses across 19 different industries in Ukraine.

    These spanned engineering, transportation, aviation and mining through to agriculture, tourism, IT, healthcare, entertainment and finance.

    We asked which resources were – and still are – key to the survival of their organisations.

    Finance and access to funding came in at number two, followed by production and energy, new customers & markets, equipment technology & information and policy & regulations.

    The most important resource

    The most important resource, highlighted by 82% of the business leaders we surveyed, was their people.

    When operating within an environment of severe crisis and disruption, the pressure can be enormous. But the Ukrainian executives we interviewed figured out a way to unite and lead their teams into the future.

    As one reflected:

    When team members are motivated, they are more likely to be optimistic and resilient when facing difficulties. Motivated employees are more productive than demotivated ones. This is important when people need to accomplish more with fewer resources.

    Forcing positive adaptation

    For many organisations in our research, operating within a crisis had pushed them to implement valuable human resource practices other businesses often struggle with.

    Some had transitioned to a “flatter” organisational structure, speeding up decision making by giving employees more autonomy. Others invested in team training which focused on empowering employees to share their thoughts on how to best move forward.

    Our processes and planning horizons have changed completely. We’ve had to become more agile and flexible in our approach to leadership, often reducing planning cycles and adapting to new realities much faster than before.

    A focus on wellbeing was another common theme. Some organisations hosted more meetings to allow their employees to share stories – not only about work but also about their personal fears and victories.

    Some also encouraged their employees to complete volunteer work together during work hours.

    There was an emphasis across interviews on the fact all employees need additional rest and recovery time, and encouraging them to take time off whenever needed.

    Making sacrifices

    Many of the new support mechanisms had financial consequences for the organisations.

    One business cancelled the salaries of its top management team one month after the war started. Another hired a full-time psychologist to provide counselling in both formal and informal sessions.

    Some continued to pay the salaries of their serving members:

    All our mobilized employees who are serving in the military have been receiving their salaries for the past three years. We also ensure they are equipped with everything they need, stay in constant contact with them, and support their families.

    Knowing their business was supporting the war effort had a positive impact on employee motivation:

    The only difference in employee motivation is the understanding that our company actively supports the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thus, every employee in the company understands that through their work, they are involved in this support.

    In the end, it is the connections between people these leaders saw as the key to their organisational resilience.

    No matter how hard things get, how much grief and suffering we endure, we know for certain that tomorrow the sun will rise. And even if it’s not for us, it will be for our children. This is what gives us the strength to continue living, creating, and preserving Ukraine — for us and for future generations.

    The authors would like to acknowledge their academic partners and coauthors from the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine, Yaryna Boychuk, Valeria Kozlova, Sophia Opatska, and Olena Trevoho, and thank all the Ukrainian business leaders who participated in this research.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. After 3 years of war, Ukrainian business leaders share their lessons on survival – https://theconversation.com/after-3-years-of-war-ukrainian-business-leaders-share-their-lessons-on-survival-249145

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Falling vaccination rates put children at risk of preventable diseases. Governments need a new strategy to boost uptake

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute

    Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Child vaccination is one of the most cost-effective health interventions. It accounts for 40% of the global reduction in infant deaths since 1974 and has led to big health gains in Australia over the past two decades.

    Australia has been a vaccination success story. Ten years after we begun mass vaccination against polio in 1956, it was virtually eliminated. Our child vaccination rates have been among the best in the world.

    But after peaking in 2020, child vaccination in Australia is falling. Governments need to implement a comprehensive strategy to boost vaccine uptake, or risk exposing more children to potentially preventable infectious diseases.

    Child vaccination has been a triumph

    Thirty years ago, Australia’s childhood vaccination rates were dismal. Then, in 1997, governments introduced the National Immunisation Program to vaccinate children against diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, and measles.

    Measures to increase coverage included financial incentives for parents and doctors, a public awareness campaign, and collecting and sharing local data to encourage the least-vaccinated regions to catch up with the rest of the country.

    What followed was a public health triumph. In 1995, only 52% of one-year-olds were fully immunised. By 2020, Australia had reached 95% coverage for one-year-olds and five-year-olds. At this level, it’s difficult even for highly infectious diseases, such as measles, to spread in the community, protecting both the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

    By 2020, 95% of children were vaccinated.
    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Gaps between regions and communities closed too. In 1999, the Northern Territory’s vaccination rate for one-year-olds was the lowest in the country, lagging the national average by six percentage points. By 2020, that gap had virtually disappeared.

    The difference between vaccination rates for First Nations children and other children also narrowed considerably.

    It made children healthier. The years of healthy life lost due to vaccine-preventable diseases for children aged four and younger fell by nearly 40% in the decade to 2015.

    Some diseases have even been eliminated in Australia.

    Our success is slipping away

    But that success is at risk. Since 2020, the share of children who are fully vaccinated has fallen every year. For every child vaccine on the National Immunisation Schedule, protection was lower in 2024 than in 2020.

    Gaps between parts of Australia are opening back up. Vaccination rates in the highest-coverage parts of Australia are largely stable, but they are falling quickly in areas with lower vaccination.

    In 2018, there were only ten communities where more than 10% of one-year-old children were not fully vaccinated. Last year, that number ballooned to 50 communities. That leaves more areas vulnerable to disease and outbreaks.

    While Noosa, the Gold Coast Hinterland and Richmond Valley (near Byron Bay) have persistently had some of the country’s lowest vaccination rates, areas such as Manjimup in Western Australia and Tasmania’s South East Coast have recorded big declines since 2018.

    Missing out on vaccination isn’t just a problem for children.

    One preprint study (which is yet to be peer-reviewed) suggests vaccination during pregnancy may also be declining.

    Far too many older Australians are missing out on recommended vaccinations for flu, COVID, pneumococcal and shingles. Vaccination rates in aged care homes for flu and COVID are worryingly low.

    What’s going wrong?

    Australia isn’t alone. Since the pandemic, child vaccination rates have fallen in many high-income countries, including New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    Globally, in 2023, measles cases rose by 20%, and just this year, a measles outbreak in rural Texas has put at least 13 children in hospital.

    Alarmingly, some regions in Australia have lower measles vaccination than that Texas county.

    The timing of trends here and overseas suggests things shifted, or at least accelerated, during the pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy, fuelled by misinformation about COVID vaccines, is a growing threat.

    This year, vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr was appointed to run the US health system, and Louisiana’s top health official has reportedly cancelled the promotion of mass vaccination.

    In Australia, a recent survey found 6% of parents didn’t think vaccines were safe, and 5% believed they don’t work.

    Those concerns are far more common among parents with children who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated. Among the 2% of parents whose children are unvaccinated, almost half believe vaccines are not safe for their child, and four in ten believe vaccines didn’t work.

    Other consequences of the pandemic were a spike in the cost of living, and a health system struggling to meet demand. More than one in ten parents said cost and difficulty getting an appointment were barriers to vaccinating their children.

    There’s no single cause of sliding vaccination rates, so there’s no one solution. The best way to reverse these worrying trends is to work on all the key barriers at once – from a lack of awareness, to inconvenience, to lack of trust.

    What governments should do

    Governments should step up public health campaigns that counter misinformation, boost awareness of immunisation and its benefits, and communicate effectively to low-vaccination groups. The new Australian Centre for Disease Control should lead the charge.

    Primary health networks, the regional bodies responsible for improving primary care, should share data on vaccination rates with GPs and pharmacies. These networks should also help make services more accessible to communities who are missing out, such as migrant groups and disadvantaged families.

    State and local governments should do the same, sharing data and providing support to make maternal child health services and school-based vaccination programs accessible for all families.

    Governments can communicate better about the benefits of vaccination.
    Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Governments should also be more ambitious about tackling the growing vaccine divides between different parts of the country. The relevant performance measure in the national vaccination agreement is weak. States must only increase five-year-old vaccination rates in four of the ten areas where it is lowest. That only covers a small fraction of low-vaccination areas, and only the final stage of child vaccination.

    Australia needs to set tougher goals, and back them with funding.

    Governments should fund tailored interventions in areas with the lowest rates of vaccination. Proven initiatives include training trusted community members as “community champions” to promote vaccinations, and pop-up clinics or home visits for free vaccinations.

    At this time of year, childcare centres and schools are back in full swing. But every year, each new intake has less protection than the previous cohort. Governments are developing a new national vaccination strategy and must seize the opportunity to turn that trend around. If it commits to a bold national plan, Australia can get back to setting records for child vaccination.

    Grattan Institute has been supported in its work by government, corporates, and philanthropic gifts. A full list of supporting organisations is published at www.grattan.edu.au.

    Wendy Hu 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. Grattan Institute has been supported in its work by government, corporates, and philanthropic gifts. A full list of supporting organisations is published at www.grattan.edu.au.

    – ref. Falling vaccination rates put children at risk of preventable diseases. Governments need a new strategy to boost uptake – https://theconversation.com/falling-vaccination-rates-put-children-at-risk-of-preventable-diseases-governments-need-a-new-strategy-to-boost-uptake-249591

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Zealand stands with Ukraine, three years after illegal Russian invasion

    Source: New Zealand Government

    As the world marks three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced additional sanctions on Russian entities and support for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction. 

    “Russia’s illegal invasion has brought three years of devastation to Ukraine’s people, environment, and infrastructure,” Mr Peters says. 

    “These additional sanctions target 52 individuals and entities involved in Russia’s military-industrial complex, its energy sector, North Korea’s support to Russia’s war effort, and the forced relocation or re-education of Ukrainian children.”   

    Mr Peters announced a further $3 million contribution to the World Bank-administered Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund.   

    “The Fund supports the Government of Ukraine to maintain services, conduct relief efforts, and plan and implement recovery, reconstruction and reforms,” Mr Peters says.   

    Since the Russia Sanctions Act entered into force in March 2022, New Zealand has imposed sanctions on more than 1,800 individuals and entities, along with a range of trade measures.    

    More information about sanctions, travel bans, and export controls against Russia, as well as diplomatic, military and economic support to Ukraine, can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website here.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with President Macron of France: 23 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM call with President Macron of France: 23 February 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister spoke with President Macron this afternoon. 

    They began by discussing the third anniversary of Russia’s barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which is a stark reminder that we must all work together to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position at this crucial moment for global security. 

    The Prime Minister repeated the UK’s steadfast commitment to support Ukraine for as long as needed and reiterated the importance of Ukraine being at the centre of any negotiations to end the conflict.

    The UK and Europe must continue stepping up to meet their security needs and show united leadership in support of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, which they would both discuss in the US in the coming week. 

    The leaders agreed to stay in close contact.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three charged and further arrest made in ongoing Hackney murder investigation

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Three men have been charged with murder as part of an investigation into the death of 20-year-old Jason Romeo in Hackney this week.

    Jason sustained stab wounds outside an address in Bodney Road, E5 at 17:59hrs on Tuesday, 18 February.

    A murder investigation was launched within the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command and three men have since been charged.

    Raynolph Asante, 22 (13.03.2002) of Pembury Road, Hackney, Travis Mitchell, 21 (23.07.2002) of Bodney Road, Hackney and Rhamyah Bailey-Edwards, 21 (21.08.2003) of Williams Avenue, Walthamstow have been charged with murder.

    The three men will appear at Thames Magistrates on Monday, 24 February.

    The investigation into Jason’s death remains ongoing and on Saturday, 23 February, officers arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sea-level rise: a new method to estimate the probability of different outcomes – including a worst case

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Benjamin P. Horton, Director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University

    Here is a depressing fact: over the coming decades, sea-level rise will continue to threaten ecosystems, communities and cities. No matter how quickly we reduce our carbon emissions, our past emissions commit us to ongoing sea-level rise, given the long-drawn-out impact of climate warming on the oceans and ice sheets. Just how bad it gets, however, will depend on our current and future emissions.

    Even as we strive for net-zero emissions, we must prepare for devastating possibilities. But decision-makers face a major obstacle: the specific rate and magnitude of future sea-level rise is deeply uncertain. Different methods produce different projections of long-term sea-level rise. The problem of reconciling these different methods and projections has undermined planning to protect people from future sea-level rise.

    In a recent paper published in Earth’s Future, we and our colleagues tackle this problem. We propose a new method that combines the complementary strengths of different sea-level projections. We use our method to quantify the uncertainty of future sea-level rise. It allows us to estimate a “very likely” range. “Very likely” means that there is a 9-in-10 chance (90% probability) that future sea-level rise will lie within this range, if our future emissions follow an assumed emissions scenario.

    Under a low-emissions scenario that corresponds to approximately 2°C warming above pre-industrial levels, global sea level will “very likely” rise between 0.3 and 1.0 metres by the end of this century. Under a high-emissions scenario that corresponds to approximately 5°C warming, global sea level will “very likely” rise between 0.5 and 1.9 metres. Given that we will likely exceed 2°C warming, preparing for more than a metre of sea-level rise by 2100 is, therefore, necessary.

    Adapted from Grandey et al. (2024).
    Benjamin P. Horton and Benjamin S. Grandey, CC BY-ND

    The challenge of poorly understood processes

    Our method builds on and complements the current reference document for many decision-makers: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report IPCC 6AR. For five emissions scenarios, the IPCC published a most-likely “median” projection and a “likely” range. “Likely” means that there is at least a 2-in-3 chance (66% probability) of sea-level rise within this range. The “likely” range may understate the risk of more extreme possibilities, a weakness that can be addressed by a complementary “very likely” range. However, the IPCC did not estimate a “very likely” range because poorly understood ice sheet processes posed a challenge. We address this challenge, to provide decision-makers with more reliable estimates of future possibilities.

    Many processes contribute to sea-level rise. Of particular importance are ice sheet processes in Greenland and Antarctica. Some of these ice sheet processes are well understood, but others less so. We have only a poor understanding of processes that could drive abrupt melting of ice, producing rapid sea-level rise.



    À lire aussi :
    We used 1,000 historical photos to reconstruct Antarctic glaciers before a dramatic collapse

    Climate models and ice sheet models, such as those used in the IPCC 6AR, are very good at simulating well-understood processes, such as thermal expansion of the ocean. The IPCC used model-based projections to derive a reliable median projection and “likely” range. However, these models often neglect poorly understood processes that could cause the ice sheets to melt much faster than we expect. To complement the models, experts can provide alternative projections based on their understanding of these processes. This is known as expert elicitation. Therefore, the use of models and expert elicitation can provide complementary sea-level projections, but planners have great difficulty deciding when and where to apply the two different approaches.

    In our paper, we have developed a novel method to combine the complementary sea-level projections from models and experts. We use our method to quantify the full uncertainty range of future sea-level rise using a probability distribution. This is how we can estimate a “very likely” range and explore the question, “What high-end sea-level rise should we plan for?”

    A high-end projection

    To make informed judgements, decision-makers often need information about low-likelihood, high-cost possibilities. A high-end projection of sea-level rise is especially useful when planning long-lasting critical infrastructure that is vital for the functioning of society and the economy. A high-end projection can also highlight a catastrophic risk associated with unrestrained carbon dioxide emissions.

    We define our high-end projection as the 95th percentile of the probability distribution under the high-emissions scenario. Our high-end projection of global sea-level rise is 1.9 metres by the end of this century.

    Our high-end projection complements existing high-end projections of 21st century sea-level rise. The IPCC 6AR included two: 1.6 metres and 2.3 metres. Our projection of 1.9 metres falls between these two values.

    In contrast to the IPCC 6AR, we estimate the probability of reaching the high-end projection. If our future emissions follow the high-emissions scenario, we estimate that the probability of reaching 1.9 metres by the end of this century is 5% (1 in 20). Considering that the high-emissions scenario is unlikely, our high-end projection can be interpreted as a worst-case outcome. We also estimate the probability of exceeding 1.0 metres by the end of this century: 16% (about 1 in 6) under the high-emissions scenario, and 4% (1 in 25) under the low-emissions scenario.

    Reducing the uncertainty

    Through climate science, we have learned much about the Earth’s climate system. However, we still have much more to discover. As our understanding improves, the uncertainty in sea-level rise should reduce. Therefore, the “very likely” range of future sea-level rise should narrow, due to the ongoing research efforts of the climate science community.

    In the meantime, we need to identify potential solutions that can reduce coastal flood risk in ways that support the long-term resilience and sustainability of communities and the environment, and reduce the economic costs associated with flood damage. Alongside local adaptation, the best way to mitigate sea-level rise is to slow down climate change by implementing the commitments laid out in the Paris Agreement in 2015.

    If we can limit warming to well below 2°C, consistent with the agreement, we estimate that the probability of reaching 1.9 metres by the end of the century shrinks to less than 0.2% (1 in 500). The more the world limits its greenhouse gas emissions, the lower the chance of triggering rapid ice loss from Greenland and Antarctica, and the safer we will be.

    This research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore, and National Environment Agency, Singapore under the National Sea Level Programme Funding Initiative (Award No. USS-IF-2020-3) and Ministry of Education, Singapore, under its AcRF Tier 3 Award MOE2019-T3-1-004.

    Created in 2007 to help accelerate and share scientific knowledge on key societal issues, the Axa Research Fund has supported nearly 700 projects around the world conducted by researchers in 38 countries. To learn more, visit the website of the Axa Research Fund or follow @AXAResearchFund on X.

    Benjamin P. Horton was supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund: MOE2019-T3-1-004.

    Benjamin S. Grandey’s research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore, and National Environment Agency, Singapore under the National Sea Level Programme Funding Initiative (Award No. USS-IF-2020-3).

    – ref. Sea-level rise: a new method to estimate the probability of different outcomes – including a worst case – https://theconversation.com/sea-level-rise-a-new-method-to-estimate-the-probability-of-different-outcomes-including-a-worst-case-250180

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to teach hope when democracy is retreating

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joel Westheimer, University research chair in democracy and education, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

    In the wake of Donald Trump’s reelection, the United States has lurched further toward a democratic crisis.

    Institutions once considered stable now feel precarious. The assault on truth — already well underway — has intensified, with political leaders openly flouting constitutional principles, suppressing dissent and dismantling democratic safeguards.

    The rhetoric of grievance and retribution has become the soundtrack of public discourse.

    The U.S. is not alone. Across the globe, democracy is in retreat. The list of nations such as Hungary, Poland, Brazil and India where autocrats and aspiring autocrats have tried to erode democratic norms is growing. Far-right movements in France, Germany, Finland and elsewhere, bolstered by economic anxieties and digital disinformation, stoke resentment and fear.



    Read more:
    What does Donald Trump’s win mean for his brand of populist authoritarianism?

    People, exhausted by economic precarity and what author, activist and documentarian Astra Taylor calls the deliberate manufacturing of insecurity, are drawn to the false promise of strongman rule. The desire for stability — however undemocratic — threatens to eclipse commitments to liberty and justice.

    For educators or civic leaders who teach young people about democracy these are not abstract concerns. Civic educators’ struggles to foster students’ civic engagement and strengthen their commitments to democratic institutions and the growing crisis in democracy makes these efforts even harder.

    As a professor of democracy and education, and as an educator, I cannot promise young people that their efforts will always succeed. But I can assure them that whether in the face of victories or defeats, they are walking a powerful and worthwhile path.

    The risk of civic despair

    One popular approach to strengthening commitments to democracy is to engage students in community projects that address difficult societal challenges.

    Some teachers take students to engage in community work that is deeply tied to the curriculum, through approaches known as action civics or service learning.

    But when young people take on social action projects — especially those aimed at addressing systemic injustices — the experience can backfire if it leads only to frustration and failure.

    Studies have shown that students who participate in civic initiatives that do not produce tangible change often become less likely to engage in civic life in the future.

    When efforts to improve conditions in their schools, communities or governments meet bureaucratic obstacles or outright resistance, young people do not always emerge more energized. Instead, many walk away discouraged, cynical and convinced that the system cannot be moved.

    This is not to say that teachers, parents or other adult mentors should avoid encouraging activism — far from it. But if educators fail to prepare students for the realities of social change — that it can be slow and difficult — we risk reinforcing exactly the kind of disengagement we seek to combat.

    If young people see the struggle for justice only as a series of disappointments, it’s easy to understand why they may turn away.

    Redefining hope

    To counter this despair, we need to redefine what it means to hope.

    We need to cultivate the kind of hope that sustains action despite uncertainty — the kind that fuels long-term struggles for justice, even when victories are slow in coming.



    Read more:
    6 ways to build resilience and hope into young people’s learning about climate change

    Václav Havel, the Czech playwright and political dissident who later became president, wrote that hope is not the same as choosing struggles that are headed for quick success: “Hope … is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.”

    This distinction is vital. As I explore in my book about education for democracy, hope is not a guarantee of success, but the insistence that working for justice is meaningful in and of itself. When we work collectively on projects we believe in, we form bonds that are valued and energizing.

    Howard Zinn, the late historian and activist, echoed this idea when he urged us to “hold out, even in times of pessimism, the possibility of surprise.”

    Being part of something bigger

    History is filled with unexpected turns, reversals and moments when change happens against all odds. As German theorist and activist Rosa Luxemburg wrote, before the revolution, everyone says it’s impossible. After, they say it was inevitable.

    The singer-songwriter Holly Near expressed this artfully in her anthem to the many social change movements that have existed for as long as there have been things to improve. Change does not always happen at broadband speeds, but knowing one is part of a timeless march toward good goals makes much of what we do worthwhile. In her song “The Great Peace March,” Near sings:

    “Believe it or not / as daring as it may seem / it is not an empty dream
    To walk in a powerful path / neither the first nor the last / great peace march.”

    Social change is about connecting with one another and being part of something larger than ourselves — a “powerful path” that stretches beyond any single moment or movement.

    Hope as a practice

    So how do we teach hope? How do we equip young people not just to work for change, but to sustain that work over the long haul?

    First, we must be honest about setbacks. Too often, we romanticize past movements, presenting them as linear progressions toward justice. We do young people a disservice when we erase the years of struggle, failure and uncertainty that preceded social victories. A more honest history includes moments of despair as well as triumph.

    Second, we must frame civic action as an ongoing practice rather than a single event. Students should see their work as part of a continuum.

    Finally, we must model hope ourselves. Young people are watching us. If we meet today’s challenges with cynicism and resignation, they will learn that democracy is a lost cause. But if we demonstrate an enduring commitment to engagement and justice, they will see that democracy is not something we inherit; it is something we build.

    We can promise young people that to engage in the work of justice is to be part of a legacy that stretches across generations. And that, I believe, is hope worth teaching.

    Joel Westheimer receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. How to teach hope when democracy is retreating – https://theconversation.com/how-to-teach-hope-when-democracy-is-retreating-249926

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s tariff and land grab threats signal U.S. expansionist ambitions

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ilan Kapoor, Professor, Critical Development Studies, York University, Canada

    When U.S. President Donald Trump first suggested Canada should become the 51st American state, the federal government dismissed it as just a joke. Finance Minister Dominic Leblanc insisted it was “in no way a serious comment.”

    Similar skepticism was expressed by political leaders across the world when Trump talked about seizing Greenland and the Panama Canal in early January, by military force if necessary, to buttress U.S. national security. He also floated the idea of taking over Gaza to transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

    Now that Trump has carried through on his aggressive economic threats — launching a trade war with China and raising the possibility of similar conflicts with Canada, Mexico and the European Union — his imperialist expansionism is in plain sight.

    Canadian leaders have come to realize that Trump’s actions may not be a temporary or minor irritant, but rather an attack on Canadian sovereignty itself.

    The failure to take Trump’s words seriously is reminiscent of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s skepticism in 1938 that Hitler would actually risk world war despite the latter’s aggressive rhetoric, annexation of Austria and threats to Czechoslovakia and Poland.

    What, then, have been the signs of Trump’s expansionist tendencies? American economic and military might, albeit declining relative to emerging powers like China and India, still provides a solid basis for the projection of U.S. supremacy. But there are also two new key elements at play.

    A billionaire-corporate administration

    The Trump administration appears to operate with a distinctly corporate mindset, treating the nation like a business empire. Trump has stacked his administration with private sector leaders and corporate billionaires such as Elon Musk, Doug Burgum and Howard Lutnick.

    Like other billionaires, their immense business success has been founded not on mainstay competitive market practices like productivity or cost-cutting, but on predatory and cannibalistic ones.

    These include controlling resources like oil, gold, diamonds and coltan to secure production inputs; buying out competitors to monopolize markets and patents; and deliberately breaking up and destroying companies through mergers and acquisitions with little regard for the resulting job losses.

    It is within this framework that Trump’s allegations about buying Greenland and Gaza, annexing Canada through “economic force” and capturing the Panama Canal need to be seen.



    Read more:
    Billionaires and loyalists will provide Trump with muscle during his second term

    Under the guise of national security, the idea is not simply to safeguard borders, but to engage in economic expansionism and real estate development, aided by the U.S. military when needed. Taking control of land, waterways and mineral wealth is critical to building “America’s Golden Age” of corporate capitalism.

    This approach seems to be a mainly business one, with little concern for the social costs (recession, unemployment, violence) produced by such imperialistic ventures. In line with his infamous book, The Art of the Deal, Trump appears to view foreign nations and domestic opponents alike as obstacles to be callously bullied, degraded, manipulated, exploited and finally vanquished.

    American nationalist populism

    The Trump administration’s imperial ambitions lie in the nationalist populism that propelled Trump and his allies into power for the second time.

    Trump’s populism has successfully tapped into widespread anxieties among Americans — job insecurity, food prices, the housing crisis — by promising to soothe their worries through the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) agenda.



    Read more:
    Trump’s view of the world is becoming clear: America’s allies come second to its own interests

    Like other right-wing populist movements around the globe — Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s in Turkey, Viktor Orbán’s in Hungary and the Brexit campaign in the U.K. — the MAGA movement has sought to unify the U.S. by identifying and targeting perceived national enemies. These include so-called “illegal” migrants, transgender people and the country’s largest trading rivals: Mexico, Canada and China.

    By blaming these groups, especially those seen as contributing to America’s economic decline, MAGA whips up nationalist sentiment in the form of suspicion, aggression and vengeance. The result is a deeply polarized nationalist discourse in which one is either a loyal supporter or an enemy; a believer or a “woke” liberal.

    A lethal imperial set-up

    The combination of U.S. global power, nationalist populism and the Trump administration’s corporate-driven, predatory approach makes for a dangerous dynamic.

    This mix is fuelling a form of economic expansionism that is now beginning to manifest itself. The impending trade wars, potential dismantling of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (which Trump initiated in 2018 to avoid unilateral trade moves by its signatories) and the brazen disregard for the socioeconomic consequences of foreign territorial control, such as the forced displacement of Palestinians, are all signs of this.

    While many assumed Trump’s administration would be protectionist and isolationist, a more troubling and nefarious reality is emerging. His administration appears to be intent on securing America’s industrial dominance through trade wars while expanding it through hawkish economic imperialism.

    There is a clear ruthlessness to this approach, with a willingness to pressure not only America’s perceived enemies but also its allies. “America First” is starting to looks like “America Above All Others” as Trump attempts to bully U.S. rivals into subordination, with disturbing echoes of past authoritarians.

    Unravelling American imperial designs

    Many obstacles could prevent Trump’s aggressive expansionism from fully taking shape. While the key ingredients may already be there, and some have begun to be deployed, that doesn’t mean they will come to fruition.

    The Trump administration’s policymaking process is often chaotic and theatrical, prioritizing short-term political gains over long-term strategy. This instability undermines any consistent efforts at expansion.

    There is also the risk that Trump’s trade wars will backfire. They could end up causing hardship to U.S. companies and consumers through higher food and energy prices, job losses in key industries like agriculture and auto manufacturing, and increased stock market instability. Such consequences could negatively affect Trump’s corporate allies.

    Meanwhile, Trump’s economic and military rivals could forge new alliances to challenge his attempts at global supremacy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for instance, recently met with the head of NATO and other European allies to strengthen trade and security ties.

    The first step to any countermoves by Trump’s foreign adversaries will be seeing his regime’s designs for what they are: chaotic, perhaps, but serious expansionist ones.

    Ilan Kapoor 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’s tariff and land grab threats signal U.S. expansionist ambitions – https://theconversation.com/trumps-tariff-and-land-grab-threats-signal-u-s-expansionist-ambitions-249924

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: While the U.S. threatens tariffs and builds walls around its economy, China opens up

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Shaun Narine, Professor of International Relations and Political Science, St. Thomas University (Canada)

    The United States is threatening to impose tariffs on its major trading partners. In the meantime, China is consolidating its position as the world’s manufacturing and technological innovation hub by increasing trade with the Global South.

    If the American role in globalization has been to consume the world’s products and resources by building on a foundation of ever-increasing debt, China’s has been to make tangible goods for the international market.

    China is opening up its economy, especially to the nations of the Global South.

    Effective December 2024, China eliminated all tariffs on goods from the least developed countries. Chinese Premier Li Quang has also described China as an economic opportunity for global investment.

    The centre of Asian trade

    China’s trade surplus with the rest of the world is almost US$1 trillion dollars. Its share of global exports was 14 per cent in 2023, compared to 8.5 per cent for the U.S.

    China is working with regional states to make itself the centre of Asian trade. China’s Belt and Road Initiative is funding infrastructure in about 150 countries as Chinese companies invest internationally, both to avoid American tariffs and diversify their markets.

    At the moment, China accounts for 35 per cent of the world’s manufacturing. By 2030, the United Nations projects this will rise to 45 per cent.

    China has achieved this status by building efficient, high-quality infrastructure.

    It’s also fostered highly competitive and innovative technological and commercial ecosystems. The recent emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup that is dramatically disrupting the sector, illustrates this reality.

    China also controls global industrial supply chains in a host of critical areas.

    The Chinese powerhouse

    Despite its ongoing economic slowdown, China’s economy grew by almost five per cent in 2024 and has potential to grow further as it transitions to a high-tech economy.

    By 2030, the country will have what’s known as a consuming class of 1.1 billion people, making it the world’s largest consumer market.

    Only 7.8 per cent of the population has the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree, but China produces about 65 per cent of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates globally on an annual basis.

    China is also leading the world in most new technologies and industries, but there is room for infrastructure investment in smaller cities and rural areas. Because China is a global leader in using automation and AI, it will also need to lead in managing these technologies’ social and economic effects.

    China has economies of scale that no other country — except India — can match. Its manufacturing dominance is the logical outcome of introducing an increasingly technologically sophisticated country with a vast population to the modern global system.

    The first Donald Trump administration used tariffs to try to draw investment into the U.S. and stimulate domestic industry. He believed tariffs would create more manufacturing jobs, shrink the federal deficit and lower food prices.

    The second Trump administration has returned to tariffs, again with the goal of pulling jobs and investment from other countries into the U.S.

    Trump has threatened to slap tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the European Union.

    He’s already put 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S. and imposed additional 10 per cent tariffs on all Chinese goods. He’s also threatening tariffs on Taiwan, attempting to strip it of its semiconductor industry.

    Trump is basically demanding that other countries address trade imbalances by buying more expensive American exports in exchange for unimpeded access to the U.S. market.

    He’s trying to recreate an American industrial dominance that existed only under unique circumstances after the Second World War. Similarly, the historical circumstances that led to China’s decline in the 19th and 20th centuries are long past.

    To compete with China’s advantages, the U.S. needs a competent and effective government capable of long-term planning. Under Trump, the U.S. is losing this already-weak capacity every day.

    American debt

    The U.S. is the world’s largest consumer economy because both the government and Americans go into extraordinary debt to finance their consumption.

    Currently, the American national debt is more than $36 trillion while consumer debt was $17.5 trillion in 2024.

    The U.S. can accumulate enormous debt because of the American dollar’s status as the world reserve currency. But the U.S. has weaponized the dollar by freezing the dollar assets of sovereign states and using the dollar’s reserve status to apply American laws and sanctions beyond its borders.

    This has created a major push — led by the BRICS countries of Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates — to replace the U.S. dollar with other financial instruments.

    In response, Trump has threatened 100 per cent tariffs on any countries that try to drop the U.S. dollar.

    The American economy has grown through pumping up asset bubbles, but there’s been a decline in most measures of social well-being in the U.S. This aligns with increasing American social, political and economic instability.

    Chinese products dominate

    China’s exports to the Global South exceed its exports to the western world. Chinese companies and products are dominant in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

    To the Global South, there are clear benefits to accessing affordable, high-quality technology and industrial products from China. The industrialized world can also benefit significantly from Chinese manufacturers, but possibly at the cost of its own established industrial capacity.

    While some states may block Chinese imports to protect their industries, China’s increasing manufacturing dominance means that every country will need at least some Chinese products to develop or to sustain industry. It would be next to impossible for most countries to definitively cut all trade with China.

    The world is entering a new era of globalization. For many states, that means trying to keep from being economically undermined by the U.S. while deciding how to manage the economic and political costs and benefits of engaging with China’s massive industrial capabilities.

    Shaun Narine 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. While the U.S. threatens tariffs and builds walls around its economy, China opens up – https://theconversation.com/while-the-u-s-threatens-tariffs-and-builds-walls-around-its-economy-china-opens-up-245012

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Ukraine: Guterres says ‘Enough is Enough’ as war reaches the three-year mark

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Peace and Security

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres renewed his call for an end to the war in Ukraine as Russia’s full-scale invasion enters a third year on Monday.

    “On this tragic occasion, I reaffirm the urgent need for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace – one that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the UN Charter, international law, and resolutions of the General Assembly,” he said in a statement.

    He said that 80 years after the end of the Second World War, the war in Ukraine stands as a grave threat not only to the peace and security of Europe but also to the very foundations and core principles of the UN.

    “Enough is Enough,” he said. “After three years of death and destruction, I once again call for urgent de-escalation and an immediate end to the hostilities.”

    The Secretary-General said he welcomes all efforts to a just and inclusive peace, adding that the UN stands ready to support these initiatives.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement by the Secretary-General – on the occasion of the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Monday 24 February marks three years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law.  On this tragic occasion, I reaffirm the urgent need for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace – one that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the UN Charter, international law, and resolutions of the General Assembly.

    Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, the war in Ukraine stands as a grave threat not only to the peace and security of Europe but also to the very foundations and core principles of the United Nations.
     
    Enough is Enough.  After three years of death and destruction, I once again call for urgent de-escalation and an immediate end to the hostilities.  I welcome all efforts towards achieving a just and inclusive peace. The United Nations stands ready to support such efforts.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Statement by the Secretary-General – on the occasion of the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine

    Source: United Nations – English

    onday 24 February marks three years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law.  On this tragic occasion, I reaffirm the urgent need for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace – one that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the UN Charter, international law, and resolutions of the General Assembly.

    Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, the war in Ukraine stands as a grave threat not only to the peace and security of Europe but also to the very foundations and core principles of the United Nations.
     
    Enough is Enough.  After three years of death and destruction, I once again call for urgent de-escalation and an immediate end to the hostilities.  I welcome all efforts towards achieving a just and inclusive peace. The United Nations stands ready to support such efforts.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SENEGAL – Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Dakar

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Saturday, 22 February 2025

    Dakar (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Dakar, Senegal, presented by Archbishop Benjamin Ndiaye.The Holy Father has appointed Bishop André Gueye, until now bishop of Thiès and apostolic administrator of Saint-Louis du Sénégal, as metropolitan archbishop of Dakar, Senegal.Archbishop-elect André Gueye was born on 6 January 1967 in Pallo-Younga. He carried out his studies in philosophy in the major seminary of Sebikhotane in Dakar, and in Brin, Ziguinchor. He studied theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University of Rome, as a guest of the Pontifical Urban College.He was ordained a priest on 27 June 1992 in the Cathedral of Thiès.He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Sainte Croix in Bambey (1992-1997), parish vicar of Sainte Anne Cathedral in Thiès (1997-2004), parish priest of Sainte Croix in Bambey (2004-2006), and teacher of philosophy at the Saint Jean Marie Vianney Major Seminary of Brin, diocese of Ziguinchor (2006-2012).He was elected bishop of Thiès on 18 January 2013, and was consecrated the following 25 May.Since 12 January he has served as apostolic administrator of Saint-Louis du Sénégal. (Agenzia Fides, 22/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/NIGER – Resignation and appointment of bishop of Maradi

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Saturday, 22 February 2025

    Maradi (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Maradi, Niger, presented by Bishop Ambroise Ouédraogo.The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Fr. Ignatius Anipu, M.Afr., until now delegate of the Provincial of Western Africa and director of the Institut de Formation Islamo-Chrétienne of Bamako, Mali.Msgr. Ignatius Anipu, M.Afr., was born on 7 November 1959 in the diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, Ghana. He studied philosophy at Saint Victor’s Major Seminary in Tamale, Ghana, and theology at the Institut Catholique de Toulouse, France. He was awarded a licentiate at the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies in Rome.He was ordained a priest on 20 July 1991.He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Saint Teresa of Ávila in Zinder, Niger, and national chaplain for the country’s youth (1991-1995), parish priest of Saint Vincent de Paul in Birni N’Konni, Niger (1998-2001), provincial counsellor (1999-2001) and head of the Community of the White Fathers of Birni N’Konni (2000-2002), lecturer in missiology, traditional African religions and Islamology at the Missionary Institute of London (2002-2008), in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, and in Bamako, provincial of the White Fathers for West Africa (2011-2016), and general assistant and general counsellor of the White Fathers in Rome (2016-2022).Since 2023 he has been the delegate of the provincial of West Africa and director of the Institut de Formation Islamo-Chrétienne in Bamako. (Agenzia Fides, 22/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Ukraine three years on: Pain, loss, solidarity and hope for a better future

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Nargiz Shekinskaya

    Humanitarian Aid

    24 February 2025 marks the third year of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the civilian population continues to face near daily-attacks. The UN staff living alongside them, enduring the same difficult conditions, have been a lifeline throughout the war.

    “I’m trying not to cry, but I can’t help it. I’m glad I have tissues on hand,” admits Natalia Datchenko, a Ukrainian staff member of the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, struggling to hold back her tears as she recounts the explosions that awoke many Ukrainians three years ago, heralding the start of the conflict.

    Courtesy of Natalia Datchenko

    Natalia Datchenko, employee of UNICEF-Ukraine

    Alongside feelings of shock and anger, Ms. Datchenko also felt a surge of energy. “I knew, with absolute clarity, that I wanted to help others, to protect people. I knew I had to do something,” she recalls.

    UNICEF leadership instructed staff to prioritise their own safety and that of their families before resuming their work. Ms. Datchenko evacuated to Lviv, a city in the west of Ukraine, with her family.

    “There were 12 of us crammed into a small train compartment,” she says. “I held someone else’s child in my arms because there was no place for them to sit. The train moved slowly to avoid being targeted. When we finally arrived, we saw families with children sitting directly on the cold stone floor of the Lviv station. It was February, and it was freezing.”

    Life goes on

    Lyudmyla Kovalchuk, a staff member of the UN Women office in Ukraine, lived near Kyiv International Airport, one of the war’s first targets.

    “We woke up at five in the morning to the sound of explosions,” she explains. “It was shocking. Even though we had heard warnings of an impending invasion, we couldn’t believe it was actually happening.”

    Photo provided by Ludmila Kovalchuk

    Lyudmyla Kovalchuk, UN-Women Ukraine staff member

    After three years, exhaustion has set in but life and work continue. Women in Ukraine need the UN’s support – psychological, legal, logistical and financial. Many Ukrainian women are raising children alone, searching for jobs to support them and constantly moving to keep them safe from the war. Ms. Kovalchuk says that about 75,000 Ukrainian women are serving in the military and represent a group with unique needs that require specific support.

    “We have adapted to working under new conditions,” Ms. Kovalchuk says. “Whenever we arrange to meet somewhere, we check if there is a shelter nearby in case of an attack. We don’t plan long events as the risk of shelling increases the longer we stay in one place. During the pandemic, we learned to work in a hybrid format, and that experience has been invaluable.”

    ‘Hardest part was hearing their stories’

    Anastasia Kalashnyk, another UN Women staff member, used to live in Zaporizhzhia. Two years ago, she relocated to Kyiv with her family. “After 24 February 2022, my children stopped attending daycare and school, and my husband lost his job – the foreign company he worked for immediately shut down operations and left the country,” she says.

    However, Ms. Kalashnyk’s workload increased significantly. Since 2017, she has been responsible for emergency aid provided by UN Women in Ukraine, focusing on women in Luhansk and Donetsk regions. After 2022, many of these women were forced to flee their homes.

    © DRC Ukraine/Svitlana Koval

    In a town in Mykolaivska Oblast, a reconstructed kindergarten shelter now provides 200 children with a safe, fully equipped space for learning during frequent air alerts.

    “Looking back, the hardest part was hearing their stories – women I had known for years – about how they escaped occupied territories and what happened to their husbands who had gone to fight,” she says.

    For these and other Ukrainian women in need, UN Women, in collaboration with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), established so-called “safe spaces”. These centres provide essential support, allowing women to connect, share experiences and heal.

    “I watched as Olga, one of the women who came to the centre, quite literally come back to life after experiencing trauma,” a UN worker recalls. “She started smiling again. Now, Olga is one of the centre’s activists, helping others.”

    The cost of war

    According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 12,600 civilians have been confirmed killed and over 29,000 injured over the last three years. At least 2,400 children are among the casualties.

    Millions live in constant fear, while those in occupied territories face severe restrictions and limited access to humanitarian aid. An entire generation of Ukrainians is growing up in wartime.

    © UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov

    Alina, 12, stands next to her damaged home in Kobzartsi, Mykolaiv region.

    Relentless attacks on infrastructure are deepening the crisis. Over 10 per cent of Ukraine’s housing stock has been damaged or destroyed, leaving at least two million families without adequate shelter. More than 3,600 schools and universities have been hit, forcing hundreds of thousands of children into remote learning.

    Repeated strikes on the energy system – three winters in a row – have left towns without electricity, heating and essential services in freezing conditions. A total of 12.7 million people require humanitarian aid.

    Hopes for the future

    “Of course, everything that has happened is exhausting,” Ms. Kalashnyk says. “But my children give me hope for a better future. What they are going through now is unfair. I have to be strong, not just for them but for all Ukrainian families.”

    She adds that she also finds hope in the solidarity shown by the UN and other organizations. “They didn’t abandon Ukraine,” she explains. “They stayed. They continue to help. They didn’t come just for a month or two. They’ve been here for years. And now, they’re talking about rebuilding. These discussions about the future give me confidence that we have one.”

    Ms. Datchenko from UNICEF also speaks of unity and solidarity. “At first, we were all united by anger,” she recalls. “We shared our burdens. We shared our pain. We were furious together. But anger is no longer the driving force. Now, we are united by the desire to rebuild what has been destroyed. We want to restore our communities, support families and rebuild our country, not as it was, but better, to leave behind the Soviet legacy and create a truly new nation, built on human rights.”

    © UNFPA/Danil Pavlov

    Supplies are distributed by UNFPA at a centre for survivors of gender-based violence in Kherson, Ukraine.

    She says her work gives her hope. “I have a unique opportunity to reassess old programmes, create new ones, listen to the voices of the most vulnerable, direct resources where they are truly needed and bridge different sectors to bring together the best for those in need. I believe that working for UNICEF has helped me survive—it’s still my survival strategy.”

    ‘We have to become stronger’

    Ms. Datchenko also finds solace in culture. “I seek inspiration and motivation in the beauty that still exists in Ukraine. Our museums are open, concerts are happening, music is playing. For many, culture is a survival strategy.”

    Today, many Ukrainians are searching for their own survival strategies. “One of the biggest challenges we face in our work is the psychological toll, not only in supporting ourselves, but also our colleagues,” Ms. Kovalchuk says. “Recently, one of our colleague’s brothers went missing. Sometimes, it’s incredibly difficult to find the right words of comfort, yet we work with people – women and girls affected by war – who need our support.”

    “But, on the other hand, when you face one tragedy after another, one crisis after another, you start to feel stronger and more experienced. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”

    Then, with a sad smile, she adds that “maybe it’s true, but I always say I wish I didn’t have the experience I have now. But I have no choice. This experience is mine to bear.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister announcement on Grangemouth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Prime Minister announcement on Grangemouth

    Sir Keir Starmer announces £200 million investment to propel long term future for Grangemouth

    • Transformational commitment to support investment in Grangemouth community through National Wealth Fund.

    • Project Willow to report shortly on long-term future of industrial site.

    • Grangemouth Training Guarantee to support refinery workers into new jobs – as part of the Plan for Change.

    The National Wealth Fund will provide £200 million of investment to new opportunities in Grangemouth as part of a major intervention to ensure the long-term future of the industrial site, the Prime Minister announced today [Sunday 23 February].

    The funding will be available for co-investment with the private sector to help unlock Grangemouth’s full potential and secure our clean energy future.  

    The UK Government is also providing a ‘training guarantee’ for all Grangemouth refinery staff to ensure that any worker who would like skills training at the local college is supported, with funding provided by the UK Government – this will help workers into new, good jobs with local employers. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    “My government has already taken decisive action to protect good British jobs in industries that are vital for our economic security: saving Harland and Wolff, investing in the future of Hitachi in North-East England, a new plan for an electric arc furnace at Port Talbot – secured this week. 

    “We will grasp the opportunities at Grangemouth, work alongside partners to develop viable proposals and team up with business to get new industries off the ground.

    “And to attract private investment into the partnership we need we will allocate £200 million from the National Wealth Fund for investment in Grangemouth – an investment in Scotland’s industrial future.”

    The announcement comes on top of existing investments from the UK Government, in partnership with the Scottish Government, to ensure the long-term economic future of the area. These investments are a strong commitment to people in the central belt, and include:   

    • The £100 million Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal, delivered jointly with the Scottish Government, to support the community and its workers by investing in local energy projects to create new opportunities for growth in the region.

    • Joined-up support from DWP and DESNZ to provide tailored career and skills support for refinery workers to assist in finding new employment.

    • The £1.5 million Project Willow feasibility study, jointly funded with the Scottish Government, to identify credible long-term industrial options for the Grangemouth site.

    The Prime Minister has also reiterated the UK Government’s commitment to working in partnership with the Scottish Government to identify a viable, low carbon industrial future for the Grangemouth site.  

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: 

    “We have always said that we will leave no stone unturned in seeking a sustainable industrial future for Grangemouth and its workers. 

    “Alongside our ongoing support for affected workers, this investment will help unlock the site’s long-term potential, with the backing of the private sector. This will create good jobs in vital new industries and drive growth and investment in the local community as part of our Plan for Change.” 

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:  

    “The UK Government has been working at speed to ensure a long-term future for Grangemouth and the National Wealth Fund allocation announced today demonstrates our commitment to this.  

    “We remain committed to working closely with the Scottish Government and other partners to support the refinery workers and ensure the long-term future of this site.”   

    Project Willow, the co-funded initiative which is examining the green-energy future of the industrial site, is expected to produce its report in the spring. 

    ENDS

    Notes to editors:

    Any National Wealth Fund investment will be subject to investible propositions and the Fund’s criteria – the proposition must deliver a positive return, drive regional and economic growth or support activity to tackle climate change, invest in key sectors, and crowd in private finance.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Congratulations from the Chairman of the Board of the Military-Industrial Commission Denis Manturov on Defender of the Fatherland Day

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Dear military personnel and employees of the enterprises of the defense-industrial complex of the Russian Federation!

    I congratulate you on Defender of the Fatherland Day!

    On this significant day, we express our respect and gratitude to those who dedicated their lives to defending the Motherland, and honor the memory of the heroic deeds of our ancestors.

    Today, more than ever, it is important not only to remember the glorious traditions, but also to support and increase them, passing on such qualities as patriotism, loyalty to the Motherland and courage to new generations. This day reminds us of the importance of peace, stability and security. They, as before, are ensured by the work and dedication of people who give the best years of their lives to serving the Fatherland, fighting at the front or working in the rear.

    I wish you good health, prosperity and a peaceful sky above your head!

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –