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Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Opens Ninety-First Session in Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women this morning opened its ninety-first session, hearing a statement from a representative of the Secretary-General and adopting its agenda and programme of work for the session.  During the session, the Committee will review the reports of Afghanistan, Botswana, Chad, Ireland, Mexico, San Marino and Thailand, and adopt concluding observations on the reports of Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, which it reviewed during a technical cooperation session held in Fiji in April.

    Andrea Ori, Chief of the Groups in Focus Section, Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Representative of the Secretary-General, said he was pleased to announce the opening of the session, after the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was able to confirm it only last month due to the ongoing liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations.

    Mr. Ori said this year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 of 31 October 2000, a landmark document that recognised the disproportionate impact of conflicts on women and girls and the crucial role of women in conflict prevention, conflict management and sustainable peace efforts.

    Noting with concern that some 120 conflicts were currently affecting civilians and communities worldwide, and that women and girls were primarily targeted by gender-based violence as a tactic of war, Mr. Ori commended the Committee on its work to update general recommendation 30, which provided authoritative guidance to States parties on concrete measures to ensure that women’s rights were protected before, during and after conflict.

    Mr. Ori also announced with regret that the global funding crisis was affecting the Committee’s work directly. Due to the lack of funding, the Office of the High Commissioner was planning and operating under the assumption that no Committee would have a third session.

    He concluded by thanking the Committee for its unwavering commitment and dedication to advancing women’s rights and wished it a successful and productive session.

    Nahla Haidar, Committee Chairperson, said that the Committee was meeting in one of the most challenging times for the multilateral system, amidst devastating conflicts, a weakening of the rule of law, and scarce resources.  Human rights mechanisms needed to be protected more than ever for the benefit of all stakeholders.

    During the meeting, the Chair and Committee Experts discussed the activities they had undertaken since the last session.  Bandana Rana, on behalf of Brenda Akia, Committee Rapporteur and Chairperson of the Pre-Sessional Working Group, and Jelena Pia-Comella, Committee Rapporteur on follow-up to concluding observations, also briefed the Committee on their work.

    The Committee’s ninety-first session is being held from 16 June to 4 July.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage. 

    The Committee will next meet at 3 p.m. this today, Monday, 16 June, with the representatives of national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations of Mexico, Thailand and Ireland, whose reports will be reviewed this week. 

    Opening Statement

    ANDREA ORI, Chief of the Groups in Focus Section, Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Representative of the Secretary-General, said he was pleased to announce the opening of the session, after the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was able to confirm it only last month due to the ongoing liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations.  The Committee’s pre-sessional working group, scheduled to be held after this session, and the sessions of both Optional Protocol Working Groups directly preceding this session were cancelled due to lack of funding.

    This year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 of 31 October 2000, a landmark document that recognised the disproportionate impact of conflicts on women and girls and the crucial role of women in conflict prevention, conflict management and sustainable peace efforts, reflecting international human rights norms.

    Some 120 conflicts were affecting civilians and communities worldwide, and women and girls were primarily targeted by gender-based violence, in particular sexual violence, as a tactic of war to humiliate, dominate, instil fear in, and displace communities.  Situations of insecurity, organised violence and armed conflicts exacerbated pre-existing gender inequalities and placed women and girls at an increased risk of gender-based violence.  Mr. Ori commended the Committee on its work to update general recommendation 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations, which provided authoritative guidance to States parties on concrete measures to ensure that women’s rights were protected before, during and after conflict, and highlighted the importance of women’s meaningful participation in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding.

    Mr. Ori welcomed that the Committee’s Chair would participate in the first panel of the 2025 annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women at the fifty-ninth session of the Human Rights Council, to be held on 24 June 2025 under the theme “Gender-based violence against women and girls in conflict, post-conflict and humanitarian settings”.  The second panel of the Council’s annual full-day discussion would focus on the theme “Commemoration of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy focusing on overcoming barriers to women’s leadership in peace processes”.  

    Mr. Ori said the global funding crisis was affecting the Committee’s work directly.  It was highly likely that, for those treaty bodies with three annual sessions, the Office of the High Commissioner would not be able to secure the funding to hold their third session.  The Office was therefore planning and operating under the assumption that no Committee would have a third session. The Office had received only 73 per cent of its approved regular budget in 2025, and 87 per cent of its approved regular budget in 2024. 

    The United Nations Office at Geneva’s conference services had also adopted cash conservation measures, which would impact the conference support provided to the United Nations human rights treaty bodies, with an overall reduction of 10 per cent.  With further reduction of the allotment, the mandated activities of treaty bodies would be even more affected in 2025 than in 2024. This would impact the treaty bodies’ ability to hold dialogues with States parties and to take decisions on individual communications, resulting in further delays and backlogs, and the Office was obliged to significantly reduce treaty body capacity building activities. 

    All this caused real damage to predictability, which was so important for States, civil society organizations and rights-holders to engage with treaty bodies.  Given the overall reduction in funds and availability of support services, “business as usual” was no longer possible and the treaty bodies needed to plan on “doing less with less”.

    The thirty-seventh annual meeting of Chairpersons of human rights treaty bodies was able to meet in Geneva from 2 to 6 June.  The Chairs dedicated the meeting to the liquidity crisis, which was affecting the very existence of treaty bodies, and to discussing what could be done to increase predictability under the current financial and human constraints. 

    Mr. Ori said he was aware that the Committee had a heavy programme ahead for the next three weeks, including constructive dialogues with eight States parties, the consideration of several individual communications, and the adoption of an addendum to general recommendation 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations.  He concluded by thanking the Committee for its unwavering commitment and dedication to advancing women’s rights and wished it a successful and productive session.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said that more than 123 million people were currently displaced worldwide due to conflict situations, the majority of whom were women and children.  What could be the role of the United Nations in the future if it could not prevent these conflicts?

    Another Committee Expert asked why tens of countries were not providing the funds they had promised to provide. Was the United Nations considering reassessing its priorities to ensure that the Committee could hold three sessions each year?

    A Committee Expert said that the members of the Committee did not take the current situation lightly.  It was a grand shame and a disgust.  How could Member States let this happen?

    A Committee Expert said that reducing the activities of the treaty bodies would further silence them at this important moment.  Human rights systems needed to be reenforced, and this required resourcing.  How could this silencing be prevented?

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, said that it was unacceptable that the work of the treaty bodies was becoming less and less visible.  The Committee hoped that something would happen that would allow it to hold its third session in September.

    Responses by the Representative of the Secretary-General

    ANDREA ORI, Chief of the Groups in Focus Section, Human Rights Treaties Branch, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Representative of the Secretary-General, said the Office of the High Commissioner shared the Committee’s concerns. This was a turning point in multilateralism and in international law.  There were more than 120 conflicts in the world, the primary victims of which were women and children.  Authoritarian regimes were taking advantage of and working to weaken the multilateral system.

    Some 40 per cent of the United Nations’ regular budget depended on two States.  If one of those States decided not to pay its dues, that shook the entire Organization.  This was a major factor in the instability of the United Nations system.  The Secretary-General was working to reform the system through the “UN80” initiative, looking for solutions that kept it functioning with limited resources.

    The UN80 initiative was focused on reform.  This was an opportunity to reform the whole system rationally, to allow it to meet the challenges of today.  As part of the initiative, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was merging and regionalising its functions.  The Office was thinking optimistically but planning for the worst. It needed to be proactive rather than reactive and consider alternatives to stabilise the human rights system. The Committee also needed to consider alternative ways of carrying out its activities and reviewing States parties. Together, the Office and the Committee could find solutions for the challenges they faced by taking proactive decisions.

    Statements by Committee Experts

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, said that the Committee had taken decisions to increase the production of lists of issues prior to reporting.  The United Nations system needed to not be reactive, and UN80 needed to implement thoughtful rather than patchwork reforms.

    The Committee was meeting in one of the most challenging times for the multilateral system, amidst devastating conflicts, a weakening of the rule of law, and scarce resources.  Human rights mechanisms needed to be protected more than ever for the benefit of all stakeholders.

    Since the last session, the number of States parties that had ratified the Convention had remained at 189.  On 15 May 2025, San Marino accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph one of the Convention concerning the Committee’s meeting time, bringing the total number of States parties having accepted the amendment to 82.  A total of 126 States parties to the Convention were currently required to accept the amendment for it to enter into force.  The number of States parties that had ratified the Optional Protocol remained at 115, but Estonia was in the process of ratification.

    Ms. Haidar said she was pleased to inform that since the last session, Afghanistan, Australia, Cyprus and Guinea-Bissau had submitted their periodic reports to the Committee.  The interim government of Syria had decided to withdraw the combined third and fourth periodic reports that had been submitted by the previous regime and submit a new report under the traditional reporting procedure.  The total number of States parties that had opted out from the simplified reporting procedure since the 2022 decision to make the simplified reporting procedure the default procedure remained at 13. 

    The Committee adopted its agenda and programme of work for the session, and Ms. Haidar and Committee Experts discussed the activities they had undertaken since the last session. 

    BANDANA RANA, on behalf of BRENDA AKIA, Committee Rapporteur and Chair of the Pre-Sessional Working Group, introduced the report of the pre-sessional Working Group for the ninety-first session, which met from 28 October to 1 November 2024 in Geneva.

    The Working Group prepared lists of issues and questions in relation to the reports of Botswana, Cabo Verde, Czech Republic, El Salvador and Lesotho, in addition to lists of issues and questions prior to the submission of the reports of Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Malta under the simplified reporting procedure.  The pre-sessional Working Group had the reports of these States parties, except for those of Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Malta, to be submitted in response to the respective lists of issues prior to reporting.  It further had before it the general recommendations adopted by the Committee; draft lists of issues and questions and lists of issues prior to reporting prepared by the Secretariat; and other pertinent information, including concluding observations of the Committee and other treaty bodies.  In preparing the lists, the Working Group paid particular attention to the States parties’ follow-up to the concluding observations of the Committee on their previous reports.  The Working Group benefited from written and oral information submitted by entities of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations, as well as by national human rights institutions.  The lists of issues and questions and lists of issues prior to reporting adopted by the Working Group were transmitted to the States parties concerned.

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, said that, in light of the backlog of State party reports pending consideration by the Committee accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee had decided to postpone the consideration of the States parties referred to in the report of the pre-sessional Working Group to future sessions, with the exception of Botswana.  The Committee instead decided to, during the present session, consider the reports of Afghanistan, Botswana, Chad, Ireland, Mexico, San Marino and Thailand, and adopt concluding observations on Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, following country exchanges held during the Pacific technical cooperation session in Suva, Fiji from 7 to 11 April 2025.

    JELENA PIA-COMELLA, Committee Rapporteur on follow-up to concluding observations, briefed the Committee on the status of the follow-up reports received in response to the Committee’s concluding observations.  She said that at the end of the Committee’s ninetieth session, follow-up letters outlining the outcomes of assessments of follow-up reports were sent to Belgium, Gambia, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.  Reminders were sent to Honduras, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Ukraine, as their follow-up reports were scheduled for consideration at the ninetieth session but had not been received.  Ukraine’s report had since been received and would be scheduled for assessment by the Committee at its ninety-second session in October 2025.

    For the present session, the Committee would consider follow-up reports from Finland and Georgia, both received on time; Bahrain and Norway, received with a one-month delay; Armenia, with more than two months’ delay; and Mongolia, Namibia and the United Arab Emirates with more than five months’ delay.  Reminders regarding the submission of follow-up reports would be sent to Costa Rica, Hungary and Mauritania.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CEDAW25.011E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Luis de Guindos: Interview with Reuters

    Source: European Central Bank

    Interview with Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECB, conducted by Balázs Korányi and Francesco Cánepa on 12 June 2025

    16 June 2025

    President Lagarde said the ECB was in a good place now. Investors and ECB watchers took that to mean a pause in rate cuts is appropriate. Was that the correct interpretation?

    The projections provide the key to understanding our policy decision. It’s almost a cliché now but the level of uncertainty is huge. So much so, we published alternative scenarios. The key differences in the scenarios relate to trade policy. In the baseline, we assume no retaliation and a 10% tariff. In the adverse scenario, we assume higher tariffs and retaliation.

    The final outcome in trade negotiations is by far the most relevant factor of uncertainty that we considered in our projections, which are the basis for our monetary policy decisions. Nobody knows the final outcome of the trade negotiations and the impact it may have on the outlook for growth and inflation.

    Having said that, markets have understood perfectly well what the President said about being in a good position. Even in this context of huge uncertainty, I think that markets believe and discount that we are very close to our target of sustainable 2% inflation over the medium term.

    Your projections incorporate interest rate futures, which still price in one more rate cut. So, if the baseline materialises, we can still expect a cut?

    We incorporate market expectations for interest rates into the underlying assumptions of our projection framework. But I think that, in this case, this assumption is not important compared with the consideration we give to trade issues in the June exercise. Trade has a greater magnitude of relevance in influencing our projections.

    Would you say that risks to the inflation outlook are to the upside or the downside?

    This is quite an important question. A tariff is a tax on imported goods. So the first impact is inflationary. But tariffs simultaneously depress demand, which can more than compensate for the initial inflationary impact. So, in the medium term, tariffs reduce both growth and inflation.

    But there is another factor that is more difficult to calibrate. A fully fledged trade war could give rise to fragmentation in the global economy and distortions in the global supply chain. And that would be inflationary in the longer term.

    So, with all these nuances, over the next two years tariffs would reduce both growth and inflation. But, if you look further out, you have to consider the potential impact that fragmentation could have. That goes beyond our projection horizon, but it is something that we will have to take into consideration in the future.

    You now project inflation dipping below target and then coming back to 2%. We’ve seen such a scenario before, when the longer-term projection always points to 2%, partly because of mean reversion. So, how much weight do you attach to the 2027 projection? And do you give a lot of thought to this notion of mean reversion as a feature at the back of the projection?

    When it comes to 2026, there are two key issues: the appreciation of the euro and the evolution of prices of raw materials, particularly energy. For 2027 a similar appreciation of the currency and a fall in energy prices is not expected to take place, and that is the reason why we expect inflation to come back up to 2%. But, of course, the level of uncertainty is huge. So, even though we are convinced that inflation will converge to our target, we need to stay data-dependent and decide meeting by meeting. Also, bear in mind that we have already reduced interest rates by 200 basis points – from 4% to 2%.

    The risk of undershooting in any year is that it influences wage-setting and could perpetuate low inflation. In the first quarter of next year, you see inflation at 1.4%. Do you consider undershooting a significant risk?

    I think inflation is going in the right direction. There is a clear deceleration, also confirmed by the latest data. But I don’t think that inflation hovering around 1.4% in the first quarter of 2026 is going to be enough to unanchor inflation expectations and modify the wage bargaining process. We clearly see that wage dynamics are cooling. But, even when you take all these factors into consideration, compensation per employee will be around 3% over time. So, the risk of undershooting is very limited in my view.

    Our assessment is that risks for inflation are balanced. Clearly, 1.4% is below target. But we look at the medium term, and in the medium term there are other factors that can compensate for the short-term elements that can temporarily bring inflation down.

    Europe is expected to spend more on defence. Do you think that greater military expenditure should come at the expense of other spending, or should it be financed from debt?

    A lot of uncertainty still surrounds our fiscal policy assumptions and projections. Trade is prominently in the news, but fiscal policy is often overlooked.

    First of all, fiscal policy in the United States is important. The new tax bill is going to increase the deficit, and the US fiscal position is already challenging. The debt ratio is over 100% and the fiscal deficit between 6% and 7%. So, markets are likely to start paying more attention to fiscal policy in the United States, which could give rise to increasing yields. I think this will catch the eye of markets more and more in the future.

    In the case of Europe, we have seen a degree of decoupling in terms of yields with respect to the United States. But developments have been much more moderate.

    Nevertheless, fiscal policy is relevant because there is an additional need to increase spending on defence, which is going to demand more resources. The starting point for some EU countries is not good. The EU does not have much fiscal space, so we have to look for social and political space in order to expand it.

    We will need to have more support from the people of Europe, and governments will have to explain clearly the necessity for higher spending on defence, because it’s a question of independence and autonomy.

    This extra spending may take some time to ramp up. Do you think ECB watchers or the ECB’s own projections overestimate how much fiscal support is coming?

    There are different fiscal multipliers, and much will depend on the kind of fiscal spending that countries are going to pursue. This kind of expenditure takes time to be implemented, so the impact on inflation and growth is not going to be material in the short term.

    Do you think the ECB can play a role in helping that defence spending, like with the targeted QE, targeted TLTRO, or some other tool?

    I can assure you that this is something that we have not discussed.

    We saw in the minutes of the Federal Reserve System’s May meeting that it had extended the swap line with the ECB. Nevertheless, given the political turmoil in the United States, do you think it would be a good exercise to look at scenarios in which US dollar funding dries up? Should the ECB be preparing the financial sector for such a scenario?

    We believe that swap lines with the Federal Reserve are a good instrument in terms of financial stability for both the euro area and the United States. We are fully convinced that the swap lines will be maintained over time because they are positive for both sides and for global financial stability.

    But markets are starting to openly doubt the status of the US dollar as the world’s leading reserve currency. And some central banks are even building up reserves in gold. Do you think it would be prudent for the ECB, and the Eurosystem more generally, also to start building up more gold reserves or reserves in assets other than US dollar-denominated assets?

    The weight of gold in our reserves has been on the increase clearly because of rising gold prices. Central banks use gold as an instrument to diversify in moments of geopolitical risk, and that is understandable. Some are even looking at silver or platinum to diversify.

    But the role of the US dollar as a reserve currency in the short term is not going to be challenged, in my opinion.

    The role of the euro as a reserve currency in the global arena will depend on actions taken in Europe. If we can achieve a much more integrated goods and services market, then the capital markets union and the banking union will come about much more easily. It’s very difficult to make progress in the capital markets union or the banking union if you do not advance in the integration of the goods and services market.

    You put out a report on the role of the euro last week, which covers basically to the end of last year. Can you provide us with a bit of insight on what’s been happening since 2 April. There’s been a lot of movement on financial markets. Have euro assets really benefited from capital leaving the US dollar, or is it mostly gold that has benefited?

    If you look at market developments, we had a big decline and a risk-off movement at the beginning of April. And now market valuations have fully recovered – apart from the US dollar and commodity prices.

    The policies of the new US Administration cover not only tariffs, but also fiscal policy and the regulatory frameworks for banks – in terms of the implementation of Basel III – and non-banks, and even for crypto assets. At the end of the day, this is a sort of change of paradigm. There have even been some doubts about how engaged the new US Administration is going to be with multilateral institutions.

    Even though markets have recovered, setting aside the US dollar and commodities, there is something that is quite obvious. The correlation of asset prices has changed quite a lot since April. If you look at developments in stock and bond prices, the correlation has been different from the ones we had in the past.

    Even in the case of yields on US Treasuries, we have seen ups and downs. But I think that the main element that indicates some doubts about the new US policies is the evolution of the US dollar. That’s quite clear.

    The flipside of that is that the euro has become stronger. Is it becoming an issue for growth and for exporters? Can the euro zone even afford reserve currency status given the currency strength that comes with it?

    I think that, at USD 1.15, the euro’s exchange rate is not going to be a big obstacle. And the question of the reserve status of the euro in the global arena is not going to have a significant impact in the short term.

    In the short term, the status of the US dollar is not going to be challenged. In the medium term, the factor that is going to be key is the kind of policy that we implement in Europe. If we are able to become more independent, more autonomous in defence, and we start to do what we have to do for the integration of markets… gradually, over the medium to long term, the euro will gain market share. But, in the short term, a big jump in market share is out of the question.

    So you don’t seem to be terribly concerned about USD 1.15 for the real economy. Accepting that you have no exchange rate target, what is the point where you become concerned that the exchange rate has a detrimental impact on the real economy?

    Much more than a specific level, I think that we have to look at the speed of developments, how rapid the appreciation or depreciation is. And if there is a clear overshooting of the exchange rate, that is something we should analyse.

    So far, the evolution has been quite controlled. Perhaps the surprise has been that, at the beginning of the year, most market participants believed that we could go to parity. And instead we have gone to the current level. I would not say that the exchange rate has been extremely volatile so far, or that we have seen a very rapid appreciation .

    We take the exchange rate into consideration in our projections. The perception of the ECB is that the appreciation of the euro has so far been positive in terms of achieving our target for inflation. That’s one of the reasons why we have revised our inflation projections down for 2026.

    A recent paper by Blanchard and Ubide has relaunched the idea of a European safe asset. You were on the other side of the fence when you were once a finance minister. Do you see growing chances of more joint issuance happening?

    Ideas coming from the academic sphere are very good. The one you mentioned is a very interesting proposal for a EU safe asset in a very liquid and deep market. That is something we have to take into consideration.

    But I think we have to do a lot of things before that. We need a much more integrated single market, and to make much more progress towards the capital markets union and the completion of the banking union. Simultaneously – and I feel we have made some progress here – we need the fiscal positions of euro area countries to be closer and disparities to be reduced.

    So it’s an interesting proposal from an academic standpoint. But I think that, from a practical viewpoint, there are other necessary conditions before we get there and these are not yet in place.

    Do you think it could be prudent for the ECB and the Eurosystem’s national central banks to bring back some of the gold reserves they store in New York?

    There is no doubt in my mind that they are totally safe.

    Even when a new Federal Reserve Chair will be appointed next year?

    Well, I don’t know who the next Chair is going to be, but I expect it will be a competent and sensible person.

    Fair enough. But has there been a discussion about this or didn’t it even come up?

    Even the possibility of it didn’t come up.

    Over the past few years, the ECB has learned some lessons, such as that you also have to react forcefully to inflation when it’s too high. This didn’t seem to be a problem a few years ago, yet all of a sudden it was. So, with that in mind, how would you like the new strategy document to reflect that?

    As you have said, the framework for inflation was totally different five years ago. And now we have had a period of high inflation, which was an important change.

    This is going to be a reassessment of our strategy review. In my view, we are not going to see modications in the definition of price stability. With respect to the toolkit, I think that all the instruments are going to remain available for use in the future.

    Simultaneously, we have learned much more about side effects, and we are going to pay more attention to financial stability considerations. QE, for instance, was a new instrument added to the toolkit in 2015. What is important is that when you use an instrument, you can gauge its real impact. Sometimes it’s much easier to start using the instrument than to withdraw it — that’s something we have learned as well. And finally, the framework of the global economy is going to be very different from the one we had in 2021. In one sense, I think we are going to have a much more fragmented world.

    In 2021, we didn’t have any discussions about trade. Deflation, or low inflation, was the main point of our review, and how close we were to the lower bound. At the same time, some academics raised the issue of the natural interest rate. This is interesting from a conceptual and an academic standpoint, but not for actual monetary policy decision-making.

    What should we expect from the new strategy statement?

    I would not expect big surprises. This is about evolution, not revolution. It is just a reassessment. It will be much more focused on how the framework for central banks and for the ECB has changed over the last five years.

    In a multipolar world, what role can China play for the ECB as a partner, and the People’s of Bank of China particularly?

    China is an important player. It’s the world’s second largest economy. We have some monetary arrangements with the central bank, like our swap lines.

    Sometimes when we talk about trade policies, we look only at bilateral tariffs. But we need to have a holistic approach. In the case, for instance, of the negotiations between the United States and Europe, what is going to be key is not only the final outcome in terms of bilateral tariffs, but the potential impact of trade diversion. You need to be holistic with respect to trade, because otherwise, perhaps, you are missing the real impact that these trade negotiations are going to have.

    Do you see that as a big risk, trade diversion? Your colleague Isabel Schnabel seemed to suggest this was not a major risk.

    Well, I don’t know whether it’s going to be a big risk, but undoubtedly this is something that we have to monitor and take into consideration.

    Could the ECB work with the People’s Bank of China, for example in the field of payments? China has its own digital currency.

    We are fully behind a digital euro. We believe that it’s something that is going to be very important in Europe.

    There will be new legislation in the United States about stablecoins. They are going to become a means of payment and most projects are going to come from the United States. My reading of the digital euro project is digital public money: it will be a means of payment, it’s not going to pay an interest rate, and it will not replace cash. We are going to take financial stability implications into consideration too.

    People, at the end of the day, both in the analogue and digital context, always want to have public money. For them, that’s real money. And if people doubt whether they can transform their current account balance into banknotes, then a bank run can take place. The digital euro is going to play a similar role in a digital world.

    If the case for a digital euro is so clear, why does the legislator not see it? Brussels has been dragging its feet. Why is that, and do you expect a change?

    I hope that we will be able to convince the legislators, but you have to ask them why they have so many doubts. From our standpoint, it’s quite clear that a digital euro is something that is extremely relevant and useful in the payment context in Europe. And I think that eventually, they will be convinced of the clear advantages of a digital euro.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales and KNDS France unveil RAPIDFire Land, a land-based variant of the 40 mm RAPIDFire Naval defence system

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales and KNDS France unveil
    RAPIDFire Land, a land-based variant of the 40 mm RAPIDFire Naval defence system

    • RAPIDFire is a remotely operated artillery system co-developed by Thales and KNDS France. The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded a contract for the production of 48 of these systems, and the first two RAPIDFire systems ordered earlier are now operational on board France’s new-generation fleet replenishment tankers.
    • RAPIDFire can be installed on multiple platform types, and the land-based version will meet emerging operational requirements, in particular to protect sensitive sites from a wide range of threats including saturation attacks.
    • The Airburst munition, which represents the cutting edge of air defence capabilities, is reaching an important milestone.

    Full qualification of RAPIDFire system

    The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has already ordered 14 RAPIDFire systems to equip French Navy vessels. Two systems have been installed on board the fleet replenishment tanker (BRF) Jacques Chevallier, which has completed two long-duration deployments, including several live fire exercises, with France’s carrier strike group. Two others were recently installed on France’s second BRF tanker Jacques Stosskopf ahead of an upcoming long-duration deployment. A fifth system will soon equip a new French Navy offshore patrol vessel.

    The RAPIDFire system was qualified in early 2025 and can now be used with all existing 40CT munitions.

    As the first remotely operated 40 mm system to incorporate the 40CT cannon, RAPIDFire provides a close-in self-defence capability to protect platforms against modern air and surface threats. It features state-of-the-art optronics jointly designed by Thales and KNDS France, and the new 40 mm cased telescoped munition technology developed by CTAI, a subsidiary of KNDS France.

    This solution provides unmatched firepower, with a ready rack of up to 140 rounds, corresponding to dozens of target interceptions with no need to reload. The fire control system recalibrates its aim after every round fired to account for the target’s speed and direction of travel. RAPIDFire is designed to engage a broad range of threats – from ships to light aircraft, drones, loitering munitions and missiles – at ranges of up to 4 kilometres. Its 40 mm cannon is compatible with all telescoped munitions, including the A3B (Airburst) round, which is particularly effective against aerial threats.

    A multi-platform system for land and naval forces

    RAPIDFire’s underlying technology is versatile enough for the system to be adapted for various applications. A land-based version is now planned following discussions with the French Air and Space Force on the need to protect high-value assets at its air bases in France and during overseas deployments.

    KNDS France and Thales are developing the land version of RAPIDFire in two configurations:

    • Semi-mobile for site protection, with a 20-foot platform set up on the ground that can be readily moved and re-deployed to other locations.
    • Mobile, with the 20-foot platform mounted on a vehicle to protect high-value assets in the theatre of operations.

    A3B, the ideal munition for air defence

    Leveraging the proven airburst technology of the GPR-AB-T round, the Anti Aerial Airburst (A3B) munition delivers a payload of tungsten subprojectiles with a directional (frontal) terminal effect, providing enhanced effectiveness against various types of aerial targets: drones, helicopters, light aircraft, fighter jets, low-end subsonic missiles and RAM (rocket, artillery, mortar) threats.

    Development of the A3B munition is ongoing (currently at Technology Readiness Level 5), with full operational capability in anti-air mode expected in 2027. A contract modification was awarded in late 2024 for the development, production engineering, qualification and delivery of a first batch of 500 A3B munitions with the RAPIDFire system.

    About Thales

    Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.

    The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.

    Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.

    About KNDS

    KNDS is the result of a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Nexter, two of Europe’s leading manufacturers of military land systems, based in Germany and France.

    KNDS has around 10,000 employees, with sales of €3.8 billion in 2024, an orderbook of around €23.5 billion and order intake of €11.2 billion.

    Its product range includes tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery systems, weapon systems, ammunition, military bridges, information and command systems, training solutions, protection solutions and a wide range of equipment, as well as customer services.

    The creation of KNDS marks the beginning of the consolidation of the land defence systems industry in Europe. The strategic alliance between KMW and Nexter strengthens the competitiveness and international positioning of both groups, as well as their ability to meet the needs of their respective national armed forces. It also offers European and NATO customers the possibility of greater standardisation and interoperability for their defence equipment, with a reliable industrial base.

    KNDS is headquartered in Amsterdam.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Privacy blind spot could stall AI’s future in UK homes, says new study

    Source: Samsung

     
    As smart technology and AI become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, new research finds that nearly 9 out of 10 Brits (89%) express concerns about their privacy.
     
    But, for the majority of consumers, these concerns stop at their phones – despite other smart devices in the home also collecting personal data and being just as vulnerable to threats.
     
    This new research from Samsung Electronics, which surveyed over 8,000 Millennial and Gen Z respondents across Europe, including the UK, reveals that over a quarter (28%) of young Brits never think about the security of their smart appliances. In contrast, 1 in 2 (53%) think about the privacy of their mobile phones every day – a worrying blind spot given how connected our smart devices have become, and with the number of smart homes in Europe expected to surpass 100 million by 2028.[1]
     
    The research highlights how managing privacy can feel overwhelming for many – with over 1 in 10 (14%) of those surveyed saying it’s too complex, and 7 in 10 (70%) finding it stressful. Within Europe, Spain tops the list of countries where people find managing their privacy the most stressful (88%), followed by Greece (87%) and France (75%) and Italy (75%).
     
    Privacy concerns among Brits are wide-ranging – from fears of financial theft (73%) to unease about metadata being used to identify them (61%).
     
    The findings point to a deep education gap when it comes to privacy. Many want to take control of their data when it comes to their technology. In fact, almost 8 in 10 (78%) put such considerations front and centre at point of purchase, alongside their familiarity with the brand. Yet despite rising awareness, many still feel unequipped to take meaningful action:
     

    Only 22% say they feel ‘very’ knowledgeable about privacy
    Just over half (54%) are aware of the data their apps and devices collect about them
    3 in 10 (28%) accept default settings on apps without fully understanding them
    Almost 6 in 10 (57%) feel they can never be fully in control of their privacy across their devices
    7 in 10 (70%) are calling for better education on data and privacy
    Over 1 in 10 (14%) consumers say they trust brands to take the protection of their data seriously

     
    These fears are holding UK consumers back from harnessing the full potential of the latest technology. 1 in 5 (18%) haven’t shared data between smart devices in the past year due to security fears—showing that Brits aren’t taking full advantage of connected living, and the enhanced lifestyle benefits it can bring.
     
    Yet two thirds say they would be more open to fully embracing AI and smart-home technology if they better understood the benefits to their lifestyle (67%) and felt confident their data was secure (67%). From real-time smart home updates (15%) to personalised shopping discounts (15%), job opportunities (14%) and tailored fitness and health suggestions (14%), many recognise that they are missing out on everyday enhancements due to concerns around how their data is handled.
     
    In light of these findings, Samsung is reinforcing its commitment to empowering users with strong safeguards and transparent privacy controls in an increasingly AI-driven world.
     
    Dr. Seungwon Shin, Corporate EVP & Head of Security Team, Device eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics said: “At Samsung, we believe true innovation starts with people – which is why we put privacy at the core of everything we do. This research highlights a growing trend: while consumers are proactive about managing privacy on their smartphones, they’re often overlooking the broader ecosystem of connected devices. It also reflects a hesitation to fully embrace AI-powered experiences, largely driven by uncertainty around data use.
     
    As advocates for privacy-first design, we’re committed to earning trust through transparency, choice, and built-in protections. Everyone should be able to explore new AI capabilities with confidence, knowing their data is protected and they remain in control. That’s why we’re focused on putting privacy in the hands of users – where it belongs.”
     
    At the heart of this mission is Samsung Knox, the company’s government-grade security platform that safeguards its smart home appliances[2] and Galaxy devices. With the rise of connected living, Samsung is expanding Knox security across its ecosystem so users can enjoy smart appliances and AI-powered features with peace of mind[3]

    Knox Matrix is Samsung’s long-term vision for connected security—where devices in the same ecosystem work together to safeguard one another. Built on private blockchain technology and backed by future-ready protections like post-quantum cryptography[4], Knox Matrix enables real-time, multi-device protection across smartphones, tablets, TVs, and more.
     
    Complementing this is Knox Vault, which stores sensitive information like PINs, passwords and biometric data in a separate, hardware-based environment. This ensures that even if the main operating system is compromised, private information always stays protected.
     
    With this layered security in place, users are empowered to manage their privacy across all their connected devices, making choices entirely on their own terms.
     
    The research also shows that UK consumers want more than just promises—they’re seeking practical tools. 28% support clearer data usage policies, and almost the same amount value privacy information that’s simple and easy to understand (29%).
     
    Recognising this need, Samsung is expanding its efforts to educate users and equip them with tools that put privacy into their hands across all Samsung devices. For more information on privacy, see here. For more information on the Samsung Knox security principles, see here.
     
    [1]Research and Markets. (2024). Smart Homes and Home Automation Report 2024. Business Wire.
    [2]Samsung Knox is applied to select appliances launched in 2018 and later.
    [3]Samsung Knox Matrix cannot guarantee complete protection against all vulnerabilities within a user’s connected device ecosystem.
    [4]Post-quantum cryptography is available on Galaxy S25 series.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Need to support the Cyclades affected by the devastating floods and the island regions more broadly – E-001363/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The mid-term review of the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) was concluded in 2024, reinforcing the EU budget in key priority areas. The Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve was increased by EUR 1.5 billion.

    The Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction — RESTORE Regulation[1] allows for flexibility by Member States impacted by natural disasters to use cohesion policy funding for reconstruction and repair.

    The Rural Development Regulation[2] was amended to introduce a new measure, providing support to affected farmers, foresters, and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

    Member States could adjust their 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes during their mid-term review[3], adding new priorities like enhancing water resilience.

    Greece could benefit from these flexibilities once the regulation enters into force, including the financial incentives to implement these priorities rapidly and effectively.

    The 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes contribute EUR 1 billion to a national disaster risk management programme in Greece and EUR 10.5 million to a regional programme on climate-related risk management in Notio Aigaio[4].

    The EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change can help the Cyclades and other islands test and deploy innovative solutions to build resilience to floods and other climate risks, as with Climate adaptation and resilience demonstrated in the Mediterranean region (CARDIMED) project[5].

    Island regions face specific challenges, including suffering from extreme natural disasters that call for significant investments not only in post-disaster recovery but also in climate adaptation and resilience.

    As announced in the communication ‘A modernised cohesion policy: the mid-term review’, the Commission will launch a consultation on the development of a Strategy for Islands to support them address their multi-faceted problems.

    • [1] Regulation (EU) 2024/3236 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1057 and (EU) 2021/1058 as regards Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE), entered into force on 24 December 2024, available at the following link https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3236/oj/eng.
    • [2] Regulation (EU) 2024/3242 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2020/2220 as regards specific measures under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to provide additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters, available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32024R3242&qid=1746172978914.
    • [3] On 1 April 2025 the Commission tabled a legislative proposal and accompanying Communication. Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1058 and (EU) 2021/1056 as regards specific measures to address strategic challenges in the context of the mid-term review, available at: regulation-proposal-mid-term-review-2025_en.pdf: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/communication/mid-term-review-2025/regulation-proposal-mid-term-review-2025_en.pdf; Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council A modernised Cohesion policy: The mid-term review, available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0163.
    • [4] Technical assistance, including under the ‘Cohesion for Transitions Community of Practice’ initiative, could support the implementation of the programmes facilitating the green transition and for studies.
    • [5] Climate Resilience & NBS | Cardimed: https://www.cardimed-project.eu/.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB supports with €1.6 bn the strategic Bay of Biscay electricity interconnection between Spain and France

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • Bay of Biscay is a landmark project for the European power system that will boost the interconnection capacity between the Iberian Peninsula and rest of continental Europe.
    • Initiative to increase the exchange capacity from 2,800 to 5,000 megawatts (MW), improving reliability of power supply among France, Spain and Portugal and with the rest of Europe.
    • Once operational the interconnection will contribute to ensure cleaner, more secure, and more affordable power for millions of citizens.
    • With a total route length of 400 km, 300 km of which underwater, it will become the first submarine electricity interconnection between Spain and Fance.
    • This is a Project of Common Interest for the EU being implemented through a joint venture between the transmission system operators of Spain, Red Eléctrica, and France, RTE, Réseau de transport d’électricité.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is pledging €1.6 billion to finance the construction of the Bay of Biscay electricity interconnection between Spain and France. The EIB financing for the Bay of Biscay project takes the form of loans to Spanish and French transmission-system operators Red Eléctrica and RTE Réseau de transport d’électricité.

    The parties signed first loan tranches totalling €1.2 billion today at the EIB headquarters in Luxembourg. The event was attended by Nadia Calviño, president of the EIB Group, Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Marc Ferracci, French minister of Industry and Energy, Miguel González Suela, Spanish deputy secretary of State – for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Beatriz Corredor, chairwoman of Redeia, parent company of Red Eléctrica and Thomas Veyrenc Member of the Executive Board, director general for Finance, Strategy and Economics of RTE. This financial support adds up to the €578 million EU grant allocated to this project under the Connecting Europe Facility.

    This is a landmark Project of Common Interest in which the EIB, the European Commission, Red Eléctrica and RTE are joining forces to strengthen cross-border electricity interconnections and hereby the overall European energy system.

    “EIB support for the France-Spain electricity interconnection will be key to ensuring that the Iberian Peninsula is no longer an energy island. This agreement will lead to a major shift in energy integration, an important area for EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy.”  said Nadia Calviño, president of the EIB Group”.

    “Europe needs more integrated and more interconnected energy systems and markets. This is crucial to ensure our citizens have access to clean and stable supplies, wherever they are. This is what a genuine Energy Union is about, “said Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing. “I very much welcome the additional financial support offered by the EIB for a key project that will ultimately improve the lives of many across the Pyrenees and beyond.”

    Construction of the Bay of Biscay link is already under way by Inelfe – joint venture by RTE and Red Eléctrica, and it is due to become operational in 2028. Once operational, the project will almost double the electricity exchange capacity between France and Spain to 5,000 MW. That means cleaner, more secure, and more affordable power for millions of citizens, while avoiding 600,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year.

    The project will strengthen the interconnection capacity between France and Spain, helping the Iberian peninsula’s progress towards the EU interconnection target for Member States of at least 15% of installed production capacity by 2030. The Bay of Biscay project, together with the underground project between Baixas-Santa Llogaia and the improvement of the existing Argia-Hernani infrastructure will contribute to enhance the interconnection capacity between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe, while better integrating it within the EU energy market.

    ‘Today, with the support of the EIB, we take another step forward in this project, a bridge between nations and key for European cohesion that will enable us to tackle the greatest challenge of our time: the energy transition. That is why both countries must continue to work together to strengthen our connections, also through the two new projects planned to cross the Pyrenees’, said Beatriz Corredor, chairwoman of Redeia

    “Today is a major milestone for the Bay of Biscay project, which will increase the solidarity between France and Spain but will also contribute to the development of exchanges of low-carbon, competitive electricity throughout Europe. Along with EU institutions – such as EIB – and other European TSOs, RTE is committed to ensure that the French power grid is fit to play its role of a European electricity crossroads, including through major reinforcement projects to avoid internal constraints, as laid out in our recent grid development strategy’, said Thomas Veyrenc, Member of the Executive Board, Director general for finance, strategy and economics of RTE.

    The project reinforces the EIB´s role as the climate bank one of the EIB Group’s eight strategic priorities set out in its Strategic Roadmap for the years 2024-2027. The operation is also part of the EIB’s action plan supporting REPowerEU, the program to increase energy security and accelerate the energy transition by reducing the European Union’s dependence on fossil fuel imports.

    Marc Ferracci, French minister for industry and energy: “We’re very happy today to have signed the first part of the investment in this interconnection project between France and Spain which will go through the Bay of Biscay. This will allow us to double the capacity of electricity transported between the two countries with 400 km of connection. It’s very important because it illustrates the will of Spain and France to go further in the decarbonisation of our economies. And it shows the solidarity that exists to meet Europe’s energy security challenge.”

    “The signing of this agreement marks a major step towards building the Energy Union and strengthening the resilience of the European electricity system as a whole. I am confident that it will not be the last”, said Miguel González Suela, Spanish deputy secretary of State for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

    Flagship project

    The Bay of Biscay interconnection is classified by the EU as a Project of Common Interest or PCI, and is being delivered by Inelfe a joint venture between Red Eléctrica and Réseau transport d’électricité. It is co-funded by a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) grant of €578 million.  

    The connection will link two alternating current systems via a submarine direct current line. At each end of the connection, stations in Cubnezais in France and Gatika in Spain will convert the direct current into alternating current for connection to the transmission grids of Spain and France.

    The design of the project has been developed through an open and participatory process, with the aim of reaching the greatest possible consensus and ensuring the best solution from a technical, social, and environmental perspective.

    The High-Level Group on Interconnections in South-West Europe, established in 2015 between Spain, France, and Portugal with the support of the European Commission, played a critical role in advancing the Biscay Bay project.

    More information about the project is available here.

    The EIB as a major financier of energy security and grids in Europe

    In 2024, the EIB Group signed a record €31 billion to back EU energy security, including for efficiency, renewables, storage and electricity grids, which is expected to support over €100 billion in investment. A total of €8.5 billion financed electricity grids and storage projects, double the amount from previous year. This financing is helping to expand, modernise and digitalise electricity grids making them more resilient and allowing for more and better integration of renewable sources.

    In Spain financing of energy security projects was higher than in any other EU country in 2024, totalling more than €5 billion, which is expected to support over €15 billion in investment. A total of €1.54 billion financed grids and storage projects, roughly double the previous year’s amount. In France financing of energy security projects in 2024 was in line with previous years at around €3.6 billion,  of which €400 million went to finance grids and storage projects, while €3.2 billion went to other energy projects including renewable energy sources and  energy efficiency.

    In the last 5 years (2019-24), EIB has financed €16.7 billion in energy projects in Spain, and €17.7 billion in energy projects in France.

    Find out more about the EIB’s support for the energy sector here.

    Background information

    EIB

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund, signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.

    In Spain, in 2024, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.3 billion for over 100 high-impact projects,  while in France, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.6 billion also for over 100 high-impact projects,  contributing to both countries’ green and digital transition, economic growth, competitiveness and better services for their people.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    Red Eléctrica

    Red Eléctrica is the transmission system operator (TSO) for the Spanish electricity system and Redeia’s flagship. Since 1985, Red Eléctrica guarantee the security of supply in Spain, driving its social and economic development. Now, the company is also the backbone of the energy transition in the country. www.ree.es 

    Réseau Transport d’Électricité

    The French electricity-transmission-system operator, RTE, provides a public service: guaranteeing a constant supply of electricity throughout France, with the same standard of service, thanks to the efforts of its 10,025-strong staff. RTE manages electricity flows, balancing production and consumption in real time. RTE maintains and develops the high and very-high voltage grid (from 63,000 to 400,000 volts) which includes nearly 100,000 kilometres of overhead lines, 7,000 kilometres of underground lines, 2,900 operational substations, some jointly operated, and around fifty cross-border lines. With 37 interconnections with neighbouring countries, the French grid is the largest in Europe. RTE is an independent and neutral industrial operator of the energy transition, optimising and transforming its grid to connect new consumers and low-carbon electricity generation facilities.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Barbara Freeman: A Retrospective’ opens at the F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    A new engaging exhibition ‘Barbara Freeman: A Retrospective’ has opened at the F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio, Banbridge and runs until Saturday 27 September 2025.

    This first large-scale survey of Freeman’s work introduces the public to this award-winning artist who has exhibited internationally and now in her late 80s, continues to experiment and push herself to create new innovative work.

    The retrospective features a broad range of Freeman’s work from an early drawing ‘Homage to Dürer’ dating from 1973 to her new series of digital images ‘Time Past Remembered’ made this year and her award-winning film ‘Itacha’ from 2023.

    Utilising a wide range of media including sculpture, painting, print, installation, sound and film, Freeman’s constantly evolving practice fluctuates between figuration and abstraction to explore themes including time, memory and history.

    Speaking about the new exhibition, Gallery Curator and Manager, Dr Riann Coulter, said:

    “This major survey exhibition showcases a striking collection of Barbara’s work and provides a fantastic opportunity to explore her artistic evolution over half a century of innovative art making.”

    Born in London in 1937, Freeman studied at Central St. Martins and Camberwell Colleges of Art, followed by postgraduate study at the University of Leeds before moving to Belfast where she has lived and worked for over 40 years.

    Collaboration is at the heart of Freeman’s art. She has often worked with composers and musicians to create installations that combine sound and image and respond to a particular place, both as a physical space and a sonic environment. In 2020, she joined Na Cailleacha, the collective of formidable older women artists based in Ireland, with whom she continues to work and exhibit.

    Freeman’s work has been exhibited widely, with solo shows in Ireland, Britain, the United States, Hungary, Germany, and former Yugoslavia.

    Her artworks have featured in collections displayed by the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Royal Courts of Justice, and The Royal Hospitals.

    This exhibition has been curated by Dr Fionna Barber, Reader in Art History at Manchester School of Art and Dr Riann Coulter.

    It will be accompanied by an illustrated catalogue featuring an essay by Fionna Barber and an interview between Freeman and art historian and Na Cailleacha colleague, Catherine Marshall.

    The F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free. For further information, go to visitarmagh.com/femcwilliam

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Council By-elections for Wards 6 & 10 – Voters urged to make sure their vote counts

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Issued on behalf of the Returning Officer

    Polling will take place on Thursday 19 June 2025 to elect one of nine candidates standing in The Highland Council’s Cromarty Firth Ward by-election and one of eight candidates for Ward 10 Eilean a’ Cheò. Voters are being reminded to make sure they are ready to cast their vote.

    The single transferable vote system will be used. Instead of using a cross, voters should number the candidates in the order of their choice, putting a number 1 in the box next to the name of the candidate who is their first choice, 2 in the box next to their second choice and so on. Voters can make as many or as few choices as they wish.

    The Council has created a short video that explains the process – 

    Postal packs have been despatched to those registered electors that submitted a form by the postal vote deadline. Anyone who has requested a postal vote will not be able to vote in person at a polling station. If you are unable to post it in time, it is possible to hand in your completed postal pack into any of the polling stations located within wards 6 and 10 between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 19 June 2025. There are no restrictions on the number of postal votes that can be handed in to a polling station.

    A list of polling station locations can be found on the Council’s website

    For those opting to vote in person on Thursday 19 June 2025, polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. Voters are reminded to check their poll cards as this will have details of where they need to go to cast their vote. There is no requirement to bring any form of voter ID or poll cards.

    The candidates standing for election to Ward 6 – Cromarty Firth are:
     

    • CHISHOLM, Steve – Alba Party for independence
    • COSTIGANE, Ross – Scottish Liberal Democrats
    • CROSS, Richard James – Independent
    • FORBES, Ryan – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
    • MACDONALD, Allan – Reform UK
    • MACDONALD, Odette – Scottish National Party (SNP)
    • PERERA, Michael Robert – Scottish Labour Party
    • RATTRAY, Martin – Independent
    • THOMAS, Anne – Scottish Greens

    The candidates standing for Ward 10 Eilean a’ Cheò are:

    • COUPLAND, John – Reform UK
    • DICKSON, Campbell – Independent
    • GILLIES, Christine – Independent
    • LAWRENCE, Katy – Scottish Greens
    • MAC A’ BHÀILLIDH, Màrtainn – Scottish National Party (SNP)
    • MACDONALD, Jonathan – Independent
    • MACPHERSON, George – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
    • THOMSON, Fay – Scottish Liberal Democrats

    The electronic election counts for both wards will take place on Friday 20 June 2025 at Kyleakin Village Hall starting at 11am. People will be able to follow the count and watch the declaration of the results live on our YouTube channel and follow the latest via the Council’s social media channels – @highlandcouncil

    To support equal access for everyone and to assist with voting, a range of accessibility aids is provided, which also includes a new overlay. The overlay combined with the audio recording of the ballot paper, is intended to provide a complete self-service solution to the blind and partially sighted voters to vote independently and in secret.  

    All information about the by-election, including answers to frequently asked questions and short video clips to show how to vote is available by visiting the Council’s website   www.highland.gov.uk/byelection

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: AIXA Miner Secures FinCEN MSB License, Marking Major 2025 Compliance Milestone in Global Cloud Mining Sector

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AIXA Miner has officially secured its Money Services Business (MSB) license from the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a pivotal regulatory approval that elevates its credibility and security standards across the global cloud mining landscape. This certification positions AIXA Miner as one of the few cloud mining platforms with verified U.S. compliance, an increasingly critical benchmark as international investors demand stronger oversight and consumer protection in crypto services.

    This milestone marks a new chapter for AIXA Miner in 2025, reinforcing its leadership in providing secure, efficient, and transparent cloud mining operations. As regulatory scrutiny increases worldwide, particularly in markets like Germany, the FinCEN-approved MSB license validates AIXA Miner’s operational integrity and risk controls—giving both new and experienced investors a trusted partner in navigating the evolving digital asset economy.

    What is Cloud Mining?

    Cloud mining is a convenient way to mine cryptocurrencies without having to buy or own professional mining equipment. Instead of setting up a mining machine or performing technical maintenance, customers can simply rent mining equipment from a service provider. The service provider operates large mining facilities and is responsible for hardware, electricity, network connectivity and maintenance. In return, the customer receives a share of the mining revenue generated by the rented capacity. Therefore, cloud mining is undoubtedly a simple solution for anyone who wants to mine passive cryptocurrencies without having to manage complex resources themselves.

    AIXA Miner Cloud Mining: A quick shortcut to cryptocurrency participation

    AIXA Miner was founded in 2020 in Colorado, USA, and received MSB (Financial Stability and Stability Board) certification from the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The platform is known for its low-carbon environmental protection, financial security and high returns. The platform currently has over 1 million users in over 200 countries worldwide. This allows users to utilize idle funds to generate stable returns and become your loyal companion on the road to wealth. AIXA Miner combines secure wealth management with ease of use and enables users of all experience levels to mine cryptocurrencies easily and reliably.

    Get started with AIXA Miner

    1. Sign up and get a $100 bonus – Open a free account now and get a $20 welcome bonus to start generating a daily income of $0.80 right away.
    2. Choose the right mining plan – Browse a range of mining plans for different budgets and investment goals. Each plan differs in term, return and cost, so you can easily find a plan that suits your personal wealth to generate income.
    3. Daily income – payment is made automatically every 24 hours. You can reinvest your profits into higher value plans or withdraw your earnings directly to your crypto wallet when you’re ready.

    AIXA Miner offers further profit opportunities via its cloud mining platform in addition to investments and enables users to passively increase their income without actual investment.

    1. Multi-level referral system – share and earn: AIXA Miner rewards you for inviting others: 5% for direct referrals and continuous income accumulation as your network grows.
    2. VIP Membership: Increase your income: The more you invest, the higher your VIP level becomes and you will receive daily updates, additional bonuses from your mining earnings and retroactive rewards that can be unlocked instantly.

    Although the crypto market is mature in 2025, it remains volatile. Investors wonder: can the myth of wealth creation persist? Although 1,000x meme coins are rare, smart people are betting on more stable cloud mining. Let’s take AIXA Miner as an example. Its low-threshold, high-yield model has become the mainstream choice. With a user-friendly interface, high security and daily income, it helps investors achieve financial freedom through mining.

    You can find more information at www.aixaminer.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0cbf21bf-08e0-47a4-a424-159e68ada715

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Subsea 7 S.A. – 2Q25 earnings call notification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Luxembourg – 16 June 2025 – Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) will publish its second quarter 2025 results for the period ended 30 June 2025 on Thursday 31 July 2025 at 08:00 CET.

    A conference call and simultaneous webcast for the investment community will be held on Thursday 31 July 2025 at 11:00 UK / 12:00 CET.

    From 08:00 CET the results announcement and the presentation to be reviewed during the conference call and webcast will be available on the Subsea7 website.

    Conference call registration:
    Phone: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI59310f2a739a44ab86529d2cda595e97
    Webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/yja3wdd3/        

    Please note that questions can only be submitted from a phone line.

    *******************************************************************************
    Subsea7 creates sustainable value by delivering the offshore energy transition solutions the world needs.

    Subsea7 is listed on the Oslo Børs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62.

    *******************************************************************************

    Contact for investor enquiries:
    Katherine Tonks
    Head of Investor Relations
    Subsea 7 S.A.
    Tel +44 20 8210 5568
    ir@subsea7.com

    www.subsea7.com

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    This stock exchange release was published by Katherine Tonks, Investor Relations, Subsea7, on 16 June 2025 at 12:30 CET.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Subsea 7 S.A. – 2Q25 earnings call notification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Luxembourg – 16 June 2025 – Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) will publish its second quarter 2025 results for the period ended 30 June 2025 on Thursday 31 July 2025 at 08:00 CET.

    A conference call and simultaneous webcast for the investment community will be held on Thursday 31 July 2025 at 11:00 UK / 12:00 CET.

    From 08:00 CET the results announcement and the presentation to be reviewed during the conference call and webcast will be available on the Subsea7 website.

    Conference call registration:
    Phone: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI59310f2a739a44ab86529d2cda595e97
    Webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/yja3wdd3/        

    Please note that questions can only be submitted from a phone line.

    *******************************************************************************
    Subsea7 creates sustainable value by delivering the offshore energy transition solutions the world needs.

    Subsea7 is listed on the Oslo Børs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62.

    *******************************************************************************

    Contact for investor enquiries:
    Katherine Tonks
    Head of Investor Relations
    Subsea 7 S.A.
    Tel +44 20 8210 5568
    ir@subsea7.com

    www.subsea7.com

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    This stock exchange release was published by Katherine Tonks, Investor Relations, Subsea7, on 16 June 2025 at 12:30 CET.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Economy – KOF Economic Forecast, summer 2025: Swiss economy hit by international trade conflict

    Source: KOF Economic Institute

    The United States’ erratic trade policy has caused even more economic uncertainty in the sec-ond quarter of 2025. Tariffs are also weighing on the economic outlook. 

    Data revisions last year mean that KOF is sticking to its forecast of real, sport-adjusted GDP growth of 1.4 per cent for 2025 (1.0 per cent unadjusted) despite a deterioration in its assessment. Its GDP growth forecast for 2026, however, has been lowered by 0.4 percentage points to 1.5 per cent (1.9 per cent unadjusted).

    The international trade conflict is more pronounced than was expected in the spring and is triggering a more marked deterioration in economic projections. 

    The latest KOF forecast is based on the assumption that the tariffs on exports to the United States in force at the beginning of June and the corresponding countermeasures will remain in place throughout the entire forecast period. This equates to a flat-rate 10 per cent tariff on most imports to the US with the exception of pharmaceutical products for the most part.

    Companies fast-track exports to the US; countervailing trend likely to follow

    The great uncertainty about the future of the United States’ trade policy and the announcement of tariff increases imposed on countries around the world have prompted firms to bring forward their production and exports of goods to the United States as much as possible. This yielded stellar growth in global trade in the first quarter and strong GDP growth in exportled countries such as Germany. In contrast, the disproportionately high growth in imports in the United States resulted in a negative quarter. Short-term demand for foreign goods displaced that for domestic goods and thus had an adverse impact on output in the US. Countervailing tr

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £1 billion backed renewal of broken bridges, ruined roads and tired tunnels and new Thames Crossing cash

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    £1 billion backed renewal of broken bridges, ruined roads and tired tunnels and new Thames Crossing cash

    Chancellor spends £1 billion to enhance and repair run down transport infrastructure and futureproof England’s road network.

    • Package also includes further £590 million to take forward the long-awaited Lower Thames Crossing, and follows record £15.6 billion investment in city region transport announced ahead of the Spending Review.
    • Funding will ensure vital upgrades are made to tired bridges, flyovers and tunnels across Britain, supporting highly skilled job opportunities, delivering on the Plan for Change.

    Drivers across the UK will benefit from major investments to improve vital road structures, alongside committing cash to finally deliver a new Thames Crossing, working with the private sector.

    Across Great Britain, approximately 3,000 bridges are currently unable to support the heaviest vehicles, restricting access for agricultural and freight transport in regions, and slowing down journeys.

    And nationally, the number of bridge collapses has also risen – a stark reminder of the need for urgent action to turn the tide on the decade of neglect.

    The Structures Fund will inject cash into repairing run down bridges, decaying flyovers and worn out tunnels across Britain, and ensure other transport infrastructure is both more resilient to extreme weather events and to the demands of modern transport – making everyday journeys safer, smoother and more dependable.

    The government is also pledging a further £590 million to take forward the Lower Thames Crossing, the most significant road building project in a generation and a national priority- ending the painfully slow approach seen before.

    The new crossing will cut frustrating congestion at Dartford, better linking up motorists and businesses in the Midlands and North with key ports in the South East, and spreading growth throughout the regions as outlined in the Plan for Change. The government will look to bring in private finance and expertise to support this major project.

    These investments come as part of the new 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, which will be published later this week, and sets out clear, achievable and robust vision for projects over the next decade of renewal.

    This also comes swiftly after a record £15.6 billion was announced at the Spending Review to enable local leaders to build long awaited projects like the Tyne and Wear Metro extension and the West Yorkshire Metro, and more investment to fund the TransPennine Route Upgrade and deliver East-West Rail.

    The government is also delivering direct funding to support growth across the UK – with funding for five new rail stations in South Wales, and financial backing for carbon capture storage in Aberdeenshire.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

    When it comes to investing in Britain’s renewal, we’re going all in by going up against the painful disruption of closed bridges, crossings and flyovers, and ensure they’re fit to serve working people for decades to come.

    Today’s investment also goes even further and faster to spread growth by providing critical funding to take forward the Lower Thames Crossing – not just boosting connectivity in the South East, but ensuring a smoother, less congested passage of vital goods from Europe to our regions.

    This is a turning point for our national infrastructure, and we’re backing it with funding to support thousands of jobs and connect communities, delivering on our Plan for Change.

    Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

    We’re finally getting on with the Lower Thames Crossing — a crucial project to drive economic growth, that has been stuck in planning limbo for far too long.

    This project is essential for improving the resilience of a key freight route and is critical to our long term trade with Europe. It will speed up the movement of goods from South East England to the Midlands and the North, crucial to thousands of jobs and businesses.

    Our structures fund will make long-overdue investments to repair ageing structures across the country, speeding up journeys, restoring pride and delivering our Plan for Change to boost the economy and support regional growth.

    Capital investment today will not only address these immediate risks over the next five years, but create skilled jobs in construction, engineering and maintenance, support vital regeneration in local areas by improving connectivity, and boost local economies by improving access to jobs, education and services.

    We will set out more detail about how funding will be allocated shortly. This funding is additional to the funding local authorities will receive for highways maintenance, which will be set out in due course.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First major overhaul of medical device regulation comes into force across Great Britain

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    First major overhaul of medical device regulation comes into force across Great Britain

    New Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) regulations have taken effect across Great Britain, requiring medical device manufacturers to proactively monitor the safety and performance of their products once on the market.

    From today (16 June 2025), a landmark reform of how medical devices are regulated in Great Britain takes effect, as part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) broader transformation of the UK’s medical device regulatory framework.

    The new Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) regulations require device manufacturers to actively track the safety and performance of products already in use. This will help identify potential safety issues earlier and strengthen protection for patients and the public through faster responses to incidents and emerging risks.

    Today’s reform applies to all UKCA- and CE-marked devices placed on the GB market after 16 June 2025. This includes in vitro diagnostic devices (IVD), such as glucose monitors and prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests; active implantable medical devices, including pacemakers and hearing implants; and range of technologies used across hospitals, clinics, and at home.

    The regulations will ensure all manufacturers have an effective system in place to monitor devices once they are in use, collect comprehensive safety data, report serious incidents, and take swifter action when issues arise. New trend reporting requirements will help the MHRA and industry spot patterns and intervene earlier to protect patients.

    Lawrence Tallon, Chief Executive of the MHRA, said:

    As innovation in health technologies accelerates, regulation must keep pace. Today’s reform is a critical step in ensuring safety standards evolve alongside this progress.

    By strengthening oversight of devices once they’re in use and setting clearer expectations for manufacturers, these new regulations provide a robust framework for identifying risks earlier and responding to protect patients.

    This represents an important milestone in our work in building a modern, responsive regulatory system – one that puts patient safety first, while also supporting innovation in life sciences and medical technologies across the UK.

    The new PMS regulation lays the groundwork for future reforms, including potential international recognition routes, designed to support improved access to safe and effective innovations. This is part of the UK’s broader commitment to a regulatory framework that supports both patient safety and innovation in life sciences.

    Manufacturers are now required to collect and assess real-world safety and performance data; report serious incidents to the MHRA within 15 days (previously 30); submit essential communications on patient safety (Field Safety Notices) to the MHRA for review before sharing with users; and provide PMS Reports or Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSUR) within 3 days of request. For higher risk devices, UK approved bodies will monitor these reports ensuring these products receive a higher level of scrutiny.

    The introduction of new data analysis reporting requirements will apply to all medical devices but are particularly valuable for improving oversight of lower-risk devices. These rules will require manufacturers to regularly summarise and assess device performance over time.

    Comprehensive guidance for manufacturers was published in January 2025, and has been updated following valuable industry feedback. The MHRA welcomes feedback to ensure ongoing clarity and alignment with practical implementation needs.

    Key changes introduced by the new PMS device regulation include:

    • Enhanced collection of real-world data: manufacturers must take a harmonised approach to gather and assess data on how their devices perform in everyday use, improving the ability to detect safety and performance issues.
    • Expanded scope for incident reporting: serious incidents relating to side effects are now reportable, providing a more comprehensive picture of device performance.
    • Shorter timelines for reporting serious incidents: serious incidents must be reported to the MHRA more quickly, allowing for faster regulatory action to protect patients.
    • Trend reporting and summary reporting: new data analysis reporting options will support earlier detection of trends without overburdening manufacturers or the regulator.
    • Clearer duties for risk mitigation and communication: manufacturers face stronger requirements to assess and manage risks, and to notify users promptly when safety issues arise.

    Notes to editors  

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 3/2025: Confirmation of decapitalisation rates

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Correspondence

    3/2025: Confirmation of decapitalisation rates

    Business rates information letters are issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government at regular intervals throughout the year.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Business Rates Information Letter (3/2025): Confirmation of decapitalisation rates

    HTML

    Details

    This letter confirms the decapitalisation rates for the 2026 revaluation.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 June 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British Firework Championships returns with the ‘Champion of Champions’

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Plymouth Hoe will once again come alive with colour and excitement this summer as it hosts the British Firework Championships on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 August.

    Sponsored by Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading port operator, this year’s event promises to be even more spectacular, as six previous winners return to compete for the title of ‘Champion of Champions’.

    The Young People’s Choice Award will also return for its third consecutive year, sponsored by Plymouth Citybus, giving care-experienced young people a chance to cast their vote for their favourite display, helping foster engagement and excitement across all age groups.

    Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member for Events said: “We are really grateful for the support ABP Ports are providing for this event in their role as lead sponsor of the British Firework Championships, and we are very much looking forward to the crowning of a ‘Champion of Champions’ on Plymouth Hoe this summer as part of what is sure to be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some spectacular fireworks with friends and family alike.

    “This partnership provides us with a great opportunity to celebrate our shared values and support Plymouth’s vibrant visitor economy and community events.”

    Ashley Curnow, Divisional Port Manager for Wales and the Southwest at ABP, the owners and operators of Millbay Docks, said: “We are proud to support the British Firework Championships as lead sponsor for the second consecutive year, with this landmark ‘Champion of Champions’ edition.

    “As proud member of the Plymouth community, ABP is delighted to help bring this spectacular celebration to life on the Hoe and to help showcase what Britain’s Ocean City has to offer.”

    The British Firework Championships will feature three stunning 10-minute displays each evening, beginning at 9.30pm, delivered by some of the most respected pyrotechnic companies in the UK.

    Richard Stevens MBE, Managing Director at Plymouth Citybus, said, ‘Plymouth Citybus are proud to once again sponsor the Young People’s Choice Awards at this year’s British Firework Championships. The firework championships is a highlight of the year for us, and the fact that we are helping to support young people across the city makes it even more special. “

    Starting at 2pm each day, visitors can enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, with a wide variety of fairground rides providing family fun well before the fireworks begin. The entertainment continues throughout the evening, with live music and performances taking place on the main stage from 5pm.

    Street entertainers, including fire performers and stilt walkers, will also delight the crowds with walkabout shows, adding to the carnival feel. Food and drink vendors will offer a delicious selection to suit all tastes, ensuring visitors can make the most of the festivities throughout the day and into the night.

    With two evenings of show-stopping fireworks, top-tier entertainment, and family-friendly fun, this year’s British Firework Championships is set to be a real summer highlight not just for Britain’s Ocean City, but for the whole of the South West.

    For updates and travel/accessibility information: VisitPlymouth/British Firework Championships

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Refugee Week: Choose the future not the past

    Source: Scottish Greens

    16 Jun 2025 Human Rights

    Scottish Greens mark beginning of Refugee Week

    More in Human Rights

    Scotland must choose the future of a unified community over the chaos that the far-right brings, says Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman.

    Today is the beginning of Refugee Week, the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, talents and strengths of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

    Ms Chapman is calling for people to welcome refugees and stand on the right side of history, as divisive politics threatens to break communities across the UK.

    Ms Chapman said:

    “Refugees and people seeking sanctuary bring a huge amount to our communities, and create a wonderful culturally diverse nation. Refugees have brought enormous richness to our country. From those fleeing the Nazis in the 1930s to more recent refugees from conflicts in the Balkans and my own home of Zimbabwe.

    “But this is not only about the benefits to us. Scotland and the UK would not exist as it does without colonialism. We claim to be a post-colonial society, but far-right political factions are all too happy to sow the seeds of hatred and racism and try to drag us back to those days of old.

    “We must stand up against that, and stand with those at risk of serious harm by the far-right.

    “Think of your neighbours who have lived here peacefully for years after fleeing conflict in Sudan. Your postie whose parents came to the UK for a better life before he was even born. The mum you meet at the school gates who worked hard to learn English as a second language just to communicate with you, and who is proud to call Scotland her home.

    “Think of the doctors, nurses and carers who risked their lives to make sure that you or your loved ones were not alone and were given medical treatment during the covid pandemic. The very same people who care about you and give so much to our country are being scapegoated and vilified by far-right politicians like Farage and co, claiming they don’t belong here.

    “Scotland often likes to think of itself as set apart from racism, but racism is here and it is growing. We’ve just watched Reform double down on an incredibly racist campaign and grow their support in a by-election.

    “Groups are mobilising across other parts of the UK and committing horrific acts, like modern day pogroms minus the pitchforks, against anyone who isn’t white and British within communities.

    “This is happening because far-right messaging is being given a platform and validation. The UK Government’s immigration stance is setting the tone that helps to feed the violence and riots we see in the streets, where innocent people are targeted by angry mobs looking for trouble.

    “We must stand up against these kinds of bullies, and stand with our neighbours and friends. It is our duty to choose community over chaos, and remember that our country is far better off because of refugees, and they have every right to feel that they belong here. Because they do.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Is it safe to drink the water in Yellowstone’s backcountry?

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Gibbon River near Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park at sunset.  USGS Photo by Mike Poland, August 28, 2024.

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Blaine McCleskey, research chemist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

    Yellowstone National Park has over 1,000 miles of trails and nearly 300 designated backcountry campsites, allowing people to venture beyond the main roads and boardwalks. The Yellowstone backcountry includes amazing forests, grasslands, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, thermal areas, and good opportunities to view wildlife! For those venturing into the backcountry for more than a day, a clean and safe water supply is an important consideration. Water chemists who work in Yellowstone are often asked if the water in the backcountry is safe to drink. Let’s break down three broad water types in Yellowstone so that backcountry hikers and campers can make the best decision when choosing a water source.

    Scientists sample water from the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park. Work done under National Park Service research permit 5194.

    Thermal water should not be used as drinking water. First, off-trail travel in thermal areas is prohibited, and the ground in thermal areas is often dangerous to traverse. In addition, thermal waters can have microorganisms that are known to be harmful, such as Naegleria (a brain-eating amoeba), and can contain elevated concentrations of arsenic and fluoride. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic is 0.010 mg/L, and for fluoride is 4.0 mg/L. The arsenic concentration in Yellowstone thermal waters is often 1 mg/L, but concentrations as high as 17 mg/L have measured—that’s about 2000 times higher than the MCL! In addition, fluoride as high as 57 mg/L has been measured in Yellowstone thermal waters. Other nasty chemical constituents that are known to be elevated and may cause adverse health effects include antimony and mercury. So for a lot of reasons, stay away from thermal water.  It is not good for your health!

    Non-thermal waters from rivers and creeks in Yellowstone are typically derived from snow and rain and are well suited for drinking after onsite treatment. Cool non-thermal waters may contain microorganisms such as E. Coli or parasites such as Giardia that should be removed by filtration or sterilized by chlorination, iodination, or boiling before drinking. There are many miles of non-thermal rivers and creeks in Yellowstone.

    But what about discharge from thermal features that flows into pristine rivers and creeks, creating mixed waters? Chemical investigations indicate that most material contributed by thermal runoff tends to remain dissolved in solution when mixed with river water and is readily transported downstream. Because of dilution, the concentrations of the nasty chemical components, including arsenic and fluoride, are often substantially less than the thermal waters. But in some cases the concentration of arsenic and fluoride in mixed waters, especially just downstream from thermal areas, can still exceed the MCL set by the EPA. Most backpacking filtration systems will readily remove particulates, including microorganisms, but they may not remove chemical components like arsenic and fluoride. Boiling kills microorganisms but would not lower arsenic and fluoride concentrations. Fortunately, over 140 years of study of water in Yellowstone provide an indication of where mixed waters may be hazardous. As you might expect, it’s mostly in the vicinity of the park’s major geyser basins—especially those along the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers.

    Map of Yellowstone National Park lakes, rivers, and streams, with colors indicating the amount of arsenic in the water.  The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) defined by the Environmental Protection Agency for arsenic in drinking water is 10 micrograms per liter (µg/L).  In the vicinity of major geyser basins, especially on the Firehole and Madison Rivers, arsenic levels far exceed the MCL (orange and purple areas on map).  Map is based a figure in McCleskey and others, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2022.107709).

    In most Yellowstone backcountry areas, there several options for obtaining safe drinking water. When looking to top off your supply, ask yourself “where does the water come from and is there is a thermal area upstream?” Whenever possible, choose a river or stream without thermal waters draining into it. Enjoy the Yellowstone backcountry, and stay safe!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK celebrates public service heroes in HM The King’s Birthday Honours List 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK celebrates public service heroes in HM The King’s Birthday Honours List 2025

    Over 1,200 recipients are recognised across the UK

    Community heroes up and down the country are celebrated in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 today. 

    Over a thousand recipients have been awarded for their exceptional achievements, with a particular focus on those who have given their time to public service. 

    This year’s recipients include dedicated community champions, role models in sport, pioneers in the arts, passionate health workers, and supporters of young people.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    This year’s Birthday Honours List is a powerful reminder of the extraordinary dedication, compassion, and service that exists in every corner of our country.

    From community champions to cultural icons, each recipient reflects the very best of Britain. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to them all.

    Among those being honoured today is former England captain David Beckham, who receives a Knighthood for services to Sport and Charity. Beyond the pitch, Beckham has been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 2005, and he also established the 7 Fund aimed at helping vulnerable children around the world. He supports a number of charities including the Chelsea Pensioners, Help for Heroes, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Age UK and the London Air Ambulance service.

    The oldest recipient this year is William Irwin who, at 106 years old, receives a BEM for services to the community in Coleraine, County Londonderry. William is one of three honours recipients over the last ten years aged 106. 

    At 11 years old, the youngest recipient this year is Carmela Chillery-Watson, who lives with a rare life-limiting, muscle-wasting condition. She receives an MBE for charitable fundraising, in particular for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

    For the first time, three members of the same family, Duncan Speirs, Caroline Jane Speirs and Jenna Catherine Helen Speirs, are all receiving a BEM for services to Charitable Fundraising, after setting up Calum’s Cabin, which provides holiday homes for children facing cancer.  

    Arts

    Sculptor Sir Antony Gormley is made a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for his services to Art, and Emma Bridgewater is made a Dame for her for services to Ceramics. Oliver Sykes is awarded an MBE for services to Access to the Arts for Underprivileged Young People. 

    Sports

    Billy Boston becomes the first Rugby League Player to ever receive a Knighthood, and Sarah Virginia Wade receives a CBE for services to Tennis and Charity. Footballer Rachel Daly has been awarded an MBE for services to Association Football, and darts player Luke Littler has been awarded an MBE for services to Darts, currently the World no.2 at the age of 18.

    Philanthropy and Charity

    Roger Daltrey, a patron to the Teenage Cancer Trust has been awarded a Knighthood for his services to Charity. Sunita Arora, founder of the Arora Charitable Foundation receives an OBE for services to the Charitable Sector and to Philanthropy, and Albino Okello has been awarded an MBE for his services to the Red Cross for his work with the Family Tracing Service as a National Caseworker.

    Business

    Clare Barclay, the CEO of Microsoft UK, has been made a Dame for her services to Business, Technology and Leadership,alongside. Also receiving Damehoods are Professor Ursula Martin, an Emeritus Professor in the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford,  Deborah Crosbie, CEO of Nationwide Building Society and Anne Glover, CEO and co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners for her work in Engineering and Science 

    Entertainment

    Gary Oldman receives a Knighthood for Services to Drama, while Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly both receive MBEs for services to Broadcasting.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, said:

    I send my congratulations to all of the recipients of this year’s Birthday Honours List, and thank them for their contributions to their communities and the country.

    If you know someone who has done something incredible, nominate them for an honour so the nation can recognise their achievements.

    Anyone can nominate someone for an honour. If you know someone who has achieved fantastic things worthy of recognition, go to https://www.gov.uk/honours to find out more about how you can put them forward.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russia Evacuates Second Group of Russian Citizens from Iran — Russian Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Moscow, June 16 /Xinhua/ — A second group of Russian citizens has been evacuated from Iran across the border with Azerbaijan, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

    “On June 15, 2025, with the participation of the Russian Embassy in Iran and the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan, the second group of Russian citizens crossed the state border between Iran and Azerbaijan through the Astara checkpoint, returning by land due to the closure of the airspace of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a result of the forceful action of the State of Israel,” the official Telegram channel of the Russian Foreign Ministry says.

    A group of 238 people crossed the border, including family members of employees of Russian foreign missions and artists of the P. I. Tchaikovsky Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra. In addition to citizens of the Russian Federation, the group also included citizens of the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Tajikistan, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

    The first group of 86 people (including two children) has already crossed the border between Iran and Azerbaijan, the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan said on Sunday. The group included a film crew from world-famous Russian director Fyodor Bondarchuk and citizens of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Tajikistan. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Europe-wide takedown hits longest-standing dark web drug market

    Source: Europol

    Between 11 and 13 June, a series of coordinated actions took place across Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, targeting the platform’s administrator, moderators, key vendors, and technical infrastructure. Around 300 officers were deployed to carry out enforcement actions and secure critical evidence.Archetyp Market operated as a drug marketplace for over five years, amassing more than 600 000 users worldwide…

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Making Migrants Count: Experts Convene in Malmö to Close Gaps in Migration Data

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Malmö, Sweden, 16 June 2025 – Migration experts, policymakers, statisticians, and data scientists from around the world are convening in Malmö, Sweden, for the Fourth International Forum on Migration Statistics (IFMS) from 16 to 18 June. 

    The Forum provides a platform to share knowledge, experience, and best practices in improving migration data collection and better assessing its impacts. This year’s focus includes the gender dimensions of migration and leveraging innovative tools such as Big Data and artificial intelligence to track population movement more accurately. 

    “Behind every data point is a human story. Since 2014, over 72,000 migrants have died or gone missing on their journeys – a sobering reminder of the stakes involved,” said IOM Deputy Director General, Ugochi Daniels. “The IFMS plays a crucial role in bringing together global experts to ensure migration policies are grounded in evidence and save lives. As we look ahead, IOM is proud to lead the next edition of the Forum, continuing our shared mission to turn data into action for safer, more humane migration.” 

    Another major focus this year is the implementation of the revised United Nations Recommendations on Statistics of International Migration and Temporary Mobility. For the first time, these recommendations formally recognize a distinction between international migration and temporary mobility within global statistical frameworks, marking a significant milestone in understanding and reporting international migration. Implementation is now critical to ensure they translate into meaningful, comparable, and actionable data across countries. 

    Throughout the three-day Forum, experts from around the world will explore six core themes, ranging from developments in migration forecasting to the integration of data into policy processes. Sessions will also highlight how robust data can support regular migration pathways and dispel myths through fact-based narratives. 

    “This Forum is our direct contribution to Objective 1 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration: to strengthen the global evidence base on international migration by improving the collection, analysis and dissemination of high-quality, comparable migration data,” said Stefano Scarpetta, Director for Employment, Labour, and Social Affairs at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “These days, more than ever, evidence-based policymaking is indispensable.” 

    “The expertise gathered in this Forum has a crucial role to play in making sure that perceptions about migration are aligned with facts,” said Ms. Bjørg Sandkjær, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). “We must continue strengthening our evidence-based migration work to document the positive contributions of safe, orderly, and regular migration, while highlighting the risks associated with irregular and unsafe migration.” 

    Coinciding with the International Day of Family Remittances, this year’s Forum is organized by the OECD, in collaboration with IOM and UN DESA, with support from Malmö University and the Government of Sweden. The IFMS 2025 builds on the momentum of previous editions held in Paris (2018), Cairo (2020), and Santiago (2023), and marks a renewed commitment to evidence-based migration policy. 

    Plenary sessions of the Forum will be livestreamed via the event’s website. For the full agenda and registration details, visit: http://www.oecd-events.org/ifms2025 

    For more information, please contact: 

    Secretariat of the IFMS: ifms2025@oecd.org 
    United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA): 
    Helen Rosengren, rosengrenh@un.org 
    IOM Media Centre 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President in Canada for G7 Leaders’ Summit

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Canada to participate in the G7 Summit Outreach Session, scheduled to take place on the margins of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on Monday.  

    The Group of Seven consists of the largest advanced economies namely: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union also participates in G7 Summits.  

    Canada assumed the Presidency of the G7 on 01 January 2025 and its Presidency seeks to address global challenges and opportunities, including international peace and security, global economic stability and growth, and the digital transition.

    According to the Presidency, the Outreach Session aims “to explore leadership and collaboration in driving a comprehensive approach to energy security with a focus on technology and innovation; diversification and strengthening critical mineral supply chains; and infrastructure and investment”.

    The Presidency said this resonated with South Africa’s national interests and priorities of South Africa’s G20 Presidency.  

    “The Outreach Sessions of the G7 in which President Ramaphosa will participate have been a feature of the group over the years, with the aim to strengthen unity among G7 members and like-minded countries to deliberate on and address some of the world’s most pressing issues.

    “Reflecting the outward looking approach of recent Presidencies, guest leaders are invited to join Outreach Sessions within the Summit agenda,” it said.

    The cooperation between South Africa and Canada has strengthened this year as it relates to G20 and G7.

    Under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, enhanced efforts have been undertaken to align objectives and support the agenda of the G7 to that of the G20.

    Several engagements have taken place between South Africa and Canada at various levels, including at Sherpa and Ministerial levels.

    South Africa is currently the only African country invited to this year’s G7 Summit Outreach Session.

    The Presidency said the G7 Summit will provide President Ramaphosa with an opportunity to meet Heads of State and Government of G7 countries, who are also G20 members, and other outreach guest countries.

    “The President will use this platform as an opportunity to engage with various leaders on areas of common interest in bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation – including the G20 Presidency ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November 2025.”

    President Ramaphosa’s participation at the G7 Leaders Summit presents an opportunity for South Africa to pursue strategic alignment within the framework of G7-G20 cooperation, where necessary, the Presidency added.

    The President is accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the Israeli air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. 

    Dr Simon Bennett, Director of the Civil Safety and Security Unit, University of Leicester, said:

    “It is clear that Israel has mounted a large aerial assault against Iran’s military infrastructure, although there is little detailed information on which sites have been targeted. For example, whether any of Iran’s research reactors have been targeted.

    “Iran has devoted significant resources to hardening its military infrastructure – especially its nuclear weapons infrastructure – by burying it deep underground.

    “While Israel is equipped with powerful bunker-busting munitions, such as the 5,000lb GBU-28, even these bombs would struggle to penetrate a hardened subterranean bunker. To have any effect, the facility would have to be hit multiple times at the same aiming point – a big ask for any attacking force.

    “Should a subterranean enrichment facility or reactor be hit by one or more bunker-busters, it is unlikely that there would be significant contamination beyond the confines of the site, for the simple reason that the enrichment facility or reactor would be buried in tons of earth and concrete.

    “Further, those who run the site would have been trained in radiation monitoring and mitigation techniques.”

     

    Prof Richard Wakeford, Professor in Epidemiology, Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH), University of Manchester, said:

    “Current information appears to suggest that the strikes have only hit uranium enrichment plants, which use highly pure uranium and don’t pose much of a radiological hazard. Such plants will use uranium hexafluoride and this could pose a chemical hazard if damage causes release because hydrogen fluoride is formed on contact with moisture.

    If reactors (or reprocessing plants) are hit, that could be more of a radiological problem if it causes significant damage, because then we could see releases of a range of radionuclides, although presumably on a much smaller scale than from previous reactor accidents.”

    Declared interests

    For all experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to government announcement on boost to clinical trials

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the government announcing a boost to clinical trials as part of the 10 year health plan. 

    Dr Andrew Garret, Past President, Royal Statistical Society and Executive VP Scientific Operations, ICON Clinical Research, said:

    “The UK often competes in a global marketplace for clinical trials and finding suitable patients remains the biggest challenge facing drug developers. Efforts to speed up the process in the UK are most welcome and will make the UK a more attractive place to include in global clinical trials.  Other countries also recognise the need to reduce timelines and are working to reduce cycle times too. Contracting is often rate limiting and the efforts described to standardise contracts is tackling an important issue.

    “It is important to be realistic in terms of what matching patients to clinical trials will mean in practice and to manage the public’s expectations here.  Indeed, the Investigator will always be the person to determine if a consenting patient is eligible and can be safely enrolled in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials enrol healthy volunteers, such as certain vaccine trials, and matching will be simpler here.”

     

    Professor Cath Mummery, Director, UK Dementia Trials Network, said:

    “This news is most welcome and will match the world-leading expertise in medical science in the UK with the ability to deliver trials of innovative therapies. As a clinician I want the best treatments for my patients; this needs access to trials to be an integral part of clinical care. However, patients tell us it is hard to navigate the system, and as a result, most groups are under-represented in trials. Use of the NHS app for trial recruitment will improve equity of access and accelerate recruitment. This commitment from the government will change the game, democratising access and holding trusts accountable for ensuring research is truly embedded in clinical activities.”

     

    Dr Beth Thompson, executive director of policy and partnerships at Wellcome, the UK’s largest non-governmental research funder, said:

    “Combined with sustained investment, these actions will give a much needed boost to clinical trials, which are an essential way to improve patient care. Increasing the speed of trial set-up and stronger accountability for performance are important steps to ensure cutting-edge research becomes business as usual throughout the NHS and help it provide the very best care.”

     

    Prof Sir Martin Landray, Chief Executive, Protas and Professor of Medicine & Epidemiology, Oxford Population Health, University of Oxford, said:

    “It is good to see the government’s commitment to clinical trials. Timely and effective support for clinical trials is critical if we are to see new treatments developed for conditions that place a high burden on patients, their families, the NHS and wider society. Clinical trials are the way we determine which treatments work, how well, and for whom.

    Clinical trials are critical to providing evidence-based health care and essential if we are to avoid wasting resources. But if we want an evidence-based NHS, we must have an NHS that helps generate that evidence. Without clinical trials, clinicians and patients cannot make informed choices.

    The UK has many of the attributes needed to be a world-leader in this space. For example, during the pandemic the RECOVERY trial produced results that have saved hundreds of thousands of lives around the world. Other results that prevented hundreds of thousands of people receiving other treatments that were useless or even harmful.

    For too long, the administrative and bureaucratic processes that surround clinical trials in the UK have been seen as slow, poorly coordinated and cumbersome. We must streamline those processes as matter of urgency – ensuring the highest quality of consistent and coordinated decision-making and maximising opportunities to assess the impact of promising new treatments.

    We must be ambitious. It is not sufficient to be just a bit better than our neighbours. We must be truly transformative – to create the environment for inclusive, readily accessible clinical trials that maximise the use of data and technology, serve the interests of current and future patients, and which provide clear and compelling answers.

    The NHS has a key role in embracing this opportunity. But we also need to think beyond the walls of hospitals and doctors’ surgeries. Now is the time for a new era of digitally enabled, community-based trials of preventive therapies to address the high burden of common physical and mental health conditions, readily accessible to patients and the public across the whole of the UK.

    I am delighted to see this announcement from government and excited about the opportunities it could create.”

     

    Professor Andrew Morris CBE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:

    “This announcement marks a significant commitment to strengthening the UK’s leadership in clinical research. The global clinical trials market is estimated to be worth at least $80 billion by 2030 and countries that can demonstrate speed, quality and cost will have a competitive edge. This commitment is very welcome as streamlined trial set-up times and enhanced public access through the NHS App will accelerate the translation of cutting-edge treatments from laboratory to bedside, directly benefiting patients whilst driving economic growth and ensuring policymakers have the evidence needed for informed healthcare decisions. 

    “The focus on improving participation from under-represented communities is important, though success will depend on earning trust and addressing the broader barriers to diverse participation. By embedding research throughout the NHS and making it accessible to all communities, we can ensure that medical innovation benefits reach every corner of society whilst strengthening the UK’s position as a hub for life sciences investment and discovery.”

    Declared interests

    Prof Sir Martin Landray: Protas is a UK-based not-for-profit organisation that enables smarter trials for better public health; www.protas.co.uk

    The nature of this story means everyone quoted above could be perceived to have a stake in it. As such, our policy is not to ask for interests to be declared – instead, they are implicit in each person’s affiliation.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets delegation led by Representative Bera, co-chair of US Congressional Taiwan Caucus

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-06-13
    President Lai meets delegation led by French National Assembly Taiwan Friendship Group Chair Marie-Noëlle Battistel
    On the morning of June 12, President Lai Ching-te met a delegation led by Marie-Noëlle Battistel, chair of the French National Assembly’s Taiwan Friendship Group. In remarks, President Lai thanked the National Assembly for its long-term support for Taiwan’s international participation and for upholding security in the Taiwan Strait, helping make France the first major country in the world to enact legislation to uphold freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait. The president also said that exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and France are becoming more frequent, and that he hopes this visit by the Taiwan Friendship Group will inject new momentum into Taiwan-France relations and help build closer partnerships in the economy, trade, energy, and digital security.  A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, I would like to welcome Chair Battistel, who is once again leading a visiting delegation. Last year, Chair Battistel co-led a delegation to attend the inauguration ceremony for myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao. This is her fourth visit, and first as chair of the Taiwan Friendship Group, which makes it especially meaningful. This delegation’s visit demonstrates strong support for Taiwan, and on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to express my sincerest welcome and thanks. France is a pioneer in promoting free and democratic values. These are values that Taiwan cherishes and is working hard to defend. I want to express gratitude to the French Parliament for their long-term support for Taiwan’s international participation, and for upholding security in the Taiwan Strait. The French Parliament’s two chambers have continued to strongly support Taiwan, with the passage of a resolution supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations in 2021, as well as the passage of the seven-year Military Programming Law in 2023. This has made France the first major country in the world to enact legislation to uphold freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait. Through it all, the Taiwan Friendship Group has played a key role, and I want to thank all of our distinguished guests for their efforts. Over the past few years, Taiwan and France have continued to deepen cooperation in areas including the economy, technology, culture, and sports. At the Choose France summit held in Paris last month, Taiwanese and French enterprises also announced they will launch cooperation in the semiconductor and satellite fields. The VivaTech startup exhibition, now being held in France, also has many Taiwanese vendors participating. Exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and France, whether official or people-to-people, are becoming more and more frequent. I hope that this visit by the Taiwan Friendship Group will inject new momentum into Taiwan-France relations, building closer partnerships in the economy, trade, energy, and digital security.  To address current geopolitical and economic challenges, Taiwan will continue to join forces with France and other like-minded countries to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and contribute our concerted efforts to global prosperity and development. Once again, I want to welcome our visitors to Taiwan. I hope to continue our joint efforts to create a more prosperous future for both Taiwan and France.   Chair Battistel then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for extending this invitation. Last year on May 20, she said, she and her delegation attended the presidential inauguration ceremony, so she was delighted to visit Taiwan once again with the French National Assembly’s Taiwan Friendship Group and bear witness to their friendship with Taiwan. Chair Battistel noted that this visit has given them an opportunity to strengthen Taiwan-France relations in areas including the economy, culture, the humanities, and diplomacy, and conduct exchanges with numerous heads of government agencies and research institutes. It has also been an opportunity, she said, to witness the importance of exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan in areas including energy, semiconductors, youth, and culture, and the impact created by important issues of mutual concern, including AI and disinformation, on the security of many countries. Chair Battistel praised Taiwan for its youth development efforts, and said that under the Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, 30 Taiwanese young people have embarked on a visit to France, with itineraries including the United Nations Ocean Conference and the VivaTech exhibition, as well as the city of Toulouse, which is strategically important for the aerospace industry. Members of the group are also conducting exchanges at the French National Assembly, she said.  Chair Battistel stated that the Taiwan-France partnership is growing closer, and that she hopes to continue to strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation, as supporting peace for Taiwan supports peace around the world.  The delegation also included Taiwan Friendship Group Vice Chair Éric Martineau, as well as National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs Vice Chair Laetitia Saint-Paul and Deputies Marie-José Allemand and Claudia Rouaux. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by French Office in Taipei Deputy Director Cléa Le Cardeur.

    Details
    2025-06-05
    President Lai hosts state banquet for President Bernardo Arévalo of Republic of Guatemala  
    At noon on June 5, President Lai Ching-te hosted a state banquet at the Presidential Office for President Bernardo Arévalo of the Republic of Guatemala and his wife. In his remarks, President Lai noted that Taiwan and Guatemala have both undergone an arduous democratization process, and therefore, in face of the continuous expansion of authoritarian influence, must join hands in brotherhood and come together in solidarity to safeguard our hard-earned freedom and democracy. President Lai also expressed hope that both countries will work together and continue to deepen various exchanges and cooperation, taking a friendship that has lasted over 90 years to new heights. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Once again, I would like to offer a warm welcome to President Arévalo and First Lady Lucrecia Peinado, who are leading this delegation to Taiwan. President Arévalo’s previous visit to Taiwan was 31 years ago. Back then, Taiwan did not have direct presidential elections, and the nation was continuing to make progress toward democratization. Today, 31 years later, Taiwan has conducted direct presidential elections eight times, with three transfers of power between political parties. On this visit, I am sure that President Arévalo will gain a deep appreciation for Taiwan’s free and democratic atmosphere.  Taiwan and Guatemala have both undergone an arduous democratization process. A little over 200 years ago, the people of Guatemala took a stand against colonial oppression, seeking national dignity and the freedom of its people. Eighty-one years ago, President Arévalo’s father, Juan José Arévalo, became Guatemala’s first democratically elected president, establishing an important foundation for subsequent democratic development.  Our two peoples have democracy in their blood. Both know the value of freedom and democracy and are willing to take a stand for those values. Therefore, in face of the continuous expansion of authoritarian influence, our two countries must join hands in brotherhood to respond to threats and challenges, and come together in solidarity to safeguard our hard-earned freedom and democracy. I hope that both countries will work together to continue to deepen various exchanges and cooperation, taking a friendship that has lasted over 90 years to new heights. I hope that on this visit, in addition to gaining a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s political, economic, and social development, President Arévalo can also reacquaint himself with the democratic vitality and cultural diversity of Taiwan by sampling various gourmet delicacies and once again experiencing the beauty of our scenery and warmth of our people. Guatemala is a very beautiful country. In the future, I hope to have a chance to personally experience that beauty, explore Mayan civilization, and savor local Guatemalan coffee. In closing, I wish the visiting delegation a smooth and successful trip, and beautiful, unforgettable memories. May President Arévalo enjoy the best of health, and may the diplomatic friendship between our two countries endure. President Arévalo then delivered remarks, stating that at different times and by different means, the people of Taiwan and Guatemala have relentlessly sought to defend freedom and democracy. We share the same expectations, he said, and are walking the right path amid today’s complex international circumstances.  President Arévalo stated that Taiwan and Guatemala are true democratic nations, where the government’s goal is to serve all the people. He noted that this is far from easy under current circumstances, as many authoritarian regimes use their long-term hold on power to safeguard the interests of select groups and neglect the wellbeing of the population as a whole. President Arévalo said that last week Guatemala commemorated the 40th anniversary of its constitution, which was enacted in 1985 and is Guatemala’s ultimate guide, setting the foundation for democracy and clearly outlining the path ahead. He said that over the past 40 years, Guatemala has continued to follow the democratic blueprint established by the constitution and end the civil war so that the nation could make the transition to real democracy. Although more than a few ambitious people have attempted to destroy that process from within, he noted, the people of Guatemala have never given up the pursuit of democracy as an ideal. President Arévalo stated that our two sides’ coming together here is due to such shared values as freedom and democracy as well as the idea of serving all the people. He underlined that the governments of both countries will continue to work hard and provide mutual support to smooth out each other’s path of democracy, freedom, and justice. President Arévalo emphasized that the government of Guatemala will always be Taiwan’s ally, and that he firmly believes Taiwan is Guatemala’s most reliable partner on the path of democracy and economic prosperity and development. The president said he hopes this visit will be the first step towards setting a new course for the governments and peoples of both countries. Also in attendance at the banquet were Guatemala Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Ramiro Martínez, Minister of the Economy Gabriela García, and Guatemala Ambassador Luis Raúl Estévez López.  

    Details
    2025-06-05
    President Lai welcomes President Bernardo Arévalo of Republic of Guatemala with military honors  
    On the morning of June 5, President Lai Ching-te welcomed with full military honors President Bernardo Arévalo of the Republic of Guatemala and his wife, who are leading a delegation of cabinet members visiting Taiwan for the first time, demonstrating the deep and enduring alliance between our nations. In remarks, President Lai noted that over the past few years, bilateral cooperation between Taiwan and Guatemala has grown closer and more diverse, and said that moving forward, based on a foundation of mutual assistance for mutual benefit, we will continue to promote programs in line with international trends, spurring prosperity and development in both our nations. The military honors ceremony began at 10:30 a.m. in the Entrance Hall of the Presidential Office. After a 21-gun salute and the playing of the two countries’ national anthems, President Lai and President Arévalo each delivered remarks. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Today, President Arévalo and First Lady Lucrecia Peinado are leading a delegation of cabinet members visiting Taiwan for the first time, demonstrating the deep and enduring alliance between our nations. On behalf of the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I want to extend my sincerest welcome. Last year, our two countries celebrated the 90th anniversary of diplomatic ties, providing mutual support all along the way. Especially over the past few years, bilateral cooperation has grown closer and more diverse. We have a long record of remarkable results, whether in terms of medicine and public health, education and culture, technological cooperation, or economic and trade exchanges. Moving forward, based on a foundation of mutual assistance for mutual benefit, Taiwan and Guatemala will continue to promote programs in line with international trends. We will continue to strengthen exchange and cooperation for young people, as well as scholarship programs, and actively cultivate high-tech and information and communications technology industry talent, spurring prosperity and development in both our nations. Although separated by a great distance, the peoples of both countries are closely connected by their ideals and values. I am confident that with President Arévalo’s support, bilateral exchanges and cooperation will become closer and more diverse, beginning a very promising new chapter. I wish the visiting delegation a smooth and successful trip. President Arévalo then delivered remarks, saying that on behalf of the government and people of Guatemala, he is honored to visit the Republic of China (Taiwan), this beautiful nation, and to receive full military honors, which reflects the mutual respect between our two nations as well as our solid friendship. Especially as this state visit comes as we celebrate 90 years of formal diplomatic ties, he said, he has brought the foreign minister, economics minister, private secretary to the president, and social communication secretary as members of his delegation, in the hope of our ties embarking on a new chapter. President Arévalo said that Guatemala-Taiwan ties have in recent years been growing steadily on a foundation of mutual understanding and cooperation, making significant progress, and that our peoples have also cultivated sincere friendships and cooperative relationships across many fields. Our nations are especially promoting public health, education, agricultural technology, and infrastructure, he said, key fields which are conducive to economic and social development. He expressed his hope that on such good foundations of the past, we can further strengthen our bilateral ties for the future. President Arévalo stated that through this state visit they not only want to reaffirm the good bilateral ties between our nations, but that they also hope to define a trajectory for the future of our cooperation in the direction of expanding economic cooperation, building economic and trade alliances, and facilitating investment to foster a Taiwan-Guatemala relationship that benefits both peoples. He then expressed gratitude to the people of Taiwan for helping Guatemala over the past 90 years and reaffirmed the unwavering support of Guatemala for the Republic of China (Taiwan). On the occasion of this visit, he said, he hopes to extend a friendly hand to the people of Taiwan, adding that he looks forward to our nations continuing to take major steps forward on the road of mutual assistance and prosperity. Also in attendance at the welcome ceremony were Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman, and members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taiwan.  

    Details
    2025-06-03
    President Lai confers decoration on President Hilda C. Heine of Republic of the Marshall Islands, hosts state banquet  
    At noon on June 3, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, conferred a decoration upon President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and hosted a state banquet for President Heine and her husband at the Presidential Office. In remarks, President Lai thanked President Heine for her commitment to deepening the diplomatic partnership between our nations and speaking up for Taiwan in the international arena. He also expressed hope for Taiwan and the Marshall Islands to work together to address various challenges through an even greater diversity of exchanges, and that together, we can contribute even more to peace, stability, and development throughout the Pacific region. At the decoration ceremony, President Lai personally conferred the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon on President Heine before delivering remarks, a translation of which follows:  The Marshall Islands was the first Pacific ally that I visited after taking office as president. When I arrived there, I was immediately drawn to its beautiful scenery. And I received a very warm welcome from the local people. This gesture showed the profound friendship between our two nations. I was truly touched. I also remember trying your nation’s special Bob Whisky for the first time. The flavor was as unique and impressive as the landscape of the Marshall Islands.  In addition to welcoming our distinguished guests today, we also presented President Heine with the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to thank President Heine for her commitment to deepening the diplomatic partnership between our nations, and for staunchly speaking up for Taiwan in the international arena. Both I and the people of Taiwan are profoundly grateful to President Heine for her friendship and support. Over the past few years, cooperation between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands has grown ever closer. And this visit by our distinguished guests will allow our two countries to further expand areas of bilateral exchange. I have always believed that only through mutual assistance and trust can two countries build a longstanding and steadfast partnership. I once again convey my sincere aspiration that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands work together to address various challenges through an even greater diversity of exchanges. Together, we can contribute even more to peace, stability, and development throughout the Pacific region. In closing, I want to thank President Heine and First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr. for leading this delegation to Taiwan, which deepens the foundations of our bilateral relationship. May our two nations enjoy a long and enduring friendship. President Heine then delivered remarks, stating that she felt especially privileged to receive the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and humbly accepted the honor with the utmost gratitude, humility, and deep responsibility. This is a deep responsibility, she said, because she understands that since its inception in 1933, this order has been bestowed upon a select few. She then thanked President Lai for this great honor. President Heine stated that the banquet was not just a celebration of our bilateral friendship, but a true reflection of the generosity of the Taiwan spirit and a testament to the enduring ties between our nations, founded on shared values and aspirations, including a respect for the rule of law, the preservation of human dignity, and a deep commitment to democracy. President Heine stated that the Taiwan-Marshall Islands partnership continues to evolve through practical cooperation and mutual support. In recent years, she said, our countries have worked hand in hand across a range of vital sectors, including the recent opening of the Majuro Hospital AI and Telehealth Center and the ongoing and successful Taiwan Health Center, various technical training and scholarship programs, and various climate change adaptation projects in renewable energy, coastal resilience, and sustainable agriculture.   President Heine emphasized that the Marshall Islands continues to be a proud and vocal supporter of Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations system and other international organizations. Taiwan’s exclusion from these platforms, she said, is not only unjust, but is bad for the world, and the global community needs Taiwan’s voice and expertise.  President Heine also expressed sincere appreciation to all of the Taiwanese friends who have contributed their efforts to deepening bilateral relations, including government officials, healthcare workers, teachers, engineers, and volunteers. The people of the Marshall Islands, she said, deeply appreciate and value everyone’s efforts and service. President Heine said that as we celebrate our partnership, let us look to the future with hope and determination, continue to work together, learn from one another, and support one another to champion a world where all nations can chart their own course based on peace and international law. Also attending the state banquet were Marshall Islands Council of Iroij Chairman Lanny Kabua, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani R. Kaneko, Minister of Finance David Paul, Nitijela Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade Chairperson Joe Bejang, and Charge d’Affaires a.i. Anjanette Davis-Anjel of the Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.  

    Details
    2025-06-03
    President Lai and President Hilda C. Heine of Marshall Islands hold bilateral talks and witness signing of agreements
    On the morning of June 3, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, held bilateral talks with President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Presidential Office following a welcome ceremony with military honors for her and her husband. The leaders also jointly witnessed the signing of a letter of intent for sports exchanges and a memorandum of understanding regarding the Presidents’ Scholarship Fund. President Lai then presided over a launch ceremony for a loan program to purchase aircraft. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government and the Nitijela (parliament) of the Marshall Islands for their longstanding support for Taiwan’s international participation and for voicing staunch support for Taiwan at numerous international venues. President Lai said that Taiwan looks forward to continuing to deepen its diplomatic partnership with the Marshall Islands and build an even closer cooperative relationship across a range of fields, engaging in mutual assistance for mutual benefits and helping each other achieve joint and prosperous development to yield even greater well-being for our peoples. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I once again warmly welcome President Heine, First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr., and our guests to Taiwan. During my visit to the Marshall Islands last year, I said that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands are truly a family. When Vice President Hsiao and I took office last year, President Heine led a delegation to Taiwan. It is now one year since our inauguration, and I am delighted to see President Heine once again, just as if I were seeing family arrive from afar. Through my visit to the Marshall Islands, I gained a profound sense of the friendship between the peoples of our two nations, well-demonstrated by bilateral exchanges in such areas as healthcare, agriculture, and education. And it is thanks to President Heine’s longstanding support for Taiwan that our countries have been able to further advance collaboration on even more issues, including women’s empowerment and climate change. In recent years, the geopolitical and economic landscape has changed rapidly. We look forward to Taiwan and the Marshall Islands continuing to deepen our partnership and build an even closer cooperative relationship. In just a few moments, President Heine and I will witness the signing of several documents, including a memorandum of understanding and a letter of intent, to expand bilateral cooperation in such fields as sports, education, and transportation. Taiwan will take concrete action to work with the Marshall Islands and advance mutual prosperity and development, writing a new chapter in our diplomatic partnership. I would also like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the government and Nitijela of the Marshall Islands. In recent years, the Nitijela has passed annual resolutions backing Taiwan’s international participation, and President Heine and Marshallese cabinet members have been some of the strongest advocates for Taiwan’s international participation, voicing staunch support for Taiwan at numerous international venues. Building on the pillars of democracy, peace, and prosperity, Taiwan will continue to work with the Marshall Islands and other like-minded countries to deepen our partnerships, engage in mutual assistance for mutual benefits, and help one another achieve joint and prosperous development. I have every confidence that the combined efforts of our two nations will yield even greater well-being for our peoples and see us make even more contributions to the world. President Heine then delivered remarks, and began by conveying warm greetings of iokwe from the people and government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). She said she was deeply honored to be in Taiwan for an official visit, and extended appreciation to President Lai and his government for their gracious invitation and warm welcome. President Heine stated that this year marks 27 years of diplomatic ties between our two nations, and that they are proud of this enduring friendship. This special and enduring relationship, she said, is grounded in our shared Austronesian heritage, and strengthened by mutual respect for each other’s democratic systems and our steadfast commitment to the core values of freedom, justice, and the rule of law. President Heine stated that Taiwan’s continued support has been invaluable to the people and national development of the Marshall Islands, particularly in the areas of health, education, agriculture, and climate change. She also expressed deep appreciation to Taiwan for providing Marshallese students with opportunities to study in Taiwan, and for the care extended to Marshallese who travel here for medical treatment. President Heine also announced that she would be presenting a copy of a resolution by the people and government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands reiterating their appreciation for the support provided by the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and calling on the United Nations to take immediate action to resolve the inappropriate exclusion of Taiwan’s 23 million people from the UN system. She added that she looked forward to the bilateral discussions later that day, and to continuing the important work that both countries carry out together. After the bilateral talks, President Lai and President Heine witnessed the signing of a letter of intent regarding sports exchanges and a memorandum of understanding regarding the Presidents’ Scholarship Fund by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Marshallese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani R. Kaneko. President Lai then presided over a launch ceremony for a loan program to purchase aircraft, marking the formal beginning of Taiwan-Marshall Islands air transport cooperation. The visiting delegation also included Council of Iroij Chairman Lanny Kabua, Minister of Finance David Paul, and Nitijela Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade Chair Joe Bejang. They were accompanied to the Presidential Office by Charge d’Affaires a.i. Anjanette Davis-Anjel of the Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
    In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era.  The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Sydbank A/S share buyback programme: transactions in week 24

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company Announcement No 27/2025

    		 Peberlyk 4
    6200 Aabenraa
    Denmark

    Tel +45 74 37 37 37
    Fax +45 74 37 35 36

    Sydbank A/S
    CVR No DK 12626509, Aabenraa
    sydbank.dk
    16 June 2025  

    Dear Sirs

    Sydbank A/S share buyback programme: transactions in week 24
    On 26 February 2025 Sydbank A/S announced a share buyback programme of DKK 1,350m. The share buyback programme commenced on 3 March 2025 and will be completed by 31 January 2026.

    The purpose of the share buyback programme is to reduce the share capital of Sydbank A/S and the programme is executed in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, collectively referred to as the Safe Harbour rules.

    The following transactions have been made under the share buyback programme:

      Number of shares VWAP Gross value (DKK)
    Accumulated, most recent
    Announcement

    983,000

    		  

    413,934,050.00
    09 June 2025 (public holiday)
    10 June 2025
    11 June 2025
    12 June 2025
    13 June 2025    		 –
    12,000
    12,000
    11,000
    11,000    		 –
    444.43
    445.49
    448.37
    448.54    		 –
    5,333,160.00
    5,345,880.00
    4,932,070.00
    4,933,940.00
    Total over week 24 46,000   20,545,050.00
    Total accumulated during the
    share buyback programme

    1,029,000

    		  

    434,479,100.00

    All transactions were made under ISIN DK 0010311471 and effected by Danske Bank A/S on behalf of Sydbank A/S.

    Further information about the transactions, cf Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market abuse and Commission delegated regulation, is available in the attachment.

    Following the above transactions, Sydbank A/S holds a total of 1,030,375 own shares, equal to 2.01% of the Bank’s share capital.

    Yours sincerely
            
    Mark Luscombe        Jørn Adam Møller
    CEO        Deputy Group Chief Executive

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Aberdeen becomes first Scottish university with plans to open campus in India The University has taken a significant step forward in its global expansion ambitions after India’s University Grants Commission granted permission to progress with proposals to open a branch campus in Mumbai with a target launch of September 2026.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    British High Commissioner H.E. Lindy Cameron, Secretary Higher Education & Acting Chairman University Grants Commission (UGC) Shri Vineet Joshi, Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya, Vice-Principal Global Engagement at the University of Aberdeen; and Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis.

    The University has taken a significant step forward in its global expansion ambitions after India’s University Grants Commission granted permission to progress with proposals to open a branch campus in Mumbai with a target launch of September 2026.
    The University of Aberdeen is the first of the UK’s ancient universities and the first Scottish university to be granted permission for a branch campus in India. The proposal will now go to the University’s governing body Court for approval next month.
    The successful application to the Indian Government followed discussions – which are ongoing – with the UGC and the University’s Transnational Education partners in India.
    The University was granted a Letter of Intent at a special ceremony on Saturday (June 14) in Mumbai hosted by the Indian Government.
    The proposals underpin the University’s commitment to India and its vision of fostering world-class education, cutting-edge research and transformative innovation in collaboration with Indian institutions.
    Building on decades of University partnerships with more than 200 Indian universities and research centres including IITs – the Indian Institutes of Technology; AIIMS – All India Institute of Medical Sciences; Manipal Academy, ICAR – Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Delhi University, the proposed branch campus would be a hub for academic excellence and global problem-solving.
    Aligned with India’s National Education Policy 2020, the proposed campus would initially offer programmes in Computing and Data Science, Business Management, Economics, Artificial Intelligence and an MBA with future expansion into Mathematics and International Business Management and Information Systems, Public Health, Film Studies and Psychology – strategic areas where Aberdeen and India share common priorities.

    As the first Scottish university to be granted permission to set up a campus in India, this is more than just an institutional milestone; it underscores how education can serve as a bridge between nations, fostering cultural exchange, mutual respect, and creating global opportunities for students and academics alike.” Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India at the British Council

    A follow up second phase would see the University aim to establish a research and innovation office on the proposed new campus to expand research collaborations and industry partnerships in critical areas such as AI, Energy and Life Sciences.
    Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya, Vice-Principal Global Engagement at the University of Aberdeen, said: “We are excited to progress our global ambitions after the Indian Government gave us approval to proceed with our intention for a campus. As a country of over 1.4 billion where 50% of the population are below the age of 25, India has long been a priority area for our global engagement strategy focusing on student recruitment, articulation partnerships, research collaborations and alumni networks.
    “The proposed campus aims to empower students, accelerate joint research with Indian partners and contribute to India’s dynamic knowledge economy. By combining the University of Aberdeen’s research expertise with India’s innovation ecosystem, this initiative aims to tackle global challenges while enabling student exchange, faculty collaboration and industry-led innovation.
    “It also reinforces the University of Aberdeen’s role as a leader in international education, committed to shaping the future of global higher education and strengthening the deep and historic ties between India and the UK.
    “We are looking forward to collaborating with our Indian partners to bring this vision to life and further bolster ties between Scotland and India through education and research.”
    Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India at the British Council, said: “The University of Aberdeen’s decision to progress with a campus in Mumbai marks an important moment in deepening the education partnership between India and the UK. It reflects our shared commitment to advancing the internationalisation of higher education, research, and innovation, as envisioned in India’s National Education Policy 2020.
    “As the first Scottish university to be granted permission to set up a campus in India, this is more than just an institutional milestone; it underscores how education can serve as a bridge between nations, fostering cultural exchange, mutual respect, and creating global opportunities for students and academics alike. We are proud to support initiatives that bring world-class education closer to students in India.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council scheme brings flower power to towns and villages

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Harry and Normal from Magheralin Gardening Team pick up the flowers for their village from Leanne McShane (ABC Council).

    Towns and villages across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough are enjoying an extra splash of colour thanks to ABC Council’s Small Floral Grants Scheme.

    Last week more than 30 local community groups and organisations received their allocation of flowers and shrubs through the successful scheme delivered by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

    Each year, groups across the borough are invited to apply for a grant up to a maximum of £250. Council will purchase the bedding plants and shrubs on behalf of the community groups. The plants are then distributed to the community groups who will plant and tend to them.

    Sean Gordon from Lislea Community Centre said the grants scheme had a positive impact on their village. He said: “We have been successful for the last five years in getting flowers from the council, they are a great asset to our community and our community centre. A lot of people come and have a walk around to admire the flowers, and it’s a brilliant idea.”

    Applications for next year’s Small Floral Grants Scheme are expected to open later this year.

    If you would like more information on the Small Floral Grants Scheme you can send an email to

    *protected email*

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Call to help support city’s museums through new donation scheme

    Source: City of Leeds

    Council-run museums and galleries in Leeds are launching a new donation scheme enabling visitors to support some of the city’s most popular cultural gems.

    From June 17, four of the council’s eight sites will introduce “Give What You Can” donation points, where visitors can choose to make a contribution to boost the ongoing care and conservation of the city’s remarkable venues and collections.

    The contactless donation points will be available at Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds City Museum, and Kirkstall Abbey. Visitors can also donate online to all venues, including the Leeds Discovery Centre, an open storehouse that offers regular behind-the-scenes museum tours.

    The decision to introduce the new model was approved by the Leeds City Council earlier this year, with the aim of offsetting unprecedented financial pressures faced by the authority, while continuing to support one of the county’s largest museums and galleries services of its kind.

    Any donations received on site will be managed by the Leeds Museums and Galleries Development Trust, a newly-established charity specifically formed to manage fundraising for museums and galleries in Leeds.

    Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “It’s no secret that these are challenging times for both the museums sector and for local authorities, and the financial pressures facing the council mean we are having to explore new ways of funding some of the services we know are so important to the people of Leeds.

    “We know the immense value our museums and galleries have to everything from leisure and education to combatting social isolation and celebrating the city’s unique diversity, so our priority is to ensure these remarkable cultural assets remain accessible and sustainable, both now and in the future.

    “These new donation points will allow visitors to help us do that, giving those that can afford it the opportunity to donate a set amount of their choice whilst also ensuring those who aren’t able to donate can still enjoy the city’s incredible attractions.”

    The new donation model will replace Kirkstall Abbey’s previous annual pass system – which was free for Leeds residents but £6.20 for non-Leeds residents.

    Donations at every site will also help site teams plan and run inspiring events programmes and learning opportunities for all ages.

    Leeds Museums and Galleries has one of the most significant multidisciplinary collections in the UK, with more than 1.3 million objects.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –