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Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Global: Did ‘induced atmospheric vibration’ cause blackouts in Europe? An electrical engineer explains the phenomenon

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian, Professor of Electrical Engineering, School of Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology

    The lights are mostly back on in Spain, Portugal and southern France after a widespread blackout on Monday.

    The blackout caused chaos for tens of millions of people. It shut down traffic lights and ATMs, halted public transport, cut phone service and forced people to eat dinner huddled around candles as night fell. Many people found themselves trapped in trains and elevators.

    Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has said the exact cause of the blackout is yet to be determined. In early reporting, Portugal’s grid operator REN was quoted as blaming the event on a rare phenomenon known as “induced atmospheric vibration”. REN has since reportedly refuted this.

    But what is this vibration? And how can energy systems be improved to mitigate the risk of widespread blackouts?

    How much does weather affect electricity?

    Weather is a major cause of disruptions to electricity supply. In fact, in the United States, 83% of reported blackouts between 2000 and 2021 were attributed to weather-related events.

    The ways weather can affect the supply of electricity are manifold. For example, cyclones can bring down transmission lines, heatwaves can place too high a demand on the grid, and bushfires can raze substations.

    Wind can also cause transmission lines to vibrate. These vibrations are characterised by either high amplitude and low frequency (known as “conductor galloping”), or low amplitude and high frequency (known as “aeolian vibrations”).

    These vibrations are a significant problem for grid operators. They can place increased stress on grid infrastructure, potentially leading to blackouts.

    To reduce the risk of vibration, grid operators often use wire stabilisers known as “stock bridge dampers”.

    What is ‘induced atmospheric vibration’?

    Vibrations in power lines can also be caused by extreme changes in temperature or air pressure. And this is one hypothesis about what caused the recent widespread blackout across the Iberian peninsula.

    As The Guardian initially reported Portugal’s REN as saying:

    Due to extreme temperature variations in the interior of Spain, there were anomalous oscillations in the very high voltage lines (400 kV), a phenomenon known as “induced atmospheric vibration”. These oscillations caused synchronisation failures between the electrical systems, leading to successive disturbances across the interconnected European network.

    In fact, “induced atmospheric vibration” is not a commonly used term, but it seems likely the explanation was intended to refer to physical processes climate scientists have known about for quite some time.

    In simple terms, it seems to refer to wavelike movements or oscillations in the atmosphere, caused by sudden changes in temperature or pressure. These can be triggered by extreme heating, large-scale energy releases (such as explosions or bushfires), or intense weather events.

    When a part of Earth’s surface heats up very quickly – due to a heatwave, for example – the air above it warms, expands and becomes lighter. That rising warm air creates a pressure imbalance with the surrounding cooler, denser air. The atmosphere responds to this imbalance by generating waves, not unlike ripples spreading across a pond.

    These pressure waves can travel through the atmosphere. In some cases, they can interact with power infrastructure — particularly long-distance, high-voltage transmission lines.

    These types of atmospheric waves are usually called gravity waves, thermal oscillations or acoustic-gravity waves. While the phrase “induced atmospheric vibration” is not formally established in meteorology, it seems to describe this same family of phenomena.

    What’s important is that it’s not just high temperatures alone that causes these effects — it’s how quickly and unevenly the temperature changes across a region. That’s what sets the atmosphere into motion and can cause power lines to vibrate. Again, though, it’s still unclear if this is what was behind the recent blackout in Europe.

    Atmospheric waves can sometimes be seen in clouds.
    Jeff Schmaltz/NASA

    More centralised, more vulnerable

    Understanding how the atmosphere behaves under these conditions is becoming increasingly important. As our energy systems become more interconnected and more dependent on long-distance transmission, even relatively subtle atmospheric disturbances can have outsized impacts. What might once have seemed like a fringe effect is now a growing factor in grid resilience.

    Under growing environmental and electrical stress, centralised energy networks are dangerously vulnerable. The increasing electrification of buildings, the rapid uptake of electric vehicles, and the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources have placed unprecedented pressure on traditional grids that were never designed for this level of complexity, dynamism or centralisation.

    Continuing to rely on centralised grid structures without fundamentally rethinking resilience puts entire regions at risk — not just from technical faults, but from environmental volatility.

    The way to avoid such catastrophic risks is clear: we must embrace innovative solutions such as community microgrids. These are decentralised, flexible and resilient energy networks that can operate independently when needed.

    Strengthening local energy autonomy is key to building a secure, affordable and future-ready electricity system.

    The European blackout, regardless of its immediate cause, demonstrates that our electrical grids have become dangerously sensitive. Failure to address these structural weaknesses will have consequences far worse than those experienced during the COVID pandemic.

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

    – ref. Did ‘induced atmospheric vibration’ cause blackouts in Europe? An electrical engineer explains the phenomenon – https://theconversation.com/did-induced-atmospheric-vibration-cause-blackouts-in-europe-an-electrical-engineer-explains-the-phenomenon-255497

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: On ‘moral panic’ and the courage to speak – the West’s silence on Gaza

    Palestinians do not have the luxury to allow Western moral panic to have its say or impact. Not caving in to this panic is one small, but important, step in building a global Palestine network that is urgently needed, writes Dr Ilan Pappé

    ANALYSIS: By Ilan Pappé

    Responses in the Western world to the genocide in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank raise a troubling question: why is the official West, and official Western Europe in particular, so indifferent to Palestinian suffering?

    Why is the Democratic Party in the US complicit, directly and indirectly, in sustaining the daily inhumanity in Palestine — a complicity so visible that it probably was one reason they lost the election, as the Arab American and progressive vote in key states could, and justifiably so, not forgive the Biden administration for its part in the genocide in the Gaza Strip?

    This is a pertinent question, given that we are dealing with a televised genocide that has now been renewed on the ground. It is different from previous periods in which Western indifference and complicity were displayed, either during the Nakba or the long years of occupation since 1967.

    During the Nakba and up to 1967, it was not easy to get hold of information, and the oppression after 1967 was mostly incremental, and, as such, was ignored by the Western media and politics, which refused to acknowledge its cumulative effect on the Palestinians.

    But these last 18 months are very different. Ignoring the genocide in the Gaza Strip and the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank can only be described as intentional and not due to ignorance.

    Both the Israelis’ actions and the discourse that accompanies them are too visible to be ignored, unless politicians, academics, and journalists choose to do so.

    This kind of ignorance is, first and foremost, the result of successful Israeli lobbying that thrived on the fertile ground of an European guilt complex, racism and Islamophobia. In the case of the US, it is also the outcome of many years of an effective and ruthless lobbying machine that very few in academia, media, and, in particular, politics, dare to disobey.

    The moral panic phenomenon
    This phenomenon is known in recent scholarship as moral panic, very characteristic of the more conscientious sections of Western societies: intellectuals, journalists, and artists.

    Moral panic is a situation in which a person is afraid of adhering to his or her own moral convictions because this would demand some courage that might have consequences. We are not always tested in situations that require courage, or at least integrity. When it does happen, it is in situations where morality is not an abstract idea, but a call for action.

    This is why so many Germans were silent when Jews were sent to extermination camps, and this is why white Americans stood by when African Americans were lynched or, earlier on, enslaved and abused.

    What is the price that leading Western journalists, veteran politicians, tenured professors, or chief executives of well-known companies would have to pay if they were to blame Israel for committing a genocide in the Gaza Strip?

    It seems they are worried about two possible outcomes. The first is being condemned as antisemites or Holocaust deniers. Secondly, they fear an honest response would trigger a discussion that would include the complicity of their country, or Europe, or the West in general, in enabling the genocide and all the criminal policies against the Palestinians that preceded it.

    This moral panic leads to some astonishing phenomena. In general, it transforms educated, highly articulate and knowledgeable people into total imbeciles when they talk about Palestine.

    It disallows the more perceptive and thoughtful members of the security services from examining Israeli demands to include all Palestinian resistance on a terrorist list, and it dehumanises Palestinian victims in the mainstream media.

    Lack of compassion
    The lack of compassion and basic solidarity with the victims of genocide was exposed by the double standards shown by mainstream media in the West, and, in particular, by the more established newspapers in the US, such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.

    When the editor of The Palestine Chronicle, Dr Ramzy Baroud, lost 56 members of his family — killed by the Israeli genocidal campaign in the Gaza Strip — not one of his colleagues in American journalism bothered to talk to him or show any interest in hearing about this atrocity.

    On the other hand, a fabricated Israeli allegation of a connection between the Chronicle and a family, in whose block of flats hostages were held, triggered huge interest by these outlets.

    This imbalance in humanity and solidarity is just one example of the distortions that accompanies moral panic. I have little doubt that the actions against Palestinian or pro-Palestinian students in the US, or against known activists in Britain and France, as well as the arrest of the editor of the Electronic Intifada, Ali Abunimah, in Switzerland, are all manifestations of this distorted moral behaviour.

    A similar case unfolded just recently in Australia. Mary Kostakidis, a famous Australian journalist and former prime-time weeknight SBS World News Australia presenter, has been taken to the federal court over her — one should say quite tame — reporting on the situation in the Gaza Strip.

    The very fact that the court has not dismissed this allegation upon its arrival shows you how deeply rooted moral panic is in the Global North.

    But there is another side to it. Thankfully, there is a much larger group of people who are not afraid of taking the risks involved in clearly stating their support for the Palestinians, and who do show this solidarity while knowing it may lead to suspension, deportation, or even jail time. They are not easily found among the mainstream academia, media, or politics, but they are the authentic voice of their societies in many parts of the Western world.

    The Palestinians do not have the luxury of allowing Western moral panic to have its say or impact. Not caving in to this panic is one small but important step in building a global Palestine network that is urgently needed — firstly, to stop the destruction of Palestine and its people, and second, to create the conditions for a decolonised and liberated Palestine in the future.

    Dr Ilan Pappé is an Israeli historian, political scientist, and former politician. He is a professor with the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, director of the university’s European Centre for Palestine Studies, and co-director of the Exeter Centre for Ethno-Political Studies. This article is republished from The Palestine Chronicle, 19 April 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why do dogs eat poo? A canine scientist explains

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mia Cobb, Research Fellow, Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of Melbourne

    nygi/Unsplash

    When miniature dachshund Valerie was captured after 529 days alone in the wilds of Australia’s Kangaroo Island, experts speculated she survived partly by eating other animals’ poo.

    While this survival tactic may have saved the resilient sausage dog, it highlights a behaviour that makes many dog owners cringe.

    This type of “recycling” is surprisingly common in our canine companions. But why would dogs, even those with full food bowls, choose to indulge in such a revolting habit?

    Here’s why some dogs can’t resist a faecal feast, known more technically as coprophagia.

    What is coprophagia?

    Coprophagia or coprophagy is the scientific term for eating faecal matter (poo). It’s a behaviour displayed across a number of animal species.

    Around half of all dogs try eating poo at some stage – either their own, another dog’s, or other animals’. Research suggests about one in four dogs have made it a regular habit.

    In wild canids like foxes and wolves, mothers will eat their puppies’ stools to keep dens clean and reduce scents that might attract predators.

    It’s also thought that eating fresh faeces could reduce the likelihood of intestinal parasites being spread, offering an evolutionary benefit to our dogs’ wild counterparts.

    Modern dogs still actively clean their puppies’ poo away in the first few weeks of life, a behaviour that puppies observe and can learn.

    Licking away ‘waste’ from their puppies is a normal maternal behaviour in dogs.
    Anurak Pongpatimet/Shutterstock

    Nutritional factors

    As unpalatable as it might seem to us, poo still contains considerable nutrients that offer valuable compounds as a food source when times are tough.

    Dogs do have different preferences to us in terms of texture, taste and odour of their food, so we should not be hasty to dismiss what might appeal to them.

    Medical reasons

    The links between diet, gut flora and diseases that might influence behaviours like coprophagia are still emerging. At this stage, there seems to be no apparent link with age or diet.

    There could be underlying health reasons for your dog seeking out a sneaky snack, so do mention it to your vet and get a health check if your dog is known to frequent the kitty litter box, for example.

    Punishment in toilet training, living conditions that don’t provide enough to do or room to explore (like kennel facilities), and psychological distress have all been linked to dogs eating their own poo.

    Shelters and kennel facilities are often built for hygiene and safety, not to keep dogs’ minds and bodies active.
    Evgenii Bakhchev/Shutterstock

    A strain on relationships

    Our typical response to seeing dogs eat any kind of poo ranges from disgust to concern. At best it makes us less likely to want a lick to the face, at worst it can really strain our human-animal bonds.

    One study from the United Kingdom showed that dogs eating their own poo after rehoming was in the top ten reasons for the adoption failing in the first four weeks when dogs were returned to the shelter.

    Dogs can potentially transmit parasites and bacteria to humans through licking, regardless of whether they eat poo. This serves as a good reminder to ensure your dog receives appropriate parasite control and encourage all household members to follow good hygiene practices, like washing hands before eating.



    Read more:
    Is it okay to kiss your pet? The risk of animal-borne diseases is small, but real

    Help, my dog keeps eating poo

    While Valerie’s tale of survival shows us coprophagia may be life-saving in extreme situations, most of our doggo companions aren’t facing wilderness survival challenges.

    Thankfully, coprophagia is often manageable.

    Understanding why our dogs might eat poo – whether based on evolutionary instinct, medical issues or psychological triggers – can help us address this canine behaviour with compassion rather than just disgust.

    If your dog indulges often, providing appropriate stimulation through regular exercise, social connection with people and other dogs, offering toys and safe chews can help. Sometimes, a trip to the vet might be needed to rule out any underlying health issues.

    Offering fun activities is one way to reduce the chance of your dog eating poo.
    Kojirou Sasaki/Unsplash

    Dogs reprimanded for toileting accidents might eat the evidence to avoid future punishment, creating a new problem behaviour. Instead, rewarding your puppy or dog for toileting in the right location (and giving them frequent opportunities to do so) is likely to establish toileting routines you will approve of, making coprophagia less likely.

    By the same token, dogs can’t eat what isn’t left lying around. Regular poo-pickups in your yard, dog park, kitty litter box and other likely locations will remove temptation and help set your dog up for success.

    If Valerie has taught us anything, it’s that what might be considered our dogs’ most revolting habits are actually remarkable adaptations that deserve our understanding and empathy, even if we can’t rally enthusiastic support.

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

    – ref. Why do dogs eat poo? A canine scientist explains – https://theconversation.com/why-do-dogs-eat-poo-a-canine-scientist-explains-234361

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Deputy Prime Minister to visit New Caledonia

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to New Caledonia later this week.

    “This visit comes at an important moment in New Caledonia’s history and reinforces New Zealand’s commitment to being a constructive partner in the region for both New Caledonia and France,” Mr Peters says. 

     

    Mr Peters will meet the French Minister for Overseas Territories, Manuel Valls, and the President of the Government of New Caledonia, Alcide Ponga. 

     

    “We are looking forward to meeting the new leadership of the Government of New Caledonia and continuing New Zealand’s warm and long-standing relationship with France.

     

    “New Zealand wants to listen, learn and support New Caledonia’s pathway forward as a neighbour and fellow member of the Pacific Islands Forum.” 

     

    Mr Peters will also visit the Pacific Community (SPC), a leading science and technical agency in the Pacific, and meet with Director-General Dr Stuart Minchin. 

     

    This will be Mr Peters’ third visit to New Caledonia, following previous visits in 2018 and 2024. 

     

    Mr Peters departs New Zealand on Thursday 1 May and returns on Friday 2 May. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Peace in our time? Why NZ should resist Trump’s one-sided plan for Ukraine

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago

    GettyImages Getty Images

    Is it possible to reconcile increased international support for Ukraine with Donald Trump’s plan to end the war? At their recent meeting in London, Christopher Luxon and his British counterpart Keir Starmer seemed to think so.

    Starmer thanked New Zealand for its “support” for a “coalition of the willing” that would safeguard the implementation of a potential peace deal concluded by the Trump administration.

    But unless something drastically changes in the near future, all the signs point to the US president envisaging a Ukraine peace settlement on Russian president Vladimir Putin’s terms.

    According to that view, peace can only be achieved if Ukraine is prepared to accept that territories wholly or partially annexed by Russia now belong to Moscow.

    In 2014, Russia seized Crimea on the Black Sea. Following the illegal 2022 invasion, Russia claimed four parts of eastern and southern Ukraine as its own – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and the Zaporizhzhia region.

    At the same time, Trump’s peace deal includes a provision that rules out NATO membership for Ukraine. This meets a key Russian demand that seeks to deny Ukraine’s sovereign right to choose its own security arrangements.

    According to Trump, Putin’s major concession is the promise that Russia will not annex the rest of Ukraine – something Moscow has been trying to do for the past three years.

    To accept this, however, liberal democracies such as New Zealand and Britain would be tacitly signalling they share common values and interests with the Trump administration and its apparent enthusiasm for a geopolitical partnership with Putin’s dictatorship.

    And in some ways, Trump’s Ukraine peace initiative is a bigger challenge for New Zealand than it is for Britain.

    Keir Starmer and Christopher Luxon speak to the media during a visit to a UK military base training Ukrainian troops, April 22.
    Getty Images

    Lessons of the past

    Like Britain, New Zealand fought in two world wars in the 20th century to advance, among other things, certain key international principles. These included state sovereignty and a prohibition on the use of force to change borders, principles subsequently enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

    But unlike Britain, New Zealand is a relatively small state that does not have a veto in the UN Security Council to protect its interests. Consequently, it is even more dependent on an international rules-based order for its security and prosperity.

    For New Zealand, Trump’s current Ukraine peace plan is a clear and present danger because it would set such a terrible precedent.

    Under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons (left over from when it was part of the Soviet Union) in return for assurances from Russia, the US and UK that recognised Ukrainian independence and the inviolability of its existing borders.

    The Trump administration’s plan, however, insists Ukraine must accept the illegal and partial dismemberment of its territory to attain peace with Russia.

    Rewarding Russian aggression in this way is tantamount to a failure to learn the historical lessons of the 20th century. In particular, it seems to forget the period during the 1930s when Britain tried in vain to appease an expansionist Nazi regime in Germany.

    Trump’s peace plan basically endorses the idea that “might is right” and that it is fine for great powers or big countries to steal land from smaller countries.

    Adjusting NZ foreign policy

    In Trump’s top-down world view, multilateral institutions and international law are regarded as superfluous at best and an enemy at worst.

    In such a world, relatively small powers such as New Zealand, with “no cards to play” at the top table, must either submit to the dominance of great powers (including the US) or suffer the consequences.

    Moreover, there is a real risk that Trump’s stance toward Putin’s regime will be viewed as weakness by China, Russia’s most important backer. This could embolden Beijing to increasingly assert itself in the Indo-Pacific, including the Pacific Islands region, where New Zealand has core strategic interests.

    Trump’s plan for Ukraine brings into sharp focus what has already been evident from other recent trends: a domestic slide toward autocracy in Washington, the unilateral imposition of tariffs, and territorial threats against close allies Canada and Denmark.

    As European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen put it, “The West as we knew it no longer exists.”

    The transactional nature of Trump’s leadership – including that peace in Ukraine can be bought with mineral rights and territorial trade-offs – suggests the US can no longer be relied on to provide a security guarantee for liberal democracies in Europe or elsewhere.

    The current New Zealand government needs to find the self-confidence and resolve to admit Trump is backing Putin’s imperial project in Ukraine. And it needs to adjust its foreign policy accordingly.

    This does not mean Wellington should weaken its traditional friendship with the US.

    On the contrary, many Americans might expect and welcome the prospect of New Zealand clearly and publicly standing against their president’s dangerous alignment with an authoritarian regime at Ukraine’s expense.

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

    – ref. Peace in our time? Why NZ should resist Trump’s one-sided plan for Ukraine – https://theconversation.com/peace-in-our-time-why-nz-should-resist-trumps-one-sided-plan-for-ukraine-255495

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘A living collective’: study shows trees synchronise electrical signals during a solar eclipse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Monica Gagliano, Research Associate Professor in Evolutionary Biology, Southern Cross University

    Zenit Arti Audiovisive

    Earth’s cycles of light and dark profoundly affect billions of organisms. Events such as solar eclipses are known to bring about marked shifts in animals, but do they have the same effect on plants?

    During a solar eclipse in a forest in Italy’s Dolomites region, scientists seized the chance to explore that fascinating question.

    The researchers were monitoring the bioelectrical impulses of spruce trees, when a solar eclipse passed over. They left their sensors running to record the trees’ response to the eclipse – and what they observed was astonishing.

    The spruce trees not only responded to the solar eclipse – they actively anticipated it, by synchronising their bioelectrical signals hours in advance.

    This forest-wide phenomenon, detailed today in the journal Royal Society Open Science, reveals a new layer of complexity in plant behaviour. It adds to emerging evidence that plants actively participate in their ecosystems.

    Lead author Monica Gagliano discusses the research findings.

    Do trees respond collectively?

    The research was led by Professor Alessandro Chiolerio of the Italian Institute of Technology, and Professor Monica Gagliano from Australia’s Southern Cross University, who is the lead author on this article. It also involved a team of international scientists.

    A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, fully or partially blocking the Sun’s light.

    An eclipse can inspire awe and even social cohesion in humans. Other animals have been shown to gather and synchronise their movements during such an event.

    But scientists know very little about how plants respond to solar eclipses. Some research suggests the rapid transitions from darkness to light during an eclipse can change plant behaviour. But this research focuses on the responses of individual plants.

    The latest study set out to discover if trees respond to a solar eclipse together, as a living collective.

    Alessandro Chiolerio and Monica Gagliano at the site of the study.
    Simone Cargnoni

    What the research involved

    Charged molecules travel through the cells of all living organisms, transmitting electrical signals as they go. Collectively, this electrical activity is known as the organism’s “electrome”.

    The electrical activity is primarily driven by the movement of ions across cell membranes. It creates tiny currents that allow organisms, including humans, to coordinate their body and communicate.

    The researchers wanted to investigated the electrical signals of spruce trees (Picea abies) during a partial solar eclipse on October 25, 2022. It took place in the Costa Bocche forest near Paneveggio in the Dolomites area, Italy.

    The study took place in the Dolomites in northeast Italy.
    Monica Gagliano

    The scientists set out to understand the trees’ electrical activity during the hour-long eclipse. They used custom-built sensors and wired them to three trees. Two were healthy trees about 70 years old, one in full sun and one in full shade. The third was a healthy tree about 20 years old, in full shade.

    They also attached the sensors to five tree stumps – the remnants old trees, originally part of a pristine forest, but which were devastated by a storm several years earlier.

    For each tree and stump, the researchers used five pairs of electrodes, placed in both the inner and outer layers of the tree, including on exposed roots, branches and trunks. The electrodes were connected to the sensors.

    This set-up allowed the scientists to monitor the bioelectrical activity from multiple trees and stumps across four sites during the solar eclipse. They examined both individual tree responses, and bioelectrical signals between trees.

    In particular, the scientists measured changes in the trees’ “bioelectrical potentials”. This term refers to the differences in voltage across cell membranes.

    The scientists attached electrodes and sensors to the trees to monitor their electrical activity.
    Zenit Arti Audiovisive

    What did they find?

    The electrical activity of all three trees became significantly more synchronised around the eclipse – both before and during the one-hour event. These changes occur at a microscopic level, such as inside water and lymph molecules in the tree.

    The two older trees in the study had a much more pronounced early response to the impending eclipse than the young tree. This suggests older trees may have developed mechanisms to anticipate and respond to such events, similar to their responses to seasonal changes.

    Solar eclipses may seem rare from a human perspective, but they follow cycles which can occur well within the lifespan of long-lived trees. The scientists also detected bioelectrical waves travelling between the trees. This suggests older trees may transmit their ecological knowledge to younger trees.

    Such a dynamic is consistent with studies showing long-distance signalling between plants can help them coordinate various physiological functions in response to environmental changes.

    The two older spruce trees in the study had a much more pronounced early response to the impending eclipse than the young tree.
    Zenith Audiovisual Arts

    The researchers also detected changes in the bioelectrical responses of the stumps during the eclipse, albeit less pronounced than in the standing trees. This suggests the stumps were still alive.

    The research team then used computer modelling, and advanced analytical methods including quantum field theory, to test the findings of the physical experiment.

    The results reinforced the experimental results. That is, not only did the eclipse influence the bioelectrical responses of individual trees, the activity was correlated. This suggests a cohesive, organism-like reaction at the forest scale.

    The researchers also detected changes in the bioelectrical responses of the stumps during the eclipse.
    Zenit Arti Audiovisive

    Understanding forest connections

    These findings align with extensive prior research by others, highlighting the extent to which trees in forest ecosystems are connected.

    These behaviours may ultimately influence the forest ecosystem’s resilience, biodiversity and overall function, by helping it cope with rapid and unpredictable changes.

    The findings also underscore the importance of protecting older forests, which serve as pillars of ecosystem resilience – potentially preserving and transmitting invaluable ecological knowledge.

    This research is featured in a documentary, Il Codice del Bosco (The Forest Code), premiering in Italy on May 1, 2025.

    The findings underscore the importance of protecting older forests. Pictured: the Dolomites region.
    Zenith Audiovisual Arts

    Monica Gagliano received funding for this research from the Templeton World Charity Foundation.

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

    – ref. ‘A living collective’: study shows trees synchronise electrical signals during a solar eclipse – https://theconversation.com/a-living-collective-study-shows-trees-synchronise-electrical-signals-during-a-solar-eclipse-255499

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on air strike against Houthi military facility in Yemen: 29 April 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Statement on air strike against Houthi military facility in Yemen: 29 April 2025

    Royal Air Force participates in operation targeting a Houthi military facility in Yemen.

    On 29 April 2025, UK forces participated in a joint operation with US forces against a Houthi military target in Yemen.  This action was in line with long-standing policy of the UK government, following the Houthis initiating their campaign of attacks in November 2023, threatening freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, striking international ships, and killing innocent merchant mariners.

    Careful intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings, used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, located some fifteen miles south of Sanaa.

    Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, with air refuelling support from Voyager tankers, therefore engaged a number of these buildings using Paveway IV precision guided bombs, once very careful planning had been completed to allow the targets to be prosecuted with minimal risk to civilians or non-military infrastructure.  As a further precaution, the strike was conducted after dark, when the likelihood of any civilians being in the area was reduced yet further. All of our aircraft subsequently returned safely.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investors and local authorities gear up as AI Growth Zone delivery gathers speed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Investors and local authorities gear up as AI Growth Zone delivery gathers speed

    Investors and local authorities mobilise as the government kickstarts the next phase for rolling out AI Growth Zones.

    Investors and Local Authorities mobilise for AI Growth Zones.

    • Hotbeds of AI development – with the first based in Culham – to unlock fresh investment and new jobs as the government delivers on its Plan for Change. 
    • After more than 200 initial expressions of interest from every corner of the UK, the formal qualifying process begins.

    Thousands of high-skilled jobs and billions of pounds in fresh investment – the cornerstone of this government’s Plan for Change – are up for grabs, with preparations now in full swing to announce the first hosts of flagship AI Growth Zones this summer. 

    Investors and local authorities will descend on TechUK in London today (30th April) as the government kickstarts its formal qualifying process – giving them the opportunity to discuss their proposals and learn more about the vision for AI Growth Zones with AI Minister Feryal Clark and the Prime Minister’s AI Adviser Matt Clifford. 

    The initial Expressions of Interest (EOI) which opened earlier this year saw more than 200 responses – demonstrating the appetite from all parts of the country to take on a leading role in the UK’s AI-powered future.  

    AI Growth Zones will revitalize local communities by attracting billions in private investment – sparking fresh jobs at the cutting edge of AI while also securing Britain’s position as a global leader in the technology. This will give regions across the country the opportunity to play a leading role in delivering the government’s Plan for Change.

    Streamlined planning approvals mean communities will be able to get spades in the ground quicker than ever before – fast-tracking the rollout of critical infrastructure from data centres to high-capacity energy connections. 

    Potential sites identified across the country through the EOI process include former industrial areas with land and infrastructure ready for redevelopment.

    Proposals should demonstrate access to large existing power connections of at least 500MW – enough energy to power 2 million homes – or set out a clear plan for how they will get there. The qualifying process will also examine other criteria, including site readiness, and local impact.  

    Minister for AI Feryal Clark said: 

    Just like coal and steam powered our past, AI is powering the future. Our AI Growth Zones will transform areas across the UK into engines of growth and opportunity – unlocking new jobs and revitalising communities across the UK. 

    This is our Plan for Change in action, ensuring the benefits of AI are felt in every region and securing the UK’s place as a world leader in this vital technology.

    The Prime Minister’s AI Adviser Matt Clifford said:

    The UK has an extraordinary opportunity in AI, but speed is everything. Today’s launch sends a clear signal to investors and local communities that we’ve already moved into high gear.

    I’m looking forward to discussing these proposals in more detail today as we continue to work alongside investors and local authorities to deliver a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

    To mark the launch, Minister Clark and Matt Clifford are leading a series of engagements today with leading investors and MPs to outline the government’s vision, bid timelines, and qualifying criteria. 

    The first additional sites will then be announced this summer with an ambition to start getting building work underway by the end of 2025.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Universal Credit change brings £420 boost to over a million households

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Universal Credit change brings £420 boost to over a million households

    More than one million households struggling with debt will get to keep an average £420 more of their benefits each year, under a change to Universal Credit coming into force today [30 April 2025].

    • Around 1.2 million of the poorest households – including 700,000 with children – will keep an extra £420 a year on average, due to Universal Credit change.
    • New Fair Repayment Rate – which comes into force today – caps Universal Credit deductions at 15%, down from 25%.
    • Comes as part of the Government’s Plan for Change to make working people better off by helping them into jobs and extending support for low-income families.

    More than one million households struggling with debt will get to keep an average £420 more of their benefits each year, under a change to Universal Credit coming into force today [Wednesday 30 April 2025].

    The Fair Repayment Rate places a limit on how much people in debt can have taken off their benefits to pay what they owe. The maximum amount that can be taken from someone’s Universal Credit standard allowance payment to repay debt has been 25% – but from today this is reduced to 15%.

    This will mean an average £420 extra a year for 1.2 million of the poorest households, including 700,000 households with children, while helping people to pay down their debts in a sustainable way.

    It forms part of the Government’s Plan for Change to put more money into people’s pockets and boost living standards and marks the Government’s first step in a wider review of Universal Credit to ensure it is still doing its job.

    The Fair Repayment Rate was introduced by the Chancellor at the Autumn Budget, as part of broader efforts to raise living standards, combat poverty, and tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    As announced at the budget, from today, 1.2 million households will keep more of their Universal Credit and will be on average £420 better off a year. This is our plan for change delivering, easing the cost of living and putting more money into the pockets of working people.

    With as many as 2.8 million households seeing deductions made to their Universal Credit award to pay off debt each month, the new rate is designed to ensure money is repaid where it is owed, and people can still cover their day-to-day needs.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    As part of our Plan for Change, we are taking decisive action to ensure working people keep more of the benefits they’re entitled to – which will boost financial security and improve living standards up and down the country.

    We’re delivering meaningful change to ensure everyone has a fair chance, the support they need, and real hope for the future.

    The Fair Repayment Rate is one of a number of bold measures the Government is taking as part of its Plan for Change to kickstart growth and spread prosperity across the country.

    Viewing work as a key route out of poverty, the Government set out the Get Britain Working White Paper – aiming to achieve its target 80% employment rate by overhauling Jobcentres, introducing a new jobs and careers service, and launching a youth guarantee so every young person is earning or learning. This comes on top of increasing the National Minimum and National Living Wage to ensure being in work pays.

    To support those in greatest need, the Household Support Fund has been extended another year – backed by £742 million, so local councils can continue to support low-income households with energy bills, food and essential items, while also funding long-term solutions, like home insulation, to help people at risk of falling into poverty.

    The Government is also working to tackle child poverty, rolling out free breakfast clubs in all primary schools in England as the dedicated ministerial taskforce builds its ambitious strategy to ensure every child has the best start in life.

    Additional information:

    • The change will be applied to all assessment periods that start on or after 30 April.
    • The 15% deductions cap continues to support customers to repay their debts at a sustainable rate.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Families to get more choice over home upgrades

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Families to get more choice over home upgrades

    Proposals to give families greater choice when upgrading their home’s heating as well as plans to create up to 18,000 training places for green jobs

    • Working families to get greater choice on upgrades to their home’s heating including new products, such as air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries, as well as offering new heat pump purchase options.  

    • Plan to build a ‘clean power army’ receives a boost, with up to 18,000 professionals to be trained to retrofit homes, and install heat pumps, insulation, solar panels and heat networks.   

    • Comes as government invests £4.6 million in Copeland to manufacture more heat pump parts at home in the UK, supporting local jobs and boosting economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.

    Homeowners are set to have more choice over ways to access heating systems and bring down costs under proposals being considered as part of the Warm Homes Plan – helping to deliver on the government’s milestone of higher living standards as part of the Plan for Change. 

    Demand for heat pumps is surging, with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme – which offers up to £7,500 off the cost, enjoying its best month since opening, with 4,028 applications received in March 2025, up 88 per cent on the same month last year. Heat pumps can save families around £100 on their average energy bills when used with a smart tariff. 

    With more households wanting to make the upgrade to cleaner, homegrown energy, the government has today launched a new consultation on expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to give families even greater choice to pick what works best for them. 

    Changes to the scheme could see families potentially access air-to-air heat pumps and electric heating technologies such as heat batteries, which are currently not eligible for grants under the scheme, alongside new purchase and ownership models which could spread the cost of a heat pump over several years, or give households the opportunity to lease one for a monthly fee instead. 

    As part of the government’s Plan for Change, even more households will be able to take up the offer of switching to low-carbon heating, while protecting the pounds in people’s pockets by making more options available. 

    The government has also set out plans to bolster the ‘clean power army’, training up to 18,000 more home retrofitters, to install heat pumps, insulation, solar panels and heat networks, alongside a major new deal to support the UK’s heat pump supply chain.   

    Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said:  

    Our Warm Homes Plan will mean lower bills and warmer homes for millions of families – helping drive better living standards as part of the Plan for Change.   

    Following a record-breaking month for applications to our Boiler Upgrade Scheme, we are now proposing to give working families more choice and flexibility to pick the low-carbon upgrades that work best for them. 

    And on top of this, we are investing over £4 million in Copeland to continue building a homegrown heat pump industry and training up the army of skilled workers we need to achieve this.

    Copeland in Northern Ireland have been awarded £4.6 million to expand their manufacturing for heating compression technology – a key component of heat pumps, which can help protect family finances from the roller coaster of international gas markets by running on clean electricity. 

    This investment, backed by a multi-million pound investment from Copeland, will help to support the industries and jobs of the future, while unlocking economic growth, as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.  

    Ministers have also unveiled plans to train up to 18,000 skilled workers to install heat pumps, fit solar panels, install insulation and work on heat networks through the extension of the Heat Training Grant and launch of the Warm Homes Skills Programme.

    With three days to go until the government’s consultation on introducing higher minimum energy efficiency standards in private rented sector homes closes, ministers have issued a final call for tenants and landlords to make their views heard.  

    Under the proposals, all private landlords would be required to meet a higher standard of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C or equivalent in their properties – up from the current level of EPC E, by 2030.  

    This will deliver on the priorities of working people, in line with the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, by requiring landlords to invest in measures such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation or double glazing – ensuring homes are warmer and more affordable for tenants. Alongside higher standards & funding in the social rented sector, this could lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030. 

    Stakeholder reaction: 

    Charlotte Lee, CEO at the Heat Pump Association said: 

    Following a record year for UK heat pump sales in 2024, we warmly welcome today’s announcements which will continue to support growth in the sector and increased deployment of clean heating. 

    The additional funding to support those wishing to become qualified to install heat pumps and heat networks is especially welcome, alongside proposals to expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to make clean heating solutions an accessible option for more consumers.

    Jambu Palaniappan, CEO at Checkatrade said: 

    We fully support this latest Government investment in skills and training, and greater choice for homeowners.  

    At Checkatrade, we’ve seen the growing importance of green energy to consumers, and with our new Green Hub are more easily connecting them with skilled tradespeople to make their homes more energy-efficient.  

    The new funding is a key step towards empowering more people to enter the trade and a boost for the economy, helping to build long-term, sustainable careers for thousands across the UK.

    Verity Davidge, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Make UK said: 

    As we continue to transition to a low-carbon economy it is critical we have the people and skills needed to make it happen.

    Today’s announcement is a positive step towards ensuring the workforce is equipped with these skills. Many of those trained will develop the transferable skills needed to support industry in its own quest to transition to net zero.

    Ned Hammond, Deputy Director (Customers) at Energy UK, said:

    Expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and giving families greater choice in the types of low-carbon heating systems available to them is a really positive move. More flexibility in the way customers can pay for these technologies will also help make efficient and smart heating systems, such as heat pumps, heat batteries and heat networks, available to even more customers who are struggling with high energy bills and looking for an alternative to costly gas boilers. 

    The recent surge in demand for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme following the Government’s funding uplift is a clear signal of consumer appetite and what can be done with the right support in place – and it’s vital this level of investment continues.

    Underpinning this is the need for a skilled and dedicated installer supply chain, so it’s fantastic to see Government extending its support for skills and training as part of today’s announcement.

    The Government’s figures show that 71% of installers benefitting from the Heat Training Grant said it made all the difference in their decision to upskill into heat pump systems. Extending the subsidy out to 2030 would help further with bringing in the thousands of new entrants we need into the heat pump and heat networks sectors.

    Chris O’Shea, CEO of Centrica, said:

    As the UK’s largest installer of low carbon heating technologies, we are delighted with the Government’s proposals to expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to offer customers more choice on how to decarbonise their homes through greater financing, ownership and technology options.

    We can’t wait to add more to our Clean Power Army, the largest in the UK, using our award-winning academies and British Gas engineers to train installers across the UK.

    Garry Felgate, Chief Executive of The MCS Foundation, said: 

    Consumer confidence in low-carbon technologies is growing, with more households installing heat pumps across the UK than ever before. Today’s announcements will help to accelerate that trend, by ensuring more people can access heat pump grants and supporting the growth of the heat pump workforce.

    These steps are very welcome news, enabling lower bills, lower carbon emissions, and sustainable jobs.

    Sando Matic, Europe President for Copeland, said:

    This investment marks a pivotal step in advancing clean energy solutions and driving economic growth.

    By expanding our manufacturing capabilities for heating solutions here in Northern Ireland, Copeland is proud to play a key role in helping to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and supporting the energy transition to more sustainable, electricity-powered heating.

    Notes to Editors:  

    • Options being considered to help spread the installation cost of a heat pump include:   

    • Hire purchase, giving households the option to pay for a heat pump in instalments, meaning they would own the equipment at the end of their contract.  

    • Hire purchase plus, combining paying for a heat pump in instalments with a separate contract for an energy tariff, allowing providers to simplify costs into a single monthly payment.   

    • Leasing, offering households the option to lease a heat pump for a set amount of time, like leasing a car. At the end of the contract, households would either enter into another agreement to continue leasing the heat pump, or would replace it.  

    • Further information on the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator award to Copeland can be found here: Heat Pump Investment Accelerator Competition successful projects.  

    • The Warm Homes Skills Programme will deliver up to 9,000 training places across England, providing opportunities for people to develop skills in areas including fitting solar panels and installing insulation. More details can be found here: Warm Home Skills Programme. 

    • An extra £5 million will be provided to continue the Heat Training Grant until March 2026, supporting a further 5,500 heat pump installers and 3,500 heat network professionals. The Grant has already trained over 10,650 individuals up to the end of March 2025. More details can be found here: Apply for the Heat Training Grant: discounted heat pump training. 

    • More details on the Heat Training Grant: Heat Network training can be found here: Training providers: apply to offer the Heat Training Grant for heat networks 

    • The government’s consultation on minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented sector homes can be found here: Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: consultation document

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Shionogi’s cefiderocol shows improved outcomes with early use in treating gram-negative infections, reports GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Shionogi’s cefiderocol shows improved outcomes with early use in treating gram-negative infections, reports GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    Japan-based Shionogi has shared new real-world evidence showing its antibiotic cefiderocol leads to better outcomes when used early to treat serious gram-negative bacterial infections. Presented at European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Global 2025 conference in Vienna, the Retrospective Cefiderocol Chart Review (PROVE) study found that earlier use of cefiderocol, rather than as a last resort, improves cure rates—offering hope in the ongoing fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    AMR and the development of new antimicrobials to help combat AMR were the key themes at the ESCMID Global 2025 conference. There were over 100 presentations on these topics, one of which was the noteworthy results of the PROVE study.

    Shionogi’s cefiderocol, a cephalosporin that acts as a penicillin binding protein inhibitor, is marketed in the US, EU, and Japan under the brand names Fetcroja/Fetroja for the treatment of various gram-negative bacterial infections.

    The PROVE study analyzed over 560 patients in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, who had serious gram-negative bacterial infections and were treated with cefiderocol for the first time for at least 72 hours.

    The PROVE study showed a 65.3% overall clinical cure rate and the 30-day all-cause mortality (ACM) rate was 25.7%. Cure rates peaked in urinary tract infections (90.4%) and Pseudomonas infections (73.1%) and were lowest in respiratory tract infections (59.2%) and Acinetobacter cases (50.6%). Early use, empiric or targeted, yielded better outcomes than salvage therapy.

    Stephanie Kurdach, Infectious Disease Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The data presented by Shionogi at ESCMID Global 2025 demonstrates that cefiderocol is associated with better clinical outcomes when used earlier in treatment. This also suggests that cefiderocol has the potential to be a new and effective first-line therapy option, which could be particularly useful given the acceleration of AMR and the lack of effective treatment options for severe infections.”

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), bacterial pathogens of utmost public health importance to prevent and control AMR include Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacterales, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, among others, all of which were analyzed in the PROVE study and are highly susceptible to cefiderocol.

    Kurdach concludes: “With rising AMR threats and limited treatment options, Shionogi’s data highlights cefiderocol’s potential as a frontline therapy—underscoring the urgency for global stewardship strategies that prioritize early intervention with effective antimicrobials.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman Welcomes Confirmation of Warren Stephens as US Ambassador to United Kingdom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Little Rock businessman Warren Stephens to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom:
    “Warren Stephens is a respected businessman, philanthropist and leader who will capably serve our nation as our Ambassador to the U.K. This critical posting to represent America’s interests and ensure close cooperation with our key ally and friend is a testament to his reputation, character and skillset. I congratulate the Stephens family on this incredibly proud moment, and wish Warren and Harriet well on this undertaking in service to the country they deeply love.”
    Boozman introduced Stephens at his nomination hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this month and has backed his selection since it was announced by Pres. Trump.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Councils to seize and crush fly-tipping vehicles to clean up Britain

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Councils to seize and crush fly-tipping vehicles to clean up Britain

    Waste criminals, fly-tippers and cowboy waste operators to have vehicles seized and crushed

    Secretary of State Steve Reed visiting A1 Metal Recycling Centre in Wokingham to see a vehicle being crushed

    A new crackdown on cowboy waste operators will tackle soaring fly-tipping and clean up Britain’s streets, lanes and rural areas, the Government has announced today (Tuesday 29 April).  

    Councils will work with the police to identify, seize and crush vehicles of waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly-tippers so they can be destroyed.  

    Ministers have launched a rapid review to slash red tape blocking councils from seizing and crushing vehicles. Councils currently have to bear the significant cost of seizing and storing vehicles but under new plans, being consider by Ministers, fly-tippers will cover this cost, saving councils and taxpayers money.

    In addition, waste cowboys will now face up to five years in prison for operating illegally. Any criminals caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will now face up to five years in prison under new legislation.

    Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said:  

    Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long.  

    That ends today. The Government is calling time on fly-tipping. I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities. 

    Under the Plan for Change, this Government will seize and crush fly-tippers vans’ to clean up Britain’s streets.

    These measures support the Government’s Plan for Change and will help deliver its key mission of Safer Streets for the public, restoring communities’ faith in efforts to combat anti-social behaviour. 

    Waste crime is trashing communities across the country. Fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a fifth whilst the number of prosecutions has fallen by the same amount since 2018/19. The failure to punish these criminals has left our high streets, roads and countryside buried under an avalanche of rubbish.  

    The Environment Agency will also carry out identity and criminal record checks on operators in the sector so there is nowhere to hide for rogue firms. 

    It will be handed more resources as they will now be able to fund the cost of policing the industry through permits, boosting their powers and cutting costs for taxpayers. The reforms will also give them more power to revoke permits, issue enforcement notices and hefty fines.  

    Philip Duffy, Environment Agency Chief Executive, said:

    Waste crime is toxic. Criminals’ thoughtless actions harm people, places, and the economy, blighting our communities and disrupting legitimate businesses. 

    At the Environment Agency, we’re determined to bring these criminals to justice through tough enforcement action and prosecutions. That’s why we support the Government’s crackdown on waste criminals, which will ensure we have the right powers to shut rogue operators out of the waste industry.

    Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Jacob Hayler, said:

    For too long, criminality has run rampant across the waste sector. These illegal activities threaten the environment; damage communities and undermine legitimate recycling and waste operations. ESA has long campaigned for tighter rules, tougher enforcement and harsher penalties to deter criminals, so we very much welcome today’s reforms and hope that they are put to good use driving criminals out of our sector. 

    In particular, the proposed reforms to the carriers, brokers, dealers and exemption regimes, coupled with strong and effective enforcement from the regulators, could go a long way to help tackle the scourge of waste crime, with increased scrutiny and accountability making it much harder for criminals to operate in our sector.

     Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said:

    Our residents have had enough of the dumpers who pollute their neighbourhoods with rubbish. These new powers will be a welcome addition to our arsenal, reinforcing our zero-tolerance stance on fly-tipping. We’ve already witnessed the positive impact of our focused efforts, and I am determined to use every tool at our disposal, including seizing vehicles, to reclaim our streets.

    The Government is making available £69 billion to council budgets across England – a 6.8% cash terms increase – and bringing forward the first multi-year funding settlement in a decade, to help fund key responsibilities like tackling fly-tipping

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Enhance Interoperability

    Source: United States Department of Defense (video statements)

    Members of the@UsAirforce 435th Contingency Response Group and Royal Canadian Air Force enhance interoperability during exercise Agile Bison 25-1 at Chièvres Air Base, Belgium.

    #airforce #military #usa

    For more on the Department of Defense, visit: http://www.defense.gov

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m9tBOjcSno

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Greenpeace USA’s response to TMC’s push to fast-track deep sea mining in the High Seas under the U.S. Seabed Mining Code

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Greenpeace International activists from around the world have paddled and protested around MV COCO, a specialized offshore drilling vessel currently collecting data for deep sea mining frontrunner, The Metals Company, on its last expedition before it files the world’s first ever application to mine the seabed in the Pacific Ocean. © Martin Katz / Greenpeace

    In response to The Metals Company’s push to fast-track deep-sea mining in the High Seas under the U.S. Seabed Mining Code, Arlo Hemphill, Greenpeace USA’s Deep Sea Mining Campaign Lead, stated: “Greenpeace USA condemns this reckless attempt by The Metals Company (TMC) to bypass international law and commercialize mining in the high seas and US-adjacent waters. It is nothing less than the plunder of the Pacific once again being pursued without the consent of Pacific Peoples. We cannot allow another dangerous extension of corporate greed and neo-colonialism, sacrificing ocean health, Indigenous rights, and future generations for the short-term gain of a few corporations to repeat itself in the deep sea.” 

    TMC’s application comes as Congress meets today, Tuesday, April 29, in a hearing requested by the House Natural Resources Committee, to explore the Potential of Deep-Sea Mining to expand American Mineral production. The application for mining TMC USA-A_2 in the Clarion Clipperton Zone attempts to exploit the U.S. legal system to advance mining operations in areas it was already licensed to explore under Nauru’s sponsorship through the International Seabed Authority processes. It disregards the multilateral process agreed upon by 170 countries and the European Union under UNCLOS. The company has faced opposition in that body from 32 countries and several Indigenous Pacific groups that have called for a ban, pause, or moratorium on deep sea mining. 

    Solomon P. Kaho’ohalahala, chair of the Pacific Island Heritage Coalition, said: “The people of the Pacific have a cultural connection to the deep sea.  It is the birthplace of our ancestors, and of all life. Deep sea mining is an assault on our cultural heritage, and it is being rushed forward without our consultation.  We call on Congress to stop this assault on the ocean we know as home, and to respect the values of Hawaiians and people from across the Pacific who will be on the frontlines should this industry take hold.”

    Hemphill continued: “We urge congressional leaders to defend democratic oversight, reject corporate shortcuts, and protect the deep ocean. Greenpeace USA stands with Pacific communities, Indigenous leaders, scientists, and governments worldwide calling for a moratorium on this dangerous industry. We must defend the oceans, uphold international law, and reject a broken system that gambles our planet’s future for corporate profit.”

    Louisa Casson, Greenpeace International Senior Campaigner, said: “The first application to commercially mine the seabed will be remembered as an act of total disregard for international law and scientific consensus. This unilateral US effort to carve up the Pacific Ocean already faces fierce international opposition. Governments around the world must now step up to defend international rules and cooperation against rogue deep sea mining. Leaders will be meeting at the UN Oceans Conference in Nice in June, where they must speak with one voice in support of a moratorium on this reckless industry.”

    President Trump’s recent executive order promoting U.S. plans to initiate deep-sea mining in both U.S. and international waters has faced widespread criticism from several environmental NGOs, and state actors, including France, China, and the European Commission who have condemned it as a unilateral action that undermines multilateral cooperation and the United Nations. While the U.S. never ratified UNCLOS, bypassing the international system violates global norms that safeguard the deep ocean as the “common heritage of humankind,” setting a dangerous precedent for the management of all global commons.

    Contact: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, [email protected]  

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mark Carney won: Here are the key economic priorities for his new government

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Berhane Elfu, Lecturer in Finance, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology

    The Liberal Party led by Mark Carney has secured a fourth consecutive term in government. This victory has come at a time when Canada is facing an unprecedented threat to its economic security and sovereignty from United States President Donald Trump.

    In an election defined by concerns over Trump’s erratic tariff policy and talk of making Canada a 51st state, voters decided Carney was the leader best equipped to deal with these challenges.

    Carney previously served as governor of the Bank of Canada, where he guided the country through the 2008 global financial crisis. He later became the first non-British person to head the Bank of England, helping guide the United Kingdom through Brexit, one of the biggest shocks to the British economy in decades.



    Read more:
    Game change Canadian election: Mark Carney leads Liberals to their fourth consecutive win

    Now the world is facing similar financial shocks from Trump’s trade war. The on-again, off-again nature of Trump’s tariff policy could inflict significant damage to the global economy — even more to the American economy — and cause irreparable damage to its reputation as a rational entity in international trade.

    In the face of the ill-advised and self-defeating U.S. tariffs, the new Canadian government should take prudent, urgent and bold steps to strengthen the nation’s economy. Here are major and important economic priorities for the government to reshape the economy and spur much-needed economic growth.

    Stabilize and strengthen the national economy

    As a primary act, the new government should stabilize the Canadian economy from the tariff shocks. It must continue to develop carefully calibrated retaliations to Trump’s tariffs.

    The revenue raised from the tariffs should be used to compensate those directly affected by them, using a multi-pronged mechanism that includes training, increased employment insurance benefits and additional transfers to low-income households to reduce the impact of tariffs on food costs.



    Read more:
    U.S. tariffs are about to trigger the greatest trade diversion the world has ever seen

    Currently, a series of provincial regulations restrict the goods and services that cross Canada’s provincial borders daily. The new government should urgently remove longstanding interprovincial trade barriers.

    According to a report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, removing these impediments could boost the economy by up to $200 billion annually. Similarly, a study by the International Monetary Fund indicates the effect of these barriers is equivalent to a 21 per cent tariff.

    Removing interprovincial trade barriers would significantly offset the negative effects of Trump’s tariffs on the Canadian economy, and provide a boost to the “Buy Canadian” movement.

    Carney seems to have made this a priority already, which is promising. In March, he said he aims to have “free trade by Canada Day” among provinces and territories.

    Streamlining natural resource projects

    Canada is a natural resource superpower. However, for natural resources and critical minerals to be extracted efficiently, regulatory processes need to be streamlined by cutting red tape and duplicative assessments.

    The federal government and the provinces should agree to a single environmental assessment that meets the standards of both jurisdictions.

    Additionally and importantly, respectful, genuine and meaningful consultations must be undertaken by project proponents and governments with the relevant Indigenous communities to address their concerns, respect their rights and safeguard their economic well-being in the development of the natural resources projects.

    Carney has said he will uphold the principle of free, prior and informed consent when it comes to initiating resource extraction projects and make it easier for Indigenous communities to become owners of said projects.

    A similar approach should also guide the construction of infrastructure projects such as pipelines and ports, which play a crucial role in facilitating Canada’s exports.

    Boost Canada’s productivity through innovation

    A country’s ability to raise living standards for its people mostly depends on its capacity to improve its productivity. Economist Paul Krugman once stated, “productivity is not everything, but, in the long run, it is almost everything.”

    Canada’s productivity is lagging, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.



    Read more:
    Canada is lagging in innovation, and that’s a problem for funding the programs we care about

    The new Canadian government should take steps to boost the nation’s productivity by increasing direct expenditures on research and development. Additional funding should be allocated to higher institutions of learning, and incentivizing businesses to spend more on research and development through significant tax credits.

    Although research and development spending continues to grow in Canada, as a percentage to GDP, it is the second lowest among G7 nations. Boosting investments will drive innovation, spur economic growth and ensure Canada remains competitive on the global stage.

    Dealing with U.S. tariffs

    One of the government’s primary tasks will be preparing meticulously for trade negotiations with the U.S. to address the threat of tariffs and reach a “win-win” trade deal. Given Trump’s highly unpredictable nature, negotiations will not be easy.

    Although Trump could have withdrawn from the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), he has not done so, and zero-tariffs remain in effect for products that are certified as being North American origin under the CUSMA rules. This could be a solid starting point for future trade negotiations.

    At the same time, Carney and his team must work to stabilize the Canadian economy against the unprecedented threat of Trump’s tariffs by strengthening the domestic economy, diversifying Canada’s exports and reducing the country’s dependence on the U.S.

    Pulling away from the world’s largest economy will not be easy for Canadian businesses, given the deep integration of Canada’s economy with that of the U.S.

    Still, expanding trade with the European Union, the U.K., Africa and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — and exploring other opportunities to reducing trade barriers with nations in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America — will enlarge Canada’s export market.

    By doing all this, Canada can not only prepare for a tough round of U.S. trade talks but also position itself as a stronger, more self-reliant global trading partner.

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

    – ref. Mark Carney won: Here are the key economic priorities for his new government – https://theconversation.com/mark-carney-won-here-are-the-key-economic-priorities-for-his-new-government-255477

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Putin’s latest announcement for a temporary ceasefire rings hollow while Russia’s brutality continues: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Putin’s latest announcement for a temporary ceasefire rings hollow while Russia’s brutality continues: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

    Since Russia’s invasion over three years ago, this Council has met many times to discuss the death, destruction and misery Russia unleashed on Ukrainians.

    It has displaced over three and a half million people within the country, and almost seven million have sought refuge abroad leaving over a third of the population in dire need of humanitarian help.

    And its consequences have been felt far beyond Ukraine too, sending food and energy prices soaring which has hit the most vulnerable around the world the hardest.

    We welcome the US’s efforts to end this war, yet it is impossible not to reflect on the sheer scale of the crisis – including the shocking attack on Kryvyi Rih in which 20 people were killed earlier this month.

    Nine children lost their lives that day, and the UN reported that this was the largest number of children killed in a single strike since the start of the invasion.

    Civilian casualties have increased by 50% since February and over 10,000 missiles and drones have been fired into Ukraine since the start of the war.

    Such brutality has, sadly, continued – from the revolting strike in Sumy on Palm Sunday to the missiles raining upon Kharkiv and Kyiv, we do not need more evidence to prove that Putin is not serious about peace.

    Putin’s latest announcement for a temporary ceasefire, yet again, rings hollow.

    We need only look to the 30-hour pause in fighting over Easter as an example, during which there was no indication that a ceasefire on the frontline was observed.

    President, I think we can all see through this pretence.

    Russia must declare a ceasefire now.

    Not in a day, not in a week. Ukraine stands ready to go the whole way – a durable and full ceasefire – right now.

    So why wait? Why only for 72 hours?

    If Putin were truly serious, he would agree today to an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire, just as Ukraine has done – not simply announce a short pause from May 8th.

    But Putin chooses not to.

    Compare that to Ukraine, which agreed to the US ceasefire proposal over 40 days ago.

    Make no mistake – the United Kingdom’s commitment to peace is clear.

    As is the United Kingdom’s commitment to stand by Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

    Together, with our allies and partners, we must continue to work with Ukraine and speak up with one voice in Ukraine’s support.

    Because that remains the best way of achieving a just and sustainable end to Putin’s selfish war.

    TWEET:

    Putin’s latest call for a temporary, 72-hour ceasefire rings hollow.

    As hollow as his call for a pause over Easter – throughout which Russian missiles and airstrikes continued to fall on Ukraine.

    Ukraine is ready for peace. Russia needs to get serious and stop playing for time.

    CLIP:

    Putin’s latest announcement for a temporary ceasefire, yet again, rings hollow.

    We need only look to the 30-hour pause in fighting over Easter as an example, during which there was no indication that a ceasefire on the frontline was observed.

    We can all see through this pretence.

    Russia must declare a ceasefire now. 

    cut

    Why wait? Why only for 72 hours?

    If Putin were truly serious, he would agree today to an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire, just as Ukraine has done – not simply announce a short pause from May 8th.

    But Putin chooses not to. 

    Compare that to Ukraine, which agreed to the US ceasefire proposal over 40 days ago. 

    Make no mistake – UK’s commitment to peace is clear. 

    As is the United Kingdom’s commitment to stand by Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The impact of strategic voting in Canada

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Terri Givens, Professor, Political Science, University of British Columbia

    Initially expected to result in a decisive Conservative victory, the Canadian federal election took a dramatic turn as Mark Carney led the Liberals to victory. It also offered an important lesson in the power of strategic voting — driven not just by domestic politics but by external pressures from the United States and a re-energized Liberal campaign.

    In December 2024, the Conservative Party was leading the Liberal Party by more than 20 points in the polls. But Justin Trudeau’s resignation, combined with U.S. President Donald Trump’s antagonistic stance towards Canada, triggered a sharp shift in public opinion.

    When Carney stepped in as prime minister and party leader, the stage was set for a Liberal comeback. But what had been seen as a referendum on the 10-year rule of the Liberal Party ended up being focused on the existential threat posed by Trump’s tariffs and his calls to turn Canada into the 51st state.

    During the campaign, many voters discussed their intention to switch from the Conservatives to the Liberals.

    The pushback against the Conservatives, and in particular their leader, Pierre Poilievre, led to him losing in his own riding, although the Conservatives gained more seats overall.

    The Liberals benefited from strategic voting, but it was the NDP that appeared to lose the most from this strategy.

    The NDP went from winning 25 seats in the previous election to only seven, while their leader Jagmeet Singh also lost in his riding, leading to his resignation as party leader.

    Strategic voting on display

    My first book, Voting Radical Right in Western Europe (2009), focused on the impact of strategic voting. At the time, I observed that political parties would often try to induce voters to vote strategically for a party or candidate that might not otherwise be their first choice.

    This type of strategic voting was clearly on display in the second round of the French presidential election in 2002, when Jean-Marie Le Pen of the far right National Front faced Jacques Chirac in the second round.

    Some left-leaning voters went to the polls with clothespins on their noses or latex gloves on to vote for Chirac and keep Le Pen out of the presidency.

    This strategy worked again in the July 2024 legislative elections in France, where the left and mainstream right-leaning parties came together to make sure that they didn’t split the vote in districts where it could lead to a win by the far-right Rassemblement National (National Rally). In both cases, voters chose more moderate candidates, reducing the influence of the far right.

    Electoral systems are often designed to encourage voters to choose a more moderate candidate. This approach includes putting electoral hurdles in place. For example, parties in Germany have to win at least five per cent of the vote or win three district seats to enter the legislature.

    This approach had been successful since the Second World War in keeping far right parties out of the legislature — that is until the recent success of the Alternative for Germany party.

    The ability of that party to gain votes in the former East Germany has been the main reason for its success.

    Winners and losers in Canada

    Canada presents an interesting case for strategic voting. In the lead-up to the federal election, many voters were posting suggestions for strategic voting in districts where the vote was being split between parties, particularly on the left.

    For example, there was a close race in a riding in British Columbia between the Green and Conservative candidates. I noticed social media posts in which voters were encouraged to shift their vote from the NDP or Liberal candidates to give the Green candidate a better chance of winning the riding.

    As of April 25, Conservatives were expected to win the riding, but on election night, Elizabeth May from the Green Party won with 39 per cent of the vote, with the Conservative candidate falling to third place behind the Liberals.

    Given the fact that the Canadian electoral system is winner-take-all in each riding, it’s important that voters understand the broader impact of their vote on the national outcome.

    It’s likely that many voters switched their votes from their smaller, preferred party — particularly the NPD — to one of the main parties, depending on the kind of poll projections they might have been seeing in their ridings.

    This situation exemplifies the importance of parties providing clear information on potential outcomes to encourage voters to use their vote strategically to get a desired outcome at the national level.

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

    – ref. The impact of strategic voting in Canada – https://theconversation.com/the-impact-of-strategic-voting-in-canada-255489

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Vietnam War ended 50 years ago today, yet films about the conflict still struggle to capture its complexities

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scarlette Nhi Do, Sessional Academic, The University of Melbourne

    Scene from Apocalypse Now (1979) Prime Video

    The Vietnam War (1955–1975) was more than just a chapter in the Cold War.

    For some, it was supposed to achieve Vietnam’s right to self-determination. For others, it was an attempt to found a nation-state independent of both capitalist and communist influences.

    In the 50 years since the war ended, the stories we’ve heard about it have struggled to convey these many different views. Cinema – in Hollywood and in Vietnam – offers some insight into this struggle, which we continue to face today.

    A war by any other name

    The war is known by many names, and each one highlights the different objectives of the forces involved.

    For the United States, “The Vietnam War” was one battleground against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. To prevent communism from spreading, the US sent resources to establish the Republic of Vietnam (known informally as South Vietnam) as its proxy. It had already used this strategy with West Germany and South Korea.

    The Communist Party of Vietnam thought of US involvement as a form of colonialism.

    By calling the conflict “the sacred resistance against the US to salvage the country” (Cuộc Kháng Chiến Chống Mỹ, Cứu Nước), or “the American war” (Chiến Tranh Mỹ) for short, the communist party encouraged the perception of the war as a stepping stone towards Vietnam’s full independence following Chinese imperialism (circa 111 BCE–939 CE), French colonialism (1862–1954) and Japanese occupation (1940-45).

    The communist objective was to “liberate” South Vietnam from the US and its puppet administration, and reunify the country. This is why, in Vietnam, April 30 is called “Reunification Day” or “Independence Day”, to commemorate the communists’ victory in capturing Saigon.

    However, former citizens of South Vietnam call April 30 the “Day of National Mourning” (Ngày Quốc Hận), as it marks the Republic’s defeat and the beginning of decades of political persecution and refugee displacement. Although the South Vietnamese were pluralistic in their political beliefs, they were united in their anti-communism.

    For them, the conflict was “the Civil War” (Nội Chiến), fought between communists and anti-communists over the future of Vietnam. After the Republic fell, many grieved (and still do) the vision of what South Vietnam could have become.

    Apocalypse then

    While the US eventually lost control over South Vietnam, it continued to influence how Vietnam was thought of in the West through Hollywood.

    Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now is loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s classic novel, Heart of Darkness.
    Shutterstock

    In the 1970-80s, Vietnam War films such as Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979), Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Oliver Stone’s Platoon (1987) established these directors as household names.

    The films focus on US soldiers’ psyche and discontent with incompetent leadership, pushing the Vietnamese people and their struggles for independence into the background. They frame the war as something done to American society, rather than something the US orchestrated.

    This victimhood fostered what became known as “the Vietnam syndrome” – an unofficial condition in American mindset characterised by feelings of woundedness and a loss of trust in the capability of the US.

    In Vietnam, early communist-controlled cinema in the north depicted the Vietnamese as an oppressed people who must band together to defeat Western corruption. Wartime films such as Along the Same River (1959) and 17th Parallel, Days and Nights (1972) leaned into melodramatic love stories to allegorise the divided Vietnam as separated lovers who must be reunited.

    As directors in the north slowly gained some freedom from the communist party, films increasingly dealt with the war’s immense impact and questioned the party’s ability to bring about the classless society it had promised. The Girl on the River (1987) and Living in Fear (2005) are two good examples.

    Living in Fear (Sống trong sợ hãi) trailer.

    Meanwhile, filmmakers in the south were independents who occasionally collaborated with the state or military, as seen with the classic 1971 film Faceless Lover (also known as Warrior, Who Are You?).

    South Vietnamese people saw film as a medium to negotiate their fledgling national identity. For them, it was important to establish and safekeep an identity that was distinct from the “foreign ally” (the US) and the “domestic foe” (the communists).

    This is why films from the south often portrayed love triangles, where the hero must choose between the vessels of modern Vietnamese femininity and Western excess. Some examples include Afternoon Sun (1972) and Late Night’s Dew (1972).

    Apocalypse now

    New perspectives on the war are emerging as historically marginalised groups gain footing in Western media. And some of these challenge early portrayals.

    Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods (2020) was the first major production to show the war through Black American veterans’ eyes. Hollywood neglected to do this, despite the over-representation of Black soldiers in conscription, combat and casualties during wartime.

    Although Da 5 Bloods still fails to account for the Vietnamese’s fight for self-determination, it acknowledges Black Americans’ and the Vietnamese people’s mutual suffering under white supremacy.

    One independent feature from a son of refugees, Journey from the Fall (2006), conveys the resentment many exiled South Vietnamese people feel towards the communist party. It also explores the trauma of leaving Vietnam by boat and resettlement in the US.

    Most recently, the 2024 TV series The Sympathizer, adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel, moved the needle by probing at complex issues such as wartime loyalty, complicity and authenticity.

    Communist narratives persist

    In Vietnam today, the scale of communist party-funded movies has grown immensely, with many films resembling Hollywood blockbusters. But the messages have become more conservative.

    Films such as The Scent of Burning Grass (2012) and The Legend Makers (2013) continue to support the communist party narrative by omitting South Vietnam’s anti-communist objective. They also undermine women’s contributions to the war efforts, whereas earlier films put women at the centre of community organisation.

    A new generation of filmmakers is challenging these narratives through collaboration with international production companies and distributors. Features such as Viet and Nam (2024) experiment with film form to show the true costs of war, including the widening wealth disparity in Vietnam, and the lengths many would go to close this gap.

    Viet and Nam trailer.

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

    – ref. The Vietnam War ended 50 years ago today, yet films about the conflict still struggle to capture its complexities – https://theconversation.com/the-vietnam-war-ended-50-years-ago-today-yet-films-about-the-conflict-still-struggle-to-capture-its-complexities-253837

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Renewables, coal or nuclear? This election, your generation’s energy preference may play a surprising role

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magnus Söderberg, Professor & Director, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University

    Christie Cooper/Shutterstock

    In an otherwise unremarkable election campaign, the major parties are promising sharply different energy blueprints for Australia. Labor is pitching a high-renewables future powered largely by wind, solar, hydroelectricity and batteries. The Coalition wants more gas and coal now, and would build nuclear power later.

    So how might these two competing visions play out as Australia goes to the polls this Saturday?

    Research shows clear generational preferences when it comes to producing electricity. Younger Australians prefer renewables while older people favour coal and gas. The one exception is nuclear power, which is split much more on gender lines than age – 51% of Australian men support it, but just 26% of women.

    While many voters are focused squarely on the cost of living, energy prices feed directly into how much everything costs. Research has shown that as power prices rise, the more likely it is an incumbent government will be turfed out.

    Coal, renewables or nuclear?

    About half of young Australians (18–34) want the country powered by renewables by 2030, according to a 2023 survey of energy consumers. Only 13% of the youngest (18–24) group think there’s no need to change or that it’s impossible. But resistance increases directly with age. From retirement age and up, 29% favour a renewable grid by 2030 while 44% think there’s no need or that it’s impossible.

    On nuclear, the divide is less clear. The Coalition has promised to build Australia’s first nuclear reactors if elected, and Coalition leader Peter Dutton has claimed young people back nuclear. That’s based on a Newspoll survey showing almost two-thirds (65%) of Australians aged 18–34 supported nuclear power.

    But other polls give a quite different story: 46% support for nuclear by younger Australians in an Essential poll compared to 56% support by older Australians. A Savanta poll put young support at just 36%.

    There’s a gender component too. The demographic most opposed to nuclear are women over 55.

    Younger voters remain strongly committed to environmental goals – but they’re also wary of cost blowouts and electricity price rises. Some see nuclear as a zero emissions technology able to help with the clean energy transition.

    Older Australians are more likely to be sceptical of nuclear power. This is likely due to nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl as well as the prospect of nuclear war during the Cold War.

    It’s an open question how robust support for nuclear would be if the Coalition was elected and began the long, expensive process of construction. New findings by the National Climate Action Survey shows almost 40% of Australians would be “extremely concerned” if a nuclear power plant was built within 50 kilometres of their homes and another 16% “very concerned”.

    These energy preferences aren’t just found in Australia. In recent research my co-authors and I found a clear divide in Sweden: younger favour renewables and nuclear, older favour fossil fuels. Why the difference? Sweden already gets about 40% of its power from nuclear, while renewables now provide about 40% of Australia’s power.

    We found younger Swedes strongly favoured renewables – but also supported nuclear power, especially when electricity prices rose. That is because nuclear is perceived to stabilise the supply of electricity. They wanted clean energy, as long as it was reliable and affordable. Our study found older people were not necessarily pro-fossil fuels, but were more focused on keeping energy affordable – especially for businesses and industry.

    When electricity prices rose in Sweden, our survey respondents broadly became less concerned about climate change and more likely to be favourable to nuclear energy.

    In Australia, the cost of the clean energy transition has crept up. While solar and wind offer cheap power once built, there are hidden costs.

    If electricity prices keep rising, we should expect to see declining support for the clean energy transition.

    Overcoming the energy divide

    During Australia’s decade-long climate wars from roughly 2012 to 2022, climate change was heavily politicised and energy became a political football. Under a Coalition government in 2014, Australia became the first nation to abolish a carbon tax.

    Labor took office in 2022 pledging to end the climate wars and fast-track the clean energy transition. But the Coalition has opened up a new divide on energy by proposing nuclear power by the 2040s and more gas and coal in the meantime.

    This election, the cost of living is the single biggest issue for 25% of voters in the ABC’s Vote Compass poll. But climate change is still the main concern for about 8% of voters, energy for 4% and the environment 3.5%. Here, Coalition backing for fossil fuels and nuclear may attract some older and younger voters but repel others. Labor’s renewable transition may attract younger voters but lose older energy traditionalists.

    Energy preferences could play out through a cost of living lens. Parties pushing too hard on green policies this election risk alienating older voters concerned about rising costs. But going nuclear would be very expensive, and keeping old coal plants going isn’t cheap. Downplaying climate action or dismissing nuclear outright could alienate some younger Australians, who are climate-conscious and energy-savvy.

    Policymakers should resist framing energy as a zero-sum game. There is a path forward which can unite generations: coupling ambitious climate targets with pragmatic policies to protect consumers. Transitional supports such as energy rebates, time-of-use pricing or community-scale renewables and batteries can soften any economic impact while building public trust.

    Our research suggests electricity price rises can quickly erode support even for well-designed energy policies.

    As Australia navigates a complex and costly transition, keeping both younger and older generations on board may be the greatest political – and moral – challenge of all.

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

    – ref. Renewables, coal or nuclear? This election, your generation’s energy preference may play a surprising role – https://theconversation.com/renewables-coal-or-nuclear-this-election-your-generations-energy-preference-may-play-a-surprising-role-253832

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: UK must grow more of its own wood to meet climate goals – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By John Healey, Professor of Forest Sciences, Bangor University

    shutterstock ShaunWilkinson/Shutterstock

    Wood is often hailed as a low-carbon hero, a natural alternative to steel, concrete and plastic. It’s a vital tool in the UK’s strategy for reaching net zero. But there’s a catch – the country don’t grow nearly enough of it.

    The UK has one of the lowest levels of forest cover in Europe, with just 14% of land forested. It is also the second-largest importer of wood in the world, meeting only 20% of its wood demand from domestic sources.

    That leaves the UK not only exposed to volatile global markets, but also facing a serious challenge of “wood security”. And our new research shows the problem goes well beyond economics.

    Relying heavily on imported timber, especially from boreal forests in Scandanavia and the Baltic States, could actually undermine the carbon-cutting benefits of using wood in place of high-emissions materials.

    Boreal forests occurring in colder northerly environments grow slowly. The carbon stored in them takes decades, sometimes centuries, to recover after harvesting through the growth of the next generation of trees.

    In contrast, conifer forests in the UK’s warmer temperate climate restock carbon through regrowth more quickly after harvesting. This makes them much better suited for higher yields of sustainable wood production.

    So, how can countries such as the UK increase wood use without making the climate crisis worse? To address this, we created a new model that tracks carbon at every stage of a tree’s journey, from how it grows in the forest to how it’s harvested, transported, processed and used. This includes temporary storage of carbon in wood products, and the avoidance of having to use high-emitting materials and energy sources that would be needed in the absence of wood.

    We combined this with models of how carbon storage changes in forests under different harvesting intensities. Our analysis showed that it is possible for rising wood demand to make a positive contribution to national and global net zero targets. But that’s only if the domestic production of wood is dramatically increased in temperate countries such as the UK.

    Even a modest annual increase in demand (1.1%) would require a 50% expansion in the area of productive forest over the next 50 years. A more ambitious approach, such as doubling productive forest area and increasing tree growth rates by 33%, could boost the overall contribution of wood use to slowing global warming by 175%. But that would require huge changes in forestry practice and land use policy.

    In contrast, under a scenario of higher demand growth (2.3% per year), we found that the climate benefit of wood use is reduced. And only a doubling of forest area and a 33% increase in growth rates would be enough to deliver a meaningful contribution to slowing global warming over the next century.

    These benefits would be at risk if forest productivity is undermined by increasing incidence of pests, disease or drought as climate change progresses.

    Challenges ahead

    Our findings point to three major challenges the UK must address if wood is to play a meaningful role in its net zero strategy.

    First, the expansion of productive conifer forest in the UK has slowed to a standstill over the past 30 years. The amount of wood available for harvest is projected to fall after 2039. This trend will have to be reversed very soon to rapidly increase the area of conifer forests. This will need a rethink of how the UK balances land for forestry, farming and nature recovery.

    Second, forest management must be improved to sustain productivity under increasing stress from pests, pathogens and drought.

    Third, wood must be used more efficiently. That includes reducing waste during processing, designing products for longevity and reusing wood products as many times as possible.

    So, the UK’s net zero policy must connect the push for using more wood with a clear plan for how it will grow and manage the forests needed to supply it. At the same time, when policymakers assess the climate effects of cutting down trees, they need to look at the whole picture. That means considering not just what’s lost from the forest, but how the wood is used, how long it stores carbon and how much it replaces more polluting materials.

    This kind of joined-up, forward-looking analysis – like the one we developed in our study – is essential if wood is to play a truly sustainable role in fighting climate change.

    John Healey receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council, the Centre for Forest Protection, and the Wildlife Trusts. He is affiliated with Woodknowledge Wales, Rainforest Builder and the Institute of Chartered Foresters.

    David Styles received funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (UK) and from the Department of Environment, Climate & Communications (Ireland) for research related to this article.

    Eilidh Forster received funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (UK) for research related to this article.

    – ref. UK must grow more of its own wood to meet climate goals – new research – https://theconversation.com/uk-must-grow-more-of-its-own-wood-to-meet-climate-goals-new-research-254353

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney speaks with President of France Emmanuel Macron

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, spoke with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

    President Macron congratulated Prime Minister Carney on his election. Following the Prime Minister’s meeting with the President in Paris last month, the two leaders discussed their ongoing work to deepen defence and commercial ties between their nations. They agreed to remain in close contact.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Fourth Italy-Türkiye Intergovernmental Summit

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    29 Aprile 2025

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, attended the fourth Italy-Türkiye intergovernmental summit today, held at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome. Following the plenary session, a signing ceremony for the agreements was held, after which President Meloni and the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, issued statements to the press.

    [Signing ceremony and press statements].

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Willis warns of a ‘tight’ budget to come, but NZ should be going for productivity, not austerity

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dennis Wesselbaum, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Otago

    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    Finance Minister Nicola Willis has warned her 2025 “Growth Budget” will be “one of the tightest budgets in a decade”, with plans to reduce spending by billions.

    It’s clear New Zealand is following a global trend towards austerity by focusing on reducing government spending and lowering government debt.

    Complicating the economic picture for the government are Donald Trump’s tariffs and his trade war with China. In early April, financial services company J.P. Morgan Research said there was a 60% probability of the United States experiencing a recession in 2025 — with a 40% chance of a global recession.

    Despite this uncertain economic future, the idea that New Zealand’s debt-to-GDP ratio requires immediate and drastic austerity-like measures is not supported by the evidence.

    The ratio measures the government’s debt compared to its gross domestic product (GDP). Currently, New Zealand’s ratio is about 47%. This is substantially higher than before the pandemic (32% in 2019) and higher than Australia (35%).

    But it is at the lower end compared with other advanced economies. The 2023 debt-to-GDP ratio in the US was 112%, 101% in the United Kingdom, and about 50% in Canada, Ireland and South Korea.

    Rather than tightening the belt to reduce debt and increase fiscal balance, New Zealand needs to focus on boosting productivity, investing in education, building strong and resilient infrastructure and supporting health and wellbeing.

    Lowering debt and creating fiscal space are legitimate goals. But they should be viewed as a means to an end, not an end in itself.

    A necessary medicine

    Austerity is often presented as necessary medicine during an economic crisis. The logic is seemingly straightforward: reduce government spending and debt to not overstimulate the economy, create fiscal resilience for future shocks, support low and stable inflation, and signal fiscal responsibility to international markets.

    Several countries adopted austerity measures in response to high deficits following the global financial crisis.

    Greece implemented deep spending cuts, tax hikes and pension reforms under the terms of a bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF). This reduced its deficit but caused a severe economic contraction and social unrest.

    Spain similarly cut public wages, raised taxes and reformed pensions, stabilising its finances but causing persistently high unemployment.

    Italy’s austerity measures involved pension reforms and tax hikes, achieving modest fiscal improvement but sparking political instability.

    The UK focused on reducing public spending and welfare support, significantly lowering its deficit while putting pressure on public services and increasing inequality. Research found UK’s austerity measures led to hundreds of thousands of avoidable deaths.

    While in many cases austerity helped restore fiscal balance, it often came with heavy economic and social costs, particularly in terms of unemployment, growth and public welfare.

    In March, people in the United Kingdom took to the streets to protest ongoing austerity measures.
    Mike Kemp/Getty Images

    Productivity is the key

    Research indicates that debt-to-GDP ratios above about 80% tend to be associated with lower growth. But below this threshold, the ratio tends to be associated with increases in growth.

    It is clear that deficits are neither always bad for economic growth, nor that they always lead to inflation, when combined with a credible fiscal strategy to return to surpluses in the future.

    To raise the future wellbeing of all New Zealanders we need to avoid the heavy costs of austerity and rather focus on stimulating economic growth. And this comes with a price tag.

    Using debt to finance investments into capital, which in turn increases our productivity, is key to fostering economic growth. This goes hand-in-hand with targeted industrial policies, reduction in regulation, increases in government efficiency and trade liberalisation

    Importantly, public investment boosts economic growth mainly through two channels: efficiency (how much infrastructure is actually delivered for the money spent) and productivity (how well that infrastructure supports economic activity).

    Research from the IMF suggests an increase in public investment of one percentage point of GDP is associated with an increase in output of about 0.2% in the same year and 1.2% four years later.

    All-of-government focus

    What New Zealand needs is a long-term growth strategy and an all-of-government focus on lifting productivity. This must be grounded in fiscal responsibility – one that boosts government efficiency. But not at the cost of delaying high-impact investments or leaving growth opportunities on the table.

    Maintaining discipline while strategically investing in the drivers of long-term prosperity is essential for securing New Zealand’s economic future.

    The path ahead requires careful navigation, not a rush towards austerity.

    By thoughtfully balancing the need for fiscal prudence with the importance of investing in our productivity, human capital and infrastructure, we can ensure a more resilient and prosperous future for all New Zealanders.

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

    – ref. Willis warns of a ‘tight’ budget to come, but NZ should be going for productivity, not austerity – https://theconversation.com/willis-warns-of-a-tight-budget-to-come-but-nz-should-be-going-for-productivity-not-austerity-254689

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK is committed to doing all we can to protect information integrity with a human rights-based approach: UK statement at the UN

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    The UK is committed to doing all we can to protect information integrity with a human rights-based approach: UK statement at the UN

    Statement by UK Spokesperson to the UN Letisha Lunin at the UN Committee on Information General Debate.

    Thank you Chair, let me begin by congratulating you and the members of the Bureau on your election.

    I would also like to thank the Secretariat and Under-Secretary-General Fleming and the Department of Global Communications for its work, including on the UN’s Global Principles for Information Integrity, which we are proud to support.

    The UN’s footage and testimony from war zones shines a light on humanitarian crises. Its news and campaign services raise awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, and equip us with accurate information on the climate and nature crisis. 

    As we mark the UN’s 80th anniversary, the Department’s work has never been more important.

    It is vital audiences understand the nature and magnitude of the current global challenges we face, and how the UN has made a difference, maintaining international peace and security, in accordance with the UN charter.

    Chair, I will make three points:

    First, the UK is extremely concerned at the rapidly growing threats to information integrity, fueled by artificial intelligence.

    Mis and disinformation operations are being used to exacerbate tensions and conflicts, and compromise the integrity of elections, undermining trust in democratic institutions. 

    The recent World Economic Forum Global Risks Report for 2025 lists mis and disinformation as the most severe global risks over the next two years.

    Mis and disinformation is being weaponised by state and non-state actors to deceive populations at scale.  

    Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been using disinformation to undermine global support for Ukraine. The UK has been proactive in identifying and acting against these malign information operations. This includes exposing and sanctioning the Russian state-funded Social Design Agency, whose sole purpose is to weaken international support for Ukraine by spreading false social media content.

    Recently, the UK shared information that Proxies, directed by the Russian state, have plans to interfere with elections in the Central African Republic, including through suppressing political voices and conducting disinformation campaigns to interfere in political debate. 

    Russia has also been exploiting the Security Council as a platform for disinformation. Russia has invited dozens of individuals as briefers to spread conspiracy theories about what has happened in Ukraine.

    Member States all have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the UN as a trusted source of information.

    The UK condemns disinformation about UN Peacekeeping operations. The spread of false allegations not only erodes trust between the Blue Helmets and the communities they serve, it is also damaging their ability to implement their mandate, and it is putting peacekeepers’ lives at risk.  

    We are proud to support the UN’s Mis and Disinformation in Peacekeeping Settings Project.

    Second, independent journalism reported freely, without fear, is essential in a democratic society.

    But in many parts of the world, the freedom of the media is under threat. 

    The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that more journalists were killed in 2024 than in any other year since it began collecting data over three decades ago.  

    The conflict in Gaza has become the deadliest ever recorded for media and journalist workers. 

    In Sudan, reporters are also taking significant risks to document the horrors of war.

    Journalists should be able to carry out their work safely and free from censorship and harassment. 

    The UK is proud to have co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition, with 51 countries as members, advocating for the safety of journalists. 

    And we also thank the Department of Global Communications for its work supporting journalists.

    This brings me to my third point, Chair. The UK is committed to doing all we can to protect information integrity with a human rights-based approach.  

    That is why we are proud to support the Global Digital Compact.

    The UK’s Online Safety Act ensures platforms tackle harmful content by requiring companies to take steps to remove illegal content, including illegal mis and disinformation.

    Finally, the UK supports multilingualism. 

    And while a third of the world’s population remains offline, the UK supports collective efforts to close the digital divide and ensure those who come online have access to accurate and reliable information.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Invest in African Energy 2026 Forum Confirmed for May 11–12 in Paris

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    PARIS, France, April 29, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) is pleased to announce that the fourth edition of the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum will return to Paris on May 11–12, 2026, with a sharpened focus on frontier exploration, early-stage project development and upstream investment opportunities. Building on three highly successful editions, IAE continues to serve as the premier platform for global explorers, investors and African energy leaders to connect, collaborate and catalyze the next wave of discoveries. 

    Held in Europe’s leading financial and diplomatic center, IAE 2026 will convene energy ministers, national oil companies, utilities, regulators and global investors for two days of strategic dialogue and high-level engagement. This edition will introduce an enhanced focus on the exploration community and its broader ecosystem – from geologists and service companies, to governments and capital providers. With over 150 oil and gas blocks available for bidding across more than 10 African markets in 2025, the continent is experiencing an exploration resurgence, presenting opportunities in both mature and frontier regions. IAE will serve as the premier platform for accessing these opportunities, exploring the latest data rooms, showcasing seismic and subsurface innovation and fostering early-stage collaboration among IOCs and NOCs.  

    Several high-impact licensing rounds are already lined up for 2026, signaling new momentum across Africa’s exploration landscape. Equatorial Guinea has relaunched its open-door licensing process, paving the way for a major licensing round by late 2025 or early 2026. Angola is planning to repeat its multi-year licensing round for oil and gas acreage starting in 2026, while Namibia is lining up new offshore licensing opportunities from 2025 that are expected to continue into the following year. Uganda also plans to issue new exploration licenses in the 2025/2026 fiscal year. In addition, several licensing rounds launched in 2025 will carry over into 2026, offering continued momentum and opportunity for exploration-focused stakeholders. 

    More than just a development-focused event, IAE 2026 is setting the stage for the next era of African oil and gas exploration. With operators and developers expected to invest $43 billion in Africa’s oil and gas sector in 2025 — and capital expenditure projected to reach a decade-high of $54 billion by 2030 — Africa’s role in the global energy landscape is only set to grow. IAE responds directly to this momentum, serving as a launchpad for cross-border investment, strategic partnerships and early-stage project financing. The forum is purpose-built to engage geologists, upstream strategists, service providers and capital partners looking to unlock the continent’s vast untapped hydrocarbon potential. 

    “IAE has become the definitive meeting point for Africa’s energy stakeholders and global capital markets. We’re especially focused on amplifying exploration in 2026 – shining a spotlight on frontier plays, licensing opportunities and early-stage assets ready for partnerships. With preparations underway, we are committed to sustaining this platform’s growth and delivering another high-impact edition in 2026,” said Sandra Jeque, Events & Project Director at ECP. 

    In previous editions, the forum has welcomed official delegations from over 20 African countries, hosted exclusive ministerial panels and investor roundtables, and featured hundreds of B2B meetings that have laid the foundation for tangible, cross-border cooperation. By spotlighting Africa’s exploration resurgence — from untapped basins and high-impact drilling campaigns to recent regulatory shifts — the forum will offer clear value to IOCs evaluating global priorities, while outlining what the exploration landscape looks like and what investors need to know to engage effectively. 

    More information on the 2026 program, speaker lineup and sponsorship opportunities will be announced in the coming months. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council – on the Middle East [as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    onsieur le Président, Excellences,

    Je remercie la présidence française d’organiser cette réunion au niveau ministériel sur le Moyen-Orient, y compris la question palestinienne.

    La région traverse des bouleversements fondamentaux, marqués par la violence et la volatilité, mais également porteurs d’opportunités et de potentiel.

    Au Liban, le cessez-le-feu et l’intégrité territoriale doivent être respectés et tous les engagements doivent être mis en œuvre.

    En Syrie, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts pour accompagner le pays sur la voie d’une transition politique inclusive de toutes les composantes de la population syrienne – une transition qui garantisse la reddition de comptes, favorise la réconciliation nationale, et jette les bases du redressement à long terme de la Syrie ainsi que de son intégration future au sein de la communauté internationale. 

    Cela inclut la situation dans le Golan syrien occupé, qui demeure précaire en raison de violations majeures de l’Accord de désengagement des forces de 1974 – notamment la présence continue des Forces de défense israéliennes dans la zone de séparation, ainsi que leurs multiples frappes contre des sites au-delà de la ligne de cessez-le-feu.

    À travers le Moyen-Orient, les populations réclament et méritent un avenir meilleur – et non des conflits et des souffrances sans fin.

    Nous devons agir ensemble pour faire en sorte que cette période de turbulences et de transition réponde à ces aspirations – et qu’elle apporte justice, dignité, droits, sécurité, et une paix durable.

    Cela commence par la reconnaissance de deux faits fondamentaux : 

    Premièrement, la région se trouve à un moment charnière de son histoire. 

    Et, deuxièmement, que toute paix vraiment durable au Moyen-Orient dépend d’une question centrale.

    Un élément essentiel que ce Conseil de sécurité a affirmé et réaffirmé, année après année, décennie après décennie : une solution à deux États, Israël et la Palestine, vivant côte-à-côte dans la paix et la sécurité, avec Jérusalem comme capitale des deux États.

    Mr. President,

    Today, the promise of a two-State solution is at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance. 

    The political commitment to this long-standing goal is farther than it has ever been.

    As a result, the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live and peace and security have been undermined – and the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinians have been denied – while they endure Israel’s continued presence that the International Court of Justice has found unlawful. 

    And since the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas, it has gotten worse on every front.

    First, the unrelenting conflict and devastation in Gaza – including the utterly inhumane conditions of life imposed on its people who are repeatedly coming under attack, confined to smaller and smaller spaces, and deprived of lifesaving relief. 

    In line with international law, the Security Council has rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce its territory. 

    Gaza is — and must remain — an integral part of a future Palestinian state.

    Second, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations and the use of heavy weaponry in residential areas, forcible displacement, demolitions, movement restrictions, and settlement expansion are dramatically altering demographic and geographic realities. 

    Palestinians are being contained and coerced.  Contained in areas that are subject to increasing military operations and where the Palestinian Authority is under growing pressure – and coerced out of areas where settlements are expanding. 

    Third, settler violence continues at alarmingly high levels in a climate of impunity, with entire Palestinian communities facing repeated assaults and destruction, sometimes abetted by Israeli soldiers.

    Palestinian attacks against Israelis in both Israel and the occupied West Bank also continue.

    Mr. President,

    The world cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear. 

    Political leaders face clear choices — the choice to be silent, the choice to acquiesce, or the choice to act.

    Mr. President,

    In Gaza, there is no end in sight to the killing and misery.

    The ceasefire had brought a glimmer of hope – the long-sought release of hostages and delivery of lifesaving humanitarian relief.

    But those embers of opportunity were cruelly extinguished with the shattering of the ceasefire on 18 March. 

    Since then, almost 2,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes and military operations – including women, children, journalists, and humanitarians.

    Hamas also continues to fire rockets towards Israel indiscriminately – while the hostages continue to be held in appalling conditions. 

    The humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip has gone from bad … to worse … to beyond imagination.   

    For nearly two full months, Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and commercial supplies, depriving more than two million people of lifesaving relief. 

    All while the world watches.

    I am alarmed by statements by Israeli government officials about the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for military pressure.

    Aid is non-negotiable. 

    Israel must protect civilians and must agree to relief schemes and facilitate them.

    I salute the women and men of the United Nations and all other humanitarian workers – especially our Palestinian colleagues — who continue to work under fire and in incomprehensibly difficult conditions.

    And I mourn all of the women and men of the United Nations who were killed – including some with their families.

    The entry of assistance must be restored immediately — the safety of UN personnel and humanitarian partners must be guaranteed – and UN agencies must be allowed to work in full respect of humanitarian principles:  humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

    There must be no hindrance in humanitarian aid – including through the vital work of UNRWA.

    We need the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    And we need a permanent ceasefire.

    It’s time to stop the repeated displacement of the Gaza population – along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza.

    And the trampling of international law must end.

    I call on Member States to use their leverage to ensure that international law is respected and impunity does not prevail.

    This includes for the 19 March incident for which Israel has now acknowledged responsibility in firing on a UN guesthouse, killing one colleague and injuring six others … the 23 March killing of paramedics and other rescue workers in Rafah … as well as many other cases.

    There must be accountability across the board.

    Mr. President,

    Advisory proceedings are ongoing at the International Court of Justice on the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and a Member of the United Nations, in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In February, the United Nations Legal Counsel submitted a written statement to the Court – and yesterday, she made an oral statement before the Court – both of which on my behalf.

    The statement to the Court includes points that I have made on a number of occasions.

    Specifically, that all parties to conflict must comply with all their obligations under international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

    That Israel, as an occupying Power, is under an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies of the population.

    That Israel has an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    That humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnel must be respected and protected.

    And I emphasize the obligation under international law to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assets – and the immunity from legal process of the United Nations. 

    Such immunity applies to all UN entities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – including UNRWA – a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.
    I call on Member States to fully support all of these efforts. 

    Mr. President,

    In this period of turmoil and transition for the region, Member States must spell out how they will realize the commitment and promise of a two-State solution.

    This is not a time for ritualistically expressing support, ticking a box, and moving on.

    We are past the stage of ticking boxes – the clock is ticking.

    The two-State solution is near a point of no return. 

    The international community has a responsibility to prevent perpetual occupation and violence.

    My call to Member States is clear and urgent:

    Take irreversible action towards implementing a two-State solution.

    Do not let extremists on any side undermine what remains of the peace process.

    The High-Level Conference in June, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity to revitalize international support.

    I encourage Member States to go beyond affirmations, and to think creatively about the concrete steps they will take to support a viable two-State solution before it is too late.

    At the same time, the Palestinian Authority needs stepped-up and sustained support – politically and financially.  This is crucial to ensure the continued viability of Palestinian institutions, consolidate ongoing reforms, and enable the PA to resume its full responsibilities in Gaza.

    Mr. President,

    At this hinge point of history for the people of the Middle East – and on this issue on which so much hinges – leaders must stand and deliver. 

    Show the political courage and exercise the political will to make good on this central question for peace for Palestinians, Israelis, the region and humanity.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [all-English]

    Mr. President, Excellencies,

    I thank the French presidency for convening this ministerial-level meeting on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

    The region is undergoing fundamental shifts, marked by violence and volatility but also opportunity and potential.

    In Lebanon, the ceasefire and territorial integrity must be respected and all commitments implemented.

    In Syria, we must keep working to support the country’s path towards a political transition that is inclusive of all segments of the Syrian population – one that ensures accountability, fosters national healing, and lays the foundation for Syria’s long-term recovery and further integration into the international community. 

    This includes the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan — which remains precarious with significant violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, with the continued presence of the Israel Defense Forces into the area of separation and their several strikes targeting locations across the ceasefire line.

    Across the Middle East, people demand and deserve a better future, not endless conflict and suffering.

    We must collectively work to ensure that this turbulent and transitional period meets those aspirations — and delivers justice, dignity, rights, security and lasting peace.

    It starts by recognizing two fundamental facts: 

    First, that the region is at a hinge-point in history. 

    And, second, that truly sustainable Middle East peace hinges on one central question.

    On a core issue that this Security Council has affirmed and re-affirmed decade after decade, year after year:  a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.

    Mr. President,

    Today, the promise of a two-State solution is at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance. 

    The political commitment to this long-standing goal is farther than it has ever been.

    As a result, the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live and peace and security have been undermined – and the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinians have been denied – while they endure Israel’s continued presence that the International Court of Justice has found unlawful. 

    And since the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas, it has gotten worse on every front.

    First, the unrelenting conflict and devastation in Gaza – including the utterly inhumane conditions of life imposed on its people who are repeatedly coming under attack, confined to smaller and smaller spaces, and deprived of lifesaving relief. 

    In line with international law, the Security Council has rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce its territory. 

    Gaza is — and must remain — an integral part of a future Palestinian state.

    Second, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations and the use of heavy weaponry in residential areas, forcible displacement, demolitions, movement restrictions, and settlement expansion are dramatically altering demographic and geographic realities. 

    Palestinians are being contained and coerced.  Contained in areas that are subject to increasing military operations and where the Palestinian Authority is under growing pressure – and coerced out of areas where settlements are expanding. 

    Third, settler violence continues at alarmingly high levels in a climate of impunity, with entire Palestinian communities facing repeated assaults and destruction, sometimes abetted by Israeli soldiers.

    Palestinian attacks against Israelis in both Israel and the occupied West Bank also continue.

    Mr. President,

    The world cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear. 

    Political leaders face clear choices — the choice to be silent, the choice to acquiesce, or the choice to act.

    Mr. President,

    In Gaza, there is no end in sight to the killing and misery.

    The ceasefire had brought a glimmer of hope – the long-sought release of hostages and delivery of lifesaving humanitarian relief.

    But those embers of opportunity were cruelly extinguished with the shattering of the ceasefire on 18 March. 

    Since then, almost 2,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes and military operations – including women, children, journalists, and humanitarians.

    Hamas also continues to fire rockets towards Israel indiscriminately – while the hostages continue to be held in appalling conditions. 

    The humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip has gone from bad … to worse … to beyond imagination.   

    For nearly two full months, Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and commercial supplies, depriving more than two million people of lifesaving relief. 

    All while the world watches.

    I am alarmed by statements by Israeli government officials about the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for military pressure.

    Aid is non-negotiable. 

    Israel must protect civilians and must agree to relief schemes and facilitate them.

    I salute the women and men of the United Nations and all other humanitarian workers – especially our Palestinian colleagues — who continue to work under fire and in incomprehensibly difficult conditions.

    And I mourn all of the women and men of the United Nations who were killed – including some with their families.

    The entry of assistance must be restored immediately — the safety of UN personnel and humanitarian partners must be guaranteed – and UN agencies must be allowed to work in full respect of humanitarian principles:  humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

    There must be no hindrance in humanitarian aid – including through the vital work of UNRWA.

    We need the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    And we need a permanent ceasefire.

    It’s time to stop the repeated displacement of the Gaza population – along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza.

    And the trampling of international law must end.

    I call on Member States to use their leverage to ensure that international law is respected and impunity does not prevail.

    This includes for the 19 March incident for which Israel has now acknowledged responsibility in firing on a UN guesthouse, killing one colleague and injuring six others … the 23 March killing of paramedics and other rescue workers in Rafah … as well as many other cases.

    There must be accountability across the board.

    Mr. President,

    Advisory proceedings are ongoing at the International Court of Justice on the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and a Member of the United Nations, in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In February, the United Nations Legal Counsel submitted a written statement to the Court – and yesterday, she made an oral statement before the Court – both of which on my behalf.

    The statement to the Court includes points that I have made on a number of occasions.

    Specifically, that all parties to conflict must comply with all their obligations under international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

    That Israel, as an occupying Power, is under an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies of the population.

    That Israel has an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    That humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnel must be respected and protected.

    And I emphasize the obligation under international law to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assets – and the immunity from legal process of the United Nations. 

    Such immunity applies to all UN entities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – including UNRWA – a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.

    I call on Member States to fully support all of these efforts. 

    Mr. President,

    In this period of turmoil and transition for the region, Member States must spell out how they will realize the commitment and promise of a two-State solution.

    This is not a time for ritualistically expressing support, ticking a box, and moving on.

    We are past the stage of ticking boxes – the clock is ticking.

    The two-State solution is near a point of no return. 

    The international community has a responsibility to prevent perpetual occupation and violence.

    My call to Member States is clear and urgent:

    Take irreversible action towards implementing a two-State solution.

    Do not let extremists on any side undermine what remains of the peace process.

    The High-Level Conference in June, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity to revitalize international support.

    I encourage Member States to go beyond affirmations, and to think creatively about the concrete steps they will take to support a viable two-State solution before it is too late.

    At the same time, the Palestinian Authority needs stepped-up and sustained support – politically and financially.  This is crucial to ensure the continued viability of Palestinian institutions, consolidate ongoing reforms, and enable the PA to resume its full responsibilities in Gaza.

    Mr. President,

    At this hinge point of history for the people of the Middle East – and on this issue on which so much hinges – leaders must stand and deliver. 

    Show the political courage and exercise the political will to make good on this central question for peace for Palestinians, Israelis, the region and humanity.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [all-French]

    Monsieur le Président, Excellences,

    Je remercie la présidence française d’organiser cette réunion au niveau ministériel sur le Moyen-Orient, y compris la question palestinienne.

    La région traverse des bouleversements fondamentaux, marqués par la violence et la volatilité, mais également porteurs d’opportunités et de potentiel.

    Au Liban, le cessez-le-feu et l’intégrité territoriale doivent être respectés et tous les engagements doivent être mis en œuvre.

    En Syrie, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts pour accompagner le pays sur la voie d’une transition politique inclusive de toutes les composantes de la population syrienne – une transition qui garantisse la reddition de comptes, favorise la réconciliation nationale, et jette les bases du redressement à long terme de la Syrie ainsi que de son intégration future au sein de la communauté internationale. 

    Cela inclut la situation dans le Golan syrien occupé, qui demeure précaire en raison de violations majeures de l’Accord de désengagement des forces de 1974 – notamment la présence continue des Forces de défense israéliennes dans la zone de séparation, ainsi que leurs multiples frappes contre des sites au-delà de la ligne de cessez-le-feu.

    À travers le Moyen-Orient, les populations réclament et méritent un avenir meilleur – et non des conflits et des souffrances sans fin.

    Nous devons agir ensemble pour faire en sorte que cette période de turbulences et de transition réponde à ces aspirations – et qu’elle apporte justice, dignité, droits, sécurité, et une paix durable.

    Cela commence par la reconnaissance de deux faits fondamentaux : 

    Premièrement, la région se trouve à un moment charnière de son histoire. 
    Et, deuxièmement, que toute paix vraiment durable au Moyen-Orient dépend d’une question centrale.

    Un élément essentiel que ce Conseil de sécurité a affirmé et réaffirmé, année après année, décennie après décennie : une solution à deux États, Israël et la Palestine, vivant côte-à-côte dans la paix et la sécurité, avec Jérusalem comme capitale des deux États.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Aujourd’hui, la promesse de la solution des deux États court le risque de s’effilocher au point de disparaître.

    L’engagement politique en faveur de cet objectif de longue date n’a jamais été aussi ténu.

    De ce fait, les droits des Israéliens et des Palestiniens de vivre en paix et sécurité ont été mis à mal – et les aspirations nationales légitimes des Palestiniens ont été niées – alors qu’ils continuent de subir une présence israélienne que la Cour internationale de justice a jugée illicite.

    Depuis les effroyables attaques terroristes perpétrées par le Hamas le 7 octobre, la situation s’est aggravée sur tous les fronts.

    Premièrement, avec le conflit incessant et la dévastation que subit la bande de Gaza : les conditions de vie sont absolument inhumaines, les habitants sont la cible d’attaques à répétition et sont confinés dans des espaces de plus en plus réduits et privés d’une aide vitale.

    S’appuyant sur le droit international, le Conseil de sécurité a rejeté toute tentative de changement démographique ou territorial dans la bande de Gaza, y compris tout acte visant à réduire le territoire.

    Gaza fait partie intégrante d’un futur État palestinien et doit le rester.

    Deuxièmement, en Cisjordanie occupée, y compris Jérusalem-Est, les opérations militaires israéliennes et l’emploi d’armes lourdes dans des zones résidentielles, les déplacements forcés, les démolitions, les restrictions de circulation et l’expansion des colonies transforment radicalement les réalités démographiques et géographiques.

    Les Palestiniens sont cantonnés dans certains endroits et contraints d’en quitter d’autres. Ils sont cantonnés dans des zones où les opérations militaires se multiplient et où l’Autorité palestinienne est soumise à des pressions croissantes, et contraints de quitter les zones où les colons étendent leur emprise.

    Troisièmement, la violence exercée par les colons se poursuit dans un climat d’impunité, parfois avec la complicité de soldats israéliens, et atteint des niveaux alarmants : des communautés palestiniennes tout entières sont agressées et victimes de destructions à répétition.

    Les attaques menées par des Palestiniens contre des Israéliens en Israël et en Cisjordanie occupée se poursuivent également.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Le monde ne peut pas se permettre de voir la solution des deux États s’évanouir.

    Les dirigeants politiques ont le choix : se taire, acquiescer ou agir.

    Monsieur le Président,

    À Gaza, rien ne laisse entrevoir la fin de la tuerie et des souffrances.

    Le cessez-le-feu avait apporté une lueur d’espoir : la libération des otages, tant attendue, et l’acheminement d’une aide humanitaire vitale.
    Hélas, cette lueur d’espoir s’est éteinte avec la rupture du cessez-le-feu le 18 mars.

    Depuis, les frappes et les opérations militaires israéliennes ont fait près de 2000 morts parmi les Palestiniens dans la bande de Gaza, y compris des femmes, des enfants, des journalistes et du personnel humanitaire.

    Le Hamas continue également de tirer des roquettes sur Israël sans discernement – tandis que les otages sont toujours détenus dans des conditions épouvantables.

    Déjà mauvaise, la situation humanitaire dans la bande de Gaza n’a fait qu’empirer et dépasse aujourd’hui l’entendement.

    Depuis près de deux mois, Israël bloque les livraisons de nourriture, de carburant, de médicaments et de marchandises, privant ainsi plus de deux millions de personnes d’une aide vitale.

    Et ce, au vu et au su du monde entier.

    Je suis alarmé par les déclarations de représentants d’Israël concernant l’utilisation de l’aide humanitaire comme moyen de pression militaire.

    L’aide humanitaire n’est pas négociable.

    Israël est tenu de protéger les civils ; il doit accepter les programmes d’aide et en faciliter l’exécution.

    Je rends hommage au personnel des Nations Unies, femmes et hommes, ainsi qu’à tous les autres agents humanitaires, en particulier à nos collègues palestiniens, qui continuent à travailler malgré les frappes et dans des conditions inouïes.

    Et je pleure toutes les femmes et tous les hommes des Nations Unies qui ont été tués – y compris certains avec leurs familles.

    L’acheminement de l’aide doit être rétabli immédiatement, la sécurité du personnel des Nations Unies et des partenaires humanitaires doit être garantie et les entités des Nations Unies doivent pouvoir travailler dans le plein respect des principes humanitaires : humanité, impartialité, neutralité et indépendance.

    Il ne doit y avoir aucune entrave à l’aide humanitaire, notamment au travail vital que fait l’UNRWA.

    Il faut que tous les otages soient libérés immédiatement et sans conditions.

    Et il faut un cessez-le-feu permanent.

    Il est temps de mettre un terme aux déplacements répétés de la population de Gaza, ainsi qu’à la question des déplacements forcés en dehors de Gaza.

    Et il faut cesser de bafouer le droit international.

    J’engage tous les États Membres à user de leur influence pour que le droit international soit respecté et que l’impunité ne l’emporte pas.

    Je veux parler notamment de la frappe du 19 mars contre une résidence des Nations Unies, qui a fait un mort et six blessés parmi nos collègues et pour laquelle Israël a désormais reconnu sa responsabilité … de l’attaque du 23 mars, dans laquelle du personnel paramédical et d’autres secouristes ont trouvé la mort à Rafah … et de bien d’autres encore.

    Aucun acte ne saurait rester impuni.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Une procédure consultative a été engagée à la Cour internationale de Justice sur les obligations d’Israël, Puissance occupante et membre de l’ONU, en ce qui concerne la présence et les activités des entités des Nations Unies dans le Territoire palestinien occupé et en lien avec celui-ci.

    En février, la Conseillère juridique de l’ONU a soumis en mon nom une déclaration écrite à la Cour, et hier, elle a fait une déclaration orale devant la Cour, également en mon nom.

    Cette déclaration reprend des points que j’ai soulevés à plusieurs reprises.

    En particulier, le fait que toutes les parties au conflit sont tenues de s’acquitter des obligations que leur impose le droit international, y compris le droit international humanitaire et le droit international des droits humains.

    Qu’Israël, Puissance occupante, est tenu d’assurer l’approvisionnement de la population en produits alimentaires et fournitures médicales.

    Qu’il est tenu d’accepter les programmes d’aide et d’en faciliter l’exécution dans le Territoire palestinien occupé.

    Que le personnel humanitaire et médical, ainsi que le personnel des Nations Unies, doit être respecté et protégé.

    Je tiens à insister sur l’obligation faite en droit international de respecter les privilèges et immunités des Nations Unies et de leur personnel, y compris l’inviolabilité absolue des locaux, des biens et des avoirs des Nations Unies, ainsi que l’immunité de juridiction des Nations Unies.

    Cette immunité s’applique à toutes les entités des Nations Unies dans le Territoire palestinien occupé, y compris l’UNRWA, organe subsidiaire de l’Assemblée générale.

    J’engage les États Membres à soutenir tous ces efforts.

    Monsieur le Président,

    En cette période de tourmente et de transition pour la région, les États Membres doivent énoncer clairement comment ils concrétiseront l’engagement qu’ils ont pris et la promesse qu’ils ont faite quant à la solution des deux États.

    Ce n’est pas le moment d’exprimer rituellement son soutien, de cocher une case et de passer à autre chose.

    Nous avons dépassé le stade des cases à cocher : le temps presse.

    Pour la solution des deux États, le glas a presque sonné.

    La communauté internationale a la responsabilité d’empêcher l’occupation et la violence perpétuelles.

    L’appel que je leur lance est urgent et sans équivoque :

    Prenez des mesures irréversibles pour concrétiser la solution des deux États.

    Ne laissez pas les extrémistes de tout bord saper ce qu’il reste du processus de paix.

    La Conférence de haut niveau qui se tiendra en juin, co-présidée par la France et le Royaume d’Arabie saoudite, est une véritable occasion de revitaliser le soutien international.

    J’encourage les États membres à aller au-delà des affirmations et à réfléchir de manière créative aux mesures concrètes qu’ils prendront pour soutenir une solution viable à deux États avant qu’il ne soit trop tard.

    J’encourage les États Membres à traduire les paroles en actes et à réfléchir de manière créative pour déterminer les mesures concrètes qu’ils prendront pour soutenir une solution viable de deux États – avant qu’il ne soit trop tard.

    Parallèlement, l’Autorité palestinienne a besoin d’un soutien accru et durable, tant sur le plan politique que financièrement parlant. C’est une condition essentielle pour garantir la viabilité des institutions palestiniennes, asseoir les réformes engagées et permettre à l’Autorité palestinienne d’exercer de nouveau toutes ses responsabilités dans la bande de Gaza.

    Monsieur le Président,

    À ce moment charnière de l’histoire pour les peuples du Moyen-Orient – et vis-à-vis de cette question dont dépendent tant de choses – les dirigeants doivent concrétiser leur promesse.

    Faites preuve de courage et de volonté politiques, tenez vos engagements vis-à-vis de cette question centrale pour la paix : pour les Palestiniens, les Israéliens, la région et l’humanité tout entière.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: We welcome progress in Syria’s political transition since the fall of the Assad regime: UK Statement at the UN General Assembly

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    We welcome progress in Syria’s political transition since the fall of the Assad regime: UK Statement at the UN General Assembly

    Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the UN General Assembly debate on the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism in Syria.

    Thank you Assistant Secretary-General Robert Petit for the briefing and the debate today.

    Let me also welcome Foreign Minister Al Shaibani to the Assembly. Your presence here today is a powerful signal of the opportunities that lie ahead for Syria to carve out a more secure, peaceful and prosperous future.

    I will make three points today.

    First, we welcome progress in Syria’s political transition since the fall of the Assad regime. 

    This includes the formation of a new Syrian Government and their commitment to hold free and fair elections in Syria.

    We also welcome the important steps taken since December towards social cohesion amongst the Syrian people.

    This includes the first-ever consensus on the Human Rights Council resolution supported by the Syrian Government, and commitments by the Syrian Government to establish national committees to address transitional justice, missing persons and chemical weapons.

    However, as the horrific events in the coastal areas in March remind us, significant challenges remain to address the legacy of 14 years of war and brutality, and to begin the process to provide closure to all those affected.

    Second, we commend the IIIM for the valuable progress it has made since December on the international pursuit for accountability. 

    The volume of documentation and witness interviews that the IIIM team have collated is a testament to your tireless dedication to provide a credible evidence base for future prosecutions. 

    The appointment of an IIIM Liaison Officer in Damascus is also a promising example of UN-Syria cooperation, and we urge all parties to work collaboratively to ensure that survivors receive the justice that they demand, and that they deserve.

    Third, the UK had a leading role in supporting international and civil society accountability efforts during the Assad regime. 

    And we remain committed to pursuing accountability for victims, survivors and families in Syria, and for that reason, we continue to see the IIIM as a crucial component for the future Syrian-led Transitional Justice processes.

    We were proud to have co-sponsored the UNGA resolution which established this mechanism in 2016 and remain committed to ensuring that it has the political backing and operational remit it requires to succeed.

    And this year, the United Kingdom has allocated a further $940,000 in funding to our partners in support of this effective evidence collection and preservation.

    We thank IIIM for your contribution to the fight against impunity and for amplifying the voices of survivors throughout your work. 

    The UK will continue to support the Syrian Government and its people in their efforts on reconciliation and accountability to ensure a stable and prosperous future for the people of Syria.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two arrested following firearm discharge in Newham

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are investigating a firearms discharge in Newham this afternoon.

    Police were called at 14:42hrs on Tuesday, 29 April following reports of a gunshots heard in Upton Lane, E7.

    Officers were joined at the residential property by London Ambulance Service where one person was treated at the scene for a gunshot wound.

    The man has been conveyed to hospital where his condition is not believed to be life-threatening. The London Ambulance Service also treated two other people for head injuries.

    Two people have been arrested in connection with this offence with one remaining in hospital after sustaining minor injuries.

    Chief Inspector Daryl Jones from North East Command said:

    “We are aware that this shooting on a residential street this afternoon would have had an enormous impact on the local community.

    “We are pleased we’ve been able to make two arrests and recover a firearm within hours of the incident.

    “Any residents with concerns, please speak to the officers at the scene, or to your local neighbourhood policing teams.”

    A cordon remains in place while police undertake enquiries, which are ongoing.

    If you were a witness or have any information which might help, please call police on 101 with the reference 4319/29Apr or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary Wright Highlights 100 Days of Unleashing American Energy Under President Trump

    Source: US Department of Energy

    WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today released the following statement marking President Trump’s 100th day in office:

    “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Energy has restored American Energy Dominance and strengthened our position as the largest oil producer and LNG exporter in the world.

    “Following President Trump’s reversal of the reckless Biden LNG export ban, the Department of Energy has approved record levels of new U.S. LNG exports, adding as much incremental capacity in just 100 days as the world’s current second and third largest LNG exporting nations combined.

    “Today, Americans are paying less at the pump and have more choices for home appliances thanks to President Trump cutting red tape and unleashing the production of affordable, reliable, secure American energy.” 

    Under Secretary Wright, the Department of Energy has been hard at work to implement the President Trump’s agenda of unleashing American energy dominance and lowering energy costs for the American people.

    DOE at 100 Days: Top Accomplishments

    • January 21 – President Trump officially reverses the Biden-era pause on LNG exports, restoring regular order and reaffirming U.S. global energy leadership. 
    • February 3 – Secretary Chris Wright is officially sworn in as Secretary of Energy, pledging to cut red tape, prioritize common-sense solutions, and unleash American ingenuity. 
    • February 5 – Secretary Wright delivers welcome remarks to DOE staff at the Forrestal Building, outlining his vision for restoring American energy dominance. 
    • February 5 – Secretary Wright signs his first Secretarial Order, directing DOE to implement President Trump’s energy-focused executive orders immediately. 
    • February 5 – Secretary Wright announces the “9 Pillars for American Energy Dominance,” establishing DOE’s strategic roadmap: 
      • Advance Energy Addition, Not Subtraction – Focused on expanding energy supply, not restricting it. 
      • Unleash American Energy Innovation – Empowering the National Labs, advanced nuclear, and cutting-edge energy R&D. 
      • Return to Regular Order on LNG Exports – Restoring certainty and accelerating LNG approvals. 
      • Promote Affordability and Consumer Choice in Home Appliances – Halting burdensome appliance regulations to protect consumer freedom. 
      • Refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) – Prioritizing domestic energy security through reserve replenishment. 
      • Modernize America’s Nuclear Stockpile – Supporting national security through safe, modern nuclear capabilities. 
      • Unleash Commercial Nuclear Power in the United States – Reviving and advancing nuclear energy projects. 
      • Strengthen Grid Reliability and Security – Ensuring the U.S. grid is resilient, dependable, and cyber secure. 
      • Streamline Permitting and Identify Undue Burdens on American Energy – Reducing delays for energy infrastructure and innovation. 
    • February 12 – Secretary Wright meets His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, discussing cooperation to foster economic growth through energy abundance. 
    • February 14 – Secretary Wright issues the first LNG export approval for Commonwealth LNG, sending a signal that the U.S. is once again open for business and restoring American leadership on LNG exports. 
    • February 14 – President Trump establishes the National Energy Dominance Council, chaired by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and vice-chaired by Secretary Wright. 
    • February 18– DOE completed demolition of the south side of the Alpha-2 building at the Y-12 National Security Complex, marking the largest demolition project at Y-12 and supporting modernization for national security missions. 
    • February 19 – Secretary Wright and DOE representatives met with Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy to discuss advancing the ambitious Alaska Gas Pipeline and Alaska LNG Project.
    • February 25 – Secretary Wright visits Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories to advance nuclear modernization and AI innovation, calling AI the “next Manhattan Project.” 
    • February 28 – DOE removes regulatory barriers for the use of LNG as a marine fuel, strengthening America’s energy competitiveness in shipping. 
    • February 28 – Secretary Wright visits Oak Ridge National Laboratory to observe modernization efforts supporting national security and advanced nuclear energy. During the visit, Secretary Wright participates in the “1,000 Scientist AI Jam Session” with Senator Hagerty, Chairman Fleischmann, and Greg Brockman, OpenAI President and Co-Founder to accelerate scientific discovery through AI. 
    • March 4 – DOE commissions the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System (SSCVS) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), improving safety and efficiency underground. 
    • March 5 – Secretary Wright approves an LNG export permit extension for Golden Pass LNG Terminal, reinforcing U.S. energy supply security. 
    • March 6 – Secretaries Wright and Burgum deliver remarks at Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG Export Facility, marking an $18 billion expansion project supporting LNG exports to Asia and Europe made possible by President Trump’s leadership. 
    • March 7 – Secretary Wright delivers keynote address at the Powering Africa Summit, promoting U.S. energy investment and supply chain partnerships on the African continent. 
    • March 10 – DOE leads successful advocacy efforts to return the International Energy Agency (IEA) to the Current Policies Scenario (CPS), restoring focus on energy security. 
    • March 12 – DOE supports the first U.S.-Japan fast reactor fuel safety test of the 21st century at the TREAT reactor at Idaho National Laboratory. 
    • March 14 – Secretary Wright powers up American energy leadership at CERAWeek 2025 in Houston, Texas, delivering a keynote address on restoring U.S. energy dominance and the return to commonsense, pro-consumer, pro-growth energy policies under President Trump’s leadership. 
    • March 17 – Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers demonstrate a new method to track chemical changes in molten salt in real-time, advancing next-generation nuclear reactors. 
    • March 17 – DOE issues a second loan disbursement to Holtec International to reopen the Palisades Nuclear Plant restart project in Michigan, advancing President Trump’s commitment to expand all sources of energy that are affordable, reliable and secure. 
    • March 18 – DOE completes demolition of Building 175 at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, opening land for future science missions and innovation expansion. 
    • March 19 – Secretary Wright signs an LNG export authorization for Venture Global’s CP2 LNG project, supporting U.S. energy exports to allies abroad. With this action, DOE has approved more than DOE has approved over 9.5 Bcf/d of U.S. LNG.  
    • March 19 – DOE releases Biden administration’s buried 2023 study on the benefits of U.S. LNG exports, demonstrating the Trump administration’s commitment to restoring transparency and commonsense to energy policymaking. 
    • March 24 – DOE reissues a $900 million solicitation to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) and strengthen America’s nuclear future. 
    • March 24 – DOE announces the postponement of efficiency standards for gas instantaneous water heaters, expanding consumer choice, lowering costs and protecting American manufacturing jobs. 
    • March 24 – DOE further delays the implementation of Biden-era home efficiency standards for walk-in coolers and freezers and central air conditioners and heat pumps, ensuring Americans can choose the appliances that fit best for their lifestyle and budget.  
    • March 24 – DOE withdraws four conservation standards, including standards on electric motors, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, and external power supplies, advancing President Trump’s pledge to cut the red tape and regulations that raise prices, reduce consumer choice, and frustrate the American people.   
    • March 27 – DOE announces streamlined permitting reforms at the Department’s 17 National Labs, accelerating critical infrastructure projects and saving taxpayers millions. 
    • March 28 – DOE helps unlock U.S.-India civil nuclear investment and exports by resolving liability issues and promoting American SMR technologies in India. 
    • April 1 – DOE removes additional regulatory barriers standing in the way of LNG export extensions, restoring certainty for U.S. energy developers. 
    • April 3 – Secretary Wright visits the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, to highlight innovation in renewables and AI-driven energy solutions. 
    • April 3 – DOE announces a Request for Information to co-locate data centers and energy infrastructure on DOE lands, powering America’s AI revolution with abundant U.S. energy. 
    • April 3 – DOE awards a $1.4 billion Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) management contract to Strategic Storage Partners to safeguard emergency fuel supplies. 
    • April 4 – DOE leads bilateral engagement with Vietnam on foreign direct investment screening, countering malign influence and strengthening economic security. 
    • April 8 – DOE reinstates the National Coal Council and initiates new actions to unleash American coal, including promoting investment and mineral recovery from coal ash following President Trump’s Executive Order “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry”. 
    • April 9 – DOE allocates high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) material to five U.S. advanced nuclear reactor developers to boost domestic reactor deployment. 
    • April 9 – Secretary Wright travels to the United Arab Emirates, beginning a high-level mission to strengthen energy partnerships and attract Gulf investment to America. 
    • April 9 – DOE issues a Request for Information (RFI) seeking input to improve energy conservation standards and restore consumer choice in household products. 
    • April 10 – DOE begins testing accident-tolerant, higher-enriched nuclear fuel in a U.S. commercial reactor to boost reactor performance and longevity. 
    • April 11 – DOE announces a new policy saving $405 million annually by halting inefficient spending by colleges and universities receiving DOE research funds. 
    • April 15 – Secretary Wright holds bilateral talks on shared energy security goals with senior leaders in the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The Secretary also delivers remarks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following the announcement of an agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) advancing bilateral energy cooperation.  
    • April 18 – DOE repeals the Biden-era burdensome definition of “showerhead,” restoring consumer choice and rolling back overregulation. 
    • April 21 – DOE solicits public feedback to lift energy efficiency regulations on portable electric spas, protecting market competition and consumer access. 
    • April 22 – DOE issues a third loan disbursement to Holtec International for the Palisades Nuclear Plant, restoring nuclear generation to the Midwest grid. 
    • April 22 – DOE conducts four site inspections ensuring companies comply with national security terms under CFIUS mitigation agreements. 
    • April 22 – DOE extends deadline for compliance with the Biden administration’s efficiency standards for manufactured housing, granting greater flexibility for both manufacturers and consumers. 
    • April 28 – Secretary Wright oversees the signing of the Engineering Development Agreement between U.S. companies Bechtel and Westinghouse with PEJ to advance Poland’s first AP-1000 nuclear power plant. 
    • April 28 – Secretary Wright meets with senior leaders from across Central Europe and delivers keynote remarks at the Three Seas Business Forum in Poland, where he invites European nations to invest in American energy and embrace a shared vision for greater energy security.   
    • April 28 – DOE announces the cancellation of wasteful and unnecessary contracts, generating over $700 million in immediate savings for American taxpayers. 

    MIL OSI USA News –