NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Activist News – Winston Peters refusal to join 79 countries to protect the International Criminal Court puts New Zealand firmly in Trump’s minority, lawless, hard-right camp – PSNA

    Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

     

    Winston Peters’ refusal to join other 79 countries trying to protect the International Criminal Court after vicious attacks and sanctions issued by US President Trump is unconscionable.

     

    “Endless New Zealand politicians, including the present government, have pointed to our support for a rules-based international system” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. “The ICC is a key part of that system but Winston Peters has jettisoned this policy in favour of a US-First approach; rather than a New Zealand-First approach”

     

    In fact, we can find no evidence that Peters has ever uttered a word of real criticism of the US in his entire political career.

     

    Within the past two weeks Winston Peters has

     

    • Openly welcomed Israeli soldiers and Israeli war criminals coming into New Zealand, with no questions asked, for “rest and recreation” from their genocide in Gaza
    • Refused to condemn Trump’s racist plans for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza so his son-in-law can turn it into a “Riviera of the Middle East’.  This is an intended international crime of epic proportion, and now
    • Refused to join 79 countries supporting the International Criminal Court against Trump’s actions

     

    “The countries we are refusing to join in criticising Trump include two other Five Eyes countries, the UK and Canada, as well as Germany, France, Ireland, Switzerland, Sweden, Netherlands, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Spain etc”

     

    “Winston Peters has put New Zealand in the hard-right international minority extremist camp with Trump” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. “This is creepy and cowardly complicity with a state whose values we do not share.”

     

    “Winston Peters’ ministry has been at great pains over the past year to state how much our government supports the work of the ICC. The MFAT website states “We have also been clear in our support of the International Criminal Court’s mandate in Palestine”

     

    “But when the ICC issues arrest warrants against Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity, our government goes completely silent.”

     

    “Will Winston Peters now copy his master and revoke an immigration ban on 33 Israeli settlers responsible for leading pogroms against Palestinian communities in the Occupied West Bank, as Trump did a few days ago?”

     

    “US policy towards Palestine underlines the case for New Zealand to leave the Five Eyes US international spy network.”

     

    “An independent foreign policy means making our own decisions and working with the great majority of like-minded countries who support international institutions, such as the ICC and the International Court of Justice.”

     

    “Instead, we have a foreign minister who is in the US pocket and blindly working for the interests of Trump and his robber barons.”

     

    John Minto

    National Chair

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Craven silence on ICC conveys consent

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    New Zealand has long been a member of the International Criminal Court, which impartially prosecutes serious war criminals for atrocities.

    “The United States of America is attacking the ICC with sanctions and undermining its important and respected role as a prosecutor of war criminals,” Labour foreign affairs spokesperson David Parker said.

    “It is one thing for the USA not to participate in the ICC. To go further and introduce sanctions to hinder the ability of the ICC doing its work for other countries is plainly wrong.

    “In recent days, 79 countries have signed a statement condemning this. Those countries include Switzerland, Canada, France and Germany – countries we normally work closely with. New Zealand was notably absent.

    “It is understandable that New Zealand does not want to criticise every decision made by President Trump.

    “But our government won’t even speak up in the company of 79 others when an institution we are part of is threatened and undermined.

    “Silence conveys consent.

    “New Zealand’s reputation for being fair and principled is built on decades of important decisions like these – across successive governments.

    “In its efforts to appease the new USA administration, New Zealand should not cravenly abandon its principles,” David Parker said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘America First’ trade policy is pushing economic self-sufficiency – but history shows this is harder than it seems

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato

    The day he took office for his second term, United States President Donald J. Trump unveiled his “America First” trade policy, including tariffs on imported goods from Mexico, Canada (both of which have since been paused) and China.

    President Trump’s reasoning for the tariffs included revitalising the American economy by bringing manufacturing and business back within US borders. Essentially, pushing the country towards greater self-sufficiency.

    Considering the cost of the tariffs, a number of countries have begun to question their dependence on foreign trade. But there are very clear hurdles including access to precious metals and raw materials.

    In a global market that relies on international trade, is it possible to be totally self-sufficient?

    The history of self-seficiency

    The economic term for self-sufficiency is “autarky”, borrowed from the ancient Greek word autarkeia, meaning “to suffice”. Ideally, this meant that a state could supply the needs of its people without foreign trade. Autarky, in its purest form, isolates the state from foreign economic, political and cultural influence.

    There are numerous historical examples of attempts to achieve complete economic autonomy.

    In 17th century Japan the Tokugawa Shogunate closed the borders to foreigners and prohibited Japanese from travelling abroad.

    There was limited private trade with China through Nagasaki and with Europe through Dutch merchants. They were confined to an artificial island, Deshima, off Nagasaki, to ensure their isolation. These restrictions remained for 265 years, until the threat of US gunboats forced Japan to sign a trade treaty in 1854.

    Self-sufficiency was also a goal of Benito Mussolini’s fascist dictatorship, aiming to lift Italy’s post-war economy in the 1920s. One initiative was the “Battle for Wheat”, an attempt to produce enough wheat to meet domestic demand and “free the Italian people from the slavery of foreign bread”.

    Italy imported more than one third of the flour needed to make bread and pasta, the two main foodstuffs. Pasta was targeted as a “backwards” food to promote consumption of local rice and reduce agricultural imports.

    Tariffs were levied on all imported goods in 1931. These were raised again in 1935 after sanctions were imposed on Italy following the invasion of Ethiopia. Mussolini declared in 1935 that Italy “would manage alone”.

    While imports of food, machinery and raw materials dropped, oil imports increased. Mussolini recognised the limits of autarky in 1934:

    Let us not delude ourselves about autarky. All the modern nations, thanks to the prodigious development of the sciences, can move towards a partial autarky. But we, until the contrary is proven, will have to import liquid combustibles.

    In response to Donald Trump’s America First policy, countries increasingly have to consider certain levels of self-sufficiency.
    Sven Hansche/Shutterstock

    A modern push to self-sufficiency

    Even with reduced reliance on fossil fuels, the scarcity of some natural resources, such as rare earth minerals, still poses a challenge to achieving autarky.

    Even the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), a centrally planned economy subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile testing since 2006, is not completely self-sufficient.

    China is North Korea’s largest trading partner, with plastics, tobacco, soybean oil, rubber tires and packaged medicines as the top imports. The economic isolation of North Korea also makes it more vulnerable to global price fluctuations, as the movements are magnified due to the limited number of trading partners.

    Supply chain disruptions were highlighted during the pandemic, continued in 2021 with shortages in microchips, followed by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

    Some nations, such as the US and the United Kingdom, have responded to this logistical risk by shifting to local production, or reshoring, of certain critical industries, such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

    This inward turn requires significant investment and lead time and may involve higher local energy and labour costs, or additional environmental restrictions. For industries that involve national security or essential goods, reducing dependence on potential adversaries may be necessary. But for other sectors the higher costs will create inflationary pressure.

    There are also implicit costs in cutting economic ties with the outside world. Foreign investment is reduced and innovation lags as there are fewer incentives for the cross-border flow of ideas.

    Embracing friendshoring

    As the push for self-reliance increases, vulnerable countries will need new strategies to remain resilient.

    Identifying alternative supply chain relationships and increasing inventory stockpiles in advance will minimise disruptions.

    Another tactic is “friendshoring” – relocating supply chains to countries where the risk of disruption from political chaos is low.

    It is likely that geopolitical instability will increase and global fragmentation will continue. While straightforward autarky may not be possible, countries will need to consider how to survive the political and economic volatility of the next four years – and beyond.

    Garritt C. Van Dyk 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. ‘America First’ trade policy is pushing economic self-sufficiency – but history shows this is harder than it seems – https://theconversation.com/america-first-trade-policy-is-pushing-economic-self-sufficiency-but-history-shows-this-is-harder-than-it-seems-248530

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cloud-based computing: routes toward secure storage and affordable computation

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Robert Deng, Professor of Information Systems – School of Information Systems, Singapore Management University

    Storing data in the cloud is now routine for people and companies alike, but cybersecurity risks still exist, particularly in handling user authentication and access control securely. Researchers are developing novel methods to store data securely and in a computationally affordable way, and to exploit it efficiently–by computing directly on encrypted data.

    Cloud computing, while indispensable for modern business operations, has also become a significant target for cyberattacks due to the large amount of sensitive data stored online. Currently, over 90% of organizations rely on cloud services for critical operations, and there are more than 3.6 billion active cloud users globally. This translates to 47% of the world’s population utilizing cloud services, underscoring the widespread dependency on the cloud.

    Unfortunately, this reliance on cloud computing comes with heightened risks. Data breaches are escalating in both frequency and severity: according to the 2024 Thales Cloud Security Study, 44% of businesses reported experiencing a breach in their cloud environments, with 14% reporting a breach within the past 12 months.

    As organizations migrate more sensitive data to the cloud–nearly half of all cloud-stored data is classified as sensitive–the attack surface for cybercriminals expands. This makes breaches not only more common but also more damaging, as the loss of sensitive information can have far-reaching consequences, including significant financial and reputational harm. The global average cost of a data breach in 2024 was estimated at $4.88 million.

    Nowadays, so-called “client-side encryption” is effective in data security and privacy protection in cloud data storage. However, for encrypted data to be useful, there is still a long way to go toward practical secure computation over it. We still face significant scalability and performance hurdles. Research continues to explore ways to bridge this gap, making scalable, privacy-preserving computation more efficient and accessible for large-scale applications.

    The root causes of data breaches

    User authentication and access control are among the most critical mechanisms to deter data breaches.

    User authentication, the process of verifying the identity of users trying to access cloud resources, is the first line of defence–but it is widely regarded as the weakest link in the chain of security, with an estimated 81% of hacking-related breaches leveraging either stolen or weak passwords. Though user authentication has evolved a lot in recent years, attacks meant to compromise user authentication have, too.

    Access control–the process of regulating who can view, use or interact with cloud resources such as data, applications or services–is the next line of defence. Effective access control ensures that only authorized users or devices have the appropriate permissions to access certain resources, thereby minimizing security risks and preventing unauthorized access or misuse of cloud assets.

    In today’s cloud computing environments, cloud servers are fully responsible to correctly enforce access-control policies. As a result, misconfigurations of servers due to human error or software bugs, or compromise of servers due to malicious attacks, can result in serious breaches. In fact, the US National Security Agency (NSA) considers misconfiguration a leading vulnerability in a cloud environment.

    Client-side encryption for secure storage

    Data can be encrypted and decrypted on end users’ devices before uploading it to and downloading it from the cloud. This approach ensures that data is encrypted during transit and storage, making data inaccessible to anyone without the decryption keys, including service providers and other potential attackers. As long as the decryption keys are kept secure by end users, security and privacy of data can be ensured even if the user’s cloud account and the cloud server are compromised.

    Existing client-side encryption solutions in cloud computing can use either private or public keys. For example, Google Workspace client-side encryption employs an online key distribution server for distribution between authorized users for the purpose of data encryption and sharing. However, an online distribution server can be both a security and performance bottleneck. To circumvent this, MEGA, another client-side encryption service, uses public key encryption and hence does not require an online key distribution server. But it does require sophisticated public key certificate management, as the number of public key encryptions is proportional to the number of potential data users to share a document, making this a strategy that’s hard to scale up.

    Circumventing the computational limitation of client-side encryption

    Suppose that a hospital wants to outsource the storage of its patients’ electronic medical records to the cloud and wants to establish specific policies on who can access the records. Before outsourcing a record, the hospital may specify that it can only be accessed by cardiologists in, say, the University Hospital, or by scientists in the Life Science Institute. Let “CT” denote the encrypted medical record and “AP” = (Cardiologist AND University Hospital) OR (Scientist AND Life Science Institute) be the access policy. CT and AP are cryptographically bound together and are uploaded to the cloud for storage. Then only users whose attributes satisfy AP can decrypt CT to get the decrypted medical record.

    This is a scalable encryption system because its access policy does not need to list each and every authorized user who can access the data, only the attributes of the potential users. Access control (i.e., decryption) of encrypted data is not enforced by the cloud server but through the encryption and decryption algorithms that are theoretically proved secure.

    Beyond secure storage: exploiting secure data efficiently

    One of the main efficiency drawbacks of such systems–which are already deployed–is that decryption is computationally expensive for resource-limited devices. To address this issue, we proposed a protocol that improves decryption efficiency for end users by two orders of magnitude, by outsourcing most of the decryption workload to a public cloud server.

    Another critical problem in deployment is “user revocation”: whenever a user leaves the system, changes her position or loses her existing private key, the key must be revoked to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. Current systems mostly use timestamps to bar revoked users from decrypting new content–however, the timestamps require regular updates, which can be computationally heavy in large systems. We proposed hardware-based revocable attribute-based encryption to make revocation cheaper.

    Computing directly on encrypted data

    Ideally, servers should be able to perform meaningful operations on encrypted data without ever decrypting it, preserving privacy at every step.

    This is where so-called “fully homomorphic encryption” comes in. It is a cutting-edge encryption technique that enables mathematical operations–specifically, addition and multiplication–to be executed on encrypted data directly by a server, without the need for decryption.

    However, current state-of-the-art systems are impractical for large-scale computations because of the “noise”–the unwanted, random-looking data introduced by cryptographic operations–that threatens the integrity of the results. Frequent noise-mitigating procedures are required–once again, a computationally expensive method, in particular for large data sets.

    Our novel approach to secure computing over encrypted data allows an unlimited number of arithmetic operations to be performed without the need for “bootstrapping” (the mathematical operation to reduce noise), achieving superior performance across various secure computing tasks, such as privacy-preserving person re-identification.

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

    Robert Deng has received funding from the Singapore National Research Foundation.

    – ref. Cloud-based computing: routes toward secure storage and affordable computation – https://theconversation.com/cloud-based-computing-routes-toward-secure-storage-and-affordable-computation-248592

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: BLOG | Making the most of every pound

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Cllr Ruth Bennett, outlines the Council’s priorities in setting this year’s budget…

    In the next few weeks, we’ll be setting our 2025/26 budget at Liverpool City Council. It’s been many months in preparation, with a lot of detailed work and careful planning.

    We are acutely aware that, whether it is a government grant or money raised locally, it is your money we are spending.

    At the heart of every decision we make is a commitment to ensure we make the most of every pound, and that it is invested in delivering good quality services. Our priority has been to make sure that we are continuing to invest in the things we know you care about.

    Over the last year, we have been spending more in our neighbourhoods, joining-up services by bringing our Streetscene service back in-house, and placing staff on the ground to work with local Councillors and community organisations to direct our resources at specific issues in particular wards, such as fly-tipping, waste or match day parking. It’s already delivering success, with a 5.7 per cent reduction in the reports about fly-tipping and a drop of around 25 per cent in both street cleaning and weeding requests. We’ve also halfway through recruiting 40 new parking enforcement officers to tackle inconsiderate drivers.

    At the same time, our drive to make sure we bring in as much of our owed income continues. Our in-year council tax collection rate is currently much improved and better than other big ‘core’ cities, and we’re on with being far more robust with businesses who owe money to us and you – the residents of Liverpool.

    We’ve reviewed our Council Tax Support Scheme for the first time in a decade to make sure it is fit for purpose, and a review of single person Council Tax discount is bringing in hundreds of thousands of pounds extra a year. We’re getting into an annual cycle of reviewing fees and charges so that it becomes business as usual, because these make an essential contribution to our overall budget.

    We’ll also be rolling out improvements in customer services, including the introduction of a new case management platform. In simple terms, it will enable you to access more services online, over the phone, or in-person, and get real-time updates and information, in the same way as you would expect from your internet or energy provider.

    Along with many other councils up and down the country, we face demand pressures in areas such as social care, homelessness and SEND transport, but we have plans in place to deal with this and, where necessary, mitigate the financial impact.

    This year we have received a greater amount of money from the Government as they changed the funding arrangements to target deprived areas. In the longer term, they are carrying out a Comprehensive Spending Review which will give us more certainty over our finances by letting us know how much we will receive in the coming years. This will help us greatly in planning for the future, helping us build on the progress we have made in the last 18 months.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Vilnius, Lithuania

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    Press statements
    Gitanas NAUSĖDA, President of Lithuania
    Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission
    Andrzej DUDA, President of Poland
    Alar KARIS, President of Estonia
    Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia

    Follow us on:
    -X: https://twitter.com/EU_Commission
    -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/europeancommission/
    -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanCommission
    -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-commission/
    -Medium: https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission

    Visit our website: http://ec.europa.eu/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pBle1NsEzI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Home buying and selling to become quicker and cheaper

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Major new plans to modernise home buying and selling to save people time and money and further measures to improve the lives of leaseholders

    Millions of people are set to benefit from improvements to the way homes are bought and sold, saving them both time and money by helping stop property transactions from falling through. 

    Under major new plans, the government has announced today [February 9] it will modernise the way the process works to bring down current delays of almost five months. One of the key reasons the buying and selling process can be long and frustrating is a lack of digitalisation and join up in the sector, which is why the government is opening up key property information, ensuring this data can be shared between trusted professionals more easily, and driving forward plans for digital identity services to slash transaction times. 

    These reforms will make home buying fit for the 21st Century and give much-needed certainty to everyone involved in property transactions, with one million taking place in the UK every year. By making information available at people’s fingertips, it will be far less likely for surprises to be encountered later on in the process. This will make it easier for people to get onto the housing ladder, reduce the requirement to share ID in-person in the long-term, and decrease the number of transactions collapsing.  

    Currently, fall throughs – which impact one in three transactions – cost people around £400 million a year, on top of the four million working days lost by conveyancers and estate agents alone which is equivalent to £1 billion. By bringing the process into the digital age, and learning from success stories such as Norway where transactions complete in around one month, the government is putting more money into the pockets of hardworking people and delivering on our Plan for Change to grow the economy. 

    Meanwhile changes to improve the lives of leaseholders – who have already achieved the dream of homeownership but found it falls short of what they were promised – will also be introduced from next week, with secondary legislation for the Right to Manage measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 being laid tomorrow – ahead of the schedule the government committed to last year. 

    These changes, which will come into force on 3rd March, will empower more leaseholders to take control of their buildings more easily, giving them power over how their service charges are spent, and removing the requirement for leaseholders to cover the legal fees of their freeholder when making a Right to Manage claim – potentially saving them up to £3,000 for the most costly claims, and reducing the incentive for landlords to obstruct the process. 

    Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said: 

    “We are streamlining the cumbersome home buying process so that it is fit for the twenty-first century, helping homebuyers save money, gain time and reduce stress while also cutting the number of house sales that fall through.  

    “Our modernisation of the system sits alongside further reforms to improve the lives of leasehold homeowners across the country, allowing them to more easily and cheaply take control of the buildings they live in and clamp down on unreasonable or extortionate charges.

    “These reforms build on the government’s Plan for Change to deliver higher living standards and 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament, and our ongoing efforts to protect leaseholders suffering from unfair and unreasonable practices as we work to end the feudal leasehold system for good.” 

    Currently, information such as building control and highways information is predominantly paper-based or recorded in non-machine-readable formats. On top of this, where data is available electronically, there are not established protocols for accessing, sharing and verifying that data which leads to more delays.  

    But under a fully digitalised home buying and selling process, the information key parties need – from mortgage companies to surveyors – will be within reach immediately, with the necessary identity checks carried out once. Clear information early on will mean there are no surprises late on in the transaction which might cause it to fall through, so instead the transaction is completed smoothly without unnecessary time, energy or money spent.  

    That’s why the department is working hand-in-hand with the property market, supported by HM Land Registry (HMLR), and is today announcing a 12-week project to identify the design and implementation of agreed rules on data for the sector, so that it can easily be shared between conveyancers, lenders and other parties involved in a transaction. HMLR will also build on its work in digitising property information and lead 10-month pilots with a number of councils to identify the best approach to opening up more of their data and making it digital, whilst the government pushes ahead with plans for digital identity verification services including in the property sector. 

    This will all be carried out in conjunction with the Digital Property Market Steering Group – a collection of industry and government experts committed to digitalising the home buying and selling process and delivering this change.  

    The government has already:   

    • Launched a New Homes Accelerator to unblock thousands of homes stuck in the planning system.     

    • Set up an independent New Towns Taskforce, as part of a long-term vision to create large-scale communities of at least 10,000 new homes each.     

    • Awarded £68 million to 54 local councils to unlock housing on brownfield sites.     

    • Awarded £47 million to seven councils to unlock homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules.     

    • Announced an additional £3 billion in housing guarantees to help builders apply for more accessible loans from banks and lenders.     

    • Extended the existing Home Building Fund for next year providing up to £700 million of vital support to SME housebuilders, delivering an additional 12,000 new homes.     

    Notes to editors:   

    • More than 300,000 property transactions fall through in the UK every year at a cost to sellers of £400 million, according to a survey commissioned by the HomeOwners Alliance (HOA) and online homebuyer IMMO.co.uk in 2018.   

    • Almost a third of adults surveyed by the Homeowners Alliance in 2024, when asked how the conveyancing process could be improved, said it should be faster.   

    • MHCLG has recently taken over the chairing of the Digital Property Market Steering Group. The group consists of organisations that represent the various professions involved in the buying and selling process and is committed to driving digitalisation of the home buying and selling system.    

    • Right to Manage is the only way for leaseholders to take back control over extortionate fees and mismanagement of their homes, without being forced to buy the freehold.  

    • The Right to Manage Statutory Instrument will be laid in parliament on Monday, and will come in to effect from 3rd March 2025 

    • This marks the next step on government’s timetable for further leasehold and commonhold reform which can be found here: Sweeping reforms to give leaseholders more powers and protections – GOV.UK

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ must take robust Gaza stance – ‘stop tip-toeing’ around Trump, warns academic

    By Rachel Helyer Donaldson, RNZ News journalist

    New Zealand should be robust in its response to the “unacceptable” situation in Gaza but it must also back its allies against threats by the US President, says an international relations academic.

    Otago University professor of international relations Robert Patman said the rest of the world also “should stop tip-toeing” around President Donald Trump and must stand up to any threats he makes against allies, no matter how outlandish they seem.

    Trump doubled down on his proposal for a US takeover of Gaza on Friday, after the idea was rejected by Palestinians and leaders around the world.

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ that New Zealand would not comment on the plan until it was clear exactly what was meant, but said New Zealand continued to support a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

    Dr Patman said the president’s plan was “truly shocking and absolutely appalling” in light of the devastation in Gaza in the last 15 months.

    It was not only “tone deaf” but also dangerous, he added, with the proposal amounting to “the most powerful country in the world — the US — dismantling an international rules=based system that [it] has done so much to establish”.

    “This was an extraordinary proposal which I think is reckless and dangerous because it certainly doesn’t help the immediate situation. It probably plays into the hands of extremists in the region.

    “There is a view at the moment that we must all tiptoe round Mr Trump in order not to upset him, while he’s completely free to make outrageous suggestions which endanger people’s lives.”

    Professor Robert Patman . . . Trump’s plan for Gaza “truly shocking and absolutely appalling”. Image: RNZ

    Winston Peters’ careful position on a potential US takeover of Gaza was “a fair response . . . but the Luxon-led government must be clear the current situation is unacceptable” and oppose protectionism, he said.

    “[The government ] wants a solution in the Middle East which recognises both the Israeli desire for security but also recognises the political right to self determination of the Palestinian people — in other words the right to have a state of their own.”

    New Zealand should also speak out against Trump’s threats to annex Canada, “our very close ally”, he said.

    He was “not suggesting New Zealand be provocative but it must be robust”, Dr Patman said.

    Greens also respond to Trump actions
     The Green Party said President Trump had been explicit in his intention to take over Gaza, and New Zealand needed to make its position crystal clear too.

    Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the Prime Minister needed to stand up and condemn the plan as “reprehensible”.

    “President Trump’s comments have been pretty clear to anybody who is able to read or to listen to them, about his intention to forcibly displace, or to see displaced, about 1.8 million Gazans from their own land, who have already been made refugees in their own land.”

    France, Spain, Ireland, Brazil and other countries had been “unequivocal” in their condemnation of Trump’s plan, and NZ’s Foreign Affairs Minister should be too, she added.

    “New Zealanders value justice and they value peace, and they want to see our leadership represent that, on the international stage. So [these were] really disappointing and unfortunately unclear comments from our Deputy Prime Minister.”

    Yesterday Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ that New Zealand still supported a two-state solution, but said he would not comment on Trump’s Gaza plan until officials could grasp exactly what this meant.

    Trump sanctions International Criminal Court
     Meanwhile, an international law expert says New Zealand’s cautious position following Trump’s sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) staff is the right response — for now.

    Dozens of countries have expressed “unwavering support” for the ICC in a joint statement, after the US President imposed sanctions on its staff.

    The 125-member ICC is a permanent court that can prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression against the territory of member states or by their nationals.

    The United States, China, Russia and Israel are not members.

    Trump has accused the court of improperly targeting the US and its ally, Israel.

    Neither New Zealand nor Australia had joined the statement, but in a statement to RNZ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had always supported the ICC’s role in upholding international law and a rules-based system.

    University of Victoria law professor Alberto Costi said currently New Zealand is at little risk of sanctions and there’s no need for a stronger approach.

    “At this stage there is no reason to be stronger. New Zealand is perceived as a state that believes in a rules-based order and is supportive of the work of the ICC.

    “So there’s not much need to go further but it’s a space to watch in the future, should these sanctions become a reality.

    “But as far as New Zealand is concerned, at the moment there is no need to antagonise anyone at this stage.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese Spring Festival celebrated with cultural events in Sofia, Bulgaria

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Two cultural events celebrating the traditional Chinese Spring Festival were held in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, on Saturday afternoon, providing attendees with an immersive cultural exchange experience.

    The Confucius Institute in Sofia hosted a vibrant Spring Festival celebration, attracting attendees eager to experience Chinese culture. The event featured performances by students from Chinese-language classes across Bulgaria, including Sofia, Vidin, Stara Zagora, Burgas, and Montana. Prizes were also awarded to winners of the institute’s recent Chinese language competition.

    Addressing the event, Yang Tian, head of the education section at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, highlighted the Spring Festival’s significance as China’s most festive and culturally rich holiday, symbolizing family reunion, harmony, and prosperity.

    “This festival has become an important cultural bridge, emotionally connecting people worldwide,” Yang said, commending the Confucius Institute’s efforts in fostering mutual cultural appreciation through the Year of the Snake celebrations.

    In a joint speech delivered in their respective languages, Chen Ying, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, and Aksiniya Koleva, the institute’s Bulgarian director, emphasized the institute’s ongoing efforts to increase the number of Bulgarian youth studying Chinese. “We are dedicated to expanding cultural and educational exchanges between our two countries,” they said.

    Angel Apostolov, chief expert at the international cooperation department of the Ministry of Education and Science, shared his impressions after attending the event. He first experienced Chinese New Year celebrations 15 years ago, he told Xinhua, adding, “It’s remarkable that the hall is always full, which reflects the growing Chinese cultural presence in Bulgaria.”

    Meanwhile, another Spring Festival celebration event took place at the Toplocentrala Center for Contemporary Arts. The gathering featured a 90-minute China-Bulgaria joint concert with performances by Chinese and Bulgarian musicians, along with various Chinese cultural activities.

    Eighteen-year-old Raya Popova traveled 310 km from Ruse to attend the event. “I came because my former Chinese teacher is here, and I want to meet her before she returns to China,” said Popova, who last year won the Bulgarian national qualifications of the 17th “Chinese Bridge” competition.

    “Chinese Bridge” is an annual international contest in which non-Chinese students showcase their proficiency in the Chinese language and their knowledge of Chinese culture.

    “I have made many new contacts with Chinese people, which helps me improve my Chinese every day,” she told Xinhua. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: PSNA’s Minto hits back at Gaza ‘genocide hotline’ critics, insists NZ should deny Israeli soldiers entry

    Asia Pacific Report

    A national Palestine advocacy group has hit back at critics of its “genocide hotline” campaign against soldiers involved in Israel’s war against Gaza, saying New Zealand should be actively following international law.

    The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) dismissed a “predictable lineup of apologists for Israel” for their criticisms of the PSNA campaign.

    “Why is concern for the sensitivities of soldiers from a genocidal Israeli campaign more important than condemning the genocide itself?,” asked PSNA national chair John Minto in a statement.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, the Chief Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and the New Zealand Jewish Council have made statements “protecting” Israeli soldiers who come to New Zealand on “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza until a truce went into force on January 19.

    “We are not surprised to see such a predictable lineup of apologists for Israel and its genocide in Gaza from lining up to attack a PSNA campaign with false smears of anti-semitism,” Minto said.

    He said that over 16 months Peters had done “absolutely nothing” to put any pressure on Israel to end its genocidal behaviour.

    “But he is full of bluff and bluster and outright lies to denounce those who demand Israel be held to account.”

    Deny illegal settler visas
    Minto said that if Peters was doing his job as Foreign Minister, he would not only stop Israeli soldiers coming to Aotearoa New Zealand — as with Russian soldiers in the Ukraine war — he would also deny visas to any Israeli with an address in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    The Human Rights Commission had issued a “disingenuous media release”, he said.

    Whlle the commission said it had received 90 complaints about the hotline, it had also received eight complaints about immigration policy allowing Israeli soldiers to enter New Zealand under the visa waiver scheme that applies to Israel.

    “Our campaign has nothing to do with Israelis or Jews — it is a campaign to stop Israeli soldiers coming here for rest and recreation after a campaign of wholesale killing of Palestinians in Gaza,” Minto said.

    “To imply the campaign is targeting Jews is disgusting and despicable.

    “Some of the soldiers will be Druse, some Palestinian Arabs and others will be Jews.”

    The five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, shot 355 times by Israeli soldiers on 29 January 2024. Image: @Onlyloren/Instagram

    Israeli soldiers are facing a growing risk of being arrested abroad for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza, with around 50 criminal complaints filed so far in courts in several countries around the world.

    Earlier this month, a former Israeli soldier abruptly ended his holiday in Brazil and was “smuggled” out of the country after a Federal Court ordered police to open a war crimes investigation against him. The man fled to Argentina.

    A complaint lodged by the Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) included more than 500 pages of court records linking the suspect to the demolition of civilian homes in Gaza.

    ‘Historic’ court ruling against soldier
    The foundation called the Brazilian court’s decision “historic”, saying it marked a significant precedent for a member country of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to enforce Rome Statute provisions domestically in the 15-month Israeli war on Gaza.

    The foundation is named in honour of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab who was killed on 29 January 2024 by Israel soldiers while pleading for help in a car after her six family members were dead.

    According to The New Arab, the foundation has so far tracked and sent the names of 1000 Israeli soldiers to the ICC and Interpol, and has been pursuing legal cases in a number of countries, including Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, France, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

    In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, together with a former Hamas commander, citing allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    Minto accused the New Zealand Jewish Council of being “deeply racist” and said it regularly “makes a meal of false smears of anti-semitism”.

    “It’s deeply problematic that this Jewish Council strategy takes attention away from the real anti-semitism which exists in New Zealand and around the world.

    “The priority of the Jewish Council is to protect Israel from criticism and protect it from accountability for its apartheid policies, ethnic cleansing and genocide.

    “We are demanding that accountability.”

    NZ ‘going through the motions’
    In a later statement, PSNA said the government had begun to “go through the motions” of questioning Israeli soldiers at the border but it was just a “look busy policy – too little too late”.

    NZ requires Israelis to disclose IDF service details as condition for entry – a similar policy to Australia. Image: Times of Israel screenshot APR

    Immigration questioning Israeli of soldiers about their military service in Gaza at the New Zealand border was revealed in a Times of Israel report today which said:

    “New Zealand’s government immigration authority has begun to require Israelis applying for a visa to report details of their military service as a condition for entry, and at least one person has been denied admission after doing so.”

    PSNA’s Minto said the government must also uphold the ICJ advisory opinion of 19 July 2024 which called on global governments to end support for Israel’s illegal occupation.

    “This means we should also deny entry to every Israeli wanting to visit here who has an address in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” Minto added.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Views sought on a parking zone for Everton FC’s new stadium

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool City Council has launched a public consultation on extending the city’s ‘Football Match Parking Zone’ around Everton Football Club’s new stadium, at Bramley-Moore Dock.

    The parking zone already exists for both of the city’s current major football stadiums at Goodison Park and Anfield.

    Given the scale of the events to be hosted at Everton’s brand new 52,888 capacity stadium, the council is asking for views from residents, businesses and other stakeholders on introducing new controls in the area when the venue is hosting events.

    Although not yet complete (scheduled for completion in the 2024/25 season), the stadium has already been named as a potential host venue in the FA’s bid for the UEFA European Championships in 2028 and will also be capable of hosting major non-footballing events.

    The proposals focus on the area within a 30-minute walk of Everton Stadium, which will encompass the surrounding Ten Streets district and into the city centre.

    These include:
    • New resident parking areas
    • New taxi ranks
    • New match day bus stands
    • New parking restrictions
    • New hours of operation for existing parking zones for the Great Homer Street area
    • New hours of operation for existing parking zones for the Ten Streets and Love Lane areas
    • New industrial parking zone south of Boundary Street
    • New industrial parking zone north of Boundary Street

    The overall aim of the controls is to reduce congestion, improve air quality, safety and journey times to and from the stadium. The proposals have also been designed to complement the modernisation of parking across the city centre, the plans for which is also currently the subject of a public consultation.

    Liverpool City Council has already invested more than £20m in the highways infrastructure around Bramley-Moore Dock, including a permanent segregated cycle lane running from the city centre up to Liverpool’s northern border at Bootle in Sefton, which passes right in front of the new stadium.

    Details of the three-week long consultation can be found online at https://liverpool.gov.uk/bramleymoorepermits which includes a survey and an FAQs document explaining the proposed scheme and its implications.

    People can provide additional feedback by email or request the relevant documents in alternative formats, by writing to: liverpooltraffic@amey.co.uk

    As well being able to provide feedback online, the council will also be hosting a hat-trick of consultation events on:
    • Tuesday 6 December, 10am to 6pm – Ten Streets Social, 8 Regent Rd, L3 7BX
    • Tuesday 13 December, 10am to 6pm – Kirkdale Neighbourhood Community Centre, 238A Stanley Road, L5 7QP
    • Thursday 15 December, 10am to 6pm – Vauxhall Neighbourhood Council, Blenheim Street, L5 8UX

    Once the consultation closes at 5pm on Tuesday, 22 December the responses will be collated and fed back to the Divisional Manager for Highways and Transportation toward the end of January 2023.

    A decision will then be made on whether or not to proceed with the proposals or amend them in any way. If the proposals are agreed, a statutory notification process will begin in early Spring, when for a period of 28 days, members of the public can submit their formal objection or support for the proposed scheme.

    Councillor Liam Robinson, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Everton Stadium is going to be a real game changer for the surrounding Ten Streets district and the wider Kirkdale community.

    “As well as the much anticipated and needed economic benefit, the vast volume of people the stadium will attract – and how they arrive and depart – needs to be carefully managed.

    “The North Docks area has never had to cope with such large numbers of people in such concentrated time periods but fortunately the city has the experience and knowledge thanks to Goodison Park and Anfield. By extending the match day parking zone, we’ll be looking to adopt and incorporate those controls which so effectively move tens of thousands on a weekly basis.

    “Bramley-Moore Dock is also a unique location given its very close proximity to the city centre and the fact the surrounding transport infrastructure is well developed – be it the new cycle lane to the nearby train station at Sandhills. We’ll be looking to encourage as many active travel options as possible for those attending the games or other events there, which is a win-win for everyone in terms of managing congestion and air quality and promoting healthy habits.

    “There’s lots of residents and businesses who will be affected by these proposals and we want as many people as possible to read them and ask questions of them. Only through their feedback can we refine and improve the proposals before we look at the next stage of a formal statutory notification process. Of course we want to hear from Everton fans too and I look forward to the responses to help us make the decisions that best suits the needs of all involved.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mobile Cervical Screening is Coming to Communities Across the City 

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Cervical screening is a vital health check that can save lives, yet many people miss their appointments due to busy schedules or uncertainty. 

    To make screening more accessible, a mobile cervical screening service will be at different areas across Liverpool. 

    Women and anyone with a cervix aged 25 to 64 are encouraged to come along. The test takes just five minutes and can prevent up to 70% of cervical cancer deaths. 

    No appointment is needed, people can simply drop in when the mobile service visits their area. 

    Screenings are conducted with care and sensitivity, and a family member or friend is welcome come for support. 

    Drop-ins are taking place: 

    Date  Time  Location 
    Wednesday 12th February   10:30 – 4:00pm  South Liverpool Homes – Parklands, Conleach Rd, Speke, L24 0TY 
    Friday 7th March   10:30 – 4:00pm  Abdullah Quillam, 8-10 Brougham Terrace, West Derby Road, Liverpool, L6 1AE.  
    Saturday 15th March   10:30 – 4:00pm  Beacon Health Kensington, 157 Edge Lane, L7 3HE 
    Friday 28th March   10:30 – 4:00pm  Chung Wah Supermarket, Hardy Street Liverpool L1 5JN 

    For more information about cervical screening visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/ 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: International Criminal Court, DRC & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (7 February 2025)

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:
    Secretary-General’s Travel
    International Criminal Court
    Human Rights
    Democratic Republic of the Congo
    Syria
    Haiti
    Food Price Index
    Financial Contributions

    SECRETARY-GENERAL’S TRAVEL
    The Secretary-General will be in Paris, France, on Monday to attend the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit. He will speak at one of the sessions on Tuesday, and he will tell leaders gathered there that the growing concentration of AI capabilities in the hands of a few companies and countries risks widening global inequalities and deepening geopolitical divides. He will underscore that we must prevent a world of AI “haves” and “have-nots” and will call on AI leaders to pool expertise and cooperate with each other. He will emphasize that it is in the interests of government and technology leaders to commit to global guardrails.
    While in Paris, he is also expected to meet with President Emmanuel Macron and other world leaders.
    The Secretary-General will leave France on Wednesday.

    INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
    In response to questions about our response to the US Government’s executive order regarding the International Criminal Court, the Deputy Spokesperson said the following:
    International criminal law is an essential element to fighting impunity, which is unfortunately widespread in today’s world. The International Criminal Court is its essential element, and it must be allowed to work in full independence.

    HUMAN RIGHTS
    This morning in Geneva, the Human Rights Council held a special session on the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that if nothing is done to end the offensive of the M23, supported by the Rwanda Defense Forces, the worst may be yet to come, for the people of eastern DRC, but also beyond the country’s borders.
    He said that he is horrified by the spread of sexual violence, adding that his team in the DRC is currently verifying multiple allegations of rape, gang rape and sexual slavery, throughout the conflict zones.
    Mr. Türk also said that hundreds of human rights defenders, journalists and members of civil society have reported to his Office that they have been threatened or are being pursued by the M23 and Rwandan forces. Our human rights colleagues have also facilitated the protection of judicial authorities who were in danger.

    And to note that this morning, the Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a resolution establishing a Fact-finding mission by the UN Human Rights Office and an Independent Commission of Inquiry (COI) on the DRC. Both will examine violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law committed in North and South Kivu Provinces of the DRC since January 2022.

    Bintou Keita, the Head of our peacekeeping mission in the DRC – MONUSCO- also spoke in Geneva this morning.
    She said that hundreds of thousands of displaced people are being forced by M23 to return to their places of origin, without any guarantee or humanitarian assistance on their safe and dignified return.
    She also expressed her concerns about the use of misinformation and dis-information, adding that the suspension of social networks such as X and TikTok by the Congolese authorities is a serious infringement of the right to information and must be swiftly lifted. In a region with a sensitive history, Ms. Keita added, ethnically motivated attacks remain a serious concern.

    Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=07%20February%202025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMA7ROKA4Jg

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 15th edition of Biennial Aero-India International Seminar begins in Bengaluru

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 08 FEB 2025 4:07PM by PIB Delhi

    The 15th edition of the Biennial Aero-India International Seminar commenced in Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 08, 2025. The two-day seminar has been organised by the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC) of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in association with the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI) as a prelude to Aero India 2025, which will be held in Bengaluru from February 10 to 14, 2025.

    The seminar is a premier event in the global aerospace arena. The theme this year is ‘Futuristic Aerospace Technologies: Challenges in Design Validation’, highlighting discussions and deliberations on Emerging Trends in Futuristic Aerospace Technologies and Military Airworthiness & Certification: Challenges in Design and Testing.

    International delegates attending the event are from prominent foreign companies like Airbus Defence and Space from Spain; Collins Aerospace, GE Aerospace, Martin-Baker, MBDA and Rolls-Royce from UK, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems from Israel, and SAFRAN France. Indian Industry participating in the seminar includes Abeyaantrix Solutions, Ansys Inc., Globals Inc., JSR Dynamics Pvt. Ltd, RAPHE mPhibr, and TAQBit Labs Private Limited.

    The seminar offers a platform to explore collaborative research opportunities and forge strategic partnerships, advancing the future of aerospace and defence technologies. A total of 12 technical sessions covering various topics on Challenges in Design Validation on Futuristic Aerospace Technologies are scheduled. The seminar on ‘Futuristic Aerospace Technologies: Challenges in Design Validation’ focuses on various topics such as Cutting-Edge Technologies for System Design and Validation, Innovative Approaches for Airworthiness & Certification, Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to enhance Future of Aviation, Pioneering Advancements in Electronics and Sensing Technology, Global Insights into Next–Gen Propulsion Systems, Emerging Trends in Military Aviation, Innovations driving Human Missions beyond Earth.

    Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman ISRO Dr V Narayanan was the Chief Guest of the event, while Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat was the Guest of Honour. President, AeSI Dr G Satheesh Reddy was also present on the occasion. About 1,100 delegates are participating from DRDO, Defence PSUs, Armed Forces and Private Industries, including MSMEs. Further, 33 speakers from both India and abroad will deliver technical talks on a range of topics in the domain.

    ******

    SR/Savvy

    (Release ID: 2101004) Visitor Counter : 81

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Text of the Vice-President’s address at the release of the book ‘I AM?’, compiled by Gopichand P. Hinduja (Excerpts)

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 08 FEB 2025 2:29PM by PIB Delhi

    Good morning all of you, 

    Ladies and gentlemen, I have had a public life over four decades. I do not figure out an event that comes even close to it. This is indeed a profoundly unique moment. The release of ‘I Am?’, a thoughtful and thought-provoking assimilation by Shri Gopichand P. Hinduja. He celebrated his 84th birthday last fortnight on January 29. 

    I had the good fortune to call him, to greet him, to enquire about his health and well-being, and wish him happy, healthy, and long life full of creativity. 

    Friends, this launch taking place in Bharat, the land of Sanatan, the cradle of one of the oldest civilisations and global spiritual centre, carries deep significance.

    The title, when we scratch the surface, which we often do, and which more often than not is avoidable, the title is intriguing. Let me buttress my comment, King Charles III of the United Kingdom had accreditations for these treatises.

    Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, minister of faith and tolerance and will, has glorified it. These treatises, I am confident, will be a feast for the inquisitive mind. It will be North Star for spiritually inspired aspirants. And for the reader, he will get an occasion to delve deep into the timeless truth that all world religions share. 

    I commend G.P., as he is known to his friends, I can claim to be younger, for this visionary masterwork that synthesises civilisation’s eternal truths, illuminating how all first converse in their quest for spiritual transcendence, conveniently forgotten by all on occasions that require remembrance. We work embodying the essence of Sanatana, and there is departure from the usual interfaith conversations marked by upmanship.

    Distinguished audience, I am using the word upmanship only to moderate my reaction. Otherwise, interfaith discourse on occasions matches the kind of disruption and disturbance that I have the occasion to see in Temple of Democracy. 

    Friends, ‘I AM?’ These profound words mark the crossroads, either dissolves into collective harmony, that is wholesomeness, or hardens in ego’s captivity, which is more often the case with people who enjoy power. Ignoring the fundamental facet that power lies in limitations and not in exercise. 

    Coercion is the poorest form of exercise of power but then there is other facet emanating from this book. Through self-reflection, ego blooms, flourishes, and through arrogance, it withers, it slides into painful irrelevance of the possessor. The true power emerges, friends, not in I am for myself.

    If we take I am with you, imagine a person in distress, and someone he looks up to or she looks up to says, I am with you. Can there be a greater motivational, inspirational sucker than this? And if the person goes beyond I am for us, it symbolises spinal leadership quality. Elevating consciousness to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, where personal identity transforms into universal connection, a message Bharat imparted to the global fraternity with its G20 motto, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.

    This, as a matter of fact, friends, was reiteration of the civilisational ethos and essence of thousands of years in this country, which was always ground reality. The world is often described as a clash of civilisations. This book soothingly and appropriately presents a convergence of civilisations with focus on unity, where others look for division.

    It espouses timeless civilisational essence of inclusivity, that is Bharat. I seek to quote from Rig Veda, आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः Let noble thoughts flow from all directions. 

    Since I find presence of diplomats, I think it was Bismarck said that the winds of change flow but that, with the utmost constraint at my command, was not as large-hearted as what was reflected in Rig Veda. Let noble thoughts flow from all directions. Why only change? This book offers readers an enlightened elixir of wisdom that is always much beyond knowledge.

    The relevance of I am cannot be overstated. It bears huge contemporaneous relevance. We live in an era where societies are fractured by narratives, amplifying differences rather than emphasising commonalities.

    This book, in sharp variance with the alarmingly worrisome confrontational global scenario and the people present here know the gravity and enormity of it more than I do. This book, in sharp variance with the alarmingly worrisome confrontational global scenario stands as a testament to tolerance, working in togetherness as indicated by Pujya Swamiji, harmony, co-existence, mutual respect, recognising shared humanity values and commonality of sublimity and spirituality that threads all faiths. 

    The book instils the reader to nurture a spirit of peaceful, purposeful, sustainable coexistence which no longer is an option. It is the only way if we have to survive on the planet and we all are fully cognisant of the enormity and extremity of the problem and also of the fact there is no planet available other than Mother Earth to cohabit. 

    Friends, at its core this book is about wonders our paths may differ and they would. There will be different points of view. There will be occasions when the other point of view may be right. My own experience is more often than not it is right. We have to subscribe in fullness to expression and dialogue.

    Democracy carries no meaning, no nectar if expression is compromised, throttled or controlled and expression by itself has no dimension if there is no dialogue. If there is expression, my way, I am judgemental, I am right, you can never be right, I will never consider what you have to say, then dialogue has no meaning.

    So expression and dialogue are the twins that define what democracy is. And friends, in a sense the book not only espouses this but is a pointer to the ultimate goal of Vedic wisdom. The wisdom is encapsulated in the realisation of the ultimate reality or the oneness of all creations.

    Just imagine, why limit to human beings, living beings? The source of creation is one. The habitat is one and look at where we have come today. For Bharat, diverse and rising, this book holds greater relevance and promise. The state of the nation is encouraging as never before with hope and possibility all-pervasive. 

    Friends, no nation in recent years has seen exponential economic upsurge, phenomenal infrastructure growth, penetrating technological and digital access and adaptation at all levels, at the level of those who are never on the radar, those in the last line. The nation is no longer a nation with potential as it used to be called. Viksit Bharat is not a dream any longer. It is a definitive object and achievable.

    To all intents and purposes, it shall be achieved when India celebrates the centenary of its independence in 2047, if not earlier. But friends, this wholesome scenario now faces forces seeking to exploit and perniciously amplify artificial divides of caste, class, creed, colour, culture and cuisine. It is excruciating pain at my level in my position that people with a deep understanding of the dangers that are inherent in such an approach tied to partisan interests, narrow interests, take to public platforms to espouse these pernicious tendencies.

    I have no doubt, and this emanates from the book, belief in faith is voluntary. It must be a call of conscience. Faith generated by doctrine or manipulation is pathetic exploitation. The worst form of human exploitation. If it is by way of allurements, temptations, empowerment with this – I have no words, I am holding myself back – this ulterior motive. Imagine if the object is to secure supremacy, primacy over others, subject others to hegemony by demographic prowess, then the concern is extreme. This concern, friends, is a writing on the wall at the moment in most nations of the world.

    The book has come not a day too soon. The book is a beacon of guidance to such misguided souls but for us, for the largest democracy, as I said, home to one-sixth of humanity, with a stunning historical record of inclusivity, sinister forces with a strategised, inimical stance even to the idea of Bharat are unfortunately securing space by way of orchestrated anti-national narratives, non-organic engineered demographic variations, influx of illegal migrants in millions and alluring conversions to refer just to some.

    These are, friends, potentially existential challenges to the philosophy emanating from the book and to the philosophy Bharat has lived for over 5,000 years. In such a scenario, to ensure India’s continual development journey and drawing from essense of all-firsts, it is our bounden spiritual ordainment to neutralise such viciously divisive misadventures. Bharat’s spiritual and cultural heritage is not only our strength and unity’s foundation, it is for world stability, harmony and peace. 

    We all will have to work in unison, in togetherness to make it impregnable. Friends, this book underscores universal relevance of Bharatiyata, virtuosity that is discernible in all faiths. The book reminds preachers and practitioners both we can respect and appreciate others’ truth without alluring conversions. 

    Unity means non-uniformity. Bharati is a perfect example, it exemplifies unity and diversity in all facets of human behaviour. Tolerance means not triumph over others. Disruption must yield to dialogue, disturbance to deliberation. Conflict to consciousness. We find in the world hard, rigid steps being taken. It has been said by our sages, irretrievable confrontational stance is antithetical to the essence of all faiths and smacks of misplaced self-righteousness and judgemental approach. 

    It is crossing all fault lines, getting into the red area. These principles we must adopt. Tolerance, coexistence, dialogue, consensus, because these will free society from the afflictions I have indicated.

    Friends, this philosophy the author is cognisant of the fact is also evidenced in Hinduja Group’s vision fostering inclusivity, sustainability and cultural understanding beyond being a multi-sector powerhouse. Hinduja Group’s contributions transcend conventional CSR. Building a gurdwara and a crematorium in Iran showing extraordinary commitment to preserving identity.

    Recently I was at the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of Nandlal Newall Centre of Indology at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in New Delhi and there I pleasantly gathered that the Hinduja Group established the first overseas branch of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan in New York. 

    The group bridges the east-west divide through the Dharam Hinduja Indic Research Centre at Columbia University reclaiming our civilisation narrative globally. 

    I commend Shri Gopichand P Hinduja for this remarkable anthology and Shri Ashok Hinduja for enabling its release. I pray one and all may the message that is in the book resonate with the spiritual seekers thought leaders, active citizens and one and all. 

    Jai Hind.

    ****

    JK/RC/SM

    (Release ID: 2100992) Visitor Counter : 32

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Aero India 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Aero India 2025

    A Glimpse into the Future of Aerospace and Defence Innovation

    Posted On: 08 FEB 2025 11:41AM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

     

    Aero India, Asia’s Largest Air Show, is a biennial air show and aviation exhibition which is held in Bengaluru, organized by the Defence Exhibition Organisation, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence. Aero India is India’s premier aerospace and defence exhibition where global aero vendors and the Indian Air Force (IAF) thrill the spectators with back-to-back aerobatic flying displays. It is a flagship event that brings together global industry leaders, government officials, technology experts, and defence strategists under one roof. The event not only showcases the nation’s technological prowess and innovations but also provides a dynamic platform for international cooperation and strategic dialogue.

     

         

     

    The Legacy and Importance of Aero India

     

    Aero India has evolved into a major international event that not only highlights the latest advancements in aerospace technology but also serves as a critical forum for strategic interactions between domestic and international stakeholders. The show is a reflection of the nation’s commitment to advancing its aerospace and defence capabilities. Over the years, Aero India has been instrumental in:

    • Showcasing Cutting-Edge Technologies: The event regularly features demonstrations of state-of-the-art aerospace systems, innovative defence solutions, and breakthrough technologies that are shaping the future of air and space travel.
    • Fostering Strategic Dialogues: Through high-level interactions, Aero India has provided an arena for discussions on policy, defence collaborations, and the future roadmap of the aerospace sector.
    • Enhancing International Partnerships: With participation from global aerospace giants and defence agencies, the show underscores India’s growing stature as a key player in the international aerospace community.

     

                                            

     

    This legacy has not only paved the way for the current editions of the event but has also set a high benchmark for the future. Aero India is more than an exhibition—it is a convergence point of innovation, strategy, and national pride.

     

    Aero India 2025

     

    Aero India 2025, the 15th edition of Aero India, is designed to be a landmark edition that leverages the successes of its predecessors while charting new territories in aerospace and defence technology. Aero India 2025 will be held from 10th to 14th February 2025 at Yelahanka Air Force Station, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The first three days are dedicated to business visitors, while the last two days are open to the general public.

     

     

    The broad theme is ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities’.

     

    Events at Aero India 2025

     

    The five-day event comprises a curtain raiser event, inaugural event, Defence Ministers’ Conclave, CEOs’ Round-Table, iDEX start-up event, breath-taking air shows, a large exhibition area comprising India Pavilion and a trade fair of aerospace companies.

    • To facilitate dialogue towards strategic partnership with friendly countries, India will host the Defence Ministers’ Conclave on the theme ‘BRIDGE -Building Resilience through International Defence and Global Engagement’. It encapsulates the dynamic geopolitical conditions and the path to mutual prosperity, which can be BRIDGED through cooperation among nations with shared vision of security and development.

     

     

    • A number of bilateral meetings are planned at the levels of Raksha Mantri, Raksha Rajya Mantri, Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary among others on the sidelines of the event. The focus will be on bolstering the defence and aerospace ties with friendly countries by exploring newer avenues to take the partnership to the next level.
    • The CEOs’ Round-Table is expected to provide a favourable platform to foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for manufacturing in India. Global CEOs, CMDs of domestic PSUs and premier private defence & aerospace manufacturing companies from India will be participating in the event.
    • The India Pavilion will showcase India’s commitment to its Make-in-India initiative by showcasing indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities and cutting-edge technologies ready for the global stage, including the future prospects. Promotion of Indian start-ups is a focus area at Aero India 2025 and a wide spectrum of state-of-the-art technologies/products developed by them will be showcased at an exclusive iDEX pavilion.
    • In addition, dynamic aerobatic displays and live technology demonstrations will provide an immersive experience, showcasing the potential of modern aerospace platforms and technologies. A number of seminars on various important themes are also planned as part of the event.

     

     

    Aero India 2023: A Retrospective Analysis

     

    The previous editions of Aero India played a critical role in laying the groundwork for the continued evolution of India’s aerospace and defence landscape. The 14th edition of Aero India 2023 was held from 13th–17th February at Bengaluru, Karnataka and has been the largest ever edition since its inception in 1996 with more than 100 countries, 809 exhibitors, first ever Fly past with 53 aircrafts showcasing our airpower to global attendees and a total footfall of 7+ lakh visitors over five days. Aero India 2023 was characterized by a series of significant milestones and impactful demonstrations. Key aspects of the 2023 edition were:

    • Showcasing Advanced Aerospace Technologies: The 2023 event provided a platform for companies to display state-of-the-art aerospace systems and defence solutions. This not only demonstrated technological innovation but also set the stage for future advancements in the field.
    • Facilitating Strategic Engagements: Aero India 2023 was instrumental in bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, industry experts, and international delegations. The event fostered an environment of strategic dialogue that focused on collaborative ventures and technological partnerships.
    • Strengthening India’s Global Position: By successfully hosting a comprehensive and well-coordinated exhibition, Aero India 2023 reinforced India’s commitment to advancing its aerospace capabilities. The show also underscored the country’s readiness to engage with global partners in driving forward the next wave of aerospace innovation.

     

     

    The successes and challenges of Aero India 2023 have provided valuable lessons that are being incorporated into the planning and execution of Aero India 2025. The focus on operational excellence, international collaboration, and technological innovation—elements that were prominently on display in 2023—serve as the cornerstone for the upcoming edition. The forward momentum generated by the previous edition is expected to translate into even greater achievements in 2025, with enhanced protocols, refined strategies, and an expanded global participation footprint.

     

    Events at Aero India 2023

     

    The event comprised of a Defence Ministers’ Conclave; a CEOs Round Table; Manthan start-up event; Bandhan ceremony; breath-taking air shows; a large exhibition; India Pavilion and a trade fair of aerospace companies.

     

    Major exhibitors & equipment

    The major exhibitors included Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Israel Aerospace Industry, BrahMos Aerospace, Army Aviation, HC Robotics, SAAB, Safran, Rolls Royce, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge Limited, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and BEML Limited.

     

     

    Aero India 2023 showcased design leadership and growth in UAVs Sector, Defence Space and futuristic technologies. The event aimed to promote export of indigenous air platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas, HTT-40, Dornier Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).

     

    Defence Ministers’ Conclave

    Defence Ministers’ Conclave was held on 14th February 2023. Defence Ministers of friendly foreign countries participated in the meeting, which was organised on the theme ‘Shared Prosperity through Enhanced Engagements in Defence (SPEED)’. The conclave addressed aspects related to deepen cooperation for capacity building (through investments, R&D, joint venture, co-development, co-production and provisioning of defence equipment), training, space, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and maritime security to grow together. The conclave was an opportunity for the defence ministers to engage with each other to carry forward the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision.

     

    Bilateral meetings

    On the sidelines of Aero India 2023, a number of bilateral meetings were held at the levels of Raksha Mantri, Raksha Rajya Mantri, Chief of Defence Staff and Defence Secretary among others. The focus was on bolstering the defence & aerospace ties with friendly countries by exploring newer avenues to take the partnership to the next level.

     

    CEOs Round Table

    The ‘CEOs Round Table’, under the chairmanship of the Raksha Mantri, was held on 13th February 2023, on the theme ‘Sky is not the limit: opportunities beyond boundaries.’ It laid the foundation of a more robust interaction between the Industry Partners and Government with an eye on bolstering the ‘Make in India’ campaign.

     

    The Round Table witnessed participation from officials, delegates and global CEOs from 26 countries including global investors such as Boeing, Lockheed, Israel Aerospace Industries, General Atomics, Liebherr Group, Raytheon Technologies, Safran, General Authority of Military Industries (GAMI) etc. Domestic PSUs like HAL, BEL, BDL, BEML Limited and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited also participated.

     

    Bandhan ceremony

    The Bandhan ceremony, which witnessed signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs)/Agreements, Transfer of Technologies, Product Launches and other major announcements, was held on February 15th. A concerted effort was made towards forging B2B partnerships at the Bandhan ceremony and more than 250 such partnerships with a total value of more than Rs 75,000 crore have been finalized.

     

    Manthan

    The annual defence innovation event, Manthan, was the flagship technology showcase event held on 15th February. Organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the Manthan platform will bring the leading innovators, start-ups, MSMEs, incubators, academia and Investors from defence & aerospace ecosystem under one roof.

     

    Manthan had many firsts, including launch of challenges on Cyber Security, establishment of iDEX Investor Hub, MoUs with investors etc. Manthan 2023 provided an overview on the future vision/next initiatives of iDEX to galvanise the start-up ecosystem to foster innovation and technology development in the defence sector.

     

    India Pavilion

    The India Pavilion, based on ‘Fixed Wing Platform’ theme, showcased India’s growth in the area, including the future prospects. There was a total of 115 companies, displaying 227 products. It further showcased the growth of India in developing an ecosystem for Fixed Wing platform which includes the demonstration of various structural modules, simulators, systems (LRUs) etc. of LCA-Tejas aircraft being produced by Private Partners. There was also be a section for Defence space, New Technologies and a UAV section which will give an insight about the growth of India in each sector.

     

    A full scale LCA-Tejas aircraft in Full Operational Capability (FOC) configuration was at the center stage of India Pavilion. LCA Tejas is a single engine, light weight, highly agile, multi-role supersonic fighter. It has quadruplex digital fly-by-wire Flight Control System (FCS) with associated advanced flight control laws. The aircraft with delta wing is designed for ‘air combat’ and ‘offensive air support’ with ‘reconnaissance’ and ‘anti-ship’ as its secondary roles.

     

    Seminars

    A number of seminars were held during the five-day event. The themes included Harnessing Potential of Ex-servicemen for Indian Defence Industry; India’s Defence Space Initiative: Opportunities for shaping Indian private space ecosystem; Indigenous development of futuristic aerospace technologies, including aero engines; Destination Karnataka: US-India defence cooperation innovation and Make in India; Advancement in maritime surveillance equipment and assets; sustenance in MRO and Obsolescence Mitigation and achieving excellence in defence grade drones and Aatmanirbharta in Aero Armament Sustenance.

     

    Major Agreements at Aero India 2023

     

    • MoU between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Safran Helicopter Engines, France for Work Share for formation of Joint venture for Design, Development, Manufacture and life time support of Helicopter Engines.
    • MoU between Bharat Electronics Ltd and Aeronautical Development Agency on IWBC and Other LRUs for Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
    • Co-operation between BSS Material Limited and Pegasus Engineering, an ADUSEA Inc. Division (USA) for Logistic Drones for the Indian Army towards Last Mile Delivery for forward troops deployed along the border areas with capability of operation in wind/gust condition, rain/Snow etc.
    • MoU between Gopalan Aerospace India Pvt. Ltd. and Omnipol, Czech Republic for manufacturing and assembling of 1st passenger aircraft (L 410 UVP-E20 version) by a private company in India.
    • MoU on collaboration of Sagar Defence Engineering Private Limited (SDEPL) & Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for IDEX Challenge “Autonomous Weaponized boat Swarm” for Indian Navy.
    • MoU between Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bultexpro Ltd., Bulgaria for setting up the manufacturing facilities for 122mm GRAD BM ER and NONER rockets in India and fulfill the requirements (including ToT).
    • MoU between GRSE and Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH (MTU) for License production with localization of the MTU 16V4000M73L engine to support the indigenous content for the Next Generation Fast Attack Craft vessel for Indian Navy.
    • BEML enters into License Agreement for Transfer of Technology (ToT) with R&DEE, DRDO for development and supply of TRAWL Assembly for T-72/T-90 Tanks.
    • ToT of Shakti EW System from DLRL DRDO to BEL Hyderabad Unit for all system units, Bill of Material, Test procedures, integration & offering methodology.
    • MoU between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Elta Systems Limited, Israel for cooperation on future Business in Maritime Patrol Radar (MPR) for Indian Platforms.

     

    Products Showcased at Aero India 2023

     

    • Vertically Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (Bharat Dynamics Limited): VLSRSAM is a next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air defence weapon which can be used by Navy as a quick reaction point defence against supersonic sea skimming targets like aircraft and UAVs. The Missile has a smokeless propulsion system with all-weather capability. It has a highly agile configuration with state-of-the-art Electronic Counter-Counter Measures features.
    • SAL Seeker ATGM for BMP II (Bharat Dynamics Limited): Semi-Active Laser Seeker based Anti-Tank Guided Missile for BMP-II is a subsonic missile with a range of 4,000 metres and flight time of 25 seconds. The missile weighs 23 kgs with the launch tube and can be used in different kinds of terrains to incapacitate the moving and stationary targets such as tanks and Infantry Combat Vehicles.
    • Jishnu (Bharat Dynamics Limited): Jishnu, a Drone Delivered Missile, is light weight and miniaturised missile targeted for soft-skinned targets. It has a range of 1.5 km with a flight time of 9 seconds. The missile can be semi-automatic or completely autonomous based on the systems configurations.
    • Software defined NAVIC/GPS receiver module based on indigenously-developed processors (Astra Microwave Products Limited).
    • Indigenously-built ‘Counter Drone Radar’ based on technology from DRDO (Astra Microwave Products Limited).
    • 9 mm sub-sonic ammunition (Munitions India Limited).
    • BFT on Ios (ideaForge Technology Limited): BlueFire Touch BlueFire Touch, our Ground Control Station (GCS) software, is built to plan and command both mapping and surveillance missions with the ability to pre-plan missions based on operational area and target locations via waypoint-based navigation.
    • HF SDR Radio (Bharat Electronics Limited): It is an advanced software defined radio. The radio is lightweight 20 W transmit capable radio. It provides a complete solution to the short-range communication requirements in the crowded HF band and long-range communications beyond line of sight.
    • Goniometer (Bharat Electronics Limited): It is part of any integrated observation and fire control monitoring system for day time or night time use by the Artillery.

     

    Looking Ahead: The Future of Aerospace and Defence in India

     

     

    Aero India has always been more than just an exhibition—it is a strategic imperative that underscores India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in aerospace and defence. The event plays a pivotal role in:

    • Driving Technological Advancements: By bringing together innovators and industry leaders, Aero India acts as a catalyst for the development and deployment of next-generation aerospace systems.
    • Enhancing National Security: The technologies and strategies showcased at the event contribute directly to enhancing India’s defence capabilities, ensuring that the nation remains well-prepared to address contemporary and future security challenges.
    • Strengthening Economic Growth: Beyond defence, the advancements in aerospace have far-reaching implications for economic growth, industrial development, and technological self-reliance.

     

    Conclusion: Embracing the Future with Aero India

     

    Aero India stands as a testament to India’s unwavering commitment to innovation, strategic collaboration, and excellence in aerospace and defence. As the nation prepares to host Aero India 2025, the event promises to build on the rich legacy of previous editions—most notably, the transformative Aero India 2023. Through rigorous operational protocols, strategic partnerships, and a forward-thinking agenda, Aero India 2025 is poised to further elevate India’s profile on the global aerospace stage.

     

    Annexure

    1. Broad Programme of Aero India: https://www.aeroindia.gov.in/assets/front/broad_programme.pdf
    2. List of Seminars: https://www.aeroindia.gov.in/assets/front/seminar_list.pdf
    3. List of Invited Speakers: https://www.aeroindia.gov.in/assets/front/speakers_list.pdf
    4. Visitor Registration: https://www.aeroindia.gov.in/visitor-registration

     

    References

    https://www.aeroindia.gov.in/

    https://www.aeroindia.gov.in/faq

    https://www.aeroindia.gov.in/whyexhibit

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1899388

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2091447

    https://www.ddpmod.gov.in/resources/photos/aero-india

    https://x.com/aeroindiashow?lang=en

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1898547

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2090516

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1989502

    https://x.com/MIB_India/status/1887124348617760992

    https://x.com/AeroIndiashow/status/1887371647331516549

    https://x.com/MIB_India/status/1886725544823415252

    https://x.com/AeroIndiashow/status/1887050312281641266

    https://x.com/AeroIndiashow/status/1869024504485208160/photo/1
    https://x.com/AeroIndiashow/status/1849117379852132485/photo/1

    https://x.com/AeroIndiashow/status/1626582275365441537/photo/3

    https://x.com/AeroIndiashow/status/1626530283892903936/photo/1

    https://www.ddpmod.gov.in/resources/photos/aero-india

    Click here to download PDF

    ******

    Santosh Kumar | Sarla Meena | Rishita Aggarwal

    (Release ID: 2100966) Visitor Counter : 56

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Mark Brown on China deal: ‘No need for NZ to sit in the room with us’

    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says New Zealand is asking for too much oversight over its deal with China, which is expected to be penned in Beijing next week.

    Brown told RNZ Pacific the Cook Islands-New Zealand relationship was reciprocal.

    “They certainly did not consult with us when they signed their comprehensive partnership agreement [with China] and we would not expect them to consult with us,” he said.

    “There is no need for New Zealand to sit in the room with us while we are going through our comprehensive agreement with China.

    “We have advised them on the matter, but as far as being consulted and to the level of detail that they were requiring, I think that’s not a requirement.”

    Brown is going to China from February 10-14 to sign the “Joint Action Plan for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.

    The Cook Islands operates in free association with New Zealand. It means the island nation conducts its own affairs, but Aotearoa needs to assist when it comes to foreign affairs, disasters, and defence.

    NZ seeks more consultation
    New Zealand is asking for more consultation over what is in the China deal.

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters said neither New Zealand nor the Cook Island people knew what was in the agreement.

    “The reality is we’ve been not told [sic] what the nature of the arrangements that they seek in Beijing might be,” he told RNZ Morning Report on Friday.

    In 2023, China and Solomon Islands signed a deal on police cooperation as part of an upgrade of their relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership”.

    Brown said he had assured New Zealand “over and over” that there would be no impact on the countries’ relationship and “no surprises”, especially on security aspects.

    “But the contents of this agreement is something that our team are working on with our Chinese counterparts, and it is something that we will announce and provide once it is signed off.”

    He said it was similar to an agreement New Zealand had signed with China in 2014.

    Deep sea mining research
    Brown said the agreement was looking for areas of cooperation, with deep sea mining research being one area.

    However, he said the immediate area that the Cook Islands wanted help with was a new interisland vessel to replace the existing ageing ship.

    Brown has backed down from his controversial passport proposal after facing pressure from New Zealand.

    He said the country “would essentially punish any Cook Islander that would seek a Cook Islands passport” by passing new legislation that would not allow them to also hold a New Zealand passport.

    “To me that is a something that we cannot engage in for the security of our Cook Islands people.

    “Whether that is seen as overstepping or not, that is a position that New Zealand has taken.”

    A spokesperson for Peters said the two nations did “not see eye to eye” on a number of issues.

    Relationship ‘very good’
    However, Brown said he always felt the relationship was very good.

    “We can agree to disagree in certain areas and as mature nation states do, they do have points of disagreement, but it doesn’t mean that the relationship has in any way broken down.”

    On Christmas Day, a Cook Islands-flagged vessel carrying Russian oil was seized by Finnish authorities. It is suspected to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet and cutting underwater power cables in the Baltic Sea near Finland.

    Peters’ spokesperson said the Cook Islands shipping registry was an area of disagreement between the two countries.

    Brown said the government was working with Maritime Cook Islands and were committed with aligning with international sanctions against Russia.

    When asked how he could be aligned with sanctions when the Cook Islands flagged the tanker Eagle S, Brown said it was still under investigation.

    “We will wait for the outcomes of that investigation, and if it means the amendments and changes, which I expect it will, to how the ship’s registry operates then we will certainly look to make those amendments and those changes.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: PM statement on the release of Eli Sharabi: 8 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statement on the release of Eli Sharabi.

    I shared the relief of so many at Eli Sharabi’s release earlier today but was dismayed to see his frail condition and the circumstances of his release. Having met his relatives I appreciate the deep pain they have endured and my thoughts are with them.  

    We must continue to see all the hostages freed – these people were ripped away from their lives in the most brutal circumstances and held in appalling conditions. The ceasefire must hold and all efforts need to focus on full implementation of the remaining phases. This includes the return of further hostages, the continued increase of aid into Gaza and securing lasting peace in the Middle East.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM statement on the release of Eli Sharabi: 8 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statement on the release of Eli Sharabi.

    I shared the relief of so many at Eli Sharabi’s release earlier today but was dismayed to see his frail condition and the circumstances of his release. Having met his relatives I appreciate the deep pain they have endured and my thoughts are with them.  

    We must continue to see all the hostages freed – these people were ripped away from their lives in the most brutal circumstances and held in appalling conditions. The ceasefire must hold and all efforts need to focus on full implementation of the remaining phases. This includes the return of further hostages, the continued increase of aid into Gaza and securing lasting peace in the Middle East.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal for witnesses following fatal collision in Clapton

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a fatal collision in Clapton.

    Officers were called at approximately 06:50hrs on Saturday, 8 February to reports of a car in collision with a stationery bus in Lea Bridge Road, near the junction of Clapton Road, E5.

    London Ambulance Service and HEMS paramedics also attended.

    The driver of the car, a woman, was taken to hospital for treatment – she sadly died there a short time later.

    Her next of kin have been informed and will be supported by specially trained officers.

    No reports of any other serious injuries.

    An investigation into the circumstances is under way by detectives from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit. They would like to hear from anyone who was in the area and witnessed this incident, or any road users or pedestrians who may have captured events on film.

    Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD1388/8Feb.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Unlock 100x Leverage on BexBack with a 100% Deposit Bonus & $50 Welcome Bonus – No KYC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Feb. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the price of Bitcoin falls below the $100,000 mark, many analysts believe it will enter a long period of high volatility. Holding spot positions may not continue to generate profits in the short term. BexBack Exchange is stepping up its efforts to provide traders with irresistible preferential packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and a 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, creating unparalleled opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c461eca9-3533-4db2-be9e-bda12f503baa
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/63cd2ae6-6da2-4a28-848f-a568e8af4def
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9ace020-e451-49fe-a325-872195ea9a58
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/63ff74a3-ad9b-4073-8ee4-d0d045e6b055

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: High Court right to call out overreach by Police Ombudsman

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-

    “I greatly welcome today’s High Court judgement in the judicial review by NI Retired Police Officers’ Association against the Police Ombudsman.

    “For too long the Ombudsman has exceeded the remit of the office to make expansive findings of ‘collusion’ etc which are presented as misconduct, or worse.

    “However, in this judgement today we have had an overdue clipping of the Ombudsman’s wings. The language of the judgement is emphatic and clear, “the Ombudsman’s role is investigative and not adjudicative. It is not for the Ombudsman to made determinations (whether express or implied) as to whether criminal conduct or even misconduct has in fact occurred; no more than it is for the police to determine and publicly state that a suspect is guilty of a crime. That is a matter to be determined by others in different processes specifically established for that purpose.”

    “Too often the Ombudsman has played to the anti-police gallery by throwing around findings of “collusion” etc – all of which oversteps the investigative role of the office by bolting on adjudicative and prejudicial findings. 

    “I trust the Ombudsman will take heed of this judgement and not again have to be called into line for overstepping the prescribed functions of the office”.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Multinational Maritime Exercise AMAN-2025 Kicks Off in Pakistan

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

      By Wang Ningchuan, Gao Dezhen and Ren Ke

      Representatives of participating troops from various countries take a group photo at the opening ceremony on Feb. 7, 2025.

      KARACHI, Pakistan, Feb. 8 — The opening ceremony of Multinational Maritime Exercise AMAN-2025, hosted and organized by the Pakistani Navy, was kicked off at the Pakistan Navy Dockyard (PN Dockyard) in Karachi on February 7, local time. Commander Pakistan Fleet, Rear Admiral Abdul Munib delivered opening remarks at the ceremony.

      Chinese defense attaché to Pakistan, as well as the commander and representatives of Chinese participating naval taskforce presented at the ceremony. The Chinese participating naval taskforce, including guided-missile destroyer Baotou (Hull 133), comprehensive supply ship Gaoyouhu (Hull 904), a ship-borne helicopter and dozens of Marine Corps members, arrived at Port of Karachi on February 6.

      The Multinational Maritime Exercise AMAN-2025 will be held in Karachi from February 7 to 12, involving military vessels from countries like China, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia and the US. Moreover, observers sent by 32 other countries will also participate in the exercise.

    loading…

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US sovereign wealth fund: A feasible idea to invest strategically, or a giant opportunity for waste?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Patrick J. Schena, Professor of Practice and International Business, Tufts University

    U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order to create a U.S. sovereign wealth fund on Feb. 3, 2025 Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

    Could the United States soon be joining the likes of Norway, Kuwait and Mongolia in having a national reserve to invest on projects of strategic interest? If President Donald Trump gets his way, then perhaps so.

    On Feb. 3, 2025, Trump issued an executive order calling for the creation of a U.S. sovereign wealth fund.

    This was not entirely unexpected. After all, the idea had been floated in September 2024 not only by the Trump team, but also by President Joe Biden’s Treasury Department.

    Many at the time, including myself, deemed it far-fetched at best. But with the initiative now gaining traction, the time is certainly ripe to imagine what a U.S. sovereign wealth fund might look like.

    What is a sovereign wealth fund?

    In their most basic form, sovereign wealth funds are pools of government savings, usually accumulated over many years through the sale of commodities, traded goods, government-owned companies and land-use rights, among other sources.

    They share a variety of objectives, such as stabilizing government finances, ensuring the funding of retirement or education programs, saving for future generations or even managing state-owned corporations.

    They generally diversify investment across assets, geographies and sectors, including some, such as sports and entertainment in the case of Saudi Arabia, that are aligned with national development goals.

    Sovereign wealth funds are usually associated with great wealth – Norway’s “oil fund” is estimated to be worth US$1.7 trillion. With regard to scale, Norway is hardly alone. And Norway’s fund is typical in another respect: sovereign wealth funds are often based in smaller countries with outsized natural resources, like Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, or even tiny Guyana in the Caribbean.

    In reality, most sovereign wealth funds are more modest in size relative to their gross domestic products.

    How long have SWFs been around?

    Sovereign wealth funds are hardly new. The so-called modern era of sovereign wealth funds dates to the early 1950s with the creation of the Kuwait Investment Board.

    But some government investment funds, such as the Texas Permanent School Fund, established in 1854, long predate the Kuwait Investment Board.

    As is evident in the case of Texas, there are many such funds already operating in the U.S., including those in Alaska, New Mexico and Wyoming – all of which identify as “sovereign wealth funds.” These, of course, are state funds, but the term “sovereign” is generously applied.

    Sovereign wealth funds often invest outside of their geographies, not only to diversify returns but to avoid stimulating higher inflation that may result from investing at home.

    In fact, the U.S. has benefited from investments by other countries’ sovereign wealth funds. Developed market economies like the U.S. are attractive destinations for investment, given the relative strength of their institutions and the scale and liquidity of their financial markets.

    Still, over the last decade there has been a rapid expansion in the number of sovereign wealth funds investing domestically, particularly in support of strategic national goals. Some of these include funds in Ireland, India and Indonesia.

    Their investment programs target critical sectors and national “champions,” with a goal to mobilize foreign capital for co-investment in local markets.

    Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr, in which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has a controlling stake.
    Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images

    The fundamental questions of a fund

    What could a U.S. sovereign wealth fund look like? Would it be well funded? And if so, how? Through taxes, treasury bond proceeds, budget transfers, tariffs?

    Would it invest globally or domestically? Could it be used to reinforce the Social Security system? Will it be used to tackle the dual deficits of budget and trade? Or will it have a strategic mandate – to enhance national security, energy security or climate security?

    These are all fundamental questions that must be carefully examined; creating a sovereign wealth fund should not be a backroom exercise. It needs to be conducted openly, with expert input and public deliberation.

    The process belies even more challenging organizational and governance decisions concerning the legal structure, ownership and management of the fund, the independence of its governing board, and its distance from government influence in its decisions.

    After all, the history of sovereign wealth funds is not without failed attempts. Take Malaysia’s 1MDB, which was usurped for political and personal gain and became a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal, or Venezuela’s macrostabilization and development funds, which were both effectively exhausted.

    In these cases – and others – the breakdown can be connected to failures in governance, both in design and culture, and ultimately traced back to politics.

    Where does the US start?

    It is interesting to note that it was George W. Bush’s Treasury Department during the financial crisis in 2008 that was most influential in encouraging sovereign wealth funds to define a framework of governance practices and principles.

    Known as the Santiago Principles, this set of 24 precepts, agreed to in 2008, are intended to ensure transparent and sound governance with adequate operational controls, risk management and accountability.

    To be successful and in line with the Santiago Principles, a U.S. sovereign wealth fund would have to be grounded in a functional governance structure that allows investment projects to be evaluated based on commercial merit.

    It would also need to be free of political interference and operate openly, transparently and at arm’s length from any personal or professional interests of any related parties.

    Where would it invest?

    The next thing to consider is the fund’s investment objectives and strategy. Trump has suggested that such a fund could be used to buy TikTok. But would that represent a strategic investment that advances the national competitiveness of the U.S.?

    Perhaps instead, a sovereign wealth fund might be better placed investing a majority of its capital in private markets and core infrastructure in the U.S. under a focused strategic mandate that directs money to key national priorities.

    Essential here is for the fund to be “additional.” That is to say it would invest in projects that other investors would not be able to finance on their own due to scale, difficulty or duration. In essence, the fund would “crowd in” investors, rather than crowding them out.

    And what about funding?

    Perhaps the most critical question still remains: Where will the money come from?

    Increased taxes are a nonstarter due to political will and, of course, Trump’s campaign commitments.

    Treasury bond issuances would only increase U.S. debtedness and likely lead to higher inflation. Allocations from the government’s own budget also seem to be a non-starter, as U.S. budget deficits have long been well-entrenched.

    The president has suggested that a fund could use tariff payments – but the reality of the tariff rollout is itself questionable and apparently open to negotiation.

    Malaysia’s 1MDB financed the Tun Razak Exchange tower, the tallest building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. But it was also the source of the biggest corruption scandal in Malaysian history.
    Ore Huiying/Getty Images

    A more practical option may be a take on the traditional private equity limited partnership. In this model, the U.S. serves as general partner and joins other institutional investors – including other sovereign wealth funds – to invest in the fund.

    As general partner, the U.S. would appoint a management team that would select and manage the investments – for a fee, of course. Its mandate would be to target strong market returns, while advancing the strategic national interests of the U.S.

    The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund in India is one such example. This approach would require a smaller initial capital commitment from the U.S. and give the manager discretion over where and how to deploy capital. Needless to say, the call for strong foundational governance is reinforced under such a plan.

    To be clear: The challenges, constraints and risks of launching a U.S. sovereign wealth fund are orders of magnitude greater than similar endeavors in Guyana or Suriname.

    Imagining the creation of a fund is certainly feasible. But ensuring the fund will genuinely enhance the intergenerational welfare of all Americans may still be far-fetched.

    Patrick J. Schena has not in the last 4 years received grant funding to support his research. He collaborates in areas of mutual research interests with the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds for which he receives no compensation.

    – ref. US sovereign wealth fund: A feasible idea to invest strategically, or a giant opportunity for waste? – https://theconversation.com/us-sovereign-wealth-fund-a-feasible-idea-to-invest-strategically-or-a-giant-opportunity-for-waste-249005

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal to trace missing teenager believed to have travelled to London

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are appealing for assistance to help trace a missing teenager who has believed to have travelled to London.

    Talailah Francis, 14, was last seen at Whittlesford Service Station in Cambridge on Saturday, 25 January.

    Since then there have been potential sightings of Talailah in in Hackney, Lambeth, Enfield and Southwark.

    Police remain concerned regarding Talailah’s welfare and are appealing to the public for assistance.

    If you have seen Talailah or have any information about her whereabouts, please call 101 and quote CAD4485/26JAN25.

    For an immediate sighting dial 999.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Intangible heritages add ethnic culture charm to holiday atmosphere

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Wan Yuan, 45, dips a knife into melted wax and makes a few strokes with it, resulting in a vivid butterfly pattern appearing on a piece of cloth.

    This Miao ethnic craftsman from Qiaohai Village, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, watched his mother make batik when he was a child. Wan practiced and gradually mastered this craft.

    Via his skilled hands, an ordinary piece of cloth is transformed into a unique blue-and-white batik work, following multiple processes including wax painting, dyeing, dewaxing, washing and drying.

    Wan used to earn a living by working on construction sites and in factories far away from home. However, thanks to his strong interest and excellent skills, he was later able to focus on the batik industry and has now been involved in this field for more than 20 years.

    In a stall measuring over 10 square meters at the intangible heritage market in the city of Kaili in Qiandongnan, his batik works are turned into products like clothes, bags and tea mats — which are welcomed by customers. In 2024, his creations generated sales worth 150,000 yuan (about 20,923 U.S. dollars).

    The market in Kaili opened to the public in September 2023, featuring hundreds of stalls run by local craftspeople. Items on sale there cover nearly 10 categories, involving more than 6,000 kinds of handicrafts such as embroidery, batik and silver ornaments.

    During the recent Spring Festival holiday, which ran from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, many craftspeople at the market welcomed an increased number of customers. According to Meituan Travel, a major online platform focused on tourism consumption in China, the search volume of “Spring Festival travel” has since January surged by 328 percent year on year, while that of “intangible cultural heritage” has increased by 174 percent compared with the same period in 2024.

    The Spring Festival itself, a social practice of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, was added to its intangible cultural heritage list by UNESCO in December last year.

    Pan Yuzhen, a 79-year-old embroiderer from Taijiang County, also part of Qiandongnan, opened her stall on the first day of the Chinese New Year. The highest daily sales value achieved by her stall during the holiday was 1,600 yuan.

    Pan started learning embroidery from her mother at the age of five and has since been engaged in the industry. Thanks to her exquisite skills, Pan has been invited to five countries — including France, Britain and the United States. She has on many occasions worn her own embroidery costumes for catwalk shows on international stages, while her works have graced the stages of major global fashion weeks.

    At her stall, Pan always patiently introduces the cultural implications of her chosen patterns. She hopes that what tourists take away is not only commodities, but also insights into such profound ethnic culture.

    “The recognition and love of our handicrafts by domestic and foreign tourists has brought me great confidence,” said Pan.

    For both craftspeople and tourists, this market is not merely a space for commodity trading. Instead, it serves as a stage for cultural exchanges — thereby allowing traditional crafts to be inherited and ethnic culture to shine brightly.

    A 36-year-old fashion designer from the bustling southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, surnamed Fu, learned about this market online and without any hesitation decided to visit Kaili. She ended up strolling around the market for two days before the eve of the Spring Festival.

    Fu shuttled among the stalls and bought handicrafts such as skirts and trousers featuring batik. “Here I can relax myself and learn traditional crafts, while I have gained a lot of design inspiration. It’s really a worthwhile trip,” she said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Channel 4 dominates 30th Annual Broadcast Awards 2025 with eight wins

    Source: GlobalData

    Channel 4 dominates 30th Annual Broadcast Awards 2025 with eight wins

    Posted in MBI

    London, United Kingdom, 07 February 2025 – The Broadcast Awards 2025 celebrated its 30th anniversary on Wednesday night in a star-studded ceremony at JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London, where Channel 4 led the night with an impressive eight wins. The event was organised by Media Business Insight (MBI) Ltd, a GlobalData company.

    Marking three decades of celebrating excellence in British television, the event gathered over 1,250 industry professionals to honour the best in TV programmes, talent, and channels.

    In a special moment to commemorate the 30th anniversary, the iconic BBC series ‘Gavin & Stacey’ was awarded the prestigious Hall of Fame award, a new category introduced this year to celebrate enduring contributions to British television. James Corden accepted the award on behalf of the series, joined by industry luminaries and celebrity guests including Alan Carr, Vicky Pattison, Susanna Reid, Kate Garraway and Pete Wicks who celebrated the series’ legacy and impact.

    Other notable highlights included:

    • ITV1 being crowned Channel of the Year
    • ‘Traitors’ indie Studio Lambert landing Best Independent Production Company for the second year running and Best Entertainment Programme for Netflix’s ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ (co-produced by The Garden)
    • ITV’s gangbuster real-life drama ‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office’ winning both Special Recognition Award and the dock10 TV Moment of the Year

    For a full list of the 2025 winners and highlights from the 30th anniversary celebration, visit: Broadcast Awards.

    Comedian Sue Perkins returned to host the event, bringing her trademark wit and humour to a packed room of industry leaders for a brilliant evening of celebration.

    Chris Curtis, Editor in Chief at Broadcast of MBI, comments: “It was fantastic to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Broadcast Awards by recognising the very best programming of the last 12 months. During a challenging period for the sector, British creative flair and production excellence have really come to the fore, and the awards night was a celebration of everything that is good about our industry.

    ‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office’ changed government policy, ‘Gavin & Stacey’ is one of the most beloved series of all time, and the hard work and brilliance of colleagues across the sector is ensuring that the next generation of programming will be just as groundbreaking.”

    The awards are judged by a specially selected panel of the leading industry figures, celebrating a year of groundbreaking and inspiring content.

    The Broadcast Awards 2025 were supported by Access Bookings, Barclays, BBC Studioworks, BMC TV, dock10, EMG/Gravity Media, ES Broadcast, Garden Studios, Iron Mountain Media & Archival Services, Maidstone Studios, Moments Lab, NEP, Pinewood TV Studios, Race Tech, Sargent-Disc, The Complete Camera Company and VERSA Studios.

    MBI is the publisher of market-leading titles including Broadcast, Broadcast Sport, Broadcast Tech, KFTV, The Knowledge and Screen International.

     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Youth arrested as stolen phones and e-bike seized in Camden

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    By building up intelligence around suspects and working at pace, Met officers in Camden arrested a male and recovered 16 stolen phones which are being returned to their owners.

    At around 08:00hrs on Thursday, 6 February, officers were alerted to a phone robbery in Euston. The police helicopter had tracked the suspect to the Belsize Park area of Camden, and utilising the intelligence picture built up by the Met, a nearby address was raided.

    A 16-year-old boy was arrested at the location after around £1,000 in cash was found at the address along with a quantity of cannabis. 16 mobile phones were found nearby. A Surron electric motorcycle found outside the property was also seized. The boy has been bailed pending further enquiries.

    Inspector John Wilde, one of the senior officers policing Camden, said: “This arrest shows what we are doing to deal with theft and robbery offences, including by offenders riding bikes, e-bikes and mopeds.

    “We are constantly building intelligence, linking offences and working to establish who might be responsible. And we are responding to robberies at pace.

    “These tactics, among others, are enabling us to get significant results like this, recovering stolen goods and drugs, and arresting those we suspect of committing offences.”

    If you have been a victim of robbery, please call 999 or, if your phone has been stolen, ask someone nearby to call police urgently. If you have information about those committing robberies or selling stolen good, please call 101, message @MetCC or to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Presidential Office thanks US and Japan for joint leaders’ statement

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-01-31
    President Lai’s response to Pope Francis’s 2025 World Day of Peace message  
    President Lai Ching-te recently sent a letter to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to his message marking the 58th World Day of Peace. The following is the full text of the president’s letter to the pope: Your Holiness, In your message for the 2025 World Day of Peace entitled Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace, you called for a cultural change that would bring an end to the governance of interpersonal and international relations by a logic of exploitation and oppression and herald true and lasting peace. I wholeheartedly admire and identify with your point of view. Since transitioning from a medical career to politics, I have remained true to my original intentions in the sense that, while a doctor can help only one person at a time, a public servant can simultaneously assist many people in resolving the difficulties affecting their lives. In my inaugural address in May 2024, I pledged that every day of my term, I would strive to act justly, show mercy, and be humble, which accord with the teachings of the Bible. I promised to treat the Taiwanese people as family and prove myself worthy of their trust and expectations. With an unwavering heart, I have accepted the people’s trust and taken on the solemn responsibility of leading the nation forward and building a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous new Taiwan. In this new year, the changing international landscape continues to present many grave challenges to democratic nations around the world. As the Russia-Ukraine war persists, the steady convergence of authoritarian regimes, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatens the rules-based international order and severely impacts peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the world at large. Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners. A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese people also maintain an unyielding commitment to safeguarding a way of life that encompasses freedom, equality, democracy, and human rights. Taiwan will continue to spare no effort in preserving regional peace and stability and serving as a pilot for global peace. In your World Day of Peace message, you urged prosperous countries to assist poorer ones. This compassion is truly touching. Taiwan is proactively implementing values-based diplomacy and, under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, enhancing allies’ development through a range of initiatives. Over many years, Taiwan has accumulated abundant and unique experience of providing foreign assistance. Seeking to foster self-reliance among disadvantaged countries, we have extended genuine support to help alleviate poverty through such avenues as strengthening basic infrastructure, transferring technology, and cultivating talent. In your message, you reminded countries worldwide that assistance should not be merely an isolated act of charity and pointed to the need to devise a new global financial framework so that food crises, climate change, and other challenges could be jointly addressed. I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organizations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons. Taiwan is willing to shoulder its international responsibilities so that it can contribute and share its valuable experience through many global platforms.  On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I again express our interest in collaborating with the Holy See to advance world peace through concrete action. We also aspire to demonstrate Taiwanese values and the Taiwanese spirit and work together with the Holy See to uphold the core values of justice, democracy, freedom, and peace.  Please accept, Your Holiness, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration, as well as my best wishes for your good health and the continued growth of the Catholic Church.

    Details
    2025-01-31
    President Lai meets former US Vice President Mike Pence
    On the afternoon of January 17, President Lai Ching-te met with former Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations, noting that he actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, and did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. The president indicated that former Vice President Pence also spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, backing Taiwan’s international participation. President Lai expressed hope for a stronger Taiwan-US partnership to maintain peace and stability throughout the world, and that the two sides can advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Karen Pence to the Presidential Office. Former Vice President Pence is not only an outstanding political leader in the US, but also a staunch supporter of Taiwan on the international stage. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude to former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations. Thanks to former Vice President Pence’s strong backing, ties between Taiwan and the US rose to unprecedented heights during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Former Vice President Pence actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US security cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, helping Taiwan reinforce its self-defense capabilities. He also did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. Former Vice President Pence also paid close attention to the military threats and diplomatic isolation faced by Taiwan. He spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, taking concrete action to back Taiwan’s international participation. We were truly grateful for this. As we speak, China’s political and military intimidation against Taiwan persist. China and other authoritarian regimes, such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran, are continuing to converge and present serious challenges to democracies around the globe. At this moment, free and democratic nations must come together to bolster cooperation. I believe that a stronger Taiwan-US partnership can be an even more powerful force in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world. Former Vice President Pence has previously supported the signing of a trade agreement between Taiwan and the US. Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the new US administration and Congress to advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. This is the first time that former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence are visiting Taiwan, and their visit is significantly meaningful for Taiwan-US exchanges. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to extend a warm welcome. Moving forward, I hope we will jointly realize even more fruitful achievements through Taiwan-US cooperation. Former Vice President Pence then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for his hospitality on his and his wife’s first visit to Taiwan, saying that it is an honor to be here to reaffirm the bonds of friendship between the people of America and the people of Taiwan, which are strong and longstanding. The former vice president indicated that the American people admire the people of Taiwan and all that has been accomplished in a few short decades for Taiwan to rise to one of the world’s preeminent economic powers and free societies. He said that he is grateful for President Lai’s courageous and bold leadership of Taiwan, and grateful to be able to express the support of the overwhelming majority of the American people for this alliance. Former Vice President Pence indicated that the values shared by Taiwan and the US, including freedom, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, bind us together in a partnership that transcends geographic boundaries and cultures. He then assured President Lai that China’s increasingly aggressive posture in the Taiwan Strait and across the Indo-Pacific, for the values and interests that both sides share, is deeply concerning to the American people. Former Vice President Pence stated that America is a Pacific nation, and is committed to the status quo, adding that they recognize it is China that wants to change the status quo that America, Taiwan, and other allies in the region want to preserve, which has created an environment of extraordinary growth and prosperity. The former vice president concluded by once again thanking President Lai and his team for their gracious hospitality and conveying best wishes to him and the people of Taiwan. Former Vice President Pence then assured President Lai that just as Taiwan will never surrender its freedom, he will continue to be a voice for a strong US-Taiwan relationship in the defense and the benefit of Taiwan, the US, and the free world. Later that day, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao hosted a banquet for former Vice President Pence and his delegation at Taipei Guest House to thank him for his longstanding friendship and staunch support for Taiwan-US ties.  

    Details
    2025-01-31
    President Lai meets delegation to 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of US president and vice president
    On the morning of January 16, President Lai Ching-te met with Taiwan’s delegation to the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States. In remarks, President Lai stated that democratic Taiwan stands united, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties together. He then entrusted the delegation with three missions: to convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan, convey our firm commitment to democracy, and help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: The 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US will be held on January 20. I want to thank Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), president of the Legislative Yuan, for accepting my invitation to lead our nation’s representative delegation to the event. I also thank Legislative Yuan Members Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞), Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀), Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), Kuo Yu-ching (郭昱晴), and Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) for joining this visit to the US to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. We have gathered together today despite differences in party affiliation because in democratic Taiwan, while parties may compete domestically, when it comes to engagement externally, they stand united and share responsibility, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties and strive for the best interests of the nation. We share the value of defending freedom and democracy, and we share the goal of advancing peace and prosperity. Today, we engage with the world together as those from the same country – the Republic of China (Taiwan). In this complex and volatile new international landscape, and as the nation faces difficulties and challenges, I want to stress that in Formosa, there is no hostility that cannot be let go, and no hardship that cannot be overcome. Unity is the most important, and I hope that Taiwan can stand united, because there is true strength in unity. Democratic Taiwan must stand united in engaging with the world and initiate exchanges with confidence. On that ground, I am entrusting this delegation with three key missions. First, convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan. Just last year, Taiwan and the US celebrated the 45th anniversary of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act. And on May 20, the US sent a senior bipartisan delegation to congratulate me and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao on our inauguration. As the leader of this cross-party delegation, Speaker Han must clearly convey the well-wishes of the people of Taiwan, congratulate President Trump and Vice President Vance on their inauguration, and wish success to the new administration and prosperity to the US. Second, clearly convey the firm commitment of the people of Taiwan to democracy. The theme of these inaugural ceremonies is “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise.” Taiwan and the US share the universal value of democracy and are staunch allies. I hope that the delegation can faithfully convey the firm commitment to democracy that the people of Taiwan have, which will not change even in the face of authoritarian threats. Taiwan is willing to stand side by side with the US and other members of the democratic community to defend the sustainable development of global democracy and prevent the expansion of authoritarianism. Third, help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. In recent years, Taiwan-US relations have continued to grow, with the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st Century Trade having formally taken effect last month. This morning, the House of Representatives also passed the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act. I hope that the delegation can help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone through these exchanges so that our relations continue to grow, our cooperation expands even more, and so that we can achieve even greater success after the new administration takes office. Four years ago, Taiwan’s representative to the US inaugural ceremonies was Vice President Hsiao, who was then our representative to the US. Everyone has a lot to learn from her. I have specially invited everyone here to converse so that you can draw from Vice President Hsiao’s experience and ensure an even smoother visit. Washington, DC was also hit by a rare blizzard recently, and the weather has been very cold, so make sure to stay warm. I am sending everyone off with hand warmers and thermoses so that you can bring some warmth from Taiwan with you on your journey. And I ask that Speaker Han exercise his wisdom to help generate some warmth between the ruling and opposition parties through cooperation, which they can then bring back to Taiwan. Let us unite to give our all for diplomacy so that we can unite to give our all for Taiwan. I wish the delegation a smooth and safe trip, and hope your missions can be carried out successfully. Speaker Han then delivered remarks, stating that it was an honor to be invited by President Lai to organize a delegation to represent our nation at the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US in Washington, DC, and express the Republic of China’s sincere and cordial best wishes. The Legislative Yuan’s president has assumed this important task numerous times in the past, he said, not only to represent the government of the Republic of China, but also to take on the mission of conveying the voices of 23 million people. He went on to say that he is honored to take up the baton, lead eight legislators to the US to attend this celebration that will attract global attention, and express sincere best wishes to newly elected President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the new administration’s team. As enjoined by President Lai, he hopes the delegation’s trip will help open a new chapter in Taiwan-US exchanges. Speaker Han stated that the US is the most free and democratic country in the world. He noted that in 1776 in the US Declaration of Independence, founding father Thomas Jefferson propounded the concept of “unalienable rights,” and emphasized that the people have a right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness, democratic ideas that have long been rooted in the people’s hearts. Today, he said, democracy is also embedded in the DNA of Taiwan’s 23 million people, and this hard-won democratic achievement is a result of the concerted efforts of our pioneering predecessors, thinkers, and activists over the past 100 years. Speaker Han stated that during this visit, the Legislative Yuan delegation hopes to convey the voice of Taiwan as a democratic country. Taiwan’s security, he said, is like the four legs of a table: The first leg is defending the Republic of China, the second is defending freedom and democracy, the third is maintaining Taiwan-US relations, and the fourth is maintaining cross-strait peace. The delegation will travel to the US amidst severe cold weather to show that we value our relationship with the US, and our citizens have great hopes and expectations. Speaker Han stated that this will be a cross-party delegation of eight legislators, all of whom have a strong sense of mission. He hopes that all democratic nations will acknowledge Taiwan’s importance, and pay attention to Taiwan’s 23 million people. The delegation, he said, will do its utmost to convey the goodwill and warmth that the people of Taiwan give to each and every one of our good friends.

    Details
    2025-01-31
    President Lai confers decoration on former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
    On the morning of January 14, President Lai Ching-te conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis of the Republic of Lithuania in recognition of his remarkable contributions to deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Minister Landsbergis for standing firmly with Taiwan and remaining a staunch defender of democratic values, yielding fruitful cooperative results. The president expressed hope that the two countries will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture, and continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy so that together we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Today, by conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister Landsbergis, we recognize his outstanding contributions during his time as foreign minister of Lithuania. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I thank him for the key role he has played in deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the efforts of former Minister Landsbergis, Lithuania was the first European nation to donate vaccines to Taiwan. On that occasion, he stated that “freedom-loving people should look out for each other.” His statement was very moving and left a deep impression on many Taiwanese people. We will never forget it. Former Minister Landsbergis has continued to express the spirit of those words through his concrete actions. With his staunch support, Taiwan and Lithuania have mutually established representative offices. Moreover, our representative office in Lithuania was the first in Europe to incorporate “Taiwan” in its name. As for bilateral cooperation, Taiwan and Lithuania have seen fruitful results in such fields as semiconductors, laser technology, finance, and medicine. Be it overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic or resisting expanding authoritarianism, former Minister Landsbergis has stood firmly with Taiwan and remained a staunch defender of democratic values. We greatly admire and appreciate his spirit. Today, authoritarian regimes continue to converge, posing threats and challenges to democracies around the world. Taiwan, Lithuania, and other democratic countries must come closer together, drawing on the strength of unity, so as to jointly safeguard freedom and democracy and uphold the rules-based international order. Looking ahead, we hope that Taiwan and Lithuania will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture. Let us continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy. Together, we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. In closing, I once again thank you, former Minister Landsbergis, for your support and for all that you have done for Taiwan. We welcome you and your wife to visit often. I wish you both a smooth and successful visit in Taiwan, and hope you leave with lasting memories.    Former Minister Landsbergis then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor to receive the decoration today. He noted that only partially can he accept the honor, as there have been many people who worked together with him in the ministry and in the whole country who support the people of Taiwan and see the benefit of supporting democracy in Taiwan. He often says that in Lithuania they remember well the fight for their freedom, and just today, he mentioned, he was shown the permanent exhibition in the Presidential Office, where he saw similar pictures of Taiwanese people fighting for democracy. He emphasized that not even one generation has passed since these events took place here in Taipei or similar events took place in Vilnius. Former Minister Landsbergis said that decision-makers in the Lithuanian government are either people who were themselves fighting for freedom, or, as in his case, those who were sitting on the shoulders of parents who were fighting for freedom. So for them, he underlined, freedom, democracy, liberty, and sovereignty are very real concepts that they cherish, not just things read about in a history book. He said that this is the main connector between Lithuania and Taiwan, a feeling of freedom and support for each other. Former Minister Landsbergis stated that in the face of authoritarians who do not wish us prosperity, who do not wish us freedom and future achievements, what he expects from the future is that the friendship, collaboration, and mutual support between Lithuania and Taiwan will inspire others to join in. This, he said, will make other countries not be afraid to support freedom and democracy, and will allow our group of friends to continue to grow. Lithuanian history, the former minister said, is difficult, and a big part of it was fighting for their freedom. He explained that during the 19th century when Lithuania was part of Russia’s empire, they had several revolutions and uprisings with the aim of becoming free, and that they were fighting for that freedom alongside Poland and Belarus. He then applied a phrase that they used in the revolution of 1864 – “for your freedom and ours,” meaning that they will continue to fight for their freedom while helping Taiwan fight for ours. Also in attendance at the ceremony were former Minister Landsbergis’ wife Dr. Austėja Landsbergienė and Lithuanian Representative to Taiwan Paulius Lukauskas.

    Details
    2025-01-31
    Presidential Office thanks White House for its statement on enduring US commitment to Indo-Pacific region
    On January 10 (US EST), the US White House released a statement on the United States’ Enduring Commitment to the Indo-Pacific Region, in which it reaffirms its position of using a range of methods to help Taiwan maintain a sufficient self-defense capability so as to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on January 11 expressed sincere gratitude to the US government for taking concrete actions to fulfill its security commitments to Taiwan, advancing the close Taiwan-US security partnership, and supporting Taiwan in its efforts to enhance its self-defense capabilities and resilience. Spokesperson Kuo stated that the deepening Taiwan-US security partnership is a critical cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. She noted that Taiwan, as a force for good and regional stability, will continue to work alongside like-minded countries to strengthen defense resilience as we jointly defend the values of freedom and democracy and ensure the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

    Details
    2025-01-01
    President Lai delivers 2025 New Year’s Address
    On the morning of January 1, President Lai Ching-te delivered his 2025 New Year’s Address, titled “Bolstering National Strength through Democracy to Enter a New Global Landscape,” in the Reception Hall of the Presidential Office. President Lai stated that today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. In this new year, he said, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. The president expressed hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together, allowing Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements.  President Lai emphasized that in 2025, we must keep firm on the path of democracy, continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies, and continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. The president said that Taiwan will keep going strong, and we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. A translation of President Lai’s address follows: Today is the first day of 2025. With a new year comes new beginnings. I wish that Taiwan enjoys peace, prosperity, and success, and that our people lead happy lives. Taiwan truly finished 2024 strong. Though there were many challenges, there were also many triumphs. We withstood earthquakes and typhoons, and stood firm in the face of constant challenges posed by authoritarianism. We also shared glory as Taiwan won the Premier12 baseball championship, and now Taiwanese people around the world are all familiar with the gesture for Team Taiwan. At the Paris Olympics, Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and Lee Yang (李洋) clinched another gold in men’s doubles badminton. Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) took home Taiwan’s first Olympic gold in boxing. At the International Junior Science Olympiad, every student in our delegation of six won a gold medal. And Yang Shuang-zi’s (楊双子) novel Taiwan Travelogue, translated into English by King Lin (金翎), became a United States National Book Award winner and a tour de force of Taiwan literature on the international level. Our heroes of Taiwan are defined by neither age nor discipline. They have taken home top prizes at international competitions and set new records. They tell Taiwan’s story through their outstanding performances, letting the world see the spirit and culture of Taiwan, and filling all our citizens with pride. My fellow citizens, we have stood together through thick and thin; we have shared our ups and downs. We have wept together, and we have laughed together. We are all one family, all members of Team Taiwan. I want to thank each of our citizens for their dedication, fueling Taiwan’s progress and bringing our nation glory. You have given Taiwan even greater strength to stand out on the global stage. In this new year, we must continue bringing Taiwan’s stories to the world, and make Taiwan’s successes a force for global progress. In 2025, the world will be entering a new landscape. Last year, over 70 countries held elections, and the will of the people has changed with the times. As many countries turn new pages politically, and in the midst of rapid international developments, Taiwan must continue marching forward with steady strides. First, we must keep firm on the path of democracy. Taiwan made it through a dark age of authoritarianism and has since become a glorious beacon of democracy in Asia. This was achieved through the sacrifices of our democratic forebears and the joint efforts of all our citizens. Democracy’s value to Taiwan lies not just in our free way of life, or in the force driving the diverse and vigorous growth of our society. Democracy is the brand that has earned us international trust in terms of diplomacy. No matter the threat or challenge Taiwan may face, democracy is Taiwan’s only path forward. We will not turn back. Domestic competition among political parties is a part of democracy. But domestic political disputes must be resolved democratically, within the constitutional system. This is the only way democracy can continue to grow. The Executive Yuan has the right to request a reconsideration of the controversial bills passed in the Legislative Yuan, giving it room for reexamination. Constitutional institutions can also lodge a petition for a constitutional interpretation, and through Constitutional Court adjudication, ensure a separation of powers, safeguard constitutional order, and gradually consolidate the constitutional system. The people also have the right of election, recall, initiative, and referendum, and can bring together even greater democratic power to show the true meaning of sovereignty in the hands of the people. In this new year, the changing international landscape will present democratic nations around the world with many grave challenges. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas rage on, and we are seeing the continued convergence of authoritarian regimes including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatening the rules-based international order and severely affecting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the world at large. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. Taiwan needs to prepare for danger in times of peace. We must continue increasing our national defense budget, bolster our national defense capabilities, and show our determination to protect our country. Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and security. We must gather together every bit of strength we have to enhance whole-of-society defense resilience, and build capabilities to respond to major disasters and deter threats or encroachment. We must also strengthen communication with society to combat information and cognitive warfare, so that the populace rejects threats and enticements and jointly guards against malicious infiltration by external forces. Here at home, we must consolidate democracy with democracy. Internationally, we must make friends worldwide through democracy. This is how we will ensure security and peace. The more secure Taiwan, the more secure the world. The more resilient Taiwan, the sounder the defense of global democracy. The global democratic community should work even closer together to support the democratic umbrella as we seek ways to resolve the war in Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas. Together, we must uphold stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific, and achieve our goal of global peace. Second, we must continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, and enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. In the first half of 2024, growth in the Taiwan Stock Index was the highest in the world. Our economic growth rate for the year as a whole is expected to reach 4.2 percent, leading among the Four Asian Tigers. Domestic investment is soaring, having exceeded NT$5 trillion, and inflation is gradually stabilizing. Export orders from January to November totaled US$536.6 billion, up 3.7 percent from the same period in 2023. And compared over the same period, exports saw a 9.9 percent increase, reaching US$431.5 billion. Recent surveys also show that in 2024, the average increase in salaries at companies was higher than that in 2023. Additionally, over 90 percent of companies plan to raise salaries this year, which is an eight-year high. All signs indicate that Taiwan’s economic climate continues to recover, and that our economy is growing steadily. Our overall economic performance is impressive; still, we must continue to pay attention to the impact on Taiwan’s industries from the changing geopolitical landscape, uncertainties in the global economic environment, and dumping by the “red supply chain.”  For a nation, all sectors and professions are equally important; only when all our industries are strong can Taiwan be strong as a nation. Our micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of Taiwan, and the development of our various industrial parks has given Taiwan the impetus for our prosperity. We must carry the spirit of “Made in Taiwan” forward, bringing it to ever greater heights. Thus, beyond just developing our high-tech industry, our Executive Yuan has already proposed a solution that will help traditional industries and MSMEs comprehensively adopt technology applications, engage in the digital and net-zero twin transition, and develop channels, all for better operational structures and higher productivity. Taiwan must continue enhancing its economic resilience. In recent years, Taiwan has significantly increased its investments in the US, Japan, Europe, and the New Southbound countries, and such investment has already surpassed investment in China. This indicates that our efforts in diversifying markets and reducing reliance on any single market are working. Moving forward, we must keep providing assistance so that Taiwan industries can expand their global presence and market internationally from a solid base here in Taiwan. At the same time, Taiwan must use democracy to promote economic growth with the rest of the world. We must leverage our strengths in the semiconductor and AI industries. We must link with democratic countries so that we can together enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. And through international cooperation across many sectors, such as UAVs, low-orbit communications satellites, robots, military, security and surveillance, or biopharmaceuticals, renewable energy technology, new agriculture, and the circular economy, we must keep abreast of the latest cutting-edge technology and promote diverse development. This approach will help Taiwan remain a leader in advancing global democratic supply chains, ensuring their security and stability. Third, we must continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. Democracy means the people have the final say. Our nation belongs to all 23 million of us, without regard for ethnic group, generation, political party, or whether we live in urban or rural areas. In this new year, we must continue to pursue policies that promote the well-being of the nation and the people. But to that end, the central government needs adequate financial resources to ensure that it can enact each of these measures. Therefore, I hope that the ruling and opposition parties can each soberly reconsider the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures and find a path forward that ensures the lasting peace and stability of our country. For nine consecutive years, the minimum wage has continued to rise. Effective today, the minimum monthly salary is being raised from NT$27,470 to NT$28,590, and the hourly salary from NT$183 to NT$190. We hope by raising the pay for military personnel, civil servants, and educators for two consecutive years, coupled with benefits through wage increases and tax reductions, that private businesses will also raise wages, allowing all our people to enjoy the fruits of our economic growth. I know that everyone wants to pay lower taxes and rent. This year, we will continue to promote tax reductions. For example, unmarried individuals with an annual income of NT$446,000 or less can be exempt from paying income tax. Dual-income families with an annual income of NT$892,000 or less and dual-income families with two children aged six or younger with an annual income of NT$1,461,000 or less are also exempt from paying income tax. Additionally, the number of rent-subsidized housing units will also be increased, from 500,000 to 750,000 units, helping lighten the load for everyone. This year, the age eligibility for claiming Culture Points has been lowered from 16 to 13 years, so that now young people aged between 13 and 22 can receive government support for experiencing more in the arts. Also, our Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative is about to take effect, which will help more young people in Taiwan realize their dreams by taking part in education and exchange activities in many places around the world. We are also in the process of establishing a sports ministry to help young athletes achieve their dreams on the field, court, and beyond. The ministry will also be active in developing various sports industries and bringing sports and athletics more into the lives of the people, making our people healthier as a result. This year, as Taiwan becomes a “super-aged society,” we will launch our Long-term Care 3.0 Plan to provide better all-around care for our seniors. And we will expand the scope of cancer screening eligibility and services, all aimed at creating a Healthy Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan will officially begin collecting fees for its carbon fee system today. This brings us closer in line with global practices and helps us along the path to our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. We will also continue on the path to achieving a Balanced Taiwan. Last month, the Executive Yuan launched the Trillion NT Dollar Investment National Development Plan and its six major regional flagship projects. Both of these initiatives will continue to expand the investment in our public infrastructure and the development of local specialty industries, narrowing urban-rural and wealth gaps so that all our people can live and work in peace and happiness. My fellow citizens, today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. This tells us that national development is moving in the right direction. In this new year, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. We hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together to ensure that national policies are successfully implemented, with the people’s well-being as our top priority. This will allow Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. In this new year, we have many more brilliant stories of Taiwan to share with the world, inspiring all Taiwanese, both here and around the world, to cheer time and again for the glory of Taiwan. Taiwan will keep going strong. And we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Town Hall at the Pentagon

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH:  Well, good afternoon. Thank you very much for your time. 

    I want to echo what the chaplain said, All Glory to God. I wake up every morning, praying for the wisdom to see what is right and good true and the courage to do it. And I know many of you do the same.

    It is an absolute honor to stand in front of all of you. I’m grateful. I’m humbled. Just the two weeks that I’ve been here is a solemn reminder, and a couple of instances, a solemn reminder of the very special nature of what the department of the defense does.  

    And I’ve seen it in the office of OSD. I’ve seen it across so many I’ve had a chance to interact with, and so many more I want to interact with, the solemn commitment to the constitutional duty that we all have, to protect and defend the Constitution. 

    That one administration leaves and another administration comes in, and that can mean a lot of changes in the course of that based on elections that happened and new leaders and new executive orders and new directives and lawful orders. 

    But what I’ve been so incredibly impressed by, is the professionalism of the men and women throughout the ranks who recognize who we work for, which is the American people, in the defense of our nation. 

    So, I want to thank everybody watching, everybody here for a part of that, being a part of that transition, which I’ve certainly recognized a great deal. 

    I spent a lot of my career in the military, which is not as much as so many of you trying to run away from the flagpole as quick as possible.

    Now it appears I am the flagpole [laughter].

    I recognize and understand that distinction. But what I what I want to bring to this job and to the ethos, is a recognition of the men and women who do the dirty work all day long for us here, across the world.

    Every time I speak, or every time in my previous procession, profession, I was on television, and I got the bright lights and spotlight and people are looking to me, I always step back for a second to think about the men and women that I served with. 

    The folks that are never going to be introduced, never going to have a microphone. Never going to be heard from. The men and women that you know that you served with who are the best of the best in our country. That’s who we serve. 

    I was on the phone late into the night last night, talking to families of two soldiers who had a rollover at Fort Stewart. I was on the phone with the three, the families of the three that were lost in the UH60 outside of the airport here in Washington, DC.

    The costs and the consequences are very real, and you know that.

    One of the things I wasn’t prepared for is, every couple of weeks, we do an orders book at OSD where we literally approve the orders that go out. It sounds like a formality but having been on the other end of those orders where those dates really mattered and what the mission was really mattered, I stare at my orders and say, where am I going and what does it mean and how long am I there? 

    That struck me like a thud. 

    Every one of those signatures affects a human being whose mission needs to be important and vital to the national interest and to our department before I sign that book. And that’s very much my commitment to you. 

    It’s also my job to be — as President Trump asked me, to not maintain the status quo. 

    We’re going to take unconventional approaches. We’re going to move fast, think outside the box, be disruptive on purpose to create a sense of urgency that I want to make sure exists inside this department. And that’s not to impugn anybody who’s been here or anybody who’s sitting here who anybody who’s watching.

    I don’t have to tell you all that we live in very dangerous times in a world with ascendant powers who, if they had their way, would love to be on the rise and reject the forces and capabilities and beliefs of the West. 

    America is at the forefront of that. 

    And wearing the uniform here at the department, it’s our job to ensure we create the deterrent effect that maintains American dominance in the world. 

    And there’s a lot of folks, namely — and I’ve name checked it in public as well, the communist Chinese who seek through their ascension a very different view of the world. And so, we have to be urgent, and we have to be ready about what that means. And we’re going to do that. 

    A part of how we’re applying that is I’ve come in with three pillars that I’ve repeated before, but I want to say again of how we’re approaching this from my level.

    Number one is restore the warrior ethos. Make sure that we get back to basics. Our job is to deter conflict and, if necessary, defeat and completely destroy, demoralize and defeat our enemies. That’s what we do. We do war fighting here at the Department of Defense, and we want to restore that through a laser focus on readiness, lethality and warfighting across the spectrum.

    I was on with the superintendents of West Point, Annapolis in the Air Force Academy yesterday, hey, what are we doing there to drive those core principles? What are we doing here to drive those core principles from E-1 to — I guess is it O-10, I’ve never even said that. And I know this room is O-6 and below, which I was told was junior. Where I come from an O-6 ain’t junior. 

    So, this is a new role for me too in that perspective. 

    And I went out to Fort Bliss, met with — intentionally said, hey, E-7 and above and O-3 and above or O-4 and above move out. I want to hear from the folks out here on this border mission, how is it impacting you and your family? What is your mission? Are you being utilized? How does it affect — I actually think it adds to readiness and — because you’re doing a real-world mission, but how does it affect all those aspects? 

    Restoring the warrior ethos is critical, and I think we’ve seen that already in the recruiting numbers. I think we’ve seen an enthusiasm and excitement from young men and women who want to join the military actively because they are interested in being a part of the finest fighting force the world has to offer and not doing a lot of other things that serve oftentimes, too often, to divide or distract.

    It’s about readiness, it’s about staying focused, and I think you’ve seen that from a lot of the executive orders the president has issued that we have echoed. And there can be confusion about that. But from our perspective, why do you get rid of something like DEI? Because from our perspective, it’s served a purpose of dividing the force as opposed to uniting the force.

    And this is something I’ve said quite publicly, and what I want to be is transparent with this building and everyone who serves here, say the same thing in public that we say in private, which I hope you’ll find from us. 

    I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is Our Diversity is Our Strength.

    I think our strength is our unity, our strength is our shared purpose, regardless of our background, regardless of how we grew up, regardless of our gender, regardless of our race, in this department we will treat everyone equally. We will treat everyone with fairness. We will treat everyone with respect. And we will judge you as an individual by your merit and by your commitment to the team and the mission.

    That’s how it has been. That’s how it will be.

    Any inference otherwise is meant to divide or create complications that otherwise should not and do not exist. 

    I’ve served across my career with amazing men and women from all backgrounds. They were at my congressional testimony, they’ve been in my office, they work with me and for me now. Their contributions are immense to this nation and are appreciated equally as with everybody else and that’s the approach we’re going to take. So, restore the warrior ethos. 

    The second one is rebuild our military. 

    Our defense industrial base, our acquisitions process, how we rapidly field new technologies, how we learn from conflicts around the globe, how we match what we fund to capabilities and effects. There’s a lot of programs around here that we’ve spent a lot of money on that, when you actually wargame it, don’t have the impact you want them to. 

    One of the benefits I have is I don’t come from — I don’t have any special interests. I don’t have a background invested in any systems or services. I’m agnostic to that. 

    I want — that means I’m going to take a lot of arrows, and I’m prepared to do so. That’s fine. We need the best systems in the hands of warfighters where they need it, to the COCOMs to deter and send the signals that when that fight comes, we’re ready to win and win decisively. 

    That includes a Pentagon audit, which to the Marines out there, y’all got it figured out and we appreciate that, lean and mean. We are going to focus heavily to ensure that at a bare minimum by the end of four years, the Pentagon passes a clean audit. 

    The American taxpayers deserve that. They deserve to know where their $850 billion go, how it’s spent and make sure it’s spent wisely. 

    It used to be that if you called for an audit, somehow you were undermining the department. I believe the exact opposite. 

    I believe we are accountable for every dollar we spend and every dollar of waste we find, or redundancy, is a dollar we can invest somewhere else, as President Trump has committed, directly to rebuilding our nation’s military. So, rebuilding our military is key. 

    And then third is reestablishing deterrence. 

    Unfortunately, over the last couple of years, we’ve seen events that have occurred that have created the perception — reality or perception, but I would argue more perception of American weakness, whether it’s what happened in Afghanistan by the way, which we’re going to have accountability for, deserve accountability for what occurred in Afghanistan, for what happened on October 7th, the war that was unleashed in Ukraine.

    Chaos happens when the perception of American strength is not complete. And so, we aim to reestablish that deterrence, and it starts with our own southern border. It starts with the defense of our homeland. 

    I think in some ways this department over time has felt like that’s somebody else’s mission. We’ve spent a lot of time, decades, my generation and yours, defending other people’s borders across the world yet we’ve seen an invasion of our own. 

    From people all around the world who I’m sure many of them want to seek a better life. I understand that. But we also don’t know who millions of them are, what their intentions are, why they’re here — that creates a very real national security threat to the country. 

    Border security is national security and, as the president has told us, we’re going to get 100 percent operational control of our southern border and that will — needs to be and will be a focus of this department. 

    I want to tip my hat to NORTHCOM, they’ve done an amazing job in the first couple of weeks here, taking that executive order, which talked about the territorial defense of our country being core to the defense mission, and implementing it. 

    In some ways, using existing processes that we have, which frankly are not robust enough, but also planning and looking forward to how we transition into a more permanent effective defense, repel and seal at our southern border, so that we know exactly who’s coming in and when they come in, they’re coming in lawfully.

    And then also around-the-world prioritization. We have a lot of assets; we don’t have unlimited assets. And so, part of prioritizing is empowering our allies and partners. We need to lead the world, there’s no doubt. And President Trump has been clear about that. 

    America first means we’re taking care of America first. But part of America First is empowering allies and partners to be combat multipliers, to add to the capabilities that we have. 

    I mean that’s foreign military sales, that’s exercises, that’s defense partnerships. But it’s also reminding certain countries and certain regions of the world that America can’t be the guarantor of everything forever in a world where we have to prioritize shifting to larger threats in certain moments. 

    So, you’re going to see that kind of prioritization from us, which we believe will empower, invigorate, incentivize more burden sharing from allies who are beloved to us, who we support, who also need to be prepared to step up. 

    President Trump, led on that with NATO in his first administration. We’re going to do it again. We’re going over to Europe next week for the NATO ministerial to talk to our friends who have been and will continue to be our allies. 

    But we also need to encourage them to continue to step up in their defense industrial base in spending. The kind of things we need to do here at home also. 

    So, sort of to wrap it up, and I’ve already gone longer than I should have. It really is a back — from our perspective a back-to-basics moment. 

    When President Trump chose me and he said, Pete, I want you to run the Defense Department. His charge to me was return that department to its warfighting mission at its core. 

    Warfighting, lethality meritocracy, accountability, and readiness. The things we — the — I — the bedrock of what we all understand our basic mission to be. 

    You know, I was at the Sergeant Major’s Academy down at Fort Bliss just a couple of days ago talking to 500 future sergeants major. Um, they’re the standard bearers. What are the standards? I mean, and it starts with the basic stuff, right? It’s grooming standards and uniform standards and training standards, fitness standards. 

    All of that matters. It’s almost like the broken windows theory of policing. When you ignore the small stuff from criminals, and I’m not — I’m not saying if you violate grooming standards, you’re a criminal. 

    The analogy is incomplete. 

    But if you violate the small stuff and you allow it to happen, the big stuff, it creates a culture where big stuff you’re not held accountable for. I think the same thing exists inside our services. And making sure at every level there is standards and accountability. And that — that we live it at the highest levels as well. 

    Which is why we are going to, you know, look back at what happened in Afghanistan and hold people accountable. Not to be retrospective not for retribution, but to understand what went wrong and why there was no accountability for it. Those types of things are examples. 

    But I just appreciate the service so many of you give. I know so many people are watching. It’s the honor of a lifetime to come alongside you. No one will work harder. No one’s going to be more — attempt to be more transparent with the American people and with you.

    We do want to hear your feedback. Um, and we’re going to hit the ground running. And I’m grateful to President Trump for his leadership. We’re going to rebuild the military and focus on the troops. So, I’m happy to take any questions anybody might have. 

    And you can ask questions. It’s okay. 

    I think there’s a microphone here and here. If you want to come up, sir, to the microphone. 

    So, everybody can hear you. There’s one right here. 

    Yes, sir. I’m going to grab a water.

    Q:  Thank you, sir. You talked about deterrence. Do you see the department becoming more aggressive, more assertive in the gray zone to further deter China and Russia? 

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH:  That’s a good question. I hope that it’s been noticed and it’s intentional that a lot of our outreach — my outreach early on to defense ministers has been in the Indo-Pacific, strengthening those alliances even more. 

    There’s gray zone activities that exist, some of which you can acknowledge, some of which you cannot. But certainly, we want to send the signals to China that that area will be and continues to be contested. 

    Our allies and partners, we will stand with them robustly in real time with defense capabilities. And we’re not just going to allow them to perpetually sort of de facto gobble up more of that contested space by the routines that they conduct to sort of demonstrate that all is normal in an increasingly escalating way, maybe even to mask efforts they might be undertaking.

    So, we’re definitely, keeping an eye on that. We’re clear eyed about the communist Chinese, the PRC, but we’re also not attempting to initiate conflict or create conflict where it otherwise doesn’t need to exist. We’re going to stand strong with our partners. 

    And then President Trump, at his strategic level, is the one who’s having the conversations to sort of ensure that we don’t ever have a conflict. 

    We don’t want that; they don’t want that. We just have to remain strong in order to be in the best possible position. 

    Q:  Thank you, sir.

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH:  Thank you.

    Q:  Sir, Army IG. So, I’m really happy to hear you say standards, going back to standards. That’s critically important. 

    I’m involved in senior official investigations for headquarters DA. By and large, our military leadership is doing the right thing. I’m proud to say that as an Army IG. 

    What can we do with the service across the board to better the standards across the whole formation? 
    So, we have some examples of improprieties and things that have metastasized over the last decade. How do we get at those kinds of things? What is the department doing to look at those kinds of cancers that are within our ranks?

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH:  It’s a good question. 

    First of all, I think in some cases there’s simplification that needs to be had at least from my perspective. And by that I mean — and that goes back to kind of our initial charge, which is culture. The intentional crafting of culture. That there are a lot of reasons why we could look at each other and create differences or caveats or special categories that I think create unnecessary differences and ripples that lead to conflation points that lead to accusations or disagreements or inability to enforce standards.

    I just wrote a book called The War on Warriors, which was used for me and against me in my hearing [laughter]. 

    But in writing that book, for six months, I was on the phone, off the record, with active-duty service members with — at all ranks, right — junior enlisted, senior officers, NCOs, warrant officers, all services, all ranks, because I wanted to get a sense of what their feeling was. 

    And I wrote this down and it’s true, a lot of commanders were expressing they felt like they were walking on eggshells inside their own formations. And this is company commanders, battalion commanders, brigade commanders. 

    Sorry, sometimes I only use army speak for formations, I’m learning the rest in real time, but you know what I mean as far as formations. 

    Because the standards have become opaque and loose, or there’s such an emphasis on differences that treating someone one way is offensive to somebody else as opposed to treating somebody this way and is offensive to somebody else.

    By simplifying that and saying you are an individual who’s put it on the uniform of our nation, who’s sworn an oath to defend the Constitution, and you will be treated by your capabilities, your commitment to the mission, how — your work ethic and what you deliver. You. 

    That’s it. It has nothing to do with your race or your ethnicity or your gender or your sexual orientation.

    That’s not how we’re reviewing the environment for your consideration. 

    When you’re looking at all these other categories as sort of a tapestry, it creates a serious amount of complications. I think by simplifying and focusing on standards, I think a lot of that — I don’t want to say washes away because you still have plenty of complications and you still have problems. Everyone needs to be treated equally, those things to be recognized, sexual harassment, not tolerated. 

    All of those things remain true, which have been true and need to be enforced at the highest levels, but hopefully by some level of uniform simplification that can be addressed. 

    Yes.

    Q:  Great, thanks for taking the time to come and speak with us. 

    Recognizing the president’s intent to streamline the federal workforce, I was hoping you could provide a little bit of your process and your thinking of what that means for the department, where there will be identified areas to be cut or streamlined? And if you have a sense of also the timeline?

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH:  Sure, thank you for the question. It is — the way I look at it or I’ve thought about it is from the flagpole to the front lines. There are thousands of additional — and I’m not saying that just because we’re here in the Pentagon, but there are thousands of additional Pentagon positions, headquarters positions, other positions that have been created over the last 20 years that don’t necessarily translate to battlefield success.

    Additional staff, additional layers of bureaucracy, additional flag officer positions, that we are — we would be remiss if we did not review. We also live in a budget constrained environment and that’s politics that I thankfully don’t have to worry about anymore. 

    I have my opinions, but that’s not my job. My job is a ready force. 

    We will have to live inside the constraints of the past. I mean, I just — we were down at Fort Bliss recently and the unit there, the armored Cav unit there relayed that they’ve had to cut an FTX, a series of training exercises coming up because of budget constraints. 

    Well, when you’re living off of continuing resolutions and caps, and then you have contingency operations and things that change, suddenly you have shortfalls and now unit training falls by the wayside.

    From my perspective, that’s — I mean, that’s completely unacceptable. 

    What are we spending elsewhere that can be targeted efficiently? And it’s not just the fraud, waste and abuse stuff, it’s systems, it’s hierarchies, it’s layers that we can review, reduce, recommend those reductions. That then allows us to ensure that training and readiness in the frontline units and the COCOMs is even increased. 

    I want more of that. 

    So, it’s interesting. Former Secretary Rumsfeld gave a speech on September 10th, 2001, that was about acquisitions and reform and Pentagon bureaucracy that — overtaken by events the next day, September 11th, 2001 — was quickly forgotten and really never addressed. 

    I feel like I could give about 85 percent of the same speech today, that Secretary Rumsfeld gave on September 10th, because a lot of those processes have become even more systemic in taking root here that cause delays, redundancies, and bureaucratic red tape.

    That’s — we’re looking at the headquarters level. We’re looking at the highest levels.

    I said this in my hearing as well. We won World War II with seven four-star generals. Today we have 44. Do all of those directly contribute to warfighting success? Maybe they do, I don’t know, but it’s worth reviewing to make sure they do. 

    So, we’re looking at all options. What we’re not going to be is hasty about it because we’re in the business of national security. And something that may not look like it’s contributing may be incredibly important to the effort and so whatever we do is going to be done carefully. 

    Q. Thank you. 

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH: Yes, sir.

    Q:  Good morning, sir. Based on what you said about maintaining American dominance in the world, our adversaries, especially Chinese and Russians, they have a 20-year strategy, a 30-year strategy and they look that far ahead. How do we change our approach to maintain US dominance abroad? That strategy is more than five years, more than 10 years. And also ensuring that our resources are prioritized and allocated to maintaining our US dominance in decades, sir, not in years.

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH:  You tell me [laughter]. It sounds like you need to come work for me — or maybe you already do and thank you [laughter]. 

    I’m figuring it out. I found out where the bathroom was. 

    That, sir, indeed is the key question. Autocracies have an advantage, not just because of the top-down nature in which they organize. 

    I mean they have disadvantages for obvious reasons. But because they have the convenience of planning without political — you know, the pesky people problem of voting and ballots, they can plan 15, 20 years and then drive that plan without consequence to their own population, which does have strategic advantages, no doubt. 

    I actually think that system loses in the long haul because of its inherent weaknesses. But that militarily has advantages. 

    I think you’re going to see a defense strategy coming out of our office that tries to look that far down the line, tries to make disruptive changes to how we acquire and rapidly field and look at systems that are not about congressional districts or budget line items for FY26 or FY27. 

    But try to look toward what strategically we’re going to need five, ten years down the line looking ahead at what the emerging threats are, and what a shifting in the balance of power would mean. 

    I mean, when — we’re in a different world than we were at the end of the Cold War. We’re now at a near peer or peer environment, which changes a lot of the dynamics of how we need to plan specifically to maintain American strength around the world. 

    Because it is not hyperbole to say without America, the rest of the world acknowledges there’s nowhere else to look as far as actual leadership and capabilities in the defense space. 

    It’s us or us. 

    And then our robust allies and partners who we incentivize to come alongside us. And that’s how you create a Western force capable of ensuring not just our country and our hemisphere, but the world remains free to trade, travel, all the things that we share.

    So, our — I think we have to be willing to look further than any time this president would be in office or I would be in office and set the department up to do that. Knowing that at any time, two years from now or four years from now, the American people can make a different choice and that can lead to different views of that. 

    But we’re trying to take an America First strategic perspective at how we maintain our dominance. 

    And I think you see some things already changing in that — our southern border, the focus on making sure we have control over the Panama Canal and making sure that there’s not a scenario in an emergency where our ships couldn’t transit because you have foreign ownership on either side.

    Those are sort of America First views that we’re willing to look into that look further into the future than just that should there be a contingency, while looking to the Indo-Pacific and realizing the aspirations of the CCP, which are real and could drive a decision point vis-a-vis something like Taiwan.

    So, you’re right, we are trying to think that way, with how we — because dollars drive a lot of those decisions. And so, the budget — as much as I thought this was a job about strategy and people, it’s a job about budgets. And what you fund is what you — is a reflection of what your priority is. 
    And so, we’re spending a lot of time looking at that. But thank you. That’s the key question, sir. Yes, sir. 

    One more. All right. Yes, sir.

    Q:  Hi, sir, thank you for your time today. My question is more about the families of the military and the civilians that support the family of the Department of Defense. So often the frequency of moves, the unsettled nature of what we do impacts the families. I’m looking for your comments on how we plan to continue to take care of those.

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH:  Oh, my goodness. You’re 100 percent right. 

    By the way, we’re in a reconciliation process right now, which is a unique funding situation, not just looking at budget cycles. 

    As a former O-4 who spent most of his time as an O-2 and an O-3, I spent most of my time with E-4s and E-5s and E-6s and have heard robustly the frustrations they and their families have, which is a massive readiness and retention issue and a morale issue.

    So, as we’ve driven budgets, I have said to the team, that needs to be — I don’t — funding one more multi-billion-dollar system is not as important as funding the families and the capabilities of our human systems that make it all happen. 

    So, I want that to be — and I applaud the previous administration’s increase in E-1 to E-4 pay. That stuff is really important. We need to do more of that. That trickles to the family and how they’re cared for. 

    And then yeah, we have to look at all aspects of how we interact with families from childcare to DOD schools. And the president signed an EO talking about choice in schools. Military families should have choice — if it’s great on post or on base, great. If not, do they have a robust opportunity to seek education or childcare for their kids elsewhere? That matters a lot. 

    Making sure BAH matches. All of these things are important. 

    And my wife’s going to be traveling with me to — we’re going to the NATO ministerial to — we’re not going to the Munich Security Conference. We’re instead going to Poland to see the troops out there and we’re going to Germany to see EUCOM and AFRICOM. 

    I would much rather talk to troops than go to cocktail parties. That’s my job. 

    And we’re going to meet with military families. She’s going to meet with husbands, wives and spouses on that trip. Go see schools go, go see faith groups, childcare centers to get a real pulse of what that is and then make sure we’re funding it. 

    So, I want you to know that’s something that matters a lot to us. I appreciate the question. 

    So, we have one more — oh, go ahead. Let’s do one more. Ricky told me I couldn’t, but why not?

    Q:  Good morning, sir. I appreciate you taking the time. I’m from OSD CAPE. And my question follows up on your point about the acquisition process. We’re in a day right now that we have a lot of dangerous powers that are rising and we’re trying to figure out what to focus on in the acquisition process. 

    And us as civilians, we want to be there to support the warfighters and get them the capabilities that they need fielded in the fastest time possible, but with the appropriate amount of testing and making sure everything works when it gets to the battlefield. 

    So, I guess my real question for you is what’s your focus when it comes to the acquisition process and reforms and the trade-off between faster capabilities that are probably smaller and could be fielded quicker versus these larger scale capabilities that we really need for that deterrent effect?

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH:  In a perfect world, I would say both, right?

    I mean, first of all listening to the COCOMs, listening to the people on the pointy end of the spear, watching what’s happening in real time on the battlefield, take Ukraine as an example.

    A lot of people — we’re learning a lot about what low-cost systems UAVs can do to high-cost systems that we have invested a great deal in. And the question is do you keep investing in those or not going forward. 

    Listening to the services also making balances — and it’s not necessarily choosing between services but recognizing capabilities of services vis-a-vis prospective upcoming fights. And then I think we have a unique opportunity to tap into industry, Silicon Valley, other — I mean, obviously we’ve got massive organizations that have helped create big platforms that are incredibly important for deterrence.

    We also have some really fast-moving newer contractors that are willing to work, that have already put a lot of money into R&D that want to help us rapidly field these new systems that we’re going to need for fights in the future. 

    So, funding even more robustly, and I don’t want to name check anything and say that’s the only route, but things like DIU and others where you can experimentally rapidly field new technologies and then find a way to make sure they’re funded so that they can be scaled and tested even in real time out with COCOMs, as opposed to an 18-month testing process to kind of move things, merge things together so they’re happening more quickly. 

    And we’re hearing a lot of that from commanders in the field who are saying, hey skip this, this, this and that process. Let us figure out how it works and then we can scale it once we know it does or does not. 

    But I also want — I want to underscore that a lot of these major platforms — and that was a wonderful part of doing the advise-and-consent process in the US Senate. 

    Yes, there are senators that are invested in certain platforms or systems from their home state or their district.

    But when you actually dig underneath it, they understand the strategic deterrence effect of these big systems we spend a lot of money on, oftentimes too much money, over budget and too long. And that’s something we are definitely going to address for reasons of urgency and for reasons of taxpayer — respect for taxpayers.

    But we need and want those systems because without them we don’t have the umbrella that allows us to do so many other things. So, we’re looking at both, but we’re trying to get outside the box and be disruptive on both, recognizing we won’t be able to do everything in every way. But thank you for the question.

    I just want to thank everybody for your time. I appreciate what you do. 

    We’ll let you get back to work. I know — I mean, again, I can’t even fathom the size and scope of this building and what everybody does. I know that — I know what I don’t know.

    But we’re trying to hire the best and brightest to come alongside all of you in the work that you’re already doing. And I’m just honored to be a small part of it. 

    So, thank you very much [applause].

    STAFF:  Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today’s town hall. Thank you for joining us. Please remain in place for the departure of the official party.

    MIL OSI USA News –