NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Mitigating the social impact of upcoming EU rules about fossil-fuel-powered vehicles – E-002576/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The CO2 emission standards for new cars and vans[1] provide a framework for the transition to zero-emission vehicles, which is essential to achieve our objective of becoming climate neutral by 2050.

    The impacts for consumers have been analysed in the Commission’s impact assessment[2], which showed that b oth first- and second-hand car users would benefit from a lower total cost of ownership over the vehicles’ lifetime. This will be increasingly the case as more affordable zero-emission vehicles become available.

    In 2025, th e Commission will prepare a progress report[3], which will look into the affordability of zero- and low-emission vehicles and the impacts on consumers of the transition to zero-emission mobility. In 2026, the Commission will review the regulation[4], which will be an opportunity to assess how to best ensure a fair transition .

    The EU Social Climate Fund is established to address the social impacts of the new carbon pricing for the fuels used in buildings, road transport and small industry (ETS2)[5] on the most vulnerable groups.

    The Fund will mobilise at least EUR 86.7 billion between 2026 and 2032. It will support citizens in transport poverty by improving access to zero- and low-emission mobility, incentivising the use of public transport, shared mobility services and active mobility.

    Each Member State will have the option to spend up to 37.5% of their allocation to support the incomes of their most vulnerable citizens under certain conditions.

    Spain is set to be one of the largest beneficiaries of the Fund; and will be able to mobilise around EUR 9 billion for measures and investments.

    Furthermore, Spain can use its ETS2-revenues for measures to accelerate the uptake of zero-emission vehicles or recharging infrastructure.

    • [1] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/851/oj
    • [2] Impact assessment accompanying Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/631 as regards strengthening the CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles in line with the Union’s increased climate ambition.
    • [3] Article 14a of Regulation (EU) 2019/631.
    • [4] Article 15 of Regulation (EU) 2019/631.
    • [5] http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2023/959/oj.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Protection of borrowers’ personal data and the need for non-performing loan management companies to comply with Directive 2021/2167 – E-002566/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Directive (EU) 2021/2167 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2021 on credit servicers and credit purchasers[1] (‘the NPLD’), amending Directives 2008/48/EC[2] and 2014/17/EU[3], had to be transposed by 29 December 2023 by Member States. It introduces requirements protective of the borrower in the context of debt purchasing and debt servicing in the EU.

    Regarding the protection of borrowers’ personal data, Article 10(1)(c) of the NPLD states that, in their relationships with borrowers, credit purchasers and credit servicers respect and protect the personal information and privacy of borrowers.

    The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)[4] lays down the rules to ensure the protection of personal data. Without prejudice to the competences of the Commission as guardian of the Treaties, the enforcement of the GDPR in individual cases lies with the competent national authorities and courts.

    In this context, Cyprus received a letter of formal notice in January 2024, and a reasoned opinion in July 2024, requiring the communication to the Commission of transposition measures of the NPLD.

    The Cypriot authorities have notified in November complete transposition of the NPLD. the status of this procedure can be followed under the following website (with the following infringement procedure reference INFR(2024)0018)[5], which is currently being assessed by the Commission to ensure its completeness and conformity. These do not apply to NPL transferred prior to 30 December 2023[6].

    For credit agreements transferred after this date to companies operating without a license, the NPLD requires Member States to provide national supervisory authorities with the power to act.

    • [1]  OJ L 438, 8.12.2021, p. 1-37.
    • [2]  OJ L 133, 22.5.2008, p. 66-92.
    • [3]  OJ L 60, 28.2.2014, p. 34-85.
    • [4] Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation), OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1-88.
    • [5] https://ec.europa.eu/atwork/applying-eu-law/infringements-proceedings/infringement_decisions/?lang_code=en
    • [6] Article 2(5)(d) of the NPLD.
    Last updated: 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Reconsideration of the Rail Baltica project – E-002657/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. The main source of European funding for the Rail Baltica project in the current multiannual financial framework ( MFF) period 2021-2027 is the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The maximum co-funding rates and the costs eligible for funding are set out in the CEF Regulation[1] and under certain conditions it can be up to 85%. The funding that can be provided also depends on the budget available in the facility.

    The Rail Baltica project is the biggest recipient of CEF funding. The Commission encourages all beneficiaries, including the Latvian authorities, to make best use of the resources available and progress on the implementation of the projects as set up in the respective grant agreements within the legal limits set therein. Other sources of funding, including private capital and state funding, should be explored as well.

    2. The Commission is aware of the political discussions in Latvia on financing of the project. The European Coordinator and the Commission have in their exchanges with the Latvian authorities underlined that the project needs to be planned and implemented in a way that is cost effective and sustainable for Latvia’s state budget while ensuring that Latvia meets its commitments to Estonia and Lithuania. The cost-benefit analyses of the project show a positive long-term socioeconomic return for the three Baltic countries.

    3. The Commission is committed to support the national authorities to complete the Rail Baltica project, which continues to have very high EU added value. The current geopolitical situation underlines the urgent need to connect the three Baltic states to the European rail network. A swift implementation is required.

    • [1] Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014.
    Last updated: 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Myanmar: Four years after coup, world must demand accountability for atrocity crimes

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The international community must take urgent action to ensure accountability for atrocities in Myanmar, 46 organizations said today ahead of the four-year anniversary of the 1 February 2021 military coup.

    This year represents a turning point for accountability in Myanmar. While the military remains in control, they are losing ground in many areas. Amid rapidly evolving patterns of hostilities and changing political dynamics, renewed efforts must push for justice and ensure a future built on a lasting culture of respect for human rights.

    Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s military junta has killed more than 6,000 people, arbitrarily detained more than 20,000, and renewed judicial executions. More than 3.5 million people are internally displaced. Human rights groups have documented the military’s torture and other ill-treatment of detainees, indiscriminate attacks, and the denial of humanitarian aid, which may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Myanmar’s military junta has carried out widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population nationwide, bombing schools, hospitals, and religious buildings with total impunity. Armed groups fighting the military have also committed human rights violations. While some have pledged to hold perpetrators accountable, it remains to be seen whether these efforts are genuine and can meet international standards.

    Last year, 2024, also marked the worst year of violence against the Rohingya community since 2017, with men, women, and children dying in bombings while being trapped in the middle of the armed conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed group the Arakan Army in Rakhine State.

    At the same time, Myanmar’s military has lost an unprecedented amount of territory across the country to a loose coalition of ethnic armed groups, which have captured two regional commands, high-ranking military officers, dozens of towns, and border crossings. These groups have also been implicated in human rights abuses.

    In areas controlled by ethnic armed groups or overseen by the National Unity Government—formed by democratically elected lawmakers and officials ousted in the 2021 coup—local structures of governance and civil society are emerging. These include schools, hospitals, administrative offices, prisons, police stations, and courts.

    Our undersigned organizations call on all parties to the armed conflict in Myanmar to comply with international humanitarian law and engage with international justice mechanisms, including the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. All countries, including regional actors in ASEAN and neighbouring states, must increase pressure on the junta by blocking arms shipments, suspending aviation fuel shipments and supporting international justice mechanisms, including by prosecuting or extraditing any suspected perpetrators. ASEAN must move beyond its failed Five-Point Consensus and take decisive action to hold the junta accountable. We also urge the international community to commit to a coordinated, long-term international justice strategy.

    Globally, some highly anticipated international justice efforts are moving forward. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya committed in Myanmar and in part in Bangladesh between August and December 2017. Requests targeting other senior military officials are expected.

    If these requests are granted, authorities in ICC member states must urgently comply with an arrest warrant for a suspect present within their jurisdiction and hand the person over to the ICC to face their accusers in a fair trial for alleged crimes under international law. The international community must deny safe haven to those accused of serious crimes by ensuring their immediate arrest and transfer to the ICC. The world must not allow perpetrators to evade international justice.

    While the present arrest warrant request is a welcome step, it remains limited in scope, location, and time and does not cover any alleged crimes after the 2021 coup. The ICC Prosecutor should demonstrate further progress in his investigation, including considering crimes under international law committed after 2017 and in the four years since the coup. The UN Security Council and Member States of the ICC must refer the full situation in all of Myanmar to the ICC to ensure justice for all victims.

    Governments, donors, and international agencies should support and pursue a wide variety of accountability efforts, including universal jurisdiction,and the potential creation of ‘hybrid’ or similar tailored justice mechanisms. The international community must also impose a global arms embargo, suspend jet fuel exports, and engage with all relevant national stakeholders, including civil society and those most affected by crimes.

    The UN Human Rights Council resolution from April 2024 stressed the need for “close and timely cooperation” between the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, a body established by the UN Human Rights Council to collect and preserve evidence of atrocity crimes in Myanmar for future prosecutions, and “any future investigations or proceedings by national, regional or international courts or tribunals, including by the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice.”

    It also requested the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain a focus on accountability regarding international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and the rule of law and submit a future report on ways to “fulfil the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for human rights protection, accountability, democracy, and a civilian government.”

    Myanmar will be discussed at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session from 24 February to 4 April 2025. UN member states must use this opportunity to take a bold and innovative approach on Myanmar and adopt a resolution aimed at breaking the cycle of impunity for atrocity crimes. The international community must also amplify the voices of survivors, activists and the people of Myanmar who continue to resist oppression at great personal risk.

    Myanmar’s human rights crisis did not begin with the coup. Decades of oppression have led to this moment. Ending impunity requires bold and adapted solutions and long-term political and financial commitment. The world must act now.

    —

    1. #Sisters2Sisters
    2. Ah Nah Podcast – Conversations with Myanmar
    3. Amnesty International
    4. Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
    5. Arakan Rohingya National Union
    6. Assistance Association for Myanmar-based Independent Journalists
    7. Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
    8. Blood Money Campaign
    9. Burma Action Ireland
    10. Burma Campaign UK
    11. Burma Civil War Museum
    12. Burma Human Rights Network
    13. Burma War Crimes Investigation
    14. Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
    15. CAN-Myanmar
    16. Center for Ah Nyar Studies
    17. Chin Human Rights Organization
    18. Community Rebuilding Center
    19. Defend Myanmar Democracy
    20. EarthRights International
    21. Fortify Rights
    22. Free Rohingya Coalition 
    23. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
    24. Human Rights Foundation of Monland
    25. Independent Myanmar Journalists Association
    26. Kaladan Press Network
    27. Karen Human Rights Group
    28. Karenni Human Rights Group
    29. Mayu Region Human Rights Documentation Center
    30. Mother’s Embrace
    31. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia
    32. New Myanmar Foundation
    33. Odhikar
    34. Progressive Muslim Youth Association
    35. Political Prisoners Network – Myanmar
    36. Refugee Women for Peace and Justice
    37. Refugees International
    38. Rohingya Human Rights Initiative
    39. Rohingya Student League
    40. Rohingya Student Network
    41. Rohingya Student Union
    42. Rohingya Youth for Legal Action
    43. RW Welfare Society
    44. Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
    45. Women Organization of Political Prisoners
    46. Youth Congress Rohingya
       

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The Mumbai of Subaltern Women Through the Award-Winning Film “All We Imagine as Light”

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    The first session of the CERI cinéclub, hosted by Christophe Jaffrelot, Senior Researcher at the Center for International Studies (CERI) and  Co-Director of the South Asia Program, and devoted to the film All we imagine as light, plunged the audience into an atmosphere that was both poetic and political.

    Christophe Jaffrelot has written a sensitive tribute to a deeply moving film that teaches us a great deal about Mumbai and Indian society.

    All we imagine as light, written and directed by Payal Kapadia, is the first film from India to win the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. It immediately brings to mind the masterpieces of Satyajit Ray, another Indian filmmaker to have been celebrated at Cannes, for Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road) in 1956.

    Like Ray in that first film in the Apu Trilogy, Kapadia provides viewers with close-ups that are intensely beautiful and strikingly expressive, even when their subjects remain impassive and enigmatic. These two filmmakers excel in the art of deliciously slow, even static, shots, which never appear overly long but instead draw the viewer into the intimate worlds of men and (especially) women, as we will see. Nor does this virtuosity slide into mere aestheticism, for behind the heady poetry of her cinematographic style, Kapadia’s work is, in fact, just as political as that of Ray.

    Indeed, the young director first became known in the early 2020s for a militant documentary on the caste system—winner of the Golden Eye at Cannes in 2021. When she was still a film student, Kapadia participated in protests against the Modi government’s nomination of a fellow Hindu nationalist at the head of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), and saw her scholarship revoked in response to her opposition.

    The smoke and mirrors of Mumbai

    All we imagine as light is political in a different way. The film focuses on ordinary, everyday victims, first and foremost those who came to Mumbai in search of an Eldorado and who are losing hope. These are the migrants whose anonymous voices— they do not appear on screen—mark the opening moments of the film. They no longer live in the illusion created by the smoke and mirrors of the city, and it is that contrast between dreams and reality that is expressed in the title of the film.

    Why does Mumbai disappoint those who left their villages in hope of a better life? Firstly because it is difficult to find housing, or indeed any shelter, there. The cost of accommodation per meter square has increased so much that the factories that filled the city centre until the 1980s have been transformed into skyscrapers. Here, luxury flats are sold to what Indians call the “middle-class,” but who are in fact, an elite. One of the advertising posters in the film unreservedly boasts of this housing, reserved for a “privileged” few. In Mumbai, property speculation has deadly consequences.

    Parvati, one of the film’s heroines, is the widow of a worker in the now-abandoned factories, and the target of a property developer who has managed to force her to leave her home and return to her village. She tried to join forces with other victims of the same injustice (along the lines of great revolutionaries like Jyotirao Phule and Bhagat Singh whose portraits appear in the film) but in vain.

    Since the Bombay Textile Worker’s strike was broken in the early 1980s, the city has fallen into hands of business interests and their political allies. This is no longer a time for class struggle, but for religion. Kapadia shows this Hindu nationalist version of the “opium of the masses”, documentary-style, by filming the Ganesha Chaturthi processions, where participants dance and sing.

    When they have nowhere to return to, Mumbai’s poor must pile into the overcrowded slums, which are pushed as far away from the city centre as possible. The members of the lower middle class are also relegated to buildings on the outskirts, which forces them to commute by train from the outlying suburbs. The length of these commuter journeys increases as the city spreads, along the two trainlines stretching north and south, and which structure both the time (minutes are counted in the number of stations) and the imaginary of Mumbaikars.

    These trains, which the viewers take several times with the films’ heroines, are a symbol of urban violence. Hundreds of people die every year on the tracks, whether from falling from open doors, or from electrocution. But this daily commute also provides respite for workers—drowsy with sleep on the way out, exhausted by the day on the way home—and particularly for women who have the benefit of the “Ladies Compartment”.

    Three women

    As well as being a film about a major city, All we imagine as light, is a film about women, about the women who are victims of the city, of men, and of social norms. The two main characters, Prabha, the eldest, and Anu, the youngest, illustrate two forms of oppression that Indian women face today—and have long faced.

    They both come from Kerala, work together in a hospital, and share the same flat, but are otherwise unlike each other. The eldest, Prabha, is a woman of duty. She values strength; as a nurse, she rebukes the novice midwives who are repulsed by the smell of placenta. Although she takes no nonsense, she is extraordinarily sensitive, and even expressive in her largely unsmiling reserve. Her husband has left to work in Germany, and she has had no news of him for a year.

    One day, he sends her a rice-cooker, with no note, and she projects all her unfulfilled desires onto this anonymous object. A doctor at the hospital courts her delicately, giving her a poem that she reads once night has fallen and the city is asleep. Yet, she does not take the hand he offers. She is married and thus devoted to one man alone, in accordance with Hindu tradition.

    Anu, by contrast, rejects this tradition. She is graceful, laughs easily, and spends more than she earns—leading to debts she owes to Prabha—and says she will refuse all the suitors her parents propose, according to that same tradition of arranged marriage. Worse, she is secretly involved in a romantic relationship—which Prabha knows and disapproves of—with, worse still, a young Muslim man.

    Although today a young couple can be more open than before about their relationship when they are both from the same community, a romance between a Hindu and a Muslim puts both parties in extreme danger. Indeed, Hindu nationalists have declared war on what they call “love jihad”, a term referring to the idea that young Muslim men are good at seducing Hindu girls, converting them to Islam and thus swelling the ranks of the Muslim community with their children…  When discovered, mixed couples like this are hunted down and the men beaten, even lynched. Anu’s young lover Shiaz hides in terror at the idea of being found in her presence.

    Where can these two live their love safely? Not in Mumbai, which is somewhat of a paradox, given this city was long reputed for its cosmopolitanism, and for providing an anonymity that made it an ideal site for forbidden encounters. In the film, when the two women help Parvarti to return to her original fishing village, Anu invites Shiaz to follow them secretly— and this is where they are finally able to fulfil their love.

    The city no longer provides the same security as the mangrove trees. It no longer conceals forbidden love, not only because of the intense promiscuity resulting from skyrocketing population density, but also because spying and informing on others has become a national sport.

    While the standard Bollywood dream is in Hindi, All we imagine as light speaks the language of migrants—Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi—and reveals an unvarnished reality which borders on tragic. Anu still believes she can rebel, but for Prabha this struggle is in vain: no one can escape their destiny. Yet, there is no place for sadness here, gravitas and grace (in the quasi-mystical sense) are what dominate.

    Kapadia’s women are exceptionally dignified, intensely human, and show unwavering solidarity. They also share delectable moments of freedom, like Anu and Parvati’s slightly tipsy impromptu dancing, under the half-amused, half-disapproving gaze of Prabha, on the beach, far from the city that is the melting pot for all woes.

    Above all, this is the moment that it seems Prabha might shift towards a new destiny. When the sea washes a man’s body up onto the beach, she is the one who resuscitates him, by performing CPR, before the disconcerted villagers. The man, whom she then washes, has lost his memory and the villagers believe Prabha is his wife.

    She tries to set the record straight and then uses this misunderstanding to tell this play-husband (who joins in the pretence for a few phrases) that she does not ever want to see her husband again. This break-up opens up her heart, and she encourages Anu to call Shiaz—who is hiding in the forest—to join them openly.

    A new hope is born from this rejection of social norms by the woman who had previously resigned herself to their constraints. Prabha shows the way to all those who are smothered by the condition Indian women are subject to. This is one of the reasons why only a few cinemas are screening this film in India, the director has offered to organise screenings from city to city to those who request it.

    And All we imagine as light would undoubtedly not have escaped censorship if it had not won the Grand Prix at Cannes, for which the festival should be duly thanked, along with the French co-producer of the film, Petit Chaos.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Winter Road Conditions Report – Friday 31 January 2025

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time.  It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.

    Maps of the Council’s gritting routes by priority and policy are available online. 

    Highland Road Conditions Report for Friday 31 January 2025 are as follows:   

    Nairn 07:45 – Damp roads on lower routes with ice and and Snow/Sleet on high routes. Treating all routes and footpaths. No known issues.

    Badenoch and Strathspey 07:45 – Snow and sleet affecting the north of the area. Damp roads and ice in the south. Treating all routes as resources allow, including footpaths. No known overnight issues.

    East Ross-shire 07:54 – Low road surface temperatures with a light frost, sparkle and some icy patches across the primary network. All routes being treated and no overnight issues reported.

    Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh 07:28 – Slushy cover across The Bealach. The Fain and Ledmore had a light covering first thing, okay after treatment. There were no overnight reported incidents. All surface treatments ongoing.

    Caithness 07:44 – Dry morning with negative road surface temperatures and air temperatures. Frosty in parts, weekend routes being treated this morning and footpath treatments also underway. No known overnight issues.

    Lochaber 08:48 – Positive temperatures, roads wet/ damp with some light showers throughout the area. There are no known overnight issues.

    Sutherland 08:08 – Mainly dry & damp roads with a light sparkle, all routes treated including footpaths. There are no known overnight issues.

    Inverness 05:54 – Low road surface temperatures, treating all primary and secondary routes and footpaths. No known overnight issues.

    No schools are currently closed today due to the weather.  For details visit www.highland.gov.uk/schoolclosures – please note that this page is cleared at 4pm each day.

    Follow our social media channels to keep up-to-date with all Highland Council road issues – X @HighlandCouncil (external link) and Facebook (external link)

    Information and flooding advice is available on our website

    Information on weather warnings is available on the Met Office website (external link)

    For information on Trunk Roads follow @trafficscotland (external link)

    For information on power cuts, visit SSEN website (external link)

    SEPA are the Scottish Environment Protection Agency – SEPA (external link)

    Ready Scotland’s aim is to make Scotland more resilient to emergencies. We know that disruptions can happen at any time and we’re here to help – Ready Scotland

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Myanmar: Four years after coup, world must demand accountability for atrocity crimes

    Source: Amnesty International

    The international community must take urgent action to ensure accountability for atrocities in Myanmar, 46 organizations said today ahead of the four-year anniversary of the 1 February 2021 military coup.

    This year represents a turning point for accountability in Myanmar. While the military remains in control, they are losing ground in many areas. Amid rapidly evolving patterns of hostilities and changing political dynamics, renewed efforts must push for justice and ensure a future built on a lasting culture of respect for human rights.

    Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s military junta has killed more than 6,000 people, arbitrarily detained more than 20,000, and renewed judicial executions. More than 3.5 million people are internally displaced. Human rights groups have documented the military’s torture and other ill-treatment of detainees, indiscriminate attacks, and the denial of humanitarian aid, which may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Myanmar’s military junta has carried out widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population nationwide, bombing schools, hospitals, and religious buildings with total impunity. Armed groups fighting the military have also committed human rights violations. While some have pledged to hold perpetrators accountable, it remains to be seen whether these efforts are genuine and can meet international standards.

    Last year, 2024, also marked the worst year of violence against the Rohingya community since 2017, with men, women, and children dying in bombings while being trapped in the middle of the armed conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed group the Arakan Army in Rakhine State.

    At the same time, Myanmar’s military has lost an unprecedented amount of territory across the country to a loose coalition of ethnic armed groups, which have captured two regional commands, high-ranking military officers, dozens of towns, and border crossings. These groups have also been implicated in human rights abuses.

    In areas controlled by ethnic armed groups or overseen by the National Unity Government—formed by democratically elected lawmakers and officials ousted in the 2021 coup—local structures of governance and civil society are emerging. These include schools, hospitals, administrative offices, prisons, police stations, and courts.

    Our undersigned organizations call on all parties to the armed conflict in Myanmar to comply with international humanitarian law and engage with international justice mechanisms, including the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. All countries, including regional actors in ASEAN and neighbouring states, must increase pressure on the junta by blocking arms shipments, suspending aviation fuel shipments and supporting international justice mechanisms, including by prosecuting or extraditing any suspected perpetrators. ASEAN must move beyond its failed Five-Point Consensus and take decisive action to hold the junta accountable. We also urge the international community to commit to a coordinated, long-term international justice strategy.

    Globally, some highly anticipated international justice efforts are moving forward. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya committed in Myanmar and in part in Bangladesh between August and December 2017. Requests targeting other senior military officials are expected.

    If these requests are granted, authorities in ICC member states must urgently comply with an arrest warrant for a suspect present within their jurisdiction and hand the person over to the ICC to face their accusers in a fair trial for alleged crimes under international law. The international community must deny safe haven to those accused of serious crimes by ensuring their immediate arrest and transfer to the ICC. The world must not allow perpetrators to evade international justice.

    While the present arrest warrant request is a welcome step, it remains limited in scope, location, and time and does not cover any alleged crimes after the 2021 coup. The ICC Prosecutor should demonstrate further progress in his investigation, including considering crimes under international law committed after 2017 and in the four years since the coup. The UN Security Council and Member States of the ICC must refer the full situation in all of Myanmar to the ICC to ensure justice for all victims.

    Governments, donors, and international agencies should support and pursue a wide variety of accountability efforts, including universal jurisdiction, and the potential creation of ‘hybrid’ or similar tailored justice mechanisms. The international community must also impose a global arms embargo, suspend jet fuel exports, and engage with all relevant national stakeholders, including civil society and those most affected by crimes.

    The UN Human Rights Council resolution from April 2024 stressed the need for “close and timely cooperation” between the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, a body established by the UN Human Rights Council to collect and preserve evidence of atrocity crimes in Myanmar for future prosecutions, and “any future investigations or proceedings by national, regional or international courts or tribunals, including by the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice.”

    It also requested the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain a focus on accountability regarding international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and the rule of law and submit a future report on ways to “fulfil the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for human rights protection, accountability, democracy, and a civilian government.”

    Myanmar will be discussed at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session from 24 February to 4 April 2025. UN member states must use this opportunity to take a bold and innovative approach on Myanmar and adopt a resolution aimed at breaking the cycle of impunity for atrocity crimes. The international community must also amplify the voices of survivors, activists and the people of Myanmar who continue to resist oppression at great personal risk.

    Myanmar’s human rights crisis did not begin with the coup. Decades of oppression have led to this moment. Ending impunity requires bold and adapted solutions and long-term political and financial commitment. The world must act now.

    #Sisters2Sisters
    Ah Nah Podcast – Conversations with Myanmar
    Amnesty International
    Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
    Arakan Rohingya National Union
    Assistance Association for Myanmar-based Independent Journalists
    Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
    Blood Money Campaign
    Burma Action Ireland
    Burma Campaign UK
    Burma Civil War Museum
    Burma Human Rights Network
    Burma War Crimes Investigation
    Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
    CAN-Myanmar
    Center for Ah Nyar Studies
    Chin Human Rights Organization
    Community Rebuilding Center
    Defend Myanmar Democracy
    EarthRights International
    Fortify Rights
    Free Rohingya Coalition
    Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
    Human Rights Foundation of Monland
    Independent Myanmar Journalists Association
    Kaladan Press Network
    Karen Human Rights Group
    Karenni Human Rights Group
    Mayu Region Human Rights Documentation Center
    Mother’s Embrace
    Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia
    New Myanmar Foundation
    Odhikar
    Progressive Muslim Youth Association
    Political Prisoners Network – Myanmar
    Refugee Women for Peace and Justice
    Refugees International
    Rohingya Human Rights Initiative
    Rohingya Student League
    Rohingya Student Network
    Rohingya Student Union
    Rohingya Youth for Legal Action
    RW Welfare Society
    Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
    Women Organization of Political Prisoners
    Youth Congress Rohingya.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK fire engines chosen to modernise Iraq fleet

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Iraq’s Ministry of Interior to purchase over 60 British-made vehicles.

    • Exports minister announces that key UK export deal will help Iraq fight fires.

    • UK will provide vital support to Iraq through the provision of fire engines, with biggest overhaul of Iraqi fleet this century being financed by a UK Export Finance loan.

    • Independent businesses in Yorkshire and Ayrshire are to supply these vehicles for use across Iraq.

    Two British businesses are delivering one of Iraq’s biggest-ever investments into its emergency services thanks to a c. $31 million loan from UK Export Finance (UKEF), the government’s export credit agency.

    The loan allows Iraq’s Ministry of Interior to purchase 62 British-made fire-fighting vehicles each capable of carrying up to 6,500 litres of water and 500 litres of foam.

    Promoting investment into local businesses and employers, the partnership supports this government’s Plan for Change to boost economic growth across all regions.

    Ayrshire-headquartered Emergency One and Batley-based Angloco have been selected to supply vehicles for Iraq’s Civil Defence Directorate.

    Emergency One, the UK’s leading manufacturer of fire and rescue vehicles, supplies over 90% of the UK’s fire and rescue services and continues to grow its international presence. Angloco, a well-established SME, exports to over 70 countries worldwide. Both companies bring significant expertise and innovation to this contract, further strengthening their impact in the Gulf region.

    Frequent outbreak of fires in Iraq, particularly during the summer months, can cause devastating effect to businesses, communities, and key infrastructure.

    By helping buyers to purchase UK exports more easily, UKEF loans secure large contracts with favourable payment terms for British businesses – including small businesses likely to need payment upfront before they can deliver a contract. 

    J.P. Morgan acted as both Sole Mandated Lead Arranger and agent bank for the loan.

    Gareth Thomas, UK Minister for Exports, said:

    We have a Plan for Change to help grow our economy and support workers right across the country, and that’s precisely what these deals are about.

    Shining a spotlight on cutting edge tech and highly skilled jobs, this announcement shows the UK’s exporting potential and manufacturing strength.

    His Excellency Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, Iraq Minister of Interior, said:

    The Government of Iraq is contracting with British companies through the UKEF Loan to import specialized firefighting vehicles for the Directorate of Civil Defence.

    This will contribute significantly to the strengthening of the Directorate’s capabilities through the use of high-quality vehicles. This demonstrates the continuous support received by the Directorate by the UK and will improve our ability to tackle fire incidents.

    John Meakin, Global Head of Export Finance at J.P. Morgan, said:

    J.P. Morgan is delighted to support the finance of firefighting equipment from the UK to the Republic of Iraq.

    This is the latest UKEF deal giving businesses the support they need to deliver contracts and drive change at home in the UK and overseas in Iraq. In 2023, a UKEF guarantee helped British firms to secure over £100 million in export contracts to support the installation of 350km in drainage infrastructure around Hillah city.

    Contact 

    Media enquiries:

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to UK’s 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) emissions reduction target under the Paris Agreement

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) emissions target. 

    Prof Joeri Rogelj, Director of Research at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment, Imperial College London, said:

    “The UK’s new NDC sends a clear signal of the UK’s intention to reclaim international climate leadership.

    “With an 81% reduction from 1990, the NDC follows the advice of its scientific advisory committee that sketches out a fair and ambitious contribution of the UK to the Paris Agreement.

    “NDCs are pledges, however, and not policies.  Here the UK will have to step up because its current policies fall far short of what is needed to meet their current targets.”

    Dr Robin Lamboll, Research Fellow at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment, Imperial College London, said:

    “The UK’s NDC doesn’t have any nasty surprises.

    “It continues our recent trend of successfully reducing emissions, though does little to make up for our historic consumption.

    “It represents a continued plodding onwards with the job of decarbonising our economy, and while not particularly inspiring, instils some normality in the mechanics of the Paris agreement.”

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uks-2035-nationally-determined-contribution-ndc-emissions-reduction-target-under-the-paris-agreement

    https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-01-30/hcws404

    https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/2025-01/UK%27s%202035%20NDC%20ICTU.pdf

    Declared interests

    Dr Robin Lamboll: “No conflicts.”

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

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Money MOTs and multi-million-pound support benefits thousands more residents needing cost of living help

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    A total of 4,170 people have now undergone Money MOTs in Stoke-on-Trent – leading to £2.1 million in unclaimed benefits being identified.

    Everyone in the city is entitled to the free financial service – which was launched in September 2023 – and helps residents make sure they are receiving all the benefits they may be entitled to.   

    They are delivered for the council through Citizens Advice and other partners, including Saltbox and Disability Solutions, and are funded through the Government’s UK Share Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

    Latest cost of living figures also show that a further 118 people have claimed Guaranteed Pension Credit following a council push to help eligible residents claim for it.  

    Since the start of October, letters have been sent out to residents who the council has identified as potentially being eligible for Pension Credit to encourage them to make a claim.

    Pension Credit take-up has also been promoted through social media and other council media channels and newsletters. Meanwhile, city council housing and revenue, benefits and financial assessment officers are helping to signpost people towards support.

    However, it is estimated there are still hundreds of people in the local community who are not receiving Pension Credit who are entitled to it – and they are being encouraged to apply.

    Meanwhile, the council has supported 33,991 households with vital cost-of-living help since the start of October 2024.

    In the last four months, the council has provided £1.5 million of funding to help families with food, fuel, energy vouchers, essential furniture and white goods, and general support.

    A total of £765,600 of this has been used to support 19,140 children and families with £40 food vouchers over the Christmas period.

    The funding is part of the latest £2.6 million tranche of Household Support Fund (HSF) money that the city council has been allocated by the Government. The remainder of the pot will be spent by the end of March. 

    It follows on from £2.6 million in HSF money being used to support 35,411 households for the six months from April to September 2024.

    Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for education and anti-poverty at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “It is great news that we have been able to support thousands more people through the vital money provided through the Household Support Fund.  

    “In addition, the thousands of people who have benefitted from undergoing the Money MOTs will make a massive difference as the cost of living continues to hit home.

    “It is also goods to see that more people have been encouraged to apply for Pension Credit over the last few weeks.

    “However, there are many more in the city who are entitled to it and are still not claiming, for whatever reason. We will continue to raise awareness and encourage them to do so and support individuals and families in many other ways too.”

    Further extensive cost of living support is available through initiatives such as the city council’s Help is at Hand campaign, which brings together public services, community and voluntary sector groups to help residents and businesses.

    Since it launched in 2023, it has supported more than 5,500 people with a range of advice and assistance.

    To help residents, the city council has brought information together on one central page at: www.stoke.gov.uk/helpisathand.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston Market Trader reaches a bag’nificent milestone

    Source: City of Preston

    Preston Markets is proud to celebrate one of its longest serving traders, Sheridan’s Bags and Bags, which marks 60 years of trading this year.

    Founded by Jean Sheridan on Preston’s Outdoor Market in 1965, the family-run business has grown and evolved being passed down through the family to become a cherished part of the market’s story.

    Jean worked tirelessly to establish her stall, assisted by her seven-year-old daughter, Gail. In 1969, Jean’s husband, Alan Sheridan, left his career as a Detective Constable to join the business, helping to expand its operations. When Preston’s Indoor Market opened in 1972, the family jumped at the opportunity opening a second stall, inside the new market building.

    In January 1975, the team welcomed a young, local lad David Maudsley, who would go on to become an integral part of the business. Over time, David and Gail continued the family legacy, eventually taking over the reins. Today, they remain at the heart of the operation, welcoming customers at their current location within Preston Market Hall.

    Gail and David’s commitment to their customers and the community reflects the resilience, tradition, and spirit that make Preston Markets such a beloved part of the city.

    Gail Maudsley co-owner of Sheridans Bags and Bags said:

    “We are proud to have continued my mother’s business and reached this 60-year milestone. I have lots of fantastic memories growing up at the Markets.

    “It’s important to stay relevant, we strive to offer a great service and look after our customers, whilst sharing our product knowledge, and of course, you can touch and feel the goods.

    “David and I have had front row seats to the changes and developments to Preston city centre over the decades. We are looking forward to the opening of Animate next month and everything that comes with it.”

    Councillor Martyn Rawlinson, Cabinet Member for Resources and Deputy Leader at Preston City Council Said:

    “A huge congratulations to Gail and David on this fantastic achievement. It’s always great to see small, local businesses succeed at Preston Markets. 60 years is a fantastic milestone to reach!”

    Preston Markets invite you to explore its diverse offerings, with unique, family-run businesses like Sheridan’s Bags and Bags an artisan butcher and fruit and veg stalls selling fresh, local produce and more. Whether you’re a long-time visitor or discovering the market for the first time, there’s always something to enjoy.

    This year Preston Market also marks the 150 year anniversary of their Victorian canopy which was built in 1875. Visit Preston Markets and celebrate the heritage and history of Lancashire.

    Further Information

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Celebrations ahead for University Founders’ Week The University of Aberdeen will mark its 530th anniversary next month with a week of celebration.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    The University of Aberdeen will mark its 530th anniversary next month with a week of celebration.

    This is a week where we will come together to pay tribute to our historic origins as an ancient University, reflect on the important role the University continues to play in education and research, and celebrate the support of our benefactors over the centuries.” Professor Nicholas Forsyth

    Founded in 1495 by William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, the University of Aberdeen is Scotland’s third oldest and the UK’s fifth oldest university. Bishop Elphinstone set out the purpose of the University – then King’s College – to be ‘open to all and dedicated to the pursuit of truth in the service of others.’ 

    A week-long programme of events will take place to mark Founders’ Week, honouring the University’s history and its continuing impact on the world. 

    On Monday February 10, members of the public are invited to come along to Elphinstone Hall for a day of fun for all the family. Researchers from across the University will be on hand with interactive activities to demonstrate just some of the ground-breaking research currently being undertaken. From the fascinating world of microfossils to the making of a magic book, to Chinese craft activities to the Rowett Institute’s ‘mini-mart’, there will be plenty going on to keep everyone occupied. 

    Those who come along can also enjoy tours of the Old Aberdeen campus, or a visit to the Zoology Museum, while TechFest will also be attending with some of their family-friendly STEM activities. 

    The next day, (Tuesday, February 11), Professor Gordon Noble will present an update on his ground breaking research on Pictish society in the North East to a sold-out audience at a Cafe Sci event at Aberdeen Art Gallery. 

    On Wednesday, the University will host a Founders’ Week Inaugural Lecture with Regius Chair of Physiology, Professor Mirela Delibegovic. 

    Professor  Delibegovic will share her incredible journey which took her from a teenager fleeing war-torn Bosnia and Hercegovina in 1994 to becoming the first female Regius Chair of Physiology – a position appointed directly by the King – three decades later. 

    In this special Founders’ Week Lecture, Professor Delibegovic will share how her early life inspired her research journey and how she is now following in the footsteps of another Aberdeen diabetes pioneer, whose work is credited with saving millions of lives. 

    Rounding up the week of celebrations, will be the Founders’ Week Chapel Service, where we will pay tribute to our historic origins as an ancient University and celebrate the support of our benefactors over the centuries. 

    Professor Nicholas Forsyth, Vice-Principal (Research) at the University of Aberdeen said: “What a tremendous honour it is to be hosting a whole week of events to celebrate 530 years of the University of Aberdeen. 

    “This is a week where we will come together to pay tribute to our historic origins as an ancient University, reflect on the important role the University continues to play in education and research, and celebrate the support of our benefactors over the centuries.  

    “From the vision of Bishop Elphinstone to the insights in medicine, science and engineering, law, social sciences, arts and humanities over five centuries which contributed to five Nobel prizes, Founders’ Week is a time to remember and celebrate the University’s contributions. 

    “The week of activities that are planned showcase not only the fantastic research going on at the University but also the researchers carrying the work out.”  

    For more information about all the Founders’ Week activities taking place, visit www.abdn.ac.uk/events 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: WayWORD Festival secures Creative Scotland funding for three more years Creative Scotland has confirmed that the University of Aberdeen’s WayWORD Festival will receive £150,000 of funding over three years as part of their new Multi-Year Funding programme.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Creative Scotland has confirmed that the University of Aberdeen’s WayWORD Festival will receive £150,000 of funding over three years as part of their new Multi-Year Funding programme.
    WayWORD Festival is a literary cross-arts festival celebrating unconventional forms of expression and is completely free for attendees. Since 2020, it has supported young people in the North-east of Scotland to plan and host events such as workshops, author talks, performances and exhibitions. Young people join a committee and develop skills in event management, marketing and teamwork, and benefit from confidence building and professional skills development.
    Being awarded Multi-Year Funding for the first time ensures the festival will continue until at least 2027, providing more support and opportunities for young people to be involved in arts organisation and event planning through the development of new satellite committees in communities across Aberdeen.
    The Creative Director of WayWORD Festival, Dr Shane Strachan, said: “This funding is a fantastic opportunity for us to be able to reach larger audiences and support more young people across the North East. We already have some great events in the pipeline, but are excited to work with more communities to develop activities and opportunities which are important to them. A big thank you to our previous Director, Dr Helen Lynch, for her work and support in securing this funding for the future of the festival.”

    This funding is a fantastic opportunity for us to be able to reach larger audiences and support more young people across the North East.” Shane Strachan, WayWORD Creative Director

    The autumn 2024 festival reached over 3000 audience members for the first time.
    WayWORD is hosting an event on the 4 February 2025, inviting young people to be part of WayWORD 2025. This free event will allow young people to generate ideas and learn more about the festival committee process. Free tickets for this event can be booked at www.waywordfestival.com
    The programme for autumn 2025 festival will be announced in the summer. Join the mailing list to receive updates at www.waywordfestival.com/about
    Related Content

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NIE reps in Plumbridge

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    NIE reps in Plumbridge

    31 January 2025

    NIE representatives will attend Glenelly House Plumbridge today, Thursday 30 January,  for anyone in the Derg area that needs support and advice.

    The rep will be there from 11am to 7pm.

    Please note that all our leisure centres are open and available to anyone who requires a warm space, or to charge their devices, get a shower or hot drink.

    Bottled water is also available at Derg Valley LC.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: LegenDerry Food Month showcases the art of cheese with Dart Mountain

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    LegenDerry Food Month showcases the art of cheese with Dart Mountain

    31 January 2025

    February sees the return of Derry’s favourite showcase of everything delicious as Love LegenDerry Food Month serves up a tantalising selection of local cuisine.

    The programme is delivered by the LegenDerry Food Network with support from Derry City and Strabane District Council, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Regional Food Programme.

    It’s an exciting opportunity for food lovers to experience an array of local speciality experiences and products. Among the programme highlights is a celebration of the rich heritage and artistry of artisan cheese-making including Dart Mountain Cheese. One of the region’s most celebrated producers, is offering two immersive tours that will captivate anyone with a passion for exceptional local food and authentic experiences.

    Nestled in the stunning Sperrin Mountains, Dart Mountain Cheese invites visitors to delve into the craft behind their award-winning cheeses. The Sperrin Goat Cheese Experience – a collaboration with Craigbane Goat Farm – offers a fascinating journey, from goat milking to cheese tasting. Guests will meet the dedicated farmers and cheesemakers who bring these unique creations to life, all while sampling a variety of goat cheeses paired with local chutneys. This interactive tour, perfect for families and curious foodies, highlights the care and commitment that goes into every step of the process.

    For those eager to learn more about Dart Mountain’s celebrated range, the Dart Mountain Cheese Experience takes visitors behind the scenes at their state-of-the-art dairy. Starting with a scenic drive to the charming village of Park, participants will meet cheesemaker Julie Hickey and explore the inspiration drawn from the dramatic Sperrin landscape. This informal yet educational tour includes a visit to the cheese-maturing rooms, a lesson in the science of cheese-making, and, of course, a tasting of the full range of Dart Mountain’s handmade cheeses.

    Kevin Hickey of Dart Mountain Cheese emphasised the significance of being part of LegenDerry Food Month: “LegenDerry Food Month is a fantastic platform for showcasing the incredible talent and produce we have here in Derry and the surrounding area. The food scene is evolving so quickly, and we’re proud to play a part in putting Derry on the map as a culinary destination. These tours are about more than just cheese; they’re an invitation to immerse yourself in the stories and flavours that make this region truly special.”

    LegenDerry Food Month celebrates the very best of local food and drink, offering visitors a chance to engage with producers, taste award-winning products, and explore Derry’s vibrant culinary culture. Both Dart Mountain Cheese experiences are a must for anyone seeking an authentic and delicious adventure in the North West.

    Spaces for these exclusive tours are limited, and advance booking is essential.

    Join us during LegenDerry Food Month and uncover the passion behind every wheel of cheese. For full event listings, visit www.legenderryfood.com/events.

    Or explore Visit Derry for things to see and do, accommodation. Plus, for places to eat and drink ww.visitderry.com.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK partnership with Tunisia to target root causes of irregular migration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Foreign Secretary announces new funding for programmes in Tunisia to smash the gangs and secure UK borders.

    • UK boosts support for projects in North Africa to tackle drivers of small boats arrivals in Europe and UK.
    • During visit to Tunisia Foreign Secretary announces new multi-million-pound funding for programmes to educate and upskill would-be migrants to become more employable in their home country, and support reintegration for migrants who wish to return.
    • Part of UK Government’s latest efforts to protect UK borders and bring down migration as part of its Plan for Change.

    Efforts to tackle the root causes of migration upstream are being bolstered as the Foreign Secretary announces new funding for programmes in Tunisia to strengthen work with international partners, smash the people smuggling gangs, secure the UK’s borders and support those vulnerable to exploitation by criminals.

    The Foreign Secretary will travel to Tunisia to unveil a new package of up to £5 million to boost UK funded programmes in the region to upskill migrants in-country, making it less likely that they will make dangerous small boats journeys to Europe, including to the UK, and undermine the country’s border security.

    The UK has also announced up to £1 million of funding to the International Organisation for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Returns & Reintegration (AVRR) Programme, to support transiting migrants who have no legal right to be in Tunisia and to return and reintegrate them to their home country.  

    While in Tunisia, the Foreign Secretary will be accompanied by the recently-appointed Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt for meetings with their Tunisian counterparts to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation on both countries’ fight against people smuggling and irregular migration. They will meet members of the Tunisian National Guard who are using UK-supplied drones and night vision technology to intercept small boats carrying irregular migrants under cover of darkness. 

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 

    Through working with countries like Tunisia, we are addressing the root causes of irregular migration and delivering on our Plan for Change. 

    By improving people’s living standards in their home country, they are less likely to make a perilous journey to the UK, enrich criminal gangs in the process and exploit our immigration system.

    The support I am announcing today, alongside UK technology such as drones and night vision goggles, will save lives, bring down migration levels, and help us bear down on those responsible for smuggling migrants into the UK.

    Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said: 

    International partners like Tunisia play a vital role in the UK’s efforts to combat irregular migration, organised immigration crime and the harm both cause to communities at home and abroad. 

    We are committed to doing whatever it takes to tackle this problem at source and will continue to work hand in hand with countries upstream to deter and prevent migrants from making these dangerous journeys in the first place – saving lives and delivering on the government’s promise to secure the UK’s borders.

    This visit also follows the introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to Parliament, which will help to further strengthen our relationships with international partners and empower teams on the ground to go further and act faster when dismantling organised criminality.

    Today’s announcement shows the UK’s strategy to disrupt people smuggling networks, slash migration levels and double down on recent partnerships with European and regional partners to bear down on groups responsible for the evil trade in human lives. This includes a new UK-Iraq border security agreement, as well a new anti-smuggling action plan signed by other G7 nations.  

    The visit also follows the introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to Parliament (January 30). Inspired by powers used to combat terrorism, the Bill will be a turning point for law enforcement, allowing them to take earlier and more effective action against organised immigration crime.

    In January, the UK launched the world’s first standalone sanctions package designed to target people smugglers, clamp down on illegal migration and deliver the foundations for security at home. This follows also the UK successfully removing the highest number of irregular migrants since 2018 last year building on the Government’s commitment to return those who have no legal right to be in the UK.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shoplifter convicted after being caught in the act by Met officers

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who was caught in the act during a Met Police operation to tackle shoplifting in south London has been jailed.

    Neighbourhood officers in Lambeth carried out a targeted sting at the Co-Op in Lower Marsh on Monday, 27 January after several reports of theft from the store.

    After reviewing recent crime reports, they arrived early and waited in the back office where they monitored CCTV cameras.

    At around 08:30hrs a man entered the store and began ransacking the meat chiller. He was immediately detained and arrested.

    Derick Bell, 36 (29.02.88) and of no fixed address, was charged the following day and appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to two counts of shoplifting. He was jailed for eight weeks.

    Inspector Darren Watson, from the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Lambeth, said:

    “This is an excellent example of how the Met is taking a targeted approach to tackle the type of offending that matters most to Londoners.

    “We know shoplifting has a significant impact on businesses and shop staff. It often also fuels other crime and anti-social behaviour.

    “In Lambeth alone, our enforcement activity means 11 of the 14 most prolific shoplifters in the area are currently in prison and we will continue to take action against those who cause misery in our communities.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Welsh experience proves 20mph limits will save lives on Scotland’s roads

    Source: Scottish Greens

    31 Jan 2025 Transport

    Lower speeds make for safer streets.

    More in Transport

    Default speed limits of 20mph are saving lives in Wales, with data showing that around 100 fewer people were killed or seriously hurt on 20mph and 30mph roads in the year since the rollout of the default 20mph speed limit.

    The news has been hailed by Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell, who has called for Scotland to learn from the experience.

    As a result of budget negotiations, the Scottish Greens have secured funding to support a nationwide expansion of 20mph limits across local authorities this year.

    Mr Ruskell has been championing this move since 2018, when he first brought a Members Bill to introduce a 20mph limit in Scotland.

    Following an increase in road deaths, the Scottish Government has begun consultations on changing speed limits nationally.

    Mr Ruskell said:

    “We know that lower speed limits save lives, and these figures only add to the overwhelming case for change.

    “These are not just numbers on a page, they are real people and real families who have been spared the grief and pain of losing a loved one.

    “We all benefit from safer streets and communities. All road users should be able to travel safely, and it isn’t too much to ask drivers to keep themselves and others safe.

    “It is a long overdue change that is badly needed here in Scotland, particularly at a time when road deaths are increasing.

    “Scotland needs to learn from the rollout and the success in Wales and make our roads safer for all.

    “I’m delighted that the Scottish Budget will have enough funding to allow councils to introduce 20mph speed limits more widely in the next year across Scotland, it can’t come a moment too soon.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ofqual to fine Pearson £250k over exams rules breaches

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Awarding body Pearson put the integrity of exam papers at risk and failed to monitor examiners’ conflicts of interest.

    Ofqual intends to fine exam board Pearson £250,000 for breaching rules designed to protect students and the integrity of exams.

    The breaches, which occurred in 2023, included failing to identify conflicts of interest among GCSE, A level and BTEC examiners, who were also employed by Pearson as tutors at schools where students sat the exams.

    Pearson also failed to follow its own policies designed to ensure the confidentiality of exam papers.

    Pearson co-operated fully with Ofqual’s enforcement process and admitted it had breached its Conditions of Recognition – which all awarding organisations are legally required to follow for regulated qualifications.

    Amanda Swann, Ofqual’s Executive Director for General Qualifications, said: “Our rules protect students taking regulated qualifications including GCSE, A Level and BTECs. We will take action when our rules are breached, and the interests of students are put at risk.

    “Fortunately, in these instances there is no evidence of any direct impact on students. Pearson, however, failed to guard against conflicts of interest and breaches of confidentiality and we intend to fine them accordingly.”

    From July 2023, Pearson reported breaches of its own policies to Ofqual when it had:

    • Failed to identify, monitor and record conflicts of interest. In total, 195 examiners marking GCSEs, A levels and BTEC papers, who were also working as tutors for Pearson under the government’s National Tutoring Programme, marked 7,244 exam responses by students at schools, where they had potential conflict of interest. Pearson told Ofqual that any potentially compromised exam questions were subsequently remarked by other examiners before any grades were awarded. Pearson has also confirmed to Ofqual it had bolstered systems to prevent this happening again, including improving notification to examiners of the requirement to declare personal interests.

    • Failed to safeguard the confidentiality of school exams in 6 instances when individuals, involved in writing or advising on an exam paper’s content, were also practising teachers. Pearson confirmed it had subsequently made changes intended to prevent such breaches in future, including additional staff training.

    Ofqual’s enforcement panel concluded a fine was appropriate, given the seriousness of the breaches and that Pearson held the information necessary to prevent them. Pearson has agreed a settlement proposal which includes the fine.

    Ofqual has today published a Notice of Intention to fine Pearson. It gives more details of the case and invites interested parties to make representations ahead of a final decision.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: E3 Foreign Ministers’ statement on the implementation of legislation against United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Statement from the Foreign Ministers of the UK, France and Germany on the implementation of legislation against United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

    Joint statement on behalf of the Foreign Ministers of the UK, France and Germany:

    We, the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany reiterate our grave concern regarding the Government of Israel’s implementation of legislation forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities, officials and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); and prohibiting any UNRWA presence within Israel and East Jerusalem.

    We ask the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations and live up to its responsibility to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance and the provision of basic services to the civilian population. We urge the Government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of operations. No other entity or UN Agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace UNRWA’s mandate and experience.

    We reiterate our support for UNRWA’s UN-mandate to provide essential services and humanitarian assistance to Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  UNRWA is the primary service provider to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and is an integral part of the response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    We condemn in the strongest possible terms the brutal and unjustified terror attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. We call on UNRWA to continue on its path of reform demonstrating its commitment to the principle of neutrality, in line with the independent review of April 2024, led by Ms. Catherine Colonna. All alleged involvement of UNRWA staff in appalling acts in support of 7 October and subsequent events must be thoroughly investigated.

    We reiterate our full endorsement and support for the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas. It is vital that we now see the release of all remaining hostages. We welcome the notable increase of humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza since the beginning of the ceasefire and call on all parties to ensure its continuity. We are grateful for the extensive efforts of the US, Egypt and Qatar in mediating the agreement and urge all parties to engage constructively in negotiating the subsequent phases of the deal to help ensure its full implementation and a permanent end to hostilities. 

    We will play our full part in the coming days and weeks to seize the opportunity of this ceasefire and to ensure it leads to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.

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    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai’s response to Pope Francis’s 2025 World Day of Peace message  

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-01-17
    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
    2025-01-17
    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
    2025-01-17
    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
    2025-01-17
    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
    2025-01-17
    President Lai meets Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute delegation
    On the morning of January 9, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute (RRPFI). In remarks, President Lai thanked RRPFI President David Trulio and members of RRPFI for remaining undaunted by China’s threats and sanctions, and lending great support to Taiwan. He emphasized that facing the continued expansion of authoritarianism, Taiwan will actively implement the Four Pillars of Peace action plan to preserve regional peace and stability, safeguard the values of democracy and freedom, and advance worldwide prosperity and development. President Lai expressed hope that they can continue to collaborate to promote the development of Taiwan-United States relations and put RRPFI’s principles into practice. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, let me warmly welcome President Trulio, who is leading this delegation from RRPFI to Taiwan. And on behalf of all the people of Taiwan, I want to extend our heartfelt condolences in wake of the ongoing fires in California. I hope that they can be put out swiftly so that harm is reduced, and I hope that those who are injured are able to receive timely help. President Reagan was a staunch friend of Taiwan. The Six Assurances he put forward in 1982 and the Taiwan Relations Act passed by Congress in 1979 form the bedrock of Taiwan-US relations. The incorporation of the Six Assurances into the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 further established bipartisan, bicameral, and cross-agency US support for Taiwan. With authoritarianism continuing to expand, President Reagan’s conviction of peace through strength is proving to be especially crucial as democracies unite to protect freedom, democracy, peace, and the rules-based international order. RRPFI honors President Reagan’s legacy by championing such principles as individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride. Many of you have served previous US administrations as part of national security teams, and many of you are longstanding friends of Taiwan. I sincerely hope that we can continue to collaborate to promote the development of Taiwan-US relations and put RRPFI’s principles into practice. I also want to extend particular gratitude to President Trulio and RRPFI for lending great support to Taiwan. Undaunted by China’s threats and sanctions, you warmly welcomed former President Tsai Ing-wen to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library during her stopover in California in April 2023 and arranged a delegation to visit Taiwan in October of the same year. As for the continued expansion of authoritarianism, Taiwan will meet it head on, and uphold President Reagan’s spirit of peace through strength. We will actively implement the Four Pillars of Peace action plan by strengthening national defense, building economic security, and demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, as well as promoting values-based diplomacy. Bolstering Taiwan’s cooperation with the US and other democracies will preserve regional peace and stability, safeguard the values of democracy and freedom, and advance worldwide prosperity and development. President Trulio then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his warm welcome and saying that he and the delegation are deeply honored to be with him in Taiwan, along with so many top leaders in his administration. President Trulio added that they are proud to advance President Reagan’s legacy and timeless principles, and our collective shared values. President Trulio indicated that President Reagan visited Taiwan twice before he became president. Acknowledging what President Lai stated, he noted that it was President Reagan’s administration that developed what became known as the Six Assurances, a framework that to this day serves as the foundation of relations between the US and Taiwan. More broadly, President Trulio said, President Reagan knew that America’s strength and the strength of its allies and friends are key to global peace, prosperity, and security. He said President Reagan also knew that societies that provide economic opportunity and democracy offer a better life for their citizens. In fact, he stated, President Reagan said that freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few, but the inalienable and universal right of all human beings. President Trulio went on to say that Taiwan’s open society and thriving democracy make the commitment to freedom here plain for all to see. President Trulio noted that RRPFI had the honor of visiting Taipei in October 2023, when the delegation met then-President Tsai. He said that their return visit to Taipei at the start of 2025 comes at a crucial time, and that part of what makes that timing so significant is that there will be a new administration inaugurated in Washington in about 10 days. Over the course of their visits to Taiwan, President Trulio said, it has been plain to see that Taiwan stands strong as a vibrant democracy, with political parties sharing a commitment to democratic principles. He said it is also plain to see that Taiwan’s advanced economy and global technological leadership present positive opportunities for the US. He added that it is also plain to see that the security situation across the Taiwan Strait demands a continued commitment to peace through strength, including through robust partnership with Taiwan and sustained US deterrence. President Trulio stated that he looks forward to addressing the opportunities and challenges facing Taiwan and the US, and is confident that together, we will further well into the future our shared commitment to freedom and democracy, economic opportunity, and security and stability. The delegation also included RRPFI Washington Director Roger Zakheim, Director of the Alexander Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida William Inboden, Palantir Technologies Senior Counselor Jamie Fly, former Deputy White House Staff Secretary Catherine Bellah, Anduril Industries Policy Director Dustin Walker, Hudson Institute Adjunct Fellow Alexander Benard, RRPFI Policy Director Rachel Hoff, and RRPFI Digital Strategy and Communications Director James Rogers.

    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 Europe: ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results – December 2024

    Source: European Central Bank

    31 January 2025

    Compared with November 2024:

    • median consumer perceptions of inflation over the previous 12 months increased for the second consecutive month, as did median inflation expectations for the next 12 months, while median inflation expectations for three years ahead remained unchanged;
    • expectations for nominal income growth over the next 12 months remained unchanged, as did expectations for spending growth over the next 12 months;
    • expectations for economic growth over the next 12 months were unchanged, while the expected unemployment rate in 12 months’ time decreased;
    • expectations for growth in the price of homes over the next 12 months remained unchanged, as did expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead.

    Inflation

    The median rate of perceived inflation over the previous 12 months increased in December, for the second month in a row, to 3.5%, from 3.4% in November. Median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months increased, for the third month in a row, to 2.8% from 2.6%. Median expectations for inflation three years ahead were unchanged at 2.4% in December. Inflation expectations at the one-year and three-year horizons thus remained below the perceived past inflation rate. Uncertainty about inflation expectations over the next 12 months remained unchanged, for the fifth month in a row, at its lowest level since February 2022. While the broad evolution of inflation perceptions and expectations remained relatively closely aligned across income groups, expectations for lower income quintiles were slightly above those for higher income quintiles. Younger respondents (aged 18-34) continued to report lower inflation perceptions and expectations than older respondents (those aged 35-54 and 55-70), albeit to a lesser degree than in previous years. (Inflation results)

    Income and consumption

    Consumers’ nominal income growth expectations over the next 12 months remained unchanged at 1.1% in December. The income growth expectations of the lower income quintile increased more than the expectations of all other income quintiles, widening the positive gap with the other quintiles that had emerged over the previous months. Perceived nominal spending growth over the previous 12 months remained unchanged at 5.2% in December, as did expected nominal spending growth over the next 12 months at 3.5%. (Income and consumption results)

    Economic growth and labour market

    Economic growth expectations for the next 12 months were stable in December, standing at -1.3%. Expectations for the unemployment rate 12 months ahead decreased to 10.5%, from 10.6% in November. Consumers continued to expect the future unemployment rate to be only slightly higher than the perceived current unemployment rate (9.9%), implying a broadly stable labour market. The lowest income quintile continued to report the highest expected and perceived unemployment rates, as well as the lowest economic growth expectations. (Economic growth and labour market results)

    Housing and credit access

    Consumers expected the price of their home to increase by 2.9% over the next 12 months, which was unchanged from November. Households in the lowest income quintile continued to expect higher growth in house prices than those in the highest income quintile (3.5% and 2.7% respectively). Expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead also remained unchanged, at 4.6% – their level since October 2024. As in previous months, the lowest income households expected the highest mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead (5.2%), while the highest income households expected the lowest rates (4.0%). While the net percentage of households reporting a tightening (relative to those reporting an easing) in access to credit over the previous 12 months increased slightly, the net percentage of those expecting a tightening over the next 12 months declined. (Housing and credit access results)

    The release of the Consumer Expectations Survey (CES) results for January is scheduled for 28 February 2025.

    For media queries, please contact: Nicos Keranis, Tel: +49 172 758 7237

    Notes

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man charged with 2023 murder in Tottenham

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating the murder of Talip Guzel in Tottenham have charged two people as part of their investigation.

    Jan Mercan – 23 (07.08.01) of Rushey Hill, EN2 was charged on Thursday, 30 January with murder and possession of a prohibited weapon.

    Stanislava Kukusheva – 35 (04.02.89) of Compton Crescent, N17 was charged on Thursday, 30 January with perverting the course of justice; assisting an offender and possession of a prohibited weapon.

    Both will appear in custody at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 31 January.

    The pair were arrested by detectives as part of an ongoing investigation into the murder of Talip Guzel, 33, who died after being shot at an address in White Hart Lane, N17 on 30 July 2023.

    His family have been informed of the update.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 2025 Presidential Elections in Belarus: joint statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK and other members of the Informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus deliver a joint statement on elections in Belarus and the deteriorating human rights situation.

    I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States, who are members of the Informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus:  Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland,  Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and my own country, Germany.  

    The following participating States are also joining this statement: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia, Liechtenstein, Malta, San Marino, Switzerland and North Macedonia.    

    At Copenhagen in 1990, all OSCE participating States declared that “the will of the people, freely and fairly expressed through periodic and genuine elections, is the basis of the authority and legitimacy of all government”.  

    The presidential elections in Belarus on 26 January fell far short of this shared standard. Instead of reflecting multi-party democracy, accountability of government to the electorate or the free and fair expression of citizens’ will, this election outcome was pre-determined by the Belarusian government. The poll was carried out in a climate of fear and repression where opposition was silenced. Moreover, Belarusians were denied access to information from independent, pluralistic media.  

    Repression intensified in the pre-election period. While some political prisoners have been released, Belarus continues to detain many more. Over 1,250 people remain incarcerated. Many political prisoners face isolation, mistreatment and lack of medical treatment. The UN Committee against Torture reported that torture in these prisons is systemic, habitual, widespread and deliberate with a pattern of impunity for perpetrators. Last year, four political prisoners died behind bars.   

    The arrest and persecution of journalists and media professionals has also reached an all-time high; the Belarusian Association of Journalists notes that 42 media workers were imprisoned in the run up to election day.  

    We deplore Belarus’ involvement and complicity in Russia’s unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and condemn the serious, ongoing human rights violations committed by the Belarusian authorities. We reiterate our call for the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally, and to ensure their rehabilitation. 

    No election can be considered as free and fair or meeting international standards when it is held in a climate of ongoing repression, marked by continuous pressure on civil society, arbitrary detentions and widespread human rights violations, as well as restrictions of any genuine political participation and a lack of credible opposition candidates.   

    We recall that ODIHR made efforts in recent months to engage with the Belarusian authorities on election observation, in line with Belarus’ commitment at Copenhagen in 1990.     

    The Belarusian authorities’ late invitation – delivered only ten days before the presidential elections – prevented ODIHR’s access to key stages of the election process, making meaningful observation impossible. It stands as further proof that this electoral process lacked transparency and credibility.     

    Sadly, this approach to OSCE commitments is wholly consistent with earlier decisions by Belarus. As well as preventing meaningful observation of these elections, Belarus failed to invite OSCE observation of the February 2024 parliamentary elections. Nor has Belarus made progress on the recommendations of either the 2020 or 2023 Moscow Mechanism reports, or responded meaningfully to the questions raised in the 2024 Vienna Mechanism.  

    Indeed, since the fraudulent presidential election of 2020, Belarusian authorities have engaged in a brutal crackdown on opposition figures, human rights defenders, civil society representatives, journalists, and other citizens who dare voice any opposition or dissent. Human rights defenders report over 70,000 cases of repression since 2020. These range from interrogations, detentions or searches to legislative amendments, labelling and prosecuting some human rights defenders as so-called “extremists” and closing NGOs as well as forced exile and confiscation of property.   

    In the face of this utter disregard of OSCE principles and commitments by the Belarusian authorities, we underscore the right of Belarusians to determine their own future in a genuinely free and fair manner, and to be able to do so without fear, oppression and external interference. In this Council and beyond, we will continue to support the Belarusian people’s hope for a free, democratic and independent Belarus.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Shareholders’ Nomination Board’s proposal for the composition of Aktia Bank’s Board of Directors and their remuneration

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Aktia Bank Plc
    Stock Exchange Release
    31 January 2025 at 11.00 a.m.

    Shareholders’ Nomination Board’s proposal for the composition of Aktia Bank’s Board of Directors and their remuneration

    The Shareholders’ Nomination Board of Aktia Bank Plc has decided to present the following proposal to the Annual General Meeting 2025 of Aktia Bank:

    The number of the members of the Board of Directors is proposed to be decreased from nine and set to seven.

    The Shareholders’ Nomination Board proposes that of the present members of the Board of Directors, Joakim Frimodig, Carl Haglund, Maria Jerhamre Engström, Harri Lauslahti and Matts Rosenberg, based on their consent, be re-elected for a term continuing up until the end of the next Annual General Meeting. For more information on the Board members proposed to be re-elected, please see the company’s website at www.aktia.com. Ann Grevelius, Sari Pohjonen, Johannes Schulman and Lasse Svens have informed that they will not be available for re-election.

    The Shareholders’ Nomination Board also proposes that Hanne Katrama and Sari Somerkallio are elected as new Board members for the same term, based on their consent. Further information on the new Board members proposed to be elected has been attached to this release and can be found closer to the Annual General Meeting on the company’s website www.aktia.com.

    Should any of the candidates presented above not be available to be elected to the Board, the proposed number of Board members shall be decreased accordingly and the available candidates are proposed to be elected accordingly.

    All the proposed persons are independent in relation to the company according to the definition of the Corporate Governance Code. Only Matts Rosenberg is not independent of a significant shareholder since he is the chair of the board of RG Partners Oy, the largest shareholder (10.13%) of Aktia Bank. In addition, Rosenberg is the CEO of of Rettig Oy Ab, which is the largest owner of RG Partners Oy.

    All the proposed persons have informed that they intend, if they are elected, to elect Matts Rosenberg amongst them as Chair of the Board of Directors and to re-elect Joakim Frimodig as Deputy Chair.

    Regarding the selection procedure for the members of the Board of Directors, the Shareholders’ Nomination Board recommends that shareholders take a position on the proposal as a whole at the General Meeting. This recommendation is based on the fact that at Aktia the Shareholders’ Nomination Board is separate from the Board of Directors and, in addition to ensuring that individual nominees for membership of the Board of Directors possess the required competences, it is also responsible for making sure that the proposed Board of Directors as a whole also has the best possible expertise and experience for the company and that the composition of the Board of Directors also meets other requirements set for credit institutions as well as the requirements of the Finnish Corporate Governance Code for listed companies.

    The Nomination Board proposes that the remuneration for the Board of Directors for the term be unchanged from the current term and determined as follows:

    • Chair, EUR 75,000 (2024: EUR 75,000)
    • Deputy Chair, EUR 50,000 (2024: EUR 50,000)
    • member, EUR 40,000 (2024: EUR 40,000)

    Annual remunerations for the Chairs of each Committee as well as meeting remunerations are proposed to be unchanged, meaning that it is proposed that the Chair of each Committee will further receive an annual remuneration of EUR 8,000. The proposed meeting remuneration for Board and Committee meetings is EUR 700 per attended meeting for each person (EUR 700 per attended meeting for each person in 2024). If participation in a board meeting requires travelling outside the board member’s country of residence, the remuneration for board meeting is EUR 1,400 per attended meeting for each person (EUR 1,400 per attended meeting for each person in 2024). The remuneration of the members of the Board is not treated as income forming basis for earnings-related pension. Compensation for travel and accommodation expenses as well as a daily allowance is paid in line with the Finnish Tax Administration’s guidelines and the travel instructions of the company.

    The Nomination Board proposes that approximately 40% of the annual remuneration (gross amount) shall be paid to the members in the form of Aktia shares. The company will on account of the Board members acquire Aktia shares on the market to the price that is formed through public trading or it will transfer the company’s own shares to the Board members and the rest of the annual remuneration payable is paid in cash. The shares are acquired or transferred during a two-week time period from the day following the company’s interim report for 1 January 2025–31 March 2025 is published or as soon as possible in accordance with applicable legislation. If the remuneration can’t be paid in shares, it can be paid in cash entirely. The company will be responsible for all expenses and the possible transfer tax for acquiring or transferring the shares.

    The proposals of the Nomination Board will be included in the summons of the Annual General Meeting.

    Chair of the Shareholders’ Nomination Board of Aktia Bank is Gisela Knuts (appointed by the Pension Insurance Company Veritas and the companies controlled by Erkki Etola), members are Georg Ehrnrooth (appointed by RG Partners Oy), Stefan Wallin (appointed by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation) and Johan Hammarén (appointed by Oy Hammarén & Co Ab), and Lasse Svens, Chair of the Board of Directors of Aktia Bank acts as an expert.

    Aktia Bank Plc

    Further information:
    Gisela Knuts, Chair of the Nomination Board, tel. +358 40 769 8265

    Distribution:
    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Mass media
    www.aktia.com

    Aktia is a Finnish asset manager, bank and life insurer that has been creating wealth and wellbeing from one generation to the next for 200 years. We serve our customers in digital channels everywhere and face-to-face in our offices in the Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Oulu regions. Our award-winning asset management business sells investment funds internationally. We employ approximately 850 people around Finland. Aktia’s assets under management (AuM) on 30 September 2024 amounted to EUR 14.3 billion, and the balance sheet total was EUR 12.0 billion. Aktia’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (AKTIA). aktia.com.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £200 million boost to transform neighbourhood policing

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Funding to kickstart the delivery of 13,000 more neighbourhood police officers has been doubled to £200 million to make the country’s streets safer.

    Getty Images

    Forces across England and Wales will now be given hugely increased resources to begin their recruitment to boost neighbourhood policing teams, helping to ensure that the government’s target for additional personnel is met by 2029.

    After years of declining officer presence on Britain’s streets, this investment represents a crucial first step in rebuilding neighbourhood policing. This doubled funding – increased from December’s provisional £100 million commitment – reflects the scale of the challenges that many forces face, as well as the government’s determination to address them.

    As part of a wider billion-pound boost to policing, this dedicated funding will strengthen local crime prevention and community safety. One of the government’s key pledges within its Plan for Change is that every neighbourhood will have a named, contactable officer, helping to restore the local knowledge and presence that effective neighbourhood policing demands.

    These extra officers will see a return to the principles of British policing – where officers are part of the communities they serve and are focused on tackling crimes like antisocial behaviour, theft and knife crime that are blighting our communities.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    This major investment marks a turning point for policing in this country. By doubling extra neighbourhood funding to £200 million, we are giving forces across the country what they need to put more officers and PCSOs [police community support officers] where they’re needed most – on our streets and in our town centres.

    Every neighbourhood deserves dedicated officers who know their patch, understand residents’ concerns and can tackle problems before they escalate. This investment, alongside new powers we are bringing into law, will help prevent crime and protect our communities, which is at the heart of our Plan for Change.

    Restoring local policing will not happen overnight, but this funding boost will get more officers into our town centres and rural areas.

    Forces across England and Wales will be able to boost their local policing teams with this investment, scheduled for next financial year. Each force will set out their plans to government by early spring, showing how they’ll use their allocation to increase visible patrols.

    The rebuilding of local, visible policing in all our communities will be supported by the government’s new Police Standards and Performance Improvement Unit and new standards for neighbourhood policing. In addition to thousands more personnel in neighbourhood policing roles, the government will continue to help forces to protect officer numbers.

    Alongside more officers on the ground, the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill will give these officers the tools they need to keep our streets safe, including enhanced powers such as respect orders to tackle antisocial behaviour and shoplifting effectively. This investment, combined with new powers and local control over resources, marks the start of a long-term commitment to restore visible policing across the country.

    Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, said:

    We welcome the investment in neighbourhood policing, which is a vital part of how we engage with our communities, building trust and confidence locally.

    Working with our communities and partners to problem solve, tackle antisocial behaviour, supporting victims of domestic abuse, and diverting young people from offending are just some examples of the challenging and rewarding work officers do.

    Visibility and engagement with local communities has always been central to the British policing model and police leaders are in agreement that it must always remain at the heart of what we do.

    Neighbourhood Watch CEO John Hayward-Cripps said:

    Neighbourhood Watch is delighted that the government is further increasing the investment in neighbourhood policing.

    With the increased demands on the police, and public confidence at a low point, a focus on neighbourhood policing is key to the police being visible, approachable, and engaging proactively with the public.

    This injection of investment will increase public confidence in the police and enhance feelings of safety within local communities.

    Paul Gerrard, Co-op Director of Campaigns and Public Affairs, said:

    We welcome the government’s commitment to boost neighbourhood police officer numbers to help protect local communities from crime. As a community-based retailer, we all too often see the significant and damaging impact of retail crime and antisocial behaviour in society.

    We know – and have seen the results – that effective partnerships with local policing make a real difference, and I am cautiously optimistic that this latest development along with continued investment in preventative measures and the rising levels of police attendance can start to reverse retail crime levels, and help communities become stronger, more resilient and safer.

    This funding boost comes as the government publishes its final police funding settlement today. Total funding to police forces across the country will be up to £17.5 billion next year, an increase of up to £1.1 billion compared to the 2024 to 2025 police funding settlement. This includes additional funding to support the costs of the pay awards, the increase in the employer national contributions and funding for officer maintenance.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Swiss Partners AG: BaFin warns against swissprimefx.com website and indicates possibility of identity theft

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns against offers on the website swissprimefx.com. According to the findings of the supervisory authority, Swiss Partners AG, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, offers financial and investment services there without permission.

    BaFin would like to point out that the two companies, swisspartners AG and swisspartners Versicherung AG, which are registered with both the Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority and BaFin, have no connection with Swiss Partners AG or the swissprimefx.com website. This constitutes identity theft.

    Anyone offering financial and investment services in Germany requires the permission of BaFin. However, some companies offer such services without the necessary permission. You can find information on whether a particular company is authorized by BaFin in the company database.

    The information provided by BaFin is based on Section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (KWG), Section 10 (7) of the German Crypto Markets Supervision Act (KMAG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI: WOOD & Co Reinitiated Coverage of Šiaulių Bankas

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    31 January 2025. WOOD & Co, a leading regional investment bank in Emerging Europe, has reinitiated independent equity research coverage of Šiaulių Bankas (SAB1L). The initiation report includes an analysis suggesting a target price of EUR 0.96.

    WOOD & Company Financial Services teams, located in Warsaw, Prague, Bucharest, Bratislava, Milan and London are highly experienced, have deep roots in Emerging Europe, providing wide range of products and services for investors, including Equity Sales, Electronic Trading, DMA and FIX, Equity Structured Products, Equity Research and Equity Capital Markets.

    Šiaulių Bankas stock is also covered by Swedbank, Estonian investment research firm Enlight Research, Norwegian investment bank Norne Securities and Erste Group Research. The analysts’ evaluations are available to investors on Šiaulių Bankas IR website.

    If you would like to receive Šiaulių Bankas news for investors directly to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter.

    Additional information: 
    Tomas Varenbergas 
    Head of Investment Management Division
    tomas.varenbergas@sb.lt

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Webcast details for Capital Markets Day presentation on 12 February 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Orrön Energy AB (“Orrön Energy”) will publish its financial report for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 on Wednesday 12 February 2025 at 07:30 CET, followed by a Capital Markets Day presentation at 14:00 CET.

    Listen to Daniel Fitzgerald, CEO and Espen Hennie, CFO commenting on the report and presenting the latest developments in Orrön Energy and its future growth strategy, together with members of Orrön Energy’s management team, at a webcast held on 12 February 2025 at 14:00 CET. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

    Follow the presentation live on the below webcast link:
    https://orron-energy.events.inderes.com/cmd-2025

    For further information, please contact:

    Robert Eriksson
    Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations
    Tel: +46 701 11 26 15
    robert.eriksson@orron.com

    Jenny Sandström
    Communications Lead
    Tel: +41 79 431 63 68
    jenny.sandstrom@orron.com

    Orrön Energy is an independent, publicly listed (Nasdaq Stockholm: “ORRON”) renewable energy company within the Lundin Group of Companies. Orrön Energy’s core portfolio consists of high quality, cash flow generating assets in the Nordics, coupled with greenfield growth opportunities in the Nordics, the UK, Germany and France. With significant financial capacity to fund further growth and acquisitions, and backed by a major shareholder, management and Board with a proven track record of investing into, leading and growing highly successful businesses, Orrön Energy is in a unique position to create shareholder value through the energy transition.

    Forward-looking statements
    Statements in this press release relating to any future status or circumstances, including statements regarding future performance, growth and other trend projections, are forward-looking statements. These statements may generally, but not always, be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “seek”, “will”, “would” or similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that could occur in the future. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements due to several factors, many of which are outside the company’s control. Any forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date on which the statements are made and the company has no obligation (and undertakes no obligation) to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BW Energy: Fourth Quarter Results 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BW ENERGY FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS 2024

    HIGHLIGHTS

    •          Record Q4 EBITDA of USD 141.6 million, net profit of USD 56.8 million
    •          Full-year revenue of USD 0.8 billion (+57%), EBITDA of USD 457.4 million (+90%) and net profit of USD 165.9 million (+105%)
    •          Operational cash-flow of USD 117.7 million in the quarter
    •          Q4 gross production of 4.0 mmbbls with 3.1 mmbbls net to BW Energy
    •          Highest quarterly production since inception from the Dussafu licence
    •          ESP replacement program completed as planned with 8 producing Hibiscus / Ruche wells from early 2025
    •          Current gross production at Dussafu above 40,000 bbls/day
    •          Maintained a strong balance sheet with cash position of USD 221.8 million

    BW Energy, operator of the Dussafu Marin licence in Gabon and the Golfinho cluster offshore Brazil, reported a record quarterly EBITDA of USD 141.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2024. This was up from USD 130 million in the previous quarter on increased oil sales following all-time-high production in Gabon. The net production was 33,600 bbls/day, including the Tortue, Hibiscus, and Hibiscus South fields in the Dussafu licence (73.5% working interest or “WI”) and the Golfinho field (100% WI).

    Full-year 2024 net production was approximately 10.1 million barrels of oil, up 69% from 2023. EBITDA was USD 457.4 million (USD 241.0 million). The full-year figures are preliminary and unaudited. BW Energy will publish audited 2024 figures on 26 February 2025.

    “BW Energy delivers strong production growth, increased reserves and record financial performance in the fourth quarter and full year 2024 supported by new ESPs, successful appraisal wells and the completion of the Hibiscus / Ruche development,” said Carl K. Arnet, the CEO of BW Energy. “We have a pivotal 2025 ahead, executing on our strategy for growth and long-term value creation. Appraisal of the Bourdon structure in Gabon is ongoing, and we plan to sanction the Maromba development in Brazil in coming weeks. Then, in the second half we will drill the first Kudu appraisal in Namibia, a high impact well which may help unlock secure access to energy in a part of Southern Africa with unstable supply.”

    DUSSAFU
    BW Energy completed three liftings in the fourth quarter at an average realised price of USD 72.5/bbl. Net production was approximately 2.5 mmbbls of oil and the net sold volume, the basis for revenue recognition, was approximately 2.7 mmbbls including 97,500 bbls of DMO deliveries and 311,429 bbls of state profit oil with an under-lift position of 248,700 bbls at period-end.

    Net production from the Dussafu licence averaged ~27,300 bbls/day, an increase of 36% from the previous quarter. Operating cost (excluding royalties) decreased to USD 18.5/bbl from USD 20.5/bbl in the third quarter due to operational efficiencies and increased production. Further cost savings are expected as BW Energy is preparing to take over the operations of the BW Adolo FPSO during the first half of 2025.

    All ESP change outs were completed as planned and on 2 January 2025, Phase 1 of the Hibiscus / Ruche development was completed with eight producing wells, two more than planned at project sanction. 

    GOLFINHO
    Net production from the Golfinho field averaged ~6,400 bbls/day equivalent to a total production of 585,000 bbls in the quarter, up 17% from the previous quarter. A planned shutdown of a Petrobras gas plant restricted gaslift capacity for approximately 40 days, with only ESP wells producing. One lifting was carried out of ~500,000 bbls at a realised price of USD 73.5/bbl. Remaining inventory was approximately 440,500 bbls at the end of the period. Operating cost (excluding royalties) averaged USD 56.4/bbl barrel, down from 63.3/bbl in the third quarter, primarily due to higher production.

    OTHER ITEMS
    At 31 December 2024, BW Energy had a cash balance of USD 221.8 million, compared to USD 209.8 million at end-September. The increase reflects cash flow from operations, debt repayment and investments. The Company had a total drawn debt balance of USD 563 million including the MaBoMo lease, the Dussafu RBL, the Golfinho prepayment facility and bond debt.

    Production guidance for 2025 is between 11 and 12 mmbbls net to BW Energy. Full-year operating cost is expected to be USD 18 to 22/bbl (the basis for calculating unit operating cost has been revised from 2025 onwards to exclude royalties, tariffs, workovers, domestic market obligation purchases, production sharing costs, and incorporates the impact of IFRS 16 adjustments, primarily impacting Gabon operations). Net capital expenditures are expected at USD 260 to 285 million, including the appraisal well in Namibia. The capex guidance is excluding the Maromba development and the Golfinho Boosting project, both awaiting FID. 

    DEVELOPMENT PLANS
    In Gabon, the Bourdon appraisal prospect, targeting potential gross recoverable reserves of ~30 million barrels in Gamba and Dentale formations, was spud earlier this month and results are expected during the first quarter. At end-October, BW Energy (37.5% WI and operator) signed production sharing contracts (PSCs) for the Niosi Marin and Guduma Marin exploration blocks, which are adjacent to the Dussafu licence and significantly expands the resource base for infrastructure-led exploration. Planning for a 3D seismic campaign is ongoing. 

    Work on optimising Golfinho production continued to focus on stabilising FPSO performance and selected future well workovers. BW Energy is preparing to commence the Golfinho Boosting project to replace current gaslift with ESPs in two wells to increase production and production regularity from mid-2026.

    The Maromba development, targeting low-risk barrels in an oil-rich area with multiple producing assets, is progressing towards planned final investment decision (FID) next month based on the sustainable re-use of an FPSO and a jack-up with drilling capacity and dry trees. This enables a cost-efficient development with an investment budget of USD 1.2 billion and short pay-back time. Project financing is close to completion 

    In Namibia, BW Energy has sanctioned the drilling of an appraisal well targeting the Kharas Prospect northwest in the Kudu licence with planned start-up drilling operations in the third quarter. Long-lead items have been secured and the Company is reviewing offers for rig capacity. There is a close dialogue with other operators in the Orange Basin on exploring common use available resources. Development planning and concept selection for the Kudu gas-to-power project also continued with relevant stakeholders.

    REPORTS AND PRESENTATION
    Please find the fourth-quarter earnings presentation attached. The reports are also available at:

    www.bwenergy.no/investors/reports-and-presentations

     BW Energy will today hold a conference call followed by a Q&A hosted by CEO Carl K. Arnet, CFO Brice Morlot and COO Lin G. Espey at 15:00 CET.

    You can follow the presentation via webcast with supporting slides, available on:

    VIEWER REGISTRATION • Q4 2024

    Call-in information:

    Participants dial in numbers:

    DK: +45 7876 8490
    SE: +46 8 1241 0952
    NO: +47 2195 6342
    UK: +44 203 769 6819
    US: +1 646-787-0157
    Singapore: 65-3-1591097
    France: 33-1-81221259

    PIN code: 980877

    Please note, that if you follow the webcast via the above URL, you will experience a 30 second delay compared to the main conference call. The web page works best in an updated browser – Chrome is recommended.

    BW Energy will publish the audited 2024 annual report, the reserves report and the report on payments to governments on 26 February 2025.

    For further information, please contact:
    Brice Morlot, CFO BW Energy, +33.7.81.11.41.16
    ir@bwenergy.no

    About BW Energy:
    BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 6.6% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration License 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 580 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2024.

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

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