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Category: France

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: South-South and Triangular Cooperation Furthers Efforts to Promote Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction and Urban Health Resilience

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) concluded the fifth online certificate training programme titled “Leveraging South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Inclusive and Technological Innovations for Urban Health and Disaster Risk Reduction” on 12, 19, and 26 March 2025.

    Building on a successful partnership since 2020, this fifth training programme emphasized the importance of a whole-of-society approach, particularly in addressing the needs of the most at-risk groups—such as women, older persons, and persons with disabilities—in disaster risk reduction, health emergencies, and disaster risk management. Through expert-led discussions and practical case studies, participants gained valuable insights into advancing inclusive, resilient, and healthy cities through technological innovations and South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

    “This training programme embodies the principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which explicitly calls for an inclusive approach that considers the needs of all populations and groups. Through South-South and Triangular Cooperation, we can share valuable lessons and innovative approaches that ensure no one is left behind when disaster strikes.”

    – Piedad Huerta Arneros, Chief of Office of Country and Subregional Coordination in PAHO/WHO, in her Opening Remarks

    The first training session, led by UNDRR Global Education and Training Institute (GETI) on 12 March, emphasized disability-inclusive urban resilience in practice. The session introduced participants to the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities – Annex for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, a practical tool that supports local governments in ensuring meaningful participation and accessibility for persons with disabilities in disaster risk planning and implementation.

    “Persons with disabilities must be decision-makers in resilience strategies that affect their lives. Inclusion is not only a right—it improves the quality and relevance of our actions,” 

    – Carlos Kaiser, Executive Director of ONG Inclusiva

    Practical case studies from Quezon City in the Philippines, and Pudahuel Municipality in Chile—both of which have applied the Disability Inclusion Scorecard provided real-world application insights for participants. “Since the implementation of the Disability Inclusion Scorecard, we have been able to strengthen our approach and adopt the necessary adjustments to close the gaps,” said Maria Elena Opazo, Director of Disaster Risk Management Department of Pudahuel Municipality.

    Ma. Bianca D. Perez, Head of the Disaster Risk and Management Office of Quezon City, also emphasized how they were empowered to cater to the different needs of people with disabilities, “Profile of those capacitated [was collected] to ensure that the interventions were equitable, not just a one-size-fits-all solution, but cater to the different types of disabilities identified.”

    According to UNDRR’s 2023 Global Survey on Disability and Disasters: 84% of persons with disabilities reported being unprepared for disasters and 56% reported lacking access to disaster risk information. These figures highlight the urgency to ensure the meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction planning.

    Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR, has offered three recommendations for action to all participants: 

    “First, we must continue building the awareness and capacity of institutions and staff to address this problem. For our part, UNDRR remains committed to supporting capacity development and to fostering all-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to disaster risk reduction. 

    Second, we must ensure that there are mechanisms to engage with at-risk groups and to capture their needs in planning processes. This is why UNDRR developed and piloted the Annex for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, as part of our Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities. We invite all local governments to utilize this tested tool. 

    And third, we need to promote international cooperation and the sharing of good practices among countries, especially South-South and Triangular cooperation. By learning from each other, exchanging good practices, and working collaboratively, countries can accelerate the adoption of new solutions to ensure no one is left behind.”

    – Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR

    A mini quiz at the end of the first training session reinforced key learning messages. A total of 1,362 unique participants from 141 countries and territories joined this session live, reflecting strong global interest in inclusive urban resilience approaches.

    This joint training includes three online training sessions. The second session, led by PAHO/WHO on 19 March, explored the intersection of ageing, disability, and urban health emergencies, highlighting the importance of integrating diverse actors into disaster risk reduction and urban resilience planning to ensure inclusive and accessible solutions. The final session, led by UNOSSC on 26 March, was centered on leveraging technological innovation for urban disaster risk reduction and management. This session facilitated the exchange of knowledge and good practices on cutting-edge, low-cost, and high-impact technologies that can enhance urban resilience through South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

    Dima Al-Khatib, Director of UNOSSC, called attention to the importance of South-South Cooperation, especially in capacity building activities to further SDGs

    “South-South Cooperation fosters collaboration amongst developing countries by facilitating knowledge exchange, technical cooperation, and resource sharing to achieve mutual development goals.”

    – Dima Al-Khatib, Director of UNOSSC

    The UNDRR-UNOSSC-PAHO Joint Certificate Training Programme 2025 featured 30 expert speakers, with a balanced gender representation, and provided simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, as well as International Sign Language, to ensure accessibility and inclusion.

    The training series has been highly successful, attracting over 9,800 live session participants and 6,500 self-paced learners from 155 countries and territories over the past four training programmes. This year’s training alone attracted over 3,200 registrants, with 1,846 participants including 71 persons with disabilities, reflecting its growing reach and impact.

    For more information and session recordings, please visit https://www.undrr.org/event/undrr-unossc-paho2025

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Ongoing threats and persecution of Christians and other religious and ethnic communities in Syria – E-001399/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001399/2025
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Nikolas Farantouris (The Left)

    In the last twenty-four hours, images of the continued targeting of Christian and other religious communities in Syria by forces and extremists close to the al-Jolani regime have come to light. By way of illustration, on Sunday 6 April, Islamists invaded the Church of St George in the Greek Orthodox town of Budan [sic], doused the seats with petrol and planted explosive devices, which fortunately did not detonate. Other reports state that high-ranking Government officials from the Ministry of Interior – ‘former’ members of extremist organisations and Al-Qaeda – support terrorist attacks, such as the plan circulating online to bomb the Roman Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary in Tartus. It is clear that Alawites, Christians and other communities in Syria are under threat from the regime in Damascus. In these circumstances, the EU must urgently intervene to do what Jolani refuses to do, to protect the lives of all Syrians, regardless of religion.

    Given the above:

    • 1.Why is the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy not intervening decisively with the Government in Damascus, demanding the protection of Christian and other threatened communities?
    • 2.Why is the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy not finally sending a team of observers to document the massacres and incidents of violence?
    • 3.Why is the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy not coordinating a humanitarian aid mission to the threatened coastal areas, with the participation of Member States such as Greece, Cyprus, France and others, as requested by the representatives of the affected and terror-stricken areas?

    Submitted: 7.4.2025

    Last updated: 14 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.K. Man Sentenced for Lying to Immigration Authorities

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A U.K. man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for making false statements in an immigration matter.

    Duncan Hollands, a/k/a Duncan Herd, 58, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Cambridge, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to time served (one day) and two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to removal proceedings as a result of the conviction. In January 2025, Hollands pleaded guilty to one count of false swearing in an immigration matter. In August 2024, Hollands was charged by criminal complaint.

    In May 2021, Hollands applied for lawful permanent residence status (more commonly known as a Green Card) and attended an interview for the application. The application form requires applicants to answer various background questions, such as prior names or aliases and any criminal history, so that immigration authorities can determine whether the applicant is eligible for the sought status. On his application and during his interview in February 2022, Hollands falsely reported that he had never used another name and denied having any history with the criminal justice system. However, Hollands did in fact have a prior name, Duncan Herd, under which he was previously convicted and sentenced to over three years in prison for obtaining property by deception along with other charges. Hollands also had other interactions with the criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom and France.  

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Cambridge and Woburn, Mass. Police Departments; and U.K. law enforcement authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rich Grenyer, Associate Professor in Biogeography and Biodiversity, University of Oxford

    One of the biotech company’s ‘dire wolves’. Colossal

    With wildlife populations globally 73% smaller on average than in 1970 and large mammals missing from much of the world, surely there’s never been a better time to “de-extinct” species? US biotech company Colossal Biosciences Inc claimed to do just that recently by resurrecting the dire wolf from Game of Thrones (a species that also lived in our world, several thousand years ago).

    The potential seems huge. A species in trouble? Get a high-quality genome and you’ve made it a save game point, ready to replay when the environment improves. Didn’t get there in time? Never mind – you can use frozen remains in the permafrost, or shotgun-blasted specimens in a museum collection. And pretty soon, even if you don’t have those, a dose of generative AI and you can probably infer some of that genome anyway. A little genetic engineering and you have a species back from the dead, ready to go.

    What’s the problem? Well, pretty much everything. These aren’t species returned from extinction. They aren’t going to be very useful, and in fact may well not survive at all. Most worrying of all, like the Freys and Boltons hidden in the hall before the Red Wedding, it’s the ethos of de-extinction hidden in these “dire wolf” puppies that will likely do the most damage to biodiversity if it establishes itself.

    Extinction has not been reversed

    The dire wolf was a very large carnivore that lived in the Americas about 10,000 years ago. Anatomically, it resembled a big, muscular, extra-toothy grey wolf: the species alive today that everyone thinks of when they say “wolf”.

    The two pups revealed by Colossal Biosciences are not dire wolves. They are grey wolves, with 14 genes modified to produce an animal that resembles what we think a dire wolf looked like. Actually, only one of the 14 was a gene directly from a dire wolf specimen – the others were gene variants from existing grey wolf populations chosen to give physical features that made the engineered wolves bigger and whiter.

    Over time, gene editing technology could increase the possible number of genes that can be engineered into a host species, and increase the complexity of the traits being inserted. But it’s not species being revived, it’s a few of their characteristics being borrowed by a species from today. It’s like claiming to have brought Napoleon back from the dead by asking a short French man to wear his hat.

    The argument for this kind of genetic engineering revolves around the notion that the new hybrids might be useful for environmental restoration. As a top predator, the dire wolf could in theory bring the same revolutionary changes to ecosystems that reintroducing grey wolves to Yellowstone national park in the US famously caused in the 1990s. In other words, a more complete ecosystem, with wolves checking the voracious appetite of deer such that more complex and biodiverse habitats rebound.

    However, in ecosystems where the dire wolf would reign supreme the grey wolf can very clearly fill the same role (just as it did in Yellowstone) without any of the unnecessary technology – if only people stopped trying to shoot them and exempt them from endangered species legislation.

    There’s also the problem that captive breeding programmes seeking to release endangered species into the wild today regularly butt against: that the new animals have little or no idea what to do or how to live in their new habitat.

    Operation Migration, dramatised in the 1996 film Fly Away Home, saw a dedicated team of pilots teach endangered migratory birds how to traverse North America by having them chase microlight aircraft for thousands of miles. This is just one example of the intensive training necessary, and which is never guaranteed to be successful. It’s obviously more difficult to train apex predators by example – I will not be volunteering for the “intro to pack hunting” session.

    No quick fixes

    The word “de-extinction” is not just itself untrue, but it seeks to diminish the inconvenient truth of the biodiversity crisis: we know what causes extinction, and it’s us.

    Food systems have to destroy less habitat and use much less protein from animals, wild and farmed. Energy systems have to burn less carbon, so that there are fewer deaths among species (including ours) trying to adapt to higher temperatures and the changes they bring. To do both these things, our landscapes have to leave more space for nature and much of what remains must be used more efficiently to provide food, fuel and living space.

    There are definite signs that we can make good on these promises: conservation does work, for humans and for other species.

    But these changes require us to recognise that certain economic and political philosophies are no longer tenable. They require sacrifice by everyone and a willingness by rich people and countries to pay with money, trade policy, intellectual property rights and energy supply, so that many of the poorest people and countries can flourish while avoiding the environmental damage that those rich countries caused over their own histories.

    What motivates people to cope with these changes is a desire for justice, a need to nurture, a drive to make things better and a recognition that while habitats can sometimes be restored, species extinctions are irreversible dead-ends which can only be avoided. That recognition is under threat.

    The Trump administration is trying to defang the US Endangered Species Act. In the UK, a wholesale revision of legislation to prevent biodiversity loss has begun with the targeting of the habitat regulations, in preemptive defence of the government’s need to “build, build, build” in a desperate search for more economic growth. How useful would it be if the risk of extinction could be averted with a simple “don’t worry, we’ll pay to de-extinct it afterwards”?

    There won’t be a dire wolf, and even if there were to be one, we’d have no idea what it was for (and neither would it). We’ll all pay for the mistaken belief that extinction is a solved problem, and that the business-as-usual global economy that has caused the sixth mass extinction is no big deal, because its casualties aren’t actually dead – just temporarily inconvenienced by an extinction that is no longer forever.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. Why ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature – https://theconversation.com/why-de-extinct-dire-wolves-are-a-trojan-horse-to-hide-humanitys-destruction-of-nature-254309

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Coface SA: Disclosure of trading in own shares (excluding the liquidity agreement) made on April 7 to April 11, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COFACE SA: Disclosure of trading in own shares (excluding the liquidity agreement) made on April 7 to April 11, 2025

    Paris, April 14, 2025 – 17.45

    Pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of 16 April 2014 on market abuse1

    The main features of the 2024-2025 Share Buyback Program have been published on the Company’s website (http://www.coface.com/Investors/Disclosure-requirements, under “Own share transactions”) and are also described in the 2024 Universal Registration Document.

    Trading session
    of (Date)    		 Number
    of shares    		 Weighted
    average price    		 Gross amount MIC Code Purpose
    of buyback
    07/04/2025 15,000 15.5785 € 233,677 € XPAR LTIP
    08/04/2025 11,000 16.1885 € 178,074 € XPAR LTIP
    09/04/2025 11,000 15.7422 € 173,164 € XPAR LTIP
    10/04/2025 11,000 16.5766 € 182,342 € XPAR LTIP
    11/04/2025 11,022 16.1732 € 178,261 € XPAR LTIP
    Total 07/04/2025 – 11/04/2025 59,022 16.0198 € 945,519 €   LTIP

    CONTACTS

    ANALYSTS / INVESTORS
    Thomas JACQUET: +33 1 49 02 12 58 – thomas.jacquet@coface.com
    Rina ANDRIAMIADANTSOA: +33 1 49 02 15 85 – rina.andriamiadantsoa@coface.com

    FINANCIAL CALENDAR 2025
    (subject to change)

    Q1-2025 results: 5 May 2025 (after market close)
    Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting: 14 May 2025
    H1-2025 results: 31 July 2025 (after market close)
    9M-2025 results: 3 November 2025 (after market close)

    FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    This press release, as well as COFACE SA’s integral regulatory information, can be found on the Group’s website: http://www.coface.com/Investors

    For regulated information on Alternative Performance Measures (APM), please refer to our Interim Financial Report for H1-2024 and our 2024 Universal Registration Document (see part 3.7 “Key financial performance indicators”).

      Regulated documents posted by COFACE SA have been secured and authenticated with the blockchain technology by Wiztrust.
    You can check the authenticity on the website www.wiztrust.com.
     

    COFACE: FOR TRADE
    As a global leading player in trade credit risk management for more than 75 years, Coface helps companies grow and navigate in an uncertain and volatile environment.
    Whatever their size, location or sector, Coface provides 100,000 clients across some 200 markets. with a full range of solutions: Trade Credit Insurance, Business Information, Debt Collection, Single Risk insurance, Surety Bonds, Factoring.
    Every day, Coface leverages its unique expertise and cutting-edge technology to make trade happen, in both domestic and export markets.
    In 2024, Coface employed ~5,236 people and registered a turnover of €1.84 billion.

    www.coface.com

    COFACE SA is listed in Compartment A of Euronext Paris
    ISIN: FR0010667147 / Ticker: COFA

    1 Also in pursuant to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 (and updates); Article L.225-209 and seq. of the French Commercial Code; Article L.221-3, Article L.241-1 and seq. of the General Regulation of the French Market Authority (AMF); AMF Recommendation DOC-2017-04 Guide for issuers on their own shares transactions and for stabilization measures.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why the meteorites that hit Earth have less water than the asteroid bits brought back by space probes – a planetary scientist explains new research

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Patrick M. Shober, Postdoctoral Fellow in Planetary Sciences, NASA

    This image overlays over 100 fireball images recorded between 2016 and 2020. The streaks are fireballs; the dots are star positions at different times. Desert Fireball Network

    Much of what scientists know about the early solar system comes from meteorites – ancient rocks that travel through space and survive a fiery plunge through Earth’s atmosphere. Among meteorites, one type – called carbonaceous chondrites – stands out as the most primitive and provides a unique glimpse into the solar system’s infancy.

    The carbonaceous chondrites are rich in water, carbon and organic compounds. They’re “hydrated,” which means they contain water bound within minerals in the rock. The components of the water are locked into crystal structures. Many researchers believe these ancient rocks played a crucial role in delivering water to early Earth.

    Before hitting the Earth, rocks traveling through space are generally referred to as asteroids, meteoroids or comets, depending on their size and composition. If a piece of one of these objects makes it all the way to Earth, it becomes a “meteorite.”

    From observing asteroids with telescopes, scientists know that most asteroids have water-rich, carbonaceous compositions. Models predict that most meteorites – over half – should also be carbonaceous. But less than 4% of all the meteorites found on Earth are carbonaceous. So why is there such a mismatch?

    In a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy on April 14, 2025, my planetary scientist colleagues and I tried to answer an age-old question: Where are all the carbonaceous chondrites?

    Sample-return missions

    Scientists’ desire to study these ancient rocks has driven recent sample-return space missions. NASA’s OSIRIS‑REx and JAXA’s Hayabusa2 missions have transformed what researchers know about primitive, carbon‑rich asteroids.

    Meteorites found sitting on the ground are exposed to rain, snow and plants, which can significantly change them and make analysis more difficult. So, the OSIRIS‑REx mission ventured to the asteroid Bennu to retrieve an unaltered sample. Retrieving this sample allowed scientists to examine the asteroid’s composition in detail.

    Similarly, Hayabusa2’s journey to the asteroid Ryugu provided pristine samples of another, similarly water-rich asteroid.

    Together these missions have let planetary scientists like me study pristine, fragile carbonaceous material from asteroids. These asteroids are a direct window into the building blocks of our solar system and the origins of life.

    The carbonaceous chondrite puzzle

    For a long time, scientists assumed that the Earth’s atmosphere filtered out carbonaceous debris.

    When an object hits Earth’s atmosphere, it has to survive significant pressures and high temperatures. Carbonaceous chondrites tend to be weaker and more crumbly than other meteorites, so these objects just don’t stand as much of a chance.

    Meteorites usually start their journey when two asteroids collide. These collisions create a bunch of centimeter- to meter-size rock fragments. These cosmic crumbs streak through the solar system and can, eventually, fall to Earth. When they’re smaller than a meter, scientists call them meteoroids.

    Meteoroids are far too small for researchers to see with a telescope, unless they’re about to hit the Earth, and astronomers get lucky.

    But there is another way scientists can study this population, and, in turn, understand why meteorites have such different compositions.

    Meteor and fireball observation networks

    Our research team used the Earth’s atmosphere as our detector.

    Most of the meteoroids that reach Earth are tiny, sand-sized particles, but occasionally, bodies up to a couple of meters in diameter hit. Researchers estimate that about 5,000 metric tons of micrometeorites land on Earth annually. And, each year, between 4,000 and 10,000 large meteorites – golf ball-sized or larger – land on Earth. That’s more than 20 each day.

    A fireball observed by the FRIPON network in Normandy, France, in 2019.

    Today, digital cameras have rendered round-the-clock observations of the night sky both practical and affordable. Low-cost, high-sensitivity sensors and automated detection software allow researchers to monitor large sections of the night sky for bright flashes, which signal a meteoroid hitting the atmosphere.

    Research teams can sift through these real-time observations using automated analysis techniques – or a very dedicated Ph.D. student – to find invaluable information.

    Our team manages two global systems: FRIPON, a French-led network with stations in 15 countries; and the Global Fireball Observatory, a collaboration started by the team behind the Desert Fireball Network in Australia. Together with other open-access datasets, my colleagues and I used the trajectories of nearly 8,000 impacts observed by 19 observation networks spread across 39 countries.

    By comparing all meteoroid impacts recorded in Earth’s atmosphere with those that successfully reach the surface as meteorites, we can pinpoint which asteroids produce fragments that are strong enough to survive the journey. Or, conversely, we can also pinpoint which asteroids produce weak material that do not show up as often on Earth as meteorites.

    The Sun is baking the rocks too much

    Surprisingly, we found that many asteroid pieces don’t even make it to Earth. Something starts removing the weak stuff while the fragment is still in space. The carbonaceous material, which isn’t very durable, likely gets broken down through heat stress when its orbit takes it close to the Sun.

    As carbonaceous chondrites orbit close, and then away from the Sun, the temperature swings form cracks in their material. This process effectively fragments and removes weak, hydrated boulders from the population of objects near the Earth. Anything left over after this thermal cracking then has to survive the atmosphere.

    Only 30%-50% of the remaining objects survive the atmospheric passage and become meteorites. The debris pieces whose orbits bring them closer to the Sun tend to be significantly more durable, making them far more likely to survive the difficult passage through Earth’s atmosphere. We call this a survival bias.

    For decades, scientists have presumed that Earth’s atmosphere alone explains the scarcity of carbonaceous meteorites, but our work indicates that much of the removal occurs beforehand in space.

    Going forward, new scientific advances can help confirm these findings and better identify meteoroid compositions. Scientists need to get better at using telescopes to detect objects right before they hit the Earth. More detailed modeling of how these objects break up in the atmosphere can also help researchers study them.

    Lastly, future studies can come up with better methods to identify what these fireballs are made of using the colors of the meteors.

    Patrick M. Shober received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 945298. Patrick M. Shober currently receives funding from the NASA Postdoctoral Program.

    – ref. Why the meteorites that hit Earth have less water than the asteroid bits brought back by space probes – a planetary scientist explains new research – https://theconversation.com/why-the-meteorites-that-hit-earth-have-less-water-than-the-asteroid-bits-brought-back-by-space-probes-a-planetary-scientist-explains-new-research-252456

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: International Summit on the Future of Energy Security Partners

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    International Summit on the Future of Energy Security Partners

    Government welcomes Official Partners of International Summit on the Future of Energy Security.

    • The Official Partners sponsoring the International Energy Agency and UK Government’s energy security summit are Iberdrola/ScottishPower, National Grid, SSE and Urenco 

    • Ministers and industry leaders from around the world will gather in London in April to discuss the future of energy security 

    • Summit will be hosted by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and International Energy Agency Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol

    The government has today (Monday 14 April) announced the four Official Partners sponsoring the upcoming summit marking a new era for energy security.  

    Energy ministers and key energy sector decision makers from around the world will convene at the UK Government and International Energy Agency’s Summit on the Future of Energy Security, co-hosted by the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and IEA Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol, at Lancaster House, London, on 24-25 April.   

     Sponsorship from Iberdrola/ScottishPower, National Grid, SSE and Urenco will help deliver the summit at a lower cost to UK taxpayers and demonstrates their ongoing commitment to delivering clean energy and energy security in the UK and around the world.   

    In recent years, energy security has risen up the global agenda as countries act to respond to today’s challenges and protect themselves from future energy shocks. The summit is an opportunity to cooperate on rising to the challenges the world faces on energy security and seizing the opportunities to act. It comes as the UK sets a global example by accelerating to a new era of clean electricity by 2030.  

    The Official Partners  

    Iberdrola/ScottishPower   

    Iberdrola is the largest utility in Europe, with a market capitalization of £85 billion, and serves 100 million people worldwide thanks to a diversified portfolio of businesses across the electricity value chain in the UK, the US, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil and Australia. In the UK, Iberdrola is investing £24 billion up to 2028 through ScottishPower, mainly in transmission and distribution networks and offshore wind. Overall, the Group is dedicating around 70% of its investments to power networks to accelerate electrification as a way to increase energy security and competitiveness, create new industries and jobs, and improve sustainability. Around two thirds of Iberdrola’s global investments are allocated to the UK and to the US   

    Iberdrola Executive Chairman Ignacio Galán said:  

    Energy security is the first step towards overall security. Digitalization, big data, AI and the industries of the future rely on a secure power supply, driving demand growth not seen for decades, and network infrastructures are the backbone of a resilient power system.  Driven by the UK Government’s clear and stable energy policies, Iberdrola is investing £24 billion to 2028 in the UK in transmission, distribution and offshore wind to guarantee energy security, growth and competitiveness. We welcome the IEA and UK Government bringing together key policy makers and energy companies to analyse how best to enhance energy security globally.

    National Grid  

    National Grid is investing £60 billion in energy networks over the next five years in the UK and the northeastern United States. This represents nearly double the investment of the previous five years. Its commitment will unlock significant economic growth, create thousands of new jobs, reduce energy bills in the long term, increase energy security, and support an increasingly decarbonised, electrified economy.  

    National Grid Chief Executive Officer John Pettigrew said:   

    National Grid is investing £60 billion in energy networks to 2029, boosting energy security, driving economic growth, and supporting 60,000 more jobs across the UK and US. Innovation and investment will be essential to unlocking the benefits of the energy transformation for customers and communities; it is essential that events like this exist to enable the sector to collaborate and drive progress forwards.

    SSE  

    SSE is a UK-listed and headquartered company investing £20 billion over five years to 2027 in renewable energy, electricity networks, and flexible power generation. Harnessing some of Europe’s best renewable resources with projects like Dogger Bank – the world’s largest offshore wind farm – SSE generates homegrown clean energy, protecting billpayers from overdependence on imported fossil fuels. It also builds and operate vital transmission and distribution grids to connect and transport more secure power to homes and businesses. At the same time, through its fleet of flexible generation and storage assets across hydro, batteries and efficient gas-fired power stations, it provides the balance required to ensure an increasingly renewable energy system is not only cleaner but more secure.  

    SSE Chief Executive Officer Alistair Phillips-Davies said:   

    It has never been clearer that energy security equates to national security – and achieving it requires countries to focus both on developing their own homegrown energy sources and on international cooperation to ensure increased flexibility and resilience. This principle is at the heart of the UK Government’s Clean Power Mission, and we are proud to be playing our part in delivering mission-critical investments across renewables, networks, and system flexibility. But there is more we can and must do, and we are therefore thrilled to be partnering with the UK Government and the IEA to advance this crucial agenda.

    Urenco  

    Urenco is a global uranium enrichment company, fuelling nuclear power plants to ensure a secure, reliable, and low carbon supply of energy. With four facilities in different countries within the Western world, it is providing customers with choice of where to receive their supply from and are rapidly ramping up capacity to meet increased demand.  

    Urenco Chief Executive Officer Boris Schucht said:  

    There are now well-established drivers for an enhanced role of nuclear power: the need to meet climate change goals; and the need for countries to have a secure and independent energy supply. As a long-standing and integral part of the global nuclear industry, Urenco sees it as our responsibility to make a valuable contribution to meeting world-wide energy needs, complementing other low carbon sources through a 24/7 supply which is cost effective over the lifetime of a reactor. We will continue to collaborate with partners across the energy sector and beyond to help ensure the reliable, clean energy system our world needs are achieved.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: G20 Development Working Group meeting to get underway

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The South African Presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) is this week convening the second Development Working Group (DWG) meeting in the Western Cape.

    “The G20 DWG plays a pivotal role in shaping global development priorities, focusing on reducing inequalities, promoting sustainable growth, and strengthening international partnerships,” the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation said.

    Starting on Monday, 14 April and ending on Wednesday, 16 April, the meeting will serve as a platform for in-depth discussions on key development challenges and cooperative solutions.

    The G20 is an international forum of both developing and developed countries, which seeks to find solutions to global economic and financial issues. 

    South Africa’s G20 Presidency commenced on 1 December 2024 and will run until 30 November 2025. 

    The gathering will bring together representatives from G20 member states, invited countries, and international organisations to deliberate on policies that foster inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. 

    In alignment with the theme of Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability, the discussions will focus on three high-level priorities:
    •    High-Level Principles on Global Public Goods and Global Public Investment.
    •    Mobilising Finance for Development and Means of Implementation.
    •    Building Resilience through Universal Social Protection Floors.

    The G20 members represent around 85% of the global Gross Domestic Product, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

    It comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and United States) and two regional bodies, namely the European Union (EU) and African Union (AU).

    The three-day meeting is taking place at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset. –SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to France: Sir Thomas Drew KCMG

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to France: Sir Thomas Drew KCMG

    Sir Thomas Drew KCMG has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the French Republic.

    Sir Thomas Drew KCMG has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the French Republic in succession to Dame Menna Rawlings DCMG CVO.  Sir Tom will take up his appointment in August 2025.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Thomas Drew 

    Year Role
    2020 to 2024 FCDO, Director General, Defence and Intelligence
    2020 to 2024  Trustee, British Council
    2016 to 2019 Islamabad, British High Commissioner
    2015  McKinsey and Company, Visiting Fellow (on secondment)
    2012 to 2014 FCO, Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
    2010 to 2012  FCO, Director, National Security
    2008 to 2010 Home Office, Director, Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism
    2006 to 2008  Islamabad, Political Counsellor
    2004 to 2006  FCO, Europe Directorate, Head of Enlargement and South-East Europe Group
    2002 to 2004  FCO, Europe Directorate, Head of Intergovernmental Conference Unit
    1998 to 2002  Moscow, Second/First Secretary
    1997 to 1998  Full time Russian language training
    1995 Joined FCO
    1993 to 1995 McKinsey and Company

    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 14 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Remegen eyes competitive DMT market as telitacicept shows promise in gMG, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Remegen eyes competitive DMT market as telitacicept shows promise in gMG, says GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    At the recently held 2025 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) meeting, Remegen presented positive Phase III results for telitacicept in patients with AChR+ or MuSK+ generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The B cell-targeting therapy demonstrated a favorable efficacy and safety profile over 24 weeks, showing clinically meaningful improvement. These findings position telitacicept as a potential challenger to the existing disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Telitacicept, given once weekly, demonstrated significant improvements‌ in myasthenia gravis activities of daily living (MG-ADL) and quantitative myasthenia gravis (QMG) scores after just four weeks of treatment compared to placebo. The improvements were sustained through to week 24 of the trial. These data demonstrated that patients treated with telitacicept‌ achieved ‌clinically meaningful reductions in disease severity.

    Telitacicept was also shown to be well-tolerated, with an overall adverse event (AE) incidence like that of the placebo group and an incidence of infection-related AEs that was lower than that of the placebo group.

    Jos Opdenakker, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Displaying improvements in disease control, as measured by MG-ADL and QMG scores across a broad population that is seropositive for AChR or MuSK autoantibodies, is essential as most marketed therapies are indicated for AChR+ patients with gMG. As a DMT, telitacicept will be entering a highly competitive space in the market.”

    According to GlobalData’s Drugs database, there are six DMTs currently marketed across the seven major pharmaceutical markets (7MM: The US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan) for AChR+ patients. These include complement inhibitors and neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) inhibitors, both of which are treatment pathways that are well-established in the MG treatment paradigm.

    Opdenakker continues: “The late-stage pipeline (Phase IIb–III) is also crowded, with five other late-stage pipeline agents targeting both AChR+ and MuSK+ patients. Furthermore, there are also highly effective treatments for MuSK+ patients that are currently used off-label. Remegen will have to make an astute decision as to where it positions telitacicept in the MG treatment landscape.”

    The key opinion leaders (KOLs) previously interviewed by GlobalData have noted that rituximab is a first-line treatment for patients who are MuSK+ and can induce complete remission in MG patients. If Remegen wants to position telitacicept as a first-line DMT for MuSK+ MG patients, it will be competing against the well-established rituximab, which is also available as a cheap biosimilar.

    Opdenakker concludes: “With clinically meaningful improvements in MG-ADL and QMG scores, telitacicept offers hope for both AChR+ and MuSK+ patients. However, Remegen faces challenges as it enters a highly competitive market with established DMTs and several late-stage pipeline agents. Conducting head-to-head trials against these treatments can help telitacicept differentiate itself further. Telitacicept has the potential to become a valuable addition to the gMG treatment paradigm, offering new possibilities for disease management. Its success, however, depends on Remegen successfully navigating the complexities of market competition.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: OX40 inhibitors may transform atopic dermatitis landscape, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    OX40 inhibitors may transform atopic dermatitis landscape, says GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    The atopic dermatitis (AD) treatment landscape is witnessing intensified competition with several novel therapies nearing market entry. While biologics like dupilumab have already transformed care, emerging drug classes such as OX40 inhibitors are showing promise in clinical trials. Their potential for long-lasting efficacy and favorable safety profiles may significantly advance treatment options for moderate-to-severe AD patients, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s report, “Atopic Dermatitis (AD) Epidemiology Analysis and Forecast to 2033,” reveals that the diagnosed prevalent cases of AD will register an annual growth rate of less than 1% during 2023-2033 across the seven major markets (7MM: The US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan).

    Following the introduction of Sanofi/Regeneron’s Dupixent (dupilumab), biologics have had a dramatic impact on the AD space, offering targeted treatments with minimal side effects to patients with AD, who have previously exhibited inadequate responses to topical or immunomodulatory treatments.

    Although oral treatments such as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors have entered the market and are paving the way for other oral therapies, they have demonstrated a strong side-effect profile that may not allow them to have a similar impact to Dupixent. A new drug class that is currently being investigated is OX40 inhibitors, which target OX40 receptors and ligands, providing an anti-inflammatory effect.

    Filippos Maniatis, Healthcare Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “OX40 inhibitors may be promising as AD treatments, as the key opinion leaders interviewed by GlobalData have shared their excitement about the effects that these drugs may bring to patients with AD. At the moment, Amgen/Kyowa Kirin’s rocatinlimab is at the forefront of OX40 inhibitors for AD, followed by Astria Therapeutics’ telazorlimab, and Sanofi’s amlitelimab, the readouts of which are highly anticipated by the community.”

    Rocatinlimab has previously demonstrated significant improvement in disease severity, with a durable long-lasting effect, as seen in the Phase IIb, results. In addition, the recent topline results of one of the six Phase III clinical trials that have further reinforced rocatinlimab’s position, showing that 42.3% of patients who received a high dose met the improvement criteria of ≥75% improvement from baseline based on the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75), brings rocatinlimab closer to a potential approval for AD.

    Maniatis adds: “Rocatinlimab is currently ahead of the other OX40s being investigated in AD, showing very promising results. Nevertheless, as Sanofi’s OX40 inhibitor amlitelimab is also in Phase III with a primary completion date in October 2025, it will be interesting to see what the outcomes reported for amlitelimab will be and how they compare to rocatinlimab’s studies.”

    Telazorlimab, which is another OX40 inhibitor in the pipeline within AD developed by Astria Therapeutics, is currently behind on development, as its Phase IIb trial has been completed and the results have demonstrated a well-tolerated and clinically significant profile. Nevertheless, the excitement around this new drug remains, with the experts in the field awaiting further results to understand their potential positioning in the AD market.

    Maniatis concludes: “OX40 inhibitors offer a new mechanism of action to a crowded market, with the potential of resulting in a shift in clinical practice. The potential long-lasting effects of these pipeline agents, as seen with rocatinlimab, and their good clinical profiles may offer a significant advancement in AD management, addressing current unmet needs and increasing the anticipation for these potential therapies in the AD market.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What We Talk About When We Talk About AI

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Depending on who is asked, artificial intelligence (AI) may be revered, feared, or just plain weird. To some, AI represents the dawn of a new golden age of technology and humanity. And others would argue that so-called AI is not really that “intelligent” at all. 

    In order to have these disagreements productively, argues UConn Humanities Institute Director Anna Mae Duane, we first have to clear something up: are we even talking about the same thing? 

    “There’s an issue of disciplinary language — when we’re talking about AI, even when we’re using the same words in the same language, we don’t mean the same thing at all,” says Duane. “What a philosopher means by ‘intelligence’ and what a computer programmer means by ‘intelligence,’ or ‘learning’ or ‘training’ or ‘language,’ are all very different things.” 

    Duane has had a career-long penchant for collaborating with other scholars, across disciplines and continents. Under her leadership, the UCHI’s latest venture is “Reading Between the Lines: An Interdisciplinary Glossary for Human-Centered AI,” a partnership with the International University at Rabat (UIR) in Morocco. 

    This partnership is supported by a $25,000 grant from the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes (CHCI).  

    It will include a series of podcasts with interdisciplinary experts weighing in on these critical AI conversations, culminating in a cross-campus, in-person symposium in fall 2025.  

    ‘L’ is for Large Language Model

    What we refer to as “AI” is usually a large language model, which works just how it sounds – by absorbing vast amounts of linguistic data and learning to synthesize outputs based on this data. Examples of LLMs include ChatGPT and the built-in AI features on many apps. 

    But exactly what language are these models being trained on? Predominantly English, notes Duane.  

    This can result in issues when AI is used for non-English contexts. For example, Duane recalls a colleague at UIR who is developing an application to help seniors in need of arthritis care. 

    “What became clear was that just because the AI she was using was trained on English, there were all sorts of mistranslations and misunderstandings,” Duane says. 

    In addition to mistranslations on a literal level, AI can also introduce cultural errors. Culturally informed care is critical to increasing access to healthcare for everyone; an LLM that is trained on mainstream American ideologies will be less useful in every other cultural context. 

    This is just one unforeseen consequence of modeling LLMs on a diet of data dominated by one small corner of the world. Others are likely to emerge as AI is integrated into more industries and technologies.  

    But by establishing a strong scholarly basis for understanding these consequences, Duane thinks we can also help mitigate them. 

    “We’re not helpless in how this turns out, including how we speak about it now,” she says. “We don’t have to do this sort of passive, ‘Well, it’s off and running…’ thing.” 

    Collaborating with an international university, where the primary languages spoken are French and Arabic, is an important step in building this understanding. 

    “This project is a bold step toward reimagining AI in ways that respect and reflect linguistic and cultural diversity,” says Dr. Ihsane Hmamouchi, Vice-Dean at the International Faculty of Medicine at UIR. “What excites me most is our commitment to embedding patient stories and social realities into AI models. By doing so, we’re not only challenging the structural biases of conventional systems but also paving the way for more equitable, human-centered digital healthcare solutions. It’s about developing technology that listens as much as it computes.” 

    Taking the Conversation Global

    “One reason this became possible is because we’ve been putting together an interdisciplinary AI working group here, building that conversation,” says Duane. “We have computer scientists and philosophers and historians and journalists, and we meet once a month via the Institute.” 

    This working group was first supported by a UConn CLAS Multidisciplinary Research Grant. With the interdisciplinary groundwork already laid, the research team was able to then expand the conversation, growing what had previously been an “informal collaboration” with AI scholars at UIR. 

    It’s a testament to the creative and scholarly potential that is unlocked when academics can freely share and build on one another’s expertise. 

    “Here at UConn, we have this great synergy between people in several disciplines, and the capacity to really learn from each other’s work, in ways that produce better research and better conversations than staying in our silos,” Duane says. “We can’t [stay in our silos], on something like AI. It’s going to change everything about how we work and live.” 

    In addition to Duane and Hmamouchi, the project’s collaborators include Clarissa J. Ceglio, UCHI Associate Director of Collaborative Research and Associate Professor of Digital Humanities; Nasya Al-Saidy, UCHI Managing Director; Dan Weiner, Vice Provost of UConn Global Affairs; and Allison Cassaly, Global Initiatives Coordinator, UConn Global Affairs. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: François Villeroy de Galhau: A European approach to simplification – avoiding three misconceptions, and suggesting concrete milestones

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Ladies and Gentlemen, 

    I am pleased to attend this Eurofi Summit here in Warsaw – the birthplace of Marie Skłodowska-Curie, renowned French-Polish scientist and two-time Nobel laureate. A great European as well, currently among the shortlisted personalities to appear on future euro banknotes. Let me start with one strong belief on Europe, which is our common safe haven. In this newly chaotic world, we have an absolute duty and a unique opportunity to enhance our economic power, which means accelerating on at least two positive solutions: (i) to build a digital euro to anchor our monetary sovereignty, in partnership with commercia banks, (ii) to have now a comprehensive legislative package put forward by the Commission to integrate more the Single market and the Savings and Investments Union, following the Draghi and Letta Reports. On both fronts, waiting in tetany or stupefaction would be lethal, and speed is of the essence: let us act faster and further.

    Coming back to science, financial stability and banking regulation must likewise be built on rigour – but also on clarity. In times of heightened uncertainty, we must not lose sight of the fundamental “why” that underpins our regulatory architecture. 

    I will first elaborate on three misconceptions and one rightful takeaway for simplification (I), before suggesting a few concrete milestones to go down the road (II).

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Leaked ‘working paper’ on New Caledonia’s political future sparks new concerns

    By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk

    A leaked “working paper” on New Caledonia’s future political status is causing concern on the local stage and has prompted a “clarification” from the French government’s Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls.

    Details of the document, which was supposed to remain confidential, have been widely circulated online over the past few days.

    Valls said earlier the confidentiality of the document was supposed to ensure expected results of ongoing talks would not be jeopardised.

    However, following the leak, Valls said in a release on Friday that, for the time being, it was nothing more than a “working paper”.

    The document results from earlier rounds of talks when Valls was in Nouméa during his previous trips in February and March 2025.

    Valls is due to return to New Caledonia on April 29 for another round of talks and possibly “negotiations” and more political talks are ongoing behind closed doors.

    French Minister of Overseas Manuel Valls (front left) greets the New Caledonian territorial President Alcide Ponga (right) as Senator Georges Naturel looks on during his arrival for a military honours ceremony in Nouméa in February. Image: AFP/RNZ Pacific

    He has denied that it can be regarded as a “unilateral proposal” from Paris.

    The latest roundtable session was on Friday, April 11, held remotely via a video conference between Valls in Paris and all political stakeholders (both pro-France and pro-independence parties) in Nouméa.

    All tendencies across the political spectrum have reaffirmed their strong and sometimes “non-negotiable” respective stances.

    Parties opposed to independence, who regard New Caledonia as being part of France, have consistently maintained that the results of the latest three referendums on self-determination — held in 2018, 2020 and 2021 — should be respected. They reject the notion of independence.

    The last referendum in December 2021 was, however, largely boycotted by the pro-independence movement and indigenous Kanak voters.

    On the pro-independence side, the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS, dominated by the Union Calédonienne) is announcing a “convention” on April 26 — just three days before Valls’s return — to decide on whether it should now fully engage in negotiations proper.

    In a news conference last week, the FLNKS was critical of the French-suggested approach, saying it would only commit if they “see the benefits” and that the document was “patronising”.

    Two other pro-independence parties — the PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party) and the UPM (Union Progressiste en Mélanésie) — have distanced themselves from the FLNKS, which they see as too radical under Union Calédonienne’s influence and dominance) and hold a more moderate view.

    PALIKA held a general meeting late last week to reaffirm that, while they too were regarding the path to sovereignty as their paramount goal, they were already committed to participating in future “negotiations” since “all topics have been taken into account” (in the working document).

    They are favour an “independence association” pathway.

    Carefully chosen words
     In his release on Friday, Valls said the main pillars of future negotiations were articulated around the themes of:

    • “democracy and the rule of law”, a “decolonisation process”, the right to self-determination, a future “fundamental law” that would seal New Caledonia’s future status (and would then, if locally approved, be ratified by French Parliament and later included in the French Constitution);
    • the powers of New Caledonia’s three provinces (including on tax and revenue collection matters); and
    • a future New Caledonia citizenship (and its conditions of eligibility) with the associated definition of who meets the requirements to vote at local elections.

    Citizenship
     On acquiring New Caledonia citizenship, a consensus seems to emerge on the minimum time of residence: it would be “10 to 15” years with other criteria such as an “exam” to ascertain the candidate’s knowledge and respect of cultural “values and specificities”.

    Every person born in New Caledonia, children and spouses of qualified citizens, would also automatically qualify for New Caledonia’s citizenship.

    Power-sharing
     On power-sharing, the draft also touches on the “sovereign” powers (international relations, defence, law and order, justice, currency) which would remain within the French realm, but in a stronger association for New Caledonia.

    All other powers, regarded as “non-sovereign”, would remain under direct control of New Caledonia as they have already been transferred, gradually, to New Caledonia, over the past 27 years, under the Nouméa Accord.

    New Caledonia would also be consulted on all negotiations related to the Pacific islands region and would get representation at European Union level.

    Local diplomats would also be trained under France’s Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

    Under the Nouméa Accord, the training process was already initiated more than 10 years ago with New Caledonian representatives appointed and hosted at French embassies in the region — Fiji, New Zealand, Australia.

    A local “strategic committee” would also be set up on defence matters.

    However, despite long-time FLNKS demands, this would not allow for a seat at the United Nations.

    In terms of currency, the present French Pacific Francs (CFP, XPF) would be abolished for a new currency that would remain pegged to the Euro, provided France’s other two Pacific territories (French Polynesia, Wallis-and-Futuna — which are also using the CFP) agree.

    Reinforced provincial powers
     A new proposal, in terms of reinforced provincial powers, would be to grant each of New Caledonia’s three provinces (North, South and Loyalty Islands) the capacity — currently held by New Caledonia’s government — to generate and collect its own taxes.

    Each province would then re-distribute their collected tax revenues to the central government and municipalities.

    This is also reported to be a sensitive point during the talks, since about 80 percent of New Caledonia’s wealth is located in the Southern Province, which also generates more than 90 percent of all of New Caledonia’s tax revenues.

    This is perceived as a concession to pro-France parties, which are calling for an “internal federation” model for New Caledonia, a prospect strongly opposed by pro-independence parties who are denouncing what they liken to some kind of “partition” for the French Pacific dependency.

    In the currently discussed project, the representation at the Congress (Parliament) of New Caledonia would be revised among the three provinces to better reflect their respective weight according to demographic changes.

    The representation would be re-assessed and possibly modified after each population census.

    Under the proposed text, New Caledonia’s government would remain based on the notion of “collegiality”.

    Future referendum — no more just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to independence
     The current working paper, on the right to self-determination, suggests that any future referendum on self-determination no longer has a specified deadline, but should take place after a “stabilisation and reconstruction” phase.

    It would no longer ask the binary question of “yes” or “no” to independence and full sovereignty, but rather seek the approval of a “comprehensive project”.

    To activate a referendum, the approval of at least three fifths of New Caledonia’s 54-seat Congress would be needed.

    The Congress’s current makeup, almost equally split in two between pro-France and pro-independence parties, this 3/5th threshold could only be found if there is a consensual vote beyond party lines.

    Some of the FLNKS’s earlier demands, like having its president Christian Téin (elected in absentia in August 2024 ) part of the talks, now seem to have been dropped.

    Téin was arrested in June 2024 for alleged involvement in the May 2024 insurrectional riots that caused 14 dead (including two French gendarmes), hundreds of injured, thousands of jobless and the destruction of several hundred businesses for a total estimated damage of 2.2 billion euros (NZ$4.3 billion).

    Four days after his arrest, Téin was transferred from New Caledonia to mainland France.

    Although he is still remanded in custody pending his trial (for alleged involvement in organised criminal-related acts), his case was recently transferred from the jurisdiction of judges in Nouméa to mainland France magistrates.

    Union Calédonienne president and pro-independence front man Emmanuel Tjibaou told public broadcaster NC la 1ère yesterday he was in regular contact with Téin from his jail in Mulhouse (northeastern France).

    Another recent development that could also be perceived as a concession to the FLNKS is that last week, France announced the replacement of French High commissioner Louis Le Franc, France’s representative and man in charge in Nouméa during last year’s riots.

    ‘We are facing a decisive moment’, says Valls
     Valls said he remained hopeful that despite “all positions remaining at present still far from each other . . . evolutions are still possible”.

    “I reaffirm the (French) State’s full commitment to pursue this approach, in the spirit of the Matignon and Nouméa Accords (signed respectively in 1988 and 1998) to build together a united, appeased and prosperous New Caledonia,” Valls concluded.

    “We are facing a decisive moment for the future of New Caledonia, which is confronted with a particularly grave economic and social situation. Civil peace remains fragile.”

    The much sought-after agreement, which has been at the centre of political talks since they resumed in early 2025 after a three-year hiatus, is supposed to replace the Nouméa Accord from 1998.

    The 1998 pact, which outlines the notion of gradual transfer of sovereign powers from France to new Caledonia, but also the notion of “common destiny”, stipulates that after three referendums on self-determination resulting in a majority of “no”, then the political partners are to meet and “discuss the situation thus created”.

    Determination, anxiety and hope
     On all sides of the political landscape, ahead of any outcome for the crucial talks, the current atmosphere is a mix of determination, anxiety and hope, with a touch of disillusionment.

    The pro-independence movement’s Emmanuel Tjibaou has to manage a sometimes radical base.

    He told NC la 1ère that the main objective remained “the path to sovereignty”.

    Within the pro-France camp, there is also defiance towards Vall’s approach and expected results.

    Among their ranks, one lingering angst, founded or not, is to see an agreement being concluded that would not respond to their expectations of New Caledonia remaining part of France.

    This worst-case scenario, in their view, would bring back sad memories of Algeria’s pre-independence process decades ago.

    On 4 June 1958, in the midst of its war against Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN), French President General De Gaulle, while on a visit to Algiers, shouted a resounding “Je vous ai compris!” (“I have understood you”) to a crowd of cheering pro-France and French Algerians who were convinced at the time that their voice had been heard in favour of French Algeria.

    On 19 March 1962, after years of a bloody war, the Evian Accords were signed, paving the way for Algeria’s independence on July 3.

    “I had to take precautions, I had to proceed progressively and this is how we made it”, De Gaulle explained to the French daily Le Monde in 1966.

    In the meantime, in an atmosphere of fear and violence, an estimated 700,000 French citizens from Algeria were “repatriated” by boat to mainland France.

    As an alternative posed to French nationals at the time, FLN’s slogan was “la valise ou le cercueil” (“the suitcase or the coffin”).

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Public protesters are our socially connected friends and neighbours, not angry loners

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Shelley Boulianne, Professor in Communication Studies, Mount Royal University

    For some people, protests don’t seem like rational and responsible forms of political participation in a democratic system. According to the latest World Values Survey (2017-2022), 28.6 per cent of Canadians and 27.7 per cent of Americans said they’d would never, under any circumstances, attend a peaceful demonstration.

    Yet citizens often lack opportunities to influence government decisions outside of voting during elections, leaving them feeling powerless about the direction of their elected government.

    From this perspective, it’s easy to understand why millions may attend protests against Donald Trump’s tariffs, his annexation threats and other policy decisions.

    Some argue that citizens should email, call or write letters to political leaders, but these individualistic activities are easily ignored because they occur behind closed doors. The visibility of protests, combined with a large turnout, helps raise awareness of issues among other citizens and political leaders.

    Protests serve a critical function in a democratic system — they offer a collective and visible method for citizens to express their political views. These events can attract millions of people — many more than the number of respondents to public opinion polls or attendees at government public consultation events.

    Perceptions of effectiveness

    When deciding whether to participate in a march or demonstration, anger, grievances and discontent are important, but these sentiments alone are insufficient to motivate people to act.

    Instead, citizens must interpret their experiences as unjust or unfair to feel compelled to participate in a protest. Likewise, people must believe that the protest will be effective in influencing political leaders.

    In 2019, I conducted an online survey in four countries — the U.S., Canada, the U.K and France — asking respondents to rate the effectiveness of street marches and demonstrations in influencing political leaders.

    Across the four countries, the averages were similar, based on the five-point scale ranging from “not at all” to “a great deal.” And those who believed that protests were effective were far more likely to report having participated in a march or demonstration in the past 12 months compared to those who did not view protests as effective.

    Who protests and why?

    The decision to take part in a protest involves weighing a variety of factors that may encourage or discourage participation, as well as views about the effectiveness of public protests.

    People will often join if they’re asked to, and whether they’re asked to depends on their ties to others who are also interested in attending, or if they’re a member of an organization that encourages its members to attend.

    This social network effect is as important, if not more important, than simply being angry or frustrated.

    People who identify as left-wing are more likely to participate in marches and demonstrations. Historically, this has been true in the United States, but in contemporary research, individuals on both the right and the left sides of the political continuum participate in protest.

    Furthermore, these ideological differences vary by country and time period. Whether a protest attracts those from the right versus the left depends on the issue. Liberals tend to protest against racism, for example, while conservatives protested COVID-19 restrictions.

    Paying attention

    Rather than focusing on left vs. right, research should pay attention to political interest. Are people paying attention to current events or what’s going on in government? Political interest precedes the development of ideological views.

    Furthermore, people can only form their views about the effectiveness of protest once they start paying attention to politics.

    The recent global Hands Off protests attracted citizens who are dissatisfied with Trump’s newly imposed tariffs and other recent government decisions, such as firing thousands of federal civil servants, dismantling of the Department of Education, changes to immigration enforcement and Social Security administration and the termination of health and science funding, especially those with a diversity, equity and inclusion focus.

    These demonstrations were part of a cycle of protests, similar to those observed in 2017 after Trump’s first election.

    To truly understand who participates and who does not in public protests, we need to consider social connections, views about the effectiveness of protest and people’s interest in politics.

    Shelley Boulianne received funding for the administration of the survey from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Public protesters are our socially connected friends and neighbours, not angry loners – https://theconversation.com/public-protesters-are-our-socially-connected-friends-and-neighbours-not-angry-loners-254044

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five lessons from Perugia’s global gathering of journalists, climate changemakers and media leaders

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anna Turns, Senior Environment Editor

    Perugia, Italy. Anna Turns, CC BY-NC-ND

    Last week, I travelled to the historic city of Perugia in Umbria, Italy. With clear blue skies, wisteria hanging over ancient Roman walls, plenty of gelato and beautiful vistas from the hilltop, the setting was pretty special. More inspiring though, were the people I spoke to during my visit. Perugia is the home of the annual international journalism festival, a meeting of media movers and shakers from all over the globe. These are my five biggest takeaways.

    1. In-person connections are irreplaceable

    Yes, I see the irony of flying to talk about climate journalism, but sometimes face-to-face connections, impromptu chats and dinner table discussions are just impossible to replicate on a video call. I caught up with journalists from my Oxford Climate Journalism Network cohort. Run by the Reuters Institute, this six-month programme is proving invaluable, not only for seminars from guest speakers at the top of their game, but for the collaborations that are developing within the network. Learning from my peers working in Austria, Brazil, Canada and way beyond has opened my eyes so much to the diversity of challenges we all face – and the creative possibilities.

    Kevin Burden (European media leaders fellowship project manager), Nina Fasciaux (director of Solutions Journalism Network) and Anna Turns.
    Kevin Burden, CC BY-NC-ND

    During my discussions with colleagues from my European media leaders climate solutions fellowship visiting from France, Italy and the Czech Republic, I listened to the lightbulb moments others have had and reflected on my own progress – internally, in terms of what leadership means to me and how I can effect meaningful change, plus externally, in terms of supporting my own team and encouraging more collaboration within this organisation.

    By sharing joys and worries over a margarita pizza or scoop of nocciola (hazelnut icecream – my favourite), I was struck that authenticity is the most important attribute. All else follows and every single one of those real, honest and open in-person connections deepens my appreciation for that.

    2. Environmental journalism is thriving

    So many early career journalists approached me, keen to chat and wanting to know more about how to immerse themselves in this specialism. When I first started out as a biology graduate, I worked in wildlife TV production and magazine journalism. Back then, environment coverage tended to be an outlier, an afterthought at best. Climate journalists were few and far between; willing mentors were difficult to find.

    Anna Turns chatted to lots of environmental journalists after her conference event.
    Monica Rizza #IJF25, CC BY-NC-ND

    That landscape has shifted so much over the past 20 years and I’m proud that this part of our industry is growing, and becoming richer for it. Now, people want to cover climate stories in so many creative formats and that’s invigorating.

    3. Science doesn’t have to stay in silos

    With growing misinformation, (both inadvertent misinterpretation and deliberate miscommunication) online, combined with widespread disengagement from mainstream news sources, social media has a big role to play in how we engage with climate, or not.

    I hosted an event with Adam Levy about how to make climate science shine on social media. With a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Oxford, Levy now works as a science journalist and broadcaster, while producing jargon-free videos that make complex climate issues relatable and succinct.

    Anna Turns interviewed Adam Levy at the International Journalism Festival.
    Monica Rizza #IJF25, CC BY-NC-ND

    Climate communication is definitely not just about imparting facts. There’s space for nuance, even humour. We chatted about bridging the gap between science and storytelling, how to apply a rigorous journalistic approach to all forms of content and how integrity must be the top priority. That all builds precious trust and creates connection.

    4. Time is ticking

    The next UN climate summit (Cop30) is coming and we’re getting ready. One of my favourite sessions was a talk by Daniel Nardin, another solutions journalist member of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network. He lives in Belem, the Brazilian city that will be hosting Cop30 in November, where negotiators will continue to debate how best to tackle and adapt to climate change. But those strategies, frameworks and commitments can seem dry, dense and hard to digest.

    Nardin’s publication, Amazonia Vox, platforms the voices of the people living in the Amazon, in forested, deforested and urban areas. He explained that the environmental, social and political issues in the Amazon are complex and full of nuance, which is why he makes local voices central to the narrative.

    None of this is rocket science. But Nardin is proactively cracking on with it, because there isn’t time to wait.

    Mark Hertsgard from Covering Climate Now (far left) talks about how newsrooms can make climate training effective.
    Alexa Cano #IJF25, CC BY-NC-ND

    5. Newsroom culture is transforming

    The Conversation is already highly respected. So many expert communicators, academics and readers told me how much they love what we do and what we stand for. Tackling misinformation in engaging ways is what we do best. Connecting you, our audience and community, with the most accurate and evidence-based knowledge is our purpose. We’re already bridging the gap between research and the real world. But there’s still scope to evolve and embrace change.

    Looking ahead, The Conversation can help shift the way climate stories can be told. The climate crisis has gone way beyond being an environmental issue. It’s linked to all aspects of our lives, from health and education to business and democracy, as well as conflicts and culture. Newsrooms don’t have to function like they have done for decades. By being curious, we can experiment, find out what works and reinvent the norm.

    At the New York Times, the climate team is physically in the centre of the office. At the French newswire Agence France-Presse, job titles such as “future of the planet, global editor” reflect big ambitions to integrate climate into everything. At CBC, the Canadian public broadcaster, the science and climate unit has made climate literacy training a top priority for all staff – not because it’s worthy, but because future proofing makes business sense.

    As the executive director of Covering Climate Now, a media community based in the US, Mark Hertsgard said: “Every journalist in the 21st century will need to be a climate journalist.”

    Now, my job is to turn Perugia’s inspiration into action. Watch this space.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    – ref. Five lessons from Perugia’s global gathering of journalists, climate changemakers and media leaders – https://theconversation.com/five-lessons-from-perugias-global-gathering-of-journalists-climate-changemakers-and-media-leaders-254457

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Loanboox accelerates the digitalization of real estate financing

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, Switzerland, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The digitalization of commercial real estate financing is gaining momentum – and Loanboox is establishing itself as a key technology partner for real estate companies across Europe. The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution for the real estate industry, which was launched in 2022, is enjoying strong demand: the financing volume tendered via the Loanboox software now amounts to more than five billion euros, around 50 percent of which has been processed since the beginning of 2024 alone.

    “The real estate industry is local and highly fragmented. It is therefore under particular pressure to digitize processes and make them more transparent – especially when it comes to financing,” says Urs Meier, CEO of Loanboox. “With our software, we offer exactly the right tool at the right time: a comprehensive solution that efficiently brings borrowers and lenders together and maps the entire process from the tender to portfolio management.”

    A study conducted by Loanboox in collaboration with Fresenius University of Applied Sciences shows that 67% of the real estate companies surveyed see digitalization deficits in their core processes, especially in financing. Three out of four users explicitly want specialized industry software instead of general “office applications” – a clear sign of the need for tailor-made solutions.

    Loanboox’s software specifically addresses this need: Borrowers can manage the financing process digitally with their chosen lenders. The success in the commercial real estate financing segment speaks for itself: the average annual growth rate of user access is over 100 percent. In addition, around 90 percent of financing requests are successfully completed. In total, Loanboox’s technology has already processed well over EUR 100 billion in financing volumes across all customer segments since the company’s launch in 2016.

    Loanboox on its way to becoming pan-European financing software in real estate

    Loanboox customers have made financings in 16 European countries already, with Germany, Switzerland, France and Austria being the key markets. The company has recently seen a sharp increase in demand. In Germany in particular, Loanboox has signed up tier 1 real estate asset managers and project developers. And in the last six months alone they have already published financing requests in the three-digit million range via Loanboox’s software.

    “Today, we have more than 500 lenders in Europe using our software, who particularly appreciate the ease of use, the multilingualism and the quality of the tendering process. This means that Loanboox has one of the largest networks of lenders and the high number of repeat deals shows the very solid level of acceptance of our technology,” says Dominique Hügli, CPO (Chief Product Officer) at Loanboox. The large network of lenders is also particularly attractive for companies looking to finance real estate projects in the DACH region from other European countries.

    Debt Management module allows customers to manage their capital efficiently

    Another growth driver is the integrated debt management module: European asset managers, real estate companies, project developers and housing companies currently use the software to manage a loan volume of more than five billion euros via the software – and the trend is rising.

    “Our solution offers a 360-degree view for financing experts – from relationship management with lenders and financing processes to comprehensive loan management, evaluation and scenario planning,” explains Hügli.

    2025: Digitalization is advancing – broad market comparison for financing necessary

    With banks still reluctant to lend and the cost of managing loans rising, digital financing processes with a broad network of lenders are becoming increasingly important. Loanboox intends to take advantage of this momentum and the ongoing digitalization of the real estate industry and systematically expand its reach in Europe.

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is of course also finding its way into the real estate industry and will in the future help finance teams to process complex data efficiently, identify suitable financing options more quickly and facilitate the exchange with lenders. Whether it is the automated extraction of information from loan agreements and term sheets, the creation of teaser documents or the targeted analysis of portfolio data, AI opens up new efficiency potential along the entire financing process. AI also significantly simplifies the intelligent search in the data room of a tender – a function that has already been successfully implemented at Loanboox. The continuous integration of AI will continue for Loanboox in 2025 to enable even more effective and data-driven collaboration between borrowers and lenders.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8038b456-146d-46c6-9430-8e7ab54b3663

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Full text of Xi’s signed article in Vietnamese newspaper

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

    BEIJING, April 14 — A signed article by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping titled “Building on past achievements and making new advances in pursuit of shared goals” was published Monday in the Nhan Dan Newspaper of Vietnam as he is traveling to Vietnam for a state visit to the country.

    The following is the full text of the article:

    Building on past achievements and making new advances in pursuit of shared goals

    Xi Jinping

    General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of the People’s Republic of China

    Late spring is full of vitality. As China and Vietnam celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, I will soon pay a state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Comrade To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Vietnamese President Comrade Luong Cuong. This will be my fourth visit to this beautiful country since I became General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of the People’s Republic of China. I look forward to renewing friendship with Vietnamese leaders, discussing ways of boosting cooperation, and drawing up a new blueprint for the China-Vietnam community with a shared future in the new era.

    China and Vietnam are friendly socialist neighbours sharing the same ideals and extensive strategic interests. The profound friendship between the two parties and two peoples, forged decades ago, has grown stronger as we explore a socialist path suited to our respective national conditions and advance our respective modernization drive. Building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance serves the common interests of our two countries and is conducive to peace, stability, development and prosperity in our region and beyond. It conforms with the trend of history. And it is the choice by our peoples.

    The China-Vietnam community with a shared future is inherited from our distinctive revolutionary traditions. During modern times, pioneers of Chinese and Vietnamese revolutions together explored a path to national salvation and made important contribution to the Third World’s victory in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism. The historical site of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Youth League in Guangzhou and the site of the office of the League for Independence of Vietnam in Jingxi, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region bear witness to the revolutionary friendship between China and Vietnam. President Ho Chi Minh joined and supported the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Yan’an, Guilin, Chongqing and Kunming. China sent military and political advisers in support of the Vietnamese people’s War Against French Occupation. The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government and people gave full support for Vietnam’s just War Against U.S. Aggression to Save the Nation. The well-known line: “The friendship between Vietnam and China is so profound because we are both comrades and brothers,” is etched on our shared revolutionary memory.

    The China-Vietnam community with a shared future is based on strong political mutual trust. In recent years, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary To Lam and other Vietnamese leaders and I have visited each other many times, steering the course for building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future. Our two parties and two countries have kept close high-level engagement. Mechanisms such as the steering committee for bilateral cooperation, the party-to-party theoretical symposium, the border defence friendship exchange, and the conference on crime control between the two public security ministries are functioning smoothly. High-level mechanisms including the joint committee between the National People’s Congress of China and the National Assembly of Vietnam have been established. The “3+3” strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defence and public security between our two countries has been held successfully. China and Vietnam hold similar positions on many regional and international issues and have engaged in close coordination on them.

    The China-Vietnam community with a shared future is rooted in our fruitful cooperation. China and Vietnam have pursued closer cooperation on industrial and supply chains amid a sluggish global economic recovery. China has been Vietnam’s biggest trading partner for over 20 years in a row, with total bilateral trade exceeding 260 billion USD in 2024. More and more quality Vietnamese agricultural products such as durian and coconut are available to Chinese consumers. Railway connectivity and the smart port development project are being steadily advanced. Solar panels, waste-to-energy plants and other bilateral clean energy projects have boosted electricity supply in Vietnam. The Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line built by a Chinese company makes public transport in Hanoi more convenient. Contributing to each other’s success and pursuing common development, China and Vietnam have set an example of solidarity and cooperation in the Global South.

    The China-Vietnam community with a shared future is advanced by close people-to-people exchanges. Over the years, we have seen ever more people-to-people exchanges that foster increasingly closer ties between Chinese and Vietnamese peoples. Chinese tourists made more than 3.7 million visits to Vietnam in 2024. With the official launch of the Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation Zone and the opening of several cross-border road trip routes, visiting two countries in a single day has become possible. Chinese film and television productions and video games are popular among young Vietnamese, and more people in Vietnam are learning Chinese. Many Vietnamese songs are now on hot search lists on social media in China, and many Chinese diners relish pho and other Vietnamese delicacies.

    Today, global, epoch-making and historical changes are unfolding like never before, and the world has entered a new period of turbulent transformation. Despite the headwinds of mounting unilateralism and protectionism, the Chinese economy expanded by five percent in 2024, contributing around 30 percent to the global economy. It remains a key engine of the world economy. China’s new energy sector, artificial intelligence and animated films have come into global spotlight. China will continue to provide more opportunities to the world with its high-standard opening up, and will contribute to the development of all countries with its high-quality development.

    Asia represents a new elevation in global cooperation and development. At a new starting point toward revitalisation of the whole region, Asia faces both unprecedented opportunities and challenges. China will ensure continuity and stability of its neighbourhood diplomacy. We will stay committed to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. We will continue to pursue the policy of forging friendship and partnership with our neighbours. And we will steadily deepen friendly cooperation with them to advance Asia’s modernization.

    China is going all out to build a great modern socialist country and achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation by pursuing Chinese modernization. Vietnam will usher in a new epoch of national development toward the two goals set for the centenary of the party and the country respectively. China always gives Vietnam high priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy. Our two countries should strengthen our efforts on all fronts to build the China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and contribute more to peace, stability, development and prosperity in Asia and the world at large.

    — We should deepen strategic mutual trust and advance the socialist cause. The two sides should act on the guidance of the leaders. The China-Vietnam steering committee for bilateral cooperation should coordinate our interactions more effectively to boost party, government, military, law enforcement and security cooperation; jointly tackle external risks and challenges; and uphold political security. China is ready to enhance exchanges of governance practices with Vietnam, explore and enrich together socialist theory and practices, and promote the steady development of the two countries’ socialist cause.

    — We should continue win-win cooperation and deliver more benefit to our two peoples. We should create greater synergy between our development strategies, implement well the cooperation plan between the two governments on synergizing the Belt and Road Initiative and the Two Corridors and One Economic Circle strategy, and build more platforms for economic and technological cooperation. China stands ready to advance cooperation with Vietnam on the three standard-gauge railways in northern Vietnam and the smart port. China welcomes more quality Vietnamese products in the Chinese market and encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Vietnam. Our two countries should step up cooperation on industrial and supply chains, and expand cooperation in emerging areas such as 5G, artificial intelligence and green development to create more benefits for the two peoples.

    — We should strengthen people-to-people exchanges and forge a closer bond between our peoples. This year is the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and we should use this opportunity to promote people-to-people exchanges in diverse forms. China welcomes Vietnamese visitors to travel across China and encourages Chinese tourists to visit scenic sites in Vietnam. Our two countries should carry out more activities that will bring our two peoples together such as the friendly meeting between youth and festive events in border areas. We should further tap into our revolutionary resources and tell stories of friendship that resonate with our two peoples, so as to pass on the baton of China-Vietnam friendship from generation to generation.

    — We should enhance multilateral collaboration and promote Asia’s prosperity and revitalization. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Our two countries should firmly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law. It is important that we pursue the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative. It is also important that we promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. We should work together with the Global South to uphold the common interests of developing countries. Trade war and tariff war will produce no winner, and protectionism will lead nowhere. Our two countries should resolutely safeguard the multilateral trading system, stable global industrial and supply chains, and open and cooperative international environment. We should strengthen coordination in mechanisms such as East Asia cooperation and Lancang-Mekong cooperation so as to ensure more stability for a changing and turbulent world and inject more positive energy in it.

    — We should properly manage differences and safeguard peace and stability in our region. The successful delimitation of our boundaries on land and in the Beibu Gulf demonstrates that with vision, we are fully capable of properly settling maritime issues through consultation and negotiation. The two sides should implement the common understanding reached between the leaders of the two parties and the two countries. We should make good use of the maritime negotiation mechanism so as to properly manage maritime differences, expand maritime cooperation, and build up conditions for the final resolution of the disputes. We should fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and actively advance the consultation on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. We should be impervious to all interference; bridge differences and expand common ground; and make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.

    Standing at this new starting point of history, China is ready to work with Vietnam to build on past achievements, write a new chapter in building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and contribute even more to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: BNP Paribas SA: ACQUISITION BY BNP PARIBAS CARDIF OF AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS – UPDATE

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ACQUISITION BY BNP PARIBAS CARDIF 
    OF AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS – UPDATE

    PRESS RELEASE

    Paris, 14 April 2025

    After entering into exclusive negotiations on 1 August 2024, AXA and BNP Paribas Cardif signed a Share Purchase Agreement for AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM). The closing is expected in early July 2025.

    In this context, the BNP Paribas Group fully confirms the strategic and industrial interest of the transaction to build a leading platform in asset management that will allow the Group to become the forefront European player in the management of long-term savings assets for insurers and pension funds. This platform will benefit from AXA IM’s leading market position and its team’s expertise specialised in private assets, which will drive further growth with both institutional and retail investors.

    This acquisition aligns perfectly with the Group’s core mission of supporting the economy by mobilising savings to finance future-oriented projects, in the best interests of its clients.

    The ECB has recently expressed its opinion on the prudential treatment for the acquisition of asset managements companies.

    Should this interpretation be implemented and given the current status of the internal analyses carried out by the BNP Paribas Group, the anticipated impact on BNP Paribas Group’s CET1 ratio would stand at approximately -35 bps and the expected return on invested capital of the transaction would be above 14% in the third year and more than 20% in the fourth year. This impact is to be compared with an impact on the Group’s CET 1 ratio of -25 bps and an expected return on invested capital of 18% in the third year, presented at the launch of the transaction.

    As a consequence, under this interpretation, neither the Group’s overall profitability objectives, growth trajectory, nor its equity and CET1 trajectory would be modified.

    Specifically, the launch of the share buyback programme, announced in February 2025, to which the ECB has already given its approval, is maintained. More generally, the Group’s distribution policy in the form of dividends and return to shareholders remains unchanged.

    The conditions agreed to by the Group regarding the prudential treatment to be applied to this transaction will be communicated at the closing of the transaction, following the finalization of ongoing discussions with the relevant supervisory authorities on this topic.

    About BNP Paribas
    Leader in banking and financial services in Europe, BNP Paribas operates in 64 countries and has nearly 178,000 employees, including more than 144,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity: Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for the Group’s commercial & personal banking and several specialised businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated commercial & personal banking model across several Mediterranean countries, Türkiye, and Eastern Europe. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group’s performance and stability.

    Press Contacts:
    Sandrine Romano : sandrine.romano@bnpparibas.com ; + 33 6 71 18 13 05
    Giorgia Rowe : giorgia.rowe@bnpparibas.com ; + 33 6 64 27 57 96

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Iran says nuclear issue, sanctions focus of indirect talks with US

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Iran said on Sunday that its indirect negotiations with the United States held in Oman were focused solely on Tehran’s nuclear program and the removal of U.S. sanctions, ruling out any discussion of other issues.

    Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told state television that Iran’s stance in the talks remained unchanged, centering on lifting sanctions and preserving its nuclear rights.

    The talks, held on Saturday between Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, were conducted through intermediaries.

    Baghaei added that Iran remained committed to preserving its nuclear infrastructure and achievements, while also demonstrating its willingness to engage in dialogue to assure the international community of the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.

    “Iran considers itself obligated to use all legal and diplomatic tools to safeguard its legitimate rights as a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a signatory to the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards agreements,” he said.

    Speaking to reporters in Muscat after the meeting, Araghchi described the first round of talks as “constructive” and held in a “calm and respectful atmosphere.”

    “No inappropriate language was used, and both sides showed commitment to pursuing the negotiations from an equal footing toward a mutually beneficial agreement,” he said.

    He added that a second round of talks was scheduled for the following Saturday, likely at a different venue.

    The Muscat discussions followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement in March that he had sent a letter to Iranian leaders via the United Arab Emirates proposing nuclear talks.

    Iran later confirmed receiving the letter and expressed openness to indirect engagement.

    Iran signed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with six world powers, namely, the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France, and Germany, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Washington unilaterally withdrew from the pact in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, prompting Tehran to scale back its nuclear commitments.

    Efforts to revive the deal have so far failed to make significant progress.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2023 Australian CRS reportable accounts by jurisdiction

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Limitations of the CRS report

    The Total accounts column represents the number of Financial Accounts held by foreign tax residents; it does not represent the number of foreign tax residents holding accounts. An account holder may be a tax resident of multiple jurisdictions, so accounts may be reported more than once.

    The Balance ($A) column represents the total balance or value of the Financial Assets held in the accounts. The figure includes:

    • cash
    • securities
    • bonds
    • commodities
    • partnership interests
    • debt interests and equity interests.

    Where an account is held by more than one account holder, the balance or value is attributed in full to each account holder. Where an account is held by a passive non-financial entity, such as a trust, the value of the equity interest is attributed in full to each controlling person. These accounts will be reported in the Total accounts and Balance ($A) columns more than once.

    Table: CRS statistics tabled by the Minister

    Jurisdiction

    Total Accounts

    Balance (AUD)

    Afghanistan

    11070

    $95,581,415

    Aland Islands

    693

    $3,871,473

    Albania

    728

    $10,764,088

    Algeria

    515

    $10,363,535

    American Samoa

    555

    $7,413,499

    Andorra

    1355

    $101,244,778

    Angola

    296

    $10,861,848

    Anguilla

    166

    $1,170,312

    Antigua and Barbuda

    234

    $3,613,577

    Argentina

    43207

    $239,451,920

    Armenia

    725

    $5,711,104

    Aruba

    510

    $18,999,978

    Austria

    16740

    $394,878,370

    Azerbaijan

    893

    $29,236,263

    Bahamas

    1044

    $232,452,443

    Bahrain

    1944

    $70,119,634

    Bangladesh

    29473

    $229,111,457

    Barbados

    378

    $15,992,240

    Belarus

    564

    $6,673,642

    Belgium

    11622

    $328,051,334

    Belize

    141

    $1,882,633

    Benin

    147

    $4,016,713

    Bermuda

    802

    $1,003,121,189

    Bhutan

    33564

    $129,472,928

    Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

    644

    $4,267,066

    Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

    65

    $320,289

    Bosnia and Herzegovina

    1015

    $18,562,691

    Botswana

    1551

    $74,047,155

    Brazil

    115912

    $665,938,179

    Brunei Darussalam

    4830

    $175,136,606

    Bulgaria

    1168

    $30,359,474

    Burkina Faso

    209

    $6,083,998

    Burundi

    359

    $1,251,294

    Cabo Verde

    57

    $801,533

    Cambodia

    13543

    $310,460,409

    Cameroon

    286

    $12,837,192

    Canada

    131945

    $4,655,911,312

    Cayman Islands

    1261

    $2,287,140,562

    Central African Republic (The)

    65

    $1,886,237

    Chad

    47

    $1,931,612

    Chile

    34790

    $184,569,286

    China

    1168312

    $35,846,564,031

    Colombia

    117549

    $329,328,309

    Comoros

    202

    $1,192,041

    Congo (Democratic Republic of The)

    955

    $15,603,703

    Congo (The)

    592

    $5,826,658

    Cook Islands

    966

    $15,755,625

    Costa Rica

    737

    $9,190,245

    Cote d’Ivoire

    154

    $12,847,535

    Croatia

    2570

    $91,851,975

    Cuba

    270

    $3,587,708

    Curacao

    63

    $489,577

    Cyprus

    2728

    $174,738,630

    Czech Republic

    5737

    $138,163,643

    Denmark

    13370

    $711,421,080

    Djibouti

    56

    $94,469

    Dominica

    118

    $20,557,976

    Dominican Republic

    6717

    $219,006,335

    Ecuador

    4375

    $24,093,968

    Egypt

    7828

    $130,461,587

    El Salvador

    549

    $4,583,826

    Equatorial Guinea

    43

    $5,787,039

    Eritrea

    574

    $3,235,597

    Estonia

    5283

    $19,768,874

    Ethiopia

    2203

    $22,578,132

    Falkland Islands [Malvinas]

    100

    $662,808

    Faroe Islands (The)

    45

    $320,055

    Fiji

    33661

    $418,588,501

    Finland

    7518

    $243,196,353

    France

    88770

    $1,312,556,582

    French Guiana

    63

    $1,169,649

    French Polynesia

    1466

    $144,692,251

    Gabon

    95

    $254,579

    Gambia

    98

    $1,040,902

    Georgia

    519

    $14,078,846

    Germany

    97566

    $2,136,961,996

    Ghana

    3662

    $45,920,708

    Gibraltar

    271

    $98,559,288

    Greece

    18433

    $874,732,119

    Greenland

    34

    $1,090,263

    Grenada

    45

    $860,469

    Guadeloupe

    59

    $1,397,246

    Guam

    567

    $22,049,141

    Guatemala

    609

    $4,477,478

    Guernsey

    709

    $188,289,280

    Guinea

    467

    $16,333,658

    Guinea-Bissau

    22

    $52,235

    Guyana

    145

    $5,865,208

    Haiti

    79

    $3,315,500

    Holy See (The)

    31

    $223,543

    Honduras

    284

    $3,912,750

    Hong Kong

    417259

    $19,652,979,316

    Hungary

    4166

    $89,013,732

    Iceland

    706

    $9,559,465

    India

    541071

    $3,337,392,017

    Indonesia

    141551

    $2,447,310,574

    Iran (Islamic Republic of)

    25484

    $220,602,656

    Iraq

    5657

    $47,263,403

    Ireland

    99386

    $1,184,004,246

    Isle of man

    755

    $77,412,757

    Israel

    14404

    $870,500,826

    Italy

    61111

    $1,042,858,008

    Jamaica

    502

    $10,346,693

    Japan

    122031

    $2,930,986,700

    Jersey

    1191

    $1,500,635,721

    Jordan

    3192

    $51,114,032

    Kazakhstan

    2762

    $76,557,742

    Kenya

    19121

    $167,004,133

    Kiribati

    1728

    $27,628,158

    Korea (The Democratic People’s Republic of)

    1300

    $11,985,623

    Korea (The Republic of)

    120329

    $692,796,653

    Kuwait

    2278

    $59,151,943

    Kyrgyzstan

    253

    $10,798,328

    Lao Peoples Democratic Republic

    3950

    $56,663,831

    Latvia

    662

    $19,990,384

    Lebanon

    4658

    $77,228,058

    Lesotho

    76

    $1,552,742

    Liberia

    331

    $7,577,445

    Libya

    321

    $5,848,095

    Liechtenstein

    115

    $2,373,413

    Lithuania

    1572

    $17,114,640

    Luxembourg

    1269

    $1,281,207,061

    Macao

    8485

    $557,432,905

    Madagascar

    302

    $4,468,823

    Malawi

    602

    $7,546,068

    Malaysia

    207495

    $9,736,791,971

    Maldives

    1145

    $9,633,668

    Mali

    204

    $6,447,711

    Malta

    3940

    $266,412,830

    Marshall Islands (The)

    142

    $267,119,933

    Martinique

    54

    $348,133

    Mauritania

    107

    $2,254,652

    Mauritius

    7436

    $190,515,176

    Mayotte

    43

    $89,402

    Mexico

    12583

    $107,075,070

    Micronesia (Federated States of)

    147

    $15,869,862

    Moldova (The Republic of)

    251

    $2,923,446

    Monaco

    655

    $148,818,123

    Mongolia

    18288

    $90,339,348

    Montenegro

    244

    $25,032,609

    Montserrat

    5287

    $264,020,964

    Morocco

    919

    $34,620,243

    Mozambique

    551

    $16,987,061

    Myanmar

    10713

    $94,691,582

    Namibia

    852

    $28,134,752

    Nauru

    1258

    $71,353,711

    Nepal

    151948

    $530,415,177

    Netherlands (The)

    38960

    $5,741,717,769

    New Caledonia

    14843

    $946,289,722

    New Zealand

    593810

    $13,924,735,966

    Nicaragua

    212

    $1,863,857

    Niger (The)

    118

    $4,131,203

    Nigeria

    8518

    $59,998,862

    Niue

    63

    $457,441

    Northern Mariana Islands (The)

    86

    $1,940,793

    Norway

    12085

    $116,151,200

    Oman

    2919

    $53,732,678

    Pakistan

    40606

    $233,873,735

    Palau

    90

    $2,489,305

    Palestine, State of

    490

    $4,307,127

    Panama

    817

    $22,319,621

    Papua New Guinea

    20645

    $1,000,357,988

    Paraguay

    611

    $4,606,315

    Peru

    8102

    $93,464,956

    Philippines

    149788

    $1,081,032,048

    Pitcairn

    42

    $2,255,280

    Poland

    10216

    $183,398,727

    Portugal

    8340

    $364,367,730

    Puerto Rico

    111

    $1,240,149

    Qatar

    5561

    $199,292,806

    Republic of North Macedonia

    2098

    $48,970,081

    Reunion

    198

    $5,016,186

    Romania

    2257

    $33,817,593

    Russian Federation

    13479

    $311,237,493

    Rwanda

    349

    $2,900,073

    Saint Barthelemy

    43

    $132,991

    Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

    19

    $53,689

    Saint Kitts and Nevis

    164

    $65,704,365

    Saint Lucia

    99

    $11,339,027

    Saint Martin (French part)

    24

    $1,272,193

    Saint Vincent and The Grenadines

    54

    $648,955

    Samoa

    5642

    $12,252,804

    San Marino

    22

    $225,736

    Sao Tome and Principe

    16

    $47,212

    Saudi Arabia

    17461

    $290,408,054

    Senegal

    246

    $17,019,253

    Serbia

    2765

    $61,671,117

    Seychelles

    747

    $66,081,694

    Sierra Leone

    518

    $59,985,702

    Singapore

    216492

    $16,932,866,043

    Sint Maarten (Dutch)

    44

    $2,030,457

    Slovakia

    2683

    $34,211,553

    Slovenia

    1143

    $31,256,112

    Solomon Islands

    5670

    $107,624,274

    Somalia

    419

    $883,615

    South Africa

    85705

    $3,036,112,507

    South Sudan

    409

    $1,439,169

    Spain

    34964

    $615,458,859

    Sri Lanka

    59417

    $496,470,828

    Sudan

    1369

    $9,428,890

    Suriname

    99

    $808,495

    Swaziland

    491

    $11,837,248

    Sweden

    24838

    $395,550,321

    Switzerland

    27602

    $2,522,289,323

    Syrian Arab Republic

    3146

    $16,259,175

    Taiwan (Province of China)

    215091

    $5,182,123,415

    Tajikistan

    150

    $6,070,527

    Tanzania, United Republic of

    1483

    $28,785,672

    Thailand

    115526

    $1,671,533,990

    Timor-Leste

    5625

    $103,220,105

    Togo

    50

    $392,068

    Tokelau

    34

    $94,511

    Tonga

    10335

    $27,905,071

    Trinidad and Tobago

    429

    $10,964,301

    Tunisia

    505

    $42,954,529

    Turkey

    12815

    $123,250,809

    Turkmenistan

    80

    $269,557

    Turks and Caicos Islands (The)

    62

    $12,992,454

    Tuvalu

    332

    $24,161,951

    Uganda

    1469

    $26,010,162

    Ukraine

    6358

    $57,835,515

    United Arab Emirates

    34016

    $1,525,677,609

    United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (The)

    650226

    $15,897,900,722

    United States Minor Outlying Islands (The)

    616

    $17,009,421

    United States of America (The)

    607512

    $32,140,613,865

    Uruguay

    2967

    $20,416,335

    Uzbekistan

    843

    $14,924,835

    Vanuatu

    12745

    $166,367,754

    Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

    3429

    $16,703,255

    Vietnam

    108399

    $1,368,106,502

    Virgin Islands (British)

    664

    $1,583,993,488

    Virgin Islands (U.S.)

    86

    $12,262,261

    Wallis and Futuna

    79

    $735,705

    Western Sahara

    54

    $172,955

    Yemen

    436

    $3,698,663

    Zambia

    2508

    $52,915,353

    Zimbabwe

    8557

    $181,025,534

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Hainan FTP brings about broader opportunities through high-level opening up

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

    China’s Hainan FTP brings about broader opportunities through high-level opening up

    HAIKOU, April 13 — At the Yiling Life Care Center in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, patients are seen undergoing rehabilitation exercises under the guidance of therapists in a spacious, bright hall.

    In an equipment room, Damien Meunier, from France, is intently calibrating a therapy device, adjusting parameters and components with focused precision.

    Meunier first visited China in 2019 as a tourist and was soon drawn to the unique opportunities emerging in Hainan’s healthcare sector amid the rapidly developing Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP). In 2021, he joined Yiling Life Care Center as a medical equipment engineer, based in Boao Township in south China’s Hainan Province.

    “The Hainan FTP is the ideal place for my career development,” said Meunier. “It combines opening-up policies, innovation, and exceptional life quality.”

    As China’s only “medical special zone,” the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, established in 2013, was granted special policy support that allows eligible pharmaceuticals and medical devices, licensed abroad but not yet available domestically, to be used for patients through streamlined procedures.

    The pilot zone is the epitome of Hainan’s role as a gateway for global openness.

    In April 2018, China announced a decision to develop Hainan into a pilot free trade zone while gradually exploring and steadily promoting the establishment of an FTP with Chinese characteristics. In June 2020, a master plan was rolled out to build the island into a globally influential and high-level FTP by the middle of the century.

    Seven years on, Hainan has built a policy framework centered on “free and convenient trade, investment, cross-border capital flows, personnel mobility and transportation, and the safe and orderly flow of data,” and an FTP system underpinned by features like zero tariffs, low tax rates, and simplified tax systems.

    Amid global headwinds against globalization, the Hainan FTP stands as China’s testament to unwavering openness.

    Official statistics show that by the end of 2024, the province was home to 9,979 foreign-funded enterprises, with 77.3 percent established after June 2020. The number of countries and regions investing in Hainan has jumped from 43 in 2018 to 174 today.

    As an important part of the Hainan FTP construction, Hainan has adopted a variety of measures to optimize its business environment to facilitate free and convenient trade and investment.

    “In alignment with the world’s highest standards of openness, Hainan has formulated and implemented a series of opening-up measures to create a ‘foreign investor-friendly’ business environment,” said Wang Xuehao, deputy head of the Hainan Provincial Department of Business Environment Development. “The measures include expanding the scale of innovative development in trade of goods, promoting two-way investment, and fostering cross-border industrial chain cooperation.”

    In the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone, Hainan GoldMax Dairy Co., Ltd. has established an industrial park spanning over 50,000 square meters, integrating offshore duty-free retail, e-commerce, general trade and cross-border supplied materials processing, reflecting the company’s strong confidence in the potential of the Hainan FTP.

    “The Hainan Free Trade Port has provided us with vast development space and opportunities and helped us bring high-quality products to China and beyond,” said Wu Suguo, CEO of the dairy company.

    By the end of this year, the free trade port will officially begin independent customs operations, which will be “a form of openness on a larger scale,” said Zhao Jinping, a member of the Expert Advisory Committee for the Construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port. “It means the connectivity between the Hainan Free Trade Port and the rest of the world will become even smoother.”

    Currently, all 31 port infrastructure projects needed for independent customs operations have been completed, laying a solid foundation for efficient flow and supervision of goods and personnel.

    Meanwhile, as the Hainan FTP begins independent customs operations by the year’s end, its preferential policies such as “zero tariffs, low tax rates, and simplified tax systems” will be implemented more comprehensively and meticulously. A series of core free trade port policies are also expected to be accelerated for full implementation.

    According to Meunier, once the Hainan FTP begins independent customs operations, the advantages will become more evident in areas such as imported equipment, cutting-edge technologies, and international tourism. “I look forward to the future of the Hainan FTP.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases at airport with seizure worth about $11.9 million (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases at airport with seizure worth about $11.9 million  
    In the first case, a local female, aged 19, arrived in Hong Kong from Paris, France, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 12kg of suspected ketamine inside her check-in suitcase. She was subsequently arrested.
     
    The arrestee has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (April 14).
     
    In the second case, through risk assessment, customs officers intercepted a 57-year-old female passenger who planned to depart from Hong Kong to Brussels yesterday. Upon a search, Customs officers found about 7kg of suspected cocaine from her check-in luggage. The woman was subsequently arrested.
     
    An investigation is ongoing.
     
    Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
     
    Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
     
    Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
     
    Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 19:38

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Opening remarks by SITI at Welcome Dinner of InnoEX 2025 (English only)(with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Welcome Dinner of InnoEX 2025 today (April 12):
     
    Margaret (the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Ms Margaret Fong), å¾�常委 (Member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ms Xu Xiaolan), 任秘書長 (the Secretary General of the World Internet Conference (WIC), Mr Ren Xianliang), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
     
         Hello! 你好! What a thrill to have you all here this evening! A very warm welcome to friends from around the world to the InnoEX 2025 in Hong Kong. 
     
    This welcome dinner is a prelude to the InnoEX 2025, Hong Kong’s signature exhibition on innovation & technology (I&T) to start tomorrow. Also an anchor event of our vibrant Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week), InnoEX 2025 can be “digitised” into the magic figure of “12345” –
     

    • 1 vision to connect global I&T power;
    • 2 much to anticipate;
    • 3 years in a row;
    • 4 incredible days of a full programme from April 13 to 16; and
    • 5 frontier tech areas we are going to focus on.

         InnoEX returns stronger and bigger this year, from countries and regions – from Hong Kong, Macao, and 16 Mainland provinces and cities, to France, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, and across ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Joining us first-time also include those from Australia, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Malaysia, Sweden, and Luxembourg. 

    To the familiar faces and all new friends, thank you so much for bringing your tech, your creativity and your interest to our city!

    This year’s theme of InnoEX – “Innovate • Automate • Elevate” says it all: only with innovation powering the engine, automation steering the course, our journey towards a more prosperous economies and societies could be elevated to the next higher level. 

    The five tech areas we focus this year, namely artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, low-altitude economy, and smart mobility, are the components of this autonomous vehicle, leading us to a better and smarter future.

    Indeed, these aren’t just tech and small parts of an engine. They fundamentally change the way we work, connect, interact and grow. They change how we see the future.

    And right here at InnoEX, you’ll see how these agents are applied in different places around the globe, and how ideas translate into impact on industries and people.

    As the brand InnoEX implies, Hong Kong is also witnessing the exponential power of innovation. We may be like a GPU (graphics processing unit) in terms of physical size, but Hong Kong is huge in terms of innovative power – top-notch R&D (research and development), five world-class universities, 16 State Key Laboratories, and a staunch supporter of free economy and international partnerships. This is how we fuel novel ideas, groom talents, attract investment, and build an increasing robust I&T ecosystem.

    And we believe innovation thrives when people come together – across sectors and borders, and blending cultures and values. That’s what the BIT Week and InnoEX are all about: a global stage with no boundaries and limits. This spirit of connection is echoed at the World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit happening soon at this convention centre.

    So this evening, we are here to start conversations; to cultivate friendships; and to scale possibilities. Whether you are a policymaker, buyer, exhibitor or tech leader – there is always a space here in InnoEX for you to spark something big.

    Before I close, my heartfelt thanks to our incredible partner, HKTDC, and my fellow colleagues at the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau and the Digital Policy Office for their hard work. You have made this possible.

    To our guests: please enjoy the evening, get ready for four exciting days ahead, and make the best out of InnoEX! Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India Highlights Its BioE3 Policy and Integrated Biorefinery Initiatives at Mission Innovation Annual Gathering 2025 at Seoul, South Korea

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 12 APR 2025 9:38AM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India – co-leads the Mission Integrated Biorefinery jointly with the Netherlands as part of Mission Innovation (MI) 2.0. The Mission Innovation Annual Gathering-2025, a multilateral platform accelerating clean energy innovation, held at Seoul, South Korea during 9th-11th April 2025 brought together global leaders in clean energy technology. The term “Mission Innovation” was coined by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during COP21, in collaboration with former French President François Hollande. India continues to play an active role under the Mission Innovation initiative.

    At the Annual Gathering held in Seoul, the DBT being an integral member of the Indian delegation, participated in discussions on collaborative opportunities among diverse MI missions and platforms. The focus has been to advance the biorefinery approach for fuels, chemicals, and materials. During the event, the DBT presented BioE3 (Biotechnology for Environment, Energy, and Economy) Policy and demonstrated its pivotal role in addressing climate challenges and aligning national priorities under the Integrated Biorefinery Mission were extensively discussed at roundtables and reviewed by Mission Innovation members as well as the Technical Advisory Groups associated with the Missions.

    The participants highlighted how the BioE3 Policy promotes sustainable and low-carbon manufacturing of fuels, chemicals, and materials. The Policy is designed to develop enabling technologies that foster an innovation-driven manufacturing ecosystem for a low-carbon future. Further, India’s efforts in integrating Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Bioenergy (CCUB) for the biomanufacturing of fuels, chemicals, and materials were shared with the MI community through roundtable discussions.

    Deliberations were also focused on opportunities for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) using biomass-based biomanufacturing approaches. The DBT also participated in focused sessions on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing priorities during visits to clean energy facilities, preceding meetings at Hanyang University and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, coordinated by the Indian Embassy in Seoul. It was observed that the Bioinnovations for fuels, chemicals, and materials are the opportunities for Mission Innovation Member countries to accelerate their decarbonization goals.

     

    ******

    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2121135) Visitor Counter : 35

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Canberra’s best pastries, as voted by you

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Almond, chocolate or plain? Canberrans have plenty of options when it comes to croissants and other pastries. Image: VisitCanberra

    In Brief:

    • We asked Canberrans on the @weareCBR Instagram account to name their favourite local pastry spot.
    • This list includes cafés, pâtisseries and bakeries around Canberra.

    Whether it’s a croissant for breakfast, a box of Danishes for the office morning tea or a mid-afternoon sweet treat, Canberran’s can’t get enough pastries.

    Here are the results:

    The scent of baked bread will lure you into this bakery tucked away at Fyshwick Markets. Inside, you’ll find a pastry counter heaving with fruit Danishes, croissants, Italian cream-filled donuts, Portuguese tarts and more.

    Wildflour sell a range of different pastries, but they’re most well-known for their croissants. Ube, matcha, pistachio, salted caramel, Biscoff, black tea and mango are just some of the flavours that they’ve featured on their ever-changing menu.

    Knead has the feel of a traditional bakery, offering all of the classic pastries. There are croissants, seasonal frangipanes, Portuguese tarts and fruit Danishes. But you’ll also find surprises, like brookies (a brownie cookie hybrid) and a cracking crème brulee tart.

    This small but mighty bakery at Curtin shops has the feel of a traditional suburban bakery. Their hearty, flavourful savoury pies are a favourite among Woden residents.

    This is not your traditional bakery – unless you’ve recently arrived from the Mediterranean. You’ll find traditional, chocolate and almond croissants alongside Turkish sweet pastries and Borek.

    French-influenced pastries are the star at this bakery. You’ll find croissants, cinnamon buns, Danishes, escargot and more.

    Le Bon Mélange make just about every baked good under the sun – and pastries are no exception. You’ll find a huge variety of both sweet and savoury options.

    Locals queue at this suburb gem to stock up on pastries. There’s cardamon buns, greens and cheese escargots, kouign-amanns, croissants, seasonal pastries and more.

    Danishes, scrolls, cruffins, croissants – this family-run bakery offers an impressive lineup of pastries. With a Lyneham location opening soon, more Inner North residents will be able to get their Bakehouse fix.

    Located on Beltana Road, this bakery offers a range of fresh pastries to fuel your Pialligo adventures. Choose from croissants, pain au chocolat, escargot, cinnamon buns, Danishes, cruffins and more.

    It’s hard to walk by the pastry counter at Tinker Tailor without treating yourself to a golden, flaky pastry. Danishes, croissants and scrolls are some of the delights regularly on offer.

    Three Mills not only have five locations across the city, but you can purchase their goods at shops and cafés around town. One taste of their delicious pastries and it’s easy to see why. There’s a big selection of fresh pastries and even bake at home packs.

    L’epi Artisan Bakery, Chisholm and Kambah

    This French-inspired artisan bakery has a large selection of classic and unique freshly baked pastries. Try a Moorish custard Danish or indulge in a crookie (that’s a croissant with cookie dough, for the uninitiated).

    From their cultured butter croissant to their flaky morning buns, locals love pastries from Sonoma. You’ll often have to queue to secure a sweet treat, but rest assured that every moment is worth it.

    Sometimes, only a classic will do. Dobinsons has been serving Canberra since 1994 and have earned a reputation for delicious sweet and savoury pastries. Crispy spinach and feta triangles, fruit tarts heaving with shiny fruit and the decadent Nutella Danish are some of the crowd favourites.

    It’s little surprise that this bakery, run by French bakers, make an excellent croissant. They also infuse their baked goods with seasonal flair, offering specials like peanut butter, fresh apple and coconut pastries or mandarin and chocolate croissants.

    Located inside Manuka Court, this little pâtisserie offers a taste of Europe to the inner south. Chef Wim is Dutch, but trained in France, so you’ll find Dutch boterkoek (butter cake with fruit and nuts) alongside croissants and Belgian chocolate custard twists.

    Over the years, Silo has earnt a cult following in the Canberra community. As a result, you may need to jostle your way to the front of the cue for a pastry, but it’s all part of the charm. You’ll find the counter stocked with a stunning lineup of sweet and savoury pastries that will keep you coming back for more.

    This bakery is worth the trip to Fyshwick for fresh pastries. If you’d rather not make the journey, the Cedar Husk truck makes its way around Canberra delivering to baked goods to people’s homes. Follow them on Facebook to see when they’re coming to your area.

    Prefer your morning pastry with a side of spectacular views? The Café at the Arboretum is in the Village Centre. Take a seat and soak up the views or order takeaway and enjoy a picnic among the trees.

    Good Neighbour is one of the newest additions to Kingston’s café scene. Alongside their basque cheesecake and New York style chunky cookies, you’ll find a selection of fresh pastries available at the front counter.

    Lilette, Dickson

    This artisanal French pâtisserie made the move from Melbourne to Dickson earlier in the year. Chef Lilette bakes all your French favourites, from eclairs to croissants and tarts.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Health workers call for NZ government to join global demands for ambulance massacre inquiry

    Asia Pacific Report

    Health workers spoke out at a rally condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the latest atrocity against Palestinian aid workers today, calling on the New Zealand government to join global demands for an independent investigation.

    They were protesting over last month’s massacre of 15 Palestinian rescue workers and the destruction of their ambulances in Gaza’s Rafah district under heavy fire.

    The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has called for an independent international inquiry into the “deliberate killing” of 8 ambulance medics, 6 civil defence workers and 1 UN worker reportedly executed by the Israeli forces on March 23.

    Their ambulances were destroyed and buried together with the bodies of the victims in a shallow grave a week after the crews went missing.

    One PRCS paramedic, Assaad al-Nassasra, was reported to be still missing.

    Among the speakers in the rally in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s Te Komititanga Square, Amnesty International’s Audrey Van Ryn said: “These killings must be independently and impartially investigated and the perpetrators held to account.

    “Medical personnel carrying out their humanitarian duties most be respected and protected in all circumstances.”

    Health worker Jason Brooke read out a message from the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Jagan Chapagain, in response to the killing of the Palestinian first-responders.

    ‘Their ambulances were clearly marked’
    “I am heartbroken. These dedicated ambulance workers were responding to wounded people. They were humanitarians. They wore emblems that should have protected them; their ambulances were clearly marked,” said Chapagain.

    “They should have returned to their families; they did not.”

    Fourteen of the Palestinian aid workers killed by Israel last month. The 15th is still missing. Graphic: Al Jazeera/Creative Commons

    Their bodies were discovered a week later by fellow workers. A video from one of the slain Palestinian Red Crescent medics contradicting the lies propagated by Israel’s military that the vehicles were “advancing suspiciously toward IDF troops without headlights or emergency signals”

    These first responders were not mistakenly misidentified. They were travelling, clearly visible in red crescent marked ambulances with their lights on. They posed no threat.

    According to the United Nations, at least 1060 healthcare workers have been killed in the 18 months since Israel launched its genocidal offensive in Gaza.

    “Whether it’s first-responders and medics, health workers or reporters, not only are these workers being targeted with impunity by the IOF, but their deaths seem to barely cause a ripple,” said Brooke, who was greeted with cries of shame.

    “Where is the condemnation of our politicians? Our media?”

    ‘Dehumanisation of Palestinian life’
    “As the Palestinian poet and author Mohammed El-Kurd suggests, what we are witnessing is the dehumanisation of Palestinian life.

    “Israel only has to mention the word ‘Hamas’ and the indoctrinated look-away. As if resistance to genocide itself were a crime — the punishment a life predetermined for death.

    “Genocide does not distinguish between civilian, aid worker, health worker, reporter and militant. All are condemned.”

    Medical personnel, medical transport, hospitals and other medical facilities, the injured and sick are all specifically protected under international humanitarian law.

    The devastating Gaza massacre represents the single most deadly attack on Red Cross or Red Crescent workers anywhere in the world since 2017.

    Secretary-general Chapagain said: “The number of Palestine Red Crescent volunteers and staff killed since the start of this conflict is now 30.

    “We stand with Palestine Red Crescent and the loved ones of those killed on this darkest of days.”

    PSNA advocate Janfrie Wakim . . . “We mourn those thousands of innocent people . . . who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.” Image: Asia Pacific Report

    ‘Palestine wants freedom to live’
    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) advocate Janfrie Wakim called on the crowd to give each other “high fives” in recognition of their solidarity in turning up for the protest in the 79th week since the war began.

    “I like the sign in front of me: ‘Palestine wants the freedom to live while Israel has the freedom to kill!’ she said.

    “We mourn those thousands of innocent people  — some with families here and in Gaza and the West Bank — who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives, and the thousands unaccounted for in rubble and over 100,000 injured.

    “Palestine wants the freedom to live while Israel has the freedom to kill!” . . . a placard at today’s Auckland solidarity rally. Image: Asia Pacific Report

    “Mostly women and children.

    “The humanitarian workers who have been murdered serving humanity.”

    Wakim said the genocide had been enabled by the wealthiest countries in the world and Western media — “including our own with few exceptions”.

    “Without its lies, its deflections, its failure to report the agonising reality of Palestinians suffering, Israel would not have been able to commit its atrocities.”

    All fatalities women and children
    Meanwhile, the United Nations reports Palestinian women and children were the only fatalities in at least three dozen Israeli air strikes on Gaza since mid-March, as it warned that Israel’s military offensive threatened Palestinians’ “continued existence as a group”.

    Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Friday that the office had documented 224 Israeli strikes on residential buildings and tents for displaced people in the Gaza Strip between March 18 and April 9.

    “In some 36 strikes about which the UN Human Rights Office corroborated information, the fatalities recorded so far were only women and children,” she said.

    The findings come as Israel’s attacks on Gaza have killed more than 1500 Palestinians since the Israeli military broke a ceasefire in March, according to figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, reports Al Jazeera.

    A German official was the latest to call for an independent probe over Israel’s killing of the 15 medical aid workers.

    An investigation into Israel’s killing of paramedics must be carried out independently, said German Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance Luise Amtsberg.

    “This alleged violation of international law must not go unpunished,” Amtsberg said in a message on social media platform Bluesky.

    Israel’s ‘distortion’ straining ties
    “The investigation must be carried out quickly and independently, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice as soon as possible. The Israeli government and judiciary have a duty here,” she said.

    Israel’s distortion of the event was “once again” straining ties between Germany and Israel, she added.

    Myriam Laaroussi, an emergency coordinator with Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, told Al Jazeera from al-Mawasi, an area west of Khan Younis that houses thousands of displaced Gaza families, that the health system had been destroyed.

    Due to the Israeli blockade, the supplies needed to treat patients were lacking and had left children in Gaza vulnerable to disease, she said.

    The desalination unit was not functioning any more due to Israel’s decision to cut electricity, which had decreased the capacity to retain good hygiene and was leading to outbreaks of polio and scabies.

    “We see that it’s a ‘slow death’ for many Palestinians, with shortages of food and water leading to a loss of weight and medical issues,” she said.

    The ceasefire had been an opportunity to scale up the capacity of the different health facilities, but it had been too short to have enough effect, and now health facilities were being attacked again.

    A “Free free Palestine” placard at today’s Auckland solidarity rally. Image: Asia Pacific Report

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China delivers key components for world’s largest ‘artificial sun’

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China on Friday completed and shipped the final set of Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder components to the site of ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) in southern France, signifying that all the super-large components needed for ITER’s magnet feeder system have now been successfully developed, its developer said.
    The ITER magnet feeder system was developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Plasma Physics (ASIPP), and it is known as the “lifeline” of the ITER magnet system. Its largest component, the Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder, comprises 9 sets built as half-ring structures measuring 16 meters in diameter and 3 meters in height.
    The ITER, one of the largest and most important international scientific research projects in the world, is popularly known as “Artificial Sun.” This nickname stems from its ability to generate clean, carbon-free energy in a way similar to the sun, by emitting light and heat through fusion reactions.
    The ITER is jointly funded by the European Union, China, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India and Russia.
    According to Lu Kun, deputy director of ASIPP, the magnet feeder system is crucial to ITER. It provides energy and cooling media to the fusion reactor magnets, sends back critical control signals, and also acts as a discharge channel to safely release stored magnet energy.
    Independently manufactured and tested by ASIPP, the system is the most complex of China’s ITER procurement packages, consisting of a total of 31 sets, with a total weight of about 1,600 tonnes, Lu added.
    Song Yuntao, vice president of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and director of ASIPP, noted that over the past 20 years, ASIPP has built stable collaborative relationships with more than 140 research institutions across over 50 countries, assisting many emerging countries in developing their own fusion research programs and facilities.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Summits to promote HK to the world

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    A series of major cultural and tourism summits is focusing significant international attention on Hong Kong and the World Tourism Cities Federation Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2025 marks the first time the event will be held in the city.

     

    This important annual event is anticipated to attract more than 400 representatives from 40-plus countries and regions worldwide. Commissioner for Tourism Angelina Cheung said this equates to a record attendance for the event.

    Apart from announcing that among those attending will be mayors, vice mayors, and officials from various tourism ministries, Mrs Cheung emphasised that the summit will serve as an excellent platform for exchanging ideas and discussing sustainable tourism development.

     

    The event will feature several forums, including a mayors’ forum focusing on innovation and sustainability in tourism development. Additionally, a themed forum on aviation and tourism will be held, along with trade forums that will facilitate business discussions among tourism organisations and travel agencies from Hong Kong, Beijing, and other international cities.

    Mrs Cheung highlighted that the summit presents a significant opportunity for these organisations to explore different tourism resources and products, as well as negotiate business agreements, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” in the global tourism landscape.

    In addition to the tourism summit, cultural conferences are also making a splash on Hong Kong’s events calendar. The Museum Summit 2025 took place at the Convention & Exhibition Centre at the end of March. It garnered record-high participation from over 7,000 registrants who hailed from 39 countries. One-third of attendees were non-local.

    The forum was organised by the Leisure & Cultural Services Department, in partnership with The Guimet – National Museum of Asian Arts in France. Themed “Going Beyond”, it brought together over 30 experts and leaders in the sector, from 17 countries, to share experiences, research findings, and ideas. Delegates included more than 40 museum practitioners from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Museum Alliance and Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states.

    Furthermore, the 13th Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum is scheduled to take place from April 22 to 23. The event will promote cultural co-operation across the Asian region, allowing attendees to share strategies for promoting culture and the arts. It will also reinforce Hong Kong’s role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: REP. FRENCH HILL SUPPORTS CRITICAL BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILL ADVANCING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PRO-GROWTH REFORMS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

    RELEASE: REP. FRENCH HILL SUPPORTS CRITICAL BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILL ADVANCING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PRO-GROWTH REFORMS

    WASHINGTON, D.C., April 11, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, after the U.S. House of Representatives passed, by a vote of 216-214, the FY25 Concurrent Budget Resolution as amended by the U.S. Senate, Rep. French Hill (AR-02) released the following statement:

    “The budget resolution passed by the House yesterday marks a turning point after years of failed policies by the Biden-Harris Administration. It is a serious effort by Republicans to return America to fiscally responsible solutions and sound economic policies that promote growth and lay the foundation to make permanent President Trump’s tax cuts that benefit working families, small businesses, and the middle class. 

    “I commend and look forward to working with House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington and my Republican colleagues to implement President Trump’s economic vision — a vision grounded in lower inflation, higher wages, more jobs, and renewed prosperity for all Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –