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  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine deal: Europe has learned from the failed 2014 Minsk accords with Putin. Trump has not

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natalya Chernyshova, Senior Lecturer in Modern European History, Queen Mary University of London

    Germany’s ex chancellor, Angela Merkel, and France’s former president, François Hollande, were key to brokering the Minsk agreements. Sodel Vladyslav / Shutterstock

    The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has agreed to pause attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days following a phone call with his American counterpart, Donald Trump. On social media, Trump said the call was “very good and productive” and came “with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a complete ceasefire”.

    This optimism is misplaced. The White House did not mention that Putin issued additional conditions for a ceasefire. The Kremlin demands that Ukraine be effectively disarmed, leaving it defenceless against a Russian takeover. Such terms would be unacceptable to Ukraine and its European partners.

    At this juncture, Trump and his negotiators would do well to ponder why previous attempts to restrain Russia and secure a lasting peace for Ukraine did not succeed.

    This war did not start when shells began to rain on Kyiv in February 2022. Russia had already been waging an undeclared war on its neighbour for nearly eight years in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas, where pro-Russian proxy forces have been stoking up trouble in the border regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.

    Attempts to end the fighting there were made in September 2014 and February 2015, when Russia and Ukraine signed ceasefire agreements during negotiations in Minsk, Belarus.

    Both sets of Minsk agreements proved to be non-starters. The fighting in the region rumbled on until it culminated in Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The accords stored problems for the future.

    Russia-backed separatists have controlled the south-eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk since 2015.
    Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock

    Minsk-1 and Minsk-2

    The first Minsk protocols were signed in 2014 by Russia, Ukraine, separatists from Donbas and representatives from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The agreement provided for an immediate ceasefire monitored by the OSCE, the withdrawal of “foreign mercenaries” from Ukraine and the establishment of a demilitarised buffer zone.

    But Moscow also insisted that Kyiv grant temporary “special status” to the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, the two separatist regions in Donbas. Instead of helping Ukraine regain control over its eastern territories, the agreement allowed the Russia-backed rebels to hold local elections and legalised them as a party to the conflict.

    The ceasefire collapsed within days of signing. The provisions that sought to demarcate the lines of the conflict and give Ukraine back control over its eastern border were not observed by the rebels, and fighting intensified during the winter.

    With the death toll rising, the leaders of France and Germany rushed to broker a fresh round of negotiations in February 2015. The resulting accords, which were known as Minsk-2, also failed to bring peace.

    Russia and its proxy militants in Donbas immediately and repeatedly violated its terms. Astonishingly, Minsk-2 did not even mention Russia, despite it signing the protocols. Moscow continued to deny its involvement in eastern Ukraine, while stepping up armed assistance to the rebels.

    Kyiv was saddled with peace terms that were impossible to implement unless Ukraine was prepared to throw away its sovereignty. Minsk-2 stipulated that the “special status” of the eastern separatist regions was to become permanent, and that the Ukrainian constitution was to be amended to allow for “decentralisation” of power from Kyiv to the rebel regions.

    These regions were to be granted autonomy in financial matters, responsibility for their stretch of the border with Russia, and the right to conclude foreign agreements and hold referenda. To undercut Ukrainian independence further, a neutrality clause inserted into its constitution would effectively bar the country’s entry into Nato.

    Understandably, no one in Kyiv rushed to implement these self-destructive terms. In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel in 2023, Volodymyr Zelensky said that when he became Ukraine’s president in 2019 and examined Minsk-2, he “did not recognise any desire in the agreements to allow Ukraine its independence”.

    Russia-backed separatists in Sloviansk, a city in Donetsk Oblast, in 2014.
    Fotokon / Shutterstock

    Zelensky’s comment points to the fundamental flaw of the Minsk-2 agreement. Its western brokers failed to recognise that Russian war aims were irreconcilable with Ukrainian sovereignty. Moscow’s objective from the start was to use Donbas to destabilise the government in Kyiv and gain control over Ukraine.

    Western peacemakers searched for a compromise, but the Kremlin used Minsk-2 to advance its goals. As Duncan Allan of the Chatham House research institute noted in 2020: “Russia sees the Minsk agreements as tools with which to break Ukraine’s sovereignty.” The war in Donbas raged on and, by 2020, had claimed 14,000 lives, with 1.5 million people becoming refugees.

    Germany’s ex-chancellor, Angela Merkel, a key broker, subsequently defended the Minsk agreements. She said they bought Kyiv time to arm itself against Russia. It was a costly purchase. Minsk-2 froze the conflict in one locality rather than ended it. And it encouraged Russia, paving the way for a full-scale invasion.

    Emphasising Ukrainian sovereignty

    The existential differences between Ukraine and Russia that plagued the Minsk agreements remain today. Ukraine has demonstrated its resolve to defend its sovereignty, while Russia’s invasion in 2022 testifies to its determination to squash Ukrainian resolve. The timing of the attack so close to the seventh anniversary of Minsk-2 adds grim emphasis to that point.

    This clash of objectives must be addressed head-on in any peace negotiations. The only way to secure lasting peace in Europe is to avoid rewarding the aggressor and punishing its victim.

    The Kremlin has already openly declared that it sees Trump-led brokerage as the west’s acknowledgement of Russian strategic superiority. It needs to be disabused of this notion. As argued by Nataliya Bugayova, a fellow at the Institute for the Study of War, the war is not lost yet. Russia is far from invulnerable, and it can be made to accept defeat.

    But for any agreement to be effective, there can be no ambiguity or middle ground on the subject of Ukrainian sovereignty. It must be protected and backed by security guarantees.

    So far, the Trump administration has shown little understanding of this. But ten years down the line from Minsk-2, Europeans have finally grasped it.

    Finland’s president, Aleksander Stubbs, told reporters on March 19 that Ukraine must “absolutely” not lose sovereignty and territory. And, on the day Trump and Putin had their discussion, Germany’s parliament voted for a massive boost in defence spending – another indicator that Europeans are no longer taking Putin on trust.

    Natalya Chernyshova received funding from the British Academy during 2020-2022.

    – ref. Ukraine deal: Europe has learned from the failed 2014 Minsk accords with Putin. Trump has not – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-deal-europe-has-learned-from-the-failed-2014-minsk-accords-with-putin-trump-has-not-252540

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Labour says benefit reforms are a ‘moral mission’ – it looks more like moral panic

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James Morrison, Associate Professor in Journalism Studies, University of Stirling

    House of Commons/Flickr, CC BY-ND

    After weeks of speculation, Liz Kendall, work and pensions secretary, has unveiled her plans to reform welfare and cut the country’s ballooning benefits bill. The proposals include:

    • stricter eligibility requirements for Personal Independence Payments (Pip), the main disability benefit
    • scrapping the work capability assessment for universal credit
    • freezing or cutting the incapacity benefit “top-up” to universal credit for new claimants
    • reducing incapacity benefits for under-22s
    • increasing the standard rate of universal credit for claimants seeking work
    • introducing a “right to try”, so that people can try work without automatically losing benefits or being reassessed.

    Kendall, along with her fellow Labour ministers, has tried to sell the proposals as a “moral mission”. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has repeatedly framed the cuts as a “moral duty”.

    Cabinet office minister Ellie Reeves argues it is the party’s “moral obligation” to prevent “a lost generation” of young people being consigned to long-term worklessness.

    I research the impact of how the media and politicians talk about welfare (and people who claim it) on public attitudes and benefit recipients themselves. In recent weeks, I’ve asked myself: what exactly is “moral” about welfare reform? Do ministers see it as morally wrong to leave working-aged people “on the scrap heap”? Or are they more concerned with demonstrating their moral duty to taxpayers – by cutting benefits for people they claim could be working?

    The proposals do contain measures that back up ministers’ claims to genuinely want to help people, rather than simply cut costs. The “right to try” guarantee should allow those outside the labour market to give work a go without losing benefits if this doesn’t work out.

    But if ministers are being driven by morality, I would argue they have approached the problem the wrong way round. The first priority should be not to cut the benefit bill, but to introduce proper support. This, of course, will likely push costs up in the short term. Savings will follow, but only if help translates into meaningful, dignified work.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

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    Starmer has pledged to stop a “wasted generation” of school leavers not in education, employment or training (Neets) missing out on the “the dignity of work”.

    But by hammering home this message with the uncompromising pro-worker slogan “this is the Labour party”, he aligns himself with a specific moral orthodoxy. This affirms the moral superiority of his government’s defining shibboleth, “working people”, by defending hardworking taxpayers who feel it is “unsustainable, indefensible and unfair” to keep footing a “spiralling bill” for welfare.

    The moral crusade to promote the virtues of honest toil is doubtless fuelled by surveys suggesting tough talk on benefits remains popular with socially conservative voters the party fears losing to Reform UK.

    However, many polls are nuanced. A new Ipsos survey identifies a “benefits paradox”, wherein 37% of Britons agree that “ensuring everyone who needs health-related benefits” should be “prioritised, even if it means some who could work do not”. The same survey had just 23% favouring tougher eligibility requirements.

    Moral mission or moral panic?

    As my own research shows, when “welfare reform” agendas are couched in the language of “moral missions”, what is really happening is moral panic. We are witnessing escalating alarm at a perceived threat to the moral order that is disproportionate to the true scale of the problem.

    True, the number of people inactive due to sickness or disability is higher than before the pandemic, but suggestions that overall inactivity has reached record levels are wrong. Although a higher percentage of 16- to 64-year-olds was inactive during 2024 than in Germany or Ireland, this was lower than the previous year’s rate (down from 22% to 21.5%), and fell further in early 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics.

    Britain’s 2024 inactivity rate was also beneath those of 15 other European countries (including France and Spain), the US and the EU average. The true high point of UK inactivity came in 1983, when more than a quarter of working-aged adults were inactive.

    Kendall has distanced herself from the language of “scroungers” I analysed in my book on welfare discourse under the 2010-15 coalition government. But connotations can be just as stigmatising as overt labels.

    In endlessly employing the mantra “those who can work should work,” ministers channel timeworn tropes distinguishing between the deserving and undeserving poor.



    Read more:
    Getting Britain to work without blaming ‘scroungers’ – can Starmer change the narrative?

    The new proposals include a ‘right to try’ work without fear of losing benefits.
    SeventyFour/Shutterstock

    There is a moral case for offering tailored, sensitive support to disabled people who want to work but face significant barriers – including inflexible employers and the pressure of caring for others.

    But this should not come at the cost of impoverishing people unable to work – as some unlikely critics of the government’s proposals point out.

    Tony Blair’s onetime Cabinet Secretary Gus O’Donnell told Radio 4 it would be “immoral” to damage people with severe disabilities “who don’t have any option but to be on benefits”. And Blairite former work and pensions secretary Lord Hutton warned that sweeping benefit cuts would “drive millions and millions of people into penury”.

    The government says its reforms are a moral mission, but they are already having immoral effects. Just how moral is it to terrify people already struggling to afford basic essentials with the prospect of being driven into deeper poverty? Or to encourage young people into work that is likely to be low-paid and insecure?

    If there’s one message we can take from the unseemly spectacle of leaks and briefings leading to this week’s announcement, it may be this: we’ve been watching a government on the brink of losing its moral compass.

    James Morrison receives funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for a project entitled Voices from the Periphery: (De)Constructing and Contesting Public Narratives about Post-Industrial Marginalisation (VOICES).

    – ref. Labour says benefit reforms are a ‘moral mission’ – it looks more like moral panic – https://theconversation.com/labour-says-benefit-reforms-are-a-moral-mission-it-looks-more-like-moral-panic-252404

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: NHS approval of endometriosis therapy Ryeqo enhances patient care, eases healthcare strain, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    NHS approval of endometriosis therapy Ryeqo enhances patient care, eases healthcare strain, says GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    The National Health Service (NHS) in England has approved Gedeon Richter’s Ryeqo, the first long-term pill available for endometriosis for patients who have exhausted all other treatment options. The approval addresses the long-standing gap in long-term treatment options for endometriosis, improving overall disease management while easing the burden on healthcare resources, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s report, “Endometriosis Market Size and Trend Report,” reveals that the endometriosis market size across the seven major markets* (7MM) is expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of more than 9% during 2020-2030.

    A few of the major endometriosis market growth drivers across the 7MM include improvements in non-invasive diagnostic methods, such as the utilization of biomarkers, which should further increase the number of early diagnoses.

    Ryeqo is a combination medication containing relugolix (a GnRH antagonist), estradiol (a form of estrogen), and norethisterone (a synthetic progestin). Together, these three components help regulate estrogen and progesterone levels—key hormones involved in endometriosis—effectively reducing symptoms and improving overall disease management.

    According to the key opinion leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData, injectable treatments for endometriosis often present challenges in patient adherence and comfort. The approval of relugolix-estradiol-norethisterone as a standard NHS treatment improves accessibility, reduces the need for invasive procedures, and gives patients more control in managing their condition.

    By eliminating the need for multiple medications and frequent clinic visits for injections, this oral treatment offers a more convenient alternative. Unlike injections, which may initially worsen symptoms, the pill is taken at home and combines all necessary hormones into one convenient tablet.

    Dr Shireen Mohammad, Senior Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “By eliminating the need for multiple medications and frequent clinic visits for injections, this oral treatment offers a more convenient alternative. Unlike injections, which may initially worsen symptoms, the pill is taken at home and combines all necessary hormones into one convenient tablet. The oral route of administration offers greater clinical control over treatment, as dosages can be adjusted, and the medication can be quickly discontinued if necessary. This flexibility provides a significant advantage over long-acting injectable medications, allowing for easier management of side effects and treatment interruptions when needed.”

    Additionally, KOLs highlighted the lack of long-term treatment options for endometriosis, as most available medications are only approved for short-term use. Ryeqo helps address this gap by offering a sustained, long-term therapy, providing continuous symptom relief through hormonal regulation. This makes Ryeqo a valuable, non-invasive alternative for patients seeing effective, ongoing management of their condition, ultimately improving their quality of life.

    Dr Mohammad concludes: “The UK joins other nations in expanding access to endometriosis treatment, offering hope for continued progress in patient care. This approval enhances patients’ quality of life while also reducing strain on the NHS by decreasing hospital visits and the need for surgical procedures. Additionally, Ryeqo’s approval brings the UK in line with global advancements in endometriosis treatment, ensuring women have access to a more effective and convenient option.”

    7MM: The US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Navy Culinary Specialists Showcase their skills at the 49th Joint Culinary Training Exercise

    Source: United States Navy

    FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Va. – Culinary Specialists (CS) from across the fleet competed at the 49th annual Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE), which ran from Feb. 28 until March 7, 2025, at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. This year’s training event attracted over 150 U.S. military personnel from installations and activities worldwide, alongside allied forces teams from the Republic of Korea, Germany, the U.K., and France.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Chang Yong Rhee: Sustainability challenges in Korea

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    I. Introduction

    Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, I am Rhee Changyong, Governor of the Bank of Korea.

    It is an honor to join the Global Engagement & Empowerment Forum (GEEF) to discuss building a sustainable future. I sincerely thank Yonsei University President Yun Dongseob, former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and everyone who made this event possible. I am also pleased to reconnect with former World Bank President Jim Yong Kim after my time in Washington, D.C.

    Over the years, the GEEF has brought together global leaders, international organizations, businesses, and stakeholders to explore solutions for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I hope this forum continues driving practical solutions to today’s sustainability challenges.

    I am here to share Korea’s perspective on these issues. Some people say, “The Governor of the Bank of Korea is overstepping his bounds,” because I speak on social issues beyond monetary policy. Discussing the SDGs today may reinforce that perception. While central bankers debate their role in such discussions, sustainability challenges directly impact our economy and daily lives. For this reason, I cannot remain indifferent-not just as a central bank governor, but also as a citizen.

    Sustainability takes many forms, but today I will focus on two urgent challenges for Korea’s economy. The first is climate change, a global crisis affecting everyone. The second is our declining birth rate and aging population, a challenge that is especially severe in Korea.

    II. Climate Change

    There is global and domestic consensus that human activities drive global warming and reducing carbon emissions is essential. However, Korea faces significant resistance to accelerating carbon reduction due to its heavily export-oriented economy dominated by high-carbon manufacturing industries. Strengthening emission reduction policies and environmental regulations raises concerns about export companies losing competitiveness. Thus, balancing urgent carbon reduction with sustaining industrial competitiveness has become a central issue.

    However, climate change should not be viewed solely from the perspective of export industries. It is a crisis directly affecting our daily lives and quality of life. We are already experiencing more extreme heat waves, frequent flooding, and the gradual disappearance of familiar fruits and vegetables. Our summer rainfalls used to be predictable, but not anymore. If Los Angeles can experience massive wildfires, what is stopping Korea from experiencing similar disasters? Climate change is not distant-it is occurring now, and its impacts are unavoidable.

    Air quality is a clear example. Last week, I visited Cape Town, South Africa, for a BIS meeting. While it was winter in Korea, it was summer there, with warm weather, a refreshing sea breeze, and remarkably clean air. Within days, I realized, “This is truly clean air.” Upon returning to Incheon Airport, I immediately felt a headache-not just from the flood of emails about economic and political concerns, but also from the noticeably poorer air quality. Korea’s air quality has improved recently, but after experiencing cleaner air in Washington, D.C., I can clearly sense the difference. As someone sensitive to lung health after experiencing long COVID, this difference is especially noticeable. Although conditions have improved, fine dust remains a serious issue.

    Statistically, the cost of deteriorating air quality is undeniable. Over the past 15 years, diagnoses of atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis have doubled, and cases of heat exhaustion have quadrupled, now totaling 4,000. Climate change directly threatens our health, making the challenges of protecting public health increasingly severe as temperatures rise and pollution worsens.

    Another example is the increased frequency of sudden downpours, repeatedly flooding Seoul’s Gangnam Station area, one of Korea’s wealthiest neighborhoods, submerging numerous luxury vehicles over the past several years. Beyond property damage, the human toll has been devastating. Just two years ago, 14 people tragically lost their lives when an underpass collapsed after 500mm of rain fell in thirteen days. Observing these intense summer storms reminds me of tropical squalls typically seen in Thailand or South America.

    The Korea Meteorological Administration now classifies rainfall exceeding 50mm per hour or 90mm over three hours as “extreme heavy rain,” conditions responsible for 80% of flood damage. These extreme events have more than doubled since the 1970s. Given these dramatic changes, it is unclear whether our current flood prevention infrastructure-such as dams, embankments, and drainage systems-can handle the intensifying conditions. About 20% of national river embankments are already rated as “inadequate” or “poor,” and projections suggest half of Korea’s dams may fail to prevent flooding by 2040. We must proactively strengthen infrastructure now to withstand growing climate challenges.

    Third, climate change is disrupting our food supply. Last year, I faced criticism from agricultural stakeholders after suggesting apple imports due to soaring prices (Im et al., 2024). Initially, I anticipated resistance primarily from traditional apple-growing regions like Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. However, apple production areas are gradually shifting northward. Apple cultivation in Daegu-Gyeongbuk has decreased by nearly half compared to 30 years ago. Once grown nationwide, except for the southern coast and Jeju Island, projections suggest high-quality apples will only be viable in Gangwon Province’s mountainous areas by the 2030s, due to rapid climate change (Rural Development Administration, 2022). Within a decade, importing apples will likely become a necessity rather than controversial.

    The fishing industry faces similar disruptions. Pollack, once a staple in Korea, has nearly vanished from local waters, with catches below one ton since 2019. Traditional species like croaker and anchovies are declining, while warmer-water species like yellowtail and mackerel are increasing. Korea’s fishing industry must rapidly adapt by modernizing vessels, gear, and aquaculture techniques to match the changing marine ecosystem.

    While countless examples exist, the core message is clear. Climate change is not just a challenge for export industries-it already deeply impacts our daily lives and various domestic sectors. Thus, addressing climate change and reducing carbon emissions is not a matter of choice-it is an urgent necessity.

    Although the government has initiated policy efforts, substantial progress remains necessary. First, Korea’s Green Taxonomy (K-Taxonomy) must align with international standards to clearly define “environmentally friendly” activities, signaling strong support for carbon reduction. Second, carbon pricing must be more realistic. Last April, the global average carbon price was approximately $30 per ton, reaching $60 per ton in the EU, compared to only $6 per ton in Korea. At this price, companies find it more economical to buy emission credits than reduce emissions, undermining carbon reduction targets. Third, structural improvements to Korea’s Emissions Trading System (K-ETS) are needed. Gradually reducing the 90% free allocation rate and tightening the emissions cap will create stronger market incentives for effective emissions trading.

    The Bank of Korea is also increasing its efforts by conducting financial stress tests on climate-related risks. Financial institutions traditionally manage risks like loan defaults and real estate fluctuations, but climate-driven risks introduce unexpected tail risks not yet fully considered. Events like Los Angeles’ wildfires or Australia’s six-month wildfire crisis in 2019 are not distant threats. They serve as warnings for Korea. Severe localized climate damage could cause significant financial losses for households and businesses, destabilizing financial institutions and spreading shocks throughout the economy.

    Thus, the Bank of Korea actively researches climate risks’ impacts on our industries and financial system, conducting stress tests with financial institutions under various scenarios. Next Tuesday, we will present these climate stress test results at a joint conference with the Financial Supervisory Service.

    Bank of Korea employees are also committed to reducing carbon emissions through research (Kim et al., 2024) and daily practices. Believing even small actions matter, we have adopted eco-friendly measures such as using recycled-paper business cards, reducing plastic use, turning off unused lights, and implementing license plate-based driving restrictions.

    III. Ultra Low Fertility and an Aging Population

    Beyond climate change, one of the most pressing sustainability challenges is our demographic crisis-an aging population combined with extremely low fertility rates. Korea’s total fertility rate slightly rose to 0.75 in 2024 from 0.72 in 2023. Although this small uptick is welcome, a fertility rate of 0.75 remains a national emergency. If this trend continues, Korea faces an irreversible population crisis that threatens economic stability and social cohesion.

    Some people suggest that population decline might have benefits, such as reduced pollution, lower energy consumption, and higher GDP per capita, possibly enhancing quality of life. However, this view dangerously oversimplifies the issue. A fertility rate of 0.75 leads not to gradual decline but rapid demographic collapse, undermining economic and social stability. By contrast, the OECD average fertility rate of 1.4 results in a more manageable and sustainable population decline.

    The difference between fertility rates of 0.75 and 1.4 significantly impacts economic growth prospects. At 0.75, Korea’s population would shrink from 51.7 million to 30 million in 50 years, just 58% of today’s figure, declining annually by 1.1%. In contrast, at a rate of 1.4, the population decline is less severe, reaching 43 million-83% of today’s level-with an annual drop of 0.4%. From a purely demographic standpoint, the difference in GDP growth between these two scenarios would amount to 0.4 percentage points annually. But the true cost goes beyond this simple calculation. A declining youth population, crucial for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic dynamism, would severely undermine Korea’s long-term growth potential. According to a recent Bank of Korea study, Korea’s potential growth rate, currently around 2%, may approach near 0% by the late 2040s (Lee et al., 2024). If the fertility rate remains at 0.75, Korea will inevitably face prolonged negative economic growth after 2050. Conversely, at 1.4, Korea could maintain positive economic growth well into the future.

    Beyond GDP, persistently low fertility will create substantial fiscal strain, increasing the burden on younger generations. As the elderly population surges, spending on pensions, healthcare, and elder care will rise significantly. According to the National Assembly Budget Office (2025), Korea’s national debt-to-GDP ratio, currently 46.9%, is projected to reach 182% within 50 years if fertility remains at 0.75. If fertility improves to 1.4, the ratio would increase more slowly, reaching 163%. The burden on young Koreans will become particularly overwhelming. Currently, four working-age individuals support each elderly person. At a fertility rate of 0.75, this ratio will decline to one-to-one within 50 years. At 1.4, however, it remains more manageable, easing strain on future generations.

    Moreover, economic instability from demographic shifts increases society’s vulnerability to populism. Stagnant growth exacerbates income inequality, deepens generational and class divides, and fuels political polarization. Politicians and governments may resort to populist fiscal policies, such as direct cash handouts and temporary welfare measures, providing short-term relief without addressing underlying issues. Such policies risk creating a cycle of fiscal inefficiency and mounting national debt, exacerbating rather than resolving the core problems.

    To preserve economic sustainability, decisive action must be taken urgently. If Korea’s fertility rate remains critically low without significant expansion of the workforce through foreign labor, the country risks chronic negative growth, soaring debt, and escalating social tensions. Avoiding this scenario requires raising the fertility rate to a more viable level. Completely reversing population decline may be unrealistic since many advanced economies face similar demographic challenges, but Korea cannot afford to remain passive. At a minimum, we must strive to reach the OECD average fertility rate of 1.4.

    Why has Korea’s fertility rate fallen so drastically? The answer lies in structural barriers discouraging young people from marriage and parenthood. Bank of Korea studies indicate young Koreans delay or forgo marriage and childbirth due to intense competition and anxieties over employment, housing, and childcare. Young people today face fierce competition for scarce, high-quality jobs, making career stability difficult. Simultaneously, soaring housing prices make homeownership seem unattainable. Under these pressures, raising children is more than challenging-it is an overwhelming financial and emotional burden.

    A major driver of this crisis is the extreme concentration of population and economic activity in the Seoul metropolitan area. A recent Bank of Korea study analyzing fertility trends in 35 OECD countries identified Korea’s urban concentration as among the highest globally, pinpointing it as a key factor behind the country’s ultra-low fertility (Hwang et al., 2023). Over 50% of Korea’s GDP, population, and jobs are concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area-much higher than 5% in the U.S. and Germany, 10-20% in the U.K. and Italy, 20-30% in France, and 30% in Japan. While Korea’s rapid economic development-the “Miracle on the Han River”-transformed the country into an economic powerhouse, it also centralized infrastructure, talent, and opportunities in Seoul. Consequently, young people continue migrating to the capital for career prospects, draining vitality from regional economies and pushing many toward demographic extinction.

    Korea’s highly competitive university entrance system further reinforces the population concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area. Admission to prestigious universities is considered essential-not only for stable employment but also for social status and marriage prospects. This fuels intense competition for limited spots at elite universities, overwhelmingly located in Seoul. Private education has become critical, prompting families to relocate to Seoul’s affluent areas like Gangnam-gu, known for high-quality private educational infrastructure. Many parents unable to afford homeownership instead rely on costly rental housing to secure educational advantages. This strategy appears justified, as students from Seoul account for 32% of admissions to Seoul National University (SNU), despite representing only 16% of school-age population. More strikingly, students from Gangnam-gu alone constitute 12% of SNU admissions, three times the district’s 4% share of school-age residents (Chung et al., 2024). Relocating to Gangnam-gu is thus seen as essential for top university admission, intensifying Seoul’s population density, raising housing prices, and worsening the fertility crisis.

    Korea’s university admission system is excessively competitive by any standard. Parents sacrifice their quality of life and retirement savings, investing considerable resources to secure their children’s admission to elite universities. Paradoxically, this intense pursuit of academic success imposes a heavy cost on both parents and children. From as early as kindergarten, students experience relentless pressure and burnout, depriving them of childhood joys and a healthy adolescence.

    Korea’s critically low fertility rate (0.75), extreme population concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area, and overheated university competition seem like separate issues but are deeply interconnected. Left unresolved, these challenges-drastic population decline, persistent negative economic growth, escalating social tensions, and diminishing opportunities for youth-will push Korea toward an unsustainable tipping point. Addressing these structural issues simultaneously is challenging, yet the urgency demands bold action. Recognizing this, the Bank of Korea recently proposed two policy suggestions: foster a limited number of regional hub cities and implement a “regional proportional admission system” for universities.

    First, to effectively reduce the extreme population concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area, we must strategically develop a small number of regional hub cities. Over the past two decades, regional development policies have been introduced to address this imbalance. However, due to political challenges and efforts to evenly distribute resources nationwide, these initiatives have been too fragmented to meaningfully curb Seoul’s dominance.

    According to Bank of Korea research, the optimal approach-given Korea’s land area and population-is to concentrate substantial investments in two to six carefully selected regional hub cities. Targeted, large-scale investment in critical infrastructure, such as healthcare, education, and cultural amenities, is essential to providing a quality of life comparable to Seoul, thus effectively attracting and retaining residents (Chung et al., 2023, 2024). Pursuing this focused strategy will rebalance population distribution, revitalize regional economies-including surrounding smaller cities-and achieve sustainable national development.

    In parallel, bold reforms to Korea’s college admissions system are essential. The Bank of Korea has proposed a “regional proportional admission system,” where universities voluntarily allocate admissions based on each region’s proportion of high school seniors (Chung et al., 2024). Despite multiple revisions to university entrance system, excessive competition in university admissions remains unresolved. BOK’s new proposal seeks to enhance universities’ autonomy in admissions while strongly requiring balanced regional representation-a crucial step to address extreme competition. Adopting this system offers several benefits. First, it reduces the disproportionate influence of socioeconomic factors such as parental wealth and private education, thus significantly enhancing social mobility. Second, dispersing admissions competition from Seoul would ease demographic pressures, stabilize housing prices, and improve fertility rates. Third, attracting students from diverse regions promotes mutual understanding, social cohesion, and reduces regional disparities.

    This proposal does not require government intervention or legal amendments, relying instead on the willingness and initiative of leading universities. In Korea, there remains a strong belief that selecting students based solely on academic scores is the fairest, leading resistance to this proposal. Some universities argue they already implement regional proportional admissions for roughly 15% of their freshmen. However, such limited quotas can stigmatize these students and have insufficient impact on demographic or housing pressures in Seoul. To be effective, regional proportional admissions must be applied to most incoming students’ admissions. In many advanced nations, regional diversity in admissions is widely accepted and encouraged. I believe Dr. Jim Yong Kim, joining us today and a former president of Dartmouth College, understands this issue well. He could highlight how Korea’s test score-based admissions approach is an exception globally, and how this reform could realistically occur through proactive leadership at major universities.

    In my view, allowing universities greater flexibility in evaluating applicants-under regional proportional requirements-would better acknowledge and fairly recognize diverse talents. Human talent is far too diverse to be measured by academic tests alone. Yet, Korea’s current admissions system prioritizes a narrow skillset: memorization, quick mathematical calculations, and rapid text summarization under time pressure. These skills, overly rewarded by standardized exams, limit the range of recognized talents. I happen to possess these particular skills and was a major beneficiary of Korea’s college admission system. However, if asked to write a creative essay over a week, I might not have excelled. Today, elite university students often share certain defining characteristics such as a personality that diligently follows instructions without rebellion, a willingness to endure 15 years of repetitive study from kindergarten, an IQ high enough to handle the academic workload, but not so high as to question or challenge its purpose.

    When Korea’s primary goal was catching up with more advanced nations, the current educational system was beneficial in developing individuals who excelled at following orders and carrying out assigned tasks. However, with Korea now at the forefront of global technological competition, we need people unafraid to explore new frontiers, bringing diverse backgrounds and innovative thinking. Additionally, we must foster an environment that encourages collaboration, creativity, and meaningful interaction. It is time for universities to broaden their evaluation criteria and nurture diverse talents by implementing regional proportional admissions.

    The challenges highlighted today-climate change and demographic crisis-pose critical threats and require urgent action. Korea has achieved remarkable economic progress, joining the ranks of advanced nations. Now we must focus on enhancing individual well-being, ensuring prosperity and happiness for all citizens. Through bold decisions, we can develop vibrant, youth-friendly, green regional hubs that combat climate change and support marriage and childbirth. The Bank of Korea remains fully committed to securing a sustainable, prosperous future for upcoming generations.

    Thank you for your time and attention.

    This speech was prepared with the assistance of Sanghun Park and Joonki Min from the Office of Sustainable Growth, and Inro Lee and Inkyung Yoo from the Economic Research Institute.

    References

    Kim J. Y., Ryu G. B., Hwang J. H., Kim H. J., Kim H. N., Lee H. A., and Sim S. B. 2024. “The Impact of Climate Change Risks on the Real Economy: Analysis by Climate Response Scenarios.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-30, Bank of Korea.

    Rural Development Administration. 2022. “Prediction of Changes in Cultivation Areas for Six Major Fruits Considering Climate Change Scenarios.” Press Release.
    Lim W. J., Lee D. J., Lee Y. S., and Park C. H. 2024. “Characteristics and Implications of Korea’s Price Levels: A Comparison with Major Countries.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-14, Bank of Korea.

    Chung M. S., Kim E. J., Lee H. S., Hong S. J., and Lee D. R. 2023. “Interregional Population Migration and Regional Economy.” BOK Issue Note No. 2023-29, Bank of Korea.

    Chung M. S., Lee Y. H., Yoo J. S., and Kim E. J. 2024. “Analysis of Regional Economic Growth Factors and Balanced Development Focused on Hub Cities.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-15, Bank of Korea.

    Chung J. W., Lee D. W., and Kim H. J. 2024. “Adressing Social Issues Steming from Excessive Competition in College Admissions.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-26, Bank of Korea.

    Hwang I. D., Nam Y. M., Sund W., Shim S. R., Yeom J., Lee B. J., Lee H. R., Chung J. W., Cho T. H., Choi Y. J., Hwang S. W., and Son M. K. 2023. “Lowest-low Fertility and Super-aged Society: Causes and Impacts of the Extreme Population Structure, and Policy Options.” In-Depth Analysis, Korea Economy Outlook, Bank of Korea.

    Lee E. K., Chun D. M., Kim J. W., and Lee D. J. 2024. “Potential Growth Rate of the Korean Economy and Future Outlook.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-33, Bank of Korea.

    Lim W. J., Lee D. J., Lee Y. S., and Park C. H. 2024. “Characteristics and Implications of Korea’s Price Levels: A Comparison with Major Countries.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-14, Bank of Korea.

    National Assembly Budget Office. 2025. “2025-2072 NABO Long-Term Fiscal Outlook.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Latest update on Clade Ib mpox

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Latest update on Clade Ib mpox

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) latest updates on Clade Ib mpox.

    Updates on clade Ib mpox case numbers are published on the UKHSA data dashboard

    Latest update

    Clade I mpox no longer considered a high consequence infectious disease

    Clade Ia and Ib mpox will no longer be classified as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) following a review of available evidence by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens, the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed today.

    This decision has been taken because the evidence related to this clade no longer meets the criteria for an HCID, which includes having a high mortality rate and a lack of available interventions.

    However, the decision should not be interpreted as clade I mpox no longer being of any public health consequence. The disease is still a public health emergency of international concern as defined by the WHO.

    Sexual and close physical contact is the main way that mpox spreads.

    There have been no reported deaths from mpox in the UK to date, and vaccination is available for higher risk contacts, healthcare workers, and those who are most at risk.

    Emma Richards, Incident Director at the UK Health Security Agency, said:

    There is now firm evidence of vaccine effectiveness and a low mortality rate for cases of clade I mpox, alongside heightened clinical awareness of symptoms, and access to rapid diagnostic testing and safe therapies with emerging evidence of efficacy.

    This change does not alter our overall public health response and we remain committed to preventing the spread of clade I mpox within the UK.

    While mpox infection is mild for many, it can cause severe symptoms including unusual rashes and blisters, a fever and headache.

    The majority of people who have presented with symptoms report close physical contact, including massages, or sex prior to developing symptoms. It’s important people who have travelled to affected countries in Africa remain alert to the risks and seek medical advice if necessary.

    All 4 UK Chief Medical Officers have agreed to accept the recommendation.

    There have been no cases of clade Ia mpox in the UK, and only a small number of cases of clade Ib mpox. Most of these cases have appeared in returning travellers from affected areas in Africa with the others being household contacts of a case.

    There has been no community transmission of clade I mpox within the UK and the risk to the population remains low.

    In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK.

    Previous

    13 February 2025

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm. 

    The case was detected in London and the individual is now under specialist care at the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently returned from Uganda, where there is currently community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    The risk to the UK population remains low. In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK.

    This is the eighth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England since October 2024. This case has no links to the previous cases identified in England.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Contacts will be offered testing and vaccination where needed to prevent further infections and they will be advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    Dr Merav Kliner, Incident Director at UKHSA, said:

    The risk to the UK population remains low. Close contacts have been identified and offered appropriate advice in order to reduce the chance of further spread.

    Clade Ib mpox has been circulating in several countries in Africa in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in a number of countries including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States.

    There has been extensive planning undertaken to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to confirmed cases.

    Further updates on clade Ib mpox case numbers will be published on the following page: Confirmed cases of mpox clade Ib in United Kingdom.

    Previous

    27 January 2025

    Another case of clade Ib mpox has been detected, bringing the total number of confirmed cases since October 2024 to 7, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.

    The individual had recently travelled to Uganda. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    The risk to the UK population remains low. Close contacts have been identified and offered appropriate advice in order to reduce the chance of further spread.

    20 January 2025

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.  

    The case was detected in East Sussex and the individual is now under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. They had recently returned from Uganda, where there is currently community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low. In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK. 

    This is the sixth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England since October 2024. This case has no links to the previous cases identified in England.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Contacts will be offered testing and vaccination where needed to prevent further infections and they will be advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at UKHSA, said: 

    It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and the work of our specialist laboratory that we have been able to detect this new case.

    The risk to the UK population remains low following this sixth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread.

    Clade Ib mpox has been circulating in several countries in Africa in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in a number of countries including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States. 

    There has been extensive planning undertaken to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    29 November 2024

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.  

    The case was detected in Leeds and the individual is now under specialist care at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. They had recently returned from Uganda, which is seeing community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low. We expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK. 

    This is the fifth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England in recent weeks. This case has no links to the previous cases identified. All 4 previous cases were from the same household and all have now fully recovered.  

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: 

    It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and our diagnostics tests that we have been able to detect this new case. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low following this fifth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases. 

    Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in Canada, Sweden, India, Thailand and Germany. 

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    6 November 2024

    One further case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in a household contact of the first case, the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) can confirm.  

    This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 4, all of which belong to the same household. 

    The patient is currently under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London. The risk to the UK population remains low. 

    The patient has been isolating since identified as a contact of the first case and no additional contact tracing is required. 

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: 

    Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household. 

    The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.

    Contacts of cases are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. All contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    4 November 2024

    Two cases of clade Ib mpox have been detected in household contacts of the first case, the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) can confirm. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 3.

    The 2 patients are currently under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household.

    The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.

    Contacts of all 3 cases are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. All contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    30 October 2024

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of clade Ib mpox. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    This is the first detection of this clade of mpox in the UK. It is different from mpox clade II that has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022, primarily among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM).

    UKHSA, the NHS and partner organisations have well tested capabilities to detect, contain and treat novel infectious diseases, and while this is the first confirmed case of mpox clade Ib in the UK, there has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any confirmed cases.

    The case was detected in London and the individual has been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently travelled to countries in Africa that are seeing community cases of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    UKHSA is working closely with the NHS and academic partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and further assess the risk to human health. While the existing evidence suggests mpox clade Ib causes more severe disease than clade II, we will continue to monitor and learn more about the severity, transmission and control measures. We will initially manage clade Ib as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) whilst we are learning more about the virus.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    It is thanks to our surveillance that we have been able to detect this virus. This is the first time we have detected this clade of mpox in the UK, though other cases have been confirmed abroad.

    The risk to the UK population remains low, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, said:

    I am extremely grateful to the healthcare professionals who are carrying out incredible work to support and care for the patient affected.

    The overall risk to the UK population currently remains low and the government is working alongside UKHSA and the NHS to protect the public and prevent transmission.

    This includes securing vaccines and equipping healthcare professionals with the guidance and tools they need to respond to cases safely.

    We are also working with our international partners to support affected countries to prevent further outbreaks.

    Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccination and screening, said:

    The NHS is fully prepared to respond to the first confirmed case of this clade of mpox.

    Since mpox first became present in England, local services have pulled out all the stops to vaccinate those eligible, with tens of thousands in priority groups having already come forward to get protected, and while the risk of catching mpox in the UK remains low, if required the NHS has plans in place to expand the roll out of vaccines quickly in line with supply.

    Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.

    Clade Ib mpox was detected by UKHSA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

    Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last 2 to 4 weeks. It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

    The infection can be passed on through close person-to-person contact with someone who has the infection or with infected animals and through contact with contaminated materials. Anyone with symptoms should continue to avoid contact with other people while symptoms persist.

    The UK has an existing stock of mpox vaccines and last month announced further vaccines are being procured to support a routine immunisation programme to provide additional resilience in the UK. This is in line with more recent independent JCVI advice.

    Working alongside international partners, UKHSA has been monitoring clade Ib mpox closely since the outbreak in DRC first emerged, publishing regular risk assessment updates.

    The wider risk to the UK population remains low.

    UKHSA has published its first technical briefing on clade I mpox which provides further information on the current situation and UK preparedness and response.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Newly awarded public tender: Establishment and operation of an external hosting environment for Brugerklubben SBSYS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release

    Newly awarded public tender: Establishment and operation of an external hosting environment for Brugerklubben SBSYS

    Aalborg, 19 March 2025 – Contain by Netic, a Trifork subsidiary, has recently been awarded a public tender for the establishment and operation of an external hosting environment for Brugerklubben SBSYS. Brugerklubben SBSYS is a Danish association of 41 municipalities and 2 regions that oversees the development of the Electronic Document and Records Management Systems (EDRMS), SBSYS, and SBSIP, which in total support the daily workflow for more than 50,000 users.

    Contain by Netic has been selected to establish and operate an external operating environment that will facilitate the operation of SBSYS and SBSIP for all members. The project involves migrating key components from Hetzner in Germany to Contain by Netic’s Danish infrastructure. Additionally, operations will be consolidated from members’ decentralized environments into a centralized, external hosting environment in Netic’s data center.

    As part of the agreement, Contain by Netic is delivering a PaaS (Platform as a Service) solution based on Managed Kubernetes. This enables Brugerklubben SBSYS to offload all complexity to Contain by Netic while maintaining the flexibility to scale as needed.

    Claus Hansen, CCO at Netic, comments on the agreement:

    “It is a great recognition of our expertise that Brugerklubben SBSYS has chosen Contain by Netic as the managed platform for their critical EDRM systems. With more than 50,000 daily users, reliability and scalability are paramount, and we are proud to take on this critical responsibility. As part of the project, we are moving key components from Germany to a Danish public cloud hosted in Netic’s local data center – an essential step for data protection and compliance. We appreciate the trust placed in us and look forward to a strong four-year partnership, where we will provide modern, secure, and future-proof operations for Brugerklubben SBSYS.”

    The contract has a duration of 48 months. During this period, Contain by Netic will ensure stable and consistent operations while maintaining seamless collaboration with Brugerklubben SBSYS’s other vendors.

    Investor and media contact

    Frederik Svanholm
    Group Investment Director, Head of IR & PR
    frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 7317

    About Trifork

    Trifork is a pioneering global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative solutions. With 1,229 professionals across 73 business units in 16 countries, Trifork delivers expertise in inspiring, building, and running advanced software solutions across diverse sectors, including public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. Trifork Labs, the Group’s R&D hub, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic and high-potential technology companies. Trifork Group AG is a publicly listed company on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s phone call with Putin fails to deliver ceasefire – here’s what could happen next

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    After more than two hours on the phone on Tuesday, March 17, the US president, Donald Trump, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, agreed agreed only to confidence-building measures, not a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The two leaders came away from the call having agreed on a limited prisoner exchange, a suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure, and the creation of working groups to explore further steps towards a ceasefire and ultimately a peace agreement.

    A less charitable way of looking at the outcome of the second call between the two presidents since Trump returned to the White House would be that the ball is now back in America’s court. Putin made it crystal clear to Trump that he is not (yet) in the mood for any compromise.

    This is hardly surprising given recent events.

    The US has pressured Ukraine mercilessly into accepting a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Trump hoped Russia would also agree to. But apart from a vague statement by Trump that he might consider sanctions against Russia, he has so far seemed unwilling to contemplate putting any meaningful equivalent pressure on Putin.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    On the ground, Russia has gained the upper hand in the Kursk region where Ukrainian troops have ceded most of the territory they captured after a surprise offensive last summer. Once Putin’s forces, assisted by thousands of North Korean soldiers, have succeeded in driving the Ukrainians out of Russia, Kyiv will have lost its most valuable bargaining chip in negotiations with Moscow.

    Meanwhile, Russia has also made further gains on the frontlines inside Ukraine especially in parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. These are two of the four regions (the other two are Donetsk and Luhansk) that Putin has claimed for Russia in their entirety since sham referendums in September 2022, despite not yet having full control of them.

    If Russia were to capture yet more Ukrainian territory, Putin would probably find it even easier to convince Trump that his demands are reasonable. The fact that Trump already hinted at a “dividing of assets”, including the nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia – Europe’s largest before its forced shutdown in September 2022 – is a worrying indication of how far the Russian president has already pushed the envelope.

    Ukraine war: territory occupied by Russia as at March 18 2025.
    Institute for the Study of War

    But a deal solely between Russia and the US is not going to work. In that sense, time is not only on Putin’s side but also on Zelensky’s.

    The Russian readout of the call between the two presidents claimed that they had discussed “the complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv” as a key condition for moving forward – something that Trump subsequently denied in an interview with Fox. This means that, for now, Kyiv is likely to continue to receive US aid.

    Europe at the ready

    Perhaps more importantly in the long term, Europe is also doubling down on support for Ukraine. While Trump and Putin were discussing a carve-up of Ukraine over the phone, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, left no doubt on where the EU stands.

    In a speech at the Royal Danish Military Academy foreshadowing the publication of the commission’s Readiness 2030 white paper on bolstering European defences, she recommitted to developing European “capabilities to have credible deterrence” against a hostile Russia.

    A few hours later, the German parliament passed a multi-billion Euro package that loosens the country’s tight borrowing rules to enable massive investments in defence. This follows announcements of increased defence elsewhere on the continent, including in the UK, Poland, and by the EU itself.

    Meanwhile, the UK and France are leading efforts to assemble a coalition of the willing to help Ukraine. Representatives of the 30-member group gathered in London on March 15 for further talks.

    Afterwards, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, released a statement saying that Ukraine’s western partners “will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine and keep tightening the restrictions on Russia’s economy”.

    Undoubtedly, these measures would be more effective if they had Washington’s full buy-in – but they send a strong signal to both the Kremlin and the White House that Ukraine is not alone in its fight against Russia’s continuing aggression.

    Putin’s options

    Putin, meanwhile, may have time on his side in the short term – but he should take note of this. Russian manpower and firepower may dwarf that of Ukraine, but it would be no match for a Ukraine backed by such a coalition of the willing.

    Putin’s apparent plan to drag Trump into the minutiae of negotiating a comprehensive deal may eventually backfire in more ways than one. For a start, really detailed discussions will test the US president’s notoriously short attention span.

    But this will also buy time for Ukraine and its supporters to strengthen Kyiv’s position in future negotiations. And it will continue to strain – but not immediately break – Russia’s economy.

    For now, Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine have stalled. He is attempting to broker a complex ceasefire deal that involves separate agreements with Kyiv and Moscow, pressure on Nato allies, and an attempt to drive a wedge between Russia and China. It’s not clear how this will succeed or indeed where it will end.

    The only certainty is that they are not bringing a just and stable peace for Ukraine any closer.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    Tetyana Malyarenko 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. Trump’s phone call with Putin fails to deliver ceasefire – here’s what could happen next – https://theconversation.com/trumps-phone-call-with-putin-fails-to-deliver-ceasefire-heres-what-could-happen-next-252417

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE helps Moldova’s police implement intelligence-led policing

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE helps Moldova’s police implement intelligence-led policing

    Participants at the working group meeting on intelligence-led policing, Chisinau, Moldova, 18 March 2025. (General Police Inspectorate) Photo details

    The OSCE supported a working group meeting on intelligence-led policing (ILP) for representatives of the Moldovan General Police Inspectorate (GPI) in Chisinau, Moldova, on 18 March. Participants discussed recent developments and the next steps in implementing ILP across the police force to enhance intelligence-driven decision-making and operational effectiveness in combating crime in Moldova.
    Participants outlined the development of specialized training materials and planned upcoming ILP training courses tailored to the needs of the GPI. Discussions focused on strengthening data-driven policing strategies, improving analytical capabilities and fostering interagency co-operation.
    The OSCE also donated three analysis software licenses to the GPI to boost the agency’s ability to analyse and visualize complex data and improve decision-making processes for effective crime prevention and response.
    The OSCE is committed to working closely with our Moldovan counterparts to establish a culture of analysis that embraces the use of analytical findings in decision-making and prioritisation, said Sascha Strupp, OSCE Senior Programme and Analysis Officer and Project Manager. This complements the support given to the national law enforcement authorities in the implementation of the ILP model through equipment and training provision.
    This initiative is part of broader OSCE efforts to support Moldova in adopting modern policing practices aligned with international standards. By integrating ILP principles, law enforcement agencies can enhance their ability to identify, assess and mitigate security threats as well as criminal activities more effectively.
    This meeting and the donation were funded by the UK Government and are part of the extrabudgetary project “Support to the Law Enforcement Agencies in Moldova in Response to the Security Challenges in the Region”, funded by France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, aimed to bolster Moldova’s law enforcement capabilities in countering transnational threats.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB Global assists cities develop climate resilient urban projects in East Africa

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    The European Investment Bank (EIB Global) has availed over €1.2 million (over Ksh 166 million) in technical assistance support to cities in East Africa for preparation of climate resilient urban development projects.

    The cities set to benefit from this technical assistance are Kericho, Nyamira, Kisumu, Embu, Eldoret and Malindi in Kenya as well as Zanzibar in Tanzania and Makindye in Uganda.

    EIB Global’s support to cities is financed through the City Climate Finance Gap Fund – a multi-donor trust fund supported by Germany and Luxembourg and implemented jointly with the World Bank and in close partnership with German Development Cooperation (GIZ). The technical assistance program focuses on early-stage project preparation with an aim of facilitating access to finance for urban projects that would otherwise potentially remain at idea stage.

    Most of the support for the cities in the region will revolve around assessing options for managing solid waste and faecal sludge, waste to energy solutions through production of biogas and wastewater treatment. Preliminary proposed solutions have recommended integrated solid waste management plans that encompass segregation of waste at source, separation of waste  collections, waste recovery and proper disposal.

    Further technical assistance promotes active mobility through evaluating non-motorised transport options, implementing urban flood proofing measures to mitigate flood risks and enhancing environmental sustainability by establishment of green public parks as well as expansion of urban forestry and biodiversity.

    In Kenya, EIB Global’s support is geared towards helping the cities access further financing support from an ongoing infrastructure investment programme known as the Kenya Urban Support Programme II, upon completion of the Gap Fund technical assistance.

    EIB Vice President Thomas Ostros said, “Cities and local governments play a key role in fighting climate change because they experience its effects the most. However, they often struggle to develop climate-resilient infrastructure, mainly due to a lack of resources and expertise to create strong, investment-ready projects. Through its support for the Gap Fund, the EIB helps cities bridge these gaps and prepare effective climate projects.”

    Technical assistance for project preparation plays a vital role in facilitating the implementation and financing of climate action projects by availing bankable opportunities. This is particularly true at urban or sub-national level where local authorities sometimes do not have enough in-house capacity to prepare robust projects that can attract public and private finance providers at an international level.

    The European Investment Bank is very active in urban climate finance especially through the City Climate Finance Gap Fund. The Bank works with other partners to advise on projects that will place cities on a path to net zero.

    Background information

    About EIB Global

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives.

    EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of Global Gateway. We aim to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027 — around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world. High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    About City Climate Finance Gap Fund:

    Cities are key to creating a climate-smart future. Over half the global population lives in cities, generating 80% of total economic output and accounting for 70% of global CO2 emissions. While urbanization is a key driver of growth, unplanned, rapid urbanization and urban sprawl threaten to increase greenhouse gas emissions and vulnerability to climate change and other shocks. As many cities and local governments take steps to become low-carbon and climate-resilient, they face barriers in accessing finance as well as difficulties in planning and project preparation, due to insufficient capacity or resources — particularly in the early stages of the project cycle. The Gap Fund supports cities in addressing this specific challenges.

    On 20th September 2023, the governments of Germany and Luxembourg announced new funding of €50 million for the City Climate Finance Gap Fund (Gap Fund), a multi-donor fund, implemented by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank with partners. These resources will support the development of low-carbon and climate-resilient urban investments and will nearly than double the fund’s capitalization, bringing it to €105 million, one of the largest early-stage technical assistance funds for cities and climate.

    It provides much-needed funding for early-stage technical assistance and capacity building so that cities from low- and middle-income countries can operationalize their climate action plans, develop robust project concepts, and access climate finance resources. Since its establishment in 2020, EIB has supported 137 cities in developing and emerging economies through the Gap Fund.  

    EIB Global Assists Cities Develop Climate Resilient Urban Projects in East Africa
    EIB Global Assists Cities Develop Climate Resilient Urban Projects in East Africa
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    EIB Global Assists Cities Develop Climate Resilient Urban Projects in East Africa
    EIB Global Assists Cities Develop Climate Resilient Urban Projects in East Africa
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    EIB Global Assists Cities Develop Climate Resilient Urban Projects in East Africa
    EIB Global Assists Cities Develop Climate Resilient Urban Projects in East Africa
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    EIB Global Assists Cities Develop Climate Resilient Urban Projects in East Africa
    EIB Global Assists Cities Develop Climate Resilient Urban Projects in East Africa
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Statement from the International Partners Group on the US Withdrawal from the Just Energy Transition Partnership in South Africa

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Joint Statement from the International Partners Group on the US Withdrawal from the Just Energy Transition Partnership in South Africa

    The United States has informed the Government of South Africa and the International Partners Group of its withdrawal from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

    The partnership, originally announced at COP 26, aims to support South Africa to move away from coal and to accelerate its transition to a low emission, climate resilient economy. 

    The US contribution to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET), as set out in the JET Investment Plan, was $56m in grant funds and $1bn in commercial debt/equity from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).  

    While the withdrawal of the US is regrettable, the International Partners Group (IPG) remains fully committed to supporting South Africa to deliver its just energy transition. The level of investment made to date and remaining pledges demonstrate this. Over $2.5bn of the IPG pledge has been spent to date. The total pledged funding to support South Africa’s just energy transition also remains higher than the original pledge due to increases in pledges from both the IPG and other development partners who are not part of the IPG. Some partners are exploring possibilities for supporting work previously being carried out by the US.  

    We look forward to continuing to work with the government of South Africa and other stakeholders to allocate existing funding in support of a just energy transition that will benefit all South Africans. The political, technical and financial support from the IPG remains strong and steadfast. 

    On behalf of the International Partners Group – United Kingdom, Germany, France, the European Union, Denmark and the Netherlands.

    Further information

    • overall international pledges is $12.8bn total. This includes over $9bn from IPG and Spain, Switzerland and Canada (excluding Spanish export credits)

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to false claims by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson regarding Taiwan and its president

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to false claims by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson regarding Taiwan and its president

    March 14, 2025  

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly refutes false claims made at a regular press conference on March 13 by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, who said that “Taiwan is part of China” and that “there is no so-called president in Taiwan.” These statements not only completely ignore the facts and status quo across the Taiwan Strait but also aim to mislead the international community.

     

    The Republic of China (Taiwan) successfully held its eighth presidential election on January 13, 2024, setting another milestone in its democratic development. Government officials and parliamentarians of 50 nations—including 12 diplomatic allies and other friendly countries, such as the United States, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia—praised this achievement and offered congratulations to Taiwan. Many democracies hope that the people of China will one day also be able to hold direct presidential elections, thereby determining their nation’s leaders and future. 

     

    MOFA solemnly reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other, that the PRC regime has never governed Taiwan, and that no narratives distorting Taiwan’s sovereign status can change the objective reality and internationally recognized status quo across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s future must be collectively decided by the 23.5 million people of Taiwan. China has no right to interfere. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA response to false claims by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson regarding Taiwan and its president

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan 3

    MOFA response to false claims by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson regarding Taiwan and its president

    March 14, 2025  

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly refutes false claims made at a regular press conference on March 13 by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, who said that “Taiwan is part of China” and that “there is no so-called president in Taiwan.” These statements not only completely ignore the facts and status quo across the Taiwan Strait but also aim to mislead the international community.
     
    The Republic of China (Taiwan) successfully held its eighth presidential election on January 13, 2024, setting another milestone in its democratic development. Government officials and parliamentarians of 50 nations—including 12 diplomatic allies and other friendly countries, such as the United States, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia—praised this achievement and offered congratulations to Taiwan. Many democracies hope that the people of China will one day also be able to hold direct presidential elections, thereby determining their nation’s leaders and future. 
     
    MOFA solemnly reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other, that the PRC regime has never governed Taiwan, and that no narratives distorting Taiwan’s sovereign status can change the objective reality and internationally recognized status quo across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s future must be collectively decided by the 23.5 million people of Taiwan. China has no right to interfere. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Šiaulių Bankas has placed EUR 300 million bond issue in the international market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER, INVITATION TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY SECURITIES OF AKCINĖ BENDROVĖ ŠIAULIŲ BANKAS.

    Šiaulių Bankas AB has successfully placed EUR 300 million issue of 5.25-year senior preferred fixed rate reset notes with an optional call date and interest rate reset at 4.25 years from issue.

    The annual fixed rate coupon on the notes up to the reset date will be 4.597%. Settlement will take place on 25 March 2025. Listing of the notes will be on Euronext Dublin.

    The notes have been allocated to more than 100 institutional investors from the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Baltic States and other countries, including supranational financial organizations.

    “We appreciate the confidence international investors have shown contributing to our growth story and the partners who are helping us to achieve this ambition – this successful issuance will make a significant contribution to the Šiaulių Bankas’ strategic plans.

    We are pleased that international investors view the country’s economic prospects favourably and recognize our institutions as sound and investment,” says Tomas Varenbergas, Member of the Board and Head of the Investment Management Division of Šiaulių Bankas.

    The proceeds of the notes will be used to meet existing and future minimum own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) targets, to improve the bank’s liquidity position, and to finance other general corporate purposes.

    The notes rated Baa1 with a stable outlook by the international rating agency Moody’s.

    Relevant stabilisation regulations including FCA/ICMA will apply.

    Šiaulių Bankas mandated global investment banks Erste Group, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE and Morgan Stanley as well as Šiaulių Bankas AB as Joint Lead Managers.

    Šiaulių Bankas as the issuer was advised on legal matters by Dentons UK and Middle East LLP and TGS Baltic as lead issuer’s legal counsel. The Joint Lead Managers were advised by Linklaters LLP and Sorainen on legal issues.

    This communication is not an offer of securities or investments for sale nor a solicitation of an offer to buy securities or investments in any jurisdiction where such offer or solicitation would be unlawful. No action has been taken that would permit an offering of securities or possession or distribution of this announcement in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.

    Additional information:

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: African Development Bank and Germany Sign €18.4 million financing agreement in support of NEPAD-IPPF to boost infrastructure project preparation in…

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    The African Development Bank and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the German state-owned investment and development bank, have signed an agreement for a contribution of €18.4 million to the NEPAD – Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (NEPAD-IPPF) Special Fund.

    The funding, which brings KfW’s contribution to NEPAD-IPPF to $58.14 million, will support the facility’s drive to achieve its key priorities including  the second Priority Action Plan under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA PAP2)  through 2030. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (NEPAD-IPPF), a multi-donor Special Fund, hosted by the African Development Bank, is a leading project preparation facility in Africa, which plays a catalytic role in providing technical and financial assistance for the preparation of regional infrastructure projects and programs.

    The agreement was signed in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, by Christoph Tiskens, KfW’s Director for Eastern Africa and the African Union, and Mike Salawou, African Development Bank Director for Infrastructure and Urban Development. The signing of the agreement follows the German government’s 2024 announcement of the replenishment.  

    Tiskens commended the achievements of NEPAD-IPPF. He said, “The NEPAD-IPPF Special Fund has had remarkable success throughout the year, demonstrating significant progress in advancing regional infrastructure development in Africa. This replenishment aims to support infrastructure development with a focus on areas such as climate change, gender, Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and a stronger focus on attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.” He affirmed the German Government’s commitment to its partnership with the African Development Bank. 

     Salawou said: “This replenishment marks a significant milestone in our long-standing partnership with Germany to advance infrastructure development and financing in Africa.  With this support, NEPAD-IPPF will be better capitalized to scale up and speed up the preparation of transformational cross-border and climate-smart infrastructure projects, ensuring they are bankable and investment ready,”

    He added: “This is an important step in accelerating implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), regional integration, and economic growth. The Bank therefore values this partnership and will continue to strengthen it.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ food price inflation improving, but prices skyrocket for poor nations – WorldVision

    Source: World Vision

     

    • Food price inflation for ten basic food items has improved in New Zealand from a 56% rise in 2023 to an 18% drop in 2024
    • It takes 2.4 hours to pay for a basic food basket in NZ and 1.7 hours in Australia.  This compares with 47 days in Barundi and 20 days in Sudan.
    • There is growing global inequality in food access with food price inflation disproportionately affecting low-income nations.
    • Wealthier nations need to commit to funding emergency food aid and humanitarian aid.

     

     A new report on food price inflation shows basic food items are now more affordable in New Zealand, but reveals devastating increases for some of the world’s poorest countries, including Sudan, Burundi, and Timor Leste. 

     

    World Vision’s annual Price Shocks Report examines food price inflation in 77 countries for ten common food items, including rice, bananas, chicken, tomatoes, eggs, milk, and oil, and compares these with prices a year ago.

     

    The 2025 report finds that food prices dropped 18% in New Zealand in 2024, compared with a 56% increase for the same basic food items in 2023.  The average New Zealander would have to work for 2.4 hours to pay for the ten common food items.  This compares with three hours in 2023.

     

    However, while food price inflation has improved in more wealthy nations, such as New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany, Ireland and the United States, it has dramatically worsened for many of the world’s poorest countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa. 

     

    In 16 countries in this year’s study, it would take more than one week of work to earn enough money to pay for World Vision’s standard food basket.

     

    These countries, such as Sudan, Chad, Somalia, and Burundi are united in facing climate and environmental extremes, along with armed conflict, political instability and massive population displacement.

     

    World Vision Head of Advocacy and Justice, Rebekah Armstrong, says the report highlights the urgent need for adequate funding for emergency food aid.

     

    “This report is released in turbulent and uncertain times and the findings emphasise the need for urgent action to sustain global food systems and prevent the agonising impacts of hunger.

     

    “This requires interventions to address the root causes of hunger, but it also demands that we fund and deliver adequate emergency food aid. 

     

    “Sadly, we know that humanitarian funding for food security programming is expected to fall far short of the target to address predicted needs in 2025, and that means millions will go hungry due a deficit of political will and resources.  It doesn’t have to be this way,” she says. 

     

    World Vision is calling on the New Zealand government to make a strong commitment to support humanitarian food aid, climate adaptation, and global hunger responses — especially within the Asia-Pacific region, where communities are particularly vulnerable to climate and economic shocks. 

     

    Armstrong says in addition to saving millions of lives, emergency food aid and cash grants for food are one of the key ways to avoid greater political unrest around the world.

     

    “Food insecurity is an indicator of wider instability, but it also contributes to political unrest, conflict, economic stagnation and delays in development.  Addressing food security is a proven method to help create a safer and more secure world for everyone,” she says. 

     

    Armstrong says in 2024, only 47% of required humanitarian food assistance was funded leaving millions without support.

     

    She says the Rohingya crisis, the ongoing war in Sudan, prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa and cyclones in the Pacific all contribute to conditions that exacerbate hunger.

     

    “We are at a breaking point.  Governments and the global community need to fulfil the commitments they have made and act now to scale up food aid, support smallholder farmers and invest in long-term solutions to prevent millions more from falling into famine.”

     

    New Zealanders who want to support emergency food aid can give here: wvnz.org.nz/wfp

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Joint statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Charlevoix

    Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

    We the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, met in Charlevoix on March 12 to 14, 2025.

    Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and security

    We reaffirmed our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, and its freedom, sovereignty and independence.

    We welcomed ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire, and in particular the meeting on March 11 between the U.S. and Ukraine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We applauded Ukraine’s commitment to an immediate ceasefire, which is an essential step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in line with the Charter of the United Nations.

    We called for Russia to reciprocate by agreeing to a ceasefire on equal terms and implementing it fully. We discussed imposing further costs on Russia in case such a ceasefire is not agreed, including through further sanctions, caps on oil prices, as well as additional support for Ukraine, and other means. This includes the use of extraordinary revenues stemming from immobilized Russian Sovereign Assets. We underlined the importance of confidence-building measures under a ceasefire including the release of prisoners of war and detainees—both military and civilian—and the return of Ukrainian children.

    We emphasized that any ceasefire must be respected and underscored the need for robust and credible security arrangements to ensure that Ukraine can deter and defend against any renewed acts of aggression. We stated that we will continue to coordinate economic and humanitarian support to promote the early recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, including at the Ukraine Recovery Conference which will take place in Rome on July 10-11, 2025.

    We condemned the provision to Russia of military assistance by DPRK and Iran, and the provision of weapons and dual-use components by China, a decisive enabler of Russia’s war and of the reconstitution of Russia’s armed forces. We reiterated our intention to continue to take action against such third countries.

    We expressed alarm about the impacts of the war, especially on civilians and on civilian infrastructure. We discussed the importance of accountability and reaffirmed our commitment to work together to achieve a durable peace and to ensure that Ukraine remains democratic, free, strong and prosperous.

    Regional peace and stability in the Middle East

    We called for the release of all hostages and for the hostages’ remains held by Hamas in Gaza to be returned to their loved ones. We reaffirmed our support for the resumption of unhindered humanitarian aid into Gaza and for a permanent ceasefire. We underscored the imperative of a political horizon for the Palestinian people, achieved through a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that meets the legitimate needs and aspirations of both peoples and advances comprehensive Middle East peace, stability and prosperity. We noted serious concern over the growing tensions and hostilities in the West Bank and calls for de-escalation.

    We recognized Israel’s inherent right to defend itself consistent with international law. We unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for its brutal and unjustified terror attacks on October 7, 2023, and the harm inflicted on the hostages during their captivity and the violation of their dignity through the use of ‘handover ceremonies’ during their release. We reiterated that Hamas can have no role in Gaza’s future and must never again be a threat to Israel. We affirmed our readiness to engage with Arab partners on their proposals to chart a way forward on reconstruction in Gaza and build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.

    We expressed our support for the people of Syria and Lebanon, as both countries work towards peaceful and stable political futures. At this critical juncture, we reiterated the importance of Syria’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We called unequivocally for the rejection of terrorism in Syria. We condemned strongly the recent escalation of violence in the coastal regions of Syria, and called for the protection of civilians and for perpetrators of atrocities to be held accountable. We stressed the critical importance of an inclusive and Syrian-led political process. We welcomed the commitment by the Syrian interim government to work with the OPCW in eliminating all remaining chemical weapons.

    We stressed that Iran is the principal source of regional instability and must never be allowed to develop and acquire a nuclear weapon. We emphasized that Iran must now change course, de-escalate and choose diplomacy. We underscored the threat of Iran’s growing use of arbitrary detention and foreign assassination attempts as a tool of coercion.

    Cooperation to increase security and resilience across the Indo-Pacific

    We reiterated our commitment to upholding a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific, based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights.

    We remain seriously concerned by the situations in the East China Sea as well as the South China Sea and continue to oppose strongly unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force and coercion. We expressed concern over the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippines and Vietnamese vessels as well as efforts to restrict freedom of navigation and overflight through militarization and coercion in the South China Sea, in violation of international law. We emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues and reiterated our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. We also expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.

    We remain concerned with China’s military build-up and the continued, rapid increase in China’s nuclear weapons arsenal. We called on China to engage in strategic risk reduction discussions and promote stability through transparency.

    We emphasized that China should not conduct or condone activities aimed at undermining the security and safety of our communities and the integrity of our democratic institutions.16. We expressed concerns about China’s non-market policies and practices that are leading to harmful overcapacity and market distortions. We further called on China to refrain from adopting export control measures that could lead to significant supply chain disruptions. We reiterated that we are not trying to harm China or thwart its economic growth, indeed a growing China that plays by international rules and norms would be of global interest.

    We demanded that the DPRK abandon all its nuclear weapons and any other weapons of mass destruction as well as ballistic missile programs in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. We expressed our serious concerns over, and the need to address together, the DPRK’s cryptocurrency thefts. We called on DPRK to resolve the abductions issue immediately.

    We denounced the brutal repression of the people of Myanmar by the military regime and called for an end to all violence and for unhindered humanitarian access.

    Building stability and resilience in Haiti and Venezuela

    We strongly denounced the ongoing horrifying violence that continues to be perpetrated by gangs in Haiti in their efforts to seize control of the government. We reaffirmed our commitment to helping the Haitian people restore democracy, security and stability, including through support to the Haitian National Police and Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission and an increased role for the UN. We expressed support for Haitian authorities’ efforts to create a specialized anti-corruption jurisdiction that complies with the highest international standards.

    We reiterated our call for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela in line with the aspirations of the Venezuelan people who peacefully voted on July 28, 2024, for change, the cessation of repression and arbitrary or unjust detentions of peaceful protestors including youth by Nicolas Maduro’s regime, as well as the unconditional and immediate release of all political prisoners. We also agreed Venezuelan naval vessels threatening Guyana’s commercial vessels is unacceptable and an infringement of Guyana’s internationally recognized sovereign rights. We reaffirmed respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations as an enduring value.

    Supporting lasting peace in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

    We unequivocally denounced the ongoing fighting and atrocities in Sudan, including sexual violence against women and girls, which have led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and the spread of famine. We called for the warring parties to protect civilians, cease hostilities, and ensure unhindered humanitarian access, and urged external actors to end their support fueling the conflict.

    We condemned the Rwanda-backed M23 offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the resulting violence, displacement and grave human rights and international humanitarian law violations. This offensive constitutes a flagrant disregard of the territorial integrity of the DRC. We reiterated our call for M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force to withdraw from all controlled areas. We urged all parties to support the mediation led by the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community, to promote accountability for human rights abuses by all armed actors, including M23 and the FDLR, and to commit to a peaceful and negotiated resolution of the conflict, including the meaningful participation of women and youth.

    Strengthening sanctions and countering hybrid warfare and sabotage

    We welcomed efforts to strengthen the Sanctions Working Group focused on listings and enforcement. We also welcomed discussions on the establishment of a Hybrid Warfare and Sabotage Working Group, and of a Latin America Working Group.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nuclear deterrence: can Britain and France take on America’s role in defending Europe against Russian aggression?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul van Hooft, Research Leader, Defence and Security, RAND

    European doubts about deterrence predate the current US administration. Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and its growing reliance on nuclear coercion to ward off Nato support, brought the importance of nuclear weapons to the foreground again for the first time since the cold war.

    Even after the invasion, the US continued to prioritise the Indo-Pacific. It questioned the sufficiency of its nuclear arsenal as China’s weapon stockpile grew and delivery systems improved.

    A bipartisan US congressional commission concluded that the Chinese and Russian arsenals should be seen as a joint “two-nuclear-peer” problem, with North Korea an additional disrupting presence.

    Within this context, European leaders are floating alternatives for deterrence in Europe. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has again affirmed that the French nuclear deterrent has a “European dimension”.

    The Polish president, Andrzej Duda, registered his interest in the idea of the French deterrent being extended to include its European allies. But he also signalled that his country might want to develop its own deterrent.

    The incoming German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has also noted the need to engage with the French and British deterrents. So, could French and British nuclear weapons be enough to deter Russia and reassure European allies?

    Russia has roughly as many weapons as the US. Its arsenal comprises approximately 1,700 deployed strategic weapons and 1,000-2,000 other lower-yield, “smaller” so-called “tactical” nuclear weapons, and another 2,500 non-deployed weapons.

    This is vastly more than France and the UK which have 290 and 225 respectively, or 515 in total.

    Yet, with those numbers both European states should have sufficient strategic weapons to cause unacceptable damage to Moscow and St Petersburg. Their weapons are carried by constantly patrolling nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines – which, are concealed in the ocean far away and are therefore highly likely to survive a first-strike attack. These weapons should be considered credible deterrents for existential threats to either France or the UK.

    Unlike the US, France and the UK are in Europe and cannot consider their security distinct from each other or from Europe. The US, meanwhile, had to have a large and flexible arsenal with tactical nuclear weapons, and a large conventional presence in Europe simply to mount a credible argument, not least to its European allies, that it would actually protect Europe, with nuclear weapons as a last resort.

    The importance of needing to convince Russia of how serious Nato is about deterrence is a matter of record. When they met in Paris in June 1961, the then French leader, General Charles de Gaulle, expressed doubts to the then US president, John F. Kennedy, as to how serious the US was about its defence of Europe, particularly given the uncertainty at the time of the future security of Berlin.

    De Gaulle asked asked Kennedy: “Would you trade New York for Paris?”. His point was that if he wasn’t convinced, would the Russians be? So it’s not just about numbers of warheads. It’s about the defensive posture overall.

    Likely scenarios

    The issue is not existential deterrence but scenarios where French and British survival are not directly threatened. Neither has the option to escalate with so-called “tactical” (or non-strategic) weapons when non-vital interests are at risk – though France could fire a Rafale-launched nuclear “warning shot”.

    Meanwhile, Russia has 1,000–2,000 “tactical” nuclear weapons, which, despite the misleading term, are still entirely capable of levelling a city.

    In case of a conflict in Europe, these could provide military and signalling options between doing nothing and catastrophic escalation. Rather than a full-scale invasion, Russia is more likely to test Nato’s unity by pressuring a Baltic state and using nuclear threats to deter any Nato allies intervening in support. France and the UK would struggle to credibly threaten use of strategic weapons in response.

    Europe’s solution may lie in advanced conventional weapons to deter Russian aggression by building the ability to raise the costs in early stages of a conflict through what is called a strategy of denial. Such capabilities include long-range precision strikes, fifth generation airpower – such as the American F-35 fighter and the French, German and UK alternatives presently being developed – and integrated air and missile defence.

    Given the poor performance of Russia’s own air and missile defence in Ukraine, they could target Russian military units attacking or operating within Nato territory, their reinforcements and their logistics, while denying Russia’s use of missiles. Europe is already investing in cruise missiles, as well as developing their own European long-range strike approach and missile defence.

    Through precision, stealth and low-altitude flight, these weapons could also threaten strategic targets deep in Russia – potentially a more viable, less destabilising alternative to expanding French and British nuclear arsenals, or adding a third nuclear power in Europe.

    No time to waste

    Politically, however, there is a need for more than hardware. European states should find an institutional forum to coordinate deterrence. This means either convincing France to return to Nato’s nuclear planning group or creating another council for European deterrence with France, the UK, and other key European states like Germany and Poland.

    Those and other European armed forces could also conduct conventional operations in support of nuclear operations exercises together with France and the UK, specifically the French air force with its air-launched warheads.

    Simply put, there are material and political solutions to European deterrence problems if the US turns out to be preoccupied by events in Asia. The real constraint that France and the UK, and the rest of Europe, now face is how to build both the hardware and habits of conventional and nuclear deterrence in Europe in little or no time at all.

    Paul van Hooft received a Stanton Nuclear Security Foundation research grant in 2018.

    – ref. Nuclear deterrence: can Britain and France take on America’s role in defending Europe against Russian aggression? – https://theconversation.com/nuclear-deterrence-can-britain-and-france-take-on-americas-role-in-defending-europe-against-russian-aggression-252338

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What Trump could learn from the British and Irish trade war of the 1930s

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Carr, Lecturer in History and Politics, Anglia Ruskin University

    The Blue Water Bridge border crossing connects Michigan in the US with Ontario in Canada. ehrlif/Shutterstock

    During his election campaign, US president Donald Trump claimed the word tariff is “more beautiful than ‘love’”. Now in office, Trump has targeted his closest neighbours and trading partners with those self same policies. He initially concentrated his levies on Canada, China and Mexico – two of which share land borders with the US – before implementing blanket tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports.

    History shows us the impacts these policies can have. In 1932, during Neville Chamberlain’s time as British chancellor, the country slapped what became 40% levies on key exports (including cattle, butter and other agricultural products) from the then Irish Free State. These were promptly met by Irish retaliation on British goods including coal and steel.

    A trade war ensued – and lasted in some form for almost six years.

    As with Trump today, raising tariffs is often partly about some other policy goal. As far as the British-Irish trade war goes, I show in my new book Britain and Ireland From the Treaty to the Troubles that the initial beef (pun intended) was over a decades-long debt obligation. These annuities, as they were known, were predominantly owed by Irish farmers to Anglo-Irish landowners, and were widely disliked.

    In early 1932 Éamon de Valera secured electoral victory in Ireland for his Fianna Fáil party, partly on the basis of refusing to hand over this money. At £5 million, it was a significant sum for a government that took in around £25 million annually.

    Instead, de Valera planned to use the annuities for domestic purposes. He wanted to reward his agricultural and working-class electoral bases principally in Ireland’s west, as well as win over new voters with the nationalist and anti-English nature of his message.

    The legality of the annuities dispute was ambiguous. But de Valera withheld the money, and to recoup the missing millions the British imposed tariffs and punitive quotas. This was swiftly followed by retaliatory measures from Dublin – just as Trump’s moves have seen reaction from abroad.

    The stakes were high. A massive 92% of Irish exports went to the UK, and civil servants in Dublin fretted about the knock-on effects. In the short term, they were right to. Exports of cattle, bacon and other goods collapsed, and emergency domestic subsidy was needed to plug the gap.

    Irish attempts to land a major trade deal with the US by way of compensation went nowhere, and Britain remained its key customer for decades.

    Yet, unlike Trump, de Valera had a clear end goal into which the tariff war fitted rather well. He wanted to retool Irish farming away from livestock towards crops, and invest in Ireland’s nascent industry elsewhere. This included expanding the country’s energy independence and kick-starting its manufacturing sector.

    The retained annuities and the increased political capital his government gained from the trade war both helped with these objectives.

    It took until about 1937, after two more election wins and a referendum victory for de Valera, for British leaders to accept that the Irish public broadly backed their leader. They realised that a bilateral agreement was necessary.

    The dispute was finally ended in April 1938. As the ink dried on a deal that saw tariffs dropped in exchange for a one-off payment from Dublin and the return of three ports to Ireland, the British media hailed the achievement of Chamberlain – now prime minister.

    But this reaction also tells us something. Initially, Chamberlain was portrayed as a genius who had clearly won. But then critics pointed to it being a rather better deal for de Valera (the £10 million one-off sum was nowhere near the £100 million the British had a nominal claim for).

    In this new stance, it had been a great deal precisely because Chamberlain had been so magnanimous. A terrible deal was actually a great deal. Some of that mentality could be seen in reactions to the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler a few months later.

    All told, the consequences had been significant. Perhaps 3% of the Irish economy was lost.

    In the meantime, Irish immigration to Britain consequently ticked up as people looked for work. Smuggling at the Northern Irish border ballooned, leading to additional costs to police a frontier where cattle were hurried across unmanned fields and rivers to avoid the tariff.

    Guinness even moved production to London in order to avoid future tariffs.
    gabriel12/Shutterstock

    Major Irish-based industry, including Guinness and Ford, moved operations to the London periphery (Park Royal and Dagenham respectively) to avoid any future duties. Although Ford kept some tractor production in Cork in the south of Ireland, for large parts of its European and imperial business the only way was now Essex.

    All this meant economic dislocation and diplomatic animosity at a point where the geopolitical outlook was troubled – not an unfamiliar story. Although Ireland remained neutral during the second world war – the ultimate show for de Valera of its independence – intelligence cooperation and the service of Irish men and women in the Allied war effort illustrated that the two countries just about muddled through.

    But today, tariffs provoking wider turmoil remains a big worry. As former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau noted, Trump’s actions are “a very dumb thing to do” and could lead to “exactly what our opponents around the world want to see … a dispute between two friends and neighbours”.

    Trump may also be wise to note that de Valera’s position was bolstered when he could claim that he was being bullied by a more powerful neighbour. In the past few weeks, the Canadian Liberal Party has surged back in the polls, partly on the back of the same dynamics. The little guy sometimes swings back.

    Richard Carr 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. What Trump could learn from the British and Irish trade war of the 1930s – https://theconversation.com/what-trump-could-learn-from-the-british-and-irish-trade-war-of-the-1930s-252128

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Showcases the Future of AI-Powered Connected Living at ‘World of Samsung’ 2025

    Source: Samsung

    LONDON, U.K. – 18 March 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a pioneer for connected device experiences, hosts ‘World of Samsung’ from this Tuesday, 18th March, in Frankfurt, Germany. The event spotlights Samsung’s latest AI-powered innovations across televisions, audio, smart home, digital appliances, gaming, and mobile, showcasing how AI is transforming technology into a seamless extension of everyday life.
     

    [Left to Right – Charlie Bae, Director of Product Business Management (TV and AV), Diana Diefenbach, Senior Manager of Technical Product for DA, Stephanie Chosen, Brand and Product Marketing for MX, Benjamin Braun, Chief Marketing Officer for Samsung Europe]
     
    “At Samsung, we’re committed to making all the devices you use smarter and more connected” said Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe’s Chief Marketing Officer. “World of Samsung is not just about showcasing products – it’s about demonstrating how AI can make daily life better. Whether it’s Vision AI[1] optimising your TV settings for the best viewing or sound experience, or AI-powered mobile and home appliances that adapt to your habits, we’re showing how technology can feel more personal and tangible than ever before.”
     
    Bringing together media and partners, World of Samsung offers a hands-on experience with the latest AI innovations – showing that the connected home of the future is no longer a concept, but a reality. From entertainment and productivity to effortless daily convenience, Samsung is redefining how people interact with technology in ways that are both meaningful and tailored to their unique lifestyles.
     
    Transforming Home Entertainment
    For 19 consecutive years, Samsung has been the world’s number one selling TV brand[2], continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation to deliver exceptional picture quality and cutting-edge AI capabilities. Additionally, for the past 11 years, Samsung has also been the number one selling brand for sound bars[3], ensuring an immersive audio experience that complements its industry-leading displays. Samsung believes that every viewer deserves a screen tailored to their space and lifestyle. That’s why, in 2025, Samsung is offering cinema-quality viewing across a range of screen sizes – from 24 inches all the way up to an expansive 115 inches – without compromise.
     
    Samsung’s 2025 TV line-up introduces the next evolution of AI-powered picture and sound. The latest Neo QLED, OLED, and QLED models, including The Frame and The Frame Pro, integrate advanced AI technologies to redefine the way we experience content. For example, AI Picture Optimiser enhances every frame in real time, using deep learning to intelligently adjust brightness, contrast, and colour for a more lifelike viewing experience.
     
    Meanwhile, Colour Booster Pro, powered by Samsung’s real Quantum Dot technology, expands the colour volume for richer, more vibrant visuals. As a leader in display innovation, Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology utilises ultra-fine semiconductor particles to achieve unbeatable colour accuracy and brightness. Since pioneering no-cadmium Quantum Dots in 2015, Samsung has continued to lead the industry, delivering stunning, true-to-life visuals across its QLED and QD-OLED displays, enhanced by Samsung’s use of indium-based Quantum Dots for exceptional colour purity.
     
    For art lovers, Samsung showcases its biggest Art Store ever, with over 3,000 pieces from 70 world-renowned museums and institutions, now available across all 2025 microLED, Neo QLED and QLED models. Strengthening its commitment to digital art, Samsung is also expanding its partnership with Art Basel, bringing museum-quality artwork directly into customers’ homes. Plus, with Q-Symphony, users can enjoy an immersive audiovisual experience, seamlessly connecting up to three devices with their TV to produce cinematic sound.
     
    Beyond stunning visuals, Samsung is making sure its TVs stay smart and secure for years to come, with 7 years of One UI Tizen updates, backed by Samsung Knox Matrix, ensuring a future-proof and protected entertainment experience.
     
    Samsung is redefining gaming with AI-driven innovations, from AI Auto Game Mode, which optimises visuals and response times for competitive play, to Samsung Gaming Hub, offering seamless access to top cloud gaming services. Coming soon to Europe, the Odyssey OLED G8, the world’s first 27” 4K OLED gaming monitor, delivers ultra-high 166 PPI density and a 240Hz refresh rate for stunning detail and smooth gameplay. Also launching soon, the 49″ Dual QHD Odyssey G9 boasts an impressive 1ms response time and 1000R curved screen for a more immersive experience.
     

     
    AI Home: Smarter Living, Seamlessly Connected
    World of Samsung also showcases how Samsung is bringing AI-powered intelligence to the heart of the home with its latest Bespoke AI appliances and SmartThings connectivity. With SmartThings as the backbone of this ecosystem, Samsung continues to enhance AI Energy Mode[4], helping users reduce electricity costs by charging your Jet Bot AI during non-peak hours or washing a smaller load in cooler temperatures while automating everyday household tasks. Whether optimising energy consumption, providing real-time home insights, or enhancing daily routines, Samsung’s AI-powered solutions are redefining what’s possible in the connected home.
     

     
    Age of Accelerated Mobile Experiences
    At World of Samsung, the Galaxy S25 series takes centre stage, marking a new era of AI-powered mobile experiences. With Galaxy AI, Samsung is making everyday tasks faster, smarter, and more intuitive, whether through Live Translate[5], which enables seamless real-time call translations, or Generative Edit[6] and Drawing Assist[7], which bring AI-driven creativity to photo editing. Additionally, the Now Bar[8] keeps users effortlessly informed with real-time updates on messages, calendar events, and more, directly from the lock screen.
     
    Also showcased is the Galaxy Book5 series, bringing next-level AI computing with AI Select and Samsung Studio, making image, video, and document editing more efficient than ever. Samsung’s mobile innovations go beyond individual devices, integrating seamlessly into the AI-powered ecosystem. With SmartThings Home Insight, users can monitor everything from their pet’s well-being via JetBot to their home’s energy consumption, all from their Galaxy device.
     
    For more information on Samsung’s full range of AI-enhanced products, visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/
     

     
    [1] Available features may vary by model.
    [2] Samsung TV has been ranked No.1 selling TV Brand for 19 consecutive years by Omdia- Samsung Electronics Marks 19 Consecutive Years as the Global TV Market Leader – Samsung Newsroom U.K.
    [3] Samsung has been ranked No.1 selling soundbar brand for 11 consecutive years by FutureSource Consulting- Samsung Soundbar Tops Global Sales for 11th Consecutive Year – Samsung Newsroom U.K.
    [4] Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.
    [5] Live Translate requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Live Translate is only available on the pre-installed Samsung Phone app. Certain languages may require language pack download. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.
    [6] Generative Edit feature for Photo Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Editing with Generative Edit may result in a resized photo. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.
    [7] Drawing assist feature requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.
    [8] Some functional widgets may require a network connection and/or Samsung Account login

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: An artist traces her choices under Putin’s Russia – from resistance to retreat to exile – one mural at a time

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stephen Norris, Professor of History; Director of the Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies, Miami University

    ‘Atlases,’ Victoria Lomasko’s mural at Miami University Used by permission of Victoria Lomasko

    Victoria Lomasko, a graphic artist and muralist, has spent her career documenting how authoritarianism took hold in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. What she has illustrated – as well as the personal journey she has taken – affords a chance to see how dictatorship can develop and strengthen across a decade.

    In 2019, I invited Lomasko – who goes by Vika for short – to Miami University, where I teach Imperial Russian and Soviet history. The Havighurst Center for East European, Russian and Eurasian Studies was holding a semester-long series on “Truth and Power” that also included two other Russian dissidents: Leonid Volkov, then chief of staff for opposition leader Alexei Navalny; and Mikhail Zygar, who helped found the independent news station TV Rain in 2010.

    I asked Lomasko to paint a mural illustrating the consequences of telling the truth in Putin’s Russia – a theme she has explored in all her works. Her completed mural, “Atlases,” depicted the struggle individuals face between desires to protest or to turn inward under authoritarianism.

    Taking action

    Lomasko first gained acclaim for “Other Russias,” which was published in English in 2017. The book is a collection of what she terms “graphic reportage”: comic-style art combined with current events.

    In it, she covered Russians who are largely invisible: activists, sex workers, truckers, older people, provincial residents, migrants and minorities. She wanted to represent them as “heroes” in their own lives, giving them agency and visibility.

    Her heroes came into the public spotlight in 2011 and 2012, when mass protests began in Russia after fraudulent elections and Putin’s return to the presidency. Lomasko attended the protests and sketched the participants. The rallies of 2012 seemed to signify that Russian citizens from a wide range of backgrounds could unite to resist creeping authoritarianism.

    A protester in Moscow asks a police officer, ‘Are the police with the people?’ in an illustration from ‘Other Russias.’
    Used by permission of Victoria Lomasko

    In addition to publishing her drawings, Lomasko also exhibited her work in Moscow and St. Petersburg – a seeming sign that censorship could not prevent an artist or ordinary citizen from voicing their frustration.

    This hope did not last long. Over the next few years, the Kremlin passed a series of laws that designated organizations, then media outlets and eventually individuals as “foreign agents” if they received any funding from abroad.

    Led by then Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, who was appointed by Putin in 2012, the Russian state also began to demand “patriotic” culture supporting the government, and label anyone who resisted as “unpatriotic.”

    In these years, Lomasko documented how protests shrunk to local levels – truckers who decried a new tax, Muscovites who lamented the destruction of local parks, and urban activists who protested plans to tear down Soviet-era apartments. She still depicted participants as everyday heroes, yet she also noticed how protesters’ brief sense of power through collective action faded into disillusionment after the Kremlin went ahead with its plans.

    An illustration from ‘Other Russias’ of a truckers protest camp in 2016 in Khimki.
    Used by permission of Victoria Lomasko

    Changing tack

    “Other Russias” introduced Lomasko to a worldwide audience. By the time the book came out in 2017, however, she began to question the very basis of her graphic reportage.

    The protests that had inspired hope in 2011 and 2012 had not prevented a more aggressive, more oppressive form of Putinism from taking hold. After the protests, the Kremlin further concentrated power and employed propaganda to stifle dissent, becoming what the scholars Sergei Guriev and Daniel Triesman have called “spin dictators.”

    Was it enough for an artist to document social change? Lomasko concluded that the answer was no – art should offer solutions. She decided to paint murals that would move beyond graphic reportage.

    This new trajectory informed her Miami University project. By the time she arrived in March 2019, Lomasko had completed her first two murals: one for a gallery in England and a second in Germany.

    The first, “The Daughter of an Agitprop Artist,” featured her father, who had worked as a propaganda poster artist in her hometown of Serpukhov in the 1980s. In the mural, her father gazes at his work, the rituals of government-sponsored marches, and Lenin posters plastered everywhere. Young Vika stands with her back to her father, holding a red balloon. She stares at her future self, a woman covering the grassroots protests of 2012.

    Victoria Lomasko’s mural at the Arts Centre HOME in Manchester, England.
    Used by permission of Victoria Lomasko

    “Our Post-Soviet Land,” her second mural, depicted the ways some former Soviet states, particularly Ukraine, were distancing themselves from their communist past after independence – while others, particularly Russia itself, seemed to be increasingly nostalgic for the Soviet era.

    Two paths

    Lomasko spent two weeks on campus at Miami University here in Ohio, completing a mural that built on these themes.

    The central feature are two figures representing contemporary versions of Atlas, the titan who held up the world in Greek mythology. One faces left, toward a group of people praying in front of an Orthodox icon of Jesus. Here Lomasko depicts one path Russians took in response to the oppressive nature of Putinism: turning inward, retreating to a spiritual life.

    The second Atlas gazes upward, holding an artist’s brush. Below this figure a series of people take to the streets, protesting. They hold flags and banners representing a number of causes, including the 2011 “Occupy” movement in the United States. Lomasko’s message seems clear: This is a second path to take to resist authoritarianism – one that might succeed if participants see themselves connected across borders.

    Victoria Lomasko stands with her mural ‘Atlases’ at Miami University.
    Stephen Norris

    Art in exile

    After unveiling “Atlases,” Lomasko mentioned that she was still trying to retain hope for her country and for humanity. Once again, it did not last long.

    During the first two terms of Putin’s presidency, and that of Dmitry Medvedev, the government had largely left citizens’ speech alone, though it controlled information through state media. In 2018 and 2019, however, Russia passed laws that clamped down on internet access and mobile communication.

    Lomasko could no longer exhibit her work in Russia and was increasingly unable to find paid work as an artist. As she told me, the state considered her unvarnished depictions of ordinary Russians to be distasteful, while publishers and gallery owners considered her works politically dangerous.

    When the country began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, these changes allowed the government to criminalize opposition. Lomasko made the difficult decision to flee Moscow. She took her cat and as many artworks as she could carry, but she had to abandon most of her possessions. She documented this new journey the only way she knew: through a series of art panels titled “Five Steps.”

    “Isolation” encapsulates how Lomasko and dissidents like her grew ever more cut off from the rampant patriotism espoused by Putin. “Escape” shows her leap into the unknown, fleeing her country because she feared arrest, while others are caught up in war and political repression.

    “Exile” depicts Lomasko starting anew in a different country. “Shame,” the most powerful, seeks to capture her emotions at having to flee, as well as the shame she felt for what Russia was doing to Ukraine. “Humanity” retains the artist’s attempt to preserve her optimism – her sense that humans have more in common than they have differences, and that seeing oneself within a larger, global community might give power to the invisible.

    ‘Humanity,’ by Victoria Lomasko.
    Used by permission of Victoria Lomasko

    Tens of thousands of Russians have left the country since the start of the war, many of them artists and activists. Zygar and Volkov – the two other Russian citizens on campus for our university’s 2018-19 series – have also had to flee.

    Lomasko’s art helps trace how authoritarianism took hold in Russia across the past decade. I believe her responses to Putin’s dictatorship, including her decision to flee her homeland, offer us all something to ponder.

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

    – ref. An artist traces her choices under Putin’s Russia – from resistance to retreat to exile – one mural at a time – https://theconversation.com/an-artist-traces-her-choices-under-putins-russia-from-resistance-to-retreat-to-exile-one-mural-at-a-time-250486

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Water cooperation is essential when countries share lakes and rivers – yet it’s been deteriorating in many places, with serious consequences

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Susanne Schmeier, Associate Professor of Water Law and Diplomacy, IHE Delft

    Lake Chad once provided adequate livelihoods for 20 million people in Africa, but it lost 90% of its surface area in 30 years. AP Photo/Christophe Ena

    Just over half the world’s population shares a river or lake basin with at least one other country. To sustainably manage those water resources for the health of people, ecosystems and economies, neighboring countries must work together.

    However, many countries have been less willing to cooperate in recent years, even to protect a resource as vital as freshwater.

    This trend away from multilateralism isn’t unique to water. The world is seeing a decline in the general willingness of countries to jointly solve many interstate, regional and global challenges. It shows as countries, like the U.S., pull out of the global institutions, such as the World Health Organization, and drop their support for global climate goals.

    The breakdown in cooperation can have severe consequences. If one country takes more water than agreed upon, and builds dams or pollutes the water, its neighbors and their people, cities, agriculture, energy production and wildlife can suffer. That can ultimately destabilize local communities, deteriorate relations between countries and endanger regional peace and stability.

    Water flowing into Africa’s Nile River affects several countries. A large dam being built by Ethiopia has led to concerns and disputes in the region.
    AP Photo/Amr Nabil

    We conduct research and work with governments and international organizations on environment and water law, policy and governance. The shift we’re seeing away from multilateral cooperation and rules-based order to more nationalistic tendencies, in which a country prioritizes itself to the detriment of all others, is raising concerns about the future.

    Thousands of years of water cooperation paid off

    More than 4,000 years ago, two Sumerian city-states – Lagash and Umma – were engaged in a fierce war over a strip of fertile land and a canal fed by the Tigris River in what today would be southern Iraq.

    The conflict ended in 2550 B.C. with the first known precursor to an international water treaty. The Mesilim Treaty included payments and agreements on collaborative water use. It didn’t hold the peace permanently, but it created a model that lasted.

    Conflict still occurs over shared waters; however, since the late 1800s, and particularly since the end of World War II, cooperation has been the dominant interaction between countries in the world’s 313 surface water basins, 468 transboundary aquifers and more than 300 transboundary wetlands.

    In Europe, for example, countries have worked together through treaties, data sharing and joint projects to improve water quality, including in the Rhine and Danube rivers.

    Nine countries work closely to protect the health of the Rhine River, which each depends on. In 2018, that cooperation became essential as water levels dropped to levels that interrupted ship travel.
    AP Photo/Martin Meissner

    Having cooperative processes in place also helps when disagreements arise. In Southeast Asia, negotiations and technical exchanges between countries that share the Mekong River have helped to ease tensions over the construction of dams in Laos.

    Unilateralism is rising

    Despite the proven benefits from cooperating over water resources, we’re seeing a troubling trend: Countries are increasingly taking actions that undermine water cooperation.

    Even in the Columbia River Basin, often considered a model of cross-border cooperation, the status of an updated treaty between the U.S. and Canada is in question after the Trump administration paused talks in March 2025.

    Since 1964, the U.S. has paid Canada to control the river’s flow to prevent flooding and to serve U.S. hydropower plants. The updated deal has been agreed to in principle, but is not signed. That’s raising questions about what will happen if the interim agreements expire in 2027 before the new treaty comes into force.

    Another example is in the Zambezi River Basin in southern Africa, where countries increasingly disregard agreements to notify one another before building projects that will affect the water flow. Similar behavior happens in the Nile and Aral Sea regions, among others.

    Ethiopia’s construction of a large hydroelectric damage on the Blue Nile has upset its downstream neighbors.

    As unilateral actions over shared water resources become more frequent, the willingness of governments to enter into agreements and establish joint institutions to guide that cooperation is declining. The rate of establishing multilateral agreements has significantly slowed since the 2010s. Only around 10 agreements have been signed since 2020, and only two joint institutions have been established. A large proportion of basins have no agreements or institutions at all.

    The few recent attempts to establish cooperative mechanisms have stalled or failed. The formal establishment of an organization to manage Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River basin, shared by Congo, Rwanda and Burundi, was never formally ratified by its member countries. That left the once-promising organization a zombie.

    Even when institutions already exist, some governments are withdrawing from them. But moves made for short-term gain can have long-term repercussions.

    An example involves the Aral Sea, which has shrunk dramatically since the 1960s due to a combination of water demand for cotton crops and climate change drying the region.

    The International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, IFAS, was created in 1993 by five countries to support projects designed to ensure water use remains possible along its rivers. However, in 2016, Kyrgyzstan froze its membership, arguing that the organization wasn’t taking Kyrgyzstan’s national interests into account. Kyrgyzstan contributes about 25% of water flowing into the region. Its frozen participation limits IFAS’ effectiveness.

    The Aral Sea in Central Asia has been shrinking since the 1960s, but dramatically lost water each year over the past two decades. The top left image is from 2000.
    NASA

    Similarly, Egypt and Sudan froze their participation in the Nile Basin Initiative in 2010 over a cooperative agreement that they saw as violating their historical water rights – established in colonial 1929 and 1959 agreements – in favor of governance centered on “equitable water allocations.” While Sudan resumed participation in the Nile Basin Initiative in 2012, Egypt’s participation remains frozen.

    Erosion of multilateralism

    The changes we’re seeing with water agreements and institutions reflect a broader decline in countries’ willingness to address shared problems through multilateral cooperation — a trend that seems to be rapidly increasing.

    In the United States, the Trump administration is pursuing expansionist foreign policies and protectionist trade policies. The administration has also publicly wavered on the U.S. commitment to NATO and announced it was leaving the World Health Organization.

    Argentina also announced it would withdraw from the WHO. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States, which promotes economic and political cooperation in the region.

    The environment has been particularly affected by this trend. The U.S. move to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and the difficulty of reaching a global plastics treaty also reflect the growing difficulty in reaching cooperative solutions to benefit future generations.

    Harm to ecosystems, people and countries

    As climate change shrinks freshwater resources, and growing populations lead to overexploitation of water supplies, countries will increasingly need multilateral cooperation to avoid conflict.

    These agreements and institutions provide forums for communication and cooperation. Losing them can lead to less well-governed water resources, declining environmental, economic and health benefits, and increasing conflict.

    Lake Chad is a cautionary example. The Lake Chad Basin Commission was established in 1964 by Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria to oversee its water and other natural resources and coordinate projects related to the lake. But the countries never fully committed to cooperating.

    Since then, the lake has shrunk by around 90%, which has increased poverty by reducing people’s access to vital water resources to support their livelihoods. And that has created optimal conditions for terrorist group Boko Haram’s violent insurgency to succeed in recruiting young men who had limited livelihood options left.

    People collect water from a branch of Lake Chad in Ngouboua, Chad, which has been attacked by the terrorist group Boko Haram. People depend on the lake for water, but it has been shrinking.
    Philippe Desmazes/AFP via Getty Images

    We believe this decline in countries’ commitment to multilateral cooperation should be a wake-up call for everyone. If the world’s most precious resource is not managed cooperatively and sustainably across international boundaries, more than just water is at risk.

    Melissa McCracken has not received funding related to this article.

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

    – ref. Water cooperation is essential when countries share lakes and rivers – yet it’s been deteriorating in many places, with serious consequences – https://theconversation.com/water-cooperation-is-essential-when-countries-share-lakes-and-rivers-yet-its-been-deteriorating-in-many-places-with-serious-consequences-251864

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Plastic pyrolysis − chemists explain a technique attempting to tackle plastic waste by bringing the heat

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kevin A. Schug, Professor of Analytical Chemistry, University of Texas at Arlington

    Large proportions of plastic waste don’t get recycled. Westend61 via Getty Images Plus

    In 1950, global plastic production was about 2 million tons. It’s now about 400 million tons – an increase of nearly 20,000%.

    As a material, it has seemingly limitless potential. Plastic is inexpensive to produce while being lightweight and sturdy. Its applications range from food and beverage packing to clothing and health care.

    When a plastic item ends its useful life, it can take a very long time to decompose, up to 500 years in some cases. Even then, the plastic pieces don’t disappear entirely – instead, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually becoming microplastics that end up in the soil where we grow food, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

    Research has linked these microplastics to health issues such as diabetes, heart disease and low male fertility.

    For years, local governments and manufacturers have relied on recycling as the answer to keep plastic waste from accumulating. However, despite their efforts to sort and separate recyclables, most plastics still end up in landfills – or worse, in green spaces and waterways.

    According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the overall recycling rate for plastics is 8.7%. About a third of milk jugs and plastic bottles are recycled – a higher rate than other types of plastic.

    Because plastic is so commonly used, finding new ways to manage and recycle plastic waste is becoming ever more important. Plastic waste pyrolysis is one technology that could help address this issue.

    This is a relatively new technique, so researchers still have only a limited knowledge of the pyrolysis process. As analytical chemists, we strive to understand the composition of complex mixtures, especially new creations from sources such as plastic waste pyrolysis.

    What is plastic pyrolysis?

    Plastic pyrolysis is a chemical process that involves chemically breaking down plastics into other molecules by heating the plastics to extremely high temperatures in the absence of oxygen.

    Plastics are fed into the pyrolysis reactor, where they get hot and turn to oil. The oil moves to another vat where it’s boiled and distilled.
    Alexander Kaplitz and Kevin A. Schug

    Unlike traditional plastic recycling, pyrolysis theoretically isn’t limited to specific types of plastic. It could be made to accommodate many of them, although current technology is limited to a few types – polyethylene and polypropylene, used in food containers and bottles – at an industrial scale.

    So, plastic pyrolysis could help handle the waste from consumer products such as plastic bags, bottles, milk jugs, packaging materials, wet wipes and even discarded children’s toys. Pyrolysis can also handle more complex plastic waste such as tires and discarded electronics, although solid waste handlers and recyclers avoid certain plastic types in pyrolysis, such as polyvinyl chloride – or PVC, which is found in pipes and roofing products – and polystyrene, used in packaging, as these can create harmful byproducts.

    During pyrolysis, the plastic polymers are broken down into smaller molecules, resulting in the production of liquid oil, fuel source gases such as methane, propane and butane, and char.

    Char is the solid residue left at the end of the pyrolysis process. It can be used as a carbon-rich material for various applications, including adding it to soil to make it healthier for farming, as it increases soil moisture and pH, benefiting nutrient absorption. Char also has the ability to absorb harmful carbon gases from the air, which can help prevent climate change.

    The main downside of char is if it’s used too much it can increase soil alkalinity, which may hinder plant growth.

    Plastic pyrolysis uses heat to break down plastic, with the intent to convert plastic waste into usable materials.

    How pyrolosis works

    The plastic pyrolysis process typically involves several key steps.

    In the first step of pyrolysis, community recyclers collect the plastic waste and clean it to remove any contaminants. The plastic then gets shredded into smaller pieces to facilitate the pyrolysis process. Unlike traditional recycling, it needs only minimal sorting.

    Chemical recyclers operating pyrolysis plants feed the shredded plastic into a pyrolysis reactor, where they heat it to temperatures ranging from 600 to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit (315 to 871 degrees Celsius). Without oxygen, plastics in the reactor don’t catch fire and emit fumes into the air. Instead, this high-temperature environment causes the plastic polymers to break down into smaller hydrocarbon molecules. These smaller molecules can be further refined.

    The high temperature turns some molecules into vapors, which condense into liquid oil. Chemical companies can further refine this oil to be used as fuel or as a raw material to make other chemicals or plastics.

    In addition to liquid oil, the pyrolysis process generates natural gases, such as methane, ethane, butane and propane. Pyrolysis operators then capture these gases, and they can sometimes use them as a source of energy to power the pyrolysis reactor or other industrial processes.

    Plastic pyrolysis generates oil, which engineers can use to create new materials or fuels.
    BASF, CC BY-NC-ND

    Benefits of pyrolysis

    When done effectively, plastic pyrolysis offers several benefits.

    By expanding recycling beyond just plastic bottles and milk jugs, pyrolysis could reduce the amount of plastic waste pollution that ends up in landfills and oceans.

    Additionally, converting plastic waste into usable products could help lower the production demand for new plastics from petroleum hydrocarbons. The byproducts could get used in recycled plastics.

    Some researchers are also testing pyrolysis oils to see whether they can use them instead of gasoline to fuel vehicles. The gases produced during pyrolysis can even generate energy that fuels the pyrolysis reactor, making the process more self-sustaining and reducing the need for external energy sources.

    Currently, about 15% to 20% of the pyrolysis products are recycled into new propylene and ethylene, while most – about 80% to 85% – becomes diesel fuel, hydrogen, methane and other chemicals.

    While plastic pyrolysis holds some promise, it also faces challenges. The cost of setting up and operating pyrolysis plants is high. How profitable the process is depends on the availability of suitable plastic waste, the market demand for the oils and gases produced, and the costs of energy and staff necessary to operate the reactor.

    Another issue is quality control. Most plastic types can undergo pyrolysis, but different plastics create oils with different chemical makeups. Scientists will need to understand the composition of these oils before industry can determine which plastic types to focus on and how each oil could create new materials.

    Pyrolysis oils have unique chemical compositions depending on the type of plastics used to create them.
    Alexander Kaplitz and Kevin A. Schug

    Researchers like us at The University of Texas at Arlington and our international colleagues are studying new chromatography-based oil-separation techniques that can successfully identify some types of pyrolysis oils. Chromatography is the process of separating components in a mixture by passing them through a stiff material.

    Different components in the mixture are attracted to this material to different degrees. So, they exit the chromatography system at different times, which separates them from one another.

    With more research into the technique’s efficiency and technological advancements to scale up pyrolysis, this technique could be one part of a sustainable solution to plastic waste management. In the meantime, pyrolysis is being used now, with one report estimating the market for pyrolysis plants at US$40 billion in 2024 and predicting it to grow to $1.2 billion by 2033.

    Kevin A. Schug receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes for Health, ExxonMobil, and Weaver Consultants Group. He is affiliated with VUV Analytics, Inc. and Infinity Water Solutions as a member of their scientific advisory boards. Lummus Technology, LLC provided the funding for research on plastic waste pyrolysis oils at UT Arlington.

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

    – ref. Plastic pyrolysis − chemists explain a technique attempting to tackle plastic waste by bringing the heat – https://theconversation.com/plastic-pyrolysis-chemists-explain-a-technique-attempting-to-tackle-plastic-waste-by-bringing-the-heat-234453

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: ZOOZ Power Enhances Global Strategy with New Energy Storage Solutions, Advanced Energy Management System and Expended Sales Team

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Tel-Aviv, Israel, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ZOOZ Power (Nasdaq and TASE: ZOOZ), a leading provider of flywheel-based power boosters and energy management systems for enabling ultra-fast EV charging solutions, announced today the enhancement of its strategic focus with the introduction of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and an enhanced Energy Management System (EMS) designed to lead to maximizing EV charging performance and cost efficiency, along with the expansion of its sales team.

    The newly introduced Energy Storage System (ESS), in addition to ZOOZ Power’s intelligent* boosting offering, allows charging operators to significantly reduce electricity costs by storing energy during off-peak periods and deploying it during peak demand hours. This new addition to ZOOZ Power’s offering of systems to manage and improve overall power delivery to clusters of ultra-fast EV chargers substantially lowers operational expenses and enhances overall cost efficiency of EV charging infrastructure.

    Additionally, ZOOZ Power has upgraded its Energy Management System (EMS), improving the benefits of both the Intelligent Power Booster solution (ZOOSTER) and the new ESS offerings. The advanced EMS operates locally on-site, providing real-time management and rapid response capabilities to efficiently control energy flow, reduce power peaks, and extend battery lifecycles.

    The ZOOZTER Intelligent Power Booster continues to play a vital role in ZOOZ Power’s comprehensive solution, offering ultra-fast EV charging even in locations with limited grid capacity. By providing high-power bursts during charging sessions, the ZOOZTER effectively mitigates grid constraints, allowing consistent and reliable ultra-fast charging without costly infrastructure upgrades.

    In conjunction with its technological advancements, ZOOZ Power is expanding its global sales team. The Company is excited to announce the appointment of Mr. Ilan Tevet as the new Vice President of Global Sales. With over 25 years of experience in global B2B sales, business development and marketing, Ilan has a proven track record of driving growth. His deep expertise will be instrumental in accelerating ZOOZ Power’s planned global expansion.

    Furthermore, ZOOZ Power is strengthening its worldwide sales presence by appointing new sales managers in strategic markets, including the UK, Germany, and France. Further expansions are planned in other regions to align with the growing adoption of electric vehicles.

    “Our new ESS solutions, the enhanced EMS, and the strategic expansion of our sales team are pivotal steps toward providing comprehensive, efficient, and cost-optimized EV charging infrastructure,” said Erez Zimerman, CEO of ZOOZ Power. “With Ilan’s leadership and our expanded sales force in key markets, we are uniquely positioned to support and drive the global shift toward EV adoption.”

    *As used in this Press Release, intelligent boosting and Intelligent Power Booster refer to the ZOOZ Power Energy Management Software, which dynamically manages and optimizes energy consumption at the charging site

    About ZOOZ Power
    ZOOZ Power is a leading provider of flywheel-based power boosting and energy management solutions, enabling the widespread deployment of ultra-fast charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) while overcoming existing grid limitations.

    ZOOZ Power pioneers its unique flywheel-based power-boosting technology, enabling efficient utilization and power management of a power-limited grid at an EV charging site. Its flywheel technology allows high-performance, reliable, and cost-effective ultra-fast charging infrastructure.

    ZOOZ Power’s sustainable, power-boosting solutions are built with longevity and the environment in mind, helping its customers and partners accelerate the deployment of fast-charging infrastructure, thus facilitating improved utilization rates, better efficiency, greater flexibility, and faster revenues and profitability growth. ZOOZ Power is publicly traded on NASDAQ and TASE under the ticker ZOOZ

    For more information, please visit: www.zoozpower.com/

    Investor Contact:
    Miri Segal – CEO
    MS-IR LLC
    msegal@ms-ir.com

    Media enquiries:
    Media@zoozpower.com

    Forward-Looking Statement
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions of ZOOZ Power. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding ZOOZ Power, and any of ZOOZ Power’s strategy, future operations and statements related to the collaboration between ZOOZ Power and “ON” charging network (including any plans to implement ZOOZ Power’s solution and upgrade an additional site of “ON” on Route 6) are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause ZOOZ Power’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and other risks and uncertainties are more fully discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of ZOOZ Power’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as well as other documents that may be subsequently filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the limited operating history and evolving business model of ZOOZ Power, ZOOZ Power’s future prospects, ZOOZ Power’s planned global expansion, including the timing and the results thereof, statements regarding ZOOZ Power’s newly introduced Energy Storage System (ESS), intelligent boosting offering and Energy Management System (EMS), their adoption by the market and any benefits that they may have to ZOOZ Power, its operations, financial position and its current and potential customers, statements regarding the expansion of ZOOZ Power’s sales team and the effect of that expansion on ZOOZ Power’s planned global expansion, financial condition, market position and results of operations, statements relating to ZOOZ Power’s market position, statements regarding the demand for ZOOZ Power’s products, and the potential outcome of ZOOZ Power’s collaborations with third parties for installation of its flywheel-based power boosting solution. These forward-looking statements are only estimations, and ZOOZ Power may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in any forward-looking statements, so you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in forward-looking statements made in this Press Release. Management of ZOOZ Power has based these forward-looking statements largely on current expectations and projections about future events and trends that such persons believe may affect ZOOZ Power’s business, financial condition and operating results. Forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release are made as of the date hereof, and none of ZOOZ Power or any of its representatives or any other person undertakes any duty to update such information except as may be expressly required under applicable law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CMBlu Energy, Inc. Announces Rubicon Professional Services as a Desert Blume Project Partner

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PETALUMA, Calif., March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CMBlu Energy, a leading battery technology company focused on developing and manufacturing a safe, sustainable, and secure long-duration energy storage system, announced today that it has selected Rubicon Professional Services (RPS) as a project partner for the design and engineering of Desert Blume. Announced in August 2023, Desert Blume is a 5-megawatt (MW), 10-hour-duration project developed in collaboration with Salt River Project (SRP), a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility serving the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. Located at SRP’s Copper Crossing Energy and Research Center in Florence, Ariz., Desert Blume is the largest organic, non-lithium energy storage project under active development in the United States, positioning SRP as the first U.S. electric utility to deploy CMBlu’s energy storage solution at this scale.

    CMBlu’s Organic SolidFlow battery technology combines a non-flammable, proprietary carbon-based solid energy storage material with water-based electrolytes, resulting in high energy density and improved performance. This technology delivers up to 5 to 10 times the energy density of conventional flow batteries, enabling a smaller footprint to operate and maintain for easy-to-deploy long-duration energy storage. Made from earth-abundant, readily available and recyclable materials, the Organic SolidFlow battery reduces reliance on rare metals and minimizes supply chain risks. CMBlu expects its battery system to cost-effectively store and deliver energy for two to three times longer per cycle than traditional lithium-ion batteries, which are typically designed for short-duration applications of up to four hours.

    For Desert Blume, battery modules are stacked three modules high on industrial racks within a building – a novel design requiring close coordination with our partners. RPS expertise is playing an integral role in the project’s realization.

    “With such an innovative design for the CMBlu Organic SolidFlow battery energy storage system, we needed a project partner that could work hand in hand with us to build the next generation of energy storage. We couldn’t be prouder to welcome RPS as our partner in this great endeavor,” said Giovanni Damato, President of CMBlu Energy, Inc. “Desert Blume represents a significant milestone and major step forward for developing non-lithium energy storage projects at scale and we look forward to building a safer, more sustainable battery project that can provide cost-effective energy reliability and resiliency to Arizonans.”

    “RPS is thrilled to partner with CMBlu on moving Desert Blume from design to approaching ‘boots on the ground,’” said Abbot Moffat, Director of Business Development with Rubicon Professional Services. “RPS has focused on critical infrastructure and BESS projects for years, so the development of non-lithium-ion long-duration storage solutions is something we’ve wanted to actively facilitate. CMBlu is at the forefront of this technology and is exactly the kind of company RPS values collaborating with. We’re confident that our extensive experience with lithium-ion BESS Projects, Data Centers, and Microgrids will translate to a smooth and successful project here with Desert Blume. In addition, SRP’s support of emerging technologies like CMBlu’s is something to celebrate.”

    Desert Blume is designed to store excess energy during the day and return that energy to SRP customers at night or when solar energy is not available. The project will store enough energy to power about 1,125 average homes for 10 hours.

    “We’re excited to see the Desert Blume pilot continuing to progress and have RPS join the project team,” said Chico Hunter, SRP Manager of Innovation and Development. “This project represents an important step in advancing long duration energy storage technology, which SRP will need to meet the significant customer growth in the Phoenix area, in the reliable, affordable and sustainable manner our customers expect.”

    A groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of Desert Blume will be held in 2025, with the project expected to come online in 2026.

    About CMBlu Energy

    CMBlu Energy empowers the world with unlimited energy storage inspired by nature. CMBlu’s first-of-a-kind Organic SolidFlow battery is a safe, sustainable, and secure long-duration energy storage system made from abundant and easily sourced raw materials, eliminating many concerns often associated with lithium-ion batteries. CMBlu Energy combines the best of solid-state batteries with the architecture of flow batteries, redefining flow battery performance. CMBlu Energy supports a localized supply chain, reducing dependence on imports and ensuring energy security. CMBlu has a team of over 250 employees, including 150 scientists in Germany, Greece, and across the U.S. For more information, visit www.cmblu.com.

    About RPS

    At RPS, our mission is to make our customers successful. We accomplish this by always focusing on their goals and objectives, regardless of the ‘issue of the day’. We sincerely value our clients and the relationships we have developed with them, and understand that the effective management of critical facility planning, engineering, and construction is essential to achieving our clients’ success.

    RPS provides an innovative approach to building or upgrading critical facilities. Whether an alternative energy projects, data center, R&D lab, or telecommunications hub, RPS focuses on the owner’s interests, develops strategy, assembles a top team of technical experts, subcontractors, and equipment vendors, and then expertly manages the entire process. Find out more at www.rubiconps.com.

    About SRP

    SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest electricity provider in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving about 1.1 million customers. SRP provides water to about 2.5 million Valley residents, delivering more than 244 billion gallons of water (750,000 acre-feet) each year, and manages a 13,000-square-mile watershed that includes an extensive system of reservoirs, wells, irrigation laterals, and 131 miles of canals.

    Media Contact
    Nic Savo
    Silverline
    (203) 456-0843
    nic@teamsilverline.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: RTI at Aerospace TechWeek 2025: Advancing Next-Generation Aviation and Defense Technology

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Real-Time Innovations (RTI), the infrastructure software company for smart-world systems, will exhibit at Aerospace TechWeek 2025, held April 2-3 in Munich, Germany. At booth #K24, RTI will showcase Connext®, the proven software framework that powers secure, high-performance data exchange across avionics systems, unmanned platforms, and multi-domain defense networks. Schedule a meeting with the RTI team here.

    As military aircraft and defense platforms advance, seamless connectivity, interoperability, and mission-critical reliability are more essential than ever. Designed with open architecture principles, Connext supports FACE™, MOSA, SOSA, and Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) requirements—enabling real-time situational awareness, AI-driven decision-making, and scalable connectivity for airborne operations.

    In addition to the booth, RTI experts will present at the following speaking sessions:

    Session 1:

    • Panel Discussion: “Advancing Military Air Traffic Management through Enhanced Connectivity” with EUROCAE
    • When: 11:55 AM, April 2 | Connectivity Track
    • Speaker: Thijs Brouwer, Senior Field Application Engineer, RTI

    Session 2:

    • Presentation: Real-Time Mission Systems and Advanced Communications in Avionics
    • When: 2:00 PM, April 2 | Avionics Track
    • Speaker: Andre Odermatt, Principal Application Engineer, A&D, RTI

    Event Details
    What: RTI at Aerospace TechWeek Europe 2025, Booth #K24
    When: April 2-3, 2025
    Where: MOC – Event Center Messe München, Munich, Germany

    About RTI

    Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the infrastructure software company for smart-world systems. RTI Connext® is the world’s leading software framework for intelligent distributed systems. Uniquely, Connext users can build systems that combine advanced sensing, fast control, and AI algorithms.

    With 2,000 customer designs, RTI excels at getting customers to production. RTI software runs over 300 autonomous vehicle programs, supports dozens of automotive ADAS and software-defined architectures, controls the largest power plants in North America, integrates over 500 major defense programs, drives a new generation of MedTech systems and robotics, and underlies Canada’s air traffic control and NASA’s launch control systems.

    RTI runs a smarter world.

    RTI is the market leader in products compliant with the Data Distribution Service (DDS™) standard. RTI is privately held and headquartered in Silicon Valley with regional offices in Colorado, Spain, and Singapore.

    Download a free trial of the latest, fully-functional Connext software today: www.rti.com/downloads

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: White House rejects demand for Statue of Liberty’s return to France

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The White House on Monday rejected a French politician’s demand for the return of the Statue of Liberty to France.

    “Absolutely not,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told a televised press briefing, in response to the demand by French member of the European Parliament Raphael Glucksmann.

    “My advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind them that it’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now,” Leavitt said, seemingly referencing the American-French alliance during World War II against Nazi Germany.

    Glucksmann on Sunday said he does not think that the United States represents the values of the Statue of Liberty anymore and called for its return to France.

    The statue was officially unveiled on Oct. 28, 1886, in New York, gifted to America as “a symbol of freedom, inspiration, and hope,” according to the monument’s official website.

    The statue, situated at the New York Harbor, was later seen as a symbol of welcome by immigrants arriving by sea. Today, it is a top tourist site in New York City. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ambitions are high as UK celebrates a year in Horizon Europe

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Ambitions are high as UK celebrates a year in Horizon Europe

    Hundreds of researchers, business leaders and academics gather at the Oval in London to mark a year of UK success in Horizon – and plan for much more.

    • Hundreds of researchers, business leaders and academics gather at the Oval in London to mark a year of UK success in Horizon – and plan for much more
    • £80 billion Horizon Europe programme is the world’s largest international research endeavour, and an important part of the UK’s relationship with Europe
    • International research collaboration is a key driver of economic growth, and the government’s Plan for Change

    More than 500 of the UK’s leading researchers, businesspeople and scientists will gather at London’s Oval today (Tuesday 18 March) to celebrate the successes that have already been delivered since the UK associated to the Horizon Europe programme, last year. They’ll also hear advice from industry experts, European diplomats, and leading academics on how to seize the opportunities for funding and collaboration that Horizon offers, with £80 billion up for grabs through the programme.

    Initial signs suggest UK association is trending in the right direction. Recent ERC Synergy Grants saw awards made to 18 UK-hosted projects, the second highest number. Horizon is giving British researchers and innovators access to funding, so they can tackle some of the biggest issues facing society, from breakthroughs in healthcare, to putting AI to work across the economy. All of this stands to unleash growth and create jobs in high-potential new industries, all of which supports the growth goals at the heart of the government’s Plan for Change.

    In 2025, the government is doubling down on its efforts to help the UK’s brightest minds access the opportunities on offer through Horizon, through a new PR blitz, networking events in Italy, Germany and Spain for British businesspeople and researchers, and grants to help cover the businesses cover the cost of attending R&D events across Europe.

    Science Minister Lord Vallance, who will speak at today’s Showcase, said:

    Science is stronger when we work together with others, and as new technologies like AI develop rapidly international collaboration on research is more important than ever before.

    Investing in R&D unlocks the door to more productive businesses, highly skilled and paid jobs, economic growth, and innovations that improve our lives and health. We need to go even further to seize the opportunity our association to Horizon represents and then reap the benefits.

    Besides Lord Vallance’s keynote, attendees at the Showcase will also hear from UKRI’s International Champion Professor Christopher Smith, DSIT’s Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Chris Johnson, and Cyril Robin-Champigneul from the EU’s delegation to the UK. That will be supplemented by sessions with experts from the UKRI on how to build the best bids for Horizon grants, and networking opportunities.

    DSIT Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Chris Johnson said:

    Over the last year we’ve seen some initial green shoots of recovery when it comes to UK participation in Horizon Europe. Events like today are an important chance to build on that positive momentum, and learn from the experience of those who’ve already been successful in building bids for funding.

    In 2025 and beyond, we want more researchers and businesses to seize the benefits of Horizon, to accelerate the discoveries that will boost our economy, and deliver new technologies that will improve all our lives.

    UKRI International Champion Professor Christopher Smith said:

    Today’s gathering at the Oval is a testament to the extraordinary progress we’ve made since associating to the Horizon Europe programme. The collaboration and innovation fostered through Horizon Europe are driving breakthroughs that will shape our future, from healthcare advancements, to climate monitoring, to AI integration across industries.

    As we look ahead, it’s crucial that we continue to leverage these opportunities to work collaboratively with our international partners, advancing research, fostering innovation, and supporting our vibrant research community.

    Businesses up and down the country are already carrying out cutting-edge R&D thanks to Horizon backing, as well as building consortia with partners in countries ranging from Canada to South Korea, and beyond.

    We know from recent history that the UK can be a leader in this area. We have 4 of the top 10 universities in the world, and the second-highest number of Nobel prize winners globally. A quarter of projects in which the UK participated, funded through Horizon Europe’s predecessor, were UK-led. 

    Further information, including practical support on how to apply, is available on the Horizon Hub – found on Innovate UK and UK Research and Innovation websites. UKRI also host regular events that help guide businesses and researchers through the opportunities on offer and the application process. 

    Potential applicants can find Horizon Europe calls (funding opportunities) open to UK-based applicants using the European Commission’s funding and tender opportunities portal. They can apply for Horizon Europe funding through the European Commission’s funding and tenders portal, where the original funding call is found. More information on how to submit applications are available on the European Commission’s website.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Electronics Showcases AI-Powered TV Innovations at the 2025 European Tech Seminar

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics, the world’s leading TV manufacturer for 19 consecutive years, is kicking off the 2025 Tech Seminars in Frankfurt, Germany, from March 18–19, giving media and industry professionals an exclusive first look at its most advanced AI-powered TV and audio innovations before they hit the market.
     
    Now in its 14th year, the seminar provides field experts with hands-on experiences of Samsung’s latest TV lineup ahead of its official release. This year, the seminar will be showcasing technologies related to AI-powered picture quality, immersive sound, and next-generation viewing experiences.
     
     
    Revolutionizing the Screen Experience With AI
    Samsung’s 2025 TVs will feature powerful AI-driven features designed to enhance the user experience. At the heart of this innovation is Vision AI, an advanced platform that personalizes and simplifies the way users interact with their screens. Features such as Click to Search allows viewers to instantly access relevant information about on-screen content, while Live Translate provides real-time audio translations for seamless global viewing. Quick Remote transforms a smartphone into a control hub, offering a more intuitive and connected experience.
     
    Samsung has also introduced a seamless multi-device experience, enabling effortless content sharing and control across Samsung devices. Features like Storage Share, which allows easy file transfers between Galaxy devices and TVs, and Multi Control, which lets users operate multiple Samsung devices with a single keyboard and mouse, create a more connected and streamlined ecosystem.
     
     
    Next-Generation OLED & Neo QLED Picture Quality
    Samsung’s 2025 OLED TVs introduce Glare Free 2.0, minimizing reflections for a crystal-clear and immersive experience. Powered by the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor and 128 neural networks, AI Upscaling sharpens details with remarkable precision, while OLED HDR technology boosts brightness and contrast.
     
    The 2025 Neo QLED 4K lineup features advanced local dimming for deeper blacks and enhanced HDR accuracy. AI Motion Enhancer, previously exclusive to 8K models, is now available in 4K TVs, delivering ultra-smooth visuals ideal for sports and action-packed content.
     

    Expanding the Lifestyle TV Portfolio
    Samsung’s Lifestyle TV lineup continues to push boundaries of design and innovation, blending cutting-edge technology with personalized home aesthetics.
     
    The Frame Pro redefines both entertainment and home décor, now featuring Mini-LED Local Dimming for enhanced brightness and lifelike picture quality. With access to over 3,000 digital artworks via Samsung Art Store, users can instantly transform their TV into a stunning personal gallery. The addition of Wi-Fi 7 ensures seamless installation, reducing cable clutter for a cleaner, more sophisticated setup.
     
    Meanwhile, The Premiere 5 offers a compact yet powerful projection experience with touch interaction, making it ideal for gaming, education, and immersive home entertainment. Designed for versatility, it delivers immersive visuals in a range of environments, from classrooms to home theaters and much more.
     

    Introducing the Next Era of Immersive Sound
    Samsung is redefining audio innovation with Eclipsa Audio, the industry’s first IAMF 3D sound technology developed in collaboration with Google. This advanced system optimizes spatial sound by analyzing environmental reflections, delivering a deeply immersive surround sound experience.
     
    At the 2025 Tech Seminar, attendees will be among the first to experience Eclipsa Audio firsthand and see its seamless integration with Samsung’s latest soundbars for a next-level home theater experience.
     
    “At Samsung, we’re committed to making all the devices you use smarter and more connected,” said Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Whether it’s using Vision AI to automatically optimize your TV settings or AI-powered services to make activities such as search or home management simpler, we’re showing how technology can feel more personal and tangible than ever before.”
     
    Following the Frankfurt event, Samsung will bring the Tech Seminar series to key regions including Southeast Asia and Latin America, providing more industry professionals with exclusive hands-on previews of its AI-powered display and audio innovations ahead of their market launch.
     
    ▲ Kevin Cha from Samsung’s Picture Quality Solution Lab explains how Glare Free 2.0 technology and OLED HDR technology enhance viewing comfort.
     
    ▲ Haylie Jung from Samsung’s Picture Quality Solution Lab highlights advanced local dimming and AI-powered enhancements in the 2025 Neo QLED 4K, featuring the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor.
     
    ▲ Steffen Greb from Samsung’s ECSO demonstrates Vision AI and seamless multi-device connectivity across Samsung products.
     
    ▲ Deokhwan Kim from Samsung’s Picture Quality Solution Lab demonstrates The Premiere 5’s touch capabilities.
     
    ▲ Hyungwoo Kim from Samsung’s Sound Device Lab showcases Eclipsa Audio, Samsung’s 3D audio technology, allowing users to enjoy immersive three-dimensional sound experience.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 18 MAR 2025 3:27PM by PIB Delhi

    International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) has played a key role in advancing research and development within India’s automotive sector. It has successfully developed 27 innovative technologies, reflecting its commitment to excellence in automobile engineering. Additionally, ICAT holds 9 patents/ IPRs and 2 copyrights/ design registrations, highlighting its contributions to intellectual property in the automotive domain. ICAT’s experts have published over 50 technical papers in esteemed national and international forums. Furthermore, to strengthen the R&D ecosystem, ICAT has established over 40 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with leading domestic and international automotive organizations and premier academia such as IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Roorkee, IIT-Hyderabad, CDAC, IDIADA-Spain, TUV Rhineland-Germany.

    ICAT has launched the ICAT incubation and acceleration centre for supporting startups in auto and allied domain. Additionally, ICAT is a board member in Automotive & Allied Research and Technology Innovations (AARTI) Foundation, a section-8 entity established with support from IIT-Roorkee, to support innovation and businesses in auto and allied domains, especially for startups and MSMEs. ICAT actively engages startups & MSMEs through workshops, seminars and webinars offering skilling and upskilling opportunities while serving as a technology and validation partner by providing technical and industry expertise.

    The Government of India has formulated various schemes to attract foreign investment in the heavy industry and automobile sectors. These schemes also aim to strengthen the position of India in global EV and hydrogen fuel cell market. The details are as under: –

    1. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Automobile and Auto Component Industry in India (PLI-Auto): Government has notified this scheme on 23.09.2021 for Automobile and Auto Component Industry for enhancing India’s manufacturing capabilities for Advanced Automotive Technology (AAT) products with a budgetary outlay of ₹25,938 crore. There are 41 approved foreign applicants in the scheme.
    2. Scheme to Promotion Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India (SPMEPCI): This scheme was notified on 15.03.2024 to promote the manufacturing of electric cars in India. Under this scheme, EV passenger cars (e-4W) can initially be imported with a minimum CIF value of USD 35,000, at a duty rate of 15% for a period of 5 years from the date of issuance of approval letter by MHI. This requires applicants to invest a minimum of ₹4,150 crore and achieve a minimum DVA of 25% at the end of third year and DVA of 50% at the end of fifth year.
    3. Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) Scheme Phase-II: The Government implemented this scheme for a period of five years from 01/04/2019 till 31/03/2024 with a total budgetary support of Rs.11,500 crore. There are foreign OEMs who had invested and were supported under the scheme.
    4. PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE)Scheme: This schemewith an outlay of Rs.10,900 crore was notified on 29th September, 2024. It is a two-year scheme w.e.f. 1st April, 2024 onwards, which aims to support EVs including e-2W, e-3W, e-Trucks, e-buses and e-Ambulances.  There are foreign OEMs who have invested and are supported under the scheme.
    5. National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM): The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is implementing the National Green Hydrogen Mission, with an objective to make India a global hub of production, usage and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives. One of the objectives of the Mission is to support the deployment of Green Hydrogen as fuel in buses and trucks, in a phased manner on a pilot basis. MNRE issued the scheme guidelines for implementation of pilot projects for use of Green Hydrogen in the Transport Sector under the NGHM. Under this scheme, five pilot projects have been sanctioned consisting total of 37 vehicles (buses and trucks), and 9 hydrogen refuelling stations. As part of the Mission, the R&D Scheme Guidelines have been issued that include development of fuel cells as one of the key areas.

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries, Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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