Category: housing

MIL-Evening Report: Intense heat changes our biology and can make us age significantly faster: study

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rongbin Xu, Research Fellow in Health and Epigenetics, Monash University

PorporLing/Shutterstock

Heat takes it out of you. After a long, hot day, we feel tired and grumpy.

But sustained periods of heat do more than that – they age us faster. Cumulative heat stress changes our epigenetics – how our cells turn on or off gene switches in response to environmental pressure.

Now, new research from the United States explores the pressing question of how extreme heat affects humans. The findings are concerning. The more days of intense heat a participant endured, the faster they aged. Longer periods of extreme heat accelerated ageing in older people by more than two years.

As the climate heats up, humans will be exposed to more and more heat – and our bodies will respond to these stresses by ageing faster. These findings are especially pertinent to Australia, where heatwaves are expected to become more frequent and intense in a warmer world.

How, exactly, does heat age us?

Ageing is natural. But the rate of ageing varies from human to human. As we go through life, our bodies are affected by stresses and shocks. For instance, if we don’t get enough sleep over a long period, we will age faster.

While heat can directly sicken or kill us, it also has a long tail. Sustained heat stresses our bodies and make them less efficient at doing the many jobs needed to stay alive. This is what we mean when we say it accelerates biological ageing. This deterioration is likely to precede the later development of diseases and disabilities.

What does that look like on a genetic level? You might think your genes don’t change over your life, and this is mostly true (apart from random mutations).

But what does change is how your genes are expressed. That is, while your DNA stays the same, your cells can switch some of its thousands of genes off or on in response to stresses. At any one time, only a fraction of the genes in any cell are turned on – meaning they are busy making proteins.

This is known as epigenetics. The most common and best understood pathway here is called DNA methylation (DNAm). Methylation here refers to a chemical our cells can use to block a DNA sequence from activating and producing proteins with various functions. Cellular changes in DNAm can lead to proteins being produced more or less, which in turn can flow on to affect physiological functions and our health status. This can be both bad or good.

Heat stress can alter the pattern of which genes are turned off or on, which in turn can affect our rate of ageing.

Severe heat stress can be remembered in cells, leading them to change their DNAm patterns over time. In laboratory testing, the effect is pronounced in fish, chickens, guinea pigs and mice.

To date, much research on how heat affects epigenetics has focused on animals and plants. Here, the evidence is clear – even a single episode of extreme heat has been shown to have a long-lasting effect on mice.

But only a couple of studies have been done involving humans, and they have been limited. This is the gap this new research is intended to help fill.

Sustained heat changes how our cells express genes – accelerating ageing.
aleks333/Shutterstock

What did the study find?

The study by researchers at the University of Southern California involved almost 3,700 people, with an average age of 68 years.

Heat affects older people more than younger people. Our ability to control our body temperature drops as we age, and we are less resilient to outside stresses and shocks. We also know periods of extreme heat trigger a wave of illness and death, especially among older people.

The study set out to better understand what happens to human bodies at a biological level when they’re exposed to intense heat over the short, medium and longer term.

To do this, the researchers took blood samples and measured epigenetic changes at thousands of sites across the genome, which were used to calculate three clocks measuring biological age, named PcPhenoAge, PCGrimAge and DunedinPACE.

Ageing is natural – but the speed at which we age can change.
Bricolage/Shutterstock

Then, they looked at the levels of heat each participant would have been exposed in their geographic areas over the preceding six years, which was 2010–16. They used the US heat index to assess heat, from caution (days up to 32°C), extreme caution (32–39°C) and danger (39–51°C). They used regression modelling to see how much faster people were ageing over the normal rate of ageing.

The effect of heat was clear in the three biological clocks. Longer term exposure to intense heat increased biological age by 2.48 years over the six year period of the study according to PCPhenoAge, 1.09 years according to PCGrimAge and 0.05 years according to DunedinPACE.

Over the period of the study, the effect was up to 2.48 years faster than normal ageing, where one calendar year equals one biological year of ageing. That is, rather than their bodies ageing the equivalent of six years over a six year period, heat could have aged their bodies up to 8.48 years.

Importantly, the biological clocks differ quite substantially and we don’t yet know why. The authors suggest the PCPhenoAge clock may capture a broader spectrum of biological ageing, covering both short term and longer term heat stress, while the other two may be more sensitive to long term heat exposure.

The way these researchers have conducted their study gives us confidence in their findings – the study sample was large and representative, and the use of the heat index rather than air temperature is an improvement over previous studies. However, the findings don’t account for whether the participants had airconditioning in their homes or spent much time outside.

We need to know more

Perhaps surprisingly, there has been little research done to date on what heat does to human epigenetics.

In 2020, we conducted a systemic review of the science of how environment affects human epigenetics. We found only seven studies, with most focused on the effect of cold rather than heat.

Now we have this new research which sheds light on the extent to which heat ages us.

As we face a warmer future, our epigenetics will change in response. There is still a lot of work to do to see how we can adapt to these changes – or if we even can, in some parts of the world.

Rongbin Xu received funding from VicHealth.

Shuai Li receives funding from NHMRC, Cancer Australia, Victorian Cancer Agency, Cancer Council Victoria and NIH.

– ref. Intense heat changes our biology and can make us age significantly faster: study – https://theconversation.com/intense-heat-changes-our-biology-and-can-make-us-age-significantly-faster-study-250784

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 27, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The atmosphere is getting better at cleaning itself – but that’s not all good news

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hinrich Schaefer, Research Scientist Trace Gases, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)

Baring Head station, overlooking Cook Strait, is one of the places where air samples are collected to track greenhouse gases. Author provided, CC BY-SA

Imagine for a moment the atmosphere is a kitchen sink. Wildfires, industry emissions, plants and microbes dump their grimy dishes into it in the form of noxious and planet-heating gases.

The only reason why these gases are not continuously accumulating in the atmosphere and we are not choking in a giant smog cloud is that the atmosphere makes its own detergent: hydroxyl.

The hydroxyl radical (OH) is generated in complex chemical cycles and removes organic gases by reacting with them. This includes the potent greenhouse gas methane – OH removes about 90% of it from the atmosphere.

An important question for climate scientists is whether our ongoing emissions could use up the OH detergent and leave the atmosphere less able to cleanse itself.

While that may seem likely, we also emit compounds like nitrogen oxides (from engines and power plants) that increase OH production. Which of the two processes dominates and whether OH levels are going up or down has been hotly debated.

But as we show in our new study, OH has been increasing and the atmosphere’s self-cleaning ability has been strengthening since 1997.

This finding gets us a step closer to understanding what happens to methane once it enters the atmosphere. While it is good news that the atmosphere’s scrubbing capacity has been increasing, it also suggests that methane emissions are rising faster than scientists and policy makers assumed.

Complex measurements

OH is very challenging to measure directly. It only exists for a second before it reacts again.

Instead, we used the radiocarbon content of carbon monoxide (14CO) as a footprint of OH activity. Only reaction with OH removes 14CO, which makes it a robust tracer and indicates how much OH is in the air.

The 14CO radioactive isotope (which is chemically the same as carbon monoxide but heavier) forms when cosmic rays start a chain of reactions in the atmosphere. We can calculate this production rate accurately and therefore know how much 14CO enters the atmosphere.

For each of the hundreds of data points used in our study, we used air samples collected at two remote stations in New Zealand and Antarctica, respectively, over the past 33 years.

From these samples, we isolated only the carbon monoxide, which we then turned into carbon dioxide and eventually into graphite (pure carbon) to measure how many of the graphite atoms represent the carbon isotope 14C.

Confirmation by modelling

We found a statistically significant decrease in 14CO over the past 25 years. This can only be caused by an increase in OH.

Our computer model that calculates climate and atmospheric chemistry confirms this. The combination of measurements and simulations shows that OH is increasing, but proves it only for the Southern Hemisphere where we have collected samples.

This is interesting because this part of the world is affected by the “grime” gases, including methane, that react with OH but is far from more industrialised regions that emit compounds that generate OH (especially nitrogen oxides).

If we can detect an OH rise in the more pristine southern hemisphere, chances are the increase is global. Indeed, our model shows that OH is likely rising faster in the northern hemisphere.

The simulations also suggest the main factors at play. Higher methane fluxes suppress OH, as expected, and by themselves would cause a downward trend. In contrast, nitrogen oxide emissions, ozone depletion in the stratosphere and global warming favour the formation of new OH, turning the balance to an overall increase.

These findings are a big step in the understanding of atmospheric chemistry. They show that rising OH levels have so far saved us from even faster rising atmospheric methane levels and the associated warming.

Currently, urban and industrial pollution of nitrogen oxides maintains this state. But the danger is that the very necessary efforts to clean up these pollutants could cut the OH supply to the atmospheric kitchen sink. With less detergent and the same input of grime, the dishwater will turn dirty.

Hinrich Schaefer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article.

– ref. The atmosphere is getting better at cleaning itself – but that’s not all good news – https://theconversation.com/the-atmosphere-is-getting-better-at-cleaning-itself-but-thats-not-all-good-news-248734

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 27, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: We analysed almost 1,000 social media posts about 5 popular medical tests. Most were utterly misleading
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brooke Nickel, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, University of Sydney

C-R-V/Shutterstock

When Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram about having had a full-body MRI, she enthused that the test can be “life saving”, detecting diseases in the earliest stages before symptoms arise.

What Kardashian neglected to say was there’s no evidence this expensive scan can bring benefits for healthy people. She also didn’t mention it can carry harms including unnecessary diagnoses and inappropriate treatments.

With this post in mind, we wanted to explore what influencers are telling us about medical tests.

In a new study published today in JAMA Network Open, we analysed nearly 1,000 Instagram and TikTok posts about five popular medical tests which can all do more harm than good to healthy people, including the full-body MRI scan.

We found the overwhelming majority of these posts were utterly misleading.

5 controversial tests

Before we get into the details of what we found, a bit about the five tests included in our study.

While these tests can be valuable to some, all five carry the risk of overdiagnosis for generally healthy people. Overdiagnosis is the diagnosis of a condition which would have never caused symptoms or problems. Overdiagnosis leads to overtreatment, which can cause unnecessary side effects and stress for the person, and wasted resources for the health system.

As an example, estimates suggest 29,000 cancers a year are overdiagnosed in Australia alone.

Overdiagnosis is a global problem, and it’s driven in part by healthy people having tests like these. Often, they’re promoted under the guise of early screening, as a way to “take control” of your health. But most healthy people simply don’t need them.

These are the five tests we looked at:

The full-body MRI scan claims to test for up to 500 conditions, including cancer. Yet there is no proven benefit of the scan for healthy people, and a real risk of unnecessary treatment from “false alarm” diagnoses.

The “egg timer” test (technically known as the AMH, or anti-mullarian hormone test) is often falsely promoted as a fertility test for healthy women. While it may be beneficial for women within a fertility clinic setting, it cannot reliably predict the chance of a woman conceiving, or menopause starting. However, low results can increase fear and anxiety, and lead to unnecessary and expensive fertility treatments.

Multi-cancer early detection blood tests are being heavily marketed as the “holy grail of cancer detection”, with claims they can screen for more than 50 cancers. In reality, clinical trials are still a long way from finished. There’s no good evidence yet that the benefits will outweigh the harms of unnecessary cancer diagnoses.

The gut microbiome test of your stool promises “wellness” via early detection of many conditions, from flatulence to depression, again without good evidence of benefit. There’s also concern that test results can lead to wasted resources.

Testosterone testing in healthy men is not supported by any high-quality evidence, with concerns direct-to-consumer advertising leads men to get tested and take testosterone replacement therapy unnecessarily. Use of testosterone replacement therapy carries its own risk of potential harms with the long-term safety in relation to heart disease and mortality still largely unknown.

Multi-cancer early detection blood tests are heavily marketed.
Yuri A/Shutterstock

What we found

Together with an international group of health researchers, we analysed 982 posts pertaining to the above tests from across Instagram and TikTok. The posts we looked at came from influencers and account holders with at least 1,000 followers, some with a few million followers. In total, the creators of the posts we included had close to 200 million followers.

Even discounting the bots, that’s a massive amount of influence (and likely doesn’t reflect their actual reach to non-followers too).

The vast majority of posts were misleading, failing to even mention the possibility of harm arising from taking one of these tests. We found:
- 87% of posts mentioned test benefits, while only 15% mentioned potential harms
- only 6% of posts mentioned the risk of overdiagnosis
- only 6% of posts discussed any scientific evidence, while 34% of posts used personal stories to promote the test
- 68% of influencers and account holders had financial interests in promoting the test (for example, a partnership, collaboration, sponsorship or selling for their own profit in some way).
Further analysis revealed medical doctors were slightly more balanced in their posts. They were more likely to mention the harms of the test, and less likely to have a strongly promotional tone.

The vast majority of posts we looked at were misleading.
DimaBerlin/Shutterstock

As all studies do, ours had some limitations. For example, we didn’t analyse comments connected to posts. These may give further insights into the information being provided about these tests, and how social media users perceive them.

Nonetheless, our findings add to the growing body of evidence showing misleading medical information is widespread on social media.

What can we do about it?

Experts have proposed a range of solutions including pre-bunking strategies, which means proactively educating the public about common misinformation techniques.

However, solutions like these often place responsibility on the individual. And with all the information on social media to navigate, that’s a big ask, even for people with adequate health literacy.

What’s urgently needed is stronger regulation to prevent misleading information being created and shared in the first place. This is especially important given social media platforms including Instagram are moving away from fact-checking.

In the meantime, remember that if information about medical tests promoted by influencers sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Brooke Nickel receives fellowship funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). She is on the Scientific Committee of the Preventing Overdiagnosis Conference.

Joshua Zadro receives fellowship funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Ray Moynihan has received research funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

– ref. We analysed almost 1,000 social media posts about 5 popular medical tests. Most were utterly misleading – https://theconversation.com/we-analysed-almost-1-000-social-media-posts-about-5-popular-medical-tests-most-were-utterly-misleading-247362
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Boozman Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Support for Disabled Veterans and Their Families, Including Young Caregivers

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and John Boozman (R-AR), senior members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, reintroduced their Helping Heroes Act, legislation to support the families of disabled veterans, including children who take on caregiving roles.
The Helping Heroes Act recognizes the work done by the approximately 2.3 million children under the age of 18 living in a household with a disabled veteran, who provide invaluable support to their veteran family members and, in doing so, face unique challenges and often take on responsibilities that their peers do not carry. The bill seeks to improve the support and assistance provided to these children—including mental health care, peer support, and other supportive services that can help children in veteran families lead healthier lives. More about this issue can be found in this report commissioned by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation on supporting the healthy development of children from military and veteran caregiving homes.
“I’m proud to reintroduce my bipartisan legislation to help VA better support the families of disabled veterans—especially children who frequently take on caregiving roles in their families and could benefit from additional supportive services,” said Senator Murray. “Veterans and their families have sacrificed so much for our country, and we have a responsibility to make sure the federal government is there for them and that we’re constantly working to improve the services they get through VA.”
“Investing in the families of our veterans is part of the commitment we have made to those who have served,” said Senator Boozman. “By expanding the VA’s capabilities and resources to better support the needs of caregivers, including the children of disabled veterans, they will benefit in their own lives as well as enjoy more access to comprehensive tools and networks. Better grasping and responding to the impact of caring for their loved ones is an important step to raise their quality of life.”
In addition to Senators Murray and Boozman, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) are original cosponsors of the legislation.
Specifically, the Helping Heroes Act would:
Establish a permanent Family Support Program to provide supportive services to eligible family members of disabled veterans.
Require a coordinator at each VISN to assess the needs of veteran families in their catchment area and refer them to available local, state, and federal resources.
Require VA to collect data on the experiences of disabled veteran families to better identify and understand their needs.
The Helping Heroes Act is supported by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), The American Legion, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), American Veterans (AMVETS), and the Association of the United States Army (AUSA).
Senator Murray, the daughter of a WWII veteran and Purple Heart recipient who was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during her childhood, has been a longtime advocate of veterans and has placed an emphasis on expanding benefits and support for veteran caregivers. During her time as Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator Murray oversaw the initial implementation of the Caregiver Support Program in 2011 and has been following its implementation closely and worked diligently to expand it since then. Senator Murray has long pushed back against efforts to curtail eligibility of the program, and she urged former VA Secretary Denis McDonough to revise VA’s unnecessarily restrictive criteria for caregivers program to ensure it aligns with Congressional intent so that veterans and their families can access the critical services and care they have earned.
In September 2022, following Murray’s push, VA announced that it would extend eligibility for its Caregivers program for legacy participants through September 2025. Senator Murray’s Helping Heroes Act, which she has introduced every Congress since 2022, builds on her longtime efforts to support veteran families and caregivers.
The full text of the legislation is HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Markey Slams Trump Plans to Gut Postal Service

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

Washington (February 26, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today on the Trump administration’s plans to dismantle the United States Postal Service (USPS), including proposals to do away with universal service and undermine USPS workers.

“Trump’s plan to dismantle USPS is blatantly unconstitutional, entirely illegal, and flat out wrong,” said Senator Markey. “USPS is our nation’s only entity charged with and capable of serving every household in every community, regardless of whether they are urban or rural, rich or poor, red or blue. Rather than run an agency that works for working people, Donald Trump and his cronies want to cut off a critical lifeline for essential prescriptions, checks, legal notices, and personal documents for people everywhere. That’s why I stood with postal workers and local officials in Boston last November to offer a plan to improve postal service, and it’s why I have consistently called on USPS to urge it to stand by the commitment that postal service is a public good. Together with our postal unions, I will continue to fight Trump’s attempts to sell off this agency to the highest bidder as we continue to advocate for a Postal Service which prioritizes postal justice.”

Senator Markey and the Massachusetts delegation have taken several recent actions to address concerns with USPS service. In November, Senator Markey led members of the Massachusetts delegation in sending letters to United States Postal Service (USPS) Inspector General Tammy Hull and USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to address persistent postal service issues across Massachusetts. In August 2024, Senator Markey and members of the Massachusetts delegation wrote to Postmaster DeJoy demanding a meeting to hear about plans to address these persistent statewide concerns with mail delivery delays and postal facility closures in Massachusetts.

In March 2024, Senator Markey and his Senate colleagues sent a letter to Postmaster General DeJoy urging him to stop any changes to USPS service standards that would result in job losses and further degrade mail delivery performance, which would have resulted in the consolidation of the Brockton Processing and Delivery Center. Due in part to Senator Markey’s advocacy, in June, USPS announced it would pause the proposed consolidations. In July, Senator Markey joined Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan to successfully fight the closure of the Mission Hill Post Office, which would have created increased stress on the already-faltering Roxbury Post Office.

In October 2023, Senators Markey, Warren, and Rep. McGovern sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy encouraging the USPS to restore adequate postal service to the Town of Medway, which experienced a sudden suspension of service in August 2023. The lawmakers sent another letter in November 2023 calling on USPS to abide by their required timeline for announcing plans to re-open the Medway Post Office and engage in community input processes.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Wyden Lead Colleagues in Demanding Funding to Fully Implement Social Security Fairness Act

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Letter Text (PDF)
Washington (February 26, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) led twenty-six of their colleagues in a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) urging them to provide no less than $15.402 billion for the Social Security Administration in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, allowing for full and timely implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act.
In the letter the lawmakers write, “Due to persistent underfunding, staff shortages, and a hiring freeze in place since November 2024, the SSA acknowledged that implementing this new law will be a challenge requiring significant upfront cost to transmit retroactive payments to affected beneficiaries and update its systems to automatically recalculate benefit amounts going forward. As a result, some public servants impacted by WEP and GPO may not see a change in their Social Security benefits for at least 12 months. Without new additional funding, SSA will be required to divert resources from other customer service priorities, which could lead to longer wait times and would undo the agency’s progress in reducing the disability appeals backlog and improving customer service to the public.”
The lawmakers continue, “We appreciate your support of the Social Security Administration and respectfully urge you to include a substantial funding boost for SSA in the final FY2025 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill.”
The letter was signed by Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Angus King (I-Maine), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).
For decades, the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset (WEP/GPO) reduced Social Security benefits for public servants and their surviving family members who receive a public pension. This translated to public servants being restricted by law from receiving the full benefits for which they should have been entitled. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law by President Biden in January 2025, repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, which had reduced benefits for 3.2 million public servants. As a member of the House of Representatives in 1983, Markey was one of a handful of Democrats to vote against the Social Security Reform Act, which created WEP/GPO.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Exchange of views with Commissioner Jørgensen and Executive Vice-President Fitto – Special committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union

Source: European Parliament

Rising cost of living © Image used under license from Adobe Stock

On 3 March, HOUS Members will hold an exchange of views with Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing, and Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms.

The discussion aims to provide insight into how various European Commission initiatives complement each other within the EU’s broader policy framework for housing affordability. Additionally, the exchange will explore the ways in which the European Commission supports Member States in addressing the underlying causes of housing supply challenges and in mobilising public and private investment to promote affordable and sustainable housing solutions.

MIL OSI Europe News –

February 27, 2025

MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024 – A10-0012/2025

Source: European Parliament

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024

(2024/2081(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights,

– having regard to Articles 2, 3, 8, 21 and 23 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU),

– having regard to Articles 17 and 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations human rights treaties and instruments,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,

– having regard to the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War,

– having regard to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol thereto,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948 and United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 43/29 of 22 June 2020 on the prevention of genocide,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 18 December 1979,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of 10 December 1984 and the Optional Protocol thereto, adopted on 18 December 2002,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of 12 December 2006 and the Optional Protocol thereto, adopted on 13 December 2006,

– having regard to the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid of 1976,

– having regard to the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 36/55 of 25 November 1981,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities of 18 December 1992,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 53/144 on 9 December 1998,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of 13 September 2007,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas of 28 September 2018,

– having regard to the Programme of Action of the Cairo International Conference of Population and Development in 1994 and its review conferences,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989 and the two Optional Protocols thereto, adopted on 25 May 2000,

– having regard to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, which entered into force on 24 December 2014, and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports of 5 June 1998,

– having regard to the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of September 1995 and its review conferences,

– having regard to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted on 25 September 2015, in particular goals 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 16 thereof,

– having regard to the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted on 19 December 2018 and the United Nations Global Compact on Refugees adopted on 17 December 2018,

– having regard to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted on 17 July 1998, which entered into force on 1 July 2002,

– having regard to the Agreement between the European Union and the International Criminal Court on cooperation and assistance of 10 April 2006 [1],

– having regard to the Council of Europe Conventions of 4 April 1997 for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine, and the Additional Protocols thereto, of 16 May 2005 on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and of 25 October 2007 on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse,

– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention of 11 May 2011 on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention), which not all Member States have ratified but which entered into force for the EU on 1 October 2023,

– having regard to Protocols Nos 6 and 13 to the Council of Europe Convention of 28 April 1983 for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty,

– having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 of 7 December 2020 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses [2],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe [3],

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 22 January 2024 on EU Priorities in UN Human Rights Fora in 2024,

– having regard to the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, adopted by the Council on 17 November 2020 and its Mid-term Review adopted on 9 June 2023,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 27 May 2024 on the alignment of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024 with the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027,

– having regard to the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III – an ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in external action (JOIN(2020)0017),

– having regard to the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (COM(2020)0152),

– having regard to the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (COM(2020)0698),

– having regard to the EU strategy on the rights of the child (COM(2021)0142),

– having regard to the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (COM(2021)0101),

– having regard to the EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 (COM(2020)0565),

– having regard to the EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation (COM(2020)0620),

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on human rights defenders, adopted by the Council on 14 June 2004 and revised in 2008, and the second guidance note on the Guidelines’ implementation, endorsed in 2020,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them, adopted by the Council on 8 December 2008,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL) of 2005, as updated in 2009,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on the death penalty, as updated by the Council on 12 April 2013,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines to promote and protect the enjoyment of all human rights by LGBTI persons, adopted on 24 June 2013,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief, adopted by the Council on 24 June 2013,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on freedom of expression online and offline, adopted by the Council on 12 May 2014,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on non-discrimination in external action, adopted by the Council on 18 March 2019,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on safe drinking water and sanitation, adopted by the Council on 17 June 2019,

– having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on EU policy towards third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, adopted by the Council on 16 September 2019,

– having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on human rights dialogues with partner/third countries, approved by the Council on 22 February 2021,

– having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on children and armed conflict, approved by the Council on 24 June 2024,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 12 September 2012 entitled ‘The roots of democracy and sustainable development: Europe’s engagement with Civil Society in external relations’ (COM(2012)0492),

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 10 March 2023 on the role of the civic space in protecting and promoting fundamental rights in the EU,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/1760 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on corporate sustainability due diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2859 [4],

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 14 September 2022 for a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market (COM(2022)0453),

– having regard to the joint proposal from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 3 May 2023 for a Council regulation on restrictive measures against serious acts of corruption (JOIN(2023)0013),

– having regard to the 2023 EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World,

– having regard to its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which in 2024 was awarded to María Corina Machado, as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia, representing all Venezuelans inside and outside the country fighting for the reinstitution of freedom and democracy,

– having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2019 on EU Guidelines and the mandate of the EU Special Envoy on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU [5],

– having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2020 on Gender Equality in EU’s foreign and security policy [6],

– having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2021 on human rights protection and the EU external migration policy [7],

– having regard to its resolution of 8 July 2021 on the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act)[8],

– having regard to its resolution of 28 February 2024 on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2023 [9], and to its previous resolutions on earlier annual reports,

– having regard to its resolutions on breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (known as urgency resolutions), adopted in accordance with Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure, in particular those adopted in 2023 and 2024,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0012/2025),

A. whereas the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as set out in Articles 2 and 21 TEU; whereas the EU’s action worldwide must be guided by the universality and indivisibility of human rights and by the fact that the effective protection and defence of human rights and democracy is at the core of the EU’s external action;

B. whereas consistency and coherence across the EU’s internal and external policies are key for achieving an effective and credible EU human rights policy, and in defending and supporting freedom and democracy;

C. whereas democratic systems are the most suitable to guarantee that every person has the ability to enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms; whereas effective rules-based multilateralism is the best organisational system to defend democracies;

D. whereas the EU strongly believes in and fully supports multilateralism, a rules-based global order and the set of universal values, principles and norms that guide the UN member states and that the UN member states have pledged to uphold, in accordance with the UN Charter; whereas a world of democracies, understood as a world of political systems that defend and protect human rights worldwide, is a safer world, as democracies have significant checks and balances in place to prevent the unpredictability of autocracies;

E. whereas the rise in authoritarianism, totalitarianism and populism threatens the global rules-based order, the protection and promotion of freedom and human rights in the world, as well as the values and principles on which the EU is founded;

F. whereas in December 2023, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrated its 75th anniversary; whereas today, more than ever since the UN’s foundation, totalitarian regimes challenge the UN Charter’s basic principles, seek to rewrite international norms, undermine multilateral institutions and threaten peace and security globally;

G. whereas in November 2024, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child celebrated its 35th anniversary;

H. whereas the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is regarded as a turning point for the global agenda on gender equality and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025;

I. whereas the legitimacy and functioning of the international rules-based order are dependent on compliance with the orders of, and respect for, international bodies, such as United Nations General Assembly and Security Council resolutions and orders and decisions of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court (ICC); whereas multilateralism is being challenged by increasing global threats, such as terrorism and extremism, which threaten compliance with such orders and decisions, as well as, generally, with provisions of international law, human rights law and international humanitarian law in emerging and ongoing conflict situations; whereas international institutions, their officials, and those cooperating with them, are the subject of attacks and threats; whereas the international community, including the EU, has a responsibility to uphold the international rules-based order by enforcing universal compliance, including by its partners;

J. whereas the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court establishes a framework of accountability for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes; whereas the independence of the ICC is vital to ensure that justice is delivered impartially and without political interference;

K. whereas the 2023 Mid-term Review of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, now extended to 2027, has shown that, despite the progress achieved so far, more needs to be done, in cooperation with like-minded democratic partners, especially in the context of the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption;

L. whereas human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners in the EU’s efforts to safeguard and advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to prevent conflicts globally; whereas state and non-state actors around the world are increasingly censoring, silencing and harassing, among others, HRDs, CSOs, journalists, religious communities, opposition leaders and other vulnerable groups in their work, shrinking the civil space ever further; whereas this behaviour includes measures encompassing strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), restrictive government policies, transnational repression, defamation campaigns, discrimination, intimidation and violence, including extrajudicial and extraterritorial killings, abductions, and arbitrary arrests and detention; whereas attacks on HRDs are increasingly extending to their families and communities, including those living in exile;

M. whereas gender equality is a core EU value, and the human rights of women and girls, including their sexual and reproductive rights, continue to be violated across the world; whereas women experience unique and disproportionate impacts from conflicts, climate change and migration, including increased risks of gender-based violence, economic marginalisation and barriers to accessing resources; whereas women HRDs and CSOs continue to experience shrinking space for their critical work, as well as threats of violence, harassment and intimidation;

N. whereas the past year has been marked by a further proliferation of laws on ‘foreign agents’ or foreign influence, including in countries with EU candidate status, targeting CSOs and media outlets and attempting to prevent them from receiving financial support from abroad, including from the EU and its Member States, fostering a climate of fear and self-censorship;

O. whereas in 2024, more than half the world’s population went to the polls, and many of these elections were marked by manipulation, disinformation and attempts at interference from inside or outside the country;

P. whereas the 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns of a decline in the intent of states and other political forces to protect press freedom; whereas, according to RSF, 47 journalists and media workers have been killed, most of them in conflict zones, and 573 have been imprisoned since 1 January 2024;

Q. whereas 251 million children and young people are deprived of their fundamental right to education and remain out of school, according to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2024; whereas girls and women are affected not only by poverty but also by cultural norms, gender bias, child marriage and violence through official, discriminatory policies that prevent them from accessing education and the labour market and attempt to erase them from public life;

R. whereas at least one million people are unjustly imprisoned for political reasons, among them several laureates and finalists of Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought;

S. whereas environmental harm and the impacts of climate change are intensifying precariousness, marginalisation and inequality, and increasingly displacing people from their homes or trapping them in unsafe conditions, thereby heightening their vulnerability and jeopardising their human rights;

Global challenges to democracy and human rights

1. Reasserts the universality, interdependence, interrelatedness and indivisibility of human rights and the inherent dignity of every human being; reaffirms the duty of the EU and its Member States to promote and protect democracy and the universality of human rights around the world; calls for the EU and its Member States to lead by example, in line with its values, to promote and strictly uphold human rights and international justice;

2. Insists that respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be the cornerstone of the EU’s external policy, in line with its founding principles; strongly encourages the EU and its Member States, to that end, to strive for a continued ambitious commitment to make freedom, democracy and human rights and their protection a central part of all EU policies in a streamlined manner and to enhance the consistency between the EU’s internal and external policies in this field, including through all of its international agreements;

3. Stresses that the EU must be fully prepared to counter the rise of authoritarianism, totalitarianism and populism, as well as the increasing violations of the principles of universality of human rights, democracy and international humanitarian law;

4. Condemns the increasing trend of violations and abuses of human rights and democratic principles and values across the world, such as, among others, threats of backsliding on human rights, notably women’s rights, as well as executions, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and ill treatment, gender-based violence, clampdowns on civil society, political opponents, marginalised and vulnerable groups including children and elderly people, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and ethnic and religious minorities; condemns, equally, slavery and forced labour, excessive use of violence by public authorities, including violent crackdowns on peaceful protests and other assemblies, systematic and structural discrimination, instrumentalisation of the judiciary, censorship and threats to independent media, including threats in the digital sphere such as online surveillance and internet shutdowns, political attacks against international institutions and the rules-based international order, and increasing use of unlawful methods of war in grave breach of international humanitarian law and human rights law; deplores the weakening of the protection of democratic institutions and processes, and the shrinking space for civil societies around the world; denounces the transnational repression, by illiberal regimes, of citizens and activists who have sought refuge abroad, including on EU soil;

5. Notes with deep concern the ongoing international crisis of accountability and the challenge to the pursuit of ending impunity for violations of core norms of international human rights and humanitarian law in conflicts around the world; reaffirms the neutrality and importance of humanitarian aid in all conflicts and crises; underlines the serious consequences of discrediting and attacking the organisations of multilateral forums, such as the UN, which can foster a culture of impunity and undermine the trust in and functioning of the UN system; calls for the EU to uphold the international legal system and take effective measures to enforce compliance;

6. Notes with satisfaction that there are also ‘human rights bright spots’ within this context of major challenges to human rights worldwide; highlights, in particular, the work of CSOs and HRDs; underlines the need for a more strategic communication on human rights and democracy by spreading news about positive results, policies and best practices; supports the Good Human Rights Stories initiative [10] as a way of promoting positive stories about human rights and recommends that it be updated; underlines the role of the EU’s public and cultural diplomacy, as well as international cultural relations, in the promotion of human rights, and calls for the Strategic Communication and Foresight division of the European External Action Service (EEAS) to increase its efforts in this regard;

Strengthening the EU’s toolbox for the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy around the world

7. Notes with concern the increasing divide worldwide; stresses the shared responsibility of the EU to continue defending democratic values and principles and human rights, international justice, peace and dignity around the world, which are even more important to defend in the current volatile state of global politics; calls upon the EU to keep communication channels open with different stakeholders and to continue to develop a comprehensive toolbox to strengthen human rights and democracy globally;

EU action plan on human rights and democracy

8. Observes that the EU and its Member States have made substantial progress in implementing the EU action plan on human rights and democracy, although they have not reached all of its goals, in part also due to the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption; welcomes, in this sense, the extension of the action plan until 2027, with a view to maximising the synergies and complementarity between human rights and democracy at local, national and global levels;

EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights

9. Fully supports the work of the EUSR for Human Rights in contributing to the visibility and coherence of the EU’s human rights actions in its external relations; upholds the EUSR’s central role in the EU’s promotion and protection of human rights by engaging with non-EU countries and like-minded partners; underlines the need for close cooperation between the EUSR for Human Rights and other EUSRs and Special Envoys in order to further improve this coherence, and calls for greater visibility for the role of the EUSR for Human Rights; calls for the EUSR to be supported in his work with increased resources and better coordination with EU delegations around the world; regrets, despite continuous calls, Parliament’s exclusion from the process of selecting the EUSR; insists on the need for the EUSR to report back to Parliament regularly;

Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe and the human rights and democracy thematic programme

10. Recalls the fundamental role of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe, including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, as a flagship EU instrument in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy around the world; highlights the need to engage with civil society in all the EU’s relevant external activities, including the Global Gateway Strategy which is financed through the NDICI-Global Europe; reiterates the importance of streamlining a human-rights based approach in the EU’s external action instruments; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the EEAS to share all relevant information in a timely manner in order to enable Parliament to play its role accordingly, in particular during high-level geopolitical dialogues with the Commission and in the mid-term review process as well as in its resolutions; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to ensure that a response is provided to the recommendation letters following each geopolitical dialogue and each resolution; urges the Commission to develop and launch a comprehensive, centralised website dedicated to the NDICI-Global Europe, including information on all the multiannual indicative programmes, detailing their respective budgets, associated actions and the financial allocations they are backing, organised both by country and by theme; notes that the NDICI-Global Europe and all future instruments must focus on the fundamental drivers of ongoing challenges, including the need to strengthen the resilience of local communities and democracy support activities by supporting economic development;

11. Calls for independent, ex ante assessments to determine the possible implications and risks of projects with regard to human rights, in line with Article 25(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/947; calls for independent human rights monitoring throughout the implementation of projects in third countries, especially in relation to projects entailing a high risk of violations; calls for a suspension of projects that (in)directly contribute to human rights violations in non-EU countries; reiterates the prohibition on allocating EU funds to activities that are contrary to EU fundamental values, such as terrorism or extremism; calls on the Commission to share all human rights-related assessments with Parliament in a proactive manner;

EU trade and international agreements

12. Reiterates its call to integrate human rights assessments and include robust clauses on human rights in agreements between the EU and non-EU countries, supported by a clear set of benchmarks and procedures to be followed in the event of violations; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to ensure that the human rights clauses in current international agreements are actively monitored and effectively enforced and to improve their communication with Parliament concerning considerations and decisions regarding this enforcement; reiterates that in the face of persistent breaches of human rights clauses by its partner countries, including those related to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus programme, the EU should react swiftly and decisively, including by suspending the agreements in question if other options prove ineffective; calls for the EU Ombudsman’s recommendation concerning the creation of a complaint-handling portal to be implemented, within the framework of EU trade and financial instruments, or for the Commission’s Single Entry Point to be adapted to allow complaints regarding failure to comply with human rights clauses to be submitted; calls on the EU institutions to engage regularly with the business community and civil society in order to strengthen the links between international trade, human rights and economic security; calls for the EU to ensure human rights promotion and protection through its Global Gateway investments and projects, by ensuring that they do no harm;

EU human rights dialogues

13. Stresses the important role of human rights dialogues within the EU’s human rights toolbox and as a key vehicle for the implementation of the EU action plan on human rights and democracy; highlights that these dialogues must address the overall situation of human rights and democracy with the relevant countries; notes that human rights dialogues should be seen as a key element of sustained EU engagement and not as a free-standing instrument, and that the persistent failure of non-EU countries to genuinely engage in dialogues and to implement key deliverables should lead to the use of other appropriate foreign policy tools; recalls that these dialogues need to be used in conjunction and synergy with other instruments, using a more-for-more and a less-for-less approach; reiterates the need to raise individual cases, in particular those of Sakharov Prize laureates and those highlighted by Parliament in its resolutions, and ensure adequate follow-up; calls on the EEAS and EU delegations to increase the visibility of these dialogues and their outcomes, ensuring that they are results-oriented and based on a clear set of benchmarks that can be included in a published joint press statement, and to conduct suitable follow-up action on it; calls for the enhanced and meaningful involvement of civil society in the dialogues; stresses that genuine CSOs must not be impeded from participating in human rights dialogues and that any dialogue must include all genuine CSOs without any limitations;

EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (GHRSR – EU Magnitsky Act)

14. Welcomes the increasing use of the EU GHRSR as a key political tool in the EU’s defence of human rights and democracy across the world; regrets, however, that its use has continued to be limited, especially in the current geopolitical landscape; notes, however, the challenges that the requirement of unanimity poses in the adoption of sanctions and reiterates its call on the Council to introduce qualified majority voting for decisions on the GHRSR; recalls, in this regard, the formal request submitted by Parliament to the Council in 2023, on calling an EU reform convention, with the aim, among others, of increasing the number of decisions taken by qualified majority; calls for a stronger use of the GHRSR and other ad hoc sanctions regimes on those responsible for serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including high-level officials; fully supports the possibility of imposing targeted anti-corruption sanctions within the EU framework in this regard, which has been a long-standing priority of Parliament, whether through its inclusion in the GHRSR or under a different regime; highlights the need for the complete enforcement of sanctions and calls for circumventions to be tackled;

Democracy support activities

15. Reiterates its concern regarding the increasing attacks by authoritarian and illiberal regimes on democratic principles, values and pluralism; stresses that the defence and support of democracy around the world is increasingly becoming of geopolitical and strategic interest; emphasises the importance of Parliament’s efforts in capacity-building for partner parliaments, promoting mediation and encouraging a culture of dialogue and compromise, especially among young political leaders, and empowering women parliamentarians, HRDs and representatives from civil society and independent media; reiterates its call on the Commission to continue and expand its activities in these areas by increasing funding and support for EU bodies, agencies and other grant-based organisations; stresses the critical importance of directly supporting civil society and persons expressing dissenting views, particularly in the current climate of growing global tensions and repression in increasing numbers of countries; reiterates the importance of EU election observation missions and Parliament’s contribution to developing and enhancing their methodology; calls for the development of an EU toolbox to be used in cases of disputed or non-transparent election results in order to prevent political and military crises in the post-election environment; calls for enhanced EU action to counter manipulative and false messages against the EU in election campaigns, in particular in countries that receive significant EU humanitarian and development assistance and in countries that are candidates for EU membership; calls for enhanced collaboration between Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group, the relevant Commission directorates-general and the EEAS;

EU support for human rights defenders

16. Is extremely concerned by the continuing restriction of civil society space and rising threats to the work of HRDs and members of CSOs, as well as their families, communities and lawyers, and finds particularly concerning the increasingly sophisticated means used to persecute them; strongly condemns their arbitrary detentions and killings; deplores the harassment of CSOs through legislative provisions such as foreign agents laws and similar, and other restrictions they face; deplores the fact that women HRDs continue to face relentless and ever more sophisticated violations against them, including targeted killings, physical attacks, disappearances, smear campaigns, arrests, judicial harassment and intimidation; notes with concern that these attacks seem designed to systematically silence women HRDs and erase their voices from the public sphere; supports wholeheartedly the work of HRDs and EU action to ensure their protection worldwide; underscores the pressing need for a comprehensive and timely revision of the EU Guidelines on HRDs, with a view to addressing the emerging challenges and threats, and to ensuring their applicability and effectiveness in the protection of HRDs globally, while integrating gender-sensitive and intersectional approaches in the updated Guidelines, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of HRDs, and taking into account the specific vulnerabilities they may face; calls for the complete and consistent application of the EU Guidelines on HRDs by the EU and its Member States; calls for efforts to enhance communication strategies to increase the visibility of EU actions and channels for the protection of and the support mechanisms for HRDs;

17. Raises serious concerns over the increasing phenomenon of transnational repression against HRDs, journalists and civil society; calls for the formulation of an EU strategy harmonising national responses to transnational repression;

18. Expresses deep concern regarding the increasingly precarious financial landscape faced by HRDs and communities advocating for rights, particularly within a global context characterised by intensifying repression; notes that, as a result of the current geopolitical context, HRDs’ need for support has increased; calls, therefore, for the EU and its Member States to make full use of their financial support for HRDs, ensuring the establishment of flexible, accessible and sustained funding mechanisms that enable these defenders to continue their vital work in the face of mounting challenges;

19. Insists that the EEAS, the Commission and the EU delegations pay particular attention to the situation of the Sakharov Prize laureates and finalists at risk and take resolute action, in coordination with the Member States and Parliament, to ensure their well-being, safety or liberation;

20. Welcomes the update of the EU Visa Code Handbook in relation to HRDs and calls for its full and consistent application by the Member States; reiterates its call for the Commission to take a proactive role in the establishment of a coordinated approach among the Member States for HRDs at risk, for instance streamlining visa procedures and promoting harmonisation in the EU’s visa application process;

Combating impunity and corruption

21. Underlines that both impunity and corruption enable and aggravate human rights violations and abuses and the erosion of democratic principles; welcomes the anti-corruption actions in EU external policies in the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 3 May 2023 on the fight against corruption (JOIN(2023)0012); supports the anti-corruption provisions included in the EU trade agreements with non-EU countries; stresses the important role of civil society and journalists in non-EU countries in the oversight of the fight against impunity and corruption; calls for the EU and its Member States to increase their efforts in justice reforms, the fight against impunity, and the improvement of transparency and of anti-corruption institutions in non-EU countries; encourages the EU and its Member States to coordinate more closely with allies and partners wherever possible in order to counter systemic corruption that enables autocrats to maintain power, deprives societies of key resources and undermines democracy, human rights and the rule of law;

22. Insists on the need for the EU to take clear steps to recognise the close link between corruption and human rights violations in order to target economic and financial enablers of human rights abusers;

EU actions at multilateral level

23. Reaffirms that promoting the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights around the world requires strong international cooperation at a multilateral level; underlines the particularly important role of the UN and its bodies as the main forum which must be able to effectively advance efforts for peace and security, sustainable development and respect for human rights and international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue supporting the work of the UN, its agencies and special procedures, both politically and financially, to ensure that it is fit for purpose, and to push back against the influence of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes; stresses that the current multilateral order needs to fully incorporate into its architecture the new global actors, especially those focusing on democracy and human rights; reiterates the need for the EU and its Member States to speak with one voice at the UN and in other multilateral forums in order to effectively tackle global challenges to human rights and democracy in multilateral forums and to support the strongest possible language in line with international human rights standards; calls, to this end, for progress in ensuring that the EU has a seat in international organisations, including the UN Security Council, in addition to the existing Member States’ seats; calls for EU delegations to play a stronger role in multilateral forums, for which they should have appropriate resources available;

24. Is deeply concerned by growing attacks against the rules-based global order by authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, including through unprovoked and unjustified aggression against peaceful neighbours and through the undermining of the functioning of UN bodies, namely the abuse of veto power at the UN Security Council; underlines that the diminished effectiveness of these bodies brings with it real costs in terms of conflicts, lives lost and human suffering, and seriously weakens the general ability of countries to deal with global challenges; calls on the Member States and like minded partners to develop a robust strategy and to intensify their efforts to reverse this trend and to send a united and strong message of support to those organisations when they are attacked or threatened; believes that the UN, its bodies, and other multilateral organisations are in need of reform, in order to address these growing challenges and threats;

25. Reiterates the strong support of the EU for the International Court of Justice and the ICC as essential, independent and impartial jurisdictional institutions amid a particularly challenging time for international justice; recalls that a well-funded ICC is essential for the effective prosecution of serious international crimes; welcomes the political and financial support the EU has given to the ICC, including the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the ICC, and the launch of the ‘Global initiative to fight against impunity for international crimes’ offering financial support to CSOs dedicated to fostering justice and accountability for international crimes and serious human rights violations, including by facilitating survivors’ participation in legal proceedings; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and intensify their support to the ICC – including to the ICC Trust Fund for Victims – with the necessary means, including resources and political backing, and to use all instruments at their disposal to combat impunity worldwide and enable the ICC to fulfil its mandate effectively; calls on all the Member States to respect and implement the actions and decisions of the International Court of Justice and all organs of the ICC, including the OTP and the Chambers, to urge other countries to join and cooperate with the court, including to enforce ICC arrest warrants, and to support their work as an independent and impartial international justice institution everywhere in the world; regrets the failure of some ICC member states to execute ICC arrest warrants, thereby undermining the court’s work; calls for the EU to urge non-EU countries, including its major partners, to recognise the ICC and become a state party to the Rome Statute;

26. Stresses the importance of not politicising the ICC, as trust in the court is eroded if its mandate is misused; condemns, in particular and in the most critical terms, the political attacks, sanctions and other coercive measures introduced or envisaged against the ICC itself and against its staff; calls on the Member States and the EU institutions to cooperate to work on solutions in order to protect the institution of the ICC and its staff from any future sanctions that would threaten the functioning of the court;

27. Recognises universal jurisdiction as an important tool of the international criminal justice system to prevent and combat impunity and promote international accountability; calls on the Member States to apply universal jurisdiction in the fight against impunity;

28. Calls for the EU and its Member States to lead the global fight against all forms of extremism and welcomes the adoption of an EU strategy to this end; demands that the fight against terrorism be at the top of the EU’s domestic and foreign affairs agenda;

Upholding international humanitarian law

29. Notes with concern the increasing disregard for international humanitarian law and international human rights law, particularly in the form of ongoing conflicts around the world; strongly condemns the increase in deliberate, indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on civilians and civilian objects in multiple conflict settings; underlines that it is of the utmost importance that all UN and humanitarian aid agencies are able to provide full, timely and unhindered assistance to all people in vulnerable situations and calls on all parties to armed conflicts to fully respect the work of these agencies and ensure they can meet the basic needs of civilians without interference; denounces attempts to undermine UN agencies delivering humanitarian aid; urges all parties to armed conflicts to protect civilian populations, humanitarian and medical workers, and journalists and media workers; calls on all parties to armed conflicts to respect the legitimacy and inviolability of UN peacekeeping missions; calls on all states to unconditionally and fully conform with international humanitarian law; calls on the international community, and the Member States in particular, to promote accountability and the fight against impunity for grave breaches of international humanitarian law; calls for the systematic creation of humanitarian corridors in regions at war and in combat situations, whenever necessary, in order to allow civilians at risk to escape conflicts, and strongly condemns any attacks on them; demands unhindered access for humanitarian organisations monitoring and assisting prisoners of war, as provided for in the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War; expects international organisations to abide by international law regarding the treatment of prisoners of war; calls for international cooperation and assistance in the return of forcibly deported persons, in particular children and hostages;

30. Reiterates its call on the Member States to help contain armed conflicts and serious violations of human rights or international humanitarian law by strictly abiding by the provisions of Article 7 of the UN Arms Trade Treaty of 2 April 2013 on Export and Export Assessment and Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP of 8 December 2008 defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment;

31. Given the gendered impacts of armed conflicts, deplores the insufficient priority and focus given to sexual and gender-based violence and to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across the EU’s humanitarian and refugee response; reiterates that humanitarian crises intensify SRHR- and gender-related challenges and recalls that in crisis zones, particularly among vulnerable groups such as refugees and migrants, women and girls are particularly exposed to sexual violence, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual exploitation, rape as a weapon of war and unwanted pregnancies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to give high priority to gender equality and SRHR in their humanitarian aid and refugee response, as well as accountability and access to justice and redress for sexual and reproductive rights violations and gender-based violence, including in terms of training for humanitarian actors, and existing and future funding;

Team Europe approach

32. Recognises the potential for stronger alignment in approaches to human rights protection and promotion between EU institutions, Member States’ embassies and EU delegations in non-EU countries, particularly in encouraging those countries to comply with their international obligations and to refrain from harassment and persecution of critical voices; emphasises the opportunity for Member States’ embassies to take an increasingly active role in advancing and safeguarding human rights, while also supporting civil society in these countries; calls for the EU and its Member States to use all possible means to urge countries to release political prisoners; highlights the importance of shared responsibility between Member States and EU delegations in these efforts; calls for the EU and its Member States to intensify their collective efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and to support democracy worldwide; encourages careful monitoring and assessment of the capacity of EU delegations to ensure that each one has a designated point of contact for cases of human rights violations, and that this mandate is allocated sufficient resources to respond in an effective and timely manner; reiterates, in this context, the importance, for the EU delegations, of existing EU guidelines related to specific areas of human rights;

Responding to universal human rights and democracy challenges

Right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

33. Condemns any action or attempt to legalise, instigate, authorise, consent or acquiesce to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment methods under any circumstances; condemns the increasing reports of the use of torture by state actors in many different contexts, including in custodial and extra-custodial settings – of political prisoners, among others – and in conflict situations around the world, notably in violation of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War, as well as the killing of prisoners of war, which amounts to a war crime, and reiterates the non-derogable nature of the right to be free from torture or other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment; reiterates the EU’s zero-tolerance policy to torture and other ill-treatment and calls on the relevant institutions, including the European Court of Human Rights, to take a thorough stance on any such case;

34. Reiterates its calls for universal ratification of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol thereto, and for the need for states to bring their national provisions in this respect in line with international standards; reiterates, in accordance with the revised Guidelines on the EU’s policy towards third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, adopted by the Council on 16 September 2019, the importance of engaging with relevant stakeholders in the fight to eradicate torture, and to monitor places of detention;

Right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association

35. Reiterates the need to protect the EU democratic space and the exercise of fundamental freedoms therein, particularly freedoms of assembly and association; highlights the growing violent repression of protest and peaceful assemblies within the EU civic space, with cases of torture and ill-treatment resulting in deaths and other serious violations; underscores the need to strengthen this fundamental right in conjunction with the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment;

Right to food, water and sanitation

36. Recalls that the right to food, including having physical and economic access to adequate food or the means to its procurement, is a human right; is extremely concerned about the challenges to the right to food worldwide, especially in situations of war and conflicts; condemns the increasing reports of the weaponisation of food in situations of armed conflict; calls for the EU and its Member States to promote mandatory guidelines on the right to food without discrimination within the UN system; urges the EU and the Member States to fully support, politically and financially, organisations and agencies working to secure the right to food in conflict zones; recalls the importance of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas in view of attaining food security; commends the work of the UN World Food Programme, in this regard;

37. Reaffirms the rights to safe drinking water and to sanitation as human rights, both rights being complementary; underlines that access to clean drinking water is indispensable to a healthy and dignified life and is essential for the maintenance of human dignity; highlights the fact that the right to water is a fundamental precondition for the enjoyment of other rights, and as such must be guided by a logic grounded in the public interest, and in common public and global goods; underscores the importance of the EU Guidelines on safe drinking water and sanitation, and urges the EU institutions and the Member States to implement and promote their application in non-EU countries and in multilateral forums;

Climate change and the environment

38. Highlights that climate change and its impact on the environment has direct effects on the effective enjoyment of all human rights; recognises the important work of CSOs, indigenous peoples and local communities, land and environmental HRDs and indigenous activists for the protection of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, including access to land and water sources; deplores the risks that environmental HRDs and indigenous activists face and calls for their effective protection to be guaranteed; notes that communities contributing the least to climate change are the ones more likely to be affected by climate risks and natural disasters and calls, in this regard, for increasing support to the most vulnerable groups; recalls that indigenous peoples and local communities play an important role in the sustainable management of natural resources and the conservation of biodiversity; recalls that the transition to clean energy must be fair and respect everyone’s fundamental rights; reiterates the importance of the achievement of the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) for the protection of the human rights of present and future generations;

39. Notes with deep concern the increasing threats to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment posed by the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and other forms of warfare that adversely and disproportionately affect the environment; stresses the need to effectively address the displacement of people caused by environmental destruction and climate change, which increases the risk of human rights violations and heightens vulnerabilities to different forms of exploitation; recognises that children face more acute risks from climate-related disasters and are also one of the largest groups to be affected; calls for the EU to focus on addressing the impacts of climate change on the enjoyment of the rights of the child;

Rights of the child

40. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights, including for those most marginalised and those in the most vulnerable situations, through all of the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations; condemns the decline in respect for the rights of the child and the increasing violations and abuses of these rights, including through violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, honour killings, recruitment of child soldiers, lack of access to education and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; further condemns the increase in deaths of children in situations of armed conflict and stresses the need for effective protection of children’s rights in active warfare; calls for new EU initiatives to promote and protect children’s rights, with a view to rehabilitating and reintegrating conflict-affected children, ensuring that they have a protected, family- and community-based environment as a natural context for their lives, in which assistance and education are fundamental elements; reiterates its call for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all EU external policies; calls on all countries to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a matter of urgency, in order to allow for the universal ratification of this foundational instrument;

41. Stresses the importance of closing the financing gap that would enable countries to meet their SDG 4 targets on quality education and ensure access to education for all children and young people; reiterates its calls to address cultural norms and gender biases that prevent girls and women from receiving an education and urges the creation of gender-responsive education systems worldwide;

42. Stresses that education represents the starting point for cultivating principles and values that contribute to the personal development of children, as well as to social cohesion and democracy, and the rule of law around the world; to that end calls for the EU to promote its values through supporting access to education and learning for women and girls;

Rights of women and gender equality

43. Stresses that women’s rights and gender equality are indispensable and indivisible human rights, as well as a basis for the rule of law and inclusive resilient democracies; deplores the fact that millions of women and girls continue to experience discrimination and violence, especially in the context of conflicts, post-conflict situations and displacements, and are denied their dignity, autonomy and even life; condemns the impunity with which perpetrators commit violations against women HRDs; is appalled by the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war and stresses the need to shed light on these instances, and for better international cooperation on fighting impunity for these crimes; calls for the EU, its Member States and like-minded partners to step up their efforts to ensure the full enjoyment and protection of women’s and girls’ human rights, and to incorporate a gender mainstreaming approach across all policies, taking into account the differentiated impacts of global challenges such as climate change or conflicts; condemns in the strongest terms the increasing attacks on SRHR around the world, as well as gender-based violence; strongly deplores cases of female genital mutilation, honour killings, child marriages and forced marriages; welcomes the accession of the EU to the Istanbul Convention and strongly encourages the remaining EU Member States to ratify the Istanbul Convention without further delay; calls for the EU and its international partners to strengthen their efforts to ensure that women fully enjoy human rights and are treated equally to men; emphasises the importance of safeguarding the rights of women, ensuring that their health, safety and dignity are protected, particularly in the context of healthcare access and workplace protections; underlines the need to keep opposing and condemning, in the strongest terms, anti-abortion laws that punish women and girls with decades-long jail sentences, even in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation; fully supports the role of the EU Ambassador for Gender and Diversity;

44. Recognises that gender apartheid constitutes a systematic and institutionalised form of oppression, depriving women and girls of fundamental rights solely on the basis of their gender; notes with deep concern the entrenchment of gender apartheid in certain regions, where women face extensive restrictions on education, employment, healthcare and freedom of movement, often underpinned by legal and cultural frameworks that reinforce gender-based discrimination; urges the EU and the Member States to proactively address gender apartheid through strengthened diplomatic efforts, targeted economic measures and accountability mechanisms that support civil society organisations advocating for gender equality; calls for the formal recognition of gender apartheid as a distinct human rights violation and for support for international initiatives for its classification as a crime against humanity, thus contributing to the establishment of a global accountability standard;

Rights of refugees and asylum seekers

45. Denounces the erosion of the human rights and the safety of refugees, asylum seekers and forcibly displaced persons; reaffirms their inalienable human rights and fundamental right to seek asylum; recalls the obligation of states to protect them in accordance with international law; underlines the importance of identification and registration of individuals, including children, as a key tool for protecting refugees and ensuring the integrity of refugee protection systems, preventing human trafficking and the recruitment of children into armed militias; calls for the EU and its Member States to effectively uphold their rights in the EU’s asylum and migration policy and in the EU’s cooperation with partner countries in this regard; deplores the increasing xenophobia, racism and discrimination towards migrants, as well as the different forms of violence they face, including during their displacement, and the many barriers they face, including in access to healthcare; condemns the instrumentalisation of migration at EU borders by foreign actors, which constitutes hybrid attacks against the Member States as well as a dehumanisation of migrants; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility to enjoy a decent life in their home country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and, where possible, step up their support for countries hosting the most refugees, as well as for transit countries; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with non-EU countries, with full respect for fundamental rights, remain key to preventing migrant smuggling; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of smuggling are crucial, as well as of the migration laws of the destination countries, in order to prevent the undertaking of unnecessarily risky journeys by those who do not have grounds for asylum; calls for EU-funded humanitarian operations to take into consideration the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and to ensure their protection while they are displaced; underlines the importance of developing an effective framework of safe and legal pathways to the EU and welcomes, in this regard, the Commission communication on attracting skills and talent to the EU [11], including the development of talent partnerships with partner countries; calls for respect for the principle of non-refoulement to countries where the life and liberty of people would be threatened; calls for the EU and its Member States to discuss the phenomenon of instrumentalised migration orchestrated by authoritarian regimes and organised crime groups, and emphasises the need to conduct a comprehensive analysis of this phenomenon, develop effective countermeasures, and consider its implications for the human rights framework;

46. Reaffirms that no agreement with a non-EU country designated as a transit country should be concluded without Parliament’s scrutiny, and calls on the Commission and the Member States to include robust human rights clauses, monitoring mechanisms and impact assessments therein; reiterates its call on the Commission to integrate ex ante human rights impact assessments into such agreements;

Rights of LGBTIQ+ persons

47. Deplores the human rights violations, including discrimination, persecution, violence and killings, against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) persons around the world; is extremely concerned by the spreading of hatred and anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives and legislation that target LGBTIQ+ persons and HRDs; calls for the adoption of policies that protect LGBTIQ+ people and give them the tools to safely report a violation of their rights, in line with the EU Guidelines to Promote and Protect the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by LGBTI Persons; expresses special concern over LGBTIQ+ people living under non-democratic regimes or in conflict situations, and calls for rapid response mechanisms to protect them as well as their defenders; reiterates its calls for the full implementation of the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 as the EU’s tool for improving the situation of LGBTIQ+ people around the world; calls for the use of the death penalty to be rejected under all circumstances, including any legislation that would impose the death penalty for homosexuality; calls for the EU and its Member States to further engage the countries with such legislation in reconsidering their position on the death penalty; notes further that the imposition of the death penalty on the basis of such legislation is arbitrary killing per se, and a breach of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

Rights of persons with disabilities

48. Is concerned by the challenges to the full enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities; reiterates its calls for the EU to assist partner countries in the development of policies in support of carers of persons with disabilities; calls for the raising of social awareness and the combating of discriminatory behaviours against persons with disabilities; points to the additional complications faced by persons with disabilities in conflict situations and natural disasters, as they are more vulnerable to violence and often do not receive adequate support; urges all parties to conflict situations worldwide to take adequate measures to mitigate the risks to them as much as possible; emphasises the need to safeguard children with disabilities from any form of exploitation; calls for the EU, in its external policy, to make use of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 as a tool to improve the situation of persons with disabilities, particularly concerning poverty and discrimination, but also problems with access to education, healthcare and employment, and participation in political life; encourages the EU to support partner countries in developing inclusive economic policies that promote accessible vocational training and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, fostering their full and active economic participation;

Rights of elderly people

49. Reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to develop new avenues to strengthen the rights of elderly people, taking into account the multiple challenges they face, such as age-based discrimination, poverty, violence and a lack of social protection, healthcare and other essential services, as well as barriers to employment; calls for the implementation of specific measures to combat the risk of poverty for older women through increased social support; underlines the work of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing on a legally binding instrument to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older people and calls for the EU and its Member States to consider actively supporting that work; stresses the need for a cross-cutting intergenerational approach in EU policies, in order to build and encourage solidarity between young people and elderly people;

Right to equality and non-discrimination

50. Reiterates its condemnation of all forms of racism, intolerance, antisemitism, Islamophobia, persecution of Christians, xenophobia and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, social class, disability, caste, religion, belief, age, sexual orientation or gender identity; condemns the growing international threat of hate speech and speech that incites violence, including online; reiterates the crucial role of education and dialogue in promoting tolerance, understanding and diversity; calls for the adoption or the strengthening of mechanisms for reporting discriminatory behaviours as well as access to effective legal remedies, to help end the impunity of those who engage in this behaviour;

Right to life: towards the universal abolition of the death penalty

51. Reiterates its principled opposition to the death penalty, which is irreversible and incompatible with the right to life and with the prohibition of torture, and a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment; stresses that the EU must be relentless in its pursuit of the universal abolition of the death penalty as a major objective of its human rights foreign policy; notes that despite the trend in some non-EU countries to take steps towards abolishing the death penalty, significant challenges in this regard still exist; deplores the fact that in other non-EU countries the number of death sentences that have been carried out has reached its highest level in the last five years; reiterates its call for all countries to completely abolish the death penalty or establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty (sentences and executions) as a first step towards its abolition; urges, in this regard, the EU to intensify diplomatic engagement with countries that continue to practise the death penalty, encouraging dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues and providing support for the development of judicial reforms that could lead towards its abolition;

Right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief

52. Reiterates its concern regarding violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief; is concerned about the worldwide increase in intolerance towards different religious communities; deplores the instrumentalisation of religious or belief identities for political purposes and the exclusion of persons belonging to religious and belief minorities and religious communities, including from political participation, as well as the destruction and vandalism of sites and works of art of cultural and historical value, in certain non-EU countries; stresses that the freedom to choose one’s religion, to believe or not to believe is a human right that cannot be punished; condemns, therefore, the existence and implementation of so-called apostasy laws and blasphemy laws that lead to harsh penalties, degrading treatment and, in some cases, even to death sentences; calls for the abolition of apostasy laws and blasphemy laws; stresses that the Special Envoy for the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU should be granted more resources so that he can efficiently carry out his mandate; highlights the need for the Special Envoy to continue to work closely and in a complementary manner with the EUSR for Human Rights and the Council Working Party on Human Rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, to raise these issues at UN human rights forums and to continue working with the relevant UN mechanisms and committees; calls for the EU to request and consolidate reports by EU delegations on the state of freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief;

53. Recalls that most of the drivers of violent conflicts worldwide involve minority grievances of exclusion, discrimination and inequalities linked to violations of the human rights of minorities, as observed by the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues; stresses the need to mainstream the protection of the rights of minorities and for the development of protection mechanisms at the level of the UN; recalls the obligations of states to protect the rights of their national, ethnic, cultural, religious or linguistic minorities within their respective territories; calls on the Commission to support the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities worldwide, including this as a priority under the human rights and democracy thematic programme of the EU’s NDICI-Global Europe;

Right to freedom of expression, academic freedom, media freedom and the right to information

54. Emphasises the critical significance of freedom of expression and access to trustworthy and diverse sources of information for sustaining democracy and a thriving civic space; recalls that democracies can only function when citizens have access to independent and reliable information, making journalists key players in the safeguarding of democracy; is therefore seriously concerned about the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in numerous countries worldwide, particularly for journalists, through censorship, enforced self-censorship, so-called foreign agents laws and the misuse of counter-terrorism or anti-corruption laws to suppress journalists and civil society groups; is concerned by the use of hate speech against journalists, both online and offline, leading to a deterrent effect; raises concerns, additionally, about the physical security of journalists and media workers and their being targeted in conflict zones; notes the number of journalists killed in conflict situations in 2023, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, has increased alarmingly – by 85 % – since 2022;

55. Calls urgently for the EU to back trustworthy media and information outlets that promote the accountability of authorities and support democratic transitions, while stressing the need to preserve the principles of pluralism, transparency and independence; highlights the role played by fact checkers in the media landscape, ensuring that the public can trust the information they receive; is concerned that they are therefore major targets for attacks by illiberal regimes that originate and disseminate disinformation, propaganda and fake news; condemns the extensive use of SLAPPs to silence journalists, activists, trade unionists and HRDs globally; welcomes, in this context, the directive designed to shield journalists and HRDs from abusive legal actions and SLAPPs; encourages lawmakers in non-EU countries to develop legislation with the same goal, as part of broader efforts to promote and protect media freedom and pluralism; requests that attacks on media freedom, as well as the persistent and systematic erosion of the right to information, be taken into account in the EU’s monitoring of the compliance of international agreements;

56. Welcomes the Commission’s plan to finance initiatives that support journalists on legal and practical matters, including beyond the EU, through the European Democracy Action Plan; calls for the EU to strengthen its efforts to aid targeted journalists globally, recalling that independent journalists are on the frontline of the fight against disinformation, which undermines democracies; acknowledges the contribution to achieving this goal of programmes such as the now-defunct Media4Democracy and other EU-funded activities, including those of the European Endowment for Democracy; urges the EU to help make reliable news sources available to more people living in countries that restrict press freedom;

57. Remains deeply concerned by the deteriorating state of press freedom around the world; condemns the censorship of journalists, HRDs and CSOs through the application of so-called foreign agents laws, as well as other legislative and non-legislative measures adopted by authoritarian and illiberal regimes;

58. Reaffirms its commitment to protecting and promoting academic freedom as a key component of open and democratic societies; underlines the attacks to academic freedom not only by authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, but also by extreme and populist forces worldwide; calls for the development of benchmarks for academic freedom into institutional quality assurance within academic rankings, procedures and criteria;

59. Notes with concern that more than half of the world’s population lives within environments of completely or severely restricted levels of academic freedom, which has severe consequences for the right to education, the enjoyment of the benefits of scientific progress and the freedom of opinion and expression; urges the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to halt censorship, threats or attacks on academic freedom, and especially the imprisonment of scholars worldwide; welcomes the inclusion of academics at risk in the EU Human Rights Defenders Mechanism; calls on the Commission to ensure continued high-level support for the Global Campus of Human Rights, which has provided a safe space for students and scholars who had to flee their countries for defending democracy and human rights;

Rights of indigenous peoples

60. Notes with regret that indigenous peoples continue to face widespread and systematic discrimination and persecution worldwide, including forced displacements; condemns arbitrary arrests and the killing of human rights and land defenders who stand up for the rights of indigenous peoples; stresses that the promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples and their traditional practices are key to achieving sustainable development, combating climate change and conserving biodiversity; urges governments to pursue development and environmental policies that respect economic, social and cultural rights, and that are inclusive of indigenous peoples and local populations, in line with the UN SDGs; reiterates its call for the EU, its Member States and their partners in the international community to adopt all necessary measures for the recognition, protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous people, including as regards their languages, lands, territories and resources, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the principle of free, prior and informed consent; calls on all states to ensure that indigenous peoples and local communities are included in the deliberations and decision-making processes of international climate diplomacy; encourages the Commission to continue to promote dialogue and collaboration between indigenous peoples and the EU;

Right to public participation

61. Deplores that the right to participate in free and fair elections is not respected in authoritarian, illiberal, and totalitarian regimes; highlights that these regimes conduct fake elections with the aim of entrenching their power, as they lack real political contestation and pluralism; is alarmed by current trends in electoral processes, such as the increasing decline in electoral participation and democratic performance or the growing disputes concerning the credibility of elections; highlights with deep concern the growing interference by some states in other countries’ elections through hybrid tactics; reaffirms the necessity of increasing political representation of women, young people and vulnerable groups and to guarantee the public participation of minorities; underlines that distrust in the electoral process can be exacerbated not only by irregularities but also by public statements, including from participants; emphasises that public perception of electoral process is as crucial as the process itself, as its manipulation can lead to polarisation or targeted attacks; calls on non-EU countries to reinforce their efforts to clearly communicate all the steps of their respective electoral processes and systems, as well as the existing accountability mechanisms in case of irregularities; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to analyse and report to Parliament their initiatives to tackle the challenges posed by articifical intelligence (AI) in electoral processes;

Human rights, business and trade

62. Stresses the role of trade as a major instrument to promote and improve the human rights situation in the EU’s partner countries; urges the Commission to improve coordination between the EU’s trade, investment and development policies and prioritise and promote the development of human rights through EU trade policies, including the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus; notes, however, that there has been little to no improvement in some of the countries concerned; stresses the responsibilities of states and other actors, such as corporations, to mitigate the effects of climate change, prevent their negative impact on human rights and promote appropriate policies in compliance with human rights obligations; deplores the detrimental effects of some excessive and exploitative business activities on human rights and democracy; welcomes the harmonisation resulting from the adoption of the Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence with binding EU rules on responsible corporate behaviour with regard to human, labour and environmental rights; further welcomes the Regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market [12] and calls for its swift implementation at Member State level; calls for the implementation of the EU Ombudsman’s recommendation concerning the creation of a complaint-handling portal, within the framework of EU trade and financial instruments, and for the adaptation of the Commission’s Single Entry Point to allow for the submission of complaints regarding failures to comply with human rights clauses, which should be accessible, citizen-friendly and transparent; calls for the EU to continue its efforts to eliminate child labour, and forced and bonded labour; stresses the importance of remediation and access to justice measures that are in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, including financial and non-financial measures in consultation with the victims; calls on the Council to adopt an ambitious mandate for the EU to engage in the ongoing negotiations on the UN legally binding instrument on business and human rights as soon as possible;

63. Highlights that in many regions of the world, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are often the driving force of local economies with an increasing number of women running them; underlines that MSMEs account for 90 % of businesses, 60 to 70 % of employment and 50 % of gross domestic product worldwide; highlights the importance of MSMEs in their contribution to the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the SDGs, namely those on the eradication of poverty and decent working conditions for all;

Human rights and digital technologies

64. Is concerned by the threat that AI can pose to democracy and human rights, especially if it is not duly regulated; highlights the need for oversight, robust transparency and appropriate safeguards for new and emergent technologies, as well as a human-rights based approach; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of the global digital rulebook based on democratic principles; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human wellbeing; is deeply concerned about the harmful consequences of the misuse of AI and deepfakes, particularly for women and children; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry [13]; condemns the use of new and emerging technologies, such as facial recognition technology and digital surveillance, as coercive instruments and their use in the increasing harassment, intimidation and persecution of HRDs, activists, journalists and lawyers; calls on the Council for the listing under the EUGHRSR of state and non-state actors that are engaging in these practices; notes with concern the rapid development of AI in military applications, as well as the potential development and deployment of autonomous systems that could make life-or-death decisions without human input;

65. Recalls that the international trade in spyware to non-EU countries where such tools are used against human rights activists, journalists and government critics, is a violation of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter;

66. Welcomes the adoption in May 2024 of the first Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, aimed at ensuring that activities within the entire life cycle of AI systems are fully consistent with human rights, democracy and the rule of law; reiterates the need for greater legislative attention to be paid to the profound changes arising from activities within the life cycle of AI systems, which have the potential to promote human prosperity, individual and social well-being, sustainable development, gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls, but also pose the risk of creating or exacerbating inequalities and incentivising cyber and physical violence, including violence experienced by women and individuals in vulnerable situations;

67. Stresses that the internet should be a place where freedom of expression prevails; considers, nevertheless, that the rights of individuals need to be respected; is of the opinion that, where applicable, what is considered to be illegal offline, should be considered illegal online; expresses concern for the growing number of internet shutdowns; highlights that internet shutdowns are often used by authoritarian regimes, among others, to silence political dissidence and curb political freedom; calls urgently for the EU to combat this alarming phenomenon, including considering allowing EU-based providers to offer safe communication tools to people who have been thereby deprived of online access; urges the EU to take a firm stance against any attempts by tech giants to circumvent or undermine national legal systems and independent court decisions, and to protect democratic principles and implement measures to maintain the integrity of elections, as well as to protect the right to information, especially during electoral periods;

° °

68. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union Heads of Delegation.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Each year, the European Parliament adopts three annual reports on the EU’s foreign, security and defence, and human rights policies.

The three reports are on:

• the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy – annual report 2024 (based on the report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy to the European Parliament on the Common Foreign and Security Policy) – competence of the AFET Committee,

• Human Rights and Democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024 (based on the EU Annual report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World) – competence of the DROI Subcommittee, and

• the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy – annual report 2024 (based on the report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy to the European Parliament on the Common Foreign and Security Policy) – competence of the SEDE Subcommittee.

These reports monitor and assess the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, including the EU policy on Human Rights and the Common Security and Defence Policy. They are a key component of the European Parliament’s contribution to EU foreign policy making, most notably in regard to the strengthened right of scrutiny conferred to the European Parliament by the Treaty of Lisbon. It is essential that the European Parliament responds to the annual reports issued by other institutions as soon as they are published.

ANNEX I: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that she has received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the report, until the adoption thereof in committee:

Entity and/or person

European Partnership for Democracy/International Dalit Solidarity Network

Clean Clothes Campaign

Protection International

Race & Equality

FIDH – International Federation for Human Rights

International Partnership for Human Rights

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Front Line Defenders

Save the Children

Avocats Sans Frontières

Center for Reproductive Rights

Reporters without Borders

End FGM European Network

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do ), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

ANNEX II: INDIVIDUAL CASES RAISED BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FROM DECEMBER 2023 TO JANUARY 2025

COUNTRY

Individual

BACKGROUND

ACTION TAKEN BY THE PARLIAMENT

AFGHANISTAN

Manizha Seddiqi Ahmad Fahim Azimi

Sediqullah Afghan, Fardin Fedayee Ezatullah Zwab

Manizha Seddiqi, Ahmad Fahim Azimi, Sediqullah Afghan, Fardin Fedayee and Ezatullah Zwab are human rights defenders who have been detained in Afghanistan.

In its resolution of 14 March 2024, the European Parliament:

– Condemns the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, including Manizha Seddiqi, Ahmad Fahim Azimi, Sediqullah Afghan, Fardin Fedayee and Ezatullah Zwab;

– Calls for victims of violence against women and girls to be released from prison, where they are being held in inhumane conditions to the detriment of their mental and physical health.

ALGERIA

Boualem Sansal

French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal was detained on 16 November 2024 by the Algerian authorities, his whereabouts remained unknown for over a week, during which time he was denied access to his family and legal counsel; he was subsequently charged with national security-related offences under Article 87bis of the Algerian Penal Code, and he is awaiting trial.

In its resolution of 23 January 2025, the European Parliament:

– Condemns the arrest and detention of Boualem Sansal and calls for his immediate and unconditional release;

– Equally condemns the arrests of all other activists, political prisoners, journalists, human rights defenders and others detained or sentenced for exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression, including journalist Abdelwakil Blamm and writer Tadjadit Mohamed, and calls for their release;

– Reiterates, as enshrined in the EU-Algeria Partnership Priorities, the importance of the rule of law in order to consolidate freedom of expression; stresses that renewing this agreement must be based upon continued and substantial progress in the aforementioned domains and underscores that all future disbursements of EU funds should consider the progress made in this regard.

AZERBAIJAN

Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu

Ilhamiz Guliyev

Ulvi Hasanli Sevinj Vagifgizi

Nargiz Absalamova

Hafiz Babali,

Elnara Gasimova Aziz Orujov

Rufat Muradli

Avaz Zeynalli

Elnur Shukurov

Alasgar Mammadli

Farid Ismayilov

Gubad Ibadoghlu, a political economist and opposition figure, was arrested by Azerbaijani authorities in July 2023 and remained in detention until 22 April 2024, when he was transferred to house arrest; his health has deteriorated significantly since his arrest, as a result of torture, inhumane detention conditions and refusal of adequate medical care, thus endangering his life.

Ilhamiz Guliyev, a human rights defender, was arbitrarily arrested on 4 December 2023 on dubious accusations of drug trafficking after he testified as whistleblower about the police tampering with evidence against government critics; he is facing up to 12 years in prison.

Tofig Yagublu, Akif Gurbanov, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev are political prisoners, and Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, Hafiz Babali, Elnara Gasimova, Aziz Orujov, Rufat Muradli, Avaz Zeynalli, Elnur Shukurov, Alasgar Mammadli, Farid Ismayilov are human rights defenders and journalists.

In its resolution of 25 April 2024, the European Parliament:

– Urges Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release Ilhamiz Guliyev; notes that Gubad Ibadoghlu has been released and placed under house arrest and calls on the authorities to lift the travel ban and drop all charges against him; calls on Azerbaijan to urgently ensure that he receives an independent medical examination by a doctor of his own choosing and to allow him to receive treatment abroad;

– Urges Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all other political prisoners, including Tofig Yagublu, Akif Gurbanov, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, human rights defenders and journalists Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, Hafiz Babali, Elnara Gasimova, Aziz Orujov, Rufat Muradli, Avaz Zeynalli, Elnur Shukurov, Alasgar Mammadli, Farid Ismayilov, as well as EU and other nationals.

AZERBAIJAN

Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, Anar Mammadli, Kamran Mammadli, Rufat Safarov and Meydan TV

Political prisoner and 2024 Sakharov Prize finalist Gubad Ibadoghlu remains under house arrest; the European Court of Human Rights ruled that his health condition is critical, requiring hospitalisation and urgent heart surgery.

Civil society leader Anar Mammadli has been in pre-trial detention since April 2024 on bogus charges, with his health deteriorating due to denied healthcare.

In early December 2024, the Azerbaijani authorities arrested MeydanTV journalists Aynur Ganbarova, Aytaj Ahmadova, Khayala Agayeva, Natig Javadli and Aysel Umudova, and journalists Ramin Jabrayilzade and Ahmad Mukhtar; they also arrested Baku Journalism School deputy director Ulvi Tahirov, political leader Azer Gasimli and human rights defender Rufat Safarov; all face unfounded, politically motivated charges.

In its resolution of 19 December 2024, the European Parliament:

– Urges the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately end the crackdown on all dissident groups and unconditionally release and drop all charges against human rights defenders, journalists and political and other activists prosecuted under fabricated, politically motivated charges;

– Demands that the authorities immediately lift the travel ban on Ibadoghlu, unconditionally drop all charges against him and allow him to receive urgent treatment abroad; deplores the fact that Ibadoghlu was not allowed to attend the Sakharov Prize ceremony or connect remotely;

– Calls on Azerbaijan to lift undue restrictions on independent media by aligning its laws on the registration and funding of non-governmental groups and media with Venice Commission recommendations; demands that the authorities end the repression of MeydanTV, ToplumTV, Abaz Media and Kanal13;

– Calls for EU sanctions under its global human rights sanctions regime to be imposed on Azerbaijani officials responsible for serious human rights violations, including Fuad Alasgarov, Vilayat Eyvazov and Ali Naghiyev.

BELARUS

Marina Adamovich, Mikalai Statkevich Tatsiana Seviarynets, Pavel Seviarynets Daria Losik

Ihar Losik

Mikalai Kazlou

Ryhor Kastusiou Mikalai Statkevich Pavel Seviarynets

Marina Adamovich, wife of Mikalai Statkevich (political prisoner), Tatsiana Seviarynets, mother of Pavel Seviarynets (political prisoner), and earlier-arrested Daria Losik, wife of Ihar Losik (political prisoner), have suffered interrogations and detentions by the KGB.

Mikalai Kazlou, Ryhor Kastusiou, Mikalai Statkevich and Pavel Seviarynets, all political prisoners, face isolation, torture, denial of medical care and forced labour.

In its resolution of 14 December 2023, the European Parliament:

– Strongly condemns the recent wave of mass arrests in Belarus and urges the illegitimate Lukashenka regime to cease repression, especially any gender-based persecution, and reminds the regime of its international obligations;

– Calls for the immediate unconditional release and compensation of all more than 1 400 political prisoners, as well as their families and arbitrarily detained persons, while restoring their full rights.

BELARUS

Mikola Statkevich

Ales Bialiatski

Maria Kalesnikava Siarhei Tsikhanouski Viktar Babaryka Maksim Znak

Pavel Sevyarynets Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk

Andrzej Poczobut Ihar Losik

Former presidential candidate and 2020 Sakharov Prize laureate Mikola Statkevich has been imprisoned on politically motivated charges for 14 years; he is kept in solitary confinement under maximum security; his health is deteriorating and his lawyers and family have been denied information and contact for over 300 days.

Prominent Belarusian political prisoners, including Ales Bialiatski, Maria Kalesnikava, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Viktar Babaryka, Maksim Znak, Pavel Sevyarynets, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, Andrzej Poczobut and Ihar Losik, have been subjected to similar isolation.

In its resolution of 8 February 2024, the European Parliament:

– Demands the immediate, unconditional release of Mikola Statkevich and all 1 500 political prisoners; calls for the withdrawal of all charges against them, their full rehabilitation and financial compensation for the damage suffered as a result of being deprived of liberty;

– Insists that the prisoners must receive proper medical assistance and access to lawyers, family, diplomats and international organisations, which can assess their condition and provide aid; regrets the inaction of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Belarus;

– Strongly condemns the unjustified, politically motivated sentences and continued repression of Belarusian democratic forces, civil society, human rights defenders, trade unionists, journalists, clergy, political activists and their family members.

CHINA

Ding Yuande

Ma Ruimei

On 12 May 2023 Falun Gong practitioners Mr Ding Yuande and his wife Ms Ma Ruimei were arrested without a warrant; Ms Ma was released on bail, but was then intimidated by police because of a rescue campaign launched by their son abroad.

Mr Ding was detained with no family visits for eight months; on 15 December 2023 he was sentenced to three years in prison with a CNY 15 000 fine.

In its resolution of 18 January 2024, the European Parliament:

– Strongly urges the PRC to immediately end the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and other minorities, including Uyghurs and Tibetans; demands the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Ding and all Falun Gong practitioners in China;

– Calls for the PRC to end domestic and transnational surveillance and control and the suppression of religious freedom; urges the PRC to abide by its obligations under international law and its own constitution to respect and protect human rights.

CHINA

Ilham Tohti

Gulshan Abbas

In 2014 Ilham Tohti was convicted of politically motivated charges of ‘separatism’ and sentenced to life imprisonment; he worked to foster dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese; he was awarded the 2019 Sakharov Prize. Gulshan Abbas has been serving a 20-year sentence on fallacious terrorism-related charges relating to activities of her sister, a defender of the human rights of persecuted Uyghurs in the PRC.

Gulshan Abbas, is a Uyghur retired doctor, who was forcibly disappeared in retaliation of her sisters public criticism of the treatment of Uyghurs. She has received a 20-year sentence in 2020, for participating in a terrorist organisation.

In its resolution of 10 October 2024, the European Parliament:

– Strongly condemns the PRC’s violations of the human rights of Uyghurs and people in Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China;

– Urges the PRC to immediately and unconditionally release Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas, as well as those arbitrarily detained in China and those mentioned by the EU during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, guarantee their access to medical care and lawyers, provide information on their whereabouts and ensure family visiting rights; calls for the EU and the Member States to apply pressure in this respect at every high-level contact;

– Demands that the PRC authorities halt their repression and targeting of Uyghurs with abusive policies, including intense surveillance, forced labour, sterilisation, birth prevention measures and the destruction of Uyghur identity, which amount to crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide; calls for the closure of all internment camps;

– Strongly condemns the PRC for not implementing the recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); calls on the PRC to allow the OHCHR independent access to XUAR and invites the OHCHR to issue a comprehensive situational update and an action plan for holding the PRC accountable;

– Welcomes the EU’s forced labour regulation and insists on its full implementation; calls on businesses operating in the PRC, particularly in XUAR, to comply with their HR due diligence obligations.

CUBA

José Daniel Ferrer Garcia

Human rights defender and opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer García was detained on 11 July 2021 in the context of widespread protests in Cuba, and has been held in isolation since 14 August 2021; the Cuban regime has imprisoned, harassed and intimidated him for over a decade for his peaceful political activism; since March 2023, he has been held incommunicado and his family have received no information about his health and have been denied the right to visit him.

In its resolution of 19 September 2024, the European Parliament:

– The Cuban regime holds political prisoners in the most appalling conditions; whereas reports indicate that José Daniel Ferrer is in a critical condition and has been held without access to medical treatment, with inadequate food and in unsanitary conditions, which constitute forms of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment;

– The human rights situation in Cuba is alarming, particularly for dissidents, who are subjected to worrying levels of surveillance and arbitrary detention; whereas the number of political prisoners is unknown but reliable sources state that the regime holds over a thousand prisoners, including minors; whereas among the many political prisoners are Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Lizandra Gongora, whose health condition is critical;

– Urges the Cuban regime to immediately and unconditionally release José Daniel Ferrer and all persons politically and arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly;

– Condemns the torture and inhuman, degrading and ill-treatment perpetrated by the Cuban authorities against José Daniel Ferrer and the other political prisoners; calls for the families of victims of the regime’s persecution to be granted immediate access to them, pending their release, and for the victims to be given medical care.

CRIMEA

Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov

Crimean journalist and human rights defender Iryna Danylovych was abducted in 2022, accused of possessing explosives and sentenced to 6 years and 11 months of imprisonment; NGO activist Tofik Abdulhaziiev was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to 12 years in a maximum security prison on trumped-up charges, and since 2023 is being held in a prison some 2 700 km away from Crimea; citizen journalist Amet Suleymanov was sentenced to 12 years of prison in 2021.

In its resolution of 19 December 2024, the European Parliament:

– Condemns Russia’s continuous targeting of ethnic Ukrainians and systematic persecution of indigenous Crimean Tatars, which aims to erase their identity, heritage and culture, echoing, for the Crimean Tatars, the genocidal deportations of 1944; considers that Crimea’s future is tied to its recognition as the Crimean Tatars’ historic homeland;

– Condemns the persecution of journalists, civil society activists and human rights defenders and the deportation of civilians including political prisoners from Crimea to penitentiary institutions across Russia, contrary to international law;

– Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov and other political prisoners; calls for immediate medical care to be provided; denounces the upholding of verdicts against seriously ill individuals, which constitutes a blatant violation of international human rights standards; calls on the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN to establish the whereabouts of civilian detainees from Crimea.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Jean-Jacques Wondo

Jean-Jacques Wondo, a Belgian-Congolese security, military and political expert, was arrested following a failed coup on 19 May 2024, for which he was accused of being the ‘intellectual perpetrator’, on 13 September 2024, Wondo and 36 others were sentenced to death by a military court.

In its resolution of 23 January 2025, the European Parliament:

– Strongly condemns the sentencing to death of Wondo and others and the grave violations of their right to a fair trial;

– Urges the DRC Government to immediately overturn the death sentences, reinstate a moratorium on executions and take steps towards the full abolition of the death penalty;

– Expresses deep concern about Wondo’s deteriorating health, calls for him to be given immediate access to medical treatment and insists on his immediate release;

– Calls for systemic reforms to be implemented in the DRC to rebuild the judiciary into an independent, fair and efficient institution that guarantees due process and the protection of fundamental rights.

GREECE

George Karaivaz

George Karaivaz was a journalist who have been murdered on 9 April 2021.

In its resolution of 7 February 2024, the European Parliament:

– Is deeply concerned by the failure of law enforcement and the judicial authorities in Greece to make progress in the investigation into the murder of the Greek journalist George Karaivaz on 9 April 2021; notes that two suspects were arrested in April 2023, but otherwise there has not been any discernible activity in the police investigation; strongly urges the authorities to take all the necessary steps towards conducting a thorough and effective investigation, and to bring those involved in the murder, at any level, to justice; urges the authorities to request assistance from Europol.

HONG KONG

Andy Li

Joseph John

Andy Li, a pro-democracy activist and key witness in Jimmy Lai’s trial, allegedly confessed, under torture, to conspiracy and collusion with foreign entities.

Joseph John, a HK-Portuguese dual national, is the first extraterritorial application of the NSL to an EU citizen; John was arrested for allegedly posting anti-China social media content and committing, from Europe, incitement to ‘secession’, and was sentenced on 11 April 2024 to five years’ imprisonment.

In its resolution of 25 April 2024, the European Parliament:

– Urges the HK Government to immediately and unconditionally release Li, John, Lai, Kok Tsz-lun and all other pro-democracy representatives and activists detained for exercising their freedoms and democratic rights, and to drop all charges against them;

– Highlights the SNSO’s undermining of press freedoms; calls on the authorities to stop harassing and prosecuting journalists.

HONG KONG/ CHINA

Jimmy Lai

Jimmy Lai has been detained since 2020 on trumped-up charges; his trial started in 2023 after various delays; he denied these charges and faces life imprisonment; his British lawyer has been refused permission to represent him. Jimmy Lai a British national since 1996, is a Hong Kong media tycoon, and a known pro- democracy supporter. Political prisoners in HK endure difficult conditions, often affecting their health, throughout lengthy pre-trial detentions, as with 76-year-old Lai, who has diabetes and has been denied Communion in prison.

45 pro-democracy politicians, activists and journalists were sentenced for subversion, in the ‘Hong Kong 47’ case, for organising unofficial election primaries; their trials were the largest national security trials to date;

In its resolution of 28 November 2024, the European Parliament:

– Condemns the sentencing of pro-democracy activists on national security charges, in violation of international law; calls for the repeal of the NSL and the SNSO; denounces the degradation of basic freedoms in HK;

– Urges the HK Government to immediately and unconditionally release all pro-democracy activists, including Lai and Chung, and to drop all charges against them;

– Calls on the EEAS and the Member States to warn China that its actions in HK will have consequences for EU-China relations; calls on the Council to review its 2020 conclusions on HK and to impose targeted sanctions on John Lee and other HK and Chinese officials responsible for human rights violations, to revoke HK’s favourable customs treatment and review the status of the HK Economic Trade Office in Brussels; urges the Member States to file an ICJ case against China’s decision to impose the NSL on HK and Macau.

IRAN

Pakhshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi

Kurdish activists, social worker Pakhshan Azizi and advocate for women’s rights Verisheh (Wrisha) Moradi were sentenced to death for ‘armed rebellion against the state’.

In its resolution of 23 January 2025, the European Parliament:

– Denounces the Iranian regime’s unrestrained repression of human rights, in particular the targeting of women activists; strongly condemns the death sentence against Pakhshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi; demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally release all unjustly imprisoned human rights defenders and political prisoners, including Pakhshan Azizi, Wrisha Moradi and at least 56 other political prisoners on death row;

– Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase support for Iranian human rights defenders and expresses its full support and solidarity with Iranians united in the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement;

– Urges the Iranian authorities to immediately release, safely repatriate and drop all charges against EU nationals, including Olivier Grondeau, Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris and Ahmadreza Djalali; strongly condemns Iran’s use of hostage diplomacy; calls for the EU and its Member States to undertake joint diplomatic efforts and work collectively towards their release;

– Strongly condemns the murder of Jamshid Sharmahd; urges the Islamic regime in Iran to provide details of the circumstances of his death and for his remains to be immediately returned to his family;

– Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation and to extend EU sanctions to all those responsible for human rights violations, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, Prosecutor-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad and Judge Iman Afshari;

– Urges the Iranian authorities to provide the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran and the UN fact-finding mission with full, unimpeded access to enact their mandates.

KYRGYZSTAN

Temirlan Sultanbekov

Temirlan Sultanbekov is the leader of the Kyrgyzstan Social Democrats party (SDK), he and other party officials have been arrested for vote-buying allegations, with an audiotape of unknown origin serving as the primary evidence, for which the judicial authorisation is unclear and its connection with the detainees unknown.

In its resolution of 19 December 2024, the European Parliament:

– Urges the Kyrgyz authorities to immediately release Mr Sultanbekov and other party officials and adopt alternative measures to detention, while respecting their right to due process in line with the civil and political rights guaranteed under the Kyrgyz constitution and international obligations; calls on the authorities to ensure his safety and well-being;

– Urges the Kyrgyz government to halt its campaign of intimidation and legal persecution against opposition parties, independent media outlets and journalists; is concerned by the adoption of the Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ law; urges the Kyrgyz authorities to drop all charges against human rights defenders, including Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, Azamat Ishenbekov, Aktilek Kaparov and Ayke Beishekeeva, journalists from the Temirov Live and Ait Ait Dese channels.

RUSSIA

Alexei Navalny

Vladimir Kara-Murza

Yuri Dmitriev

Ilya Yashin

Alexei Gorinov

Lilia Chanysheva Ksenia Fadeeva, Vadim Ostanin

Daniel Kholodny Vadim Kobzev

Igor Sergunin

Alexei Liptser Viktoria Petrova Maria Ponomarenko Alexandra Skochilenko

Svetlana Petriychuk Evgenia Berkovich Dmitry Ivanov

Ioann Kurmoyarov Igor Baryshnikov Dmitry Talantov Alexei Moskalev

Oleg Orlov

Boris Kagarlitsky

Ivan Safronov

Alexei Navalny, a prominent Russian political figure and the 2021 laureate of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, perished in a Siberian penal colony north of the Arctic Circle while serving a unfounded, politically motivated prison sentence. He had been in detention since 17 January 2021, the date on which he returned to Russia following medical rehabilitation after an attempted state-sponsored assassination using the internationally banned nerve agent Novichok; he had previously been detained and arrested many times and had been sentenced, on fabricated and politically motivated grounds, to long prison terms in evident attempts to stop his political activities and anti-corruption campaigns.

Vladimir Kara-Murza, Yuri Dmitriev, Ilya Yashin, Alexei Gorinov, Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeeva, Vadim Ostanin, Daniel Kholodny, Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, Alexei Liptser, Viktoria Petrova, Maria Ponomarenko, Alexandra Skochilenko, Svetlana Petriychuk, Evgenia Berkovich, Dmitry Ivanov, Ioann Kurmoyarov, Igor Baryshnikov, Dmitry Talantov, Alexei Moskalev, Oleg Orlov, Boris Kagarlitsky and Ivan Safronov are political prisoners.

In its resolution of 29 February 2024, the European Parliament:

– Strongly condemns the murder of Alexei Navalny; expresses its wholehearted condolences to his family, associates and colleagues, and to his countless supporters across Russia; expresses its full support to Yulia Navalnaya in her determination to continue the work started by Alexei Navalny with her support, and to the Anti-Corruption Foundation founded by Navalny, which is continuing its work under the new circumstances;

– Calls on the Russian authorities to drop all arbitrary charges and to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and arbitrarily detained persons.

TAJIKISTAN

Abdullo Ghurbati Daler Imomali Zavqibek Saidamini Abdusattor Pirmuhammadzoda Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva Khushruz Jumayev Khurshed Fozilov

Manuchehr Kholiknazarov Buzurgmehr Yorov

Abdullo Ghurbati, Daler Imomali, Zavqibek Saidamini, Abdusattor Pirmuhammadzoda, Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, Khushruz Jumayev and Khurshed Fozilov are journalists who have been sentenced to between seven and over 20 years in prison in retaliation for their coverage of social issues and human rights abuses, including in GBAO.

Manuchehr Kholiknazarov and Buzurgmehr Yorov are human rights lawyers who have been detained.

In its resolution of 18 January 2024, the European Parliament:

– Strongly condemns the ongoing crackdown, including anti-extremism legislation, against independent media, government critics, human rights activists and independent lawyers; condemns the closure of independent media and websites, including the online media outlets Pamir Daily News, New Tajikistan 2 and Akhbor.com;

– Condemns all politically motivated trials and the lack of fair and public hearings by independent courts; urges the authorities to stop persecuting journalists, immediately and unconditionally release those who have been arbitrarily detained and drop all charges against them, stop the persecution of lawyers defending government critics and release human rights lawyers Manuchehr Kholiknazarov and Buzurgmehr Yorov;

– Urges the government to ensure that detainees have access to adequate healthcare; calls for a thorough investigation into allegations of mistreatment in custody and forced confessions, and those responsible to be brought to justice.

TÜRKIYE

Bülent Mumay

Bülent Mumay is a Turkish journalist and coordinator of the Istanbul bureau of Deutsche Welle’s Turkish editorial office, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for social media posts about a pro-government company’s seizure of Istanbul Municipality’s subway funds during the AKP administration; his appeal was rejected, and his tweets removed.

In its resolution of 10 October 2024, the European Parliament:

– Condemns the sentence against Bülent Mumay, which follows a broader pattern of silencing critical journalism; calls on the Turkish authorities to drop the charges against Bülent Mumay, and all arbitrarily detained media workers and journalists, as well as political opponents, human rights defenders, civil servants and academics;

– Is deeply concerned about the ongoing deterioration of democratic standards in Türkiye, relentless crackdown on any critical voices and targeting of independent journalists, activists and opposition members amid frequent reports of legal intimidation, censorship and financial coercion as ways to suppress criticism and investigative journalism.

VENEZUELA

Rocío San Miguel

General Hernández Da Costa

Ronald Ojeda

María Corina Machado

Juan Freites

Luis Camacaro Guillermo Lopez Emil Brandt

Rocío San Miguel is a lawyer and human rights activist with Spanish nationality, who got kidnapped by the Venezuelan regime on 9 February 2024, and sentenced on politically motivated grounds of suspected conspiracy against Nicolás Maduro and his regime; she is currently being detained in El Helicoide prison, which is known for human rights abuses, including torture.

Hernández Da Costa has been a political prisoner since August 2018; on 19 February 2024, he was forcibly transferred to El Rodeo 1 prison, designed to detain political prisoners; an unknown number of prisoners, including some EU citizens, were also transferred; the general suffers from medical ailments that require constant treatment, which he is being denied.

Ronald Ojeda was a former political prisoner who escaped the Maduro regime, and got murdered in Chile.

Juan Freites, Luis Camacaro, Guillermo Lopez and Emil Brandt are four campaign coordinators working for the opposition to the regime’s presidential candidate, and have been detained on political grounds.

In its resolution of 14 March 2024, the European Parliament:

– Demands the immediate unconditional release of all political prisoners and arbitrarily detained persons, and the full restoration of their rights; exhorts the regime to cease its policy of repression and attacks on civil society and the opposition;

– Strongly condemns the Maduro regime for imprisoning hundreds of political prisoners;

– Calls on the international community to support a return to democracy in Venezuela, particularly in the light of the upcoming elections, in which the leader of the opposition to the regime, María Corina Machado, must be allowed to fully participate.

VENEZUELA

Maria Corina Machado

Juan Freites

Luis Camacaro Guillermo López

Maria Corina Machado was selected as the presidential candidate of the democratic opposition to the regime, winning with 92,35 % of the votes in the primary elections. She got a disqualification of 15 years.

For several months, members of María Corina Machado’s campaign team – including Juan Freites, Luis Camacaro and Guillermo López, who were unlawfully detained and have since been reported missing.

In its resolution of 8 February 2024, the European Parliament:

– Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all the arbitrarily arrested political and social leaders, including three campaign staffers of the presidential candidate of the opposition to the regime María Corina Machado, namely Juan Freites, Luis Camacaro and Guillermo Lopez;

– Strongly condemns the attempts to disqualify the presidential candidate of the democratic opposition to the regime, María Corina Machado, and others, such as Henrique Capriles, from holding public office;

– Urges the Venezuelan regime to immediately stop the persecution of the primary winner and thus fully legitimate candidate of the opposition to the regime, María Corina Machado, and other opposition politicians.

ANNEX III: LIST OF SAKHAROV PRIZE LAUREATES AND FINALISTS IMPRISONED AND DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY

Year of Sakharov Prize award	Name and surname	Laureate / Finalist	Country	Situation (Detention / house arrest / temporarily released)	Length of prison sentence	Start date of detention
2024	Gubad Ibadoghlu	Finalist	Azerbaijan	Under travel ban		A court rejected Ibadoglu’s appeal against the travel ban on 3/12/2024
2021	Alexei Navalny	Laureate	Russia	Deceased in prison on 16/2/2024	3,5 + 9 + 19 years	Last detained 17/2/21, last sentenced 4/8/23
2020	Siarhei Tsikhanouski Maryia Kalesnikava Mikola Statkevich Ales Bialiatski	Laureate Laureate Laureate Laureate	Belarus	Detention Detention Detention Detention	18 years 11 years 14 years 10 years	Detained 29/5/20, sentenced 14/12/21 Detained 07/9/20, sentenced 06/9/21 Last detained 31/5/20, last sentenced 14/12/21 Last detained 15/7/21, last sentenced 03/03/23
2020	Porfirio Sorto Cedillo, José Avelino Cedillo, Orbin Naún Hernández, Kevin Alejandro Romero, Arnold Javier Aleman, Ever Alexander Cedillo, Daniel Marquez and Jeremías Martínez Díaz	Finalists	Honduras	Detention	Unknown	1/9/2019, released on 24/2/2022, after a ruling by the Supreme Court of Honduras
2019	Ilham Tohti	Laureate	China	Detention	Unknown	23/9/2014
2018	Nasser Zefzafi	Finalist	Morocco	Detention	20 years	5/4/2019
2017	Dawit Isaak	Finalist	Eritrea	Incommunicado detention	Unknown	23/9/2001
2015	Raif Badawi	Laureate	Saudi Arabia	Released on 11/3/2022, since then under a 10-year travel ban	10 years	First sentenced on 17/12/2012, but announced on 30/3/2013
2012	Nasrin Sotoudeh Jafar Panahi	Laureate Laureate	Iran Iran	Detention, on temporary medical furlough since July 2021, arrested again 29/10/2023 and released 15/11/2023 Detained in 2022, released on 3/2/2023 after hunger strike	38 years 6 years	6/3/2019 (most recent) compelled in July 2022 to serve a 10-years old prison sentence
2011	Razan Zaitouneh	Laureate	Syria	Kidnapped in 2013. Presumptions of detention and death.		9/12/2013
2009	Memorial – Oleg Orlov	Laureate	Russia	Released on 1/8/2024 as part of a prisoner exchange with the US and Germany	2.5 years	Latest sentence in February 2024. Memorial as legal entity liquidated in January 2022.

ANNEX IV: LIST OF RESOLUTIONS

List of resolutions adopted by the European Parliament from December 2023 to January 2025 and related directly or indirectly to human rights violations in the world

Country/Region	Date of adoption in plenary	Title
Africa
Algeria	23.01.2025	The case of Boualem Sansal in Algeria
Democratic Republic of the Congo	23.01.2025	The case of Jean-Jacques Wondo
Gambia	25.04.2024	On the proposed repeal of the law banning female genital mutilation in The Gambia
Nigeria	08.02.2024	On the recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria
Sudan	18.01.2024	On the threat of famine following the spread of the conflict in Sudan
Tanzania	14.12.2023	On the Maasai Communities in Tanzania
Americas
Cuba	29.02.2024	On the critical situation in Cuba
Cuba	19.09.2024	The case of José Daniel Ferrer García in Cuba
Guatemala	14.12.2023	On the attempt at a coup d’état in Guatemala
Venezuela	08.02.2024	On further repression against the democratic forces in Venezuela: attacks on presidential candidate María Corina Machado
Venezuela	14.03.2024	On the case of Rocío San Miguel and General Hernández Da Costa, among other political prisoners in Venezuela
Venezuela	19.09.2024	Situation on Venezuela
Venezuela	23.01.2025	Situation in Venezuela following the usurpation of the presidency on 10 January 2025
Asia
Afghanistan	14.03.2024	On the repressive environment in Afghanistan, including public executions and violence against women
Afghanistan	19.09.2024	The deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan due to the recent adoption of the law on the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”
Azerbaijan	25.04.2024	On Azerbaijan, notably the repression of civil society and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu and Ilhamiz Guliyev
Azerbaijan	19.12.2024	Continued repression of civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, Anar Mammadli, Kamran Mammadli, Rufat Safarov and Meydan TV
Cambodia	28.11.2024	The shrinking space for civil society in Cambodia, in particular the case of the labour rights organisation CENTRAL
China	18.01.2024	On the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China, notably the case of Mr Ding Yuande
China	10.10.2024	The cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas
China/ Taiwan	24.10.2024	Misinterpretation of UN resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan
Hong Kong	25.04.2024	On the new security law in Hong Kong and the cases of Andy Li and Joseph John
Hong Kong/ China	28.11.2024	Hong Kong, notably the cases of Jimmy Lai and the 45 activists recently convicted under the national security law
Kyrgyzstan	19.12.2024	Human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan, in particular the case of Temirlan Sultanbekov
Tajikistan	18.01.2024	On Tajikistan: state repression against the independent media
Tibet	14.12.2023	On the abduction of Tibetan children and forced assimilation practices through Chinese boarding schools in Tibet
Middle East
Iran/Israel	25.04.2024	On Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response
Iran	08.02.2024	On the increased number of executions in Iran, in particular the case of Mohammad Ghobadlou
Iran	28.11.2024	The increasing and systematic repression of women in Iran
Iran	23.01.2025	Systematic repression of human rights in Iran
Iraq	10.10.2024	Iraq, notably the situation of women’s rights and the recent proposal to amend the Personal Status Law
Palestine	18.01.2024	On the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need to reach a ceasefire and the risks of regional escalation
Palestine	14.03.2024	On the immediate risk of mass starvation in Gaza and the attacks on humanitarian aid deliveries
Europe and Eastern Partnership countries
Azerbaijan/Armenia	13.03.2024	On closer ties between the EU and Armenia and the need for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia
Azerbaijan/ Armenia	24.10.2024	Situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia
Belarus	14.12.2023	On the unknown status of Mikola Statkevich and the recent attacks on Belarusian politicians’ and activists’ family members
Belarus	08.02.2024	on the new wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members
Belarus	19.09.2024	The severe situation of political prisoners in Belarus
Belarus	22.01.2025	Actions to address the continued oppression and fake elections in Belarus
Crimea	19.12.2024	11th year of the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and the deteriorating human rights situation in occupied Crimea, notably the cases of Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov
Georgia	25.04.2024	On attempts to reintroduce a foreign agent law in Georgia and its restrictions on civil society
Georgia	09.10.2024	The democratic backsliding and threats to political pluralism in Georgia
Georgia	28.11.2024	Georgia’s worsening democratic crisis following the recent parliamentary elections and alleged electoral fraud
Greece	07.02.2024	On the rule of law and media freedom in Greece
Hungary	24.04.2024	On ongoing hearings under Article 7(1) TEU regarding Hungary to strengthen the rule of law and its budgetary implications
Hungary	18.01.2024	On the situation in Hungary and frozen EU funds
Moldova	09.10.2024	Strengthening Moldova’s resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU integration
Russia	29.02.2024	On the murder of Alexei Navalny and the need for EU action in support of political prisoners and oppressed civil society in Russia
Russia	08.02.2024	On Russiagate: allegations of Russian interference in the democratic processes of the European Union
Russia	25.04.2024	On new allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, in the upcoming EU elections and the impact on the European Union
Russia	25.04.2024	On Russia’s undemocratic presidential elections and their illegitimate extension to the occupied territories
Russia	14.11.2024	EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia
Russia	23.01.2025	Russia’s disinformation and historical falsification to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine
Russia/ North Korea	28.11.2024	Reinforcing EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression and the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia
Serbia	08.02.2024	On the situation in Serbia following the elections
Slovakia	17.01.2024	On the planned dissolution of key anti-corruption structures in Slovakia and its implications for the rule of law
Türkiye	10.10.2024	European Parliament resolution of 10 October 2024 on the case of Bülent Mumay in Türkiye
Cross-cutting issues
Children liberty	13.12.2023	On the situation of children deprived of liberty in the world
LGBTIQ rights	08.02.2024	On the implementation of the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025
Protection of journalists	27.02.2024	On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings
Human rights and democracy	28.02.2024	Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2023
Foreign and security policy	28.02.2024	Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023
Media freedom	13.03.2024	On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market
Forced labour	23.04.2024	On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market
Right of abortion	11.04.2024	On including the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter
Due diligence	24.04.2024	On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive
Fundamental rights	18.01.2024	On the situation of fundamental rights in the European Union – annual report 2022 and 2023
Hate speech	18.01.2024	On extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime
Business and human rights	18.01.2024	On shaping the EU’s position on the UN binding instrument on business and human rights, in particular on access to remedy and the protection of victims
Freedom of scientific research	17.01.2024	On promotion of the freedom of scientific research in the EU
Citizens, equality, rights and values	16.01.2024	On the implementation of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme 2021-2027
Violence against women	24.04.2024	On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating violence against women and domestic violence
Human beings traffic	23.04.2024	On preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims

MIL OSI Europe News –

February 27, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tax measures proposed in 2025-26 Budget

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Tax measures proposed in 2025-26 Budget
Tax measures proposed in 2025-26 Budget
***************************************

In the Budget delivered on February 26, the Financial Secretary proposed the following tax measures:(1) Providing a one-off reduction of profits tax, salaries tax and tax under personal assessment for the year of assessment 2024/25 by 100 per cent, subject to a ceiling of $1,500 per case. This measure will benefit 2.14 million taxpayers liable to salaries tax and tax under personal assessment and 165 400 businesses. The government revenue will be reduced by $3.1 billion. The proposed reduction will reduce the amount of tax payable by taxpayers for the year of assessment 2024/25. Taxpayers should still file their profits tax returns and tax returns for individuals for the year of assessment 2024/25 as usual. The government will introduce the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions) Bill 2025 into the Legislative Council. Upon enactment of the relevant legislation, the Inland Revenue Department will effect the reduction in the final assessment. The proposed tax reduction will only be applicable to the final tax for the year of assessment 2024/25, but not to the provisional tax of the same year. Therefore, taxpayers are required to pay the provisional tax on time as stipulated in the demand notes that have been issued to them. The provisional tax paid will be applied in payment of the final tax for the year of assessment 2024/25 and provisional tax for the year of assessment 2025/26. The excess balance, if any, will be refunded. The proposed tax reduction is not applicable to property tax. Nevertheless, individuals with rental income, if eligible for personal assessment, may enjoy such a reduction under personal assessment. A taxpayer who is separately chargeable to salaries tax and profits tax can enjoy tax reduction under each of the tax types. A taxpayer having business profits or rental income may elect for personal assessment in their tax returns for the year of assessment 2024/25. The reduction will then be calculated based on the tax payable under personal assessment. It may be different from the amount of tax reduction a taxpayer would have got had he / she not elected for personal assessment. The exact amount will be assessed case by case.(2) Raising the maximum value of properties chargeable to a stamp duty of $100 from $3 million to $4 million. The new value bands will be applicable to any conveyance on sale or agreement for sale of residential or non-residential property transaction executed on or after February 26, 2025. The Government will introduce the Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025 (the Bill) into the Legislative Council to take forward the proposal. To benefit buyers of properties from the measure as soon as possible, the Chief Executive has made the Public Revenue Protection (Stamp Duty) Order 2025 under the Public Revenue Protection Ordinance (Cap. 120) to give force and effect of law to the Bill before its enactment. Details of the above proposed tax measures and examples of tax calculations are available on the website of the Inland Revenue Department (www.ird.gov.hk) and can be obtained through the fax hotline 2598 6001.

Ends/Thursday, February 27, 2025Issued at HKT 0:10

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raising the maximum value of properties chargeable to the $100 stamp duty to $4 million

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Raising the maximum value of properties chargeable to the $100 stamp duty to $4 million
Raising the maximum value of properties chargeable to the $100 stamp duty to $4 million
***************************************************************************************

The Government has published in the Gazette today (February 26) the Public Revenue Protection (Stamp Duty) Order 2025 (the Order) made by the Chief Executive to give force and effect of law to the Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025 (the Bill) before the Bill becomes law. The Bill, which will be published in the Gazette on February 28, implements the adjustment to the value bands of the Ad Valorem Stamp Duty (AVD) proposed in the 2025-26 Budget. The Order and the Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council on March 19. The 2025-26 Budget announced that the maximum value of properties chargeable to $100 stamp duty would be raised from $3 million to $4 million with immediate effect from February 26, 2025, with a view to easing the burden of buyers of residential and non-residential properties at lower values. An instrument for the sale and purchase or transfer of a residential or non-residential property is subject to AVD based on the sales price or value of consideration, whichever is higher. The lowest AVD rate is $100, which applied to a property with a sales price or value of consideration of $3 million or below. After the adjustment, the AVD payable for a property with a sales price or value of consideration up to $4 million will be $100. Taking into account marginal relief, it is estimated that about 15 per cent of property transactions will benefit from the adjustment. The government revenue will be reduced by about $400 million per year. The adjusted value bands are at Annex. The new value bands apply to instruments executed on or after February 26, 2025.

Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025Issued at HKT 23:20

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 27, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mahakumbh 2025: A Spectacle of Faith, Unity, and Tradition

Source: Government of India

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

Mahakumbh 2025: A Spectacle of Faith, Unity, and Tradition

As the sacred waters settle, the echoes of devotion and grandeur leave an everlasting imprint on history

Posted On: 26 FEB 2025 7:22PM by PIB Delhi

Introduction

In a world marked by the hustle of modernity, few events hold the power to bring millions together in pursuit of something greater than themselves. The Maha Kumbh Mela, currently being held from 13 January 2025 to 26 February 2025, is a sacred pilgrimage that is celebrated four times over a course of 12 years. Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest peaceful gathering, draws millions of pilgrims who bathe in sacred rivers seeking to purify themselves from sins and attain spiritual liberation. The Maha Kumbh Mela is deeply embedded in Hindu mythology and represents one of the most significant gatherings of faith in the world. This sacred event rotates between four locations in India-Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik, and Prayagraj– each situated by a holy river, from the Ganges to the Shipra, the Godavari, and the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati in Prayagraj. The expected turnout of 45 crore devotees in 45 days was exceeded within a month, reaching 66 crores⁺ by the concluding day.

Attractions of Kumbh Mela 2025

Triveni Sangam: The sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, offering a deeply spiritual experience.
Ancient Temples: Hanuman Mandir, Alopi Devi Mandir, and Mankameshwar Temple, showcasing the city’s religious heritage.
Historical Landmarks: Ashoka Pillar, University of Allahabad, and Swaraj Bhawan, reflecting India’s rich history and colonial-era architecture.
Cultural Vibrance: Bustling streets, markets, local art, and cuisine providing a glimpse into the city’s life.
Kalagram: Kalagram, set up by the Ministry of Culture in Sector-7 of the Maha Kumbh district, is a vibrant cultural village showcasing India’s rich heritage. Designed around the themes of Craft, Cuisines, and Culture, it offered an immersive experience through performances, exhibitions, and interactive zones.
Akhara Camps: Spiritual hubs where sadhus and seekers engaged in meditation, discussions, and philosophical exchanges.
Immersive Digital Experiences: Inspired by Kumbh 2019, ten stalls facilitating the pilgrims with this experience were specially set up at prime locations in the Kumbh Mela to show videos of major events such as Peshwai, auspicious bathing days, Ganga aarti, etc.
Drone Show: A Grand Drone show was organised by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department featuring hundreds of drones creating vibrant shapes in the sky. Devotees were mesmerized by the divine depiction of the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean) and Gods drinking from the Amrit Kalash.
Cultural events at the Ganga Pandal: It saw renowned artists from across the country mesmerize devotees with grand presentations of music, dance, and art from 7th – 10th February. The main highlights of the event included performances by famous artists like Odissi dancer Dona Ganguly on 7th; renowned singer Kavita Krishnamurti and Dr. L. Subramaniam on 8th; Suresh Wadkar and Sonal Mansingh on 9th; and, on 10th, celebrated singer Hariharan. In addition, prominent artists from various Indian classical dance and music traditions made the evening musical and grand.
International Bird Festival: Held from February 16-18, 2025, showcasing over 200 migratory and local birds, including endangered species.

Key Rituals and Practices

Shahi Snan: The most significant ritual, where millions bathe at Triveni Sangam to cleanse sins and attain Moksha. Special dates like Paush Purnima and Makar Sankranti witness grand processions of saints and Akharas, marking the official start of the Maha Kumbh.
Ganga Aarti: A visually stunning ritual where priests offer glowing lamps to the sacred river, evoking devotion.
Kalpavas: A month-long period of spiritual discipline where devotees renounce comforts, engage in meditation, and participate in Vedic rituals like Yajnas and Homas.
Prayers & Offerings: Dev Pujan honors deities, while rituals like Shraadh (ancestral offerings) and Veeni Daan (offering hair to the Ganges) symbolize surrender and purification. Acts of charity, such as Gau Daan (cow donation) and Vastra Daan (clothing donation), hold great merit.
Deep Daan: Thousands of lamps are floated on the river, creating a celestial glow that symbolizes devotion and divine blessings.
Prayagraj Panchkoshi Parikrama: A sacred journey around Prayagraj’s holy sites, reviving an ancient tradition and offering spiritual fulfillment.

History and Major Bathing Dates

The origins of the Kumbh Mela are rooted in Hindu mythology. According to the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean) story in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the gods (Devas) and demons (Asuras) fought over the Amrit (nectar of immortality). During this celestial battle, drops of the nectar fell at four locations—Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik—where the Kumbh Mela is now held, with the Maha Kumbh occurring once every 144 years at Prayagraj. Historically, the Maha Kumbh Mela has been referenced since ancient times, with records dating back to the Maurya and Gupta periods. It received royal patronage from various dynasties, including the Mughals, and was documented by colonial administrators like James Prinsep. Over centuries, it evolved into a global spiritual and cultural phenomenon. Recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, the Kumbh Mela symbolizes India’s enduring traditions, fostering unity, spirituality, and cultural exchange among millions worldwide.

The timing of each Kumbh Mela is determined by the astrological positions of the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter, believed to signal an auspicious period for spiritual cleansing and self-enlightenment. The festival embodies a confluence of faith, culture, and tradition, attracting ascetics, seekers, and devotees alike. The event’s grandeur is marked by Shahi Snans (bathing rituals), spiritual discourses, and vibrant cultural processions that reflect India’s deep spiritual heritage.

Major bathing dates are:

Date	Bathing Occasion	Significance	Number of Devotees taking a dip (Approx.)
January 13, 2025	Paush Purnima	It serves as an unofficial inauguration of the Maha Kumbh Mela, signifying the commencement of this grand event. Additionally, Paush Purnima marks the initiation of Kalpvasa, a period of intense spiritual practice and devotion observed by pilgrims during the Maha Kumbh Mela.	1.5 crore
January 14, 2025	Makar Sankranti (First Shahi Snan)	Makar Sankranti signifies the sun’s transition to its next astronomical position in accordance with the Hindu calendar. This auspicious day marks the initiation of charitable donations at the Maha Kumbh Mela. Pilgrims traditionally make contributions based on their own volition and generosity.	3.5 crore
January 29, 2025	Mauni Amavasya (Second Shahi Snan)	Mauni Amavasya is a day steeped in significance, as it is believed that the celestial alignments are most propitious for the sacred act of bathing in the holy river. It commemorates a profound event when Rishabh Dev, revered as one of the first sages, broke his protracted vow of silence and immersed himself in the purifying waters of the Sangam. As a result, Mauni Amavasya draws the largest congregation of pilgrims to the Kumbh Mela, making it a momentous day of spiritual devotion and purification.	5 crore
February 3, 2025	Basant Panchami (Third Shahi Snan)	Basant Panchami symbolizes the transition of seasons and celebrates the arrival of the Goddess of Knowledge, Saraswati, in Hindu mythology.	2.33 crore
February 12, 2025	Maghi Purnima	Maghi Purnima is renowned for its connection with the veneration of Guru Brahaspati and the belief that the Hindu deity Gandharva descends from the heavens to the sacred Sangam.	2 crore
February 26, 2025	Maha Shivratri	Maha Shivaratri holds deep symbolism as it marks the final holy bath of the Kalpvasis, and it is intrinsically connected to Lord Shankar.	1.3 crore

Key Infrastructure Development

Temporary City Setup: Maha Kumbh Nagar had been transformed into a temporary city with thousands of tents and shelters, including super deluxe accommodations like the IRCTC’s “Maha Kumbh Gram” luxury tent city which offers deluxe tents and villas with modern amenities.
Roads and Bridges:

Renovation of 92 roads and beautification of 17 major roads
Construction of 30 pontoon bridges using 3,308 pontoons.

Signage for Navigation: A total of 800 multi-language signages (Hindi, English, and regional languages) were installed to guide visitors.
Public Utilities: Over 2,69,000 checkered plates had been laid for pathways. Mobile toilets and robust waste management systems ensured hygiene.

Medical Facilities at Maha Kumbh

The Maha Kumbh 2025 witnessed an extensive medical setup to ensure the well-being of millions of devotees. With over 2,000 medical personnel deployed across the Mela area, the Uttar Pradesh government implemented high-tech healthcare services in every sector. From minor treatments to major surgeries, all medical needs were addressed efficiently.

Key Medical Arrangements:

Central Hospital at Parade Ground:
- 100-bed capacity
- OPD, ICU, and emergency care
- Conducted over 10,000 treatments and multiple successful deliveries
Additional Hospitals:
- 23 hospitals with a total capacity of 360 beds
- Two sub-central hospitals (25 beds each)
- Eight sector hospitals (20 beds each)
- Two infectious disease hospitals (20 beds each)
Medical Services Expansion During Amrit Snan & Magh Purnima:
- 133 ambulances deployed, including seven river ambulances and one air ambulance
- Medical Observation Rooms at key railway stations for emergencies
- First aid posts with trained staff at multiple locations
SRN Hospital and Other City Hospitals on High Alert:
- 250 beds reserved at SRN Hospital
- Blood bank stocked with 200 units
- Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital prepared with:
  - 40-bed trauma center
  - 50-bed surgical ICU
  - 50-bed medicine ward
  - 10-bed cardiology ward and ICU
Medical Teams and Emergency Readiness:
- 300 specialist doctors deployed at the Super Specialty Hospital
- Expert doctors from AIIMS Delhi and BHU remained on high alert
- 150 AYUSH medical personnel provided alternative treatments
Advanced Facilities and AI Integration:
- ECG services and Central Pathology Lab conducting 100+ tests daily
- 50+ free diagnostic tests available for pilgrims
- AI-driven translation technology enabled doctors to communicate in 22 regional and 19 international languages
Affordable Medicines through Jan Aushadhi Kendras:

Five Jan Aushadhi Kendras set up in Mahakumbh Nagar, including one in Kalagram
Established under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)
Provided affordable and quality medicines to pilgrims throughout the Mela
Part of a nationwide network of 15,000+ Jan Aushadhi centers, with 62 centers in Prayagraj
Contributed to the national target of ₹2,000 crore in medicine sales, with ₹1,500 crore already achieved.

The entire medical infrastructure was continuously monitored by senior officials to ensure smooth operations, cleanliness, and quick emergency responses. These arrangements played a crucial role in managing the healthcare needs of millions at the Maha Kumbh 2025.

AYUSH at Maha Kumbh

The Ayush OPDs, clinics, stalls, and wellness sessions emerged as major attractions for devotees and visitors at Maha Kumbh 2025, Prayagraj. The Ministry of Ayush, in collaboration with the National Ayush Mission, Uttar Pradesh, provided free healthcare services to both domestic and international pilgrims. With a strong focus on traditional healing systems, Ayush services received widespread participation, reinforcing the global trust in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Naturopathy.

Key Highlights of Ayush Services:

Extensive Healthcare Support: Over 1.21 lakh devotees availed Ayush services during the festival.
Dedicated Ayush OPDs: A team of 80 doctors across 20 OPDs provided 24×7 medical services, addressing both common and chronic conditions.
International Participation: Foreign devotees also accessed Ayush OPD consultations and wellness therapies.
Yoga Therapy Sessions: Daily therapeutic yoga sessions were conducted from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM at designated camps in the Sangam area and Sector-8, led by experts from the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), New Delhi.
Integrated Healthcare: Over 7 lakh pilgrims received medical care, including:
- 4.5 lakh treated at 23 allopathic hospitals
- 3.71 lakh pathology tests conducted
- 3,800 minor and 12 major surgeries successfully performed
Specialist Involvement: Experts from AIIMS Delhi, IMS BHU, and international specialists from Canada, Germany, and Russia contributed to providing world-class healthcare.
Traditional Treatments: 20 AYUSH hospitals offered treatments in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Naturopathy to over 2.18 lakh pilgrims.
Holistic Wellness: Services such as Panchakarma, yoga therapy, and health awareness campaigns were well-received, enhancing the overall well-being of attendees.

Security Measures

Security at Maha Kumbh 2025 had been strengthened through a seven-tier system with AI-powered surveillance, a vast deployment of personnel, and emergency response mechanisms. Over 50,000 security personnel, including paramilitary forces, 14,000 home guards, and 2,750 AI-based CCTV cameras, had been deployed. Enhanced measures included drone and underwater surveillance, cyber security, and river safety. Fire safety infrastructure had been expanded with specialized vehicles and firefighting stations. Lost and Found centers used digital registration and social media updates to reunite missing persons with their families.

Key Security Measures

Surveillance and Law Enforcement

AI & Drone Monitoring: 2,750 AI-powered cameras, drones, anti-drones, and tethered drones for real-time tracking.
Underwater Drones: First-time deployment for 24/7 river surveillance, operating up to 100 meters deep.
Checkpoints & Intelligence Squads: Screening at multiple entry points, hotel and vendor inspections, and patrols.
Seven-Tier Security System: Layered protection from the outer perimeter to the inner sanctum.

Fire Safety Measures

₹131.48 crore allocated for fire safety, ensuring the deployment of:
- 351 firefighting vehicles.
- 50+ fire stations and 20 fire posts.
- Four Articulating Water Towers (AWT) equipped with thermal cameras, reaching 35 meters in height.
- Over 2,000 trained fire personnel.
- Fire safety equipment installed in all tent settlements.

Emergency & Disaster Response

Multi-Disaster Response Vehicles: Equipped with lifting bags (10-20 tonnes), rescue tools, and victim location cameras.
Remote-Controlled Life Buoys: Deployed for immediate water rescue operations.
Incident Response System (IRS): Ensures swift emergency handling through a coordinated command structure.

Enhanced River Security

3,800 Water Police personnel deployed, including 2,500 currently on duty and 1,300 additional personnel before the event.
11 FRP Speed Motor Boats and four Anaconda motorboats with built-in changing rooms for patrol.
Three Water Police Stations & Two Floating Rescue Stations operating 24/7.
Four Water Ambulances equipped with medical facilities stationed along the river.
Deep-Water Barricading: An 8-km stretch secured to prevent accidents.
Equipment Deployment: 100 diving kits, 440 lifebuoys, and over 3,000 life jackets.

Overall Deployment & Infrastructure

Security Forces: 10,000+ police personnel, NDRF, SDRF, CAPF, PAC, and bomb disposal squads.
Prayagraj Police Infrastructure:
- 57 permanent police stations.
- 13 temporary police stations.
- 23 security checkpoints.
- 8 zones, 18 security sectors.
700+ boats with police and disaster response personnel stationed along the rivers.
Mock Drills & Inspections: Conducted by police and ATS teams for security preparedness.

CRPF’s Role in Maha Kumbh 2025

24/7 Security: Personnel deployed at ghats, Mela grounds, and key routes.
Use of Modern Technology: Vigilant monitoring to handle emergencies effectively.
Guidance & Assistance: Helping devotees navigate massive crowds with a polite approach.
Disaster Management: Rapid response team on high alert for crises.
Humanitarian Efforts: Assisting in reuniting lost children and elderly with their families.

Cyber Security at Maha Kumbh

More than 65 crore devotees have visited the Maha Kumbh Nagar. To ensure that such a large number of devotees are well-informed, the Uttar Pradesh government had decided to utilize every platform, including print, digital, and social media. Cyber experts have been actively monitoring online threats and investigating gangs exploiting platforms such as AI, Facebook, X, and Instagram. A mobile cyber team was also deployed for large-scale public awareness campaigns.

Special cyber security arrangements were initiated to safeguard devotees from across the globe:

Deployment of 56 dedicated cyber warriors and experts for cyber patrolling.
Establishment of a Maha Kumbh cyber police station to counter cyber threats like fraudulent websites, social media scams, and fake links.
40 Variable Messaging Displays (VMDs) installed in both the fair area and the commissionerates for raising awareness about cyber threats.
Formation of a dedicated helpline number, 1920, and promotion of verified government websites.

Ease of Making Payments at Maha Kumbh

Seamless Digital Banking Services: Ensuring convenience, safety, and security for millions of devotees and pilgrims.
Service Infrastructure: Service counters, mobile banking units, and customer assistance kiosks at five key locations.
Daak Sevaks: Trusted Daak Sevaks offering doorstep banking services for cash withdrawals via Aadhaar-linked accounts through AePS (Aadhaar ATM).
‘Banking at Call’ facility: Pilgrims can dial 7458025511 to access banking services anywhere within Maha Kumbh.
Empowering Digital Transactions: Enabling local vendors and businesses to accept digital payments through DakPay QR Cards, fostering a cashless ecosystem.
Awareness Campaigns: Educating pilgrims and vendors through trained professionals, Daak Sevaks, hoardings, and digital demonstrations and assisting with account openings, transactions, and queries.
Memorabilia Offer: Free printed photographs for visitors as a keepsake.

Railway Transportation at Maha Kumbh

Maha Kumbh 2025, necessitated extensive preparations by Indian Railways to ensure seamless transportation, safety, and infrastructure readiness. Indian Railways has undertaken massive operational, infrastructural, and security measures to handle the unprecedented influx of devotees at Prayagraj and adjoining regions.

1. Operational Measures To manage the surge in passengers, Indian Railways has implemented the following measures:

Special Train Services: Over 1,000 special trains are being introduced on high-demand routes to Prayagraj from various parts of India.
Increased Train Frequencies: Regular trains operating on critical routes have been augmented to handle additional passengers.
Reservation System Enhancements: Tatkal and special booking counters have been set up to facilitate smooth ticketing.
Dedicated Help Desks: Information booths and inquiry counters have been increased at major railway stations to assist pilgrims.

2. Security and Crowd Management Given the large congregation, security measures have been significantly bolstered:

Deployment of RPF and GRP Personnel: More than 10,000 personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have been deployed at key stations.
CCTV Surveillance: High-resolution CCTV cameras have been installed across railway stations and inside trains for real-time monitoring.
Drone Surveillance: Drones are being used for crowd monitoring and quick response to emergencies.
AI-Based Crowd Management Systems: Advanced AI-based predictive modeling is being used to monitor crowd density and prevent stampedes.

3. Infrastructure Development To accommodate the increased footfall, major infrastructural upgrades have been carried out:

Expansion of Platforms: Stations in Prayagraj and nearby regions have undergone expansion to handle additional trains.
New Foot Over Bridges (FOBs): Additional FOBs have been constructed to ease passenger movement.
Enhanced Lighting and Signage: Railway stations have been equipped with improved lighting and digital signboards for better navigation.
Escalators and Lifts: Stations have been upgraded with escalators and lifts for the convenience of elderly and differently-abled passengers.

4. Passenger Amenities and Digital Initiatives To ensure a comfortable experience for devotees, Indian Railways has introduced several passenger-friendly initiatives:

Additional Waiting Rooms and Rest Areas: Temporary waiting halls with adequate seating, clean drinking water, and sanitation facilities have been established.
Food and Water Distribution: Special food counters and kiosks have been set up to provide hygienic meals and drinking water.
Digital Ticketing and Mobile App Services: The Indian Railways app has been upgraded with real-time train tracking, ticket booking, and emergency services information.
Public Announcement Systems: High-quality PA systems have been installed for timely announcements regarding train arrivals and departures.

5. Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response To mitigate risks and handle emergencies effectively, Indian Railways has implemented:

Quick Response Teams (QRTs): Deployed at key stations to handle medical emergencies and crowd control.
Onboard Medical Facilities: Special medical coaches have been added to long-distance trains.
Fire Safety Measures: Fire extinguishers and emergency exits have been reviewed and upgraded in railway coaches and stations.
Coordination with Local Authorities: Continuous coordination with local police, healthcare units, and disaster management teams to handle contingencies.

Bus Transportation at Maha Kumbh

The Uttar Pradesh government had deployed 1200 additional buses on 12 February 2025, supplementing the 3050 already allocated for Maha Kumbh 2025. Special shuttle services had also been arranged to enhance intra-city transportation.

Buses were available every 10 minutes at four temporary bus stations.
750 shuttle buses were operating every 2 minutes for intra-city connectivity.
Measures taken to prevent overcrowding and ensure smooth pilgrim movement.

Air Transportation for Maha Kumbh

Prayagraj Airport underwent significant modernization to support the large influx of devotees during the Maha Kumbh Mahotsav from January 13 to February 26, 2025. Expansion efforts improved connectivity, capacity, and passenger services, ensuring a seamless travel experience. To ensure seamless travel for tourists attending the Maha Kumbh, the Ministry of Tourism had partnered with Alliance Air to enhance air connectivity to Prayagraj from multiple cities across India.

Flight Operations & Connectivity

81 new flights were introduced in January 2025 to accommodate pilgrims.
The total number of flights increased to 132, providing around 80,000 monthly seats.
Direct connectivity expanded from 8 cities in December 2024 to 17 cities, while connecting flights reached 26 cities, including Srinagar and Visakhapatnam.
The Union Civil Aviation Minister directed airlines to regulate airfares, especially for peak days like the Shahi Snan (January 29, February 3) and other major bathing days (February 4, 12, and 26).

Passenger and Flight Traffic

The airport witnessed 30,172 passengers and operated 226 flights within a week.
For the first time, over 5,000 passengers traveled through the airport in a single day.
Night flights were introduced, providing 24/7 connectivity—a historic first in the airport’s 106-year history.

Infrastructure Expansion

The terminal area expanded from 6,700 sq. m. to 25,500 sq. m.
The old terminal was reconfigured to accommodate 1,080 peak-hour passengers, while a new terminal handled 1,620 passengers.
Parking capacity increased from 200 to 600 vehicles.
Check-in counters rose from 8 to 42, and baggage scanning machines (XBIS-HB) increased from 4 to 10.
Aircraft parking bays grew from 4 to 15, while conveyor belts increased from 2 to 5.
Taxi tracks and airport gates were expanded from 4 to 11.

Enhanced Passenger Experience

Boarding bridges increased from 2 to 6 for smoother passenger movement.
New lounges, a childcare room, and additional F&B counters were introduced.
The UDAN Yatri Café was established for affordable food options.
Meet-and-greet services were launched for differently-abled passengers.
Prepaid taxi counters and city bus services were introduced in collaboration with the UP Government.

Safety & Medical Facilities

Security infrastructure was strengthened with additional aerobridges and door-framed metal detectors.
Ambulances and air ambulance services were deployed to handle medical emergencies.
Arriving pilgrims were given a floral welcome, enhancing their spiritual journey.

Ensuring Food Availability and Safety

The Union Government and Uttar Pradesh government have taken multiple measures to provide affordable food and ensure food safety at Maha Kumbh 2025. Subsidized rations, free meals, and stringent food safety protocols are in place to cater to millions of devotees.

Subsidized Ration Distribution by NAFED

Quality ration at affordable prices distributed across Prayagraj.
Over 1000 metric tons of rations provided.
20 mobile vans ensure delivery across Maha Kumbh.
Orders via WhatsApp/call on 72757 81810 for doorstep delivery.
Subsidized items:
- Wheat flour & rice (10 kg packets).
- Moong, masoor, and chana dal (1 kg packets).

Free Meal Distribution & Cooking Gas Arrangements

20,000 people served free meals daily.
25,000 new ration cards issued for Maha Kumbh.
35,000+ gas cylinders refilled and 3,500 new connections issued.
5,000 gas cylinders refilled daily to support food preparation.

Food Safety Measures by FSSAI & UP Government

5 zones & 25 sectors monitored for food hygiene.
56 Food Safety Officers (FSOs) deployed across the fair.
10 Mobile Food Testing Labs (Food Safety on Wheels) conducting on-the-spot food safety tests.
Hotels, dhabas & stalls regularly inspected for hygiene compliance.
Public health lab in Varanasi testing food samples from Maha Kumbh.

Awareness & Public Engagement

FSSAI’s interactive pavilion educating visitors on food safety.
Nukkad Natak performances & live quizzes promoting hygiene awareness.
Adulteration checks & training sessions for vendors and food businesses.

Cleanliness and Sanitation

The Swachh Maha Kumbh Abhiyan has set a benchmark for environmental stewardship, ensuring a cleaner and more sustainable pilgrimage experience.

Sanitation Infrastructure

10,200 sanitation workers and 1,800 Ganga Sevadut deployed for cleanliness.

Waste Management Initiatives

22,000 sanitation workers ensuring litter-free fairgrounds.
Water treatment initiatives to maintain clean river water for bathing.
Strict plastic ban and use of biodegradable cutlery.
Thousands of bio-toilets and automated garbage disposal units installed.

Major Bathing Days and Cleanliness Efforts

Basant Panchami (Feb 14, 2025):
- 2.33 crore devotees took a dip in the Triveni Sangam.
- 15,000 sanitation workers and 2,500 Ganga Seva Doots deployed.
- Special cleaning of akhada paths and ghats.
- Quick Response Teams (QRTs) ensured swift waste removal.
Magh Purnima (Feb 24, 2025):
- Over 2 crore devotees participated.
- Overnight cleaning drive restored ghats and fairgrounds.
- Special cleaning vehicles and cesspool operations maintained sanitation.

Sanitation and Waste Disposal System

12,000 FRP toilets with septic tanks.
16,100 prefabricated steel toilets with soak pits.
20,000 community urinals installed.
20,000 trash bins and 37.75 lakh liner bags for waste collection.
Special sanitation teams clearing waste post-major rituals.

Miyawaki Forests: A Green Initiative

119,700 saplings of 63 species planted in 2023-24 across 34,200 sqm.
Buswar dumping yard transformed into a green zone with 27,000 saplings.
Species planted: Mango, neem, peepal, tamarind, tulsi, gulmohar, and medicinal plants.

Public Participation and Awareness

Swachhata Rath Yatra promoting cleanliness.
Street plays, musical performances, and public address systems spreading awareness.
Waste disposal initiatives: Segregation at source and organized garbage collection.

River Cleaning with Trash Skimmer Machines

Two machines remove 10-15 tons of waste daily from Ganga and Yamuna.
Machine capacity: 13 cubic meters, covering a 4 km stretch of the river.
Waste disposal at Naini plant, plastic sent for recycling, and organic waste composted.

Welfare of Sanitation Workers

Sanitation colonies with housing and amenities.
Primary schools for workers’ children under Vidya Kumbh initiative.
Proper food, accommodation, and timely wages ensured.

Water Supply

A large-scale arrangement for clean and pure drinking water has been made for millions of pilgrims coming from across the country and abroad at the Maha Kumbh:

233 Water ATMs installed across the Mela area, operational 24/7.
RO (Reverse Osmosis) purified water provided to pilgrims.
Over 40 lakh pilgrims benefited from these Water ATMs between January 21 and February 1, 2025.
Initially, water was available at ₹1 per liter via coins or UPI payments, but now it is completely free.
Each ATM is equipped with sensor-based monitoring to detect faults.

SIM-based technology ensures connectivity with the administration’s central network.
Each ATM dispenses 12,000 to 15,000 liters of RO water daily.
On-site operators ensure smooth functioning and quick resolution of technical issues.

Pilgrims must refill bottles instead of using plastic, reducing waste.
Water supply arrangements focus on cleanliness and sustainability.
Technical teams monitor ATMs to ensure uninterrupted service.

International Bird Festival

This festival blended science, nature, and culture, inspiring conservation efforts and sustainable development.

Date & Venue: February 16-18, 2025, in Prayagraj.
Bird Species: Over 200 migratory and local birds, including endangered species.
Objective: Promote environmental conservation and biodiversity awareness.

Festival Highlights

Bird Watching & Awareness
- Rare birds like Indian Skimmer, Flamingo, and Siberian Crane.
- Thousands of migratory birds from Siberia, Mongolia, Afghanistan, and other regions.
- Eco-tourism plan for devotees, featuring expert-led bird walks and nature walks.
Competitions & Activities
- Photography, painting, slogan writing, debates, and quizzes.
- Prizes worth ₹21 lakhs (₹10,000 to ₹5 lakhs).
Expert Insights
- Ornithologists, environmentalists, and conservation experts in technical sessions.
- Discussions on bird migration, habitat protection, climate change impact.
Cultural & Educational Programs
- Street plays, art exhibitions, and cultural performances on biodiversity.
- Student participation in conservation activities for hands-on learning.

List of Notable Personalities at Maha Kumbh

Various well-known personalities visited Prayagraj to take a dip in the holy Triveni Sangam. These include:

Hon. President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Home Minister Shri Amit Shah
Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh
Governor of Uttar Pradesh Smt. Anandiben Patel
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath & Cabinet Ministers
Chief Ministers:
- Rajasthan – Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma
- Haryana – Shri Nayab Singh Saini
- Manipur – Shri N. Biren Singh
- Gujarat – Shri Bhupendra Patel
Union Ministers:
- Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
- Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal
- Shri Shripad Naik
Members of Parliament:
- Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi
- Shri Anurag Thakur
- Smt. Sudha Murthy
- Shri Ravi Kishan
Sports & Entertainment Personalities

Olympic Medalist Saina Nehwal
Cricketer Suresh Raina
International Wrestler Khali
Renowned Poet Kumar Vishwas
Choreographer Remo D’Souza
Bollywood Actress Katrina Kaif
Bollywood Actress Raveena Tandon

Kalagram

Kalagram, set up by the Ministry of Culture in Sector-7 of the Maha Kumbh district, is a vibrant cultural village showcasing India’s rich heritage. Designed around the themes of Craft, Cuisines, and Culture, it offers an immersive experience through performances, exhibitions, and interactive zones. The space brings together traditional arts, folk performances, digital storytelling, and culinary delights, making it a must-visit for devotees and tourists. The exhibition featured performances by nearly 15,000 artists from different parts of the country.

Key Highlights of Kalagram

Grand Entrance: 635 ft wide, 54 ft high façade depicting 12 Jyotirlingas and Lord Shiva consuming Halahal.
Massive Stage: 104 ft wide and 72 ft deep, themed on Char Dham.
Performances: 14,632 artists perform daily on multiple stages.
Anubhuti Mandapam: 360° immersive experience narrating the descent of Ganga.
Aviral Shashwat Kumbh: Digital exhibition by ASI, NAI, and IGNCA on Kumbh’s history.
Food Zone: Offers satvik cuisine from different regions and Prayagraj’s local delicacies.
Sanskriti Aangans: Handicrafts and handlooms by 98 artisans from seven Zonal Cultural Centres.

International Tourism at Maha Kumbh

The Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj emerged as a global phenomenon, attracting foreign tourists, travel writers, and spiritual seekers from various countries. The Uttar Pradesh government and the Ministry of Tourism implemented extensive initiatives to facilitate international participation, promote cultural exchange, and position the event on the world tourism map.

International Participation and Tourism Initiatives

A group of British travel writers visited the Maha Kumbh on February 25–26, 2025, exploring religious, historical, and cultural sites in Prayagraj.
Special plans were executed to provide accommodation, guided tours, digital information centers, and cultural programs for foreign visitors.
The delegation also visited Prayagraj Fort, Anand Bhawan, Akshayavat, Alfred Park, and the Sangam area, along with trips to Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Lucknow.

Foreign Tourists and Cultural Engagement

Pilgrims and tourists from South Korea, Japan, Spain, Russia, the United States, and other nations participated in the festival.
Many engaged with local guides at the Sangam Ghat to understand the spiritual and cultural significance of the event.
A visitor from Spain described the experience as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Foreign devotees actively participated in the rituals and ceremonies, with many international sadhus and sanyasis taking the holy dip.

Maha Kumbh as a Global Cultural Brand

The event was promoted as part of the “Brand UP” vision, highlighting Uttar Pradesh’s potential for tourism and investment.
The Uttar Pradesh government engaged with global tourism and hospitality stakeholders at international fairs to foster sustainable tourism and investment opportunities.
The strategic engagement aimed to enhance India’s reputation as a land of spirituality and innovation.

Promotion at International Tourism Fairs

Maha Kumbh 2025 was showcased at FITUR in Madrid, Spain (January 24–28, 2025) and ITB Berlin, Germany (March 4–6, 2025).
Special 40-square-meter pavilions were set up to display Uttar Pradesh’s cultural heritage and attract global tourists.
VVIP lounges facilitated B2B and B2C interactions, ensuring international collaborations.
Promotional materials in multiple languages helped reach a diverse global audience.

Digital Maha Kumbh and Global Engagement

The event’s official website saw 33 lakh visitors from 183 countries in the first week of January.
Visitors from 6,206 cities worldwide accessed the platform, with India, the United States, Britain, Canada, and Germany leading the traffic.
The technical team managing the site reported a surge in global traffic, with millions of daily users exploring content on Maha Kumbh’s history and spiritual significance.
The digital initiative ensured seamless access to information, enabling visitors to focus on the spiritual aspects of the festival without logistical challenges.

Incredible India Pavilion and Tourist Services

On January 12, 2025, the Ministry of Tourism set up the Incredible India Pavilion, a 5,000 sq. ft. immersive space at Maha Kumbh.
The pavilion facilitated foreign tourists, scholars, researchers, journalists, photographers, and the Indian diaspora.
The Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice Poll allowed visitors to vote for their favorite tourism destinations in India.
A dedicated toll-free Tourist Infoline (1800111363 or 1363) was launched, operating in 10 international languages and Indian regional languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Assamese, and Marathi.

Luxury Accommodation and Travel Packages

The Ministry of Tourism collaborated with UPSTDC, IRCTC, and ITDC to provide curated tour packages and luxury accommodations.
ITDC set up 80 luxury accommodations at Tent City, Prayagraj, while IRCTC introduced luxury tents for the convenience of international tourists.
A digital brochure detailing the tour packages was widely circulated through Indian Missions and India Tourism Offices to reach a broader audience.

Through these extensive efforts, Maha Kumbh 2025 successfully established itself as a global spiritual and cultural event, reinforcing Uttar Pradesh’s identity as a premier destination for religious tourism and international investment.

Key Exhibitions at Maha Kumbh

The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 featured a vast array of exhibitions designed to showcase India’s rich cultural, artistic, and spiritual heritage. These exhibitions provided visitors and pilgrims with a unique opportunity to engage with the traditions, crafts, and historical narratives of India.

1. Kumbh Gram (Sector 7) Exhibitions

A specially curated space in Sector 7 of Kumbh Gram hosted several exhibitions reflecting the diverse aspects of India’s heritage, handicrafts, tourism, and disaster preparedness. These included:

Khadi Gramodyog Exhibition: Displaying the significance of khadi and village industries, promoting indigenous craftsmanship and self-reliance.
One District One Product (ODOP) Pavilion: Showcasing district-specific products from Uttar Pradesh, supporting local artisans and businesses.
Uttar Pradesh Darshan Mandapam: A visual journey through the major cultural and religious sites of Uttar Pradesh.
Incredible India Kala Gram: Featuring a vast collection of artistic works that celebrated India’s folk and traditional art forms.
Chhattisgarh Exhibition: Presenting the unique cultural and traditional aspects of Chhattisgarh, including tribal art and crafts.
Uttar Pradesh Tourism Exhibition: Highlighting major tourist destinations within Uttar Pradesh, encouraging travel and exploration.
North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC) Pavilion: Dedicated to promoting the region’s diverse cultural performances, arts, and heritage.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Exhibition: Educating visitors on disaster preparedness, resilience, and emergency response mechanisms.

2. ‘Bhagwat’ Exhibition at Allahabad Museum

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the ‘Bhagwat’ exhibition at the Allahabad Museum, an initiative that showcased a remarkable collection of miniature paintings inspired by the Bhagwat. The exhibition presented intricate depictions of significant events from the Bhagwat, offering visitors a deep insight into India’s spiritual and artistic traditions.

3. ‘Aviral Shashvat Kumbh’ Exhibition

This exhibition provided a historical perspective on the Kumbh Mela, tracing its origins and evolution over centuries. Featuring artifacts, digital displays, and informational posters, ‘Aviral Shashvat Kumbh’ aimed to educate visitors on the enduring legacy of this grand festival and its role in India’s spiritual landscape.

The exhibitions at Maha Kumbh 2025 not only enhanced the spiritual experience of pilgrims but also served as a window into India’s rich cultural heritage. Through a blend of traditional artistry, historical retrospectives, and interactive showcases, these exhibitions played a crucial role in making Maha Kumbh 2025 an enriching and memorable event for millions of attendees.

Telecom at Maha Kumbh: BSNL

Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) played a crucial role in strengthening the communication infrastructure at the Maha Kumbh 2025, ensuring reliable connectivity for millions of pilgrims, administrative officials, security forces, and volunteers. A dedicated customer service center was set up in the Mela area, where visitors received on-site assistance, complaint resolution, and uninterrupted communication services.

Pilgrims from different parts of the country were provided with free SIM cards from their respective circles. If any pilgrim lost or damaged their SIM card, they did not need to return to their home state, as BSNL had arranged for SIM cards from all circles across the country to be available in the Mela area. This service was provided free of charge, allowing devotees to stay connected with their families throughout the event.

BSNL established a camp office at Lal Road, Sector-2, from where all communication services were managed. There was a significant increase in demand for fiber connections, leased line connections, and mobile recharges during the Kumbh, and BSNL ensured the availability of SIM cards from different states, benefiting both pilgrims and security personnel.

To guarantee uninterrupted communication, BSNL activated a total of 90 BTS towers in the Mela area:

30 BTS towers operating on the 700 MHz 4G band
30 BTS towers on the 2100 MHz band
30 BTS towers with 2G-enabled connectivity

Additionally, BSNL provided several advanced communication services, including:

Internet leased lines
Wi-Fi hotspots
High-speed internet (FTTH)
Webcasting
SD-WAN services
Bulk SMS services
M2M SIMs
Satellite phone services

Through these initiatives, BSNL ensured seamless communication throughout the Mahakumbh 2025, supporting both the public and the administrative machinery in managing the grand event efficiently.

Akharas at Maha Kumbh

In Maha Kumbh 2025, the Akharas played a significant role, representing various traditions and sects of Sanatan Dharma. The word ‘Akhara’ originates from ‘Akhand,’ meaning indivisible. These religious institutions have existed since the 6th century during the time of Adi Guru Shankaracharya and have been the custodians of spiritual practices and rituals at the Kumbh Mela.

A total of 13 Akharas participated in this Maha Kumbh, including the Kinnar Akhara, Dashnam Sannyasini Akhara, and Mahila Akhara, symbolizing gender equality and a progressive outlook. The grand processions and sacred rituals of the Akharas were among the main attractions of the event, inspiring millions of devotees toward spiritual growth, discipline, and unity.

These institutions not only preserved the spiritual and cultural values of Sanatan Dharma but also embraced modern sensibilities by promoting inclusivity and equality. The presence of the Akharas at Maha Kumbh fostered unity across caste, religion, and cultural diversity, making the event a symbol of spiritual and cultural enrichment.

Green Maha Kumbh: A National-Level Environmental Discussion

The Green Maha Kumbh was held on January 31, 2025, as a significant platform to promote environmental awareness alongside cultural and spiritual traditions. The event brought together over 1,000 environmental and water conservation experts from across the country. It was organized as part of the Gyan Maha Kumbh – 2081 series by Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas.

The discussions at the Green Maha Kumbh focused on:

Issues related to nature, the environment, water, and cleanliness.
Maintaining the balance of the five elements of nature.
Sharing best practices in environmental conservation and cleanliness.
Strategies to engage devotees in sustainability efforts during Maha Kumbh.

Experts from various fields shared their insights and experiences on tackling environmental challenges and implementing eco-friendly solutions. Additionally, the discussions explored ways to raise awareness among visitors about environmental protection, promoting initiatives that ensured a cleaner and greener Maha Kumbh. The event reinforced the vision of an environmentally responsible Maha Kumbh, setting a precedent for sustainable practices in future religious gatherings.

Netra Kumbh

Maha Kumbh 2025 witnessed several record-breaking initiatives, with a significant focus on healthcare and social welfare. One of the most remarkable efforts was the Netra Kumbh, a massive eye care initiative aimed at combating vision impairment. Spanning 10 acres in Sector 5 near Nagvasuki, the event set new benchmarks in eye testing and spectacle distribution, striving to secure a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Record-Breaking Eye Tests & Spectacles: Over 5 lakh people underwent eye tests, and 3 lakh spectacles were distributed.
Daily OPD & Facilities: The Netra Kumbh had 11 hangars, offering 10,000 consultations daily with specialists and optometrists.
Previous Achievement: The earlier Netra Kumbh secured a place in the Limca Book of Records.
Aim for Guinness World Record: The 2025 event sought to surpass previous achievements and enter the Guinness Book of World Records.
Eye Donation Camp: Encouraged donations to help reduce blindness, addressing corneal issues affecting over 15 million people in India.

BHASHINI in Maha Kumbh

At Maha Kumbh 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) successfully leveraged BHASHINI, a revolutionary initiative under the Digital India program, to overcome language barriers and enhance communication. By offering multilingual access in 11 Indian languages, BHASHINI transformed information dissemination, navigation, emergency response, and governance, ensuring a seamless experience for millions of pilgrims. Additionally, the Kumbh Sah’AI’yak chatbot, powered by AI, provided real-time assistance, making Maha Kumbh 2025 more accessible and technologically advanced than ever before.

BHASHINI’s Role in Maha Kumbh 2025:

Real-Time Information Dissemination: Announcements, event schedules, and safety guidelines were translated into 11 Indian languages, enabling pilgrims to stay informed regardless of their native language.
Simplified Navigation: BHASHINI’s speech-to-text, text-to-speech tools, and multilingual chatbot, integrated with mobile applications and kiosks, assisted devotees in finding their way.
Accessible Emergency Services: The CONVERSE feature helped pilgrims communicate with the 112-emergency helpline in their native languages, in collaboration with the UP Police.
E-Governance Support: Authorities used BHASHINI to effectively communicate regulations, guidelines, and public service announcements to a diverse audience.
Lost and Found Assistance: BHASHINI’s Digital Lost & Found Solution enabled visitors to register lost or found items using voice inputs, with real-time translations simplifying the process.

Kumbh Sah’AI’yak Chatbot:

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this AI-powered, multilingual, voice-enabled chatbot played a crucial role in assisting pilgrims.
Powered by advanced AI technologies like Llama LLM, it provided real-time navigation and event-related information.
BHASHINI’s language translation enabled the chatbot to function in Hindi, English, and nine other Indian languages, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.

Akashvani’s Kumbhvani

In a significant initiative to keep devotees and pilgrims informed, Akashvani’s Kumbhvani News Bulletins were broadcasted live through the public address system in Mahakumbh Nagar in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The first Kumbhvani News Bulletin was aired on public address system today i.e. 18.01.2025 at 8:30 am. The Kumbhvani news bulletins were broadcasted three times a day, at 8:30-8:40 am, 2:30-2:40 pm, and 8:30-8:40 pm, providing updates on various activities related to the Mahakumbh Mela. Additionally, devotees could also tune in to Kumbhvani news bulletins on 103.5 MHz frequency in Prayagraj.

References

https://pib.gov.in/EventDetail.aspx?ID=1197&reg=3&lang=1

https://www.instagram.com/airnewsalerts/p/DE3txwqIpRQ/

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Santosh Kumar | Sarla Meena | Rishita Aggarwal

(Release ID: 2106476)

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 27, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Services
Source: US State of New York

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that new network adequacy regulations for behavioral health services will now entitle New Yorkers to an initial appointment for behavioral health care within 10 business days of the request, or seven calendar days following hospital discharge. Under the regulations adopted by the New York State Department of Financial Services and State Department of Health, insurers unable to meet these timeframes will have to offer out-of-network mental health or substance use disorder coverage without increasing the cost for the consumer.

“New Yorkers deserve a speedy and effective process to receive the services they need,” Governor Hochul said. “The regulations established by the Department of Financial Services and Department of Health will standardize wait times, allow for same cost-sharing and update directories — providing individuals more access to mental health and substance use disorder care statewide.”

Additionally, insurers are required to update their provider directories to include clearer details on the availability of behavioral health services, including provider locations (city/town and zip code), telehealth availability and languages spoken by the provider.

New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Adrienne Harris said, “This regulation helps New Yorkers to get mental health and substance use disorder treatments more quickly. The Department is dedicated to eliminating obstacles to care, and this initiative furthers our mission to create a more inclusive, transparent, and resilient health care system across the State.”

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Network adequacy is about making sure third-party payers have enough health care providers to meet their patient’s needs. These regulations will help New Yorkers who too often wait weeks or even months for an initial appointment for mental health or substance use disorder treatment.”

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “New Yorkers should be able to access high-quality behavioral health care services whenever and wherever they are in need. These new network adequacy regulations will ensure that commercial insurance carriers provide this coverage in a timely manner by setting a standard and so that people needing this care can easily access it when they need it. These changes highlight Governor Hochul’s continued focus on strengthening our mental health care system and expanding access statewide.”

The regulation establishes important consumer protections including:
- Standard Wait Times: Initial appointment time of 10 business days or less, and other appointment wait time standards for insurers for behavioral health services;
- Same Cost-Sharing: Requirements for insurers to assist consumers in accessing in-network providers within those standards. When an in-network provider is not available within those standards, the regulation will require insurers to allow access to an out-of-network provider who can meet those standards, at the in-network cost-sharing rate;
- Updated Directories: Specific information to be included in provider directories, including provider affiliations with facilities and restrictions on a provider’s scope of services, such as age of patients or mental health conditions treated; and
- Insurer Compliance: Insurers and managed care organizations must now submit to DFS and DOH an annual certification regarding an insurer’s access plan that must include collection of data and monitoring of its behavioral health network.
The DFS regulation, which applies to commercial health insurance plans, takes effect on July 1, 2025. A copy is available on the DFS website.

Additionally, DOH has proposed an identical regulation for HMOs — including Medicaid managed care plans, child health plus and the essential plan. This regulation goes into effect on July 1, 2025, and is available on the DOH website.

Today’s announcement builds upon Governor Hochul’s ongoing efforts to expand access to critical health services. Over the last two years, Governor Hochul has made multi-billion-dollar investments in safety-net hospitals, passed the largest Medicaid rate increases in more than a decade and announced $2.6 billion in capital transformation funding to help transform and modernize New York’s health care facilities.

Additionally, Governor Hochul signed legislation to prevent medical debt from negatively impacting New Yorkers’ access to credit in 2023.

Governor Hochul has made strengthening mental health care statewide a priority of her administration. Adopted in FY 2024, her landmark $1 billion multi-year plan has bolstered prevention efforts, greatly expanded community access to mental health supports, and has developed supports for New Yorkers with the highest needs.

This investment is tripling the number of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics statewide, adding 42 new Assertive Community Treatment teams and creating 50 Critical Time Intervention teams — all crucial to providing outpatient care to help individuals live in their community. The Governor’s plan has also created nearly 1,300 new units of specialized housing for individuals living with mental illness, with about 2,200 units in the pipeline to be developed.

Governor Hochul has also added 325 inpatient beds at state-operated psychiatric centers — the largest expansion of this capacity in years — and restored 550 beds that were offline at community-based hospitals. Under the Governor’s direction, the state also established new hospital admission and discharge regulations to ensure quality care and safe, thoughtful discharge plans to help connect individuals leaving emergency and inpatient care with community-based support.

The FY 2026 Budget continues this work by providing $16.5 million to counties for Assisted Outpatient Treatment programs, $10 million to expand Clubhouses, and Youth Safe Spaces and $2 million to support community-determined wellness in historically marginalized neighborhoods. The Budget also proposes investing $1.5 million to expand Teen Mental Health First Aid to 10th graders, $4 million to establish hospital-based Peer Bridger Services and expand the Intensive and Sustained Engagement Teams, and $160 million to expand forensic inpatient capacity on Ward’s Island in New York City.

Additionally, Governor Hochul’s FY26 Executive Budget invests $1 million into strengthening oversight and compliance of commercial health insurance coverage, including through new surveillance, educating consumers and providers and assisting with complaints. The Governor’s Budget also proposes a more robust process for holding managed care plans accountable for their performance by imposing additional fines on those failing to meet Medicaid model contract requirements.

State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, “We must ensure that those suffering through a mental health or substance use crisis can get the care they need quickly. I applaud Governor Hochul’s plan to adopt new network adequacy regulations for behavioral health services, as it will reduce wait times and open doors to care for New Yorkers in need.”

State Senator Gustavo Rivera said, “These new network adequacy regulations will allow New Yorkers to get connected with behavioral health services in a faster, more efficient way, all without breaking the bank. I want to thank Governor Hochul for recognizing the needs of New Yorkers and the urgency of this moment. I applaud the Governor for taking concrete steps to make behavioral health services more accessible to those who need them.”

Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “Timely access to mental health care is essential for ensuring that New Yorkers get the support they need when they need it. The Governor’s new regulations are an important step toward holding insurers accountable for maintaining adequate networks of providers, which has been a major barrier to care. The new regulations will also keep New Yorkers healthy by making it easier for people to get out of network services when the existing networks are inadequate.”

Assemblymember David Weprin said, “I commend the Governor and Department of Financial Services for their work in ensuring that New Yorkers receive timely and appropriate mental health and substance use disorder care. Accessibility to these critical services are crucial to the well being of our communities.”

MIL OSI USA News –
February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Open Data Turns Science Into Art

Source: NASA

An art display powered by NASA science data topped the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco, CA throughout December 2024. Nightly visitors enjoyed “Synchronicity,” a 20-minute-long video art piece by Greg Niemeyer, which used a year’s worth of open data from NASA satellites and other sources to bring the rhythms of the Bay Area to life.
Data for “Synchronicity” included atmospheric data from NASA and NOAA’s GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites), vegetation health data from NASA’s Landsat program, and the Sun’s extreme ultraviolet wavelengths as captured by the NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) satellite SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory). Chelle Gentemann, the program scientist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, advised Niemeyer on incorporating data into the piece.

“Artists have a lot to contribute to science,” Gentemann said. “Not only can they play a part in the actual scientific process, looking at things in a different way that will lead to new questions, but they’re also critical for getting more people involved in science.”
NASA’s history of engaging with artists goes back to the 1962 launch of the NASA Art Program, which partnered with artists in bringing the agency’s achievements to a broader audience and telling the story of NASA in a different and unexpected way. Artists such as Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell, and Annie Leibovitz created works inspired by NASA missions. The Art Program was relaunched in September 2024 with a pair of murals evoking the awe of space exploration for the Artemis Generation.

The use of NASA data in art pieces emerged a few decades after the NASA Art Program first launched. Several in-house agency programs, such as NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio, create stunning animated works from science data. In the realm of audio, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory runs the Universe of Sound project to convert astronomy data into “sonifications” for the public’s listening pleasure.
Collaborations with external artists help bring NASA data to an even broader audience. NASA’s commitment to open science – making it as easy as possible for the public to access science data – greatly reduces the obstacles for creatives looking to fuse their art with cutting-edge science.

Another recent blend of NASA data and art came when digital art gallery ARTECHOUSE created “Beyond the Light,” a 26-minute immersive video experience featuring publicly available images from the James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope. The experience has been running at various ARTECHOUSE locations since September 2023. The massive potential for art to incorporate science data promises to fuel even more of these collaborations between NASA and artists in the future.
“One of the integral values of open science is providing opportunities for more people to participate in science,” Gentemann said. “I think that by getting the public interested in how this art is done, they also are starting to play with scientific data, maybe for the first time. In that way, art has the power to create new scientists.”
Learn more about open science at NASA at https://science.nasa.gov/open-science.
By Lauren Leese Web Content Strategist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul Delivers Remarks at MTA Board Meeting

Source: US State of New York

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Board and delivered remarks. The Governor also presented a proclamation to Catherine Rinaldi, President of the Metro-North Railroad, who will be retiring next month.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

Great to be back here. Yes, I was the first Governor to go to an MTA meeting. I was also the second Governor and also the third Governor. I will probably be the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, because this is where the action is and whenever I have a chance to come out and look in the eyes of the MTA Board and say, “Thank you.” Thank you.

This is an entity that sometimes gets a lot of heat, and it takes courage to stand out there and put up with a lot of resistance. But, I admire each and every one of you for being part of this storied organization as we chart a future forward that many others had attempted in the past, but were unsuccessful. You are the ones who got congestion pricing done. I want to applaud every single one of you. So, thank you.

Janno and I share a distinction of being on a lot of covers of newspapers — not always the most complimentary, but you are also in the line of fire here and I admire, also, what you’re doing in trying to lead us through these difficult times and to have the courage to say, “We believe that something is going to have these incredible outcomes,” at a time when there was no data; there was no proof of it other than research that had been done and studies, but the public did not know.

People did not know whether they could believe in this yet, and it’s extraordinary to know how the psychology of the whole community has changed around congestion pricing. I can’t tell you how many people tell me, places like Long Island, “I really hated the idea of congestion pricing, but it used to take me two hours to get to a Broadway play. And, guess what? It was so fast I couldn’t believe it. I had time for another drink.”

This is how we’re making New Yorkers happy. It’s a real tribute to everyone here. I’m really grateful. And also to be in this beautiful place. Something that when you think about the great architectural achievements of the past in this city — and there are so many — sometimes you wonder, did we lose our ambition? Do we not have the vision to do something that is extraordinary and so powerful in its design? And we’ve met that ambition, the New York ambition, with this Grand Central Madison. I was proud to be here at the very opening and proud to celebrate this two-year anniversary.

So, to all of the people who work here, I just spoke to some of the people in the back and they said they’re so proud to be here, and I hope you’re proud of the fact that people are proud to walk through this building and know they matter. When you have architecture and buildings that show beauty and its incredible design, it shows that the people you’re reaching out to matter to them and they recognize this. So, thank you very much.

Someone who I have enormous respect for. Another Cathy, another woman in leadership. I want to thank Cathy Rinaldi for everything she has done. We’ve ridden the train many times together. What you have done in creating a record of accomplishment and just the numbers speaking for themselves. Customer satisfaction means everything to me, and the fact that it’s been improved with on time efforts — not just when you had to run the Metro-North, but LIRR at the same time.

That is something that women are often asked to do the job of two — you did it better than anybody could imagine, Cathy. So I want to applaud you for that. I have a proclamation to present to you. I have been a politician successfully long enough to know that we don’t read every word of proclamations, so I’m going to let you read this when you hang out in your living room at home, Catherine. Thank you.

I just flew in from Albany and was able to hear some of Janno’s presentation on the success of congestion pricing, so you do not need to hear it again from me, but it’s real, it is genuine, it is extraordinary. And it also calls me to recall that — think about the fact that public transit is facing an existential threat from Washington right now, whether it’s the overall funding or whether it is the attack on congestion pricing.

One thing we’ve established: New Yorkers do not back down — it’s not in our nature, it’s not in our DNA, it’s not anything we’re capable of doing. And I had an interesting trip to the White House. I did my very best. The fight’s not over, but I had considerable time in the White House and I want to thank my team for putting together what I envisioned.

I said, “I want something that encapsulates, in real simple terms, real nice pictures, what we’re getting with congestion pricing.” So I was able to show this to the President behind his desk and talk about how beautiful it is: the Second Avenue Subway; big, beautiful Penn Station; the Interborough Express connecting the outer boroughs; “congestion pricing is working,” big words, nice colors; decreasing the trip times from New Jersey — New Jersey, New Jersey, New Jersey; it’s all right, they’ll make it up to us, they’ll be appreciative — transit ridership; fewer injuries; traffic down; business up; more people visiting the districts than we’ve had in a long time; and the growth in visitation. So, there’s a lot of nice things here — Broadway attendance; nice buildings that are recognizable. And, “together we will make New York fast, strong and beautiful together.”

We’re not done. We are in court. We have said that, you may have asked for — orderly cessation was the phrase that came in the letter to us — orderly cessation. I will propose something in the alternative: orderly resistance, orderly resistance. We will keep standing up for New Yorkers, reducing traffic, air quality is going to continue improving.

But I also just need to point out that there is a huge disconnect between the reality we know that New Yorkers are facing and the perception of reality out of the White House. I guarantee that the President has never had to endure missing a child’s sporting event because he was just stuck on a delayed train. Never had a stand in a flooded subway station because we’re not able to make the repairs. Not sitting in traffic, missing an important meeting because you couldn’t get around.

That is the reality of New Yorkers that we’re solving for. That is our mission. That’s why we cannot be deterred from what we’re doing here, because we know the people of this great city in this region deserve nothing but the best. And when someone tries to say, “No, we have another vision for your city,” we just have to stand up and say, “We respectfully disagree,” and take that to the courts and take it to the people. Because I know there’s a lot of power in that Oval Office, but I’ll put that power up against the power of six million pissed off commuters in New York City right there alone.

So, onward and upward my friends. I feel very confident that we’ll be victorious in the course because you all did your work. You did your work. And we’re ready to take on any challenge that comes our way. And unlike the Republicans in Congress last night who got steamrolled into doing something that is harmful to people of this nation — indeed the Republicans from New York who did something that is harmful to their own constituents, willing to cut Medicaid.

That’s another example of where we must stand up, and we will stand up. We will not be steamrolled the way they were in Washington last night, here in the State of New York. So that is my commitment to all of you and we’re in this fight together, and I’m in it as long as it takes.

Thank you very much, everybody.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Stennis Flashback: Learning About Rocket Engine Smoke for Safe Space Travel

Source: NASA

NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is widely known as the nation’s largest rocket propulsion test site. More than 35 years ago, it also served as a hands-on classroom for NASA engineers seeking to improve the efficiency of space shuttle main engines.
From 1988 to the mid-1990’s, NASA Stennis engineers operated a Diagnostic Test Facility to conduct rocket engine plume exhaust diagnostics and learn more about the space shuttle main engine combustion process. The effort also laid the groundwork for the frontline research-and-development testing conducted at the center today.
“The Diagnostic Test Facility work is just another example of the can-do, will-do attitude of the NASA Stennis team and of its willingness to support the nation’s space exploration program in all ways needed and possible,” said Joe Schuyler, director of the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate.

joe schuyler
NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate Director

Envision a rocket or space vehicle launching into the sky. A trail of bright exhaust, known as the engine plume, follows. As metals wear down in the engines from the intense heat of the combustion process, the flame glows with colors, some visible, such as orange or yellow, and others undetectable by the human eye.
The colors tell a story – about the health and operation of the engine and its components. For space shuttle main engines, which flew on multiple missions, engineers needed to understand that story, much as a doctor needs to understand the condition of a human body during checkup, to ensure future engine operation.
Where better place to study such details than the nation’s premier propulsion test site? Paging NASA Stennis.

NASA Stennis has long enabled and supported innovative and collaborative work to benefit both the agency and the commercial space industry. When NASA came calling in the late 1980s, site engineers went to work on a plan to study space shuttle main engine rocket exhaust.
The concept for an enabling structure about the size of a home garage was born in October 1987. Five months later, construction began on a Diagnostic Testbed Facility to provide quality research capabilities for studying rocket engine exhaust and learning more about the metals burned off during hot fire.
The completed facility featured a 1,300-square-foot control and data analysis center, as well as a rooftop observation deck. Small-scale infrastructure was located nearby for testing a 1,000-pound-thrust rocket engine that simulated the larger space shuttle main engine. The 1K engine measured about 2 feet in length and six inches in diameter. Using a small-scale engine allowed for greater flexibility and involved less cost than testing the much-larger space shuttle engine.

Engineers could quickly conduct multiple short-duration hot fires using the smaller engine. A six-second test provided ample time to collect data from engine exhaust that reached as high as 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chemical solutions simulating engine materials were injected into the engine combustion chamber for each hot fire. The exhaust plume then was analyzed using a remote camera, spectrometer, and microcomputers to determine what colors certain metals and elements emit when burning.
Each material produced a unique profile. By matching the profiles to the exhaust of space shuttle main engine tests conducted at NASA Stennis, determinations could be made about which engine components were undergoing wear and what maintenance was needed.

Glenn Varner
NASA Stennis Engineer

The Diagnostic Testbed Facility played a critical safety role for engine operations and also provided a real-time opportunity for NASA Stennis engineers to learn about exhaust diagnostics.
Multiple tests were conducted. The average turnaround time between hot fires was 18 to 20 minutes with the best turnaround from one test to another taking just 12 minutes. By January 1991, the facility had recorded a total of 588 firings for a cumulative 3,452 seconds.
As testing progressed, the facility team evolved into a collection of experts in plume diagnostics. Longtime NASA Stennis engineer Glenn Varner serves as the mechanical operations engineer at the Thad Cochran Test Stand, where he contributed to the successful testing of the first SLS (Space Launch System) core stage onsite.
However, much of Varner’s hands-on experience came at the Diagnostic Test Facility. “We learned about purging, ignition, handling propellants, high-pressure gases, and all the components you had to have to make it work,” he said. “It was a very good learning experience.”

joe schuyler
NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate Director

The Diagnostic Testbed Facility impacted more than just those engineers involved in the testing. Following the initial research effort, the facility underwent modifications in January 1993. Two months later, facility operators completed a successful series of tests on a small-scale liquid hydrogen turbopump for a California-based aerospace company.
The project marked an early collaboration between the center and a commercial company and helped pave the way for the continued success of the NASA Stennis E Test Complex. Building on Diagnostic Testbed Facility knowledge and equipment, the NASA Stennis complex now supports multiple commercial aerospace projects with its versatile infrastructure and team of propulsion test experts.
“The physical remnants of the Diagnostic Testbed Facility are barely recognizable now,” Schuyler said. “But that spirit and approach embodied by that effort and its teams continues in force at the center.”
Additional Information
NASA Stennis has leveraged hardware and expertise from the Diagnostic Testbed Facility to provide benefit to NASA and industry for two decades and counting.
The facility’s thruster, run tanks, valves, regulators and instrumentation were used in developing the versatile four-stand E Test Complex at NASA Stennis that includes 12 active test cell positions capable of various component, engine, and stage test activities.
“The Diagnostic Testbed Facility was the precursor to that,” said NASA engineer Glenn Varner. “Everything but the structure still in the grass moved to the E-1 Test Stand, Cell 3. Plume diagnostics was part of the first testing there.”
When plume diagnostic testing concluded at E-1, equipment moved to the E-3 Test Stand, where the same rocket engine used for the Diagnostic Testbed Facility has since performed many test projects.
The Diagnostic Testbed Facility thruster also has been used for various projects at E-3, most recently in a project for the exploration upper stage being built for use on future Artemis missions.
In addition to hardware, engineers who worked at the Diagnostic Testbed Facility also moved on to support E Test Complex projects. There, they helped new NASA engineers learn how to handle gaseous hydrogen and liquid hydrogen propellants. Engineers learned about purging, ignition, and handling propellants and all the components needed for a successful test.
“From an engineering perspective, the more knowledge you have of the processes and procedures to make propulsion work, the better off you are,” Varner said. “It applied then and still applies today. The Diagnostic Testbed Facility contributed to the future development of NASA Stennis infrastructure and expertise.”

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Politicians are podcasting their way onto phone screens, but the impact may be fleeting

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Grantham, Lecturer in Communication, Griffith University

TikTok

Australian podcast listeners have been treated to two appearances by the same guest in the past week: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Yesterday, sports comedy team The Grade Cricketer announced a new podcast, The Circus, in which Albanese was the first guest. While Albanese isn’t necessarily known for his love of cricket, he appeared relaxed, laughing and authentic.

It came hot on the heels of his previous podcast appearance, with influencer Abbie Chatfield. Chatfield’s content is often about feminism and social justice: a very different demographic of consumers.

While few voters may listen to a full episode (and many may have never heard of the podcasts or the attached personalities), that doesn’t really matter. The real impact is in the short-form video clips that get repackaged for TikTok and Instagram.

These viral snippets offer politicians a chance to appear authentic, relatable and human: traits that can make or break a modern political campaign, especially one that will likely be decided by Australians under 40.

The politics of podcasting

Podcasting has become a vital component of modern political strategy, offering long-form, intimate conversations that contrast with the often combative nature of traditional media interviews.

As podcast interviews are usually conducted by hosts highly sympathetic to the politician’s cause, they’re rarely as hard-hitting as traditional media. It’s unsurprising politicians would seek them out for that reason alone.

In last year’s US presidential race, both candidates went on popular podcasts to boost their messaging.

In Australia, consider the case of Chatfield’s podcast. Her strong social media presence (more than 580,000 followers on both Instagram and TikTok) ensures any political commentary reaches a vast and engaged audience.

Combine this with further amplification by other influencers such as Holly MacAlpine (who has 100,000 TikTok followers), and the virality of the message becomes significant.

MacAlpine has been trending for a while after her contribution to accusations about Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s private life, further amplifying her political commentary.

Earlier this month, Albanese also appeared on Betoota Talks, the podcast run by the creators of satirical news site The Betoota Advocate. It’s clear Labor is relying on podcasts with strong social media followings to reach younger, digitally engaged audiences.

It’s not just Labor using podcasts and influencers.

Dutton appeared on Diving Deep with Sam Fricker, an Olympian turned influencer. His TikTok boasts two million followers. Airing back in December, it was an early nod from the Liberal Party leader that his election campaigning had commenced.

Hiding the real power

While podcasts offer politicians a platform for extended storytelling, the real political currency comes from the carefully clipped, high-impact moments that make their way to TikTok and Instagram reels.

These videos are bite-sized, making them easier to consume and share. They are emotionally engaging – laughter, passion and frustration all translate well.

It creates a platform for individual leaders to further solidify their political authenticity through sharing the clips.

Crucially, it provides further opportunities for influencers and other social media users to amplify, engage with, and reshape the content, extending its reach and impact across digital networks.

This is important to reach the younger voters who largely make up the user base of TikTok. This election will be the first that Baby Boomer voters are outnumbered by Gen Z and Millenials, so political parties can’t afford to ignore them.

Slow off the blocks?

In 2022, Labor’s digital campaign was widely praised for its effectiveness. From meme-driven content to a strong presence on TikTok, Labor successfully tapped into online culture to engage younger voters and shape the political narrative.

Now, it’s unclear whether that strategy is still being deployed effectively. Yes, individual influencers are propping up Albanese’s image, but is the party itself doing enough to drive a coordinated digital campaign?

Consider Dutton’s decision to join TikTok. It was a move that, while seemingly contradictory to the Coalition’s prior stance on banning the platform, signals an understanding that TikTok is an unavoidable political battleground.

The Liberal Party has upped its TikTok game. Its videos often outperform Labor’s.

The videos that are posted on Albanese’s TikTok, which he first posted to in December, are often poorly received.

Labor seems to be relying on influencer support and positive branding by association rather than running its own robust, digital-first strategy.

Where to from here?

What’s clear is that political campaigning is no longer just about ads, speeches, and debates. It’s about engagement on the platforms where voters actually spend their time. If parties don’t take control of their narratives in these spaces, others will do it for them.

The crossover of podcasting and short-form video is redefining political engagement. Politicians who appear on the right platforms are tapping into a new form of authenticity that resonates online.

But unless those appearances are part of a structured, strategic approach, they remain fleeting moments rather than sustained influence.

Susan Grantham 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. Politicians are podcasting their way onto phone screens, but the impact may be fleeting – https://theconversation.com/politicians-are-podcasting-their-way-onto-phone-screens-but-the-impact-may-be-fleeting-250793

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: FEMA Housing

Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

If your home was severely damaged or destroyed in the recent wildfires and you need a safe place to live, FEMA may be able to help.

We have a program that provides survivors with a safe, temporary place to stay – like a hotel or motel, until you can find a longer-term housing solution. We pay hotels directly and cover the room, taxes, and pet fees.
To find out if you are eligible, you’ll first need to apply for FEMA assistance. You can do that by calling us at 800-621-3362 or by visiting Disaster Assistance dot gov. Be sure to apply by March 10th.

We’ll contact you directly if you’re eligible for this program. Our goal is to provide shelter until you find a place to rent. And our help doesn’t end there. We’ll stay in close contact with you and help cover rental fees for up to 18 months.

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

MIL OSI Video –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Results of the Rapid Flood Guidance service 2024 trial
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Results of the Rapid Flood Guidance service 2024 trial

Positive feedback informs plans for a 2025 service.
The Rapid Flood Guidance trial service

The Flood Forecasting Centre (FFC) Rapid Flood Guidance (RFG) service trial ran from 14 May to 30 September 2024.

It gave short notice updates for England and Wales to supplement the Flood Guidance Statement (FGS). It provided:

an advisory badge on the front page of the FGS for days when there was a heightened risk of rapid flooding

RFG updates on heightened risk days

The service made use of new convective weather forecasting (nowcasting) capability from the Met Office’s Expert Weather Hub combined with information from the FFC’s hydrometeorologists.

During the trial:

there were over 1,700 signups to the service

the RFG badge appeared on the FGS on 52 days

RFG updates were issued on 19 days

a total of 55 RFG updates were issued – and downloaded over 16,000 times

Rapid Flood Guidance trial research

We undertook a programme of research during the trial to understand:

how engaged and satisfied responders were with the RFG service

to what extent the RFG service improved the response to rapid flooding

To do this we used:

an in-trial feedback form

post-event short surveys – sent out after an event to RFG users in the relevant geographical areas

a post-trial online survey – sent out to all registered RFG users at the end of the trial

post-event and post-trial interviews with RFG users

Our research included 655 individual engagements with RFG users.

User satisfaction

The research showed that users were very satisfied with the RFG service.

84% rated their experience as positive.

Users said that the RFG:

provided an extra level of information and detail – allowing them to focus their efforts on high-risk areas

was easy to use and understand

used language which was clear and concise

was easy to access through email and SMS

Improved response to rapid flooding

The trial results show that the RFG service has improved the response to rapid flooding.

When we asked users if the RFG updates helped them over and above any other information they had at the time:

88% agreed that it improved their situational awareness of the emerging situation (43% strongly agreed)

74% agreed that it helped them communicate the flood situation to others (33% strongly agreed)

60% agreed that it helped them make operational decisions ahead of flood events (24% strongly agreed)

30% agreed that is helped them in other ways (12% strongly agreed)

Typically, the RFG was being used:

to alert relevant departments like highways and welfare services

to inform others, either directly or as part of a summary of multiple sources of information

in combination with other sources of information, particularly the National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS)

in combination with responders’ local knowledge to understand the potential impacts

Value of the service

The research showed that benefits that can be attributed to the RFG include:

financial

improved public, staff and patient safety

better human resource and task allocation

We were able to identify case studies to illustrate the value of the RFG, including:

an emergency planning officer deciding not to stand up tanker operations – saving the council money and reducing unnecessary fatigue for staff

a response officer packing extra personal protective equipment (PPE) – and communicating the RFG to his team so they were prepared for the day ahead

fire and rescue using the RFG information to plan an evacuation of a mobile home site at risk of flooding in good time

mountain rescue coordinating volunteers so that their time was used effectively – and ensuring they could travel safely to where they were needed

a hospital coordinator being able to schedule investigative and maintenance work better – and allocate tasks more efficiently

Looking to the future

The research showed that there is an appetite for a continuation of the service.

94% would sign up to receive the RFG in future, if it was made available.

Users see potential for it to be incorporated into their operational procedures and processes. However, they would be reluctant to do this until:

there is confidence that the RFG will become a permanent service

there is more clarity on how the RFG fits in with existing severe weather and flood warning services

FFC Head of Centre, Russell Turner said:

I’m really excited to see how the RFG has helped the responder community make improved decisions – and that they have continued to engage with the trial so positively. It shows the responder community is keen to tackle this difficult issue. We are already using the results from the trial to develop the RFG further, as part of the FFC’s commitment to improving our services – and we hope to be running an updated service during summer 2025.

An RFG service for summer 2025

We are developing plans for a summer 2025 RFG service, incorporating what our users have told us in the trial. These are likely to include improvements to:

user customisation, including local authority (rather than regional) level sign up

clarity and readability of content

mapping

In addition to the RFG service, further investments are planned in the science and forecasting of rapid flooding and its impacts.

Further details of the 2025 service will be communicated when they are available.

Part of a wider investment in improved forecasting

The RFG trial service is part of the Surface Water Flood Forecasting Improvement Project (SWFFIP) which is:

a 3-year Defra and Environment Agency SR21 funded initiative, completing in March 2025

contributing to Defra’s Surface water management action plan – July 2018

implemented by the Met Office and Environment Agency through the FFC

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Published 26 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Call for Investigation into Potential Criminal Leaks, Violations of FBI Information Sharing Policies

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – Today, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter requesting Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate potential criminal leaks to the media of sensitive and classified information ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The senators are also requesting Bondi and Patel investigate former Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Timothy Thibault, and his associates’ potential breach of FBI information sharing policies, in light of legally protected whistleblower disclosures revealing Thibault shared sensitive, non-public investigative information from his FBI email account with a private citizen with whom he was romantically involved.
“The FBI repeatedly lectures Congress, without any legitimate basis, that it can’t share information with Congress because the matter is an ongoing investigation. The FBI has asserted to Congress that [For Official Use Only] information and FBI email accounts and personnel names should remain non-public. Yet, here, Thibault sent all of that type of information to a private citizen while the FBI stiff-arms Congress and the American people,” the senators wrote.
“Thibault’s conduct exemplifies the FBI’s ‘do as I say, not as I do’ hypocrisy and why its repeated complaints to Congress when it makes government information public should fall on deaf ears,” the senators concluded.
Sens. Johnson and Grassley pointed to news reporting released shortly before the November 2024 election containing potentially “classified U.S. intelligence,” as a further example of DOJ and FBI officials sharing non-public investigative information while ignoring congressional requests for the same. Accordingly, the senators are requesting DOJ and FBI open a criminal media leak investigation to hold accountable those responsible for sharing potentially classified and other sensitive information with the press.
The senators also made public an award given to Special Agent Walter Giardina, an FBI employee who worked on aspects of the Mueller and Jack Smith investigations, which he received for investigating Trump.
Read more about Chairman Johnson’s letter on Daily Mail.
The full text of the letter and legally protected whistleblower disclosures can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote American Businesses in Competition with China

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced bipartisan legislation to help American businesses compete with Communist China. The Strengthening Exports Against China Act would incentivize economic growth by eliminating barriers for American businesses competing directly with China in emerging industries like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Representatives Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio).
“The Chinese Communist Party provides massive subsidies and financing for businesses in emerging industries. To remain competitive, the United States needs to do more to support innovative businesses here at home,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “My bipartisan legislation will support more American businesses directly competing with China to help them make breakthroughs in AI, critical mineral mining and processing, and other transformational areas.”
“It’s time for fair competition on the global stage,” said Senator Rounds. “We must level the playing field for U.S. exporters when they’re up against firms backed by the Chinese Communist Party’s opaque financing. The Strengthening Exports Against China Act would allow the Export Import Bank to increase export financing and insurance support to U.S. firms that export products in direct competition with China.”
The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) creates American jobs by promoting and financing exports. The China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP) was established on a bipartisan basis in 2019 to counter Chinese export subsidies and financing while advancing U.S. innovation and export competitiveness in 10 Transformation Export Areas, including AI, 5G, energy efficiency, and semiconductors. Unfortunately, the CTEP is struggling to scale up due to the rules governing EXIM financing. Under current law, if EXIM projects reach or exceed a two percent default rate, the Bank must immediately freeze all lending. This default rate cap poses a significant challenge to EXIM’s ability to support U.S. exporters in emerging, less established fields. The Strengthening Exports Against China Act would eliminate the default rate cap for exporters covered by the CTEP program to help them better compete directly with PRC rivals.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to strengthen our national security and supply chains. She has consistently blocked burdensome taxes on mining and wrote important provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bolster Nevada’s critical mineral supply chain. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets, which are critical components of cell phones, computers, defense systems, and electric vehicles, but are almost exclusively made in China.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Aguilar: Republicans vote to take away health care from more than 10 million Californians to pay for tax cuts for billionaire

Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus

The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

February 26, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar spoke on the House floor ahead of House passage of the Republican Budget, which will cut $880 billion from Medicaid to help pay for tax giveaways for billionaires and corporations.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: I rise in opposition to this Republican Budget. House Democrats came to Congress ready to work with our Republican colleagues to lower the cost of eggs, take on price gouging, expand the Child Tax Credit, build more housing—and put the pocketbooks of working families first.

This is what the American people told us was their top priority and these are the issues that drive our Caucus. Instead, Madam Chair, they have turned their attention to the only policy priority that they really care about: ensuring billionaires pay less.

My constituents can’t afford eggs at the local grocery store while my Republican colleagues are fighting amongst themselves about who to hand out tax breaks to—corporations or individuals. Tesla pays zero dollars in federal taxes while teachers and firefighters in San Bernardino are paying more than their fair share. Here is the reality, Madam Chair, my Republican colleagues are going to take away health care from more than 10 million Californians to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.

This is not going to make the cost of eggs cheaper or housing less expensive. But it is going to put children and seniors who need health care at risk. House Democrats believe that the people who work for a living ought to get a little breathing room and the wealthy and well-connected shouldn’t get special treatment. The Republican Budget is not good for the economy, it’s not good for the country and it’s a betrayal of the middle class. I urge a NO vote.

Watch Chairman Aguilar’s speech here.

###

Previous Article

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2025 Technical Workshop to Support Congo’s Ambitious Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Targets

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

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, February 26, 2025/APO Group/ —

The Republic of Congo is expected to export an estimated 4.5 billion m³ of LNG in 2025 as part of the second phase of its Congo LNG project. Developed by energy major Eni, the project’s first phase began operations in late 2023 following the installation of the country’s first floating LNG (FLNG) plant at the Marine XII offshore license. A major milestone in Congo’s natural gas journey was reached in February 2024, when the country’s first LNG cargo departed from Pointe-Noire to Italy.

Given Congo’s immense potential to become a major gas hub in Central Africa, a technical workshop at the inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) – taking place in Brazzaville from March 24-26 – will explore cutting-edge technologies and practical solutions for unlocking and monetizing gas resources in the region. The workshop will cover the design, planning and deployment of advanced shipping solutions, including LNG carriers, as well as the development of floating gas infrastructure, such as floating storage and regasification units and FLNG facilities.

The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, set for March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationales des Pétroles du Congo, will bring together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities. The event will explore the latest gas-to-power projects and provide updates on ongoing expansions across the country.

Congo holds an estimated 10 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, primarily in offshore fields such as Litchendjili, Néné, Minsala and Nkala, located within the Marine XII license operated by Eni’s Congolese subsidiary. With substantial recoverable reserves in fields like Marine XII, Nkossa and Banga Kayo, Congo’s natural gas sector presents an attractive investment opportunity. Ongoing developments – including FLNG and gas reinjection strategies at the Nkossa and M’Boundi fields – ensure a stable supply of natural gas for both domestic power generation and future exports.

The Central African region – home to some of Africa’s most promising oil and gas markets – is well-positioned to leverage its vast resource base to supply the continent with reliable and sustainable energy. Major producers such as Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon have long been significant oil exporters, yet substantial investment in natural gas infrastructure is still required to fully realize the region’s hydrocarbon potential. As such, the Monetizing Central Africa’s Natural Gas Potential technical workshop at CEIF 2025 – taking place on Day 2 of the conference on March 26 – will highlight best practices, address logistical challenges and showcase successful case studies, paving the way for greater regional integration and economic growth.

“CEIF 2025 is an essential platform for exploring innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies that will help unlock Central Africa’s vast gas resources. By bringing together international experts and local stakeholders, the event aims to address critical challenges to ensure the sustainable development of the region’s energy sector,” states Sandra Jeque, Events and Project Director at Energy Capital & Power.

MIL OSI Africa –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: We should care more about emerging infectious diseases, and the tools we need to fight them

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Idowu Olawoye, Postdoctoral Associate, Microbiology & Immunology, Western University

A patient undergoing infusion therapy. Treatment failure can happen when a disease adapts to become resistant to antibiotics. (Unsplash/Olga Kononenko)

Throughout human history, disease outbreaks have emerged and re-emerged. What’s different now is that with global travel, outbreaks can move quickly among and between populations.

A familiar example would be the COVID-19 pandemic and how it disrupted the world as we know it today. During this period, a lot of technological advancements were achieved during a short time such as vaccine roll-out and also tracking of variants globally.

Since this pandemic, we have been constantly reminded of the threat that emerging infectious diseases pose, as well as new strains of existing microbes, and even infections that may eventually become untreatable. This should also serve as a constant reminder of the need to continue developing the tools and technology to fight them.

Infectious disease outbreaks since COVID-19

In 2022, shortly after the worst of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic had passed, the world was rocked by another infectious disease outbreak, which was soon classified as a public health emergency of international concern.

The culprit was mpox, then known as the monkeypox virus.

Unlike SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, this was not a novel virus but had been identified in laboratory monkeys in Denmark as far back as 1958. The first human cases were documented in 1970 among children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Since then, there have been multiple reported outbreaks of mpox, the majority of them limited to Africa. This includes a 2022 global outbreak that caused about 250 deaths, representing a fatality rate of 0.2 per cent.

An ongoing outbreak started in 2023 in Central Africa, claiming about 900 lives with a fatality rate of five per cent.

According to the World Health Organization, the two most recent mpox outbreaks were primarily driven by sexual transmission or body contact. There is currently no treatment approved by the FDA for mpox.

In early 2024, an avian influenza outbreak resurfaced in the United States when the viral infection that typically affects birds was detected in dairy cows for the first time. It has since spread to about 973 cattle in 17 states, and there have been about 70 human cases among people associated with farm animals.

Recently, a respiratory outbreak known as hMPV has been overwhelming hospitals in Northern China, with children, adolescents and senior citizens being at most risk. The origin of this outbreak is not yet known.

Untreatable sexually transmitted infection

Microscopic image of the bacteria that causes gonorrhea.
(NIAID), CC BY

Gonorrhoea is a widely known sexually transmitted infection (STI). Approximately 80 million people were infected by this bacterium in 2020. Though most cases remain treatable, an untreatable form of gonorrhoea is becoming more prevalent, threatening victims with infertility or even cancer.

Treatment failure can happen when a disease adapts to become resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance has significant implications for global health, including massive financial implications for health care.

An emerging STI threat

Other, uncommon but difficult to treat STIs are emerging. One is called Mycoplasma genitalium, the causative agent for non-gonococcal urethritis — a typically painful infection of the tube that carries urine from the bladder.

Read more:
Antimicrobial resistance now hits lower-income countries the hardest, but superbugs are a global threat we must all fight

With symptoms similar to gonorrhoea, it can lead to infertility, increased susceptibility to HIV, failed pregnancy, cancer of the cervix and more. Yet, it is often misdiagnosed due to it being understudied and its complexity.

This understudied bacterium is naturally resistant to many antibiotics due to its unique structure, making it notoriously difficult to treat.

The WHO works to control the spread of gonorrhoea infections that are resistant to antibiotics through surveillance. My own research is adopting a similar strategy for M. genitalium, by using genomic surveillance to improve our knowledge of the infection and the improved ability to detect antibiotic resistance.

What is genomic surveillance?

Genomic surveillance uses next-generation sequencing technology to identify specific strains of pathogens circulating during an outbreak. This can also determine what genetic characteristics makes some strains more aggressive than others.

This technique was used effectively during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and helped identify variants quickly.

Genomic surveillance can help us understand what we are facing, allowing us to tackle emerging threats more quickly and efficiently. It can help us develop sensitive, rapid diagnostic tools to detect drug resistance, especially for bacteria that are difficult to study in the lab, such as Mycoplasma genitalium, which is an extremely slow-growing and challenging bacteria.

With the continuing emergence of untreatable infections and new disease outbreaks, genomic sequencing can help meet emerging threats even in regions that lack adequate infrastructure where these tend to occur frequently.

This can be achieved through implementing affordable, user friendly diagnostic tools or developing effective vaccines for endemic regions. An example is the COVID-19 self-test kit that can be used at home. This is one of the key areas my research is also trying to accomplish: improving diagnostics in health care and making them accessible.

Pathogens are constantly evolving to become resistant to treatment in the perpetual battle between humans and infectious diseases.

To get the upper hand, we need to continue developing technology, including rapid and sensitive tools for identifying resistant bacteria and innovative methods for halting the spread of untreatable infections before they become serious pandemics.

Idowu Olawoye receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Western Research at the University of Western Ontario.

– ref. We should care more about emerging infectious diseases, and the tools we need to fight them – https://theconversation.com/we-should-care-more-about-emerging-infectious-diseases-and-the-tools-we-need-to-fight-them-248427

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Vote to keep peak rail fares a hammer blow for commuters

Source: Scottish Greens

26 Feb 2025 Transport

Fares in Scotland are already among the most expensive in Europe.

More in Transport

The Scottish Parliament’s vote to keep peak rail fares and an above inflation hike is a ‘hammer blow’ for commuters who deserve cheaper, accessible travel options, say the Scottish Greens.

The party used opposition debate time for a motion calling for the Scottish Government to halt the inflation-busting rail fare hikes due in April, and to permanently remove peak rail fares.

The SNP and Liberal Democrats joined forces to stop the motion, backing an SNP amendment that blocked it.

Scottish Greens spokesperson for transport Mark Ruskell MSP said:

“I am deeply disappointed that MSP’s across the chamber voted to oppose our motion and to keep these punishing fares in place.

“This is another hammer blow to workers, students and commuters who are already struggling with rising bills in every corner of their lives.

“Fares in Scotland are already among the most expensive in Europe. We badly need action to cut the cost and make rail travel more affordable for all.

“We need to stop financially penalising people who have no say in the times they have to catch the train.

“ScotRail is publicly owned. We need to use that control to build a modern green railway and encourage people to leave their cars at home.

“If we are serious about cutting emissions then we need to boost public transport, and rail is a crucial part of that.

“Travelling by car should never seem like the only option available, because it costs both people and planet in the long run.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Conflict has turned parts of Sudan ‘into a hellscape,’ Security Council hears

Source: United Nations 2

26 February 2025 Peace and Security

A senior UN aid official has called on the Security Council to ensure better protection for civilians in Sudan together with unhindered humanitarian access, as the brutal war between rival militaries approaches a second year.

“Now more than ever, two years on, the people of Sudan need your action,” Edem Wosornu of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said in a briefing to ambassadors on Wednesday.

“Nearly two years of relentless conflict in Sudan have inflicted immense suffering and turned parts of the country into a hellscape,” she added, listing some of the impacts.

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left more than half the country, 24.6 million people, experiencing acute hunger.

Additionally, more than 12 million are now displaced, including 3.4 million who have fled across the border. Health services have collapsed, millions of children are out of school and relentless patterns of sexual violence have occurred.

Recent alarming developments

Ms. Wosornu focused on the latest alarming developments in North Darfur state, including the Zamzam displacement camp, and in Khartoum as well as the south of the country.

She said eight months after the Council adopted Resolution 2739 (2024), civilians in North Darfur remain under attack. The resolution demanded the RSF stop besieging the state capital, El Fasher.

Meanwhile, violence in and around Zamzam camp has further intensified. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of civilians are living there, where famine conditions have been confirmed.

She said satellite imagery confirms the use of heavy weaponry in and around Zamzam in recent weeks, and the destruction of the main market facilities there.

“Terrified civilians, including humanitarian workers, were unable to leave the area when the fighting was most intense. Many were killed, including at least two humanitarian workers,” she added.

Fierce fighting elsewhere

Civilians also continue to be directly impacted by ongoing fierce fighting in parts of Khartoum, where the UN human rights office, OHCHR, has verified reports of summary executions of civilians in areas that have changed hands.

“We remain deeply concerned about the very serious risks faced by local responders and community volunteers, in Khartoum and elsewhere,” she said.

Ms. Wosornu noted that in southern Sudan, there are reports of fighting spreading into new areas in North Kordofan and South Kordofan states, increasing risks for civilians and further complicating movements of humanitarian personnel and supplies.

Shocking reports of further atrocities in White Nile state have also emerged, including a wave of attacks earlier this month reported to have killed scores of civilians.

© WFP

Sudan. Offloading of barge transported food aid

Support humanitarian response

She recalled that last week saw the launch of the 2025 humanitarian response plans for Sudan and the region. Together they call for $6 billion to support nearly 25 million people in Sudan and up to five million others, mainly refugees, in neighbouring countries.

She said the international community, particularly Security Council members, must spare no effort to mitigate the crisis.

Ms. Wosornu concluded her remarks by presenting three “key asks”.

“We call on the Security Council – and all Member States with influence – to take immediate action to ensure all actors comply with international humanitarian law and protect civilians and the infrastructure and services they rely on,” she said.

Her second request highlighted the importance of access, as “we need real implementation of the repeated commitments to facilitate and enable unhindered, unfettered humanitarian access to civilians in need.”

Finally, she highlighted the funding shortfall.

“The scale of Sudan’s needs is unprecedented and requires an equally unprecedented mobilization of international support, including flexible funding,” she said.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Shoplifter faces the lights and sirens

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Routine patrolling in Avondale has bagged a prolific shoplifter.

Late on Tuesday night, a frontline unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle sought by Police on Blockhouse Bay Road.

“It was around 11.43pm, when staff were carrying out prevention patrolling in the area,” Auckland City West Area Commander, Inspector Alisse Robertson says.

“The vehicle was stopped as its registered owner was sought by Police.

“The man was not the registered owner but after speaking with the driver further, his identity was established.”

Inspector Robertson says the man had numerous warrants for his arrest over dishonesty offending, including shoplifting.

“The man was a person of interest to our National Retail Investigation Support Unit.

“He was arrested on the roadside, and while he was being spoken to Police observed methamphetamine inside the vehicle.”

Police have since charged the man with more than 20 shoplifting offences, along with possession of methamphetamine.

“We will allege he was responding for offending at retail stores right across the city, with nearly $10,000 in offending since September,” Inspector Robertson says.

The 34-year-old man has appeared in the Auckland District Court and will reappear on 19 March.

“This is a great outcome from our staff and is another example of the work going into targeting recidivist retail crime offenders.”

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Kentucky Businesses, Nonprofits and Residents Affected by February Storms

Source: United States Small Business Administration

WASHINGTON – In response to a Presidential disaster declaration issued Feb. 24, 2025, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for Kentucky businesses, nonprofits, and residents affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides occurring Feb. 14.

Under this declaration, the primary counties of Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry and Pike are eligible for both Physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA EIDLs: Bell, Estill, Jackson, Johnson, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Leslie, Magoffin, Powell and Wolfe, as well as Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee and Wise in Virginia; and Mingo and Wayne in West Virginia.

Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

SBA’s EIDL program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for PNPs, and 2.563% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms, based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Beginning Thursday, Feb. 27, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Perry County to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov. The BRC hours of operation are listed below:

Business Recovery Center (BRC)
Perry County

Hazard Community and Technical College Jolly Classroom Center

1 Community College Drive

Hazard, Kentucky 41701

Opening: Thursday, Feb. 27, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hours: Monday – Friday – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed: Sunday

Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition.

To apply online, visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is April 25, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Nov. 24, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former Missoula credit union employee sentenced to prison for embezzling $389,000 by swapping real money for fake currency

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

MISSOULA — A former Missoula credit union employee who admitted to embezzling approximately $389,000 from the vault by swapping real money with fake funds was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $389,000 restitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said.

The defendant, Edward Arthur Nurse, 35, of Missoula, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to an indictment charging him with theft from a credit union.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also sentenced Nurse to six months of home confinement and to perform 600 hours of community service. The court allowed Nurse to self-report to prison.

In court documents, the government alleged that from about July 2023 to June 2024, Nurse embezzled from his employer, Park Side Credit Union in Missoula. In June 2024, an employee discovered $340,000 in cash in the credit union’s vault had been replaced with fake funds from a company that provides fake currency as props for movies and entertainment productions. Nurse used his position as “team lead” for the vault to swap the credit union’s cash with fake money he purchased specifically for this purpose. Nurse hid his conduct from security cameras, auditors and his colleagues by putting real money at the front and back of bundles of fake money. Nurse made multiple purchases of fake money and stole the real cash from his work at different times over a seven-month period.

After the credit union discovered the thefts, Nurse claimed to an FBI special agent that he did not usually carry much cash and, aside from a vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada, he had not made any recent large purchases or cash deposits. However, records show that Nurse made at least nine cash deposits of over $10,000 each in 2024 into his personal account. The investigation also determined that during the first six months of 2024, Nurse had purchased $410,000 in fake currency from a prop money company. The credit union was later informed that approximately $50,000 in fake money had been received by the Federal Reserve in July 2024. Those funds were returned and determined to be fake bills from the prop money company.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, with assistance from the Missoula Police Department, conducted the investigation.

XXX

MIL Security OSI –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Ten Time Convicted Felon and Sureno “Mexican Pride” Gang Member Indicted for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Ammunition After High-Speed Chase

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Richland, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that on February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment for Victor Amezcua-Garcia with Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Amezcua-Garcia was arraigned on February 25, 2025, at the U.S. District Court in Richland, Washington.

According to Pasco Police, Amezcua-Garcia was on Washington State Department of Corrections supervision with an active felony warrant for escape and the Pasco Police Department had probable cause to arrest Amezcua-Garcia for a series of armed robberies and shootings in Pasco.

Knowing Amezcua-Garcia to be an active Sureno gang member with the set “Mexican Pride”, on January 24, 2025, Detectives with the Pasco Police Department contacted Amezcua-Garcia by phone pretending to be a rival gang member and arranged a time and location to meet up that day to “fight”. Amezcua-Garcia and another Sureno gang member arrived at the agreed location in a stolen vehicle. They were both seated low in the vehicle and their faces covered by bandanas.

After Amezcua-Garcia was positively identified, a traffic stop was attempted; however, Amezcua-Garcia fled, attempting to elude law enforcement, and traveling at very high rates of speed through several Pasco residential neighborhoods before Pasco Police were able to safely perform a “pit” maneuver, bringing Amezcua-Garcia’s vehicle to a stop. Amezcua-Garcia and his passenger attempted to flee on foot; however, Pasco Police were able to block in the vehicle to prevent the escape. In plain view in the vehicle, Pasco Police observed a loaded, and chambered, firearm which had Sureno gang indica carved into it. A search of Amezcua-Garcia’s person revealed the same caliber ammunition in his pocket.

“I am honored to work with such brave federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement officers, who frequently are called upon to put themselves in harm’s way to protect Eastern Washington communities,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker. “I also am honored to lead an office with such talented attorneys and support staff. I stand in awe of their professionalism and dedication to ensuring justice in Eastern Washington.”

This case is being investigated by the ATF, Washington Department of Corrections, and Pasco Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard is prosecuting the case.

4:25-cr-06006-MKD

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MIL Security OSI –

February 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Opening Statement on DOJ Nominees John Sauer, Harmeet Dhillon and Aaron Reitz

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Opening Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Good morning. I’d like to welcome everyone to this hearing to consider the nominations of John Sauer to serve as the Solicitor General, Harmeet Dhillon to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and Aaron Reitz to serve as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy.
Before I turn to my opening statement, I’ll explain how we’re going to proceed today.
I’ll give my opening remarks, and then I’ll invite Ranking Member Durbin to give opening remarks. Then, I’ll call on Senators Lee, Cruz, Hawley and Schmitt to introduce the nominees. After that, the nominees will have a chance to give an opening statement to the Committee.
Following the statements from the nominees, we’ll proceed to a single, five-minute round of questions. I ask Members to do their best to adhere to these time limits, so that we can proceed efficiently with the hearing.
With that, I’ll turn to my opening remarks.
Our three nominees have been tapped to serve in important roles in the Department of Justice. Congratulations on your nominations. If confirmed, your work will impact the lives of millions of Americans.
Each of you has impressive qualifications, and we’re looking forward to hearing from you. I’d like to thank your family and friends for coming today. I know they’re all very proud of you.
I’ve said many times that the Department of Justice is at an inflection point. Over the last four years, public trust in the Department has declined, and many Americans feel like the justice system doesn’t work for them.
If confirmed, we expect you to work with Attorney General Pam Bondi to fulfill her promise to turn things around.
Mr. Sauer, you’re particularly well suited to serve as the nation’s chief appellate lawyer. You started your career clerking for Justice Scalia, one of the legal giants of our time. Justice Scalia spent his life teaching lawyers to faithfully interpret the law and Constitution according to its original meaning. I’ve no doubt that you learned this lesson well.
After clerking and a stint in private practice, you left D.C. behind to go home and serve as an Assistant United States Attorney in Missouri. You worked diligently to prosecute criminals and to keep your community safe.
In 2017, you joined the Missouri Attorney General’s Office as the Solicitor General, where you served under two members of this Committee, Senator Hawley and Senator Schmitt. Serving as a state’s chief appellate officer during the COVID pandemic and across two presidential administrations undoubtedly prepared you for the role you will walk into if you are confirmed.
There’s a lot of work to be done defending our nation’s laws, and I know you’re prepared to take it on.
Ms. Dhillon, you’re one of the nation’s foremost experts on civil rights. Your journey started a long way from here, when your family immigrated from India. You went to Dartmouth at the tender age of 16, and then went to law school at the University of Virginia.
Throughout your career, you’ve never shied away from unpopular but just causes. You served as the Director of an ACLU chapter after 9/11, a group many on my side are often skeptical of. You also started your own law firm and founded a non-profit. You’ve litigated some of the most important cases on free speech, religious liberty, voting rights and discrimination.
Discrimination is wrong. Our Constitution and our civil rights laws do not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, as the Supreme Court recently made clear in the Students for Fair Admissions cases.
Unfortunately, the Biden administration not only allowed discrimination to take place, but openly encouraged it. Under the name of “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” the Biden administration imposed a nationwide regime of discrimination, and the Civil Rights Division completely failed to enforce our nation’s laws. President Trump has put an end to this and, if confirmed, I trust that you’ll work to help him execute on his promise.
Americans don’t pick winners and losers based on the color of their skin, their sex or the name of their God.
Ms. Dhillon, you’ve fought for everyone to be treated equally. You fought against colleges shutting down free speech for political reasons, against states restricting freedom of worship and against big tech companies engaged in censorship. You’ve won many victories defending freedom and our constitutional rights. If confirmed, we’ll need your continued leadership to protect the civil rights of all Americans.
Our side of the aisle doesn’t spend much time talking about people’s personal characteristics. We care about character and merit. But in addition to your qualifications, your background makes you particularly suited to return the Justice Department to its proper role of enforcing our civil rights laws and ending discrimination.
You’re an immigrant, a religious minority, a woman, a business owner, a civil rights leader, an accomplished lawyer, and, I’ve learned, an excellent knitter. You’re an example of what is great about America.
Mr. Reitz, you have an impressive and dedicated career of service to our country. You attended college at Texas A&M University on an ROTC Scholarship and honorably served our country as a United States Marine, including a tour in Afghanistan.
Upon your return from Afghanistan, you attended law school at the University of Texas, where you excelled.
After a time in private practice, you decided to serve your country again. You clerked for the now-Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Then you ran for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives and campaigned on issues that you believed in. You continued gaining legal experience during this time in private practice.
You eventually joined the Office of the Attorney General of Texas as Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy. In that role, you were involved in some of the office’s most impactful litigation during the Biden administration. You fought to secure the border, hold Big Tech accountable, protect the integrity of the ballot box and promote conservative social values.
Today, you continue to serve Texas and your country as a member of Senator Cruz’s staff. You are currently his Chief of Staff, and I think I won’t offend my colleague when I say that this is no easy job. This is particularly true because you continue to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve, where you actively drill with your unit and hold the rank of Major. Your relentless work ethic and love of country are obvious.
In short, the three nominees before us have impressive careers and life stories. I look forward to hearing from them today.
With that, I’ll turn to Ranking Member Durbin for his opening remarks.
-30-

MIL OSI USA News –

February 27, 2025

Category: housing

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