Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
On 13 November 2024, UNECE organized the Deforestation-free trade dialogue. We invited everyone from the wood, cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber and soy sectors as well as those involved in the leather, chocolate, tires and pulp and paper trade and industry to this discussion.
The special focus of this dialogue was the European Union’s Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation-free products (EUDR) and its implications.
ADB logo Asian Development Bank North American Representative Office 30 Years of Partnership
Samuel Tumiwa, NARO Representative:
[Music] The North American Representative Office was established 30 years ago, in 1995. Our main job is to maintain a strong relationship with the US government and the Canadian government. One of the things that’s become more and more important is that we also share with the people here in the US and Canada what we do in the developing countries in Asia and the Pacific.
Alain Borghijs, NARO Deputy Representative:
It’s crucial that we work closely with our government partners because they guide us on their development policy priorities. I should also mention our close collaboration with other financial institutions based here in DC: the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and International Monetary Fund. Our corporate-level work here complements the on-the-ground collaboration that we have in the developing countries.
Scott Morris, Vice-President (East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific):
If I look at the US in particular, they have been a key architect of the broader MDB Evolution agenda, which is enabling us as an institution to up our game and provide more resources to these countries. When I look to Canada, I see critical intellectual leadership, particularly in providing us a course to follow on a gender-based strategy.
Roberta Casali, Vice-President (Finance and Risk Management):
Thought leadership and important policy dialogues in the US and Canada have strengthened our innovative finance and balance sheet optimization solutions.
Yingming Yang, Vice-President (South, Central and West Asia):
Both the US and Canada have worked to support telecommunication activities and small businesses. US and Canadian technology and innovation have been essential to our work in Asia and the Pacific.
Xinning Jia, Director General of Strategy, Policy, and Partnerships:
The United States is a founding member of ADB and the co-largest shareholder, promoting excellence in ADB’s strategy and policy direction. Canada is a founding member of ADB, always promoting gender equality. Canada is supporting ADB’s climate finance through the Canadian Climate Fund for the private sector in Asia.
Suzanne Gaboury, Director General of Private Sector Operations:
Both the US and Canada are great supporters of the private sector, which is really important for us. As a consequence, we have many Canadian clients and many US clients that come to visit us in the Philippines. It’s also really important that we come here to North America to visit them in their home countries. Last year, for every dollar that we invested, we mobilized another $2.7. I think that’s remarkable because we need to mobilize capital into the private markets and help capital market development. Part of our job is to be a financial intermediary in these markets.
Steve Goldfinch, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist:
NARO provides an important link across ADB’s developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific and the governments of the US and Canada. Partners and organizations such as the World Bank and think tanks based here in DC make DC not only a center of development finance but also of development thinking. From the MDBs headquartered here to the think tanks and policy centers, NARO’s role is really that of a convener, broker, and connector. This is critical in serving ADB’s member countries.
When I think about the theme of partnerships in line with the 30th anniversary, I see that as not just financial partnerships but also knowledge collaboration. We can do more in terms of coming together and convening power, bringing networks together, whether it be academia, civil society, government, private sector, or diaspora communities. I think there’s a lot that we can do in terms of the theme of partnerships, but again, really trying to drive progress on our shared goals within the region. The last 30 years have seen incredible innovation with partnerships between Canada, the US, and the ADB, and we’re really looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
To ensure Bhutan’s food security, it is essential to adopt strategies to increase farm productivity and decrease food loss in the supply chain. The study proposed three pilot solutions: (i) adoption of best practices to improve crop productivity, (ii) creation of modern greenhouse farms, and (iii) improvements in post-harvest management (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Proposed Solutions for Food Security Challenges in Bhutan
ICT = information and communication technology. Source: Author.
Adoption of best practices to improve crop productivity
Improving self-sufficiency through increased productivity of staple crops is a top priority. In particular, increasing the productivity of main crops, such as rice and potatoes, is critical.
Rice is an important cereal in Bhutan and its availability directly impacts national food security and stability. However, rice production is continuously decreasing due to the reduction in cultivated areas, labor shortages, limited irrigation water, and climate change. To address this, an integrated approach is needed, involving the following:
farmland configuration (farmland consolidation and mechanization)
research and development on new seed variety and seed system development
promotion of mechanization and information and communication technology (ICT), such as use of drones for sowing, pesticide spraying, remote diagnosis of diseases
water-saving irrigation systems to ensure sustainable water management, mitigate drought risks, and improve crops
harvest and post-harvest management through effective and efficient implementation of harvesting techniques
establishment of proper storage facilities (e.g., warehouses and silos equipped with climate control systems to maintain grain quality and prevent pest infestations)
It is also important to promote gender and youth capacity development through specialized training programs focused on gender-sensitive and youth-friendly agricultural practices.
Potatoes are one of Bhutan’s cash crops, but production has suffered a significant drop due to the aging and declining quality of potato seeds. Mainstreaming disease-free potato seeds is essential because potato is a highly degenerated crop easily infected with virus. Immediate interventions should focus on the following:
improve agricultural practices (e.g., adequate irrigation, fertilization, and pest management)
intensify disease-free potato seed production systems and seed supply
introduce post-harvest management system
adoption of new varieties
Creation of modern greenhouse farms
The establishment of modern greenhouse farms are proposed to reduce dependency on imported vegetables. Traditional farming methods limit year-round production and hinder competitiveness, forcing the country to rely on imported vegetables during the winter season.
Modern greenhouse farms—integrated with ICT—can produce and supply vegetables year-round and reduce import dependence. ICT, such as sensor systems, automated control systems, remote monitoring and control, fertilizer application systems, and weather forecasting would help monitor and control temperature, irrigation, and fertilizer application.
Development of farm operational manuals customized to Bhutan’s conditions is also an innovative and systematic approach of knowledge transfer. While greenhouse infrastructures are being built, enhanced capacity development through trainings and workshops, collaboration with industry partners, technology providers, agricultural experts and study tours are crucial technical assistance components.
Improvements in post-harvest management
Effective post-harvest management is crucial to minimizing food loss and ensuring food supply. Food loss occurs due to inadequate management of the value chain, from crop harvesting to storage, processing, and packaging. To tackle these issues, several steps are necessary:
activation of an agricultural products processing center, which would play a key role in the efficient production and distribution of local crop production areas and post-harvest management. The center can supply foods that meet the needs of consumers, using facilities for pre-cooling, sorting, packaging, processing, storage, and carrying out shipping and distribution.
development of post-harvest management manuals for each crop to ensure a more aligned and systematic approach
commercialize customized products by route, grade, specification, and packaging materials to meet the needs of various consumers
Sales and delivery management should also be enhanced through strategic marketing segmentation, expanded market channels (e.g., wholesale markets, large distributors, and exporters), and integrated value chain logistics (e.g., installation of cooling transportation facilities linked to cold storage to maintain marketability, unit load system, and traceability system).
French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls has announced he will travel to New Caledonia later this month to pursue talks on the French territory’s political future.
These discussions on February 22 follow preliminary talks held last week in Paris in “bilateral” mode with a wide range of political stakeholders.
The talks, which included pro-independence and pro-France parties, were said to have “allowed to restore a climate of trust between France and New Caledonia’s politicians”.
Those meetings contributed to “a better understanding” of “everyone’s expectations” and “clarify everyone’s respective projects”, Valls said.
Between February 4 and 9, Valls said he had met “at least twice” with delegations from all six parties and movements represented in New Caledonia’s Congress.
The main goal was to resume the political process and allow everyone to “project themselves into the future” after the May 2024 riots.
The riots caused 14 dead, hundreds of injured, arson and looting of hundreds of businesses and an estimated damage of some 2.2 billion euros (NZ$4 billion).
‘Touched all topics’ “We have touched on all topics, extensively and without any taboo, including the events related to the riots that broke out in New Caledonia in May 2024.”
Valls said in this post-riot situation, “everyone bears their own responsibilities, but the French State may also have a part of responsibility for what happened a few months ago”.
New Caledonia’s key economic leaders Mimsy Daly and David Guyenne with French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls. Image: MEDEF NC/RNZ
At the weekend, as part of the week-long talks, Valls and French Public Accounts Minister Amélie de Montchalin hosted a three-hour session dedicated to New Caledonia’s “devastated” economy.
High on the agenda of the conference were crucial subjects, such as France’s assistance package, the need to reform and reduce costs in New Caledonia (including in the public service workforce) — as well as key sectors such as the health, tourism sectors and the nickel mining and processing industry — which has been facing an unprecedented crisis for the past two years.
Unemployment benefits There was also a significant chapter dedicated to the duration of special unemployment benefits for those who have lost their jobs due to the riots’ destruction.
Another sensitive point raised was the long and difficult process for businesses (especially very small, small and medium) damaged and destroyed for the same reasons to get insurance companies to pay compensation.
Most insurance companies represented in New Caledonia have, since the May 2024 riots, cancelled the “riot risk” from their insurance coverage.
This has so far made it impossible for riot-damaged businesses to renew their insurance cover under the same terms as before.
French assistance to post-riot recovery in New Caledonia includes a 1 billion euros (NZ$1.8 billion) loan ceiling and a special fund of some 192 million euros (NZ$350 million) dedicated to the reconstruction of public buildings, mainly schools.
New Caledonia’s students are returning to school next week as part of the new academic year.
French Public Accounts Minister Amélie de Montchalin speaking from Paris to New Caledonia audience via a vision conference during the Economic Forum last Saturday. Image: NC la 1ère TV/RNZ
Economy and politics closely intertwined Valls stressed once again that “there cannot be an economic recovery without a political compromise, just like there cannot be any lasting political solution without economic recovery”.
“(France) needs to be there so that the economic slump (caused by the riots) does not turn into a social disaster which, in turn, would exacerbate political fractures”.
“The government of France will be on your side. No matter what happens. We are absolutely taking charge of our responsibilities.”
The “economic Forum” was also the first time delegations from all political tendencies, even though they did not talk to each other directly, were at least sitting in the same room.
“Thank you all for being here, this is a beautiful picture of New Caledonia. Maybe the economy can do more than politics”, Valls told the Economic Forum last Saturday.
Next step: ‘trilateral’ meetings The next step, in New Caledonia, is for Valls to attempt holding “trilateral” meetings (involving all parties, pro and anti-independence and France) around the same table, which was not the case in Paris last week.
The format of those Nouméa talks, however, “remains to be determined”.
Valls said he could stay in New Caledonia for as long as one week because, he said, “I want to take time”, including to not only meet politicians, but also economic and civil society stakeholders.
The 62-year-old French minister, who is also a former Prime Minister, as a political adviser to the then French Socialist Prime Minister Michel Rocard, was involved in the signing of the Matignon Accord, signed in 1988 between France, pro-independence and pro-France parties, which effectively put an end to half a decade of quasi civil war in the French Pacific archipelago.
He also stressed that any future discussion would be based on the “foundation and basis” of the Matignon and Nouméa Accords which, he said, was “the only possible way”.
The Nouméa Accord, signed in 1998 between the same parties, paved the way for a gradual transfer of powers from France to New Caledonia as well as a status of wider autonomy, often described in the legal jargon as “sui generis”.
Until now, under the Nouméa Accord, the key powers remaining to be transferred by France were foreign affairs (shared with New Caledonia), currency, law and order, defence and justice.
New Caledonia’s authorities have not requested the implementation of the transfer for another three portfolios: higher education, research, audiovisual communication and the administration of communes.
An exit protocol But the 1998 deal also included an exit protocol, depending on the results of three referendums on self-determination.
Those referendums were held in 2018, 2020 and 2021 and they all yielded a majority of votes against independence.
However, New Caledonia’s pro-independence movement largely boycotted the third poll and has since contested its validity.
Pro-France and pro-independence camps hold radically different views on how New Caledonia should evolve in its post-Nouméa Accord (1998) future status.
The options mentioned so far by local parties range from a quick independence (a five-year process to begin in September 2025 following the anticipated signature of a “Kanaky Accord”) to some sort of yet undefined “shared sovereignty” that could imply an “independence-association”, or a status of “associated state” for New Caledonia.
Pro-France parties, however, have previously stated they were determined to push for New Caledonia to remain part of France and, in corollary, that New Caledonia’s three provinces (North, South and Loyalty Islands) should be granted more separate powers, a formula sometimes described as “internal federalism” but criticised by pro-independence parties as a form of “apartheid”.
Complicating factor Another complicating factor is that both sides — pro-independence and pro-France camps — are also divided between moderate and radical components.
Last week, during question time in Parliament, Valls expressed concern at the current polarised situation: “People talk about racism, civil war. A common and shared project can only be built through dialogue.
“The (previously signed, respectively in 1988 and 1998) Matignon and Nouméa Accords, both bearing the prospect of a decolonisation process, are the foundation of our discussions. I would even say they are part of my DNA,” the minister said.
Referring to any future outcome of the current talks, he said they will have to be “inventive, ambitious, bold in order to build a compromise and do away with any radical position, all radical positions, in order to offer a common project for New Caledonia, for its youth, for concord and for peace”.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee Morgenbesser, Associate Professor, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University, Griffith University
Many Americans have watched in horror as Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has been permitted to tear through various offices of the United States government in recent weeks. Backed by President Donald Trump, and supported by a small team of true believers, he has successfully laid siege to America’s vast federal bureaucracy.
On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order giving Musk even more power. It requires federal agencies to cooperate with his “Department of Government Efficiency” (known as DOGE) in cutting their staffing levels and restricting new hires.
In his first comments to the media since joining the Trump administration as a “special” government employee, Musk also responded to criticism that he’s launching a “hostile takeover” of the US government.
The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what people are going to get.
Are Musk’s actions akin to a “hostile takeover” of government, or a coup? I argue it’s more a form of “state capture”. Here’s what that means.
Why it’s not a coup or self-coup
Under the pretence of maximising government efficiency and productivity, DOGE has amassed quite a bit of power. It has:
penetrated the massive system responsible for virtually all government payments
A popular argument, supported by some historians and commentators, is that Musk’s actions amount to a coup. They argue this is not a coup in the classic sense of a takeover of the physical centres of power. Rather, it’s a seizure of digital infrastructure by an unelected group seeking to undo democratic practices and violate human rights.
This term, however, is not technically correct. The most widely accepted definition of a coup is:
an overt attempt by the military or other elites within the state apparatus to unseat the sitting head of state using unconstitutional means.
Since Musk and Trump are bedfellows in this plot, the tech billionaire is clearly not trying to violently unseat the president.
Another possible explanation: this is a self-coup. This describes a situation in which
the sitting national leader takes decisive illegitimate action against countervailing institutions and elites to perpetuate the incumbent’s power.
In December, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attempted a self-coup when he declared martial law in order to ostensibly protect the country from opposition forces. He quickly reversed his decision amid elite defections and mass public demonstrations.
Though self-coups are becoming more common, Musk is doing the dirty work in the US – not Trump. Also, Musk’s chief target – the bureaucracy – does not nominally offset presidential power (except in conspiracy theories).
What is ‘state capture’?
More accurately, Musk’s siege amounts to a form of “state capture”. This refers to:
the appropriation of state resources by political actors for their own ends: either private or political.
By this logic, Musk’s aim could be to capture different pieces of the US government and turn the state into a tool for wealth extraction.
State capture is a relatively simple but extremely destructive process. This is how it has played out in countries like Indonesia, Hungary, Nigeria, Russia, Sri Lanka and South Africa (Musk’s birthplace):
First, political and corporate elites gain control of formal institutions, information systems and bureaucratic policy-making processes.
Then, they use this power to apply rules selectively, make biased decisions and allocate resources based on private interests (rather than the public good).
In captured states, strongman leaders often use economic policy and regulatory decisions to reward their political friends. For instance, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Russian President Vladimir Putin and former South African President Jacob Zuma have helped their allies by:
making government anti-trust decisions
issuing permits and licenses
awarding government contracts and concessions
waiving regulations or tariffs
conferring tax exempt status.
State capture is fundamentally a predatory process.
By taking over how the American government does business, Musk could be seeking to enrich a small but powerful network of allies.
The first beneficiary would be Trump, who is no stranger to using his office to expand his family’s business empire. With a more fully captured state, Trump can take an active role in determining how public wealth is dispersed among corporate and political elites. This decision-making power often goes hand-in-hand with “personalist” regimes, in which everything is a transaction with the leader.
The second beneficiary would be Musk himself and other Silicon Valley mega-billionaires who have bent a knee to Trump. By positioning their tech companies as the solution to what allegedly ails the federal government, particularly when it comes to the use of artificial intelligence, they stand to secure lucrative contracts handed out by the “new” state.
The third beneficiary would be the small army of engineers and technicians working with Musk to upend the American government. As loyal foot soldiers, these individuals will be compensated with career advancement, financial gains and networking opportunities, while also enjoying legal impunity. This kind of quid pro quo is how authoritarian regimes work.
What this could mean for the US
As Musk continues his assault on the federal bureaucracy, the American people will suffer the consequences.
The most immediate impact of state capture: worse decisions are made. By purging experienced civil servants, cancelling government contracts and accessing sensitive information systems, Musk’s actions will likely degrade the standard of living at home and endanger American lives abroad.
State capture also means there would be less accountability for the Trump administration’s public policy decisions. With a lack of congressional and independent oversight, key decisions over the distribution of economic benefits could be made informally behind closed doors.
Finally, state capture is inseparable from corruption. Doing business with the US federal government could soon require one to pass a loyalty test rather than a public interest test.
Trump’s enemies will encounter more hurdles, while his allies will have a seat at the table.
Lee Morgenbesser receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DP220103214). He is also a member of the Australian Labor Party.
Sudan’s displaced have endured “unimaginable suffering” in their search for shelter from the country’s ongoing war, UN humanitarians warned on Friday.
Nineteen months since conflict erupted between rival militaries the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the transfer of power to civilian rule, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) expressed deep concern that more than three million people have now been forced to flee the country in search of safety.
“It’s been over a year and a half of unimaginable suffering, brutal atrocities and widespread human rights violations,” said Dominique Hyde, UNHCR Director of External Relations. “Every day of every minute, thousands of lives are shattered by war and violence away from the world’s attention.”
Speaking in Geneva after visiting displaced communities sheltering in neighbouring Chad, Ms. Hyde described Chad as “a sanctuary, a lifeline” for 700,000 war refugees.
Unimaginable testimony
“I spoke to people who watched while their families were murdered,” she said. “People are targeted on the basis of their ethnicity. Men and boys are killed and their bodies are burned. Women raped while fleeing. People told me over and over again how they remember the bodies they saw abandoned by the road as they were fleeing.”
The UNHCR official explained that in the face of massive needs, the UN agency and partners had relocated more than 370,000 refugees in Chad “to six new-build settlements and 10 extensions of pre-existing settlements, all completed in record time. But tens of thousands of families are still waiting for that opportunity to start over”.
Forgotten emergency
The exodus from Sudan has put pressure on surrounding countries to provide assistance to all those in need of shelter and basic services.
“Other countries neighbouring Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Central African Republic have gone above and beyond their means, not only providing safety for people to flee, but extending a chance to refugees to start rebuilding their lives while in exile,” the UNHCR official said.
“Continuing bloodshed” in Sudan’s Darfurs and across the country has created the world’s worst civilian protection crisis in decades, but “the world is not paying any attention”, Ms. Hyde insisted.
In October alone, some 60,000 Sudanese arrived in Chad following an escalation of fighting in Darfur and as floodwaters receded.
The border town of Adre used to be home to 40,000 people, but it now hosts around 230,000 Sudanese refugees; many spend months in harsh conditions while waiting to be relocated inland.
“The exodus from Sudan continues, reaching levels not seen since the beginning of the crisis,” explained Ms. Hyde. “People are arriving in desperate conditions, carrying nothing but memories of unimaginable violence they witnessed and survived – things no one should have to endure.”
As UNHCR continues to register new arrivals in Chad, it reported that a full 71 per cent of suffered human rights violations in Sudan while fleeing.
Of 180 people who fled the Darfur city of El Geneina towards Chad, all but 17 were “massacred”, Ms. Hyde said, recounting the testimony of one young woman who escaped. “Of the 17 that survived, all of the women were raped…six of the women who survived the rape committed suicide.”
The $1.5 billion Refugee Response Plan for Sudan’s displaced which aims to assist 2.7 million people in five neighbouring countries is only 29 per cent funded. “Chad and its people…have been more than generous, more than welcoming,” Ms. Hyde said.
“I heard over and over again that they felt one with the Sudanese community. But we need that support. We need support now.”
UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Thursday launchedthe Refugees for Climate Action initiative in a bid to mobilise the world’s forcibly displaced to join the fight against global warming.
Actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Theo James kicked the campaign off at the COP29 Climate Conference in Baku, alongside a group of eight displaced people with first-hand knowledge of how the climate crisis is impacting families.
The actor has been lending his voice to UNHCR’s urgent call to address the impact of record rising temperatures on displaced communities.
Passionate about climate activism, the refugees taking part in the initiative will be advocating for climate justice and demanding a voice in policy discussions.
The Refugees for Climate Action group was initially convened in 2023 by UNHCR to create a space where refugees and displaced communities on the frontlines of climate change could share their unique experiences and knowledge.
Theo James calls for more action
Following a recent visit to Mauritania, Mr. James said he was committed to supporting their efforts. His own grandfather was a refugee who fled Europe for the safety of Syria during World War Two: “I’ve seen the profound injustice of the climate crisis on refugees, and the urgency is real,” he said.
“Yet, I’ve also seen the resilience of those affected – refugees are finding solutions, and they must be heard”, he added, calling on leaders to put the displaced at the centre of the conversation.
Refugee climate activists
The network brings together refugees and displaced people from countries including Afghanistan, Yemen, Haiti, Bangladesh and Brazil, each with lived experiences of displacement interlinked with conflict and climate change, and who are already driving climate action initiatives in their communities.
“We refugees are on the frontlines of the climate crisis,” said Najeeba Wazefadost, a member of the group and founder of the Asia Pacific Network for Refugees (APNOR) who empowers Afghan women through solar energy to support their businesses.
“For us, climate change is not an abstract threat. It is a daily fight for survival, stability and dignity. We urge leaders to listen to our stories and to take decisive action that includes us, supports our resilience and empowers refugee-led solutions”, added Ms. Wazefadost, who fled Afghanistan in 2000.
Najeeba Wazefadost, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees.
Impacts or war and climate emergency
Other members of the group include Mohammed Anowar, a Rohingya refugee based in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, who trains fellow refugees on flood resilience; Eman Al-Hamali, an internally displaced woman from Yemen, who leads a solar microgrid project providing affordable energy to vulnerable households in her community; and Ermano Prévoir, from Haiti, now living in Brazil, who is an agronomist looking at sustainable farming techniques to improve food security.
“As refugees and displaced people, we have intimately witnessed the profound impacts of war on our lives and communities – and now a global climate emergency,” said Opira Bosco Okot, a refugee climate activist living in Uganda, who uses communication technologies to advocate for refugee access to climate policy discussions.
In its first ever climate report released on Tuesday, UNHCR said three out of four forcibly displaced people worldwide – 90 million out of 120 million – lived in countries exposed to high to extreme climate change impacts.
UNHCR commitment
The initiative embodies UNHCR’s commitment to place displaced communities at the centre of climate action. The group will serve as a consultative body on climate issues, contribute to key global and local climate events, and work to ensure that the voices and perspectives of refugees and displaced people are integrated into UNHCR’s work and international climate discussions.
UNHCR provides members of the group with opportunities for training and capacity building, helping them sharpen their advocacy skills and expand their influence in key climate events such as COP29.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has launched a $10 billion appeal for 2025 to meet critical needs and implement sustainable solutions for millions of refugees, displaced persons and stateless people worldwide.
Announced earlier this week, the agency’s Global Appeal comes amid escalating humanitarian crises, as conflict, persecution and the growing impacts of climate change continue to force millions from their homes.
“We live in an era of relentless emergencies. Of crises without end,” High Commissioner Filippo Grandi said, emphasising the scale of the challenges in a foreword accompanying the appeal.
He highlighted recent and ongoing conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine and Lebanon, which have driven massive displacement, while also noting the protracted nature of many refugee situations, including those involving displaced populations from Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Fully funded, the appeal aims to support more than 139 million refugees and other vulnerable groups in some 136 countries and territories.
Three primary areas
The appeal focuses on three primary areas: emergency response, inclusion, and long-term solutions.
UNHCR remains committed to its frontline role in emergencies, providing life-saving aid to displaced individuals, Mr. Grandi said, adding: “When conflict breaks out, UNHCR is among the first to respond.”
The appeal also goes beyond immediate assistance, calling for sustainable approaches that integrate displaced individuals into local and national systems.
UNHCR aims to work with governments, civil society and development actors to promote inclusion in education, healthcare, and employment.
Numbers breakdown
Of the 139.3 million targeted beneficiaries, 34 million (24 per cent) are refugees, 68 million (48 per cent) internally displaced, 12 million are returnees, and about 4.5 million are stateless people under the agency’s mandate.
Around $2.1 is required for UNHCR programmes in Middle East and North Africa, $1.2 billion in Europe, $957 million in Asia and the Pacific, and $815 million in the Americas.
Across the African continent, $2.1 billion is needed in East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes, $1.2 billion in West and Central Africa and $451 million in Southern Africa.
Worries for Asia and the Pacific
UNHCR anticipates that the Asia-Pacific region in 2025 could face increased displacement due to conflict, persecution, climate change impacts and yet more disasters. It projects a rise in the complexity and scale of emergencies, compounded by diminishing donor support, which threatens to fall short of escalating needs.
In response UNHCR will focus on fulfilling the pledges from the Global Refugee Forum, including more than 60 commitments from States to strengthen protections and find solutions for Afghan refugees and stateless Rohingya populations.
Afghanistan remains the top country of origin for the region’s displaced, where over nine million forcibly displaced are located. Neighbouring nations Iran and Pakistan bear the brunt, sheltering 3.9 million and 2.4 million Afghan refugees respectively.
Similarly, Bangladesh continues to host over one million stateless Rohingya driven from their homes in neighbouring Myanmar over several years.
Driven from their homes in Myanmar, over a million Rohingya refugees have sought refuge in Bangladesh.
Working together
Mr. Grandi also highlighted the importance of innovation and collaboration, reiterating that addressing forced displacement requires a united global effort.
“We do not work alone. Reaching those in need – both displaced people and their hosts – requires partnerships with governments, local actors, academia, and the private sector.”
UNHCR plans to build on the progress made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, where thousands of pledges were made to support displaced populations.
A key focus for 2025 will be turning these promises into tangible action, supported by technical expertise and funding from the international community.
Unpredictable times
Mr. Grandi also acknowledged the unpredictable nature of global crises, expressing confidence in UNHCR’s readiness.
“Our determination and experience enable us to face the future – as uncertain as it may be – with conviction,” he said.
With forced displacement reaching record levels, he stressed the importance of global solidarity, urging governments, donors, and the private sector to contribute to the $10 billion target.
There have been significant advances in addressing the worldwide internal displacement crisis, but urgent action is still needed as numbers continue to rise, topping 76 million people worldwide, the top UN official on the issue said on Wednesday.
UN Special Adviser on Solutions to Internal Displacement Robert Piper was delivering his final press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York before concluding his mandate.
“There are around 76 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in the world today, 76 million people who have lost their homes, their livelihoods, their assets, their community because of wars, because of disasters, because of criminal violence,” he told correspondents.
Internally displaced people are “relatively invisible despite their numbers, unlike refugees and migrants,” Mr. Piper emphasised. Their numbers have doubled in the last ten years.
“Tens of millions of displaced people do not get home quickly, especially when they’ve been displaced by conflict,” Mr Piper emphasised, adding that “they get stuck in displacement”.
‘Major milestone’ in investments
The Secretary-General commissioned a high-level panel to advise him in 2021, focusing on this growing pattern of protracted displacement. To fix this issue, the panel insisted that only national governments can provide long term fixes.
“The right kind of investments, more development, more capacity building, less substitution, less short-term fixes,” said Mr. Piper.
In a positive development, governments have demonstrated increased commitment to addressing the crisis, he continued.
Iraq, Libya, Columbia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Somalia have collectively pledged to help over 11.5 million internally displaced persons find solutions. Some countries have backed these commitments with substantial funding – Iraq and Libya will fully fund their solutions processes, while Columbia is committing approximately $1 billion annually.
Reaping the rewards
“We are starting to see the results when governments take that responsibility seriously,” the Special advisor noted, pointing to recent initiatives such as Somalia’s commitment of $140 million for land purchases to facilitate displaced people’s integration.
In Nigeria’s northeastern states, governances have allocated specific portions of their revenue to address displacement, with the Governor of Borno state, committing 15 per cent of revenue for the next five years to this cause.
New laws and policies on internal displacement have been implemented in various countries – from Chad to Nigeria to the Philippines – demonstrating growing national ownership of the issue.
Challenges amid rising numbers
Despite progress, significant issues remain. The number of IDPs has doubled in just a decade with approximately 20 million new IDPs joining the long-term displaced since 2019.
The Special Adviser also highlighted specific areas where solutions cannot currently be implemented: “We cannot apply our model in Myanmar at the moment, for example, or in Gaza, where 85 percent of the population has been deliberately, repeatedly displaced by Israeli government acts”.
Strengthened response
Prevention tools need strengthening, particularly in light of climate change impacts and the need for better conflict prevention and disaster risk reduction.
Mr Piper said new ideas were being put into motion to address internal displacement including a solutions fund, strengthened country teams and increased development and peacebuilding assets. International financial institutions have also stepped up their involvement, with both the World Bank and The African Development Bank introducing IDP solutions indicators into their corporate scorecards.
The issue has gained increased visibility in international forums, including the climate COPs, the World Bank’s Fragility Forum, and the World Urban Forum. A group of 30-member states has formed to support these efforts, while Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and UN migration agency, IOM, have released new analyses on children and climate displacement.
Return to normal
Additionally, the humanitarian response remains robust, with UN operations reaching 50 million IDPs with assistance in 2023, while country-based pool funds assisted nearly 12 million displaced people.
However, reflecting on his tenure and the path forward, the Special Advisor warned that “we need to get better at preventing new displacements. Our prevention tools are not up to task”.
He concluded that “the core task is to keep saving lives, while we also help governments wherever possible, to build exit ramps for their displaced citizens back from crises to some sense of normality and stability”.
Migration is one of the defining issues of our time, with migrants accounting for 3.6 per cent of the global population, the UN Deputy Secretary-General said on Thursday, urging coordinated action to find better solutions that prioritise safety, equity and opportunity for migrants.
“Migration is not just a statistic; it is the lived experience of women, men and children, each with unique identities and vulnerabilities – pursuing better lives and opportunities. But along their journeys, they face unimaginable violence, hardship and risk,” Amina J. Mohammed said, addressing an informal meeting of the General Assembly on the subject.
Last year was the deadliest on record for migrants. Nearly 8,600 deaths were documented along migration routes, pushing the total recorded since 2014 to almost 70,000 and many more remaining unaccounted for.
At the same time, xenophobia and anti-migrant sentiments are on the rise in societies, with women and girls at heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence.
Transformative potential
“This is not only inhumane – it is counterproductive,” Ms. Mohammed said, stressing that failure to govern migration inclusively undermines societal equity and human rights, ultimately stalling sustainable development.
The Deputy Secretary-General underscored the transformative potential of migration, stating that when well-governed, it serves as a vital enabler of sustainable development, contributing to inclusive growth and social cohesion.
“The persistence of migrants in seeking a dignified life speaks to our universal drive for hope,” Ms. Mohammed said.
IOM/Gema Cortés
With close to half a million Venezuelan nationals, Ecuador hosts the third largest Venezuelan migrant population worldwide.
These include strengthening search and rescue efforts on land and at sea, fostering international cooperation nations along migration routes, and supporting affected families with legal, administrative or economic assistance.
Alongside, justice, accountability and redress mechanisms must be strengthened to uphold migrants’ rights, and data and forecasting improved to enable more effective humanitarian responses.
“These recommendations are not abstract ideals – they are a practical roadmap for action,” Ms. Mohammed emphasised, urging Member States to commit to implementation ahead of the next International Migration Review Forum in 2026.
Alignment with Global Goals
Director-General of the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Coordinator of the UN Network on Migration Amy Pope also addressed the General Assembly, stressing the interconnected nature of the Global Compact’s objectives, calling for a holistic approach that engages all stakeholders.
She highlighted some key achievements, including a new voluntary framework.
“After extensive consultations with States and other stakeholders, we now have a new voluntary framework to support governments measure their progress, develop evidence-based policymaking and align their policies with [the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development],” she said.
The new voluntary framework, she added, would foster more accountability, as well as help integrate migration into national plans and innovative solutions for legal identity and safe pathways.
Ms. Pope urged Member States to adopt these indicators in their national GCM reviews and make actionable ideas a reality.
The number of injuries has risen to 25 as a high-speed train collided with a semi-trailer at a railway crossing in Hamburg, Germany, on Tuesday.
The accident occurred on the outskirts of Hamburg when an InterCity Express (ICE) train en route from Hamburg to Munich crashed into the semi-trailer at high speed. One passenger, a 55-year-old man, sustained critical injuries and died shortly after the collision.
Among the injured, six are reported to have sustained moderate injuries, according to German public broadcaster ARD’s Tagesschau program. Eyewitnesses stated that the force of the collision shattered windows, particularly in the front carriages.
Reports suggest that the truck was attempting to cross the tracks when the crash occurred, and the driver managed to jump out just before the impact. The collision caused a large debris field, with heavy iron and track parts scattered around, as the semi-trailer was reportedly carrying railway tracks.
Despite the severity of the crash, fire department officials confirmed that the approximately 300 remaining passengers aboard the long-distance train were unharmed and have safely disembarked. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident.
The oral contraceptive pills Yaz and Yasmin will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from March 1 2025, meaning Australian women will pay less for them.
This listing follows advice from the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, which recommended adding these pills to the PBS so women who find other contraceptive pills unsuitable have more options. These contraceptives also help manage acne and some other hormone-related conditions.
So how do Yaz and Yasmin work? And how much will they cost once they’re on the PBS?
What makes Yaz and Yasmin different?
From March, a three-month box of Yaz or Yasmin will cost $31.60 (or $7.70 with a concession card). Nial Wheate
Oral contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy primarily by stopping ovulation – the release of an egg from the ovaries.
They also thicken mucus in the cervix, making it harder for sperm to reach an egg. And they thin the lining of the uterus, reducing the likelihood of implantation.
Most combination oral contraceptive pills contain an oestrogen-based hormone (typically ethinylestradiol) and a progestogen hormone.
Both Yaz and Yasmin contain ethinylestradiol and a synthetic progestogen, called drospirenone. They both contain 3 milligrams of drospirenone.
They differ from each other in the amount of ethinylestradiol they contain. Yaz has 20 micrograms and Yasmin has 30 micrograms of the hormone. They also differ in the number of active and placebo pills a pack contains. Yaz has 24 active pills and 4 placebo pills while Yasmin has 21 active pills and 7 placebos.
Both contraceptives are just as effective in preventing pregnancies as other oral contraceptives. The chance of getting pregnant while taking either medication is around 9%.
In deciding which one is most suitable, a doctor will consider how their patient has responded to hormone treatment in the past and any other hormone-related conditions they have.
Both Yaz and Yasmin have benefits beyond birth control. Drospirenone is thought to help reduce hormone-related acne and hirsutism (excessive facial hair growth).
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that causes intense mood swings, depression, anxiety, and irritability before menstruation. The hormonal stability provided by Yaz, with its short hormone-free interval, can help alleviate PMDD symptoms.
Things to look out for if taking them
All combined oral contraceptive pills have common side effects that women may experience, including nausea, vomiting, break-through bleeding, absent or missed periods, headaches, irritability and breast tenderness.
There are some additional risks for the Yaz and Yasmin products. The drospirenone in the contraceptives has been associated with a slightly higher risk of blood clots when compared with other progestogens. The risk is low but may be higher in women who smoke, are over 35, or have other risk factors for clots.
All contraceptive pills can cause side effects such as nausea, headaches and irritability. Mart Production/Pexels
Drospirenone can also cause a build up of potassium in the blood. This is a particular risk for women with kidney problems, and for those who also take diuretics or blood pressure medications, which can also raise potassium levels.
Elevated potassium can cause symptoms such as muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness and an irregular heart rhythm.
What’s changing? How much will they cost?
These approvals are the first contraceptive pills to be added to the PBS in 30 years and are part of a larger package of women’s health measures the government announced on the weekend.
The government will also provide incentives for doctors and nurses to bulk bill services for implanting long-term contraceptives such as IUDs (intrauterine devices).
Currently, pharmacies advertise three-months’ supply of Yaz and Yasmin for around A$79 dollars ($316 per year).
Come March, the price women will pay will drop to $31.60 per box, or $126.40 per year. Concession card holders will pay $7.70 per box, or $30.80 per year.
But the price of Yaz and Yasmin will still be higher than other combined oral contraceptives (containing the hormones levonorgestrel and ethinylestradiol) on the PBS, which start at $22 for a four-month supply or $66 per year.
How can you switch?
If you are considering Yaz or Yasmin, speak to your doctor. They will take your medical history and discuss your lifestyle and any other specific health needs.
They will also explain the potential side effects to watch out for and any precautions you may need to take.
If you proceed, your doctor will outline a process for transitioning to the new medication, including timing and where to start in the pill sequence.
Nial Wheate in the past has received funding from the ACT Cancer Council, Tenovus Scotland, Medical Research Scotland, Scottish Crucible, and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, a member of the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Nial is the chief scientific officer of Vaihea Skincare LLC, a director of SetDose Pty Ltd (a medical device company) and was previously a Standards Australia panel member for sunscreen agents. Nial regularly consults to industry on issues to do with medicine risk assessments, manufacturing, design, and testing.
Shoohb Alassadi 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.
Do policies aimed at making people healthier also make them happier? And to what extent do they infringe on personal autonomy are questions central to a new book by Martin Wilkinson from the University of Auckland.
Many of us accept public health policies relating to things deemed harmful, like alcohol, vapes, fatty or sugary food or cigarettes, without question.
However a new book by Martin Wilkinson, a professor of politics and international relations and former chair of the New Zealand Bioethics Council, concludes that many public health interventions probably make people worse off, infringe on their autonomy and don’t have compensating benefits for others.
Free to access, The Ethics of Public Health Paternalism (Oxford University Press, 2025) examines the various ways of making people healthier, according to whether they make it harder to be unhealthy, easier to be healthy, influence beliefs, or ‘nudge’ people towards certain choices.
The book covers measures like taxes, label warnings, age limits and bans on sales and marketing, as well as health promotions like ‘five plus a day’, subsidies to gyms, enticements to stop unhealthy behaviour, product placement in stores and the provision of walking and cycling infrastructure.
It features examples like the prohibition of alcohol in the US (from 1920 to 1933) or the Danish fat tax, a tax on saturated fat in food products, introduced in 2011, repealed in 2012, and the first of its kind in the world.
It also defines the concept of ‘paternalism’ in relation to health policies.
A main reason often given for the state to intervene in citizens’ health is because people would, if left to their own devices, make unhealthy choices that are bad for them, says Wilkinson.
“But trying to stop people harming themselves sounds paternalistic, and paternalism in public health raises two main questions: Why think that getting people to make healthier choices would make them better off? And should people not be free to choose for themselves?”
He specifies that adults, rather than children, are the focus of the book and that smoking is the one area where he believes the sheer weight of evidence supports efforts to discourage it.
Otherwise, he is on a collision course with the majority of public health advocates, he admits.
“I’m doubtful about the merits of many of the interventions they want. I argue that adults ought to be free to run their own lives, and that some, but not all, public health interventions would infringe on their autonomy.”
He says the book engages with ideas that writers and public health advocates have offered, found not only in books and academic articles but also in blogs, pamphlets, interviews, and health promotion campaigns.
He believes public health advocates who want to steer people into healthier behaviour have not been good at giving convincing reasons for doing so.
“They generally assume that to be healthier is to be better off, but this assumption is often wrong, because health is neither the only value nor the supreme value.
“To decide when people would benefit from being healthier, we must consider the value of health in their lives, how their unhealthy behaviour might be mistaken, and the evidence about whether it is or not.”
While the book is obviously critical of public health, Wilkinson says he’s not taking a free market or libertarian position . “I take no view about the size of the government, its role in the economy, or its duties to redistribute or to support a welfare state. Nor do I believe that paternalism towards adults is always wrong, only that it is questionable.”
He believes in fact that perhaps paternalistic influences on people’s choices would make them better off, perhapsthey wouldn’t infringe upon people’s autonomy after all, or perhaps the infringement is justified.
“Finally, however, I remain unconvinced,” he says. “A persistent theme of the book is that we often don’t have very good, or in fact competing, evidence on these issues. Because the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, I don’t conclude that public health interventions are unjustifiable, only that they have not been justified.”
The Ethics of Public Health Paternalism (Oxford University Press, 2025) by T M Wilkinson is open access and now published online and in print. (ref. https://academic.oup.com/book/59451 )
An Airbus A350 aircraft without livery is pictured in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, Feb. 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
An Airbus A350 aircraft without livery flew from Toulouse, France, to north China’s Tianjin Municipality on Tuesday, marking the first such arrival in 2025, the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said.
The jet, which completed assembly overseas, will undergo final cabin installation, painting, and flight testing at the Airbus Tianjin Widebody Completion and Delivery Center (C&DC) before its delivery to the customer.
Airbus established its A320 Family Final Assembly Line Asia in Tianjin in 2008, its first production facility outside Europe. The C&DC, inaugurated in 2017 and the first of its kind outside Europe, began supporting A350 completion and delivery in 2020.
As of the end of 2024, the C&DC had delivered 767 A320 Family jets, 16 A330s and 25 A350s.
“China is Airbus’ largest single-country market globally,” said George Xu, Airbus executive vice president and Airbus China CEO.
According to Xu, aircraft delivered to Chinese customers account for about 20 percent of Airbus’ global annual deliveries. Additionally, the company’s market share in China has risen from some 20 percent in 2008 to more than 50 percent today.
Xu said that 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of Airbus civil aircraft entering the Chinese mainland market, and the company will continue working with Chinese aviation partners to promote the high-quality development of China’s aviation industry.
A worker drives a forklift to transfer cathode copper at a Hunan branch of China Minmetals in Changning City, central China’s Hunan Province, Jan. 2, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
China aims to enhance the resilience and security of its copper industrial and supply chains over the next few years, according to an implementation plan published on Tuesday.
China will strive to increase its copper ore reserves by 5 percent to 10 percent by 2027, and further improve the level of recycled copper utilization, according to the plan released by 11 government departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The country will work to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies for the green and efficient development and utilization of copper resources, and enhance its high-end equipment manufacturing capabilities.
China will also cultivate a number of high-quality enterprises, and further optimize the industrial structure of the copper industry, according to the plan.
Copper is an important basic raw material and a strategic resource. In recent years, China’s copper industry has developed rapidly, making the country the world’s largest producer and consumer of copper products.
In 2024, China topped the world in the production of both refined copper and copper-processed materials, with output volumes reaching approximately 13.64 million tonnes and 23.5 million tonnes, respectively.
This photo shows a Hyper SSR of GAC Aion at the 22nd Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province, Nov. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
China’s passenger car production logged steady growth in January, with new energy vehicles (NEVs) posting strong performance during the period, data from an industry association showed Tuesday.
In January, China’s passenger car output totaled about 2.11 million units, up 3.6 percent year on year. The country exported 380,000 units of passenger automobiles, representing a year-on-year increase of 3 percent, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
During the period, the production and sales of new energy passenger vehicle grew by 25.8 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively, from a year earlier to reach 940,000 units and 744,000 units, respectively.
Exports of new energy passenger vehicles accounted for 35.9 percent of the country’s total auto exports last month, an increase of 7.5 percentage points compared to the same period last year, according to the data.
Chinese automobile manufacturers have rapidly built up their global competitiveness in recent years. In December 2024, China’s auto sales accounted for 41 percent of the world’s total, a historic high.
China’s passenger car market is expected to maintain steady growth in February, with NEVs as a key driver, the CPCA said. It noted that technological progress and consumption upgrade are key factors promoting market development.
The association predicted that domestic auto sales will grow 2 percent to 23.4 million units for 2025, while passenger NEV sales are expected to surge 20 percent to about 13.3 million units this year.
People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Feb. 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that if the Israeli hostages held in Gaza were not returned by Saturday, the ceasefire with Hamas will be canceled, and Israel will resume “intensive fighting” in the war-torn enclave.
In a video statement, Netanyahu said the move was unanimously approved by his Cabinet ministers during a four-hour meeting held in the afternoon.
Under the decision, “if Hamas does not return our hostages by noon on Saturday, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will resume intense fighting until Hamas is decisively defeated,” he said.
All of Israel’s Cabinet ministers welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza takeover plan and his ceasefire ultimatum, the prime minister added.
Netanyahu’s remarks came a day after Hamas announced that the handover of hostages scheduled for Saturday would be postponed until further notice.
On Monday, Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement that during the past three weeks, the resistance leadership had monitored Israel’s failures to abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
Accordingly, the handover of the hostages will be postponed until further notice and until Israel ensures adherence to the deal and compensates for the past weeks retroactively, Obeida noted. “We affirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation commits to them.”
In response, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday in a statement that Hamas’ announcement is “a complete violation of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.”
Katz said he had ordered the IDF to “prepare at the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to defend the communities near the enclave.”
The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it would increase its forces near the Gaza Strip and call up reservists after the Israeli Cabinet decided to cancel the ceasefire with Hamas if the Israeli hostages were not returned by Saturday.
A military spokesperson confirmed in a statement, “It was decided to reinforce the area with additional troops, including reservists.” The spokesperson emphasized that this decision was made “in accordance with the situational assessment.”
The spokesperson further explained, “The reinforcements and mobilization of reservists are being implemented to prepare for various scenarios.”
Trump also issued an ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, saying if all Israeli hostages were not released from Gaza by noon on Saturday, he would propose canceling the ceasefire agreement and letting “all hell break loose.”
These developments came after an Israeli delegation returned from Qatar, where indirect talks were held regarding the next phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and amid continuous regional and international outcry against Trump’s and Netanyahu’s remarks made recently concerning Gaza.
On Feb. 4, Trump announced a controversial plan to take over the Gaza Strip and relocate Palestinians from the enclave during a joint press conference with Netanyahu in Washington.
Two days later, Netanyahu suggested during an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 that “Saudis can establish a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have plenty of land there.”
On Monday, when being asked in an interview with Fox News if the Palestinians now residing in Gaza, who under Trump’s proposal will face forced displacement to make way for the rebuilding of the enclave, would “have the right to return,” Trump said, “No, they wouldn’t.”
Reacting to Trump’s and Netanyahu’s remarks, many countries have voiced their rejection of displacing Palestinians from their homeland and their support for the two-state solution.
Under the current ceasefire, which took effect on Jan. 19 after 15 months of war, 21 hostages — 16 Israelis and five Thais — were released from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed from Israeli jails. During the first phase of the agreement, which spans six weeks, 33 Israeli hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian detainees are expected to be released.
This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2025 shows a tent camp for displaced families in Gaza City. [Photo/Xinhua]
Hamas accused Israel on Tuesday of failing to uphold its commitments under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
In a statement, Hamas said, “Israel has not fulfilled its commitments and bears full responsibility for any complications or delays.”
The movement reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire as long as Israel abides by it, emphasizing that the agreement was brokered and guaranteed by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, with international oversight.
Hamas’ armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced on Monday that the planned release of Israeli captives set for Saturday would be postponed indefinitely due to what it described as Israel’s failure to uphold the ceasefire terms.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that if the Israeli hostages held in Gaza were not returned by Saturday, the ceasefire with Hamas will be canceled, and Israel will resume “intensive fighting” in the war-torn enclave.
Under the current ceasefire, which took effect on Jan. 19 after 15 months of war, 21 hostages — 16 Israelis and five Thais — have been released from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed from Israeli jails.
During the first phase of the agreement, which spans six weeks, 33 Israeli hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian detainees are expected to be released.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he plans to propose Russia direct territory exchange if U.S. President Donald Trump manages to get Kiev and Moscow at the negotiating table, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Tuesday.
“We will swap one territory to another,” Zelensky was quoted as saying.
Ukraine could cede the areas it held in Russia’s Kursk region, Zelensky said, without specifying what areas Kiev would seek in return.
“I don’t know, we’ll see. But all our territories are important, there is no priority,” Zelensky said.
This photo taken on Oct. 4, 2024 shows the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium. [Photo/Xinhua]
U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 25-percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports upon entering the United States, regardless of their country of origin, has sparked strong opposition across Europe.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Tuesday that U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union (EU) “will trigger firm and proportionate countermeasures.”
“Unjustified tariffs on the EU will not go unanswered,” von der Leyen said in a statement. “The EU will act to safeguard its economic interests. We will protect our workers, businesses and consumers.”
Addressing members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Strasbourg on Tuesday, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic said that the EU will respond “firmly and proportionately” to the tariffs imposed by the U.S.
“In our opinion the tariffs are unjustified, because they will lead to an increase in prices and inflation,” Sefcovic said. Describing the move as a “lose-lose scenario,” he warned that the tariffs were “economically counterproductive.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed EU’s stance on countermeasures. “If the U.S. leaves us no other choice, the EU will respond with a united position,” he said in a speech to the Bundestag on Tuesday.
However, he cautioned against escalating tensions. “I hope we can avoid the misguided path of tariffs and counter-tariffs, as trade wars ultimately come at the expense of prosperity on both sides,” he added. He also warned that U.S. tariffs could soon extend beyond steel and aluminum, posing a particular threat to Germany as Europe’s largest exporting economy.
Dirk Jandura, president of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA), said in a statement that should Trump’s tariffs take effect, the EU must respond with a unified position. He cautioned that a trade war could have “fatal” consequences.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Tuesday that Poland is preparing for the potential impact of the U.S. tariffs. “It is worth doing everything to avoid unnecessary trade and customs wars, because this brings negative consequences for producers and consumers,” Tusk said before a government meeting.
Czech Industry and Trade Minister Lukas Vlcek told local media Tuesday that Europe needs to act in unison against the U.S. tariffs. Given the size of the EU’s trade with the U.S., a tariff war would not help anyone, he said.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in a post on social media Monday evening that the imposition of high customs tariffs on steel and aluminum from Europe is a manifestation of Trump’s distrust in the power of the EU, which he disrespects.
A new round of U.S. protectionist policies could harm global trade, disrupt supply chains, and ultimately burden consumers in the U.S., Fabrizio Hochschild, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), told Xinhua.
“History shows that unilateral tariffs often provoke retaliatory measures, disrupting supply chains and undermining economic stability,” Hochschild noted, emphasizing that trade disputes should be resolved through multilateral mechanisms like the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“In any case, the announced tariffs will harm American producers and consumers in the end,” said Drago Patrlj, Croatian political analyst. “The world seems heading for a trade war, and it is extremely uncertain who will win and who will lose,” he said, adding, “In fact, everyone will lose, it’s just a question of who will lose more.”
China is a doer in climate response and is committed to fulfilling its pledged goals on carbon peak and carbon neutrality in its own way and at its own speed, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Tuesday.
Guo made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to the question of when China will submit its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) since countries need to submit their NDCs by February 2025 according to the requirements of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
China is now working to set the new NDCs in accordance with the Paris Agreement and the requirements of the first global stocktake, and will inform the UNFCCC secretariat of China’s 2035 NDCs this year in due course based on national circumstances, capability and stage of development, the spokesperson said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A report focusing on “small and beautiful” projects in China’s foreign aid was unveiled on Tuesday, demonstrating China’s commitment and efforts to promote international development cooperation and achieve the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.
The reports is the fifth of its kind regarding China’s practice in international development cooperation released by the China International Development Cooperation Agency and the Center for International Knowledge on Development.
A large number of “small and beautiful” projects have taken root worldwide over the years, establishing renowned and widely recognized Chinese foreign aid brands, such as Chinese medical teams, Juncao technology, and Luban workshops, according to the report.
As an important direction and priority of the Belt and Road development, those small-scaled, well-grounded and replicable projects aim to improve people’s well-being and boost people-to-people bond in recipient countries, the report said.
They demonstrate the humanistic care and kindness of China’s foreign aid and international development cooperation, it added.
In the next step, China will scale up those projects and magnify the comprehensive benefits of the projects based on efforts in top-level design, communication and coordination, diversified participation and management efficiency, it said.
Also on Monday, another report on the country’s green development assistance was released as the sixth issue of China’s international development cooperation practice.
The report showed that since 2018, the country has carried out 184 assistant projects in green development totaling 30 billion yuan ($4.11 billion), benefiting 75 countries.
The aid, ranging from sustainable agricultural development, clean energy development to climate change response and environmental protection and pollution control, are provided through various ways including technical assistance, materials and complete sets, the report noted.
Hu Zhangliang, vice-chairman of the CIDCA, said that China closely aligns its assistance with the development plans of partner countries, ensuring that improving local livelihoods and well-being remains the key focus.
China will, as always, play an active and important role in global development and continuously expanding the scope of foreign aid and international development cooperation, enriching aid modalities, increasing investment in global development cooperation and strengthening supervision and evaluation of aid programs, Hu said.
China is also willing to strengthen cooperation with developed countries and emerging economies, and carry out tripartite and multilateral cooperation with more international organizations, complementing each other and jointly promote the realization of UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development, he added.
Khalil-ur-Rahman Hashmi, Pakistani ambassador to China, said that China’s “small and beautiful projects” and green development financing align with Pakistan’s national economic transformation plan from 2024 to 2029, and complement with the upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
“We are grateful to China for launching a series of ‘small and beautiful’ projects in Pakistan…These projects are yet another demonstration of China’s enduring commitment to promoting inclusive development,” he said.
By fostering partnerships in key sectors through targeted cooperation initiatives, CIDCA is improving local employment and building local capacities, he said, adding that Pakistan is keen to further expand partnership with the agency in broader areas of cooperation.
Zhao Bing, representative of the UN World Food Programme in China, said that thanks to the support of CIDCA and the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, WFP has implemented 53 practical people-centered projects across 36 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, which have impacted the lives of more than 10 million people.
“We serve as a bridge for South-South and triangular cooperation, sharing Chinese knowledge, technology, expertise throughout the Global South countries,” Zhao said.
The WFP commits to further deepening and expanding collaboration with the public and private sectors represented by CIDCA, redouble efforts through “small and beautiful” projects and green development projects, so as to leverage additional resources, innovation and technology from China and beyond, in an effort to end hunger and achieve the sustainable development goals for resilient, inclusive future for all, he said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Gaoligong Mountains Tunnel on the Dali-Ruili Railway in Yunnan Province is a testament to the builders’ dedication. They are building the 34.538-kilometer-long tunnel while facing geological complexity, underground water, and dense vegetation. Despite these challenges, the builders remain committed to completing this monumental project.
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Elissa Slotkin (MI) are leading bipartisan legislation to extend federal funding and protections for the Great Lakes. The senators introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025 to reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) through 2031 and increase the program’s annual authorized funding levels from $475 million to $500 million. The GLRI is the most significant investment ever made to restore and protect our Great Lakes. The GLRI combines federal and nonfederal efforts to stop the spread of carp and other invasive species, restore coastline and habitats connecting our streams and rivers, clean up environmentally damaged Areas of Concern, and prevent future contamination. While providing vital support for these efforts, the GLRI also helps ensure we can address new and emerging threats to the Great Lakes.
“The Great Lakes are a national treasure and central to our economy, environment, and way of life in Michigan. Since its creation, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has made significant headway in cleaning up Areas of Concern, protecting vital habitats, and restoring coastlines around the Great Lakes Basin,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan legislation will provide GLRI with the resources needed to build on that success and help protect and preserve the Great Lakes for future generations of Michiganders. I’m proud to again help lead the charge to strengthen this essential program.”
“Our Great Lakes power our Michigan economy, and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative ensures we are protecting our Lakes for generations to come,” said Senator Slotkin. “From controlling invasive species to responding to algal blooms to building up our waterways infrastructure – the GLRI is a critical tool. Time and time again the Trump administration has tried to zero out this program, and it’s more important than ever we protect it. It’s why I am honored to take up the mantle from Senator Debbie Stabenow, and work alongside Senator Peters to get this bill done.”
Since its inception, the GLRI has spurred tremendous progress in Michigan and throughout the Great Lakes region including nearly half of a million acres of habitat protected, restored, or enhanced, a five-fold increase in the successful cleanup and delisting of Areas of Concern, a ten-fold increase in the remediation of environmental and public health impairments, and reducing the threat of harmful algal blooms. The GLRI’s efforts have also resulted in economic returns of more than 3 to 1 across the region.
“The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is the most successful effort to protect and clean up our Great Lakes in U.S. history,” said Lisa Wozniak, Executive Director of Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “Our Great Lakes face emerging challenges, like toxic PFAS contamination, invasive species, rapidly warming temperatures and the impacts of climate change, which makes the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025 more important than ever. Protecting our treasured Great Lakes, the source of drinking water for millions of people, is something all Michiganders can get behind, and we look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to get this legislation signed into law.”
“The simple fact is the GLRI funds critical projects that make life better for the millions of Americans that depend on the Great Lakes. It also delivers a positive economic return on the government’s investment in cleaner water and healthier communities. Senator Peters and Senator Young along with other Great Lakes senators have our gratitude for introducing this important bill,” said Joel Brammeier, Alliance for the Great Lakes President and CEO.
“The GLRI is a landmark program that is making significant progress in restoring the waters, ecosystems, economies, and communities that make up the Great Lakes region,” said Erika Jensen, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Commission. “The Great Lakes Commission applauds Senators Peters and Young for introducing this important legislation, which will safeguard the economic and environmental health of the Great Lakes region for generations to come.”
“This bill is a winner for millions of people in the region,” said Laura Rubin, Director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We thank Sens. Gary Peters and Todd Young for their bipartisan leadership and commitment to tackle the serious threats to our region’s drinking water, public health, jobs, and quality of life. Federal investments to restore the Great Lakes have been producing results, but serious threats remain. We look forward to working with the Great Lakes congressional delegation to pass this bipartisan bill that supports common sense solutions. If we scale back investments now, the problems will only get worse and more expensive to solve.”
“The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative provides critical investments in the health of the Great Lakes and the communities and businesses that rely on clean water. Communities across the region realize the lasting benefits of clean and healthy lakes, which attract visitors, create jobs, and sustain the Great Lakes way of life,” said Peter Laing, Great Lakes Business Network Co-Chair.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025 is also supported by the League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, Council of Great Lakes Governors, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, American Great Lakes Ports Association, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, American Sportfishing Association, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, National Audubon Society – Great Lakes, Environmental Law & Policy Center, and other key stakeholders in Great Lakes protection.
Peters and Slotkin have been champions for the GLRI. Peters and Slotkin helped enact the single-largest-ever investment in the GLRI through the bipartisan infrastructure law to accelerate the restoration of nine high-priority areas in Michigan whose lakes, rivers and watersheds flow into the Great Lakes.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) introduced the Forest Data Modernization Act, which would modernize and improve the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis program to ensure reliable data is available to inform decision making. It would require the Forest Service to prepare an updated strategic plan to expand data collection and further integrate advanced remote sensing technology. According to the forestry industry, the improvements would unlock new economic opportunities for foresters and better protect the environment.
“Louisiana benefits when we use all our natural resources, including timber,” said Dr. Cassidy. “New data is a fantastic opportunity to better manage and support our forests.”
“Georgia leads the nation in forestry. I’ve worked closely with Georgia foresters to write this bipartisan bill that will support the efficient management of Georgia’s forests,” said Senator Ossoff. “Senator Cassidy and I are introducing this bipartisan bill to help support this vital industry for our state and Georgia’s beautiful woodlands.”
Companion legislation is being introduced by U.S. Representatives Barry Moore (R-AL-01) and Kim Schrier (D-WA-08) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Our nation’s foresters deserve updated technology and easily accessible data to help meet the demands of a rapidly growing market,” said Representative Moore. “I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me to introduce legislation that ensures foresters, forestry stakeholders, and the American public have access to standardized, high-quality data to support their decisions.”
“Mitigating risk in our forests has become ever more important with increasing intensity of wildfires and lengthening wildfire season throughout the West,” said Representative Schrier. “Land managers and fire chiefs need reliable information about forest health to effectively work to prevent catastrophic fire, mobilize wildland firefighters during fire, and perform forest restoration work afterward. This legislation will strengthen the FIA program to provide critical data needed to take action to help prevent devastating wildfires and support sound land management.”
The Forest Data Modernization Act is backed by the National Alliance of Forest Owners, Georgia Forestry Association (GFA), Jamestown, and more.
“We applaud Senators Ossoff and Cassidy on the introduction of The Forest Data Modernization Act of 2025, which will support private working forests, the communities that depend on them, and the environmental benefits they provide,” said Dave Tenny, President and CEO of the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO). “This bipartisan bill is a crucial step towards enhancing the U.S. Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program to provide more reliable and relevant forest data that private working forest owners need. Investing in modernizing the FIA program will support the forest stewardship, market innovation, and rural job creation while also promoting the economic, and environmental benefits private working forests provide. We look forward to working with Senators Ossoff and Cassidy, and the full Congress, to strengthen forest stewardship by passing the Forest Data Modernization Act of 2025.”
“The Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) commends Senators Ossoff and Cassidy for their bipartisan leadership in re-introducing the Forest Data Modernization Act. Georgia’s 24 million acres of working forests are a cornerstone of our state’s economy, supporting jobs, businesses, and rural communities while providing essential environmental benefits, including clean air, clean water, and vital wildlife habitat. Modernizing the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program will equip landowners, businesses, and policymakers with reliable, real-time data to drive smart forest management decisions,” said Tim Lowrimore, GFA President and CEO. “Investing in better data infrastructure will not only enhance sustainability efforts but also expand market opportunities, drive innovation, and reinforce forestry’s role as a key economic driver. We deeply appreciate the Senators’ leadership in advancing this critical legislation to secure the future of forestry in Georgia and across the nation.”
“Jamestown wishes to express our support to Senators Ossoff and Cassidy for rolling out The Forest Data Modernization Act of 2025! This forward-thinking legislation is set to bolster private working forests and the local communities that rely on them while amplifying their environmental benefits,” said Troy Harris, Managing Director of Timberland and Innovative Wood Products at Jamestown. “By investing in FIA modernization, we’re not only fostering forest stewardship, market innovation, and rural job creation, but also pushing forward the economic and environmental benefits that private working forests deliver. Let’s not forget the emerging role of mass timber in sustainable building practices. As a timberland manager and the developer of 619 Ponce, Georgia’s first sustainably grown building, we see firsthand how this sector will undoubtedly benefit from this modernized data. We’re eager to partner with Senators Ossoff and Cassidy, along with the entire Congress, to see this act through and boost forest sustainability through the Forest Data Modernization Act of 2025.”
“As a manager of timberlands in the U.S. South and Pacific Northwest, Rayonier is committed to the responsible management of every acre of our working forests. Reliable data is at the center of our forest management decisions. We are encouraged by the introduction of Senator Ossoff ad Senator Cassidy’s Forest Data Modernization Act of 2025, as it will help meet the needs of advanced forestry practices that will continue to position our forests to be solutions to the challenges faced by current and future generations.,” said Andres Villegas, Vice President Public Affairs & Communications, Rayonier.
Action Smoke from MILLICENT Fire is in the Southern Ports Highway,wattle Road,Blackwood Road, Acacia Drive, Hakea Drive, Racecourse Road, Banksia Road and Stringy Bark Drive. area.
Smoke can affect your health. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.
Symptoms of exposure includes shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, burning eyes, running nose, chest tightness, chest pain and dizziness or light-headedness.
If you or anyone in your care are having difficulty breathing, seek medical attention from your local GP. If your symptoms become severe, call 000.
More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.
We reaffirm our longstanding support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the rights to self-determination, and to their homeland. We call on the international community to ensure respect for international law, international humanitarian and human rights law.We urge all parties concerned to engage in meaningful dialogue to achieve a comprehensive and peaceful resolution to the longstanding conflict based on the two-State solution in accordance with international law and the relevant UNSC and UNGA resolutions, including UNGA resolution A/RES/ES-10/23 on the Admission of New Members to the UN dated 10 May 2024 which we all voted in favour.
Download the full statement here.
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Compilation and Utilisation of the Financial Account of the Non-financial Corporations (NFC) Sector: Experience, Challenges, and Opportunities (Bank Indonesia)
International migrants comprised 4.7 per cent of thelabourforce in 2022 – an indication of the crucial role they play in the global economy, the UN labour agency ILO said in a report published on Monday.
Some 167.7 million migrants were part of the labour force in their destination countries in 2022 – an increase of more than 30 million since 2013, according to the ILO Global Estimates on International Migrant Workers.
Of this number, 102.7 million were men and 64.9 million were women.
They were mainly drawn to three regions: Northern, Southern and Western Europe; North America and the Arab States.
The share living in Northern, Southern and Western Europe rose from 22.5 per cent in 2013 to 23.3 per cent in 2022, while the other two regions saw slight declines.
Gender disparities
The term “international migrants in the labour force” means that persons can be working or unemployed, and more than 155 million had jobs.
The ILO noted, however, that significant gender disparities persisted, as migrant women had an employment-to-population ratio of only 48.1 per cent, compared to nearly 73 per cent for their male counterparts.
Migrants also faced a higher unemployment rate compared to non-migrants, or 7.2 per cent versus 5.2 per cent. Again, women were more affected.
“This disparity may be driven by factors such as language barriers, unrecognized qualifications, discrimination, limited childcare options, and gender-based expectations that restrict employment opportunities, particularly for women,” the ILO said.
Further findings reveal that a significant portion of migrants, 68.4 per cent, were employed in the services sector – a trend largely driven by the global demand for care and domestic work, particularly among women.
Nearly 30 per cent of migrant women, and 12.4 per cent of men, were employed in these types of jobs, compared to 19.2 per cent of non-migrant women and 6.2 per cent of non-migrant men.
UN Women/Staton Winter
In Singapore, an Indonesian domestic worker prepares food in her employer’s kitchen after an early morning trip to the grocery store (file).
An ‘indispensable’ force
The report underscored the complexities of labour migration and the need for targeted policies to support international migrants.
With most of these workers employed in high-demand sectors, ensuring equitable access to employment opportunities must be a priority.
“Migrant workers are indispensable in addressing global labour shortages and contributing to economic growth,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo.
“Ensuring their rights and access to decent work is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity.”