NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Moscow Youth project has become a platform for growth and inspiration — Sobyanin

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The capital helps young Muscovites find themselves and their calling. This is what he wrote in his telegram channel Sergei Sobyanin reported.

    “Five years ago we launched

    project “Youth of Moscow”, and now it is a large-scale platform for growth and inspiration,” the Mayor of Moscow noted.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin 

    More than five thousand different events have already been organized — from career forums and competitions to creative festivals and educational programs. Many of them help young Muscovites find employment and start their own businesses.

    Over three thousand initiatives in various fields received support. Thus, openly multi-format space “Youth of Moscow”, where you can book coworking, media studio, halls for events, training and other areas for free.

    Also earned portal “Youth of Moscow”, which helps children to be aware of all the opportunities. Anyone aged 14 to 35 can join the project “Youth of Moscow”.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12442050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The first house under the renovation program in the Ostankino district has been resettled

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The first five-story building under the renovation program was resettled in the Ostankinsky District in the northeast of the capital. Residents of house 12, building 2 on Godovikova Street moved to a neighboring new building (Godovikova Street, house 10). This was reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Urban Development Policy Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    “The first five-story building in the Ostankinsky District has been resettled under the renovation program. About 140 residents have moved to a new residential complex on the same street. The new building will have 222 apartments with finished, improved finishing. The entrances will have rooms for concierges, stroller rooms, and passenger elevators. From the new building, you can walk to the Alekseyevskaya metro station, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, a dance studio, shops, cafes, and other businesses,” Vladislav Ovchinsky noted.

    The area around the building was improved: it was landscaped, recreation areas, children’s playgrounds and a sports ground were set up.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin told on the implementation of the renovation program in the Eastern Administrative District. All information about it is presented on the mos.ru portal.

    The renovation program was approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. Earlier, the Mayor of Moscow ordered to increasethe pace of implementation of the renovation program has doubled.

    Moscow is one of the leaders among regions in terms of construction volumes. High rates of housing construction correspond to the goals and initiatives of the national project “Infrastructure for life”.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/150887073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nuclear energy has no role in Scotland’s green future

    Source: Scottish Greens

    04 Mar 2025 Climate

    Nuclear energy is costly and toxic and will do nothing to cut bills.

    More in Climate

    New nuclear power would cost Scottish households while diverting funding and resources from real climate action, says Scottish Green Co-leader Patrick Harvie.

    Speaking ahead of a Scottish Government debate on Scotland’s renewable future, Mr Harvie warned that Labour’s focus on nuclear power would risk increasing household bills and would be a gift to a toxic industry that is not offering the solutions we need.

    The UK Labour government has proposed building new nuclear power plants across the UK touting so-called ‘small modular reactors’, despite one never having been built and the long-running record of the nuclear power industry running over schedule and budget.

    The first nuclear power plant to be built in the UK for over 30 years, at Hinkley Point, is nearing £28 billion over budget and despite the construction phase beginning in 2016, it will likely not generate any electricity until at least 2029 but possibly 2031.

    Mr Harvie said:

    “This cold war era obsession with nuclear power shows just how out of touch Labour are with the real crisis we face. It is costly, takes years to go online and will leave a long and toxic legacy for future generations.

    “New nuclear power would cost billions of pounds at a time when Labour are telling the public that there is no money to tackle poverty or keep pensioners warm. These new reactors would do nothing to reduce the bills that Labour promised to cut during the election.

    “Hinkley Point is the perfect example of everything wrong with nuclear power. Its construction has been a disaster for the environment, requiring masses more concrete and steel than initially thought and it is now running significantly over budget and behind schedule. Does Keir Starmer really think the people want more of this?

    “It is a distraction from doing the real work that is so important in terms of investing in clean, green renewable energy that will make a big difference for people and planet.

    “Keir Starmer seems to have been sold up the river by his friends in the nuclear power industry who promise modular reactors, which have never been built to any kind of scale and don’t remove the major problem of highly toxic nuclear waste that will still scar our landscape for centuries to come.

    “Scotland can have a positive and prosperous green future, but nuclear energy has no part in it. We have the resources for a renewables revolution but we need all governments to commit to it rather than taking a big backwards step with nuclear.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: NPC spokesperson expresses ‘full confidence’ in China’s economic prospects

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China’s economy is underpinned by a stable foundation, multiple advantages, strong resilience and great potential, a spokesperson said Tuesday, voicing “full confidence” in the country’s economic prospects.
    Despite the adverse impacts brought about by the external environment and the continued challenges facing the economy, the supporting conditions and fundamental trends for long-term sound economic development have not changed, said Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s national legislature, at a press conference.
    China has a supersized domestic market and a complete industrial system, with ample room for the upgrades of demand, structure and growth drivers, providing strong support for economic development and ensuring sufficient flexibility to navigate various risks and challenges, Lou said.
    Lou said the country is at a critical stage of growth driver transition amid the emergence of new drivers.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Life after school for young South Africans: six insights into what lies ahead

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gabrielle Wills, Senior researcher at Research on Socio-Economic Policy, Stellenbosch University

    At the dawn of democracy in 1994, South Africa faced a sobering reality. Fewer than a third of 25- to 34-year-olds had achieved at least a matric (12 years of schooling completed) or equivalent qualification.

    Thirty years on, the proportion of individuals in this age group that had completed their schooling had almost doubled to 57%. This figure will be further bolstered by the record-breaking results in the National Senior Certificate (matric) examinations in recent years. South Africa’s school completion rates are now high and comparable to other middle-income countries.

    But this good news is tempered by very high youth unemployment and a faltering economy. What are the prospects for young South Africans once they’ve matriculated?

    I have aimed to answer this question in my new study. By using the Quarterly Labour Force Survey – a nationally representative, household-based sample survey – and other data sources, I have developed six insights that tell us what the post-matric landscape is like today. For the purposes of the study I defined recent matriculants as 15-24-year-olds with 12 years of completed schooling.

    This study highlights how increasingly larger proportions of recent matriculants find they have limited opportunities. The rising number of youth leaving school with a matric, especially in recent years, is not being met with enough opportunities beyond school, whether in work or in post-school education and training.

    Conditions in South Africa’s labour market must improve and further expansion in quality post-school education and training is required for the country to realise the benefits of rising educational attainment and progress for national development.

    1. Less chance of employment

    The graph below illustrates a brutal truth: ten years ago finding a job was easier for matriculants than it will be for the matric class who finished school in 2024. Between 2014 and 2018 about 4 of every 10 recent matriculants who were economically active (including discouraged work seekers) were employed. By the start of 2024 this figure was closer to 3 of every 10.

    Percent of South African youth employed by qualification level. Dr Gabrielle Wills, CC BY-NC-ND

    The likelihood of youth with a matric having a job at the start of 2024 roughly resembled the chances of youth without a matric having a job eight to ten years ago.

    With more learners progressing to matric, especially due to more lenient progression policy during and just after the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in the composition of the matric group could be driving some of the declines in this group’s employment prospects. But there has been a deterioration in the labour market for all youth over the past decade. Employment prospects have even declined for youth with a post-school qualification.

    2. Not in employment, education or training

    Proportionally fewer recent matriculants are going on to work or further study.

    Before the COVID-19 pandemic (2014-2019), around 44%-45% of recent matriculants were classified as “not in employment, education or training” (NEET). The NEET rate among recent matriculants peaked at 55% in early 2022 and remained high at 49.8% at the start of 2024.

    Stated differently, one of every two recent matriculants was not engaged in work or studies in the first quarter of last year. That’s 1.78 million individuals. Coupled with the rising numbers of youth getting a matric, this implies that the number of recent matriculants who were not working or studying rose by half a million from the start of 2015 to the start of 2024.

    Among all 15-24-year-olds, the NEET rate rose from 32% in the first quarter of 2014 to 35% in the first quarter of 2024. Even larger increases in the NEET rate occurred among 25-34-year-olds, rising from 45% to 52% over the same period.

    This is a worry. But it doesn’t mean the matric qualification has no value.

    3. A matric still provides an advantage

    In early 2024, nearly half of matriculants aged 15-24 were classified as not in employment, education or training. Almost 8 out of 10 of their peers who had dropped out of school were NEET. In short, you’re still more likely to get a job or further your studies with a matric certificate than without one.

    4. A hard road

    The road to opportunity beyond school is harder than it was a decade ago.

    Among NEET matriculants aged 15-24 at the start of 2014, 27% searched for work for more than a year. By early 2024, this figure had risen to 32%.

    It’s even worse for 25-34-year-old NEETs who hold a matric qualification. The percentage searching for work for over a year rose from 37% at the start of 2014 to 50% in early 2024.

    The longer young people remain disconnected from employment, education or training, the greater the toll on their mental health. NEET status is associated with worse mental health, particularly among young men.

    5. Post-school education and training

    The government has made ambitious plans to expand opportunities for young people to study further. But enrolments in post-school education and training are not growing sufficiently to match the rising tide in school completion or to absorb youth who cannot find jobs. And, with projected declines in real per student spending on post-school education as South Africa tries to address escalating national debt servicing costs, this situation is unlikely to improve anytime soon.

    The country is not keeping pace with tertiary enrolment rates in other developing nations like Brazil, Indonesia or China. For instance, 2021 estimates from the World Bank identify South Africa’s tertiary enrolment rate at 25%, compared to 41% in Indonesia, 57% in Brazil and 67% in China.

    6. Location matters

    Where someone lives in South Africa influences their chances for upward mobility. These inequalities are reflected in varying youth NEET rates across provinces. For instance, a third of recent matriculants in the Western Cape were not in employment, education or training in 2023/2024. That figure more than doubles in the North West province to 67%.

    How to help

    Two things are needed: improving labour market conditions and expanding post-school education and training opportunities.

    This is unlikely without improved economic growth.

    All of this may sound hopeless. But there are things that ordinary South Africans can do, too:

    • keep encouraging young people in your orbit to complete their schooling

    • where possible, spur them on to obtain a post-school qualification

    • use your social networks to connect youth to work experience opportunities, and help with CVs, referral letters and references.

    Young people must also adopt a practical, pragmatic and entrepreneurial mindset. They need to seize every opportunity available to them, whether in the labour market or post-school education.

    – Life after school for young South Africans: six insights into what lies ahead
    – https://theconversation.com/life-after-school-for-young-south-africans-six-insights-into-what-lies-ahead-249031

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Life after school for young South Africans: six insights into what lies ahead

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gabrielle Wills, Senior researcher at Research on Socio-Economic Policy, Stellenbosch University

    Matric exams are a crucial moment in a young person’s educational journey. Fani Mahuntsi/Gallo Images via Getty Images

    At the dawn of democracy in 1994, South Africa faced a sobering reality. Fewer than a third of 25- to 34-year-olds had achieved at least a matric (12 years of schooling completed) or equivalent qualification.

    Thirty years on, the proportion of individuals in this age group that had completed their schooling had almost doubled to 57%. This figure will be further bolstered by the record-breaking results in the National Senior Certificate (matric) examinations in recent years. South Africa’s school completion rates are now high and comparable to other middle-income countries.

    But this good news is tempered by very high youth unemployment and a faltering economy. What are the prospects for young South Africans once they’ve matriculated?

    I have aimed to answer this question in my new study. By using the Quarterly Labour Force Survey – a nationally representative, household-based sample survey – and other data sources, I have developed six insights that tell us what the post-matric landscape is like today. For the purposes of the study I defined recent matriculants as 15-24-year-olds with 12 years of completed schooling.

    This study highlights how increasingly larger proportions of recent matriculants find they have limited opportunities. The rising number of youth leaving school with a matric, especially in recent years, is not being met with enough opportunities beyond school, whether in work or in post-school education and training.

    Conditions in South Africa’s labour market must improve and further expansion in quality post-school education and training is required for the country to realise the benefits of rising educational attainment and progress for national development.

    1. Less chance of employment

    The graph below illustrates a brutal truth: ten years ago finding a job was easier for matriculants than it will be for the matric class who finished school in 2024. Between 2014 and 2018 about 4 of every 10 recent matriculants who were economically active (including discouraged work seekers) were employed. By the start of 2024 this figure was closer to 3 of every 10.

    Percent of South African youth employed by qualification level.
    Dr Gabrielle Wills, CC BY-NC-ND

    The likelihood of youth with a matric having a job at the start of 2024 roughly resembled the chances of youth without a matric having a job eight to ten years ago.

    With more learners progressing to matric, especially due to more lenient progression policy during and just after the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in the composition of the matric group could be driving some of the declines in this group’s employment prospects. But there has been a deterioration in the labour market for all youth over the past decade. Employment prospects have even declined for youth with a post-school qualification.

    2. Not in employment, education or training

    Proportionally fewer recent matriculants are going on to work or further study.

    Before the COVID-19 pandemic (2014-2019), around 44%-45% of recent matriculants were classified as “not in employment, education or training” (NEET). The NEET rate among recent matriculants peaked at 55% in early 2022 and remained high at 49.8% at the start of 2024.

    Stated differently, one of every two recent matriculants was not engaged in work or studies in the first quarter of last year. That’s 1.78 million individuals. Coupled with the rising numbers of youth getting a matric, this implies that the number of recent matriculants who were not working or studying rose by half a million from the start of 2015 to the start of 2024.

    Among all 15-24-year-olds, the NEET rate rose from 32% in the first quarter of 2014 to 35% in the first quarter of 2024. Even larger increases in the NEET rate occurred among 25-34-year-olds, rising from 45% to 52% over the same period.

    This is a worry. But it doesn’t mean the matric qualification has no value.

    3. A matric still provides an advantage

    In early 2024, nearly half of matriculants aged 15-24 were classified as not in employment, education or training. Almost 8 out of 10 of their peers who had dropped out of school were NEET. In short, you’re still more likely to get a job or further your studies with a matric certificate than without one.

    4. A hard road

    The road to opportunity beyond school is harder than it was a decade ago.

    Among NEET matriculants aged 15-24 at the start of 2014, 27% searched for work for more than a year. By early 2024, this figure had risen to 32%.

    It’s even worse for 25-34-year-old NEETs who hold a matric qualification. The percentage searching for work for over a year rose from 37% at the start of 2014 to 50% in early 2024.

    The longer young people remain disconnected from employment, education or training, the greater the toll on their mental health. NEET status is associated with worse mental health, particularly among young men.

    5. Post-school education and training

    The government has made ambitious plans to expand opportunities for young people to study further. But enrolments in post-school education and training are not growing sufficiently to match the rising tide in school completion or to absorb youth who cannot find jobs. And, with projected declines in real per student spending on post-school education as South Africa tries to address escalating national debt servicing costs, this situation is unlikely to improve anytime soon.

    The country is not keeping pace with tertiary enrolment rates in other developing nations like Brazil, Indonesia or China. For instance, 2021 estimates from the World Bank identify South Africa’s tertiary enrolment rate at 25%, compared to 41% in Indonesia, 57% in Brazil and 67% in China.

    6. Location matters

    Where someone lives in South Africa influences their chances for upward mobility. These inequalities are reflected in varying youth NEET rates across provinces. For instance, a third of recent matriculants in the Western Cape were not in employment, education or training in 2023/2024. That figure more than doubles in the North West province to 67%.

    How to help

    Two things are needed: improving labour market conditions and expanding post-school education and training opportunities.

    This is unlikely without improved economic growth.

    All of this may sound hopeless. But there are things that ordinary South Africans can do, too:

    • keep encouraging young people in your orbit to complete their schooling

    • where possible, spur them on to obtain a post-school qualification

    • use your social networks to connect youth to work experience opportunities, and help with CVs, referral letters and references.

    Young people must also adopt a practical, pragmatic and entrepreneurial mindset. They need to seize every opportunity available to them, whether in the labour market or post-school education.

    Gabrielle Wills is a senior researcher with Research on Socio-Economic Policy at Stellenbosch University. This research for the COVID-Generation project was made possible by financial support from Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropies. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies.

    – ref. Life after school for young South Africans: six insights into what lies ahead – https://theconversation.com/life-after-school-for-young-south-africans-six-insights-into-what-lies-ahead-249031

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Vacancy : Project Manager

    Source: Government of Cook Islands

    The Marae Moana Coordination Office (MMCO), within the Office of the Prime Minister, is seeking to contract a Project Manager to manage the implementation of the Cook Islands Island-Scale MSP Project. This is a two-year appointment.

    The Project Manager will be integral to the success of Cook Islands efforts to build capacity and capability within Cook Islands for ‘Island-scale Marine Spatial Planning’. 

    This is part of the Government’s efforts to fulfil the obligations of the Marae Moana Act 2017. The two main outcomes of the project are:

    • Improved Capability of Individuals, at Government and community level, to deliver Climate and Biodiversity-smart Marine Spatial Planning.
    • Improved Capacity of organisations to deliver, gender sensitive, Climate and Biodiversity-smart Marine Spatial Planning.

    A copy of the Terms of Reference (TOR), including selection criteria and how to apply, can be found on the Marae Moana and NES websites: www.environment.gov.ck and www.maraemoana.gov.ck.

    Please email a cover letter and curriculum vitae to Maria Tuoro, Marae Moana Director, on [email protected].

    Submissions close: 4:00pm Friday 14th March 2025

    TOR Consultancy Project Coordinator Island Scale Marine Spatial Planning project in the Cook-Islands

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China starts bond issuance for local gov’t debt replacement program in 2025: spokesperson

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China has started the bond issuance for the replacement of 2 trillion yuan (278.79 billion U.S. dollars) of local government debt this year, a spokesperson said Tuesday.

    The National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee will strengthen oversight over government debt management, in particular the replacement of local governments’ hidden debt, said Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th NPC, China’s national legislature, at a press conference.

    The bond issuance for the replacement of 2 trillion yuan of such debt last year was already completed, he said. ■

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has been taken to court over 11 threatened species. Here’s why

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University

    Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo Imogen Warren/Shutterstock

    What do the Australian lungfish, ghost bat, sandhill dunnart and southern and central greater gliders have in common? They’re all threatened species that need a formal “recovery plan” – but do not have one.

    Today, environmental group the Wilderness Society launched a case in the Federal Court against Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, arguing she and successive environment ministers have failed to meet their legal obligations to create threatened species recovery plans.

    Other species forming the basis of the case are Baudin’s cockatoo, the Australian grayling, Carnaby’s black cockatoo, red goshawk, forest red-tailed black cockatoo and the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle.

    Many other species and ecological communities also don’t have recovery plans. If successful, the case would set a precedent compelling future environment ministers to meet their legal obligations and improve Australia’s dire conservation record. This is a significant moment for conservation in Australia – testing how accountable environment ministers are in preventing species extinctions.

    Why do recovery plans matter?

    Threatened species recovery plans lay out very clearly why species or ecological communities are in trouble and the actions necessary to save them. Once a plan is in place, it can directly benefit the species by tackling threats and safeguarding habitat.

    Proposals such as a new farm, suburb or mining project can be assessed by the environment minister and rejected if they are inconsistent with recovery plans and place threatened species at increased risk of extinction. Recovery plans have helped dozens of species come back from the brink.

    Under Australia’s national environmental laws, the environment minister must decide whether a recovery plan is required for a species or ecological community listed as threatened.

    If a plan is ordered, it must typically be created within three years. But a 2022 Auditor-General’s report found just 2% of plans met this timeframe.

    Recovery is possible, but plans are vital

    Successive governments have failed to keep up with creating and implementing recovery plans in a timely manner. The perennial and chronic lack of funding for conservation means there’s little capacity to do the vital but time-consuming work of planning and recovery.

    As a result, the federal government has increasingly shifted to offering conservation advices in place of recovery plans. Conservation advices can be produced and updated faster than recovery plans. This is useful if, say, a new threat emerges and needs a rapid response.

    But there’s a key legal difference. When the environment minister is considering a project such as land clearing for new farmland or a mine, they need only consider any conservation advice in place. When a recovery plan is in place, the minister is legally obliged not to approve actions which are contrary to its objectives and would make the plight of a species or ecological community worse.

    A conservation advice can be thought of more like a fact sheet without the same legal weight or accountability that recovery plans have.

    In March 2022, the Morrison government scrapped recovery plans for 176 threatened species and habitats, despite thousands of submissions arguing against this.

    After the Albanese government took power in May 2022, it pledged to end “wilful neglect” of the environment and to introduce stronger environmental laws. Sadly, this commitment has not been honoured.

    The range of northern Australia’s ghost bats has shrunk significantly.
    Ken Griffiths/Shutterstock

    Why do we need recovery plans?

    Australia’s species protection record is unenviable. Since European colonisation, more than 100 species have been driven to extinction and more than 2,000 species and ecological communities are listed at risk of suffering the same fate.

    For a species to be considered threatened, its population has to have shrunk. The severity of the decline and hence its extinction risk will determine how it’s categorised, from vulnerable through to critically endangered. Recovery plans lay out the research required to actually recover these species, meaning helping their populations to grow out of the danger zone.

    A key role for these plans is to coordinate planning and action between relevant interest groups and agencies. This is especially important for species found across state and territory borders, such as the southern greater glider and the migratory swift parrot. The greater glider should have had a recovery plan in place since 2016, but does not.

    Are individual plans still worthwhile?

    Faced with so many species in need of protection and limited funding, prominent figures including former Environment Minister Peter Garrett have argued we should focus our efforts on protecting ecosystems rather than single species to make the best use of scarce funds.

    But there is a deeper issue. Australia is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. It has the capacity to greatly increase conservation spending without impoverishing humans, and should do so for the benefit of the economy, culture and our health and wellbeing.

    That’s not to say ecosystem protection isn’t worthwhile. After all, ecosystems are made up of species and their interactions with each other and their environment. You cannot have healthy species without healthy ecosystems and vice versa.

    But if we focus only on protecting large expanses of wetland, forest and grasslands, we risk overlooking a key issue. Two species in the same ecosystem can be very differently affected by a specific threat (predation by foxes, for instance). Some species can even have conflicting management needs. For some species, invasive species are the biggest threat, while climate change and intensified fire regimes threaten others the most.

    The sandhill dunnart is one of 11 species listed in the court case.
    Kristian Bell/Shutterstock

    Extinction is a choice

    As Australia’s natural world continues to deteriorate, climate change deepens and worsening wildlife woes abound, these issues will no doubt be front of mind for many in the upcoming federal election.

    It can be easy to see these trends as inevitable. But they are not – the collapse of nature is a choice. We have what we need for success, including traditional, ecological and conservation knowledge. What’s sorely needed is political will.

    There were once fewer than 50 northern hairy-nosed wombats alive. Today, that number exceeds 400. When supported, conservation can succeed.

    Almost all Australians want their government to do more to save our species. Let us hope whoever forms the next government takes up that challenge – even if it takes court cases to prompt action.

    Euan Ritchie receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action. Euan is a Councillor within the Biodiversity Council, a member of the Ecological Society of Australia and the Australian Mammal Society, and President of the Australian Mammal Society.

    – ref. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has been taken to court over 11 threatened species. Here’s why – https://theconversation.com/environment-minister-tanya-plibersek-has-been-taken-to-court-over-11-threatened-species-heres-why-219231

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Over 40 lost cultural relics, artifacts return to China from US

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    [Photo/ncha.gov.cn]

    China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration on Tuesday received 41 cultural relics and artifacts, which were illegally exported from China, from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in New York.

    The items include pottery, jade, bronze ware and Buddhist artifacts. Among them is a bronze “money tree” with a ceramic base and a pottery figurine of an entertainer.

    According to preliminary assessments, these artifacts date from the Neolithic period to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and hold significant value. 

    On Jan. 14, 2009, China and the U.S. signed the first intergovernmental memorandum of understanding to prevent the illegal import of Chinese cultural relics into the U.S., which was subsequently renewed in 2014, 2019 and 2024.

    Since the signing of the memorandum, 594 lost cultural relics and artifacts have been returned from the U.S. to China in 20 batches.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Proceeds with Tariffs on Imports from Canada and Mexico

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    SAFEGUARDING THE NATION: President Donald J. Trump is proceeding with implementing tariffs on Canada and Mexico under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to combat the extraordinary threat to U.S. national security, including our public health posed by unchecked drug trafficking.
    While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation.
    The flow of contraband drugs like fentanyl into the United States, through illicit distribution networks, has created a national emergency, including a public health crisis.
    Mexican drug trafficking organizations, the world’s leading fentanyl traffickers, operate unhindered due to an intolerable relationship with the government of Mexico.
    The government of Mexico has afforded safe havens for the cartels to engage in the manufacturing and transportation of dangerous narcotics, which collectively have led to the overdose deaths of hundreds of thousands of American victims.
    Mexican drug cartels are known for extreme brutality, corruption, and control over entire regions of Mexico.
    The Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels manufacture fentanyl in clandestine labs they oversee in Mexico, in both powder form and pressed into fake pills, and traffic it into the United States through the many entry points they control. 97% of seizures occur at the U.S.-Mexico border.
    Cartel violence, including armed drones and roadside IEDs, are coming in closer and closer proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border as cartels are more actively targeting one another as well as Mexican military and law enforcement personnel.
    This alliance with the Mexican government endangers the national security of the United States, and we must eradicate the influence of these dangerous cartels.

    There is also a growing presence of Mexican cartels operating fentanyl and nitazene synthesis labs in Canada. 
    A recent study recognized Canada’s heightened domestic production of fentanyl, and its growing footprint within international narcotics distribution.
    Canada-based drug trafficking organizations maintain robust “super labs,” mostly in rural and dense areas in western Canada, some of which can produce 44 to 66 pounds of fentanyl weekly.
    Last year’s northern border fentanyl seizures, though smaller than Mexico’s, could kill 9.5 million Americans due to the drug’s potency—proof of Canada’s growing role in this crisis.
    Fentanyl seizures at the northern border in the first four months of this fiscal year are quickly closing in on what was seized the entirety of  fiscal year 2022.

    Both nations’ failure to arrest traffickers, seize drugs, or coordinate with U.S. law enforcement constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to America’s security—demanding IEEPA action to force accountability and protect American lives.
    PRESIDENT TRUMP IS KEEPING HIS PROMISE TO STOP THE FLOOD OF ILLEGAL ALIENS AND DRUGS: When voters overwhelmingly elected Donald J. Trump as President, they gave him a mandate to seal the border. That is exactly what he is doing.
    The Biden Administration’s policies fueled the worst border crisis in U.S. history.
    More than 10 million illegal aliens attempted to enter the United States under Biden’s leadership.
    This problem is not confined to the southern border—encounters at the northern border with Canada are rising as well.
    The sustained influx of illegal aliens has profound consequences on every aspect of our national life—overwhelming our schools, lowering our wages, reducing our housing supply and raising rents, overcrowding our hospitals, draining our welfare system, and causing crime.  
    Gang members, smugglers, human traffickers, and illegal drugs and narcotics of all kinds are pouring across our borders and into our communities. 
    Last fiscal year, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended more than 21,000 pounds of fentanyl at our borders, enough fentanyl to kill more than 4 billion people.
    Since 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized more than 25,697 kilograms of fentanyl pills and more than 7,272 kilograms of fentanyl powder at the southern border, and more than 659 kilograms of fentanyl pills and more than 650 kilograms of fentanyl powder at the northern border.
    From 2021 to present, fentanyl has been the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the U.S., followed by methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in that order.
    According to the CDC, 68 percent of all drug poisoning deaths in 2022 and 2023—216,294 total—were caused by synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl.
    It is estimated that federal officials are only able to seize a fraction of the fentanyl smuggled across the southern border.  
    More Americans are dying from fentanyl overdoses each year than the number of American lives lost in the entirety of the Vietnam War.

    BUILDING ON PAST SUCCESS: President Trump continues to demonstrate his commitment to ensuring U.S. trade policy serves the national interest.
    As President Trump said in the Presidential Memorandum on American First Trade Policy, trade policy is a critical component in national security.
    President Trump promised in November to “sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders. This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
    During his first term as President of the United States, President Trump established the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis and declared the Opioid Crisis a public health emergency.
    President Trump also has a long record of putting America first on trade. In his first term, President Trump successfully used threats of tariffs on Mexico to help secure our border.
    When our national security was threatened by a global oversupply of steel and aluminum, President Trump took swift action to protect America’s national security by implementing tariffs on imports of these goods.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Agenda of 3rd session of 14th National People’s Congress

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The preparatory meeting of the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on Tuesday adopted the following agenda of the session:
    — Deliberate the report on the work of the government;
    — Review the report on the implementation of the 2024 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2025 draft plan, and the draft plan for national economic and social development in 2025;
    — Review the report on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2024 and on the draft central and local budgets for 2025, and the draft central and local budgets for 2025;
    — Deliberate the bill put forward by the NPC Standing Committee on reviewing the draft amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and to the Local People’s Congresses at Various Levels;
    — Deliberate the work report of the NPC Standing Committee;
    — Deliberate the work report of the Supreme People’s Court;
    — Deliberate the work report of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Votes No on Legislation Banning Transgender Athletes from School Sports Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) released the following statement after the Senate voted on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which did not reach the 60-vote cloture threshold, failing to advance by a count of 51-45:
    “This afternoon, the Senate voted on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, federal ban on transgender women from participating in school and college athletic programs. This bill was introduced in response to an issue that has become politically polarizing throughout the country, even though it involves only a small fraction of student athletes. Under the bill, if a single Maine school district decided not to comply with this federal mandate, all federal education funding to the entire state would be lost.
    “I understand the frustration around the issue of transgender athletes participating in women’s sports. Some students, parents and educators have concerns about a lack of ‘fairness’ and, among other things, safety issues, due to the physical differences between those born of different genders. Being the parent of a female high school athlete, I fully understand these concerns.
    “However, if one school in Maine decided to include a single trans student one of their teams, schools across the entire state would lose access to critical funding which would be detrimental to all students, a result disproportionate to the impact of one transgender athlete at one school. While these are complex issues, considerations of fairness and safety in sports are made every day by parents, educators, and school administrators at the local level. We should keep it that way and allow local communities to decide what’s best for their districts and their students, and let states abide by the will of their citizens. In other words, I see this as a state’s rights issue which should not require a one-size-fits-all federal solution. Simply put, it is highly likely this legislation would hurt Maine and Maine students.
    “Therefore, I am ultimately not comfortable conditioning all federal education funding on an issue that singles out such a small number of students nationwide — including here in Maine — and takes the decision-making power away from local communities.
    “Finally, I find it odd that many of those supporting this legislation have exactly the opposite position when it comes to women’s reproductive choices — that that issue should be left to the states — while the question of transgender athletes requires a federal solution which overrides local control.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai attends opening ceremony of GCTF Workshop on Whole-of-Society Resilience Building, Preparation, and Response

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-02-24
    President Lai meets Japanese House of Representatives Member Tamaki Yuichiro
    On the afternoon of February 24, President Lai Ching-te met with Japanese House of Representatives Member Tamaki Yuichiro. In remarks, President Lai noted that Taiwan and Japan are important trading partners. The president expressed hope that, in addition to semiconductors, Taiwan and Japan can also bolster cooperation in the fields of hydrogen energy and drones and build non-red supply chains, thus creating economic win-win situations and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and globally. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I would like to start by warmly welcoming Representative Tamaki on his first trip to Taiwan. Now is a key moment for the cooperative ties between Taiwan and Japan, and the fact that Representative Tamaki has chosen to take time out of his busy schedule to make this trip demonstrates his especially meaningful support for Taiwan. For this I want to express my deepest gratitude. At the beginning of this month, Japan and the United States held a summit meeting. In the post-summit joint leaders’ statement the government of Japan reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion, and expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations. I would like to thank the government of Japan for these statements. Taiwan and Japan are both responsible members of the international community. I welcome an even firmer friendship between Japan and the US and hope to see cooperation among Taiwan, Japan, and the US become a solid force in consolidating peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. In addition to complex international conditions, we now also face the threat of China’s red supply chain. More and more countries are becoming increasingly concerned about such issues as economic security and supply chain resilience. As authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must also come closer in solidarity. Taiwan and Japan are important trading partners. I hope that, in addition to semiconductors, Taiwan and Japan can also bolster cooperation in the fields of hydrogen energy and drones, and that we can build non-red supply chains, thus creating economic win-win situations and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and globally. Lastly, I would like once again to welcome Representative Tamaki to Taiwan and wish him a successful visit. I hope he departs Taiwan with a deep impression and that he will visit again. Representative Tamaki then delivered remarks, noting that this was his first visit to Taiwan and thanking President Lai and officials of the Taiwan government for their warm welcome. Pointing out that Taiwan-Japan ties are closer than ever thanks to the major efforts made on this front by President Lai since taking office, Representative Tamaki expressed his admiration and gratitude. Representative Tamaki pointed out that in a changing global landscape, Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region all face major changes, but he firmly believes that Taiwan-Japan relations will develop even further. Recalling President Lai’s previous remarks, the representative said that Japan and the US recently held a summit meeting that yielded important results. In the joint leaders’ statement, he noted, the two sides made a clear commitment regarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and firmly opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion. Representative Tamaki said that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito did not win a majority in last year’s House of Representatives general elections, while the number of seats held by his own Democratic Party for the People quadrupled. This result, he said, has filled him with a feeling of great responsibility. Moving forward, he intends to continue promoting Taiwan-Japan cooperation and strengthening relations. Also in attendance at the meeting was Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-02-21
    President Lai meets Abe Akie, wife of late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo of Japan
    On the morning of February 21, President Lai Ching-te met with Abe Akie, the wife of late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo of Japan. In remarks, President Lai thanked Mrs. Abe for carrying on the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe, being a benevolent and determined force for regional peace and prosperity, and calling on all parties to continue to place attention on peace in the Taiwan Strait. The president stated that Taiwan will carry on the legacy and spirit of former President Lee Teng-hui and former Prime Minister Abe, safeguard the values of freedom and democracy, and deepen the Taiwan-Japan friendship. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Last May, Mrs. Abe came to Taiwan to attend the inauguration ceremony for myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, and we reminisced about the past here at the Presidential Office. I would like to warmly welcome her back today. I am also delighted to be meeting with all guests in attendance. Yesterday, Mrs. Abe and I attended the opening of the very first Halifax Taipei forum, for which Mrs. Abe also delivered a keynote speech earlier today. In her speech, she offered valuable input on global security and democratic development. I would like to thank Mrs. Abe for making this special trip to Taiwan to take part, showing her strong support for Taiwan. Former Prime Minister Abe pioneered the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and called on the international community to pay attention to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific. These have become common strategic goals of democratic countries around the world and will have a far-reaching influence over international developments and Taiwan’s security. They were important contributions that former Prime Minister Abe made in regard to the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region. Recently, current Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and United States President Donald Trump held a meeting and jointly reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, as well as opposed unilateral changes to the status quo by force or coercion. They also expressed support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. This shows that Prime Minister Ishiba is furthering the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe. We are very grateful for the former prime minister’s friendship toward Taiwan, and to Mrs. Abe for carrying on his legacy. Mrs. Abe is a benevolent and determined force for regional peace and prosperity, and has called on all parties at numerous public venues to continue to place attention on peace in the Taiwan Strait. Last December, for instance, she traveled at the invitation of President Trump and his wife to the US, where she addressed cross-strait issues and spoke up for Taiwan. We were deeply moved by this. As authoritarian states continue to expand, Taiwan will keep working alongside like-minded nations such as Japan and the US, as well as the European Union, to jointly contribute to regional and global peace and prosperity. I look forward to continued advancement of regional peace and prosperity with the help of Mrs. Abe’s efforts. Mrs. Abe will also be meeting with daughter of former President Lee and Lee Teng-hui Foundation Chairperson Annie Lee (李安妮) tomorrow. Former President Lee and former Prime Minister Abe were both fully devoted to promoting Taiwan-Japan relations. We will carry on their legacy and spirit, safeguard the values of freedom and democracy, and deepen the Taiwan-Japan friendship. In closing, I wish you all a smooth and successful visit. Mrs. Abe then delivered remarks, first expressing her sincere thanks to President Lai for taking the time to meet. She said that former Prime Minister Abe hailed from Yamaguchi Prefecture, and that accompanying her that day were House of Councillors Member Kitamura Tsuneo, Yamaguchi Prefecture Governor Muraoka Tsugumasa, Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly Deputy Speaker Shimata Noriaki, and many other important figures from Yamaguchi. If former Prime Minister Abe’s spirit could look upon this scene, she said, he would certainly be very pleased. Mrs. Abe recalled that when the former prime minister passed away, then-Vice President Lai traveled to their official residence to express his condolences and pay tribute. She said that she will never forget such a gesture of deep friendship, heartfelt condolences, and care. The year before last, she indicated, a memorial photo exhibition for former Prime Minister Abe was held in Taiwan, and many Taiwanese people from all walks of life came to view it. Last year, Mrs. Abe continued, she had the privilege of attending President Lai’s inauguration ceremony, where she met with many friends from Taiwan and personally felt the close and beautiful ties that Taiwan and Japan share. Mrs. Abe stated that she will carry out the wishes of former Prime Minister Abe and do her utmost to help raise Taiwan-Japan relations to new heights, saying that she looks forward to hearing the advice that President Lai and all those present have to offer. The delegation also included Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-02-20
    President Lai attends opening of 2025 Halifax Taipei forum
    On the afternoon of February 20, President Lai Ching-te attended the opening of the 2025 Halifax Taipei forum. In remarks, President Lai thanked the Halifax International Security Forum for their strong support for Taiwan, and for having chosen Taiwan as the first location outside North America to hold a forum. Noting that we face a complex global landscape, the president called on the international community to take action. He said that as authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must also come closer in solidarity, and called on the international community to create non-red global supply chains, as well as unite to usher in peace. President Lai emphasized that Taiwan will work toward maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and collaborate with democratic partners to form a global alliance for the AI chip industry and together greet a bright, new era. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I want to give a warm welcome to all the distinguished guests here at the very first Halifax Taipei forum. The Halifax International Security Forum, held every year in Canada, has been an important gathering for freedom-loving nations worldwide. I would like to thank Halifax and President [Peter] Van Praagh for their strong support for Taiwan. Every year since 2018, Taiwan has been invited to participate in the forum. Last year, former President Tsai Ing-wen was invited to speak, and this year, Halifax has chosen Taiwan as the first location outside North America to hold a forum. As President Van Praagh has said, “While the security challenges ahead are too big for any single country to solve alone, there is no challenge that can’t be met when the world’s democracies work together.” Today, we have world leaders and experts who traveled from afar to be here, showing that they value and support Taiwan. It demonstrates solidarity among democracies and the determination to take on challenges as one. I would like to express my gratitude and admiration to all of you for serving as defenders of freedom. At this very moment, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is still ongoing. Authoritarian regimes including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran continue to consolidate. China is hurting economies around the world through its dumping practices. We face grave challenges to global economic order, democracy, freedom, peace, and stability. Taiwan holds a key position on the first island chain, directly facing an authoritarian threat. But we will not be intimidated. We will stand firm and safeguard our national sovereignty, maintain our free and democratic way of life, and uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan cherishes peace, but we also have no delusions about peace. We will uphold the spirit of peace through strength, using concrete actions to build a stronger Taiwan and bolster the free and democratic community. I sincerely thank the international community for continuing to attach importance to the situation in the Taiwan Strait. Recently, US President Donald Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru issued a joint leaders’ statement expressing their firm support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and for Taiwan’s participation in international affairs. As we face a complex global landscape, I call on the international community to take the following actions: First, as authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must also come closer in solidarity. Just a few days ago, the top diplomats of the US, Japan, and South Korea held talks, underlining the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. They also conveyed their stance against “any effort to destabilize democratic institutions, economic independence, and global security.” On these issues, Taiwan will also continue to contribute its utmost. I recently announced that we will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP.  Soon after I assumed office last year, I formed the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee at the Presidential Office. This committee aims to combine the strengths of government and civil society to enhance our resilience in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy. We will also deepen our strategic partnerships in the democratic community to mutually increase defense resilience, demonstrate deterrence, and achieve our goal of peace throughout the world. Second, let’s create non-red global supply chains.  For the democratic community to deter the expansion of authoritarianism, it must have strong technological capabilities. These can serve as the backbone of national defense, promote industrial development, and enhance economic resilience. So, in addressing China’s red supply chain and the impact of its dumping, Taiwan is willing and able to work with global democracies to maintain the technological strengths among our partners and build resilient non-red supply chains. As a major semiconductor manufacturing nation, Taiwan will introduce an initiative on semiconductor supply chain partnerships for global democracies. We will collaborate with our democratic partners to form a global alliance for the AI chip industry and establish democratic supply chains for industries connected to high-end chips. The achievements of today’s semiconductor industry in Taiwan can be attributed to our collective efforts. Government, industry, academia, and research institutions had to overcome various challenges over the last 50 years for us to secure this position.  We hope Taiwan can serve as a base for linking the capabilities of our democratic partners so that each can play a suitable role in the semiconductor industry chain and develop its own strengths, deepening our mutually beneficial cooperation in technology. This benefits all of us. Moreover, it allows us to further enhance deterrence and maintain global security. Third, let’s unite to usher in peace. China has not stopped intimidating Taiwan politically and militarily. Last year, China launched several large-scale military exercises in the Taiwan Strait. Its escalation of gray-zone aggression now poses a grave threat to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will maintain the status quo. We will not seek conflict. Rather, we are willing to engage in dialogue with China, under the principles of parity and dignity, and work toward maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. As the agenda of this forum suggests, democracy and freedom create more than just opportunities; they also bring resilience, justice, partnerships, and security. Taiwan will continue working alongside its democratic partners to greet a bright, new era. Once again, a warm welcome to all of you. I wish this forum every success. Thank you. Also in attendance at the event were Mrs. Abe Akie, wife of the late former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo of Japan, and Halifax International Security Forum President Van Praagh.

    Details
    2025-02-18
    President Lai meets British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group delegation
    On the morning of February 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG). In remarks, President Lai thanked the delegation members, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the UK government for continuing to demonstrate support for Taiwan through a variety of means. He also stated that Taiwan-UK relations have advanced significantly in recent years, noting that the Taiwan-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) is the first institutionalized economic and trade framework signed between Taiwan and any European country. The president said he looks forward to continuing to deepen Taiwan-UK relations and jointly maintaining regional and global peace and stability, and indicated that together, we can create win-win developments for both Taiwan and the UK and Taiwan and European nations. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: This is the first UK parliamentary delegation of the current session to visit Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to you all. APPG Chair Sarah Champion visited Taiwan last May to attend the inauguration ceremony of myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao. In July, she also attended the annual summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), which was held in Taipei. I am delighted that we are meeting once again. Taiwan-UK relations have advanced significantly in recent years. I would especially like to thank our distinguished guests, as well as the UK Parliament and government, for continuing to demonstrate support for Taiwan through a variety of means. For example, the House of Commons held a debate on Taiwan’s international status last November. After the debate, a motion was unanimously passed affirming that United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan. Responding to the motion, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Catherine West stated that the UK opposes any attempt to broaden the interpretation of the resolution to rewrite history. This highlighted concrete progress in Taiwan-UK bilateral relations. I would also like to thank the UK Parliament and government for openly opposing on multiple occasions any unilateral change to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, and for emphasizing that the security of the Indo-Pacific and transatlantic regions is closely intertwined. We look forward to continuing to deepen Taiwan-UK relations and jointly maintaining regional and global peace and stability. Together, we can create win-win developments for both Taiwan and the UK and Taiwan and European nations. For example, the Taiwan-UK ETP is the first institutionalized economic and trade framework signed between Taiwan and any European country. We hope to swiftly conclude negotiations on signing sub-arrangements on investment, digital trade, and energy and net-zero transition. This will facilitate even more exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and the UK. We also hope that the UK will continue to support Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Together, we can build even more resilient global supply chains and further contribute to global prosperity and development. I believe that this visit adds to a strong and solid foundation for future Taiwan-UK cooperation. Thank you once again for backing Taiwan. I wish you a fruitful and successful visit. Chair Champion then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for his warm welcome and for the hospitality he has shown to her and the delegation, and thanking Taiwan’s excellent team of officials for their care and attention. Chair Champion expressed that she thinks the IPAC conference held in Taiwan at the end of July last year was very significant, with legislators from 23 countries coming to show support for Taiwan, adding that that is something they have built on since the conference. She stated that she is also very proud that the UK Parliament supported the motion which made very clear that UNGA Resolution 2758 is specific to China and only to China, expressing that it was important and powerful that they recognize that. The chair went on to say that after the UK’s general election, more than half of the members of parliament are now new. She said she is very proud that there are new MPs as part of the delegation, and that she hopes it gives President Lai reassurance that their commitment to Taiwan is still there.  Chair Champion emphasized that the all-party group is important because it is indeed all-party, and that they work together for their common interests, stating that the common interest for the UK and for the world is to maintain Taiwan’s sovereignty. She also noted that the United States has now come out very much in support of Taiwan, which she said she hopes encourages other countries around the world to do the same. Chair Champion said that the UK will be going into the 27th trade negotiation with Taiwan, and that they hope the partnership that develops is very fruitful. The chair closed by saying that it is wonderful for the delegation to be meeting President Lai, as well as legislators and ministers, and to be understanding more about the culture of Taiwan so that they can build a deeper, longer-lasting friendship. The delegation also included Lord Purvis of Tweed of the House of Lords and Members of Parliament Ben Spencer, Helena Dollimore, Noah Law, and David Reed. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Political and Communications Director at the British Office in Taipei Natasha Harrington.  

    Details
    2025-02-17
    President Lai meets former United States Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger
    On the morning of February 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by former United States Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger. In remarks, President Lai thanked the delegation for demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan through their visit. The president pointed out that increased cooperation between authoritarian regimes is posing risks and challenges to the geopolitical landscape and regional security. He emphasized that only by bolstering our defense capabilities can we demonstrate effective deterrence and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and around the world. The president stated that moving forward, Taiwan will continue to enhance its self-defense capabilities. He also expressed hope of strengthening the Taiwan-US partnership and jointly building secure and resilient non-red supply chains so as to ensure that Taiwan, the US, and democratic partners around the world maintain a technological lead. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome our good friends Mr. Pottinger and retired US Rear Admiral Mr. Mark Montgomery to Taiwan once again. Last June, Mr. Pottinger and Mr. Ivan Kanapathy came to Taiwan to launch their new book The Boiling Moat. During that visit, they also visited the Presidential Office. We held an extensive exchange of views on Taiwan-US relations and regional affairs right here in the Taiwan Heritage Room. Now, as we meet again eight months later, I am pleased to learn that Mr. Kanapathy is now serving on the White House National Security Council. The Mandarin translation of The Boiling Moat is also due to be released in Taiwan very soon. This book offers insightful observations from US experts regarding US-China-Taiwan relations and valuable advice for the strengthening of Taiwan’s national defense, security, and overall resilience. I am sure that Taiwanese readers will benefit greatly from it. I understand that this is Mr. Montgomery’s fourth visit to Taiwan and that he has long paid close attention to Taiwan-related issues. I look forward to an in-depth discussion with our two friends on the future direction of Taiwan-US relations and cooperation. Increased cooperation between authoritarian regimes is posing risks and challenges to the geopolitical landscape and regional security. One notion we all share is peace through strength. That is, only by bolstering our defense capabilities and fortifying our defenses can we demonstrate effective deterrence and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and around the world. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to enhance its self-defense capabilities. We also hope to strengthen the Taiwan-US partnership in such fields as security, trade and the economy, and energy. In addition, we will advance cooperation in critical and innovative technologies and jointly build secure and resilient non-red supply chains. This will ensure that Taiwan, the US, and democratic partners around the world maintain a technological lead. We believe that closer Taiwan-US exchanges and cooperation not only benefit national security and development but also align with the common economic interests of Taiwan and the US. I want to thank Mr. Pottinger and Mr. Montgomery once again for visiting and for continuing to advance Taiwan-US exchanges, demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan. Let us continue to work together to deepen Taiwan-US relations. I wish you a smooth and fruitful visit.  Mr. Pottinger then delivered remarks, first congratulating President Lai on his one-year election anniversary and on the state of the economy, which, he added, is doing quite well. Mentioning President Lai’s recent statement pledging to increase Taiwan’s defense budget to above 3 percent of GDP, Mr. Pottinger said he thinks that the benchmark is equal to what the US spends on its defense and that it is a good starting point for both countries to build deterrence. Echoing the president’s earlier remarks, Mr. Pottinger said that peace through strength is the right path for the US and for Taiwan right now at a moment when autocratic, aggressive governments are on the march. He then paraphrased the words of former US President George Washington in his first inaugural address, saying that the best way to keep the peace is to be prepared at all times for war, which captures the meaning of peace through strength. In closing, he said he looks forward to exchanging views with President Lai.

    Details
    2025-02-14
    President Lai holds press conference following high-level national security meeting
    On the morning of February 14, President Lai Ching-te convened the first high-level national security meeting of the year, following which he held a press conference. In remarks, President Lai announced that in this new year, the government will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that Taiwan’s defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. He stated that the government will also continue to reform national defense, reform our legal framework for national security, and advance our economic and trade strategy of being rooted in Taiwan while expanding globally. The president also proposed clear-cut national strategies for Taiwan-US relations, semiconductor industry development, and cross-strait relations. President Lai indicated that he instructed the national security and administrative teams to take swift action and deliver results, working within a stable strategic framework and according to the various policies and approaches outlined. He also instructed them to keep a close watch on changes in the international situation, seize opportunities whenever they arise, and address the concerns and hope of the citizens with concrete actions. He expressed hope that as long as citizens remain steadfast in their convictions, are willing to work hand in hand, stand firm amidst uncertainty, and look for ways to win within changing circumstances, Taiwan is certain to prevail in the test of time yet again. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, I would like to convey my condolences for the tragic incident which occurred at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store in Taichung, which resulted in numerous casualties. I have instructed Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) to lead the relevant central government agencies in assisting Taichung’s municipal government with actively resolving various issues regarding the incident. It is my hope that these issues can be resolved efficiently. Earlier today, I convened this year’s first high-level national security meeting. I will now report on the discussions from the meeting to all citizens. 2025 is a year full of challenges, but also a year full of hope. In today’s global landscape, the democratic world faces common threats posed by the convergence of authoritarian regimes, while dumping and unfair competition from China undermine the global economic order. A new United States administration was formed at the beginning of the year, adopting all-new strategies and policies to address challenges both domestic and from overseas. Every nation worldwide, including ours, is facing a new phase of changes and challenges. In face of such changes, ensuring national security, ensuring Taiwan’s indispensability in global supply chains, and ensuring that our nation continues to make progress amidst challenges are our top priorities this year. They are also why we convened a high-level national security meeting today. At the meeting, the national security team, the administrative team led by Premier Cho, and I held an in-depth discussion based on the overall state of affairs at home and abroad and the strategies the teams had prepared in response. We summed up the following points as an overall strategy for the next stage of advancing national security and development. First, for overall national security, so that we can ensure the freedom, democracy, and human rights of the Taiwanese people, as well as the progress and development of the nation as we face various threats from authoritarian regimes, Taiwan must resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, strengthen self-sufficiency in national defense, and consolidate national defense. Taiwan must enhance economic resilience, maintain economic autonomy, and stand firm with other democracies as we deepen our strategic partnerships with like-minded countries. As I have said, “As authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must come closer in solidarity!” And so, in this new year, we will focus on the following three priorities: First, to demonstrate our resolve for national defense, we will continue to reform national defense, implement whole-of-society defense resilience, and prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. Second, to counter the threats to our national security from China’s united front tactics, attempts at infiltration, and cognitive warfare, we will continue with the reform of our legal framework for national security and expand the national security framework to boost societal resilience and foster unity within. Third, to seize opportunities in the restructuring of global supply chains and realignment of the economic order, we will continue advancing our economic and trade strategy of being rooted in Taiwan while expanding globally, strengthening protections for high-tech, and collaborating with our friends and allies to build supply chains for global democracies. Everyone shares concern regarding Taiwan-US relations, semiconductor industry development, and cross-strait relations. For these issues, I am proposing clear-cut national strategies. First, I will touch on Taiwan-US relations. Taiwan and the US have shared ideals and values, and are staunch partners within the democratic, free community. We are very grateful to President Donald Trump’s administration for their continued support for Taiwan after taking office. We are especially grateful for the US and Japan’s joint leaders’ statement reiterating “the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community,” as well as their high level of concern regarding China’s threat to regional security. In fact, the Democratic Progressive Party government has worked very closely with President Trump ever since his first term in office, and has remained an international partner. The procurement of numerous key advanced arms, freedom of navigation critical for security and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and many assisted breakthroughs in international diplomacy were made possible during this time. Positioned in the first island chain and on the democratic world’s frontline countering authoritarianism, Taiwan is willing and will continue to work with the US at all levels as we pursue regional stability and prosperity, helping realize our vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Although changes in policy may occur these next few years, the mutual trust and close cooperation between Taiwan and Washington will steadfastly endure. On that, our citizens can rest assured. In accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, the US announced a total of 48 military sales to Taiwan over the past eight years amounting to US$26.265 billion. During President Trump’s first term, 22 sales were announced totaling US$18.763 billion. This greatly supported Taiwan’s defensive capabilities. On the foundation of our close cooperation with the past eight years’ two US administrations, Taiwan will continue to demonstrate our determination for self-defense, accelerate the bolstering of our national defense, and keep enhancing the depth and breadth of Taiwan-US security cooperation, along with all manner of institutional cooperation. In terms of bilateral economic cooperation, Taiwan has always been one of the US’s most reliable trade partners, as well as one of the most important cooperative partners of US companies in the global semiconductor industry. In the past few years, Taiwan has greatly increased both direct and indirect investment in the US. By 2024, investment surpassed US$100 billion, creating nearly 400,000 job opportunities. In 2023 and 2024, investment in the US accounted for over 40 percent of Taiwan’s overall foreign investment, far surpassing our investment in China. In fact, in 2023 and 2024, Taiwanese investment in China fell to 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively. The US is now Taiwan’s biggest investment target. Our government is now launching relevant plans in accordance with national development needs and the need to establish secure supply systems, and the Executive Yuan is taking comprehensive inventory of opportunities for Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation. Moving forward, close bilateral cooperation will allow us to expand US investment and procurement, facilitating balanced trade. Our government will also strengthen guidance and support for Taiwanese enterprises on increasing US investment, and promote the global expansion and growth of Taiwan’s industries. We will also boost Taiwan-US cooperation in tech development and manufacturing for AI and advanced semiconductors, and work together to maintain order in the semiconductor market, shaping a new era for our strategic economic partnership. Second, the development of our semiconductor industry. I want to emphasize that Taiwan, as one of the world’s most capable semiconductor manufacturing nations, is both willing and able to address new situations. With respect to President Trump’s concerns about our semiconductor industry, the government will act prudently, strengthen communications between Taiwan and the US, and promote greater mutual understanding. We will pay attention to the challenges arising from the situation and assist businesses in navigating them. In addition, we will introduce an initiative on semiconductor supply chain partnerships for global democracies. We are willing to collaborate with the US and our other democratic partners to develop more resilient and diversified semiconductor supply chains. Leveraging our strengths in cutting-edge semiconductors, we will form a global alliance for the AI chip industry and establish democratic supply chains for industries connected to high-end chips. Through international cooperation, we will open up an entirely new era of growth in the semiconductor industry. As we face the various new policies of the Trump administration, we will continue to uphold a spirit of mutual benefit, and we will continue to communicate and negotiate closely with the US government. This will help the new administration’s team to better understand how Taiwan is an indispensable partner in the process of rebuilding American manufacturing and consolidating its leadership in high-tech, and that Taiwan-US cooperation will benefit us both. Third, cross-strait relations. Regarding the regional and cross-strait situation, Taiwan-US relations, US-China relations, and interactions among Taiwan, the US, and China are a focus of global attention. As a member of the international democratic community and a responsible member of the region, Taiwan hopes to see Taiwan-US relations continue to strengthen and, alongside US-China relations, form a virtuous cycle rather than a zero-sum game where one side’s gain is another side’s loss. In facing China, Taiwan will always be a responsible actor. We will neither yield nor provoke. We will remain resilient and composed, maintaining our consistent position on cross-strait relations: Our determination to safeguard our national sovereignty and protect our free and democratic way of life remains unchanged. Our efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as our willingness to work alongside China in the pursuit of peace and mutual prosperity across the strait, remain unchanged. Our commitment to promoting healthy and orderly exchanges across the strait, choosing dialogue over confrontation, and advancing well-being for the peoples on both sides of the strait, under the principles of parity and dignity, remains unchanged. Regarding the matters I reported to the public today, I have instructed our national security and administrative teams to take swift action and deliver results, working within a stable strategic framework and according to the various policies and approaches I just outlined. I have also instructed them to keep a close watch on changes in the international situation, seize opportunities whenever they arise, and address the concerns and hope of the citizens with concrete actions. My fellow citizens, over the past several years, Taiwan has weathered a global pandemic and faced global challenges, both political and economic, arising from the US-China trade war and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Through it all, Taiwan has persevered; we have continued to develop our economy, bolster our national strength, and raise our international profile while garnering more support – all unprecedented achievements. This is all because Taiwan’s fate has never been decided by the external environment, but by the unity of the Taiwanese people and the resolve to never give up. A one-of-a-kind global situation is creating new strategic opportunities for our one-of-a-kind Taiwanese people, bringing new hope. Taiwan’s foundation is solid; its strength is great. So as long as everyone remains steadfast in their convictions, is willing to work hand in hand, stands firm amidst uncertainty, and looks for ways to win within changing circumstances, Taiwan is certain to prevail in the test of our time yet again, for I am confident that there are no difficulties that Taiwan cannot overcome. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Our film won an Oscar. But here in West Bank’s Masafer Yatta we’re still being erased.’

    AMY GOODMAN: And the Oscars were held Sunday evening. History was made in the best documentary category.

    SAMUEL L. JACKSON: And the Oscar goes to ‘No Other Land’.

    AMY GOODMAN: The Palestinian-Israeli film No Other Land won for best documentary. The film follows the struggles of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank community of Masafer Yatta to stay on their land amidst violent attacks by Israeli settlers aimed at expelling them. The film was made by a team of Palestinian-Israeli filmmakers, including the Palestinian journalist Basel Adra, who lives in Masafer Yatta, and the Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham. 

    Both filmmakers — Palestinian activist and journalist Basel Adra, who lives in Masafer Yatta, and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham — spoke at the ceremony. Adra became the first Palestinian filmmaker to win an Oscar.

    BASEL ADRA: Thank you to the Academy for the award. It’s such a big honor for the four of us and everybody who supported us for this documentary.

    About two months ago, I became a father. And my hope to my daughter, that she will not have to live the same life I am living now, always fearing — always — always fearing settlers’ violence, home demolitions and forceful displacements that my community, Masafer Yatta, is living and facing every day under the Israeli occupation.

    ‘No Other Land’ reflects the harsh reality that we have been enduring for decades and still resist as we call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people.

    YUVAL ABRAHAM: We made this — we made this film, Palestinians and Israelis, because together our voices are stronger.

    We see each other — the atrocious destruction of Gaza and its people, which must end; the Israeli hostages brutally taken in the crime of October 7th, which must be freed.

    When I look at Basel, I see my brother. But we are unequal. We live in a regime where I am free under civilian law and Basel is under military laws that destroy his life and he cannot control.

    There is a different path: a political solution without ethnic supremacy, with national rights for both of our people. And I have to say, as I am here: The foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path.

    And, you know, why? Can’t you see that we are intertwined, that my people can be truly safe if Basel’s people are truly free and safe? There is another way.

    It’s not too late for life, for the living. There is no other way. Thank you.


    Israeli and Palestinian documentary ‘No Other Land’ wins Oscar. Video: Democracy Now!

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese Government backs maritime skills and training

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    The Albanese Labor Government is investing $16.9 million to support skills and training in the maritime industry. 

    A new maritime skills and training initiative will give up to 20 trainee seafarers each year, for four years, access to berths to complete sea time required for international certification.

    This will support the Government’s maritime Strategic Fleet and the broader industry.

    $2.5 million will also flow to the Transport and Logistics Jobs and Skills Council (JSC) to address training barriers, and ultimately Australia’s maritime skills shortage.

    The JSC’s 2024 Maritime Workforce Plan confirmed that access to training berths is a major issue, with lacking coordination across industry and training providers resulting in sea time not being effectively accessed and utilised.

    Today’s announcement directly responds to recommendations identified by both the Maritime Workforce Plan and Strategic Fleet Taskforce Final Report, and will also support the implementation and long-term sustainability of a maritime Strategic Fleet.

    The Government released the Strategic Fleet Taskforce Final Report in November 2023, before undertaking targeted consultation with vessel operators and unions.

    We are now moving ahead with delivering on the report’s recommendations. 

    Late last year, the Strategic Fleet Pilot tender closed and proposals are now being evaluated as part of a competitive, open and transparent procurement process.

    The Government also appointed Ms Lynelle Briggs and Prof Nicholas Gaskell to co-chair reviews of the Shipping Registration Act 1981 and Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012 to support the long-term sustainability of Australia’s maritime industry and Strategic Fleet, which are now underway.

    Meanwhile, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority is collaborating with the Fair Work Ombudsman to address wage theft issues aboard foreign-flagged vessels operating under the Coastal Trading Act, signing an updated Memorandum of Understanding earlier this year.

    Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “Our investment in a new skills and training program will give trainee seafarers vital access to berths onboard vessels – including those under contract to the Australian Government – needed to meet their international certification. 

    “Not only will this be welcome news for vocational and tertiary level qualified seafarers in need of sea time, it will also support the vessels offering the training berths.

    “This is yet another demonstration of our Government’s commitment to investing in a sustainable maritime industry, one with the skills needed to thrive into the future.”

    Quotes attributable to Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles:

    “The maritime industry is so important to the Australian economy, so it is critical that we have the skilled seafarers to keep it afloat.

    “We’ve recently established a Maritime Skills Network, bringing together government, industry and unions, to come up with solutions to challenges in the sector and this announcement will go a long way towards workforce shortage concerns.

    “This program will ensure a pipeline of trained Australian seafarers over the coming years that can fill critical functions such as harbour masters, marine pilots and regulatory roles protecting our environment and the safety of vessels operating in our waters.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Press conference – Australian Maritime College

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    JESS TEESDALE: We’re very excited to welcome the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King, here today, particularly some of the announcements that we’re about to hear. So very, very grateful. Thank you so much, Minister.

    CATHERINE KING: Thanks, Jess. Well, it’s terrific to be here at the Australian Maritime College with Jess Teesdale, Labor’s Candidate for the seat of Bass. I’m very much looking forward to- I hear fabulous things about Jess everywhere I go and I’m very much looking forward to, hopefully, seeing her – after the election, whenever that might be – to seeing her with us in Canberra as the Federal Member for Bass.

    Well, today I particularly want to acknowledge Mal Wise, who’s a former friend and- well, a good friend and colleague who has hosted us here at the Australian Maritime College. One of the things that we have been very conscious of as a government is that our maritime skills are incredibly important. They’re part of an important part of the sovereign capability we have as a nation, and so many of them are trained here.

    And today we are announcing that, as part of the work that we did on the strategic fleet and as part of the work both through representations from the Maritime Union of Australia and the Maritime Industry associations, that we really do want to make sure that all of the fabulous students who are coming through this college are able to start to get access to sea time. One of the blockers of actually getting maritime skills is actually getting that sea time, getting that berth on a ship to be able to complete the practical parts of your training that you need to actually do.

    And so today, we’re announcing over $16.9 million over the next four years which will pay for 20 seafarers to actually get, with industry, berths on ships to get that sea time. As I said, this is a really important part of our sovereign capability. And often what will happen, we know that the students that come through here are in very high demand. But in order to get that sea time, often many of them have to go overseas to do that and we don’t get them back. 

    So, if we’re going to have those seafarers for our Defence forces, for our civil maritime sector which is so important, particularly here in Tasmania but right the way across our coastline, we need to actually make sure that we can keep that training pipeline. This has been a really significant issue for some time. We’ve been working with Jobs and Skills Australia on this work as well, and some of the funding will go also to their different industry groups to actually continue that work to actually get the berths.

    The other thing that we’re here in Launnie today I’m announcing is some really significant road funding. We’ve been working with the Tasmanian Government on what are the next tranches of funding for roads that really do need investment here in this community. And so we’re announcing here a $43 million package of new road funding. Both planning money, so one of the things that has been a hallmark of the Albanese-Labor Government is what we’ve been trying to do is make sure we invest early in planning; we get that planning, design services movement work. We get the funding to do that first, then we make sure we’ve got a very clear eyed view about what investments needed if needed for that to go forward.

    So, $20 million we’re announcing to do the detailed design work for a new crossing of the Tamar. I know how important that is. It has been on the books for a long period of time, and so working with the Tasmanian Government to actually get that second crossing, $20 million from the Albanese-Labor Government to really ensure that we’ve got that work done. That combined, of course, with money that’s going – $10 million – towards Esk Main Road. And particularly, trying to look at how do we deal with the bottleneck at St Mary’s Pass, and how do we actually get what the alternatives might be so that $10 million really working with the Tasmanian Government to developing, and what those alternate routes might be, and working from there.

    We’ve also announced some further money to really do that planning work, again, through Devonport to Cradle Mountain. What we know is that there is significant issues either to get people there, the road is not adequate, and so we’re increasing our commitment to $6.3 million to do that planning work again. To get a better understanding of how we actually can do the work to actually improve the roads that go to Cradle Mountain as well.

    The other thing we’ve announced today, and Jess and I just went out and had a look at it just before we came here, is active transport. For the first time, we’ve had $100 million dedicated out of the Infrastructure Investment Program specifically for active transport. We know along many of our main roads, there just isn’t room for people to cycle safely, for people to work- walk their push- or walk their children in pushes, or to walk, or people on mobility scooters to get around. So a $1.3 million investment alongside Launceston City Council and also the Mersey Valley Council as well to do two active paths as well. So that’s part of the package that we’re here announcing today – a really significant investment in moving people around, but also training the next generation of seafarers. I can’t think of a better place to have been able to do that than the Australian Maritime College, which is a significant part of the eco-structure of training those seafarers into the future. I’m really happy to take questions.

    JOURNALIST: Maybe firstly on the funding for the Tamar bridge …

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah.

    JOURNALIST: … that’s been an ongoing issue for years. We’ve already seen millions poured into feasibility studies and planning. A lot of locals would see this as just more money for more planning. When’s the planning actually going to end?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, when the planning ends is when you actually have a plan – you know what it is that you’re actually going to build, you’ve done the geotech work to understand underground, what can you actually do, you’ve actually done what the route is, where you have to look at land acquisition, all of those things. And we are very serious about that. This is something that has been asked for by the Tasmanian Government and- wants that investment to try and make sure that this time we get it right. I don’t invest in planning money without then knowing that in the future, I am then going to be asked for construction money. But what we do first is put that planning money in, particularly because this will be a significant investment, a really significant investment. You don’t build a bridge for a small- that amount of money. It is a significant investment that will be required. But the planning money allows us to get an understanding of exactly what the costs are going to be going forward.

    JOURNALIST: The Tasmanian Government put in a planning proposal to Infrastructure Australia last year for the bridge. So was that plan not good enough?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, this isn’t- that wasn’t funded. That is a business case that they’ve put in. This is doing the actual work to plan the bridge. This is, you know, the structural elements that are needed in order to actually build a bridge.

    JOURNALIST: And is this promised funding, like, already budgeted? Or is this an election [indistinct]?

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah, this is already budgeted. Correct.

    JOURNALIST: Is- I suppose, like- that funding [indistinct] a guarantee that the- I suppose, the Federal Government will also fund the [indistinct] bridge being built later on?

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah. So what you’ve seen in the history of the reforms that I took to Infrastructure Australia and also the reforms I’ve taken to our infrastructure investment pipeline, which is the Government’s co-funding that we do with states and territories, is what I’ve done is reformed it so that we now have planning money. We’ve got a 10-year pipeline of projects from every state and territory coming forward. We’ve got a clear view about what the priorities are for each state and territory. We fund the planning, we get a good understanding of exactly what is needed, we do that detailed design work and then we look to then in subsequent budgets, put the money for construction. You don’t do planning without saying that, you’re actually then going to invest in the bridge later on.

    JOURNALIST: How quickly would the Federal Government like the Tasmanian Government to get this planning completed?

    CATHERINE KING: We always like things to be done as quickly as possible, but infrastructure, particularly big scale infrastructure, takes time. And we expect- we want that planning work to be done well. We want to make sure that we actually get a very- as I said, a very clear view of what the actual costs of the bridge will be, because it won’t be cheap. Let’s be realistic about that. It will be an expensive bridge to build.

    JOURNALIST: And that $3.8 million extra for the Devonport to Cradle Mountain Corridor …

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah.

    JOURNALIST: …does that include a potential future cableway at Cradle Mountain?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, what I fund out of the infrastructure Investment Program is land transport. So I fund road, and that’s really what I, as Transport and Infrastructure Minister, are- looking at. Obviously, if there is a request to build a- [indistinct] which had some previous money but really was substantially underfunded, realistically the amount of money that was allocated wasn’t going to go anywhere near actually building that. In order- if that is what the Tasmanian Government wants instead of the roads, then they’ll need to come and put forward a proposition to either me or to the Prime Minister about what that looks like. What this money will do is- really substantially looking at the road infrastructure, and how do you get people up there by car or bus.

    JOURNALIST: And on the- maybe on the seafarers, that $16.9 million – so would that go directly to the AMC, or will it go to a shipping company?

    CATHERINE KING: So we’re just working through that at the moment. Obviously, we will need to work both with shipping companies, with colleges and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, who also have the Jobs and Skills Australia, to look at how we can commission those berths. The money will need to obviously go to the shippers themselves to actually pay for the berths on the ships, but we just want to make sure we’ve got that pipeline well and truly ready there. We’ve seen a great surge of students here through the Australian Maritime College, but what we also want to do is make sure that we’re seeing continued- or we’re seen- to see a surge of students who’re actually wanting to do sea time to actually work on ships, not so much as well as the land side.

    JOURNALIST: Realistically, then, how soon could seafarers have that on-sea training?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, the money will be available shortly. But again, we’ve got to do that negotiation, and again, you’re seeing- you’ll get a chance to talk to some of the people from SeaLink who are really fantastic at providing sea time for trainees out of the college here. But we’ve still got to do a little bit of work in order to bring that online, but- realistically, the money is available now, but we’ll need to negotiate those berths through with each company.

    JOURNALIST: And in terms of the, I suppose [indistinct] as well, how soon, kind of will- like, that money be made available?

    CATHERINE KING: Again, it’ll be up to the Tasmanian Government. They have asked requested the money of us. We’re now saying that that is available. They have to put a project proposal report to me, and we’ll release that money once that report’s given to us.

    JOURNALIST: And of what- like, you- I suppose I’m seeing of the highways on …

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah.

    JOURNALIST: … I suppose, on both sides of the Tamar – how crucial is that bridge?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, I think it’s- one of the things that people talk about in Launceston particularly is that sort of bottleneck, that you’re really needing- having to go such a long way around to actually get across the river. And being able to make that second crossing feasible to really open up different parts, you’re seeing- a lot of people want to come to Tasmania to live. A lot of people want to- we’re seeing new housing estates pop up, and we’ve really got to make sure we can move people around this in a better way, and really, the second bridge crossing is about that, and so doing that planning work now in anticipation of building a new bridge.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ must protest Israel’s latest ‘weasel out’ war crime cutting humanitarian aid, says PSNA

    Asia Pacific Report

    One of the leading Palestinian solidarity groups in Aotearoa New Zealand has demanded that the government condemn Israel’s cutting off of all humanitarian aid to Gaza.

    Israel announced its latest “humanitarian outrage” against the Palestinian people of Gaza as it tries to renegotiate the three-phased ceasefire agreement it signed with Hamas in January.

    “Israel is trying to weasel its way out of the agreement because it doesn’t want to negotiate stage two which requires it to withdraw its troops from Gaza,” said Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) co-national chair John Minto.

    “Israel signed the ceasefire agreement and it must be forced to follow it through,” he said in a statement today.

    “Cutting off humanitarian aid is a blatant war crime and New Zealand must say so without equivocation.

    “Our government has been complicit with Israeli war crimes for the past 16 months and has previously refused to condemn Israel’s use of humanitarian aid as a weapon of war.

    “It’s time we got off our knees and stood up for international law and United Nations resolutions.”

    Violation of Geneva Conventions
    Meanwhile, a Democrat senator, Peter Welch (vermont), yesterday joined the global condemnation of the Israeli “weaponisation” of humanitarian aid.

    In a brief post on X, responding to Israel blocking the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza, Senator Peter Welch, a Democrat from Vermont, simply said:

    In a brief message on X, Senator Welch said: “This is a violation of the Geneva Conventions.”

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has hailed the launch of the Berlin Initiative led by former peace negotiators Yossi Beilin and Hiba Husseini.

    In a statement, Guterres said the world must end this terrible war and lay the foundations for lasting peace, “one that ensures security for Israel, dignity and self-determination for the Palestinian people, and stability for the entire region”.

    This required a clear political framework for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction, he said.

    “It requires immediate and irreversible steps towards a two-State solution — with Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, unified under a legitimate Palestinian authority, accepted and supported by the Palestinian people.

    “And it requires putting an end to occupation, settlement expansion and threats of annexation.”

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Emerging business risks in 2025

    Source: Allens Insights

    Navigating the challenges in a complex environment 7 min read

    We are in the midst of rapid technological advancements, shifting regulatory and political landscapes, evolving social expectations and visible impacts of climate change. In this context, Australian companies and their directors and officers are navigating an increasingly complex, inter-connected and unpredictable risk environment.

    Key takeaways

    As part of our ongoing CPD Series, Allens hosted a discussion with Christine Holman, a senior non-executive director with over 30 years of experience, on the emerging risks boards and management are facing in 2025. The session highlighted several key issues that are expected to shape the year ahead.

    • Geopolitical uncertainty is an increasingly prominent feature of the international landscape, threatening global supply chains and operational stability.
    • Inflation will continue to trouble economies around the world, spilling across borders and putting a strain on business financial performance.
    • Cyber incidents have escalated in frequency, scale, sophistication and severity.
    • Climate change is having increasingly tangible impacts on the natural environment in which Australian businesses operate.
    • Reputational issues tie directly to company value as they are scrutinised under a media spotlight of higher political, regulatory and social expectations.
    • Technological advancements are occurring faster than ever, requiring businesses to adapt quickly to respond to new opportunities whilst managing the risks they present.

    The discussion also touched on the practical steps companies can take to navigate these risks, not only to avoid exposure to downside scenarios, but to capitalise on the opportunities that lie ahead.

    Geopolitical uncertainty

    In recent years—and indeed just these last few days—there have been growing challenges to the post-World War II, rules-based world order, which has given way to increasing geopolitical instability around the world.

    Prolonged military conflicts have significantly impacted civilian populations through displacement, loss of life and heightened instability, whilst more broadly resulting in actions such as sanctions and supply disruptions. In addition, the rise of protectionist and nationalistic ideologies is now seeing the return of tariffs and pullback from previously settled global trade relationships. In this evolving environment, Australian businesses will need to remain vigilant given the importance of our trade relationship with China and our close security ties with the United States.

    In addition, as we move towards a federal election this year, there is the potential for these forces to manifest in domestic regulatory and economic policy settings as our politicians react to these global trends.

    Our experience has been that good governance, regular risk assessments and scenario planning, and appropriate management structures, assist to navigate these geopolitical challenges.

    Prolonged inflation

    At the same time, many economies including Australia have been experiencing pronounced and persistent inflation following global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. These conditions have caused significant cost-of-living pressure at the individual household level, which is projected across the broader economy in the form of reduced demand and heightened uncertainty for businesses.

    In an environment like this, we see best practice involving companies seeking to plan for all scenarios. This often involves stress testing financial models and, if possible, looking to diversify supply chains to reduce exposure to economic fluctuations.

    Cybersecurity

    In 2024, the Australian Signals Directorate saw a cybercrime being recorded every six minutes. The growing frequency of major incidents in recent years has put a spotlight on the cyber vulnerabilities of Australian businesses and the huge consequences they can have for customers and shareholders.

    Cybersecurity has become a critical business continuity issue, though not all those in senior positions in Australian companies have experience in responding to cyber incidents. To bridge this gap, boards and senior management should be kept abreast of the relevant issues in this area both within and outside the company. Cyber strategies should not just be in place but be understood, and boards should challenge and validate the information they are given by management to test and assess these strategies where they see fit. This includes seeking out opportunities to learn from prominent examples in the market and undertaking live simulation exercises to test preparedness.

    Climate change

    Although climate change has been on the agenda for quite some time, it is an area that continues to evolve. Recent legislative reforms mean that certain Australian companies will soon publish their first mandatory sustainability reports. At the same time, we are seeing some stakeholders around the world signal a retreat from environmental initiatives and commitments, even as the physical effects of climate change continue to manifest in communities globally.

    Companies will need to be ready to comply with regulations in this space as they are introduced and, as part of good business planning, take steps to identify and mitigate their exposure to climate-related risks. From a risk mitigation perspective, this is particularly pertinent in Australia given it is the second-most popular jurisdiction globally for climate change litigation.

    Reputational matters

    Although a company’s reputation has always had intrinsic value, that value has become more tangible and apparent through the significant disruption and real financial consequences that some companies have felt when their reputation has come under the spotlight.

    Through this lens, there is an increasing sensitivity amongst customers and stakeholders to incidents or behaviour within companies that—whilst not necessarily illegal—falls below public expectations. Perceived shortcomings, whether justified or not, have seen some companies suffer significant loss in shareholder value, even if the financial performance of the company was otherwise sound.

    This focus has placed a spotlight on the role of the board in embedding and enforcing cultural expectations within the workplace.

    Artificial intelligence

    The continued development and adoption of artificial intelligence tools in the workplace has the potential to be one of the most important developments in the way we work in our lifetime. Companies that do not adapt quickly enough risk a competitive disadvantage, whilst those overly keen to embrace it need to ensure they understand the inherent risks in the technology and are attuned to the regulatory requirements and ethical considerations that flow from it.

    Understanding AI’s capabilities and limitations in the context of a specific business is critical, and key in informing the scale and pace at which the company should move. Companies are well placed to navigate these considerations where they foster a culture of lightweight R&D amongst their own people, including by investing in AI literacy at all levels of the organisation right up to the board.

    Responding to emerging risks

    Given the potential for emerging risks to evolve quickly and unpredictably, including those outlined above, managing these issues presents a formidable challenge, especially when directors and management are already grappling with significant responsibilities.

    With this in mind, we have seen companies position themselves to succeed when they do the following:

    Prioritise the information flowing to directors and streamline the issues they are being asked to consider and the decisions they are required to make. Information should be presented clearly and succinctly, so that directors can be confident they are getting the right information to make decisions and allocating their time appropriately across different issues.

    A management structure with clear allocation of responsibilities provides confidence that risks—including new ones—will be identified at the appropriate level and that they will be escalated and addressed as necessary. A good management structure is one which is explicit and transparent in its decision-making processes. It avoids relying on a leap of faith in the sufficiency of general policies and routine processes to adequately address more nuanced issues.

    Emerging risks can be highly complex and, by their very nature, involve new frontiers in dealing with issues that may be non-core or unfamiliar to the business. This underscores the importance of ongoing training programs and educational sessions for the board geared towards emerging risks and refreshing newer skills like digital and technology literacy. At the management level, it is necessary to consider the appropriateness of organisational structures and reporting lines to ensure they account for emerging risks. This could involve investing in personnel with expertise in particular areas of increasing prominence, such as cybersecurity and geopolitical strategy, who are equipped to execute strategy in practice, day to day.

    What’s next?

    Managing risk well can create opportunities as strategies and decisions play out in the global corporate landscape. We can expect all stakeholders—including regulators—to continue to keep a close eye on how Australian companies fare in 2025.

    The significance and complexity of a company’s emerging risk profile may be a daunting prospect to think about in abstract, but being informed and proactive are important early steps in identifying and managing these issues. When focusing on risks, it is instinctive to focus on possible downsides—however, the other side of the coin is the enormous opportunities that can be realised when strategies and decisions allow the company to effectively navigate these challenges.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tech companies’ proposed new safety codes won’t protect all kids online

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Toby Murray, Professor of Cybersecurity, School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne

    Ludovic Toinel/Unsplash

    In July last year, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, directed tech companies to develop codes of practice to keep children safe from online porn and harmful content. Now, after seven months, the industry has submitted draft codes to eSafety for approval.

    eSafety is currently assessing the draft codes.

    Assuming Grant approves the new codes, what can we expect the future to look like for children and teens online? And how effective will the proposed codes be at protecting children?

    A coordinated approach

    The codes submitted for approval were developed by a group of industry associations.

    They cover social media platforms such as Facebook and Snapchat. But they also cover internet service providers, search engines such as Google, online messaging services such as WhatsApp, online gaming platforms, as well as the manufacturers of the computers, mobile phones and software we use to access online services.

    The codes will also cover online app stores such as those operated by Apple and Google. However, app store codes aren’t expected to be released until late March.

    As well as covering a range of companies, the codes also cover a range of harms. They aim to protect kids not only from online pornography but also content that promotes self-harm, eating disorders, suicide and violence.

    Given the difficulty of protecting kids from this kind of content, this coordinated approach is absolutely essential.

    If the draft codes are approved, companies will have six months to implement the proposed safety measures. They will face fines of up to A$50 million for non-compliance.

    What’s in store?

    The draft codes are broken up across different parts of the tech ecosystem. The requirements they place on individual tech platforms depend on the danger harmful content on each platform poses to children.

    Large social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) are likely to be categorised among the most dangerous. That’s because it’s possible for users to access extremely harmful content such as child sexual abuse or terrorist material on these platforms. Plus, these platforms serve millions of people and also allow users to create public profiles, maintain “friend” lists, and share content widely.

    According to the draft codes, these platforms will need to implement the most stringent safety measures. These include using age-assurance measures to prevent children under the minimum age allowed to access the service from doing so, having an appropriately resourced trust and safety team, and using automated systems to detect and remove child abuse and pro-terror material.

    On the other hand, less risky platforms won’t be subject to any requirements under the draft codes. These include online platforms that allow only limited communication within a specific group of people and without social media features such as friends lists and public profiles. Platforms for communication within a primary school such as Compass would be among the least risky.

    Online search engines such as Google and Bing – which provide access to adult and self-harm content, but are legitimately used by children – will be required to implement appropriate measures to prevent children accessing that content.

    This may include enabling safe-search features and establishing child-user accounts. These accounts would include features that automatically blur harmful content and filter such content from search results and recommendation algorithms

    The codes also cover emerging harmful technology, such as deepfake porn apps powered by generative artificial intelligence. Like traditional porn sites, these will be required to implement age-assurance technology to prevent children using these services.

    What about age assurance?

    The codes specifically define what age-assurance measures are considered “appropriate”.

    Importantly, just because an age-checking system can be bypassed doesn’t disqualify it. Instead, age assurance measures must include “reasonable steps” to ensure someone is of age, while balancing privacy concerns.

    Requiring users to self-declare their age is not appropriate. So expect to see porn sites do away with click-through dialogs asking visitors to declare they are really adults.

    Instead, sites will have a range of options for assuring their users’ ages, including photo ID, estimating age based on facial images or video, having a parent attest to a child’s age, leveraging credit card checks, or AI-based methods for age inference.

    Different measures are likely to be used by different companies and systems.

    For example, Apple has already announced a range of new child safety measures that appear to align with many parts of the draft codes. These include making it easier for parents to set up child safety features on kids’ iPads and iPhones, using a parent’s payment information to ensure they can safely attest to their child’s age, as well as app store integration of child safety features to enable app developers to make their apps safer for children.

    On the other hand, adult sites and apps are likely to adopt age-assurance mechanisms that users perceive to be more private. For paying subscribers, they are likely to leverage the credit information already stored to assure the users’ age.

    Non-subscribers may instead be required to submit to a facial scan or other AI-based methods to estimate their age.

    Publicly available data on state-of-the-art systems for age estimation from facial images suggests the best systems have an average error of 3.7 years.

    Whether eSafety will agree such technology is “appropriate” remains to be seen. However, if it is adopted, there is a real risk many teens will remain able to access online porn and harmful deepfake apps despite these new codes.

    Toby Murray receives funding from Google. He is director of the Defence Science Institute, which receives funding from Victorian and Tasmanian state governments, and from the Commonwealth Department of Defence.

    – ref. Tech companies’ proposed new safety codes won’t protect all kids online – https://theconversation.com/tech-companies-proposed-new-safety-codes-wont-protect-all-kids-online-251266

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement on McMahon Confirmation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement after the Senate confirmed, by a vote of 51-45, Linda McMahon to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education:

    “Despite being one of the world’s largest per-pupil investors in education, the U.S. continues to see student outcomes fall behind at alarming rates, with significant declines in core subjects like reading and mathematics.  As part of reversing this downward trend, the federal government must comprehensively evaluate its strengths and weaknesses when it comes to administering education programs.  Linda McMahon will bring this much-needed, outside-the-box thinking to the U.S. Department of Education, where she will also focus on key priorities such as defending Title IX and combating antisemitism on college campuses.  During President Trump’s first term, she excelled in leading the U.S. Small Business Administration.  That experience, as well as her positions on the Connecticut Board of Education and the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University, will enable her to effectively fulfill President Trump’s vision for the federal government’s role in education.  I congratulate Secretary McMahon on her confirmation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Auckland dean welcomes medical training places

    Source: University of Auckland

    Government announcements positive, says University of Auckland dean

    The government’s announcement today to fund more locally trained doctors and more places for graduate doctors in general practice is welcomed by the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences dean Professor Warwick Bagg.
     
    Health Minister Hon Simeon Brown today announced an increase of 25 training places for doctors in the two existing medical schools and training opportunities in primary health for up to 50 New Zealand-trained graduate doctors. Yesterday, the Minister announced 100 clinical places for overseas-trained doctors to work in primary care
     
    Professor Bagg says the announcements recognise the urgent workforce needs of the health system.
     
    “Every New Zealander knows our health system is under strain, and we need a range of solutions to meet those needs. The announcements are excellent news. The University of Auckland looks forward to offering more places for students to study medicine.”

    The additional 25 places will raise the cap on second-year medical school enrolments at the universities of Auckland and Otago to 639 in 2026. The University has previously advised the government that the two universities can educate a further 120 doctors.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Votes Against Overreaching Bill to Require Genital Exams for Young Girls in Sports

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto released the following statement after voting against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, an over-broad bill that would open the door to genital exams for young girls on local sports teams.

    “I support fair play and safety and do not support transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports when it compromises those principles. I believe local schools, student athletes, coaches, and parents are much better equipped to implement fair, strong policies on this issue than politicians in Congress. This blanket legislation would allow anyone to subject girls to invasive physical exams just because of the way they look. That is incredible government overreach and is putting young women at increased risk for abuse and harassment – something I’ve spent my career fighting against.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine on Legislation that Would Defund Public Schools & Subject Children to Uncomfortable Physical Scrutiny

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after voting to block a procedural move on legislation to prevent transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports:

     

    “Right now, Congress should be focused on passing bills that lower grocery prices, not ones that threaten to defund public schools and gut world-class American colleges and universities. But instead, Republicans are poised to eliminate the Department of Education, while at the same time trying to dictate how individual schools should run their sports programs and subjecting children to uncomfortable scrutiny, invasive questioning, and even harassment. We will be voting to prevent this bill from moving forward and to leave the decision of how to best integrate transgender students into sports in the hands of parents, educators and state athletic associations—not the federal government.”

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Yukon announces $4.96 million increase to the Comprehensive Municipal Grant

    Government of Yukon announces $4.96 million increase to the Comprehensive Municipal Grant
    jlutz

    The Government of Yukon knows that municipalities need sustainable, predictable funding to deliver services to their residents. Following a review by the joint Government of Yukon and Association of Yukon Communities (AYC) Comprehensive Municipal Grant (CMG) Enhancement Task Force, the Government of Yukon will be increasing the Comprehensive Municipal Grant by $4.96 million through Budget 2025–26, subject to legislative approval.

    The update will take effect on April 1, 2025, with a total of $29.5 million being transferred to municipalities. This is the largest single increase in municipal funding since the CMG was created in 1991. Updates to the CMG in 2025 also ensure that funding to individual municipalities will not decrease from 2024 funding levels.

    The CMG is the Government of Yukon’s primary mechanism for directly funding municipal governments. This essential funding supports core municipal services, including clean drinking water, solid waste and recycling collection, recreation programming and other services required under the Municipal Act and related legislation. With no conditions attached, the grant provides municipalities with the flexibility to balance budgets and eases the financial burden on local taxpayers.

    In addition to municipal revenues such as property taxes, user fees and other municipal revenue sources, municipalities have access to additional funds through federal and Government of Yukon funding programs.

    In addition to the increased CMG, the Government of Yukon is also providing the AYC with up to $88,000 in annual funding – also subject to legislative approval – for the Community Training Trust Society. This program was established in 1993 and helps to build staff capacity within municipal and Yukon First Nations governments by paying for staff to pursue professional development and training opportunities.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Minister McPhee on Nutrition Month

    Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee has issued the following statement:

    “March is Nutrition Month, an important time to highlight the many ways food nourishes us physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. This year’s theme, Nourish to Flourish, reminds us that food is more than just fuel; it is a cornerstone of community, culture and overall wellbeing. The choices we make about food impact our health, but they also shape our relationships, traditions and sense of belonging.

    “This year, we celebrate the role of food in strengthening social connections and empowering communities to thrive. Food literacy plays a crucial role in helping individuals make informed choices that support not just their physical health, but also their mental and emotional wellbeing. In the Yukon, we are committed to ensuring that all residents have access to the knowledge, skills and resources they need to develop a positive relationship with food and to create nourishing environments for themselves and their families.

    “In pursuit of our commitment to a healthier Yukon, the government, through the Health Promotion Unit, is actively working with Yukon communities and partners to support equitable access to food literacy initiatives. Through the Yukon Northern Wellness Project, funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Government of Yukon, we have supported local food literacy efforts across the territory. This fiscal year alone, 17 projects have been funded through food literacy grants, building on the 22 projects funded in 2023–24, which reached over 300 Yukoners, including 200 individuals from rural areas. We also continue to invest in school food programs, providing $208,000 during the 2024–25 fiscal year to support the Yukon Food for Learning Association.

    “Yukoners can access a variety of resources through Canada’s Food Guide and Health Canada’s nutrition recommendations, which offer practical advice on healthy eating. The Dietitians of Canada provide reliable, science-based guidance and tools like Cookspiration help with meal planning and healthy recipe ideas.

    “Traditional foods also play an important role in nutrition and wellbeing. Harvesting and consuming traditional foods not only supports physical health but also strengthens cultural connections. Families can engage children in learning about traditional foods through fun activities like the Traditional Foods Colouring Book.

    “This Nutrition Month, I encourage all Yukoners to explore the available resources and embrace food as a tool for nourishment, connection and wellbeing. When we make informed, mindful choices about food, we empower ourselves, strengthen our communities and create a healthier future for all.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Support for Central Coast Families

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Support for Central Coast Families

    Published: 4 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for the Central Coast, Minister for Regional Health

    More women on the Central Coast will be able to access public maternity services locally with Gosford and Wyong to expand and improve ante and post-natal services.

    This funding will improve both capacity and capability of the local hospitals to provide such services.

    The Albanese Government’s investment of $10 million will support the Minns Labor Government to manage the anticipated significant increase in demand for maternity services in the region following the closure of private maternity services at Gosford Private Hospital.  

    This $10 million investment from the Albanese Government will support an increase in staff training, development and support incentives to attract and retain high demand maternity professionals to the region.

    This investment means more support for families, during one of the most important times of in their lives and it builds on the NSW Government’s work on a new Women’s Children and Families Services Plan focused on maternity and population growth expectations.

    The Central Coast community will have an opportunity to provide input into the plan.

    The Government is building an engaged, capable and supported workforce on the Central Coast, and have recently recruited doctors to vacant obstetrics and gynaecology positions, including individual Heads of Department for Obstetrics, and for Gynaecology.

    Quotes attributable to Regional Health Minister, Ryan Park:

    “The Minns Labor Government welcomes this contribution to maternity services up and down the central coast.

    “We know the closure of private maternity services will add pressure on our public system, and these additional funds will support our efforts to ensure women, and their families have access to safe, high quality maternity care.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for the Central Coast, David Harris:

    “I welcome this funding to support maternity services for our Central Coast community.

    “This support will build on existing services in place on the Coast that are ensuring all expectant mothers wishing to have their birth in our growing region are able to do so.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley:

    “Labor is committed to delivering the public healthcare that people deserve, and this $10 million investment in maternity services will greatly benefit our area, improving in-hospital care.

    “Having a child is one of the most significant milestones in any family’s life, and this funding should reassure locals that they will be well looked after when they need it most.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for The Entrance, David Mehan:

    “Any investment in maternity services here on the central coast is welcome.

    “I remain determined, along with my Labor colleagues, to improve public maternity services here on the coast after years of financial neglect by the former government.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for the Gosford, Liesl Tesch:

    “Above all else, women deserve choice, control and access to high-quality care during their maternity journey. This fantastic announcement by the Albanese Government is a clear and powerful commitment to women’s healthcare on the Central Coast, now and into the future.

    “In a growing region like the Central Coast, investment in our maternity services is critical to building and strengthening the services our community rely on most. The NSW Minns Labor Government and the Federal Labor Government are committed to working together to continue to build a stronger healthcare system for everyone.”

    Quotes attributable to Government Spokesperson for Terrigal, Mark Buttigieg MLC:

    “The $10 million investment by the Albanese Government addresses community concerns over the looming closure of Gosford Private Hospital’s maternity services.

    “This government cares about people – what could be more important than making sure families can have safe and easy access to having a baby. It’s great news for the Coast!”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The US and UK have decimated their aid spending. Australia has a unique opportunity to help fill the vacuum

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Conley Tyler, Honorary Fellow, Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne

    Hard on the heels of Donald Trump’s dismantling of USAID, the United Kingdom has ripped more than A$12 billion (£6 billion) from its foreign assistance budget.

    The double hit from two of the globe’s biggest contributors to international development has been branded a betrayal of poorer countries that will cost lives.

    What does this mean for Australia as we head towards the federal election?

    Australia is different

    Australia’s aid context is strikingly different.

    International development is deeply integrated in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and can’t easily be pulled apart. There is no separate aid agency to target.

    Recent experience also reminds us why it is unwise to cut overseas assistance. When the Abbott government made major cuts to development spending, other actors including China quickly filled the vacuum throughout the Pacific.

    Most importantly, more than 20 of Australia’s regional neighbours are developing countries. This means an adequate overseas aid budget is non-negotiable if we want to exert influence throughout the region.

    At a minimum, both the Labor Party and the Coalition should commit to maintaining current levels of development assistance.

    If you want to see how every dollar of Australia’s overseas aid is being spent, you can visit the transparency portal on the DFAT website. The portal outlines each investment, which includes peace building in Sri Lanka, countering people trafficking in Vietnam, preventing foot and mouth disease in Indonesia, and disaster preparedness across the Pacific.

    This is cost-effective spending: dealing with the aftermath of a crisis is massively more expensive than the relatively small outlays needed to prevent them from happening in the first place. By way of contrast, the budget for defence is $48 billion each year compared to less than $5 billion for preventive spending on development.

    New opportunities

    Initial reaction to the severe foreign aid cuts focused on how China and Russia could benefit from the void left by Washington and London. But it is now being recognised that their shortsightedness may provide a golden geopolitical opportunity for Australia.

    It is an opportunity that could be seized upon by whoever wins the election.

    Think back to the Boxing Day tsunami, when John Howard’s response transformed the relationship with Indonesia and led to the formation of the Quad grouping.

    When the US withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in 2017, Japan stepped up and showed the leadership needed to conclude negotiations. With Australia’s support, the deal went ahead and is now one of the largest free-trade agreements in the world. Major achievements can still be made even without the involvement of the US.

    We are now faced with a similar moment. While Australia cannot compete with the scale of US and UK international development, there is much it can do across the region and throughout the broader global system.

    What Australia can do

    If Australia was to think big, it would announce that it will elevate funding for overseas aid from its current level of 0.68% of the federal budget to 1% over the next two to three years.

    This would generate positive worldwide coverage and differentiate Australia for a relatively small investment. John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard were all able to keep the international development budget at more than 1%, so it’s not impossible.

    There is a perception that a much larger slice of the budget pie currently goes to development assistance. The average Australian believes we spend 14% of the budget helping out our neighbours. In reality the outlay is less than 70 cents per $100.

    Even a smaller increase for emergency funding could be very meaningful. The impact of the US 90-day pause on foreign assistance has been immediate, with charities and contractors left with no income and forced to let staff go and shutter offices. There is a real risk some international aid charities won’t survive the freeze. Emergency funding is needed to stave off collapse and stop the loss of specialist skills.

    At the global level, Australia could help to maintain the essential humanitarian work of organisations like the World Food Programme, UNAIDS, UNHCR and the World Health Organisation, which may face existential funding crises.

    Australia’s national interest

    Australia’s security, stability and prosperity depend on both the region and cultivating wider relationships.

    We could use this moment to partner with critical countries in the Pacific and South East Asia to preserve the programs most at risk. Australia could also build deeper relationships with other donors like Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Canada, and EU members and institutions.

    There are many competing priorities in the budget process, so foreign aid is never an easy sell. But there will be international praise for Australian leadership, including from the US and the UK, if Australian aid helps maintain Western presence in key geopolitical arenas. It would be a diplomatic win and very much in Australia’s interest.

    Now is the time for Australia to announce the steps it will take to preserve and even increase development aid as one of the key tools of statecraft to create a world that Australians want to live in.

    Melissa Conley Tyler is Executive Director at the Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D), an initiative funded by the foreign affairs and defence portfolios and hosted by the Australian Council for International Development..

    – ref. The US and UK have decimated their aid spending. Australia has a unique opportunity to help fill the vacuum – https://theconversation.com/the-us-and-uk-have-decimated-their-aid-spending-australia-has-a-unique-opportunity-to-help-fill-the-vacuum-251156

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Urges Commerce Committee to Investigate Musk’s Airline Safety Claims

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Letter Text (PDF)
    Washington (March 3, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today wrote to Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) urging them to hold a hearing to investigate Elon Musk’s recent statements regarding the safety of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Air Traffic Control System. Last week, Elon Musk posted on X suggesting that the FAA’s Air Traffic Control communications system “is single digit months to catastrophic failure, putting air traveler safety at serious risk.”
    In the letter, Senator Markey wrote, “Given Musk’s far-reaching role within the U.S. government and his recent involvement with the FAA’s information technology systems, Musk’s comments could understandably cause panic among air travelers. This Committee has worked diligently over the past few years to improve aviation safety, including in last year’s FAA Reauthorization Act, but the traveling public is understandably experiencing heightened anxiety about air travel after several recent and tragic plane crashes. Although the FAA’s information technology systems need modernization, Musk’s alarmist rhetoric appears extreme. If he has discovered new vulnerabilities in the FAA’s Air Traffic Control system, the Committee should know about such information immediately. If Musk cannot provide evidence of his claims, it raises serious questions about whether he is using his role as a senior government official to enrich his company SpaceX, currently competing for FAA contracts. In either case, the Commerce Committee has a responsibility to immediately hold a public hearing to investigate Musk’s claims on behalf of the American public.”
    On February 26, Senator Markey wrote to Chris Rocheleau, Acting Administrator of the FAA with questions about the FAA’s recent decision to deploy three Starlink terminals, which provide broadband internet connectivity through a satellite network, from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Given Musk’s dual positions as CEO of SpaceX and wide-spread role in the Trump administration, this decision creates at least an appearance of a conflict-of-interest. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham Statement After Democrats Block Legislation To Protect Women’s Sport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after Senate Democrats blocked the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025.

    Graham is a cosponsor of the bill, originally introduced by U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), that would preserve Title IX protections for female athletes and allow safe and fair competition in women’s sports in the U.S. by preventing the participation of biological men.

    “Clearly the radical Left still controls Democrat Senators.

    “Apparently they have learned nothing from the last election and have chosen to oppose protecting girls and women from playing sports with biological males as their hill to die on.

    “There is a reason 80 percent of Americans do not want girls and women playing against biological males. It is dangerous and unfair.

    “I will continue to support President Trump and Coach Tuberville’s efforts to protect girls and women’s sports.”

    MIL OSI USA News –