Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
This letter sets out the government’s expectations and priorities for LEASE over the remainder of 2025.
The Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, has written to LEASE’s Chair, Martin Boyd, to set out his priorities for the Service in their role delivering advice to leaseholders and park home owners.
Published 7 February 2025
“The latest PISA results from 2022 show that Alberta is a world leader in education. Alberta students rank first in financial literacy among Canadian provinces, ahead of Ontario and British Columbia, which tied for second place.
“Alberta students also performed exceptionally well against international competitors in financial literacy. Globally, Alberta students placed first ahead of Denmark, the top-ranked country.
“Alberta’s students’ achievement in financial literacy builds off the previously released 2022 PISA results. Across Canada, Alberta students rank first in science, reading and creative thinking and second in mathematics. Globally, Alberta students rank second only to Singapore in science, reading and creative thinking.
“Ensuring Alberta’s youth can build the financial literacy skills they need to make informed decisions about their finances and their future continues to be a focus for our government.
“That’s why we have invested $5 million to support practical, hands-on financial literacy programming for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and our renewed K–6 curriculum that includes a stronger foundation in financial literacy.
“As we look forward, we will continue to develop new curriculum for grades 7–12 and ensure financial literacy is incorporated throughout all grades where appropriate.”
« Les derniers résultats du PISA de 2022 montrent que l’Alberta est un leader mondial en matière d’éducation. Les élèves de l’Alberta se classent au premier rang en matière de littératie financière parmi les provinces canadiennes, devant l’Ontario et la Colombie-Britannique, qui se classent au deuxième rang ex æquo.
Les élèves de l’Alberta ont également obtenu des résultats exceptionnels par rapport à leurs concurrents internationaux en matière de littératie financière. À l’échelle mondiale, les élèves de l’Alberta se classent premiers, devant le Danemark, le pays le mieux classé.
Les résultats des élèves de l’Alberta en matière de littératie financière s’appuient sur les résultats du PISA de 2022 déjà publiés. Au Canada, les élèves de l’Alberta se classent premiers en sciences, en lecture et en pensée créative et deuxièmes en mathématiques. À l’échelle mondiale, les élèves de l’Alberta se classent au deuxième rang, après Singapour, en sciences, lecture et pensée créative.
Veiller à ce que les jeunes de l’Alberta puissent acquérir les compétences en littératie financière dont ils ont besoin pour prendre des décisions éclairées concernant leurs finances et leur avenir continue d’être une priorité pour notre gouvernement.
C’est pour cela que nous avons investi 5 millions de dollars pour soutenir des programmes pratiques de littératie financière pour les élèves de la maternelle à la 12e année, ainsi que notre programme d’études renouvelé de la maternelle à la 6e année, avec une base plus solide en littératie financière.
À l’avenir, nous continuerons d’élaborer de nouveaux programmes pour la 7e à la 12e année et nous veillerons à ce que la littératie financière soit intégrée à tous les niveaux, le cas échéant. »
Source: Scottish Government
Tailored support for women entrepreneurs to enter international trade.
Women-led businesses will receive more help to sell overseas after a study found Scotland could benefit from billions of pounds in extra trade.
The Gender Export Gap report estimates that Scotland’s trade could increase by between £3.4 billion to £10.3 billion over two years if women-led businesses exported at the same rate as those led by men. From 2016 – 2022, between 2% and 9% fewer women-owned small and medium-sized companies sold overseas compared to those run by men.
Actions to be introduced include targeting more women to take part in trade missions and export training programmes.
Business Minister Richard Lochhead launched the report and the Scottish Government’s response during a visit to Raven Botanicals near Haddington, East Lothian, run by Arabella and Charlotte Harvey. The sisters are speaking to a potential overseas client about their award-winning natural skincare and beauty products after participating in trade missions to the United States and Dubai.
Mr Lochhead said:
“The untapped export potential of women entrepreneurs identified by this report is astonishing. The measures I am announcing today are just the beginning. We will work with organisations such as Scottish Development International and the Scottish Chamber of Commerce to understand the specific export needs of women-led businesses and provide further assistance.
“The gender export gap is a worldwide phenomenon and the position in Scotland is typical of comparable countries. However, we are determined to improve and reap the huge economic rewards.”
Arabella Harvey said:
“As a business in the early stages of growth, we welcome the commitment to meaningful, tailored support for female entrepreneurs.
“We have faced challenges accessing export support, even though there’s clear interest from new markets. By empowering female entrepreneurs to step confidently into the global marketplace, we can secure significant economic growth and strengthen Scotland’s reputation on the world stage.”
Background
The Scottish Government’s response to the report.
The Scottish-Government commissioned research report was authored by Professor Norin Arshed, Dr Stephen Knox and Dr Carolina Marin Cadavid.
Steps to encourage and support more participation of women in trade is a core part of delivering the Scottish Government’s international trade strategy, Scotland’s Vision for Trade.
The work also aligns with wider action on women’s entrepreneurship. The Scottish Government confirmed in June 2023 that it would take forward all the recommendations of Ana Stewart’s Pathways: A New Approach for Women in Entrepreneurship.
Funding allocated to create more opportunities for women in entrepreneurship will increase to at least £4 million in the next financial year, as part of an enhanced enterprise package commitment of £15 million.
Source: Mayor of London
Today the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and London Councils launched a new programme to transform the approach to making the capital’s homes warmer and more energy efficient and reducing Londoners’ energy bills. Warmer Homes London (WHL) will forge bolder ways to upgrade London’s homes as part of the retrofit revolution.
WHL is being rolled out in partnership with London boroughs and housing associations to make homes across London warmer, cheaper to run and more energy efficient.
The Mayor will invest almost £10 million over four years through WHL, which will for the first time provide a central hub for green housing funding and information. Until now, boroughs have had to apply for funding individually, led by the Government’s funding rounds. This created costs and long-term uncertainty. WHL will create a ‘one-London approach’, forming a close link with Government and providing reliable, long-term funds to boroughs, meaning they will have the certainty they need to progress retrofit works in their area. The new ‘hub’ will enable a more co-ordinated approach with Government, increasing bargaining power with Ministers and enabling homes to be improved at a larger scale and faster pace.
The initiative will help thousands of Londoners save money on their energy bills by funding energy efficient measures such as better insulation, replacing of fossil fuel heating and the introduction of heat pumps. Social landlords (organisations such as local authorities and housing associations who provide affordable housing for rent without a profit), low income owner occupiers and low income private tenants can access the opportunity to take part in the initiative. This will ensure that Londoners who are most vulnerable to fuel poverty will be able to benefit from the funding, whether they rent or own their home.
WHL will help secure funding from the Government’s Warm Homes Social Fund and Warm Homes Local Grant funding streams, which is a total national amount of £1.79bn during 2025–2028. WHL will focus on installing energy saving measures in low income private housing.
London’s homes are responsible for one third of the capital’s carbon emissions and many are not energy efficient, meaning they cost more to warm up in the winter and lose heat quickly. They can also be uncomfortably hot during summer heatwaves. High living costs and rising fuel prices have meant that even more Londoners now face fuel poverty, with many people having to choose between heating their home or spending money on food. In social rented homes with poor energy efficiency, 56 per cent of households are living in fuel poverty*. Making these homes more energy efficient is a key part of London’s efforts to tackle the climate emergency.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Londoners have been struggling for years with sky-high energy bills. Warmer Homes London will help Londoners save money on their bills by making their homes more energy efficient and cheaper to heat.
“By working in close collaboration with local councils and housing associations, Warmer Homes London will enable us to upgrade more homes, and do it more quickly avoiding unnecessarily long wait times for home improvement works.
“Making our homes more energy efficient is a priority for me, but also the new government. Through this new initiative we will be able to unlock more national funding from the Government for homes in London. Together, we can build a better, safer and greener London for everyone.”
Cllr Claire Holland, Chair of London Councils said:
“With 379,000 households in London living in fuel poverty, taking action to make homes in our city warmer and more energy efficient is vital for our residents’ health, wellbeing and finances.
“Warmer Homes London will bring together London boroughs, the Mayor of London, housing associations and government to drive this work forward. It aims to unlock millions of pounds of investment to deliver improvements to tens of thousands of homes across London, making them more energy efficient, reducing their environmental impact and saving Londoners money on their bills.
“Warmer Homes London is a perfect example of how tackling the climate emergency and improving the lives of our residents go hand-in-hand, with joint working across all levels of government vital to achieving this.”
Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said:
“Everyone deserves to live in a warm, comfortable home.
“Warmer Homes London marks an important step towards making thousands of homes cheaper to run for Londoners with clean energy, while cutting fuel poverty across the capital.
“It will also support delivery of our Warm Homes Plan, which is set to benefit up to 300,000 homes with energy saving upgrades this financial year.”
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
HONG KONG, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GPTBots.ai, a leading enterprise AI agent platform, is proud to unveil its enhanced on-premise deployment solutions powered by the integration of the highly acclaimed DeepSeek LLM. This integration empowers enterprises to harness the advanced capabilities of DeepSeek while leveraging GPTBots’ robust, enterprise-grade platform, delivering a secure, flexible, and scalable AI solution tailored to diverse business needs.
As businesses worldwide accelerate their adoption of AI, GPTBots.ai provides a comprehensive platform that combines cutting-edge technology with industry-specific solutions, enabling enterprises to achieve measurable results while maintaining full control over their data and infrastructure.
Cost-Effective AI Deployment for Businesses of All Sizes
DeepSeek’s lightweight architecture, including its MoE (Mixture of Experts) design, significantly reduces the hardware and operational costs associated with AI deployment:
When deployed through GPTBots, enterprises benefit from streamlined workflows, pre-configured tools, and optimized resource allocation, ensuring a lower total cost of ownership while maintaining high performance.
Transforming On-Premise AI for Industry-Specific Applications
The integration of DeepSeek into GPTBots’ platform delivers significant value across industries, enabling businesses to address unique challenges and unlock new opportunities:
Flexible Deployment for Data Control and Security
GPTBots’ on-premise deployment ensures enterprises maintain full control over their data, aligning with the highest standards of security and operational independence:
This approach is particularly valuable for industries such as finance, healthcare, and legal services, where data privacy and compliance are paramount.
Empowering Enterprises to Embrace AI with Confidence
GPTBots’ integration of DeepSeek is more than just a technological advancement—it’s a commitment to empowering businesses to thrive in the AI-driven era. By combining DeepSeek’s advanced capabilities with GPTBots’ enterprise-grade platform, businesses gain access to:
“GPTBots is committed to empowering businesses with the tools they need to innovate and grow,” said Jerry Yin, VP of GPTBots.ai. “By integrating DeepSeek into our on-premise deployment solutions, we’re providing a powerful, secure, and flexible AI platform that drives measurable results across industries.”
About GPTBots.ai
GPTBots.ai is an enterprise AI agent platform that empowers businesses to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth. Offering end-to-end AI solutions across customer service, knowledge search, data analysis, and lead generation, GPTBots enables enterprises to harness the full potential of AI with ease. With seamless integration into various systems, and support for scalable, secure deployments, GPTBots is dedicated to reducing costs, accelerating growth, and helping businesses thrive in the AI era.
For more information, visit www.gptbots.ai.
Media Contact:
Silvia
Senior Marketing Manager
marketing@gptbots.ai
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aurora Mobile Limited (NASDAQ: JG) (“Aurora Mobile” or the “Company”), a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China, today announced that its leading enterprise AI agent platform, GPTBots.ai, has unveiled its enhanced on-premise deployment solutions powered by the integration of the highly acclaimed DeepSeek LLM. This integration empowers enterprises to harness the advanced capabilities of DeepSeek while leveraging GPTBots’ robust, enterprise-grade platform, delivering a secure, flexible, and scalable AI solution tailored to diverse business needs.
As businesses worldwide accelerate their adoption of AI, GPTBots.ai provides a comprehensive platform that combines cutting-edge technology with industry-specific solutions, enabling enterprises to achieve measurable results while maintaining full control over their data and infrastructure.
Cost-Effective AI Deployment for Businesses of All Sizes
DeepSeek’s lightweight architecture, including its MoE (Mixture of Experts) design, significantly reduces the hardware and operational costs associated with AI deployment:
When deployed through GPTBots, enterprises benefit from streamlined workflows, pre-configured tools, and optimized resource allocation, ensuring a lower total cost of ownership while maintaining high performance.
Transforming On-Premise AI for Industry-Specific Applications
The integration of DeepSeek into GPTBots’ platform delivers significant value across industries, enabling businesses to address unique challenges and unlock new opportunities:
Flexible Deployment for Data Control and Security
GPTBots’ on-premise deployment ensures enterprises maintain full control over their data, aligning with the highest standards of security and operational independence:
This approach is particularly valuable for industries such as finance, healthcare, and legal services, where data privacy and compliance are paramount.
Empowering Enterprises to Embrace AI with Confidence
GPTBots’ integration of DeepSeek is more than just a technological advancement—it’s a commitment to empowering businesses to thrive in the AI-driven era. By combining DeepSeek’s advanced capabilities with GPTBots’ enterprise-grade platform, businesses gain access to:
“GPTBots is committed to empowering businesses with the tools they need to innovate and grow,” said Jerry Yin, VP of GPTBots.ai. “By integrating DeepSeek into our on-premise deployment solutions, we’re providing a powerful, secure, and flexible AI platform that drives measurable results across industries.”
About GPTBots.ai
GPTBots.ai is a complementary general-purpose LLM AI bot featuring private data input and continuous fine-tuning, which can replace ‘rule-based’ chatbots, improve user experience, and reduce costs. GPTBots.ai aims to provide users with an end-to-end business platform that can seamlessly integrate robots into existing applications and workflows via plug-ins. GPTBots.ai also allow users to have great access to, and more efficiently and effectively using, AIGC to improve overall corporate productivity and output quality.
To know more, please visit https://www.gptbots.ai.
About Aurora Mobile Limited
Founded in 2011, Aurora Mobile (NASDAQ: JG) is a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China. Since its inception, Aurora Mobile has focused on providing stable and efficient messaging services to enterprises and has grown to be a leading mobile messaging service provider with its first-mover advantage. With the increasing demand for customer reach and marketing growth, Aurora Mobile has developed forward-looking solutions such as Cloud Messaging and Cloud Marketing to help enterprises achieve omnichannel customer reach and interaction, as well as artificial intelligence and big data-driven marketing technology solutions to help enterprises’ digital transformation.
For more information, please visit https://ir.jiguang.cn/.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, the Business Outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Aurora Mobile’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Aurora Mobile may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Aurora Mobile’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Aurora Mobile’s strategies; Aurora Mobile’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Aurora Mobile’s ability to attract and retain customers; its ability to develop and effectively market data solutions, and penetrate the existing market for developer services; its ability to transition to the new advertising-driven SAAS business model; its ability to maintain or enhance its brand; the competition with current or future competitors; its ability to continue to gain access to mobile data in the future; the laws and regulations relating to data privacy and protection; general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and Aurora Mobile undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
For more information, please contact:
Aurora Mobile Limited
E-mail: ir@jiguang.cn
Christensen
In China
Ms. Xiaoyan Su
Phone: +86-10-5900-1548
E-mail: Xiaoyan.Su@christensencomms.com
In U.S.
Ms. Linda Bergkamp
Phone: +1-480-614-3004
Email: linda.bergkamp@christensencomms.com
Source: Asia Development Bank
Timor-Leste has taken major steps toward joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, but challenges remain. Strengthening governance, promoting investments, expanding trade, and enhancing human capital are still needed
Timor-Leste is a young democracy facing significant development challenges. The poverty rate remains high at 41.8% and economic growth has been volatile, affected by both external and domestic shocks.
The economy relies heavily on public spending and petroleum revenues. Long-standing structural challenges such as a weak private sector, inadequate infrastructure, a lack of skilled labor, and a challenging business environment, present daunting obstacles to economic diversification and long-term growth.
Recognizing the role that regional cooperation and integration can play in addressing these challenges, Timor-Leste has long pursued membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This has been a strategic priority and a cornerstone of its economic development and foreign policy.
ASEAN membership is expected to drive domestic policy and institutional reforms while expanding markets and reduce costs. It should also diversify the economy, attract trade and investments, and improve access to technology and skills.
Since applying for ASEAN membership in 2011, Timor-Leste has undertaken significant reforms, investments, and policy alignments—establishing a Directorate-General for ASEAN Affairs, modernizing customs, and engaging the private sector—to meet the requirements for full membership.
Supported by partners like the Asian Development Bank, the country has accelerated capacity-building initiatives and advanced infrastructure, trade, renewable energy, and agriculture to foster broader economic opportunities.
But more needs to be done for Timor-Leste to reap the full benefits of ASEAN.
Timor-Leste requires comprehensive capacity-building initiatives to enhance the technical knowledge and skills of government officials and stakeholders. Developing and implementing targeted training workshops and seminars in key areas, especially those focused on specialized areas and sectoral drivers of growth, such as tourism or agriculture, will be crucial. Establishing mentorship programs that pair ASEAN expertise with Timor-Leste sectoral counterparts will provide knowledge transfer.
Timor-Leste has made significant progress toward ASEAN accession, but continued collaboration, investment in human capital, and infrastructure improvements remain crucial for fully integrating into the region and maximizing economic opportunities.
To ensure harmonization with ASEAN standards, expert guidance will be needed to assist in the review and improvement of government legislation, rules, and procedures. Facilitating peer-to-peer learning opportunities and best practices exchanges with other ASEAN member states that have successfully implemented core provisions will be beneficial. Providing resources and tools to assist in drafting and updating legislation to ensure compliance with core provisions is essential.
Upgrading transport infrastructure is also crucial, requiring a strategic approach involving the development of comprehensive transport plans, substantial financial investments, and the engagement of specialized transport engineering expertise.
Key areas of support include sustainable financing for road maintenance, capacity building, and technical assistance to strengthen planning, monitoring, and project supervision. Enhancing border protection and monitoring, improving equipment and resource allocation, and incorporating environmentally sustainable practices are also key elements.
By aligning with international standards and focusing on regional integration, Timor-Leste can foster connectivity, streamline trade processes, and contribute significantly to overall economic growth and regional integration. Furthermore, developing ICT infrastructure is vital. Assisting in the design and implementation of automation and digitization projects for public services and trade facilitation measures will enhance efficiency.
Timor-Leste requires comprehensive support to address its human capital challenges and improve labor force participation and food security. Key initiatives from ASEAN member states and other partners include promoting higher education through international education fairs, prioritizing Timorese students for university admissions, and establishing student and labor exchange programs.
For basic education, creating teacher training centers and improving English language proficiency is a key priority. Online learning platforms will ensure continuous skill development and retention. The government has renewed focus on early childhood development, supported by the 2024 general state budget.
Additional initiatives like the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce and the National Health Sector Nutrition Strategic Plan (2022-2026) target stunting and malnutrition, with the goal to reduce stunting from 47% to 25% by 2030. Promoting sustainable agricultural practices and strengthening healthcare infrastructure are also crucial.
Timor-Leste is committed to modernizing its financial systems, developing e-payment solutions, and enhancing financial literacy and inclusion. Strengthening the business sector will create more opportunities for trade and investment.
Supporting local businesses through capacity-building training focused on ASEAN trade, marketing, financial access policies, connectivity, and digital skills will ease integration barriers. Improving infrastructure and internet access through financial assistance will help businesses overcome critical barriers. Connecting with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council and other ASEAN members will boost trade and investment linkages.
Timor-Leste aims to establish strong connections with ASEAN officials, stakeholders, and bodies, such as central banks and national statistics institutes. Government agencies represent Timor-Leste’s interests at ASEAN meetings and working groups. On the private sector side, Timor Leste’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry has participated in meetings with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council as an observer.
Timor-Leste has made significant progress toward ASEAN accession, implementing key reforms and strengthening its economic and institutional frameworks. However, continued collaboration with ASEAN member states and development partners is crucial to overcoming remaining challenges.
By sustaining momentum in governance, trade, and infrastructure improvements, Timor-Leste can fully integrate into the region and unlock new opportunities for growth. Stakeholders must remain engaged in supporting this journey, ensuring that the country maximizes the benefits of ASEAN membership for its people and economy.
Bold Sandagdorj, country economist at ADB’s Timor-Leste Resident Mission, contributed to this blog post.
Source: International Chamber of Commerce
Headline: Re-election in sight for Chair of ICC World Chambers Federation
Mr Hisarcıklıoğlu’s three-year mandate will begin on 1 July 2025, following formal ratification by the ICC World Council in June. This will be Mr Hisarcıklıoğlu’s second and final mandate, following his initial election in 2023. As ICC WCF Chair, he will continue to strengthen the chamber community worldwide and increase the impact of the ICC World Chambers Federation, ICC’s unique forum connecting chambers across borders.
Responding to the election results, Mr Hisarcıklıoğlu said:
“I am honoured by the trust of my fellow chamber colleagues in re-electing me for a new term. We are committed to working even harder to strengthen and expand our unique global network of chambers, ensuring it becomes even more diverse and representative. We will also reaffirm the ICC World Chambers Federation as a trusted business partner to all chambers in our network, equipping them with ICC tools and resources to enhance their operations, drive growth, and create a better business environment.”
ICC Secretary General John W. H. Denton AO said:
“I congratulate Rifat on his re-election – a testament to the trust our chamber community places in him and a well-deserved recognition of his leadership.”
Mr Hisarcıklıoğlu is the President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), the country’s largest business organisation, representing 366 chambers and commodity exchanges and over 2 million members. He also serves as Chair of ICC Türkiye.
With an extensive background in international business and chamber leadership, he currently holds key positions in several global organisations, including Vice-President of EUROCHAMBRES, Vice-President of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce, Vice-President of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Chair of B20 Türkiye, and member of the ICC Executive Board.
In addition to his institutional leadership, he is a prominent business figure in Türkiye and the surrounding region, serving as Chairman of Eskihisar Group, which operates in construction, real estate, the food industry and the automotive sector.
About the election process
In accordance with the ICC WCF Articles, Mr Hisarcıklıoğlu’s re-election is subject to formal ratification by the ICC World Council in June 2025 upon recommendation by the ICC Executive Board.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Electrical system failures during departure from London Heathrow Airport, 8 February 2024
This statement provides an update on the ongoing investigation into a serious incident involving a Boeing 747-433 aircraft which suffered electrical system failures during departure from London Heathrow Airport.
The aircraft departed in weather of rain, thick cloud, and icing conditions. Electrical failures resulted from water having leaked onto the aircraft’s avionic equipment – the effects of which included all pitot probe heaters becoming inoperative, and the cabin altitude increasing. The crew began descending the aircraft from FL250 and experienced unreliable flight instrument indications. They diverted the aircraft to Amsterdam Schipol Airport, which had clear weather.
The investigation is ongoing and a final report will be published in due course.
Published 7 February 2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
| Press release | Danske Bank Bernstorffsgade 40 DK-1577 København V Tel. + 45 45 14 14 00 7 February 2025 |
Progress in customer activity as well as core banking activities continued,
and credit quality remained strong
Record-high net profit of DKK 23.6 billion, improving return on equity to 13.4%
Dividend of DKK 9.35 per share for the second half of 2024 as well as an extraordinary dividend of DKK 5.35 per share, in total DKK 14.7 per share
The Board of Directors has decided to initiate a new share buy-back programme of DKK 5 billion
Danske Bank has announced its financial results for 2024.
Carsten Egeriis, Chief Executive Officer, comments on the financial results:
“For Danske Bank, 2024 was a year in which we consistently delivered positive results from quarter to quarter, driven by increased customer activity, continually strong credit quality and a sustained, dedicated effort from the entire organisation. Consequently, we maintained our positive commercial momentum, resulting in a solid financial performance.
One year into the execution of our Forward ’28 strategy, we have made substantial progress within our technology transformation and customer engagement, and we can see that our investments in enhancing the customer experience have resulted in increasingly positive customer satisfaction scores.
Our continued focus on cost discipline and on maintaining strong credit quality resulted in two upward adjustments of our financial guidance in 2024. On the basis of our strong financial results and solid capital position, the total distribution in 2024 amounts to 100% of net profit, thus honouring the commitment we have made to our shareholders.
With our advanced customer offerings, deep expertise and solid financial position, Danske Bank is strongly positioned to create value for customers, shareholders and society. In a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, rapid technological shifts and increasing sustainability challenges, we will continue to focus on opportunities and solutions for households and businesses alike.”
The annual report is available at www.danskebank.com. Highlights are shown below:
2024 vs 2023
Total income of DKK 56.4 billion (up 8%)
Operating expenses of DKK 25.7 billion (up 1%)
Loan impairments of DKK -543 million (2023: DKK 262 million)
Net profit of DKK 23.6 billion (up 11%)
Return on shareholders’ equity of 13.4% (2023: 12.7%)
Strong capital position, with a CET1 capital ratio of 17.8% (2023: 18.8%). The ratio reflects strong capital generation and the full deduction of the announced 40% additional capital distribution.
Solid progress towards Forward ’28 ambitions and 2026 targets
2024 was the first full year of our Forward ’28 strategy, and we are well-positioned for future growth as we maintain our trajectory towards strengthening our position as a leading bank in the Nordic region and make significant investments in our customer offerings.
For personal and private banking customers, with Forward ’28, a sharpened focus in each of our markets has allowed us to further strengthen our relations with existing customers and attract new ones. For business and institutional customers, we want to be a leading bank in the markets in which we operate. Our approach focuses on meeting evolving market demands while fostering high long-term customer and employee satisfaction.
Significant progress with our technology transformation paved the way for a better customer experience and improved efficiency. In 2024, we made substantial progress in terms of using digitalisation, data, AI and technology to improve customer engagement while reducing costs and operational risks. We developed a new version of our District online banking platform that is tailored to small businesses and is expected to launch in Denmark in the first half of 2025. We also launched a new welcoming app that makes it both easier and faster to become a personal customer with us.
Across the bank, we have made GenAI a strategic priority, and our GenAI-powered solutions offer key opportunities to unlock productivity gains. During 2024, we launched DanskeGPT, which has been adopted by almost 16,000 users across the organisation, corresponding to 74% of all employees. We have also deployed GenAI-powered tools for our software developers, and these tools are driving solid productivity improvements.
In 2024, Danica developed its new commercial strategy, Forward ’28 – Danica, which aims to make Danica the preferred pension company in Denmark by 2028. The strategy, which took effect on 1 January 2025, focuses on the importance of making customer interactions with Danica easy and convenient through digital solutions and on offering comprehensive healthcare offerings, attractive returns and quality advice. These elements are expected to be key growth drivers over the next few years. The strategy aligns with the strategic direction set in Danske Bank’s Forward ’28 strategy, underscoring the significant potential in synchronising services between the bank and the pension business.
As the success of our strategy relies on solid execution, we have a significant focus on our employees, supported by investments in development activities, leadership and the workplace. Employee satisfaction and engagement scores continued to improve from already high levels and are now above the industry benchmark.
Sustainability is a key focus area in Forward ’28, and our ambition is to be a leading Nordic bank in terms of supporting the sustainability transition of customers, businesses and the Nordic societies that we are a part of. Our efforts are reinforced by new ESG advisory services, comprehensive staff training, recruitment of specialists and strategic partnerships, all aimed at supporting our customers’ sustainability transition. In line with European regulation, for the 2024 annual report, Danske Bank has prepared a sustainability statement in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
Better-than-expected macroeconomic conditions
Macroeconomic conditions developed more favourably than expected in the markets in which we operate. Especially in Denmark, the inflation and growth outlook improved during the year, and this development is forecast to continue as central banks continue their easing trajectories, leading to lower rates for both households and businesses. Although the growth outlook has improved broadly speaking in the Nordic region, the uncertainty related to Europe’s long-term growth prospects and ability to innovate persists.
In times of uncertainty for both Danske Bank and our customers, our well-capitalised balance sheet has enabled us to be a strong financial partner for our customers, and we have continued to support them with risk management expertise and expert advice.
Strong financial performance
An improved commercial momentum in our business, supported by better-than-expected macroeconomic conditions and strong credit quality have enabled us to strengthen profitability and generate record-high net profit. The return on equity thus increased from 12.7% to 13.4%, highlighting our positive trajectory and progress towards our 2026 targets.
In 2024, total income grew 8%, driven by a sustained uplift in core banking income. Despite central bank rate cuts and lower deposit margins as well as overall muted credit demand, net interest income showed the expected strong development, with increasing net interest income throughout the year. Net fee income continued the positive traction throughout the year, reflecting our overall strong development and ability to do more business with existing customers and to attract new customers. We saw a higher level of fee income from cash management products, and customer activity generally remained high. Furthermore, we saw an increase in investment fees generated by strategic investments in our private banking offerings as well as a strong development in fees from asset management.
Net trading income remained stable, and net income from insurance business benefited from stable financial markets, with the health and accident business continuing to be challenged, however.
Operating expenses developed according to plan and were at the same level as in 2023. The minor year-on-year increase was caused mainly by higher investments in our technology transformation made under our Forward ’28 strategy and staff costs that were impacted by wage inflation. Costs related to financial crime prevention and legacy remediation decreased in line with our plan for a normalisation of costs, and together with prudent cost management, this led to an improvement in the cost/income ratio to 46% from 49%.
Loan impairment charges amounted to a net reversal of DKK 543 million, reflecting strong credit quality and modest impairments against single-name exposures coupled with a review of post-model adjustments. We continue to apply significant post-model adjustments as well as a scenario-based macroeconomic model to cater for potential tail risks that are not evident in our portfolio. Overall, the macroeconomic environment improved during 2024 and was characterised by lower inflation, lower interest rates and an enhanced growth momentum.
Overall, we ended the year with the same positive momentum that we saw in the first nine months of 2024. This resulted in record-high net profit of DKK 23.6 billion, up 11% from 2023.
“The first year of execution of our Forward ’28 strategy, 2024 was an important year for Danske Bank’s financial performance: With income growth driven by our growing core income as well as our continued efforts to support customers and drive the commercial momentum, net profit represents a record-high result,” says Stephan Engels, Chief Financial Officer.
We continue to create value to the benefit of our customers, our shareholders and society: Our tax expense amounted to DKK 7.6 billion, and given our strong capital position, and in line with the Forward ’28 strategy, the financial year 2024 enables us to make a significant payout to our shareholders.
Delivering on capital distribution
Given our strong balance sheet, and as planned in the Forward ’28 strategy, the financial year 2024 yields a significant payout to our shareholders. We paid a dividend of DKK 7.50 per share in connection with the interim report for the first half of 2024, and we propose a dividend of DKK 9.35 per share for the second half of 2024 as well as an extraordinary dividend of DKK 5.35 per share. Furthermore, on 6 December 2024, we announced a special dividend of DKK 6.50 per share following the successful transfer of the personal customer business in Norway. In total, our distribution for 2024 amounts to DKK 28.70 per share.
It remains crucial for us to create value for all our stakeholders, including our shareholders, customers, employees and the societies we are part of, and as a bank we need to attract capital from shareholders to lend and do business. Besides large institutional investors, our capital distribution benefits most major pension funds in Denmark as well as private individuals in Denmark, who have invested part of their savings in Danske Bank shares. In total, we have more than a quarter of a million investors, of which more than half are private individuals in Denmark.
Danske Bank’s dividend policy for 2025 remains unchanged, targeting a dividend payout of 40-60% of net profit in the form of annual dividend payments.
Share buy-back
The share buy-back programme launched in February 2024 of DKK 5.5 billion was completed in January 2025.
On the basis of the financial results for 2024, the Board of Directors has decided to initiate a new share buy-back programme of DKK 5 billion, taking the total payout ratio to 100% of net profits when including the dividend for 2024 but excluding the special dividend related to the transfer of the personal customer business in Norway. The programme, which has been approved by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority, will start on 10 February 2025.
Outlook for 2025
We expect net profit for 2025 to be in the range of DKK 21-23 billion.
The outlook is subject to uncertainty and depends on economic conditions.
Danske Bank
Contact: Helga Heyn, Head of Media Relations, tel. +45 45 14 14 00
More information about Danske Bank’s financial results is available at www.danskebank.com/reports.
Attachments
Source: City of York
Figures released today show that 2024 was the busiest year for York’s Park & Ride since 2017, with the total number of journeys exceeding 4.5 million, almost one million higher than in 2023.
December saw the most trips for a decade, recording nearly 500,000 journeys, a 3.5% increase on the previous highest monthly total set in December 2016.
City of York Council estimates that people boarding at the Park & Ride sites in December resulted in over 61,700 cars not travelling into central York – equivalent to a line of traffic that would be long enough to reach central London.
In December, First Bus sold 148,310 tickets at the Park & Ride sites alone (the remaining journeys being people who joined the bus along the route or were returning from the city centre). Industry standard definition of occupancy per car for a leisure trip is 2.4 people. This gives us a total of 61,700 cars that didn’t come into the city centre over Christmas. Google Maps shows that the road route from York Minster to Westminster Abbey is 210 miles. If we say a car takes up 6 metres of space on the road, 61,700 times 6 metres is 230 miles. Therefore, 61,700 cars would stretch all the way to central London.
York’s Enhanced Bus Partnership, which oversees £17.2 million of government funding for the Bus Service Improvement Plan, ran a marketing campaign to promote the Park & Ride as well as direct bus services for six weeks before Christmas. Working with Make It York and all bus operators, the social media posts and adverts reached over 2.2 million people in a campaign targeting towns and cities where previous research has shown Christmas Market visitors come from.
Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Economy and Transport at City of York Council, said:
Just shy of half a million journeys in one month is an incredible milestone to reach, so thank you to all the residents and visitors for using the Park & Ride, and thank you to First Bus for increasing the number of buses available during this incredibly busy period.
First Bus invested in more services on the network in November and December, increasing frequency on several routes to support the York local and visitor economy in anticipation of customer demand. First Bus replicates this investment during other busy periods to keep York visitors and commuters moving sustainably throughout the year.
Cllr Ravilious continued:
The numbers are phenomenal but we do also need to recognise that York still experienced congested streets in the run up to Christmas, so while we are delighted, we continue our work throughout the year to support and promote the city’s bus services as well as other sustainable forms of transport.
“Our young people’s ticketing and marketing campaigns, which and are funded by central government, have over the last 12 months helped make bus use more attractive and given more people more options, and we will soon be consulting on improvements to the Park & Ride sites.”
Kayleigh Ingham, Commercial Director of First Bus North & West Yorkshire, said:
The superb performance throughout 2024 is a tribute to the commitment and high standards of service delivered by the First Bus team.
“We’ve demonstrated that bus is an easy and sustainable way to travel into York. We’re attracting more customers due to good value fares, zero-emission buses, and our service, which is delivered with a smile. The benefits this brings, with cleaner air and quieter city centre roads, contributes to York’s environmental targets.”
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said:
It is wonderful to see the great results for bus travel for the year and 500,000 journeys during the Christmas period is fantastic.
“We are very fortunate to have a bus service within the city that supports both demand and sustainability. Collaboration between all parties on communicating key messages was key and we look forward to working with and supporting the transport sector throughout 2025.”
These Park & Ride figures follow the Department for Transport’s own statistics released late in 2024 which show that York’s bus services as a whole (including all local services and the Park & Ride) are once again in the top ten of all local authorities for the number of bus trips per resident. An average of 70.6 journeys per head of population in 2023 and 2024 ranks York the best in Yorkshire and nationally sits 9th out of 90 English local authority areas.
The data also showed that York’s bus trips are up 35% from 2021 and 2022, almost quadrupled from 2020 and 2021 and now back within 3% of the level they were in 2019 and 2020 (the year before COVID-19). This is one of the best post-pandemic recovery rates in the country.
In addition to December’s figures, November 2024 was the busiest November ever recorded, with 10% more passengers than the previous record set in 2016.
Source: City of Leeds
A new report has highlighted the extensive work in Leeds to recruit and support foster carers as the city strives to meet an ever-increasing demand for placements to help change the lives of looked after children.
The annual fostering report, to be discussed by senior councillors at next Wednesday’s executive board meeting (February 12), gives an update of the innovative work and progress of services that support the city’s foster and kinship carers.
Leeds City Council’s fostering service, Foster 4 Leeds, plays a crucial role in supporting over 400 fostering placements and 350 children living with kinship or connected carers across Leeds.
However, as is the case nationally, the need for more foster carers is continuing to rise and recruitment is a significant priority in Leeds.
This year, breakthrough work and plans have included:
Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for children and families, said: “Children do their best living in families and these proposals go a long way to enhance the health and wellbeing of our looked after children and ensure they grow and thrive in family environments.
“We are utterly committed to supporting all carers in this vital role and enabling fostering to be a rewarding experience, giving a real purpose to truly help change lives.
“I would encourage anyone interested to please take a look at our new website and consider joining our incredible legion of foster and kinship carers who provide that crucial consistency in care for our city’s vulnerable children.
“Being able to place children within Leeds has many benefits – not least enabling young people to retain strong relationships with their birth family, continue at school and access all the benefits of living within our child friendly city.”
To view the annual fostering report being considered by the executive board visit Council and democracy (agenda item 10).
For more information on fostering in Leeds, please visit: Foster 4 Leeds | Foster 4 Leeds.
ENDS
For media enquiries please contact:
Leeds City Council communications and marketing,
Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk
Tel: 0113 378 6007
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements
UK and others regret cancellation of OSCE election observation and call on Tajikistan to engage constructively with ODIHR.
Mr. Chair,
I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and my own country Canada.
We thank the European Union for adding this item to the agenda today.
In Istanbul in 1999, participating States committed to invite observers to elections from other participating States, ODIHR, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and to follow up on ODIHR’s election assessment and recommendations.
In this context, we deeply regret that the authorities of Tajikistan have not accredited OSCE/ODIHR election observers in a timely manner, nor made assurances that they would do so.
This has resulted in the cancellation of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the upcoming parliamentary elections and has denied the people of Tajikistan an impartial and independent assessment of the elections.
As ODIHR has stated, host governments need to provide the necessary conditions for the effective and unrestricted operation of election observation missions. Prolonged uncertainty surrounding accreditation undermines the integrity of the process.
Fulfilling these necessary conditions is an integral part of meeting OSCE commitments on the invitation of observers. We regret that not all OSCE participating States have chosen to uphold their commitments in this regard.
We thank ODIHR for its efforts in preparing and deploying the Election Observation Mission to Tajikistan. We fully support ODIHR’s mandate, autonomy and their well-proven and objective election monitoring methodology.
We encourage Tajikistan to engage constructively with ODIHR on previous election recommendations, as well as on ODIHR’s support for meeting OSCE commitments to strengthen democracy and human rights, including on free, fair and genuine elections.
Published 7 February 2025
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
During the working visit of the acting rector of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University Sergey Volkov to Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, a meeting of key leaders was held to finalize the main positions of the plan of joint activities of KRSU and SPbPU for 2025.
Opening the meeting, Vice-Rector for International Affairs Dmitry Arsenyev noted: 2025 began with a series of online meetings of specialized working groups of our two universities, where the main blocks of the plan for joint activities were worked out, parameters were defined in detail, and key indicators were calculated. Today’s meeting of supervising vice-rectors and directors of institutes is the final step towards approving this most important document.
One of the main blocks of joint activities is “Development of educational potential”. The working group led by Vice-Rector for Educational Activities Lyudmila Pankova discussed in advance with colleagues from KRSU issues related to the opening of network master’s degree programs in the areas of construction, software engineering, logistics and technosphere safety. KRSU will act as the base organization and plans to begin recruitment for these programs in the fall of 2025. In the second year of study, KRSU students will come to the Polytechnic University and, if they successfully master all disciplines, will receive master’s degrees from both universities. Sergey Volkov confirmed that the most talented graduates of such joint programs will be invited to teach at KRSU.
The most important component of educational activities is the organization of a distance learning system for KRSU students using the resources of the Polytechnic University. The joint work plan provides access to most SPbPU courses on the Moodle platform, as well as access for more than 50 students to the online laboratory campus. KRSU is working to open an Online Course Registration Center in Bishkek as early as 2025, and SPbPU is ready to provide expert support for the activities of such a center, train employees, conduct the necessary trainings and consultations.
Based on the successful experience of cooperation with the Russian-Armenian University, SPbPU agreed with KRSU to introduce the course “Fundamentals of Project Activities” into the educational process. In 2025, mentors will be trained and methodological recommendations for the course will be developed.
The successful practice of academic mobility of third-year undergraduate students of KRSU, who came to the Polytechnic for a semester last year, will continue. The directors of the Institute of Economics and Technology, Institute of Social Sciences, Institute of Economics, Institute of Science and Culture, and Institute of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (FSMEK) — the main institutes where students from Kyrgyzstan studied in 2024 — confirmed their interest in continuing such programs, but emphasized the importance of strict selection of students by field. Sergey Volkov confirmed that KRSU students are showing great interest in the Polytechnic and promised that 40 undergraduates and 10 graduates for study in the fall of 2025 will be carefully selected through a competition. In addition to semester mobility, the plan provides for short-term mobility and advanced training programs for KRSU students and teachers. Director of the Institute of Scientific Research Marina Petrochenko suggested that individual programs be timed to coincide with significant scientific and educational events of the Polytechnic institutes, for example, Science Week or student competitions, so that Kyrgyz students could participate in them.
Advanced training for KRSU teachers will be held in a hybrid and in-person format. There is a request from Kyrgyz colleagues for programs in energy, electronics, supercomputer technologies, economic security, etc. In the near future, a specific list of programs will be formed and 15 teachers will be identified who will come to SPbPU for in-person training. A separate request from the KRSU leadership is to organize training for members of the admissions committee on technologies for conducting an admissions campaign, working with the “Apply Online” services and other recruitment practices adopted at the Polytechnic University.
Vice-Rector for Research at SPbPU Yuri Fomin, presenting the final plan for the “Development of Scientific Potential” block, focused the attention of KRSU management on the need to build end-to-end business processes – from the selection and training of talented young scientists in graduate school to the formation of dissertation councils and successful defenses. Polytechnic is ready to share such experience. And in the near future, there are plans to organize dissertation defenses in SPbPU dissertation councils in key areas for KRSU applicants and postgraduate students.
The specialized research groups of the institutes of KRSU and SPbPU have prepared a list of 12 initiative projects for joint research. Yuri Fomin suggested correlating these projects with the planned internships of postgraduate students, the organization of defenses, the preparation of publications, and the submission of applications for grants in order to ensure the most effective activities of joint research groups and support the long-term development of scientific potential.
Two global joint projects of KRSU and SPbPU are planned as flagship projects in the work plan. The first is related to the work of the high-mountain observatory of atmospheric physics of KRSU. The observatory is equipped with high-tech instruments, in particular a lidar complex. The project will be of a more fundamental nature and will be related to studies of the state of the atmosphere, environmental monitoring, the formation of predictive models of seismic activity, etc. Over the years of the laboratory’s work, a significant array of data has been collected that can be used to verify and build models. On the part of SPbPU, the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications and the Civil Engineering Institute will be involved in the project. Director of the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications Alexander Korotkov noted the enormous potential of such an interdisciplinary project, which is capable of combining scientific competencies, the use of unique equipment, the developments of both the Polytechnic University and KRSU to develop a popular scientific direction and solve problems that are truly important for Kyrgyzstan.
The second project is the preparation of a comprehensive plan for the development of mining in the interests of the industrial partner of KRSU, the company “Alliance Altyn”. In early March, a large off-site meeting will be held directly at the production site. Director of the Institute of Energy Viktor Barskov confirmed his interest in the project and his readiness to send specialists from the Institute to Bishkek.
KRSU attracts not only industrial partners, but also government organizations to cooperation. In particular, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic requested the organization of a Fire Safety Center on the basis of KRSU for the training and advanced training of relevant specialists. Director of the ISI Marina Petrochenko mentioned a similar experience of cooperation between Polytechnic University and the Gefest Group of Companies and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, which ultimately led to the creation of a basic department. The work plan for 2025 includes a clause on the organization of a Fire Safety Center at KRSU and joint work in this direction by the ISI SPbPU and the FADIS KRSU.
Vice-Rector for Information Technologies of SPbPU Andrey Lyamin confirmed the possibility of using the resources of the SPbPU supercomputer for joint scientific work and the educational process. In the near future, a joint scientific group will be formed, and KRSU scientists will be able to gain access, including for the implementation of the above-mentioned flagship projects. Andrey Lyamin also raised the issue of organizing KRSU access to the most important university toolkit – the Antiplagiat program, which is needed for scientific and educational activities. In accordance with the work plan, SPbPU will provide the Kyrgyz university with access to the resource.
In terms of joint work, significant attention is paid to the interaction of library systems, in particular the development of joint IT solutions, regulations and methods that will contribute to the maximum digitalization of librarianship, the formation of an operating repository and the promotion of the results of the intellectual work of KRSU students and scientists.
The directors of SPbPU institutes supported the KRSU initiative to create a student design bureau, on the basis of which student teams, including joint ones, will design various solutions in the field of construction, energy, calculations and modeling. Such projects will be able to participate in university, regional and international competitions. The KRSU student design bureau will also serve as a basis for the implementation of applied projects of the course “Fundamentals of Project Activity”.
And so that really interesting projects and developments do not go to waste, the director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the Digital Engineering School Sergey Salkutsan in January 2025 during a visit to KRSU agreed on all the details of the pilot project for the development of student entrepreneurship and the launch of the project “Graduate Qualification Work as a Startup”. But it is not only the students who are in the focus of attention – for the management teams of KRSU (and this is more than 400 people), trainings on lean manufacturing, developed at SPbPU, are planned.
In 2025, the Polytechnic University will continue to support social projects, youth initiatives and communities. A joint student campaign will be held as part of the events for the 80th anniversary of the Victory in May 2025. Students and teachers will be able to take part in the events “Voice of Generations” and “Student Spring”. Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies Maxim Pasholikov said that following mutual consultations between specialists from SPbPU and KRSU, a detailed plan for joint activities of student communities has been drawn up. The work will be carried out in constant communication, with monthly online meetings in each area.
Also, key joint events will be the project-analytical session planned for May 2025 on the development of the KRSU development program for 2026-2030, and expert sessions on monitoring the implementation of the current development program and modernization and transformation processes. Acting Vice-Rector for Prospective Projects Maria Vrublevskaya, commenting on the preparation for this session, drew the attention of the KRSU management to the recommendations for assessing competencies and the staffing of the university, as well as conducting comprehensive work within the framework of the human capital management policy, which were formulated following the results strategic session in December 2024 years.
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.
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The regional qualifying round of the international robotics competition FIRST Tech Challenge — St. Petersburg was held at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. In Russia, they are held under the name “Engineers’ League”. Based on its results, the robotics teams KTM and VR from SPbPU received quotas for participation in the national championship of the Engineers’ League, which will be held in March in our city.
Since September, teams have been working hard to develop their robots, improving the design and software controls from competition to competition.
The regional selection in St. Petersburg has been held for the fifth year in a row at the Technopolis Polytech research complex, the best venue for such competitions. The format of the past competitions is as close as possible to the world level. In addition to competitions on the playing field, there are interviews of teams with experts and the defense of engineering portfolios. All robots have undergone a thorough technical examination. A full online broadcast was conducted, and interviews with participants immediately after the matches conveyed the bright emotions of the competition.
The Polytechnicians admitted that this meeting was indeed difficult, since the robot’s design was significantly reworked, and during the competition it was necessary to practice actions with allies. The level of training of Russian teams is traditionally high. In one of the matches, the result came very close to the current world record. According to the results of the qualification, our KTM and VR took second and fourth place among 23 teams. In the final, the alliance of Polytechnic teams came in second. This result allowed them to confidently qualify for the national championship. In 2025, it will be held in the Museum of Naval Glory in the city of Kronstadt.
These competitions were preceded by two friendly meetings. At the end of December, the Polytechnic teams took first and second place at ITMO. And right after the New Year holidays, a meeting was held at the Higher School of Economics. Due to the new rules, the guys had to significantly change the design of the robot, but this did not prevent them from taking the silver and becoming the best in the nominations “Innovative Solution” and “Control System”.
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.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
WATCH: Senator Markey’s Remarks at EPA Headquarters
Washington (February 6, 2025) – Earlier today at Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), and Paul Tonko (NY-20) were denied a meeting with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and DOGE representatives, where the lawmakers planned to ask why funding to critical EPA programs for clean air, clean water and climate action have been unconstitutionally cut off to communities and to demand that the funding that has already been authorized and appropriated by Congress be rightfully unfrozen.
Despite multiple court orders requiring the restart of funding, Trump administration officials have failed to release billions of dollars at the EPA that were authorized and appropriated for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and clean school bus programs as required by law—leaving communities without resources to combat the effects of dangerous pollution.
“Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their unqualified, unelected, unwanted henchmen want to dismantle the government services that keep our communities thriving, healthy, and safe from polluters,” said Senator Markey. “I went to the headquarters of the EPA to demand answers from Administrator Zeldin and the DOGE representatives who are illegally withholding funding that would keep air and water clean and help save families save money. After being denied access and a meeting, I left with more questions than answers. I will not stop fighting on behalf of the American people—their clean air, clean water, lower energy bills, and livable future–until I get those answers and funding gets restored. No business as usual. No votes for nominees. No illegal funding freeze. And no workers left behind.”
Congressmembers Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), and leaders and advocates from several environmental groups and unions including Climate Action Campaign, American Federation of Government Employees, Green New Deal Network, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Hip Hop Caucus, Union of Concerned Scientists, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Council of Churches, and Moms Clean Air Force joined the lawmakers for a press conference outside the EPA headquarters following the attempt to meet with EPA Administrator Zeldin and DOGE representatives.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Patrick Hajayandi, Research Affiliate, University of Pretoria
The crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) escalated at the end of January 2025 when Goma, the capital of the province of North Kivu, fell to Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
The civilian population is paying a heavy price as a result of ongoing violence, despite a series of initiatives aimed at creating conditions for peace. Since the re-emergence of the M23 in November 2021, violent clashes with the Congolese army have led to thousands of deaths and displaced more than one million people in North Kivu province alone.
Patrick Hajayandi, whose research focuses on peacebuilding and regional reconciliation, examines previous attempts at finding peace in eastern DRC – and what needs to happen next.
The eastern DRC has become the site of renewed tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa. Rwanda lies to the east of the DRC. The two nations share a border of about 217 kilometres.
Kigali accuses the DRC of hosting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, the largest illegal armed group operating in the conflict area. Better known by its French acronym, FDLR, the group has stated its intention to overthrow the Rwandan government.
On the other hand, Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting and arming the M23, which seeks to control the two Kivu provinces, North and South. The involvement of the Rwandan Defence Forces in direct combat alongside the M23, corroborated by UN experts, has escalated the spread of violence.
Despite current tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali, a few years ago the two governments engaged in collaborative efforts to solve the problem posed by the numerous armed groups operating in eastern DRC.
Such efforts included two joint operations with Congolese and Rwandan forces aimed at neutralising the FDLR. These joint operations in 2008 and 2009 were known as Operation Kimia and Umoja Wetu. In 2019 and 2020, soon after he took power, President Felix Tshisekedi allowed the Rwandan army to conduct operations against the FDLR in Congolese territory.
However, in recent years, relations have soured badly between Kinshasa and Kigali. This has led to regional efforts to broker peace.
The first complicating factor relates to the different roles that regional actors play in the DRC.
The involvement of a multitude of countries points to the complexity underlying the conflict and the diverse geopolitical interests. The DRC shares a border with nine countries: Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
In 2022, the African Union asked Angolan president João Lourenço to mediate between the DRC and Rwanda. The process he oversees is known as the Luanda Process and seeks to defuse the escalation of violence across the region. In particular, it has sought to reduce tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa.
The East African Community is directly involved in peace initiatives to restore peace in DRC. It has appointed former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta to lead what is called the Nairobi Process.
Read more:
DRC-Rwanda crisis: what’s needed to prevent a regional war
The DRC has rebuffed the East African Community’s reconciliation efforts. And Rwanda recently criticised both processes, suggesting the country had lost confidence in the ability of Lourenço and Kenyatta to find a solution.
In May 2023, the Southern African Development Community, of which the DRC is a member state, deployed a peace mission. This followed the exit of troops from the East African Community.
Other countries play different roles directly or indirectly in various missions in the DRC. Burundi is supporting military operations there under the framework of bilateral agreements in the defence sector. Uganda also deployed troops, ostensibly in pursuit of jihadist-backed armed rebels three years ago. However, this deployment has been a destabilising factor, with Kampala facing accusations of supporting the M23.
The East African Community Regional Force was deployed to pursue peace in eastern DRC as part of the Nairobi Process. However, this mission was cut short due to four main challenges:
differences over mission objectives: the DRC government believed that the East African Community Regional Force would militarily confront M23 rebels. But the force had different objectives. As indicated by its commander, the deployment was to focus on overseeing the implementation of a political agreement, not run a military confrontation.
contrasting views among the leaders of the East African Community member states on how to address the DRC’s crisis: the DRC and Rwanda are both members of the community. Rwanda is vocal about stopping the persecution of Congolese Tutsi in the DRC. However, there is a growing perception that Rwanda is supporting the M23 as a proxy force to allow it to control mineral resources. This has stalled reconciliation efforts.
a lack of financial support for the talks: the African Union and regional bodies don’t have enough funding to support the interventions required to make meaningful progress.
The Luanda Process has not been able to bring tangible results either. The reasons for this failure include bad faith from the parties involved. This was reflected in the continued capture of territories by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, despite a July 2024 ceasefire.
After the January 2025 seizure of Goma and wave of deaths and displacement that followed, the M23 declared another ceasefire. Whether it will hold remains to be seen.
Rwanda’s behaviour in the ongoing conflict is complicating peace efforts. Kigali continues to deny supporting the M23 armed group. But it is participating in negotiations that involve the M23 and the DRC government. These contradictions make it difficult to know exactly who must be held responsible when, for example, a ceasefire is violated.
The current peace initiatives have been ineffective; they are routinely violated. What is needed is real pressure on the actors involved in spreading violence, forcing them to halt their destructive activities.
Congolese Nobel Prize winner Denis Mukwege, for example, has called for diplomatic and economic measures to end the aggression in the DRC. This would mean implementing sanctions and aid conditionalities in both Kigali and Kinshasa against the military and political leaders orchestrating violence against civilian populations.
Interventions should also include addressing structural causes of the conflict in the DRC, including resource exploitation.
There is also a need to address impunity as an essential step towards lasting peace. Rwanda must not continue to support an armed group that is attacking a neighbour. Kigali needs to be held accountable. International pressure is essential in halting attacks. The DRC government must also play its role as a guarantor of security for all its citizens.
Patrick Hajayandi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. DRC conflict: talks have failed to bring peace. Is it time to try sanctions? – https://theconversation.com/drc-conflict-talks-have-failed-to-bring-peace-is-it-time-to-try-sanctions-248792
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Patrick Hajayandi, Research Affiliate, University of Pretoria
The crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) escalated at the end of January 2025 when Goma, the capital of the province of North Kivu, fell to Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
The civilian population is paying a heavy price as a result of ongoing violence, despite a series of initiatives aimed at creating conditions for peace. Since the re-emergence of the M23 in November 2021, violent clashes with the Congolese army have led to thousands of deaths and displaced more than one million people in North Kivu province alone.
Patrick Hajayandi, whose research focuses on peacebuilding and regional reconciliation, examines previous attempts at finding peace in eastern DRC – and what needs to happen next.
The eastern DRC has become the site of renewed tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa. Rwanda lies to the east of the DRC. The two nations share a border of about 217 kilometres.
Kigali accuses the DRC of hosting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, the largest illegal armed group operating in the conflict area. Better known by its French acronym, FDLR, the group has stated its intention to overthrow the Rwandan government.
On the other hand, Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting and arming the M23, which seeks to control the two Kivu provinces, North and South. The involvement of the Rwandan Defence Forces in direct combat alongside the M23, corroborated by UN experts, has escalated the spread of violence.
Despite current tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali, a few years ago the two governments engaged in collaborative efforts to solve the problem posed by the numerous armed groups operating in eastern DRC.
Such efforts included two joint operations with Congolese and Rwandan forces aimed at neutralising the FDLR. These joint operations in 2008 and 2009 were known as Operation Kimia and Umoja Wetu. In 2019 and 2020, soon after he took power, President Felix Tshisekedi allowed the Rwandan army to conduct operations against the FDLR in Congolese territory.
However, in recent years, relations have soured badly between Kinshasa and Kigali. This has led to regional efforts to broker peace.
The first complicating factor relates to the different roles that regional actors play in the DRC.
The involvement of a multitude of countries points to the complexity underlying the conflict and the diverse geopolitical interests. The DRC shares a border with nine countries: Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
In 2022, the African Union asked Angolan president João Lourenço to mediate between the DRC and Rwanda. The process he oversees is known as the Luanda Process and seeks to defuse the escalation of violence across the region. In particular, it has sought to reduce tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa.
The East African Community is directly involved in peace initiatives to restore peace in DRC. It has appointed former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta to lead what is called the Nairobi Process.
Read more: DRC-Rwanda crisis: what’s needed to prevent a regional war
The DRC has rebuffed the East African Community’s reconciliation efforts. And Rwanda recently criticised both processes, suggesting the country had lost confidence in the ability of Lourenço and Kenyatta to find a solution.
In May 2023, the Southern African Development Community, of which the DRC is a member state, deployed a peace mission. This followed the exit of troops from the East African Community.
Other countries play different roles directly or indirectly in various missions in the DRC. Burundi is supporting military operations there under the framework of bilateral agreements in the defence sector. Uganda also deployed troops, ostensibly in pursuit of jihadist-backed armed rebels three years ago. However, this deployment has been a destabilising factor, with Kampala facing accusations of supporting the M23.
The East African Community Regional Force was deployed to pursue peace in eastern DRC as part of the Nairobi Process. However, this mission was cut short due to four main challenges:
differences over mission objectives: the DRC government believed that the East African Community Regional Force would militarily confront M23 rebels. But the force had different objectives. As indicated by its commander, the deployment was to focus on overseeing the implementation of a political agreement, not run a military confrontation.
contrasting views among the leaders of the East African Community member states on how to address the DRC’s crisis: the DRC and Rwanda are both members of the community. Rwanda is vocal about stopping the persecution of Congolese Tutsi in the DRC. However, there is a growing perception that Rwanda is supporting the M23 as a proxy force to allow it to control mineral resources. This has stalled reconciliation efforts.
a lack of financial support for the talks: the African Union and regional bodies don’t have enough funding to support the interventions required to make meaningful progress.
The Luanda Process has not been able to bring tangible results either. The reasons for this failure include bad faith from the parties involved. This was reflected in the continued capture of territories by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, despite a July 2024 ceasefire.
After the January 2025 seizure of Goma and wave of deaths and displacement that followed, the M23 declared another ceasefire. Whether it will hold remains to be seen.
Rwanda’s behaviour in the ongoing conflict is complicating peace efforts. Kigali continues to deny supporting the M23 armed group. But it is participating in negotiations that involve the M23 and the DRC government. These contradictions make it difficult to know exactly who must be held responsible when, for example, a ceasefire is violated.
The current peace initiatives have been ineffective; they are routinely violated. What is needed is real pressure on the actors involved in spreading violence, forcing them to halt their destructive activities.
Congolese Nobel Prize winner Denis Mukwege, for example, has called for diplomatic and economic measures to end the aggression in the DRC. This would mean implementing sanctions and aid conditionalities in both Kigali and Kinshasa against the military and political leaders orchestrating violence against civilian populations.
Interventions should also include addressing structural causes of the conflict in the DRC, including resource exploitation.
There is also a need to address impunity as an essential step towards lasting peace. Rwanda must not continue to support an armed group that is attacking a neighbour. Kigali needs to be held accountable. International pressure is essential in halting attacks. The DRC government must also play its role as a guarantor of security for all its citizens.
– DRC conflict: talks have failed to bring peace. Is it time to try sanctions?
– https://theconversation.com/drc-conflict-talks-have-failed-to-bring-peace-is-it-time-to-try-sanctions-248792
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
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Moscow State University of Civil Engineering
The creation of modern conditions for education and research activities in Russian higher education institutions is an important part of the work of the Russian construction complex. High-quality infrastructure attracts talented students and scientists, promotes innovation and strengthens the positions of universities. Ultimately, this is a contribution to the future of the country, because it is within the walls of universities that specialists are trained who will move science and the economy forward, noted Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.
On the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, a network of world-class university campuses is being created in Russia. One of these projects will be implemented at the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering.
“NRU MGSU is a flagship university in the construction industry. It has recently been included in the list of universities that provide training for engineering personnel and scientific developments for the country’s technological leadership. It has become the basic organization of the CIS member states for training and advanced training for personnel in the construction and housing and communal services industries. Last year, the university held the most successful admissions campaign in recent years. The passing scores for state-funded programs have increased significantly in a number of specialties. MGSU entered the top 10 universities in Moscow and the Moscow region in terms of the dynamics of the quality of state-funded admission. President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin supported the project to create a world-class campus on the basis of NRU MGSU. And today, the development of design and estimate documentation for the construction of two blocks of the educational and scientific cluster has already begun. Architectural and planning solutions have been agreed upon with the university,” said Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NRU MGSU Marat Khusnullin.
The construction of the campus facilities of the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering is planned to be carried out in two stages until 2035. Within the first stage, three blocks of the educational and scientific cluster, a sports and recreation complex, an ice arena, and a student dormitory will be built. The area of the new facilities will be more than 172 thousand square meters, facilities with an area of more than 10 thousand square meters will be reconstructed, and major repairs of the existing buildings of the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering are planned.
Currently, design and estimate documentation is being developed for blocks “A” and “B” with an area of over 69 thousand square meters, which will house advanced research and educational spaces, coworking spaces, creative workshops and public catering areas.
“When the campus is ready, it will be possible to implement a full innovation cycle on the basis of NRU MGSU, from the idea to the implementation of techniques and technologies, digital solutions, designs and materials in the construction industry and housing and communal services. I am sure that this will help popularize construction professions, achieve national goals and implement national projects,” Marat Khusnullin emphasized.
In addition, work continues on the construction of university campuses on the premises of other universities. For example, as part of the Oryol State University named after I.S. Turgenev, the public-law company “Unified Customer in the Sphere of Construction” is constructing an educational and laboratory building and a dormitory complex.
“The construction of the dormitory complex, consisting of three buildings, started in the summer of 2024. Currently, builders are actively performing monolithic work at the site; the construction of structures is already 60% complete. About 1,500 students will be able to live in comfortable conditions. The buildings will also have gyms, rooms for independent study and leisure,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.
The educational and laboratory building with an area of over 27 thousand square meters will house a prototyping and reengineering center, an auditorium, a library and other premises. The student campus will become a modern open space for education, science and business.
Three more campuses are currently being built by Unified Customer in Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Kaliningrad.
At the same time, the Russian construction complex is developing the infrastructure of other universities that were not included in the world-class campus program. Including those facilities whose construction was delayed.
Thus, the construction of five educational and laboratory buildings of the Crimean Federal University named after V.I. Vernadsky in Simferopol began in 2019 and 2022, but was suspended. In 2024, the construction was entrusted to the PPK “Unified Customer”. As reported by Marat Khusnullin, monolithic work has been completed in the building of the educational building of the Institute of Foreign Philology. More than one thousand students and teachers will be able to study and work in this building.
“The eight-story building of the Institute of Foreign Philology will house classrooms and lecture halls, modern computer rooms, a reading room with an archive, a buffet with a dining room for 48 people, teachers’ offices, as well as a center for the language cultures of the small peoples of Crimea and other premises. The construction of the building is planned to be completed and equipped with modern technological equipment in 2026,” said Karen Oganesyan, General Director of the Unified Customer PPC.
In addition, KFU continues construction of buildings for the Physics and Technology Institute, student center, administrative building, and the Architecture and Civil Engineering Academy. The total area of the buildings is over 46 thousand square meters.
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.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
Completion of Shenandoah SS-2H ST1 stimulation
07 February 2025 – Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSXV: FO, AIM: FOG) is pleased to announce the completion the Shenandoah S2-2H ST1 (“SS-2H ST1”) stimulation in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, Northern Territory, Australia with Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited’s joint venture partner, Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited.
Key Highlights
Philip O’Quigley, CEO of Falcon commented:
“We are extremely encouraged about the potential of the current stimulation program based on strong gas shows and other data observed whilst drilling. In addition, the experienced US operator, Liberty Energy, have shown the efficiencies they can achieve which will provide us with the greatest opportunity for the best possible outcomes from this stimulation program. We look forward to updating the market on the IP30 flow test results as soon as they become available.”
Ends.
CONTACT DETAILS:
| Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. | +353 1 676 8702 |
| Philip O’Quigley, CEO | +353 87 814 7042 |
| Anne Flynn, CFO | +353 1 676 9162 |
| Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (NOMAD & Broker) | |
| Neil McDonald / Adam Rae | +44 131 220 9771 |
This announcement has been reviewed by Dr. Gábor Bada, Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd’s Technical Advisor. Dr. Bada obtained his geology degree at the Eötvös L. University in Budapest, Hungary and his PhD at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a member of AAPG.
About Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is an international oil & gas company engaged in the exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas assets, with the current portfolio focused in Australia. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is incorporated in British Columbia, Canada and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited is a c. 98% subsidiary of Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
For further information on Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Please visit www.falconoilandgas.com
About Beetaloo Joint Venture (EP 76, 98 and 117)
| Company | Interest |
| Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia) | 22.5% |
| Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited | 77.5% |
| Total | 100.0% |
Shenandoah South Pilot Project -2 Drilling Space Units – 46,080 acres1
| Company | Interest |
| Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia) | 5.0% |
| Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited | 95.0% |
| Total | 100.0% |
1Subject to the completion of the SS2H ST1 and SS4H wells on the Shenandoah South pad 2.
About Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited
Tamboran (B1) Pty Limited (“Tamboran B1”) is the 100% holder of Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited, with Tamboran B1 being a 50:50 joint venture between Tamboran Resources Corporation and Daly Waters Energy, LP.
Tamboran Resources Corporation, is a natural gas company listed on the NYSE (TBN) and ASX (TBN). Tamboran is focused on playing a constructive role in the global energy transition towards a lower carbon future, by developing the significant low CO2 gas resource within the Beetaloo Basin through cutting-edge drilling and completion design technology as well as management’s experience in successfully commercialising unconventional shale in North America.
Bryan Sheffield of Daly Waters Energy, LP is a highly successful investor and has made significant returns in the US unconventional energy sector in the past. He was Founder of Parsley Energy Inc. (“PE”), an independent unconventional oil and gas producer in the Permian Basin, Texas and previously served as its Chairman and CEO. PE was acquired for over US$7 billion by Pioneer Natural Resources Company.
Advisory regarding forward-looking statements
Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “projects”, “dependent”, “consider” “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “outlook”, “budget”, “hope”, “suggest”, “support” “planned”, “approximately”, “potential” or the negative of those terms or similar words suggesting future outcomes. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, details on the completion of the stimulation of SS-2H ST1; Liberty Energy conducting the stimulation campaign; and commencement of initial flow back and extended production testing and updates on SS-4H.
This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. The risks, assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results include risks associated with fluctuations in market prices for shale gas; risks related to the exploration, development and production of shale gas reserves; general economic, market and business conditions; substantial capital requirements; uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of reserves and resources; extent of, and cost of compliance with, government laws and regulations and the effect of changes in such laws and regulations; the need to obtain regulatory approvals before development commences; environmental risks and hazards and the cost of compliance with environmental regulations; aboriginal claims; inherent risks and hazards with operations such as mechanical or pipe failure, cratering and other dangerous conditions; potential cost overruns, drilling wells is speculative, often involving significant costs that may be more than estimated and may not result in any discoveries; variations in foreign exchange rates; competition for capital, equipment, new leases, pipeline capacity and skilled personnel; the failure of the holder of licenses, leases and permits to meet requirements of such; changes in royalty regimes; failure to accurately estimate abandonment and reclamation costs; inaccurate estimates and assumptions by management and their joint venture partners; effectiveness of internal controls; the potential lack of available drilling equipment; failure to obtain or keep key personnel; title deficiencies; geo-political risks; and risk of litigation.
Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive and that these factors and risks are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Falcon assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Falcon. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Falcon’s filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.com, including under “Risk Factors” in the Annual Information Form.
Any references in this news release to initial production rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons; however, such rates are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will continue production and decline thereafter and are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance or ultimate recovery. While encouraging, readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production for Falcon. Such rates are based on field estimates and may be based on limited data available at this time.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On February 6, Vladimir Stroyev, Rector of the State University of Management, took part in an off-site meeting of the State Council of the Russian Federation Commission on Personnel, dedicated to Russian Science Day.
The commission members gathered in the city of Obninsk to discuss the human resources potential of Russian science.
In the first half of the day, the guests visited nuclear enterprises and got acquainted with the scientific potential of Obninsk. At the A.I. Leypunsky Physics and Power Engineering Institute, the commission was shown the new Educational Center, which is adjacent to the complex of fast physical stands. The center is equipped with a special experimental laboratory, which is built according to the strictest safety standards, and here future specialists can conduct research, including with sealed radiation sources.
A panel discussion on the issue of “On the human resources potential of Russian science” was held in the building of the Rosatom Technical Academy in the science city.
The meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the State Council Commission on Personnel, a graduate of the State University of Management Vladislav Shapsha. The moderator was the Deputy Head of the Region and Deputy Chairman of the Commission, a graduate of the State University of Management Tatyana Leonova.
Greetings to Kaluga scientists were heard from the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education Sergei Kabyshev and the Governor of the Vladimir Region Alexander Avdeev.
The event was attended by the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education Alexander Mazhuga, State Duma Deputy Gennady Sklyar, President of the Russian Academy of Education Olga Vasilyeva, General Director of the National Medical Research Center of Radiology of the Ministry of Health of Russia Andrey Kaprin and others.
The State University of Management was represented at the meeting by the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and the vice-rector Maria Karelina.
“Today we work in the city of Obninsk and visited several enterprises of the city, where new personnel are trained and work. And the experience of the city can be taken as a model: how to work with personnel, how to train them, what to provide and interest them in order to keep them in the region. These are conditions, including infrastructure, this is salary, and this is, of course, interest in the profession and the opportunity for advancement and development in it,” Vladimir Vitalyevich noted.
At the opening of the plenary discussion, Vladislav Shapsha spoke about the achievements of scientific and production centers that glorify both Obninsk and the entire region throughout Russia.
“Over the years of development, the Kaluga Region has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the leading scientific and technological centers of Russia. Last year, the Government of the Russian Federation extended the status of “science city” for Obninsk until 2040, and special thanks to our government for this. Our region has extensive experience, significant potential for scientific work in various fields, in nuclear medicine, biotechnology, radioecology, and other industries,” emphasized Vladislav Shapsha.
At the end of the meeting, Vladislav Shapsha presented awards to scientists who contributed to the acquisition and systematization of knowledge and the possibility of applying it in practice.
After the meeting, the commission members took part in the opening of the Sintec Group laboratory at the Obninsk Institute of Atomic Energy, a branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/07/2025
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.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
| Press release | Danske Bank Bernstorffsgade 40 DK-1577 København V Tel. + 45 45 14 14 00 7 February 2025 |
Progress in customer activity as well as core banking activities continued,
and credit quality remained strong
Record-high net profit of DKK 23.6 billion, improving return on equity to 13.4%
Dividend of DKK 9.35 per share for the second half of 2024 as well as an extraordinary dividend of DKK 5.35 per share, in total DKK 14.7 per share
The Board of Directors has decided to initiate a new share buy-back programme of DKK 5 billion
Danske Bank has announced its financial results for 2024.
Carsten Egeriis, Chief Executive Officer, comments on the financial results:
“For Danske Bank, 2024 was a year in which we consistently delivered positive results from quarter to quarter, driven by increased customer activity, continually strong credit quality and a sustained, dedicated effort from the entire organisation. Consequently, we maintained our positive commercial momentum, resulting in a solid financial performance.
One year into the execution of our Forward ’28 strategy, we have made substantial progress within our technology transformation and customer engagement, and we can see that our investments in enhancing the customer experience have resulted in increasingly positive customer satisfaction scores.
Our continued focus on cost discipline and on maintaining strong credit quality resulted in two upward adjustments of our financial guidance in 2024. On the basis of our strong financial results and solid capital position, the total distribution in 2024 amounts to 100% of net profit, thus honouring the commitment we have made to our shareholders.
With our advanced customer offerings, deep expertise and solid financial position, Danske Bank is strongly positioned to create value for customers, shareholders and society. In a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, rapid technological shifts and increasing sustainability challenges, we will continue to focus on opportunities and solutions for households and businesses alike.”
The annual report is available at www.danskebank.com. Highlights are shown below:
2024 vs 2023
Total income of DKK 56.4 billion (up 8%)
Operating expenses of DKK 25.7 billion (up 1%)
Loan impairments of DKK -543 million (2023: DKK 262 million)
Net profit of DKK 23.6 billion (up 11%)
Return on shareholders’ equity of 13.4% (2023: 12.7%)
Strong capital position, with a CET1 capital ratio of 17.8% (2023: 18.8%). The ratio reflects strong capital generation and the full deduction of the announced 40% additional capital distribution.
Solid progress towards Forward ’28 ambitions and 2026 targets
2024 was the first full year of our Forward ’28 strategy, and we are well-positioned for future growth as we maintain our trajectory towards strengthening our position as a leading bank in the Nordic region and make significant investments in our customer offerings.
For personal and private banking customers, with Forward ’28, a sharpened focus in each of our markets has allowed us to further strengthen our relations with existing customers and attract new ones. For business and institutional customers, we want to be a leading bank in the markets in which we operate. Our approach focuses on meeting evolving market demands while fostering high long-term customer and employee satisfaction.
Significant progress with our technology transformation paved the way for a better customer experience and improved efficiency. In 2024, we made substantial progress in terms of using digitalisation, data, AI and technology to improve customer engagement while reducing costs and operational risks. We developed a new version of our District online banking platform that is tailored to small businesses and is expected to launch in Denmark in the first half of 2025. We also launched a new welcoming app that makes it both easier and faster to become a personal customer with us.
Across the bank, we have made GenAI a strategic priority, and our GenAI-powered solutions offer key opportunities to unlock productivity gains. During 2024, we launched DanskeGPT, which has been adopted by almost 16,000 users across the organisation, corresponding to 74% of all employees. We have also deployed GenAI-powered tools for our software developers, and these tools are driving solid productivity improvements.
In 2024, Danica developed its new commercial strategy, Forward ’28 – Danica, which aims to make Danica the preferred pension company in Denmark by 2028. The strategy, which took effect on 1 January 2025, focuses on the importance of making customer interactions with Danica easy and convenient through digital solutions and on offering comprehensive healthcare offerings, attractive returns and quality advice. These elements are expected to be key growth drivers over the next few years. The strategy aligns with the strategic direction set in Danske Bank’s Forward ’28 strategy, underscoring the significant potential in synchronising services between the bank and the pension business.
As the success of our strategy relies on solid execution, we have a significant focus on our employees, supported by investments in development activities, leadership and the workplace. Employee satisfaction and engagement scores continued to improve from already high levels and are now above the industry benchmark.
Sustainability is a key focus area in Forward ’28, and our ambition is to be a leading Nordic bank in terms of supporting the sustainability transition of customers, businesses and the Nordic societies that we are a part of. Our efforts are reinforced by new ESG advisory services, comprehensive staff training, recruitment of specialists and strategic partnerships, all aimed at supporting our customers’ sustainability transition. In line with European regulation, for the 2024 annual report, Danske Bank has prepared a sustainability statement in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
Better-than-expected macroeconomic conditions
Macroeconomic conditions developed more favourably than expected in the markets in which we operate. Especially in Denmark, the inflation and growth outlook improved during the year, and this development is forecast to continue as central banks continue their easing trajectories, leading to lower rates for both households and businesses. Although the growth outlook has improved broadly speaking in the Nordic region, the uncertainty related to Europe’s long-term growth prospects and ability to innovate persists.
In times of uncertainty for both Danske Bank and our customers, our well-capitalised balance sheet has enabled us to be a strong financial partner for our customers, and we have continued to support them with risk management expertise and expert advice.
Strong financial performance
An improved commercial momentum in our business, supported by better-than-expected macroeconomic conditions and strong credit quality have enabled us to strengthen profitability and generate record-high net profit. The return on equity thus increased from 12.7% to 13.4%, highlighting our positive trajectory and progress towards our 2026 targets.
In 2024, total income grew 8%, driven by a sustained uplift in core banking income. Despite central bank rate cuts and lower deposit margins as well as overall muted credit demand, net interest income showed the expected strong development, with increasing net interest income throughout the year. Net fee income continued the positive traction throughout the year, reflecting our overall strong development and ability to do more business with existing customers and to attract new customers. We saw a higher level of fee income from cash management products, and customer activity generally remained high. Furthermore, we saw an increase in investment fees generated by strategic investments in our private banking offerings as well as a strong development in fees from asset management.
Net trading income remained stable, and net income from insurance business benefited from stable financial markets, with the health and accident business continuing to be challenged, however.
Operating expenses developed according to plan and were at the same level as in 2023. The minor year-on-year increase was caused mainly by higher investments in our technology transformation made under our Forward ’28 strategy and staff costs that were impacted by wage inflation. Costs related to financial crime prevention and legacy remediation decreased in line with our plan for a normalisation of costs, and together with prudent cost management, this led to an improvement in the cost/income ratio to 46% from 49%.
Loan impairment charges amounted to a net reversal of DKK 543 million, reflecting strong credit quality and modest impairments against single-name exposures coupled with a review of post-model adjustments. We continue to apply significant post-model adjustments as well as a scenario-based macroeconomic model to cater for potential tail risks that are not evident in our portfolio. Overall, the macroeconomic environment improved during 2024 and was characterised by lower inflation, lower interest rates and an enhanced growth momentum.
Overall, we ended the year with the same positive momentum that we saw in the first nine months of 2024. This resulted in record-high net profit of DKK 23.6 billion, up 11% from 2023.
“The first year of execution of our Forward ’28 strategy, 2024 was an important year for Danske Bank’s financial performance: With income growth driven by our growing core income as well as our continued efforts to support customers and drive the commercial momentum, net profit represents a record-high result,” says Stephan Engels, Chief Financial Officer.
We continue to create value to the benefit of our customers, our shareholders and society: Our tax expense amounted to DKK 7.6 billion, and given our strong capital position, and in line with the Forward ’28 strategy, the financial year 2024 enables us to make a significant payout to our shareholders.
Delivering on capital distribution
Given our strong balance sheet, and as planned in the Forward ’28 strategy, the financial year 2024 yields a significant payout to our shareholders. We paid a dividend of DKK 7.50 per share in connection with the interim report for the first half of 2024, and we propose a dividend of DKK 9.35 per share for the second half of 2024 as well as an extraordinary dividend of DKK 5.35 per share. Furthermore, on 6 December 2024, we announced a special dividend of DKK 6.50 per share following the successful transfer of the personal customer business in Norway. In total, our distribution for 2024 amounts to DKK 28.70 per share.
It remains crucial for us to create value for all our stakeholders, including our shareholders, customers, employees and the societies we are part of, and as a bank we need to attract capital from shareholders to lend and do business. Besides large institutional investors, our capital distribution benefits most major pension funds in Denmark as well as private individuals in Denmark, who have invested part of their savings in Danske Bank shares. In total, we have more than a quarter of a million investors, of which more than half are private individuals in Denmark.
Danske Bank’s dividend policy for 2025 remains unchanged, targeting a dividend payout of 40-60% of net profit in the form of annual dividend payments.
Share buy-back
The share buy-back programme launched in February 2024 of DKK 5.5 billion was completed in January 2025.
On the basis of the financial results for 2024, the Board of Directors has decided to initiate a new share buy-back programme of DKK 5 billion, taking the total payout ratio to 100% of net profits when including the dividend for 2024 but excluding the special dividend related to the transfer of the personal customer business in Norway. The programme, which has been approved by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority, will start on 10 February 2025.
Outlook for 2025
We expect net profit for 2025 to be in the range of DKK 21-23 billion.
The outlook is subject to uncertainty and depends on economic conditions.
Download the Annual Report as zip here.
Danske Bank
Contact: Helga Heyn, Head of Media Relations, tel. +45 45 14 14 00
More information about Danske Bank’s financial results is available at www.danskebank.com/reports.
Attachments
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
The Albanese Government has appointed Ms Georgina Somerset AM as Deputy Chairperson of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Board for a period of six months.
Ms Somerset has served on the Board as a non-executive Director since 2017 and brings considerable experience to the role, including across the not-for-profit and regional development sectors.
Her appointment as Deputy Chair for a six-month term will provide stability and certainty to the Board, as the ABC continues to deliver on its Charter to provide services and programs that inform and entertain Australians.
Ms Somerset’s appointment fills the vacant Deputy Chair position created by the resignation of non‑executive Director and Deputy Chair Mr Peter Tonagh in December 2024.
Mr Tonagh served on the ABC Board as a non-executive Director from May 2021, and was appointed Deputy Chair in November of that year.
The Government thanks Mr Tonagh for his service throughout his time on the Board and wishes him well for his future endeavours.
The independent Nomination panel for ABC Board appointments will conduct a merit-based selection process to fill the non-executive Director vacancy on the Board, in line with requirements under the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983.
Following this process, the Government will select a non-executive Director from the ABC Board to perform the Deputy Chair role in the longer term.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
“The Board performs a crucial role in guiding the ABC, including maintaining its independence and integrity, and ensuring the accuracy and impartiality of news.
“Ms Somerset has been an asset to the Board during her term and will continue to make a strong contribution in the role of Deputy Chair for the next six months.
“On behalf of the Government, I wish Mr Tonagh the best for his next chapter, and thank him for his service to public broadcasting.”
Source: Ministers for Social Services
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
Topics: NDIS; NDIS fraud; Investment in Saver Plus.
JACQUI FELGATE, HOST: I do want to touch base now, though, on the NDIS, because I think it’s a really important issue and it’s one that a lot of victims in this case and a lot of people with disabilities and special needs that needed help under the last system didn’t get it. It’s now in the hands of Amanda Rishworth, who’s the new Minister for the NDIS following the retirement of Labor MP Bill Shorten. So, for the first time on 3AW, she joins me now. Minister, really appreciate your time.
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Great to be with you.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, what it means in practical terms is that if someone has a permanent and significant disability, what they can do is go to see a planner at the NDIS and they will make an assessment and give you funding to buy in a whole range of individualised supports. So, that might be therapy supports like physiotherapy, it might be personal care or nursing. It might be equipment like a wheelchair. Previously to the NDIS, people just used to get allocated a wheelchair or told to go to a certain place and that’s where they could get their physiotherapy. When the NDIS came in, you got funding in which the person with the disability could go and then find a provider and spend the money they were allocated to get that service. So, it provided a lot more control for people with disability. It has changed so many people’s lives, but it’s very individualistic, so it is what you need as an individual. And so it is quite complex at times and can be difficult to navigate, but it really has changed so many people’s lives because it’s provided an individualised support for people that need it.
JACQUI FELGATE: So, when you say complex, we do know the system has been fraught with problems to the point of alleged fraud as well. Last year, when we spoke to a lot of, particularly parents of young children, they felt like their funding had been reduced or cut unnecessarily. Are you going through all of those cases on an individual basis and can you reassure people that those who really need it are going to get the funding?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Firstly, I would say that as Minister, the NDIS review process happens independently for me. But I can say and give your listeners reassurance, there haven’t been any changes around the rules in which young children are assessed. What there has been a change to is a list of what’s in and can be funded by the NDIS and what’s out of that list. And that was about making sure that the NDIS funds were actually used appropriately. There are a lot of things that were on that list that, you know, salt therapy was one of these things. There’s no evidence for that. But when it comes to children, there have been no changes around access and what can be funded under the scheme. There’s an individualised assessment to that and that’s really important. But there haven’t been any changes to what can be funded.
JACQUI FELGATE: And what about the rorts and the fraud? How can you guarantee that that won’t happen in the future?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, some of the cases, particularly service providers that have been acting appallingly, was really shocking. So, we have, as under the previous Minister, set up what was called the Fraud Fusion Task Force, which actually brought together intel from a range of agencies, the AFP, the NDIA and a whole range of structures to deal with fraud. And so that continues do its work to make sure it’s identifying dodgy actors in this and hold them to account. And we have a number of ongoing investigations and referrals for prosecution. But some of the other work that’s been really important to make sure that this money gets used wisely is making sure people understand what can be funded and what can’t be, particularly service providers. They need to understand and give the right advice. So, the other element I’m really keen on is driving up quality. So, this isn’t just bad actors in the scheme, this is actually making sure that every participant, when they spend their NDIS money, get a high quality service, that there’s appropriate safeguards and protections in place as well.
JACQUI FELGATE: So, how do you think it got to that point, though, where we heard the most ridiculous examples and we heard the most desperate examples of people who really needed help but couldn’t get it? And then the rorts, like how did it allow over all these years, how did that get to that point, Minister?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, people just weren’t paying attention. I mean, ultimately you heard stories the…
JACQUI FELGATE: The former Minister wasn’t paying attention?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: The former government wasn’t paying attention. I mean, when Minister Shorten came into this portfolio, he identified very quickly that there had been no checks and balances, that there hadn’t been proper oversight over this scheme. It had been left just to meander and there hadn’t been the appropriate protections put in place. So, Minister Shorten himself identified this very quickly and has stood up a whole range of oversight mechanisms to look at this. So, it really was the previous government…
JACQUI FELGATE: You can’t always blame the previous government, though, you have been in power for nearly four years.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, you know about the challenges because we’ve identified them. You know about these cases that have happened over the last two years because they haven’t got away with it. I mean, that’s ultimately why, you know about these circumstances, why we’ve seen some of the articles in the paper, is because we have now got the oversight mechanisms to identify them and take them to court. So, we do need to maintain vigilance on this. It is critically important, but it’s also important that people don’t get dodgy service and there is quality services out there as well.
JACQUI FELGATE: Okay, so what’s the Saver Plus program and how’s that going to make a difference?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: The Saver Plus program is separate from the NDIS. This is a really important program where people that may be wanting to get a bit more financial capability to have matched savings with the ANZ Bank. We have just funded this program. It’s been going for 21 years. We’ve now extended their funding for another five years. It’s funded through the Brotherhood of St Laurence and really does support people become financially resilient and support them for really good saving habits. So, it’s a really good program. And I’m really pleased that today we’ve announced extra funding for that.
JACQUI FELGATE: Amanda Rishworth is the Minister for Social Services and the NDIS. Really appreciate your time, Minister.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Thank you.
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
A project that will transform Sebastopol and become a vital part of community life has reached a major construction milestone.
The concrete slab of the Sebastopol Community Hub is about to be poured, as significant progress continues to be made towards the community-shaping project.
It is expected the structural steel framing will be complete in autumn as the designs start to become reality.
The community hub will provide a vital facility for Sebastopol and surrounding suburbs and has extensive financial support from all three tiers of government.
The collaborative project is jointly funded by the City of Ballarat (up to $5 million), the Federal Government ($4.5 million) via the Investing in Our Communities program and the State Government ($4.5 million) via the Building Blocks Capacity program.
The Sebastopol Community Hub will include:
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves joined Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison for an inspection of the early stages of the works on Friday.
Significant progress has been made since the previous site tour in June 2024, with the project on track for completion in early 2026.
Cr Hargreaves said it was an exciting stage for the project at the corner of Vickers and Beverin streets.
“We are extremely proud to have both Federal and State support for this project and to see it starting to come to life is incredible,” she said.
“This is going to be a transformational project for the Sebastopol area that will provide an enormous boost to community life for a wide range of people.”
Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King said the facility would provide a boost for a range of generations.
“It’s so exciting to see this important project taking shape,” she said.
“The new Sebastopol Community Hub will be a place of learning and social connection for both kinder kids and senior citizens.
“It will be a special, multi-generational facility and that will serve our community for generations to come.”
Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said the facility would benefit the entire community.
“By investing $4.5 million into the Sebastopol Community Hub through our Building Blocks Capacity program, we are not only creating new kindergarten rooms and places – but contributing funds for a much-needed purpose built space for the whole community,” she said.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
“Americans are being hung out to dry by Donald Trump and by Russ Vought, whose Project 2025 was clearly the inspiration for this dangerous funding freeze. This man is unfit to serve at the head of the agency that oversees our federal budget,” Cortez Masto said on the Senate floor before Mr. Vought’s confirmation vote.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto voted against the confirmation of Russ Vought to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). She also spoke on the Senate floor before the vote to discuss her opposition to Mr. Vought and the Trump Administration’s executive actions that are hurting Nevada families.
“Russ Vought authored Trump’s Project 2025 playbook, advocated slashing Medicaid, and doubled downs on false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. President Trump hasn’t even been in office for a month, and his OMB has already caused mass disruptions with its chaotic federal funding freeze. The last thing Nevadans need is a partisan OMB director who will act as a rubber stamp for Trump’s job-killing agenda and partisan power grab. I do not support Vought’s confirmation.”
Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers
PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: To discuss this and more, let’s bring in one of our regulars, Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly, who’s also been promoted in the latest reshuffle. Welcome.
MINISTER ANNE ALY: Thank you so much, Patricia. Great to be with you.
KARVELAS: We’re going to start there because that’s the big talking point around the world. A bit of clarification from Marco Rubio. Does that sound like a better plan that the US would redevelop Gaza?
ALY: Well, look, I want to start by first of all, Patricia, if I may, acknowledging the significant pain and distress that this caused to Palestinians across the world, particularly as they’re preparing to return to their homeland. You know, certainly I think there is, there needs to be a concerted effort across the world to rebuild Gaza. And in fact, when I was at the conference in Jordan last year, that was on the table already, the countries that were represented there were talking about psychosocial recovery and rebuilding Gaza – what happens in rebuilding Gaza. So, I think, you know, it will take significant effort from right around the world for rebuilding Gaza. But in terms of, you know, the position that this government has around a two-state solution, inherent in that two-state solution is a self-determination for Palestinian people and the right of return.
KARVELAS: So, that means that you would never accept Gazans being pushed off or Palestinians being pushed off that land in Gaza.
ALY: I think the response that we’ve had from across the world to President Trump’s statement yesterday makes it very clear that it is widely accepted that Palestinians have a right of return to their homeland.
KARVELAS: But you mentioned, which I thought was really interesting. You often say interesting things, Minister —
ALY: I do, do I?
KARVELAS: You do, that you want to acknowledge the hurt and the concern because there was.
ALY: There was right, it was, yeah.
KARVELAS: Just talk to me about that concern.
ALY: So, I think, you know, like just even talking to Palestinians in the community and to the community more broadly here in Australia, there was a real sense of shock and a real sense of, yeah, real concern that, you know, this could mean that there would basically an eradication of a Palestinian state when we’ve long held the principle of a two-state solution with a right of return and self-determination for Palestinian people. And I think, you know, if I were a Palestinian person preparing to return to my homeland, one of the things that we want to make sure of in Australia and you know, this government has done that consistently in the votes that we’ve done in the UN and the actions that we’ve taken is to ensure that this current ceasefire is sustainable and long-lasting and that there is an enduring peace for both Palestinians and Israelis.
KARVELAS: So, given how strong your comments have been about the Palestinians right to return, there has been a criticism that the Prime Minister could have used stronger words. Other foreign leaders who are also allies of the United States have used stronger words. Do you understand that frustration?
ALY: Look, I listened to the Prime Minister yesterday and I think he was quite correct in reiterating that we have a long-standing position that we’re not changing, which is a two-state solution. And I think, you know, anybody could listen to that and recognise what the Prime Minister is saying is that we believe in the right and we support the right of Palestine and Palestinians and Gazans to exist in their homeland.
KARVELAS: And now you’re kind of, you know, being pretty empathetic about how people heard that and their ongoing concerns. Is it important that the government makes that clear? Because I saw all those concerns too.
ALY: Yeah. And I think, I think, you know, we have made it clear, I think —
KARVELAS: I feel like you’re making it clearer.
ALY: Well, I think the actions that we’ve taken that the Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, has taken, the votes that we’ve had in the United Nations, have sent a very clear message that we stand for human rights and that we stand for justice and that we stand for a two-state solution and an everlasting peace.
KARVELAS: I just want to move to some other issues because there are lots of issues in our country.
ALY: So many.
KARVELAS: There are. The Australian Federal Police has just spoken in a committee hearing. They have not given any detail as to, basically there’s no answers on when they briefed the Prime Minister on this caravan attack. Shouldn’t the Prime Minister just say it, or the Opposition says, call an inquiry?
ALY: Well, I think what we need to do here is take the lead from the law enforcement agencies because in an investigation, it’s the law enforcement agencies that take the lead. And we have to, we absolutely have to respect the integrity of the law enforcement agencies and support them to do their work. As you know, Patricia, I’ve got a husband in law enforcement. I know exactly what he can and can’t tell me. Most of the time he can’t tell me anything. Like we do not talk about the investigations that he is undertaking in any capacity. So, when the law enforcement agencies say that we did not want this information out there because it is an ongoing investigation and could compromise the investigation, we need to respect that.
KARVELAS: But telling the Prime Minister is a different thing.
ALY: Well, I think, you know, I don’t think it’s here nor there. I’ve not had a single person say to me, hey, I want to know when the Prime Minister found out. So, I think it’s a little bit of a Canberra bubble —
KARVELAS: Oh, a Canberra story.
ALY: Yeah.
KARVELAS: Ok. I don’t want to just labour on that because there are other things Labor did break with your policy, which is a national platform to oppose mandatory sentencing. Former Labor Senator Kim Carr has criticised the party and said, this is profoundly disappointing. What’s your response to that?
ALY: Okay, so I’ve got a bit of a different response, Patricia, because I know the impact of hate crimes personally and as a member of a community that has been the target of hate crimes. That to me, hate crimes are some of the most heinous crimes. When you target an individual or a group because of who they are, because of their identity, whether it’s religious, racial, gender, sexual, whatever, to me, that’s one of the most heinous and cowardly crimes that you can commit. So, I want to see, I want to see us get tough on hate crimes. I support being tough on hate crimes and I think what we’ve seen recently, the escalation in the kinds of hate crimes that we’ve seen, warrants this kind of action by the Government.
KARVELAS: So, you want. Instead of – because I know some people in the party are concerned, you want the mandatory sentences.
ALY: I want to see us to be tough on hate crimes. And you know, I’ve been there. I know, I know the impact that it has. So, I want us to get tough on hate crimes and I know that right now Jewish Australians are the victims of a lot of hate crimes as well. And I want —
KARVELAS: The Law Council says it’s bad policy.
ALY: Well, people will have their different opinions. I will also say, though, that, you know, we know laws don’t change behaviour. The prevention of hate crimes and vilification in all its forms is a responsibility for every single person. It’s about societal change as well.
KARVELAS: Okay, let’s get to some of your issues before we say goodbye. Child care is obviously one of the areas that you focus on. The government has decided to put this bill, which would mean three days of care without activity testing, where you get the rebate, essentially, through the Parliament. Do you expect it to pass in the next fortnight?
ALY: I do. I hope it will pass [the House]. I know that there is widespread support for this from the sector. It is a recommendation of the PC Review. And you know what? It’s just good policy. It’s good policy that when you have people in a partnership, one works full time, one might work two days a week in casual, and they’re not eligible for subsidised care. It has locked out children from early childhood education and care and locked out families from being able to access the childcare subsidy. It’s good policy. It has good support, and I do, and I look forward to seeing it pass.
KARVELAS: But it doesn’t have to pass. It doesn’t even start till next year. So, is it a wedge to try and get the Coalition to actively vote against it?
ALY: Well, I don’t know what the Coalition’s position is —
KARVELAS: They think that you should have to be earning or, you know, working or studying to get the activity test.
ALY: Well, the thing is, you can be working or studying to get the activity test but still might not meet the activity test. And the other thing is the activity test, when it was introduced in 2018 by the Liberals, it was supposed to be to increase workforce participation. It did none of that. Instead, it locked out some of the most vulnerable children from early childhood education and care. We’re fixing that. We’re making sure that every child has access to opportunity because there should be no barriers to opportunity.
KARVELAS: Anne Aly, always a pleasure to speak to you. Thanks for joining us.
ALY: You too. Thanks so much, Patricia.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT) led a group of 34 Senators calling on Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Dorothy Fink to end the unprecedented freeze on all external communications and funding.
This freeze has disrupted clinical trials, prevented the National Institutes of Health and other agencies from engaging with patient groups and scientific advisory committees, and delayed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the nation’s premier publication for disseminating public health updates, for the first time in over 60 years. The political interference in public health agencies is unprecedented, unacceptable, and a threat to public health.
“We write to express our deep concern over the Administration’s recent decision to freeze external communications and suspend federal health funding at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),” wrote the Senators. “The abrupt order has already disrupted patient care, public health oversight, halted medical research funding, and obstructed critical regulatory processes.”
“This political interference in public health agencies is unprecedented and unacceptable. … The American people depend on HHS agencies to provide accurate, real-time information about disease outbreaks, medical research, and regulatory decisions. We urge you to immediately reverse this harmful decision,” the Senators continued.
Klobuchar and Sanders were joined by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-MI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Acting Secretary Fink:
We write to express our deep concern over the Administration’s recent decision to freeze external communications and suspend federal health funding at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The abrupt order has already disrupted patient care, public health oversight, halted medical research funding, and obstructed critical regulatory processes.
On January 22, all 13 HHS operating divisions – including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) were told to immediately “pause” all external communications and grant disbursements until at least February 1, with no clear plan for restoration. This directive prohibits agencies from issuing public health advisories, publishing scientific reports, updating websites, announcing regulatory decisions, or conducting outreach to patient groups – unless such activity is explicitly approved by politically appointed leadership.
With the Administration’s own deadline having passed, it remains unclear when these restrictions will be lifted. While limited exceptions exist for critical health, safety, or national security concerns, the freeze has already severely impeded essential public health and biomedical research functions.
The CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the nation’s premier publication for disseminating public health updates, was abruptly delayed for the first time in over 60 years, limiting reporting on the H5N1 bird flu outbreak and other emerging infectious disease threats. The MMWR often includes clinical recommendations for doctors, such as guidance on how to treat diseases that are currently circulating in the United States – and delaying the MMWR means that doctors may not have all the latest information they need to keep their patients healthy.
At the NIH, new clinical trials have been delayed and external peer-review grant processes have faced disruptions. NIH study sections – which legally must review grant applications before funding can be disbursed – were initially canceled, creating uncertainty about when federal research funds will be awarded. Despite efforts by the Administration to provide clarity, it remains unclear whether the full peer-review process has resumed and how long grant funding decisions will continue to be delayed. This uncertainty has placed billions in federal research funds in limbo, directly threatening ongoing medical studies and academic research programs.
The freeze has also blocked NIH from engaging with patient groups on ways to recruit participants into ongoing clinical trials. This means that patients with rare diseases, cancer, and other serious conditions who rely on clinical trials for treatments may be prevented from enrolling, directly jeopardizing their access to life-saving care.
This political interference in public health agencies is unprecedented and unacceptable. While it is not unusual for a new administration to conduct brief reviews of existing programs, no past transition has implemented a blanket freeze of this magnitude.
Accordingly, we request an immediate and detailed response to the following questions by Monday, February 10:
The American people depend on HHS agencies to provide accurate, real-time information about disease outbreaks, medical research, and regulatory decisions. We urge you to immediately reverse this harmful decision.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. We look forward to your response and to working with the Department to protect public health and ensure Americans can get the care they need.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University
The highly pertinent case of a little-known independent candidate in the Victorian seat of Wannon has exposed a gaping hole in Australia’s electoral laws, which allow for misleading political advertisements in the lead-up to an election campaign. It’s all entirely legal and is already being exploited to try to shape the outcome of the coming federal election.
Conservative activist group Advance Australia has widely distributed digitally altered flyers attacking independent Alex Dyson, who is challenging senior frontbencher Dan Tehan.
It’s part of a campaign to damage Dyson’s electoral prospects after he helped slash the Liberal Party’s margin in the seat at the last election to less than 4%.
The material depicts Dyson ripping open his shirt in a “Superman” pose, to reveal a t-shirt bearing the official Greens party logo.
Dyson is not a Greens candidate. So why are the ads permissible? And what does it tell us about the urgent need for truth in political advertising laws to prohibit material that lies to voters?
Section 329 of the Electoral Act prohibits the publication of material likely to mislead or deceive an elector in casting their vote.
But in a narrow interpretation by the Electoral Commission, the ban only applies after an election has been called by the prime minister.
That means the Wannon ad, and maybe countless others like them from across the political spectrum, could be distributed for months without repercussion.
Advance Australia has form when it comes to misleading material.
At the 2022 election, it displayed placards that falsely depicted independents David Pocock and Zali Steggall as Greens candidates.
In that case, the Electoral Commission ruled that because the corflutes were deployed during the campaign proper, they breached the electoral laws.
It is absurd and dangerous to democracy to have a law that only bans ads that mislead voters in casting their vote during the official election period, and allows them to proliferate unchecked at other times.
It should not be permissible to lie to voters just because of a technicality. In an era of permanent campaigning, voters can be influenced by political messages received well before a campaign officially starts.
Furthermore, there is little justification for allowing political parties to mislead while banning corporations from engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct. If consumers and shareholders are protected from fraudulent and dishonest claims, why not electors, who have the solemn task of deciding who runs the country?
There are available remedies to the problem, starting with reforming the Electoral Act. It should be clearly specified that the provision on misleading electors applies to any material calculated to affect the result of an election, regardless of when it is distributed.
Broader truth in political advertising provisions should also be introduced. This would cover a wider range of factually misleading ads beyond the existing narrow ambit of misleading a voter in the casting of their vote.
If the Electoral Commission determines the material is false or misleading to a material extent, it would order a withdrawal and a retraction.
Importantly, the laws would be confined to false or misleading statements of fact. Parties and other political players would still be free to express their opinions. Freedom of speech would not be impeded.
The Albanese government has taken tentative steps to fix the problem. Truth in advertising laws introduced to parliament last year would have forced Advance Australia to retract and correct its dishonest flyers in Wannon.
However, the bill was pulled due to a lack of support.
Any doubters on the opposition benches should look to the experience in South Australia and the ACT, which have both enacted truth in advertising laws.
My research has shown these laws operate effectively in both jurisdictions.
Spreading political lies has the potential to cause harm on multiple fronts.
The first is the damage to the candidate or political party in terms of their reputation and electoral prospects.
The second danger is to the integrity of the electoral process if lies cause people to switch their votes to such an extent that it changes election outcomes.
The spread of disinformation has become prevalent in an era of “fake news” and “alternative facts”, exacerbated by the rise of social media.
In 2024, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report ranked misinformation and disinformation as the most severe risk facing the world over the next two years.
False information can alter elections, affect voting participation, silence minorities, and polarise the electorate. It is time to reform our electoral laws to mitigate the significant dangers to our democratic system.
Yee-Fui Ng received funding from the Susan McKinnon Foundation on a project regarding the operation and effectiveness of truth in political advertising laws.
– ref. Misleading and false election ads are legal in Australia. We need national truth in political advertising laws – https://theconversation.com/misleading-and-false-election-ads-are-legal-in-australia-we-need-national-truth-in-political-advertising-laws-249279
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amani Kasherwa, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland
In late January, a rebel group that has long caused mayhem in the sprawling African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo took control of Goma, a major city of about 2 million people on the border with Rwanda in the country’s east.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in one of the deadliest weeks in the history of this mineral-rich country. The dead include 100 female prisoners who were reportedly raped by male inmates at a prison and then burned alive.
As someone born and raised in the region, I’ve witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of this protracted war on communities. I’ve been in contact with residents in Goma, who have described unprecedented chaos – looting, criminality and a breakdown of essential services. One resident said:
I’m feeling unsafe in my own house. Last night live bullets penetrated my kitchen, and thank God none of us were there at the time.
More violence may lay ahead. The M23 rebel group, backed by neighbouring Rwanda, is marching south towards Bukavu, another major city, the provincial capital of South Kivu.
Though unlikely, it has vowed to topple the government of President Felix Tshisekedi in the capital, Kinshasa, some 2,600 kilometres away.
Tshisekedi has ruled out entering into dialogue with the rebel group, saying his government would not be “humiliated or crushed”.
Founded in 2012, M23 claims to protect the Tutsi ethnic minority group in Congo from discrimination, but it has recently begun pursuing broader political and economic ambitions. It is believed to have about 6,500 fighters, supported by another 4,000 troops from Rwanda.
Last year, the group was restructured to include other Rwanda-backed militias and politicians in the region. Together, they formed the River Congo Alliance, led by Corneille Nangaa, the former head of Congo’s electoral body. It now appears the group has “longer-term objectives in holding and potentially expanding their territorial control”, one analyst says.
A military court has issued an arrest warrant for Nangaa this week, alleging he is behind massacres in eastern Congo.
Congo has one of the richest reserves of critical minerals in the world, including cobalt, copper, coltan, uranium and gold. M23’s advances have given it control over many lucrative mines and supply lines to Rwanda.
In May 2024, M23 seized the mine in Rubaya, one of the world’s largest coltan reserves, which generates more than US$800,000 (A$1.2 million) in revenue a month.
As of this week, M23 has also gained control over mining sites in North and South Kivu regions, where children and young people are forced to work in life-threatening conditions. Others have been recruited as child soldiers.
The current situation echoes the tumult caused in 2012 when M23 briefly seized Goma. Back then, the international community reacted more diligently, suspending around US$200 million (A$318 million) in aid to Rwanda. US President Barack Obama personally called Rwandan President Paul Kagame, urging him to stop supporting the rebel group.
In contrast, the current offensive has been met with a less coordinated international response.
The resurgence of M23 has been largely attributed to the failure of regional peace talks, notably the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes.
Rwanda has leveraged the legacy of the 1994 genocide to secure a continuous flow of Western aid, enabling its involvement in proxy wars in the Congo with little to no repercussions.
Its involvement in supporting M23 is well documented, with evidence from reports by UN expert groups showing the group is receiving weapons, troops and logistical aid from the country.
Uganda is also believed to be supporting the rebels, while Burundi is backing the Congolese government.
This has many worried the current fighting could spiral into a regional conflict.
The ongoing crisis in Congo has been catastrophic for the local population, with more than 6.9 million people internally displaced and 1.1 million people fleeing to neighbouring countries.
The crisis has disproportionately affected women and children. It has caused shortages of water, electricity and food supplies and the collapse of medical care, particularly for newborns and critically ill patients. There are also concerns about a new Ebola outbreak in the region.
Rebel bombings, some launched from Rwanda, have targeted refugee camps, schools and hospitals. According to the UN and human rights groups, M23 is responsible for a massacre in the village of Kishishe, resulting in scores of killings and mass rapes.
The international community has long ignored this region, providing only a bare minimum of aid to help the millions in need.
An immediate ceasefire and massive influx of humanitarian aid are urgently needed. But a lasting peace will remain elusive if the main actors don’t address the root causes of the conflict and work towards sustainable, structural solutions that go beyond military interventions.
In the past, Amani Kasherwa received funding from the Open Society Foundation for his academic research on the role of youth organisations in the peacebuilding process in the African Great Lakes Region (including DR Congo and Burundi).
– ref. Rebels are continuing their march in eastern Congo – what is their long-term goal? – https://theconversation.com/rebels-are-continuing-their-march-in-eastern-congo-what-is-their-long-term-goal-248672