NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Raises Alarm Over Displacement of Hundreds of Thousands in Goma, DRC

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Kinshasa, 31 January 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), is deeply concerned about the hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced over the last few days in Goma, North Kivu Province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  An upsurge in heavy fighting and violence in recent days has forced people– some already previously displaced – out of their homes. IOM is appealing to the international community to recognize the staggering scale of the crisis, and to support the humanitarian needs of those displaced.   

    “Millions of people were already displaced by years of conflict in eastern DRC, and humanitarian needs were massive. With the current alarming upsurge in fighting, an already dire situation is rapidly becoming very much worse,” said Amy Pope, IOM Director General. “IOM joins the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and full humanitarian access, so that we can rapidly scale up our response and ensure that life-saving aid reaches those in need.”   

    On January 23, intense clashes broke out between the M23 armed group and government forces in Goma and nearby Sake, as well as in South Kivu towns such as Minova.  The fighting occurred near densely populated camps sheltering tens of thousands of internally displaced people, including women and children.    

    Several displacement sites, including on the outskirts of Goma, where over 300,000 displaced persons have sought refuge, have been partially or completely emptied as families fled the fighting. Those displaced urgently need shelter, food, clean water, medical assistance, and protection services for women and children. Essential items like blankets, mats and cooking utensils are also in critical demand.   

    IOM has been supporting displaced and host communities in Goma and the surrounding areas by providing emergency shelter, water; sanitation, and hygiene assistance, camp co-ordination and management services, and monitoring population movements through IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix.    

    However, the organization and other humanitarian partners are struggling to meet the urgent needs of displaced communities amidst the insecurity and the limited funding.  Escalating violence has forced IOM and other humanitarian organizations to suspend operations in the most affected areas, cutting off lifesaving aid to thousands.   

    Without immediate humanitarian access and additional funding, response efforts will be paralyzed. By the end of 2024, only 51 per cent of the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan had been funded to respond to the protracted conflict. The current 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for DRC appeals for USD 2.5 billion with at least USD 50 million urgently needed as a result of this new wave of displacement, to scale up life-saving humanitarian assistance and prevent further suffering.   

    Given the scale of the crisis, IOM calls for comprehensive response across humanitarian, development, and peace sectors through stronger partnerships and putting communities at the center.   

    IOM’s top strategic objective is to save lives, protect people on the move and find solutions to internally displaced populations by providing urgent essential needs inside their homelands otherwise people will have no choice but to cross borders. In 2024, the organization provided life-saving support to almost 32 million people in 168 countries and expanded programs supporting internally displaced persons in over 20 countries around the world.   

     

    For more information, please contact  

    In Kinshasa: Daco Tambilika, dtambilika@iom.int,    

    In Nairobi: Yvonne Ndege, yndege@iom.int   

    In Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int   

     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Myanmar: Four years after coup, world must demand accountability for atrocity crimes

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The international community must take urgent action to ensure accountability for atrocities in Myanmar, 46 organizations said today ahead of the four-year anniversary of the 1 February 2021 military coup.

    This year represents a turning point for accountability in Myanmar. While the military remains in control, they are losing ground in many areas. Amid rapidly evolving patterns of hostilities and changing political dynamics, renewed efforts must push for justice and ensure a future built on a lasting culture of respect for human rights.

    Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s military junta has killed more than 6,000 people, arbitrarily detained more than 20,000, and renewed judicial executions. More than 3.5 million people are internally displaced. Human rights groups have documented the military’s torture and other ill-treatment of detainees, indiscriminate attacks, and the denial of humanitarian aid, which may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Myanmar’s military junta has carried out widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population nationwide, bombing schools, hospitals, and religious buildings with total impunity. Armed groups fighting the military have also committed human rights violations. While some have pledged to hold perpetrators accountable, it remains to be seen whether these efforts are genuine and can meet international standards.

    Last year, 2024, also marked the worst year of violence against the Rohingya community since 2017, with men, women, and children dying in bombings while being trapped in the middle of the armed conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed group the Arakan Army in Rakhine State.

    At the same time, Myanmar’s military has lost an unprecedented amount of territory across the country to a loose coalition of ethnic armed groups, which have captured two regional commands, high-ranking military officers, dozens of towns, and border crossings. These groups have also been implicated in human rights abuses.

    In areas controlled by ethnic armed groups or overseen by the National Unity Government—formed by democratically elected lawmakers and officials ousted in the 2021 coup—local structures of governance and civil society are emerging. These include schools, hospitals, administrative offices, prisons, police stations, and courts.

    Our undersigned organizations call on all parties to the armed conflict in Myanmar to comply with international humanitarian law and engage with international justice mechanisms, including the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. All countries, including regional actors in ASEAN and neighbouring states, must increase pressure on the junta by blocking arms shipments, suspending aviation fuel shipments and supporting international justice mechanisms, including by prosecuting or extraditing any suspected perpetrators. ASEAN must move beyond its failed Five-Point Consensus and take decisive action to hold the junta accountable. We also urge the international community to commit to a coordinated, long-term international justice strategy.

    Globally, some highly anticipated international justice efforts are moving forward. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya committed in Myanmar and in part in Bangladesh between August and December 2017. Requests targeting other senior military officials are expected.

    If these requests are granted, authorities in ICC member states must urgently comply with an arrest warrant for a suspect present within their jurisdiction and hand the person over to the ICC to face their accusers in a fair trial for alleged crimes under international law. The international community must deny safe haven to those accused of serious crimes by ensuring their immediate arrest and transfer to the ICC. The world must not allow perpetrators to evade international justice.

    While the present arrest warrant request is a welcome step, it remains limited in scope, location, and time and does not cover any alleged crimes after the 2021 coup. The ICC Prosecutor should demonstrate further progress in his investigation, including considering crimes under international law committed after 2017 and in the four years since the coup. The UN Security Council and Member States of the ICC must refer the full situation in all of Myanmar to the ICC to ensure justice for all victims.

    Governments, donors, and international agencies should support and pursue a wide variety of accountability efforts, including universal jurisdiction,and the potential creation of ‘hybrid’ or similar tailored justice mechanisms. The international community must also impose a global arms embargo, suspend jet fuel exports, and engage with all relevant national stakeholders, including civil society and those most affected by crimes.

    The UN Human Rights Council resolution from April 2024 stressed the need for “close and timely cooperation” between the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, a body established by the UN Human Rights Council to collect and preserve evidence of atrocity crimes in Myanmar for future prosecutions, and “any future investigations or proceedings by national, regional or international courts or tribunals, including by the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice.”

    It also requested the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain a focus on accountability regarding international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and the rule of law and submit a future report on ways to “fulfil the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for human rights protection, accountability, democracy, and a civilian government.”

    Myanmar will be discussed at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session from 24 February to 4 April 2025. UN member states must use this opportunity to take a bold and innovative approach on Myanmar and adopt a resolution aimed at breaking the cycle of impunity for atrocity crimes. The international community must also amplify the voices of survivors, activists and the people of Myanmar who continue to resist oppression at great personal risk.

    Myanmar’s human rights crisis did not begin with the coup. Decades of oppression have led to this moment. Ending impunity requires bold and adapted solutions and long-term political and financial commitment. The world must act now.

    —

    1. #Sisters2Sisters
    2. Ah Nah Podcast – Conversations with Myanmar
    3. Amnesty International
    4. Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
    5. Arakan Rohingya National Union
    6. Assistance Association for Myanmar-based Independent Journalists
    7. Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
    8. Blood Money Campaign
    9. Burma Action Ireland
    10. Burma Campaign UK
    11. Burma Civil War Museum
    12. Burma Human Rights Network
    13. Burma War Crimes Investigation
    14. Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
    15. CAN-Myanmar
    16. Center for Ah Nyar Studies
    17. Chin Human Rights Organization
    18. Community Rebuilding Center
    19. Defend Myanmar Democracy
    20. EarthRights International
    21. Fortify Rights
    22. Free Rohingya Coalition 
    23. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
    24. Human Rights Foundation of Monland
    25. Independent Myanmar Journalists Association
    26. Kaladan Press Network
    27. Karen Human Rights Group
    28. Karenni Human Rights Group
    29. Mayu Region Human Rights Documentation Center
    30. Mother’s Embrace
    31. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia
    32. New Myanmar Foundation
    33. Odhikar
    34. Progressive Muslim Youth Association
    35. Political Prisoners Network – Myanmar
    36. Refugee Women for Peace and Justice
    37. Refugees International
    38. Rohingya Human Rights Initiative
    39. Rohingya Student League
    40. Rohingya Student Network
    41. Rohingya Student Union
    42. Rohingya Youth for Legal Action
    43. RW Welfare Society
    44. Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
    45. Women Organization of Political Prisoners
    46. Youth Congress Rohingya
       

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The Mumbai of Subaltern Women Through the Award-Winning Film “All We Imagine as Light”

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    The first session of the CERI cinéclub, hosted by Christophe Jaffrelot, Senior Researcher at the Center for International Studies (CERI) and  Co-Director of the South Asia Program, and devoted to the film All we imagine as light, plunged the audience into an atmosphere that was both poetic and political.

    Christophe Jaffrelot has written a sensitive tribute to a deeply moving film that teaches us a great deal about Mumbai and Indian society.

    All we imagine as light, written and directed by Payal Kapadia, is the first film from India to win the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. It immediately brings to mind the masterpieces of Satyajit Ray, another Indian filmmaker to have been celebrated at Cannes, for Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road) in 1956.

    Like Ray in that first film in the Apu Trilogy, Kapadia provides viewers with close-ups that are intensely beautiful and strikingly expressive, even when their subjects remain impassive and enigmatic. These two filmmakers excel in the art of deliciously slow, even static, shots, which never appear overly long but instead draw the viewer into the intimate worlds of men and (especially) women, as we will see. Nor does this virtuosity slide into mere aestheticism, for behind the heady poetry of her cinematographic style, Kapadia’s work is, in fact, just as political as that of Ray.

    Indeed, the young director first became known in the early 2020s for a militant documentary on the caste system—winner of the Golden Eye at Cannes in 2021. When she was still a film student, Kapadia participated in protests against the Modi government’s nomination of a fellow Hindu nationalist at the head of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), and saw her scholarship revoked in response to her opposition.

    The smoke and mirrors of Mumbai

    All we imagine as light is political in a different way. The film focuses on ordinary, everyday victims, first and foremost those who came to Mumbai in search of an Eldorado and who are losing hope. These are the migrants whose anonymous voices— they do not appear on screen—mark the opening moments of the film. They no longer live in the illusion created by the smoke and mirrors of the city, and it is that contrast between dreams and reality that is expressed in the title of the film.

    Why does Mumbai disappoint those who left their villages in hope of a better life? Firstly because it is difficult to find housing, or indeed any shelter, there. The cost of accommodation per meter square has increased so much that the factories that filled the city centre until the 1980s have been transformed into skyscrapers. Here, luxury flats are sold to what Indians call the “middle-class,” but who are in fact, an elite. One of the advertising posters in the film unreservedly boasts of this housing, reserved for a “privileged” few. In Mumbai, property speculation has deadly consequences.

    Parvati, one of the film’s heroines, is the widow of a worker in the now-abandoned factories, and the target of a property developer who has managed to force her to leave her home and return to her village. She tried to join forces with other victims of the same injustice (along the lines of great revolutionaries like Jyotirao Phule and Bhagat Singh whose portraits appear in the film) but in vain.

    Since the Bombay Textile Worker’s strike was broken in the early 1980s, the city has fallen into hands of business interests and their political allies. This is no longer a time for class struggle, but for religion. Kapadia shows this Hindu nationalist version of the “opium of the masses”, documentary-style, by filming the Ganesha Chaturthi processions, where participants dance and sing.

    When they have nowhere to return to, Mumbai’s poor must pile into the overcrowded slums, which are pushed as far away from the city centre as possible. The members of the lower middle class are also relegated to buildings on the outskirts, which forces them to commute by train from the outlying suburbs. The length of these commuter journeys increases as the city spreads, along the two trainlines stretching north and south, and which structure both the time (minutes are counted in the number of stations) and the imaginary of Mumbaikars.

    These trains, which the viewers take several times with the films’ heroines, are a symbol of urban violence. Hundreds of people die every year on the tracks, whether from falling from open doors, or from electrocution. But this daily commute also provides respite for workers—drowsy with sleep on the way out, exhausted by the day on the way home—and particularly for women who have the benefit of the “Ladies Compartment”.

    Three women

    As well as being a film about a major city, All we imagine as light, is a film about women, about the women who are victims of the city, of men, and of social norms. The two main characters, Prabha, the eldest, and Anu, the youngest, illustrate two forms of oppression that Indian women face today—and have long faced.

    They both come from Kerala, work together in a hospital, and share the same flat, but are otherwise unlike each other. The eldest, Prabha, is a woman of duty. She values strength; as a nurse, she rebukes the novice midwives who are repulsed by the smell of placenta. Although she takes no nonsense, she is extraordinarily sensitive, and even expressive in her largely unsmiling reserve. Her husband has left to work in Germany, and she has had no news of him for a year.

    One day, he sends her a rice-cooker, with no note, and she projects all her unfulfilled desires onto this anonymous object. A doctor at the hospital courts her delicately, giving her a poem that she reads once night has fallen and the city is asleep. Yet, she does not take the hand he offers. She is married and thus devoted to one man alone, in accordance with Hindu tradition.

    Anu, by contrast, rejects this tradition. She is graceful, laughs easily, and spends more than she earns—leading to debts she owes to Prabha—and says she will refuse all the suitors her parents propose, according to that same tradition of arranged marriage. Worse, she is secretly involved in a romantic relationship—which Prabha knows and disapproves of—with, worse still, a young Muslim man.

    Although today a young couple can be more open than before about their relationship when they are both from the same community, a romance between a Hindu and a Muslim puts both parties in extreme danger. Indeed, Hindu nationalists have declared war on what they call “love jihad”, a term referring to the idea that young Muslim men are good at seducing Hindu girls, converting them to Islam and thus swelling the ranks of the Muslim community with their children…  When discovered, mixed couples like this are hunted down and the men beaten, even lynched. Anu’s young lover Shiaz hides in terror at the idea of being found in her presence.

    Where can these two live their love safely? Not in Mumbai, which is somewhat of a paradox, given this city was long reputed for its cosmopolitanism, and for providing an anonymity that made it an ideal site for forbidden encounters. In the film, when the two women help Parvarti to return to her original fishing village, Anu invites Shiaz to follow them secretly— and this is where they are finally able to fulfil their love.

    The city no longer provides the same security as the mangrove trees. It no longer conceals forbidden love, not only because of the intense promiscuity resulting from skyrocketing population density, but also because spying and informing on others has become a national sport.

    While the standard Bollywood dream is in Hindi, All we imagine as light speaks the language of migrants—Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi—and reveals an unvarnished reality which borders on tragic. Anu still believes she can rebel, but for Prabha this struggle is in vain: no one can escape their destiny. Yet, there is no place for sadness here, gravitas and grace (in the quasi-mystical sense) are what dominate.

    Kapadia’s women are exceptionally dignified, intensely human, and show unwavering solidarity. They also share delectable moments of freedom, like Anu and Parvati’s slightly tipsy impromptu dancing, under the half-amused, half-disapproving gaze of Prabha, on the beach, far from the city that is the melting pot for all woes.

    Above all, this is the moment that it seems Prabha might shift towards a new destiny. When the sea washes a man’s body up onto the beach, she is the one who resuscitates him, by performing CPR, before the disconcerted villagers. The man, whom she then washes, has lost his memory and the villagers believe Prabha is his wife.

    She tries to set the record straight and then uses this misunderstanding to tell this play-husband (who joins in the pretence for a few phrases) that she does not ever want to see her husband again. This break-up opens up her heart, and she encourages Anu to call Shiaz—who is hiding in the forest—to join them openly.

    A new hope is born from this rejection of social norms by the woman who had previously resigned herself to their constraints. Prabha shows the way to all those who are smothered by the condition Indian women are subject to. This is one of the reasons why only a few cinemas are screening this film in India, the director has offered to organise screenings from city to city to those who request it.

    And All we imagine as light would undoubtedly not have escaped censorship if it had not won the Grand Prix at Cannes, for which the festival should be duly thanked, along with the French co-producer of the film, Petit Chaos.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Myanmar: Four years after coup, world must demand accountability for atrocity crimes

    Source: Amnesty International

    The international community must take urgent action to ensure accountability for atrocities in Myanmar, 46 organizations said today ahead of the four-year anniversary of the 1 February 2021 military coup.

    This year represents a turning point for accountability in Myanmar. While the military remains in control, they are losing ground in many areas. Amid rapidly evolving patterns of hostilities and changing political dynamics, renewed efforts must push for justice and ensure a future built on a lasting culture of respect for human rights.

    Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s military junta has killed more than 6,000 people, arbitrarily detained more than 20,000, and renewed judicial executions. More than 3.5 million people are internally displaced. Human rights groups have documented the military’s torture and other ill-treatment of detainees, indiscriminate attacks, and the denial of humanitarian aid, which may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Myanmar’s military junta has carried out widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population nationwide, bombing schools, hospitals, and religious buildings with total impunity. Armed groups fighting the military have also committed human rights violations. While some have pledged to hold perpetrators accountable, it remains to be seen whether these efforts are genuine and can meet international standards.

    Last year, 2024, also marked the worst year of violence against the Rohingya community since 2017, with men, women, and children dying in bombings while being trapped in the middle of the armed conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed group the Arakan Army in Rakhine State.

    At the same time, Myanmar’s military has lost an unprecedented amount of territory across the country to a loose coalition of ethnic armed groups, which have captured two regional commands, high-ranking military officers, dozens of towns, and border crossings. These groups have also been implicated in human rights abuses.

    In areas controlled by ethnic armed groups or overseen by the National Unity Government—formed by democratically elected lawmakers and officials ousted in the 2021 coup—local structures of governance and civil society are emerging. These include schools, hospitals, administrative offices, prisons, police stations, and courts.

    Our undersigned organizations call on all parties to the armed conflict in Myanmar to comply with international humanitarian law and engage with international justice mechanisms, including the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. All countries, including regional actors in ASEAN and neighbouring states, must increase pressure on the junta by blocking arms shipments, suspending aviation fuel shipments and supporting international justice mechanisms, including by prosecuting or extraditing any suspected perpetrators. ASEAN must move beyond its failed Five-Point Consensus and take decisive action to hold the junta accountable. We also urge the international community to commit to a coordinated, long-term international justice strategy.

    Globally, some highly anticipated international justice efforts are moving forward. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya committed in Myanmar and in part in Bangladesh between August and December 2017. Requests targeting other senior military officials are expected.

    If these requests are granted, authorities in ICC member states must urgently comply with an arrest warrant for a suspect present within their jurisdiction and hand the person over to the ICC to face their accusers in a fair trial for alleged crimes under international law. The international community must deny safe haven to those accused of serious crimes by ensuring their immediate arrest and transfer to the ICC. The world must not allow perpetrators to evade international justice.

    While the present arrest warrant request is a welcome step, it remains limited in scope, location, and time and does not cover any alleged crimes after the 2021 coup. The ICC Prosecutor should demonstrate further progress in his investigation, including considering crimes under international law committed after 2017 and in the four years since the coup. The UN Security Council and Member States of the ICC must refer the full situation in all of Myanmar to the ICC to ensure justice for all victims.

    Governments, donors, and international agencies should support and pursue a wide variety of accountability efforts, including universal jurisdiction, and the potential creation of ‘hybrid’ or similar tailored justice mechanisms. The international community must also impose a global arms embargo, suspend jet fuel exports, and engage with all relevant national stakeholders, including civil society and those most affected by crimes.

    The UN Human Rights Council resolution from April 2024 stressed the need for “close and timely cooperation” between the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, a body established by the UN Human Rights Council to collect and preserve evidence of atrocity crimes in Myanmar for future prosecutions, and “any future investigations or proceedings by national, regional or international courts or tribunals, including by the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice.”

    It also requested the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain a focus on accountability regarding international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and the rule of law and submit a future report on ways to “fulfil the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for human rights protection, accountability, democracy, and a civilian government.”

    Myanmar will be discussed at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session from 24 February to 4 April 2025. UN member states must use this opportunity to take a bold and innovative approach on Myanmar and adopt a resolution aimed at breaking the cycle of impunity for atrocity crimes. The international community must also amplify the voices of survivors, activists and the people of Myanmar who continue to resist oppression at great personal risk.

    Myanmar’s human rights crisis did not begin with the coup. Decades of oppression have led to this moment. Ending impunity requires bold and adapted solutions and long-term political and financial commitment. The world must act now.

    #Sisters2Sisters
    Ah Nah Podcast – Conversations with Myanmar
    Amnesty International
    Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
    Arakan Rohingya National Union
    Assistance Association for Myanmar-based Independent Journalists
    Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
    Blood Money Campaign
    Burma Action Ireland
    Burma Campaign UK
    Burma Civil War Museum
    Burma Human Rights Network
    Burma War Crimes Investigation
    Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
    CAN-Myanmar
    Center for Ah Nyar Studies
    Chin Human Rights Organization
    Community Rebuilding Center
    Defend Myanmar Democracy
    EarthRights International
    Fortify Rights
    Free Rohingya Coalition
    Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
    Human Rights Foundation of Monland
    Independent Myanmar Journalists Association
    Kaladan Press Network
    Karen Human Rights Group
    Karenni Human Rights Group
    Mayu Region Human Rights Documentation Center
    Mother’s Embrace
    Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia
    New Myanmar Foundation
    Odhikar
    Progressive Muslim Youth Association
    Political Prisoners Network – Myanmar
    Refugee Women for Peace and Justice
    Refugees International
    Rohingya Human Rights Initiative
    Rohingya Student League
    Rohingya Student Network
    Rohingya Student Union
    Rohingya Youth for Legal Action
    RW Welfare Society
    Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
    Women Organization of Political Prisoners
    Youth Congress Rohingya.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: DEI: workplace diversity schemes have a problem – but that doesn’t mean Trump is right to axe them

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Louise Ashley, Senior Lecturer in Sociology of Work, Queen Mary University of London

    Donald Trump’s inauguration was marked by a doubling down against programmes of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Among the executive orders he signed during his first days as US president, two were targeted at DEI. The focus was on federal government but the intention appears to be that this should also extend to other American workplaces. And it comes as Meta and Amazon are also retreating from diversity programmes.

    In Trump’s directive, DEI is said to undermine “traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement” in favour of an “identity-based spoils system”. But the move dismayed many workers. It doesn’t just seem regressive, but it also appears to make poor business sense – advocates argue that attention to diversity and inclusion can offer higher performance and profits.

    Trump appears to believe DEI offers unfair advantages on the basis, for example, of gender or ethnicity. But an alternative view could be that DEI is a necessary response to a situation where certain groups (often men, typically white, and generally from privileged backgrounds) have benefited from unearned advantages to maintain their grip on power.

    Here, DEI is a response to the idea that simply belonging to these traditionally advantaged groups can be perceived as “talent”. This comes at the expense of typically marginalised groups, who are subject to discrimination and unconscious bias. From this perspective, hostility to DEI might be seen as a way for the traditionally privileged groups to remain dominant.

    Both sides are apparently in favour of merit as the ultimate goal, although they have different views on what this means and how it is achieved. This suggests a paradox.

    But is there any reason to worry about the widespread use of DEI? Based on my research with firms in the City of London, I think the answer is yes (though for very different reasons than the president suggests).

    This raises the question of what (or whose) purpose corporate commitments to DEI actually serve. Common sense would suggest that a primary function is to ensure people can access positions that would previously have been closed off to them.

    Yet it is also worth remembering that where, for example, more women become corporate lawyers or senior financiers, this has no bearing on wider inequalities in society. In fact, in a further paradox, my research has found that some of the organisations most likely to express their commitment to DEI are also implicated in generating these inequalities.

    I researched diversity and inclusion practices in elite financial and professional service firms. These firms have played a key role in orchestrating a form of “rentier capitalism”, where small elites control the means of generating wealth. This system has much wider detrimental effects, as where wealth is increasingly concentrated towards the top, one consequence is stagnating incomes for the middle and working classes. This in turn drives insecurity and widens the wealth gap.

    Legitimising a broken system

    This, of course, is not the fault of people working in these firms. But overall this system desperately needs legitimacy. This is more difficult when senior jobs at the centre of this model of “financialised capitalism” are mostly taken by those from historically privileged groups. Put simply, it makes them look bad.

    One way they can ensure legitimacy is to shout about their commitment to DEI. This can help suggest that the system is merit-based, as access to these “top jobs” seems fairly distributed while rewards appear justly deserved. Most recently, these impressions have been generated by a vocal commitment among these organisations to promoting “social mobility”.

    Opening access to a wider demographic, while good for the organisation and individual staff, has no impact on underlying inequalities. Yet in practice, these measures lack some efficacy. In fact, by offering an impression of change in terms of who occupies the top jobs, DEI can help legitimise and sustain an unequal status quo.

    Diversity in the workplace can strengthen an organisation.
    PintoArt/Shutterstock

    This matters for everyone because the ramifications can spread beyond the workplace. As wealth trickles up and populations grow frustrated that systems are not becoming fairer, the messages of the populist right can hold more appeal.

    Trump’s objection to DEI is very different. For him, DEI is a convenient tool in the culture wars.

    Yet this leads to the current situation, where conservatives like Trump loudly reject what might be considered a conservative agenda (in that the old economic order remains unchanged). It can all start to feel like a disorientating hall of mirrors.

    I am not suggesting, as Trump is, that governments and employers should abandon DEI. This would certainly represent a backward move. But while measures to improve inclusivity in organisations remain important and worthwhile, this should not be seen as a substitute for much wider structural change.

    Perhaps the most urgent challenge for government is tackling wealth inequality as a source of legitimate grievance. This more radical change in direction might even make reactionary and potentially harmful policies – like Trump’s take on DEI – less alluring to voters.

    Louise Ashley 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. DEI: workplace diversity schemes have a problem – but that doesn’t mean Trump is right to axe them – https://theconversation.com/dei-workplace-diversity-schemes-have-a-problem-but-that-doesnt-mean-trump-is-right-to-axe-them-248381

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK fire engines chosen to modernise Iraq fleet

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Iraq’s Ministry of Interior to purchase over 60 British-made vehicles.

    • Exports minister announces that key UK export deal will help Iraq fight fires.

    • UK will provide vital support to Iraq through the provision of fire engines, with biggest overhaul of Iraqi fleet this century being financed by a UK Export Finance loan.

    • Independent businesses in Yorkshire and Ayrshire are to supply these vehicles for use across Iraq.

    Two British businesses are delivering one of Iraq’s biggest-ever investments into its emergency services thanks to a c. $31 million loan from UK Export Finance (UKEF), the government’s export credit agency.

    The loan allows Iraq’s Ministry of Interior to purchase 62 British-made fire-fighting vehicles each capable of carrying up to 6,500 litres of water and 500 litres of foam.

    Promoting investment into local businesses and employers, the partnership supports this government’s Plan for Change to boost economic growth across all regions.

    Ayrshire-headquartered Emergency One and Batley-based Angloco have been selected to supply vehicles for Iraq’s Civil Defence Directorate.

    Emergency One, the UK’s leading manufacturer of fire and rescue vehicles, supplies over 90% of the UK’s fire and rescue services and continues to grow its international presence. Angloco, a well-established SME, exports to over 70 countries worldwide. Both companies bring significant expertise and innovation to this contract, further strengthening their impact in the Gulf region.

    Frequent outbreak of fires in Iraq, particularly during the summer months, can cause devastating effect to businesses, communities, and key infrastructure.

    By helping buyers to purchase UK exports more easily, UKEF loans secure large contracts with favourable payment terms for British businesses – including small businesses likely to need payment upfront before they can deliver a contract. 

    J.P. Morgan acted as both Sole Mandated Lead Arranger and agent bank for the loan.

    Gareth Thomas, UK Minister for Exports, said:

    We have a Plan for Change to help grow our economy and support workers right across the country, and that’s precisely what these deals are about.

    Shining a spotlight on cutting edge tech and highly skilled jobs, this announcement shows the UK’s exporting potential and manufacturing strength.

    His Excellency Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, Iraq Minister of Interior, said:

    The Government of Iraq is contracting with British companies through the UKEF Loan to import specialized firefighting vehicles for the Directorate of Civil Defence.

    This will contribute significantly to the strengthening of the Directorate’s capabilities through the use of high-quality vehicles. This demonstrates the continuous support received by the Directorate by the UK and will improve our ability to tackle fire incidents.

    John Meakin, Global Head of Export Finance at J.P. Morgan, said:

    J.P. Morgan is delighted to support the finance of firefighting equipment from the UK to the Republic of Iraq.

    This is the latest UKEF deal giving businesses the support they need to deliver contracts and drive change at home in the UK and overseas in Iraq. In 2023, a UKEF guarantee helped British firms to secure over £100 million in export contracts to support the installation of 350km in drainage infrastructure around Hillah city.

    Contact 

    Media enquiries:

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to UK’s 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) emissions reduction target under the Paris Agreement

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) emissions target. 

    Prof Joeri Rogelj, Director of Research at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment, Imperial College London, said:

    “The UK’s new NDC sends a clear signal of the UK’s intention to reclaim international climate leadership.

    “With an 81% reduction from 1990, the NDC follows the advice of its scientific advisory committee that sketches out a fair and ambitious contribution of the UK to the Paris Agreement.

    “NDCs are pledges, however, and not policies.  Here the UK will have to step up because its current policies fall far short of what is needed to meet their current targets.”

    Dr Robin Lamboll, Research Fellow at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment, Imperial College London, said:

    “The UK’s NDC doesn’t have any nasty surprises.

    “It continues our recent trend of successfully reducing emissions, though does little to make up for our historic consumption.

    “It represents a continued plodding onwards with the job of decarbonising our economy, and while not particularly inspiring, instils some normality in the mechanics of the Paris agreement.”

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uks-2035-nationally-determined-contribution-ndc-emissions-reduction-target-under-the-paris-agreement

    https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-01-30/hcws404

    https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/2025-01/UK%27s%202035%20NDC%20ICTU.pdf

    Declared interests

    Dr Robin Lamboll: “No conflicts.”

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: LegenDerry Food Month showcases the art of cheese with Dart Mountain

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    LegenDerry Food Month showcases the art of cheese with Dart Mountain

    31 January 2025

    February sees the return of Derry’s favourite showcase of everything delicious as Love LegenDerry Food Month serves up a tantalising selection of local cuisine.

    The programme is delivered by the LegenDerry Food Network with support from Derry City and Strabane District Council, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Regional Food Programme.

    It’s an exciting opportunity for food lovers to experience an array of local speciality experiences and products. Among the programme highlights is a celebration of the rich heritage and artistry of artisan cheese-making including Dart Mountain Cheese. One of the region’s most celebrated producers, is offering two immersive tours that will captivate anyone with a passion for exceptional local food and authentic experiences.

    Nestled in the stunning Sperrin Mountains, Dart Mountain Cheese invites visitors to delve into the craft behind their award-winning cheeses. The Sperrin Goat Cheese Experience – a collaboration with Craigbane Goat Farm – offers a fascinating journey, from goat milking to cheese tasting. Guests will meet the dedicated farmers and cheesemakers who bring these unique creations to life, all while sampling a variety of goat cheeses paired with local chutneys. This interactive tour, perfect for families and curious foodies, highlights the care and commitment that goes into every step of the process.

    For those eager to learn more about Dart Mountain’s celebrated range, the Dart Mountain Cheese Experience takes visitors behind the scenes at their state-of-the-art dairy. Starting with a scenic drive to the charming village of Park, participants will meet cheesemaker Julie Hickey and explore the inspiration drawn from the dramatic Sperrin landscape. This informal yet educational tour includes a visit to the cheese-maturing rooms, a lesson in the science of cheese-making, and, of course, a tasting of the full range of Dart Mountain’s handmade cheeses.

    Kevin Hickey of Dart Mountain Cheese emphasised the significance of being part of LegenDerry Food Month: “LegenDerry Food Month is a fantastic platform for showcasing the incredible talent and produce we have here in Derry and the surrounding area. The food scene is evolving so quickly, and we’re proud to play a part in putting Derry on the map as a culinary destination. These tours are about more than just cheese; they’re an invitation to immerse yourself in the stories and flavours that make this region truly special.”

    LegenDerry Food Month celebrates the very best of local food and drink, offering visitors a chance to engage with producers, taste award-winning products, and explore Derry’s vibrant culinary culture. Both Dart Mountain Cheese experiences are a must for anyone seeking an authentic and delicious adventure in the North West.

    Spaces for these exclusive tours are limited, and advance booking is essential.

    Join us during LegenDerry Food Month and uncover the passion behind every wheel of cheese. For full event listings, visit www.legenderryfood.com/events.

    Or explore Visit Derry for things to see and do, accommodation. Plus, for places to eat and drink ww.visitderry.com.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK partnership with Tunisia to target root causes of irregular migration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Foreign Secretary announces new funding for programmes in Tunisia to smash the gangs and secure UK borders.

    • UK boosts support for projects in North Africa to tackle drivers of small boats arrivals in Europe and UK.
    • During visit to Tunisia Foreign Secretary announces new multi-million-pound funding for programmes to educate and upskill would-be migrants to become more employable in their home country, and support reintegration for migrants who wish to return.
    • Part of UK Government’s latest efforts to protect UK borders and bring down migration as part of its Plan for Change.

    Efforts to tackle the root causes of migration upstream are being bolstered as the Foreign Secretary announces new funding for programmes in Tunisia to strengthen work with international partners, smash the people smuggling gangs, secure the UK’s borders and support those vulnerable to exploitation by criminals.

    The Foreign Secretary will travel to Tunisia to unveil a new package of up to £5 million to boost UK funded programmes in the region to upskill migrants in-country, making it less likely that they will make dangerous small boats journeys to Europe, including to the UK, and undermine the country’s border security.

    The UK has also announced up to £1 million of funding to the International Organisation for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Returns & Reintegration (AVRR) Programme, to support transiting migrants who have no legal right to be in Tunisia and to return and reintegrate them to their home country.  

    While in Tunisia, the Foreign Secretary will be accompanied by the recently-appointed Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt for meetings with their Tunisian counterparts to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation on both countries’ fight against people smuggling and irregular migration. They will meet members of the Tunisian National Guard who are using UK-supplied drones and night vision technology to intercept small boats carrying irregular migrants under cover of darkness. 

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 

    Through working with countries like Tunisia, we are addressing the root causes of irregular migration and delivering on our Plan for Change. 

    By improving people’s living standards in their home country, they are less likely to make a perilous journey to the UK, enrich criminal gangs in the process and exploit our immigration system.

    The support I am announcing today, alongside UK technology such as drones and night vision goggles, will save lives, bring down migration levels, and help us bear down on those responsible for smuggling migrants into the UK.

    Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said: 

    International partners like Tunisia play a vital role in the UK’s efforts to combat irregular migration, organised immigration crime and the harm both cause to communities at home and abroad. 

    We are committed to doing whatever it takes to tackle this problem at source and will continue to work hand in hand with countries upstream to deter and prevent migrants from making these dangerous journeys in the first place – saving lives and delivering on the government’s promise to secure the UK’s borders.

    This visit also follows the introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to Parliament, which will help to further strengthen our relationships with international partners and empower teams on the ground to go further and act faster when dismantling organised criminality.

    Today’s announcement shows the UK’s strategy to disrupt people smuggling networks, slash migration levels and double down on recent partnerships with European and regional partners to bear down on groups responsible for the evil trade in human lives. This includes a new UK-Iraq border security agreement, as well a new anti-smuggling action plan signed by other G7 nations.  

    The visit also follows the introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to Parliament (January 30). Inspired by powers used to combat terrorism, the Bill will be a turning point for law enforcement, allowing them to take earlier and more effective action against organised immigration crime.

    In January, the UK launched the world’s first standalone sanctions package designed to target people smugglers, clamp down on illegal migration and deliver the foundations for security at home. This follows also the UK successfully removing the highest number of irregular migrants since 2018 last year building on the Government’s commitment to return those who have no legal right to be in the UK.

    Media enquiries

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    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ofqual to fine Pearson £250k over exams rules breaches

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Awarding body Pearson put the integrity of exam papers at risk and failed to monitor examiners’ conflicts of interest.

    Ofqual intends to fine exam board Pearson £250,000 for breaching rules designed to protect students and the integrity of exams.

    The breaches, which occurred in 2023, included failing to identify conflicts of interest among GCSE, A level and BTEC examiners, who were also employed by Pearson as tutors at schools where students sat the exams.

    Pearson also failed to follow its own policies designed to ensure the confidentiality of exam papers.

    Pearson co-operated fully with Ofqual’s enforcement process and admitted it had breached its Conditions of Recognition – which all awarding organisations are legally required to follow for regulated qualifications.

    Amanda Swann, Ofqual’s Executive Director for General Qualifications, said: “Our rules protect students taking regulated qualifications including GCSE, A Level and BTECs. We will take action when our rules are breached, and the interests of students are put at risk.

    “Fortunately, in these instances there is no evidence of any direct impact on students. Pearson, however, failed to guard against conflicts of interest and breaches of confidentiality and we intend to fine them accordingly.”

    From July 2023, Pearson reported breaches of its own policies to Ofqual when it had:

    • Failed to identify, monitor and record conflicts of interest. In total, 195 examiners marking GCSEs, A levels and BTEC papers, who were also working as tutors for Pearson under the government’s National Tutoring Programme, marked 7,244 exam responses by students at schools, where they had potential conflict of interest. Pearson told Ofqual that any potentially compromised exam questions were subsequently remarked by other examiners before any grades were awarded. Pearson has also confirmed to Ofqual it had bolstered systems to prevent this happening again, including improving notification to examiners of the requirement to declare personal interests.

    • Failed to safeguard the confidentiality of school exams in 6 instances when individuals, involved in writing or advising on an exam paper’s content, were also practising teachers. Pearson confirmed it had subsequently made changes intended to prevent such breaches in future, including additional staff training.

    Ofqual’s enforcement panel concluded a fine was appropriate, given the seriousness of the breaches and that Pearson held the information necessary to prevent them. Pearson has agreed a settlement proposal which includes the fine.

    Ofqual has today published a Notice of Intention to fine Pearson. It gives more details of the case and invites interested parties to make representations ahead of a final decision.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: E3 Foreign Ministers’ statement on the implementation of legislation against United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Statement from the Foreign Ministers of the UK, France and Germany on the implementation of legislation against United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

    Joint statement on behalf of the Foreign Ministers of the UK, France and Germany:

    We, the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany reiterate our grave concern regarding the Government of Israel’s implementation of legislation forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities, officials and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); and prohibiting any UNRWA presence within Israel and East Jerusalem.

    We ask the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations and live up to its responsibility to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance and the provision of basic services to the civilian population. We urge the Government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of operations. No other entity or UN Agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace UNRWA’s mandate and experience.

    We reiterate our support for UNRWA’s UN-mandate to provide essential services and humanitarian assistance to Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  UNRWA is the primary service provider to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and is an integral part of the response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    We condemn in the strongest possible terms the brutal and unjustified terror attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. We call on UNRWA to continue on its path of reform demonstrating its commitment to the principle of neutrality, in line with the independent review of April 2024, led by Ms. Catherine Colonna. All alleged involvement of UNRWA staff in appalling acts in support of 7 October and subsequent events must be thoroughly investigated.

    We reiterate our full endorsement and support for the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas. It is vital that we now see the release of all remaining hostages. We welcome the notable increase of humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza since the beginning of the ceasefire and call on all parties to ensure its continuity. We are grateful for the extensive efforts of the US, Egypt and Qatar in mediating the agreement and urge all parties to engage constructively in negotiating the subsequent phases of the deal to help ensure its full implementation and a permanent end to hostilities. 

    We will play our full part in the coming days and weeks to seize the opportunity of this ceasefire and to ensure it leads to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.

    Media enquiries

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    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai’s response to Pope Francis’s 2025 World Day of Peace message  

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-01-17
    President Lai meets former US Vice President Mike Pence
    On the afternoon of January 17, President Lai Ching-te met with former Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations, noting that he actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, and did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. The president indicated that former Vice President Pence also spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, backing Taiwan’s international participation. President Lai expressed hope for a stronger Taiwan-US partnership to maintain peace and stability throughout the world, and that the two sides can advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Karen Pence to the Presidential Office. Former Vice President Pence is not only an outstanding political leader in the US, but also a staunch supporter of Taiwan on the international stage. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude to former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations. Thanks to former Vice President Pence’s strong backing, ties between Taiwan and the US rose to unprecedented heights during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Former Vice President Pence actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US security cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, helping Taiwan reinforce its self-defense capabilities. He also did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. Former Vice President Pence also paid close attention to the military threats and diplomatic isolation faced by Taiwan. He spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, taking concrete action to back Taiwan’s international participation. We were truly grateful for this. As we speak, China’s political and military intimidation against Taiwan persist. China and other authoritarian regimes, such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran, are continuing to converge and present serious challenges to democracies around the globe. At this moment, free and democratic nations must come together to bolster cooperation. I believe that a stronger Taiwan-US partnership can be an even more powerful force in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world. Former Vice President Pence has previously supported the signing of a trade agreement between Taiwan and the US. Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the new US administration and Congress to advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. This is the first time that former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence are visiting Taiwan, and their visit is significantly meaningful for Taiwan-US exchanges. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to extend a warm welcome. Moving forward, I hope we will jointly realize even more fruitful achievements through Taiwan-US cooperation. Former Vice President Pence then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for his hospitality on his and his wife’s first visit to Taiwan, saying that it is an honor to be here to reaffirm the bonds of friendship between the people of America and the people of Taiwan, which are strong and longstanding. The former vice president indicated that the American people admire the people of Taiwan and all that has been accomplished in a few short decades for Taiwan to rise to one of the world’s preeminent economic powers and free societies. He said that he is grateful for President Lai’s courageous and bold leadership of Taiwan, and grateful to be able to express the support of the overwhelming majority of the American people for this alliance. Former Vice President Pence indicated that the values shared by Taiwan and the US, including freedom, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, bind us together in a partnership that transcends geographic boundaries and cultures. He then assured President Lai that China’s increasingly aggressive posture in the Taiwan Strait and across the Indo-Pacific, for the values and interests that both sides share, is deeply concerning to the American people. Former Vice President Pence stated that America is a Pacific nation, and is committed to the status quo, adding that they recognize it is China that wants to change the status quo that America, Taiwan, and other allies in the region want to preserve, which has created an environment of extraordinary growth and prosperity. The former vice president concluded by once again thanking President Lai and his team for their gracious hospitality and conveying best wishes to him and the people of Taiwan. Former Vice President Pence then assured President Lai that just as Taiwan will never surrender its freedom, he will continue to be a voice for a strong US-Taiwan relationship in the defense and the benefit of Taiwan, the US, and the free world. Later that day, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao hosted a banquet for former Vice President Pence and his delegation at Taipei Guest House to thank him for his longstanding friendship and staunch support for Taiwan-US ties.  

    Details
    2025-01-17
    President Lai meets delegation to 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of US president and vice president
    On the morning of January 16, President Lai Ching-te met with Taiwan’s delegation to the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States. In remarks, President Lai stated that democratic Taiwan stands united, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties together. He then entrusted the delegation with three missions: to convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan, convey our firm commitment to democracy, and help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: The 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US will be held on January 20. I want to thank Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), president of the Legislative Yuan, for accepting my invitation to lead our nation’s representative delegation to the event. I also thank Legislative Yuan Members Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞), Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀), Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), Kuo Yu-ching (郭昱晴), and Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) for joining this visit to the US to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. We have gathered together today despite differences in party affiliation because in democratic Taiwan, while parties may compete domestically, when it comes to engagement externally, they stand united and share responsibility, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties and strive for the best interests of the nation. We share the value of defending freedom and democracy, and we share the goal of advancing peace and prosperity. Today, we engage with the world together as those from the same country – the Republic of China (Taiwan). In this complex and volatile new international landscape, and as the nation faces difficulties and challenges, I want to stress that in Formosa, there is no hostility that cannot be let go, and no hardship that cannot be overcome. Unity is the most important, and I hope that Taiwan can stand united, because there is true strength in unity. Democratic Taiwan must stand united in engaging with the world and initiate exchanges with confidence. On that ground, I am entrusting this delegation with three key missions. First, convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan. Just last year, Taiwan and the US celebrated the 45th anniversary of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act. And on May 20, the US sent a senior bipartisan delegation to congratulate me and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao on our inauguration. As the leader of this cross-party delegation, Speaker Han must clearly convey the well-wishes of the people of Taiwan, congratulate President Trump and Vice President Vance on their inauguration, and wish success to the new administration and prosperity to the US. Second, clearly convey the firm commitment of the people of Taiwan to democracy. The theme of these inaugural ceremonies is “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise.” Taiwan and the US share the universal value of democracy and are staunch allies. I hope that the delegation can faithfully convey the firm commitment to democracy that the people of Taiwan have, which will not change even in the face of authoritarian threats. Taiwan is willing to stand side by side with the US and other members of the democratic community to defend the sustainable development of global democracy and prevent the expansion of authoritarianism. Third, help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. In recent years, Taiwan-US relations have continued to grow, with the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st Century Trade having formally taken effect last month. This morning, the House of Representatives also passed the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act. I hope that the delegation can help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone through these exchanges so that our relations continue to grow, our cooperation expands even more, and so that we can achieve even greater success after the new administration takes office. Four years ago, Taiwan’s representative to the US inaugural ceremonies was Vice President Hsiao, who was then our representative to the US. Everyone has a lot to learn from her. I have specially invited everyone here to converse so that you can draw from Vice President Hsiao’s experience and ensure an even smoother visit. Washington, DC was also hit by a rare blizzard recently, and the weather has been very cold, so make sure to stay warm. I am sending everyone off with hand warmers and thermoses so that you can bring some warmth from Taiwan with you on your journey. And I ask that Speaker Han exercise his wisdom to help generate some warmth between the ruling and opposition parties through cooperation, which they can then bring back to Taiwan. Let us unite to give our all for diplomacy so that we can unite to give our all for Taiwan. I wish the delegation a smooth and safe trip, and hope your missions can be carried out successfully. Speaker Han then delivered remarks, stating that it was an honor to be invited by President Lai to organize a delegation to represent our nation at the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US in Washington, DC, and express the Republic of China’s sincere and cordial best wishes. The Legislative Yuan’s president has assumed this important task numerous times in the past, he said, not only to represent the government of the Republic of China, but also to take on the mission of conveying the voices of 23 million people. He went on to say that he is honored to take up the baton, lead eight legislators to the US to attend this celebration that will attract global attention, and express sincere best wishes to newly elected President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the new administration’s team. As enjoined by President Lai, he hopes the delegation’s trip will help open a new chapter in Taiwan-US exchanges. Speaker Han stated that the US is the most free and democratic country in the world. He noted that in 1776 in the US Declaration of Independence, founding father Thomas Jefferson propounded the concept of “unalienable rights,” and emphasized that the people have a right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness, democratic ideas that have long been rooted in the people’s hearts. Today, he said, democracy is also embedded in the DNA of Taiwan’s 23 million people, and this hard-won democratic achievement is a result of the concerted efforts of our pioneering predecessors, thinkers, and activists over the past 100 years. Speaker Han stated that during this visit, the Legislative Yuan delegation hopes to convey the voice of Taiwan as a democratic country. Taiwan’s security, he said, is like the four legs of a table: The first leg is defending the Republic of China, the second is defending freedom and democracy, the third is maintaining Taiwan-US relations, and the fourth is maintaining cross-strait peace. The delegation will travel to the US amidst severe cold weather to show that we value our relationship with the US, and our citizens have great hopes and expectations. Speaker Han stated that this will be a cross-party delegation of eight legislators, all of whom have a strong sense of mission. He hopes that all democratic nations will acknowledge Taiwan’s importance, and pay attention to Taiwan’s 23 million people. The delegation, he said, will do its utmost to convey the goodwill and warmth that the people of Taiwan give to each and every one of our good friends.

    Details
    2025-01-17
    President Lai confers decoration on former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
    On the morning of January 14, President Lai Ching-te conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis of the Republic of Lithuania in recognition of his remarkable contributions to deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Minister Landsbergis for standing firmly with Taiwan and remaining a staunch defender of democratic values, yielding fruitful cooperative results. The president expressed hope that the two countries will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture, and continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy so that together we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Today, by conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister Landsbergis, we recognize his outstanding contributions during his time as foreign minister of Lithuania. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I thank him for the key role he has played in deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the efforts of former Minister Landsbergis, Lithuania was the first European nation to donate vaccines to Taiwan. On that occasion, he stated that “freedom-loving people should look out for each other.” His statement was very moving and left a deep impression on many Taiwanese people. We will never forget it. Former Minister Landsbergis has continued to express the spirit of those words through his concrete actions. With his staunch support, Taiwan and Lithuania have mutually established representative offices. Moreover, our representative office in Lithuania was the first in Europe to incorporate “Taiwan” in its name. As for bilateral cooperation, Taiwan and Lithuania have seen fruitful results in such fields as semiconductors, laser technology, finance, and medicine. Be it overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic or resisting expanding authoritarianism, former Minister Landsbergis has stood firmly with Taiwan and remained a staunch defender of democratic values. We greatly admire and appreciate his spirit. Today, authoritarian regimes continue to converge, posing threats and challenges to democracies around the world. Taiwan, Lithuania, and other democratic countries must come closer together, drawing on the strength of unity, so as to jointly safeguard freedom and democracy and uphold the rules-based international order. Looking ahead, we hope that Taiwan and Lithuania will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture. Let us continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy. Together, we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. In closing, I once again thank you, former Minister Landsbergis, for your support and for all that you have done for Taiwan. We welcome you and your wife to visit often. I wish you both a smooth and successful visit in Taiwan, and hope you leave with lasting memories.    Former Minister Landsbergis then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor to receive the decoration today. He noted that only partially can he accept the honor, as there have been many people who worked together with him in the ministry and in the whole country who support the people of Taiwan and see the benefit of supporting democracy in Taiwan. He often says that in Lithuania they remember well the fight for their freedom, and just today, he mentioned, he was shown the permanent exhibition in the Presidential Office, where he saw similar pictures of Taiwanese people fighting for democracy. He emphasized that not even one generation has passed since these events took place here in Taipei or similar events took place in Vilnius. Former Minister Landsbergis said that decision-makers in the Lithuanian government are either people who were themselves fighting for freedom, or, as in his case, those who were sitting on the shoulders of parents who were fighting for freedom. So for them, he underlined, freedom, democracy, liberty, and sovereignty are very real concepts that they cherish, not just things read about in a history book. He said that this is the main connector between Lithuania and Taiwan, a feeling of freedom and support for each other. Former Minister Landsbergis stated that in the face of authoritarians who do not wish us prosperity, who do not wish us freedom and future achievements, what he expects from the future is that the friendship, collaboration, and mutual support between Lithuania and Taiwan will inspire others to join in. This, he said, will make other countries not be afraid to support freedom and democracy, and will allow our group of friends to continue to grow. Lithuanian history, the former minister said, is difficult, and a big part of it was fighting for their freedom. He explained that during the 19th century when Lithuania was part of Russia’s empire, they had several revolutions and uprisings with the aim of becoming free, and that they were fighting for that freedom alongside Poland and Belarus. He then applied a phrase that they used in the revolution of 1864 – “for your freedom and ours,” meaning that they will continue to fight for their freedom while helping Taiwan fight for ours. Also in attendance at the ceremony were former Minister Landsbergis’ wife Dr. Austėja Landsbergienė and Lithuanian Representative to Taiwan Paulius Lukauskas.

    Details
    2025-01-17
    Presidential Office thanks White House for its statement on enduring US commitment to Indo-Pacific region
    On January 10 (US EST), the US White House released a statement on the United States’ Enduring Commitment to the Indo-Pacific Region, in which it reaffirms its position of using a range of methods to help Taiwan maintain a sufficient self-defense capability so as to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on January 11 expressed sincere gratitude to the US government for taking concrete actions to fulfill its security commitments to Taiwan, advancing the close Taiwan-US security partnership, and supporting Taiwan in its efforts to enhance its self-defense capabilities and resilience. Spokesperson Kuo stated that the deepening Taiwan-US security partnership is a critical cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. She noted that Taiwan, as a force for good and regional stability, will continue to work alongside like-minded countries to strengthen defense resilience as we jointly defend the values of freedom and democracy and ensure the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

    Details
    2025-01-17
    President Lai meets Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute delegation
    On the morning of January 9, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute (RRPFI). In remarks, President Lai thanked RRPFI President David Trulio and members of RRPFI for remaining undaunted by China’s threats and sanctions, and lending great support to Taiwan. He emphasized that facing the continued expansion of authoritarianism, Taiwan will actively implement the Four Pillars of Peace action plan to preserve regional peace and stability, safeguard the values of democracy and freedom, and advance worldwide prosperity and development. President Lai expressed hope that they can continue to collaborate to promote the development of Taiwan-United States relations and put RRPFI’s principles into practice. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, let me warmly welcome President Trulio, who is leading this delegation from RRPFI to Taiwan. And on behalf of all the people of Taiwan, I want to extend our heartfelt condolences in wake of the ongoing fires in California. I hope that they can be put out swiftly so that harm is reduced, and I hope that those who are injured are able to receive timely help. President Reagan was a staunch friend of Taiwan. The Six Assurances he put forward in 1982 and the Taiwan Relations Act passed by Congress in 1979 form the bedrock of Taiwan-US relations. The incorporation of the Six Assurances into the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 further established bipartisan, bicameral, and cross-agency US support for Taiwan. With authoritarianism continuing to expand, President Reagan’s conviction of peace through strength is proving to be especially crucial as democracies unite to protect freedom, democracy, peace, and the rules-based international order. RRPFI honors President Reagan’s legacy by championing such principles as individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride. Many of you have served previous US administrations as part of national security teams, and many of you are longstanding friends of Taiwan. I sincerely hope that we can continue to collaborate to promote the development of Taiwan-US relations and put RRPFI’s principles into practice. I also want to extend particular gratitude to President Trulio and RRPFI for lending great support to Taiwan. Undaunted by China’s threats and sanctions, you warmly welcomed former President Tsai Ing-wen to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library during her stopover in California in April 2023 and arranged a delegation to visit Taiwan in October of the same year. As for the continued expansion of authoritarianism, Taiwan will meet it head on, and uphold President Reagan’s spirit of peace through strength. We will actively implement the Four Pillars of Peace action plan by strengthening national defense, building economic security, and demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, as well as promoting values-based diplomacy. Bolstering Taiwan’s cooperation with the US and other democracies will preserve regional peace and stability, safeguard the values of democracy and freedom, and advance worldwide prosperity and development. President Trulio then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his warm welcome and saying that he and the delegation are deeply honored to be with him in Taiwan, along with so many top leaders in his administration. President Trulio added that they are proud to advance President Reagan’s legacy and timeless principles, and our collective shared values. President Trulio indicated that President Reagan visited Taiwan twice before he became president. Acknowledging what President Lai stated, he noted that it was President Reagan’s administration that developed what became known as the Six Assurances, a framework that to this day serves as the foundation of relations between the US and Taiwan. More broadly, President Trulio said, President Reagan knew that America’s strength and the strength of its allies and friends are key to global peace, prosperity, and security. He said President Reagan also knew that societies that provide economic opportunity and democracy offer a better life for their citizens. In fact, he stated, President Reagan said that freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few, but the inalienable and universal right of all human beings. President Trulio went on to say that Taiwan’s open society and thriving democracy make the commitment to freedom here plain for all to see. President Trulio noted that RRPFI had the honor of visiting Taipei in October 2023, when the delegation met then-President Tsai. He said that their return visit to Taipei at the start of 2025 comes at a crucial time, and that part of what makes that timing so significant is that there will be a new administration inaugurated in Washington in about 10 days. Over the course of their visits to Taiwan, President Trulio said, it has been plain to see that Taiwan stands strong as a vibrant democracy, with political parties sharing a commitment to democratic principles. He said it is also plain to see that Taiwan’s advanced economy and global technological leadership present positive opportunities for the US. He added that it is also plain to see that the security situation across the Taiwan Strait demands a continued commitment to peace through strength, including through robust partnership with Taiwan and sustained US deterrence. President Trulio stated that he looks forward to addressing the opportunities and challenges facing Taiwan and the US, and is confident that together, we will further well into the future our shared commitment to freedom and democracy, economic opportunity, and security and stability. The delegation also included RRPFI Washington Director Roger Zakheim, Director of the Alexander Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida William Inboden, Palantir Technologies Senior Counselor Jamie Fly, former Deputy White House Staff Secretary Catherine Bellah, Anduril Industries Policy Director Dustin Walker, Hudson Institute Adjunct Fellow Alexander Benard, RRPFI Policy Director Rachel Hoff, and RRPFI Digital Strategy and Communications Director James Rogers.

    Details
    2025-01-01
    President Lai delivers 2025 New Year’s Address
    On the morning of January 1, President Lai Ching-te delivered his 2025 New Year’s Address, titled “Bolstering National Strength through Democracy to Enter a New Global Landscape,” in the Reception Hall of the Presidential Office. President Lai stated that today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. In this new year, he said, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. The president expressed hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together, allowing Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements.  President Lai emphasized that in 2025, we must keep firm on the path of democracy, continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies, and continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. The president said that Taiwan will keep going strong, and we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. A translation of President Lai’s address follows: Today is the first day of 2025. With a new year comes new beginnings. I wish that Taiwan enjoys peace, prosperity, and success, and that our people lead happy lives. Taiwan truly finished 2024 strong. Though there were many challenges, there were also many triumphs. We withstood earthquakes and typhoons, and stood firm in the face of constant challenges posed by authoritarianism. We also shared glory as Taiwan won the Premier12 baseball championship, and now Taiwanese people around the world are all familiar with the gesture for Team Taiwan. At the Paris Olympics, Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and Lee Yang (李洋) clinched another gold in men’s doubles badminton. Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) took home Taiwan’s first Olympic gold in boxing. At the International Junior Science Olympiad, every student in our delegation of six won a gold medal. And Yang Shuang-zi’s (楊双子) novel Taiwan Travelogue, translated into English by King Lin (金翎), became a United States National Book Award winner and a tour de force of Taiwan literature on the international level. Our heroes of Taiwan are defined by neither age nor discipline. They have taken home top prizes at international competitions and set new records. They tell Taiwan’s story through their outstanding performances, letting the world see the spirit and culture of Taiwan, and filling all our citizens with pride. My fellow citizens, we have stood together through thick and thin; we have shared our ups and downs. We have wept together, and we have laughed together. We are all one family, all members of Team Taiwan. I want to thank each of our citizens for their dedication, fueling Taiwan’s progress and bringing our nation glory. You have given Taiwan even greater strength to stand out on the global stage. In this new year, we must continue bringing Taiwan’s stories to the world, and make Taiwan’s successes a force for global progress. In 2025, the world will be entering a new landscape. Last year, over 70 countries held elections, and the will of the people has changed with the times. As many countries turn new pages politically, and in the midst of rapid international developments, Taiwan must continue marching forward with steady strides. First, we must keep firm on the path of democracy. Taiwan made it through a dark age of authoritarianism and has since become a glorious beacon of democracy in Asia. This was achieved through the sacrifices of our democratic forebears and the joint efforts of all our citizens. Democracy’s value to Taiwan lies not just in our free way of life, or in the force driving the diverse and vigorous growth of our society. Democracy is the brand that has earned us international trust in terms of diplomacy. No matter the threat or challenge Taiwan may face, democracy is Taiwan’s only path forward. We will not turn back. Domestic competition among political parties is a part of democracy. But domestic political disputes must be resolved democratically, within the constitutional system. This is the only way democracy can continue to grow. The Executive Yuan has the right to request a reconsideration of the controversial bills passed in the Legislative Yuan, giving it room for reexamination. Constitutional institutions can also lodge a petition for a constitutional interpretation, and through Constitutional Court adjudication, ensure a separation of powers, safeguard constitutional order, and gradually consolidate the constitutional system. The people also have the right of election, recall, initiative, and referendum, and can bring together even greater democratic power to show the true meaning of sovereignty in the hands of the people. In this new year, the changing international landscape will present democratic nations around the world with many grave challenges. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas rage on, and we are seeing the continued convergence of authoritarian regimes including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatening the rules-based international order and severely affecting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the world at large. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. Taiwan needs to prepare for danger in times of peace. We must continue increasing our national defense budget, bolster our national defense capabilities, and show our determination to protect our country. Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and security. We must gather together every bit of strength we have to enhance whole-of-society defense resilience, and build capabilities to respond to major disasters and deter threats or encroachment. We must also strengthen communication with society to combat information and cognitive warfare, so that the populace rejects threats and enticements and jointly guards against malicious infiltration by external forces. Here at home, we must consolidate democracy with democracy. Internationally, we must make friends worldwide through democracy. This is how we will ensure security and peace. The more secure Taiwan, the more secure the world. The more resilient Taiwan, the sounder the defense of global democracy. The global democratic community should work even closer together to support the democratic umbrella as we seek ways to resolve the war in Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas. Together, we must uphold stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific, and achieve our goal of global peace. Second, we must continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, and enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. In the first half of 2024, growth in the Taiwan Stock Index was the highest in the world. Our economic growth rate for the year as a whole is expected to reach 4.2 percent, leading among the Four Asian Tigers. Domestic investment is soaring, having exceeded NT$5 trillion, and inflation is gradually stabilizing. Export orders from January to November totaled US$536.6 billion, up 3.7 percent from the same period in 2023. And compared over the same period, exports saw a 9.9 percent increase, reaching US$431.5 billion. Recent surveys also show that in 2024, the average increase in salaries at companies was higher than that in 2023. Additionally, over 90 percent of companies plan to raise salaries this year, which is an eight-year high. All signs indicate that Taiwan’s economic climate continues to recover, and that our economy is growing steadily. Our overall economic performance is impressive; still, we must continue to pay attention to the impact on Taiwan’s industries from the changing geopolitical landscape, uncertainties in the global economic environment, and dumping by the “red supply chain.”  For a nation, all sectors and professions are equally important; only when all our industries are strong can Taiwan be strong as a nation. Our micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of Taiwan, and the development of our various industrial parks has given Taiwan the impetus for our prosperity. We must carry the spirit of “Made in Taiwan” forward, bringing it to ever greater heights. Thus, beyond just developing our high-tech industry, our Executive Yuan has already proposed a solution that will help traditional industries and MSMEs comprehensively adopt technology applications, engage in the digital and net-zero twin transition, and develop channels, all for better operational structures and higher productivity. Taiwan must continue enhancing its economic resilience. In recent years, Taiwan has significantly increased its investments in the US, Japan, Europe, and the New Southbound countries, and such investment has already surpassed investment in China. This indicates that our efforts in diversifying markets and reducing reliance on any single market are working. Moving forward, we must keep providing assistance so that Taiwan industries can expand their global presence and market internationally from a solid base here in Taiwan. At the same time, Taiwan must use democracy to promote economic growth with the rest of the world. We must leverage our strengths in the semiconductor and AI industries. We must link with democratic countries so that we can together enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. And through international cooperation across many sectors, such as UAVs, low-orbit communications satellites, robots, military, security and surveillance, or biopharmaceuticals, renewable energy technology, new agriculture, and the circular economy, we must keep abreast of the latest cutting-edge technology and promote diverse development. This approach will help Taiwan remain a leader in advancing global democratic supply chains, ensuring their security and stability. Third, we must continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. Democracy means the people have the final say. Our nation belongs to all 23 million of us, without regard for ethnic group, generation, political party, or whether we live in urban or rural areas. In this new year, we must continue to pursue policies that promote the well-being of the nation and the people. But to that end, the central government needs adequate financial resources to ensure that it can enact each of these measures. Therefore, I hope that the ruling and opposition parties can each soberly reconsider the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures and find a path forward that ensures the lasting peace and stability of our country. For nine consecutive years, the minimum wage has continued to rise. Effective today, the minimum monthly salary is being raised from NT$27,470 to NT$28,590, and the hourly salary from NT$183 to NT$190. We hope by raising the pay for military personnel, civil servants, and educators for two consecutive years, coupled with benefits through wage increases and tax reductions, that private businesses will also raise wages, allowing all our people to enjoy the fruits of our economic growth. I know that everyone wants to pay lower taxes and rent. This year, we will continue to promote tax reductions. For example, unmarried individuals with an annual income of NT$446,000 or less can be exempt from paying income tax. Dual-income families with an annual income of NT$892,000 or less and dual-income families with two children aged six or younger with an annual income of NT$1,461,000 or less are also exempt from paying income tax. Additionally, the number of rent-subsidized housing units will also be increased, from 500,000 to 750,000 units, helping lighten the load for everyone. This year, the age eligibility for claiming Culture Points has been lowered from 16 to 13 years, so that now young people aged between 13 and 22 can receive government support for experiencing more in the arts. Also, our Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative is about to take effect, which will help more young people in Taiwan realize their dreams by taking part in education and exchange activities in many places around the world. We are also in the process of establishing a sports ministry to help young athletes achieve their dreams on the field, court, and beyond. The ministry will also be active in developing various sports industries and bringing sports and athletics more into the lives of the people, making our people healthier as a result. This year, as Taiwan becomes a “super-aged society,” we will launch our Long-term Care 3.0 Plan to provide better all-around care for our seniors. And we will expand the scope of cancer screening eligibility and services, all aimed at creating a Healthy Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan will officially begin collecting fees for its carbon fee system today. This brings us closer in line with global practices and helps us along the path to our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. We will also continue on the path to achieving a Balanced Taiwan. Last month, the Executive Yuan launched the Trillion NT Dollar Investment National Development Plan and its six major regional flagship projects. Both of these initiatives will continue to expand the investment in our public infrastructure and the development of local specialty industries, narrowing urban-rural and wealth gaps so that all our people can live and work in peace and happiness. My fellow citizens, today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. This tells us that national development is moving in the right direction. In this new year, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. We hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together to ensure that national policies are successfully implemented, with the people’s well-being as our top priority. This will allow Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. In this new year, we have many more brilliant stories of Taiwan to share with the world, inspiring all Taiwanese, both here and around the world, to cheer time and again for the glory of Taiwan. Taiwan will keep going strong. And we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Mining Week (AMW) to Showcase Africa’s Rising Investment Potential in the Mining Sector

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

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, January 31, 2025/APO Group/ —

    International investments in Africa’s mining sector are surging as global demand for both traditional and emerging minerals continues to grow. For example, Australian mining firms saw their asset value in Africa reach $60 billion in 2024, while Canadian firms’ assets climbed to $37 billion. China also launched an ambitious $50 billion, three-year investment strategy targeting increased stakes in Africa’s most lucrative opportunities including in the mining sector.

    The upcoming African Mining Week Summit, scheduled for October 1 – 3 in Cape Town, will highlight profitable opportunities within Africa’s mining industry and reinforce the continent’s attractiveness as an investment destination for global mining financiers.

    Untapped Mineral Deposits

    Africa’s vast, untapped mineral resources present potential for new investments. The continent holds 30% of the world’s critical minerals (https://apo-opa.co/3ClkUGd) essential for the energy transition, including the largest global reserves of cobalt (in the Democratic Republic of Congo) and over 80% of the world’s platinum group metals in South Africa. The continent accounts for more than 44% of global diamond production, while its share of the gold market continues to grow, with markets such as Ghana, Mali and Zimbabwe ramping up production.

    Supportive Policies and Investor-Friendly Terms

    African governments are enhancing the investment climate within the mining industry by enacting new policies and modernizing fiscal terms to streamline processes and reduce delays in project rollouts. Zambia, for instance, introduced a New Mining Tax Regime in 2023, improving transparency and reducing tax evasion, as the country targets a copper production target of three million tons by 2032. Mali has also experienced increased investment flows following its 2023 Mining Code, with global players such as HummingGold, B2Gold and Ganfeng committing to new lithium and gold projects. Malawi has also taken steps to attract investments by launching its Mining Regulatory Authority in October 2024, supported by the Mines and Minerals Act of 2023.

    Improved Mining and Export Infrastructure

    African nations are enhancing cooperation with global partners to improve mining production and mineral transportation infrastructure. For example, investment firm Africa Finance Corporation has announced that the Zambia-Lobito Railway project will commence (https://apo-opa.co/3Q0RcJL) construction in early 2026, to facilitate the efficient and cost-effective transportation of critical minerals from East and Southern Africa to global markets. Upgrades to the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (https://apo-opa.co/3PXFeAE) and South Africa’s modernization of ports through freight operator, Transnet, are further enhancing the region’s mining investment prospects.

    Rich Mining History

    Africa’s established history as a global mining hub has fostered the development of key infrastructure and a skilled workforce that international mining firms rely on to meet global mineral demand. Mining remains a cornerstone of many African economies, attracting both traditional and emerging players keen to expand their operations and leverage the continent’s resources. With its rich deposits and ongoing improvements in policy and infrastructure, Africa maintains its position as a key investment destination for the global mining industry.

    African Mining Week will serve as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy 2025 conference (https://apo-opa.co/4htJMdI) from October 1 -3. in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Reel justice’: a unique collaboration between university filmmakers and police

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Smith, Senior Consultant, Universal Impact

    How can universities build better relationships with the communities around them? Academia is increasingly considering this question. And finding innovative ways to demonstrate value and connect with wider society.

    This was on my mind when I learnt about a fascinating collaboration between the police and aspiring, young filmmakers at the University of Sunderland, which shows the power of research as a tool for public good.

    I world for Universal Impact, The Conversation’s commercial subsidiary, and recently travelled to the northeast to give a training course to University of Sunderland researchers on how to identify, and communicate with, different audiences for their work.

    Whenever we work with academics, I’m reminded of the quality and diversity of research taking place all around us – stretching, in this case, from preventing liver damage to boosting performance in modern pentathlon.

    We built on the training course with a mentoring programme for a group of researchers including Adelle Hulsmeier, who leads the university’s screen performance BA programme.

    I’m a bit of a movie buff. So I was interested to learn about the unique initiative Adelle runs, bringing together young people and police around an unexpected common ground – film.

    Here’s how it works. Northumberland Police suggests themes, students make short films inspired by those themes, and the films are then used as education and training resources.

    Like many of my favourite directors, Adelle believes it’s possible to address some of the most pressing social issues through storytelling.

    A new approach

    The project comes as public trust in the police is in decline, particularly among members of Gen Z (broadly, those born between 1996 and 2010).

    Children and young people are also disproportionately affected by crime, often as victims of the most serious offences. But these films offer an opportunity to change the narrative.

    And as the Labour government is proposing “respect orders” to address the UK’s 6.7 million annual offences — which cost taxpayers £58.9 billion in 2023-24 — this novel approach seems particularly timely.

    Over the past 11 years, more than 1,000 students have worked on at least 50 films, covering topics such as sexual exploitation, domestic violence, male rape and “county lines” drugs trafficking.

    The films’ influence extends far beyond the university. They have been integrated into training programmes for police officers, healthcare workers, teachers and other professionals.

    Community engagement

    The collaboration was born of a desire to make issues of crime and policing widely accessible, with Adelle striving to bridge the gap between academic learning and societal impact.

    In 2019, the project received the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence from Advance Higher Education, recognising the initiative’s outstanding contribution to education and community engagement.

    The programme has also been praised by former Labour MP and Victims’ Commissioner Dame Vera Baird, who described the films as an effective way for the police to “transmit messages in a way that we cannot”.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Meanwhile, the project is also an opportunity for students to develop critical skills and gain invaluable industry experience.

    By empowering students to tackle real world social issues, the University of Sunderland is not only preparing them for the future but also helping to shape a safer, more empathetic world.

    This partnership is a testament to the mutual benefits that come from universities and public sector organisations working collectively towards common goals that support their local communities.

    At Universal Impact, we offer specialist training, mentoring and research communication services – donating profits back to The Conversation, our parent charity. If you’re a researcher or research institution and you’re interested in working together, please get in touch – or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to find out more.

    – ref. ‘Reel justice’: a unique collaboration between university filmmakers and police – https://theconversation.com/reel-justice-a-unique-collaboration-between-university-filmmakers-and-police-248619

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Results of the ECB Survey of Professional Forecasters for the first quarter of 2025

    Source: European Central Bank

    31 January 2025

    • Headline inflation expectations revised up for 2025 but otherwise unchanged; longer-term expectations (for 2029) remain at 2.0%
    • Expectations for HICP inflation excluding energy and food unchanged for 2025 and 2026; longer-term expectations revised down slightly to 1.9%
    • Real GDP growth expectations revised down by 0.2 and 0.1 percentage points for 2025 and 2026 respectively, but longer-term expectations unrevised
    • Unemployment rate expectations unchanged for 2025 and 2026, but longer-term expectations revised down slightly

    Respondents’ expectations for headline inflation, as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), were 2.1% for 2025, 1.9% for 2026 and 2.0% for 2027. Expectations were revised up from the previous survey (conducted in the fourth quarter of 2024) by 0.2 percentage points for 2025 but unchanged for 2026. Expectations for core HICP inflation, which excludes energy and food, were unchanged for 2025 and 2026. Longer-term expectations for headline inflation were unchanged at 2.0%, while those for core HICP inflation were revised down slightly to 1.9%.

    Respondents expected real GDP growth of 1.0% in 2025 and 1.3% in both 2026 and 2027. Compared with the previous survey, expectations were revised down by 0.2 percentage points for 2025 and 0.1 percentage points for 2026. Economic policy and political uncertainty contributed to these revisions. Longer-term growth expectations remained unchanged at 1.3%.

    The expected profile of the unemployment rate was largely unchanged. Respondents continued to expect the unemployment rate to average 6.5% in 2025 but to decline to 6.4% in 2026, and then to fall further to 6.3% in 2027 and to remain there in the longer term.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 2025 Presidential Elections in Belarus: joint statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK and other members of the Informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus deliver a joint statement on elections in Belarus and the deteriorating human rights situation.

    I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States, who are members of the Informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus:  Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland,  Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and my own country, Germany.  

    The following participating States are also joining this statement: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia, Liechtenstein, Malta, San Marino, Switzerland and North Macedonia.    

    At Copenhagen in 1990, all OSCE participating States declared that “the will of the people, freely and fairly expressed through periodic and genuine elections, is the basis of the authority and legitimacy of all government”.  

    The presidential elections in Belarus on 26 January fell far short of this shared standard. Instead of reflecting multi-party democracy, accountability of government to the electorate or the free and fair expression of citizens’ will, this election outcome was pre-determined by the Belarusian government. The poll was carried out in a climate of fear and repression where opposition was silenced. Moreover, Belarusians were denied access to information from independent, pluralistic media.  

    Repression intensified in the pre-election period. While some political prisoners have been released, Belarus continues to detain many more. Over 1,250 people remain incarcerated. Many political prisoners face isolation, mistreatment and lack of medical treatment. The UN Committee against Torture reported that torture in these prisons is systemic, habitual, widespread and deliberate with a pattern of impunity for perpetrators. Last year, four political prisoners died behind bars.   

    The arrest and persecution of journalists and media professionals has also reached an all-time high; the Belarusian Association of Journalists notes that 42 media workers were imprisoned in the run up to election day.  

    We deplore Belarus’ involvement and complicity in Russia’s unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and condemn the serious, ongoing human rights violations committed by the Belarusian authorities. We reiterate our call for the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally, and to ensure their rehabilitation. 

    No election can be considered as free and fair or meeting international standards when it is held in a climate of ongoing repression, marked by continuous pressure on civil society, arbitrary detentions and widespread human rights violations, as well as restrictions of any genuine political participation and a lack of credible opposition candidates.   

    We recall that ODIHR made efforts in recent months to engage with the Belarusian authorities on election observation, in line with Belarus’ commitment at Copenhagen in 1990.     

    The Belarusian authorities’ late invitation – delivered only ten days before the presidential elections – prevented ODIHR’s access to key stages of the election process, making meaningful observation impossible. It stands as further proof that this electoral process lacked transparency and credibility.     

    Sadly, this approach to OSCE commitments is wholly consistent with earlier decisions by Belarus. As well as preventing meaningful observation of these elections, Belarus failed to invite OSCE observation of the February 2024 parliamentary elections. Nor has Belarus made progress on the recommendations of either the 2020 or 2023 Moscow Mechanism reports, or responded meaningfully to the questions raised in the 2024 Vienna Mechanism.  

    Indeed, since the fraudulent presidential election of 2020, Belarusian authorities have engaged in a brutal crackdown on opposition figures, human rights defenders, civil society representatives, journalists, and other citizens who dare voice any opposition or dissent. Human rights defenders report over 70,000 cases of repression since 2020. These range from interrogations, detentions or searches to legislative amendments, labelling and prosecuting some human rights defenders as so-called “extremists” and closing NGOs as well as forced exile and confiscation of property.   

    In the face of this utter disregard of OSCE principles and commitments by the Belarusian authorities, we underscore the right of Belarusians to determine their own future in a genuinely free and fair manner, and to be able to do so without fear, oppression and external interference. In this Council and beyond, we will continue to support the Belarusian people’s hope for a free, democratic and independent Belarus.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnicians – International Experts in the Presidential Elections in Belarus

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Another presidential election was held in Belarus. The current head of the country, Alexander Lukashenko, won. The turnout was 85.7% of the total number of those included in the voting list. Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is associated with the republic not only by decades of joint scientific and educational projects, but also by the historical unity of fraternal peoples, notes the rector of SPbPU Andrei Rudskoy. Andrei Ivanovich heads the expert council on science and education at the IPA CIS. The council’s activities have been noted at the highest level, and its experts are invited to interstate commissions.

    On behalf of the Rector of SPbPU, the Director of the Higher School of Jurisprudence and Forensic Science Dmitry Mokhorov (deputy of the Academic SPb Municipal Assembly, deputy chairman of the expert council on science and education at the IPA CIS) acted as a scientific expert in the mission of the monitoring group of the CIS IPA at the elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus.

    Interacting with those responsible for organizing the elections and residents of Belarus, Dmitry Mokhorov noted: “It is gratifying to see the hospitality with which Belarusians greet guests, and when they hear “Leningrad Polytechnic” (Peter’s Polytechnic), everyone congratulates them on the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Leningrad from the fascist blockade and the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. The warmth of the fraternal people, who have first-hand experience of the atrocities of fascism, fills communication with joy, and it becomes clear that Belarusians will not allow interference in the democratic development of their country. The holiday that election day has become for the Belarusian people has shown the true free will of an independent state — the Republic of Belarus.”

    Secretary General of the IPA CIS Council Dmitry Kobitsky noted that the mission included experienced observers – representatives of the parliaments of the CIS states and experts of the International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development of the IPA CIS. Scientists and specialists, together with parliamentarians, carried out long-term and short-term monitoring of the elections.

    This made it possible to conduct a comparative analysis of the best practices and formulate decisions based on professional scientific findings, noted the coordinator of the CIS IPA monitoring group mission, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Konstantin Kosachev. He emphasized that over two decades, the CIS parliamentary institution has established itself not only as a normative and practical force, but also as a scientifically substantiated force. Thanks to this, it was possible to destroy the monopoly on election assessment that Western institutions had appropriated, imposing their point of view on everyone, politicizing observation and drawing conclusions based on the loyalty of the country and its leader.

    In our work, we are guided by the principles of respect for state sovereignty, impartiality, effective assistance, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states, which are enshrined in two basic documents for all of us: the Convention on the Standards of Democratic Elections in the CIS and the Declaration of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly on the Principles of International Observation, the parliamentarian noted.

    International observers from the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly met with the Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalia Kochanova, the Chairperson of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Igor Sergeyenko, the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Igor Karpenko, presidential candidates: the Chairman of the Republican Party of Labor and Justice Alexander Khizhnyak, the leader of the Communist Party of Belarus Sergei Syrankov, the Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus Oleg Gaidukevich, Anna Kanopatskaya and the authorized representative of candidate Alexander Lukashenko, the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus Yuri Senko. All of them noted that Belarusian society has changed. Despite attempts at outside interference, everyone was focused on ensuring that the campaign was held without upheavals, threats and destabilization, in accordance with national and international law.

    On election day, observers visited 321 polling stations.

    We work in all regions of Belarus. Our work is a kind of “audit”, the result of which is the development and democratization of electoral processes, – said Dmitry Kobitsky.

    The Secretary General noted that the Secretariat is expanding cooperation with scientists from the CIS countries. This allows for increased expert support for the Assembly’s legislative work and serves to develop relations in the scientific circles of the Commonwealth countries. A memorandum of cooperation with the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies was also signed as part of the dialogue.

    Rector of SPbPU Andrei Rudskoy congratulated Belarusian partners on the successful completion of the presidential elections and expressed confidence that the elected president will work for the development of Belarus, strengthening friendship and cooperation in the region.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Shareholders’ Nomination Board’s proposal for the composition of Aktia Bank’s Board of Directors and their remuneration

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Aktia Bank Plc
    Stock Exchange Release
    31 January 2025 at 11.00 a.m.

    Shareholders’ Nomination Board’s proposal for the composition of Aktia Bank’s Board of Directors and their remuneration

    The Shareholders’ Nomination Board of Aktia Bank Plc has decided to present the following proposal to the Annual General Meeting 2025 of Aktia Bank:

    The number of the members of the Board of Directors is proposed to be decreased from nine and set to seven.

    The Shareholders’ Nomination Board proposes that of the present members of the Board of Directors, Joakim Frimodig, Carl Haglund, Maria Jerhamre Engström, Harri Lauslahti and Matts Rosenberg, based on their consent, be re-elected for a term continuing up until the end of the next Annual General Meeting. For more information on the Board members proposed to be re-elected, please see the company’s website at www.aktia.com. Ann Grevelius, Sari Pohjonen, Johannes Schulman and Lasse Svens have informed that they will not be available for re-election.

    The Shareholders’ Nomination Board also proposes that Hanne Katrama and Sari Somerkallio are elected as new Board members for the same term, based on their consent. Further information on the new Board members proposed to be elected has been attached to this release and can be found closer to the Annual General Meeting on the company’s website www.aktia.com.

    Should any of the candidates presented above not be available to be elected to the Board, the proposed number of Board members shall be decreased accordingly and the available candidates are proposed to be elected accordingly.

    All the proposed persons are independent in relation to the company according to the definition of the Corporate Governance Code. Only Matts Rosenberg is not independent of a significant shareholder since he is the chair of the board of RG Partners Oy, the largest shareholder (10.13%) of Aktia Bank. In addition, Rosenberg is the CEO of of Rettig Oy Ab, which is the largest owner of RG Partners Oy.

    All the proposed persons have informed that they intend, if they are elected, to elect Matts Rosenberg amongst them as Chair of the Board of Directors and to re-elect Joakim Frimodig as Deputy Chair.

    Regarding the selection procedure for the members of the Board of Directors, the Shareholders’ Nomination Board recommends that shareholders take a position on the proposal as a whole at the General Meeting. This recommendation is based on the fact that at Aktia the Shareholders’ Nomination Board is separate from the Board of Directors and, in addition to ensuring that individual nominees for membership of the Board of Directors possess the required competences, it is also responsible for making sure that the proposed Board of Directors as a whole also has the best possible expertise and experience for the company and that the composition of the Board of Directors also meets other requirements set for credit institutions as well as the requirements of the Finnish Corporate Governance Code for listed companies.

    The Nomination Board proposes that the remuneration for the Board of Directors for the term be unchanged from the current term and determined as follows:

    • Chair, EUR 75,000 (2024: EUR 75,000)
    • Deputy Chair, EUR 50,000 (2024: EUR 50,000)
    • member, EUR 40,000 (2024: EUR 40,000)

    Annual remunerations for the Chairs of each Committee as well as meeting remunerations are proposed to be unchanged, meaning that it is proposed that the Chair of each Committee will further receive an annual remuneration of EUR 8,000. The proposed meeting remuneration for Board and Committee meetings is EUR 700 per attended meeting for each person (EUR 700 per attended meeting for each person in 2024). If participation in a board meeting requires travelling outside the board member’s country of residence, the remuneration for board meeting is EUR 1,400 per attended meeting for each person (EUR 1,400 per attended meeting for each person in 2024). The remuneration of the members of the Board is not treated as income forming basis for earnings-related pension. Compensation for travel and accommodation expenses as well as a daily allowance is paid in line with the Finnish Tax Administration’s guidelines and the travel instructions of the company.

    The Nomination Board proposes that approximately 40% of the annual remuneration (gross amount) shall be paid to the members in the form of Aktia shares. The company will on account of the Board members acquire Aktia shares on the market to the price that is formed through public trading or it will transfer the company’s own shares to the Board members and the rest of the annual remuneration payable is paid in cash. The shares are acquired or transferred during a two-week time period from the day following the company’s interim report for 1 January 2025–31 March 2025 is published or as soon as possible in accordance with applicable legislation. If the remuneration can’t be paid in shares, it can be paid in cash entirely. The company will be responsible for all expenses and the possible transfer tax for acquiring or transferring the shares.

    The proposals of the Nomination Board will be included in the summons of the Annual General Meeting.

    Chair of the Shareholders’ Nomination Board of Aktia Bank is Gisela Knuts (appointed by the Pension Insurance Company Veritas and the companies controlled by Erkki Etola), members are Georg Ehrnrooth (appointed by RG Partners Oy), Stefan Wallin (appointed by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation) and Johan Hammarén (appointed by Oy Hammarén & Co Ab), and Lasse Svens, Chair of the Board of Directors of Aktia Bank acts as an expert.

    Aktia Bank Plc

    Further information:
    Gisela Knuts, Chair of the Nomination Board, tel. +358 40 769 8265

    Distribution:
    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Mass media
    www.aktia.com

    Aktia is a Finnish asset manager, bank and life insurer that has been creating wealth and wellbeing from one generation to the next for 200 years. We serve our customers in digital channels everywhere and face-to-face in our offices in the Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Oulu regions. Our award-winning asset management business sells investment funds internationally. We employ approximately 850 people around Finland. Aktia’s assets under management (AuM) on 30 September 2024 amounted to EUR 14.3 billion, and the balance sheet total was EUR 12.0 billion. Aktia’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (AKTIA). aktia.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: MEXC Zero-Fee Event for European Traders: 108 Spot Pairs and All EUR Spot Trading Pairs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEXC, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, is excited to launch a limited-time Zero-Fee Event for European traders. During this limited-time promotion, all EUR Spot trading pairs, as well as a total of 108 Spot trading pairs, will be offered with zero fees, providing exceptional trading opportunities and cost savings for the European cryptocurrency community.

    Event Details

    The Zero-Fee Event will run from January 23, 2025, to March 31, 2025. During this period, all EUR Spot trading pairs will have 0% maker and taker fees. This promotion is available to all MEXC users.

    In addition to EUR Spot pairs, MEXC is also offering zero fees for other trading pairs in Europe.
    MEXC offers a total of 108 Spot trading pairs, including:

    • 81 pairs with USDC
    • 5 pairs with USDT
    • 22 pairs with EUR

    MEXC will also offer 29 Futures trading pairs as part of the zero-fee event.

    User-Centered Benefits for European Traders

    According to the latest TokenInsight research report, MEXC demonstrated considerable growth and market presence in 2024, securing a spot among the top 6 in Spot trading and the top 5 in derivatives trading.

    The report reveals that MEXC’s market share in the Spot market increased by approximately 9%, reaching 11.6% compared to 2023. In the derivatives market, MEXC also achieved a 10.4% year-over-year growth in market share, the largest increase among major exchanges. This growth is fueled by MEXC’s low fees, exclusive trading events, and flexible token listing strategy.

    As Europe is a key market for MEXC, the platform is offering the Zero-Fee Event as a way to give back to European traders, helping them reduce trading costs and maximize their profit potential.

    Beyond this event, MEXC delivers four key advantages that have earned the trust of over 30 million users across 170+ countries:

    M: Most Trending Tokens
    MEXC has over 3,000 token listings and almost lists new tokens daily, offering users a wide range of options and the ability to stay on top of the latest market trends.

    E: Everyday Airdrops
    MEXC brings users frequent rewards and opportunities. In 2024 alone, the platform completed 2,293 airdrops, distributing over $136 million in rewards.

    X: Xtremely Low Fees
    MEXC offers highly competitive trading fees, allowing users to significantly reduce their costs compared to industry standards.

    C: Comprehensive Liquidity
    With deep market depth and high liquidity, MEXC ensures efficient and seamless execution of every transaction, even in volatile markets.

    MEXC states that it will continue to prioritize innovation and user experience, launching new tools and services that meet the needs of global traders, with the aim of making cryptocurrency trading simpler and more profitable for every trader.

    For more details on the event and its rules, please refer to the Event Announcement.

    About MEXC

    Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being “Your Easiest Way to Crypto”. Serving over 30 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, frequent airdrop opportunities, and low trading fees. Our user-friendly platform is designed to support both new traders and experienced investors, offering secure and efficient access to digital assets. MEXC prioritizes simplicity and innovation, making crypto trading more accessible and rewarding.
    MEXC Official Website｜ X ｜ Telegram ｜How to Sign Up on MEXC

    Risk Disclaimer:
    The information provided in this article about cryptocurrencies does not represent MEXC’s official stance or investment advice. Given the highly volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market, investors are encouraged to carefully evaluate market fluctuations, project fundamentals, and potential financial risks before making any trading decisions.

    Contact:
    Lucia Hu
    PR Manager
    lucia.hu@mexc.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by MEXC. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9886c09c-dd1c-4df2-90f9-f0ebe65f2479

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £200 million boost to transform neighbourhood policing

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Funding to kickstart the delivery of 13,000 more neighbourhood police officers has been doubled to £200 million to make the country’s streets safer.

    Getty Images

    Forces across England and Wales will now be given hugely increased resources to begin their recruitment to boost neighbourhood policing teams, helping to ensure that the government’s target for additional personnel is met by 2029.

    After years of declining officer presence on Britain’s streets, this investment represents a crucial first step in rebuilding neighbourhood policing. This doubled funding – increased from December’s provisional £100 million commitment – reflects the scale of the challenges that many forces face, as well as the government’s determination to address them.

    As part of a wider billion-pound boost to policing, this dedicated funding will strengthen local crime prevention and community safety. One of the government’s key pledges within its Plan for Change is that every neighbourhood will have a named, contactable officer, helping to restore the local knowledge and presence that effective neighbourhood policing demands.

    These extra officers will see a return to the principles of British policing – where officers are part of the communities they serve and are focused on tackling crimes like antisocial behaviour, theft and knife crime that are blighting our communities.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    This major investment marks a turning point for policing in this country. By doubling extra neighbourhood funding to £200 million, we are giving forces across the country what they need to put more officers and PCSOs [police community support officers] where they’re needed most – on our streets and in our town centres.

    Every neighbourhood deserves dedicated officers who know their patch, understand residents’ concerns and can tackle problems before they escalate. This investment, alongside new powers we are bringing into law, will help prevent crime and protect our communities, which is at the heart of our Plan for Change.

    Restoring local policing will not happen overnight, but this funding boost will get more officers into our town centres and rural areas.

    Forces across England and Wales will be able to boost their local policing teams with this investment, scheduled for next financial year. Each force will set out their plans to government by early spring, showing how they’ll use their allocation to increase visible patrols.

    The rebuilding of local, visible policing in all our communities will be supported by the government’s new Police Standards and Performance Improvement Unit and new standards for neighbourhood policing. In addition to thousands more personnel in neighbourhood policing roles, the government will continue to help forces to protect officer numbers.

    Alongside more officers on the ground, the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill will give these officers the tools they need to keep our streets safe, including enhanced powers such as respect orders to tackle antisocial behaviour and shoplifting effectively. This investment, combined with new powers and local control over resources, marks the start of a long-term commitment to restore visible policing across the country.

    Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, said:

    We welcome the investment in neighbourhood policing, which is a vital part of how we engage with our communities, building trust and confidence locally.

    Working with our communities and partners to problem solve, tackle antisocial behaviour, supporting victims of domestic abuse, and diverting young people from offending are just some examples of the challenging and rewarding work officers do.

    Visibility and engagement with local communities has always been central to the British policing model and police leaders are in agreement that it must always remain at the heart of what we do.

    Neighbourhood Watch CEO John Hayward-Cripps said:

    Neighbourhood Watch is delighted that the government is further increasing the investment in neighbourhood policing.

    With the increased demands on the police, and public confidence at a low point, a focus on neighbourhood policing is key to the police being visible, approachable, and engaging proactively with the public.

    This injection of investment will increase public confidence in the police and enhance feelings of safety within local communities.

    Paul Gerrard, Co-op Director of Campaigns and Public Affairs, said:

    We welcome the government’s commitment to boost neighbourhood police officer numbers to help protect local communities from crime. As a community-based retailer, we all too often see the significant and damaging impact of retail crime and antisocial behaviour in society.

    We know – and have seen the results – that effective partnerships with local policing make a real difference, and I am cautiously optimistic that this latest development along with continued investment in preventative measures and the rising levels of police attendance can start to reverse retail crime levels, and help communities become stronger, more resilient and safer.

    This funding boost comes as the government publishes its final police funding settlement today. Total funding to police forces across the country will be up to £17.5 billion next year, an increase of up to £1.1 billion compared to the 2024 to 2025 police funding settlement. This includes additional funding to support the costs of the pay awards, the increase in the employer national contributions and funding for officer maintenance.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Pension sector almost regains loss from 2022

    Source: Danmarks Nationalbank

    Insurance and pension

    Statistics period: December 2024

    Danish insurance and pension companies achieved a return of kr. 344 billion in 2024. Overall, the nominal return has been kr. 675 billion over the past two years, which means that the loss in 2022 has almost been recovered. A loss that was mainly due to capital losses in the financial markets due to, among other things, inflation, and interest rate increases. The high return in 2024 is primarily driven by the gains on the US stock market, and more than half of the pension return in 2024 came from listed US stocks; in particular, shares in technology companies such as NVIDIA, Apple and Amazon contributed with significant gains. Investments in the US account for a quarter of total pension investments and thus have a significant impact on Danish pension returns. The positive returns benefit not only pension customers, but also government finances through increased tax revenues from the so-called pension return tax, PAL tax.

    The pension sector achieved a return of kr. 344 billion in 2024

    Note:

    Danish insurance and pension companies’ returns on investments 2018-2024. Life insurance companies and pension funds as well as ATP are included in the statistics. Find chart data in the Statbank.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Wenda calls for international inquiry into film claim that Indonesia is using chemical weapons in West Papua

    Pacific Media Watch

    A West Papuan advocacy group is calling for an urgent international inquiry into allegations that Indonesian security forces have used the chemical weapon white phosphorus against West Papuans for a second time.

    The allegations were made in the new documentary, Frontier War, by Paradise Broadcasting.

    In the film, West Papuan civilians give testimony about a number of children dying from sickness in the months folllowing the 2021 Kiwirok attack.

    They say that “poisoning . . . occurred due to the bombings”, that “they throw the bomb and . . .  chemicals come through the mouth”, said United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) interim president Benny Wenda.

    They add that this was “the first time they’re throwing people up are not dying, but between one month later or two months later”, he said in a statement.

    Bombings produced big “clouds of dust” and infants suffering the effects could not stop coughing up blood.

    “White phosphorus is an evil weapon, even when used against combatants. It burns through skin and flesh and causes heart and liver failure,” said Wenda.

    ‘Crimes against defenceless civilians’
    “But Indonesia is committing these crimes against humanity against defenceless civilians, elders, women and children.

    “Thousands of Papuans in the border region were forced from their villages by these attacks, adding to the over 85,000 who are still internally displaced by militarisation.”

    Indonesia previously used white phosphorus in Nduga in December 2018.

    Journalists uncovered that victims were suffering deep burns down to the bone, typical with that weapon, as well as photographing yellow tipped bombs which military sources confirmed “appear to be incendiary or white phosphorus”.

    The same yellow-tipped explosives were discovered in Kiwirok, and the fins from the recovered munitions are consistent with white phosphorus.

    “As usual, Indonesia lied about using white phosphorus in Nduga,” said Wenda.

    “They have also lied about even the existence of the Kiwirok attack — an operation that led to the deaths of over 300 men, women, and children.

    “They lie, lie, lie.”


    Frontier War/ Inside the West Papua Liberation Army    Video: Paradise Broadcasting

    Proof needed after ‘opening up’
    Wenda said the movement would not be able to obtain proof of these attacks — “of the atrocities being perpetrated daily against my people” — until Indonesia opened West Papua to the “eyes of the world”.

    “West Papua is a prison island: no journalists, NGOs, or aid organisations are allowed to operate there. Even the UN is totally banned,” Wenda said.

    Indonesia’s entire strategy in West Papua is secrecy. Their crimes have been hidden from the world for decades, through a combination of internet blackouts, repression of domestic journalists, and refusal of access to international media.”

    Wenda said Indonesia must urgently facilitate the long-delayed UN Human Rights visit to West Papua, and allow journalists and NGOs to operate there without fear of imprisonment or repression.

    “The MSG [Melanesian Spearhead Group], PIF [Pacific Islands Forum] and the OACPS [Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States] must again increase the pressure on Indonesia to allow a UN visit,” he said.
    “The fake amnesty proposed by [President] Prabowo Subianto is contradictory as it does not also include a UN visit. Even if 10, 20 activists are released, our right to political expression is totally banned.”

    Wenda said that Indonesia must ultimately “open their eyes” to the only long-term solution in West Papua — self-determination through an independence referendum.

    Scenes from the Paradise Broadcasting documentary Frontier War. Images: Screenshots APR

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mikhail Mishustin takes part in the international digital forum “Digital Almaty 2025”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Prime Minister spoke at the plenary session of the Digital Almaty 2025 forum “Industrial AI: technologies for a new era” and took part in the Digital Almaty Awards ceremony

    Before the plenary session, Mikhail Mishustin, together with the heads of delegations participating in the forum, inspected the exhibition of digital projects.

    Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov

    January 31, 2025

    Mikhail Mishustin, together with the heads of delegations participating in the forum, inspected the exhibition of digital projects

    January 31, 2025

    Mikhail Mishustin, together with the heads of delegations participating in the forum, inspected the exhibition of digital projects

    January 31, 2025

    Mikhail Mishustin, together with the heads of delegations participating in the forum, inspected the exhibition of digital projects

    January 31, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov

    The annual international digital forum “Digital Almaty” has been held since 2018 and is a major event in the CIS in the field of innovative technologies with the participation of representatives of business, the IT community, government agencies, international experts and the media.

    Visit

    Its goal is to conduct a dialogue at the global and regional levels, as well as to exchange experiences in the field of digital transformation (with an emphasis on areas such as the development of human capital and creative industries, the use of robotic technologies, the digitalization of industry, healthcare and education).

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: BW Energy: Fourth Quarter Results 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BW ENERGY FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS 2024

    HIGHLIGHTS

    •          Record Q4 EBITDA of USD 141.6 million, net profit of USD 56.8 million
    •          Full-year revenue of USD 0.8 billion (+57%), EBITDA of USD 457.4 million (+90%) and net profit of USD 165.9 million (+105%)
    •          Operational cash-flow of USD 117.7 million in the quarter
    •          Q4 gross production of 4.0 mmbbls with 3.1 mmbbls net to BW Energy
    •          Highest quarterly production since inception from the Dussafu licence
    •          ESP replacement program completed as planned with 8 producing Hibiscus / Ruche wells from early 2025
    •          Current gross production at Dussafu above 40,000 bbls/day
    •          Maintained a strong balance sheet with cash position of USD 221.8 million

    BW Energy, operator of the Dussafu Marin licence in Gabon and the Golfinho cluster offshore Brazil, reported a record quarterly EBITDA of USD 141.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2024. This was up from USD 130 million in the previous quarter on increased oil sales following all-time-high production in Gabon. The net production was 33,600 bbls/day, including the Tortue, Hibiscus, and Hibiscus South fields in the Dussafu licence (73.5% working interest or “WI”) and the Golfinho field (100% WI).

    Full-year 2024 net production was approximately 10.1 million barrels of oil, up 69% from 2023. EBITDA was USD 457.4 million (USD 241.0 million). The full-year figures are preliminary and unaudited. BW Energy will publish audited 2024 figures on 26 February 2025.

    “BW Energy delivers strong production growth, increased reserves and record financial performance in the fourth quarter and full year 2024 supported by new ESPs, successful appraisal wells and the completion of the Hibiscus / Ruche development,” said Carl K. Arnet, the CEO of BW Energy. “We have a pivotal 2025 ahead, executing on our strategy for growth and long-term value creation. Appraisal of the Bourdon structure in Gabon is ongoing, and we plan to sanction the Maromba development in Brazil in coming weeks. Then, in the second half we will drill the first Kudu appraisal in Namibia, a high impact well which may help unlock secure access to energy in a part of Southern Africa with unstable supply.”

    DUSSAFU
    BW Energy completed three liftings in the fourth quarter at an average realised price of USD 72.5/bbl. Net production was approximately 2.5 mmbbls of oil and the net sold volume, the basis for revenue recognition, was approximately 2.7 mmbbls including 97,500 bbls of DMO deliveries and 311,429 bbls of state profit oil with an under-lift position of 248,700 bbls at period-end.

    Net production from the Dussafu licence averaged ~27,300 bbls/day, an increase of 36% from the previous quarter. Operating cost (excluding royalties) decreased to USD 18.5/bbl from USD 20.5/bbl in the third quarter due to operational efficiencies and increased production. Further cost savings are expected as BW Energy is preparing to take over the operations of the BW Adolo FPSO during the first half of 2025.

    All ESP change outs were completed as planned and on 2 January 2025, Phase 1 of the Hibiscus / Ruche development was completed with eight producing wells, two more than planned at project sanction. 

    GOLFINHO
    Net production from the Golfinho field averaged ~6,400 bbls/day equivalent to a total production of 585,000 bbls in the quarter, up 17% from the previous quarter. A planned shutdown of a Petrobras gas plant restricted gaslift capacity for approximately 40 days, with only ESP wells producing. One lifting was carried out of ~500,000 bbls at a realised price of USD 73.5/bbl. Remaining inventory was approximately 440,500 bbls at the end of the period. Operating cost (excluding royalties) averaged USD 56.4/bbl barrel, down from 63.3/bbl in the third quarter, primarily due to higher production.

    OTHER ITEMS
    At 31 December 2024, BW Energy had a cash balance of USD 221.8 million, compared to USD 209.8 million at end-September. The increase reflects cash flow from operations, debt repayment and investments. The Company had a total drawn debt balance of USD 563 million including the MaBoMo lease, the Dussafu RBL, the Golfinho prepayment facility and bond debt.

    Production guidance for 2025 is between 11 and 12 mmbbls net to BW Energy. Full-year operating cost is expected to be USD 18 to 22/bbl (the basis for calculating unit operating cost has been revised from 2025 onwards to exclude royalties, tariffs, workovers, domestic market obligation purchases, production sharing costs, and incorporates the impact of IFRS 16 adjustments, primarily impacting Gabon operations). Net capital expenditures are expected at USD 260 to 285 million, including the appraisal well in Namibia. The capex guidance is excluding the Maromba development and the Golfinho Boosting project, both awaiting FID. 

    DEVELOPMENT PLANS
    In Gabon, the Bourdon appraisal prospect, targeting potential gross recoverable reserves of ~30 million barrels in Gamba and Dentale formations, was spud earlier this month and results are expected during the first quarter. At end-October, BW Energy (37.5% WI and operator) signed production sharing contracts (PSCs) for the Niosi Marin and Guduma Marin exploration blocks, which are adjacent to the Dussafu licence and significantly expands the resource base for infrastructure-led exploration. Planning for a 3D seismic campaign is ongoing. 

    Work on optimising Golfinho production continued to focus on stabilising FPSO performance and selected future well workovers. BW Energy is preparing to commence the Golfinho Boosting project to replace current gaslift with ESPs in two wells to increase production and production regularity from mid-2026.

    The Maromba development, targeting low-risk barrels in an oil-rich area with multiple producing assets, is progressing towards planned final investment decision (FID) next month based on the sustainable re-use of an FPSO and a jack-up with drilling capacity and dry trees. This enables a cost-efficient development with an investment budget of USD 1.2 billion and short pay-back time. Project financing is close to completion 

    In Namibia, BW Energy has sanctioned the drilling of an appraisal well targeting the Kharas Prospect northwest in the Kudu licence with planned start-up drilling operations in the third quarter. Long-lead items have been secured and the Company is reviewing offers for rig capacity. There is a close dialogue with other operators in the Orange Basin on exploring common use available resources. Development planning and concept selection for the Kudu gas-to-power project also continued with relevant stakeholders.

    REPORTS AND PRESENTATION
    Please find the fourth-quarter earnings presentation attached. The reports are also available at:

    www.bwenergy.no/investors/reports-and-presentations

     BW Energy will today hold a conference call followed by a Q&A hosted by CEO Carl K. Arnet, CFO Brice Morlot and COO Lin G. Espey at 15:00 CET.

    You can follow the presentation via webcast with supporting slides, available on:

    VIEWER REGISTRATION • Q4 2024

    Call-in information:

    Participants dial in numbers:

    DK: +45 7876 8490
    SE: +46 8 1241 0952
    NO: +47 2195 6342
    UK: +44 203 769 6819
    US: +1 646-787-0157
    Singapore: 65-3-1591097
    France: 33-1-81221259

    PIN code: 980877

    Please note, that if you follow the webcast via the above URL, you will experience a 30 second delay compared to the main conference call. The web page works best in an updated browser – Chrome is recommended.

    BW Energy will publish the audited 2024 annual report, the reserves report and the report on payments to governments on 26 February 2025.

    For further information, please contact:
    Brice Morlot, CFO BW Energy, +33.7.81.11.41.16
    ir@bwenergy.no

    About BW Energy:
    BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 6.6% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration License 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 580 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2024.

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Need for mission readiness to drive maintenance expenditure on in-service military platforms in Asia-Pacific in 2025, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Need for mission readiness to drive maintenance expenditure on in-service military platforms in Asia-Pacific in 2025, says GlobalData

    Posted in Aerospace, Defense & Security

    The evolving nature of warfare and threat perceptions in the Asia-Pacific region has increased the demand for robust maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) practices substantially. Disciplined MRO practices ensure higher operational availability rates of military platforms such as fixed-wing aircrafts, helicopters, naval vessels, and land vehicles. Against this backdrop, the cumulative maintenance cost burden of the military platform fleet of Asia-Pacific countries is estimated to be about $44 billion in 2025, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s dashboard on Annual Maintenance Cost (part of the Fleet Size database) reveals that, with 28% share of the total addressable market (TAM), the Asia-Pacific region will provide most number of opportunities for maintenance service providers throughout this decade. Within Asia-Pacific, China, India, and Japan are the top three countries with highest maintenance cost burden owing to their large fleet of in-service defense platforms as of January 2025.

    Harsh Deshmukh, Aerospace & Defense Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The governments in the Asia-Pacific region have the highest maintenance cost burden on the Military Land Vehicles segment, which is estimated to be about $15 billion for 2025. This cost is further aggravated due to the large inventory of aging Soviet-origin main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, and tactical trucks. Leading Asia-Pacific companies catering to this market segment include China North Industries Group Corp Ltd (Norinco), Dongfeng Motor Corporation Ltd, Poly Technologies, Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, and LIG NEX1 Co.”

    The annual maintenance cost burden on Asia-Pacific’s Military Fixed Wing Aircraft fleets is estimated to be about $13 billion for 2025. As countries in the region try to address the perennial issues related to the low availability rate of their Fixed Wing Aircraft fleet, significant opportunities exist for global primes and subcontractors.

    Deshmukh concludes: “Growing tension and territorial disputes across the Asia-Pacific, especially in the South China Sea, will not just drive the countries to procure new defense platforms but will also compel policymakers to pay more attention to the maintenance of their in-service fleet. India, China, and Pakistan have seen several border skirmishes in recent years, which have necessitated the respective governments to increase their spending on maintenance activities. The efforts made towards the improvement of the defense readiness levels by these countries will continue to pave the way for maintenance contracts to both domestic and international companies with relevant product portfolios.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Academics receive Prince Mahidol Award 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Two scientists from the UK received Thailand’s Prince Mahidol Awards for 2024 for long and significant contribution in the field of Public Health and Medicine.

    Today (30 January 2025) two scientists from the UK received Thailand’s Prince Mahidol Awards (PMA) for 2024 for their long and significant contribution in the field of Public Health and Medicine. Dr Jonathan Shepherd, a British surgeon and professor at Cardiff University in Wales, and Dr Tony Hunter (dual US-UK national), a professor of Biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA have received the award, following on from  Professor David Mabey, who received the award in 2019 for his work to eradicate trachoma, the most common infectious cause of blindness worldwide.

    The Award Presentation Ceremony was held at Thailand’s Royal Palace. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, as the representative of His Majesty the King, presided over the Presentation Ceremony, in the company of the Privy Council, Bureau of the Royal Household and Cabinet members.

    Dr Shepherd receives the Prince Mahidol Award (PMA) in Public Health for his creation of the ‘Cardiff Model of Violence Prevention’ which is an evidence-based, multisectoral approach to violence prevention which   has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation and integrated into multisectoral approaches to violence prevention from South Africa to Australia. Dr Shepherd’s research and commitment to evidence-based public policy has contributed to the development of ‘What Works Network’. The Network, supported by the UK government, acts as an important interface between research and policymaking, ensuring that policy makers have access to the best evidence.

    Professor Hunter who studied at the University of Cambridge in the UK, receives the Prince Mahidol Award in Medicine for his discovery of tyrosine kinase enzymes and the phosphorylation process, a crucial mechanism that transforms normal cells into cancerous cells. This breakthrough discovery led to the development of targeted cancer treatments and pharmaceutical innovation that can effectively inhibit cancer cells.

    In 2024 the UK and Thailand established a Strategic Partnership, highlighting a shared commitment to advance global health by championing universal access to health care and strengthening partnerships to prevent, detect and respond to global health threats. This includes joint efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease outbreaks including through the development and application of innovative technology, such as genomics.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Planes have high-tech systems to stop midair crashes. So what went wrong in Washington?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Chrystal Zhang, Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering & Aviation, RMIT University

    On Wednesday night US time, a passenger jet and US Army helicopter collided at a low altitude near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and crashed into the the Potomac River.

    A total of 60 passengers – including US and Russian champion figure skaters – and four crew were on board the American Airlines flight AA5342 from Wichita, Kansas. Three military personnel were in the chopper, which was conducting a routine training flight. Authorities say no one on board either aircraft survived.

    This crash comes just over a month after a passenger jet crashed in South Korea – possibly as a result of a bird strike – killing all but two of the 181 people on board. The two incidents have focused attention on aviation safety around the world.

    In the case of the most recent tragedy in the US, technology exists that is designed to help pilots avoid midair collisions with other aircraft. It is known as the Traffic Collision Avoidance System – or TCAS.

    So how does it work? And why might it have failed to prevent disaster in this case?

    What is a TCAS?

    A TCAS is an aircraft safety system that monitors the airspace around a plane for other aircraft equipped with transponders. These are devices that listen for and respond to incoming electronic signals.

    The system – also sometimes referred to as an ACAS (Airborne Collision Avoidance System) – operates independently of an external air traffic control system. Its purpose is to alert pilots immediately to nearby aircraft and potential midair collisions.

    Since the technology was developed in 1974, it has undergone a number of advances.

    The first generation technology, known as TCAS I, monitors what’s around an aircraft. It provides information on the bearing and altitude of any nearby aircraft. If there is a risk of collision, it generates what’s known as a “Traffic Advisory” – or TA. When a TA is issued, the pilot is notified of the threat, but must themselves determine the best evasive action to take.

    The second generation technology, known as TCAS II, goes a step further: it provides a pilot with specific instructions on how to avoid a collision with a nearby aircraft or conflict with traffic, either by descending, climbing, turning or adjusting their speed.

    These newer systems are also able to communicate with each other. This ensures the advice given to each aircraft is coordinated.

    Any aircraft used for commercial purposes must be equipped with a TCAS in accordance with international regulations under what’s known as the Chicago Convention. There are specific provisions under the convention for noncommercial aircraft.

    Military helicopters are not subject to the provisions of the Chicago Convention (although they are subject to domestic laws and regulations). And there are reports the military helicopter did not have a TCAS system on board.

    Limitations of TCAS at low altitudes

    Regardless of whether the military helicopter involved in the crash was fitted with a TCAS, the technology still has limitations. In particular, it is inhibited at altitudes below roughly 300 metres.

    The last recorded altitude of American Airlines flight AA5342 was roughly 90 metres. The last recorded altitude of the US military helicopter that collided with the plane was roughly 60 metres.

    It is not an accident that a TCAS is inhibited at low altitudes. In fact, this is part of the design of the technology.

    This is primarily because the system relies on radio altimeter data, which measures altitude and becomes less accurate near the ground. This could potentially result in unreliable collision-avoidance instructions.

    Another issue is that an aircraft at such a low altitude cannot descend any further to avoid a collision.

    The site of several near misses

    Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States. Commercial, military and private aircraft share very limited airspace and corridors.

    It has been the site of several near misses in recent years.

    For example, in April 2024, a commercial plane pilot coming into land had to take evasive action to avoid a helicopter that was roughly 100 metres beneath it. In an incident report, the pilot said:

    We never received a warning of the traffic from (air traffic control) so we were unaware it was there.

    Many people, including Democratic US senator Tim Kaine, pointed to this near miss as evidence of why a plan to allow more flights into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport should not proceed. Despite this, the plan was approved the following month.

    All of this will undoubtedly be examined as part of the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board into this disaster.

    Chrystal Zhang 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. Planes have high-tech systems to stop midair crashes. So what went wrong in Washington? – https://theconversation.com/planes-have-high-tech-systems-to-stop-midair-crashes-so-what-went-wrong-in-washington-248744

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Secretary of State: Safeguarding the Union command paper

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn has issued a statement on the Safeguarding the Union command paper, one year after its publication.

    He said: “The Safeguarding the Union command paper that led to the restoration of power-sharing – one year ago today – was the result of painstaking negotiations, hard work and political courage.

    “This UK Government is committed to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market, and we will continue to make progress in delivering Safeguarding the Union and taking forward the basis on which devolution was restored.

    “I commend all those who are working to make sure Northern Ireland fulfils its full potential; and for our part the Government is committed to working in partnership to deliver for Northern Ireland within our United Kingdom”.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump says he wants to take Greenland. International law says otherwise

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University

    One of United States President Donald Trump’s more startling claims since taking office for his second term – and there have been many – is his insistence that the US will take control of Greenland.

    Both prior to taking office and since, Trump has spoken about a desire for the US to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory that is part of Denmark. This revives a proposal he floated in 2019, and is now being advanced with serious intent.

    Trump’s interest in Greenland is framed around US security. The island is strategically located in the GIUK (Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom) Gap. The gap gained prominence during the Cold War as an area where Soviet nuclear submarines could operate in the Atlantic Ocean proximate to the US and its NATO partners. Denmark’s limited naval capacity meant these Soviet submarine incursions were uncontested.

    Washington has always appreciated the strategic significance of Greenland. It was used during the second world war as a US military staging point due to its relative safety from the European theatre of war and its capacity as a stopover for aircraft to refuel.

    Later, during the Cold War, the Thule US Airbase was constructed on its northwest coast, later becoming the Pituffik Space Base.

    Trump is particularly concerned about Russian and Chinese ships operating offshore near Greenland in the Arctic Ocean, and with ensuring US access to rare earth minerals on the island.

    All of these are legitimate US security and strategic interests. It is often forgotten that the US is an Arctic nation by virtue of Alaska, and Greenland is adjacent to North America.

    However, Greenland is not terra nullius ripe for American colonisation. It is recognised as Danish territory. Any dispute over a Danish claim to the island was resolved by an international court in 1933, and since that time Denmark has overseen Greenlandic affairs without challenge. Any suggestion Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland is contested has no foundation.

    While Denmark has been a colonial power, there has been an active process underway to grant the 57,000 Greenlanders increased autonomy from Copenhagen. Home rule has been granted, a legislature has been created, and a road map exists for self-determination that may eventually see the emergence of an independent Greenland.

    Seeking to honour the responsibility Copenhagen feels for ushering Greenlanders through this process, Denmark has made clear that Greenland is not for sale.

    The most breathtaking aspect of Trump’s Greenland territorial ambitions has been the refusal to rule out the US using economic or military means to acquire it.

    This ignores the fact that Greenland is part of Denmark (a NATO member) and that indigenous Greenlanders possess a right of self-determination. Moreover, any use of US military force to take Greenland would be in violation of both the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty on which NATO is founded and the 1945 United Nations Charter.

    Respect for territorial integrity was one of foundations on which the UN Charter was built. The intention of the UN’s founders during the San Francisco Conference was to ensure military force could not be used to acquire territory through an act of aggression resulting in the annexation of territory.

    Article 2 of the charter reflects this core principle. Its violation has repeatedly been seen as an egregious breach of international law. Iraq’s 1990 invasion and annexation of Kuwait and Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine are examples of the international community uniting to condemn blatant uses of military force for territorial gain.

    Other than Denmark, its Scandinavian neighbours and some NATO members, Trump’s Greenland territorial ambitions have been met with diplomatic silence. What is taking place behind closed doors and in the foreign ministries of US allies and partners can only be imagined.

    For Australia, this raises fundamental issues regarding the US alliance. Would Australia be prepared to stand beside the US if it used its economic and military might to acquire Greenland?

    Australia has a bipartisan position of both supporting the American alliance and the “rules-based” international order on which the UN is based. AUKUS is founded on these assumptions. Any US economic or military aggression over Greenland may force Australia into making a choice between America or the rule of law.

    Donald Rothwell receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Trump says he wants to take Greenland. International law says otherwise – https://theconversation.com/trump-says-he-wants-to-take-greenland-international-law-says-otherwise-248682

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump says he wants to take Greenland. International law says otherwise

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University

    One of United States President Donald Trump’s more startling claims since taking office for his second term – and there have been many – is his insistence that the US will take control of Greenland.

    Both prior to taking office and since, Trump has spoken about a desire for the US to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory that is part of Denmark. This revives a proposal he floated in 2019, and is now being advanced with serious intent.

    Trump’s interest in Greenland is framed around US security. The island is strategically located in the GIUK (Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom) Gap. The gap gained prominence during the Cold War as an area where Soviet nuclear submarines could operate in the Atlantic Ocean proximate to the US and its NATO partners. Denmark’s limited naval capacity meant these Soviet submarine incursions were uncontested.

    Washington has always appreciated the strategic significance of Greenland. It was used during the second world war as a US military staging point due to its relative safety from the European theatre of war and its capacity as a stopover for aircraft to refuel.

    Later, during the Cold War, the Thule US Airbase was constructed on its northwest coast, later becoming the Pituffik Space Base.

    Trump is particularly concerned about Russian and Chinese ships operating offshore near Greenland in the Arctic Ocean, and with ensuring US access to rare earth minerals on the island.

    All of these are legitimate US security and strategic interests. It is often forgotten that the US is an Arctic nation by virtue of Alaska, and Greenland is adjacent to North America.

    However, Greenland is not terra nullius ripe for American colonisation. It is recognised as Danish territory. Any dispute over a Danish claim to the island was resolved by an international court in 1933, and since that time Denmark has overseen Greenlandic affairs without challenge. Any suggestion Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland is contested has no foundation.

    While Denmark has been a colonial power, there has been an active process underway to grant the 57,000 Greenlanders increased autonomy from Copenhagen. Home rule has been granted, a legislature has been created, and a road map exists for self-determination that may eventually see the emergence of an independent Greenland.

    Seeking to honour the responsibility Copenhagen feels for ushering Greenlanders through this process, Denmark has made clear that Greenland is not for sale.

    The most breathtaking aspect of Trump’s Greenland territorial ambitions has been the refusal to rule out the US using economic or military means to acquire it.

    This ignores the fact that Greenland is part of Denmark (a NATO member) and that indigenous Greenlanders possess a right of self-determination. Moreover, any use of US military force to take Greenland would be in violation of both the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty on which NATO is founded and the 1945 United Nations Charter.

    Respect for territorial integrity was one of foundations on which the UN Charter was built. The intention of the UN’s founders during the San Francisco Conference was to ensure military force could not be used to acquire territory through an act of aggression resulting in the annexation of territory.

    Article 2 of the charter reflects this core principle. Its violation has repeatedly been seen as an egregious breach of international law. Iraq’s 1990 invasion and annexation of Kuwait and Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine are examples of the international community uniting to condemn blatant uses of military force for territorial gain.

    Other than Denmark, its Scandinavian neighbours and some NATO members, Trump’s Greenland territorial ambitions have been met with diplomatic silence. What is taking place behind closed doors and in the foreign ministries of US allies and partners can only be imagined.

    For Australia, this raises fundamental issues regarding the US alliance. Would Australia be prepared to stand beside the US if it used its economic and military might to acquire Greenland?

    Australia has a bipartisan position of both supporting the American alliance and the “rules-based” international order on which the UN is based. AUKUS is founded on these assumptions. Any US economic or military aggression over Greenland may force Australia into making a choice between America or the rule of law.

    The Conversation

    Donald Rothwell receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Trump says he wants to take Greenland. International law says otherwise – https://theconversation.com/trump-says-he-wants-to-take-greenland-international-law-says-otherwise-248682

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –