Category: Politics

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRAYAGRAJ AIRPORT SETS NEW BENCHMARKS AS THE GATEWAY TO MAHAKUMBH

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 27 JAN 2025 6:38PM by PIB Delhi

Under the leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Civil Aviation Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, Prayagraj Airport has transformed into a modern gateway to the city of devotion, culture and the grand Maha Kumbh Mahotsav. Major expansion efforts were undertaken to accommodate the influx of devotees from January 13 to February 26, 2025.

The efficient operations at Prayagraj Airport result from meticulous planning and coordination. On December 8, 2024, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu reviewed terminal expansion, construction progress and traveler amenities, and issuing time-bound directives. Regular inspections and review meetings with state authorities, DGCA, BCAS, and AAI ensured timely completion of projects. On January 9, 2025, Minister of State Shri Murlidhar Mohol reviewed the work progress at Prayagraj airport.

To facilitate the sacred journey, 81 additional new flights were introduced into schedule in January 2025. Currently, there are 132 flights operating with approximately 80000 monthly seats to Prayagraj from across India. Presently, Prayagraj is connected directly with 17 cities across India as against 08 cities in December 2024. With direct and connecting flights reaching to 26 cities, including Srinagar and Visakhapatnam; Prayagraj is now a well- connected hub for devotees.

As per directions of Union Minister of Civil Aviation Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu to ensure that airfares remain in check as the festival’s peak days approach, especially during the forthcoming Shahi Sanan on January 29th, February 3rd, and other important Sanan on February 4th, February 12th, and February 26th, 2025; DGCA has advised airlines to ensure sufficient capacity to accommodate passengers. Accordingly:

1. Akasa Air will begin operating flights on January 28th and 29th, connecting Ahmedabad and in February plans to operate 09 flight from Ahmedabad and 12 flight from Bangalore to Prayagraj adding approximately 4000 seats.

2. SpiceJet is set to launch flight services between Delhi, Chennai, Guwahati, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jaipur and Hyderabad to Prayagraj, adding approximately 43000 seats in February 2025.

These new flights are part of the ongoing efforts to ensure regional connectivity and accommodate the influx of travelers to Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh period. The addition of these flights is expected to ease the pressure on airfares and improve overall accessibility for devotees and tourists.

During Maha Kumbh, the airport witnessed 30,172 passengers and operated 226 flights in just one week, surpassing 5,000 passengers in a single day for the first time. Night flights were also introduced, enabling 24/7 connectivity for the first time in 106 years.

The airport’s modernization included expanding the terminal area from 6,700 sq. m. to 25,500 sq. m., reconfiguring the old terminal to handle 1,080 peak-hour passengers (up from 540) and operationalizing a new terminal for 1,620 passengers. Parking capacity increased from 200 to 600 vehicles, while check-in counters rose from 8 to 42, and XBIS- HB machines increased to 10 from 4. Aircraft movement efficiency was enhanced with an additional taxi track, parking bays increased from 4 to 15, conveyor belts from 2 to 5 and airport gates from 4 to 11. Additional aerobridge and more security infrastructure, including door-framed metal detectors were added.

Passenger comfort saw notable improvements with the addition of lounges, a child care room, and boarding bridges (increased from 2 to 6). F&B counters were increased, complemented by the UDAN Yatri Cafe for affordable food. New services include meet-and-greet assistance for differently-abled individuals, prepaid taxi counters, and a city bus service in collaboration with the UP Government. Medical facilities were bolstered with ambulance deployment and air ambulance services; while arriving pilgrims receive floral welcomes for a warm start to their journey.

This transformation underscores the government’s commitment to delivering world-class infrastructure, ensuring seamless connectivity and unmatched travel experiences for all devotees visiting Maha Kumbh 2025.

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PSF/DK

(Release ID: 2096769) Visitor Counter : 94

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 28, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Over 23,000 Track Kilometers Upgraded for 130 kmph Speed

Source: Government of India

Over 23,000 Track Kilometers Upgraded for 130 kmph Speed

Indian Railways Achieves Significant Milestone

Posted On: 27 JAN 2025 6:37PM by PIB Delhi

Indian Railways has achieved a significant milestone by upgrading over 23,000 track kilometers (TKM) of the Indian Railways network to support train speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour (kmph). This remarkable progress underscores the government’s commitment to modernizing railway infrastructure, improving connectivity, and reducing travel times for millions of passengers nationwide. With nearly one-fifth of India’s railway network now equipped for higher speeds, these advancements have been made possible through robust safety measures such as modern signalling systems and strategic fencing, marking a new era of efficiency and reliability in train travel.

The modernization of track infrastructure involves comprehensive upgrades, including the strengthening of tracks to ensure stability and durability for high-speed operations, the implementation of advanced signalling systems for precise communication and safe train operations, and the installation of safety measures such as fencing at vulnerable locations to enhance security and mitigate risks. These efforts align with Indian Railways’ goal of fostering a safer and more efficient railway network, catering to the needs of both passenger and freight demands.

The upgrades prominently feature sections of the Golden Quadrilateral and Golden Diagonal networks, vital corridors linking the nation’s major cities. These routes, which handle a significant portion of India’s passenger and freight traffic, are now better equipped to accommodate higher speeds, ensuring faster transit and improved logistics.

Additionally, around 54,337 TKM of tracks have been upgraded to support speeds up to 110 kmph. This systematic enhancement ensures seamless connectivity across various regions and bolsters the overall operational efficiency of Indian Railways.

Indian Railways’ flagship semi-high-speed train, the Vande Bharat Express, exemplifies the success of these infrastructure improvements. Capable of achieving speeds up to 160 kmph, the Vande Bharat Express symbolizes a new era in Indian train travel, offering passengers a faster, more comfortable, and premium travel experience. To accommodate such speeds safely, Indian Railways has prioritized safety fencing along high-speed track sections. These measures not only ensure the smooth operation of trains but also minimize the risk of accidents. Compared to the previous year, specialised train services during periods of peak demand increased significantly by 54%, reaching to 57,169 services.

ASPECT	DETAILS
Increased Revenue	A 4% rise in earnings between April and December of the current fiscal year, 2024-25 with ₹1.26 lakh crore revenue from freight operations. The passenger segment earnings increased by 6%, reaching Rs 55,988 crores.
Higher Capital Expenditure	2% higher capital expenditure in 2024-25 where the capital investments increased to ₹1.92 lakh crore during the current fiscal year, 2024-25 showcasing the government’s commitment to infrastructure development.
Enhanced Freight Efficiency	For the January-24 to November-24 period, the revenue earning freight loading on Indian Railways has been 1473.05 metric tonnes, recording a growth of 3.86% over the corresponding period of last year.

The ongoing modernization drive of Indian Railways extends far beyond track upgrades. With a focus on adopting cutting-edge technologies, strengthening infrastructure, and enhancing passenger amenities, Indian Railways is setting the stage for a transformative travel experience. These initiatives are aimed at improving the reliability and efficiency of train services, fostering economic growth by enabling the faster movement of goods and passengers, and ensuring an inclusive and accessible railway system that caters to the diverse needs of the population.

With the successful completion of these upgrades, Indian Railways is establishing new benchmarks in speed, safety, and service. These efforts not only enhance the travel experience for millions of passengers but also reaffirm the role of Indian Railways as the lifeline of the nation.

As the modernization journey progresses, Indian Railways continues to symbolize progress and innovation, driving India toward a brighter and more interconnected future. The advancements reflect the organization’s commitment to building a railway network that supports the nation’s growth and meets the aspirations of its people.

References

Click here to see PDF.

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Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Gouri S/ Vatsla Srivastava

(Release ID: 2096768) Visitor Counter : 55

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 28, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India’s participation in International Travel Trade Exhibition at FITUR, Madrid from 22nd – 26th January 2025

Source: Government of India (2)

India’s participation in International Travel Trade Exhibition at FITUR, Madrid from 22nd – 26th January 2025

India Pavilion Showcased India’s Rich Cultural and Natural Heritage

FITUR is the Global Meeting Point for Tourism Professionals and Leading Fair for Inbound and Outbound Markets in Ibero-America

Posted On: 27 JAN 2025 5:56PM by PIB Delhi

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, participated in one of the leading travel fairs – IFEMA being held in Madrid, Spain for positioning India as a potential leading destination in the source market of Spain and Latin America. The exhibition at FITUR, considered to be a benchmark event in the tourism sector, was held from 22nd – 26th January 2025. FITUR is the global meeting point for tourism professionals and leading fair for inbound and outbound markets in Ibero-America.

The Incredible India pavilion at FITUR was inaugurated by H.E. Shri Dinesh K. Patnaik, Ambassador of India to Spain, in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Tourism, State governments and co-exhibitors on 22nd January 2025. The Indian delegation comprised of more than 23 co-exhibitors, including the State Governments of Karnataka, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand amongst others showcased their unique tourism products and experiences under the Incredible India banner at FITUR. The international exhibition, provided a platform to the stakeholders to network and connect with potential clients and partners in the Spanish source market.

The India Pavilion showcased India’s rich cultural and natural heritage, including renowned museums, wildlife sanctuaries, spiritual destinations and dance forms, all of which together combine to make India a popular destination for travellers seeking unique and authentic experiences. The Pavilion also vividly highlighted the grandeur of the Maha Kumbh, one of the largest and most significant religious congregations in the world, while emphasizing the tourism potential of Prayagraj as a spiritual and cultural destination. Spain is also one of the 20 top tourist generating markets for inbound tourist flow to India with approximately 70,000 Spanish tourists visiting the country in 2023, almost double the numbers who had visited India in 2022. The year 2026 will be marked as the Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence on the occasion of 70th year of diplomatic relations between India and Spain.

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, also, in order to encourage the Indian diaspora to become Incredible India ambassadors, has launched ‘Chalo India Initiative’. The Indian diaspora members can register themselves on the Chalo India portal – www.chaloindia.gov.in to receive a unique referral code and send 5 non-Indian friends to travel to India to explore the grandeur and diverse experiences that India offers.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

(Release ID: 2096750) Visitor Counter : 75

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Voluntary assisted dying is legal in Australia – but many of us don’t know
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben White, Professor of End-of-Life Law and Regulation, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology

imtmphoto/Shutterstock

Voluntary assisted dying is lawful in all Australian states. This allows terminally ill adults who are suffering and have decision-making capacity to choose to receive help to die.

Victoria’s law was the first, coming into effect in 2019. New South Wales was the last state, with its voluntary assisted dying law beginning in late 2023.

Voluntary assisted dying will be allowed in the Australian Capital Territory in November, and a Northern Territory report has recommended it pass a voluntary assisted dying law too.

While the vast majority of Australians now live in jurisdictions where voluntary assisted dying is permitted, accessing voluntary assisted dying depends on knowing it’s a legal option. But our new research suggests many Australians don’t know this.

A study in Queensland

Voluntary assisted dying became legal in Queensland on January 1, 2023. We conducted an online survey of 1,000 Queensland adults in mid-2024 to find out if the community knew about this new end-of-life choice.

We set quotas for age, gender and geographical location to ensure the people we surveyed represented the overall Queensland population.

First, we asked whether people thought voluntary assisted dying was legal in Queensland. Only one-third (33%) correctly identified it was. Of the 67% who didn’t, 41% thought voluntary assisted dying was illegal and 26% said they didn’t know.

People who did know voluntary assisted dying was legal had generally found out in one of three ways:
- from the media
- from professional experience (for example, working in health care)
- from personal experience (for example, knowing someone who had asked about, requested or accessed voluntary assisted dying).
We then told our survey participants voluntary assisted dying was legal in Queensland and asked if they would know how to go about accessing it if they wished to. Only one-quarter (26%) answered yes.

The survey also asked people where they might look for information about voluntary assisted dying. Most people said they would seek this information online, but asking health practitioners, especially doctors, was also important.

We found two-thirds of people didn’t know voluntary assisted dying was legal.
Ground Picture/Shutterstock

Legal and cultural barriers

Perhaps it’s not surprising so few members of the surveyed public know voluntary assisted dying is a legal choice. It’s still a relatively new law. But there are specific barriers in Australia that can prevent people finding out about it.

One major barrier is health practitioners are often not able to freely discuss voluntary assisted dying with their patients. The laws in all states control how conversations about voluntary assisted dying can occur.

For example, in Queensland, only doctors and nurse practitioners can raise voluntary assisted dying and only if they also discuss available treatment and palliative care options and their likely outcomes.

But the most problematic are Victorian and South Australian laws which prohibit health practitioners from raising the topic with patients altogether. Many people rely on their doctor to tell them about treatment options, so it’s a problem if the onus is on the patient to bring it up first.

Conscientious objection is another significant barrier. Some doctors are opposed to voluntary assisted dying and even if they practise in a state where they can legally raise it, may choose not to tell their patients about it. This is another reason patients may not know voluntary assisted dying could be a choice for them.

It’s important to note our study was only done in Queensland, so we can’t be confident the findings represent the wider Australian population. But given these barriers to knowing about voluntary assisted dying, it’s reasonable to anticipate similar trends in other states.

A national challenge

Raising community awareness of voluntary assisted dying is a challenge around the country. Voluntary assisted dying oversight boards from five states (Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia) have all discussed this issue in their most recent annual reports.

In addition, Western Australia recently reviewed its voluntary assisted dying laws, identifying lack of community knowledge as a problem. The review called for a strategy to fix this.

We see this challenge as one of “voluntary assisted dying literacy”. Greater voluntary assisted dying literacy will enable members of the public to know the options available to them, and how to make the choices they want.

Raising community awareness about voluntary assisted dying is a challenge nationally.
Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock

What can we do about this?

We need community awareness initiatives to increase knowledge that voluntary assisted dying is legal and ensure people know where to find information about this option. Information about voluntary assisted dying is already available from all state government health departments, but more action is needed to ensure it reaches more people.

Respondents in our survey suggested using social media campaigns, advertising, and sharing information through Centrelink, health clinics and other trusted community channels.

We also propose targeted information for particular patient groups who may be eligible for voluntary assisted dying, such as people with cancer or neurodegenerative diseases. This means they will know voluntary assisted dying may be one of the treatment options available to them, and how to navigate the process should they wish to.

These initiatives would need to be designed sensitively with a focus on providing information to avoid any perception that people could feel induced or directed to access voluntary assisted dying.

Training for health practitioners is also important. This is particularly needed for GPs and specialists working in end-of-life care. Training will support health practitioners to facilitate informed discussions with patients and families.

Strong community support was a key argument in legalising voluntary assisted dying in Australia. The public wanted this as an end-of-life choice. But that choice is only a real one if people know it exists.

Our online resource End of Life Law in Australia has more information about voluntary assisted dying and contact points for accessing it in each state.

Ben White has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, Commonwealth and state governments, and philanthropic organisations for research and training about the law, policy and practice relating to end-of-life care. In relation to voluntary assisted dying, he (with colleagues) has been engaged by the Victorian, Western Australian and Queensland governments to design and provide the legislatively mandated training for health practitioners involved in voluntary assisted dying in those states. He (with Lindy Willmott) has also developed a model bill for voluntary assisted dying for parliaments to consider. Ben is a recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (project number FT190100410: Enhancing End-of-Life Decision-Making: Optimal Regulation of Voluntary Assisted Dying) funded by the Australian government. He is also a Chief Investigator on a current Australian Research Council Linkage Project on voluntary assisted dying (partnering with Voluntary Assisted Dying (Review) Boards and/or Departments of Health in five Australian States. The research this article discusses was funded by Queensland Health.

Lindy Willmott receives or has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council and Commonwealth and state governments for research and training about the law, policy and practice relating to end-of-life care. She is a Chief Investigator on an Australian Research Council Linkage Project on voluntary assisted dying (partnering with Voluntary Assisted Dying (Review) Boards and/or Departments of Health in five Australian States. She (with colleagues) has been engaged by the Victorian, Western Australian and Queensland governments to design and provide the legislatively mandated training for health practitioners involved in voluntary assisted dying in those states. She (with Ben White) has also developed a model bill for voluntary assisted dying for parliaments to consider. Lindy Willmott is also a member of the Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board, but writes this piece in her capacity as an academic researcher. She is a former board member of Palliative Care Australia.

Rachel Feeney receives funding from the Australian Research Council for research about voluntary assisted dying. Rachel has been employed on multiple research projects as a research fellow at the Australian Centre for Health Law Research. She is also employed on End of Life Law for Clinicians, a training program for clinicians about end of life law, funded by the Commonwealth government. Rachel was previously engaged as a clinical consultant for the Voluntary Assisted Dying Training Education Module for Healthcare Workers in Queensland.

– ref. Voluntary assisted dying is legal in Australia – but many of us don’t know – https://theconversation.com/voluntary-assisted-dying-is-legal-in-australia-but-many-of-us-dont-know-248114
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
January 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: 1975 was declared International Women’s Year. 50 years on, the ‘revolution in our heads’ is still being fought

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marian Sawer, Emeritus Professor, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University

National Archives of Australia

In December 1972, the same month the Whitlam government was first elected, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 1975 as International Women’s Year (IWY). This set in train a series of world-changing events, in which Australia was to play a significant part.

The aim of IWY was to end discrimination against women and enable them to participate fully in economic, social and political life. Fifty years later, such participation has become an indicator of development and good governance. But the full promise of International Women’s year has yet to be fulfilled, hampered by pushback and the scourge of gender-based violence.

‘The greatest consciousness-raising event in history’

Dubbed “the greatest consciousness-raising event in history”, the UN’s first World Conference on Women took place in Mexico City in June 1975. Consciousness-raising had been part of the repertoire of women’s liberation. Now it was taken up by government and intergovernmental bodies.

The Mexico City conference was agenda-setting in many ways. The Australian government delegation, led by Elizabeth Reid, helped introduce the world of multilateral diplomacy to the language of the women’s movement. As Reid said:

We argued that, whenever the words “racism”, “colonialism” and “neo-colonialism” occurred in documents of the conference, so too should “sexism”, a term that had not to that date appeared in United Nations documents or debates.

Reid held the position of women’s adviser to the prime minister. In this pioneering role, she had been able to obtain government commitment and funding for Australia’s own national consciousness-raising exercise during IWY.

A wide range of small grants promoted attitudinal change – “the revolution in our heads” – whether in traditional women’s organisations, churches and unions, or through providing help such as Gestetner machines to the new women’s centres.

IWY grants explicitly did not include the new women’s services, including refuges, women’s health centres and rape crisis centres. Their funding was now regarded as an ongoing responsibility for government, rather than suitable for one-off grants.

IWY began in Australia with a televised conversation on New Year’s Day between Reid and Governor-General John Kerr on hopes and aspirations for the year. On International Women’s Day (March 8), Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s speech emphasised the need for attitudinal change:

Both men and women must be made aware of our habitual patterns of prejudice which we often do not see as such but whose existence manifests itself in our language and our behaviour.

The Australian postal service celebrated the day by releasing a stamp featuring the IWY symbol, showing the spirit of women breaking free of their traditional bonds. At Reid’s suggestion, IWY materials, including the symbol, were printed in the purple, green and white first adopted by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1908 and now known as the suffragette colours.

Author supplied

Policy power

Inside government, Reid had introduced the idea that all Cabinet submissions needed to be analysed for gender impact. After the Mexico City conference, this idea became part of new international norms of governance.

Following the adoption at the conference of the World Plan of Action, the idea that governments needed specialised policy machinery to promote gender equality was disseminated around the world.

Given the amount of ground to be covered, IWY was expanded to a UN Decade for Women (1976–85). By the end of it, 127 countries had established some form of government machinery to advance the status of women. Each of the successive UN world conferences (Copenhagen 1980, Nairobi 1985, Beijing 1995) generated new plans of action and strengthened systems of reporting by governments.

The Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing was a high point. Its “platform for action” provided further impetus for what was now called “gender mainstreaming”. By 2018, every country recognised by the UN except North Korea had established government machinery for this purpose.

The global diffusion of this policy innovation was unprecedented in its rapidity. At the same time, Australia took the lead in another best-practice innovation. In 1984, the Commonwealth government pioneered what became known as “gender budgeting”. This required departments to disaggregate the ways particular budgetary decisions affected men and women.

As feminist economists pointed out, when the economic and social division of labour was taken into account, no budgetary decision could be assumed to be gender-neutral. Governments had emphasised special programs for women, a relatively small part of annual budgets, rather than the more substantial impact on women of macro-economic policy.

Standard-setting bodies such as the OECD helped promote gender budgeting as the best way to ensure such decisions did not inadvertently increase rather than reduce gender gaps.

By 2022, gender budgeting had been taken up around the world, including in 61% of OECD countries. Now that it had become an international marker of good governance, Australian governments were also reintroducing it after a period of abeyance.

Momentum builds

In addition to such policy transfer, new frameworks were being adopted internationally. Following IWY, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted in 1979. CEDAW became known as the international bill of rights for women, and has been ratified by 189 countries. This is more than any other UN Convention except that on the rights of the child.

All state parties to CEDAW were required to submit periodic reports to the UN on its implementation. Non-government organisations were encouraged to provide shadow reports to inform the questioning of government representatives. This oversight and dialogue relating to gender equality became part of the norm-building work of the UN.

However, this very success at international and regional levels helped fuel “anti-gender movements” that gathered strength after 1995. No more world conferences on women were held, for fear there would be slippage from the standards achieved in Beijing.

In Australia, the leveraging of international standards to promote gender equality has been muted in deference to populist politics. It became common to present the business case rather than the social justice case for gender-equality policy, even the cost to the economy of gender-based violence (estimated by KPMG to be $26 billion in 2015–16).

The battle continues

Fifty years after IWY, Australia is making up some lost ground in areas such as paid parental leave, work value in the care economy, and recognition of the ways economic policy affects women differently from men.

However, all of this remains precarious, with issues of gender equality too readily rejected as part of a “woke agenda”.

The world has become a different place from when the Australian government delegation set out to introduce the UN to the concept of sexism. In Western democracies, women have surged into male domains such as parliaments. Australia now has an almost equal number of women and men in its Cabinet (11 out of 23 members).

But along with very different expectations has come the resentment too often being mobilised by the kind of populist politics we will likely see more of in this election year.

Marian Sawer 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. 1975 was declared International Women’s Year. 50 years on, the ‘revolution in our heads’ is still being fought – https://theconversation.com/1975-was-declared-international-womens-year-50-years-on-the-revolution-in-our-heads-is-still-being-fought-241791

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Staffing shortages risk Ontario’s $10-a-day child care

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Emis Akbari, Adjunct Professor, Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at Ontario Institute for the Study of Education (OISE) and Senior Policy Fellow at the Atkinson Centre, University of Toronto

Ontario’s agreement under the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program is set to expire in March 2026, and troubling signs suggest the province is far from meeting its commitments.

Despite receiving $13.2 billion — almost half of the total $27.2 billion federal investment — Ontario has fallen short on critical benchmarks.

Unlike most families across Canada, Ontario parents have yet to see significant growth in available spaces or $10-a-day child care.

This provincial inaction is particularly troubling in a federal election year. While federal maintenance funding is to continue post-2026, without the benefits of the child care plan widely realized and apparent to voters, future governments could easily scale back any gains.

Our recent study, conducted in collaboration with regional governments tasked with implementing Ontario’s early learning and child-care agreement, shows how staffing shortages have created long wait-lists for care. Children are ageing out of child care before a space becomes available. The unmet demand, regional officials told us, is eroding public confidence in the program as parents become frustrated in their search for affordable care.

While other provinces have enacted comprehensive compensation reforms — including pensions, benefits and wage increases of up to 50 per cent — to attract and retain qualified educators, Ontario’s support for trained early childhood educators tops out at $24.86 per hour, well below the federal poverty line for a family of four.

Low wages, staffing shortfalls

Low wages deter new graduates from entering the child-care field and drive away those already employed. Of the 4,200 early childhood educators that Ontario colleges graduate annually, fewer than 60 per cent enter licensed child care, and only 40 per cent remain after five years.

Small wonder for the exodus. One in five child-care staff responding to our survey told us they hold a second job to make ends meet. Over 55 per cent of couple families, and 83 per cent of lone parent families, are concerned about their housing.

The province acknowledges a shortfall of 8,500 educators needed to meet its expansion goal of 86,000 new spaces. Yet the issue runs deeper. Staff shortages mean existing child-care rooms are empty. A single absence can force centre directors to abruptly close rooms, leaving parents scrambling for alternatives.

The human costs

The consequences extend beyond empty classrooms. Staff shortages compromise the quality and inclusivity of early childhood programs. Our report found that children with disabilities are often sent home or denied admission altogether due to insufficient staffing.

This is despite Jordan’s Principle, which the federal government says ensures all First Nations children access the products, services and supports they need, when they need them.

Ontario’s requirement for qualified staff is among the lowest in Canada, mandating that only half of a centre’s staff hold a college diploma in early education. The use of ministry “approvals,” a stop-gap measure allowing untrained staff to fill roles until qualified educators are found, has become standard practice.

Our research found entire programs, particularly those in northern regions and those serving francophone and Indigenous families, operating without a single qualified early childhood educator.

Educator shortages not only exclude children from child care, but degrade the quality of care. While less than one per cent of the province’s almost 28,000 early childhood educators working in licensed child care are reported to authorities, incidents involving the improper handling of children have seen an uptick.

This may partly reflect the COVID-19 pandemic’s aftermath, but it also may signal staff burnout and the prevalence of untrained workers.

Equally alarming, 14 per cent of respondents in our study indicated they would be reluctant to recommend their own centre to a family member or friend seeking child care.

Quality and staffing challenges vary significantly across Ontario’s child-care network of over 5,700 centres. Publicly operated centres and established community providers, where wages and benefits are higher, report fewer staffing shortages or quality problems.

In contrast, for-profit centres, where wages are significantly lower, experience the highest staff turnover and lowest levels of job dissatisfaction.

These disparities are particularly concerning given Ontario’s pressure on regional governments to divest their public centres, and its push to lift the cap on the percentage of new for-profit spaces allowed under its agreement with Ottawa.

A blueprint for change

Ontario’s challenges are not insurmountable. Other provinces and territories are showing that fair compensation tied to qualifications and responsibilities can help to stabilize the child-care workforce.

Publicly funded pensions, benefits, and additional incentives for educators in remote, Indigenous and francophone communities have proven effective in attracting and retaining staff.

Ontario must urgently follow suit. The CWELCC program isn’t just about child care; it’s a highly effective economic strategy. The province’s Financial Accountability Office estimates that the national plan could enable 98,000 more Ontario mothers to join the workforce.

However, this potential can only be realized if sufficient child-care spaces are created. Without early childhood educators new spaces are wasted infrastructure. This represents squandered economic development, children denied quality early education and families left to struggle financially.

The time to act is now. Ontario must seize the promise of CWELCC before it becomes another missed opportunity.

Emis Akbari receives funding from the Atkinson Foundation, the Lawson Foundation, and the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation.

Kerry McCuaig receives funding from the Atkinson Foundation, the Lawson Foundation and the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation.

– ref. Staffing shortages risk Ontario’s $10-a-day child care – https://theconversation.com/staffing-shortages-risk-ontarios-10-a-day-child-care-247273

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy calls for FCC to review partisan decision to approve Soros-backed takeover of 200 radio stations

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to review its decision to allow a company backed in part by foreign money and billionaire Democratic donor George Soros to obtain licenses for more than 200 American radio stations. The requested review by the FCC would include making certain that all required steps were followed according to FCC procedures and taking a closer look at the national security ramifications of the sale.
Key excerpts of the speech are below:
“Mr. George Soros is buying WWL AM radio in New Orleans. WWL AM radio is practically an institution in my state.”
. . .
“Any time a broadcast license—as is the case with Audacy—is transferred, the FCC has to approve it. So, Mr. Soros’s purchase of WWL Radio and the 219 other radio stations had to go before the FCC, and it did. And it went—the approval for Mr. Soros—went through the FCC like green grass through a goose. It was a party-line vote. It was last September. All three Democrats—there are five people on the FCC—all three Democrats said let it go, and [it has been alleged that] they short-circuited the normal process. . . . What happened was what some members of the media have called the ‘Soros shortcut.’ They just got together and rammed it through.”
. . .
“Mr. Soros—both George and [his son] Alex—believe that America would be better off if we had open borders. They believe that America would be better off, in my opinion—this is how I read their writings—if we ended jails and if we ran our government like the Communist Party of China. I don’t agree with that, but Mr. Soros—both of them—are entitled to their opinion. But my people in Louisiana are entitled to know whose opinion they are hearing on the radio.”
. . .
“I hope the new FCC revisits this issue. These licenses and these airwaves do not belong to me or to the FCC or to Audacy or to WWL. They belong to you and you and you—the American people. We are supposed to make sure through our FCC—that is why God created the FCC—that these licenses are not just given to anybody.”
Background:
Audacy is the second-largest owner of radio stations in the U.S. In total, Audacy owns roughly 220 stations in more than 45 media markets throughout the country.
In Jan. 2024, Audacy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and offered to trade shares of the company to lenders who would take on debt. George Soros took on $400 million in Audacy’s debt for 50 cents on the dollar and became the largest shareholder in the restructured company. Several foreign entities also took on some of Audacy’s debt, leaving the company with more than 20% foreign ownership.
The FCC restricts the ability of companies with significant foreign ownership to obtain radio licenses. The agency is supposed to investigate foreign-backed companies to make sure they would operate in the American people’s interests before approving the transfer of any radio licenses.
According to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, the Democrat-led FCC rushed the approval process to allow the transfer of licenses to the Soros-backed Audacy without conducting the standard investigations. Carr said the FCC had never previously used the “Soros-shortcut” procedure to approve licenses to a firm with significant foreign ownership.
Carr—who is now chairman of the FCC—has said he would take “a very hard look” at a petition to reconsider the license transfer to the Soros-backed company.
Soros has donated billions of dollars to leftist causes in recent years. Soros has called the U.S. “the main obstacle to a stable and just world,” and claimed that China has a “better functioning government than the United States.”
Shortly before leaving office, President Biden gave Soros the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: What is the story of hongbao, the red envelopes given out at celebrations like Lunar New Year?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ming Gao, Research Scholar of East Asia Studies, Gender and Women’s History Research Centre, Australian Catholic University

Remi Chow/Unsplash

Red envelopes, known as hongbao in Mandarin, are a cherished cultural tradition in China and many other parts of Asia.

In China, the vibrant red colour symbolises good fortune and joy. Hongbao can be given during many various festive and joyful occasions, and they are a prominent feature of Lunar New Year.

Receiving a hongbao is something most Chinese people, particularly children, eagerly anticipate every Lunar New Year. It was also one of my fondest childhood memories. But what’s the history behind this tradition?

A historical tradition

The origins of hongbao can be traced back to the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) when amulet-like items in the shapes of coins were worn.

Early practices resembling money giving took place in the Tang dynasty court (618–907 CE), where coins were scattered in springtime as part of celebrations.

Giving children money during celebrations became an established custom during the Song and Yuan dynasties (960–1368). In the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1911/12), this tradition evolved further with money being given to children threaded on red string.

In the Ming and Qing dynasties money was given to children threaded on red string.
Nataliia K/Shutterstock

The modern concept of hongbao emerged in early 20th-century China. Elders would give money wrapped in red paper to children during the Lunar New Year as a talisman against evil spirits, known as sui (祟).

The red envelopes given to children, or in some cases unmarried adults, during Lunar New Year are also called ya sui qian.

Colloquially, ya sui qian translates to “suppressing age money”, as sui (岁) also means age. Ya sui qian reflects the belief this money could ward off misfortune and slow ageing.

In traditional contexts, the amount of money inside the envelope carries symbolic meaning.

Even numbers, except for the number four (considered unlucky due to its phonetic similarity to the word for “death” in Chinese), are regarded as lucky. Six (symbolising smooth progress) and eight (symbolising prosperity) are particularly favoured.

Beyond monetary value, the act of giving and receiving hongbao represents a gesture of goodwill, reinforcing social bonds and conveying respect and care.

The digital revolution

Today, hongbao straddle the worlds of tradition and modernity, adapting to societal changes while preserving their cultural essence.

Super-apps like WeChat and AliPay have transformed this age-old practice from a physical tradition into a digital, virtual experience.

Red packet designs available on WeChat.
Screenshot/Ming Gao

WeChat popularised the concept of “digital red envelopes” in 2014, incorporating gamified elements such as randomised monetary amounts and group exchanges.

In 2017, WeChat recorded a staggering 14.2 billion hongbao transactions on the eve of Lunar New Year alone. While the initial excitement around the digital hongbao has waned over time, the practice remains popular. On Lunar New Year’s Eve in 2024, WeChat users recorded approximately 5.08 billion digital hongbao transactions.

The shift to digital formats aligns with our increasingly cashless society, making it easier for people to participate in the custom, even across great distances. Families separated by migration can partake in this tradition in real time, maintaining connections that might otherwise weaken over long distances.

My child doesn’t get to see my parents very often, but my mother promised to send a “large” hongbao to her grandchild on the eve of the Lunar New Year this year. Despite the geographical distance spanning the ocean between Australia and China, the tradition of giving hongbao transcends borders, connecting our family members across continents every Lunar New Year.

Societal significance

The enduring popularity of hongbao highlights its importance in Chinese culture. It serves not only as a means of giving but also as a way to uphold tradition amid rapid modernisation.

The act of giving hongbao, whether physical or digital, reinforces intergenerational ties and preserves cultural heritage. Parents and grandparents giving hongbao to children during Lunar New Year continue to embody the traditional values of family and unity.

The act of giving hongbao reinforces intergenerational ties and preserves cultural heritage.
SeventyFour/Shutterstock

But the digitisation of hongbao has sparked debates about its impact on traditional values. Some argue the ease of sending digital hongbao reduces the personal touch and thoughtfulness inherent in the physical exchange.

Others view it as an evolution that keeps the practice relevant and accessible in a fast-paced world.

Regional variations

While hongbao is most closely associated with Chinese culture, similar traditions exist across Asia, each with notable regional variations.

In Korea, during the Lunar New Year (Seollal), elders give money to young or unmarried adults after receiving their New Year’s bow (sebae). One legend suggests the Korean tradition originates from China. However, unlike the red envelopes used in Chinese culture, the money in Korea can be presented in white envelopes, as whiteness in Korean culture symbolises purity and new beginnings.

Similar traditions exist across Asia. These red envelopes are hanging in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Marie Shark/Shutterstock

In Singapore, where a diverse population blends Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions, the giving of hongbao (also known as ang bao or ang pow in Hokkien) is a common practice. This tradition has extended beyond the Chinese population, reflecting the cultural influence of Chinese diasporic communities.

While red envelopes are traditional, envelopes in other colours, such as pink or gold, are also considered acceptable.

The Future of hongbao

As technology continues to shape societal norms, the practice of giving hongbao is likely to further evolve.

The advancement of E-CNY (China’s digital currency), regardless of its ultimate success, could introduce new dimensions to traditional practices, enabling more innovative and secure forms of exchange.

The enduring appeal of hongbao lies in its core values: the celebration of relationships, the sharing of blessings, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

As the Lunar New Year of the Snake approaches, it’s wise to have some hongbao ready, whether digital or physical, to avoid being caught off guard by a playful youngster cheerfully exclaiming, “May you be prosperous, now hand over the red envelope!” (“gong xi fa cai, hong bao na lai”). This light-hearted and catchy greeting cleverly combines good wishes with a cheeky request for a hongbao.

Ming Gao 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. What is the story of hongbao, the red envelopes given out at celebrations like Lunar New Year? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-story-of-hongbao-the-red-envelopes-given-out-at-celebrations-like-lunar-new-year-247687

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Changing jobs is a big move but it’s worth considering if your workplace is toxic

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology

Rauschan_films/Shutterstock

Returning to work after a summer break can be jarring, especially for the many workers dissatisfied with their jobs. Almost half report high levels of job-related stress.

Dissatisfaction can be tied to an unhealthy, even toxic workplace where negative behaviour and poor leadership harm employee wellbeing and productivity.

Key indicators include bullying, harassment, lack of trust, poor communication and high job strain.

The impact of toxic workplaces

If you think your workplace is toxic, it is worth considering the impact it is having on your mental health. You might also consider how committed your organisation is to supporting its employees’ mental health.

Toxicity can develop gradually through subtle patterns of micromanagement, exclusion, or eroding morale. These dynamics create a draining environment that undermines individual wellbeing and business success.

As well as affecting employees’ mental health, there is growing evidence workplace stress may lead to serious physical health problems, such as cardiovascular disease.

According to Safe Work Australia, mental health-related workers’ compensation claims have increased by over a third since 2017-2018.

In 2021-2022, there were 11,700 accepted claims relating to mental health conditions. These cases proved highly costly for employers, with the median compensation paid being A$58,615.

The International Standards Organisation released a global standard in 2021 to help manage psychological health and safety risks in workplaces.

A number of countries, including Canada and Australia, have introduced laws and standards making employers responsible for preventing and managing work-related stress.

To support a safe workplace, some researchers (including one of the authors) have recommended an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to ensure companies respond appropriately to mental health risks.

What your employer is doing in the following three areas can show how committed they are to protecting mental health.

1. Preventing, minimising or managing the negatives

Most work, health and safety legislation and standards in Australia relates to protecting employees from physical hazards, including slips, trips and falls.

More recently, attention has turned to psychosocial hazards.

Safe Work Australia and Comcare, as well as state and territory regulators, keep a list of common hazards.

These include bullying, excessive workloads, low job control, lack of role clarity and exposure to traumatising events, for example, witnessing an accident.

These lists are not exhaustive and there are some problems unique to specific jobs. For instance, teachers are often isolated from their colleagues, face big administrative loads and sometimes have to deal with abusive students and/or parents.

Most employers can make necessary improvements including creating fairer workloads, redefining job roles and providing more support to individual employees.

2. Responding to employee mental health issues

Despite efforts to minimise the impact of psychosocial hazards, some employees will nonetheless experience mental health issues.

Employers should not try to treat an employee’s mental health problems. They should support them and direct them to appropriate mental health care.

Managers can also help by identifying signs of distress, having sensitive conversations with workers about the impact of mental illness and making reasonable changes to their roles.

Giving employees access to support services through employee assistance programs, which can offer confidential short-term counselling, can also help.

Making counselling available to employees can help staff mental health and workplace morale.
kmpzzz/Shutterstock

Establishing a critical incident investigation procedure for events that have compromised employee mental health can help identify the cause of incidents and shape responses.

3. Promoting the positive

As well as managing the negative aspects of work, organisations can create conditions that promote employee mental health and wellbeing.

One approach for doing this is to provide flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid work, which can offer employees greater choice in work location and scheduling.

Another approach involves fostering social connectedness and inclusion among employees. This could involve team-building, social events and opportunities for employees to build relationships.

Leaders can also promote a culture of psychological safety – where employees feel able to bring their authentic selves to work and speak their minds freely. This has been linked to greater employee wellbeing.

The SMART model suggests employees will be most satisfied in jobs that provide stimulation (for example, solving meaningful problems), mastery (receiving mentoring or constructive feedback), autonomy (creative freedom), social relationships (supportive colleagues) and tolerable demands (lack of psychosocial hazards).

Should I stay or should I go?

Making the decision to leave a workplace requires careful consideration.

In addition to your own wellbeing, you should consider whether your organisation prioritises mental health and how comfortable you would feel initiating a discussion about mental health.

Remember while changing jobs is a big step, staying in a toxic workplace can have serious long-term consequences for both mental and physical health.

Consider seeking advice through your employee assistance program or an independent career counsellor.

Whatever you decide, prioritising your mental health and wellbeing should be central to your decision making.

Timothy Colin Bednall holds a part-time appointment as Head of Data Science with FlourishDx, a consultancy focused on workplace mental health. He receives funding from the National Mental Health Commission.

Kathryn Page has previously received research funding from WorkSafe Victoria, SuperFriend, VicHealth, and the NHMRC in the areas of workplace mental health. In addition to her Adjunct Professor role at Swinburne University she works full time as a Leadership Partner with ByMany. ByMany is a leadership consultancy. It does not do psychosocial risk assessments.

– ref. Changing jobs is a big move but it’s worth considering if your workplace is toxic – https://theconversation.com/changing-jobs-is-a-big-move-but-its-worth-considering-if-your-workplace-is-toxic-246885

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Atonement by Ian McEwan is a meditation on creativity in later life

Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Amigoni, Professor of Victorian Literature, Editorial Board Chair, Keele University

In Ian McEwan’s Atonement (2001), aspiring writer 13-year-old Briony Tallis glimpses a world of opaque “adult emotion”. Holding a pen and blank paper before her, she feels a powerful impulse to write in order to impose order and meaning on adulthood’s slippery uncertainties.

Earlier on that hot summer’s day in 1935, she had witnessed a perplexing scene of seeming “ugly threat”. Her older sister, Cecilia, undressed in front of their cleaning lady’s son (and fellow Cambridge graduate) Robbie Turner. She then plunged, in her underwear, into an ornamental fountain.

Briony’s urge to write is triggered when she reads the private note she had been tasked with delivering from Robbie to Cecilia. Within, she is shocked to discover Robbie’s desire for Cecilia, expressed through use of the unutterable “c” word. Later, looking through the door of their darkened library, Briony mistakenly believes she sees Robbie committing a violent assault on her sister.

This article is part of Rethinking the Classics. The stories in this series offer insightful new ways to think about and interpret classic books, films and artworks. This is the canon – with a twist.

McEwan’s novel presents a privileged English country house setting that descends into a chaos of mistakes, class resentment, educational ambition and sex, expressed both as desire and power. The latter is evident in the rape of Briony’s cousin Lola.

Convinced that she has seen, and now read, the truth about “evil” Robbie’s “disgusting” obsession with her sister, Briony believes he is the culprit. She is confident that her writing will expose a “maniac’s” guilt. However, her urge to write upon the blank page is stronger than her sense of what precisely to say.

In fact, what she writes at this crucial moment – “There was an old lady who swallowed a fly” – feels entirely strange. But just as the old lady of the nursery rhyme fatally bites off ever more that she can chew in swallowing a fly, a spider, a bird, a cat, so Briony’s tragically mistaken ideas about Robbie ends in his incrimination and incarceration.

Robbie is free only when released to fight for the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940. He strives to return to Cecilia via the horrors and heroism of that most resonant of British stories, Dunkirk.

Life stages, ageing and creativity are important themes in Atonement. It is as an older lady writer herself that Briony atones for the incriminating stories that her juvenile writer self swallowed and multiplied.

Read more:
Dunkirk survivors’ terror didn’t end when they were rescued

Creativity in later life

Putting age and later life front and centre urges the reader to reassess McEwan’s renowned “twist”. That is, the moment readers discover that key scenes in the novel – meetings between Briony, Cecilia and Robbie following the latter’s evacuation from Dunkirk – never happened.

As we are told on the penultimate page, the truth is that Robbie died of septicaemia in the dunes of Dunkirk and Cecilia was killed in the direct hit of a bomb on the Balham tube station in 1940.

At this moment, we realise that what we have been reading is the final draft of the atoning conclusion to a work by now 77-year-old Briony. Like so many late stylists (a writer who, in later life, returns to earlier preoccupations and themes), Briony, an established author with a reputation for “amorality”, revisits her early work on her 77th birthday party. It’s an event that brings her back to the estate of her childhood, now converted into a hotel.

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Briony’s later life shapes the closure of the story, but McEwan’s imaginative engagement with ageing affects every aspect of the novel. He presents readers with story-shaped anticipations of mid- and later life, even when the character will not live to see that age.

Robbie, working-class protégé of Mr Tallis’s educational philanthropy, with a first in English literature from Cambridge, consciously awakens into his unacknowledged love for Cecilia while thinking about his age and future.

The feelings coincide with his developing aspiration to train in medicine, and his imaginary anticipations of his life course.

He thought of himself in 1962, at 50, when he would be old, but not quite old enough to be useless, and of the weathered, knowing doctor he would be by then, with the secret stories, the tragedies and successes stacked behind him”

These will be embodied in books – more writings – “possessed in the thousands”. Briony and Cecilia’s migraine-suffering mother Emily, meanwhile, sees her ageing self grow “stiffer in the limbs and more irrelevant by the day”.

Through the character of Briony, McEwan contests the ageism and invisibility that can be the fate of older women. McEwan may take her to the brink of a terminal neurological decline in 1999 – she is diagnosed with vascular dementia – but Briony resists the othering that ageism imposes on older people: “we may look truly reptilian, but we’re not a separate tribe”.

The end of the novel presents readers with a view of active, meaningful later life as a creative time of collaborative, curatorial story telling.

The older Briony was played by Vanessa Redgrave in the 2007 adaptation of Atonement.

Readers become aware of the “sources” of the dramatic story of Robbie’s trek across northern France in the company of Corporals Mace and Nettle. Seventy-seven-year-old Briony donates the “dozen long letters from old Mr Nettle” to the archives of the Imperial War Museum, where she has been researching.

This act of memory preservation returns readers to the meaning of the horrors, carnage and heroism of the Dunkirk evacuation which McEwan presents through that powerful central episode in the novel. The evacuation of more than 300,000 troops from Dunkirk, including a small proportion of volunteer boats, makes Dunkirk a nationally resonant story.

Briony’s collaborative, later-life storytelling captures the heroism and sacrifice inherent in the perspectives of the wounded evacuee combatants. But so, too, their more sceptical, critical accents.

They “were bitter about the newspaper celebrations of the miracle evacuation and the heroism of the little boats. ‘A fucking shambles,’ she heard one of them mutter.” Or more precisely, the older lady recalled hearing, and then wrote.

Beyond the canon

As part of the Rethinking the Classics series, we’re asking our experts to recommend a book or artwork that tackles similar themes to the canonical work in question, but isn’t (yet) considered a classic itself. Here is David Amigoni’s suggestion:

Paul Bailey, who died in October 2024, was an excellent but under-acknowledged writer who deserves to be more widely read.

His writing went against the grain is subtle ways. He was experimenting with ways of writing about later life at the beginning of his career in 1967, with the publication of At the Jerusalem, set in a home for older women. He was then in his early 30s.

The Prince’s Boy (2014) was written when he was 77 – the same age as McEwan’s fictional Briony Tallis when she completes Atonement. It revisits key themes in Bailey’s earlier work: sexuality (he was a gay man), love, Proust, Romania and Europe.

David Amigoni received funding from RCUK (now UKRI) for his work on ageing and late-life creativity. He is affiliated with The Conversation UK as Chair of its Editorial Board.

– ref. Atonement by Ian McEwan is a meditation on creativity in later life – https://theconversation.com/atonement-by-ian-mcewan-is-a-meditation-on-creativity-in-later-life-244801

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump’s suggestion of ‘clearing out’ Gaza adds another risk to an already fragile ceasefire

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Karin Aggestam, Professor of Political Science, CMES Director, Lund University

Donald Trump’s recent statement describing Gaza as a “demolition site” – and his suggestion to “evacuate” Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt and Jordan to “clean out that whole thing” – has sent shockwaves across the region.

Trump reportedly told journalists travelling with him on Air Force One at the weekend that he had spoken with King Abdullah of Jordan and planned to talk with Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” he said.

He added that relocating Palestinian civilians to “some of the Arab nations, and build[ing] housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change” could be “done temporarily or could be long term”.

Israel’s extreme ultra-nationalist parties, both in and outside of the Israeli government, are thrilled by the idea. It’s one they have long advocated.

But it has been widely criticised across the region as a potential “second Nakba” – referring to the violence and displacement of Palestinians after Israel’s unilateral declaration of statehood in 1948. The proposal has also been outright rejected by Egypt and Jordan. It has also been strongly condemned by the Palestinians.

It remains unclear to what extent this aligns with US policy and diplomacy, but such rhetoric risks undermining the pivotal regional diplomatic efforts. These efforts, led by Qatar and Egypt in close coordination with Washington, are focused on continuing the negotiations on the ceasefire, monitoring progress, and verifying compliance.

So it’s far from certain if this is an official US policy position or another example of the US president simply airing his thoughts. But what is clear is that his latest pronouncement will further complicate the ceasefire deal agreed on January 17.

The deal already faces significant challenges and uncertainties, not least the mutual distrust between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships. History tells us that this lack of trust has developed, in part, because of the numerous times ceasefires have been used for purposes other than pursuing long-term settlement, such as opportunities to regroup, rearm or reposition strategically.

So the staged nature of the current deal carries considerable risks, as it creates opportunities for “spoilers” on both sides to derail the process. The recent violence of Jewish settlers on the West Bank and Hamas’s active encouragement of confrontation there are other examples of things that could derail the ceasefire.

The negotiation process is further complicated by dynamics tied to the political survival of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. One party (Jewish Power) has already left his coalition government in protest against the ceasefire. Meanwhile the leader of the Religious Zionist party, Bezalel Smotrich, has threatened to do the same if the military operation against Hamas is not resumed.

Hamas, in turn, has attempted to reassert its control in Gaza. We’ve seen examples of that during the hostage exchange process when Hamas fighters conspicuously present at the handovers. Hamas may have been severely weakened, but it still controls significant parts of Gaza’s bureaucracy and policing and wants the world to know it.

Challenges ahead

If any part of the agreement falters there is a substantial risk that each side will blame the other of breaching the terms of the ceasefire. Two of the most contentious issues in the second phase are determining who will govern Gaza and how to implement a full Israeli withdrawal.

While Israel continues its security cooperation with the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, it vehemently opposes any PA role in Gaza. There is also considerable doubt as to whether Israel will agree to any long-term solution which involves complete withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from Gaza.

The recent resignation of the IDF’s chief of staff Herzl Halevi, as he took responsibility for the IDF’s failures on October 7, has further destabilised the political and military dynamics in Israel. A lot will depend on his successor.

Read more:
Donald Trump’s presidency presents Benjamin Netanyahu with a crisis that could be existential – here’s why

Transactional diplomacy

Recent geopolitical shifts have reshaped regional dynamics. This presents challenges and opportunities for any diplomatic initiatives surrounding Israel and Palestine. The weakening of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance”, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon – and the now-collapsed Assad regime in Syria – may provide an opportunity for the normalisation of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

This in turn will offer an opportunity to reshape the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape. This potential breakthrough builds on the Abraham accords, which was one of Trump’s foreign policy initiatives. It’s a transactional approach to diplomacy, which prioritises pragmatic and results-oriented negotiations.

The new US Middle East envoy, former real estate developer Steve Witkoff, has emphasised “courageous diplomacy”, as well as strong leadership and what he called “reciprocal actions” from the parties to the peace deal. Whether the new US administration will revive the 2020 Trump plan for a Palestinian state remains uncertain.

That plan proposed granting 70% of the West Bank and Gaza to Palestinians while allowing Israel to retain sovereignty over Jerusalem. It also included US approval for Israeli annexation of territories with Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

For Israel, normalisation with Saudi Arabia would be a major diplomatic victory. Washington is playing a crucial role here, offering incentives such as sale of advanced American weapons systems to Riyadh. But Saudi Arabia has reportedly demanded concrete steps toward establishing a Palestinian state as part of the deal. Trump’s latest gambit, if it becomes official US policy, would make that a non-starter.

Karin Aggestam has received research funding from Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, Australian Reseach Council, Wallenberg Foundation and others.

– ref. Donald Trump’s suggestion of ‘clearing out’ Gaza adds another risk to an already fragile ceasefire – https://theconversation.com/donald-trumps-suggestion-of-clearing-out-gaza-adds-another-risk-to-an-already-fragile-ceasefire-248334

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What Davos delegates missed when they discussed green finance for business

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael Harrison, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Finance, University of East London

Addressing the climate crisis was one of the key themes at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Rustam Zagidullin/Shutterstock

Every year, leaders from politics and business come together with economists, investors and even celebrities at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos. One of the five key themes of this year’s event was safeguarding the planet. The forum’s own figures suggest that human-caused climate change has cost the planet US$3.6 trillion (£2.9 trillion) in damage since 2000 alone.

Many of the sessions at Davos focused on climate change, which was especially pertinent after US president Donald Trump’s decision to abandon for a second time the Paris Agreement – a framework to keep the warming of the planet to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.

In an online address to Davos delegates, Trump even argued that the oil-producers’ group Opec should reduce the price of oil. This is in stark contrast to the views of many other governments – exemplified by UK energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband’s assertion that net zero is “unstoppable”.

But one of the less discussed elements of the path to net-zero by the year 2050 (a key target to keep the Paris Agreement on track) is the role of the financial sector.

As economists, we believe that banks and financial institutions should play a key role in making the green transition happen. Companies that produce goods and services will need to invest in equipment and technology – either to make new greener products or to ensure that they pollute less.

But this will cost money – likely money that firms do not actually have on their balance sheet or under their mattress. When banks assist in providing funding for this type of investment, it is known as green finance.

Green finance from banks can take two forms. Either the banks underwrite corporate bonds, which means they sell bonds to investors in exchange for a fee. Or they become involved in the provision of a syndicated loan, which is when they collaborate with other banks to lend money.

But both options are constrained by the rule that a bank will only provide finance out of self-interest. This means they act only when the profit they earn is proportional to the credit risk they take on. But this was in contrast to the message from Davos that businesses should take the lead, with the aid of finance from banks, in mitigating the risks of climate change.

With easier access to finance, more firms could invest in innovative ways to go green like this car park with inbuilt solar panels in Leeds.
Clare Louise Jackson/Shutterstock

Sources of credit for businesses to make green investments include philanthropists, public finance and the private sector (that is, commercial banks). However, it is arguable that charity and public money are best used in partnership with private banks, to finance projects that are perceived high risk and low return. Banks alone would not support these because of their promotion of self-interest.

However, philanthropy can be limited and inconsistent in providing funds for green projects. And the public sector has so many demands on its purse that its ability to support is also limited. This is where the private sector plays a key role in mitigating climate change and where partnerships between these three sectors could offer a way forward.

This pathway was discussed at Davos but the speakers were not clear on what effective partnerships would look like. As academics who have researched the factors that influence green finance provision across multiple European countries, we would suggest a partnership structure between the public sector and the private sector, based on risk-sharing.

In these cases where banks perceive the risk to be unbearable (and therefore not in their self-interest), governments could partner with banks in offering finance and so share the consequences of a bad project outcome. In other words, they would form a partnership with the bank to share the downside risk.

A bank may consider an investment to be higher risk where a project has less certain outcomes, or requires funding for a longer period of time. Both of these factors are comparatively common in green financing deals. This could be because a firm is investing in new or untested tech or production methods – for example car manufacturers exploring new electric vehicle battery technologies.

The struggle for smaller businesses

This partnership approach could especially benefit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which make up 99% of Europe’s companies. But these businesses can struggle to access finance from banks due to their lack of capital, which can make banks see them as a high risk. And this of course is challenging for SMEs, which mostly have no other sources of external finance.

Research shows that medium-sized firms often rely on loans for finance. Our work focuses on how companies in Europe and the UK source green financing. It has highlighted that larger companies, as well as more liquid and more profitable firms, tend to raise finance via bonds (issued by banks and bought by investors) rather than loans (from a bank or other financial institution).

In fact, our research shows that in some European countries (including Latvia, Malta and Romania), domestic banks have no record whatsoever of providing green finance to companies.

This means it is much easier for larger businesses to get green finance compared to their smaller peers. And smaller companies tend to obtain relatively lower amounts of green financing, creating a real risk that SMEs may not get what they need in order to play their part in reducing their emissions.

Without a significant shift in allowing SMEs to get the finance they need to become greener, governments will struggle to get close to their net-zero goals. But, along with financial regulators, governments could lead the way to create partnerships with banks and other financial institutions to overcome the barriers that SMEs face.

Sharing the risk would ensure banks continue their green lending activities and accelerate progress toward meeting government climate targets.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. What Davos delegates missed when they discussed green finance for business – https://theconversation.com/what-davos-delegates-missed-when-they-discussed-green-finance-for-business-248208

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Australian Open 2025 serves up a grand slam for Melbourne’s economy
Source: National Australia Bank

Record-breaking crowds at the Australian Open have served up a welcome spending boost to Melbourne’s economy with accommodation the big winner over the last fortnight.

International tourists and domestic visitors booked out hotels, motels and serviced apartments, spending more than $111 million on accommodation across Melbourne. Accommodation group Ascott Australasia highlighted a 16% jump in demand during the 2025 tournament.

Transaction data from Australia’s largest business bank, NAB, reveals a grand slam in consumer spending over the fortnight:
- More than $275 million was spent at Melbourne’s pubs, bars and restaurants over the fortnight.
- Melbourne’s bars experienced a 3% uplift in spending compared to the 2024 Australian Open.
- Businesses immediately surrounding the Melbourne Park precinct experienced a $74 million spending injection, up 2% on last year.
- Clothing and apparel spending at businesses surrounding Melbourne Park was up by 3% year on year.
NAB Business Banking Executive Julie Rynski said the Australian Open’s marquee event status drove positive economic benefits across the inner city and surrounds.

“Visitors from interstate and overseas flock to Melbourne for the tennis and take the opportunity to enjoy the best of the city’s vibrant culinary and cultural scene over the fortnight,” Ms Rynski said.

“We’re seeing crowd records broken and consumer spending growing year-on-year, cementing the event’s status as an all-important launchpad for businesses into the year ahead.

“The continued growth in spending translates to a real vibe which you can see and feel with booked out eateries and hotels, packed pubs and bars, lines for take away coffee and busier taxis and public transport.

“Major events like the Australian Open not only generate direct spending but also create a ripple effect with flow through benefits for the wider economy, retailers, transport services and tourism operators.

“This is a welcome boost to businesses given cost-of-living concerns. It’s clear people are making thoughtful spending changes through the year to save up, visit Melbourne and enjoy the city and the tennis,” Ms Rynski said.

Managing Director, Ascott Australasia and Chair of Accommodation Australia David Mansfield said the tournament was a boom for accommodation providers.

“The Australian Open has once again proven to be a transformative event for Melbourne’s hospitality and accommodation sectors, driving occupancy rates to record levels and surpassing the strong demand seen in previous years,” Mr Mansfield said.

Ascott’s Melbourne properties which include Quest Apartment Hotels, Citadines on Bourke, Oakwood Premier, and lyf Collingwood experienced a significant 16% increase in demand during this year’s tournament. Additionally, revenue per available room (RevPAR) saw a 13% increase compared to 2024, underscoring the event’s growing significance in driving revenue for the accommodation sector.

“The Australian Open doesn’t just fill hotels; it powers the entire tourism ecosystem. Every visitor who arrives in Melbourne spends on local bars, restaurants, attractions, and small businesses,” Mr Mansfield said.

“For the accommodation industry specifically, the event has highlighted the vital role our sector plays in supporting large-scale tourism and economic growth.

“As Chair of Accommodation Australia, I am thrilled to see how events like the Australian Open highlight the resilience, importance, and potential of the hospitality and tourism sectors.

“With each passing year, the Australian Open continues to grow in scale and influence. Its success reminds us of the importance of ongoing investment destination marketing, infrastructure, workforce development, and collaborative efforts between industry and government to ensure the tourism and accommodation sectors thrive well into the future,” Mr Mansfield said.

Notes to editors
- * Estimates taken from spend at NAB merchant terminals surrounding Melbourne Park and across Melbourne between 12 January and 26 January 2025.
- Pre-settlement data has been used to indicate trends and % movements. Final, exact figures are subject to change.
MIL OSI News –
January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen join 46 Senators Introducing Resolution Condemning Pardons of Individuals Found Guilty of Assaulting Capitol Police Officers

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Resolution comes after Trump pardons 1,500 Jan 6 insurrectionists—including those convicted of violently assaulted police officers
The senators will seek unanimous consent to pass the resolution this week
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and 44 of their colleagues introduced a new resolution condemning the pardons of individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers. The resolution follows the move by President Trump, on the first day of his second term, to grant full, complete, and unconditional pardons to over 1,500 people charged with committing crimes in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and to commute the sentences of 14 others, including leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, far-right militias. Among those pardoned by Trump were 169 people who pled guilty to assaulting police officers on January 6th. During the siege of the Capitol that day, over 80 U.S. Capitol Police Officers were assaulted, as well as over 60 officers from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
The senators’ resolution, Condemning the pardons for individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers, simply states: “Resolved, That the Senate disapproves of any pardons for individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police officers.” This week, Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) will seek unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass the resolution.
“President Trump is pardoning violent criminals who assaulted police officers and attempted to overturn a fair and free election,” said Senator Cortez Masto.“This is an insult to law enforcement across the country and an endorsement of political violence. The very least my Republican colleagues can do to back law enforcement is to support this resolution.”
“It’s unconscionable that one of President Trump’s first actions in office was to pardon criminals who violently attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021,” said Senator Rosen. “A number of these convicted felons attacked police officers and injured them. It should not be a partisan issue to fully condemn these actions and President Trump’s pardons.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, approximately 1,572 defendants have been federally charged with crimes associated with the attack of the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. This includes approximately 598 charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement agents or officers or obstructing those officers during a civil disorder, including approximately 171 defendants charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. As proven in Court, the weapons used and carried on Capitol grounds during the January 6th attack include firearms; OC spray; tasers; edged weapons, including a sword, axes, hatchets, and knives; and makeshift weapons, such as destroyed office furniture, fencing, bike racks, stolen riot shields, baseball bats, hockey sticks, flagpoles, PVC piping, and reinforced knuckle gloves.
The full text of the resolution can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Federal threats against local officials who don’t cooperate with immigration orders could be unconstitutional − Justice Antonin Scalia ruled against similar plans

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Claire B. Wofford, Associate Professor of Political Science, College of Charleston

A fundamental tension exists between state and federal power in the United States that has not been resolved. Vladstudioraw via iStock/Getty Images Plus

President Donald Trump has begun to radically change how the U.S. government handles immigration, from challenging long-held legal concepts about who gets citizenship to using the military to transport migrants back to their countries of origin.

Trump’s administration is doing more than reshaping the approach of the federal government toward migrants: It has now ordered state and local officials to comply with all federal immigration laws, including any new executive orders. It has warned that if those officials refuse, it may criminally prosecute them.

The specter of a federal prosecutor putting a city’s mayor or a state’s governor in jail will raise what may be the greatest source of conflict in the U.S. Constitution. That conflict is how much power the federal government can wield over the states, a long-standing and unresolved dispute that will move again to the front and center of American politics and, in all likelihood, into American courtrooms.

A sign prohibiting the entry of ICE or Homeland Security personnel is posted on a door at St. Paul and St. Andrew United Methodist Church in New York City.
Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images

Investigate for potential prosecution

Besides the avalanche of executive orders remaking the federal government’s policies for the nation’s borders, a new directive from the Department of Justice provoked political backlash. Legal action may very well follow.

In the Jan. 21, 2024, memo, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, one of Trump’s former private attorneys, directs federal prosecutors to “investigate … for potential prosecution” state and local officials who “resist, obstruct, or otherwise fail to comply” with the new administration’s immigration orders.

The memo lists multiple federal statutes that such conduct could violate, including one of the laws used to charge Donald Trump related to the Jan. 6, 2021, violence at the U.S. Capitol.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove asserted in a recent memo that the Constitution and other legal authorities ‘require state and local actors to comply with the Executive Branch’s immigration enforcement initiatives.’
Jeenah Moon-Pool/Getty Images

Several of Trump’s executive orders, across a range of policy areas, have already provoked lawsuits. One was declared “blatantly uconstitutional” by a federal district court judge just three days after it was signed. Others fall easily within the bounds of presidential power.

But the Department of Justice memo is different.

By ordering federal prosecutors to potentially arrest, charge and imprison state and local officials, it strikes at a fundamental tension embedded in the nation’s constitutional structure in a way that Trump’s other orders do not. That tension has never been fully resolved, in either the political or legal arenas.

Bulwark against tyranny

Recognizing that division of power was necessary to prevent government tyranny, the nation’s founders split the federal government into three separate branches, the executive, legislative and judicial.

But in what, to them, was an even more important structural check, they also divided power between federal and state governments.

The practicalities of this dual sovereignty – where two governments exercise supreme power – have had to play out in practice, with often very messy results. The crux of the problem is that the Constitution explicitly grants power to both federal and state governments – but the founders did not specify what to do if the two sovereigns disagree or how any ensuing struggle should be resolved.

The failure to precisely define the contours of that partitioning of power has unfortunately generated several of the country’s most violent conflicts, including the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. The current Justice Department memo may reignite similar struggles.

As Bove correctly noted in his memo, Article 4 of the U.S Constitution contains the supremacy clause, which declares that federal laws “shall be the supreme Law of the Land.”

But Bove failed to mention that the Constitution also contains the 10th Amendment. Its language, that “(a)ll powers not granted to the federal government are reserved to the states or to the people, respectively,” has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to create a sphere of state sovereignty into which the federal government may not easily intrude.

Known as the “police powers,” states generally retain the ability to determine their own policies related to the health, safety, welfare, property and education of their citizens. After the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health removed federal protection for abortion rights, for instance, multiple states developed their own approaches. Marijuana legalization, assisted suicide, voting procedures and school curriculum are additional examples of issues where states have set their own policies.

This is not to say that the federal government is barred from making policies in these areas. Indeed, the great puzzle of federalism – and the great challenge for courts – has been to figure out the boundaries between state and federal power and how two sovereigns can coexist.

If it sounds confusing, that’s because it is. The country’s best legal minds have long wrestled with how to balance the powers granted by the supremacy clause and the 10th Amendment.

Push and pull

In a 1997 opinion, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that the Constitution barred the federal government from ‘impress[ing] into its service…the police officers of the 50 States.’
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Reflecting this tension, the Supreme Court developed a pair of legal doctrines that sit uneasily alongside each other.

The first is the doctrine of “preemption,,” in which federal law can supersede state policy in certain circumstances, such as when a congressional statute expressly withdraws certain powers from the states.

At the same time, the court has limited the reach of the federal government, particularly in its ability to tell states what to do, a doctrine now known as the “anti-commandeering rule.” Were the Trump administration to go after state or local officials, both of these legal principles could come into play.

The anti-commandeering rule was first articulated in 1992 when the Supreme Court ruled in New York v. United States that the federal government could not force a state to take control of radioactive waste generated within its boundaries.

The court relied on the doctrine again five years later, in Printz v. United States, when it rejected the federal government’s attempt to require local law enforcement officials to conduct background checks before citizens could purchase handguns.

In an opinion authored by conservative icon Antonin Scalia and joined by four other Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices, the court held that the Constitution’s framers intended states to have a “residuary and inviolable sovereignty” that barred the federal government from “impress[ing] into its service … the police officers of the 50 States.”

“This separation of the two spheres is one of the Constitution’s structural protections of liberty,” Scalia wrote. Allowing state law enforcement to be conscripted into service for the federal government would disrupt what James Madison called the “double security” the founders wanted against government tyranny and would allow the “accumulation of excessive power” in the federal government.

Justice John Paul Stevens dissented, pointing out that the 10th Amendment preserves for states only those powers that are not already given to the federal government.

What happens at the Supreme Court?

The anti-commandeering and preemption doctrines were on display again during the first Trump administration, when jurisdictions around the country declared themselves “sanctuary cities” that would protect residents from federal immigration officials.

Subsequent litigation tested whether the federal government could punish these locales by withholding federal funds. The administration lost most cases. Several courts ruled that despite its extensive power over immigration, the federal government could not financially punish states for failing to comply with federal law.

One circuit court, in contrast, formulated an “immigration exception” to the anti-commandeering rule and upheld the administration’s financial punishment of uncooperative states.

The Supreme Court has never directly ruled on how the anti-commandeering rule works in the context of immigration. While the Printz decision would seem to bar the Justice Department from acting on its threats, the court could rule that given the federal government’s nearly exclusive power over immigration, such actions do not run afoul of the anti-commandeering doctrine.

Whether such a case ever makes it to the Supreme Court is unknown. Recent events, in which a Chicago school’s staff denied entry to people they thought were immigration agents, seem to be heading toward a federal and state confrontation.

As a court watcher and scholar of judicial politics, I will be paying close attention to see whether the conservative majority on the court, many of whom recently reiterated their support for the anti-commandeering doctrine, will follow Scalia and favor state sovereignty.

Or will they do an ideological about-face in favor of this chief executive? It would not be the first time the court has taken this latter option.

In 2023, I donated $25 to ActBlue.

– ref. Federal threats against local officials who don’t cooperate with immigration orders could be unconstitutional − Justice Antonin Scalia ruled against similar plans – https://theconversation.com/federal-threats-against-local-officials-who-dont-cooperate-with-immigration-orders-could-be-unconstitutional-justice-antonin-scalia-ruled-against-similar-plans-248276

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump voters are not the obstacle to climate action many think they are

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Karl Dudman, PhD Candidate in Anthropology, University of Oxford

North Carolina is still reeling from Hurricane Helene in autumn 2024. Karl Dudman

Another day brings another monster tide for residents of Carteret county, North Carolina, whose coastal towns and villages are being swallowed by the rising Atlantic. Nonetheless, its voters returned Donald Trump to the White House, a man who denies the science of climate change and had withdrawn his country from the Paris agreement on climate change (for a second time) before the sun had even set on his first day back in office.

It is a contradiction that has captured the imaginations of many. In 2017, when Trump first quit the agreement which symbolically pledges countries to limit global heating to well below 2°C, the word “denialism” lit up late-night talk shows and circulated at annual UN summits.

Denialism evokes a pathological rejection of the reality of climate change. It has come to imply a public that can no longer tell fact from fiction, often to their own detriment. Meanwhile, climate-conscious leaders in a handful of Democratic states have repeated their commitment to scientific facts.

As an anthropologist, I felt uncomfortable with the way the fabled Trump voter was spoken about while rarely being allowed to speak for themselves. I have participated in climate politics as a researcher, activist and diplomat, and I felt there was little reflection among the treaty’s advocates about their own role in the US departure.

I started a PhD to understand the non-participants of climate politics. It took me to coastal North Carolina where, like so many other American communities, the effects of climate change sit alongside a seeming indifference to the crisis.

I wanted to understand how people here related to climate science, and what this thing called denialism actually looked like. I spent a year talking to residents with “Trump Won” flags on their lawns, but I also met scientists, government officials, activists and Democrats.

Here is one thing I found, and one thing I didn’t.

Culture trumps ‘facts’

The science of climate change is incredibly robust, but science alone cannot tell us what makes a solution fair, or who should get a say in its design. The Paris agreement, for example, has a strong moral component that was hard won by developing nations, small island states and international activists.

It depicts a world in which the blame for climate change and the responsibility for addressing it lie predominantly with rich countries such as the US, and it prescribes financial flows to victim countries to help them adapt. For many precarious Americans who feel neither rich nor villainous, this is a difficult narrative to swallow.

I saw a similar pattern in my own research. Racial justice, indigenous knowledge, urban inequality and youth are themes that typically frame public engagement with climate action by the federal government and grassroots movements. These aren’t necessarily topics that will always resonate in rural, conservative communities such as Carteret county.

Opinion surveys and election data in the US show that climate change is an issue on which voters are polarised.

Fishing has been a major local employer in North Carolina for several generations.
Karl Dudman

This helps explain why advocates for climate action tend to speak to the already engaged, by referencing other progressive causes. But advocates are not necessarily more influenced by facts than sceptics. It’s simply easier to sign up to a cause you can see yourself in.

‘Denialism’ is a weak concept

What I didn’t find in North Carolina was what I came looking for: climate denialism. Climate change rarely came up naturally in the conversations I had in Carteret county, but when it did, the responses were inconsistent, ranging from concern to curiosity and from ambivalence and apathy to fatalism and scepticism. What mention there was hardly fit the stereotype of bitter, conspiracy-fuelled rejection of reality.

In this tight-knit fishing community, people had become wary of outside interventions. Some were ill-disposed to environmental movements after feeling lectured by regulatory scientists or environmental campaigners on how to manage a coastline they knew well.

Others were fatalist about resisting sea-level rise – generations spent on the Atlantic’s ferocious frontline taught them that you don’t fight storms, you ride them out. Many people saw things were changing but were too strapped for time and money to do much, or else found it intolerable to wake up each day contemplating the death of their community.

North Carolina’s fishers face several threats to their livelihood.
Karl Dudman

Denialism had no explanatory power here. On the contrary, by failing to distinguish between disagreement and lack of agreement, it misrepresented complex social dynamics as a matter of simply believing facts or rejecting them.

So why does any of this matter? Because, when we identify one group as the sole cause of a problem we give ourselves permission to stop asking what we could be doing differently. After all, climate action’s advocates – from UN officers to individual voters – play a role in shaping what legitimate climate action looks like, and who will want to be part of it.

To react to the US withdrawal from Paris by repeating that “science is real”, in the vein of world leaders and American lawn signs, is to miss the point. Public dissent is often less a question of if we should fix climate change than of whose vision of a good world we are working towards.

This is not to shift blame for Trump’s withdrawal. Nor should it excuse people in politics, business and the media who have repeatedly obscured the climate debate in bad faith.

Carteret’s older residents have seen the decline of local industries and ecosystems.
Karl Dudman

But reducing public dissent to a matter of misinformation and gullibility shows a lack of humility and dismisses concerns that may not crystallise into opposition if treated respectfully. Asking more questions of ourselves is something we can all do to make climate politics less toxic.

As Trump signed his first executive orders, I pressed send on my thesis’s final corrections. How the international community reacts this time remains to be seen, but the last four years have taught me that it may influence whether or not there is a next time.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Karl Dudman 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. Trump voters are not the obstacle to climate action many think they are – https://theconversation.com/trump-voters-are-not-the-obstacle-to-climate-action-many-think-they-are-248176

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: New York to Paris in 30 mins? How to achieve Elon Musk’s vision of rockets replacing long haul

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Angadh Nanjangud, Lecturer in Aerospace/Spacecraft Engineering, Queen Mary University of London

Of all the things that Donald Trump’s return as US president could mean, one is that Elon Musk’s plan to use Starship rockets for long-distance flights on Earth could move forward. Dubbed Starship Earth to Earth, this would see passengers transported by rocket between cities. They would briefly leave the planet’s atmosphere during the journey before flying back down to reach their destination.

Musk claims it will be possible to travel to anywhere on Earth within an hour. His rocket company, SpaceX, has given examples such as New York to Paris in 30 minutes and London to Hong Kong in 34 minutes. In response to a post about it on his X platform, Musk responded: “This is now possible.”

Unlike previous governments, this Trump administration appears focused on reducing regulatory barriers hindering technological progress in all areas. This could make it easier for Musk to rapidly push towards realising this futuristic travel option. But what hurdles must be overcome first?

On whether Musk is right about the technical feasibility, the answer is “sort of”. The necessary technology was arguably first proven when Nasa achieved a Mars landing in 2012.

This was the first to land retropropulsively, meaning touching down softly on a planetary surface with rocket engines (technically called retrorockets). In contrast, previous Mars landings had used parachutes for the entry phase and airbags for the landing phase.

The 2012 landing opened the door to rockets and boosters becoming reusable, thereby greatly reducing the cost of launch. It was repeated in SpaceX’s historic Falcon 9 rocket landings in 2016, using some of the same Nasa engineers who had worked on the Mars landers. This technological shift has been vital for rockets becoming an economically viable alternative to aircraft.

Starship’s Earth to Earth journeys would involve visiting low Earth orbit (LEO), some 110 miles to 1,240 miles above the Earth’s surface. To do this, the rocket would use two stages. The first, known as the super heavy booster, would lift it through the dense lower atmosphere, approximately 5 to 9 miles above the Earth.

This would break away some 40 miles above the Earth, then begin a controlled descent back to the planet’s surface. SpaceX has matured this technology by leaps and bounds in the past decade, including better heat shields, adjustable lattice fins, improved aerodynamics and state-of-the-art landing algorithms.

Lattice fins on a Falcon 9 rocket.
Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

The second stage – known just as Starship – would contain the passengers and take over the flight to reach LEO after the first stage has detached. There is still work to be done before this is passenger ready, as demonstrated when a second stage blew up during a Starship testflight on January 16.

There will be no more Starship launches until the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has completed its formal investigation into the cause. On the upside, the incident occurred within predefined hazard areas to ensure public safety.

Of course, this is the very purpose of a testflight: to learn what could go wrong and iteratively solve it, meaning repeatedly making improvements after each failure. No one can compete with SpaceX’s cost-effective iteration process, for example in its crewed trips to the International Space Station (ISS).

The malfunction of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in August was a recent reminder here: it left two Nasa astronauts stranded on the ISS, awaiting a return trip on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule in the coming weeks.

Other considerations

Other long-term challenges pertain to how passengers access the vehicle. Videos of astronauts boarding the Space Shuttle indicate that entering one’s seat in a vertically parked rocket takes a few people to help buckle you in. Making that workable over the length of a rocket will require clever engineering.

Building spaceports in different countries also won’t be trivial; we’ve seen considerable pushback against efforts to build a UK spaceport, for instance. The same goes for worldwide regulatory approvals. It’s already standard for rocket companies to need a launch licence per flight, while America’s FAA also requires them to obtain re-entry licences before launch.

Of course, regulatory hurdles can be overcome for transformational tech (once it’s proven to be safe and reliable). No doubt lawyers will have many things to say about these issues, though I doubt any will be insurmountable. And SpaceX must know a thing or two about dealing with regulations, having launched the world’s largest constellation of satellites into orbit.

Finally, rockets expel significant quantities of microscopic particles (particulates) into the upper reaches of the atmosphere. This would have seriously detrimental effects if they were flying in anything like the numbers of long-distance airliners.

Starship’s Raptor engines use methalox, a combination of liquid methane and liquid oxygen. Unlike the kerosene that has traditionally powered rockets, liquid methane prevents the build-up of sooty residue in the engine and is also safer to work with than liquid hydrogen. While Starship still burns vastly more fuel per trip than conventional aircraft, its potential to slash intercontinental travel times could drive critical research into carbon-neutral methane production. This would be integral to making a viable long-haul alternative.

At present, UK rocket companies Skyrora and Orbex are among those developing alternatives to traditional fuels. Skyrora is developing Ecosene, an aerospace grade kerosene made from unrecyclable plastic waste. Orbex’s Prime rocket will make use of a BioLPG derived from plant and vegetable waste.

Both tackle different sustainability problems, but are unlikely to meet the performance demanded by larger Starship-class vehicles. Another promising alternative is nuclear-powered engines, but using them close to Earth will likely be fiercely resisted by environmental campaigners.

In sum, we are in uncharted territory with landing second stages of rockets, but the general trend from 2012 to today indicates that such technical challenges are solvable. Doing so with crews will be even more challenging, but it does align with SpaceX’s mission to make humans multiplanetary. The same technology will be used to land humans safely on Mars, so developing it is probably inevitable.

Uncrewed Starship launches to Mars are supposed to happen in 2026. Crewed Mars missions will follow, without the same landing-related regulations as would be required on Earth. I suspect crewed Earth-to-Earth transport will only be approved after humans have landed on Mars safely.

If there’s one team that can’t be bet against turning visions into reality, it’s the SpaceX engineers who have been revolutionising launch vehicles for over ten years.

Angadh Nanjangud 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. New York to Paris in 30 mins? How to achieve Elon Musk’s vision of rockets replacing long haul – https://theconversation.com/new-york-to-paris-in-30-mins-how-to-achieve-elon-musks-vision-of-rockets-replacing-long-haul-248181

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s vision of a peace deal for Ukraine is limited to a ceasefire – and it’s not even clear if Kyiv or Moscow are going to play ball

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

We are now well beyond the 24 hours that Donald Trump had promised it would take him to secure an end to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. But Trump’s first week since his inauguration on January 20, 2025, has nonetheless been a busy one regarding Ukraine.

In his inauguration address, Trump only made a passing and indirect reference to Ukraine, criticising his predecessor Joe Biden of running “a government that has given unlimited funding to the defence of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders”.

Trump’s first more substantive statement on Ukraine was a post on his TruthSocial network, threatening Russia taxes, tariffs and sanctions if his Russian counterpart doesn’t agree to make a deal soon. He reiterated this point on January 23 in comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos, adding that he “really would like to be able to meet with President Putin”.

Donald Trump/Truth Social

Trump’s nominee for treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, had already backed Trump’s approach during his Senate confirmation hearing on January 16. Like Trump, Bessent specifically emphasised increasing sanctions on Russian oil companies “to levels that would bring the Russian Federation to the table”.

The following day, Putin responded by saying that he and Trump should indeed meet to discuss Ukraine and oil prices. But this was far from a firm commitment to enter into negotiations, and particularly not with Ukraine.

Putin alluded to an October 2022 decree by Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, banning any negotiations with the Kremlin after Russia formally annexed four regions of Ukraine. Zelensky has since clarified that the decree applies to everyone but him, thus signalling that he would not stand in the way of opening direct talks with Russia.

Yet, Putin is likely to continue playing for time. The most likely first step in a Trump-brokered deal will be a ceasefire freezing the line of contact at the time of agreement. With his forces still advancing on the ground in Ukraine, every day of fighting brings Putin additional territorial gains.

Nor are there any signs of waning support from Russian allies. Few and far between as they may be, China, Iran and North Korea have been critical in sustaining the Kremlin’s war effort. Moscow now has added a treaty on a comprehensive strategic partnership with Iran to the one it had sealed with North Korea in June 2024.

Meanwhile, the Russia-China no-limits partnership of 2022, further deepened in 2023, shows no signs of weakening. And with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko winning a seventh consecutive term on January 26, Putin is unlikely to be too worried about additional US sanctions.

Zelensky, like Putin, may play for time. Trump’s threat of sanctions against Russia is likely an indication of some level of frustration on the part of the US president that Putin seems less amenable to cutting a deal. Russia may continue to make territorial gains in eastern Ukraine, but it has not achieved any strategic breakthrough.

War of attrition

A significant increase in US military assistance to Ukraine since September 2024, as well as commitments from European allies, including the UK, have likely put Kyiv into a position that it can sustain its current defensive efforts through 2025.

Ukraine may not be in a position to launch a major offensive but could continue to keep costs for Russia high. On the battlefield, these costs are estimated at 102 casualties per square kilometre of Ukrainian territory captured. Beyond the frontlines, Ukraine has also continued its drone campaign against targets inside Russia, especially the country’s oil infrastructure.

This is not to say that Trump is going to fail in his efforts to end the fighting in Ukraine. But there is a big difference between a ceasefire and a sustainable peace agreement. And while a ceasefire, at some point, may be in both Russia’s and Ukraine’s interest, sustainable peace is much more difficult to achieve.

Putin’s vision of total victory is as much an obstacle here as western reluctance to provide credible security guarantees for Ukraine.

The two options most regularly raised: Nato membership for Ukraine or a western-led peacekeeping force that could act as a credible deterrent, both appear unrealistic at this point. It is certainly inconceivable that Europe could muster the 200,000 troops that Zelensky envisaged as a deployment in Ukraine to guarantee any deal with Putin. But a smaller force, led by the UK and France, might be possible.

Kyiv and Moscow continue to be locked in a war of attrition and neither Putin nor Zelensky have blinked so far. It is not clear yet whether, and in which direction, Trump will tilt the balance and how this will affect either side’s willingness to submit to his deal-making efforts.

So far, Trump’s moves are not a gamechanger. But this is the first serious attempt in nearly three years of war to forge a path towards an end of the fighting. It remains to be seen whether Trump, and everyone else, has the imagination and stamina to ensure that this path will ultimately lead to a just and secure peace for Ukraine.

Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

– ref. Trump’s vision of a peace deal for Ukraine is limited to a ceasefire – and it’s not even clear if Kyiv or Moscow are going to play ball – https://theconversation.com/trumps-vision-of-a-peace-deal-for-ukraine-is-limited-to-a-ceasefire-and-its-not-even-clear-if-kyiv-or-moscow-are-going-to-play-ball-248319

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Suspected Baltic Sea cable sabotage by Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ is ramping up regional defence

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matthew Powell, Teaching Fellow in Strategic and Air Power Studies, University of Portsmouth

Numerous incidents of suspected Russian-linked sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea has seen tensions rise among nearby countries, and an increased Nato presence.

In the latest incident, on January 26, the Swedish coast guard boarded a ship in the Baltic Sea on suspicion of anchor dragging and suspected sabotage of vital undersea cables providing power and communication across the region. Latvia also sent a warship to the incident to investigate damage to fibre-optic cables. The Bulgarian vessel is now under investigation. The owner of the ship has denied any involvement with sabotage.

The nations along the Baltic Sea coast have become increasingly worried about suspected sabotage of their undersea infrastructure in recent months by vessels deliberately dragging their using anchors along the seabed and have started to station military vessels at sea every day.

Critical undersea infrastructure can be easily damaged by anchor dragging. Russia has denied involvement in these incidents.

But there have also been credible reports that Russia has actively been mapping undersea infrastructure.

In response to rising concerns about infrastructure security, Nato increased its regional naval presence by launching the Baltic Sentry mission on January 14, which includes maritime patrol vessels.

What’s the context?

In recent months there have been several reports of damage being caused to undersea cables by vessels as they pass through the Baltic Sea. Attacks on undersea cables are comparable to traditional espionage and information operations . This is activity conducted at the level below that of warfare, designed to send certain signals to adversarial nations. The purpose could be to send a message that the capability exists to essentially cut off and isolate nations from the outside world.

These cables are extremely valuable. They are used to transport gas, electricity and internet traffic between nations. And recent incidents have led to a reduction in the capacity of electricity that can be transported, although this has not yet caused widespread power outages. Another concern is that damage to internet cables can hold up the passage of information generated by the financial markets. This is particularly vulnerable due to its time-sensitive nature.

PorcupenWorks/Shutterstock

How can cables be protected?

Protecting the cables is a challenging task. There is little that can physically be done to prevent other vessels crossing seas and oceans due to the concept of freedom of navigation of the high seas. And Russia has a right of passage for its ships, for example, from St Petersburg to the North Sea.

Investigations into apparent threats can be conducted without actually seizing the vessel or impeding its progress in any way. This can done through the use of GPS tracking data and combining that with other evidence such as eye witness testimony.

While these cables can get damaged through natural means, the targeting of them could be a way for a nation to operate against its adversaries in a more covert manner and below the threshold of armed conflict.

The Finnish navy seized a ship suspected of involvement in sabotage.

Much of the disruption to the traffic on these undersea cables is probably the result of accidental activity. But there have been concerns about greater activity by Russian military vessels in their attempts to map the Baltic sea floor. The most likely reason for the increased Russian sea mapping activity is to gain a greater understanding of the location of these cables. But it could be sending a message that this critical infrastructure is difficult to defend and vulnerable to attack and sabotage.

Many merchant vessels are registered in overseas territories, and ownership can be hard to track. This gives a degree of plausible deniability over who may have ordered or overseen the operations that might have damaged cables.

It makes it more challenging for action to be taken, but has given rise to accusations that these ships are acting as Russia’s “shadow fleet”.

Read more:
‘Keep nine litres of water in storage’: how Baltic and Nordic countries are preparing for a crisis or war

But this increased naval presence in the Baltic could act as a deterrent and provide greater security to the cables. Sweden has now boarded a vessel. But another obstacle here is that the nation where the vessel is registered is under absolutely no obligation to cooperate with any investigation.

Other factors are also involved. The Baltic states and Finland have memories of the political control imposed upon them by the Soviet government prior to, and, in some cases, after the second world war, and this will be adding to the tension.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has increased regional fears about what could happen next. Moscow may be hoping to deter the Baltic nations from continuing to provide the support they are giving to Ukraine by increasing pressure on them along the coast.

But aggressive activity in the Baltic Sea may well have the opposite effect by ramping up concern about Russia’s power. It might also mean Baltic and Nordic countries are more willing to increase their defence spending and make preparations for possible military action.

Matthew Powell 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. Suspected Baltic Sea cable sabotage by Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ is ramping up regional defence – https://theconversation.com/suspected-baltic-sea-cable-sabotage-by-russias-shadow-fleet-is-ramping-up-regional-defence-248241

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: D. Boral Capital Served as Co-manager to U.S. Energy Corp. (Nasdaq: USEG) in connection with its up to $12.1 Million Public Offering

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

HOUSTON, Jan. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — U.S. Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: USEG, “U.S. Energy” or the “Company”) announced today the closing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 4,871,400 shares of its common stock, which includes 635,400 shares sold pursuant to the exercise in full by the underwriters of their over-allotment option, par value $0.01 per share, at a public offering price of $2.65 per share, for total net proceeds, after underwriting commissions, of approximately $12.1 million.

U.S. Energy plans to use the net proceeds of the offering to fund growth capital for its industrial gas development project, including new industrial gas wells and processing plant and equipment, and to support upcoming operations. The proceeds received by the Company from the exercise of the over-allotment option may be utilized to purchase shares of common stock from Sage Road Capital, LLC, a related party, or its affiliates at a price equal to the net offering price received by the Company.

Roth Capital Partners acted as sole book-running manager for the offering. Johnson Rice & Company and D. Boral Capital acted as co-managers for the offering. The Loev Law Firm, PC represented the Company and K&L Gates LLP represented the underwriters in the offering.

The offering is being made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3, including a base prospectus, which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and became effective on September 15, 2022. The prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the offering are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained by sending a request to: Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400, Newport Beach, CA 92660, (800) 678-9147, email at rothecm@roth.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the shares of common stock or any other securities, nor shall there be any sale of such shares of common stock or any other securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

ABOUT U.S. ENERGY CORP.

We are a growth company focused on consolidating high-quality assets in the United States with the potential to optimize production and generate free cash flow through low-risk development while maintaining an attractive shareholder returns program. We are committed to being a leader in reducing our carbon footprint in the areas in which we operate. More information about U.S. Energy Corp. can be found at www.usnrg.com.

Contact Us:

D. Boral Capital
590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Main Phone: +1 (212) 970-5150
www.dboralcapital.com
info@dboralcapital.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain of the matters discussed in this communication which are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Words such as “strategy,” “expects,” “continues,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “would,” “will,” “estimates,” “intends,” “projects,” “goals,” “targets” and other words of similar meaning are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying these statements. Important factors that may cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: (1) the expected use of proceeds, including, but not limited to the repurchase of certain shares of common stock; (2) the ability of the Company to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; (3) risks associated with the integration of recently acquired assets; (4) the Company’s ability to comply with the terms of its senior credit facilities; (5) the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel; (6) the business, economic and political conditions in the markets in which the Company operates; (7) the volatility of oil and natural gas prices; (8) the Company’s success in discovering, estimating, developing and replacing oil, natural gas and helium reserves; (9) risks of the Company’s operations not being profitable or generating sufficient cash flow to meet its obligations; (10) risks relating to the future price of oil, natural gas, NGLs and helium; (11) risks related to the status and availability of oil, natural gas and helium gathering, transportation, and storage facilities; (12) risks related to changes in the legal and regulatory environment governing the oil, gas and helium industry, and new or amended environmental legislation and regulatory initiatives; (13) risks relating to crude oil production quotas or other actions that might be imposed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producing countries; (14) technological advancements; (15) changing economic, regulatory and political environments in the markets in which the Company operates; (16) general domestic and international economic, market and political conditions, including the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the global response to such conflict; (17) actions of competitors or regulators; (18) the potential disruption or interruption of the Company’s operations due to war, accidents, political events, severe weather, cyber threats, terrorist acts, or other natural or human causes beyond the Company’s control; (19) pandemics, governmental responses thereto, economic downturns and possible recessions caused thereby; (20) inflationary risks and recent changes in inflation and interest rates, and the risks of recessions and economic downturns caused thereby or by efforts to reduce inflation; (21) risks related to military conflicts in oil producing countries; (22) changes in economic conditions; limitations in the availability of, and costs of, supplies, materials, contractors and services that may delay the drilling or completion of wells or make such wells more expensive; (23) the amount and timing of future development costs; (24) the availability and demand for alternative energy sources; (25) regulatory changes, including those related to carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions; (26) uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of oil, natural gas and helium reserves and projecting future rates of production and timing of development activities; (27) risks relating to the lack of capital available on acceptable terms to finance the Company’s continued growth, potential future sales of debt or equity and dilution caused thereby; (28) the review and evaluation of potential strategic transactions and their impact on stockholder value and the process by which the Company engages in evaluation of strategic transactions; and (29) other risk factors included from time to time in documents U.S. Energy files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its Form 10-Ks, Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks. Other important factors that may cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements included in this communication are described in the Company’s publicly filed reports, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and future annual reports and quarterly reports. These reports and filings are available at www.sec.gov. Unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on the Company’s future results.

The MIL Network –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall joins NewsNation: The Hill to Discuss President Trump’s First Week in Office

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined NewsNation: The Hill to discuss President Trump’s first week in office, promises made and promises kept, and Cabinet confirmation hearings, including RFK. Jr who will be testifying this week in front of both the Finance Committee and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Senator Marshall sits on both committees, and has been an advocate for RFK Jr. and Making America Health Again.
You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
On Trump’s Removal of Inspectors General:
“First of all, remind everybody President Reagan did basically the same thing. Look, these inspector generals have lost their way, and this is part of President Trump’s promises made, promises kept. He said he was going to drain the swamp over the past several years, record amounts of improper payments from the federal government – $250 billion of improper payments. The inspector generals have turned from a watchdog into somebody who’s protecting the agency. So he’s cleaning house, he’s starting over, and I think it’s a great move.”
“There are some really good people there, right? But I think when you sit there trying to sort out the good guys from the bad guys, sometimes you have to let them all go, and then, like President Reagan, maybe you rehire some of them as well, but we’ll get the reports eventually. But we need people working for the American people, not for the agency.”
On RFK Jr. Path Forward for Confirmation:
“Farmers and ranchers, just like Bobby Kennedy and myself, want America to be healthy again, and they’re all in. I think that Bobby would share with you is that the farmers and ranchers are indeed the heroes. I think that Bobby recognizes that 90% of rural America supported President Trump. Every time I see President Trump, the first thing he asks me is, Roger, how are your farmers and ranchers doing.”
“We’re already doing so many of the things that Bobby is talking about. Precision agriculture is not a dream anymore, that we are growing more with less. We’re growing more food with less fertilizers, with less pesticides. Soil health we’re embracing, that nobody more than sorghum is in the sorghum industry… We’re doing regenerative soil practices already.”
“Last point I’ll make is this- President Trump ran on two things, I think. He ran on making America more prosperous, and then on security. And one of the things he said is grocery prices, so we can’t do anything that’s inflationary. So we got to thread this needle. We need more innovation, but we don’t need inflation. And you know, my job is to help bridge that gap, and I’m just all in with Bobby to help Make America Healthy Again. 60% of Americans with a chronic disease right now, and I think a lot of that’s impacted by what they eat and the toxins exposed to.”
“I think Bobby, like myself, believes in the sanctity of the relationship between the patient and the doctor, and I want to make sure that we provide the mom, whether it’s my daughter or my daughter in law… We want to make sure that they have the right information, and I don’t think the CDC has done a good job on providing us that information… mostly there’s not enough transparency around it. A little common sense is going to go a long way. And I think Bobby Kennedy will thread the needle… I think the priority will be nutrition and the toxins that we are exposed to.”
“I think what you’re going to hear Bobby say is the President’s policies are my policies. Bobby and I don’t agree on everything, but we agree that we want to Make America Healthy Again. We share the same goals. He’s a game changer. I think that, and more importantly, is this, there is an army, a groundswell of people out there that are supporting him.”
On Kansas Troops Deployed to Southern Border:
“So I’m very grateful for those people that volunteered to wear the uniform, realizing that the southern border is a national security issue, if anybody understands and appreciates their families. I served my dad, served my brother, served my son is serving. I appreciate them, and some 300 soldiers are going to be going to that border.”
“But what I’m upset about is this summer, 3,000 soldiers from Fort Riley are going to Europe next year, another 5,000 soldiers from Fort Riley going to Europe. Why do we need 100,000 soldiers from the United States in Europe?”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Urges Senate Colleagues to Support Scott Bessent to be Treasury Secretary

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered remarks on the Senate Floor urging his Senate colleagues to support Scott Bessent to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

As delivered:
“Thank you, Mr. President.
“In about an hour or so, we are going to vote on cloture on the nomination for Scott Bessett to be the Treasury Secretary of the United States, and I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this motion.
“A Treasury Secretary heads the agency charged with supporting economic growth, representing U.S. interests before foreign nations and global financial markets and organizations, managing the federal treasury and overseeing financial institutions, to name just a few of those important responsibilities.
“Past successful Treasury Secretaries have understood business and financial markets, as well as foreign policy, national security, budgets and regulation.
“Mr. Bessent’s impressive background positions him for similar success. He has worked for the last three decades as one of the sharpest minds in the global financial industry. He has decades of academic, professional and leadership experience relevant to these positions.
“When it comes to Mr. Bessent qualifications, there is no room for debate. His background and training are tailor made for the for this role, and he has the demeanor and character to be an effective secretary. His powerful presentation at his hearing about his desire to serve in government in order to make a meaningful difference was impressive to all.
“It includes restoring prosperity and opportunity that our nation experienced during President Trump’s first term in office. As Mr. Bessent stated, accomplishing key tasks like extending vital tax cuts for all Americans is literally a pass/fail exercise, and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure that we succeed.
“I strongly agree with a sentiment my colleague Senator Graham shared at the nomination hearing that if qualifications – and I might add, character – are one’s test, voting to confirm Mr. Bessent is one of the easiest we could ever take.
“In prior congresses, I’ve joined with many of my Republican colleagues in voting for well-qualified Treasury Secretary candidates put forward by a Democrat president, even though I didn’t agree with all of the positions they advocated. Mr. Bessent’s candidacy ought to enjoy similar support, and I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with me in advancing his nomination.
“He is the right person for this job, and I commend President Trump, in making such an excellent selection.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Hawley Reintroduce RECA to Give Nuclear Radiation Victims Compensation

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), along with Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) reintroduced the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act to compensate Americans exposed to radiation by government nuclear programs.
Despite the Senate passing this bill, the House of Representatives failed to pass the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) reauthorization before its expiration deadline in the 118th Congress.
“In New Mexico and across the country, thousands sacrificed to contribute to our national security. Today, individuals affected by nuclear weapons testing, downwind radiation exposure, and uranium mining are still waiting to receive the justice they are owed,” said Senator Luján. “It is unacceptable that so many who have gotten sick from radiation exposure have been denied compensation by Congress. Despite having passed RECA legislation twice through the Senate with broad bipartisan support, and securing the support of the previous administration, I was disheartened that Speaker Johnson refused a vote on RECA to help victims. This Congress, I am proud to partner with Senator Hawley again to extend and expand RECA. RECA is a bipartisan priority and I am hopeful that we will once again get it through the Senate and hope the Speaker commits to getting victims the compensation they are owed.”
“The time to reauthorize RECA is now. The Senate has done this twice before and must do it again. For far too long, Missourians and others across America have suffered without compensation from their government. It is vital that we unite to pass this legislation now, and that the President sign it into law,” said Senator Hawley.
Since being elected to Congress, Senator Luján has played a leading role in advancing legislation to strengthen the RECA program. He has introduced RECA legislation in every Congress since being elected in 2008.
In 2023, Senator Luján led a bipartisan coalition of Senators to pass RECA as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – the most significant Congressional action in decades to strengthen the program. Republican leadership ultimately blocked its inclusion in the final NDAA bill despite bipartisan support.
In March 2024, the Senate passed Senator Luján’s legislation to extend and expand the RECA program with strong bipartisan support. This included support from Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
After RECA legislation passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support, Senator Lujánled a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging House Speaker Mike Johnson to immediately act to pass RECA.
After months of inaction by Speaker Johnson, Senator Luján held a bipartisan, bicameral press conference in September 2024 with RECA advocates, urging Speaker Johnson to allow a vote on the Senate-passed RECA legislation.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: “Something is very wrong in our society and economy” – NZCTU Workforce Survey shows people fear for future

Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

Insecurity in work, housing, and health among working people has emerged as the key finding from the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi’s 2025 annual Mood of the Workforce survey.

NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff says the survey, which polled more than 1900 people, shows immense concern that the Government is taking Aotearoa New Zealand in the wrong direction.

“We’ve been running this survey since 2019, and I have never seen such a negative response. People are in fear for their jobs and their businesses, their ability to keep their homes, and for their health,” said Wagstaff.

“They also don’t trust this Government to make it better because they are feeling firsthand the damage that’s been done with austerity policies that are only benefiting an already privileged few.

“The message that the Government has no interest in helping working people, who are the majority of New Zealanders, is coming through strongly in people’s comments on the tax system, the health system, and their work.

“People are sharing stories of losing their jobs or struggling to cover the work of colleagues who have already lost their jobs. These are heartbreaking to hear. But so are the stories of families being broken up as people’s kids leave the country to find better job prospects, or of parents having to act as a safety net for their adult children. These children have been hit hardest by the recent downturns, and an unfair and unforgiving housing market.

“A consistent theme is an overwhelming sense that something is very wrong, both in our society and with the economy.

“We’ve seen that at a statistical level in things like the recent Curia polling which showed people feel we are on the wrong track as a nation, but the results from our workforce survey give a close up and troubling picture of what that means in people’s lives.

“My great concern is that rather than admit that their policy direction is hurting people and damaging our economy, the Government is doubling down on it in their recent announcements.

“Whether that’s because of the Government’s arrogance or because they live in a bubble of privilege and don’t understand the damage they are doing is immaterial. People want a change of direction and to see things done a different and better way.

“Any politician or political party that ignores working people and their communities does so at their peril,” said Wagstaff.

View the results

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Orders Flags to Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter William “Bill” Nix

Source: US State of Missouri

JANUARY 27, 2025

Today, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Oregon County, the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City, and firehouses statewide on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, from sunrise to sunset in honor of Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter William “Bill” Nix.

“In his retirement, Bill Nix answered a calling to serve Oregon County by becoming a volunteer firefighter,” Governor Mike Kehoe said. “A retired trucker, Bill could handle the Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department’s large tanker. He also expertly maintained the department’s other trucks, earning the 2022 Thomasville Volunteer Firefighter of the Year award for his dedicated service. Firefighter Nix’s commitment to helping others and his devotion to supporting his community serve as inspiration to all of us to give back. Claudia and I send our heart-felt prayers and condolences to the Nix family and the entire Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department.”

On the evening of January 16, Firefighter Nix was responding to a structure fire as a passenger in a Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department fire engine when the vehicle overturned on U.S. Highway 160 four miles south of Thomasville, causing Nix’s death.

The flags will be held at half-staff on the day of Nix’s memorial services. To view the Governor’s proclamation, click here.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Now Open: Free, Easy Online Tax Filing

Source: US State of New York

Governor Kathy Hochul today urged New Yorkers to consider using the Direct File program in New York State to ease the burden of filing taxes. The joint project with the IRS, available starting today, allows taxpayers to file their federal and state taxes online at no cost. Building on Governor Hochul’s initiative to make New York more affordable, this program helps the average New York taxpayers save around $260 in tax preparation fees.

“Direct File is a common-sense approach to filing taxes,” Governor Hochul said. “If you have a basic return, you’ll find that it’s easy to complete the process and that you can save hundreds of dollars in tax preparation fees.”

The Tax Department estimates that 3.4 million New Yorkers will be able to use Direct File this year. To find out if you’re eligible, visit the New York State Tax Department’s webpage.

New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller said, “Direct File is a safe, secure system that you can access from a smartphone or desktop computer. Qualified New Yorkers can answer simple questions instead of filling out forms or paying a preparer to complete their income return.”

New York piloted Direct File with the IRS in 2024. In its first year, the program was open for a limited time to a limited number of taxpayers. Some 14,000 New Yorkers used Direct File last year and 96 percent reported a positive experience.

The 2025 Direct File Program — available starting today — expands eligibility, covering more tax credits and different types of income. The Tax Department estimates that 3.4 million New Yorkers will be able to use Direct File this year. New Yorkers with 2024 wages of up to $200,000, or $250,000 if filing a joint return, may qualify.

Direct File is part of Governor Hochul’s ongoing effort to save New Yorkers money and improve government services. As part of her FY 2026 Budget, Governor Hochul proposed a middle class tax cut to deliver nearly $1 billion in tax relief to more than 8.3 million New Yorkers. When fully phased in, the middle class tax cut will deliver hundreds of dollars in average savings to nearly 77 percent of filers — representing three out of every four taxpayers. Additionally, Governor Hochul proposed New York’s first-ever inflation refund that will put $3 billion back in the pockets of 8.6 million taxpayers. Joint tax filers who make $300,000 or less will receive a $500 payment and all single New York taxpayers who make $150,000 or less will receive a $300 payment. Governor Hochul also proposed a vast expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit that will double or triple the current credit in many cases, offering up to $1,000 annually per child under four and up to $500 per child aged four to 16. This marks the largest increase in the credit’s history, significantly surpassing the current maximum of $330 per child.

More information on the Governor’s Affordability Agenda is available online.

For more information on Direct File, visit the New York State Tax Department’s webpage.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister visits Sri Lanka strengthening UK partnership and boosting growth
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West visits Sri Lanka with a focus on boosting exports and economic growth.
UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific set to meet with new Sri Lankan government minsters as part of the first official visit of new UK government.

Minister will set out plans to strengthen UK-Sri Lanka partnership – from inclusive economic growth, anti-corruption, human rights to national reconciliation.

The Minister will welcome new export initiatives set to bolster UK-Sri Lanka trade.

Inclusive economic growth, anti-corruption, human rights and national reconciliation are on the agenda as Catherine West, Minister for Indo-Pacific will meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and other key government ministers.

The visit marks the first ministerial visit to Sri Lanka since the formation of new governments in both countries.

The Minister will strengthen valuable UK-Sri Lanka trade links, boosting growth for UK and Sri Lankan businesses. She will launch new export procedure handbooks, helping Sri Lankan businesses better access the UK market through the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).

The Minister will also travel to Jaffna to emphasise the UK’s ongoing support for human rights, reconciliation, climate resilience and minority rights.

She will meet with local political leaders and civil society organisations working on post-conflict rehabilitation, as well as visiting the only FCDO-funded climate adaptation project which directly addresses groundwater depletion and its impact on agriculture and local communities.

Minister for Indo-Pacific, Catherine West said:

I am so pleased to make my first official visit to Sri Lanka and meet the new government so soon after they have taken office. I have heard a lot about the country from my UK constituents of Sri Lankan heritage; and I have experienced their warm hospitality.

The UK and Sri Lanka share a dynamic modern partnership. I look forward to exploring our potential to grow our relationship through trade, economic growth and education.

I believe social and economic development are vital to sustained growth. The UK remains steadfast in our commitment to tackling corruption, supporting human rights progress including long-standing grievances, and taking action on the impacts of climate and nature.

The Minister will meet the British Council to discuss the growing education partnership as Sri Lanka positions itself as regional hub for transnational education (TNE).

UK High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick said:

Minister Catherine West’s visit marks an important moment – the first meeting of our two new governments. To see the Minister visit so soon after elections underscores the UK government’s commitment to strengthening our bilateral partnership. We’ll see lots of activity in the months ahead, as we work with the government on their agenda of reform.

The visit highlights the shared ambition of our two governments to deepen collaboration, and address shared challenges such as economic growth, climate change and human rights.

Background

The minister will meet with Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.

The Developing Countries Trading Scheme cuts tariffs, removes conditions and simplifies trading rules for 65 developing countries.

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Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7008 3100

Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

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Published 27 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 28, 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2024 Article IV Consultation with Cambodia

Source: IMF – News in Russian

January 27, 2025

Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation^[1] with Cambodia.

Cambodia’s economy has continued to recover, albeit at a modest pace. We project real GDP to grow from 5.5 percent in 2024 to 5.8 percent in 2025 and inflation to pick up from 0.5 percent in 2024 to 2 percent in 2025 and remain contained. However, risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside from both external factors and domestic vulnerabilities, including from policy changes by major trading partners, geoeconomic fragmentation, and continued weakness in the construction and real estate sectors.

The recovery remains uneven. Real GDP growth is driven mainly by external demand, with a strong rebound in garment exports and high growth in agricultural exports. Tourism has experienced a structural shift in its composition, resulting in a lagged recovery in tourism receipts. Growth in non-tradable sectors remains weak. After a sustained credit expansion that lifted the credit-to-GDP ratio from 24 percent in 2010 to 135 percent in 2023, credit growth has come to a near halt. The construction and real estate sectors are undergoing a correction, with rising non-performing loans and emerging signs of private-sector debt overhang.

We project the fiscal deficit at 2.4 percent of GDP in 2025, down from 3 percent in 2024, with a gradual fiscal consolidation envisaged in the medium-term fiscal framework. Public debt remains well-contained, staying below 30 percent of GDP over the next decade. The current account balance is projected to swing back to a deficit of 1.8 percent of GDP in 2024 as strong demand for imports outpaces the recovery in exports and tourism. The deficit is projected to increase somewhat in 2025, reaching 2.5 percent of GDP, with export growth expected to moderate.

Executive Board Assessment²

Executive Directors welcomed the continuing recovery of the Cambodian economy, driven by strong growth in garment and agricultural exports, and improving tourism activity. Nonetheless, the recovery has been uneven, and while growth is expected to continue, risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside. Directors underscored the importance of policies to safeguard macro financial stability, ensure a durable and inclusive recovery, and achieve the authorities’ development goals over the medium term.

Directors supported a neutral fiscal stance in the near term and highlighted the importance of gradual and high-quality consolidation over the medium term underpinned by sound fiscal frameworks to maintain debt sustainability and strengthen economic resilience. They welcomed the recent publication of a medium-term fiscal framework but recommended strengthening it with more conservative and transparent fiscal rules. Directors stressed the need to further mobilize revenues through rationalizing tax exemptions and implementing tax policy reforms, while enhancing spending efficiency and strengthening public investment management, in order to help rebuild fiscal buffers and safeguard priority social and capital spending. Directors welcomed efforts to foster the development of the domestic government bond market as Cambodia’s access to concessional foreign financing will be reduced when it graduates from Least Developed Country status. They also stressed the need for sound management of fiscal risks from state-owned enterprises and public-private partnerships.

Directors supported the measured pace of monetary policy normalization while maintaining adequate financial system liquidity. They encouraged continuing efforts to modernize the monetary policy framework to enhance policy transmission and support de-dollarization. Noting the ongoing corrections in the construction and real estate sectors, declining FDI inflows, and rising nonperforming loans, Directors encouraged phasing out forbearance measures and developing a comprehensive plan to safeguard financial stability. They recommended strengthening risk-based supervision, improving macroprudential policy, enhancing coordination among financial sector supervisory agencies, and intensifying oversight of the real estate sector.

Directors highlighted the importance of structural reforms to promote economic diversification and improve competitiveness. They encouraged the authorities’ efforts to enhance human capital, invest in infrastructure, strengthen the business environment, address climate vulnerabilities, and promote renewable energy to attract more diversified FDI. They also underscored the importance of strengthening governance and institutions, improving transparency, enhancing the AML/CFT framework, and addressing data limitations through capacity development.

Table 1. Cambodia: Selected Economic Indicators, 2021 – 29 1/
Per capita GDP (2022, US$): 1,546 Life expectancy (2019, years): 75.5 Population (2022, million): 16.7 Literacy rate (2019, percent): 87.7
	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
			Est.	Proj.
Output and prices (annual percent change)
GDP at constant prices	3.1	5.1	5.0	5.5	5.8	6.2	6.0	6.0	6.0
Inflation (end-year)	3.7	2.9	2.7	1.5	2.1	3.2	3.0	3.0	3.0
(Annual average)	2.9	5.3	2.1	0.4	2.1	3.2	3.0	3.0	3.0

Saving and investment balance (in percent of GDP)
Gross national saving	0.8	15.6	33.6	30.7	30.0	29.2	29.2	29.2	29.3
Government saving	0.3	3.1	4.1	5.1	6.1	7.1	8.1	9.1	10.1
Private saving	0.5	12.5	29.5	25.6	23.9	22.1	21.1	20.1	19.2
Gross fixed investment	30.4	34.6	32.3	32.5	32.5	32.5	32.5	32.5	32.5
Government investment	6.6	5.6	5.8	5.2	4.5	4.3	4.2	3.9	3.8
Private investment	23.8	29.0	26.5	27.4	28.0	28.2	28.4	28.6	28.7

Money and credit (annual percent change, unless otherwise indicated)
Broad money	16.4	8.2	12.5	8.5	7.9	10.5	11.3	9.1	9.0
Private sector credit	23.6	18.5	3.5	4.0	7.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0
Velocity of money 2/	1.1	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0

Public finance (in percent of GDP)
Revenue	15.8	18.1	15.9	14.9	14.9	14.9	15.0	15.1	15.2
Domestic revenue	14.7	16.4	14.7	13.7	13.7	13.8	14.0	14.1	14.4
Of which: Tax revenue	13.2	14.7	13.0	12.1	12.1	12.2	12.3	12.5	12.7
Grants	1.1	1.7	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.0	0.9	0.8
Expenditure	21.0	18.4	18.7	17.9	17.3	17.1	17.1	17.2	17.1
Expense	14.4	12.8	12.9	12.7	12.8	12.8	13.0	13.3	13.4
Net acquisition of nonfinancial assets	6.6	5.6	5.8	5.2	4.5	4.3	4.2	3.9	3.8
Net lending (+)/borrowing(-)	-5.2	-0.3	-2.8	-3.0	-2.4	-2.2	-2.1	-2.1	-2.0
Net lending (+)/borrowing(-) excluding grants	-6.3	-2.0	-4.0	-4.2	-3.6	-3.3	-3.2	-3.0	-2.8
Net acquisition of financial assets	-3.6	1.4	-0.3	-0.2	0.5	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.4
Net incurrence of liabilities 3/	1.6	1.7	2.5	2.8	2.9	2.5	2.4	2.4	2.4
Total public debt (In percent of GDP)	25.9	25.0	25.7	26.8	27.8	27.8	27.8	27.7	27.7

Balance of payments (in millions of dollars, unless otherwise indicated)
Exports, f.o.b.	19,527	23,175	23,569	26,745	28,595	30,942	33,449	36,307	39,457
(Annual percent change)	5.7	18.7	1.7	13.5	6.9	8.2	8.1	8.5	8.7
Imports, f.o.b.	-30,726	-31,995	-26,553	-31,055	-33,244	-35,626	-38,605	-41,871	-45,434
(Annual percent change)	46.4	4.1	-17.0	17.0	7.0	7.2	8.4	8.5	8.5
Current account (including official transfers)	-10,886	-7,572	555	-847	-1,269	-1,794	-1,993	-2,175	-2,283
(In percent of GDP)	-29.6	-19.0	1.3	-1.8	-2.5	-3.3	-3.3	-3.4	-3.2
Gross official reserves 4/	20,265	17,805	19,998	20,753	23,064	26,887	30,951	35,422	40,351
(In months of prospective imports)	7.0	7.3	6.9	6.6	6.9	7.4	7.9	8.3	8.7

Total public debt (in millions of dollars)	9,505	9,971	11,187	12,473	13,932	15,218	16,508	17,912	19,453
(In percent of GDP)	25.9	25.0	25.7	26.8	27.8	27.8	27.8	27.7	27.7
External debt (in millions of dollars, unless otherwise indicated)
Public external debt	9,505	9,971	11,187	12,387	13,726	14,939	16,178	17,548	18,978
(In percent of GDP)	25.9	25.0	25.7	26.6	27.4	27.3	27.2	27.1	27.0
Public debt service	397	427	449	418	439	458	482	506	533
(In percent of exports of goods and services)	2.0	1.7	1.6	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.1
Nominal effective exchange rate (index, trade partners by CPI)	113.3	122.4	123.3	…	…	…	…	…	…
Real effective exchange rate (index, based on CPI)	125.3	134.0	132.4	…	…	…	…	…	…

Memorandum items:
Nominal GDP (in billions of Riels)	150,793	164,059	177,719	190,603	205,946	225,291	245,726	267,845	292,066
(In millions of U.S. dollars)	36,797	39,838	43,304	46,568	50,180	54,745	59,548	64,733	70,395

Sources: Cambodian authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections.

1/ Based on the rebased GDP.
2/ Ratio of nominal GDP to the average stock of broad money.
3/ Includes statistical discrepancy.
4/ Includes unrestricted foreign currency deposits held at the National Bank of Cambodia.

[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

[2] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chair of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summing up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Alexander Muller

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/01/27/pr-25017-cambodia-imf-executive-board-concludes-2024-article-iv-consultation-with-cambodia

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 28, 2025

MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Greatly Concerned by Recent Escalation of Fighting in Sudan

Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is following with great concern the recent escalation of fighting in Sudan, in particular around the al-Jili oil refinery north of Khartoum, as well as in El Fasher in Darfur.

The Secretary-General urges the parties to refrain from all actions that could have dangerous consequences for Sudan and the region, including serious economic and environmental implications. He further reminds the parties of their obligations under international law, including in relation to the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and the facilitation of humanitarian access. Sudanese women, children and men are paying the price for the continued military offensives by the belligerents.

The Secretary-General renews his call for urgent and genuine dialogue between the parties to the conflict, aimed at achieving an immediate cessation of hostilities to spare Sudanese civilians from further harm and reiterates that a sustainable resolution to the conflict can only be achieved through an inclusive political process.

The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, continues to engage the parties and all relevant stakeholders to de-escalate the conflict and promote a Sudanese-led inclusive dialogue that will bring a sustained end to the war.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Remembering victims of the Holocaust and preserving their stories
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

Eighty years ago, the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp was liberated. The cruelty committed within its walls must never be forgotten. During the Holocaust, the Nazis senselessly killed six million Jews. They also murdered 500,000 Roma and Sinti people and millions of others, including Poles, prisoners of war, people with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. Today, amid a disturbing rise in antisemitism around the world, we stand united to remember the victims of the Holocaust, listen to the stories of survivors, and reaffirm the solemn vow to never forget.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today concluded the first day of his visit to Poland, where he attended a commemorative event to mark 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp. He was accompanied by Canadian Holocaust survivors as well as Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, Deborah Lyons.

In Kraków, Prime Minister Trudeau highlighted a $90.5 million package of measures announced in Budget 2024 to combat antisemitism, preserve Holocaust remembrance, and educate against Holocaust denial and distortion. He also announced almost $3.4 million in new funding to strengthen Holocaust education and awareness efforts in Canada and around the world. This includes new funding to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Montréal Holocaust Museum, the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, the Toronto Holocaust Museum, the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, and the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island.

In meetings with Canadian Holocaust survivors, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s unwavering commitment to building a country where Jewish people can live open and proud Jewish lives, without intimidation or fear.

Let the resilience, courage, and strength of Holocaust survivors inspire us to be better – and do better. Together, let us honour their memories, re-tell their stories, and continue our work to build a world that is more just and more peaceful.

Quotes

“The Holocaust and the unimaginable cruelty of the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp must never be forgotten. In Kraków today, we announced a new suite of initiatives to increase Holocaust education and awareness in Canada, and we reaffirmed our solemn vow: Never forget. Never again.”

“Eighty years ago, humanity saw one the darkest chapters in history with the murder of over six million Jews during the Holocaust. We have a responsibility to never forget and ensure the events of the Holocaust are never repeated. As we see a rise in antisemitism today, we must be reminded that it is our collective responsibility to combat hate in all its forms. That is why we introduced the new National Holocaust Remembrance Program, which will support initiatives to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and teach Canadians how they can play an active role in combatting antisemitism now and into the future.”

“Every generation must know the enduring significance of ‘never again’. As we mark 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz Birkenau, let us pay tribute to the lives we have lost during the Holocaust. Because ‘never again’ is not just a reminder – it is our solemn responsibility. Together, we must uphold this promise and always stand against antisemitism and hate.”

“For the last 80 years, the Holocaust has reminded us of humanity’s capacity for inhumane cruelty. It has also stood as a warning to never again allow such hatred and horror to go unchecked. With antisemitism once again on the rise, we all have a responsibility to take concrete action, and that’s why the federal government is convening provinces, territories, municipalities, police, and civil society to the National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism. Our synagogues, schools and community centres must be safe spaces for our people. Jewish Canadians must be able to live without fear.”

Quick Facts
- The Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp was the largest camp under Hitler’s regime. One million Jewish people were murdered in Auschwitz Birkenau alone.
- Canada has the fourth largest Jewish community in the world, following Israel, the United States, and France. According to the 2021 census, 335,000 Canadians identify as Jewish. As of December 2024, Canada’s Holocaust survivor population is roughly 9,800 – one of the largest around the globe.
- The position of Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism was created in 2020 as part of the federal government’s commitment to strengthening national and international efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and honour the stories of survivors. Irwin Cotler was appointed Canada’s first Special Envoy in November 2020 and was succeeded by Deborah Lyons in October 2023. The Special Envoy works to combat antisemitism, hatred, and racism, while promoting and defending democracy, pluralism, inclusion, and human rights.
- Canada’s commitment to protecting human rights and combatting antisemitism at home and abroad is anchored in our membership in – and work with – the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). As the only international institution mandated to focus on issues related to the Holocaust, the IHRA works to raise awareness of the global impact of antisemitism and seeks ways to end it. In 2022, Canada announced it would double its annual contribution to the IHRA.
- In October 2024, the Government of Canada released the Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. Using Canadian examples, the Handbook serves as a tool to identify and address antisemitism across various sectors. Notably, it is the first such handbook produced by a national government.
- In 2022, the federal government amended Canada’s Criminal Code to make it a crime to willfully promote antisemitism by condoning, denying, or downplaying the Holocaust.
- In addition to the $90.5 million package of measures on Holocaust remembrance, Budget 2024 also invested over $273 million over six years to implement Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, including over $29 million ongoing to combat hate crimes and enhance community security.
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MIL OSI Canada News –
January 28, 2025

Category: Politics

Over 23,000 Track Kilometers Upgraded for 130 kmph SpeedIndian Railways Achieves Significant Milestone

India’s participation in International Travel Trade Exhibition at FITUR, Madrid from 22nd – 26th January 2025India Pavilion Showcased India’s Rich Cultural and Natural Heritage

A study in Queensland

Legal and cultural barriers

A national challenge

What can we do about this?

‘The greatest consciousness-raising event in history’

Policy power

Momentum builds

The battle continues

Low wages, staffing shortfalls

The human costs

A blueprint for change

A historical tradition

The digital revolution

Societal significance

Regional variations

The Future of hongbao

The impact of toxic workplaces

Should I stay or should I go?

Creativity in later life

Beyond the canon

Challenges ahead

Transactional diplomacy

The struggle for smaller businesses

Notes to editors

Investigate for potential prosecution

Bulwark against tyranny

Push and pull

What happens at the Supreme Court?

Culture trumps ‘facts’

‘Denialism’ is a weak concept

Other considerations

War of attrition

What’s the context?

How can cables be protected?

Background

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IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

Quotes

Quick Facts

Related Product

Associated Links

Over 23,000 Track Kilometers Upgraded for 130 kmph Speed

Indian Railways Achieves Significant Milestone

India’s participation in International Travel Trade Exhibition at FITUR, Madrid from 22nd – 26th January 2025

India Pavilion Showcased India’s Rich Cultural and Natural Heritage