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Category: Politics

  • PM Modi holds roadshow in Tamil Nadu’s Gangaikonda Cholapuram

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Tamil Nadu’s Ariyalur district on Sunday to participate in the valedictory celebrations of the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival, marking the birth anniversary of the legendary Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I.

    The Prime Minister is scheduled to release a commemorative coin in honour of the emperor during the event.

    PM Modi flew in from Tiruchi International Airport by helicopter and landed on a specially prepared helipad on the dry bed of the historic Cholagangam, also known as Ponneri — a vast man-made lake built by Rajendra Chola I over a thousand years ago to supply water to the ancient Chola capital.

    From the helipad, the Prime Minister proceeded in a grand roadshow to the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

    Large crowds gathered on either side of the route, waving flags and chanting slogans to welcome him. The entire village wore a festive look, with the temple town beautifully decorated with flowers, traditional banners, and Chola-era motifs.

    Gangaikonda Cholapuram, meaning “The city of the Chola who conquered the Ganges,” was founded by Rajendra Chola I following his victorious military expedition to the Gangetic plains.

    The emperor established this as his new capital, building the grand Brihadisvara Temple and the Cholagangam lake as symbols of his might and vision.

    The release of the commemorative coin comes in response to a request from R. Komagan, Chairman of the Gangaikondacholapuram Development Council Trust. The coin is intended to honour the emperor’s contributions to Indian history — particularly his achievements in governance, architecture, and overseas expeditions, which extended Chola influence across Southeast Asia.

    Prime Minister Modi’s visit also highlights the government’s efforts to celebrate India’s ancient civilisational heritage and regional pride.

    The choice of Gangaikonda Cholapuram — a site of immense historical and architectural significance — underscores the Central government’s commitment to preserving and promoting Tamil Nadu’s rich cultural legacy.

    The event is expected to further boost tourism and historical awareness of the Chola dynasty’s legacy, especially among the younger generation.

    —IANS

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mahama attends Liberia’s 178th independence anniversary

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    President John Dramani Mahama, on Saturday, joined President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the people of Liberia to celebrate their 178th Independence Day celebration in Monrovia.

    The event held at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia, Montserrado County, was attended by heads of states from the subregion including the Presidents of Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Guinea Bissau. There were also representatives of the governments of Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Gambia.

    Liberia used the occasion to recognise ECOWAS member states that contributed troops to the multinational peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, which played a key role in ending the civil war as well as securing humanitarian corridors during the Liberian war.

    President Mahama received Ghana’s honour from the Liberian President on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces and the people of Ghana for the contribution of its gallant soldiers.

    President Boakai in a spirit of national reconciliation said Liberia must heal itself, unite for a common purpose and inspire all for a faster development of the country.

    He called on all his citizens to leverage on technology to transform Liberia.

    The celebration as on the theme “One people, one destiny, healing the past and building the future the ceremony reflected on the past, need for stock taking, reconciliation, a united national identity to rebuild a peaceful Liberia, endowed with rich natural resources”.

    The President was accompanied by the Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, Lt. General William Agyapong and Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Stanislav Xoese Dogbe.

    – on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China to promote consumption of agricultural products

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 27 — China on Sunday released a set of guidelines to boost consumption of agricultural products, with efforts to optimize supply and stimulate demand.

    These guidelines, jointly issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and nine other government departments, urge efforts to make the most effective use of the supply of green and high-quality agricultural products to meet multi-tiered consumer demands.

    The guidelines specifically outline measures to elevate standards for green, organic, geographically indicated and certified products, promote quality evaluation and grading, develop new-type processed goods and innovate local specialty foods.

    Regarding circulation innovation, the guidelines focus on better aligning production, supply and marketing — while broadening offline sales channels, with detailed arrangements for creating festival and exhibition platforms, enriching consumption scenarios, leveraging e-commerce advantages and promoting inter-regional cooperation.

    Efforts will be made to advance the integration of agriculture, culture and tourism to create new consumption spaces and stimulate synergy between domestic and international consumer markets, according to the guidelines.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China to promote consumption of agricultural products

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 27 — China on Sunday released a set of guidelines to boost consumption of agricultural products, with efforts to optimize supply and stimulate demand.

    These guidelines, jointly issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and nine other government departments, urge efforts to make the most effective use of the supply of green and high-quality agricultural products to meet multi-tiered consumer demands.

    The guidelines specifically outline measures to elevate standards for green, organic, geographically indicated and certified products, promote quality evaluation and grading, develop new-type processed goods and innovate local specialty foods.

    Regarding circulation innovation, the guidelines focus on better aligning production, supply and marketing — while broadening offline sales channels, with detailed arrangements for creating festival and exhibition platforms, enriching consumption scenarios, leveraging e-commerce advantages and promoting inter-regional cooperation.

    Efforts will be made to advance the integration of agriculture, culture and tourism to create new consumption spaces and stimulate synergy between domestic and international consumer markets, according to the guidelines.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Uganda’s land eviction crisis: do populist state measures actually fix problems?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rose Nakayi, Senior Lecturer of Law, Makerere University

    Populism is rife in various African countries. This political ideology responds to and takes advantage of a situation where a large section of people feels exploited, marginalised or disempowered. It sets up “the people” against “the other”. It promises solidarity with the excluded by addressing their grievances. Populism targets broad social groups, operating across ethnicity and class.

    But how does populism fare when it informs state interventions to address long-standing societal issues under capitalism? Do populist state measures – especially when launched by a politically powerful leader – deliver improvements for the stated beneficiaries?

    As academics who have researched populism for years, we were interested in the implementation and outcomes of such policies and programmes. To answer these questions, we analysed a populist intervention by President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda to address rampant land conflicts. In 2013 he set out to halt land evictions.

    What good came of this? Did it help the poor?

    We analysed land laws, court cases, government statements and media reports and found that, for the most part, the intervention offered short-term relief. Some people returned to the land, but the underlying land conflict was unresolved.

    This created problems that continue to be felt today, including land disputes and land tenure insecurity. The intervention also increased the involvement of the president and his agents personally in providing justice.

    It didn’t make pro-poor structural changes to address the root of the problem.

    Yet, the intervention had several political benefits:

    • it enhanced the political legitimacy of the president and state

    • it offered a politically useful response to a land-related crisis and conflict

    • it addressed broader criticisms over injustice and poverty by sections of the public and opposition leaders, some of whom (like Robert Kyagulanyi) also relied on populist rhetoric.

    The promise to deal with land evictions “once and for all” has yet to be realised over a decade later. During Heroes Day celebrations on 9 June 2024, Museveni’s speech repeated his promise to stop evictions.

    Such promises of getting a grip on and ending evictions via decisive state actions, including proposed new legal guidelines, were also made more recently, for example during Heroes Day 2025. This indicates that evictions – and state responses to them – remain a top issue on the political agenda ahead of Uganda’s 2026 election.

    Persistent evictions

    Evictions were rampant in the 2010s, especially in central Uganda’s Buganda region. They were driven by increased demand for land amid a growing population and legal reforms that seemed to protect tenants over landlords. Some landlords, desperate to free their land of tenants, were carrying out the evictions themselves.

    The president condemned the evictions, but they continued. Soon, the number of evictees was in the thousands.

    In response, Museveni set up a land committee within the presidency. He announced at a press conference in early 2013 that:

    all evictions are halted. There will be no more evictions, especially in the rural areas. All evictions involving peasants are halted.

    The dynamics of populism-in-practice

    Museveni’s attempts to personally deal with evictions illustrate a continued power shift in Uganda, from institutions to the president’s executive units.

    Despite its shortcomings, such as case backlogs, the judicial system offers an opportunity to present cases in a more neutral environment. It also allows parties to appeal decisions. This way, higher courts can correct errors where necessary.

    The presidential land committee, we found, tended to be biased in favour of tenants, paying less attention to the landlords’ cases.

    The president’s intervention wasn’t adequate to address the immediate causes and effects of the evictions, nor the root causes.

    Those included land tenure insecurities. Due to legal reforms, land-rich landlords were unable to get rent at market value from tenants. Neither could they evict them lawfully where rent was in arrears.

    In some cases, legal options such as land sales between landlords and tenants were applied. This was often to the detriment of tenants, especially where there was no neutral actor to oversee negotiations.

    Land reforms need to be institutionalised and funded to deliver the intended outcomes. Otherwise, unlawful sales and evictions become a quick option for landlords.

    Museveni’s populist initiative also unleashed new problems for beneficiaries. Some secured land occupancy in the interim but lived in fear of a relapse of conflict. Mistrust and scarred interpersonal relationships hampered cohesion in some communities. Disputes over land put political actors who would ideally be working together to restore calm at loggerheads.

    Populism as power

    The creation of populist presidential units has become routine in Uganda. More recently, Museveni created a unit to protect investors, which has resolved some investment-related land disputes. Another one was established to fight corruption. Both units remain very active.

    Our research finds that the government needs these units and interventions for a number of reasons. It uses them to govern the country’s conflict-ridden economy and society. They allow the government to assemble a politically useful response to crises and to address some on-the-ground problems. They make the state look concerned and responsive to people’s needs. And they allow ruling party political actors to increase their popularity locally.

    Museveni and his ruling party, the National Resistance Movement, therefore, benefit from a key aspect of populism. It allows the merging of disparate, competing and contradictory views, interests and demands of members of various societal classes and groups into a significantly simplified and uniform narrative that (potentially) speaks to all. This could mean: end corruption, end evictions, wealth for all, and so on.

    A general election is due in early 2026. The steps Museveni has taken on evictions, and the units set up to fight corruption or protect investors, need to be seen with this political context in mind.

    Museveni has put protecting people from evictions high on his government’s agenda. Speaking to party members in August 2024, he emphasised

    the importance of adhering to the mass line, which prioritises the needs and rights of the masses over those of the elite.

    In our view, this pre-election narrative signifies the continued political and social relevance of populism in today’s Uganda. This could result in heightened populist state activity in the run-up to and after the election.

    – Uganda’s land eviction crisis: do populist state measures actually fix problems?
    – https://theconversation.com/ugandas-land-eviction-crisis-do-populist-state-measures-actually-fix-problems-260512

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Young Nigerians learn about democracy at school: how it’s shaping future voters

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Leila Demarest, Associate Professor, Institute of Political Science, Leiden University

    Democratic consolidation is a continuing struggle, in Africa as elsewhere. The turn to democracy gained momentum in Africa in the late 1980s and early 1990s but has petered out since. Can new generations turn the tide?

    The need to prepare young people to become democratically minded is well established. In western societies, school-based civic education has been considered the means to do it since as early as the 1960s. The assumption is that better knowledge about the democratic functioning of the state promotes stronger democratic values and norms. It is also thought to increase trust in institutions and a willingness to participate in politics in the future.

    Research in western settings indeed shows that classroom instruction strengthens political attitudes and behaviour. Yet can we expect civic education to work in the same way in newer democracies? In weak democracies studies have found that civic education could actually lead young people away from political participation. Young people may become more aware of the flaws of their own system and turn away from politics.

    Nigeria made the move from military rule to multiparty democracy in 1999 but remains a flawed democracy struggling with political corruption, vote buying and episodic violence. Individual liberties are only weakly protected.

    As Africa’s most populous democracy, with a big young population, Nigeria needs young people to participate in democratic politics. And they have done so, as can be seen from events like the #EndSARS protests. Nevertheless many youths also show voter apathy. Or they engage in the country’s well-known cycles of election violence.

    As scholars, we have conducted extensive research on how young people in African countries can overcome some dark legacies, like violent conflict, ethnic tensions and authoritarianism. In a recent study, we focused on democratic engagement among young Nigerians and how formal education could strengthen it.

    Our research among secondary school students in Lagos state shows promising results. A survey of over 3,000 final year students found that those with greater political knowledge and stronger democratic values were more likely to express intent to vote, contact officials, or protest in the future.

    However, these same students rejected party membership and campaigning, which are commonly associated with corruption and violence in Nigeria. In contrast, students with lower levels of knowledge and democratic values remained inclined to participate in party activities. This might be to gain economic benefits.

    These findings show that the core objectives of civic education are not likely to lead youth to abandon democratic politics. Fostering knowledge about how the system (ideally) works and strengthening democratic attitudes remains a valuable approach to achieving democracy.

    Our findings

    Ten years after the transition from military to democratic rule, the Nigerian government made civic education mandatory in primary and secondary schools. The curriculum covers issues such as Nigeria’s independence, the structures of the state, civic rights, political parties and national unity. It also covers corruption and clientelism (the exchange of political support for economic benefits).

    After learning how the government works and gaining awareness of civic rights and responsibilities, would young Nigerians remain committed to political participation with all the country’s democratic flaws?

    We conducted a survey among final year secondary school students in Lagos state in 2019. About 3,000 students across 36 randomly selected schools answered our questions. The results revealed three political participation profiles:

    • disengaged youth – those who do not wish to take part in any type of political activity

    • non-party activists – intent on voting, contacting politicians or officials and protesting, but they reject party membership and campaigning

    • party activists – interested in joining a political party and campaigning as well as voting, contacting politicians or officials and protesting.

    Disengaged youths tended to come from richer socio-economic backgrounds. They showed low trust in institutions. Non-party activists were more informed and held stronger democratic values than party activists. This is likely because they saw political parties as corrupt or violent.

    In a democracy where party politics are often tainted by corruption, the youths’ selective engagement may be a sign not of apathy but of a thoughtful and principled rejection of flawed party politics.

    Despite a growing distrust in political parties, civic education does not appear to discourage pro-democratic political behaviour overall.

    A ‘reverse’ participation gap

    Schools are not the only shapers of youths’ political behaviour. Caregivers and peers play a role. In a large number of countries, youth from richer socio-economic backgrounds are more politically informed, more trusting of institutions, and active. This results in a so-called participation gap between richer and poorer citizens.

    Where democracy is yet to take root, research shows that middle- and higher-middle class citizens also have higher levels of knowledge and stronger democratic norms. But they have lower levels of institutional trust and are less likely to participate in institutional politics. This presents a “reverse” participation gap, so to speak.

    In our research, we found partial evidence of this “reverse participation gap”. Students from wealthier backgrounds were less likely to participate, but not necessarily because they had stronger democratic norms. One possible explanation is that these students were less economically dependent on the state. With no need to rely on public institutions for jobs or welfare, they might feel less of a need to engage with them.

    Retreat from political participation

    In non-established democracies, research shows that more educated citizens often are more critical of their governments. In Ghana and Zimbabwe, these citizens were less likely to participate in elections.

    Concerning civic education programmes specifically, an intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo showed that these programmes might increase political knowledge and commitment to democratic values, but also decrease satisfaction with democracy in their country.

    School-based research from the continent is lacking. But studies examining school-based civic education in electoral democracies elsewhere also show a retreat from institutionalised political participation. This spans voting, party membership, campaigning, and contacting politicians.

    Our study finds more optimistic results for civic education programmes in Africa. Youths with high knowledge and values – the core objectives of civic education – remain committed to democratic political behaviour.

    – Young Nigerians learn about democracy at school: how it’s shaping future voters
    – https://theconversation.com/young-nigerians-learn-about-democracy-at-school-how-its-shaping-future-voters-261030

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Uganda’s land eviction crisis: do populist state measures actually fix problems?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Rose Nakayi, Senior Lecturer of Law, Makerere University

    Populism is rife in various African countries. This political ideology responds to and takes advantage of a situation where a large section of people feels exploited, marginalised or disempowered. It sets up “the people” against “the other”. It promises solidarity with the excluded by addressing their grievances. Populism targets broad social groups, operating across ethnicity and class.

    But how does populism fare when it informs state interventions to address long-standing societal issues under capitalism? Do populist state measures – especially when launched by a politically powerful leader – deliver improvements for the stated beneficiaries?

    As academics who have researched populism for years, we were interested in the implementation and outcomes of such policies and programmes. To answer these questions, we analysed a populist intervention by President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda to address rampant land conflicts. In 2013 he set out to halt land evictions.

    What good came of this? Did it help the poor?

    We analysed land laws, court cases, government statements and media reports and found that, for the most part, the intervention offered short-term relief. Some people returned to the land, but the underlying land conflict was unresolved.

    This created problems that continue to be felt today, including land disputes and land tenure insecurity. The intervention also increased the involvement of the president and his agents personally in providing justice.

    It didn’t make pro-poor structural changes to address the root of the problem.

    Yet, the intervention had several political benefits:

    • it enhanced the political legitimacy of the president and state

    • it offered a politically useful response to a land-related crisis and conflict

    • it addressed broader criticisms over injustice and poverty by sections of the public and opposition leaders, some of whom (like Robert Kyagulanyi) also relied on populist rhetoric.

    The promise to deal with land evictions “once and for all” has yet to be realised over a decade later. During Heroes Day celebrations on 9 June 2024, Museveni’s speech repeated his promise to stop evictions.

    Such promises of getting a grip on and ending evictions via decisive state actions, including proposed new legal guidelines, were also made more recently, for example during Heroes Day 2025. This indicates that evictions – and state responses to them – remain a top issue on the political agenda ahead of Uganda’s 2026 election.

    Persistent evictions

    Evictions were rampant in the 2010s, especially in central Uganda’s Buganda region. They were driven by increased demand for land amid a growing population and legal reforms that seemed to protect tenants over landlords. Some landlords, desperate to free their land of tenants, were carrying out the evictions themselves.

    The president condemned the evictions, but they continued. Soon, the number of evictees was in the thousands.

    In response, Museveni set up a land committee within the presidency. He announced at a press conference in early 2013 that:

    all evictions are halted. There will be no more evictions, especially in the rural areas. All evictions involving peasants are halted.

    The dynamics of populism-in-practice

    Museveni’s attempts to personally deal with evictions illustrate a continued power shift in Uganda, from institutions to the president’s executive units.

    Despite its shortcomings, such as case backlogs, the judicial system offers an opportunity to present cases in a more neutral environment. It also allows parties to appeal decisions. This way, higher courts can correct errors where necessary.

    The presidential land committee, we found, tended to be biased in favour of tenants, paying less attention to the landlords’ cases.

    The president’s intervention wasn’t adequate to address the immediate causes and effects of the evictions, nor the root causes.

    Those included land tenure insecurities. Due to legal reforms, land-rich landlords were unable to get rent at market value from tenants. Neither could they evict them lawfully where rent was in arrears.

    In some cases, legal options such as land sales between landlords and tenants were applied. This was often to the detriment of tenants, especially where there was no neutral actor to oversee negotiations.

    Land reforms need to be institutionalised and funded to deliver the intended outcomes. Otherwise, unlawful sales and evictions become a quick option for landlords.

    Museveni’s populist initiative also unleashed new problems for beneficiaries. Some secured land occupancy in the interim but lived in fear of a relapse of conflict. Mistrust and scarred interpersonal relationships hampered cohesion in some communities. Disputes over land put political actors who would ideally be working together to restore calm at loggerheads.

    Populism as power

    The creation of populist presidential units has become routine in Uganda. More recently, Museveni created a unit to protect investors, which has resolved some investment-related land disputes. Another one was established to fight corruption. Both units remain very active.

    Our research finds that the government needs these units and interventions for a number of reasons. It uses them to govern the country’s conflict-ridden economy and society. They allow the government to assemble a politically useful response to crises and to address some on-the-ground problems. They make the state look concerned and responsive to people’s needs. And they allow ruling party political actors to increase their popularity locally.

    Museveni and his ruling party, the National Resistance Movement, therefore, benefit from a key aspect of populism. It allows the merging of disparate, competing and contradictory views, interests and demands of members of various societal classes and groups into a significantly simplified and uniform narrative that (potentially) speaks to all. This could mean: end corruption, end evictions, wealth for all, and so on.

    A general election is due in early 2026. The steps Museveni has taken on evictions, and the units set up to fight corruption or protect investors, need to be seen with this political context in mind.

    Museveni has put protecting people from evictions high on his government’s agenda. Speaking to party members in August 2024, he emphasised

    the importance of adhering to the mass line, which prioritises the needs and rights of the masses over those of the elite.

    In our view, this pre-election narrative signifies the continued political and social relevance of populism in today’s Uganda. This could result in heightened populist state activity in the run-up to and after the election.

    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. Uganda’s land eviction crisis: do populist state measures actually fix problems? – https://theconversation.com/ugandas-land-eviction-crisis-do-populist-state-measures-actually-fix-problems-260512

    MIL OSI –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Young Nigerians learn about democracy at school: how it’s shaping future voters

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Leila Demarest, Associate Professor, Institute of Political Science, Leiden University

    Democratic consolidation is a continuing struggle, in Africa as elsewhere. The turn to democracy gained momentum in Africa in the late 1980s and early 1990s but has petered out since. Can new generations turn the tide?

    The need to prepare young people to become democratically minded is well established. In western societies, school-based civic education has been considered the means to do it since as early as the 1960s. The assumption is that better knowledge about the democratic functioning of the state promotes stronger democratic values and norms. It is also thought to increase trust in institutions and a willingness to participate in politics in the future.

    Research in western settings indeed shows that classroom instruction strengthens political attitudes and behaviour. Yet can we expect civic education to work in the same way in newer democracies? In weak democracies studies have found that civic education could actually lead young people away from political participation. Young people may become more aware of the flaws of their own system and turn away from politics.

    Nigeria made the move from military rule to multiparty democracy in 1999 but remains a flawed democracy struggling with political corruption, vote buying and episodic violence. Individual liberties are only weakly protected.

    As Africa’s most populous democracy, with a big young population, Nigeria needs young people to participate in democratic politics. And they have done so, as can be seen from events like the #EndSARS protests. Nevertheless many youths also show voter apathy. Or they engage in the country’s well-known cycles of election violence.

    As scholars, we have conducted extensive research on how young people in African countries can overcome some dark legacies, like violent conflict, ethnic tensions and authoritarianism. In a recent study, we focused on democratic engagement among young Nigerians and how formal education could strengthen it.

    Our research among secondary school students in Lagos state shows promising results. A survey of over 3,000 final year students found that those with greater political knowledge and stronger democratic values were more likely to express intent to vote, contact officials, or protest in the future.

    However, these same students rejected party membership and campaigning, which are commonly associated with corruption and violence in Nigeria. In contrast, students with lower levels of knowledge and democratic values remained inclined to participate in party activities. This might be to gain economic benefits.

    These findings show that the core objectives of civic education are not likely to lead youth to abandon democratic politics. Fostering knowledge about how the system (ideally) works and strengthening democratic attitudes remains a valuable approach to achieving democracy.

    Our findings

    Ten years after the transition from military to democratic rule, the Nigerian government made civic education mandatory in primary and secondary schools. The curriculum covers issues such as Nigeria’s independence, the structures of the state, civic rights, political parties and national unity. It also covers corruption and clientelism (the exchange of political support for economic benefits).

    After learning how the government works and gaining awareness of civic rights and responsibilities, would young Nigerians remain committed to political participation with all the country’s democratic flaws?

    We conducted a survey among final year secondary school students in Lagos state in 2019. About 3,000 students across 36 randomly selected schools answered our questions. The results revealed three political participation profiles:

    • disengaged youth – those who do not wish to take part in any type of political activity

    • non-party activists – intent on voting, contacting politicians or officials and protesting, but they reject party membership and campaigning

    • party activists – interested in joining a political party and campaigning as well as voting, contacting politicians or officials and protesting.

    Disengaged youths tended to come from richer socio-economic backgrounds. They showed low trust in institutions. Non-party activists were more informed and held stronger democratic values than party activists. This is likely because they saw political parties as corrupt or violent.

    In a democracy where party politics are often tainted by corruption, the youths’ selective engagement may be a sign not of apathy but of a thoughtful and principled rejection of flawed party politics.

    Despite a growing distrust in political parties, civic education does not appear to discourage pro-democratic political behaviour overall.

    A ‘reverse’ participation gap

    Schools are not the only shapers of youths’ political behaviour. Caregivers and peers play a role. In a large number of countries, youth from richer socio-economic backgrounds are more politically informed, more trusting of institutions, and active. This results in a so-called participation gap between richer and poorer citizens.

    Where democracy is yet to take root, research shows that middle- and higher-middle class citizens also have higher levels of knowledge and stronger democratic norms. But they have lower levels of institutional trust and are less likely to participate in institutional politics. This presents a “reverse” participation gap, so to speak.

    In our research, we found partial evidence of this “reverse participation gap”. Students from wealthier backgrounds were less likely to participate, but not necessarily because they had stronger democratic norms. One possible explanation is that these students were less economically dependent on the state. With no need to rely on public institutions for jobs or welfare, they might feel less of a need to engage with them.

    Retreat from political participation

    In non-established democracies, research shows that more educated citizens often are more critical of their governments. In Ghana and Zimbabwe, these citizens were less likely to participate in elections.

    Concerning civic education programmes specifically, an intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo showed that these programmes might increase political knowledge and commitment to democratic values, but also decrease satisfaction with democracy in their country.

    School-based research from the continent is lacking. But studies examining school-based civic education in electoral democracies elsewhere also show a retreat from institutionalised political participation. This spans voting, party membership, campaigning, and contacting politicians.

    Our study finds more optimistic results for civic education programmes in Africa. Youths with high knowledge and values – the core objectives of civic education – remain committed to democratic political behaviour.

    Leila Demarest receives funding from Leiden University Fund (grant reference W19304-5-01).

    Line Kuppens 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. Young Nigerians learn about democracy at school: how it’s shaping future voters – https://theconversation.com/young-nigerians-learn-about-democracy-at-school-how-its-shaping-future-voters-261030

    MIL OSI –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fourteenth Meeting of the Law Enforcement Coordination Group Focused on Countering Hizballah’s Terrorist and Illicit Activities

    Source: United States Department of State (2)

    Office of the Spokesperson

    Fourteenth Meeting of the Law Enforcement Coordination Group Focused on Countering Hizballah’s Terrorist and Illicit Activities

    Media Note

    July 10, 2025

    The United States Department of State, United States Department of Justice, and Europol convened the fourteenth meeting of the Law Enforcement Coordination Group (LECG) on countering Hizballah’s terrorist and illicit activities on July 9-10. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and financial practitioners from approximately 30 governments from across the Middle East, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America participated in this session.

    The LECG took stock of Hizballah’s global terrorist and lethal plotting capabilities, in light of the significant blows the organization has taken over the past year. LECG participants assessed that Hizballah remains a dangerous organization, determined to maintain its overseas footprint, with the ability to strike with little to no warning against targets around the world. LECG members also discussed Hizballah’s shaky financial state and agreed that Hizballah may seek to increase its fundraising and procurement activities in the Western Hemisphere, Africa, and other locales. Participants highlighted recent actions that governments have taken to counter Hizballah’s financial mechanisms and criminal schemes, as well as its international terrorist operations.

    Officials from the U.S. Department of Treasury and National Counterterrorism Center also participated in this meeting. The LECG was established by the United States and Europol in 2014 as a global forum to improve international coordination with governments from around the world to counter Hizballah’s terrorist and other illicit activities.

    For further information, please contact CTPublicAffairs@state.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Disrupts North Korea Revenue Generation, Offering Rewards of Up to $15 Million

    Source: United States Department of State (2)

    Office of the Spokesperson

    United States Disrupts North Korea Revenue Generation, Offering Rewards of Up to $15 Million

    Media Note

    July 24, 2025

    Today, the Departments of State, Justice, and the Treasury are executing coordinated, decisive actions to keep Americans safe from North Korea’s malicious and illicit revenue generation schemes. The Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) is offering rewards totaling up to $15 million for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions, in any country, of North Korean nationals Sim Hyon-sop and six co-conspirators involved in these schemes.

    North Korea’s revenue generation schemes—which include cryptocurrency theft, illicit information technology (IT) work, trafficking in counterfeit goods, oil smuggling, and other transnational criminal activities—often target U.S. companies and U.S. citizens to raise funds for North Korea’s dangerous and unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs, which threaten the U.S. homeland and stand in contravention of UN and U.S. sanctions. In many cases, these ballistic missiles have been unlawfully transferred to Russia, where they have been used to strike Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv.

    Today’s actions illustrate the U.S. government’s commitment to mitigating such threats posed by North Korea to protect U.S. companies, the U.S. financial system, and American citizens. The United States will not stand idly by while North Korea profits from criminal activity to fund its destabilizing actions.

    Sim Hyon-Sop and six co-conspirators were charged for their role in illicit activities to buy and sell tobacco from North Korea to gain access to U.S. dollars. The Department of State’s reward offers include an increase of up to $7 million for Sim Hyon-Sop, up to $3 million each for Myong Chol-Min and Kim Se-Un, and up to $500,000 each for Kim Yong-Bok, Kim Chol-Min, a/k/a “Jack,” Ri Tong-Min, a/k/a “Elvis,” and Ri Won-Ho.

    Sim Hyon-Sop and some of his co-conspirators—including Kim Se-Un—have also been involved in illicit IT worker schemes. North Korea dispatches thousands of IT workers abroad to orchestrate fraudulent IT work, often from Russia and China. Today, the Department of the Treasury is designating Korea Sobaeksu Trading Company, which has previously deployed IT workers to Vietnam, and three North Korean nationals, including Kim Se Un, Myong Chol Min, and Jo Kyong Hun, who have been involved in illicit revenue generation schemes. North Korea’s overseas networks provide it with access to technology, illicit finance networks, and facilitators to support its revenue generation to fund UN and U.S. sanctioned entities including the Munitions Industry Department and Ministry of Atomic Energy and Industry. The Department of State continues to engage foreign countries that support North Korean IT workers in order to prevent the targeting of Americans by North Korean revenue generation schemes.

    In addition, Christina Marie Chapman, an American citizen, will be sentenced today in the District of Columbia for her role in a North Korean IT worker scheme that defrauded more than 300 U.S. companies, including Fortune 500 corporations. North Korean IT workers specifically target remote jobs with U.S. companies due to the high salaries, which they remit back to North Korea to fund the unlawful production of WMD and ballistic missiles.

    Today’s individual reward offers are authorized by the Secretary under the TOCRP, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice. If you have information, please send tips to the FBI via phone/text/WhatsApp at +1-480-695-1388. If you are located outside of the United States, you can also visit the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. If you are in the United States, you can also contact the local FBI field office.

    THE IDENTITIES OF ANYONE PROVIDING TIPS WILL BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Per 22 U.S.C. section 2708(f), government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards if information is provided in the performance of official duties.

    Separately, the State Department’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) national security program has a standing reward offer of up to $5 million for information that leads to the disruption of financial mechanisms of persons engaged in certain activities that support the North Korean government and its sanctions evasion. Rewards can be paid for actionable information regarding IT worker schemes, money laundering, cyber activity, and other illicit activities that support WMD proliferation and missile development. More information on RFJ’s North Korea reward offers is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Bougainville woman Cabinet minister battling nine men to hold her seat

    INTERVIEW: By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist

    One of the first women to hold an open seat in Bougainville, Theonila Roka Matbob, is confident she can win again.

    Bougainville goes to the polls in the first week of September, and Roka Matbob aims to hold on to her Ioro seat in central Bougainville, where she is up against nine men.

    The MP, who is also the Minister of Community Government, recently led the campaign that convinced multinational Rio Tinto to clean up the mess caused by the Panguna Mine.

    RNZ Pacific asked her if she is enjoying running for a second election campaign.

    THEONILA ROKA MATBOB: Very, very much, yes. I guess compared to 2020, it is because it was my first time. I had a lot of butterflies, I would say. But this time has been very different. So I am more relaxed, more focused, and also I am more aware of issues that I can actually concentrate on.

    DON WISEMAN: And one of those issues you’ve been concentrating on is the aftermath of the Panguna Mine and the destruction and so on caused both environmentally and socially. And I guess that sort of work is going to continue for you?

    TRM: Yes, so the work is continuing. I had three platforms when I was contesting in 2020: leadership, governance, institutional governance and the accountability on the issues, legacy issues of Panguna Mine. I thought that the third one was going to be very challenging, given that it involved international stakeholders.

    But I would say that the one that I thought was going to be very challenging was actually the one that got a lot of traction, and it’s already in motion while I’m like back on the trail, defending my seat.

    DW: In terms of the work that has been undertaken on an assessment of the environmental damage, the impact that the process had had, and the report that has come out, and the obligations that this now places on Rio Tinto?

    TRM: The recommendations that were made by the report was on a lot of like imminent survey areas that is like on infrastructure that were built by the company back then in the operation days that is now tearing down.

    And also a lot more than that, there was a call for more intrusive assessment to be done on health and bloodstreams as well for the people, but those other things and also now to into the remediation vehicle, what is it going to look like?

    These are clear responsibilities that are at the overarching highest level of engagement through the what we call this process, the CP process. It has put the responsibility on Rio Tinto to now tell us, what does the remediation vehicle look like.

    At the moment, Rio Tinto is looking into that to be able to engage expertise in communication with us, to see how the design for the remediation vehicle would look. It is from the report that the build-up is now coming up, and there is more tangible or visible presence on the ground as compared to the time we started.

    DW: So that process in terms of the removal of the old buildings that’s actually got underway, has it?

    TRM: That process is already underway, the demolition process is underway, and BCL [Bougainville Copper Limited] is the one that’s taking the lead. It has engaged our local expertise, who are actually working abroad, but they have hired them because under the process we have local content policy where we have to do shopping for experts from Bougainville, before we’ll look into experts from overseas.

    Apart from that as well, one of the things that I have seen is there is an increased interest from both international and national and local partners as well in understanding the areas where the report, assessment report has pointed out.

    There is quite a lot happening, as compared to the past years when, towards the end of our political phase in parliament, usually there is always silence and only campaigns go on. But for now, it has been different.

    A lot of people are more engaged, even participating on the policy programmes and projects.

    DW: Yes, your government wants to reopen the Panguna Mine and open it fairly soon. You must have misgivings about that?

    TRM: I have been getting a lot of questions around that, and I have been telling them my personal stance has never changed.

    But I can never come in between the government’s interest. What I have been doing recently as a way of responding and uniting people, both who are believers of reopening and those that do not believe in reopening, like myself.

    We have created a platform by registering a business entity that can actually work in between people and the government, so that there is more or less a participatory approach.

    The company that we have registered is the one that will be tasked to work more on the politics of economics around Panguna and all the other prospects that we have in other natural resources as well.

    I would say that whichever way the government points us, I can now, with conviction, say that I am ready with my office and the workforce that I have right now, I can comfortably say that we can be able to accommodate for both opinions, pro and against.

    DW: In your Ioro electorate seat it’s not the biggest lineup of candidates, but the thing about Bougainville politics is they can be fairly volatile. So how confident are you?

    TRM: I am confident, despite the long line up that we have about nine people who are against me — nine men, interestingly, were against me. I would say that, given the grasp that I have and also building up from 2020, I can clearly say that I am very confident.

    If I am not confident, then it will take the space of giving opportunity for other people and also on campaign strategies as well. I have learnt my way through in diversifying and understanding the different experiences that I have in the constituency as well.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Bougainville woman Cabinet minister battling nine men to hold her seat

    INTERVIEW: By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist

    One of the first women to hold an open seat in Bougainville, Theonila Roka Matbob, is confident she can win again.

    Bougainville goes to the polls in the first week of September, and Roka Matbob aims to hold on to her Ioro seat in central Bougainville, where she is up against nine men.

    The MP, who is also the Minister of Community Government, recently led the campaign that convinced multinational Rio Tinto to clean up the mess caused by the Panguna Mine.

    RNZ Pacific asked her if she is enjoying running for a second election campaign.

    THEONILA ROKA MATBOB: Very, very much, yes. I guess compared to 2020, it is because it was my first time. I had a lot of butterflies, I would say. But this time has been very different. So I am more relaxed, more focused, and also I am more aware of issues that I can actually concentrate on.

    DON WISEMAN: And one of those issues you’ve been concentrating on is the aftermath of the Panguna Mine and the destruction and so on caused both environmentally and socially. And I guess that sort of work is going to continue for you?

    TRM: Yes, so the work is continuing. I had three platforms when I was contesting in 2020: leadership, governance, institutional governance and the accountability on the issues, legacy issues of Panguna Mine. I thought that the third one was going to be very challenging, given that it involved international stakeholders.

    But I would say that the one that I thought was going to be very challenging was actually the one that got a lot of traction, and it’s already in motion while I’m like back on the trail, defending my seat.

    DW: In terms of the work that has been undertaken on an assessment of the environmental damage, the impact that the process had had, and the report that has come out, and the obligations that this now places on Rio Tinto?

    TRM: The recommendations that were made by the report was on a lot of like imminent survey areas that is like on infrastructure that were built by the company back then in the operation days that is now tearing down.

    And also a lot more than that, there was a call for more intrusive assessment to be done on health and bloodstreams as well for the people, but those other things and also now to into the remediation vehicle, what is it going to look like?

    These are clear responsibilities that are at the overarching highest level of engagement through the what we call this process, the CP process. It has put the responsibility on Rio Tinto to now tell us, what does the remediation vehicle look like.

    At the moment, Rio Tinto is looking into that to be able to engage expertise in communication with us, to see how the design for the remediation vehicle would look. It is from the report that the build-up is now coming up, and there is more tangible or visible presence on the ground as compared to the time we started.

    DW: So that process in terms of the removal of the old buildings that’s actually got underway, has it?

    TRM: That process is already underway, the demolition process is underway, and BCL [Bougainville Copper Limited] is the one that’s taking the lead. It has engaged our local expertise, who are actually working abroad, but they have hired them because under the process we have local content policy where we have to do shopping for experts from Bougainville, before we’ll look into experts from overseas.

    Apart from that as well, one of the things that I have seen is there is an increased interest from both international and national and local partners as well in understanding the areas where the report, assessment report has pointed out.

    There is quite a lot happening, as compared to the past years when, towards the end of our political phase in parliament, usually there is always silence and only campaigns go on. But for now, it has been different.

    A lot of people are more engaged, even participating on the policy programmes and projects.

    DW: Yes, your government wants to reopen the Panguna Mine and open it fairly soon. You must have misgivings about that?

    TRM: I have been getting a lot of questions around that, and I have been telling them my personal stance has never changed.

    But I can never come in between the government’s interest. What I have been doing recently as a way of responding and uniting people, both who are believers of reopening and those that do not believe in reopening, like myself.

    We have created a platform by registering a business entity that can actually work in between people and the government, so that there is more or less a participatory approach.

    The company that we have registered is the one that will be tasked to work more on the politics of economics around Panguna and all the other prospects that we have in other natural resources as well.

    I would say that whichever way the government points us, I can now, with conviction, say that I am ready with my office and the workforce that I have right now, I can comfortably say that we can be able to accommodate for both opinions, pro and against.

    DW: In your Ioro electorate seat it’s not the biggest lineup of candidates, but the thing about Bougainville politics is they can be fairly volatile. So how confident are you?

    TRM: I am confident, despite the long line up that we have about nine people who are against me — nine men, interestingly, were against me. I would say that, given the grasp that I have and also building up from 2020, I can clearly say that I am very confident.

    If I am not confident, then it will take the space of giving opportunity for other people and also on campaign strategies as well. I have learnt my way through in diversifying and understanding the different experiences that I have in the constituency as well.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK high-altitude research and intelligence balloon soars to new heights

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    UK high-altitude research and intelligence balloon soars to new heights

    The UK has successfully trialed high-altitude balloons which can conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

    • UK Defence is developing use of uncrewed, high-altitude balloons to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, boosting national security and delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.
    • Test flight balloons each travel over 2,000 nautical miles at an operating altitude between 60,000 and 80,000 feet, double that of a commercial aircraft.
    • The trial balloons operated as a constellation for the first time and provided near-continuous ISR coverage of nearly a month, far exceeding the endurance of each balloon.

    The UK could benefit from the collection of military intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance from the stratosphere following the successful trials of new high-altitude balloons flying between 60,000 and 80,000 feet above the Earth – higher than most military aircraft operate. 

    The uncrewed balloons offer a low-cost surveillance and communications capability alternative to traditional solutions. They can travel uninterrupted at extreme altitudes for long periods, without maintenance, boosting national security and delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.

    The future use of such balloons could include support to operations and reliable communication and fast internet connection to disaster zones or remote areas with no coverage, while also providing information for weather forecasting and climate research.

    With an ISR payload capacity of up to 3kg and with some modules that include weather sensors weighing as little as a European robin, the test vehicles can operate continuously for over five days.

    The cost-effective system can be operated by a single person in challenging weather conditions, demonstrating advanced capabilities and precise navigation and station keeping.

    Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, said:

    This innovation is about giving our Armed Forces the edge – better awareness, better communications, and lower maintenance needs – supporting the government’s Plan for Change.

    Stratospheric technology like this could transform how we operate in complex environments, keeping our people safer and better informed than ever before.

    This successful trial is another example of UK defence pushing boundaries, with real potential to strengthen our future capabilities.

    The trials took place in the South Dakota, USA earlier this year as part of Project AETHER, a concept development initiative supported by the Ministry of Defence’s procurement body, Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S).

    The activity was led by UK company Voltitude in partnership with Landguard Systems (UK) and Aerostar (US).

    Head of UK Defence Innovation, Prove and Exploit team, James Gavin, said:

    Defence procurement is making strides in the innovation space and DE&S is looking more at the art of the possible, pushing the boundaries and scoping new technologies. 

    These latest trials have been incredibly fruitful and pave the way for more collaborative working with our allies to develop capabilities that will benefit our Armed Forces.

    The UK-developed technology provides continuous Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capability whilst maintaining remarkably low operating costs. It represents a significant advancement in stratospheric surveillance platforms for defence applications.

    The Ministry of Defence is exploring future assessment operational use of the stratosphere, not only with this class of balloon, but also with vehicles capable of carrying significantly higher payloads for mission durations of 6-12 months.

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    Published 27 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: DPP’s political manipulations run counter to Taiwanese people’s will: State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) — State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua on Sunday said the failure of the recall vote for opposition lawmakers in Taiwan’s local legislature shows that the political manipulations of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are contrary to the will of local people and do not enjoy their support.

    The Kuomintang party won a landslide victory in the vote on Saturday, retaining all 24 seats.

    Commenting on the results of the vote, Chen Binhua said that the DPP, with its desire for “Taiwan independence” and one-party monopoly, has repeatedly provoked political strife without caring about the well-being of the island’s residents.

    The DPP has resorted to all means to suppress political dissent, create “green terror” and deepen social divisions, fully revealing its hypocritical nature of “fake democracy and real authoritarianism,” Chen Binhua said. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rural News – Farm confidence surges after tough years – Federated Farmers

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Lower interest rates, strong dairy and meat prices, and Government cuts to excessive red tape have delivered a big lift in farmer confidence.
    Federated Farmers’ latest six-monthly Farm Confidence Survey shows the rural mood has improved significantly this year, rebounding from record lows 12 months ago.
    “Farming families have been through some really tough years recently and that’s weighed heavily on our rural communities,” Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says.
    “For the last few seasons, we’ve been farming with sky-high interest rates, rising on-farm costs, fluctuating incomes, and a web of red tape that felt near impossible to navigate.
    “It’s great to see our July survey showing many farmers are feeling a whole lot more positive, thanks to better returns, lower interest rates, and easing inflation.
    “We’ve also seen a Government that’s been willing to work with farmers and scrap some of the most unworkable, impractical rules that were killing the rural economy.”
    Langford says lifting farmers’ confidence has been his number one focus since stepping into the role as president and he’s taken that responsibility seriously.
    “We took a long hard look at what was concerning farmers the most back in 2023 and came out with 12 key policy changes for the next government to implement.
    “We called it a ‘roadmap for restoring farmer confidence’ and we’ve been absolutely relentless in pursuing the changes we knew would make the biggest difference behind the farm gate.
    “That list included fixing unworkable freshwater rules, getting RMA reform right, urgently reviewing our methane reduction targets, and rethinking the rules for carbon forestry.
    “The Government has really listened to farmers, got stuck in making some much-needed changes, and they’ve essentially ticked 11 of those 12 policy priorities off the list.”
    The Farm Confidence survey found farmer perceptions of current economic conditions have risen to their highest level in almost a decade.
    A net 33% of respondents believe conditions are currently good, a dramatic turnaround from the record low of -66% just a year ago, and up from 2% in January this year.
    Meanwhile, current farm profitability has reached its highest level ever recorded in the survey, with a net 65% of farmers feeling confident about profitability – up 12 points since January.
    Langford says it’s important to note that not all farmers are feeling positive, with arable farmers in particular continuing to face significant headwinds and challenges.
    “Many arable farmers aren’t even breaking even, and let’s not forget the farmers in Nelson Tasman who are facing a very long recovery after the recent flooding.”
    The survey found that while confidence in current conditions is high, the forward-looking indicators have started to soften.
    A net 6% of farmers expect economic conditions to improve over the next 12 months – still in positive territory, but well down from 23% in January.
    Future profitability expectations are also softer, sitting at a net 18%, down from 31% earlier this year.
    The dairy sector led the decline, with expectations dropping 32 points, likely due to concerns about poorer milk prices, while meat and wool remains most upbeat.
    “There’s still plenty of uncertainty on the horizon,” Langford says.
    “Commodity price volatility, arable sector struggles, and global market jitters are making farmers a bit more cautious about what’s coming.”
    Despite global uncertainty, farmers remain focused on strengthening their financial footing, with 43% planning to reduce debt in the next 12 months, almost double from a year ago.
    “Farmers are using the breathing room from lower interest rates and improved profitability to pay down debt and build resilience. That’s smart business,” Langford says.
    The survey also found hiring challenges have eased slightly, with a net 14% of farmers reporting difficulty recruiting staff in the past six months – the most favourable result since 2012.
    “Immigration settings have improved and that’s helping farmers get the skilled and motivated people we need,” Langford says.
    The results show rural mental health has been continuously improving too, moving from a net 52% negative in January 2023, to net 26% positive in July 2025.
    When asked about their biggest concerns, regulation and compliance costs remain the number one concern, followed by climate change policy and the Emissions Trading Scheme in second, and local government and rates in third.
    In terms of what they want from central government, farmers are calling for a focus on fiscal policy, regulation and compliance costs, and the economy and business environment.
    “This survey really highlights the progress we’ve made in just 12 months,” Langford says.
    “Arable growers are still doing it tough, but there’s a noticeable lift in confidence across the board. That’s something that needs to be celebrated and built upon.
    “Federated Farmers are getting some real traction now, but we’ve got to keep the foot down to make sure farmer confidence keeps climbing and the economy keeps growing.”
    Full copy of Farm Confidence Survey report –  https://www.fedfarm.org.nz/Web/Resources/Farmer-Confidence-Survey

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Donald Trump cannot make the Epstein files go away. Will this be the story that brings him down?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University

    Conspiracy theories are funny things.

    The most enduring ones usually take hold for two reasons: first, because there’s some grain of truth to them, and second, because they speak to foundational historical divisions.

    The theories morph and change, distorting the grain of truth at their centre beyond reality. In the process, they reinforce and deepen existing divisions, encouraging hateful blindness.

    US President Donald Trump is perhaps the most successful conspiracy trafficker in modern American history.

    Trump built his political career by trading on conspiracy. These have included a combination of racist birther conspiracies about former president Barack Obama, nebulous ideas about the “Deep State” that conspired against the interests of regular Americans, and nods to a more recent online universe centered on QAnon that alleged a Satanist ring of “elite” pedophiles involving Hillary Clinton was trafficking children.

    These theories all had their own grain of truth and tapped into deep-seated historical fears. For example, Obama does have Kenyan heritage, and his Blackness threatened many white Americans’ sense of their own power.

    Revelations about disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein’s trafficking in children and the way in which that implicated the “elite” of New York seemed to confirm at least parts of the final theory. It tapped into the belief – one that does have some basis in reality – that America’s elite play by rules of their own, above justice and accountability.

    In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Trump increasingly engaged with this online universe. He seemed to quietly enjoy suggestions that he might be “Q” – the anonymous leader who, according to the theory, was going to break the paedophile ring wide open in a “day of reckoning”.

    Many of Trump’s perennially online supporters based their championing of him around these conspiracy theories. QAnon believers were among those who stormed the Capitol on January 6 2021. A core section of Trump’s base continues to believe his promises that he would at last reveal the truth – about John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Deep State, and Epstein.

    That it has long been public knowledge that Trump and Epstein had a longstanding friendship did not impinge on these beliefs.

    Conspiracy theories have swirled around Epstein since at least his first arrest nearly two decades ago, in 2006. After allegations of unlawful sex with a minor, Epstein was charged with soliciting prostitution. This elicited suggestions he was receiving special treatment because of his elite status as a New York financier and philanthropist.

    That pattern continued over the next decade as accusations multiplied, culminating in his arrest in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking, including to a private island. The allegations touched the global elite, including former president Bill Clinton, the United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew, and Trump. In August 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell, allegedly by suicide – adding further fuel to the already intense conspiracy fire.

    Epstein’s arrest and death occurred during the first Trump administration. Since then, there has been a steady trickle of accusations and revelations that have increased pressure on the administration to declassify and release material relating to the case. Many of Trump’s most loyal supporters, including a set of influential podcasters and influencers, have built their audiences around Epstein and the insistence that the truth be revealed.

    Early in the life of the current administration, Attorney-General Pam Bondi – whom Trump is wont to treat as his personal lawyer – said she was reviewing the Epstein “client list”.

    In the past few weeks, however, the administration has indicated it will not release the list or other materials relating to the case. At the same time, more information about Trump’s relationship with Epstein has trickled out, including more photos of the two together. It’s hard to deny the sense there is more to come.

    Trump’s posting about the issue, despite his apparent wish to divert from it, seems only to compel more interest. Sections of his online conspiracy base, including vocal supporters such as Tucker Carlson, are outraged at what they see as a betrayal. Reports suggest a significant rift developing between Trump and key backer Rupert Murdoch over the issue. Democrats, rightly, sense weakness.



    Read more:
    Could Rupert Murdoch bring down Donald Trump? A court case threatens more than just their relationship

    Loyal Republicans seem rattled enough that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called an early summer recess, sending congresspeople home in an apparent effort to avoid any forced vote on the issue.

    The obvious inference – though it is inference only – is that Trump and Republicans are so worried about what is in the Epstein material they would rather cop strong backlash from the base, looking scared and weak, than release the information. If nothing else, that is a guaranteed way to fuel an already raging fire.

    Trump’s tanking approval rating and the salience of this issue lead to an obvious question: is this going to be the thing that finally scratches the Teflon president? Will his base turn on him at last?

    If history is anything to go by, that seems unlikely. Trump is remarkably resilient, using crises like this to consolidate his power. Trump commands loyalty, and he has it from Bondi, Johnson and others in this weakened and increasingly ideologically driven federal government. And his conspiracy-fuelled base is in so deep that turning on the president now is not just a question of admitting error, but one of core identity.

    US mainstream media has long pursued a “gotcha” approach to Trump, driven by a model of journalism that still seeks out smoking guns and dreams of Watergate. Not unlike the conspiracy theories it reports on, this framing hopes for a neat, clear resolution to the story of US politics. But politics doesn’t work like that – especially not for Trump.

    From the outside, Trump’s attempts to pivot on the issue and build on his existing conspiracies around Obama and Hillary Clinton might look feeble, but they are tried and true. Trump is now focused on fanning theories around Obama and Clinton, broadening them to include accusations of “treason”. Trump’s Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard went so far as to claim Obama had “manufactured […] a years-long coup against President Trump”. Even reporting on these claims with rightful incredulity adds fuel to the raging fire.

    In the personality cult of an authoritarian leader, conspiracy is easily weaponised against enemies, perceived and real. In the febrile environment of US politics, these conspiracy theories tap into and encourage a long vein of white supremacy and racial revanchism that has shaped American politics since even before the nation’s founding.

    Trump can morph and change conspiracy theories like no one else, building on fears and deepening existing divisions. He understands the power of pointing to “enemies from within”, and just how well that reinforces the narrative he has already so successfully ingrained in US political culture. We underestimate him, and the power of conspiracy theory, at our peril.

    Emma Shortis is Director of International and Security Affairs at The Australia Institute, an independent think tank.

    – ref. Donald Trump cannot make the Epstein files go away. Will this be the story that brings him down? – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-cannot-make-the-epstein-files-go-away-will-this-be-the-story-that-brings-him-down-261843

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gaza condemns Israeli ‘piracy’ over storming of Handala aid ship

    Asia Pacific Report

    The Gaza Government Media Office has condemned “in the strongest terms” Israel’s storming of the Handala aid ship, calling it an act of “maritime piracy”, reports Al Jazeera.

    “This blatant aggression represents a flagrant violation of international law and maritime navigation rules,” the office said in a statement.

    “It reaffirms once again that the [illegal Israeli] occupation acts as a thuggish force outside the law, targeting every humanitarian initiative seeking to rescue more than 2.4 million besieged and starving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

    The office also called on the international community, including the United Nations and rights groups, “to take an urgent and firm stance against this aggression and to work to secure international protection for the convoys”.

    Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement today that the Israeli navy had intercepted the Gaza-bound Handala, and it was now heading towards Israel.

    “The Israeli navy has stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza,” said the statement, using the aid ship’s original name.

    “The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel,” it added. “All passengers are safe.”

    Freedom Flotilla slams ‘abductions’
    A statement by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel military of “abducting” the 21 crew members of the Handala, saying the ship had been “violently intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters about 40 nautical miles from Gaza.

    “At 23:43 EEST Palestine time, the Occupation cut the cameras on board Handala and we have lost all communication with our ship.

    “The unarmed boat was carrying life-saving supplies when it was boarded by Israeli forces, its passengers abducted, and its cargo seized.

    “The interception occurred in international waters outside Palestinian territorial waters off Gaza, in violation of international maritime law.”

    The Handala carried a shipment of critical humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, including baby formula, diapers, food, and medicine, the statement said.

    “All cargo was non-military, civilian, and intended for direct distribution to a population facing deliberate starvation and medical collapse under Israel’s illegal blockade.”

    The Handala carried 21 civilians representing 12 countries, including parliamentarians, lawyers, journalists, labour organisers, environmentalists, and other human rights defenders.

    Seized crew members, journalists
    The seized crew includes:

    United States: Christian Smalls — Amazon Labor Union founder; Huwaida Arraf — Human rights attorney (Palestine/US); Jacob Berger — Jewish-American activist; Bob Suberi — Jewish US war veteran; Braedon Peluso — sailor and direct action activist; Dr Frank Romano — International lawyer and actor (France/US).

    France: Emma Fourreau — MEP and activist (France/Sweden); Gabrielle Cathala — Parliamentarian and former humanitarian worker; Justine Kempf — nurse, Médecins du Monde; Ange Sahuquet — engineer and human rights activist.

    Italy: Antonio Mazzeo — teacher, peace researcher, journalist; Antonio “Tony” La Picirella — climate and social justice organiser.

    Spain: Santiago González Vallejo — economist and activist; Sergio Toribio — engineer and environmentalist.

    Australia: Robert Martin — human rights activist; Tania “Tan” Safi — Journalist and organiser of Lebanese descent.

    Norway: Vigdis Bjorvand — 70-year-old lifelong justice activist.

    United Kingdom/France: Chloé Fiona Ludden — former UN staff and scientist.

    Tunisia: Hatem Aouini — Trade unionist and internationalist activist.

    The two journalists on board:

    Morocco: Mohamed El Bakkali — senior journalist with Al Jazeera (based in Paris).

    Iraq/United States: Waad Al Musa — cameraman and field reporter with Al Jazeera.

    The attack on Handala is the third violent act by Israeli forces against Freedom Flotilla missions this year alone, said the statement.

    “It follows the drone bombing of the civilian aid ship Conscience in European waters in May, which injured four people and disabled the vessel, and the illegal seizure of the Madleen in June, where Israeli forces abducted 12 civilians, including a Member of the European Parliament.

    “Shortly before their abduction, the Handala‘s crew affirmed that they would be hunger-striking if detained by Israeli forces and not accepting any food from the Israeli Occupation Forces.”

    Israeli officials have ignored the International Court of Justice’s binding orders that require the facilitation of humanitarian access to Gaza.

    The continued attacks on peaceful civilian missions represent a grave violation of international law, said the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

    Kia Ora Gaza support for Handala
    In Auckland, Kia Ora Gaza spokesperson Roger Fowler, who is recovering from cancer treatment, said in a statement:

    “Kia Ora Gaza is a longtime member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and supports the current Handala civil mission to break Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza and end Israel’s campaign to wipe out the Palestinian population.

    “All governments must urgently take strong effective action to stop the genocide and occupation and end all complicity with Israel. There are no Kiwis on the Handala which was intercepted under an enforced communications blackout today.”

    Activists on board the Handala aid ship before leaving Italy’s Gallipoli Port on July 20, 2025. Image: Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 27, 2025

  • Thai-Cambodia border shelling continues despite Trump’s ceasefire call

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Cambodia and Thailand each said the other had launched artillery attacks across contested border areas early on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said the leaders of both countries had agreed to work on a ceasefire.

    Four days after the worst fighting in more than a decade broke out between the Southeast Asian neighbours, the death toll stood above 30, mainly civilians. More than 130,000 people have been evacuated from border areas in the two countries.

    Cambodia’s Defence Ministry said Thailand had shelled and launched ground assaults on Sunday morning at a number of points, including in Phnom Kmoach, which borders Thailand’s coastal Trat province. The ministry’s spokesperson said heavy artillery was fired at temple complexes.

    The Thai army said Cambodia had fired shots into several areas, including near civilian homes, early on Sunday. The governor of Surin told Reuters artillery shells had been fired into the province, damaging a house and killing some livestock.

    In the Thai province of Sisaket, Reuters reporters heard shelling early on Sunday and said it was unclear which side of the border it was on.

    “If there is a ceasefire, things will be better,” Sisaket resident Thavorn Toosawan told Reuters. “It’s great that America is insisting on the ceasefire because it would bring peace.”

    TRUMP SPEAKS TO BOTH LEADERS

    Trump said on Saturday that he had spoken with the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia and they had agreed to meet immediately to quickly work out a ceasefire to end fighting that began on Thursday. Bangkok and Phnom Penh each say the other side started the hostilities.

    “Both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace,” Trump wrote on social media. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet endorsed the call for the fighting to stop.

    “I made it clear to Honourable President Donald Trump that Cambodia agreed with the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces,” Hun Manet posted on Facebook, noting he had also agreed to Malaysia’s earlier ceasefire proposal.

    Thailand’s response was more qualified, as it had been with the proposal from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, saying Cambodia needed to do more before talks could begin.

    “I thanked President Trump for his concern and expressed that Thailand agrees in principle to have a ceasefire in place. However, Thailand would like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side,” acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Facebook.

    The countries have faced off since the killing of a Cambodian soldier late in May during a brief skirmish. Troops on both sides of the border were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.

    Thailand and Cambodia have bickered for decades over undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th century Preah Vihear central to the disputes.

    Preah Vihear was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list it as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and skirmishes over several years brought at least a dozen deaths.

    Cambodia said in June it had asked the court to resolve its disputes with Thailand, which says it has never recognised the court’s jurisdiction and prefers a bilateral approach.

    -REUTERS

    July 27, 2025

  • Indian Railways boosts connectivity and safety in Jammu & Kashmir with track and coach upgrades

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing a major transformation in its railway infrastructure with the Indian Railways undertaking extensive upgrades in track maintenance and passenger coach facilities. The inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, marked a turning point in connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country. This new link, which includes the engineering marvels of the Chenab and Anji bridges, has paved the way for the deployment of advanced machinery and modern amenities in the region.

    The introduction of modern track maintenance machines in the Kashmir Valley has replaced the earlier manual methods, significantly enhancing the quality and safety of railway operations. Since early June, a tamping machine has been in operation, aligning and stabilising railway tracks by packing ballast underneath. This machine has covered around 88 kilometres of track so far, contributing to smoother train rides. Additionally, four Ballast Cleaning Machines (BCMs) have been deployed, with two of them joining the fleet in July. These machines have deep-screened nearly 14 kilometres of track, ensuring cleaner and more stable track conditions.

    To support these efforts, 17 ballast rakes carrying stone chips were sent from depots in Kathua, Qazigund, Madhopur, and Jind. Approximately 19,000 cubic metres of ballast have been laid across the valley’s railway tracks.

    Track Recording Car and Oscillation Monitoring System runs were conducted in June and July respectively to assess the quality of the tracks. These assessments have helped in identifying areas that need further attention, ensuring targeted maintenance for optimal performance.

    Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the role of technology in improving safety and working conditions for railway staff. He said that the government is focusing on upgrading track fittings and adopting scientific maintenance practices using ultrasound fracture detection machines, road-cum-rail vehicles, and AI-based defect detection systems.

    These changes are expected to significantly improve the overall safety of train operations. As of early 2025, around 78 percent of the country’s tracks support speeds of 110 kmph or more, compared to just 39 percent in 2014. This growth is particularly notable given the increase in total track length to over 1 lakh kilometres, up from 79,342 kilometres a decade ago.

    Parallel to the track upgrades, Indian Railways has also launched an overhaul of the passenger coaches operating in the Kashmir Valley. Earlier, due to the absence of a direct rail link, DEMU and MEMU rakes had to be transported on road trailers from Budgam to Lucknow for maintenance. This was not only cumbersome but also inefficient. With the new rail link operational, these rakes are now being brought to the Charbagh workshop in Lucknow and the Jalandhar shed through rail for periodic overhauling.

    Several rakes have already undergone or are currently undergoing maintenance. One MEMU rake has been fully overhauled and is back in service, while another is expected to be ready by the end of July. Two DEMU rakes have been or are being serviced at Charbagh, with one set to return by mid-August. Another DEMU rake under renovation in Jalandhar is expected to be operational by the end of July. Four additional DEMU rakes are scheduled for upgradation in the coming weeks.

    The upgraded rakes are being fitted with enhanced features to improve passenger comfort and safety. These include anti-graffiti PU exterior painting, bio-toilets with new water pumps, refurbished polycarbonate seating, new standing handles, renewed PVC flooring, buffed stainless steel fixtures, upgraded hopper windows, functional passenger information systems, better mobile charging sockets, and improved power panels for uninterrupted water system operation.

    All passenger coach upgradation works in the valley are expected to be completed by August 31, 2025. With these developments, Indian Railways is not only ensuring better travel experiences for passengers in Jammu & Kashmir but is also reinforcing its role as the backbone of the nation’s transportation network. The opening of the Jammu-Srinagar rail link and the ongoing enhancement efforts are poised to become a new lifeline for the people of the region.

    July 27, 2025

  • PM Modi launches development projects worth over ₹4800 crore in Tamil Nadu

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated, dedicated, and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth more than ₹4800 crore in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu on Saturday. The initiatives span across key sectors, including airports, highways, ports, railways, and clean energy infrastructure, and are expected to significantly boost regional connectivity, economic growth, and the overall quality of life in southern Tamil Nadu.

    Marking the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, the Prime Minister also paid homage to India’s brave soldiers, acknowledging their sacrifice and valor.

    Infrastructure and Connectivity Push

    PM Modi highlighted the central government’s focus on infrastructure and energy as the backbone of a state’s progress, noting that the past 11 years have seen a continued commitment to Tamil Nadu’s development. “Thoothukudi is witnessing the dawn of a new chapter in development,” he said.

    Among the major inaugurations was the new terminal building at Thoothukudi Airport, built at a cost of ₹450 crore. Spanning 17,340 square meters, the terminal is equipped to handle 20 lakh passengers annually—up from just 3 lakh earlier—and will play a crucial role in boosting connectivity for business, education, healthcare, and tourism in the region.

    The Prime Minister also inaugurated two major highway projects. The first is the 4-laning of the 50-km Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch of NH-36 under the Vikravandi–Thanjavur corridor, developed at over ₹2,350 crore. The second is the 6-laning of the 5.16-km NH-138 Thoothukudi Port Road, constructed at ₹200 crore. These projects are expected to ease cargo movement, reduce travel time, and support industrial growth in the Delta region.

    Strengthening Ports and Railways

    Furthering the development of maritime infrastructure, PM Modi inaugurated the North Cargo Berth–III at V.O. Chidambaranar Port, built at around ₹285 crore. With a cargo handling capacity of 6.96 MMTPA, the berth is expected to improve dry bulk logistics and boost the port’s operational efficiency.

    Three key railway infrastructure projects were also dedicated to the nation. These include the electrification of the 90-km Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line, the ₹650 crore doubling of the 21-km Nagercoil Town–Kanniyakumari section, and the doubling of the Aralvaymozhi–Nagercoil Junction (12.87 km) and Tirunelveli–Melappalayam (3.6 km) sections. These initiatives aim to improve travel time, passenger convenience, and economic integration in southern Tamil Nadu.

    Energy and Clean Power Focus

    The PM also laid the foundation stone for a key transmission project linked to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. Developed at a cost of ₹550 crore, the 400 kV transmission system will help evacuate 2000 MW of power from Units 3 and 4 and strengthen the national grid, ensuring reliable clean energy for Tamil Nadu and other beneficiary states.

    PM Modi noted that Tamil Nadu has seen fast progress under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with nearly one lakh applications and over 40,000 rooftop solar installations already completed, creating thousands of green jobs and promoting clean energy usage.

    Economic Growth and Trade Boost

    The Prime Minister spoke about the recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the United Kingdom, describing it as a symbol of the growing global trust in India. Under the agreement, 99 percent of Indian products exported to the UK will be tax-free. The PM this would enhance the global demand for Indian goods, benefit MSMEs, youth, and startups, and particularly support Tamil Nadu’s fishing community and innovation sector.

    Highlighting the government’s emphasis on ‘Make in India’, he cited the successful use of indigenous weapons during Operation Sindoor as an example of India’s manufacturing strength.

    Cultural and Historical Significance

    Paying tribute to Tamil Nadu’s rich cultural legacy, PM Modi remembered freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, and historical icons like Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Alagu Muthu Kon, and poet Subramania Bharati. He also underscored the cultural bond between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, exemplified through initiatives like the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam.

    The Prime Minister recalled gifting the famed Pandya Pearls of Thoothukudi to Bill Gates last year, highlighting their historical significance in India’s maritime trade.

    Long-Term Commitment to Tamil Nadu

    PM Modi emphasized that Tamil Nadu has received more than ₹3 lakh crore in central fund transfers over the past decade—three times more than the previous government. He noted that the state has also gained 11 new medical colleges and major investments under the Blue Revolution to support coastal economies and the fisheries sector.

    The PM also congratulated the people of Tamil Nadu, stating that the development projects in Thoothukudi mark a powerful step forward in the journey toward a developed Tamil Nadu and a developed India.

    The event was attended by Tamil Nadu Governor R. N Ravi, Union Ministers Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, L Murugan, and other dignitaries.

    July 27, 2025

  • Trump says Thailand, Cambodia agree to hold immediate ceasefire talks

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trumpsaid on Saturday the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand had agreed to meet immediately to quickly work out a ceasefire, as he sought to broker peace after three days of fighting along their border.

    Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, thanked Trump and said Thailand “agrees in principle to have a ceasefire in place” but “would like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side.”

    Phumtham was responding in a Facebook post to a series of social media posts by Trump during a visit to Scotland. Trump said he had spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Phumtham and warned them that he would not make trade deals with either if the border conflict continued.

    “Both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace,” Trump wrote as he gave a blow-by-blow account of his diplomatic efforts.

    Phumtham also said he had asked Trump “to convey to the Cambodian side that Thailand wants to convene a bilateral dialogue as soon as possible to bring forth measures and procedures for the ceasefire and the eventual peaceful resolution of the conflict.”

    More than 30 people have been killed and more than 130,000 people displaced in the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in 13 years.

    Before Trump spoke to the two leaders, Thai-Cambodian border clashes persisted into a third day and new flashpoints emerged as both sides said they had acted in self-defense in the dispute and called on the other to cease fighting and start negotiations.

    U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned by the clashes and “urges both sides to immediately agree to a ceasefire and to address any issues through dialogue,” Deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement.

    Haq said Guterres “condemns the tragic and unnecessary loss of lives” and “remains available to assist in any efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the dispute.”

    Trump offered no details on the ceasefire negotiations he said Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to hold.

    The White House did not immediately respond to questions on the timing and venue for talks and the Thai and Cambodian embassies in Washington also did not immediately respond.

    There were clashes early on Saturday, both sides said, in the Thai coastal province of Trat and Cambodia’s Pursat Province, a new front more than 100 km (60 miles) from other conflict points along the long-contested border.

    The countries have faced off since the killing of a Cambodian soldier late in May during a brief skirmish. Troops on both sides of the border were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.

    As of Saturday, Thailand said seven soldiers and 13 civilians had been killed, while Cambodia said five soldiers and eight civilians had been killed.

    Trump’s direct involvement followed U.S. calls for restraint on both sides. He said he spoke to each leader and relayed messages back and forth.

    “They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!,” Trump wrote, saying both countries wanted to get back to the “Trading Table.” He has sought to reach separate deals with dozens of countries by August 1 in response to his announcement of wide-ranging tariffs on imports to the U.S.

    “When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!” Trump said.

    Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, chair of the ASEAN regional bloc, said he would continue to push a ceasefire proposal. Cambodia has backed Anwar’s plan, while Thailand has said it agreed with it in principle.

    -Reuters

    July 27, 2025

  • Inspiring visionary, outstanding scientist, great patriot: PM Modi’s homage to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tribute to former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, saying that his thoughts continue to motivate the youth to contribute towards building a developed and strong India.

    Kalam served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.

    Known as the ‘Missile Man of India’, Kalam earned widespread admiration for his simple lifestyle and non-partisan conduct, winning the respect of people and political leaders across the spectrum.

    Paying rich tributes, PM Modi described Kalam as an “inspiring visionary, outstanding scientist, mentor, and a great patriot.”

    “On his death anniversary, paying homage to our beloved former President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He is remembered as an inspiring visionary, outstanding scientist, mentor, and a great patriot. His dedication to our nation was exemplary. His thoughts motivate the youth of India to contribute towards building a developed and strong India,” the Prime Minister said on his X handle.

    PM Modi has long held Dr. Kalam in high esteem. On his birth anniversary last year, the Prime Minister praised Kalam’s unique accomplishments, noting how rare it is for someone to be regarded as a “Rashtra Ratna” (Jewel of the Nation) even before becoming the President of India.

    Dr. Kalam remains one of India’s most respected scientists and national figures, remembered for his humility, commitment, and excellence. He played a key role in advancing India’s missile and defence capabilities, particularly through the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, which led to the development of the Agni and Prithvi missiles.

    He also played a pivotal role in giving India its nuclear capabilities. In 1998, Kalam was one of the chief coordinators of the Pokhran-II nuclear tests, during which five nuclear devices were successfully detonated at a test site in Pokhran, Rajasthan.

    Popularly known as the ‘People’s President,’ Kalam was passionate about inspiring youth and children. On July 27, 2015, he collapsed while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong and was later pronounced dead from cardiac arrest.

    BJP National President and Union Minister J.P. Nadda also paid tribute, calling Kalam’s life a remarkable story of struggle and success, and praising his unparalleled contribution to making India a nuclear-powered nation.

    “I pay my heartfelt respects to the former President of India, great scientist, Bharat Ratna, and ‘Missile Man’ Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on his death anniversary. Dr. Kalam’s life is a remarkable saga of struggle and success. He faced numerous obstacles but overcame them with unwavering determination and diligence to reach the highest office of the country. His unmatched contribution to making India a nuclear-powered nation is unforgettable. His thoughts and actions for national upliftment will always inspire us in our service to the nation,” Nadda wrote on X.

    Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid homage, saying that Kalam’s life of simplicity, dedication, and patriotism continues to inspire the entire nation.

    “Humble tribute to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, ‘Missile Man’, and Bharat Ratna, on his death anniversary. His life, full of simplicity, dedication, and patriotism, is a divine inspiration for the entire nation. His illuminating thoughts in the fields of science, education, and innovation will continue to enlighten us all,” CM Yogi wrote on X.

    —IANS

    July 27, 2025

  • Trump golfs in Scotland as Epstein questions persist

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump kept a low profile on his Scottish golf course on Saturday, ahead of meetings with top British and European leaders, as questions swirled at home about his ties to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

    Trump arrived on Friday on a visit that has triggered protests in Scotland, with hundreds lining the streets of the capital Edinburgh waving placards saying: “NOT MY PRESIDENT.”

    The U.S. leader told reporters on arrival that he would visit his two golf properties in Scotland – one in Turnberry on the west coast where he is playing on Saturday and the other near Aberdeen on the country’s eastern coast. He is also due to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Scottish leader John Swinney and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he called a “highly respected woman.”

    Von der Leyen headed to Scotland on Saturday, ahead of the meeting, with two top U.S. officials flying in from Washington and officials on both sides expressing cautious optimism that a framework trade agreement could be reached.

    Trump will meet with von der Leyen at 1530 GMT on Sunday, the White House said.

    Frustrated by continued questions about his administration’s handling of investigative files related to Epstein’s criminal charges and his 2019 death in prison, Trump on Friday told reporters to focus on bigger issues and other people.

    “You make it a very big thing over something that’s not a big thing,” Trump said. “Don’t talk about Trump. What you should be talking about is the fact that we have the greatest six months in the history of a presidency.”

    Trump, normally a master at changing the subject when a topic stings politically, has been unable to shake off persistent unrest from his usually loyal base about Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019.

    The U.S. president was spotted on the golf course on Saturday morning, but had no public events on his schedule. Reporters and supporters were kept away by enhanced security.

    The White House said Trump was golfing with his son, Eric Trump, and the U.S. ambassador to Britain, Warren Stephens, and his son. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was also on the course.

    White House officials hope some time out of the limelight will allow the Epstein controversy to die down, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

    GAZA CONCERNS

    Away from the golf course, hundreds of anti-Trump protesters gathered outside the U.S. consulate in Edinburgh, with some holding up placards with images of Trump with Epstein. Others in the crowd held pro-Palestinian signs.

    Cat Cutmore, 31, an Edinburgh resident, said she felt compelled to protest Trump’s visit given her deep concerns about the worsening situation in Gaza after 21 months of war and what she sees as the U.S. president’s attacks on democratic principles. She chafed at his warm reception by Scottish and British officials.

    “There comes a point where if you roll out the red carpet to somebody who has put citizens of his own country and people who are seeking asylum into prison camps, you’re complicit,” she said.

    Janet MacLeod Trotter, another Edinburgh resident and an author of historical fiction, said she was particularly angry that Trump was capitalising on his mother’s name, which she shares.

    On the trip, Trump will open a golf course near Aberdeen named after his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born and raised on a Scottish island before emigrating to the United States.

    “We’re just fed up with the way that he’s using political clout to browbeat people around the world … He’s coming here and using that as a gimmick to help his business interests,” Trotter said.

    Gabriele Negro, an Italian who works at the University of Edinburgh, said he was there to send a signal that he, like others, did not agree with Trump’s immigration policies and stance on Gaza.

    Trump bought the Turnberry property, which includes a hotel and golf course, for $60 million in 2014, in the hope of returning the course to the rotation for the Open Championship, but said his visit was “not about that.”

    It has not hosted the event since 2009 amid concerns about the lack of accommodation and infrastructure for an event that draws hundreds of thousands.

    -Reuters

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sudan’s militant coalition announces parallel government

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    KHARTOUM, July 27 (Xinhua) — A political coalition led by the paramilitary Rapid Intervention Force (RIF) announced on Saturday the formation of a parallel government in Sudan, raising fears of further fragmentation of the country already suffering from civil conflict for more than two years.

    “The leadership of the Founding Alliance of Sudan has agreed to appoint Mohammed Hassan al-Taishi as prime minister of the peace government,” the alliance’s spokesman, Alaa El-Din Nugood, said in a televised address broadcast via Telegram.

    According to the statement, RRF commander Mohammed Hamdan Daglo was appointed head of the presidential council, the highest sovereign body in the new government, and PPLM-N leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu was appointed his deputy.

    An anonymous source in the alliance told Xinhua that the SRF received 42 percent of the seats in the parallel government, while the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North received 33 percent. The remaining 25 percent were divided among other groups in the alliance.

    Political analyst Abdel Khalek Mahjoub said the announcement of a parallel government would further complicate Sudan’s political crisis.

    “There are serious concerns that Sudan could face the threat of splitting, given the existence of two governments. This reality worsens the political situation in the country,” he said.

    Having two governments, he said, exacerbates the geographic divide, which could eventually lead to permanent division, as seen in some other countries.

    In February, the RSF signed a founding charter with various political and armed groups, laying the foundation for a parallel government.

    The RSF currently controls most of the Darfur region in western Sudan and part of the Kordofan region.

    Sudan remains locked in a conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RRF, which erupted in April 2023. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions more. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Floods can’t stop the fun — China’s ‘Village Super League’ roars back

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China’s renowned “Village Super League,” also known as Cun Chao, has made a triumphant return with a gratitude-themed restart ceremony staged in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, on late Saturday, drawing tens of thousands of spectators. The celebration comes after devastating floods weeks ago, when the stadium and much of the county were submerged in floodwaters.

    Four matches, including three friendship matches, were held on Saturday, of which many players from all walks of life contributed to the flood fighting in late June.

    International stars, Roberto Baggio from Italy and Roberto Carlos from Brazil, also showed up during the halftime. “Although China is half a globe away from Europe, here I can feel that the passion for football is exactly the same,” said Baggio on the scene.

    Li Sha, head of the county cultural center and a member of the event’s organizing committee, said that in just one month, Cun Chao is back in full swing. “This would not have been possible without nationwide support.”

    An aerial drone photo taken on July 26 shows the restart ceremony of the “Village Super League,” also known as Cun Chao, staged in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province in southwest China. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

    Launched in May 2023, Cun Chao has become one of China’s most prominent grassroots football events. Boosted by the sports event, Rongjiang County, home to a population of 385,000, attracted 7.6 million tourists in 2023 and over 9.4 million in 2024.

    The third season kicked off in early January this year, with over 3,000 players from 108 village teams competing for the champion.

    On June 24 and 28, rain-triggered floods hit the county hard, leading to the suspension of the league. The floods impacted 145,000 people and prompted 92,000 evacuations. Six people were killed.

    This combined photo shows the newly re-constructed football field of the “Village Super League” in Rongjiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, July 25, 2025 (Top, aerial drone photo) and the field under the impact of severe flooding on June 25, 2025 (Bottom, aerial drone photo). (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

    GRATEFUL RETURN

    At the ceremony in the newly renovated stadium with donated turf, repaired lighting and rebuilt corridors, a performance titled “Rebirth” reenacted scenes of firefighters, armed police, electricians and medical workers from nationwide joining in the rescue.

    “When floods raged, seeing rescuers from across China made us feel assured,” said 55-year-old Yang Changrong, a performer from the Changba residential community, one of the worst-hit areas.

    Yang recalled that the rescuers worked in extreme heat, carrying supplies by hand where vehicles could not reach. “When exhausted, they simply rested by the roadside. It was heart-wrenching yet inspiring.”

    Figures show that over 30,000 rescuers rushed to aid the county and donations — nearly 80 million yuan (about 11 million U.S. dollars) in funds and 2.2 million relief items — poured in for the disaster relief work.

    Liang Xiaolei attended the ceremony as part of the parade team that participated in the relief efforts.

    The veteran rescuer called Rongjiang’s flood fight an experience that moved him the most. “From elderly folks to schoolchildren, everyone pitched in — cooking meals and clearing rubble,” he said. “Every time we opened the boxed meals and saw the tightly packed food, we felt their care.”

    Cheerleading squad in ethnic costumes attend the restart ceremony of the “Village Super League,” also known as Cun Chao, staged in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province in southwest China, July 26, 2025. (Photo by Long Jianrui/Xinhua)

    REBUILDING HOPE

    The restart of the league, a major sign of Rongjiang’s post-disaster recovery, has brought strong hope to people in their efforts to restore normal life.

    As the football matches are back on schedule, hotels are fully booked, and schools have been made available to temporarily accommodate about 6,000 visitors.

    Wearing the iconic yellow costume of the Brazilian national team, He Yufeng from Chongqing Municipality headed to Rongjiang with his family to see Roberto Carlos and watch the matches.

    Also an amateur player, the 37-year-old plays football every weekend in Chongqing. “The atmosphere here is great. I’ll come back to play with my team if I get the chance,” he said.

    Roberto Baggio (R) and Roberto Carlos (L) attend the “Village Super League,” also known as Cun Chao, staged in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province in southwest China, July 26, 2025. (Photo by Long Jianrui/Xinhua)

    Fruit vendor Yan Jiafu, who suffered much economic loss in the floods, reopened his shop after obtaining a 500,000 yuan government-subsidized loan in mid-July. “Cun Chao has brought back our confidence,” he said.

    The county has coordinated with banks to provide financial support and state-owned properties to waive six-month rentals to related businesses. As of Friday, more than 90 percent of some 6,800 affected businesses had reopened.

    After the gratitude-themed restart, Rongjiang will resume the league with full force and host all the delayed matches, said Xu Bo, the county’s Party chief.

    “Bearing gratitude in mind, we will move on, bringing Cun Chao’s passion, vitality and joy to people across the country again,” Xu said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese government proposes creation of global AI cooperation organization

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    The Chinese government has proposed the creation of a global artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation organization, and is tentatively considering establishing its headquarters in Shanghai, Xinhua has learned from sources involved in the matter.

    This is an important move China has made to practice multilateralism and promote a style of global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits, the sources said.

    They also noted that it is a concrete action taken by China in response to the call of the Global South to bridge the digital and intelligence divide, and to promote the inclusive development of AI and the use of AI for good.

    China expects the organization will serve as a platform for countries to deepen cooperation on innovation, promote pragmatic cooperation to fully unleash the unlimited potential of AI, and achieve common development and prosperity, the sources said.

    They said that through this platform, China hopes to assist countries in the Global South to strengthen their capacity-building, nurture an AI innovation ecosystem, ensure that developing countries benefit equally from waves of AI, and promote the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    Further goals for the organization, they said, are to enhance the coordination and alignment of development strategies, governance rules and technical standards among countries, and to gradually form a global framework and international standards for AI governance that have broad consensus, based on full respect for the differences in policies and practices among countries.

    By establishing the organization’s headquarters in Shanghai, China hopes to leverage its advantage in AI — and Shanghai’s advantage, in particular — to boost cooperation, according to the sources.

    They said that China stands ready to discuss relevant arrangements with countries that are willing to join the organization. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: KMT triumphs in recall vote amid growing public discontent with Taiwan’s DPP authorities

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    A recall campaign against 24 legislators of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) in Taiwan failed on Saturday, with none of the proposals receiving more votes in favor of the recall than against it, according to the local election affairs authority.

    Voting took place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday across the island. As ballots were counted after polls closed, the “no” votes consistently outnumbered the “yes” votes in all 24 recall cases, marking a sweeping victory for the KMT in the first round of the large-scale recall campaign.

    A recall vote targeting the suspended mayor of Hsinchu was held the same day and likewise failed to pass.

    The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) currently holds 51 seats in the island’s 113-seat legislature, making it a minority party. Observers believed that although the recall campaign appeared to be initiated by “civil groups,” it was in fact orchestrated by the DPP authorities led by Lai Ching-te, in an attempt to reverse their disadvantage in the legislature through recalls and by-elections.

    “The landslide rejection in the voting is a reflection of public anger toward Lai and the DPP authorities,” said Hsieh Chih-chuan, a current affairs commentator in Taiwan, adding that since taking office, the Lai authorities have persecuted dissenting voices through judicial and other means, while continuously stirring up tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

    The outcome of the votes reflects the latest public sentiment in Taiwan — a clear rejection of the DPP’s attempts to seek “Taiwan independence,” Hsieh said, calling it a “total failure” for the party.

    The result indicates that peaceful cross-Strait relations represent the mainstream will of the people in Taiwan, said Wang Kun-Yih, president of the Taiwan International Strategic Study Society. If the DPP does not change its cross-Strait policy, it risks being abandoned by the public, he noted.

    The second round of recall votes targeting another seven KMT legislators is scheduled to be held on August 23.

    According to local election rules, a recall vote will pass if the number of valid votes in agreement exceeds the number of votes in disagreement. The number of votes in agreement must also equal at least a quarter of the total number of eligible voters in the electoral district.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Hundreds protest Trump’s visit to Scotland amid heavy security

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Hundreds of people took to the streets of Aberdeen and Edinburgh on Saturday to protest the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump, who is in Scotland for a five-day visit.

    A heavy police presence was maintained outside the Trump Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire, as authorities prepared for potential risks, including terrorism-related threats. Sky News reported that Scottish police had requested support from other parts of Britain to bolster security.

    Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said that it would be “inappropriate” to overlook last year’s assassination attempt on Trump while planning security for the visit. She described the operation as one of the most complex and challenging tasks that Scottish police have undertaken in years, with the cost expected to be “significant.”

    A group called “UK Stop Trump Coalition” posted videos on TikTok on Saturday, with one clip captioned, “Aberdeen is filling up with protesters against Donald Trump’s golfing visit.”

    Protesters held signs reading “FELON 47 NOT WELCOME HERE,” referencing Trump’s criminal conviction, and displayed photos of Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein.

    Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the William Wallace statue in central Aberdeen, where speakers included Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie, climate activists and minority rights advocates, according to local STV News. Protesters also raised concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    Kirsty Haigh, a member of the “Scotland Against Trump” alliance, told local media that protesters from across Britain had united to oppose Trump and what she called his “politics of division.” She criticized Trump for using Scotland as a place to “cleanse his image.”

    Trump’s five-day visit to Scotland is scheduled to run from July 25 to 29. He is expected to spend time at both the Trump Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire and Trump International Scotland in Aberdeenshire. During his stay, he will also hold informal meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.

    CNN reported that Trump’s trip to Scotland comes amid the political scandal over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, describing the visit as a “golf-heavy” escape from political tensions in Washington.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Overseas products to make it cheaper to build

    Source: New Zealand Government

    From tomorrow, thousands of additional building products including plasterboard, cladding systems, external doors, and windows will all be easier to use in construction sites across New Zealand, Mr Penk says

    Our government is laser focused on economic growth, which drives more jobs and increasing wages. We want to see a construction boom, and this is an important step.

    Quality overseas building products have been given the green light for New Zealand construction, ending costly monopolies on a small number of products that are currently used in New Zealand, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.

    “It is 50 per cent more expensive to build a standalone home in New Zealand than in Australia. That is frankly outrageous. 

    “These changes have the potential to reduce total building costs by thousands of dollars when building a home. 

    “For example, New Zealand has some of the most expensive plasterboard in the world. Kiwis pay around 38 per cent more than Australia for plasterboard, 47 per cent more than the UK, and 67 per cent more than the US for the same products.

    “And 97 per cent of the plasterboard that we must currently use is made by one established company. You may recall that in 2022, when that company ran into difficulty, prices for plasterboard soared and some builders were reported to pay six times the normal amount so they could finish the job.

    “That changes tomorrow.

     

    “This Government is pulling every lever it has to drive economic growth and building materials is one of many areas where a good dose of competition might do the trick.

     

    “There are thousands of well-made, high performing products that have been tested against rigorous international standards but have faced barriers for uptake here, purely because they have not been specifically tested against our own standards. From tomorrow it will be much easier to use plasterboard manufactured in New Zealand, Australia, UK, Europe and the United States.

    “This Government is serious about lowering the cost of building and helping Kiwis into homes faster. 

    “Tomorrow we are releasing the first version of the Building Product Specifications document which lists international standards for products like plasterboard, cladding, windows and external doors.

    “Later this year additional pathways will go live enabling more high-quality building products to be used including over 200,000 plumbing products through the Australian Watermark scheme. 

    “This is just the beginning of our work to open the door to more building products, lower the cost of homes and turbo charge the construction sector and there will be more to come.”

    Notes to editor:

    • The Building Product Specification document will be published on Monday and will be updated over time to include more trusted international product standards:  https://www.building.govt.nz/building-code-compliance/building-product-specifications
    • Standards and specifications contained in the BPS have been assessed to ensure they are equivalent or better than current requirements and won’t alter the level of performance set by the New Zealand Building Code.
    • Two other pathways to enable greater use of overseas building products are being developed: endorsements of overseas standards by the Minister of Building and Construction, and recognition of products certified overseas as complying with New Zealand’s Building Code.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China begins gradual rollout of free preschool education, lifting burden on young families

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China begins gradual rollout of free preschool education, lifting burden on young families

    BEIJING, July 26 — China is taking concrete steps to introduce free preschool education, as part of broader efforts to ease rising child care costs for young families amid mounting demographic challenges facing the country.

    The move follows a commitment China made during its annual legislative session earlier this year to gradually implement free preschool education nationwide.

    In its latest directive, which was issued on Friday, the central government has urged local governments to draw detailed implementation plans swiftly, and to allocate necessary subsidies.

    It has also emphasized the need to expand preschool infrastructure, raise the salaries and welfare of kindergarten teachers, and improve support for children’s physical and mental well-being.

    The prospect of free preschool has drawn praise from parents. Ms. Tan, a working mother in Beijing whose 3-year-old daughter is set to enter kindergarten this fall, described the policy as a timely “gift.” If fully implemented, she said, it could save her family at least 9,000 yuan (1,260 U.S. dollars) a year.

    Kindergarten costs in China vary widely by region and type. In Beijing, public preschools typically charge less than 10,000 yuan a year, though competition for places can be fierce. Tuition at private kindergartens ranges from a few hundred to several thousand U.S. dollars per month.

    China currently provides nine years of compulsory education, covering primary and middle school. This system, which has been in place since 1986, ensures that all school-age children receive basic education. The ongoing push to make preschool education free is seen as a meaningful step to extend that guarantee to younger children.

    “The policy would reduce the financial burden of childrearing and education further, potentially encouraging more families to have children,” said Song Jian, deputy director of the Population Development Studies Center at Renmin University of China.

    Beyond easing the financial burden on families, education experts said the policy could help bridge disparities in early childhood education between urban and rural areas, and among children from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

    “It gives every child a fairer start in life, laying a stronger foundation for future academic and personal development,” said Gao Bingcheng, an associate researcher at the China National Academy of Educational Sciences.

    According to the latest data from China’s Ministry of Education, there were 253,000 kindergartens nationwide in 2024, at which a total of 35.8 million children were enrolled.

    While kindergarten typically begins at the age of 3 in China, authorities are now also turning their attention to infants and toddlers, who have traditionally been cared for at home.

    As part of a broader effort to support families, the government is ramping up nursery care services for children under 3, aiming to relieve the pressures on working parents and improve early childhood development.

    According to guidelines released in early July which focus on expanding affordable child care, China plans to offer 4.5 child care places per 1,000 people by the end of 2025, adding 660,000 new subsidized places.

    For parents like Tan, the availability of affordable day care for children under 3 is a decisive factor in family planning. “It’s a key consideration in whether or not I have a second child,” she said.

    Thanks to increased government investment, more subsidized nursery spaces and programs are now available, offering families like Tan’s greater access and affordability.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 27, 2025
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