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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Chandra Sees Surprisingly Strong Black Hole Jet at Cosmic “Noon”

    Source: NASA

    A black hole has blasted out a surprisingly powerful jet in the distant universe, according to a new study from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and discussed in our latest press release. This jet exists early enough in the cosmos that it is being illuminated by the leftover glow from the big bang itself.
    Astronomers used Chandra and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to study this black hole and its jet at a period they call “cosmic noon,” which occurred about three billion years after the universe began. During this time most galaxies and supermassive black holes were growing faster than at any other time during the history of the universe.
    The main graphic is an artist’s illustration showing material in a disk that is falling towards a supermassive black hole. A jet is blasting away from the black hole towards the upper right, as Chandra detected in the new study. The black hole is located 11.6 billion light-years from Earth when the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the leftover glow from the big bang, was much denser than it is now. As the electrons in the jets fly away from the black hole, they move through the sea of CMB radiation and collide with microwave photons. These collisions boost the energy of the photons up into the X-ray band (purple and white), allowing them to be detected by Chandra even at this great distance, which is shown in the inset.
    Researchers, in fact, identified and then confirmed the existence of two different black holes with jets over 300,000 light-years long. The two black holes are 11.6 billion and 11.7 billion light-years away from Earth, respectively. Particles in one jet are moving at between 95% and 99% of the speed of light (called J1405+0415) and in the other at between 92% and 98% of the speed of light (J1610+1811). The jet from J1610+1811 is remarkably powerful, carrying roughly half as much energy as the intense light from hot gas orbiting the black hole.
    The team was able to detect these jets despite their great distances and small separation from the bright, growing supermassive black holes — known as “quasars” — because of Chandra’s sharp X-ray vision, and because the CMB was much denser then than it is now, enhancing the energy boost described above.
    When quasar jets approach the speed of light, Einstein’s theory of special relativity creates a dramatic brightening effect. Jets aimed toward Earth appear much brighter than those pointed away. The same brightness astronomers observe can come from vastly different combinations of speed and viewing angle. A jet racing at near-light speed but angled away from us can appear just as bright as a slower jet pointed directly at Earth.
    The researchers developed a novel statistical method that finally cracked this challenge of separating effects of speed and of viewing angle. Their approach recognizes a fundamental bias: astronomers are more likely to discover jets pointed toward Earth simply because relativistic effects make them appear brightest. They incorporated this bias using a modified probability distribution, which accounts for how jets oriented at different angles are detected in surveys.
    Their method works by first using the physics of how jet particles scatter the CMB to determine the relationship between jet speed and viewing angle. Then, instead of assuming all angles are equally likely, they apply the relativistic selection effect: jets beamed toward us (smaller angles) are overrepresented in our catalogs. By running ten thousand simulations that match this biased distribution to their physical model, they could finally determine the most probable viewing angles: about 9 degrees for J1405+0415 and 11 degrees for J1610+1811.
    These results were presented by Jaya Maithil (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian) at the 246th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Anchorage, AK, and are also being published in The Astrophysical Journal. A preprint is available here. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

    Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:

    chandra

    https://chandra.si.edu
    Visual Description
    This release is supported by an artist’s illustration of a jet blasting away from a supermassive black hole.
    The black hole sits near the center of the illustration. It resembles a black marble with a fine yellow outline. Surrounding the black hole is a swirling disk, resembling a dinner plate tilted to face our upper right. This disk comprises concentric rings of fiery swirls, dark orange near the outer edge, and bright yellow near the core.
    Shooting out of the black hole are two streaky beams of silver and pale violet. One bright beam shoots up toward our upper right, and a second somewhat dimmer beam shoots in the opposite direction, down toward our lower left. These beams are encircled by long, fine, corkscrewing lines that resemble stretched springs.
    This black hole is located 11.6 billion light-years from Earth, much earlier in the history of the universe. Near this black hole, the leftover glow from the big bang, known as the cosmic microwave background or CMB, is much denser than it is now. As the electrons in the jets blast away from the black hole, they move through the sea of CMB radiation. The electrons boost the energies of the CMB light into the X-ray band, allowing the jets to be detected by Chandra, even at this great distance.
    Inset at our upper righthand corner is an X-ray image depicting this interaction. Here, a bright white circle is ringed with a band of glowing purple energy. The jet is the faint purple line shooting off that ring, aimed toward our upper right, with a blob of purple energy at its tip.

    Megan WatzkeChandra X-ray CenterCambridge, Mass.617-496-7998mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu
    Lane FigueroaMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama256-544-0034lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Kamal Kishore: We can celebrate success, but the real work starts now

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Last week the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction brought together an amazing, devoted community of disaster risk reduction practitioners from all around the world.

    Over the past four decades, since the early days of the Decade for Disaster Risk Reduction, this community has really stuck together. It’s a caring community: sensitive, solutions-oriented, increasingly inclusive.

    It’s fantastic that we can come together every few years to take stock of what we’re achieving, where we are falling short, and what we could do more of.

    Throughout the week they have shown us solutions from every corner of the world – from remote communities in Nepal to small island nations across the Pacific, Caribbean, and Indian Ocean, to flood- or drought-prone regions across the globe.

    There’s so much happening – and that is a real cause for optimism. It provides me with determination to do more.

    After reflecting on all that I’ve learnt, the discussions I’ve had and listened to, and the immense collection of experience, perspectives and wisdom that were assembled, I want to highlight three things:

    First: we are succeeding

    Disaster mortality is down 50% decade on decade.

    Over 130 countries have DRR strategies.

    That’s a scale of progress we haven’t seen in any other area of development practice. We are succeeding – and that’s rare.

    But success is fragile: Yes, fewer lives are lost – but the newer risks are shifting. Mortality risk from intensifying hazards like heatwaves, and low-frequency high-impact geophysical hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis continues to be a cause for concern.

    We still have work to do on Target A – to reduce disaster mortality – and Target E – to put in place national and local DRR strategies.

    Strategies exist; but are they backed by funding? By legislation? Are their effects felt at local level? We must ask these tough questions – to ourselves, our communities, and our governments – so that we can find and fill the gaps.

    Success is not guaranteed to last. We need to consolidate our progress and remain alert. We have to do more.

    Second: we need to get serious about financing 

    This is the next leap: we – as DRR practitioners, as governments, as the international community – still need serious resourcing for disaster risk reduction.

    After 35 years, we still haven’t cracked this problem, and no country is immune. We need to ask, why?

    The evidence shows the value of DRR investments, but we need to make it more robust and granular, and framed in ways that can persuade potential financiers.

    In our quest for more resources, we must look at all sources: national budgets, private capital, insurance, climate finance, development aid. The investments benefit everyone, so the money must come from everywhere.

    But that raises an equally important question: how do we use this money? Do we have the systems to allocate it effectively? Very few countries have national infrastructure investment plans that are informed by risk data.

    Switzerland – our GP 2025 host – is a standout. The Swiss Government and private sector invest billions every year in disaster risk reduction and measuring outcomes. And the returns of this investment are clear: just last week, when the village of Blatten was obliterated by a landslide, triggered by glacial melting, nearly all the population, plus their livestock, were evacuated to safety thanks to early warnings and robust risk management.

    We must continue to focus on infrastructure investment planning. This Platform brought together finance ministers and planners from several countries— but let’s go further. Next time we should bring 70 finance ministers, and ask them: “What is your infrastructure investment strategy, and how is it risk-informed?”

    We must go even further, and take the discussion beyond top-level conversations, down to sector-by-sector planning, and ask, “where is the risk?”

    Our 2025 Global Assessment Report can help show where the risk is; now we need to translate those findings into strategic investments, at scale. Otherwise, our development gains will be continuously eroded.

    This next leap is also about mainstreaming risk-informed development — something we’ve talked about for two decades, but we still haven’t done enough. This means investing in humble infrastructure – homes, schools, hospitals – and not just in power, water, transport, and telecoms.

    During the GP we had a ministerial roundtable on school safety. We know how to make schools safer: in Nepal, after the 2015 earthquake, every one of the 150 retrofitted schools in Kathmandu Valley remained usable.

    And in doing all this, we must keep our promise to the Small Island Developing States, who are at the frontline of increasing climate disasters.

    Third: there is inspiration all around us

    My third point is about inspiration. What has been really inspiring at this Platform is the work of community groups, women’s groups, youth groups, local governments.

    The innovative work is happening at local levels. We need to capture and elevate these initiatives – not just to circulate in reports, but to give legitimacy, voice, and funding so these actions can be scaled.

    The future of disaster risk reduction is not just national. It’s in cities, towns, and villages.

    If we don’t reduce risk at the local level, we won’t succeed. Local actors are already taking action – they are not waiting for the UN or national governments. We must scale this work.

     

    Watch some examples of inspiring initiatives 

    To sum up: If we consolidate our progress – without taking it for granted; if we fast-track financing for DRR; and if we elevate local action, we will go far. In five years, we will be celebrating not just disaster risk reduction, but human flourishing.

    The slogan for the 2025 Global Platform has been ‘Every day counts: act for resilience today.’ We must all take that call to heart.

    The work starts now.

    We have the eight-point Geneva Call for Disaster Risk Reduction to guide us, outlined in the Global Platform Co-Chairs’ Summary.

    When asked how the Global Platform was, I say: I’ll tell you in six months – because the discussions and pledges made this week are only as good as the follow-up.

    Finally, I’d like to thank everyone who put in so much hard work that contributed to the success of the 2025 Global Platform: The Government of Switzerland and the Canton of Geneva for hosting, the Member States and ministers, UN partners, my UNDRR team, and most of all, the dedicated and tireless DRR community who joined us in Geneva and remotely.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: The Geneva Call for Disaster Risk Reduction: The Co-Chairs’ Summary of the Global Platform

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    The eighth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction took place from 2 to 6 June 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. It was co-chaired by Ambassador Patricia Danzi, Director-General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

    This edition of the Global Platform was the first since the Midterm Review of the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Since 2015, countries have made significant progress, but challenges remain. Recognising this, the Global Platform was organised under the theme of “Every Day Counts, Act for Resilience Today.”

    The 8th Global Platform’s outcome document, the Co-Chairs’ Summary, is titled the “Geneva Call for Disaster Risk Reduction.” It aims to serve as a guide and a rallying call to governments and stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of the Sendai Framework in the remaining five years until 2030. The Summary concludes with an eight-point call to action: The Geneva Call for Disaster Risk Reduction:

    The Geneva Call for Disaster Risk Reduction

    Successes over the last ten years in the implementation of the Sendai Framework are a cause for optimism, especially as local actors and communities are inspiring the world with examples of how they are managing risks. As the cost of disasters increases and international assistance dwindles, urgent, more concrete actions are needed in the next five years to sustain progress towards achieving the expected outcome and goal of the Sendai Framework by 2030, thereby contributing to meeting the goals of the 2030 Agenda, and post-2030 considerations.

    1. Better data to understand risk: The collection, analysis and application of risk information should underlie all resilience-building measures. Countries need to collect and share historical data, track disaster impacts, broken down by sex, age, disability and income, and conduct predictive analyses. The use of the disaster tracking system and the Sendai Framework Monitor should be scaled up.
    2. Use technology to leapfrog progress: All countries and communities can benefit from the ethical use of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to accelerate disaster risk reduction. Technology access should be facilitated for developing countries and ‘last mile’ communities in all countries.
    3. Promote integrated risk governance and cooperation: The growing complexity of risk demands breaking institutional and policy silos and integrate plans across To that end, a comprehensive risk management approach should be pursued to integrate the implementation of climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and social and environmental protection. International and regional cooperation needs to be enhanced to address transboundary and emerging risks, such as glacial lake outburst floods, sea-level rise and sand and dust storms, as well as extreme heat in line with the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat.
    4. Invest in prevention: Increasing funding for disaster risk reduction is crucial to generate benefits across the development, humanitarian and climate agendas. This includes funds from domestic public budgets and climate finance, also leveraging innovative mechanisms with the private The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development is an opportunity to scale this up. International funding and technical assistance, as mutually agreed, should be enhanced for the most at-risk developing countries, as well as countries in fragile and conflict settings. Capacity building for disaster risk management can be reinforced through the Santiago network.
    5. Risk-inform all investments: When disaster risks are ignored, even the most ambitious development projects are likely to Public and private investments should be guided by a thorough understanding of disaster risk. For example, investment in the resilience of the education sector has a multiplier effect. Implementing the Comprehensive School Safety Framework will help protect children and youth from disasters.
    6. Scale-up early warning systems: Despite their value in reducing disaster deaths, nearly half of the world still lacks MHEWS. Achieving ‘Early Warnings for All’ requires increased international support and national ownership. Moreover, investing in anticipatory action, social safety nets and combating inequality can minimise disaster impacts and expedite
    7. Leave no one behind: All members of society can be leaders and agents for resilience. Governments and stakeholders should ensure full-scale implementation of the Sendai Gender Action Plan, the Global Children and Youth Call to Action and recommendations for accelerating disability inclusion.
    8. Prepare to ‘Build Back Better’: The Priority Actions to Enhance Readiness for Resilient Recovery provide a guide for countries to better plan how they will Build Back Better after Moreover, recovery efforts should be inclusive to address social and cultural needs.

    Download the Co-Chairs’ Summary 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Development Asia: Unlocking MSME Potential for Sustainable Growth in Timor-Leste

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    MSMEs are looking to the government for support in several key areas, including business subsidies, tax relief, business development services, improved access to public procurement, and workforce skills development. Respondents also highlighted the need for various forms of financial assistance, such as business restructuring funds, simplified loan procedures, trade finance, and supply chain finance, along with concessional lending schemes. Notably, demand for concessional loans and credit guarantees was higher among women-led MSMEs compared to those led by men.

    In contrast, there was relatively low demand for government support in business digitalization and digital financial services. Following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, only a small fraction of MSMEs entered the e-commerce space. This limited interest in digital tools can be attributed to several factors: low levels of financial and business literacy, limited awareness of available digital products, poor internet connectivity, and concerns about security and fraud.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Frank Elderson: The rule of law as a constitutional pillar of European central banking

    Source: European Central Bank

    Keynote speech by Frank Elderson, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB and Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB, at the Italian constitutional court

    Rome, 9 June 2025

    Introduction

    Thank you very much for inviting me.

    The writings, judgments and speeches of many among this distinguished audience have shaped our understanding of the rule of law. I find it a privilege – and slightly daunting – to address you today on such a fundamental issue.

    Today I am speaking to you as a central banker and banking supervisor. However, before I do so, allow me to take a moment to speak from a more personal perspective. Not as an official, but as the young law student I once was, reflecting on how I first came to understand and appreciate the rule of law.

    As a law student at the University of Amsterdam in the early 1990s, I often cycled past a monument to Henk van Randwijk, a member of the anti-Nazi resistance during the Second World War. The monument is simple. A plain red brick wall, bearing the final lines of Van Randwijk’s most famous poem in simple white lettering:

    “een volk dat voor tirannen zwicht
    zal meer dan lijf en goed verliezen
    dan dooft het licht …    ”

    “a people that bows to tyrants
    will lose more than body and belongings
    then, the light goes out …    ”

    I would sometimes stop, park my bicycle against a tree, and contemplate these words, hearing the echo of the heinous crimes committed on the streets of Amsterdam, and far beyond, during those hellish years when the light had indeed gone out.

    I would think of the US military cemetery in Margraten, in the South of the Netherlands, where my parents used to take me and my sisters as children to see the endless rows of meticulously kept graves, each honouring one of the 10,000 US soldiers buried there, who had given their lives so that the light might shine once again in all its splendour.

    I would continue my way to law school, thinking of one of the most fundamental lessons our professors had taught us: if the horrors of the past are to be avoided, if minorities are to be protected, if the individual is to be free, democracy needs to be accompanied by the rule of law. We studied the small, but fundamental, book, “Democracy and the Rule of Law”, which I keep on a shelf facing my desk to this day. Our professors never tired of explaining how vital the word “and” is in that title: the rule of law is both a precondition for democracy, and an essential limit to majority rule. For tyranny, which Van Randwijk’s poem so poignantly warns against, can be exercised not only by a single ruler, but also by half the population plus one. Put succinctly, democracy protects the majority against the minority, while the rule of law protects the minority, even a minority of one, against the majority. And this, so we were taught, is why we need both.

    Although the importance of the rule of law has been impressed on me since my earliest days, I am not speaking to you today as a historian, a legal scholar, or a young law student. Today I speak to you as a central banker and banking supervisor. Today, I intend to show that the rule of law is of the highest relevance for us as a central bank and supervisor to deliver on our mandate. In addition, I will present the case that we have a specific role to play in upholding the rule of law.

    The rule of law is not merely the bedrock upon which lawyers, judges and legal scholars build their work. In recent years, its pivotal role in fostering economic prosperity has come to the forefront of public debate, underscoring its profound relevance far beyond the boundaries of the legal profession.

    The rule of law is not a binary concept – it is not simply present or absent. Instead, it exists on a continuum, shaped by various factors such as constraints on government powers, independent courts, the absence of corruption, and respect for human rights. Its strength is also wide-ranging, varying significantly across jurisdictions, and it evolves over time. For many decades, the global rule of law experienced a steady and encouraging ascent. However, some recent indicators suggest that this progress may have reached its peak, while others point to signs of retreat.[1]

    Today I will discuss how the rule of law supports central banks in delivering on their price stability mandate, and banking supervisors in fostering financial stability.

    It is worth emphasising that the connection between the rule of law and a thriving economy is well-established: a strong rule of law correlates consistently with robust and sustained economic growth.[2]

    Last year, economists Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for their groundbreaking research, which persuasively demonstrated not just such a correlation, but a causal relationship between weak institutions – closely linked with a poor rule of law – and lower economic growth.[3] Their findings highlight an important insight: economies thrive when institutions are strong, as institutional strength enables investors, entrepreneurs and consumers to make long-term decisions with confidence, knowing that contracts will be enforced, corruption fought and property rights upheld. Institutional reliability thus forms the backbone of innovation, creativity and sustained growth.

    However, this relationship is not one-directional. Strong economic growth, in turn, reinforces institutional resilience, creating a virtuous cycle in which institutional strength and economic prosperity feed into one another.[4]

    Central banks are a crucial part of this mutual dependence. They are significantly more effective in delivering on their mandates when the rule of law is strong. At the same time, strong central banks and strong supervisors are essential institutions in supporting a strong economy. As such, within their mandates, central banks and prudential supervisors have a vital role to play in upholding, promoting and, when necessary, determinedly defending the rule of law.

    Why does the rule of law matter for the European Central Bank?

    The Treaty on European Union proudly declares that the Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights. The rule of law forms the backbone of some of the most tangible and far-reaching achievements of our European Union – ranging from the single market and the protection of human rights to the mutual recognition of judgments. Few aspects of European integration reflect its unity more clearly than the shared commitment to upholding the rule of law.

    For the ECB, the rule of law is a critical foundation of its mandate in multiple important ways. Today, I will focus on three closely connected areas: first, the role of the rule of law in laying the very foundations for, and safeguarding trust in, money; second, the importance of the rule of law for delivering on our mandates; and third, the role of the rule of law supporting price and financial and price stability by ensuring the independence of the central bank.

    Money

    Let me start with trust in money. Aristotle declared long ago that money was introduced by convention as a kind of substitute for a need or demand, and its value is derived not from nature but from law.[5] While money has classically been thought of as serving the functions of medium of exchange, store of value, unit of account and means of payment, it is the law which determines whether a thing is money and what nominal value is attributed to it. It is the law which determines which things are legal tender.[6]

    Modern money is “fiat money” meaning that it has no intrinsic value. Following the end of the gold standard with the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in 1971, its value is also no longer tied to physical assets like gold. Instead, the value of our money rests entirely on trust – trust in public authorities, trust in the institutional frameworks that uphold it, and, fundamentally, trust in the central bank as the issuing authority.

    Consider the euro banknotes in your pockets. The paper itself holds no intrinsic value. The worth we collectively assign to those €10, €20 or €50 banknotes is rooted in a strong legal foundation. Law gives central bank money legal tender status, meaning that it must be accepted for settling a debt. Trust in all other forms of “money”, such as commercial bank deposits, ultimately rests on convertibility at par with central bank money. The law thus helps preserve the value of today’s banknotes as well as the savings in your bank account.[7]

    We are currently taking a pivotal step in adapting central bank money to the digital age, by progressing towards the possible issuance of a digital equivalent: a digital euro. As cash today, which will remain available, a digital euro builds on the treaty-based competence to issue legal forms of public money, leveraging advanced technology within a robust legal framework to ensure people trust the numbers on their screens. The rule of law underpins these frameworks, transforming algorithms into a reliable and trustworthy form of public money.

    Delivering on our mandates

    Let me now turn to the function of the rule of law in enabling central banks to effectively deliver on their mandates.

    For central banks to effectively fulfil their mandate of price stability, they must carefully assess the economic outlook. This assessment requires leveraging models and historical patterns to forecast economic developments. However, for us to be able to predict and forecast economic developments, the economy must operate within a framework of consistent and transparent rules. The rule of law plays a vital role in this regard. By fostering predictability and stability, it provides the essential foundation for robust economic analysis and informed monetary policy decision-making.

    The effectiveness of the ECB’s banking supervision mandate to promote the safety and soundness of banks also hinges on a strong legal system with enforceable supervisory decisions. The laws give the supervisor a broad toolkit to ensure that banks remain safe and sound. For instance, this toolkit includes the power to require banks to hold more capital as part of the bank-specific annual Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process, and the power to sanction banks if they do not adhere to prudential rules.

    Beyond these broader principles, a sound legal system is indispensable for central banking operations in practical terms. For instance, the legal requirement for adequate collateral is a cornerstone of both monetary policy implementation and financial stability. Yet collateral can only be deemed adequate if the legal framework guarantees that central banks can enforce their rights over it when necessary.

    Another example is the central bank’s reliance on accurate statistics to carry out its mandate effectively. To ensure that reporting agents fulfil their obligations, central banks require enforceable sanctioning powers.

    All these examples show that the rule of law is a precondition of central banking and prudential supervision.

    Central bank independence

    The effectiveness of a central bank in achieving its price stability mandate rests on its independence. Like the judiciary and other independent agencies, independent central banks are part of a constitutional model that recognises the role of independent institutions as checks and balances on executive and legislative power. Most legal systems in advanced economies ensure that the power to create money should be entrusted to bodies operating outside the electoral cycle to mitigate a time-inconsistency problem: the tendency of policymakers to prioritise short-term gains over long-term stability.[8] Independence insulates the central bank from the short-term pressures of daily politics, enabling it to focus on its mandate.

    Hence central bank independence, price stability and the rule of law are closely intertwined. Empirical evidence suggests that price stability depends on both the strength of the rule of law and the independence of the central bank. Social trust in the central bank depends on the overall level of trust in the legal system as a whole. If a perfectly independent central bank were to operate in a system with systematic deficiencies in the rule of law, it would not be able to deliver effectively on its mandate.[9] In short, an independent central bank can only function if its decisions are seen as credible, and, crucially, credibility depends on the overall system based on the rule of law functioning well.

    Moreover, the distinct character of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) also illustrates the crucial importance of the rule of law for the ECB. As the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled, the ESCB is based on a highly integrated system that brings together national central banks and the ECB.[10] National central banks are not merely national institutions – they are also integral components of the ESCB. Importantly, the governors of the national central banks of the euro area are also members of the ECB’s Governing Council, which is responsible for taking monetary policy decisions.

    A similar principle applies to the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM). For instance, the Joint Supervisory Teams that inspect banks are composed of staff from both the ECB and national competent authorities (NCAs). Likewise, the ECB Supervisory Board includes representatives from both the ECB and NCAs.

    Because of the integrated nature of both the ESCB and the SSM, which both bring together national authorities and the ECB, rule of law deficiencies at the national level can affect the functioning of the ESCB, the SSM and the ECB. Respect for the rules governing the organisation and safeguarding the independence of these national components of the ESCB and the SSM are thus essential to achieving their mandates of price and financial stability.

    What central banks can do to support the rule of law

    Now that we have explored how the rule of law is a precondition for central banks and supervisors being able to deliver on their mandates, let us turn to the other side of the coin: the role of the European Central Bank in upholding and protecting the rule of law.

    Clearly, central banks cannot oversee the general conditions of the rule of law – that is not their mandate. But central banks do have specific responsibilities in this context.

    First, central banks must themselves adhere to rule of law principles under the scrutiny of courts. And second, central banks have instruments at their disposal that can be used to reinforce the legal fabric that supports the rule of law.

    Let me start with the former: central banks are fully embedded in the rule of law architecture. For instance, the Treaties explicitly place the ECB under the jurisdiction of the CJEU, and the ECB’s actions – in all areas, including monetary policy, banking supervision and transparency – have been subject to judicial scrutiny.[11] Compared with other major central banks, the ECB is among those most frequently brought before court.[12] By contrast, most other central banks are practically exempt from the jurisdiction of the courts when conducting monetary policy.[13] The preliminary reference procedure has also brought ECB monetary policy measures before the CJEU.[14] In essence, even when discretion is granted to the ECB by the courts or the legislature, it is discretion within the bounds of the law – not beyond it – and both its scope and conditions remain subject to judicial review.

    This duty of the ECB has both a negative and a positive dimension. Not only is the ECB responsible for remaining within the confines of the law, it also has to react when other institutions with which it cooperates threaten to violate the law.[15]

    Legal scrutiny by the courts is not the only form the legally required ECB’s accountability takes, however. In fact, a key pillar of our transparency and accountability to citizens includes explaining our decisions to the public and reporting regularly to elected bodies. For example, the ECB publishes detailed accounts of the monetary policy meetings of the Governing Council, explains its policies in dedicated press conferences and answers questions from Members of the European Parliament. (MEPs). Moreover, the President of the ECB and the Chair of the Supervisory Board appear regularly in front of the European Parliament to exchange views with MEPs. This not only makes monetary policy and banking supervision more understandable, but also proactively submits our institution to public scrutiny. Public scrutiny is an indispensable element of the rule of law: the law must be seen to be upheld for its acceptance by the general public.

    Let me now turn to the ECB’s role in maintaining the rule of law. And I would like to be crystal clear again: in the EU, maintaining the rule of law is mainly a task for the courts and the political institutions. But the ECB also has responsibilities in this area, and I will outline five that I think are particularly important.

    First, the Treaties give the ECB special powers to monitor respect for central bank independence, in particular personal independence. The Statute of the ESCB, which is a Protocol of the Treaty on the functioning of the EU (TFEU), exceptionally empowers the Governing Council of the ECB and national governors to bring to the European Court of Justice an action for annulment of a national measure that does not respect the independence of central bank governors.[16] This is the only case where the EU legal order provides for an annulment by the European Court of Justice of a national measure. I am sure that the jurists in today’s audience will immediately recognizes how exceptional this is. By allowing a direct change of the legal reality within the national legal order by means of an EU remedy, the Statute of the ESCB ensures, very effectively, that the rule of law is upheld.

    Second, the ECB Governing Council has the role of acting as guardian of the Treaties vis-à-vis the national central banks in the same way as the Commission is guardian of the Treaties vis-à-vis the Member States.[17] While the ECB has never instituted infringement proceedings against a national central bank before the CJEU, the very existence of this power enables the ECB to ensure compliance by national central banks with the requirements of central bank independence and the prohibition of monetary financing of the public sector. Another as yet unused power of the ECB under the Statute of the ESCB/ECB is the power of the ECB Governing Council, by a two thirds majority vote, to prohibit national central banks from performing functions other than those specified in the Statute where these interfere with the objectives and tasks of the ESCB.[

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Christine Lagarde: Stemming the tide: safeguarding our ocean and economy

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco

    Monaco, 7 June 2025

    It is a pleasure to speak at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum.

    In his 1857 poem “Man and the Sea”, Charles Baudelaire explored the deep kinship between the ocean and humanity.[1] For Baudelaire, they were two forces drawn together by awe, fascination, and even conflict.

    Today, that dynamic has taken on a new and troubling dimension. We rely on the ocean for climate stability and economic prosperity, yet we are fuelling a climate crisis that threatens to undermine the very system we depend on. We cannot let that happen.

    Baudelaire described the sea as a “mirror” to the human soul. We now need to take a hard look in that mirror and ask ourselves: what can we do to stem the tide of this crisis, to safeguard our ocean and economy?

    This morning’s two panel discussions will go a long way towards answering that question. But I would like to take this opportunity to open the plenary session with a few thoughts – about what is at stake, and what stakeholders can do about it.

    The ocean’s importance for our climate and economy

    The ocean is home to 95% of the planet’s biosphere.[2] It spans environments as varied as sunlit coral reefs and pitch-black abyssal plains. And it supports an immense range of life, from countless microscopic organisms to the world’s largest animal, the blue whale.

    Given the ocean’s richness, it is worth preserving in its own right. But its value does not end there – the ocean also benefits humanity in two vital ways.

    First, it is one of the planet’s most powerful allies in the fight against climate change.

    The ocean helps to regulate global temperatures by absorbing vast amounts of heat and redistributing it through major currents like the Gulf Stream. It is also the world’s largest carbon sink, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and helping to slow global warming.

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds that the ocean has absorbed over 90% of the excess heat trapped in the earth’s system, as well as a third of the carbon dioxide that humans have emitted since the Industrial Revolution.[3]

    Second, a sustainable ocean serves as an important pillar supporting the global economy, providing for food security and economic opportunities.

    Marine ecosystems support over three billion people who rely on fish for at least 20% of their animal protein intake. Indeed, this dependency is more pronounced in some of the least-developed countries, where seafood provides most of the animal protein consumed.[4]

    These ecosystems also help sustain employment opportunities. More than 150 million jobs depend on the production, trade and consumption of ocean-based goods and services, according to the United Nations.[5] The ocean is also home to key natural resources, such as medicines and biofuels, which are vital for ongoing advances in healthcare and clean energy sectors.

    So, there is a great deal at stake in preserving the ocean’s health.

    The threat of climate change

    But today we are placing the sustainability of our ocean under extraordinary stress, with serious implications for both our climate and economy.

    Without the ocean’s capacity to absorb heat and carbon, we would have had to contend with a faster, even more dangerous pace of global warming. Yet there are now signs that this capacity is becoming strained.

    The last ten years were the ocean’s warmest on record. Warmer oceans are driving more frequent marine heatwaves, which damage ecosystems, and have been a major contributor to rising sea levels due to the thermal expansion of seawater. The rate at which the global mean sea level is rising has more than doubled over the past three decades.[6]

    On top of this, the ocean’s absorption of carbon dioxide is driving acidification.

    Combined with ocean warming, acidification is contributing to the bleaching and death of coral reefs, which are vital for supporting fisheries and protecting coastlines from storms. Since 2023 over 80% of the world’s coral reefs have been affected by bleaching.[7]

    We find ourselves in dangerous waters. Together, these changes could have profound consequences for the global economy.

    Food security may be undermined, potentially leading to more volatile prices, which is a concern for central banks tasked with safeguarding price stability. And if coastal areas become unliveable due to rising sea levels or frequent flooding, people may be forced to move. More than 600 million people around the world live in coastal areas that are less than ten metres above sea level.[8]

    Stemming the tide

    So, what can we do to stem the tide of these troubling developments? We may not be able to fully reverse the damage done, but we can work towards slowing its momentum, potentially even stopping it, by acting on two important fronts.

    First, we need to protect. That means cutting greenhouse gas emissions decisively and keeping the goals of the Paris Agreement within reach.

    If we succeed in doing so, we could limit sea level rise to around half a metre by the end of the century. That might not sound reassuring. But every tenth of a degree we avoid is a piece of coastline preserved, a reef protected or a storm surge weakened.

    We also need to protect the natural systems that shield us from floods. Nature-based solutions – for instance, restoring mangroves, marshes and coral reefs – offer powerful, cost-effective defences against extreme weather. Coral reefs alone can reduce wave energy by an average of 97% while supporting fisheries, tourism and coastal livelihoods.[9]

    The second front is just as important: we need to prepare.

    Whether we like it or not, climate-related risks are materialising. We need to adapt our infrastructure and economies to a more volatile world. That includes building sea walls and surge barriers and budgeting for resilience rather than reacting after disaster strikes.

    Make no mistake: adaptation will be costly. According to UN assessments, costs could run into the hundreds of billions of dollars globally each year by mid-century.[10] But the cost of inaction would be far higher. One study estimates that failing to keep global temperatures below two degrees above pre-industrial levels could lead to USD 14 trillion in global annual flood costs by 2100.[11]

    To meet this challenge, we need to catalyse finance for marine and coastal conservation – for instance, through innovative approaches that convert natural capital into financial capital.[12]

    This can be especially impactful for vulnerable countries with limited fiscal space. Above all, we must listen to the communities affected, treating their needs as a basis for our actions rather than an afterthought.

    Let me conclude.

    Baudelaire reminds us that the sea is a mirror of our own nature, which can either heal or harm.

    So, let us choose to heal. That means nurturing the ocean’s rich diversity and facilitating finance to support innovative adaptation measures that build more resilient communities and a stronger global economy.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Nigeria: Girl survivors of Boko Haram still being failed by government inaction – new testimony

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Girls and young women who escaped Boko Haram captivity in north-east Nigeria are still being neglected by the country’s authorities, one year after Amnesty International’s landmark report and launch of the #EmpowerOurGirls campaign.

    In June 2024, Amnesty International published ‘Help us build our lives’: Girl survivors of Boko Haram and military abuses in north-east Nigeria, documenting how these girls and young women were requesting support as they attempted to heal and reintegrate into society.

    Now, survivors have told Amnesty International that the government is still failing to provide adequate reintegration services and they are unable to support themselves or their families.

    “One year later, it is unacceptable that the Nigerian authorities still cannot ensure these girls and young women are able to rebuild their lives in safety,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

    “The moment girls or young women leave Boko Haram should mark the start of their reintegration into society – and yet, many have told us they are still being left to fend for themselves and are struggling to survive.

    “Victims of Boko Haram abuses, including forced marriage and trafficking, are still not being identified and helped. Girl survivors are still overwhelmingly invisible to the government authorities.

    “We call on President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian government to take urgent action to support survivors of Boko Haram. These girls and young women must be empowered, and have immediate access to medical care, education, and livelihood support.”

    We call on President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian government to take urgent action to support survivors of Boko Haram.

    Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria

    In February 2025, Amnesty International remotely interviewed seven recently-escaped survivors who were forcibly married to Boko Haram members, and one survivor who lived in Boko Haram-controlled territory. Seven survivors were between the ages of 12 and 17; the other was a 22-year-old woman who was forcibly married to a Boko Haram fighter as a child.

    None of the survivors were offered any tailored reintegration services or made aware of available counselling, vocational training, or other support services. In seven cases, when child survivors encountered security forces after leaving Boko Haram, they were not transferred to civilian authorities for appropriate care, as specified by the terms of the handover protocol signed between the Nigerian government and the United Nations in 2022.

    According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Nigeria should take steps “to promote [the] physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration” of children who are victims of armed conflict. The African Children’s Charter and the Maputo Protocol also oblige Nigeria to afford special protection to girls and women against early and forced marriage.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: USA: Deployment of National Guard to Los Angeles in Response to ICE Raids Is Dangerous

    Source: Amnesty International –

    In response to the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, Amnesty International USA Executive Director, Paul O’Brien, made the following statement:

    “President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to protests against recent ICE raids is deeply alarming. This shows the Trump administration is ready to do whatever it takes – including deploying military forces – to target and punish those who speak out in defense of human rights.

    “This is not about protecting communities, this is about crushing dissent and instilling fear. Armed troops do not belong in our neighborhoods. This militarization of immigration enforcement and in response to people exercising their right to freedom of expression must have no place in a country that claims to value justice and human rights.

    “Community members in Los Angeles took to the streets to stand up for their immigrant friends and neighbors, as armed, masked ICE agents raided their communities, arresting the California President of SEIU, and without so much as providing a warrant.

    “Bringing in the National Guard, without request from local authorities, exacerbates already widespread human rights violations taking place under the Trump administration, including unlawful arrests, mass detention and mass deportation, expulsions to dangerous prisons in other countries, the suppression of free expression, family separations, and the denial of due process.

    “We know all about the dangers of using military personnel and federal law enforcement to police protests. The violent clearing of Lafayette Park in June 2020 is a chilling reminder of the consequences when troops and federal agents untrained in protest policing are unleashed on civilians. Military personnel are not trained in crowd control or de-escalation and should not be used for these purposes.

    “The ICE raids themselves are rooted in discrimination, racial profiling, and the systematic violation of rights. People have the right to protest these injustices. Crushing that right with military force is antithetical to human rights.

    “The U.S. government must do better. We urgently call on authorities to de-escalate, end the deployment of the National Guard, and respect the right to peaceful protest. We also call upon the Trump Administration to end these mass deportations that are tearing communities apart. The real solution lies in building a fair, humane, and rights-respecting immigration system, one that upholds the dignity of all people, ensures safety, and strengthens communities.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Israel’s interception of Gaza Freedom Flotilla’s Madleen boat condemned as ‘chilling contempt’ of international law

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The mission is an indictment of the international community’s failure to put an end to Israel’s inhumane blockade

    As the occupying power, Israel has an international obligation to ensure safe access to food, medicine, and essential supplies for Gaza’s civilians

    ‘Activists would not have had to risk their lives if Israel’s allies had turned their words into forceful action to allow aid into Gaza’ – Agnès Callamard

    Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, responded to the news that Israel has intercepted and detained the 12-person crew aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla’s Madleen boat – including activist Greta Thunberg, an Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience – who were attempting to break Israel’s illegal blockade of the occupied Gaza Strip to deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid, stating:

    “Israel has once again flouted its legal obligations towards civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip and demonstrated its chilling contempt for legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice.

    “The operation of intercepting and blocking the Madleen in the middle of the night and in international waters violates international law and put the safety of those on the boat at risk. The crew were unarmed activists and human rights defenders on a humanitarian mission, they must be released immediately and unconditionally. They must also be protected from torture and other ill-treatment pending their release.

    “As the occupying power Israel has an international obligation to ensure civilians in Gaza have sufficient and safe access to food, medicine, and other supplies indispensable to their survival. Instead, it has consistently and deliberately impeded the provision of impartial humanitarian assistance for civilians in desperate need. Its military attacks have also damaged or destroyed vital infrastructure, including sources of food production like agricultural lands, compounding the impact of its starvation policy.

    “During its voyage over the past few days the Madleen’s mission emerged as a powerful symbol of solidarity with besieged, starved and suffering Palestinians amid persistent international inaction. However, this mission is also an indictment of the international community’s failure to put an end to Israel’s inhumane blockade. Activists would not have had to risk their lives if Israel’s allies had turned their words into forceful action to allow aid into Gaza.

    “Until we see real, concrete steps taken by governments worldwide – signalling an end to their blanket support for Israel – it will have carte blanche to continue inflicting relentless death and suffering on Palestinians.

    “Now is the time to take a clear stand – not just with words, but with action.

    “Governments must act now or risk their continued complicity in Israel’s grave violations of Palestinians’ rights. They must publicly denounce Israel’s interception and detention of the Madleen’s crew and demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those on board. They must make clear that they will no longer tolerate Israel blocking humanitarian aid to a population facing starvation and genocide. They must press Israel to lift its suffocating blockade and allow aid to be delivered through all crossings into Gaza now.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: USA: Trump’s travel ban is ‘discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The order restricts citizens from Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen

    Partial travel ban on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela

    ‘This blanket ban constitutes racial discrimination under international human rights law’ – Agnès Callamard

    In response to President Trump imposing a new discriminatory travel ban, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:

    “President Trump’s new travel ban is discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel. By targeting people based on their race, religion, or nationality, from countries with predominantly Black, Brown and Muslim-majority populations, this blanket ban constitutes racial discrimination under international human rights law. It also spreads hate and disinformation, reinforcing the misleading idea that certain populations are more likely to pose security risks or engage in acts of violence. 

    “This arbitrary travel ban also violates the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution and the US obligation to protect them under international and national refugee law. With the right to seek asylum already non-existent at US borders, it will further inflict terrible suffering on people who are fleeing war-torn regions, massive human rights violations and other dangerous situations and seeking safety in the United States.

    “This travel ban is no different than the ones that President Trump put into place in his first term. It is based on racism and xenophobia and has nothing to do with national security or keeping anyone safe.

    “Through targeting and detaining immigrants for exercising their right to free speech, separating families, mass deportations and more, President Trump’s actions have already put tens of millions of people in the United States at risk. And now, this travel ban is yet another iteration of the Trump administration’s persistent trampling on the rights of immigrants and those seeking safety.

    “Communities thrive when governments prioritise the safety of all people, regardless of nationality, religion, or race. Amnesty International will never stop fighting for a world in which everybody is treated with dignity, immigrants and people seeking safety are welcomed and recognised for their contributions to society, and communities are united.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: USA: Deployment of National Guard to Los Angeles is ‘deeply alarming’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    National Guard troops deployed to LA in response to protests against recent ICE raids

    ‘This is not about protecting communities; it’s about crushing dissent and instilling fear. Armed troops do not belong in our neighbourhoods’ – Paul O’Brien

    In response to the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, Paul O’Brien, Amnesty International USA’s Executive Director, said:

    “The deployment of National Guard troops is deeply alarming. It shows the Trump administration is ready to do whatever it takes to target and punish those who speak out in defence of human rights.

    “This is not about protecting communities; it’s about crushing dissent and instilling fear. Armed troops do not belong in our neighbourhoods – military personnel are not trained in crowd control or de-escalation and should not be used for these purposes.

     “Bringing in the National Guard, without request from local authorities, exacerbates already widespread human rights violations taking place under the Trump administration, including unlawful arrests, mass detention and mass deportation, expulsions to dangerous prisons in other countries, the suppression of free expression, family separations, and the denial of due process.

     “The ICE raids themselves are rooted in discrimination, racial profiling, and the systematic violation of rights. People have the right to protest these injustices. Crushing that right with military force is simply incompatible with human rights.

    “The US government must do better. We urgently call on authorities to de-escalate, end the deployment of the National Guard, and respect the right to peaceful protest. We also call upon the Trump Administration to end these mass deportations that are tearing communities apart.

    “The real solution lies in building a fair, humane, and rights-respecting immigration system, one that upholds the dignity of all people, ensures safety, and strengthens communities.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Government Workforce Statistics March 2025

    Source: Scottish Government

    An Official Statistics Publication for Scotland.

    The latest quarterly Scottish Government Workforce Information statistics have been published today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician. These statistics cover the numbers of workers, staff sickness rates, and the diversity of staff up to the most recent quarter ending March 2025.

    The statistics show that:

    • At the end of March 2025 there were 8,917 full time equivalent (FTE) directly employed staff, an increase on last year’s figure of 8,843 (0.8%) at the end of March 2024.
    • At the end of March 2025 99.6% of full time equivalent (FTE) directly employed staff were permanent and 0.4% were temporary. This compares to last year (March 2024: 99.4%, 0.6%).
    • There was a 17% decrease in the number (headcount) of contingent (non-directly employed) workers from the end of March 2024 (1,290) to the end of March 2025 (1,075), a decrease of 215 workers.
    • The staff sickness level was 8.7 average working days lost (AWDL) per staff year in the 12 month period ending March 2025, compared with 8.2 AWDL for the 12 month period ending March 2024. This equates to a loss of 3.9% of working days in the 12 month period ending March 2025.
    • Just over half (56.6%) of the workforce were female, compared to 43.4% male. The proportion of female staff is slightly higher than that in the same period last year (56.4% March 2024).
    • At the end of March 2025 the majority of staff were aged between 30 and 59, broken down as follows: 30-39 (28.8%), 40-49 (27.9%), 50-59 (22.8%), 13.2% were aged 16-29, and 7.3% were aged 60 or over.
    • Detailed statistics on the diversity and inclusion of the Scottish Government workforce were also updated today with the inclusion of the 2024 People Survey demographic data and will be available at https://data.gov.scot/workforce-diversity-2024-update

    Background
    The figures released today were produced in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

    The full statistics are available at: www.gov.scot/publications/workforce-information/

     The statistics contain quarterly data from March 2012 to March 2025 and present:

    • full time equivalent numbers and headcounts in each directly employed staff category
    • headcounts of contingent workers engaged in work for the Scottish Government
    • sickness absence levels of directly employed staff, headcounts of directly employed staff by age, disability status, ethnicity, sex, marital/civil partnership status, religion or belief, sexual orientation and socio-economic background.

    The Scottish Government uses the data internally for monitoring the performance of its workforce. Other expected users of the data in this publication are likely to include the general public and media for information about the Scottish Government, and other government departments for comparative purposes.

    Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff. More information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at:

    Statistics and research – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24

    Source: Scottish Government

    An Accredited Official Statistics Publication for Scotland.

    Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released the main findings of the 2023/24 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS).

    The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey shows that most adults in Scotland (80.1%) were not victims of any SCJS crime in 2023/24, including fraud and computer misuse for the first time.

    One-in-five (19.9%) were estimated to have experienced at least one crime, this included property crime (10.3% of adults), violent crime (2.9%) and fraud and computer misuse (9.5%).

    The latest findings shows that the overall level of property and violent crime combined and the likelihood of being a victim of these crimes has increased since 2021/22. However, no change is detected with the pre-pandemic year of 2019/20, and both measures are down since 2008/09.

    The latest findings also show that people feel safer in their local communities though there has been a fall in confidence in the police across a range of measures.

    The extent and prevalence of crime in Scotland in 2023/24

    The proportion of adults who experienced at least one property or violent crime increased from 10.0% in 2021/22 to 12.1% in 2023/24. The latest figure remains lower than 2008/09 (20.4%) and is not statistically different from the pre-Covid position in 2019/20 (11.9%).

    There were an estimated 1,185,000 crimes in 2023/24, of which 524,000 (44%) were fraud and computer misuse crimes, 429,000 (36%) were property crime and 231,000 (20%) were violent crimes.

    The estimated volume of violent and property crimes individually have both fallen over the longer term, down 27% and 41% respectively since 2008/09. Estimated violent crime increased by 73% since 2021/22 but remains at a similar level to the pre-pandemic position in 2019/20, while property crime has remained at a similar level to both 2019/20 and 2021/22.

    Consistent with previous years, the majority of violent incidents were cases of minor assault resulting in no or negligible injury (61%), with instances of serious assault (8%) and robbery (5%) remaining relatively uncommon.

    Victims of two or more incidents (5.8% of adults) accounted for over half (55%) of all crime in 2023/24.

    This report includes the first findings on the nature of and extent of fraud and computer misuse experienced in Scotland. These results show that, in 2023/24, around one-in-ten adults (9.5%) were the victim of a fraud or computer misuse crime, with around half of these crimes being bank and credit card fraud (47%). The survey also shows that most people who lost money through fraud were ultimately reimbursed.

    Crime continues to be experienced disproportionately among some groups in the population. The likelihood of experiencing any SCJS crime, including fraud and computer misuse, in 2023/24 was higher among those aged 16 to 24, for adults who are disabled and those living in urban areas of Scotland. Many population groups have seen the likelihood of experiencing any property or violent crime decrease since 2008/09.

    In 2023/24, the latest comparable survey period, overall crime victimisation rates in Scotland (including fraud and computer misuse) were higher to those in England and Wales (19.9% and 16.1%). When looking at property and violent crimes alone, the rate in Scotland was also higher than in England and Wales (12.1% compared to 10.1%). This is a change to the position in 2021/22, when both areas had a similar victimisation rate and 2019/20, when Scotland had a lower rate (11.9% compared to 13.3%).

    Public perceptions of the police, the justice system and crime in Scotland

    Fewer than half of adults (45%) said the police in their local area do an excellent or good job. This is a decrease from 61% in 2012/13 and from 49% in 2021/22. Males and those living in urban areas were less likely to feel positively about the police than comparator groups.

    The survey also looks at attitudes towards more specific elements of policing (including policing effectiveness, community engagement and fairness). Most adults expressed confidence in the local police force’s capability across various aspects of police ‘effectiveness,’ including their ability to deal with incidents as they occur and solve crimes. An exception was in preventing crime where 42% of adults were confident in the police. These measures of confidence in police effectiveness have decreased from a high in 2014/15, with some returning to 2008/09 levels.

    Over two thirds (71%) of respondents thought that the local crime rate had stayed the same or reduced in the two years prior to interview, down from 76% in 2021/22 and at a similar level to 2008/09. In 2023/24, the majority of adults in Scotland said they felt very or fairly safe walking alone in their local area after dark (75%) and when in their home alone at night (95%).

    Generally the public were fairly confident about the operation of the justice system in Scotland. For example, around three-quarters of adults (73%) were confident that the justice system allows all those accused of crimes to get a fair trial regardless of who they are. However, adults were less confident on other related measures, for example, 35% were confident that it deals with cases promptly and efficiently, with 52% saying they were not confident.

     Background

    The figures released today were produced in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

    The full statistical publication is available on the Scottish Government website.

    This report covers 4,970 face to face interviews were conducted between July 2023 and April 2024. Participants were adults (aged 16 and over) living in private households in Scotland. There was a 46.0% response rate which is comparable to that of 2021/22 (47.3%) which itself saw a large fall following the COVID-19 pandemic

    The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey is one of the Scottish Government’s flagship national surveys. The survey allows the people of Scotland to independently report their experiences and perceptions of crime, and thus influence the continued development and improvement of the Scottish justice system. The SCJS also provides a range of additional information, including details on the characteristics of victims and offenders of crime. It also captures adults’ perceptions of policing and the justice system.

    The publication presents statistics on the extent of crime in Scotland, importantly including crime that is not reported to the police. However, it is limited to crimes against adults resident in households, and also does not cover all crime types. Experiences of sexual offences are not included in the main estimates and are instead collected in the self-completion section. Police recorded crime is a measure of those crimes reported to the police and recorded by them as a crime or offence.

    More information about the survey, including the online data tables for 2023/24 results are available on the Scottish Government website.

    Further breakdowns for some smaller population groups are also being published on perception of crime in the local area from the Scottish Survey Core Questions, which combines data from the three large Scottish Government household surveys. These breakdowns are available on the Scottish Survey Core Questions webpage.

    As with all surveys, SCJS results are estimates, not precise figures. Results are only described as ‘increases’ or ‘decreases’ where statistical tests identify statistically significant differences. Where they do not detect significant change, results are reported as showing ‘no change’ – even if the estimate from one year appears greater or smaller than the comparator year. Importantly, this does not mean there has definitely been no change, but that the sample is not large enough to confidently detect any change that has or has not occurred. These issues are common to all population surveys, particularly on issues that affect only a minority of people. Often, where changes and trends emerge, they can be more easily detected over longer time periods, as cumulative changes build year-on-year.

    Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff. Further information on Crime and Justice statistics within Scotland or the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be found on the Scottish Government website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Property and violent crime 37% lower than in 2008

    Source: Scottish Government

    Flagship survey shows people feel safer in their communities.

    Total levels of property and violent crime have fallen by more than a third since 2008-09, according to the latest Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS). 

    The 2023-24 official statistics also show that people feel safer in their communities. 

    The survey of almost 5,000 people across Scotland estimates that since 2008-09: 

    • the volume of property and violent crime, including incidents not reported to police, is 37% lower 
    • violent crime is down 27% 
    • property crime is down 41% 
    • the proportion of people who feel safe walking alone in their local area after dark has increased to three-quarters (75%) from two-thirds (66%) 

    Those who took part in the survey were asked about their experiences of violent crime and property crime and, for the first time, their experience of fraud and computer misuse. The volume of property and violent crime combined has increased since 2021-22 but remains at similar levels to the pre-pandemic position in 2019-20 and below that in 2008-09. 

    The survey also asked people about their perceptions of crime, policing and the justice system. Most adults expressed confidence in their local police’s ability to deal with incidents as they occur and to solve crimes. 

    Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 

    “This flagship national survey indicates that property crime and violent crime is more than a third (37%) lower than 2008-09 and that people feel safer in their local communities. These statistics are consistent with other official figures which show that police recorded crime is at one of the lowest levels since 1974. We are making record investments in policing and across the justice system to build on this progress.  

    “Crime continues to be down significantly over the long term, though the survey does highlight areas of concern and the need for continued action from governments and justice partners. While the levels of crime experienced remain similar to the pre-pandemic position in 2019-20, I am keen to understand what has contributed to the rises in crime identified since the 2021-22 survey. 

    “I am also concerned about levels of fraud and computer misuse, including bank and credit card fraud, which can cause significant harm to individuals and businesses.  A range of action will continue to enhance Police Scotland’s response to fraud, to raise awareness among the public of the potential risks and to help protect individuals and organisations from cyber criminals.

    “Overall, and importantly, this survey shows most people do not experience any crime and only a very small proportion are affected by violent crime, but I have been consistently clear that any incidence of violence is one too many. That is why we are taking forward a wide range of actions to prevent, reduce and tackle violence, funded with more than £6 million invested over the past three years on top of our record funding for police.  

    “This week, I will also chair, with the First Minister, a cross-party summit with MSPs, youth workers and partners to consider what more can be done to address and prevent violence among young people.” 

    Background 

    Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023-24

    The full statistical publication is available on the Scottish Government website.

    The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey is a flagship national survey funded by the Scottish Government. The survey allows the people of Scotland to independently report their experiences and perceptions of crime and influence the continued development and improvement of Scotland’s system of community safety, policing and justice system.  

    Some of the 2021-22 SCJS covered reference periods when Covid restrictions were in place. Analysis from the Scottish Victimisation Telephone Survey suggested crime fell significantly during the first UK national lockdown, which started in March 2020.  Scottish Victimisation Telephone Survey 2020: main findings

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Football betting firm boss banned after company went into administration owing investors more than £10 million

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Football betting firm boss banned after company went into administration owing investors more than £10 million

    The company was making substantial losses when it accepted additional investment from bondholders it was never going to be able to repay

    • Former sports presenter Alan Bentley has received an 11-year directorship ban after his football betting firm collapsed owing investors over £10 million, having continued to collect £1.5 million in investments despite no evidence of trading activity 

    • His company, Bentley Global (UK) Limited, promised investors returns of up to 20% by using a football betting algorithm, but financial records showed trading losses of millions of pounds with no recorded turnover 

    • Insolvency Service investigations found that the company had “no reasonable prospect” of repaying investors despite continuing to accept their money 

    The founder of a football betting investment firm has been banned as a director after his company went into administration owing investors more than £10 million. 

    Former television presenter Alan Bentley allowed his Bentley Global (UK) Limited company to obtain more than £1.5 million from investors during late 2019 and the first half of 2020, promising returns of up to 20%. 

    Investors’ funds were to be used to place bets on the outcomes of football matches using an artificial intelligence algorithm called Algol88.  

    However, no evidence was produced that Bentley Global (UK) Limited was actually betting on football matches in that period. 

    Bentley Global (UK) Limited also had no known source of trading income in that time, having suffered losses of more than £5 million by August 2019 and over £4 million by August 2018. 

    The 63-year-old, of Ongar Road, Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, has been banned as a company director for 11 years. 

    Bentley’s brother, Brian Bentley, was also disqualified as a company director in 2024 for misconduct while he was a director at Bentley Global (UK) Limited. 

    Brian Bentley, 62, of Anchorage Lane, Doncaster, was banned as a director for six years, with his disqualification running until April 2030. 

    Kevin Read, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 

    Alan Bentley’s company secured more than £1.5 million from hundreds of investors under a bond investment scheme during a nine-month period in 2019 and 2020 when there was no evidence of any trading. 

    Bentley knew the company had made huge losses and was unable to pay its debts. His company had no reasonable prospect of being able to repay the investments and interest payments under the bond scheme because of its dire financial position. 

    Directors have a responsibility to be honest and transparent with investors, especially when handling their money. This case sends a clear message that those who abuse their position and mislead investors will not be able to continue to act as company directors.

    Bentley Global (UK) Limited began receiving funds from investors in 2018 under a bond investment scheme. 

    The scheme offered annual interest payments between 12% to 20% and repayment of the investment funds at the end of three years. 

    Bentley Global (UK) Limited’s accounts for the periods ending 31 August 2018 and 31 August 2019 recorded no turnover for the company. 

    Trading losses of £4.137 million and £5.321 million were recorded for the same periods. 

    Despite this, Bentley Global (UK) Limited continued to acquire money from investors. 

    A total of £1.597 million was secured from investors across the world between 4 September 2019 and 16 June 2020. 

    Bentley has not disputed that there is no evidence of the company carrying out its stated trading activity of betting on football matches in that period. The company also had no known source of trading income during that time. 

    Bentley Global (UK) Limited owed £10.065 million to investors when it went into administration in May 2022. 

    The Official Receiver has since been appointed as liquidator and is overseeing the winding-up of the company and identification of any potential assets. 

    The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Alan Bentley, and his ban started on Wednesday 4 June. 

    It prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court. 

    Further information 

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Beijing airports processed record amount of VAT refund applications for outbound foreign tourists in January-May 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 10 (Xinhua) — Customs offices at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport processed 478 million yuan (about 66.52 million U.S. dollars) worth of value-added tax (VAT) refund applications for outbound foreign tourists in the first five months of 2025, up 91.61 percent year on year and breaking a new historical record in the same period of previous years.

    The figures show that 12,180 VAT refund applications were processed at the two airports during the period, up 147.01 percent year-on-year, Beijing Customs said, adding that China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy has significantly boosted the number of foreign visitors to China.

    Thanks to China’s continuous efforts to optimize its tax refund policy for foreign tourists, the consumption potential of the country’s inbound tourism is being fully realized. During the recently concluded three-day holiday for China’s traditional Duanwu or Dragon Boat Festival, Beijing’s two international airports handled 263.81 percent more tax refund applications than the same period last year, with the total refundable amount increasing by 130.59 percent, according to data from Beijing Customs.

    Currently, in addition to setting up more tax refund processing windows at airport departure areas, Beijing Customs has also established close cooperation with tax authorities, tourism departments and airport operators to enhance the VAT refund application process awareness of foreign tourists through airport media infrastructure, multimedia systems and government media platforms.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National charged with assaulting federal officers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Suspect crashed truck into two law enforcement vehicles injuring ICE-HSI and CBP officers

    Seattle – A citizen of Mexico residing illegally in Stanwood, Washington, appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today charged with two counts of assault on a federal officer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Victor Vivanco- Reyes, 25, was being sought by a team from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, and Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations (CBP AMO) due to his criminal convictions and lack of status in the United States. Vivanco-Reyes remains detained pending a hearing scheduled for June 13, 2025.

    According to the criminal complaint, on May 22, 2025, HSI Special Agents attempted to locate Vivanco-Reyes in the Mount Vernon, Washington area. When his vehicle was located in a residential area, HSI agents activated the lights and sirens on their cars to get Vivanco-Reyes to stop. After pausing briefly at a driveway, Vivanco-Reyes accelerated away from the officers, driving at a high rate of speed in a residential area. Because of the reckless driving and risk to the community, the agents ended their attempt to arrest him.

    On June 6, 2025, the agents again attempted to locate Vivanco-Reyes. Just after 9:30 am, agents with HSI, ERO, the U.S. Border Patrol, and CBP AMO were able to locate a work truck associated with Vivanco-Reyes’s apparent employer.  The work truck was towing a trailer on Cascade View Drive on Camano Island, Washington.  Using three different vehicles, the federal agents attempted to block the north and southbound lanes so that Vivanco-Reyes could be taken into custody. When the agents activated their lights, the truck and trailer accelerated right at the one of the vehicles, hitting it on the front passenger side. Ultimately the truck and trailer crashed head-on into another government car that was a short distance down the road. The truck continued on, driving into a ditch and hitting a power pole. Vivanco-Reyes tried to flee on foot but was taken into custody.

    Two of the agents who were injured in the collisions were taken to area hospitals.

    Assault on a federal agent with a deadly weapon is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

    The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

    The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Ly.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Driving innovation – 38,000 jobs on the horizon as pilots of self-driving vehicles fast-tracked

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Driving innovation – 38,000 jobs on the horizon as pilots of self-driving vehicles fast-tracked

    From 2026, self-driving cars without a safety driver could be available for people to book via an app for the first time.

    • pilots of self-driving taxi- and bus-like services will be brought forward by a year to spring 2026, attracting investment and making the UK one of the world leaders in this technology
    • cutting-edge innovation, regulation and road safety will be the key priorities of the pilots – with the UK’s new automated vehicle legislation one of the most robust in the world
    • industry could create 38,000 jobs and add £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035, helping deliver the Plan for Change by putting money in people’s pockets

    Nearly 40,000 jobs could be created, roads could be safer, and billions could be added to the economy as self-driving vehicle pilots are set to start in England from spring 2026.

    Today (10 June 2025), Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has confirmed that the government will fast-track pilots to spring 2026, introducing self-driving commercial pilots on England’s roads.

    Firms will be able to pilot small scale ‘taxi- and bus-like’ services without a safety driver for the first time – which could be available to members of the public to book via an app – before a potential wider rollout when the full Automated Vehicles Act becomes law from the second half of 2027.

    Innovation, world-leading regulation and road safety will be at the forefront of the pilots, with self-driving vehicles aiming to reduce human error – which contributes to 88% of all road collisions.

    Bringing forward the pilots of self-driving vehicles will help the government deliver the Plan for Change, by creating 38,000 jobs to put money in the pockets of hardworking people, driving investment to back British engineering excellence and creating an industry worth £42 billion by 2035.

    Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

    The future of transport is arriving. Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world-leaders in new technology.

    With road safety at the heart of our pilots and legislation, we continue to take bold steps to create jobs, back British industry, and drive innovation to deliver our Plan for Change.

    The Automated Vehicles Act will require self-driving vehicles to achieve a level of safety at least as high as competent and careful human drivers, and they will undergo rigorous safety tests before being allowed on our roads.

    By having faster reaction times than humans, and by being trained on large numbers of driving scenarios, including learning from real-world incidents, self-driving vehicles can help reduce deaths and injuries. Unlike human drivers, AVs can never get distracted or tired and they won’t drink-drive or speed.

    Self-driving vehicles can also improve transport for millions of people – providing greater choice and flexibility to get around more easily. They could add new public transport options in rural areas to boost connectivity for local communities, and improve mobility, accessibility and independence for those unable to drive.

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    We can’t afford to take a back seat on AI, unless it’s on a self-driving bus. It’s great to see the UK storming ahead as a global leader in using this technology – making our roads safer, travel easier and driving growth by spurring innovation across the country.

    That’s why we’re bringing timelines forward today, placing the UK firmly in the fast lane and creating opportunity along the way so people across the country benefit.

    Self-driving trials have already been taking place in the UK since January 2015, with British companies Wayve and Oxa spearheading significant breakthroughs in the technology. From spring 2026, self-driving cars without a safety driver could be available for people to book via an app for the first time.

    The UK is already host to a thriving self-driving sector. Wayve secured a record-breaking investment of over $1 billion and announced recent partnerships with Nissan and Uber, while Oxa has already supported ‘bus-like’ services in the US and started rolling out self-driving vehicles at Heathrow Airport to improve baggage handling.

    Alex Kendall, co-founder and CEO, Wayve says:

    The UK has been Wayve’s home since 2017 – building this technology here has been an incredible journey, from testing our first prototype in Cambridge to deploying the world’s first end-to-end AI driver on public roads, starting in London and expanding nationwide. 

    Accelerating commercial self-driving pilots to 2026 positions the UK as a leading destination for the deployment of L4 self-driving technology. These early pilots will help build public trust and unlock new jobs, services, and markets. For Wayve, this means we can prioritise the UK for early deployment and help deliver safer, cleaner mobility to the UK. We’re excited to bring the benefits of L4 autonomous mobility to cities around the UK.

    Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:

    Britain’s self-driving vehicle revolution moves one step closer, with today’s announcements putting the country on track to reap the road safety and socio-economic benefits this technology can deliver.

    Pilot rollout of commercial self-driving services from next year will widen public access to mobility, while the consultation will ensure the technology is deployed in a safe and responsible way. These latest measures will help Britain remain a world leader in the development and introduction of self-driving vehicles, a manifest application of AI at its finest.

    Launched during London Tech Week, the commitments are a cornerstone of the department’s new Transport AI action plan – a groundbreaking vision which sets out how the government is using AI to drive economic growth, reduce traffic congestion, and improve transport for everyone in the UK.

    Gavin Jackson, Oxa’s CEO, said:

    Oxa welcomes the Department for Transport’s (DfT) decision to enable driverless services on British roads by 2026.

    Since 2024, Oxa has advocated for an expedited regulatory regime. Clear rules will open up the market and encourage transport companies to introduce the benefits of autonomous vehicles across the country. Today’s announcement shows that Britain is ready for this technology.

    Sarfraz Maredia, Head of Autonomous Mobility and Delivery at Uber, said:

    We welcome the UK government’s continued leadership on AV regulation and today’s announcement marks a significant step toward bringing autonomous services to the UK.

    Uber already enables tens of thousands of driverless trips each month worldwide through partnerships with leading AV developers. Having recently appointed a dedicated leader for our UK autonomous efforts, we look forward to working with regulators and partners to deploy this technology safely in Britain.

    Michelle Peacock, Head of Global Public Policy at Waymo said:

    The United Kingdom has long been home to our first European engineering team dedicated to the development of our AI-powered Waymo Driver. We’re delighted to see the government lay the groundwork for new investment possibilities in the years ahead.

    Today, our fully autonomous driving technology provides more than a quarter of a million paid trips each week across major American cities. We hope to continue growing our footprint globally, and one day bring Waymo’s safety, accessibility and sustainability benefits to the people of the United Kingdom.

    Julian David OBE, CEO, techUK, said:

    Today’s announcement is great news for the UK’s AV and tech sectors. Safety must be front and centre of any new regulatory regime. The call for evidence on the statement of safety principles enables a healthy discourse on what outcomes the public should expect from self-driving vehicles. The public must also be able to understand when their vehicle really is capable of driving autonomously to prevent accidental misuse. This is why the techUK members also strongly supports the draft statutory instrument on protecting marketing terms.

    The UK must also make sure it doesn’t fall behind other countries despite the promising progress made in 2024 to create new, bespoke legislation for AVs. The ability to deploy truly driverless passenger services from 2026 is a major milestone towards bringing the benefits of autonomy to communities across the country. That is why we warmly welcome plans to accelerate delivery of the necessary regulatory changes to make this a reality.

    Roads media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO releases new Science & Technology Strategy

    Source: NATO

    On Thursday (5 June 2025), NATO Defence Ministers endorsed a new strategy that guides Alliance-wide scientific and technological research in support of defence and security.

    The NATO Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy stresses the importance of science and technology “to enable the Alliance to outperform strategic competitors and potential adversaries in inserting scientific knowledge and adopting emerging technologies across all NATO core tasks”. It further emphasises the role that defence and security-related science and technology plays in the development of capabilities and enhancement of military interoperability, as well as in the further reinforcement of societal, political and industrial resilience.

    The Strategy sets three mutually-reinforcing strategic goals for the NATO S&T Enterprise:

    • To “Anticipate and Invest”: notably through enhanced foresight and increasing investment in critical S&T areas, such as AI, quantum and biotechnologies, and support for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.
    • To “Safeguard and Protect” the NATO S&T Enterprise against hybrid threats such as interference.
    • To “Orchestrate and Energize” S&T, including by  promoting “denser, deeper and more agile coordination” and  exploiting S&T results across all NATO core tasks.

    The new Strategy supersedes the NATO S&T Strategy released in 2018. It supports NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept and takes accounts of the science & technology macro trends that the Science and Technology Organization (STO) has identified as important for the Alliance for the next 20 years, and outlined in its 2025-2045 report (hyperlink).

    The Strategy is available here.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese announces first woman Treasury secretary and a ‘roundtable’ on boosting productivity

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Treasury head Steven Kennedy will become Anthony Albanese’s right-hand bureaucrat, while Treasury will get its first female secretary, with the appointment of Jenny Wilkinson, who currently heads the Finance Department.

    Kennedy, to be the new secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, replaces Glyn Davis, who announced after the election he was leaving the post after just three years.

    Kennedy, 60, has had a close working relationship with Treasurer Jim Chalmers. He also served Chalmers’ Liberal predecessor, Josh Frydenberg, during the pandemic, when the Treasury was the main bureaucratic architect of the JobKeeper scheme that provided subsidies to business to keep on workers.

    Wilkinson, 58, has been secretary of the Finance Department since August 2022. She was previously a deputy secretary in Treasury, where she worked on the pandemic economic stimulus measures. She is also a former head of the Parliamentary Budget Office.

    As Treasury secretary, Wilkinson will take Stevens’ place on the Reserve Bank.

    Chalmers described Kennedy and Wilkinson as “the best of the best”, saying they were “outstanding public servants”.

    Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said Wilkinson’s appointment not only recognised her talent, skills and expertise, “but it also serves as an important reminder for women and girls across the country that all positions in the Australian Public Service – no matter how senior – are roles that women can hold”.

    The prime minister announced the bureaucratic reshuffle during his Tuesday address to the National Press Club on his second term agenda.

    With Chalmers already having named productivity as his primary priority for this term, Albanese said he had asked the treasurer to convene “a roundtable to support and shape our government’s growth and productivity agenda”.

    The summit, at Parliament House in August, will bring together a group of leaders from business, unions and civil society. More details will come in a speech on productivity by Chalmers next week.

    “This will be a more streamlined dialogue than the Jobs and Skills Summit, dealing with a more targeted set of issues,” Albanese said.

    “We want to build the broadest possible base of support for further economic reform, to drive growth, boost productivity, strengthen the budget, and secure the resilience of our economy, in a time of global uncertainty.

    “What we want is a focused dialogue and constructive debate that leads to concrete and tangible actions.”

    Albanese said the government’s starting point was clear, “Our plan for economic growth and productivity is about Australians earning more and keeping more of what they earn.” The aim was for growth, wages and productivity to rise together.

    The Productivity Commission recently released 15 “priority reform areas” to further explore as part of the five productivity inquiries that the government has commissioned it to undertake.

    The commission’s March quarterly bulletin shows a 0.1% decline in labour productivity in the December quarter, and a 1.2% decline over the year.

    COVID produced a temporary lift in productivity but that soon passed.

    In general Australia’s labour productivity has not significantly increased in more than a decade.

    Welcoming the roundtable, Australian Industry Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said it was “critical that this tripartite summit focus on getting private sector investment moving again. Our economy and labour market has been unsustainably reliant on government spending for a prolonged period now.”

    Michelle Grattan 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. Albanese announces first woman Treasury secretary and a ‘roundtable’ on boosting productivity – https://theconversation.com/albanese-announces-first-woman-treasury-secretary-and-a-roundtable-on-boosting-productivity-257334

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: CNPA Board bids farewell to Board members

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    CNPA Board bids farewell to Board members

    The CNPA Board bids farewell to long-serving members, Sir Craig Mackey and Sue Scane.

    Sir Craig Mackey QPM, Susan Johnson OBE, Simon Chesterman OBE QPM and Sue Scane.

    Two independent members of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) Board were presented with Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) service plaques at the end of their final Board meeting last week.

    Sir Craig Mackey and Sue Scane both completed the maximum service – two terms of three years. Sir Craig served as interim chair in 2021/22 and Sue as chair of the Audit, Risk and Finance Committee (ARFC).

    Reflecting on his time in the role, Sir Craig said: “I first worked closely with CNC when I was the Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary. Ten years later and having retired from the Metropolitan Police, the board posts were advertised, and I jumped at the chance.

    “I consider myself very lucky to have got the role and have been fortunate to work with a range of industry members and independent members who all want CNC to be the best it can be. This, combined with the quality and commitment of people across CNC, getting to meet them at sites across the UK, hear about their achievements at Awards ceremonies and fully appreciate the complexity and risks that people are managing day-to-day, has made it a real privilege to be part of.”

    The people and the places were also the source of stand-out moments for Sue, for whom visiting sites and meeting officers and staff was both interesting and inspirational: “In all the locations we’ve visited, we have had the opportunity to speak with the officers and understand the organisation from their perspective. This has always brought the work in the Board room to life,” she said. 

    “Not that many people are able to see inside a nuclear power station – whether operational, under decommissioning, or under construction, but seeing each of these stages has also been really memorable, and makes you appreciate the complexity inherent in each site.”

    Looking back on what has been achieved during her time with the CNPA, Sue is pleased with the progress she has been part of: “I have always worked in areas where my job has been to ensure that the Governance of the organisation was embedded in the way people worked – whether they realised it or not – so it has been rewarding for me to see the improvements over the last six years.  Improved financial systems, the programme management which now delivers on time and within budget, and a costed medium-term plan which allows management to plan for the future.”

     The Chair of the CNPA, Susan Johnson, thanked them both, saying: “On behalf of the CNPA, I want to acknowledge the time that Sue and Craig have dedicated to the CNC and thank them for their service. During the six years they’ve been in post, they have brought significant knowledge and expertise to the work of the Board and helped to navigate the organisation through some challenging and exciting times.  Sue and Craig have provided wise counsel to our executive team whilst challenging the team in a constructive and supportive way to drive continuous improvement. 

    “Sue’s leadership of the Audit Risk and Finance Committee has strengthened the assurance to the Board that risks are effectively managed and that we are delivering an efficient and effective service to our Site Licence Companies.  Craig supported the organisation through a difficult period when he took on the role of interim Chair and he has also been the Board lead on professional standards, supporting the executive through peer review.  Craig’s extensive experience in Home Office policing has contributed positively to bring greater alignment of CNC pay, reward and pension conditions with those of Home Office forces. 

    “I would like to recognise the sterling support they have both provided and wish them the very best with whatever they do next. Thank you for your work, on behalf of us all at the CNPA.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Honghe sweaters ‘dress’ their way into global market

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

    Tucked away in the misty folds of rural Zhejiang Province lies a township that could very well be one of fashion’s best kept secrets. Each year, over 400 million sweaters glide off production lines in Honghe — a name that barely registers on most global style radars, yet it has quietly knit itself into an industrial powerhouse with an annual turnover of over 20 billion yuan (about 2.78 billion U.S. dollars).

    A stroll through Honghe is like being transported into the heart of a living atelier. Yarn shops, accessory stores and design studios line the streets, while tricycles laden with raw materials zip through the shaded lanes in a rhythmic blur. This bustling scene hums with purpose, a fusion of tradition, ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of quality.

    Honghe’s sweater story began modestly in the mid-1970s with the town’s first commune-run knitting factory. By 1984, the local market was pulsing with promise, drawing in entrepreneurs like Gao Xiaohua, who moved his knitting machines and shop from his home to the market.

    His eye for quality — fastidiously hand-selecting yarns, obsessively testing for color fastness — earned him a loyal customer base and laid the foundation for what would become Zhejiang 30 Autumn Garments Co., Ltd.

    “When I first moved my new factory here, the road in front of the gate wasn’t even paved,” Gao recalled while pointing to Fumin Road. By 2002, his factory had expanded to an over 10,000 square meter lot, and was one entity among countless others helping the sweater industry in Honghe take shape.

    Today, in 30 Autumn’s intelligent workshop, workers deftly operate computerized knitting machines, producing intricate patterns and textures that cater to diverse tastes. With collaborative efforts, the company can churn out over 20,000 sweaters daily.

    Today, Honghe boasts over 20 large-scale sweater enterprises, creating jobs for 70,000 people and forming a complete industrial chain from spinning to sales.

    Honghe’s global reach is driven by its ability to meet international demands and make innovations. Shuosheng Apparel Co., Ltd., run by Zheng Youlan, has built a strong customer base in South America and Mexico. She learned firsthand during a trade mission to Dubai in 2024 that local buyers crave eco-friendly materials — a valuable insight that helped her expand her business.

    Honghe sweaters have been popular in the Middle East market for over 20 years, attracting more than 1,000 international buyers to place orders every year, with an annual export value reaching tens of millions of U.S. dollars, according to Zheng.

    In 2024, the town’s sweater export value reached 609 million yuan, up 20.38 percent year on year, contributing about one third of its total industrial export volume.

    The town’s innovation extends beyond the factory floor. The platform, Mao Shan Pai, a collaboration between the local government, state-owned companies and the local chamber of commerce, invites overseas trade delegations and organizes international visits for local enterprises. It also leverages AI technology to break down language barriers and showcase products through digital fashion shows, enhancing the town’s global presence.

    Stepping into the AI studio of Mao Shan Pai, the scene empowered by technology is refreshing. Multilingual digital avatars work around the clock to introduce new products to global buyers, making time zone and language barriers things of the past.

    The AI design system can generate 3D models of different styles wearing the sweaters based on a single flat image of a sweater, meeting various needs. The models’ postures and lighting effects can vividly display the texture, drape and other qualities of the sweaters.

    Mao Shan Pai integrates resources from eight major sweater markets, 10 industrial parks, over 2,000 enterprises and nearly 10,000 stall operators in Honghe.

    It provides one-stop digital trade services, simplifying the complex process of sweater exports. With over 10,000 new products released annually and nearly 2,600 registered overseas buyers, the platform has become a key driver of Honghe’s international success.

    “From domestic and international markets to digital infrastructure and industry integration, we are committed to making Honghe the global epicenter of sweaters,” said Xu Wei, secretary general of the Honghe sweater chamber of commerce. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Schools invited to apply for ‘Taskmaster Club 100’ initiative

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK Schools invited to apply for ‘Taskmaster Club 100’ initiative

    Intellectual Property Office (IPO) partners with Taskmaster Education to offer new skills building opportunity for secondary schools.

    The main developments are:

    • the Intellectual Property Office has partnered with Taskmaster Education to launch a new creative skills opportunity for UK secondary school students aged 11 to 16

    • ‘Taskmaster Club 100’ applications open on 10 June 2025 and close on 15 August 2025. Successful schools will be notified by 1 September 2025

    • selected schools will gain free access to Taskmaster Club resources and have the unique chance to win a virtual lesson with Alex Horne and more

    The IPO has partnered with Taskmaster Education to launch ‘Taskmaster Club 100’. This innovative new initiative focuses on building essential skills in the next generation of innovators through fun classroom activities. It aims to make creative learning opportunities accessible to students aged 11 to 16 across the UK from every background, and in diverse educational settings.

    Up to 100 selected schools will receive exclusive access to the ‘Taskmaster Club Bathtub’ series of fun, interactive task-focused lesson plans. These ready-to-implement activities help develop key skills like reasoning, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, perseverance, oracy and resilience, delivering multiple educational outcomes.

    The series includes valuable intellectual property (IP) competencies in teaching notes, empowering educators to enhance activities with concepts of creative ownership, value and protection. These help students develop vital skills in understanding and respecting intellectual property rights in today’s increasingly digital and interconnected world.

    To join Taskmaster Club 100, schools simply need to complete a short application form online to register their interest – or in the words of Alex Horne: “click the link and fill in a thing.”

    Applications open 10 June 2025, and the successful schools will be notified by 1 September 2025.

    The IPO’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Adam Williams said:

    An understanding of IP and a respect for others’ IP rights is a vital life skill – inside and outside of the classroom. In today’s connected environment, young people increasingly create and use IP, accessing and developing digital content independently and regularly. The Taskmaster format uniquely encourages creative thinking, perseverance and teamwork – helping to develop the ideas that will shape tomorrow.

    Our partnership with Taskmaster Education will help support schools to nurture the development of these crucial skills in UK schools in a fun and exciting way. Together, we look forward to enabling and accelerating access to innovation learning opportunities and inspiring the next generation of creators and innovators.

    The initiative includes:

    • free access to the versatile ‘Taskmaster Club Bathtub’ series
    • minimal preparation requirements for busy teachers
    • a creative invention competition (concluding in December 2025)

    The initiative is designed to be flexible, with schools able to implement activities in various ways. Previously, schools have implemented Taskmaster activities for inter-house competitions, transition events, personal development lessons, and off-timetable resilience building. This versatility ensures the programme benefits all students.

    Feedback from schools already using Taskmaster materials, including the Bathtub series has been overwhelmingly positive.

    Katie Walker, Dean Trust Ardwick, Greater Manchester, said:

    Taskmaster club has been a great addition to our extra-curricular. In secondary school children start to become more socially conscious which can stop them from thriving and building key skills. Taskmaster combats this.

    Alex McKinnon, St Martin’s School, Shropshire, said:

    Guaranteed silliness that made me view my pupils’ creative skills with new eyes.

    Another secondary teacher added:

    We used the Taskmaster package as a drop-down day for Year 11. It was a really beneficial and fun day for them. Students were able to see how thinking outside the box and working as a team helps them to solve problems. A really good day to help them start to think about the upcoming exams.

    Comedian and Taskmaster creator Alex Horne commented:

    Taskmaster Club has already proven to be an immense hit in classrooms across the country. This partnership with the IPO allows us to help even more young people develop problem-solving and communication skills while having fun. I can’t wait to see what these students invent!

    Dr Ali Struthers and James Blake-Lobb, Co-Founders of Taskmaster Education added:

    We’ve loved seeing Taskmaster Club being used at secondary level to improve key skills and outcomes. The programme’s success comes from its naturally inclusive approach – different tasks allow different students to shine, ensuring everyone has opportunities to experience success and build confidence. We’re excited to partner with the IPO on Taskmaster Club 100 to continue developing young people’s curiosity and creativity across more UK schools.

    Teachers interested in can visit Taskmaster Education’s website for more information.

    The application deadline is 15 August 2025.

    Additional Information:

    • complete the digital application form to register your interest

    • selected schools will also gain exclusive early access to new IPO x Taskmaster Education resources

    • selected schools will also have the opportunity to win a virtual lesson with Alex Horne and a year’s subscription to Taskmaster Club by submitting students’ creative inventions to Taskmaster’s ‘Club 100’ national competition, closing in December 2025

    • Taskmaster Education adapts the format of Channel 4’s Taskmaster to create fun and educational experiences for children and young people. In the show, the Taskmaster and his assistant Little Alex Horne challenge comedians with creative tasks. Taskmaster Education uses similar activities to develop important skills in children. These skills include problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking. Taskmaster Education provides a flexible and engaging way to inspire learning in classrooms and beyond

    • schools can set up their own Taskmaster Club for pupils. This allows children to try more tasks while developing important life skills. These skills include teamwork, creativity, and reasoning. The Club series that includes the Kids Invent Stuff task is called ‘Bathtub’. To find out more, visit the Taskmaster Education website

    • the IPO has also developed a range of tools, guidance and teaching resources IP in Education for primary, secondary, further and higher education, researchers and university management

    • alternative application methods are available by emailing CrackingIdeas@ipo.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • 11 years of Modi govt: Flagship schemes drive India’s sporting transformation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Over the past 11 years, India has witnessed a dramatic transformation in its sporting landscape, driven by a series of ambitious flagship schemes launched under the Modi government. From building grassroots infrastructure to supporting Olympic medal hopefuls, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has played a pivotal role in shaping a new sporting era for the nation.

    With India’s youth forming nearly 65% of its population, the government has identified sports as a key tool for empowerment and nation-building. Reflecting this, the sports ministry’s budget has seen a 130.9% increase from ₹1,643 crore in 2014–15 to a record ₹3,794 crore in 2025–26.

    Central to this transformation is the Khelo India programme, launched in 2016–17. With ₹1,000 crore allocated in the latest budget, it has supported the creation of over 1,000 training centres, approved 326 infrastructure projects, and nurtured nearly 2,845 athletes through coaching and financial assistance.

    The Khelo India Games—covering youth, university, para and winter editions—have grown significantly, with over 50,000 athletes participating in 17 editions since 2018. Talent identification is being sharpened through KIRTI, a data-driven program using AI-based protocols to scout young talent aged 9–18.

    At the elite level, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) has backed India’s Olympic and Paralympic champions, offering customized training and monthly allowances to core athletes. The results are evident: India won 7 medals at Tokyo 2020 and 6 at Paris 2024, while Paralympians clinched a record 29 medals in Paris.

    The Fit India Movement, launched in 2019, has further promoted a culture of fitness through mass participation events, online campaigns, and family engagement sessions.

    In addition, a ₹200 crore special package has bolstered sports infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir, while programs under Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) have empowered youth across 623 districts.

    From village-level talent to international podiums, India’s sports ecosystem is now more inclusive, robust, and performance-driven than ever. As the nation looks ahead to the 2036 Olympics and beyond, these initiatives reflect a clear vision: to make India a top-10 sporting nation in the world.

  • 11 years of Modi govt: Indian athletes shine on global stage with record-breaking performances

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s sporting achievements have witnessed a remarkable surge over the past 11 years, with Indian athletes delivering historic performances across major international competitions. Backed by flagship initiatives like Khelo India, TOPS, and KIRTI, the country has steadily climbed the global sporting ladder.

    At the Olympics, India went from winning just 2 medals at Rio 2016 to a record 7 medals at Tokyo 2020 and 6 at Paris 2024. Star performers such as Neeraj Chopra, who clinched India’s first Olympic athletics gold, and Mirabai Chanu in weightlifting, led the way in India’s Olympic resurgence.

    The Paralympics marked an even more dramatic transformation. From just 4 medals in Rio 2016, India bagged 19 in Tokyo 2020 and a record-breaking 29 medals in Paris 2024, including 7 golds. This success reflects the impact of structured support and inclusion of para-athletes in schemes like TOPS and the Khelo India Para Games.

    India’s rise continued at the Asian Games, where the Hangzhou 2023 edition became historic with 107 medals from a record 655-member contingent. Similarly, at the Commonwealth Games, India consistently maintained strong performances, securing over 60 medals in each edition from 2014 to 2022.

    Indian athletes also made global headlines elsewhere—winning double gold at the 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad, a gold in javelin at the World Athletics Championships 2023, and a historic Thomas Cup win in badminton in 2022. Shooters and para-table tennis players also delivered standout performances in global competitions.

    India has also emerged as a hub for major international sports events, hosting the FIDE Chess Olympiad (Chennai), MotoGP Bharat (Noida), BIMSTEC Aquatics Championship (Delhi), and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup (Bhubaneswar). In 2023, India hosted the prestigious IOC Session in Mumbai, further strengthening its role in global sports diplomacy.

    With increased investment, strategic planning, and world-class talent, India’s sporting transformation under the Modi government is no longer a vision — it’s an unfolding reality. As the country eyes the 2036 Olympics, its journey towards becoming a top-10 sporting nation is firmly on track.

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens react to plans for new nuclear plant at Sizewell

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    / by Green Party

    Responding to news that EDF will build a new nuclear power plant at Sizewell at an estimated cost of over £14bn, co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay MP, said: 

     “Nuclear power is hugely expensive and far too slow to come on line. The only thing delivered by EDF so far at Hinkley Point in Somerset is overspend and delay. Electricity was promised by 2017 with a price tag of £22bn but this has mushroomed to 40bn and Hinkley is still producing no power.  

    “The money being spent on this nuclear gamble would be far better spent on insulating and retrofitting millions of homes, bringing down energy bills and keeping people warmer and more comfortable. We should also be investing in genuinely green power such as fitting millions of solar panels to roofs and in innovative technologies like tidal power. All this would create many more jobs than nuclear ever will.”   

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thousands of jobs to be created as government announces multi-billion-pound investment to build Sizewell C

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Thousands of jobs to be created as government announces multi-billion-pound investment to build Sizewell C

    10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships, to be created as the government announces multi-billion investment to build Sizewell C.

    • Chancellor to confirm funding at the GMB Congress ahead of Spending Review, as Energy Secretary vows ‘golden age’ of nuclear.
    • Investment to deliver clean power to millions of homes, cut energy bills and boost energy security.
    • Government commits over £6 billion of investment to nuclear submarine industrial base to deliver on Strategic Defence Review.

    Ten thousand jobs will be created as the government announces a £14.2 billion investment to build Sizewell C nuclear plant as part of the Spending Review, ending years of delay and uncertainty. 

    The Chancellor is set to confirm the funding at the GMB Congress later today ahead of the government’s Spending Review, as the Energy Secretary vows a ‘golden age’ of nuclear to boost the UK’s energy security. 

    The government’s investment will go towards creating 10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships, and support thousands more jobs across the UK. 

    The company has already signed £330 million in contracts with local companies and will boost supply chains across the UK with 70% of contracts predicted to go to 3,500 British suppliers – supporting new jobs in construction, welding, and hospitality.   

    The equivalent of around six million of today’s homes will be powered with clean homegrown energy from Sizewell C. The investment in clean, homegrown power brings to an end decades of dithering and delay, with the government backing the builders in the drive for energy security and kick-starting economic growth.  

    The announcement comes as the government is set to confirm one of Europe’s first Small Modular Reactor programmes. This comes alongside record investment in R&D for fusion energy, worth over £2.5 billion over five years. Taken together with Sizewell C, this delivers the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation.

    Clean, home-grown power at Sizewell C will help drive the UK’s energy security, as part of the government’s mission to protect family finances by replacing the UK’s dependency on fossil fuel markets controlled by dictators with homegrown power that we control.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

    Today we are once again investing in Britian’s renewal, with the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation. This landmark decision is our Plan for Change in action.  

    We are creating thousands of jobs, kickstarting economic growth and putting more money people’s pockets.

    Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband said:

    We will not accept the status quo of failing to invest in the future and energy insecurity for our country.  

    We need new nuclear to deliver a golden age of clean energy abundance, because that is the only way to protect family finances, take back control of our energy, and tackle the climate crisis. 

    This is the government’s clean energy mission in action- investing in lower bills and good jobs for energy security.

    Sizewell C

    Sizewell C will provide 10,000 people with employment at peak construction and support thousands more jobs across the UK, including 1,500 apprenticeships. The company has already signed £330 million in contracts with local companies and will boost supply chains across the UK with 70% of contracts predicted to go to 3,500 British suppliers – supporting new jobs in construction, welding, and hospitality. Jobs in the nuclear industry pay well above national averages and the government is committed to working with nuclear trade unions such as the GMB, Unite, and Prospect, who will continue to play a pivotal role in building the industry.   

    Despite the UK’s strong nuclear legacy, opening the world’s first commercial nuclear power station in the 1950s, no new nuclear plant has opened in the UK since 1995, with all of the existing fleet except Sizewell B likely to be phased out by the early 2030s.  

    Sizewell C was one of eight sites identified in 2009 by then-Energy Secretary Ed Miliband as a potential site for new nuclear. However, the project was not fully funded in the 14 years that followed under subsequent governments.  

    The government’s nuclear programme is now the most ambitious for a generation – once small modular reactors and Sizewell C come online in the 2030s, combined with Hinkley Point C, this will deliver more new nuclear to grid than over the previous half century combined.

    Small Modular Reactors

    Great British Nuclear is expected to announce the outcome of its small modular reactor competition imminently, the first step towards the goal of driving down costs and unlocking private finance with a long-term ambition to bring forward one of the first SMR fleets in Europe.  

    The government’s nuclear resurgence will support the UK’s long-term energy security, with small modular reactors expected to power millions of homes with clean energy and help fuel power-hungry industries like AI data centres.   

    This follows reforms to planning rules announced by the Prime Minister in February 2025 to make it easier to build nuclear across the country – changing the rules to back the builders of this nation, and saying no to the blockers who have strangled our chances of cheaper energy, growth and jobs for far too long.   

    The government is also looking to provide a route for private sector-led advanced nuclear projects to be deployed in the UK, alongside investing £300m in developing the world’s first non-Russian supply of the advanced fuels needed to run them.   

    Companies will be able to work with the government to continue their development with potential investment from the National Wealth Fund.

    Fusion Energy

    The government is also making a record investment in R&D for fusion energy, investing over £2.5 billion over 5 years. This includes progressing the STEP programme (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the world-leading fusion plant in Nottinghamshire, creating thousands of new jobs and with the potential to unlock limitless clean power.  

    This builds on the UK’s global leadership to turbocharge economic growth in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, while helping deliver the UK’s flagship programme to design and build a prototype fusion power station on the site of a former coal-fired plant.

    Defence

    To secure the UK as a leader in both civil and defence nuclear, the government will also be investing £4 billion over the next decade in the Plymouth naval base as well as continued long-term investment in our Defence Nuclear Enterprise and its industrial base, as this is critical for our national security while also being a significant generator of economic opportunities, jobs and growth across the entire country. Further investments in the defence nuclear sector include over £6 billion over the Spending Review period to enable a transformation in the capacity, capability and productivity of the UK’s submarine industrial base, including at BAE Systems in Barrow and Rolls-Royce Submarines in Derby – to deliver the increase in the submarine production rate announced in the Strategic Defence Review. 

    In addition, we will embark on a multi-decade, multi-billion redevelopment of HMNB Clyde, with an initial £250 million of funding over 3 years, supporting jobs, skills and growth across the West of Scotland. 

    The government will also invest over £420 million of additional funding in Sheffield Forgemasters, securing 700 existing skilled jobs and creating over 900 new construction roles.

    Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann, Joint-Managing Directors of Sizewell C said:

    Today marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Sizewell C, the UK’s first British-owned nuclear power plant in over 30 years. It’s a privilege to be leading a project that will create over 10,000 jobs, secure Britain’s energy future and revitalise the UK’s nuclear industry.

    We aim to showcase British infrastructure at its best – delivering a cleaner, more secure energy future for generations to come.

    Warren Kenny, GMB Regional Secretary, said:

    Sizewell C is absolutely vital if the UK is to hit net zero.

    Nuclear power is essential for clean, affordable, and reliable energy – without new nuclear there can be no net zero.

    Sizewell C will provide thousands of good, skilled, unionised jobs and we look forward to working closely with the government and Sizewell C to help secure a greener future for this country’s energy sector.

    Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect, said:

    Delivering this funding for Sizewell C is a vital step forward, this project is critical to securing the future of the nuclear industry in the UK.

    New nuclear is essential to achieving net zero, providing a baseload of clean and secure energy, as well as supporting good, unionised jobs.

    Further investment in SMRs and fusion research shows we are finally serious about developing a 21st century nuclear industry. All funding must be backed up by a whole-industry plan to ensure we have the workforce and skills we need for these plans to succeed.

    Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said:

    This new nuclear programme will give the country the jobs, the economic growth and the energy security we need to ensure a secure and reliable power supply for the future. This announcement shows the government is serious about new nuclear, and realising the economic benefits that come with it, and will be welcomed in communities the length and breadth of Britain.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The 9th International Conference on Digital Belt and Road Opens in Chengdu

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 10 (Xinhua) — The 9th International Conference on Digital Belt and Road, focusing on cooperation in applying digital technologies to global sustainable development, opened in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, on Monday.

    The event was jointly organized by the Digital Belt and Road Initiative (DBAR), Chengdu Institute of Technology and the International Big Data Research Center for Sustainable Development Goals, according to a statement posted on the official website of the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government.

    The conference was attended by experts, scientists and representatives of institutions from nearly 30 countries and regions around the world.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, DBAR Chairman Guo Huadong, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointed out that 2025 is the tenth year of global efforts to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. DBAR will continue to deepen cooperation with governments, research institutes and international organizations to advance the formation of sustainable development solutions with digital technologies at the core.

    Launched by Chinese scientists in 2016, the DBAR program has produced a series of widely recognized knowledge products to respond to sustainable development challenges in eight areas: agriculture and food security, climate and environment, disaster risk, natural and cultural heritage, cities and infrastructure, water resources and water security, coastal zones and oceans, and mountains and polar cold zones. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mexican President Calls for Human Dignity Amid US Protests

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    MEXICO CITY, June 9 (Xinhua) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday called on the U.S. authorities to respect immigration procedures and human dignity, following recent mass detentions of migrants and subsequent protests in Los Angeles, California.

    K. Sheinbaum read a statement about the Los Angeles protests at a daily morning press conference also attended by the country’s Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente.

    The statement outlined five measures the Mexican government is taking to protect the rights of Mexican migrants in the United States.

    “The Mexican government will not tolerate actions that violate human rights,” the president said, asking the US authorities “respectfully but firmly” to act in accordance with legal procedure and within the framework of respect for human dignity.

    “We do not condone violent actions as a form of protest… we call on the Mexican community to act peacefully and not to succumb to provocations,” added K. Sheinbaum.

    She stressed that most Mexicans in Los Angeles live and work there legally, and the U.S. economy “needs them.”

    “The Mexican government reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting the human rights of Mexicans abroad, regardless of their immigration status,” the president said.

    Through its consular network, the Mexican government offers legal advice and other assistance to ensure that Mexicans are treated fairly.

    Some 42 Mexicans, including 37 men and five women, were arrested during the Los Angeles protests, the foreign minister said.

    More than 1,000 protesters clashed with National Guard troops in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday during new demonstrations against immigration enforcement raids that took place across California over the weekend. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Yogi Adityanath highlights govt’s achievements as PM Modi completes 11 years in office

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday inaugurated an exhibition at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Lucknow to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s completion of 11 years in office. Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak were also present at the event.

    Highlighting the Modi government’s achievements over the past 11 years, Yogi described this period as a golden era of good governance and welfare for the poor—an era that laid the foundation for a developed and self-reliant India. He emphasized that under PM Modi’s leadership, India has not only accelerated its growth but also emerged as a symbol of global trust, gaining a strong international identity.

    Criticizing the Congress for decades of misgovernance, the Uttar Pradesh CM said, “Due to Congress-led governments and other unstable administrations in the 65 years following independence, the common citizen’s trust was broken, and India’s global image was tarnished. But over the past 11 years, under PM Modi’s leadership, a corruption-free, appeasement-free, unified India has been realised.”

    Yogi stressed that during this period, India has forged a new identity in social welfare, governance, the economy, and security. “Government transparency and accountability towards the public have become distinguishing hallmarks. A new harmony between development and heritage has been created,” the UP CM said.

    Emphasising PM Modi’s idea of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Yogi said the mantra has become the face of the government. “Now, benefits are delivered not based on who someone is, but impartially — and Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (together with all, development for all) has become the new face of governance,” he said.

    Yogi pointed out the steps taken by the NDA government against terrorism, highlighting recent actions during Operation Sindoor.

    “Now, we have changed our approach to terrorism compared to before 2014 — India favours peace. PM Modi, by setting a new normal, has changed the entire concept — we will live in peace with friends, but if someone imposes war on us, induces terrorism in our country, and threatens our security, the response will be surgical strikes, air strikes, and Operation Sindoor. We have demonstrated this with ‘Made in India’ capability, and the world has recently realised India’s strength,” he said.

    Yogi also mentioned the abrogation of Article 370: “Article 370, which had been in place since 1952, was repealed by our government. India’s integrity was reinforced — from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.”

    Highlighting achievements in the agriculture sector, he said the double-engine government has benefited farmers and the agri-industry.

    “Before 2017, sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh were shutting down. Between 1996 and 2017, there were payments due for 22 years, but in just the last seven years, an additional ₹71,000 crore has been paid. This is the guarantee of a double-engine government,” Yogi said.

    The UP Chief Minister also underlined government schemes aimed at empowering women, such as the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures, the abolition of triple talaq, granting freedom to women, and the Lakhpati Didi scheme for women entrepreneurs.

    ANI