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Category: Sport

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Premier’s, minister’s, parliamentary secretaries’ statements on Black History Month

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Premier David Eby has issued the following statement celebrating Black History Month:

    “Black History Month is an opportunity for us all to learn about and celebrate the many and diverse contributions of Black people to our province.

    “In 1858, more than 800 Black settlers came north from California to Vancouver Island on the invitation of colonial governor James Douglas. They were promised equality under the law, as well as the right to vote and purchase property. Some settlers formed the Victoria Pioneer Rifle Corps, an all-Black police force.

    “One of the settlers, Mifflin Gibbs, was elected to Victoria council eight years later, becoming the first Black person to hold public office in British Columbia. He was a prominent voice in favour of the colony joining the Canadian Confederation. More than a century later, social worker Rosemary Brown became the first Black woman to be elected to the B.C. legislature. Emery Barnes, a former professional football player with the B.C. Lions, served as the province’s first Black Speaker of the legislative assembly.

    “A Black presence has been a constant in the province’s history, including descendants of the original immigrants. From salmon canner John Sullivan Deas to Emma Stark’s contributions as a school teacher to Seraphim Joe Fortes’ celebrated lifesaving to Barbara Howard on the track in the 1930s to Harry Jerome on the track in the 1960s to Eleanor Collins becoming the first Black entertainer in Canada to host her own national television program, the rich and varied achievements of Black British Columbians have helped make the province the place it is today.

    “We should all feel pride in these accomplishments, while acknowledging the unjust barriers Black people face in their daily lives. Government is working to build an inclusive province where everyone feels they belong, as we build a more just and equitable society for all. Taking part in Black History Month enriches everyone.”

    Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, said:
    “Students in B.C. have opportunities to learn about the diverse communities that shape our province, including the accomplishments and challenges of historic and contemporary Black British Columbians. Learning about Black History and other cultural histories helps students appreciate our province’s rich cultural heritage and supports the development of school communities where everyone feels safe, included and represented.”

    Jessie Sunner, parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives, said:
    “Black History Month is a time to honour pioneers like Mifflin Wistar Gibbs, Harry Jerome, Eleanor Collins and Rosemary Brown, whose legacies continue to inspire us. This month gives us the chance to reflect on the ongoing fight against anti-Black racism. Legislation like the Anti-Racism Act aims to remove systemic barriers to government programs and services that Black communities face in the province. Let’s recommit to amplifying Black voices. As we celebrate the rich history and resilience of B.C.’s Black communities, we strive to build a welcoming province for everyone.”

    George Anderson, parliamentary secretary for transit, said:
    “Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the excellence and contributions of Black individuals like John Sullivan Deas, Rosemary Brown, Justice Selwyn Romilly and June Francis, who have enriched every facet of our society, from culture and innovation to leadership and service. Here in British Columbia, we honour the achievements of those who have broken barriers and inspired progress, while recognizing the work still needed to ensure equal opportunity for all. I carry with me the stories of struggle, perseverance and hope paved by so many. By breaking down systemic barriers, we can create a future where everyone, regardless of background, can thrive and contribute to a more just world.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    February 2, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ-Kiribati fallout: Maamau’s inability to engage with NZ difficult to defend

    COMMENTARY: By Barbara Dreaver, 1News Pacific correspondent

    There has rightly been much debate and analysis over New Zealand’s decision to review the aid it gives to Kiribati.

    It’s a big deal. So much is at stake, especially for the I-Kiribati people who live with many challenges and depend on the $100 million aid projects New Zealand delivers.

    It would be clearly unwise for New Zealand to threaten or cut aid to Kiribati — but it has every right to expect better engagement than it has been getting over the past year.

    What has been disturbing is the airtime and validation given to a Kiribati politician, newly appointed Minister of Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs Ruth Cross Kwansing.

    It’s helpful to analyse where this is coming from so let’s make this very clear.

    She supports and is currently a minister of a government that in 2022 suspended Chief Justice William Hastings and Justice David Lambourne of the High Court, and justices Peter Blanchard, Rodney Hansen and Paul Heath of the Court of Appeal.

    She supports and is part a government that deported Lambourne, who is married to Opposition Leader Tessie Lambourne — and they have I-Kiribati children. (He is Australian but has been in the Kiribati courts since 1995).

    She supports and is part of a government that requires all journalists — should they get a visa to go there — to hand over copies of all footage/information collected.

    She also benefits from a 220 percent pay rise that her government passed for MPs in 2021.That same year, ministers were gifted cars with China Aid embossed on the side, as well as a laptop from Beijing.

    1News broke story
    This week, 1News broke the story of New Zealand putting aid sent to Kiribati on hold — pending a review — after a year of trying to get a bilateral meeting with the Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

    NZ-Kiribati fallout: A ‘Pacific way’ perspective on the Peters spat

    Amidst a gushing post about a president who recently gave this rookie MP a ministerial post, Cross Kwansing wrote of the “media manufactured drama” and “the New Zealand media, in its typical fashion, seized the opportunity to patronise Kiribati, and the familiar whispers about Chinese influence began to circulate”.

    These comments shouldn’t come as any surprise as blaming the media is a common tactic of politicians and Cross Kwansing is no different.

    Just because the new minister doesn’t like what New Zealand has decided to do doesn’t mean it must be “media manufactured”.

    Her comment that “the New Zealand media, in its typical fashion, seized the opportunity to patronise Kiribati” is also ridiculous.

    The journalist that broke the story — myself — is half I-Kiribati and incredibly proud of her heritage and the gutsy country that she was born in and grew up in, with family who still live there.

    Cross Kwansing has been a member of parliament for less than six months. To not discuss the geopolitical implications with China, given the way the world is evolving and Kiribati’s close ties, would be naive and ignorant.

    Pacific leaders frustrated
    It is not just New Zealand that Maamau has refused to meet. Over the last two years, Pacific Island leaders have spoken of frustration in trying to engage with the president.

    Maamau is known to be a pleasant man and enjoyable to converse with. But, for whatever reason, he has chosen not to engage with many leaders or foreign ministers.

    Cross Kwansing has helpfully shared that the president announced to his cabinet ministers that he would delegate international engagements to his vice president so he could concentrate “intently on domestic matters”.

    Fair enough. Except that Maamau has chosen to hang on to the foreign minister portfolio.

    It is quite right that New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters would expect to engage with his Kiribati counterpart — especially given the level of investment and numerous attempts being made, and then a date finally agreed on by Maamau himself.

    Six days before Peters was meant to arrive in Kiribati, the island nation’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs told the NZ High Commission there that the president was now “unavailable”. In the diplomatic world, especially given the attempts that had preceded it, that is hugely disrespectful.

    There are different strategies the New Zealand government could have chosen to take to deal with this. Peters has had enough and chosen a hardline course that is likely to have negative impacts on New Zealand in the long term, but it’s a risk he obviously thinks is worth taking.

    Cross Kwansing has spoken about prioritising cooperation and mutual respect over ego and political posturing. Absolutely right — except that this piece of helpful advice should also be taken by her own government. It works both ways for the sake of the people.

    Barbara Dreaver is of Kiribati and Cook Islands descent. She was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2024 for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities. This TVNZ News column has been republished with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreigners savor flavors of Spring Festival in China

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    “Guonian,” which means “crossing the year,” is more than just a festival marking the arrival of the new year for the Chinese people.
    Though the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is now celebrated in many places worldwide, the true meaning of “Guonian” can only be fully understood by experiencing it in China.
    “The celebration is big, stretching for a month with a lot of food, fireworks and cultural events,” said Kayleen Fangbi from Belgium. “I love it.”
    Lanterns and fairy lights adorn every corner, while shops bustle with people laden with large shopping bags, as observed by a Spanish couple traveling in Beijing just days before the Spring Festival, which fell on Jan. 29 this year.
    Spotting the snake-themed decorations, they decided to look up the meanings of the Chinese zodiac online and discovered that this year is the Year of the Snake. “One of us is a Horse, and the other is a Sheep,” they noted, clearly finding it all quite fascinating.
    Invitations to join in the celebration were shared via the Chinese lifestyle app rednote, with many Chinese netizens offering tips and local authorities promoting festive activities. The surge in activity comes as the app gains many users from the United States and other countries, following the U.S. government’s threat to ban TikTok.
    With the trending hashtag “Chinese New Year,” many foreigners shared about their Spring Festival celebrations virtually from wherever they were, with some expressing the joy of savoring an authentic experience of the holiday in China.
    Beyond the traditional fireworks, decorations, dragon dances, and lion dances, Spring Festival celebrations across China feature distinct local traditions, each adding its unique flavor to the holiday. They all share common themes: family reunions and hope for good fortune in the year ahead.
    The diverse social practices throughout the Chinese New Year celebrations, recently listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO, offer international visitors a rich array of experiences during this period.

    Artists perform the traditional Yingge dance in Chaoyang District of Shantou City, south China’s Guangdong Province, Jan. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)
    In the Chaoshan region of south China’s Guangdong Province, the traditional Yingge dance adds a vibrant New Year atmosphere to the celebrations. Videos showcasing the dance have garnered millions of views, drawing many travelers to spend the Spring Festival in the area.
    The dancers, dressed in colorful costumes that represent ancient heroes and heroines, hold short wooden sticks and perform rhythmic movements, such as swinging the sticks, striking them together, and stamping their feet.
    “I was completely captivated by the strength and precision of their movements, the rhythmic sounds of their stomping and sticks clashing, and their powerful shouts of encouragement,” said Thanita Raemee from Thailand, after watching Yingge Dance performances.
    It’s said that when the lanterns in Yuyuan Garden light up, the Spring Festival begins in Shanghai, one of the top destinations for foreign visitors in China.

    Tourists from the Republic of Korea visit the Yuyuan Garden Mall in east China’s Shanghai, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo by Chen Haoming/Xinhua)
    After strolling through the winding corridors and pavilions, a German tourist bought numerous Chinese New Year-themed souvenirs in Yuyuan Garden. “I want to bring the festive blessings to my friends back home,” she said.
    “A major change is that foreign tourists mostly just walked around in the past, but now they bring real spending power,” said Hu Junjie, vice president of Shanghai Yuyuan Tourist Mart (Group) Co., Ltd., adding that they are particularly interested in the lantern displays, traditional Chinese makeup and costumes, special cuisine, and cultural products.
    Tatiana, 70, a visitor from Russia on a trip to the city of Sanya in the southern island province of Hainan, said that she and her daughter came specifically to experience the Spring Festival.
    At a local event, she eagerly took part in interactive activities. “Writing the Chinese character ‘Fu (meaning blessing)’ with a calligraphy brush was such a unique experience,” she said. They also enjoyed watching traditional Chinese cultural performances, including the unique Li and Miao ethnic folk dances of Hainan.
    Russia remains Hainan’s largest source of international tourists and a key market for Sanya’s inbound tourism. The resumption and opening of international flight routes and visa-free policy have attracted more Russian tourists to the island.
    China expects a boom in international visitors during this Spring Festival holiday. Data from Trip.com Group shows that inbound tourism orders for the 2025 Spring Festival rose over 30 percent year on year.
    Data released by the Chinese travel services platform Qunar showed that as of Jan. 28, the number of domestic flights booked during the Spring Festival by travelers with non-Chinese passports has increased by 70 percent year on year.
    This surge is driven by a series of visa-free entry and transit policies China introduced in 2024, along with continuously upgraded payment, transportation, and tourism facilities. Besides, the growing popularity of China as a travel destination on social media, fueled by early travelers sharing their experiences, has contributed to the increase.
    In 2024, cross-border trips to China by foreigners surged by 82.9 percent from the previous year, reaching 64.88 million. Of these, more than 20 million inbound foreign trips were made visa-free, marking an impressive increase of 112.3 percent year on year, according to the National Immigration Administration.

    Tourists from Vietnam wait for entry inspection at the immigration area at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)
    To meet an increase in visitors from neighboring countries, such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, the Beijing tourism bureau and leading tourism companies launched special itineraries offering these travelers an opportunity to experience a Beijing-style New Year celebration in just two to three days.
    These short-haul itineraries took visitors to vibrant temple fairs and traditional performances, while also giving them the chance to savor Beijing’s winter delicacies and iconic dishes, such as dumplings, hotpot, and Peking Duck.
    “The Spring Festival is a window to understand China, especially its traditional culture,” said Jiang Yiyi, an expert on leisure sports and tourism at the Beijing Sport University.
    The inscription of the Spring Festival onto the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list has significantly boosted its global profile. The numerous traditional cultural activities held across China provide foreign visitors with an immersive experience, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese traditional culture, according to Jiang.
    Through these diverse activities, foreign visitors can truly experience what British online influencer Shaun Gibson described in his video as a Spring Festival in China that is “warm, lively, delicious, and happy.”

    MIL OSI China News –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox Business to Discuss Wichita, KS Plane Crash: Now Is a Time for Faith

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined America’s Newsroom on Fox Business to discuss the terrible tragedy of the collision between an American Airlines plane traveling from Wichita, Kansas, and a military helicopter. Senator Marshall offered his condolences to the loved ones of the victims and discussed the failures leading up to the horrific collision. Senator Marshall will continue to demand answers and accountability. 
    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include: 
    On failures leading up to horrific accident:
    “Typically, there’s one person monitoring the helicopters and one person monitoring the commercial jets. I think this goes way beyond that. There’s a ceiling for all helicopters at 200 feet. So why was that particular helicopter above 200 feet? Why didn’t air traffic control pick that up? Why are we allowing these type of helicopters into the busiest airport runway in the nation? It just makes no sense to any type of Americans. It’s a common sense issue. I’m calling on them, on the military to stop. I don’t want your helicopters where my people are landing. I think it’s that simple. And then we need to talk about transponders. Why are we letting military aircraft into this airspace without transponders that communicate with commercial jets if they don’t want to use transponders and stay out of this busy airspace? I think there’s a confluence of problems. Lastly, I appreciate President Trump’s just radical transparency and taking accountability here.”
    On ensuring the highest focus on FAA safety and competence:
    “I think that all of us want people with the highest training and abilities to do these really tough jobs. I want my pilot to be the best pilot. I want their position based upon their merit, based upon their mental capacity. I’ve sat there in some of these air traffic control places, and I think it was a tougher job. I’m a physician. I think their job was harder than [mine]. Moment after moment, hour after hour, it takes a very special person to do these jobs. I would add the president hired, I believe, over 100 of these air traffic controllers last week, realizing that there’s a problem, and I appreciate him raising the bar for what we expect there out of these air traffic controllers.”
    On grieving Kansans:
    “I’m a physician. This is typically anger and denial happening right now. I think we’re circling the wagons. We’ve been through this before. Kansas has 1955 we lost 75 people to a tornado. 1970 Wichita State football team had a horrific crash that claimed the lives of 31 young people as well. So we’re circling the wagons. You know, this is a time for faith. Our hearts are broken, but they’re broken together. I know this community of Wichita. I spoke to them, to Mayor Wu this morning, and she’s bringing this community together, and we’re just all on our knees today, humbled, just so humbled and grateful for the life and the country God has given us. But we also understand that this I don’t think this accident should have happened. I think it could have been prevented.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Leads New Hampshire Congressional Delegation In Urging Trump to Halt Planned Tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Citing Likelihood of Increasing Energy and Food Prices for Families in the Middle of Winter

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are sending a letter to President Donald Trump urging him not to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada, the Granite State’s largest trading partner, and Mexico. Sweeping tariffs would dramatically increase costs for families in New Hampshire and around the nation. Home heating oil is New Hampshire’s largest import from Canada, and these tariffs are estimated to drive up energy prices for families in the middle of winter. It would also increase costs for essential items like groceries, housing, cars and more. Click here to read the full letter.
    In part, the delegation wrote: “During your campaign, you promised to ‘bring down the price of everything.’ Despite that promise, sweeping tariffs would be a tax on Americans that raises the cost of everything from cars and gas to housing and groceries. Tariff costs would be passed on to our consumers and businesses through higher costs for goods and services.”
    They continued: “For the more than 350,000 households in New Hampshire who rely on heating oil, propane and wood to keep their homes warm and comfortable, adding these costs would be particularly cruel in the middle of a winter that has seen recent temperatures reach 20 below zero. Home heating oil is New Hampshire’s largest import from Canada, not because we don’t produce enough in the United States, but because it makes logistical and economic sense. The National Energy & Fuels Institute (NEFI), which represents wholesale and retail liquid heating fuel distributors throughout the Northeast, estimates that tariffs could increase heating costs by at least $375 per winter for a home in New Hampshire.”
    They concluded: “These taxes would raise families’ grocery bills, too. The type of broad tariffs you’ve proposed could raise food costs by $200 per year for the average household. That’s because the U.S. imports 38 percent of our fresh vegetables, 60 percent of our fresh fruit, and more than 99 percent of our coffee. This is the last thing families need when they’re already struggling with record high prices for eggs or coffee […] We urge you to focus on bringing down prices and reconsider the wisdom of placing sweeping tariffs on imports that would raise prices for our constituents.”
    Earlier this year, Shaheen introduced new legislation with U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) to shield American businesses and consumers from rising prices imposed by tariffs on imported goods into the United States. The Senators’ legislation would keep costs down for imported goods by limiting the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—which allows a President to immediately place unlimited tariffs after declaring a national emergency—while preserving IEEPA’s use for sanctions and other tools. 
    After the November election, a multitude of business leaders verified that, if the President placed sweeping tariffs as promised, they’d be forced to raise prices on consumers. The CEO of Best Buy said, “the vast majority of that tariff will probably be passed on to the consumer as a price increase.” The CFO of Walmart said, “there will probably be cases where prices will go up for consumers.” The CEO of Columbia Sportswear said, “we’re set to raise prices” and “it’s going to be very, very difficult to keep products affordable.” The CEO of AutoZone said, “if we get tariffs, we will pass those tariff costs back to the consumer.” The President of a Texas-based Lipow Oil Associates  said, “The prices at the pump are going to go up.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Introduces the SHUSH Act to Simplify Suppressor Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) have introduced the Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing (SHUSH) Act in the Senate and House, a bill to eliminate the excessive regulation of firearm suppressors. The bill seeks to simplify the purchase process for law-abiding citizens and reduce unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles. Senate cosponsors of the SHUSH Act include Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and John Curtis (R-UT). The SHUSH Act has garnered the support of the National Association for Gun Rights, Gun Owners of America, the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

    “Despite what Hollywood may lead you to believe, silencers aren’t silent, and they aren’t just for secret agents,” said Senator Lee. “They are a vital tool for hearing protection for countless marksmen and gun enthusiasts across America, and making them prohibitively difficult to obtain is an assault on the 2nd Amendment. The SHUSH Act eliminates federal regulation of silencers and treats them as the non-lethal accessory that they are.”

    “Suppressors are a vital tool for responsible gun owners that protect hearing, enhance safety, and reduce firearm noise—but thanks to Hollywood and federal overreach, they’ve been unfairly vilified,” said Congressman Cloud. “Law-abiding Americans shouldn’t have to endure months of red tape and pay an additional tax just to access a safety accessory. The SHUSH Act puts an end to this unnecessary bureaucratic red tape, eliminates the federal tax, and prevents state overreach by treating suppressors like any other firearm accessory.”

    “Suppressors are accessories and should be treated just like magazines, scopes, or gun stocks,” said Hunter King, National Association for Gun Rights. “Treating an accessory the same as a gun sets a bad precedence for anti-gun legislators to further regulate other accessories in the future. There’s no reason they should be subjected to the Brady registration scheme. We’re happy and privileged to be able to work with Sen. Lee and Rep. Cloud on this legislation,”

    “Gun Owners of America applauds the introduction of the ‘Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing Act’ (SHUSH) Act. The SHUSH Act would not only remove suppressors from the federal regulations of the National Firearms Act, but also treat suppressors as any other firearm accessory – free from the infringing background check process. Senator Lee’s bill will not only benefit hunters and sport shooters, but also take much needed steps for gun owners to restore the rights protected by the Second Amendment,” said Aidan Johnston, Director of Government Affairs, Gun Owners of America.

    Background

    Suppressors, commonly known as silencers, are non-lethal firearm accessories widely used by hunters, sportsmen, and marksmen. These devices enhance safety by reducing noise, recoil, and muzzle blast. Contrary to popular belief, they do not completely silence firearms.

    Currently, the process to legally acquire a suppressor involves an extensive and burdensome procedure through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), including:

    • Completing two copies of ATF Form 4
    • Filling out ATF Form 5330.20 Certification of Compliance
    • Obtaining certification from a local chief law enforcement officer and two copies of fingerprints
    • Submitting two passport photos and a $200 check to the ATF
    • This approval process can take 9-12 months, making the purchase of a suppressor prohibitively complex and costly for many consumers.

    The SHUSH Act aims to:

    • Eliminate federal regulation of suppressors as firearms under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and the Gun Control Act (GCA).
    • Remove existing taxes, fees, and registration requirements associated with suppressors.
    • Allow current or retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms with suppressors.
    • Preempt state regulations on the manufacture, transfer, transport, or possession of suppressors.
    • Strike provisions requiring mandatory minimum sentences for suppressor possession in certain cases.
    • Exempt suppressors from regulation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
    • Provide a provision for a refund of the $200 transfer tax for anyone who purchased a suppressor within two years prior to the enactment of the bill.
    • If passed, the SHUSH Act will work alongside the Hearing Protection Act to further deregulate suppressors and remove them from the Gun Control Act of 1968.

    SHUSH Act: Bill Text | One-Pager

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Doctors, Sportspersons and people from different walks of life support PM’s clarion call to fight obesity and reduce oil consumption

    Source: Government of India

    Doctors, Sportspersons and people from different walks of life support PM’s clarion call to fight obesity and reduce oil consumption

    Actor Akshay Kumar praises PM’s message and highlights the importance of good health

    WHO South-East Asia highlights PM’s call for regular physical activity and a balanced nutritious diet

    Doctors from across the country and of multiple specialities speak out in support of PM’s call to action against obesity

    Posted On: 31 JAN 2025 6:25PM by PIB Delhi

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi recently gave a clarion call to fight obesity and reduce oil consumption. This has received wide support from doctors, sportspersons as well as people from different walks of life.

    During his address at the opening ceremony of 38th National Games in Dehradun, Prime Minister discussed how the problem of obesity is increasing rapidly in the country which is  a matter of concern because obesity increases the risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease. Talking about the Fit India Movement, he spoke about the importance of exercise and diet, with focus on balanced intake. He underlined the importance of reducing unhealthy fat and oil in food, and gave the novel suggestion of reducing daily oil consumption by 10%.

    Actor Akshay Kumar praised the Prime Minister’s message and highlighted the importance of good health.

    How true!! I’ve been saying this for years now…love it that the PM himself has put it so aptly. Health hai toh sab kuchh hai. Obesity se fight karne ke sabse bade hathiyaar
    1. Enough sleep
    2. Fresh air and Sunlight
    3. No processed food, less oil. Trust the good old desi ghee… pic.twitter.com/CxnYjb4AHv

    — Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) January 30, 2025

    The health fraternity has come out in huge numbers supporting the Prime Minister’s clarion call. The World Health Organization South-East Asia highlighted Prime Minister’s call for regular physical activity and a balanced nutritious diet.

    Gautam Khanna, CEO, P. D. Hinduja Hospital, called it a timely message on the importance of reducing obesity and associated risks.

    “Health is our greatest asset,” says Gautam Khanna, CEO, P. D. Hinduja Hospital.

    He emphasizes the essential role of preventive healthcare, echoing Hon. Prime Minister Modi’s timely message on the importance of reducing obesity & associated risks, especially in today’s India. https://t.co/TsV7fibZyN pic.twitter.com/mFverrR19V

    — P. D. Hinduja Hospital (@HospitalHinduja) January 31, 2025

    Dr Harsh Mahajan, Founder & Chairman, Mahajan Imaging & Labs lauded Prime Minister’s call to action to fight against obesity.

    Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala Cygnus Healthcare Services said obesity is a serious challenge which we as a country have to fight immediately and together.

    #WATCH | Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala Cygnus Healthcare Services says, “Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that obesity is posing a huge threat to our country and his message is clear that it is a serious challenge which we as a country have to fight… pic.twitter.com/akqBBaMwR7

    — ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2025

    Various other doctors too spoke in support of the importance of tackling the menace of obesity.

    Mumbai: On PM Modi statement regarding obesity in kids, Padma Shri Awardee Dr. T. P. Lahane says, “When we are eating, we are not burning the calories that we are getting from it. So, you should give yourself an hour daily and exercise in that hour. Because of this, whatever… pic.twitter.com/WwF7KDXsXe

    — IANS (@ians_india) January 30, 2025

    Several hospitals, medical bodies and associations too came out in support of the movement against obesity, including Indian Dental Association, Tata Memorial Hospital, Endocrine Society of Delhi, among others.

    Oral health and obesity are deeply interconnected through shared risk factors like diet and lifestyle. And the only way to go forward is the Common Risk Factor Approach (CRFA) which is a method for creating health promotion programs that address common risk factors for disease… pic.twitter.com/JPS6GzYblQ

    — Indian Dental Association (IDA) (@ida_head_office) January 31, 2025

    @TataMemorial is grateful to the Hon. PM for his very important message about healthy food and exercise to prevent obesity! Fit India-Developed India! @PMOIndia@MoHFW_INDIA @DAEIndia https://t.co/EmdJMes9U3

    — Tata Memorial Hospital (@TataMemorial) January 31, 2025

    Thank you, Hon’ble PM @narendramodi, for highlighting the urgent need to tackle obesity and its health risks. Obesity has been linked to several common cancers. A healthier India starts with awareness and action. #HealthForAll #FitIndia https://t.co/hCIZXjfgTL

    — ACTREC-TMC (@ACTREC_TMC) January 31, 2025

    Honorable PM talked about the rapidly yet silently spreading epidemic of obesity and its associated co-morbidities such as Diabetes and heart diseases. He emphasized on the role of dietary modifications and regular exercise in combating this. #FitIndia#stopobesity#healthforall https://t.co/qnJ0pVmELL

    — Endocrine Society of Delhi (@delhiendo) January 30, 2025

    Sportspersons too have spoken in support of the call given by the Prime Minister. Boxer Vijender Singh said that the campaign launched by PM Modi regarding balanced diet, exercise and health is commendable.

    Watch: On PM Modi’s ‘Fit India’ movement, Boxer Vijender Singh says, “The campaign launched by PM Modi regarding balanced diet, exercise and health is commendable. This initiative can greatly benefit many people, especially those suffering from diabetes or obesity. By making… pic.twitter.com/nZfbrQeBwa

    — IANS (@ians_india) January 30, 2025

    Fitness coach Mickey Mehta and World Championship bronze medalist boxer Gaurav Bidhuri have also spoken in support of the initiative by the Prime Minister.

    Mumbai: On PM Modi’s ‘Fit India’ movement, Mickey Mehta, Fit India champion and Fitness coach, says, “What Prime Minister Narendra Modi said is absolutely correct. Obesity is a serious issue, and it can lead to death in the long run. Along with obesity, there can be several… pic.twitter.com/youooybZ3n

    — IANS (@ians_india) January 30, 2025

    Watch: On PM Modi’s ‘Fit India’ movement, World Championship bronze medalist boxer Gaurav Bidhuri says, “Our country has a major problem that PM Modi has addressed today—the rising obesity among people. Earlier, Modi ji started the Fit India Movement, but fitness training alone… pic.twitter.com/LePpkVcwip

    — IANS (@ians_india) January 30, 2025

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    MJPS/SR/SKS

    (Release ID: 2098132) Visitor Counter : 43

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government Approves Participation of Indian Contingent at 9th Asian Winter Games 2025

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 31 JAN 2025 4:16PM by PIB Delhi

    In a landmark move to foster winter sports in India, the Government of India has approved the participation of the Indian contingent at the 9th Asian Winter Games (AWG) 2025, scheduled to be held from 7th to 14th February in Harbin, China. The Government has given clearance for participation of 88-member Indian contingent which includes 59 athletes and 29 team officials.

    For the first time, full financial support is being extended under the Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) Scheme to athletes competing in Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Figure Skating, Short Track Speed Skating, and Speed Skating (Long Track).

    This significant decision highlights the Government’s commitment to promoting winter sports and providing Indian athletes with opportunities to compete at the highest levels in Asia. 

    This is the first occasion where the Government of India has formally extended financial support for the country’s participation at the Asian Winter Games. This decision underscores the Government’s focus on transparency and merit-based selection in sports governance. 

    The Asian Winter Games provide a crucial platform for Indian athletes to showcase their talent and compete with some of the best in the world, setting the stage for future global competitions. The Government’s structured approach not only promotes transparency in team selection but also strengthens India’s resolve to become a formidable contender in winter sports. 

    The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports extends its best wishes to all participating athletes and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the growth of winter sports in India. 

    ******

    Himanshu Pathak

    (Release ID: 2097997) Visitor Counter : 62

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Embrace the outdoors this Winter Walk Day!

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Emphasis on leadership, sustainability, youth engagement and digitalisation as International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidential candidates present plans for global sports

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

    LAUSANNE, Switzerland, January 31, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The seven candidates running to become the next President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are hoping that with their 15-minute presentations at the Olympic House on Thursday, 30 January, they have been able to convince the IOC membership of their capabilities to lead the biggest sports organisation in the world. 

    Although they were unable to read the room during the in-camera meeting, especially as their audience was barred from asking questions, the candidates appeared satisfied with their campaign pitches. 

    BEHIND CLOSED DOORS There will be no other opportunities for presentations before the election scheduled for 20 March in Greece. Speaking to the media after giving their presentations behind closed doors, some of the candidates believe the current election process requires a review. 

    Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, who was the first to appear before the press, said: “If I’m President, I think I would have more flexibility in the rules… We are part of a global sports community and the world has the right to know who is running and what they stand for.” 

    Below are excerpts from the candidates’ interaction with the media at the Château de Vidy, the historical building next to Olympic House, where the presentations took place. 

    HRH PRINCE FEISAL AL HUSSEIN  

    PRESENTATION: It was an honor to deliver my speech to my fellow IOC members, where I laid out my vision for the future blueprint of the Olympic Movement centered on consensus leadership. My speech was structured around three strategic imperatives that are in my manifesto; inspiring imagination, ensuring integrity and developing inclusion. 

    EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH HEADS OF STATE, AN ADVANTAGE?: Absolutely, yes. I think I’ve learned from the experience of not just learning how to deal with people, but by consensus. At the end of the day, all leaders are human beings, and the ability to find a common ground upon which you can build an understanding is a key benefit from the experience that I’ve had just being who I am. 

    DEALING WITH THE IOC’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE: One of the things we have to face and we have to deal with literally focuses on the issue of integrity. When you see the global community, the youth in particular have lost their trust in global institutions, and the IOC is a global institution, so we need to regain both the trust and the sense of relevance with the youth of this world. They are our future movement. And I think this is one of the key areas I would focus on as IOC president. 

    CONFIDENCE IN WADA DESPITE WITHDRAWAL OF US FUNDING: It’s not for me to comment on the policies of the United States. We (the IOC) are an institution that helped establish WADA and I think it has been doing a terrific job in dealing with the issue of doping. We’ve seen such a large reduction of doping incidents in the Olympic Games, and I think this means that they have been effective, and we will continue to support that. 

    DEALING WITH BOXING AHEAD OF LA28: I would love to see boxing back on the programme. It is one of the oldest Olympic sports, and I just hope that we can find a global Federation that can take on that responsibility of organising boxing in LA. 

    RUSSIA’S RETURN TO THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT: There’s nothing I’d like more than to be able to have the whole world at the Olympic Games, I think that’s what our objective is. But I also recognise that there are certain limitations and concerns. Right now, to my understanding, the exclusion of Russian athletes is based on a violation of the Olympic Charter. As President of the IOC, my role and responsibility is to uphold the Olympic Charter. And as long as nobody is in violation, then there is no reason for sanctions. And I would very much like to find a mechanism where we can reintroduce Russia. The world is stronger when we are all together. And I think that is what the Olympic Games does.  

    MR DAVID LAPPARTIENT  

    PRESENTATION: I hope that I have convinced my colleagues that I can be a real leader for the IOC. 

    RUSSIA’S RETURN TO THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT: Russia shouldn’t be indefinitely suspended by the IOC. This is a country of sport, so our objective would be to have them come back into the fold. However, there are reasons why the IOC suspended the NOC of Russia… So it is obvious then that these subjects should be dealt with before decisions can be taken.  

    THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN AFRICA: The IOC is on the five continents. Sport is universal, and African athletes are exceptional, but Africa has until today, never hosted the Olympic Games, they of course, are going to have the Youth Olympic Games. I suggest that the Olympics should take place in Africa, not fixing a specific date. But the idea is, nonetheless, that during this coming mandate or two mandates, we would like Africa to host the Olympic Games, because Africa deserves the Olympic Games.  

    BIGGEST CHALLENGE: One of the challenges will be the instability of the world. It’s becoming more and more difficult, and sure we’ll have some crises to face in the future. This is why we need to source strong leadership. Climate change is also an issue. We also saw what happened in the winter time in Los Angeles, and it’s also the result of climate change. Another key challenge will be digitalization. The world is completely changing, disrupting. But what I also tried to explain this morning is how we can turn all these challenges into opportunities. We have opportunities to bring the world together. This is what we want. This is our vision. This is the ideal of the Olympic movement. We can also properly address the issue of climate change. This is what Paris has done. We also have the potential Olympic Esports Games, that’s also a way to interact with the younger generation. We can also reach a wider audience with digitalization.  

    MR JOHAN ELIASCH 

    TRACK RECORD: In a world of division and disruption, we need hope more than ever before. I’m standing because I believe that I have a proven track record and experience to deliver. I have successfully run large international corporations, led important commercial and political negotiations across business, sport, media and entertainment, foreign affairs, technology, and a lot of areas. I’ve been very active in climate action, preserving millions of acres of rainforest. In the last four years, I’ve led the transformation of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. We oversee more than half of the medal events in the Olympic Winter Games. So I think that’s a perfect and perfect trip for the presidency. I know what it takes to lead and drive change. This is not a popularity contest. 

    RUSSIA’S RETURN TO THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT: The individual, neutral athletes programme works very well. And I think it’s very important, because no athlete can choose where they were born. And the athletes must never be weaponized for political purposes. So I believe in this programme, and that we should make sure that also for Milano-Cortina, this is something that all the winter federations will adopt. 

    WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE: Of course, we have to put the athletes front and centre. And we need to make sure that they have the best experience before, during, and after the Games. We have a very fast-changing landscape when it comes to digital, and we have to stay ahead of the curve here. We have a responsibility and a very strong voice when it comes to sustainability and this is an area which is very close to my heart, so this will certainly be at the forefront of my agenda. We also need to make sure that we uphold the magic of the Olympic Games. There is a lot of competition from other events and other sports and we need to make sure that we’re the best. 

    ENGAGING SPONSORS: Well, sponsorship is much more than just sticking your name to something. It’s about partnership. And this area is also changing very fast. Activations, people expect more here. We need to make sure that we deliver, that these partnerships are value-added for our sponsors. We have an incredible brand. But in today’s day and age, we also have to make sure that these partnerships are as attractive as possible. 

    BALANCING FUTURE OLYMPICS IN AFRICA, INDIA OR THE MIDDLE EAST WITH SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENTS: Here, for instance, the proposed rotation scheme of the Winter Olympics is very important. We have infrastructure in place to deliver the events. We need to make sure that we find solutions with the IFs to make sure that the capacity of investment is kept up. So we don’t have to retrace what already exists in places where it’s not going to go. Now, with the Middle East, with Africa, with India, it is essential that we are very strong and committed to no carbon impact on anything that we do. 

    MR JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH  

    THE IOC: I understand our organization as two different parts. On one hand, we are an extraordinarily big, large and efficient NGO – we distribute most of the money we generate in our business through the International Federation, National Olympic Committees and the organizing committees to the base of the world’s sports pyramid. So this is an NGO. Second, we need a powerful business machine to generate the necessary revenues to feed the NGO. So I have thrown my hat in the ring because I have significant experience on both sides. I’ve more than 25 years of experience in critical roles throughout the Olympic movement, and I’ve more than 25 years of experience in critical roles with my own company in the finance industry. 

    EMPOWERING IOC MEMBERS We must empower the members and ensure governance led by members and not by a selected few. 

    CHANGES In the 12 years of President Bach, we had to deal with so many complications and so many threats and managed to get the organization to move and evolve at a rapid pace. But that rapid pace of change that we implemented is no way near what is coming. I think we have a very important base, a very solid base, from the past, but the recipes of yesterday will not make it in the future. 

    LEGACY OF HIS FATHER, HELP OR HINDRANCE: My father left office 25 years ago and, as his son, I appreciate his legacy very much. His example is always with me, but the recipes of today have nothing to do with a presidency that ended years ago. Bear in mind, he joined the Olympic Movement more than 60 years ago. 

    PRESENTATION: I felt very good in the room, because I have something interesting to say, something I am passionate about. And I was so happy to have the opportunity to share that with my fellow members. So, it’s for them to decide. But my presentation is clear. I have a very clear programme. My manifesto is very much action-based and it leaves very little room for future surprises. 

    BIDDING PROCESS FOR OLYMPIC GAMES HOSTS: I think that we need to produce not a more traditional, but a better, new model that is more aligned to the current times, that would include a final decision in a significant participation of all IOC members. 

    MEDIA: I told my fellow IOC members this, ‘let’s refocus our relationship with the media. They are not our enemies. They are our allies.’ You (the media) shape the opinion of the world on the Olympic Games. This I intend, if I become IOC President, to maintain and you can hold me accountable for that if I am there. 

    MRS KIRSTY COVENTRY 

    THE OLYMPIC DREAM: My journey started as a nine-year-old girl watching the 92 Barcelona Olympic Games and just setting myself a dream and then finally realizing that dream in Athens getting to stand on the podium and win my first Olympic medal. In Athens, I won three medals and finally in my last event got to win the gold even though Zimbabwe was in a difficult situation. But when I got home to Zimbabwe, it was a time of three or four days of peace, so I really got to see the power of sport. 

    TODAY’S NINE-YEAR-OLD: The nine-year-olds in today’s world are not watching a television screen, they’re holding a phone and that phone is going to be their starting point to connect with us through online streaming platforms, and it’s going to be our chance to engage with them and ensure that we’re inspiring them, and to take it even further, we’re going to be developing and promoting applications that are going to allow them to train anywhere and everywhere in the world. And this is the world that we live in today, and let’s embrace it and walk that road together. 

    SUPPORTING AFRICAN ATHLETES: We need to find more ways of directly impacting and getting revenue to athletes before they become Olympians. That is generally the toughest thing most athletes find. From my own journey it was easy to get sponsorship once I’d won a medal. But getting to that medal was tough. 

    BACKING FROM BACH?: I have known President Bach since I came into the IOC, and I think being a fellow athlete, we share a lot of commonalities, a lot of common ideas and philosophies. But in this race, he’s the President. He has a vote, but he doesn’t vote, he chooses not to vote, and I do very firmly believe that he is being very fair to all candidates.  

    BEING A MOTHER OF A SIX-MONTH OLD AND A CAREER WOMAN: First and foremost, I want to be the best candidate to win, not just because of my gender or from where I come from. And I believe I’ve got a lot of expertise to bring to this role, to leading the organisation. 

    IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD: When I was stepping into my ministerial role seven years ago, I was pregnant with my first baby girl and had to quickly learn how to navigate and be a woman with a career as well as a mom and a wife and everything else. And it can be done. I’m very lucky to come from Africa because culturally we know and we firmly believe that it takes a village to raise a child. 

    PROTECTING WOMEN ATHLETES: As a female athlete, you want to be able to walk onto a level playing field always. It’s our job as the IOC to ensure that we are going to create that environment, and that we are going to not just create a level playing field, but we’re going to create an environment that allows for every athlete to feel safe. Along the road. We’re going to learn lessons, and we’re going to get stronger and we’re going to make better rules and regulations.  

    LORD SEBASTIAN COE 

    PRESENTATION: I enjoyed this morning’s process. I hope I was able to communicate my love for the movement. It’s something that I genuinely feel I’ve been training for for the best part of my life, or at least since the age of 11, when my father bought me my first pair of running shoes. I hope I was able to convey that, but I’m also hoping that I was able to convey the core pillars of my manifesto, my commitments and my pledges. 

    SUSTAINING IOC REVENUE: The world has changed and we do have to change with it – I’ve been in the sports marketing world for 30 years. Primarily we do need to adopt an audience first approach, which is in essence, to give them what they want, when they want it, and where they want it. Above all, for National Olympic Committees of all shapes and sizes, of some of the smaller International Federations, to enjoy that with a barrier-free physical and digital experience. 

    BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR THE IOC: The biggest challenge faced by the International Olympic Committee is no different, and it is not unique from any National Olympic Committee, any sporting organization, any club, private or public. It is how do you continue to excite and engage with young people, and how do you utilize, optimize fully the use of cutting edge technology? And we talk a lot about technology, we actually run the risk of sounding a little bit analog, because I don’t think there’s anyone in this room that hasn’t recognized that the organizations they work in, they deliver services in, have gone through that digital transformation. But I do think that engaging, exciting and challenging tomorrow’s generation is going to be critical, because it’s that cohort that is ultimately going to be your future sponsors, your future thought leaders, your future governments, your future politicians. And we need to create amongst that group of people a lifelong bond for sport. So even if they don’t remain in sport as coaches, administrators, communicators, we at least have the opportunity for them to assume leadership roles wherever they are, and really fundamentally understand the nature of sport, and it is only that way that we will raise sport to the top of government agendas. Engaging with young people is the key to unlocking so many of the other interdependencies. 

    ELECTION RULES: I’ve been in politics for a long time. I’ve found it a fairly unproductive process to pick a fight with the returning officer in the process. The rules are the same for everybody. I do think we need to review them, and I’m sure that whoever succeeds in March will want to look at that amongst other things too. 

    MR MORINARI WATANABE 

    OLYMPIC GAMES IN FIVE CONTINENTS: I propose to stage the Olympic Games in five cities on five continents at the same time. It would allow the IOC to offer the best possible conditions for each sport, to reduce the financial burden on host cities, to offer greater potential for broadcast and commercial opportunities, sustainability with reduction of travel, and alleviate other hosting problems like governmental restrictions and war.  

    POTENTIAL OF SPORT: Paris 2024 was a historic success, thanks to all the athletes, thanks to the leadership of President Thomas Bach and thanks to the excellent work of the Paris Organizing Committee. However, I believe that we should not be satisfied and that we must build on the success of these Games. Because, in contrast to the spectacular Olympic Games, the situation of the NOCs is far from strong. As FIG President, I have visited 162 countries. I have seen with my own eyes the situation of our sport in each country. As a result I saw the reality. Economically, these countries are not wealthy. In many countries, their relations with the government are not good. The presence of sport in each country is not high enough. I used to be a gymnast myself. That’s why I believe sport has even greater potential. To unleash that potential I propose that the Games be held on all five continents at the same time. 

    WORLD SPORTS ORGANISATION: I also envision upgrading the IOC into a World Sports Organization, like the World Health Organization. If the IOC continues and expands its activities, it would remain independent of politics and uphold the barriers of democracy, transparency, and gender equality. As a World Sports Organization we must contribute to society. We must make a new business for sports. My vision is not focused on only the Olympic Games. We must see a wider view for sports. Sports can contribute to society. I believe the 21st century industrial revolution will be driven by sports and healthcare. So, which organization is best placed to lead this transformation globally? It is the IOC. 

    BICAMERALISM: I am proposing a two-chamber system; a House and a Senate because many IOC members have very good ideas, even non-IOC members. We must take these ideas and listen to these opinions to develop sports. We have to be open. There are many professionals, athletes, royalty, politicians, lawyers, bankers, and many others. If we work together, we can do anything. Let’s open the door to a new era. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Popular Fit & Fed programme set to return to Plymouth this year

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Thousands of children in Plymouth will once again enjoy healthy lunches and activities at free ‘Fit and Fed’ holiday clubs this year.  

    Plymouth City Council has welcomed the confirmation of funding from the Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for 2025, which means the popular Fit and Fed programme will return during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays.  

    The HAF programme aims to support families with children that receive benefits-related free school meals. Eligible children and young people are given the opportunity to get active, try new activities and enjoy healthy, nutritious meals at free clubs during the school holidays.  

    In 2024, more than 30,000 holiday club places were provided to children aged between 5 and 16 years old with a huge range of activities on offer including football, dance and water sports.  

    More than 1,000 ‘Teen Taster’ activity sessions were also offered specifically to teenagers, with activities including trampolining, bowling, go karting and adventure golf.  

    At Christmas, new family activities were also offered with 700 activity sessions for parents and carers to enjoy with their children for free, which included ice skating, swimming sessions and trips to the National Marine Aquarium.  

    Each summer, Fit and Fed goes on tour to parks and green spaces across the city to provide free fun days that are open to all families. Last year 2,750 healthy lunches were handed out at the four events, which also saw a number of local organisations provide advice on a huge range of topics including road safety, dental hygiene, healthy relationships and the cost of living.  

    Mini golf at Fit and Fed on Tour in Central Park

    Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR and OD, said: “Fit and Fed is an incredibly important programme and we’re delighted to have received confirmation that the funding will continue this year because it offers vital support to families throughout the school holidays.  

    “Not only do children and young people receive a healthy lunch, they’re also given the opportunity to get physically active, meet new friends and make special memories and we know that this all has a hugely positive impact.”  

    One parent of a child who attended a Fit and Fed club last year commented: “I am extremely grateful that my daughter was given this opportunity. It has certainly helped to grow her confidence and self-esteem.” 

    Louise Kelley MBE, Head of Active Wellbeing and Sport at Plymouth Active Leisure, welcomed the news. She said: “This funding makes a really difference to families in Plymouth. We are all aware of the ongoing challenges many families in the city face with the cost of living, so having access to fun, enjoyable activities in a safe and supported environment are essential.” 

    More information about this year’s Fit and Fed programme will be shared on the Council’s website later this year: www.plymouth.gov.uk/fit-and-fed.  

    If any organisation or holiday club provider would like be involved in Fit and Fed this year, please contact the Active Lifestyles team at Plymouth Active on [email protected].  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coventry chosen to lead global UNESCO project

    Source: City of Coventry

    UNESCO has chosen the city of Coventry and Warwick Business School (WBS) to participate in its global project to highlight the role of culture in building a sustainable future for the planet. 

    In a significant stride towards global cultural sustainability, Coventry City Council in collaboration with WBS, has been selected to participate in the prestigious UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators initiative.  

    It aims to measure and highlight culture’s vital contribution in achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

    The UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators project is a framework designed to monitor and evaluate the role of culture in sustainable development. 

    Coventry City Councillor Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and the Communities, said: “We are honoured to be part of this ground-breaking initiative, along with Warwick Business School, to contribute to UNESCO’s global sustainability mission. 

    “Coventry is the home of many fantastic cultural organisations, artists, community groups and creatives, and we are delighted that UNESCO can see the value in working with Coventry as a city. 

    “This marks a major step forward in advancing global cultural sustainability, underscoring the essential role of culture in achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” 

    Mark Scott, Research Fellow at WBS who is a leading place and culture data expert with extensive experience of working with the local cultural sector and colleagues in Coventry City Council, said: “The UNESCO project encompasses a range of thematic indicators that assess various aspects of cultural impact, from heritage preservation to cultural participation and education. 

    “The inclusion of the city of Coventry and WBS in this project not only reinforces Coventry’s legacy as a City of Culture but also highlights Warwick Business School’s commitment to leveraging research and data to drive impactful global change. 

    “Being part of the UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators project is a tremendous honour for WBS. This collaboration underscores our dedication to cultural sustainability and our role in shaping a better future through informed research and data-driven strategies.” 

    The collaboration between WBS, Coventry, and UNESCO is also supported by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This partnership aims to position the UK as a leader in cultural data management and sustainable development. By contributing to this ground-breaking project, WBS and Coventry are helping to shape policies and practices that will benefit communities worldwide. 

    Jonathan Neelands, Professor of Creative Education at WBS, said: “By contributing to this initiative, we are helping to position the UK as a leader in cultural data management and sustainable development, further cementing the School’s place on the international stage.”  

    Mark Scott and Professor Neelands were leads in the research and evaluation for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 and continue to be involved in other Coventry data-led and evidence-based policy projects like the recent Coventry Cultural Place Profiler. Coventry City Council has a unique pool of cultural and other data that makes the partnership distinctive. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Anthony Rogers appointed new Chief Inspector of HMCPSI

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC has announced that Anthony Rogers has been appointed to the role of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of HMCPSI.

    Portrait of HMCPSI Chief Inspector Anthony Rogers

    The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC has today announced that Anthony Rogers has been appointed to the role of Chief Inspector of His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI).

    The appointment follows Anthony Rogers’ selection as the government’s preferred candidate in December 2024 and his appearance before the Justice Select Committee for a pre-appointment hearing on 28 January 2025. The committee recommended Anthony Rogers’ appointment.

    Anthony Rogers has served as interim Chief Inspector since February 2024 and he was selected following a fair and open assessment process conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said:

    I would like to congratulate Anthony on his appointment as the next Chief Inspector of HMCPSI. Anthony brings extensive experience to this important role, having delivered some of HMCPSI’s most significant inspections in recent years and served expertly in the role in an interim capacity since last year.

    His support and insight will be invaluable as we work to improve the performance of the organisations HMCPSI inspects and rebuild people’s trust in the rule of law as part of this government’s Plan for Change.

    Chief Inspector Anthony Rogers said:  

    I am extremely proud to be appointed as Chief Inspector of HMCPSI. The work of the inspectorate strengthens the criminal justice system and lets the public know how the CPS and SFO are performing.

    I have a clear vision of how HMCPSI will build on its 25 years of experience to continue to make a real difference. Our work will continue to drive improvement and deliver a fairer and more effective justice system for all.

    Anthony Rogers’ Biography

    Since February 2024, Anthony Rogers has been Interim HM Chief Inspector of HMCPSI. He was Deputy Chief Inspector of HMCPSI between April 2018 and February 2024, during which he was seconded for six months to the Independent Review of the SFO’s handling of the Unaoil Case, giving evidence to the Justice Select Committee.

    While interim Chief Inspector, Anthony has overseen the publication of five inspection reports, including the review into CPS’s actions in the Valdo Calocane case and an inspection by invitation of the Services Prosecuting Authority.

    October 2025 will see HMCPSI mark its 25th anniversary and Anthony has set an ambitious programme of inspections for 2025, including an inspection on handling of rape cases in the CPS and an inspection by invitation of the Health and Safety Executive.

    Anthony has extensive Civil Service experience going back to 1989 and has worked in a number of different government departments. Between 2013 and 2016 he worked for the Crown Prosecution Service including as an Area Business Manager, jointly responsible for the senior leadership of the Crown Prosecution Service London and Head of Profession for operational delivery; and Head of Compliance, Assurance and Support, responsible for the development, design and implementation of a new Crown Prosecution Service national strategy.

    Anthony has extensive experience outside the Civil Service as a management consultant and non-executive director. Anthony was previously a non-executive director of the Yorkshire Sport Foundation and former chair of trustees of SportsAid Yorkshire and Humberside.

    Role of Chief Inspector of HMCPSI

    His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of HMCPSI is appointed by the Attorney General. This is a public appointment for a fixed term of five years and the Chief Inspector acts independently of the Attorney General and of government.

    HMCPSI has a statutory duty to inspect the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office and report to the Law Officers, who superintends both those organisations. HMCPSI’s reports play an important role in effective superintendence of CPS and SFO, as well as improving the performance of the organisations HMCPSI inspects, strengthening the criminal justice system, and increasing public trust. HMCPSI is also able to inspect other organisations if invited to do so.

    The operational relationship between the Attorney General and the Chief Inspector is set out in a protocol agreed between the Law Officers and the Chief Inspector.

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    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Polish Presidency debriefs EP committees on priorities

    Source: European Parliament

    Poland holds the Presidency of the Council until the end of June 2025. This text will be updated regularly as the hearings take place.

    Environment, Climate and Food Safety

    On 23 January, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Minister of Climate and Environment, highlighted the need for climate adaptation measures, combating climate disinformation, and to advance key legislative files such as the waste framework directive on textiles and food, the European soil monitoring law, and the “One Substance, One Assessment” chemicals package. The Presidency also plans to secure agreement with Parliament on plastic pellet losses, water pollutants, and detergents rules.

    MEPs asked about the Presidency’s stance on the new emissions trading system ETS II, the 2040 emissions target, renewable energy, and soil monitoring. They also debated the impact of climate regulations on competitiveness, and raised concerns about agricultural pollution and the role of genomic technologies.

    Security and defence

    On 27 January, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defence Paweł Zalewski said the Presidency’s first priority is to strengthen EU support for Ukraine by using all the tools at the EU’s disposal, including the European Peace Facility and the profits from frozen Russian assets or loans guaranteed from Moscow. He also highlighted the need to reinforce the EU’s defence industries by ensuring adequate financing as well as deepening EU-U.S. cooperation, including between the EU and NATO.

    MEPs quizzed Mr Zalewski on several issues, including the EU’s role in possible future peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, developing an EU defence pillar, reforming the EU Investment Bank to allow for more investment in the defence sector and establishing viable “European champions” (i.e. large corporations) in the defence sector.

    Women’s rights and gender equality

    On 28 January, Minister for Equality Katarzyna Kotula emphasised enhancing digital security for women and girls, particularly in the context of the rapid development of AI, as a Presidency priority. She pledged to follow up on the Digital Services Act to make sure that AI accelerates rather than undermines gender equality. The Presidency is also determined to advance the work on the Anti-discrimination Directive.

    MEPS welcomed her commitment on strengthening the digital protection of women and girls, particularly concerning deepfakes, revenge porn and hate speech. They also raised women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, the protection of LGBTQI+ communities, the challenges faced by ageing women and the prospect for an EU-wide definition of rape including the notion of consent.

    Internal market and consumer protection

    On 28 January, Economic Development and Technology Minister Krzysztof Paszyk focused on the need to eliminate the remaining barriers in the single market, as well as highlighting issues around security, competitiveness, and reducing red tape. The Presidency will look for a compromise on the e-declaration of posted workers file, on late payments, and on the travel package proposals. They will also, he said, try to reach political agreements on toy safety, the Green Claims Directive and on the alternative dispute resolution file.

    On digital policy, Secretary of State, Ministry of Digitalisation Dariusz Standerski outlined plans for an informal meeting on cybersecurity to focus on defence, the application of the Artificial Intelligence Act, and new initiatives on AI factories and the “AI Apply Strategy”. On customs, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Finance Małgorzata Krok stated the Presidency’s intention was to reach a common position in the Council on the reform of the Union Customs Code.

    MEPs asked about reducing reporting obligations, e-declarations of posted workers, the implementation of digital services act and the AI Act, including in the context of EU-US relations. Several members wanted to hear more about cutting red tape, unblocking progress on late payments, and the need for an AI liability act. Questions also focused on issues around unfair trading practices, single market on defence and climate disinformation.

    Fisheries

    On 28 January, Jacek Czerniak, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which includes fisheries, identified improving EU fisheries competitiveness and defending EU interests in regional fisheries organisations and international agreements as Presidency priorities. Poland will also launch discussions on the review of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and start negotiations to introduce measures against non-EU countries that allow unsustainable fishing practices.

    MEPs questioned Mr Czerniak on addressing the critical state of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea, in addition to issues of security and reducing the complexity of regulations. Others supported a reform of the CFP to better balance the interests of the fishery sector with the EU’s environmental goals. MEPs also argued that trade policies should be aligned with fisheries policies.

    Employment and social affairs

    On 28 January, Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk and Minister of Senior Policy Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz said the Presidency would focus on the future of employment in the digital transformation, a Europe of equality, cohesion and inclusion, and the challenges prompted by the EU’s aging population.

    MEPs quizzed the ministers on their plans for the regulation on the coordination of social security systems, emphasising the importance of finalising negotiations on the file. They also raised the impact of AI in the workplace, and the importance of addressing demographic issues in the EU. MEPs also raised the importance of social dialogue, upcoming negotiations on European Work Councils, and the expected Commission initiative on the “Right to Disconnect”.

    Transport and tourism

    On 29 January, Dariusz Klimczak, Minister of Infrastructure, said the Presidency will focus on resilience and competitiveness in the transport sector, the protection of transport operators, dual use infrastructure, and military mobility. He committed to reaching a deal with Parliament on new railway infrastructure, road and maritime safety rules as well advancing negotiations on air passenger rights rules that have been stalled in the Council since 2013. Piotr Borys, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Sport and Tourism added that the Presidency will focus on making Europe a safe and more popular destination for tourism despite Russia’s war in Ukraine and the challenges posed by climate change.

    MEPs asked the Presidency to secure adequate financing for transport policies within the next EU long-term budget, and want them to secure a Council position on the maximum weights and dimensions directive, and address labour shortages and working conditions in all transport modes. Completing Trans-European transport networks, developing high speed rail, and ensuring connectivity for Europe’s islands were also raised.

    Constitutional affairs

    On 29 January, Minister for European Affairs Adam Szłapka said the Presidency wants to promote institutional reforms, stressing at the same time that EU Treaties could prove difficult to revise. The Presidency wants to complete work on the new rules on European political parties and foundations and the electoral rights of mobile citizens. They will work on the transparency of interest representation and on the EU’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights.

    Most MEPs asked questions about the need to reform the EU’s institutional architecture, especially in light of imminent enlargement, with many of them highlighting the need to overcome what they saw as the obstacle of unanimity in key policy areas either through Treaty revision or using existing rules. Some called for progress on Parliament’s right of initiative, its right of inquiry, and rules on European elections.

    Agriculture and Rural Development

    On 29 January, Czesław Siekierski, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the Council will discuss the future shape of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) beyond 2027. The Presidency wants to simplify the green architecture of the CAP and assess the impact of current EU trade agreements on agriculture.

    Questions from MEPs focused on ensuring fair income for farmers and adapting the CAP to the future enlargement of the EU. A number of MEPs also asked about the position of the Presidency on the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and stressed the need to invest in European food sovereignty.

    International trade

    On 29 January, Krzysztof Paszyk, Minister of Economic Development and Technology, said the Presidency will continue working on ambitious, sustainable and mutually profitable trade agreements. He hopes to finalise the legislation on the screening of foreign direct investment and resume talks on the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) scheme, the EU’s preferential trade arrangement with developing countries. On Ukraine, Mr Paszyk said support for Ukraine remains steadfast, while the Presidency prefers not to extend the current temporary trade liberalisation measures with the country, but rather reach a new agreement.

    MEPs asked about possible timelines for the adoption of trade deals with Mercosur and Mexico, possible shift in US trade policy as well as on trade with Ukraine and safeguards for the agricultural market. Some MEPs argued that GSP should not be a migration tool, others demanded a clear link between migration and the scheme.

    Industry, Research and Energy

    On 29 January, Minister of Economics, Development and Technology, Krzysztof Paszyk said the Presidency’s priorities include boosting Europe’s industrial competitiveness with a new instrument and advancing the Clean Industry Act to support businesses, address high energy prices, and cut red tape and tax burdens for SMEs. They also plan to maximize the use of spaceimaging and AI algorithms for crisis management, and improve cooperation during natural disasters.

    During the debate, MEPs stressed the need to support innovative businesses through a unified capital market, and to combine environmental policies with industrial policies to achieve the ecological transition. Others focused on the importance of transatlantic relations and the need to secure European tech sovereignty.

    Dariusz Stenderski, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Digital Affairs, said that his key focus areas would be cyber security, with a revised blueprint for coordinated EU response to cyber attacks and an informal Council on its civilian and military aspects.He also referred to the boosting of AI development through shared investment and simplified rules to support startups.

    On 30 January Marcin Kulasek, Minister of Science and Higher Education, outlined three main focus areas: openness and inclusivity, synergies between EU and national programs, and AI and science.He stressed the need to develop EU cooperation networks without losing top talents, and the value of synergies between EU and national research programs.

    MEPs called for the full implementation of the 5G toolbox and for the simplification of administrative procedures to foster innovation. Others highlighted the need to improve EU cooperation in research and innovation, retain top talent, and ensure an inclusive access to funds. The discussions also covered the need for ethical standards in AI, a strong support for scientists, as well as academic freedom and the free flow of scientific knowledge.

    Culture, Education, Youth and Sport

    On 30 January, Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said the Presidency wants to include young people – as part of a new cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue – in EU-level debates and projects to strengthen EU values of democracy, freedom and rule of law, thereby making them more resilient against the risk of disinformation and manipulation. Providing better support to teachers is also a priority, she said, and EU education ministers will gather in May to discuss what they can do to improve this.

    The Presidency wants to advance work on the “European degree” – a degree awarded jointly by several universities in different EU countries – by adopting a roadmap to implement it. A European quality assurance system to guarantee trust among universities and improve the recognition of higher education diplomas will also be discussed, Minister of Science and High Education Marcin Kulasek said.

    Culture Minister Hanna Wróblewska said the Presidency will present proposals to support young artists and creators, and will launch discussions on the future of the Creative Europe programme beyond 2027. Audiovisual and intellectual property rights, security and AI, and a possible revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive are also among the Presidency’s priorities, she said.

    Piotr Borys, Secretary of State of Sport, will focus on pushing EU countries to better promote sport in schools, address mental health, and adopt a common methodology to gather statistics on sport.

    MEPs questioned the ministers on countering Russian disinformation under the European Media Freedom Act, as well as on delays in the creation of the European degree, pleading for EU-wide recognition of diplomas, including Erasmus+ and vocational education training. MEPs also raised concerns about possible reductions in Erasmus+ funding, which ensures the financial sustainability of the European Education Area, which in turn is essential for the “Union of Skills”.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Signing Day Sports Retains Rights as “National Recruiting Partner” to U.S. Army Bowl Through 2026 in New Deal

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Signing Day Sports, Inc. (“Signing Day Sports” or the “Company”) (NYSE American: SGN), the developer of the Signing Day Sports app and platform to aid high school athletes in the recruitment process, today announced the signing of a new Sponsorship Agreement with the U.S. Army Bowl, extending its rights as “National Recruiting Partner”. The Sponsorship Agreement solidifies Signing Day Sports’ role as manager of the U.S. Army Bowl’s National Combines and specified Regional Combines, enables the Company to promote its app and services, and provides revenue-sharing opportunities.

    “Our collaboration with the U.S. Army Bowl and the U.S. Army Bowl’s owner, Goat Farm Sports, has already brought over 8,000 new football users into our SaaS model app,” said Jeff Hecklinski, President of Signing Day Sports. “We are ecstatic to be able to finalize a new Sponsorship Agreement, strengthening the business relationship between Goat Farm Sports and Signing Day Sports. We want to thank Goat Farm Sports for their continued trust and support of Signing Day Sports. Based on our prior collaboration as National Recruiting Partner to the U.S. Army Bowl in 2022, 2023 and 2024, we believe that we have created and grown one of the best-known high school football combine series in the country. With the technology of Signing Day Sports and the brand of the U.S. Army Bowl, we have been able to help provide complete and necessary services to student-athletes and their families around the country to help them successfully navigate the college recruiting landscape. Over the past year alone, we have worked with almost 4,000 student-athletes and their families. Through our comprehensive webinars, individual informational sessions, and other outreach, we have helped student-athletes reach their goals of playing college football. We are excited to continue our growth and success alongside Goat Farm Sports and the U.S. Army Bowl in the coming years.”

    Nearly 3,000 student-athletes participated in the 2024 U.S. Army Bowl Regional Combines, and projections exceed 4,000 in 2025. Signing Day Sports will continue to operate the U.S. Army Bowl National Combine in December 2025, now the largest high school football combine in the country. The Company will receive a $60 stipend for each athlete who attends the National Combine and pays the full registration fee. Signing Day Sports will manage specified regional combines, retaining all earnings and absorbing all costs directly with minimal overhead. Regional combines may feature an official U.S. Army Bowl academy, at which the Company will feature a 1-day combine managed and operated by the Company. The Company will receive $135 of any academy fee and commissions for assisting with academy sales. Every participant will receive their video-verified data from their combine in their Signing Day Sports app and, after their free trial period ends, will be added to the app to continue with their recruiting profile. Through the app, athletes will be able to search and communicate directly with coaches from around the country through the newly updated coaches search tab found in the app.

    A copy of the Sponsorship Agreement was filed as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Signing Day Sports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on January 30, 2025.

    Student-athletes interested in participating in the U.S. Army Regional Combine series can register at sdscombines.com.

    About Signing Day Sports

    Signing Day Sports’ mission is to help student-athletes achieve their goal of playing college sports. Signing Day Sports’ app allows student-athletes to build their Signing Day Sports’ recruitment profile, which includes information college coaches need to evaluate and verify them through video technology. For more information on Signing Day Sports, go to https://bit.ly/SigningDaySports.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “project” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including without limitation, the Company’s ability to realize the expected benefits of its collaboration with the owner of the U.S. Army Bowl; the ability of the collaboration to yield significant revenues or other value for the Company; the Company’s ability to execute the collaboration strategy as expected; the number of student-athletes who will use and purchase subscriptions to the Company’s app through the Company’s U.S. Army Bowl collaboration; the Company’s ability to obtain additional funding to develop additional services and offerings; market acceptance of the Company’s offerings; competition from existing online offerings or new offerings that may emerge; impacts from strategic changes to the Company’s business on its net sales, revenues, income from continuing operations, or other results of operations; the Company’s ability to attract new users and customers, increase the rate of subscription renewals, and slow the rate of user attrition; the Company’s ability and third parties’ abilities to protect intellectual property rights; the Company’s ability to adequately support future growth; the Company’s ability to comply with user data privacy laws and other current or anticipated legal requirements; and the Company’s ability to attract and retain key personnel to manage its business effectively.  Further information regarding factors which could affect the forward-looking statements can be found under “Risk Factors” and sections containing cautionary statements relating to forward-looking statements in the Company’s periodic reports which are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are, in some cases, beyond our control and could materially affect results. If one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors become applicable, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual events or results may vary significantly from those implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Investor Contacts:
    Crescendo Communications, LLC
    212-671-1020
    SGN@crescendo-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

    February 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: MMC of Harbin Asian Winter Games goes into official operation

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

    HARBIN, Jan. 31 — With a week to go before the opening ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, the Main Media Center (MMC) was officially put into operation on Friday.

    Located in the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center, the MMC consists of the Main Press Center (MPC) and the International Broadcasting Center (IBC).

    The volunteers in the MMC have been ready to provide language and guiding services for registered media and broadcasters, and the foreign currency exchange outlets in the venue are also available. At the official merchandise store of the 9th Asian Winter Games, various kinds of souvenirs including the adorable tiger mascots “Binbin” and “Nini” of Harbin 2025 are eye-catching.

    “The MMC will be in 24-hour operation with a full coverage of the IPTV, or Internet Protocol TV, during the Games,” introduced Lyu Zhuangzhi, media operation director of the MMC.

    The MPC comprises press conference room, online news center, and workrooms of the media including Xinhua, the host news agency of the event. In addition, the MPC also displayed the torches of the past editions of the Asian Winter Games and exhibited calligraphy and painting works with the theme of Harbin 2025.

    Also on Friday, the Athletes’ Village besides the MMC and the Mountain Media Center for snow events in Yabuli began to operate officially.

    The first match of the Harbin Asian Winter Games will kick off on Monday in ice hockey before the opening ceremony on February 7. The Games will conclude on February 14.

    Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows the media room in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. With a week to go before the opening ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, the Main Media Center (MMC) started its official operation on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A customer shops at the official merchandise store in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 31, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows the main press center in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows the post office in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows staff work at the medical center in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows the entrance to the International Broadcast Center in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows the entrance to the Main Press Center in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows the Main Press Center in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Picture taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows the help desk in the Main Media Center (MMC) of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 31, 2025

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

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic athletes successfully start the new year

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The Polytechnic University athletes started 2025 actively. They won several victories: in rally, hockey, basketball and mini-football.

    The Polytechnic team won the team classification at the Karelia rally. The race took place in the Sortavala area and included technical three-dimensional special stages. Dmitry and Elena Nikonchuk took second place in the overall classification in a BMW 330. The first two places in the 2000N classification were shared between the pair Andrey Zhukovsky – Konstantin Mukhamendrikov in a Fiesta and the pair Alexander Solovyov – Andrey Strizhich in a VAZ-2108.

    The men’s futsal team also pleased with its success. The Polytechnics beat the team of the Mining Institute with a score of 3:2 and the LETI athletes with a score of 6:0.

    The SPbPU hockey team started the year confidently, winning three victories. In the game with the Northern Sapsan team, the Polytechnicians missed two goals in the first five minutes, but were able to pull themselves together and won with a minimal advantage – 3:2. The match with the Sea Wolves was also exciting. The Polytechnicians outplayed their opponents in the first two periods, but lost the initiative in the third period, almost missing out on victory. The game ended with a score of 4:3. In the end, our athletes confidently beat the hockey players from SPbSU with a score of 9:4.

    The girls from the SPbPU basketball team also started the year with a victory. They defeated the RANEPA team with a score of 79:32.

    The Polytechnic University team took part in the Spartakiad “Health – 2025”. In the mini-football competition among teachers and employees of universities, the Polytechnic University showed the second result.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 31, 2025

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

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BW ENERGY FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS 2024

    HIGHLIGHTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    VIEWER REGISTRATION • Q4 2024

    Call-in information:

    Participants dial in numbers:

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

    PIN code: 980877

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

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

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

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

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

    Attachments

    • BWE Q4 2024
    • BWE earnings tables Q4 2024

    The MIL Network –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Community Funding shines bright throughout the City

    Source: Government of Western Australia

    The City of Wanneroo’s Community Funding Program has supported a plethora of community-led initiatives.

    Disco events for people with disabilities

    Intelife Group was one of the stand-out beneficiaries of the City’s community funding for its EasyBeatz events.

    Two events were held at the Whale & Ale bar and bistro in Clarkson, with the aim of increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to attend nightlife venues, as well as better educating venue staff.

    The City supported the group’s Christmas in July and Halloween themed discos, with the funding covering the venue and DJ hire costs.  

    The funding also allowed Intelife to create a video aimed at upskilling nightlife venues on how to provide an inclusive service to people with disabilities.

    The events provided a place for people with disability to meet in a safe place, enjoy a night out and make friends – with positive feedback proving the value of the events for the community.

    APM Community Connections Local Area Coordinator, Jean Van Veen, said the events were so popular, another six were in the works.

    “These events, which welcomed people of all abilities, wouldn’t have been possible without the grant received from the City” she said.

    “The video will help raise awareness and support other venues across Australia to host similar accessible and inclusive events, ensuring everyone can enjoy these experiences.”

    Community Christmas party and support

    A Community Christmas Party hosted by No Limits Perth set a new attendance record, highlighting the need for relief initiatives as cost-of-living pressures increase.

    Over the past year, organisers have seen event attendance double, with 200 families who were in need of free Christmas hampers joining the 2024 party, which was supported by a $2,205 Community Grant from the City.

    “The City’s funding program supported our Community Christmas Party by providing the entertainment, advertising, as well as ambulance services,” No Limits Perth Chairperson and Co-Founder, Janine Wood, said.  

    “We received feedback from families and single parents who were extremely grateful for the hampers and toys they received for their children and grandchildren at the event.”

    No Limits provides support services for people experiencing hardship and homelessness, if you are struggling you can reach out through the No Limits Perth website.

    Bilingual workshops

    Last year, Multilingual Australia held three workshops at Girrawheen Hub, with a $500 Kickstarter grant from the City.

    The “Raising Children in More than One Language” workshops were held to support City of Wanneroo families in fostering bilingual and multi-lingual environments at home.

    Thanks to the popularity of the workshops, Multilingual Australia was invited to present at two additional child-care centres to 37 families and community educators.

    Tet Trung Thu Full Moon Lantern Festival

    Koondoola-based Westnam United Soccer Club saw 350 people join in its 2024 Tet Trung Thu Full Moon Lantern Festival.

    The annual Vietnamese community cultural event for children was a hit with attendees who enjoyed lantern making, moon cake tasting and a lantern parade.

    Westnam United Soccer Club received a $4,450 Community Grant from the City to host the festival at its home ground, Shelvock Park.

    Wanneroo Softball’s ‘Have a Go Day’

    In a bid to rejuvenate its player numbers, Wanneroo Softball Club hosted a “Have a Go Day”, targeting new members of the community and shining a light on the social and physical benefits of softball.

    The club received a $500 Kickstarter grant from the City to help host the event.

    The City’s Funding Program offers a valuable opportunity for groups based in the City of Wanneroo, or with a primary interest in the City, to secure financial support for projects, activities and events.

    Visit the Community Funding page for more information or phone the City’s Community Development team on (08) 9405 5600.

    MIL OSI News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Fireworks showcase ushers in snake

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Scores of people gathered on both sides of Victoria Harbour tonight to watch the Chinese New Year fireworks display to celebrate the Year of the Snake.

    The 23-minute show consisted of nine scenes with a total of 23,888 firing shells.

    The lucky red number 8 kicked off the show, wishing prosperity and happiness to all.

    Red peonies, silver peonies and red hearts bloomed to epitomise how elite talent from all over the world set their sights on Hong Kong and contribute to a greater tomorrow.

    In the eighth scene, six adorable panda head images greeted the crowds, while the finale showcased wandering star pattern fireworks, wishing continued prosperity for the nation and peaceful lives for people.

    The event was co-ordinated by the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Water you waiting for?? Fun ways to stay cool and active in Tāmaki Makaurau

    Source: Auckland Council

    The opportunities to join in on a splash of fun in Tāmaki Makaurau abound.  

    Make the most of summer with Auckland Council’s Pool and Leisure Centres, suitable for all ages and comfort levels.    

    Whether you’re after an outdoor pool surrounded by nature, a safe and relaxing ‘women only’ space for working out, a dedicated room for martial arts, or an award-winning fitness instructor to keep you motivated – we’ve got you covered.  

    Plus, you’ll find some great suggestions here on the best spots for water sports around Tāmaki Makaurau – dive right in!  

    Birkenhead Pool and Leisure Centre  

    Come check out the only outdoor pool on the North Shore at Birkenhead Pool and Leisure Centre. Pack a picnic for after your swim and enjoy the designated picnic area available onsite. Keen to get the blood pumping with a little something extra? Bring friends and whānau along and have a go at the rock-climbing wall, skate park or pump track for some unique and exciting ways to stay active.  

    Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa, Māngere  

    A special place awaits at Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa, which has eight pools on offer and much more! This multi-facility consists of a fitness centre, stadium, pool complex (8x), spa and sauna and bookable spaces for members of the community, making it a perfect spot for an outing with friends and whānau to be active, social or to kick back and relax.  

    Stanmore Bay Pool and Leisure Centre  

    Check out this award-winning pool and leisure centre in Stanmore Bay. You can stop by for a swim or to enjoy the splash pad with the little ones; have a workout at the gym, join a fitness class (includes access to the world-renowned LES MILLS classes), a round of badminton or even catch up with a friend at the onsite café. This location also hosts school holiday programmes, school-age and adult sports leagues, specialised programmes for seniors and drop-in sport sessions!  

    Papatoetoe Centennial   

    You can make a splash year-round at Papatoetoe Centennial’s heated pools! There are also some fun splash pools for toddlers and little ones, and a 50m outdoor pool for those who enjoy being out in the elements. This location also hosts a special ‘ladies’ nights’ which encourage women to make the most of their workouts in a relaxing environment.  

    Tōtara Park Pool  

    How about a swim workout surrounded by nature? Check out Tōtara Park Pool’s outdoor summer-only pools that sit within the 216 hectares of lush native bush. You’re also welcome to make the most of the surroundings which consist of playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts and picnic areas.  

    Karanga Plaza Harbour Pool (Browny’s Pool)  

    Right in the heart of Auckland, you’ll find the best spot for some fun in the sun at Karanga Plaza Harbour Pool. Enclosed by pontoons, this location keeps swimmers safe and happy with this free facility that includes four 33 metre swimming lanes and a jumping platform. Changing facilities, including toilets and cold-water showers, are also available at the nearby Karanga Plaza. 

    Howick Leisure Centre  

    For one of the most varied recreation programmes in Auckland, check out Howick Leisure Centre. While you won’t find any pools here, you can come for the work-out and stay for the fun and sense of community. There’s plenty on offer at this location, like a dedicated martial arts room, amazing school holiday programmes, basketball, volleyball, badminton and table tennis for all ages.

    Plus, easy car parking options, a well-equipped gym with no wait times, and fun group fitness classes from an award-winning exercise instructor who delivers her own curated choreography with unmatched passion and dedication.   

    Water Sports   

    Keen for an active splash of fun in the outdoors? Tāmakai Makaurau has so much to offer when it comes to water sports. Try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) or kayaking for your next family outing. Some great paddling spots include Pt Chevalier, Mission Bay, Ōkahu Bay, Castor Bay and Takapuna Beach – just hire the gear and have a go.  

    Vector Wero, Manukau  

    For the adrenaline seekers, check out Vector Wero Whitewater Park, NZ’s first facility to offer an artificial river and water course for recreation, sports and training!   

    Choose from a wide range of adventure activities to suit your style and comfort level, from rafting, kayaking, paddle boarding and fun team-building challenges.  

    Te Ara Moana Kayak Trail   

    If you’re up for a multi-day paddling adventure, there’s the Te Ara Moana Kayak Trail – a thrilling self-guided five-day sea-kayak tour with a sea route between Ōmana Regional Park and Wharau Regional Park. This epic experience will have you paddling 50km along Auckland’s south-eastern coastline, enjoying the natural wonders and wildlife with overnight stops at some dreamy beachfront campgrounds.   

    Check before you swim  

    While all Auckland Council Pool and Leisure Centres have staff available to keep you safe, that’s not quite the case when you’re outdoors making the most of nature around Tāmaki Maurau.

    Don’t forget to check the Safeswim website for up-to-date information on water quality, wind, waves and tides as well as jellyfish swarms and other hazards. Safeswim is a fantastic tool to help keep you and your whānau safe and ensuring a great time outdoors for all.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Hong Kong marks Chinese New Year with dazzling fireworks display

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    As the clock struck eight on Thursday evening, the sky above Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour erupted in a kaleidoscope of colors, marking the arrival of the Chinese New Year.

    Fireworks illuminate the sky over Victoria Harbour in celebration of the Spring Festival in Hong Kong, south China, Jan. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)

    This year’s 23-minute fireworks display, a dazzling spectacle of 23,888 pyrotechnic bursts featuring nine scenes, drew over 250,000 residents and tourists to the waterfront, united in celebration of the Year of the Snake.

    The annual event, co-organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, is a must-see for many Hong Kong residents and tourists.

    Addressing the crowd on Thursday night, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee underscored the significance of the fireworks display as a centerpiece of the Chinese New Year festivities in Hong Kong, noting that each year’s performance features new elements, bringing fresh brilliance to the skies above Victoria Harbour. Much like the agile snake symbolizes flexibility and adaptability, this reflects the spirit of innovation and resilience of the people of Hong Kong.

    As dusk settled, the promenade at Tsim Sha Tsui buzzed with anticipation. Families, couples, and international visitors staked out prime viewing spots hours in advance, eager to witness the grand spectacle. From Wan Chai to Causeway Bay, the atmosphere was electric, filled with laughter and the chatter of excited spectators.

    The show began with the first scene, titled “A Brand New Beginning,” igniting cheers from the crowd. The scene “Blossoming Prosperity” painted golden ingots in the sky, symbolizing prosperity and abundance. The eighth scene, “Double Luck and Goodness,” featured giant panda images against a backdrop of green lighting representing bamboo and decorative silver illumination. Six adorable “panda head” images representing “An An,” “Ke Ke,” “Ying Ying,” and “Le Le,” along with the newborn twins “Elder Sister” and “Little Brother,” illuminated the sky, signifying reunion and happiness.

    The fireworks display reached its climax in the final act, “Harvesting Year of the Snake.” The vibrant scene featured wandering star pattern fireworks dancing against the powerful gongs and drums of the background music “Golden Snake Dance,” wishing continued prosperity for the nation and peaceful lives for the people.

    For many, this was more than just a show; it was a moment of collective celebration and hope. Seventy-year-old local resident Mrs. Suen shared her thoughts: “This is one of the most crowded displays I’ve ever seen. The influx of tourists has added to the festive spirit, and it fills us all with optimism for the year ahead.”

    Among the visitors was Mr. Xu from Zhejiang, who expressed his awe, saying, “Incredible! Emotional!” He had long heard of Hong Kong’s spectacular celebrations and had planned this trip specifically to experience the fireworks. “This is a highlight of our family trip and is definitely worth it,” he said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: While you sleep, these insects are working hard on the night shift to keep our environment healthy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tanya Latty, Associate Professor, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney

    photosounds/Shutterstock

    As night falls over Australia’s forests, grasslands and backyards, the hidden world of nocturnal insects stirs to life. In many ecosystems, overall insect activity actually peaks at night, especially in warmer regions of the world.

    These nighttime creatures play essential roles in ecosystems, providing services such as pollination, waste decomposition, and pest control. Here are some of the remarkable insects that come out after dark – and why they matter.

    Moths: the stars of the night shift

    While their flashier daytime relatives, the butterflies, often steal the spotlight, moths are the hidden stars of the night shift.

    An estimated 22,000 species of moth call Australia home, and most are nocturnal, although some are diurnal (day active) or crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk).

    Many species feed on flower nectar using their long, straw-like mouthparts, transferring pollen between flowers as they go.

    In the Snowy Mountains, for instance, scientists found moths carry pollen from 19 different plant species.

    While some moths feed on a wide variety of plants, others have evolved highly specialised relationships with specific flowers.

    For instance, more than 500 species of leaf flower trees (Phyllanthus) across tropical Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific are dependent on tiny leaf flower moths (Epicephala) for their pollination.

    The trees’ flowers attract moths by producing nectar at night, when the moths are most active.

    The larvae of moths, caterpillars, also play a vital role in ecosystems. For example, the larvae of Mallee moths (Oecophoridae) feed on dry leaves in the leaf litter, making them essential for the decomposition of tough, dry plant material.

    Without their tireless work breaking down organic matter, leaf litter can accumulate to problematic levels.

    Although most caterpillars feed on plant material, some have unusual diets. Trisyntopa neossophila caterpillars, for example, feeds on the faeces of parrots nesting in termite mounds.

    Some caterpillars are even predators. The larvae of the brown scale moth (Mataeomera coccophaga), for instance, eats scale insects.

    Moths and their larvae provide a fat and protein-rich food source for many animals, including humans.

    Once so abundant they famously blanketed the 2000 Sydney Olympics, large bogong swarms have become increasingly rare, putting at risk species that depend on them for essential nutrients.

    Busy night beetles

    Seeing the tiny, flashing lights of fireflies dancing through the darkness on a summer night is a magical experience.

    Fireflies are actually beetles in the family Lampyridae, and 25 species call Australia home.

    Each firefly species uses its own distinctive flash pattern to communicate with potential mates.

    When large numbers of the same species gather, they can synchronise their light pulses, creating a breathtaking light show.

    The fireflies’ distinctive light is produced through a biochemical reaction involving a molecule called luciferin and an enzyme called luciferase. When these interact in the presence of oxygen, they emit light.

    Adult fireflies do not eat but firefly larvae mostly eat snails, which helps keep snail populations under control.

    Beetles in the scarab family are often active at night. Large numbers of Christmas beetles (Anoplognathus spp) flying around porch lights used to be a common sight, but numbers appear to be in decline.

    Some native dung beetles, such as the five-horned dung beetle (Onthophagus pentacanthus), are also nocturnal. Hardworking dung beetles play a vital role by breaking down animal dung, helping to recycle nutrients and improve soil health.

    Lacewings and mantisflies

    Lacewings belong to an ancient group of insects (Neuroptera) named for the delicate, lace-like net pattern of veins on their wings.

    Most adult lacewings are nocturnal predators, feeding on smaller insects using their hollow, scissor-shaped mouthparts to catch and suck the nutrients from their prey.

    Several lacewing species are effective pest controllers and are used in agriculture to manage pests such as aphids and mealybugs.

    Mantid lacewings, also known as mantisflies, resemble a strange hybrid between a mantis and a fly but are actually in the same group as lacewings.

    The larvae of mantisflies are poorly studied, but most species are believed to be predators of insects, although some are predators of spider eggs. By eating other insects, mantisflies may play a role in controlling pest populations.

    Protecting these night shift workers

    Artificial lights at night are causing serious disruption to insects on the night shift.

    Insects often become disoriented, flying in endless circles around bright lights, burning energy they cannot afford to lose. This confusion can lead to exhaustion or death.

    Artificial lighting at night can also disrupt nocturnal insect reproduction. And, predators such as owls and bats may learn to hunt around artificial lights where prey becomes more concentrated and vulnerable.

    The exact reasons why nocturnal insects are drawn to light remain unclear, but recent research suggests that some nocturnal insects use light to maintain stable, level flight by orienting their bodies so light hits their upper surface.

    This system works well when the only lights present at night are the Moon and stars, but fails when artificial lights disrupt the night.

    We can help protect nocturnal insects by:

    • turning off unnecessary outdoor lights at night, especially during summer when many insects are breeding
    • using motion-activated lights to reduce light pollution
    • reducing or eliminating the use of insecticides in our gardens.

    Small changes can make a big difference to help protect the insects working hard overnight to keep our ecosystems healthy.

    Tanya Latty co-founded and volunteers for conservation organisation Invertebrates Australia, is former president of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and is on the Education committee for the Australian Entomological Society. She receives funding from the Australian Research Council, NSW Saving our Species, and Agrifutures Australia.

    – ref. While you sleep, these insects are working hard on the night shift to keep our environment healthy – https://theconversation.com/while-you-sleep-these-insects-are-working-hard-on-the-night-shift-to-keep-our-environment-healthy-246483

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Delivering record investments in SA’s south east

    Source: Australia Government Ministerial Statements

    The Albanese Government is delivering a record investment in South Australia’s south east, and is adding nearly $7 million to improve housing, childcare, economic, tourism and sports facilities.

    This additional funding for the electorate of Barker is delivered through the Albanese Government’s Growing Regions and regional Precincts and Partnership programs which fund projects that help our regions thrive.

    We are investing $3.5 million in the Kingston Childcare and Child services project to deliver a new childcare centre, consultation offices for child allied health service professionals, and a designated space for children’s playgroups and family members.

    The Penola community will get improvements to the facilities at the Penola Football Club and Community Sports Hub with Albanese Government funding of $1.4 million for the redevelopment.

    The Albanese Government is investing $508,000 in the Tailem Bend Precinct Plan which will progress planning for the 10th Street Housing Development and for streetscape upgrades of the main street, highway corridor and connecting areas.

    We are also investing in the Mid Murray region’s plans to build a vibrant tourism hub with a grant of $1.5 million.

    The project will develop a business case, identify tourism assets, and create a precinct plan connecting 11 towns in the council district.

    The Growing Regions Program continues to be highly valued by local communities with a number of worthwhile applications having been received. We look forward to continuing to work with proponents and local councils on these important projects.

    Our grants programs are merit-based and transparent, replacing the legacy of rorts and politicised grants programs by the Liberals and Nationals which were criticised by the Australian National Audit Office.

    The announcements today build on the significant investments already made by the Albanese Government across the Barker electorate.

    We have already invested $17.7 million in Barker from the first round of the Growing Regions Program, more than $900, 000 for Stream 1 of the Housing Support Program and $193,000 for Tintinara Aerodrome. 

    We have also invested $950 million dollars in major projects such as the National Freight Highway Upgrade Program, Princes Highway and Sturt Highway upgrades, the Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund, a safety package for rural roads and Riverland Network Flood Resilience upgrades.

    Local councils in the electorate have received a 55% increase in funding for local roads with the Roads to Recovery investment rising $25.5 million to $68.7 million over five years.

    This is a direct result of the Albanese Government decision to double the funding for the Roads to Recovery program to $1 billion a year.

    For more information on the Albanese Government’s regional funding programs, visit: www.infrastructure.gov.au/regional . 

    Quotes attributable to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King: 

    “The Albanese Government is building Australia’s future, investing in the infrastructure locals want that will grow the economy, provide jobs and improve community facilities.

    “Developing housing, childcare, tourism and sports facilities helps strengthen economies and helps communities to thrive.

    “We understand how important infrastructure is in regions like the south east which is why we prioritise working with local communities.”

    Quotes attributable to Senator for South Australia, Don Farrell:

    “From families in Kingston and budding athletes in Penola, to residents in Tailem Bend and small businesses across the Mid Murray, we are investing in local communities.

    “Developing the infrastructure locals need will support our regions to prosper – delivering for families and small businesses and creating new opportunities for tourism in our state’s spectacular southeast.

    “I am proud to be part of an Albanese Government that is committed to building Australia’s future and delivering for regional communities across South Australia.”

    MIL OSI News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Speed thrills: why are so many sports getting faster?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Norton, Professor of Sport and Exercise Science, UNSW Sydney

    If you scroll through YouTube and watch sporting contests from yesteryear, one of the first things you’ll likely notice is how slow the games are compared to modern sports.

    Not just the athletes’ speed (or lack of), but the pace of ball movement.

    This is because the game speed of most sports continues to increase.

    Why are sports getting faster?

    There is no universal definition of game speed, but it is often measured using metrics such as passing rate, ball velocity or average player movement speed during games.

    Increased passing rates can be seen when players retain the ball for shorter periods before passing it to a teammate.

    Faster ball and average player speeds have been shown in many field sports including AFL, soccer and basketball.

    Faster action followed by longer recovery breaks is the way many sports have evolved over the past few decades.

    In National Hockey League ice hockey games, for example, there are around 300 player rotations (shifts) per team. Shift lengths decreased by 7% to about 45 seconds each during a 10-year period to 2010 as the game sped up.

    Shorter shifts mean higher game speed before players can recover on the bench.

    Some sports deliberately alter rules to increase the game speed and scoring.

    Spectators report a preference for fast action and seem happy to have this interrupted by longer breaks as players catch their breath.

    What about speed in soccer?

    I recently studied this phenomenon in World Cup soccer matches. I found passing rates and ball speed were consistently increasing for both men and women over multiple World Cup tournaments.

    The study showed passing rates increased by 19% for men and 26% for women across the past nine tournaments. Average ball speed increased by 7% for men and 18% for women over the same time.

    It is clear men’s and women’s soccer matches are speeding up.

    The benefits of fast attacking play

    The need for speed is driven by scoring benefits: if a team can move the ball often and with accuracy, this reduces the time for opposition teams to organise defensively.

    Disorganised defensive structures are easier to penetrate, as gaps open among opposition players.

    For example, faster passing rates in basketball have been linked to more scoring attempts and baskets scored. This is especially crucial after a turnover, when defences are poorly organised.

    Faster play requires quick and precise decision-making, such as perfect timing to move to the best position to receive the ball, or to draw dangerous opposition players away from the action.

    This quicker play requires delivering better skills at high speeds, such as catching or trapping the ball on the run. It involves anticipating where to move and when to react with stealth-like movements.

    It also involves greater physical fitness and the ability to repeat high-intensity efforts – a fitter player can recover quicker and accumulate less fatigue. This can help the athlete use optimal power and with fewer skill errors.

    On top of that, evidence shows player “density” is increasing in many field sports, which both reduces the time to react and mandates superior skills in the congested player traffic.

    Accurate passing and precision timing through this crowded space is essential.

    Even moving your own body through clogged space requires agility and power. Because of this, much of the training time for professionals is dedicated to games on reduced field space to improve these requirements and to refine decision-making skills.

    In elite sport, those who are efficient in these areas generally remain in the sport while others fall by the wayside.

    Managers in the English Premier League look for a minimal passing efficiency (finding a teammate with each pass) of 70%. Less than this can have disastrous consequences for the athlete.

    Passing effectiveness is also used heavily in NFL quarterback ratings and in the AFL.

    Sometimes speed can have its downsides

    There are risks with faster play, though.

    Moving offensively with speed means the attacking team is also vulnerable to counterattack if they lose possession: when an attacking team turns the ball over, they, in turn, are out of (defensive) position and vulnerable to quick movement by the opposition.

    So knowing when to move fast and when to progress more steadily are also key skills and regularly rehearsed.

    Another potential problem of higher-speed sports is the relationship to higher injury rates.

    Colliding with opposition players involves increased kinetic energy that must be absorbed by athletes’ bodies. This can result in bone fractures and concussion rates that are elevated with fast impact forces.

    Faster running speeds also result in more muscle pulls and strains.

    What might this mean for the future?

    The increasing speed of sports could have several impacts in the future, namely in the talent identification and player recruitment space, and in women’s sports.

    Due to genetic constraints, athletes generally can’t improve their speed as easily as other physical attributes like endurance or strength. This means recruiters are likely to prioritise fast athletes in a spiralling pace race.



    Read more:
    Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

    In some sports, including our soccer study, the speed of women’s sport was found to be increasing at a faster rate than men’s.

    Over a comparatively short history of professional sport, women have demonstrated dramatic and impressive gains. This may mean the speed and style of women’s sports will increasingly resemble the speed and style of the men’s games.

    Kevin Norton has received funding from sporting organisations including AFL, NRL, ARU, IRB, ESL.

    – ref. Speed thrills: why are so many sports getting faster? – https://theconversation.com/speed-thrills-why-are-so-many-sports-getting-faster-247803

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Luchese Crime Family Solider and Four Associates Plead Guilty to Crimes Including Racketeering, Money Laundering and Illegal Gambling

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Earlier today and throughout the past few weeks, in federal court in Brooklyn, five members and associates of the Luchese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra pleaded guilty to multiple crimes, including racketeering, money laundering and illegal gambling related to criminal activities throughout New York City. The proceedings were held before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto.  Today, Luchese crime family soldier Anthony Villani pleaded guilty to racketeering, money laundering and illegal gambling.  As part of Villani’s plea agreement, he will pay $4 million in forfeiture.  His co-defendants have agreed to pay an additional approximately $1 million in forfeiture.  Villani and his co-defendants operated a large-scale, illegal online gambling business (the Gambling Business) that operated under the protection of the Luchese crime family across the New York metropolitan area.  The gambling business, known as “Rhino Sports,” operated since the early 2000s and brought millions in illicit profits annually.   

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty pleas.

    “These guilty pleas represent a victory for the rule of law over the pernicious activities of organized crime that undermine the safety of our communities,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Illegal gambling businesses require enforcement and protection from mob rivals that carry the persistent threat of violence.  However, the defendants’ luck ran out and, thanks to the hard work of the team of prosecutors and investigators, they will be held accountable for their crimes and pay their debt to society.”

    FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy stated: “Our investigations involving members of the Five Families don’t make the same headlines as they have historically. However, the men pleading guilty in this case illustrate how entrenched the traditional mafia are in their noxious and familiar criminality. They are less flashy these days – and a lot of that is due to the incredible cunning and tenacity agents and investigators on our FBI New York Westchester Organized Crime Task Force use to pursue members of these organizations.”

    As detailed in the indictment and court filings, for over 25 years, Villani has been involved in significant gambling operations, principally based in the Bronx and Westchester, New York, that were affiliated with multiple organized crime families.  Villani owned and operated the Gambling Business since at least 2004.  The Gambling Business was hosted using servers in Costa Rica and employed local bookmakers to pay and collect winnings.  Villani’s bookmakers included members and associates of the Luchese crime family and other La Cosa Nostra families.  As part of the scheme, Villani employed trusted individuals, including defendants Louis Tucci, Jr. and Dennis Filizzola, to assist in operating the business and collecting at least $1 million annually.  Records obtained of the Gambling Business’s website indicated that Villani’s illegal gambling operation regularly took bets from between 400 and 1,300 bettors each week, most of whom were based in New York City and the metropolitan area. At Villani’s direction, Filizzola took proceeds from the Gambling Business and used them to purchase U.S. Postal Service money orders in false names, which were then made payable to one of Villani’s property companies to appear as legitimate rental payments.   

    When sentenced, Villani faces up to 20 years in prison.  Louis Tucci, Jr., pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025 to illegal sports betting and faces up to five years in prison.  Filizzola pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025 to illegal sports betting and money laundering and faces up to five years in prison and up to 20 years in prison on those counts respectively.  James Coumoutsos pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025 to illegal sports betting and faces up to five years in prison.  Michael Praino pleaded guilty on January 10, 2025 to illegal sports gambling and faces up to five years in prison.  A sixth defendant remains at large.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Antoinette N. Rangel is in charge of the prosecution.  Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.

    The Defendants:

    ANTHONY VILLANI
    Age:  60
    Elmsford, NY

    JAMES COUMOUTSOS (also known as “Quick”)
    Age:  62
    Bronx, NY

    DENNIS FILIZZOLA
    Age:  61
    Cortlandt Manor, NY

    MICHAEL PRAINO (also known as “Platinum”)
    Age:  47
    Lake Worth, Florida

    LOUIS TUCCI, JR. (also known as “Tooch”)
    Age:  61
    Tuckahoe, NY

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-405 (KAM)

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Mountain America Credit Union and BYU Athletics Team Up for $10,000 Donation to Local Charities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANDY, Utah, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mountain America Credit Union, in collaboration with BYU Athletics, recently presented donations totaling $10,000 to Utah Crisis Food Response (UCFR) and Special Olympics Provo United. The organizations were each presented with $5,000 checks during the January 14, 2025, Brigham Young University (BYU) men’s basketball game. These donations were part of the Cougs Care initiative, where Cougar Nation fans nominated and voted for their favorite charitable organizations online.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

    “The Cougs Care initiative highlights the power of community and the positive impact that can be achieved when we come together to support worthy causes,” said Nathan Anderson, executive vice president and COO at Mountain America Credit Union. “Utah Crisis Food Response and Special Olympics Provo United both make a significant impact in addressing critical needs. It’s inspiring to see how our collective efforts can make a difference.”

    UCFR provides delivery of essential meals and resources for families facing food insecurity. Their dedication to alleviating hunger and supporting vulnerable populations makes them a deserving recipient of this donation.

    “We are amazed by Mountain America’s generosity and honored to be nominated by the community for this donation,” said Carie Fanning, executive director of Utah Crisis Food Response. “It is heartwarming to know the community recognizes the importance of our work. UCFR delivers thousands of meals every month, an impossible task without the help of donations like this one.”

    Special Olympics Provo United empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities through sports, promoting inclusion and community engagement. Their programs foster physical fitness, confidence, and lifelong friendships, making a profound difference in the lives of many.

    To learn more about Mountain America, visit macu.com.

    About Mountain America Credit Union
    With more than 1 million members and $20 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union helps its members define and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure, cutting-edge mobile banking technology, over 100 branches across multiple states, and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain America—guiding you forward. Learn more at macu.com. Insured by NCUA.

    The MIL Network –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The big chill: is cold-water immersion good for our health?

    Source: University of South Australia

    31 January 2025

    From early ocean dips to ice-cold polar plunges, cold-water immersion is increasingly popular among athletes and wellness warriors. But how much of the hype is backed by science?

    In the most comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of its kind, University of South Australia researchers have taken a deep dive into the effects of cold-water immersion on health and wellbeing.

    Analysing data from 11 studies with 3177 participants, researchers found that cold-water immersion may lower stress, improve sleep quality, and boost quality of life.

    UniSA researcher Tara Cain says the study reveals time-dependant and nuanced effects on health and wellbeing measures.

    “Cold-water immersion has been extensively researched and used in sporting contexts to help athletes recover, but despite its growing popularity among health and wellbeing circles, little is known about its effects on the general population,” Cain says.

    “In this study, we noted a range of time-dependant results. Firstly, we found that cold-water immersion could reduce stress levels, but for only about 12 hours post exposure.

    “We also noted that participants who took 20, 60, or 90 second cold showers reported slightly higher quality of life scores. But again, after three months these effects had faded.

    “Benefits may be gained from cold showers as well, with one study reporting that participants who took regular cold showers experiencing a 29% reduction in sickness absence.

    “We also found some links to cold-water immersion and better sleep outcomes, but the data was restricted to males, so its broader application is limited.

    “And while there have been many claims that cold-water immersion experiences can boost your immunity and mood, we found very little evidence to support these claims.”

    Cold-water immersion involves immersing the body partially or fully in cold water, in temperatures typically ranging from 10-15 degrees Celsius, and in this study, data was only included if exposure was at or above chest level, and for a minimum time of 30 seconds. It included cold showers, ice baths and cold plunges.

    Co-researcher, UniSA’s Dr Ben Singh says the study also showed that cold-water immersion caused a temporary increase in inflammation.

    “At first glance this seems contradictory, as we know that ice baths are regularly used by elite athletes to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness after exercise,” Dr Singh says.

    “The immediate spike in inflammation is the body’s reaction to the cold as a stressor. It helps the body adapt and recover and is similar to how exercise causes muscle damage before making muscles stronger, which is why athletes use it despite the short-term increase.

    “Knowing this, people with pre-existing health conditions should take extra care if participating in cold-water immersion experiences as the initial inflammation could have detrimental health impacts.”

    Researchers say that while the findings highlight the potential benefits of cold-water immersion, they also underscore the highly time-dependent and contextual nature of its effects.

    “Whether you are an elite athlete or everyday wellness seeker – it’s important to understand the effects of what you put your body through,” Cain says.

    “Right now, there isn’t enough high-quality research to say exactly who benefits most or what the ideal approach is to cold-water immersion. More long-term studies, among more diverse populations, are needed to understand its lasting effects and practical applications.”

    Notes to editors:

    The full paper – Effects of cold-water immersion on health and wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis – by Tara Cain, Dr Jacinta Brinsley, Dr Hunter Bennett, Dr Max Nelson, Prof Carol Maher and Dr Ben Singh is available online: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317615

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Contacts for interview:  Tara Cain E: Tara.Cain@unisa.edu.au
    Dr Ben Singh E: Ben.Singh@unisa.edu.au
    Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Kim Jackson to Hold Press Conference on ‘Equal Opportunities for Girls in Sports’ Act

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (January 30, 2025) — On Monday, February 3, Senate Minority Caucus Whip Kim Jackson (D–Stone Mountain) will hold a press conference to discuss Senate Bill 41. SB 41 would ensure that no student is excluded from participating in, treated differently from another student, or discriminated against in any interscholastic or intramural athletics offered by a local school system based on gender.

    EVENT DETAILS:                     

    • Date: Monday, February 3, 2025
    • Time: 11:15 a.m.
    • Location: Georgia State Capitol, South Steps, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334
    • This Event is Open to the Public.

    MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

    We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting Jantz Womack at SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    “My ‘Equal Opportunities for Girls in Sports Act’ (SB 41) has been officially introduced in the Senate as of yesterday morning,” said Sen. Jackson. “I bring this bill before Georgians as a call to action to address the continuing inequities in middle and high school girls’ athletics. We invite women around the state to join us in supporting our female athletes at the Capitol on Monday, February 3rd at 11:15 a.m. for a press conference. Lets fill the South Steps with women advocating for real solutions to real problems in girls’ sports.”

    More information about SB 41 can be found here.

    # # # #

    Sen. Kim Jackson serves as Democratic Caucus Whip. She represents the 41st Senate District which includes portions of DeKalb and a small portion Gwinnett County. She may be reached at (404) 656-6882 or by email at kim.jackson@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025
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