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Summary
At around 05:40 on Monday 4 March 2024, a passenger train struck a section of redundant rail that had been left foul of the track on the approach to Walton-on- Thames station. At the time of the collision with this rail, the train was travelling at around 85 mph (137 km/h). The front coach derailed, and the train came to a stand around 500 metres beyond the point of derailment.
The redundant rail had inadvertently been left there by a team that had completed work in the area over the previous weekend. Checks undertaken after the work was completed did not identify that a section of redundant rail was in a potentially hazardous position before the railway was handed back for normal operation. This was because no person in charge had supervised the work and because a track handback engineer had not been effectively briefed as to what work had been undertaken before they inspected the track.
RAIB found that the arrangements in place for planning and delivering the work did not effectively manage the risk of a section of rail being left foul of the running line and that the process for inspecting the railway after the work was completed did not provide staff with clear guidance on which areas should be checked. Additionally, the relevant railway rules and standards do not clearly define the roles and responsibilities required to safely deliver work on complex work sites like the one involved in the accident.
Recommendations
As a result of its investigation, RAIB has made two recommendations. The first is addressed to Colas Rail (in consultation with Network Rail), to review its processes related to collecting redundant material when working on or near the line. The second is addressed to Network Rail (in consultation with the Rail Safety and Standards Board) to review the rules and standards relating to how tasks delivered in complex work sites should be co‑ordinated and supervised and to create a coherent process for confirming that the line is safe for the passage of trains after the work is complete.
Additionally, two learning points have been identified. The first reinforces the importance of infrastructure maintainers arranging adequate site lighting. The second concerns the importance of railway organisations ensuring that guidance material relating to superseded standards is removed from resource libraries when new standards are issued.
Andrew Hall, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said:
Following a passenger train striking redundant rail on the track in 2018, RAIB issued Urgent Safety Advice to Network Rail regarding safety of the line after engineering work. Since this advice was issued, RAIB has examined a number of further accidents caused by objects, including temporary road-rail access points and a trolley, being left on the track after the completion of maintenance work. These accidents caused damage to the railway infrastructure, the trains involved and resulted in temporary closures to the affected lines. This most recent accident at Walton-on-Thames resulted in a passenger train derailing at speed. Although no one was hurt on this occasion, the train could easily have deviated from the line of the track and struck other trains or objects.
Maintenance work is often carried out at night which makes ensuring the line is subsequently safe for the passage of trains particularly challenging. The risk is very clear. Unfortunately, this accident happened because that risk was not effectively managed. This, following other similar recent incidents, should serve as a stark reminder of the importance of effectively managing the risk of objects being left on the track after overnight maintenance.
Notes to editors
The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
RAIB operates, as far as possible, in an open and transparent manner. While our investigations are completely independent of the railway industry, we do maintain close liaison with railway companies and if we discover matters that may affect the safety of the railway, we make sure that information about them is circulated to the right people as soon as possible, and certainly long before publication of our final report.
The City of Wolverhampton Council’s annual I Awards, held at Grand Station, saw children and young people receive awards in recognition of their achievements in 3 categories – individual, intellectual and independence. There were also special awards for an inspirational child in care and inspirational care leaver who really showcase children and young people’s talents and potential.
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “The I Awards is one of the most important events of the year, allowing the council as their corporate parent to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our children and young people in care, and care leavers.
“We are extremely proud of each and every one of them. Many have not had the easiest start in life, and the I Awards are a great way of encouraging our children and young people to aim high, and reward them for their hard work.
“We heard some very uplifting stories of achievement which, coupled with the invaluable support from their foster parents, has enabled our children and young people to achieve in many different ways.
“We are very lucky to have so many dedicated individuals and families who have opened their homes to our children and young people as foster parents, and the I Awards was our chance to say thank you to them, too.”
The event, attended by over 300 people including Director of Children’s Services Alison Hinds and the Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Linda Leach, also featured a djembe drum performance by young people from Wolverhampton Music Service and the Virtual School, a range of attractions including a chocolate fountain, sweet cart, face paints, photo booth and a balloon stall, and culminated with a disco.
Anyone who is interested in becoming a foster parent is invited to visit Fostering for Wolverhampton or call the Fostering for Wolverhampton team on 01902 551133 to find out more.
Details 2025-02-11 President Lai meets Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla of the Kingdom of Eswatini On the afternoon of February 11, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla of the Kingdom of Eswatini. In remarks, President Lai thanked Eswatini for continuing to support Taiwan’s international participation at international venues. The president stated that Taiwan and Eswatini work closely in such areas as agriculture, the economy and trade, education, and healthcare, and expressed hope that the two countries will continue to support each other on the international stage and strive together for the well-being of both peoples. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome our distinguished guests to the Presidential Office. Deputy Prime Minister Dladla previously visited Taiwan while serving as minister of foreign affairs. This is her first time leading a delegation here as deputy prime minister. I want to extend my sincerest welcome. Deputy Prime Minister Dladla has earned a high degree of recognition and trust from His Majesty King Mswati III. She was not only Eswatini’s first woman foreign minister, but is also the second woman to have held her current key position. She shows an active interest in people’s welfare, and has a reputation for being deeply devoted to her compatriots. I have great admiration for this. I am truly delighted to meet with Deputy Prime Minister Dladla today. I would like to take this opportunity to once again express my gratitude to His Majesty the King for leading a delegation to attend the inauguration ceremony for myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao last year. This demonstrated the close diplomatic ties between our countries. I also want to thank Eswatini for continuing to support Taiwan’s international participation at international venues. I would ask that when Deputy Prime Minister Dladla returns to Eswatini, she conveys Taiwan’s greetings and gratitude to His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala. Diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Eswatini have endured for over half a century. Our two nations have continued to work closely in such areas as agriculture, the economy and trade, education, and healthcare. Our largest collaboration to date has been assisting Eswatini in the construction of a strategic oil reserve facility. We will continue to push forward with this project, and look forward to achieving even greater results in all areas. I understand that Deputy Prime Minister Dladla is very concerned about issues regarding gender equality and women’s empowerment. During her term as foreign minister, she facilitated bilateral cooperation in those areas. Now, as deputy prime minister, she is actively attending to the disadvantaged and advancing social welfare. These policies are very much in line with the priorities of my administration. I look forward to strengthening cooperation with Deputy Prime Minister Dladla for the benefit of both our societies. Taiwan and Eswatini are peace-loving nations. Faced with a constantly changing international landscape and the growing threat posed by authoritarianism, we hope that our two countries will continue to support each other on the international stage and strive together for the well-being of both our peoples. In closing, I wish Deputy Prime Minister Dladla and our distinguished guests a pleasant and successful visit. Deputy Prime Minister Dladla then delivered remarks, first greeting President Lai on behalf of the King, the Queen Mother, and the people of Eswatini, and extending gratitude for the warm reception afforded to her and her delegation, which underscores the strong bonds of friendship between our two nations. The deputy prime minister stated that, in reflecting on the fruits of our partnership, the evidence of Taiwan’s commitment to Eswatini is all around us. The strategic oil reserve project launching in April, she indicated, will redefine Eswatini’s energy security, and the Central Bank complex and electrification project stand as monuments of Taiwan’s vision for Eswatini’s progress and indicate that our partnerships are very strong. Deputy Prime Minister Dladla pointed out that education is the foundation of any nation’s progress, and that Taiwan’s contribution to Eswatini’s education sector cannot be overstated. Through Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarship programs, she said, Eswatini has sent numerous students to Taiwan, where they’ve received world-class education in various disciplines, including engineering, business, and medicine. In turn, she said, these graduates are now contributing to the development of Eswatini. The deputy prime minister stated that Taiwan has also strengthened Eswatini’s industrial and technological sectors, with collaborations and partnerships that create new opportunities for employment and innovation, and that Taiwan’s technical and medical assistance has strengthened Eswatini’s healthcare systems and uplifted the expertise of its professionals. Deputy Prime Minister Dladla also congratulated President Lai once again on his presidency, which she stated will lead Taiwan to new heights, adding that His Majesty coming to Taiwan personally for the inauguration was a resounding declaration of Eswatini’s enduring support for Taiwan’s sovereignty, stability, and rightful place on the world stage. She emphasized that Eswatini stands with Taiwan always and unwaveringly. In conclusion, the deputy prime minister stated that Eswatini fully agrees with Taiwan that we must all safeguard our national sovereignty and protect the lives and property of our people. She said that our common enemy will always be poverty and natural disasters, but against all odds, we will stand united, and we shall remain united and be one. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Eswatini Ambassador Promise Sithembiso Msibi.
Details 2025-02-11 Presidential Office thanks US and Japan for joint leaders’ statement On February 7 (US EST), President Donald Trump of the United States and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru of Japan issued a joint leaders’ statement reiterating “the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community.” In the statement, the two leaders also “encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion” and “expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.” Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on February 8 expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of the Presidential Office to the leaders of both countries for taking concrete action to demonstrate their firm support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and for Taiwan’s international participation. Spokesperson Kuo pointed out that there is already a strong international consensus on the importance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The spokesperson emphasized that Taiwan, as a responsible member of the international community, is capable and willing to work together with the international community and will continue strengthening its self-defense capabilities as it deepens its trilateral security partnership with the US and Japan and works alongside like-minded countries to uphold the rules-based international order. The spokesperson said that Taiwan will work toward ensuring a free and open Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region, as well as global peace, stability, and prosperity, as it continues to act as a force for good in the world.
Details 2025-02-11 President Lai’s response to Pope Francis’s 2025 World Day of Peace message President Lai Ching-te recently sent a letter to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to his message marking the 58th World Day of Peace. The following is the full text of the president’s letter to the pope: Your Holiness, In your message for the 2025 World Day of Peace entitled Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace, you called for a cultural change that would bring an end to the governance of interpersonal and international relations by a logic of exploitation and oppression and herald true and lasting peace. I wholeheartedly admire and identify with your point of view. Since transitioning from a medical career to politics, I have remained true to my original intentions in the sense that, while a doctor can help only one person at a time, a public servant can simultaneously assist many people in resolving the difficulties affecting their lives. In my inaugural address in May 2024, I pledged that every day of my term, I would strive to act justly, show mercy, and be humble, which accord with the teachings of the Bible. I promised to treat the Taiwanese people as family and prove myself worthy of their trust and expectations. With an unwavering heart, I have accepted the people’s trust and taken on the solemn responsibility of leading the nation forward and building a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous new Taiwan. In this new year, the changing international landscape continues to present many grave challenges to democratic nations around the world. As the Russia-Ukraine war persists, the steady convergence of authoritarian regimes, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatens the rules-based international order and severely impacts peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the world at large. Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners. A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese people also maintain an unyielding commitment to safeguarding a way of life that encompasses freedom, equality, democracy, and human rights. Taiwan will continue to spare no effort in preserving regional peace and stability and serving as a pilot for global peace. In your World Day of Peace message, you urged prosperous countries to assist poorer ones. This compassion is truly touching. Taiwan is proactively implementing values-based diplomacy and, under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, enhancing allies’ development through a range of initiatives. Over many years, Taiwan has accumulated abundant and unique experience of providing foreign assistance. Seeking to foster self-reliance among disadvantaged countries, we have extended genuine support to help alleviate poverty through such avenues as strengthening basic infrastructure, transferring technology, and cultivating talent. In your message, you reminded countries worldwide that assistance should not be merely an isolated act of charity and pointed to the need to devise a new global financial framework so that food crises, climate change, and other challenges could be jointly addressed. I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organizations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons. Taiwan is willing to shoulder its international responsibilities so that it can contribute and share its valuable experience through many global platforms. On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I again express our interest in collaborating with the Holy See to advance world peace through concrete action. We also aspire to demonstrate Taiwanese values and the Taiwanese spirit and work together with the Holy See to uphold the core values of justice, democracy, freedom, and peace. Please accept, Your Holiness, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration, as well as my best wishes for your good health and the continued growth of the Catholic Church.
Details 2025-02-11 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 2025-02-11 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 2025-02-14 President Lai holds press conference following high-level national security meeting On the morning of February 14, President Lai Ching-te convened the first high-level national security meeting of the year, following which he held a press conference. In remarks, President Lai announced that in this new year, the government will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that Taiwan’s defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. He stated that the government will also continue to reform national defense, reform our legal framework for national security, and advance our economic and trade strategy of being rooted in Taiwan while expanding globally. The president also proposed clear-cut national strategies for Taiwan-US relations, semiconductor industry development, and cross-strait relations. President Lai indicated that he instructed the national security and administrative teams to take swift action and deliver results, working within a stable strategic framework and according to the various policies and approaches outlined. He also instructed them to keep a close watch on changes in the international situation, seize opportunities whenever they arise, and address the concerns and hope of the citizens with concrete actions. He expressed hope that as long as citizens remain steadfast in their convictions, are willing to work hand in hand, stand firm amidst uncertainty, and look for ways to win within changing circumstances, Taiwan is certain to prevail in the test of time yet again. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, I would like to convey my condolences for the tragic incident which occurred at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store in Taichung, which resulted in numerous casualties. I have instructed Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) to lead the relevant central government agencies in assisting Taichung’s municipal government with actively resolving various issues regarding the incident. It is my hope that these issues can be resolved efficiently. Earlier today, I convened this year’s first high-level national security meeting. I will now report on the discussions from the meeting to all citizens. 2025 is a year full of challenges, but also a year full of hope. In today’s global landscape, the democratic world faces common threats posed by the convergence of authoritarian regimes, while dumping and unfair competition from China undermine the global economic order. A new United States administration was formed at the beginning of the year, adopting all-new strategies and policies to address challenges both domestic and from overseas. Every nation worldwide, including ours, is facing a new phase of changes and challenges. In face of such changes, ensuring national security, ensuring Taiwan’s indispensability in global supply chains, and ensuring that our nation continues to make progress amidst challenges are our top priorities this year. They are also why we convened a high-level national security meeting today. At the meeting, the national security team, the administrative team led by Premier Cho, and I held an in-depth discussion based on the overall state of affairs at home and abroad and the strategies the teams had prepared in response. We summed up the following points as an overall strategy for the next stage of advancing national security and development. First, for overall national security, so that we can ensure the freedom, democracy, and human rights of the Taiwanese people, as well as the progress and development of the nation as we face various threats from authoritarian regimes, Taiwan must resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, strengthen self-sufficiency in national defense, and consolidate national defense. Taiwan must enhance economic resilience, maintain economic autonomy, and stand firm with other democracies as we deepen our strategic partnerships with like-minded countries. As I have said, “As authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must come closer in solidarity!” And so, in this new year, we will focus on the following three priorities: First, to demonstrate our resolve for national defense, we will continue to reform national defense, implement whole-of-society defense resilience, and prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. Second, to counter the threats to our national security from China’s united front tactics, attempts at infiltration, and cognitive warfare, we will continue with the reform of our legal framework for national security and expand the national security framework to boost societal resilience and foster unity within. Third, to seize opportunities in the restructuring of global supply chains and realignment of the economic order, we will continue advancing our economic and trade strategy of being rooted in Taiwan while expanding globally, strengthening protections for high-tech, and collaborating with our friends and allies to build supply chains for global democracies. Everyone shares concern regarding Taiwan-US relations, semiconductor industry development, and cross-strait relations. For these issues, I am proposing clear-cut national strategies. First, I will touch on Taiwan-US relations. Taiwan and the US have shared ideals and values, and are staunch partners within the democratic, free community. We are very grateful to President Donald Trump’s administration for their continued support for Taiwan after taking office. We are especially grateful for the US and Japan’s joint leaders’ statement reiterating “the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community,” as well as their high level of concern regarding China’s threat to regional security. In fact, the Democratic Progressive Party government has worked very closely with President Trump ever since his first term in office, and has remained an international partner. The procurement of numerous key advanced arms, freedom of navigation critical for security and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and many assisted breakthroughs in international diplomacy were made possible during this time. Positioned in the first island chain and on the democratic world’s frontline countering authoritarianism, Taiwan is willing and will continue to work with the US at all levels as we pursue regional stability and prosperity, helping realize our vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Although changes in policy may occur these next few years, the mutual trust and close cooperation between Taiwan and Washington will steadfastly endure. On that, our citizens can rest assured. In accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, the US announced a total of 48 military sales to Taiwan over the past eight years amounting to US$26.265 billion. During President Trump’s first term, 22 sales were announced totaling US$18.763 billion. This greatly supported Taiwan’s defensive capabilities. On the foundation of our close cooperation with the past eight years’ two US administrations, Taiwan will continue to demonstrate our determination for self-defense, accelerate the bolstering of our national defense, and keep enhancing the depth and breadth of Taiwan-US security cooperation, along with all manner of institutional cooperation. In terms of bilateral economic cooperation, Taiwan has always been one of the US’s most reliable trade partners, as well as one of the most important cooperative partners of US companies in the global semiconductor industry. In the past few years, Taiwan has greatly increased both direct and indirect investment in the US. By 2024, investment surpassed US$100 billion, creating nearly 400,000 job opportunities. In 2023 and 2024, investment in the US accounted for over 40 percent of Taiwan’s overall foreign investment, far surpassing our investment in China. In fact, in 2023 and 2024, Taiwanese investment in China fell to 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively. The US is now Taiwan’s biggest investment target. Our government is now launching relevant plans in accordance with national development needs and the need to establish secure supply systems, and the Executive Yuan is taking comprehensive inventory of opportunities for Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation. Moving forward, close bilateral cooperation will allow us to expand US investment and procurement, facilitating balanced trade. Our government will also strengthen guidance and support for Taiwanese enterprises on increasing US investment, and promote the global expansion and growth of Taiwan’s industries. We will also boost Taiwan-US cooperation in tech development and manufacturing for AI and advanced semiconductors, and work together to maintain order in the semiconductor market, shaping a new era for our strategic economic partnership. Second, the development of our semiconductor industry. I want to emphasize that Taiwan, as one of the world’s most capable semiconductor manufacturing nations, is both willing and able to address new situations. With respect to President Trump’s concerns about our semiconductor industry, the government will act prudently, strengthen communications between Taiwan and the US, and promote greater mutual understanding. We will pay attention to the challenges arising from the situation and assist businesses in navigating them. In addition, we will introduce an initiative on semiconductor supply chain partnerships for global democracies. We are willing to collaborate with the US and our other democratic partners to develop more resilient and diversified semiconductor supply chains. Leveraging our strengths in cutting-edge semiconductors, we will form a global alliance for the AI chip industry and establish democratic supply chains for industries connected to high-end chips. Through international cooperation, we will open up an entirely new era of growth in the semiconductor industry. As we face the various new policies of the Trump administration, we will continue to uphold a spirit of mutual benefit, and we will continue to communicate and negotiate closely with the US government. This will help the new administration’s team to better understand how Taiwan is an indispensable partner in the process of rebuilding American manufacturing and consolidating its leadership in high-tech, and that Taiwan-US cooperation will benefit us both. Third, cross-strait relations. Regarding the regional and cross-strait situation, Taiwan-US relations, US-China relations, and interactions among Taiwan, the US, and China are a focus of global attention. As a member of the international democratic community and a responsible member of the region, Taiwan hopes to see Taiwan-US relations continue to strengthen and, alongside US-China relations, form a virtuous cycle rather than a zero-sum game where one side’s gain is another side’s loss. In facing China, Taiwan will always be a responsible actor. We will neither yield nor provoke. We will remain resilient and composed, maintaining our consistent position on cross-strait relations: Our determination to safeguard our national sovereignty and protect our free and democratic way of life remains unchanged. Our efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as our willingness to work alongside China in the pursuit of peace and mutual prosperity across the strait, remain unchanged. Our commitment to promoting healthy and orderly exchanges across the strait, choosing dialogue over confrontation, and advancing well-being for the peoples on both sides of the strait, under the principles of parity and dignity, remains unchanged. Regarding the matters I reported to the public today, I have instructed our national security and administrative teams to take swift action and deliver results, working within a stable strategic framework and according to the various policies and approaches I just outlined. I have also instructed them to keep a close watch on changes in the international situation, seize opportunities whenever they arise, and address the concerns and hope of the citizens with concrete actions. My fellow citizens, over the past several years, Taiwan has weathered a global pandemic and faced global challenges, both political and economic, arising from the US-China trade war and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Through it all, Taiwan has persevered; we have continued to develop our economy, bolster our national strength, and raise our international profile while garnering more support – all unprecedented achievements. This is all because Taiwan’s fate has never been decided by the external environment, but by the unity of the Taiwanese people and the resolve to never give up. A one-of-a-kind global situation is creating new strategic opportunities for our one-of-a-kind Taiwanese people, bringing new hope. Taiwan’s foundation is solid; its strength is great. So as long as everyone remains steadfast in their convictions, is willing to work hand in hand, stands firm amidst uncertainty, and looks for ways to win within changing circumstances, Taiwan is certain to prevail in the test of our time yet again, for I am confident that there are no difficulties that Taiwan cannot overcome. Thank you.
An EP survey of EU citizens aged 16-30 shows social media is their main information source, and that the majority are also aware of the risks of online disinformation.
Rising prices and the cost of living are a concern for 40% of the 16-30 year-olds who took part in the latest Eurobarometer Youth Survey published on Monday. One third of respondents said they believed the EU should focus its attention on the environment and climate change over the next five years, while 31% believe the economic situation and job creation should be a priority.
Almost three in ten (29%) want the EU to prioritise social protection, welfare and access to healthcare. More than one in five respondents highlighted education and training (27%), housing (23%) and the EU’s defence and security (21%) as important priorities for the EU. European defence is of particular concern for young people in Czechia (36%), Poland (33%), and Estonia (32%).
Roberta Metsola said: “Listening to young Europeans and their concerns is vital for politicians, policy-makers and European democracy. Young people today are worried about rising prices, climate change, security and their chances of finding a good job. These are concerns that we must address in every decision we take and every law that we pass. Otherwise, we risk losing a generation to disillusionment.”
Social media outrun TV as main source of information
Social media is the top source of information on political and social issues for 42% of respondents aged 16-30, with television being the second most-popular source (39%). The preference for TV is particularly noticeable among those aged 25-30. This age bracket is also more likely to use online news platforms and radio than 16-18 year-olds. Younger participants (16-18) rely more on social media (45%) than 25-30 year-olds (39%), and trust friends, family or colleagues for information (29% compared to 23%).
“The information landscape is rapidly changing. With most young people predominantly getting their news from social media, politicians and social media platforms have a particular responsibility to fight increasing disinformation,” President Metsola added.
TV also remains the leading source of information for young people in Portugal (53%), Italy (52%), Slovenia (45%), and France (43%). Online press and/or news platforms and radio are sources of information for 26% of the younger participants and 16% of their older counterparts. In the 2021 edition of the survey, the main sources of news were social media and news websites (each of which was mentioned by 41% of respondents).
Instagram and TikTok are the most used social media for news
Instagram is the top platform for obtaining political and social news among young people (47%), followed by TikTok (39%). X (formerly Twitter) is only used by 21% of young people, the survey shows.
Young people are aware of their exposure to disinformation
A significant majority (76%) of young people believed they had previously been exposed to disinformation and fake news.
In nine EU countries, more than half of respondents report having been exposed to disinformation ‘often’ or ‘very often’, with the highest proportions from Malta (59%), Hungary (58%), Greece (57%), Luxembourg (55%), and Belgium (54%). By contrast, the share of those who believe they have never been exposed to disinformation and fake news is the highest in Romania (19%) followed by Bulgaria (11%).
70% of the participants in the survey were confident they could recognise disinformation. Respondents from Malta and Croatia were the most confident in their ability to recognise disinformation, while those from Austria, Germany and Slovenia felt the least confident.
Background
The Eurobarometer Youth Survey was carried out by Ipsos between 25 September and 3 October 2024 in all 27 EU member states. A total of 25,863 young people aged 16-30 were surveyed via Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) using online panels. The results were weighted according to the proportion of this age group within each EU country.
Insights from the Eurobarometer Youth Survey provide a detailed understanding of the political participation of young Europeans and their needs and concerns. These findings will help ensure that Parliament’s flagship youth event,EYE2025, addresses topics that matter most to the EU’s young generation.
Registration for EYE2025 is open until 21 February. From 13-14 June 2025, the EYE will bring together thousands of young people from across the EU and beyond to debate, exchange views, and contribute to shaping Europe’s future in Parliament’s Strasbourg premises.
Once complete, the 2 storey building at Moseley Park School will have a fully equipped gym, tennis courts, sports hall and 5 new classrooms.
Work began last July and is progressing well with handover to the school, part of the Central Learning Partnership Trust, scheduled for May. Pupils are set to enjoy their new facilities from July.
Meanwhile stage 2 of the building works will include the demolition of the old sports hall to make way for a much needed staff car park.
Georgetta Holloway OBE, Chief Executive of the Central Learning Partnership Trust, said: “The existing sports facilities at Moseley Park School were very old and dated and in need of extensive repair, and so Central Learning Partnership Trust was delighted to commission building works for a brand new sports facility.
“We are delighted with progress and cannot wait for our students to make use of their new sports complex for the first time this summer, and we are pleased to finally offer the students at Moseley Park facilities that reflect their sporting talents.”
Councillor Stephen Simkins, Leader of the City of Wolverhampton Council, went to inspect the building work for himself on Wednesday and said: “This is a fantastic investment for Moseley Park School, for Bilston and indeed for the city as a whole, and I was pleased to be invited to see first hand how well the work is coming along.”
A report on Coventry City Council’s budget plans for April 2025 to March 2026 will recommend that fewer savings are needed than first feared.
Councillors will hear that the Local Authority has received a better than expected funding package from the government and that, coupled with the Council’s rigorous and careful approach to its financial planning, means not all of the cutbacks consulted on will be needed.
There will also be £2.2m of one-off investment to boost services covering highways, street cleansing, community safety and community events.
However, financial challenges are still there as the Council tries to deal with the impact of chronic historical underfunding.
Cllr Richard Brown, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, said: “I have always said that we should hope for the best but prepare for the worst and the settlement from the government is better than expected.
“We have always been very careful with our financial management, and ongoing work has put us in a better financial position than many other local councils. It means that many of the savings identified won’t be needed, which I’m really pleased about.
“We’ve listened to the consultation feedback from the public and stakeholders and have identified areas that we are recommending should not now be included in the budget setting process.
“At the same time, looking at the years ahead, the same challenges are still here. A combination of higher demand on services, inflation, and historical underfunding leaves us still well below the national average of government funding compared to other councils.”
Savings proposals that are no longer needed include:
Voluntary Sector Review in adult social care
Reductions in funding of street cleaning
Plans to increase War Memorial Car Park charges
Changes to The Council Tax Support Scheme
Reductions in funding to parks and open spaces
Despite the improved financial position, the Council will still be forced to announce an increase in Council Tax.
Cllr Brown added: “We still have to increase Council Tax to achieve a balanced budget, and this is an expectation that the government places on all local authorities. In future years I hope that reforms to the Council Tax system can be introduced that reduce the burden on local residents.
“The additional money we are receiving is welcome and it is good to know that the new government is listening to what we have been saying and the lobbying we have been doing on a fairer funding deal for local authorities for the last two years is being heard.
“That work will continue because if the city received the national average, then we’d have an additional £17m for our services for the residents in the city and we would be talking about investment in services rather than savings.
“We are not asking for special treatment but just that funding more accurately reflects the levels of need, demand and deprivation the city has overall.”
The Council is already investing £10m in new, LED streetlights that more efficient than the lights they will replace. It means that eventually lights will be kept on overnight through the savings made.
The Council is also proposing setting aside more than £2m in additional one-off funding to improve services. It includes £700,000 extra for road and pavement defects and £500,000 for tackling fly-tipping – two of the issues highlighted by residents during the recent consultation.
The Council report will be considered at its full Council meeting by all Council members on Tuesday 25 February before a final decision is made.
Financial pressures facing the Council include:
Approximately 83 per cent of the Council’s net budget is spent on three areas – homelessness, adult social care and children’s social care – up from just over 50 per cent in 2010. It leaves less than 17 per cent to pay for hundreds of other services the Council delivers every year.
This year the Council is already having to make £30m savings, on top of savings in previous years.
In the past 14 years there have been significant reductions in staff employed by the Council from 10,000 to 5,000, yet the city’s population has grown by 18 per cent in that time.
Over the past 14 years, Coventry’s core spending power has fallen in real terms by £1.6bn. That’s more than £100m (one average) every year.
In real terms, Coventry’s core spending power has fallen on average by over £100m every year or, in other words, we have £653 less to spend on every Coventry household.
Coventry’s spending power is also one of the lowest funding per head at £46 less per head compared to other councils nationally. The equivalent of £17m of a year.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
We continue our series of historical materials dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
On February 17, 1944, the Korsun-Shevchenkovsk operation, also known as the Korsun or Cherkasy pocket, ended with a crushing defeat for the German Army Group South.
In late December 1943 – early January 1944, the 1st Ukrainian Front under General of the Army Nikolai Vatutin and the 2nd Ukrainian Front led by General of the Army Ivan Konev carried out the Zhitomir-Berdichev and Kirovograd offensive operations, during which they surrounded the German group in the area of the city of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky. Thus, a deep salient was formed on the front, which the Germans held in the hope of restoring the front line along the Dnieper and preventing the further advance of the Russians to the southeast.
The general plan of the Red Army operation was to launch a counterattack at the base of the salient by the adjacent flanks of the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts. On January 24, 1944, the armies of the right wing of the 2nd Ukrainian Front went on the offensive. Two days later, units and formations of the left flank of the 1st Ukrainian Front joined the operation. Two days later, Konev’s and Vatutin’s troops met in the Zvenigorodka area – the ring around the Germans was closed.
In early February, the Wehrmacht made several attempts to break out of the encirclement, which had almost 60,000 soldiers. The commander of Army Group South, Erich von Manstein, who had at his disposal such famous divisions as Reich, Grossdeutschland, and Totenkopf, equipped with new Tigers and Panthers, planned not only to pull his own out of the cauldron, but also to encircle and destroy the 5th Guards and 6th Tank Armies of the Soviet troops. Despite certain successes, the Germans were unable to unblock the encircled group in two weeks of fierce fighting.
On February 16, Manstein gave the encircled troops the order to break through to meet his group with all their might. Having destroyed the faulty equipment, on the night of February 17, under fire from Soviet artillery, the Germans moved to make a mass breakthrough across the Gniloy Tikich River, the marshy banks and cold water of which became a grave for many German soldiers. About half of the encircled units managed to escape from the cauldron, and about 18,000 people were captured. The commander of the encircled group, General Wilhelm Stemmermann, was killed. All equipment and heavy weapons were abandoned. And the use of large tank formations by the relieving group in the conditions of a thaw and muddy roads led to their mass incapacitation. In subsequent battles, this equipment became trophies of the Red Army.
Despite the fact that the Soviet troops failed to completely destroy the enemy group, the operation was considered successful by the Supreme Command. Ivan Konev was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union, and Pavel Rotmistrov and Yakov Fedorenko became the first marshals of armored forces – this military rank was introduced the day before. The shortening of the front line made it possible to free up forces for further advance to the east.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/17/2025
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.
Danske Bank Bernstorffsgade 40 DK-1577 København V Tel. + 45 33 44 00 00
17 February 2025 Page 1 of 1
Danske Bank share buy-back programme: transactions in week 7
On 7 February 2025, Danske Bank A/S announced a share buy-back programme for a total of DKK 5 billion, with a maximum of 45,000,000 shares, in the period from 10 February 2025 to 30 January 2026, at the latest, as described in company announcement no. 6 2025.
The Programme is carried out in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (the “Market Abuse Regulation”) and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 (together with the Market Abuse Regulation, the “Safe Harbour Rules”).
The following transactions on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S were made under the share buy-back programme in week 7:
Number of shares
VWAP DKK
Gross value DKK
Accumulated, last announcement
–
–
–
10/02/2025
5,000
232.3009
1,161,505
11/02/2025
5,000
232.4115
1,162,058
12/02/2025
5,000
233.1137
1,165,569
13/02/2025
5,000
229.9277
1,149,639
14/02/2025
5,000
231.1261
1,155,631
Total accumulated over week 7
25,000
231.7760
5,794,400
Total accumulated during the share buyback programme
25,000
231.7760
5,794,400
With the transactions stated above, the total accumulated number of own shares under the share buy-back programme corresponds to 0.003% of Danske Bank A/S’ share capital.
Danske Bank
Contact: Claus Ingar Jensen, Head of Group Investor Relations, tel. +45 25 42 43 70
A spontaneous memorial of flowers in St Petersburg, Russia, on the day of Alexei Navalny’s death, February 16 2024.Aleksey Dushutin/Shutterstock
This is the best day of the past five months for me … This is my home … I am not afraid of anything and I urge you not to be afraid of anything either.
These were Alexei Navalny’s words after landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on January 17 2021. Russia’s leading opposition figure had spent the past months recovering in Germany from an attempt on his life by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Minutes after making his comments, Navalny was detained at border control. And he would remain behind bars until his death on February 16 2024, in the remote “Polar Wolf” penal colony within the Arctic Circle.
“Why did he return to Russia?” That’s the question I’m asked about Navalny most frequently. Wasn’t it a mistake to return to certain imprisonment, when he could have maintained his opposition to Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, from abroad?
But Navalny’s decision to return didn’t surprise me. I’ve researched and written about him extensively, including co-authoring Navalny: Putin’s Nemesis, Russia’s Future?, the first English-language, book-length account of his life and political activities. Defying the Kremlin by returning was a signature move, reflecting both his obstinacy and bravery. He wanted to make sure his supporters and activists in Russia did not feel abandoned, risking their lives while he lived a cushy life in exile.
The Insights section is committed to high-quality longform journalism. Our editors work with academics from many different backgrounds who are tackling a wide range of societal and scientific challenges.
Besides, Navalny wasn’t returning to certain imprisonment. A close ally of his, Vladimir Ashurkov, told me in May 2022 that his “incarceration in Russia was not a certainty. It was a probability, a scenario – but it wasn’t like he was walking into a certain long-term prison term.”
Also, Navalny hadn’t chosen to leave Russia in the first place. He was unconscious when taken by plane from Omsk to Berlin for treatment following his poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok in August 2020. Navalny had been consistent in saying he was a Russian politician who needed to remain in Russia to be effective.
In a subsequent interview, conducted in a forest on the outskirts of the German capital as he slowly recovered, Navalny said: “In people’s minds, if you leave the country, that means you’ve surrendered.”
Video: ACF.
Outrage, detention and death
Two days after Navalny’s final return to Russia, the Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF) – the organisation he established in 2011 – published its biggest ever investigation. The YouTube video exploring “Putin’s palace” on the Black Sea coast achieved an extraordinary 100 million views within ten days. By the start of February 2021, polling suggested it had been watched by more than a quarter of all adults in Russia.
Outrage at Navalny’s detention, combined with this Putin investigation, got people on to the streets. On January 23 2021, 160,000 people turned out across Russia in events that did not have prior approval from the authorities. More than 40% of the participants said they were taking part in a protest for the first time.
But the Russian authorities were determined to also make it their last time. Law enforcement mounted an awesome display of strength, detaining protesters and sometimes beating them. The number of participants at protests on January 31 and February 2 declined sharply as a result.
Between Navalny’s return to Russia in January 2021 and his death in February 2024, aged 47, he faced criminal case after criminal case, adding years and years to his time in prison and increasing the severity of his detention. By the time of his death, he was in the harshest type of prison in the Russian penitentiary system – a “special regime” colony – and was frequently sent to a punishment cell.
The obvious intent was to demoralise Navalny, his team and supporters – making an example of him to spread fear among anyone else who might consider mounting a challenge to the Kremlin. But Navalny fought back, as described in his posthumously published memoir, Patriot. He made legal challenges against his jailers. He went on hunger strike. And he formed a union for his fellow prisoners.
He also used his court appearances to make clear his political views, including following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, declaring: “I am against this war. I consider it immoral, fratricidal, and criminal.”
Navalny’s final public appearance was via video link. He was in good spirits, with his trademark optimism and humour still on display. Tongue firmly in cheek, he asked the judge for financial help:
Your Honour, I will send you my personal account number so that you can use your huge salary as a federal judge to ‘warm up’ my personal account, because I am running out of money.
Navalny died the following day. According to the prison authorities, he collapsed after a short walk and lost consciousness. Although the Russian authorities claimed he had died of natural causes, documents published in September 2024 by The Insider – a Russia-focused, Latvia-based independent investigative website – suggest Navalny may have been poisoned.
A mourner adds her tribute to Alexei Navalny’s grave in Moscow after his burial on March 1 2024. Aleksey Dushutin/Shutterstock
Whether or not Putin directly ordered his death, Russia’s president bears responsibility – for leading a system that tried to assassinate Navalny in August 2020, and for allowing his imprisonment following Navalny’s return to Russia in conditions designed to crush him.
Commenting in March 2024, Putin stated that, just days before Navalny’s death, he had agreed for his most vocal opponent to be included in a prisoner swap – on condition the opposition figure never returned to Russia. “But, unfortunately,” Putin added, “what happened, happened.”
‘No one will forget’
Putin is afraid of Alexei, even after he killed him.
Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s wife, wrote these words on January 10 2025 after reading a curious letter. His mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, had written to Rosfinmonitoring – a Russian state body – with a request for her son’s name to be removed from their list of “extremists and terrorists” now he was no longer alive.
The official response was straight from Kafka. Navalny’s name could not be removed as it had been added following the initiation of a criminal case against him. Even though he was dead, Rosfinmonitoring had not been informed about a termination of the case “in accordance with the procedure established by law”, so his name would have to remain.
This appears to be yet another instance of the Russian state exercising cruelty behind the veil of bureaucratic legality – such as when the prison authorities initially refused to release Navalny’s body to his mother after his death.
“Putin is doing this to scare you,” Yulia continued. “He wants you to be afraid to even mention Alexei, and gradually to forget his name. But no one will forget.”
Alexei Navalny and his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, at a protest rally in Moscow, May 2012. Dmitry Laudin/Shutterstock
Today, Navalny’s family and team continue his work outside of Russia – and are fighting to keep his name alive back home. But the odds are against them. Polling suggests the share of Russians who say they know nothing about Navalny or his activities roughly doubled to 30% between his return in January 2021 and his death three years later.
Navalny fought against an autocratic system – and paid the price with his life. Given the very real fears Russians may have of voicing support for a man still labelled an extremist by the Putin regime, it’s not easy to assess what people there really think of him and his legacy. But we will also never know how popular Navalny would have been in the “normal” political system he fought for.
What made Navalny the force he was?
Navalny didn’t mean for the humble yellow rubber duck to become such a potent symbol of resistance.
In March 2017, the ACF published its latest investigation into elite corruption, this time focusing on then-prime minister (and former president), Dmitry Medvedev. Navalny’s team members had become masters of producing slick videos that enabled their message to reach a broad audience. A week after posting, the film had racked up over 7 million views on YouTube – an extraordinary number at that time.
The film included shocking details of Medvedev’s alleged avarice, including yachts and luxury properties. In the centre of a large pond in one of these properties was a duck house, footage of which was captured by the ACF using a drone.
Video: ACF.
Such luxuries jarred with many people’s view of Medvedev as being a bit different to Putin and his cronies. As Navalny wrote in his memoir, Medvedev had previously seemed “harmless and incongruous”. (At the time, Medvedev’s spokeswoman said it was “pointless” to comment on the ACF investigation, suggesting the report was a “propaganda attack from an opposition figure and a convict”.)
But people were angry, and the report triggered mass street protests across Russia. They carried yellow ducks and trainers, a second unintended symbol from the film given Medvedev’s penchant for them.
Another reason why so many people came out to protest on March 26 2017 was the organising work carried out by Navalny’s movement.
The previous December, Navalny had announced his intention to run in the 2018 presidential election. As part of the campaign, he and his team created a network of regional headquarters to bring together supporters and train activists across Russia. Although the authorities had rejected Navalny’s efforts to register an official political party, this regional network functioned in much the same way, gathering like-minded people in support of an electoral candidate. And this infrastructure helped get people out on the streets.
The Kremlin saw this as a clear threat. According to a December 2020 investigation by Bellingcat, CNN, Der Spiegel and The Insider, the FSB assassination squad implicated in the Novichok poisoning of Navalny had started trailing him in January 2017 – one month after he announced his run for the presidency.
At the protests against Medvedev, the authorities’ growing intolerance of Navalny was also on display – he was detained, fined and sentenced to 15 days’ imprisonment.
The Medvedev investigation was far from the beginning of Navalny’s story as a thorn in the Kremlin’s side. But this episode brings together all of the elements that made Navalny the force he was: anti-corruption activism, protest mobilisation, attempts to run as a “normal” politician in a system rigged against him, and savvy use of social media to raise his profile in all of these domains.
Courting controversy
In Patriot, Navalny writes that he always “felt sure a broad coalition was needed to fight Putin”. Yet over the years, his attempts to form that coalition led to some of the most controversial points of his political career.
In a 2007 video, Navalny referred to himself as a “certified nationalist”, advocating for the deportation of illegal immigrants, albeit without using violence and distancing himself from neo-Nazism. In the video, he says: “We have the right to be Russians in Russia, and we’ll defend that right.”
Although alienating some, Navalny was attempting to present a more acceptable face of nationalism, and he hoped to build a bridge between nationalists and liberals in taking on the Kremlin’s burgeoning authoritarianism.
But the prominence of nationalism in Navalny’s political identity varied markedly over time, probably reflecting his shifting estimations of which platform could attract the largest support within Russia. By the time of his thwarted run in the 2018 presidential election, nationalist talking points were all but absent from his rhetoric.
However, some of these former comments and positions continue to influence how people view him. For example, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Navalny tried to take a pragmatic stance. While acknowledging Russia’s flouting of international law, he said that Crimea was “now part of the Russian Federation” and would “never become part of Ukraine in the foreseeable future”.
Many Ukrainians take this as clear evidence that Navalny was a Russian imperialist. Though he later revised his position, saying Crimea should be returned to Ukraine, some saw this as too little, too late. But others were willing to look past the more controversial parts of his biography, recognising that Navalny represented the most effective domestic challenge to Putin.
Another key attempt to build a broad political coalition was Navalny’s Smart Voting initiative. This was a tactical voting project in which Navalny’s team encouraged voters to back the individual thought best-placed to defeat the ruling United Russia candidate, regardless of the challenger’s ideological position.
The project wasn’t met with universal approval. Some opposition figures and voters baulked at, or flatly refused to consider, the idea of voting for people whose ideological positions they found repugnant – or whom they viewed as being “fake” opposition figures, entirely in bed with the authorities. (This makes clear that Navalny was never the leader of the political opposition in Russia; he was, rather, the leading figure of a fractious constellation of individuals and groups.)
But others relished the opportunity to make rigged elections work in their favour. And there is evidence that Smart Voting did sometimes work, including in the September 2020 regional and local elections, for which Navalny had been campaigning when he was poisoned with Novichok.
In an astonishing moment captured on film during his recovery in Germany, Navalny speaks to an alleged member of the FSB squad sent to kill him. Pretending to be the aide to a senior FSB official, Navalny finds out that the nerve agent had been placed in his underpants.
How do Russians feel about Navalny now?
It’s like a member of the family has died.
This is what one Russian friend told me after hearing of Navalny’s death a year ago. Soon afterwards, the Levada Center – an independent Russian polling organisation – conducted a nationally representative survey to gauge the public’s reaction to the news.
The poll found that Navalny’s death was the second-most mentioned event by Russian people that month, after the capture of the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka by Russian troops. But when asked how they felt about his death, 69% of respondents said they had “no particular feelings” either way – while only 17% said they felt “sympathy” or “pity”.
And that broadly fits with Navalny’s approval ratings in Russia. After his poisoning in 2020, 20% of Russians said they approved of his activities – but this was down to 11% by February 2024.
Video: BBC.
Of course, these numbers must be taken for what they are: polling in an authoritarian state regarding a figure vilified and imprisoned by the regime, during a time of war and amid draconian restrictions on free speech. To what extent the drop in support for Navalny was real, rather than reflecting the increased fear people had in voicing their approval for an anti-regime figure, is hard to say with certainty.
When asked why they liked Navalny, 31% of those who approved of his activities said he spoke “the truth”, “honestly” or “directly”. For those who did not approve of his activities, 22% said he was “paid by the west”, “represented” the west’s interests, that he was a “foreign agent”, a “traitor” or a “puppet”.
The Kremlin had long tried to discredit Navalny as a western-backed traitor. After Navalny’s 2020 poisoning, Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that “experts from the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency are working with him”. The Russian state claimed that, rather than a patriot exposing official malfeasance with a view to strengthening his country, Navalny was a CIA stooge intent on destroying Russia.
Peskov provided no evidence to back up this claim – and the official propaganda wasn’t believed by all. Thousands of Russians defied the authorities by coming out to pay their respects at Navalny’s funeral on March 1 2024. Many, if not all, knew this was a significant risk. Police employed video footage to track down members of the funeral crowd, including by using facial recognition technology.
The first person to be detained was a Muscovite the police claimed they heard shouting “Glory to the heroes!” – a traditional Ukrainian response to the declaration “Glory to Ukraine!”, but this time referencing Navalny. She spent a night in a police station before being fined for “displaying a banned symbol”.
Putin always avoided mentioning Navalny’s name in public while he was alive – instead referring to him as “this gentleman”, “the character you mentioned”, or the “Berlin patient”. (The only recorded instance of Putin using Navalny’s name in public when he was alive was in 2013.)
However, having been re-elected president in 2024 and with Navalny dead, Putin finally broke his long-held practice, saying: “As for Navalny, yes he passed away – this is always a sad event.” It was as if the death of his nemesis diminished the potency of his name – and the challenge that Navalny had long presented to Putin.
Nobody can become another Navalny
Someone else will rise up and take my place. I haven’t done anything unique or difficult. Anyone could do what I’ve done.
So wrote Navalny in the memoir published after his death. But that hasn’t happened: no Navalny 2.0 has yet emerged. And it’s no real surprise. The Kremlin has taken clear steps to ensure nobody can become another Navalny within Russia.
In 2021, the authorities made a clear decision to destroy Navalny’s organisations within Russia, including the ACF and his regional network. Without the organisational infrastructure and legal ability to function in Russia, no figure has been able to take his place directly.
More broadly, the fate of Navalny and his movement has had a chilling effect on the opposition landscape. So too have other steps taken by the authorities.
Russia has become markedly more repressive since the start of its war on Ukraine. The human rights NGO First Department looked into the number of cases relating to “treason”, “espionage” and “confidential cooperation with a foreign state” since Russia introduced the current version of its criminal code in 1997. Of the more than 1,000 cases, 792 – the vast majority – were initiated following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russian law enforcement has also used nebulous anti-extremism and anti-terrorism legislation to crack down on dissenting voices. Three of Navalny’s lawyers were sentenced in January 2025 for participating in an “extremist organisation”, as the ACF was designated by a Moscow court in June 2021. The Russian legislature has also passed a barrage of legislation relating to so-called “foreign agents”, to tarnish the work of those the regime regards as foreign-backed “fifth columnists”.
Mass street protests are largely a thing of the past in Russia. Restrictions were placed on public gatherings during the COVID pandemic – but these rules were applied selectively, with opposition individuals and groups being targeted. And opportunities for collective action were further reduced following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Freedom of speech has also come under assault. Article 29, point five of the Russian constitution states: “Censorship shall be prohibited.” But in September 2024, Kremlin spokesperson Peskov said: “In the state of war that we are in, restrictions are justified, and censorship is justified.”
Legislation passed very soon after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine made it illegal to comment on the Russian military’s activities truthfully – and even to call the war a war.
YouTube – the platform so central to Navalny’s ability to spread his message – has been targeted. Without banning it outright – perhaps afraid of the public backlash this might cause – the Russian state media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has slowed down internet traffic to the site within Russia. The result has been a move of users to other websites supporting video content, including VKontakte – a Russian social media platform.
In short, conditions in Russia are very different now compared to when Navalny first emerged. The relative freedom of the 2000s and 2010s gave him the space to challenge the corruption and authoritarianism of an evolving system headed by Putin. But this space has shrunk over time, to the point where no room remains for a figure like him within Russia.
In 2019, Navalny told Ivan Zhdanov, who is now director of the ACF: “We changed the regime, but not in the way we wanted.” So, did Navalny and his team push the Kremlin to become more authoritarian – making it not only intolerant of him but also any possible successor?
There may be some truth in this. And yet, the drastic steps taken by the regime following the start of the war on Ukraine suggest there were other, even more significant factors that have laid bare the violent nature of Putin’s personal autocracy – and the president’s disdain for dissenters.
Plenty for Russians to be angry about
How can we win the war when dedushka [grandpa] is a moron?
In June 2023, Evgeny Prigozhin – a long-time associate of Putin and head of the private military Wagner Group – staged an armed rebellion, marching his forces on the Russian capital. This was not a full-blown political movement against Putin. But the target of Prigozhin’s invective against Russia’s military leadership had become increasingly blurry, testing the taboo of direct criticism of the president – who is sometimes referred to, disparagingly, as “grandpa” in Russia.
And Prigozhin paid the price. In August 2023, he was killed when the private jet he was flying in crashed after an explosion on board. Afterwards, Putin referred to Prigozhin as a “talented person” who “made serious mistakes in life”.
In the west, opposition to the Kremlin is often associated with more liberal figures like Navalny. Yet the most consequential domestic challenge to Putin’s rule came from a very different part of the ideological spectrum – a figure in Prigozhin leading a segment of Russian society that wanted the Kremlin to prosecute its war on Ukraine even more aggressively.
Video: BBC.
Today, there is plenty for Russians to be angry about, and Putin knows it. He recently acknowledged an “overheating of the economy”. This has resulted in high inflation, in part due to all the resources being channelled into supporting the war effort. Such cost-of-living concerns weigh more heavily than the war on the minds of most Russians.
A favourite talking point of the Kremlin is how Putin imposed order in Russia following the “wild 1990s” – characterised by economic turbulence and symbolised by then-president Boris Yeltsin’s public drunkenness. Many Russians attribute the stability and rise in living standards they experienced in the 2000s with Putin’s rule – and thank him for it by providing support for his continued leadership.
The current economic problems are an acute worry for the Kremlin because they jeopardise this basic social contract struck with the Russian people. In fact, one way the Kremlin tried to discredit Navalny was by comparing him with Yeltsin, suggesting he posed the same threats as a failed reformer. In his memoir, Navalny concedes that “few things get under my skin more”.
Although originally a fan of Yeltsin, Navalny became an ardent critic. His argument was that Yeltsin and those around him squandered the opportunity to make Russia a “normal” European country.
Navalny also wanted Russians to feel entitled to more. Rather than be content with their relative living standards compared with the early post-Soviet period, he encouraged them to imagine the level of wealth citizens could enjoy based on Russia’s extraordinary resources – but with the rule of law, less corruption, and real democratic processes.
‘Think of other possible Russias’
When looking at forms of criticism and dissent in Russia today, we need to distinguish between anti-war, anti-government, and anti-Putin activities.
Despite the risk of harsh consequences, there are daily forms of anti-war resistance, including arson attacks on military enlistment offices. Some are orchestrated from Ukraine, with Russians blackmailed into acting. But other cases are likely to be forms of domestic resistance.
Criticism of the government is still sometimes possible, largely because Russia has a “dual executive” system, consisting of a prime minister and presidency. This allows the much more powerful presidency to deflect blame to the government when things go wrong.
There are nominal opposition parties in Russia – sometimes referred to as the “systemic opposition”, because they are loyal to the Kremlin and therefore tolerated by the system. Within the State Duma, these parties often criticise particular government ministries for apparent failings. But they rarely, if ever, now dare criticise Putin directly.
Nothing anywhere close to the challenge presented by Navalny appears on the horizon in Russia – at either end of the political spectrum. But the presence of clear popular grievances, and the existence of organisations (albeit not Navalny’s) that could channel this anger should the Kremlin’s grip loosen, mean we cannot write off all opposition in Russia.
Navalny’s wife, Yulia, has vowed to continue her husband’s work. And his team in exile maintain focus on elite corruption in Russia, now from their base in Vilnius, Lithuania. The ACF’s most recent investigation is on Igor Sechin, CEO of the oil company Rosneft.
But some have argued this work is no longer as relevant as it was. Sam Greene, professor in Russian politics at King’s College London, captured this doubt in a recent Substack post:
[T]here is a palpable sense that these sorts of investigations may not be relevant to as many people as they used to be, given everything that has transpired since the mid-2010s, when they were the bread and butter of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. Some … have gone as far as to suggest that they have become effectively meaningless … and thus that Team Navalny should move on.
Navalny’s team are understandably irritated by suggestions they’re no longer as effective as they once were. But it’s important to note that this criticism has often been sharpest within Russia’s liberal opposition. The ACF has been rocked, for example, by recent accusations from Maxim Katz, one such liberal opposition figure, that the organisation helped “launder the reputations” of two former bank owners. In their response, posted on YouTube, the ACF referred to Katz’s accusations as “lies” – but this continued squabbling has left some Russians feeling “disillusioned and unrepresented”.
So, what will Navalny’s long-term legacy be? Patriot includes a revealing section on Mikhail Gorbachev – the last leader of the Soviet Union, whom Navalny describes as “unpopular in Russia, and also in our family”. He continues:
Usually, when you tell foreigners this, they are very surprised, because Gorbachev is thought of as the person who gave Eastern Europe back its freedom and thanks to whom Germany was reunited. Of course, that is true … but within Russia and the USSR he was not particularly liked.
At the moment, there is a similar split in perceptions of Navalny. Internationally, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament, and a documentary about him won an Oscar.
But there are also those outside of Russia who remain critical: “Navalny’s life has brought no benefit to the Ukrainian victory; instead, he has caused considerable harm,” wrote one Ukrainian academic. “He fuelled the illusion in the west that democracy in Russia is possible.”
Trailer for the Oscar-winning documentary Navalny.
Inside Russia, according to Levada Center polling shortly after his death, 53% of Russians thought Navalny played “no special role” in the history of the country, while 19% said he played a “rather negative” role. Revealingly, when commenting on Navalny’s death, one man in Moscow told RFE/RL’s Russian Service: “I think that everyone who is against Russia is guilty, even if they are right.”
But, for a small minority in Russia, Navalny will go down as a messiah-like figure who miraculously cheated death in 2020, then made the ultimate sacrifice in his battle of good and evil with the Kremlin. This view may have been reinforced by Navalny’s increasing openness about his Christian faith.
Ultimately, Navalny’s long-term status in Russia will depend on the nature of the political system after Putin has gone. Since it seems likely that authoritarianism will outlast Putin, a more favourable official story about Navalny is unlikely to emerge any time soon. However, how any post-Putin regime tries to make sense of Navalny’s legacy will tell us a lot about that regime.
While he was alive, Navalny stood for the freer Russia in which he had emerged as a leading opposition figure – and also what he called the “Beautiful Russia of the Future”. Perhaps, after his death, his lasting legacy in Russia remains the ability for some to think – if only in private – of other possible Russias.
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Ben Noble has previously received funding from the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust. He is an Associate Fellow of Chatham House.
#iubilaeum2025 – Holy Mass on the occasion of the Jubilee of Artists and the World of Culture, 16.02.2025
At 10.00 this morning, Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, on the occasion of the Jubilee of Artists and the World of Culture, His Eminence Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, presided over Holy Mass in the Vatican Basilica.
The following is the text of the homily prepared by the Holy Father, read by Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça:
In the Gospel we have just heard, Jesus proclaims the Beatitudes to his disciples and to a large crowd of people. We have heard them so many times, and yet they never cease to amaze us: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Lk 6:20–21). These words overturn our worldly mentality and invite us to look at reality with new eyes, with God’s gaze, so we can see beyond appearances and recognize beauty even amidst frailty and suffering.
The second part of the Gospel passage contains harsh and admonishing words: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep” (Lk 6:24–25). The contrast between “blessed are you” and “woe to you” reminds us of the importance of discerning where we find our security.
As artists and representatives of the world of culture, you are called to be witnesses to the revolutionary vision of the Beatitudes. Your mission is not only to create beauty, but to reveal the truth, goodness and beauty hidden within the folds of history, to give voice to the voiceless, to transform pain into hope.
We live in a time of complex financial and social crises, but ours is above all a spiritual crisis, a crisis of meaning. Let us ask ourselves questions about time and about purpose. Are we pilgrims or wanderers? Does our journey have a destination, or are we directionless? Artists have the task of helping humanity not to lose its way and to keep a hopeful outlook.
Be aware, however, that hope is not easy, superficial or abstract. No! True hope is interwoven within the drama of human existence. Hope is not a convenient refuge, but a fire that burns and irradiates light, like the word of God. That is why authentic art always expresses an encounter with mystery, with the beauty that surpasses us, with the pain that challenges us, with the truth that calls us. Otherwise, “woe to us!” The Lord’s warning is stern.
As the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote, “The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil”. The mission of the artist is to discover this hidden greatness and reveal it, making it perceptible to our eyes and hearts. The same poet also perceived “the leaden echo” and “the golden echo” in the world. Artists are sensitive to these resonances, and through their work, they engage in discernment about the various echoes of the events of this world and help others to do the same. Men and women who represent the world of culture are called upon to evaluate these echoes, to explain them to us and to show us which path they lead us down: either they are seductive songs of sirens or the authentic appeals to humanity. You are asked to provide insight in order to help distinguish between what is like “chaff scattered by the wind” and what is solid, “like trees planted by streams of water”, capable of bearing fruit (cf. Ps 1:3-4).
Dear artists, I see in you guardians of beauty who are willing to attend to the brokenness of our world, listen to the cry of those who are poor, suffering, wounded, imprisoned persecuted or refugees. I see in you guardians of the Beatitudes! We live in a time when new walls are being erected, when differences become a pretext for division rather than an opportunity for mutual enrichment. But you, men and women of the world of culture, are called to build bridges, to create spaces for encounter and dialogue, to enlighten minds and warm hearts.
Some might say: “But what is the use of art in our wounded world? Are there not more urgent, more practical, more pressing things to do?”. And yet, art is not a luxury, but something that the spirit needs. It is not a flight from reality, but a charge, a call to action, an appeal and a cry. Educating about true beauty is educating about hope. And hope is never separated from the drama of existence; it runs through our daily struggles, the hardships of life and the challenges of our time.
In the Gospel we have heard today, Jesus proclaims as blessed those who are poor, afflicted, meek and persecuted. It is a change of mentality, a revolution of perspective. Artists are called to take part in this revolution. The world needs prophetic artists, courageous intellectuals and creators of culture.
Let the Gospel of the Beatitudes guide you, and may your art be a herald of a new world. Let us see your poetry! Never cease searching, questioning and taking risks. True art is never easy; it offers the peace of restlessness. And do not forget that hope is not an illusion; beauty is not a utopia. Yours is not a random gift but a calling. Respond, then, with generosity, passion and love.
A report will go before Cabinet on Wednesday (19 February) with councillors recommended to approve the proposed increase to help sustain the adult social care market.
The hourly rate paid to home care providers, for reablement and home based respite, nursing and residential care providers supporting under 65s, older people and older people with dementia, supported living services, Shared Lives and providers of day care services will rise by 6.6% if the proposals are agreed.
Meanwhile, the agency rate for Direct Payments for adults, carers and children will increase by 6.6%, while the rate for employed personal assistants will rise by 9.91% and self employed personal assistants by 9.33%.
If the proposals are approved, the new fee structure will be introduced on 7 April, 2025.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: “Our city’s adult social care providers have a vital role to play in supporting our most vulnerable residents, and we are determined to do all we can to support the sector.
“We know that, like other employers, adult care and support providers are continuing to face a perfect storm of rising costs – compounded by inflation and changes to the National Living Wage and National Insurance – along with recruitment issues and so we are pleased to be able to propose these above inflation increases, despite the well documented pressures the council is also facing at this time.
“These proposed increases of between 6.6% and 9.91% for the next financial year follow on from the significant increase in rates we announced for 2023 to 2024 of between 7.45% and 9.79% and 11.85% and 20.36% the year before, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to local adult social care providers.”
She added: “Quality of provision across all adult social care sectors has been factored when considering the proposed care fee increases, and this will be monitored through our improved quality assurance processes to ensure we are delivering high quality services across the city, while delivering value for money for taxpayers.”
VICTORIA, Seychelles, Feb. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, announced the launch of its first Bitget Graduate Program, an initiative designed to recruit and cultivate the next generation of blockchain and Web3 talent from top global universities. As part of Bitget’s Blockchain4Youth Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, this program aligns with the company’s plans of driving education, innovation, and long-term growth in the blockchain industry.
The Bitget Graduate Program seeks outstanding graduates with a global mindset, a passion for innovation, and a strong drive to explore the future of Web3. The program provides career opportunities across various fields, including operations, product management, marketing, risk & compliance, data management, and engineering, enabling participants to gain hands-on experience in one of the fastest-growing sectors.
Applications are now open on the Bitget official website and will remain available until March 15, 2025. Successful candidates will receive offer letters to join Bitget, with the earliest start date being April 1. Through this program, Bitget plans to hire around 30 exceptional graduates, offering them a structured development program, cross-functional training, and direct mentorship from industry experts. Participants will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge blockchain projects and contribute to expanding Web3 applications.
“At Bitget, we believe the future of Web3 lies in the hands of the next generation,” said Vugar Usi Zade, Chief Operating Officer at Bitget. “The Graduate Program is designed to bridge the gap between ambition and opportunity, providing young professionals with a direct pathway to immerse themselves in the blockchain industry. As Web3 adoption accelerates, we are committed to equipping future leaders with the skills and experiences they need to shape the decentralized world.”
Bitget offers a dynamic and diverse workplace, with over 1,800 employees from over 60 countries and a culture that values efficiency, innovation, and collaboration. The program offers competitive compensation, clear career development pathways, and growth opportunities within Bitget.
Launched in May 2023, Blockchain4Youth aligns with Bitget’s commitment to inspiring the next generation to embrace blockchain. With a $10 million pledge over five years, the initiative offers courses, hackathons, and scholarships. By the end of 2024, Bitget had entered over 60 universities, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University College London (UCL), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, National Technological University of Argentina, National Taiwan University, and RMIT University, hosting nearly 100 talks and reaching over 13,000 students.
For more details on the Bitget Graduate Program and application process, visit this link.
About Bitget
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 100 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.
Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM market, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.
Risk Warning: Digital asset prices may fluctuate and experience price volatility. Only invest what you can afford to lose. The value of your investment may be impacted and it is possible that you may not achieve your financial goals or be able to recover your principal investment. You should always seek independent financial advice and consider your own financial experience and financial standing. Past performance is not a reliable measure of future performance. Bitget shall not be liable for any losses you may incur. Nothing here shall be construed as financial advice.
The 27th Lunar New Year parade and festival returned to Chinatown in Lower Manhattan, New York City, on Sunday despite unusual downpours.
The rain didn’t dampen the high spirits of the celebration’s participants, who enjoyed a display of floats, bands and performances like dragon and lion dances. Thousands of people from far and near lined up the streets in Chinatown and they also had a chance to patronize booths and restaurants in the area.
Huang Shanren, a calligraphist originally from southeast China’s Fuzhou city joined the parade, holding his calligraphy work — a big-sized golden character “Fu” which means good fortune in Chinese — on red paper.
Chinese “Fu” culture has a history of thousands of years and there’s a need to carry it on, said Huang.
The lanterns hung over the streets in Chinatown make people recognize the area easily and the decorations are really interesting, British tourist Louise Phosie told Xinhua. She said that she got to know the parade from a YouTube video and wanted to see traditional Chinese symbolisms like the dragon and the dressing up.
“Though it’s raining, I heard rain promises a good harvest,” said Anne, a New Yorker from Brooklyn, expressing her hope for a prosperous year in 2025.
The celebrations also had the presence of guests like Senator of New York and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Chinese Consul General in New York Chen Li.
The annual event has become a cultural attraction that helps bring foot traffic and business to Chinatown.
This photo shows a Yangwang U7 of BYD at the 22nd Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, Nov. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
China’s auto industry witnessed a steady start to the year, with both production and sales posting year-on-year increases in January, industry data showed on Monday.
Total auto output reached 2.15 million units last month, up 3.3 percent year on year, while sales grew 0.8 percent year on year to top 2.13 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
New energy vehicles performed strongly, with sales surging 29.4 percent year on year to 944,000 units in January — accounting for 38.9 percent of total new vehicle sales last month.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s Xiamen exports over 30 mln e-commerce parcels via air route to Sao Paulo
Updated: February 17, 2025 15:58Xinhua
China’s Xiamen has exported over 30 million cross-border e-commerce parcels since an air cargo route linking it with Sao Paulo in Brazil was launched two years ago.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
More foreign language editions of ‘Understanding Xi Jinping’s Educational Philosophy’ published
BEIJING, Feb. 17 — The French, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic editions of “Understanding Xi Jinping’s Educational Philosophy” have been jointly published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press and the Higher Education Press.
Originally published in Chinese in 2020, the book offers a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the important educational discourses of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
The newly released French, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic editions, alongside the previously published English version, are valuable resources for international readers to understand the historical context and rich content of China’s educational reform and development in the new era.
The translations were carried out under the guidance of the Ministry of Education.
Headline: Qatar 1812km: Preview
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing starts WEC season with Qatar challenge
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will continue its mission to make ever-better motorsports-bred cars and put smiles on the faces of fans across the globe by competing with two GR010 HYBRID race cars in the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship, starting on Friday 28 February in Qatar.
LONDON, Feb. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BitconeMine, the leading AI-driven cloud mining platform, is making waves in the cryptocurrency industry by offering a limited-time $10 login mining bonus to new users. The initiative aims to lower the barrier to entry for crypto enthusiasts and provide a seamless, cost-effective way to start earning Bitcoin through cloud mining.
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Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture
17 February 2025
Who does this notice affect?
Approved arrangements operators, customs brokers, importers, manned depots, and freight forwarders who are required to book and manage requests for inspections through the Biosecurity Portal.
Approved arrangements operators who will be required to view and/or update details of their Approved Arrangement via the Approved Arrangement Management Product (AAMP).
Approved arrangement operators attempting to access online…
China’s first privately-funded aeroengine test facility has begun construction in Chongzhou, Sichuan Province. The groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 13 marked the official launch of the 2.25-billion-yuan (about 314 million U.S. dollars) project, led by ZhongFaTianXin (SiChuan) Aviation Technology Co., Ltd, which aims to address long-standing challenges in high-altitude testing for small and medium-sized aircraft engines, according to the publicity office of the Chongzhou municipal government. Slated for completion by 2027, the facility, also a light aircraft engine production base, will provide critical research and development support for next-generation aircraft, including drones, flying cars, and low-altitude vehicles, while advancing China’s burgeoning low-altitude economy, said Liu Chen, chairman of ZhongfaTianxin. Aeroengines, often dubbed the “heart of aircraft,” require rigorous testing under extreme conditions to ensure reliability. In recent decades, China has invested heavily in high-altitude simulation infrastructure to develop indigenous engines. Li Tao, head of the regional cooperation department of the Chongzhou economic development zone, said that there are currently limited high-performance testing platforms for aeroengines in the country, and those available for the civil market are even rarer. “A high-performance testing platform that serves all society will provide significant support for the development of Chongzhou’s low-altitude aviation economy and facilitate the gathering of upstream and downstream industries. This will become the testing ground for the ‘heart of aircraft,’” said Li. The Chongzhou facility will enable manufacturers to test engines for thrust, durability, and safety without relying on foreign technology. “This facility is 100 percent domestically designed and controlled, with performance reaching international standards,” said Liu, noting that the project timeline has been shortened from five to three years to accelerate innovation. Additionally, Feb. 13 also marked a major milestone for the Hongyuan aviation power industrial park project in Chongzhou. With a total investment of 600 million yuan, the project aims to establish a research, manufacturing, and maintenance base for large turbofan engine components. The base will also see the completion of drones, small aeroengines, as well as carbon fiber prepregs and composite structural components, according to the publicity office of the Chongzhou municipal government. These projects underscore Chongzhou’s ambition to build a “Sky City” by 2027 — a vision of integrated manufacturing, testing and urban air mobility services.
The gross domestic product of 27 Chinese cities surpassed 1 trillion yuan ($137.87 billion) in 2024, according to People’s Daily overseas edition on Monday.
Shanghai, China’s financial hub, and Beijing, the capital city, claimed the first and second positions in the rankings, with respective GDPs of 5.39 trillion yuan and 4.98 trillion yuan in 2024.
Shenzhen, Chongqing and Guangzhou each exceeded 3 trillion yuan in GDP, while Suzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Wuhan surpassed 2 trillion yuan last year.
In terms of growth rate, six cities saw GDP growth rates above 6 percent, with Quanzhou leading at 6.5 percent.
These cities generally possess a well-established industrial system and large-scale industries, said Pan Helin, a member of the expert committee for information and communication economy under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The industries in these cities cover high-end manufacturing, modern service industry and scientific and technological innovation, forming a diversified economic structure, according to Pan.
These cities focus on innovation-driven economies, boasting strong scientific research capabilities and innovation potential, which enables continuous industrial upgrading and transformation.
In addition, their advantageous geographical locations and transportation networks facilitate resource aggregation and circulation, promoting rapid economic growth, Pan noted.
In the future, these cities should continue to foster a more convenient, efficient and transparent business environment, focus on improving people’s livelihoods and social services, and strengthen the development of public service systems, Pan added.
Invalda INVL Group today announces that it has successfully completed a first closing of its second-generation private equity fund (“INVL Private Equity Fund II”), reaching EUR 305 million and exceeding its target of EUR 250 million.
The INVL Private Equity Fund II has received strong backing from both existing and new investors, forming an exceptional investor base. This includes some of the most successful entrepreneurs from across the Baltics, family offices and institutional investors such as the European Investment Fund, pensions funds managed by Luminor asset management companies, SB Asset Management and IPAS INVL Asset Management in Latvia, as well as life insurance company UAB SB Draudimas. Fundraising will continue to reach a hard cap of EUR 400 million.
The minimum investment in the INVL Private Equity Fund II was EUR 10 million. However, investors could invest in the fund via INVL Private Equity Capital Fund II with a ticket as low as EUR 125,000 which subsequently reached a total size of EUR 116 million.
To fully align interests with the INVL Private Equity Fund II investors, Invalda INVL and the fund’s management team have also invested EUR 32.7 million, currently representing 11% of the total fund size.
Darius Šulnis, CEO at Invalda INVL, commented:“This highly successful fundraising reflects investors’ trust in our work, as well as a pragmatic view on the region’s perspectives and potential. It also signals opportunities for companies and countries in the region seeking investment.
INVL Private Equity Fund II will invest in businesses across Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Romania and the broader EU – backing those with the potential to become leaders in their competitive fields and drive value creation, along with the talented and determined people behind their success. In a rapidly changing environment, we see an increasing number of attractive investment opportunities. Having successfully built and developed multiple businesses, we understand the dedication, ambition and challenges that come with seizing new opportunities and driving growth. We take an active role in companies’ development, believing that this is the key to delivering strong returns for our investors – whose support, capital and high standards empower us to act.”
Deimantė Korsakaitė, Managing Partner at INVL Private Equity Fund II and INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund, added: ”This is a historic milestone for the Baltics, as we have announced the largest private equity fund ever raised in the region. We are extremely grateful to our investors for their trust. It is both an honour and a great responsibility to uphold this confidence in us. We will continue the successful strategy of our predecessor, the INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund and remain fully committed to work hand-in-hand with management teams to drive transformative growth and create long-term value for companies, our investors as well as contributing to the growth of the economy. We strongly believe that our experience and network bolster our capabilities as a value-add partner to companies.”
Asta Jovaišienė, Head of INVL Family Office, said: “We are delighted to be part of this record alongside our clients. At the same time, it demonstrates that our family office offers exceptional solutions that meet investors’ needs for sustainable and long-term results.“
The new fund will build on the strategy of the INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund, seizing attractive opportunities across the Baltics, Poland, Romania and the broader EU. The INVL Private Equity Fund II is sector-agnostic and will invest in companies with the potential to become regional leaders in their respective industries, focusing on acquiring majority or significant minority stakes. Through active investment management, the fund aims to drive long-term value creation.
The strategy includes forming a diversified portfolio of 10–12 investments, providing late-stage growth capital to target companies and executing both buyout and buy-and-build strategies. Investment size will typically be in the region of EUR 10 million to EUR 40 million, with a preferred equity ticket of around EUR 25-30 million. However, the fund will also pursue larger deals together with co-investors.
Deimantė Korsakaitėcontinued: “The predecessor INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund which raised EUR 165 million closed the year in 2024 with a 25% net internal rate of return (NetIRR), total value to paid-in capital (TVPI) exceeding 2x and having announced the first agreed exit from its portfolio company InMedica that is to become one of the largest investments in healthcare services in the Baltics to date.”
About INVL Private Equity Fund II
The EUR 305 million INVL Private Equity Fund II is the largest private equity fund in the Baltics. It aims to build a diversified portfolio by acquiring majority or significant minority stakes in high-growth companies, with investment sizes ranging from EUR 10 million to EUR 40 million. The fund focuses on businesses with strong potential to grow and compete amid intensifying global competition, targeting opportunities in the Baltic countries, Poland, Romania and the broader Europe Union.
The fund is managed by INVL Asset Management, the leading Baltic alternative asset manager, which is a part of the Invalda INVL Group with over 30 years of experience. The group’s companies manage or have under supervision more than EUR 1.6 billion in assets across various investment strategies, including private equity, forests and agricultural land, renewable energy, real estate, and private debt. Additionally, the group provides family office services in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, manages pension funds in Latvia and invests in global third-party funds.
Additional information: Darius Šulnis CEO of Invalda INVL darius.sulnis@invl.com
Police are investigating after a Dog Operations vehicle was set alight over the weekend.
Just before 10.30pm on Sunday 16 February, police were called to Sussex Court at Oakden in response to a disturbance.
A Dog Operations patrol was called in to assist and the officer parked the vehicle on Sussex Court.
PD Jax and his handler exited the car and began searching the area, while PD Gus remained in the rear of the vehicle.
About 15 minutes later the officer noticed a dark figure near the rear of the vehicle and saw something impact the rear open tailgate and burst into flames.
The officer quickly approached the vehicle and put the fire out. Thankfully, PD Gus did not require treatment and was unaffected by the fire.
MFS crews attended and checked the utility and advised only minor damage was caused and it was safe to continue driving.
Crime Scene officers attended to examine the car and the scene.
Police are investigating the incident and ask anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area, has CCTV or dashcam footage or has information that may assist to please contact Crime Stoppers.
You can anonymously provide information to Crime Stoppers online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or call 1800 333 000.
The Albanese Government is continuing its work to close the digital divide for First Nations people and communities, with three new programs aimed at boosting First Nations digital inclusion now accepting applications. The new programs are part of the Government’s $68 million investment in First Nations digital inclusion measures announced in the 2024-25 Federal Budget and will contribute to achieving equal levels of digital inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under Target 17 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The $20 million First Nations Community Wi-Fi Program will fund eligible projects to roll-out free community Wi-Fi solutions in remote and very remote First Nations communities. Successful grantees will be required to work closely in consultation with communities to deliver place-based solutions for a minimum period of five years. This program will build on the success of the Government’s NBN Community Wi-Fi Program announced in February 2024, which is delivering free Wi-Fi connectivity in 23 remote First Nations communities in partnership with NBN Co. Applications are also being sought for the First Nations Digital Support Hub Program and Network of Digital Mentors Program, which will support First Nations Australians to be online safely and effectively, and determine which connectivity options are best for them.
A total of $4 million over two years is available for the development and delivery of a Digital Support Hub to provide national assistance online and over the phone to First Nations peoples and communities to help them develop their digital and connectivity literacy.
The Digital Support Hub is complemented by $18 million in funding over three years to support the establishment of a Network of Digital Mentors, delivered in remote First Nations communities. The Digital Mentors will provide mentorship and training to improve digital literacy and assist community members to safely participate in the digital economy.
Collectively, these programs work to support digital inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities by providing accessible, place‑based and culturally safe solutions that are tailored to the needs of individual communities. All three programs have been established on the recommendation of the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group, who has provided aninitial reportandRoadmapto Government on ways to close the digital divide. Applications for the First Nations Digital Support Hub and Network of Digital Mentors Programs close on 13 March 2025.
Applications for the First Nations Community Wi-Fi Program close on 24 April 2025. To apply, visit:GrantConnect For more information on First Nations Digital Inclusion, visitwww.infrastructure.gov.au/FNDI Quotes attributable to the Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP: “We’re committed to bridging the digital divide for First Nations Australians, including those living in regional, remote and very remote communities. “Access to fast and reliable connectivity is absolutely essential for communicating, working, accessing healthcare and education – and for fully participating in today’s world. “Which is why, through these programs, we hope to see stronger access to services and opportunities for First Nations communities across Australia. “I encourage all eligible organisations to apply for these programs and work with us to close the gap on digital inclusion.” Quotes attributable to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy: “Digital inclusion is about ensuring all Australians are able to access and benefit from digital technologies – no matter where they live. “That is why we are committed to working with First Nations people to bridge the digital divide, provide access to information and services and address the barriers to participating online. “I look forward to seeing these programs commence their roll out this year – empowering remote and very remote communities across the country through digital connectivity.”
Under the strong support of various Mainland authorities and medical institutions, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said it once again received a cross-boundary organ donation from the Mainland, and a heart transplant was successfully done for an eight-month-old girl, Whitney, at Hong Kong Children’s Hospital (HKCH) yesterday evening.
In a press release, the Hong Kong SAR Government thanked the Mainland authorities for their strong support in providing emergency assistance to Hong Kong citizens.
Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau pointed out that upon the central government’s approval, more than 100 personnel from 18 Mainland authorities worked together to ensure the safe and smooth transportation of the organ across multiple locations.
“The second cross-boundary organ donation case this time has demonstrated a more effective co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong.
“This once again exemplified that both the Mainland and Hong Kong share the principle and mission in protecting and saving lives, which is of great significance.”
Whitney’s parents expressed gratitude for the assistance from the Mainland authorities and the Hong Kong SAR Government in finding a suitable heart for their daughter. They were also thankful to the Mainland and Hong Kong medical teams for their unwavering effort in saving Whitney’s life.
Moreover, they were very thankful for the altruistic decision made by the donor’s family during their time of difficulty, and stressed that this selflessness has given Whitney a chance for a new life.
HKCH Cardiothoracic Surgery Consultant Dr Nicholson Yam, who was in-charge of the transplant, explained that the heart procurement operation was performed in the Mainland earlier yesterday by heart transplant experts sent by the National Quality Control Centre for Health Transplantation in Beijing, while the HKCH performed the transplant operation immediately upon receiving the heart in the afternoon on the same day.
Whitney is now being closely monitored in the intensive care unit. The clinical team will strive to provide optimal care according to her conditions and medical needs.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Pryke, Honorary Research Associate, Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Sydney
Lisa Tomasetti/Opera Australia
“It’s an old song”, Hermes (Christine Anu) sings at the opening of Hadestown, but “we’re gonna sing it again and again”.
Based on a myth first told in Greece over 2,500 years ago, Hadestown is a modern retelling of the story of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice.
In ancient Greece, Orpheus was considered the greatest of all musicians, due to his divine heritage. His musical ability makes Orpheus uniquely well suited as the lead for a musical.
In the myth and the musical, Orpheus descends into the Underworld to retrieve his wife, Eurydice, after her untimely death. Moved by his powerful song, the king and queen of the Underworld, Hades and Persephone, allow Orpheus to leave their realm with Eurydice.
One condition: Orpheus must not look back at his wife until they have fully emerged from the underworld.
It’s a tale of a love from long ago
The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is one of the most retold myths from antiquity, likely due to its narrative focus on love, loss, and the human condition.
The ancient story of Orpheus and Eurydice is best known from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Virgil’s Georgics. While Ovid places Orpheus in a world governed by unpredictable gods, Virgil’s focus on natural order means that the tragic events feel predetermined.
There are numerous other ancient versions, including a mention in Plato’s Symposium, where the philosopher (somewhat unfairly) suggests the musician lacked commitment to his lover.
During the Middle Ages, Eurydice was paralleled with biblical Eve. Eurydice and Eve were both figures known to have unfortunate encounters with snakes, and both were viewed as vulnerable to sin (in Eurydice’s case, being carried away by Hades).
Orpheus was sometimes seen as a Christ-like figure, with his descent to hell compared to Christ’s journey to save souls. Indeed, Orpheus is referenced by his fellow traveller to Hell, Dante, in his Inferno.
Jean Raoux, Orpheus and Eurydice, about 1709. Getty Museum
The love story of Orpheus and Eurydice recently featured in the Netflix series Kaos (2024). The story is referenced in video games Don’t Look Back (2009) and Hades (2020).
Orpheus’ desperate journey to reconnect with his lost love holds continued relevance, thousands of years after its first telling.
Our lady of the underground
In the musical, the story of Orpheus and Eurydice is paralleled with the story of Hades and Persephone.
In ancient myth, the union of Hades and Persephone in the Underworld was said to cause the changing of the seasons.
Evelyn De Morgan, Demeter Mourning for Persephone,1906. Wikimedia Commons
Zeus offered the solution: Persephone would spend half the year below ground and half above.
When Persephone was with Hades, the world would enter winter. The new life connected with the coming of spring signalled Demeter’s joy at the return of her beloved daughter.
Way down Hadestown
The musical, written by Anaïs Mitchell, is largely faithful to the broad arc of the ancient story of Orpheus and Eurydice. A notable exception is seen in the death of Eurydice. In the ancient myth, this is often attributed to snakebite; in the musical she chooses to descend to the Underworld due to economic desperation.
Having Eurydice choose to sign her life over to Hades arguably lends her a limited amount of agency, although she almost immediately regrets her decision.
While in the ancient myth, Eurydice’s speech is limited to her whispered farewell, these poets all give us an insight into Eurydice’s thoughts and feelings. The musical continues this tradition of giving agency, hopes and opinions.
The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is paralleled in the musical with the story of Hades and Persephone. Lisa Tomasetti/Opera Australia
The dangers posed by unpredictable seasons, seen in the ancient myth of Hades and Persephone, is used in the musical to reflect modern concerns over climate change and environmental decline.
Rising seas and poor harvests threaten the lives of those inhabiting the industrialised world of Hadestown.
Orpheus attempts to bring a dystopian world “back in tune” through restoring environmental harmony, bringing a hopeful note to the tragic story.
Anu is a reassuring presence as the narrator and Orpheus’ confidant, the god Hermes. Lisa Tomasetti/Opera Australia
Nothing changes
In this Australian restaging of the hit Broadway production, Noah Mullins rises to the significant challenge of portraying Orpheus, the greatest of all musicians. Abigail Adriano’s raw portrayal of Eurydice’s confinement in the underworld is genuinely moving.
Anu is a reassuring presence as the narrator and Orpheus’ confidant, the god Hermes. Adrian Tamburini’s powerful bass-baritone adds to the authority of Hades, and Elenoa Rokobaro gives a dazzling performance as Persephone. The chorus and mostly on-stage band are excellent.
The story of Orpheus and Eurydice has been told for thousands of years. Lisa Tomasetti/Opera Australia
At its heart, the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice confronts one of the defining challenges of mortality: the reality that death can separate us from those we love and value most.
In retelling the myth, Hadestown offers timely meditations on the power of creativity and human connection, bringing this ancient love story alive again for modern audiences.
Hadestown is in Sydney until April 26, then touring to Melbourne.
Louise Pryke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Despite the perceived outrage at Khaled Sabsabi’s depiction of Hassan Nasrallah in his 2007 work You, Australian art has long made subjects of outlaws and questionable figures. And it is all the richer for it.
Why is the Albanese government allowing a person who highlights a terrorist leader in his artwork to represent Australia on the international stage at the Venice Biennale?
I agree with you that any glorification of the Hezbollah leader Nasrallah is inappropriate.
This was followed by disapproval from Arts Minister Tony Burke. Within 24 hours, Creative Australia’s board announced Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino, the nominated artistic team for the Australian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, had been scratched.
The news sparked shock resignations at Creative Australia, private funding retractions and widespread outrage across the Australian and international arts sectors.
The work in question, You, isn’t related to Sabsabi’s proposed 2026 Biennale work. It is an experimental video artwork which engages with the complexities of the 2006 Lebanon War and how Sabsabi, who was born in Tripoli and migrated to Australia in 1978, may have experienced this war remotely via newsfeed.
The work features images of now-deceased Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. It should be noted the work was made in 2007, 14 years before Australia determined Hezbollah to be a terrorist organisation. It resides in the prestigious collection of Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art.
A double standard
Prior to Sabsabi, a number of prominent Australian artists have depicted outlaws and controversial figures in their work. So how were those works received?
Let’s look at Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly series as an example. These 27 famous paintings depict the notorious bushranger Edward (Ned) Kelly’s final days in 1880. Nolan painted the series between 1946 and 1947, in the aftermath of the catastrophic second world war.
The works can be understood as an effort to investigate homegrown violence in Australia’s history, wherein the outlaw is a metaphor used to explore conflicting migrant/settler cultures among the bright and dusty central Victorian landscape.
Similarly, late Australian painter and 2000 Archibald Prize winner Adam Cullen did not meet much controversy when his 2002 portrait of convicted violent criminal Mark “Chopper” Read was installed in the Art Gallery of NSW. That same year, Cullen illustrated Mark Read’s children’s book, Hooky the Cripple.
An acclaimed artist, Cullen is revered for depicting violence and darkness in Australian culture. His works reside in most state and national collections.
Art thrives through diverse perspectives
Marri Ngarr artist Ryan Presley’s 2018 series Blood Money revises Australian banknotes to feature historical First Nations figures, and forms part of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s art collection.
Works in the series include First Nations colonial resistance fighters and outlaws Jandamarra (1873–97), Woloa (1800-31), Pemulwuy (1750-1802) and Dundalli (circa 1820-55).
These individuals waged violence against the Crown and were classified as enemy combatants in their time. Yet it’s fair to say they make compelling and appropriate subjects for Presley’s art, which helps us better understand Australia’s complex and violent history.
Iranian-born Australian photographer Hoda Afshar’s Agonistes (2020), an award-winning portrait series with accompanying video, features various Australian whistleblowers, including Witness K Lawyer Bernard Collaery and the incarcerated Afghan Files whistleblower David McBride.
Each figure depicted in Afshar’s portraits has faced punishment and persecution by local authorities, in part due to Australia’s weak whistleblower protection laws.
Khaled Sabsabi is a distinguished Australian artist whose Biennale proposal won a rigorous open tender to be exhibited in Venice 2026. Spanning 30 years, his work examines spiritualism, optimism and the intricate beauty of a migrant Australian experience that’s particularly unique to the global microcosm of Western Sydney.
If artists are to be cancelled for making works that spark “divisive debate”, as Creative Australia has called it, there won’t be much art left to see.
Ella Barclay has previously received funding from Creative Australia.
Humans have been poisoning rodents for centuries. But fast-breeding rats and mice have evolved resistance to earlier poisons. In response, manufacturers have produced second generation anticoagulant rodenticides such as bromadiolone, widely used in Australian households.
Unfortunately, these potent poisons do not magically disappear after the rodent is dead. For example, it’s well known owls who eat poisoned rodents suffer the same slow death from internal bleeding.
Our new research shows the problem is much bigger than owls. We found Australia’s five largest marsupial predators – the four quoll species and the Tasmanian devil – are getting hit by these poisons too.
Half of the 52 animals we tested had these poisons in their bodies. Some had died from it. These species are already threatened by foxes and feral cats. Rat poison is yet another threat – and one they may not be able to survive. Other countries have moved to ban these poisons. But in Australia, they’re widely available.
How does rat poison end up in a Tasmanian devil?
Quolls and Tasmanian devils are carnivores. They eat mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, finding food by hunting – or by scavenging dead bodies, including rats and mice. But do they eat enough poisoned rats and mice to be at risk?
To find out, we analysed liver samples from all four of Australia’s quoll species as well as the iconic Tasmanian devil. The samples came from dead animals from a range of sources, including animals dying in veterinary care, found as roadkill, or simply found dead.
Each of these species is endangered or vulnerable. Together, they represent the largest remaining Australian carnivorous marsupials – native animals at the top of their food chains.
We tested samples from 52 animals. Half of these were positive for second generation anticoagulant rodenticides. Of these, 21% tested positive for more than one rodenticide.
Unfortunately, many animals we tested had consumed doses high enough to kill. Around 15% of the Tasmanian devils, 20% of the eastern quolls, 22% of chuditch (western quolls) and 20% of the spotted-tailed quolls tested were very likely to die either from the poison itself or a related cause such as longer-term sickening.
Tasmanian devils often scavenge from carcasses – exposing them to poisoned rats. Vaclav Matous/Shutterstock
We found one chuditch from a Perth suburb had been exposed to three different second-generation rodenticides. It had levels of one poison, brodifacoum, at 1.6 milligrams per kilo, far above the rate presumed to be lethal to mammals. This is likely the highest recorded exposure rate in an Australian marsupial.
Some 5% of Tasmanian devils had also been exposed to lethal levels of these second-generation poisons and a further 10% were exposed to potentially lethal levels.
Even when these poisons don’t directly kill the quoll or devil, they can leave it worse off.
All five species are threatened, meaning their populations are a fraction of what they used to be. Even small changes to populations can trigger more rapid decline.
Our analysis indicates an increase in deaths of just 2–4% of the chuditch population could increase extinction risk by 75%. This figure is dwarfed by how many chuditch are at risk from rat poisons, which we estimate at 22% of any given population in each generation, based on the exposure rates here.
So, exposure to rat poison alone is likely enough to tip the species towards extinction – even without other threats such as being killed by foxes and cats.
The release of an eastern quoll during a translocation. Rat poisons may pose a real risk to the species. Judy Dunlop, CC BY-NC-ND
Can poisons be too potent?
After the poison kills a mouse or rat, it remains lethal for some time.
The poisons we examined take several months to halve in toxicity, meaning during this time they can kill owls, reptiles, frogs and small and medium-sized mammals such as possums.
In Australia and around the world, evidence is mounting that these second-generation rodenticides are killing many more animals than those targeted. The poisons are hitting a wide range of carnivores including otters, wolves, foxes and raccoons. Even the famous Californian condor is threatened by rodenticides.
Efforts to use thousands of litres of bromadiolone to stop a mouse plague in New South Wales triggered strong criticism. But to date, criticism has done little to curb their use in Australia.
Second generation anticoagulant poisons are extremely effective at killing rats and mice – but the poison doesn’t stop there. speedshutter Photography/Shutterstock
Australia is an outlier on this issue. In European and North American nations, these products are restricted to use by licensed pest controllers and banned for home use. Some nations have gone further and banned these poisons altogether. But here, you can buy them at Bunnings, Coles or Woolworths.
Last year, a delegation of Australian researchers lobbied politicians to do more to regulate the use of these poisons.
The institution responsible for ensuring poisons are safe is the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicine Authority. At present, the authority is weighing a decision on whether to introduce restrictions on these second-generation poisons, expected in April.
In the absence of regulation, you can make a difference at home. Don’t use second-generation poisons which rely on brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone, difenacoum or flocoumafen. Get rid of your mouse or rat problem with first-generation poisons containing warfarin, coumatetralyl or other chemicals.
Taking a moment to consider these alternatives could save Australia’s most threatened native predators from an agonising death.
Acknowledgements: Michael Lohr (Birdlife Australia) was the lead author on the research behind this article. Cheryl Lohr (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Western Australia) contributed to the research.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Headline: Disaster support for Hilltops after severe storm
Published: 17 February 2025
Released by: Minister for Emergency Services
The Albanese and Minns Governments are activating disaster recovery support for communities in the Hilltops Local Government Area (LGA) following a severe storm on 10 February 2025.
Assistance measures that may be provided to communities through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) include:
Support for eligible residents to help meet immediate needs like emergency accommodation.
Grants for low income, uninsured residents to replace lost essential household items to maintain a basic standard of living.
Grants for low income, uninsured residents to undertake essential structural repairs to restore their homes to a safe and habitable condition.
Support for affected local councils and other agencies to help with the costs of cleaning up, keeping the community safe and restoring damaged essential public assets.
Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers, and nonprofit organisations and grants to sporting and recreation clubs to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property.
Freight subsidies for primary producers to help transport livestock and fodder.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister said the funding will help the community clean up sooner and recover faster.
“Right now communities right across Australia are preparing for, or cleaning up from, the impacts of wild weather, and we are there supporting the,” Minister McAllister said. “In NSW, we are working with the Minns Government to ensure communities across Hilltops get the support they need to clean up and recover.”
NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said the hail storm left significant damage and the SES have been on the ground assisting the community with the cleanup.
“The NSW SES and emergency services have been helping the people of Harden get back to their daily lives as soon as possible. Emergency services have been assisting the community to make their homes and businesses safe, ensuring they can access groceries and essential supplies, and supporting Council in the cleanup and restoration of essential public assets.” Minister Dib said.
“As a result of this storm there has been a high number of calls to the NSW SES and emergency responders for help, and I would like to thank our volunteers and emergency workers who provided critical support to the community during this time.”
“I am also pleased that NSW Reconstruction Authority staff are on the ground, providing information, advice and referrals to local services so that people get the support they need.”
Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered remarks at the New York State Association Of Black & Puerto Rican Legislators annual scholarship gala.
VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).
AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.
PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:
You can do better than that. You’re a little tired, aren’t you? Okay. Okay. All right. I feel the love from you, I truly do.
It’s been a long weekend, but what a weekend of conversation and engagement and commitment to re-engaging the fight. And this organization is the powerhouse that not just the State needs to take the fight to Washington, but the whole country is counting on us here in the State of New York.
The genesis of the Civil Rights Movement; the founding of the Niagara Movement, gave us the NAACP; the Women’s Rights Movement started right here; the LGBTQ+ movement started right here; the environmental justice movement started right here. I will tell you, in Stonewall, what they’re doing to our trans community, making them feel like a “T” does not matter on websites and in our museums and places of history — this is what I’m talking about, my friends. We’ve been down a road like this before. We’ve had to fight back injustice, discrimination, hatred, but we are ready for the fight.
And I want to thank the leaders of this organization. Senator Latrice Walker, thank you so much for bringing us to this point, you’ve done amazing. It’s so great to see you in action. I want to thank our Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins; Speaker Carl Heastie; our Attorney General, Tish James; our Senator Chuck Schumer is right behind me, you’re going to hear from him in a couple minutes.
But here’s my one message, my friends, we will not sit on the sidelines during this fight. We will be engaged. We’ll be ready. Just like we’ve had to fight things in our own state, we must take on the fight for America. We’ve done a lot here. We passed Clean Slate to give people a second chance at life. We have a reparations commission to say, “We must undo the injustices of the past.” We’ve doubled the amount of investment in higher education and TAP programs. You know what we’re going to do next? Free community college for people 25 to 55 going into specific careers, because they should have another shot at the American dream. And we’re going to put $5,000 back in the pockets of everyday New Yorkers because they’re so sick and tired of getting beaten down when they’re trying to pay their utility bills and pay the grocery bill at the end of the day.
We’re there for them, and that is the message that Democrats, and all of us in the elected office, must deliver. We are the fighters. We’re the ones who are going to stand up. And whatever Washington sends our way, we are ready on the front lines to kick back and fight back hard. It’s coming from here. You’re part of the team. Let’s get it done. Thank you, everybody.
