NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Iran: Deliberate Israeli attack on Tehran’s Evin prison must be investigated as a war crime – new evidence

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Video footage, satellite imagery, and eyewitness accounts reveal extensive civilian casualties and destruction

    According to Iranian authorities, at least 80 civilians – 79 men and women and a five-year-old boy – were killed

    Israeli military quickly claimed responsibility for the attack – senior officials boasted about it online

    ‘The evidence establishes reasonable grounds to believe that the Israeli military brazenly and deliberately attacked civilian buildings’ – Erika Guevara Rosas

    The Israeli military’s deliberate air strikes on Evin prison in Tehran on 23 June constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law and must be criminally investigated as war crimes, Amnesty International said today following a detailed investigation. 

    Verified video footage, satellite imagery, and interviews with eyewitnesses, prisoners’ families and human rights defenders indicate that the Israeli military carried out multiple air strikes on Evin prison, killing and injuring scores of civilians and causing extensive damage and destruction in at least six locations across the prison complex.

    The attack occurred during the working day and prison visiting hours, when many parts of Evin prison were packed with civilians. At the time, the prison reportedly held between 1,500 and 2,000 detainees, including arbitrarily detained human rights defenders, protesters, political dissidents, persecuted religious minorities, and dual or foreign nationals often used as diplomatic leverage. Hundreds of civilians were also present within the complex. Hours after the strike, the Israeli military confirmed the attack, with senior officials publicly boasting about it on social media. According to Iranian authorities, at least 80 civilians – 79 men and women and a five-year-old boy – were killed.

    Under international humanitarian law, a prison or place of detention is presumed a civilian object and there is no credible evidence in this case that Evin prison constituted a lawful military objective. 

    Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, said:

    “The evidence establishes reasonable grounds to believe that the Israeli military brazenly and deliberately attacked civilian buildings. Directing attacks at civilian objects is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law. Carrying out such attacks knowingly and deliberately constitutes a war crime.

    “The Israeli forces should have known that any air strikes against Evin prison could result in significant civilian harm. Prosecution authorities around the world must ensure that all those responsible for this deadly attack are brought to justice, including through use of the principle of universal jurisdiction. The Iranian authorities must also grant the International Criminal Court jurisdiction over all Rome Statute crimes committed on or perpetrated from its territory.”

    Scores of civilians killed and injured  

    Between 11am to 12pm Tehran time on 23 June, Israeli air strikes hit multiple locations over 500 metres apart inside Evin prison, destroying or damaging numerous buildings and other structures within the prison complex, as well as nearby residential buildings outside it.  

    An overview of Evin prison, with the exterior walled perimeter marked in orange. The six yellow circles highlight areas with the most significant destruction, indicating these were the locations where the munitions landed. The blasts and resulting damage extended beyond the six areas. 
    A map of Evin prison indicating building names or functions based on Amnesty’s interviews with former prisoners. 

    Evin prison is located in a populated area with residential buildings to its east and south. A nearby resident described the scene following the attack to Amnesty: 

    “I suddenly heard a terrible sound. I looked out of the window and realised that smoke and dust were rising from Evin prison. Both the sound of the explosion and the appearance of the dust and smoke were horrific… I had thought our home would be safe [as] we are near a prison… I couldn’t believe it.” 

    The authorities have so far named 57 civilians who were killed in the attack including five female social workers, 13 young men performing mandatory national service as prison guards or administrators, and 36 other prison staff – 30 men and six women – and the child of one of the social workers. After drawing public criticism for failing to disclose the identities of prisoners, their relatives and nearby residents who were killed, the authorities published a report on 14 July revealing two names: a nearby resident – Mehrangiz Imanpour – and a woman volunteering to help raise funds for debt prisoners – Hasti Mohammadi.

    Amnesty had already verified the name of Mehrangiz Imanpour, as well as the names of one prisoner, Masoud Behbahani, a prisoner’s relative, Leila Jafarzadeh, and a passerby Aliasghar Pazouki, who were also killed. 

    Israeli officials’ self-incriminating admissions  

    Within hours of the attack, senior Israeli officials boasted about it on social media, framing it as a “targeted strike” against a “symbol of oppression for the Iranian people.” 

    Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said on X that Israeli forces were attacking with “unprecedented force regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran including…Evin prison”. 

    Minutes later, Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar posted on X: “We warned Iran time and again: stop targeting civilians! They continued, including this morning. Our response: [Long live freedom…].” Alongside this post was a video purporting to show CCTV footage of the prison gate being blown up. Analysis of the video by Amnesty indicates the footage was digitally manipulated likely using an old photograph of the prison gate. The video was first posted on Persian-language Telegram channels, but Amnesty could not trace its original source. 

    Later the same day, the Israeli military confirmed in a statement that they had carried out “a targeted strike” on “the notorious Evin prison”. The statement appeared to justify the attack by saying that “enemies of the regime” were held and tortured there and alleging that “intelligence operations against the State of Israel, including counter espionage” were carried out in the prison. However, the interrogation of detainees accused of spying for Israel or the presence of intelligence officials within the prison compound would not render the penal facility itself a legitimate military objective under international humanitarian law. 

    Entrance gate and prosecution office in the south

    In the south of the prison, the main entrance gate, along with the adjoining wall and the visitor information building to the east of the gate were destroyed. The building to the west of the gate and the adjoining Shahid Moghaddas prosecution office were extensively damaged. Further inside the southern part of the prison, the car park and a building next to the quarantine section were damaged.

    Before and after: false-colour, near infrared satellite imagery from 10 April and 30 June reveal the destruction in four distinct locations in the south and central parts of Evin prison where munitions likely landed (shown with yellow circles) and signs of burning (visible in near-infrared in dark black hues) in many areas, likely from vehicles that caught fire and spread to buildings in the area.  

    An informed source told Amnesty that a woman named Leila Jafarzadeh, 35, was killed while visiting the prosecution office to post bail in order to secure the release of her imprisoned husband.

    The destruction of the entrance gate and its surroundings was captured in a verified video showing rescue workers carrying at least one injured person on a stretcher amid scenes of destruction and extensive rubble on the ground. 

    Footage published by state media and verified by Amnesty also shows structural damage to the prosecution office’s walls and building framework, indicating that the force of the blast penetrated deep into the building. 

    Satellite imagery from 30 June reveals a location (shown with a yellow circle) where munitions likely landed. Ground images (right) geolocated to the north and south areas of the southern entrance gate show major destruction. 

    Administrative building and quarantine section housing prisoners  

    Deeper inside the southern area of the prison, the administrative building and a smaller adjoining building which, according to a former prisoner, contained an office of the prison’s security force called the Protection Cohort, were significantly impacted, while several nearby structures were destroyed. 

    Satellite imagery from 30 June shows significant damage to part of the roof on the west side of the Protection Cohort building. Satellite imagery further shows that to the east of the building, an internal gate, perimeter wall and two small structures – likely guard posts – were all destroyed in the strike. 

    The two identified locations are consistent with the analysis of video footage and information received from two former prisoners of conscience Atena Daemi and Hossein Razagh.  

    Verified videos also depict destroyed windows, collapsed walls and extensive rubble on both the western and eastern sides of the administrative building. The first floor appears to be largely obliterated, with missing structural walls visible in multiple sections. 

    An image published by state media and verified by Amnesty shows what appears to be a crater inside the west side of the administrative building showing the first floor collapsed downward. 

    According to a state media report on 6 July, at least nine women, one man and a child were killed in the administrative building. Shargh Daily and Hammihan, two prominent newspapers in Iran, named three of the victims in reports published on 25 June and 1 July, respectively. They included social worker Zahra Ebadi, 52, who was killed along with her five-year-old son, Mehrad Kheiri; and an administrative staff member, Hamid Ranjbari, 40. 

    Satellite imagery (left) from 30 June reveals two locations (shown with yellow circles) where munitions likely landed. Ground images (right) show extensive damage to the administrative building. 

    Analysis of a verified video footage also shows that the quarantine section housing newly admitted prisoners, located near the administrative building, also sustained damage. 

    Medical clinic, kitchen and sections housing prisoners in the central part 

    In the central part of the prison, the medical clinic, central kitchen, section 4 housing male prisoners, section 209 which consists of solitary confinement cells where female and male prisoners are detained by the Minister of Intelligence, and the women’s section were extensively damaged. 

    Satellite imagery shows significant damage to structures adjacent to the medical clinic, while verified videos reveal damage to the clinic from the blast and burning cars.  

    A verified video shows the outside of the medical clinic covered in black soot and black smoke billowing from the windows. Another video shows significant destruction inside, with shattered windows, beds and medical equipment overturned and extensive rubble. 

    Satellite imagery (left) from 30 June reveals two locations (shown with yellow circles) where munitions likely landed. Geolocated photos and videos (right) show that the vehicle entrance gate collapsed. The clinic’s interior was significantly damaged, with walls and windows blown out, while the exterior shows severe fire damage and smoke.  

    The verified video evidence supports accounts from human rights defenders Narges Mohammadi and Sepideh Gholian, both based in Iran, who told Amnesty that multiple eyewitnesses in Evin prison described to them extensive damage to the medical clinic.

    Narges Mohammadi said that male prisoners in section 4, which is opposite the medical clinic, informed her the prison’s ambulance was destroyed, an account supported by video showing nearby vehicles reduced to wreckage. She also said the prisoners told her they witnessed an individual with extensive burns on their body walking out of the medical clinic and collapsing on the ground. 

    Two prisoners – Abolfazl Ghodiani and Mehdi Mahmoudian – who survived the Evin prison attack and were transferred to Greater Tehran Penitentiary wrote in a letter from inside prison, which was published online on 1 July: 

    “Evin prison shook with several consecutive explosions. Two or three blasts occurred near Section 4 and when prisoners exited the section’s door, they saw the medical clinic burning… Prisoners recovered the bodies of around 15-20 people, including medical clinic personnel, prisoners, warehouse staff, guards and agents from beneath the rubble.” 

    Saeedeh Makarem, a doctor volunteering in Evin prison who was injured, including with burns, described in a series of posts on Instagram in July how prisoners helped her: 

    “They dragged me to the corner of the wall. I was half-conscious. They brought me water and a blanket, put a splint in my leg, wiped the blood from my face… They could have left, but they didn’t… They saved me.” 

    Political dissident Hossein Razagh also told Amnesty that section 4 prisoners described to him how prisoners were thrown against the walls due to the force of the blast and sustained head and face injuries. 

    These testimonies are corroborated by a verified video showing extensive damage to the front parts of sections 4 and 209. External doors and windows of sections 4 and 209 appear to have been shattered, with parts of the roof structure collapsed and large piles of rubble visible in the road. Multiple vehicles are destroyed and burned out, with black smoke damage on the surrounding building walls, indicating some of the fire may have originated from the cars. Satellite imagery from 30 June shows the burned buildings and black scorch marks from the cars. The blast also appears to have affected the roof of the prison kitchen and damaged its windows. 

    According to Amnesty’s research, the blast also affected section 209 staff offices, trapping some agents and guards under the rubble. Authorities have provided no information about the fate and whereabouts of prisoners held in solitary confinement in section 209, raising concerns about possible deaths or injuries. 

    Image showing the road with Section 209 on one side (left) and the vehicle entrance gate on the opposite side (right). 

    Amnesty confirmed through an informed source the name of a prisoner in section 4, Masoud Behbahani, aged 71, who was killed. He suffered a heart attack when the blast threw him onto a chair and several prisoners fell on him. According to the source, instead of transferring him to a hospital, authorities transferred him to Greater Tehran Penitentiary where he died two days later after a second heart attack.

    Amnesty also analysed an image taken from inside the women’s section showing visible damage to the ceiling and electrical infrastructure.

    Entrance gate, judicial complex, visitors’ building and sections housing prisoners in the north

    In the northern part of the prison, as visible in satellite imagery and verified videos, the entrance gate and adjacent wall were destroyed; the front part of the building containing the Shahid Kachouyee judicial complex and visitors’ building were extensively damaged; and two internal walls near sections 240 and 241 housing prisoners were destroyed.

    Verified video and photographs also show blast-related damage to nearby high-rise residential buildings and vehicles outside the northern area of Evin prison. One video shows dozens of distressed people in Ahmadpour Street, at least one of whom appears to be injured. 

    Before and after false-colour, near infrared imagery from 10 April and 27 June reveals the destruction in two distinct locations where munitions likely landed in the northern part of Evin prison (shown with yellow circles): the internal security walls and road in front of sections 240 and 241 and the north entrance gate in front of the visitation building and Shaheed Kachouyee judicial complex. 

    An informed source described to Amnesty how a nearby resident, Mehrangiz Imanpour, a 61-year-old painter who lived in Ahmadpour Street, was killed on her way home. 

    Shargh Daily reported that another passerby, Ali Asghar Pazouki, 69, was killed in front of the judicial complex and visitors’ building. State media published videos and photographs which show blast damage in this area.  

    Satellite imagery (left) from 30 June reveals a location (shown with a yellow circle) where munitions likely landed. Geolocated images and videos (right) show extensive damage to the exterior and interior of the visitors’ building with windows shattered and parts of the roof and facade collapsed.  

    Satellite imagery analysed by Amnesty indicates that a road and two security walls deeper within the northern part of the prison, near a building containing sections 240 and 241, were also destroyed. These sections are known to contain hundreds of solitary confinement cells, but no images showing the condition of the building have emerged and the authorities have not released any information about the fate of prisoners held there.

    Amnesty received accounts from prisoners’ families indicating that section 8, near sections 240 and 241, was damaged. Human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh told Amnesty that her arbitrarily imprisoned husband, human rights defender, Reza Khandan, and other prisoners, were injured when rubble was propelled into the courtyard. 

    Political dissident Mohammad Nourizad, who was in section 8, called his family while the air strikes were ongoing. A recording of his call was published online on 24 June: 

    “They are dropping bombs on us. Some people are injured, the windows have broken, and everyone has scattered… They just hit again. I don’t know, it seems intentional… but bombing a prison is incompatible with any logic or code of conduct…They [prison authorities] closed the doors on us and we have no news.” 

    International law and standards 

    Under international humanitarian law, direct attacks on civilians and civilian objects are prohibited. Attacks may only be directed at combatants and military objectives. Military objectives are limited to those objects which by their nature, location, purpose or use make an effective contribution to military action and whose partial or total destruction, capture or neutralisation, in the circumstances ruling at the time, offers a definite military advantage.  

    Attacking forces have an obligation to do everything feasible to protect civilians including by distinguishing between military targets and civilian objects; verifying whether their intended target is a military objective and cancelling an attack if there is doubt; choosing means and methods of attack that will avoid, or in any event, minimise civilian harm; and providing effective advance warning to civilians unless circumstances do not permit.

    Even when targeting a legitimate military objective, an attack must not be carried out which may cause civilian harm that would be disproportionate in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated. If distinguishing between civilian objects and military targets is not feasible, the attack must not proceed. 

    Governments responsible for violations of international humanitarian law are required to make full reparations for the loss or injury caused. The UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law enshrine the duty of states to provide effective remedies, including reparation to victims, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition.

    Evidence gathered

    Amnesty’s Evidence Lab analysed satellite images from before and after the strikes and verified 22 videos and 59 photographs, which show extensive damage and destruction to six areas in the south, central, and northern parts of Evin prison complex. 

    Additionally, Amnesty reviewed statements by Israeli and Iranian authorities and interviewed 23 people inside and outside Iran, including seven prisoners’ relatives; a nearby resident who witnessed the attack; two sources with information about two victims killed; two journalists; and 11 former prisoners including dissidents and human rights defenders who received information from prisoners, prisoners’ families, prison staff and emergency services attending the site. Amnesty also obtained from a source the recordings of four telephone calls between four prisoners and their families hours after the attack.

    Amnesty sent questions regarding the attack to the Israeli Minister of Defence on 3 July. At the time of publication, no response had been received.

    As part of Amnesty’s ongoing investigations into violations of international humanitarian law and other human rights violations in the context of the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, Amnesty will also publish findings relating to attacks by the Iranian authorities against Israel.

    Urgent action

    Take action to support hundreds of displaced prisoners from Tehran’s Evin Prison, who are currently being held in cruel and inhuman conditions. See Amnesty’s Urgent Action for how to help.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Increased funding for entrepreneurial education

    Source: Scottish Government

    Up to £1.2 million to engage the next generation in business creation.

    Funding to inspire young people to set up their own business has been increased by more than a third.

    The Entrepreneurial Education Fund 2025-26 will make up to £1.2 million available for courses and projects that will encourage more young people, from a wide range of backgrounds, to choose business ownership as a career path.

    Last year’s Fund supported programmes that embedded entrepreneurial education in Scotland’s classrooms right through school from P1 to S6.

    The scope of this year’s fund has been expanded further to encourage more applications for vocational programmes equivalent to SCQF Levels 7 and 8.

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

    “Fostering and supporting entrepreneurial talent is vital for ensuring a growing, thriving economy and the Scottish Government continues to invest in expanding the pipeline of support available to help this and the next generation of business founders to succeed.

    “Entrepreneurial education helps build the mindset, skills and attitudes needed to succeed. It also, critically, increases participation from an early age, breaking down barriers to people considering entrepreneurship as a career choice.

    “Last year’s Fund was run competitively for the first time, resulting in a diverse set of programmes to inspire young people across all school ages. With increased funding and further expansion to the scheme this year we are putting in place strong foundations to embed an entrepreneurial mindset at a crucial time.”

    Chief Entrepreneur Ana Stewart said:

    “Scotland’s future economy will be built by the bold ideas and creative minds we nurture today. This new round of the Entrepreneurial Education Fund will help to further embed innovation and ambition into entrepreneurial learning and teaching programmes. Importantly, this competitive fund will encourage innovation and impact by offering support to new providers in the field, as well as the more established organisations.

    “By investing in the next generation of potential founders, we are shaping a culture where entrepreneurship is accessible, inclusive, and a natural path for anyone to turn an idea into a business.”

    Daydream Believers received £146,200 from the Scottish Government’s Entrepreneurial Education Fund in 2024-25 to develop the Dreamers and Doers Playlist, a 120-hour learning programme delivered in schools across the country.

    Managing Director of Daydream Believers Helena Good MBE said:

    “Funding from the Scottish Government allowed us to take Creative Thinking to the next level, creating a resource that’s bold, joyful, and built to last. It’s laid the foundations for a lasting legacy, one we’re excited to build on as we grow, collaborate, and continue re-imagining what learning can be.”

    Background

    The Entrepreneurial Education Pathways Fund is open for applications until 20 August 2025. Grants of up to £250,000 are available to public and private sector organisations to deliver courses and projects

    Daydream Believers – Daydream Believers

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Wednesfield junior parkrun to celebrate 10th anniversary

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Established in 2015 by Liz Lister and Martha Cummings, both of whom worked for the City of Wolverhampton Council and were members of Wolves and Bilston Athletics Club, it welcomes scores of children and young people to Wednesfield’s King George V Playing Fields every Sunday morning.

    The Wednesfield junior parkrun gives 4 to 14 year olds the chance to run, jog or walk around a 2km circuit, with parents invited to join in if they wish.

    It takes place thanks to the efforts of volunteers who set up, manage and marshal the route, supporting the participants around the course until everyone has finished.

    Martha said: “We cannot quite believe it has been 10 years since turning an idea and a love of sports into an activity enjoyed and supported by so many – co-director Rob Carrington, our volunteers, families and local community, councillors in Wednesfield North and South and the council have all played a key role in making this happen.

    “The event is solely managed and run entirely by our amazing volunteers who come out in all weathers to make sure the event goes ahead safely and we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helps make this wonderful event happen, week in, week out.”

    The council has played a pivotal role in enabling the event’s continued success, providing start up funding and access to facilities including the park grounds, car park and changing rooms.

    The Mayor’s Office has provided donations for water bottles, gloves and hats, and local councillors have backed the event with donations through their ward funds. Additionally, numerous staff and councillors have contributed their time as volunteers over the last decade.

    Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “The Wednesfield junior parkrun is a fantastic way for children and young people to get exercise, enjoy some fresh air and make new friends.

    “It is well loved by children and parents alike and it’s wonderful that it will shortly be celebrating this very significant milestone.”

    The 10th birthday celebration will take place on Sunday 10 August, and all are welcome. To mark the occasion, every participant will receive a commemorative medal, goodie bag and treats. Please meet by the changing rooms by 9am.

    For more information, please visit Facebook or Wednesfield junior parkrun.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Environment Agency rescue endangered crayfish from drought

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Environment Agency rescue endangered crayfish from drought

    A member of the public reported crayfish in distress as a riverbed dried out. The Environment Agency rescued 32 adults, including 21 females carrying eggs.

    Environment Agency

    The Environment Agency’s fisheries team has carried out an emergency rescue of a previously unknown population of critically endangered native white clawed crayfish at Burley in Wharfedale.

    It followed a report from a member of the public about crayfish in distress in the watercourse, which was very low due to ongoing drought conditions in Yorkshire.

    The team arrived to find some shallow pools with stretches dry riverbed in between them. Unfortunately, several crayfish had already died, but the team successfully rescued 32 adults, including 21 females carrying eggs (knows as ‘berried’ females).

    White-clawed crayfish are the UK’s only native, freshwater crayfish. They play a vital role in keeping our waterways clean and as a source of food for other native species.

    Environment Agency

    Critically Endangered

    The species used to be common across Yorkshire but are now critically endangered, largely due to being out competed by the larger, more aggressive American signal crayfish.

    The crayfish have been moved to the Environment Agency’s licensed quarantine facility hosted by York Gate Gardens near Leeds, until they pass a health check and can be returned to further support native crayfish conservation work in Yorkshire.

    Claire Barrow, the Environment Agency’s drought lead in Yorkshire, said:

    The finding of a previously unknown population of the endangered white clawed crayfish is great news, despite the challenging drought conditions.

    The Wharfe catchment unfortunately has long established and extensive populations of the invasive signal crayfish, which puts the native species at risk by out competing them and spreading disease.

    This year saw the driest spring since 1893, and Yorkshire is currently in drought. Periods of dry weather and low rivers can have serious consequences for the environment and wildlife and we’d urge people to report fish and wildlife in distress so we can take action.

    The Environment Agency’s Incident Hotline can be contacted on 0800 807060.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Restoration of white-stone decor of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Kozhevniki has begun

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Restoration of the white-stone decor adorning the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Kozhevniki has begun. The church, which has the status of a cultural heritage site of federal significance, is located at 2nd Kozhevnichesky Lane, Building 6.

    “The Trinity Church in Kozhevniki is a striking example of Moscow Baroque. The entrances to the northern and southern facades are framed by carved white-stone portals with twisted columns. The history of the temple is closely connected with the famous Russian merchants Bakhrushins, who generously donated to its maintenance. Thanks to them, the interiors of the church received a rich decoration. Currently, the facades of this beautiful architectural monument are being restored. Specialists are carrying out work on repairing the brickwork and cleaning the white-stone details: Corinthian columns, cornices, arched pediments with bas-relief images, molded friezes, belts, inserts, angel heads. Also, restorers-sculptors have begun to restore the lost white-stone details on the facade of the bell tower,” said the head of the capital’s Department of Cultural Heritage.

    Alexey Emelyanov.

    The restoration of the architectural monument began in 2024. Specialists completed the gilding of the crosses, domes and dormer windows of the church, and also put the roof of the bell tower in order. Now the facades, as well as the brickwork in the bell tier, have already been cleared of late layers of plaster and paint. It is necessary to restore the wooden beams and the bell tier, cornices and window sills of the bell tower, as well as to manufacture and install window units.

    All work is carried out on the basis of an agreed project, an issued permit and under the supervision of experts from the capital Department of Cultural Heritage.

    The parish church on the territory of Kozhevennaya Sloboda already existed in the first half of the 17th century. Presumably, the author of the bell tower project was Ivan Zarudny, a famous architect, sculptor, painter and stone carver.

    Subsequently, the church was repeatedly rebuilt. Thus, a refectory with two side chapels appeared between the bell tower and the quadrangle, and in the period from 1767 to 1772, the construction of the bell tower gallery was carried out. The Moscow fire of 1812 practically did not affect the church, it was slightly burned.

    The bell tower, which previously visually complemented the development of the Kozhevnaya Sloboda, is decorated with stucco decoration typical of the mid-18th century Baroque: garlands, angel heads, volutes. At the base of the octagon there is a closed gallery.

    The unique features of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity are the roofs and domes with crosses from the 18th–19th centuries, as well as the interiors, the design of which includes stucco decoration of the walls and ceilings with figured panels, cartouches, consoles in the gallery and in the octagon of the bell tower with the chapel of Michael the Archangel.

    In the 18th – early 19th centuries, a large plot of land located near the church and belonging to it was almost completely built up: factory buildings were erected near the church, and in the 1930s, a school building. In 1935, the church was closed. In the following years, warehouses and residential premises were located here, and then workshops of the All-Union Production Scientific Restoration Plant of the USSR Ministry of Culture.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government announces implementation of elderly-friendly building design and launches Elderly-friendly Building accreditation scheme

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Government announces implementation of elderly-friendly building design and launches Elderly-friendly Building accreditation scheme 
    With an ageing population in Hong Kong and to encourage ageing in place, “The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address” announced that the Deputy Financial Secretary would co-ordinate with relevant bureaux to put forward proposals to promote elderly-friendly building design. The Task Force announced in November last year a series of specific proposals for elderly-friendly building design and consulted the stakeholders. Stakeholders from the elderly, professional, developer and other sectors generally supported the proposals and provided valuable suggestions for refining the design proposals.
     
    Having considered the views of the stakeholders, the Task Force has refined the proposals announced earlier after balancing various factors, including the needs of the elderly and other users, as well as the practical operational considerations in application by the market and the industry. The key requirements of the proposals to be implemented are as follows:
     
    (1) promoting spatial accessibility to enhance the mobility of the elderly, e.g. provision of an automatic door at the main entrance of residential buildings, adopting wider common corridors and wider main doors of individual units, allowing the addition of lift towers to existing buildings, and using slip-resistant materials;
    (2) encouraging the adoption of adaptive design in residential units to facilitate subsequent modifications, such as widening internal corridors and doors, using sliding doors for toilets, and installing grab rails/shower seats in bathrooms, etc;
    (3) enhancing elderly well-being, e.g. providing fitness or other facilities for the elderly in recreational spaces, and providing shelters for resting facilities at communal outdoor spaces, etc; and
    (4) facilitating the adoption of gerontechnology and Internet of Things, e.g. providing high-speed Internet access in home and public spaces, supporting the installation of smart card systems, motion sensors, etc.

    ???Please refer to the summary table at the Annex for the detailed proposals.Issued at HKT 18:34

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs detects money laundering case involving about $1.15 billion

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs detects money laundering case involving about $1.15 billion 
    Acting upon intelligence, Customs officers earlier targeted a 37-year-old local man and a 50-year-old non-local man and initiated a financial investigation. It was revealed that the duo smuggled cash out of Hong Kong, and conducted stablecoin and fiat currency transactions with a doubtful fund source at a frequent and fast pace, which was highly incommensurate with their background and financial status. They were suspected of participating in money laundering activities.
     
    Following in-depth investigations, Customs officers this morning raided four residential premises and two companies and seized a batch of items suspected to be connected with the case, including mobile phones, tablets and bank cards. The two men, who claimed to be self-employed and unemployed respectively, were arrested for “dealing with property known or reasonably believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence” (commonly known as money laundering) under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO).
     
    An investigation is ongoing. The two arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
     
    Under OSCO, a person commits an offence if he or she deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property in whole or in part directly or indirectly represents any person’s proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years while the crime proceeds are also subject to confiscation.
     
    Members of the public may report any suspected money laundering activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:40

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Grain exports from Russia this season could amount to 53-55 million tons — Russian Minister of Agriculture

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    Moscow, July 22 /Xinhua/ — Grain exports from Russia following the results of the current agricultural season /July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026/ may amount to 53-55 million tons, including 43-44 million tons of wheat, Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said at a meeting on the development of grain exports.

    “Taking into account all the measures taken and the progress of sowing, our forecasts for exports for the current season, which began on July 1 of this year, in general for grain we expect to export 53-55 million tons for the season and 43-44 million tons for wheat, that is, at the level of the current year, taking into account the carry-over balances that we had at the beginning of the season,” the minister said.

    According to the results of the last agricultural season, grain exports from Russia amounted to about 53 million tons, including 44 million tons of wheat.

    Despite the drought in a number of large grain-producing regions, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture is still maintaining its forecast for grain harvest this year at 135 million tons.

    “Considering that the sowing season as a whole went without any major disruptions, there are, of course, difficulties with the weather – in certain regions we have a severe drought, in certain regions we are flooded, we cannot start harvesting, but nevertheless, for now we are maintaining our forecast – 135 million tons of grain in total and 88-90 million tons of wheat,” said O. Lut. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 221 killed, 592 injured in Pakistan monsoon rains

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    ISLAMABAD, July 22 (Xinhua) — At least 221 people have been killed and 592 others injured in flash floods and other incidents caused by heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan since late June, the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.

    In its latest situation report, released on Monday, the agency said the casualties were recorded between June 26 and July 21, with five new deaths and 10 injuries reported in the past 24 hours.

    The eastern province of Punjab was the worst hit, with 135 people killed and 470 injured. In the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 46 people were killed and 69 injured.

    The southern province of Sindh reported 22 deaths and 40 injuries, while the southwestern province of Balochistan reported 16 deaths and four injuries.

    The NDMA confirmed no fatalities in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, although three people were injured. Pakistan-administered Kashmir reported one death and six injuries, with one child injured in Islamabad, the capital.

    Authorities have issued flood warnings and are coordinating with provincial governments to carry out relief operations and monitor vulnerable areas as rain continues. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to Spotlight Energy, Mining Finance Solutions at African Mining Week (AMW) 2025

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    Thabiso Sekano, Head of Mining and Metals at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa, will join African Mining Week (AMW) as a featured speaker on the high-level panel, The Investor Perspective – Financing Africa’s Mineral Industrialization. He is expected to share insights into innovative financing mechanisms that are accelerating project development across Africa’s mining and energy value chains.

    Sekano will highlight the IDC’s instrumental role in advancing South Africa’s mining sector, particularly its platinum group metals (PGMs), which represent over 70% of global reserves. Among the IDC’s recent investments, in June 2025, the agency approved R622 million in funding to Canadian firm Theta Gold Mines to develop multiple sites under the TGME Project in Mpumalanga Province. This seven-year facility is expected to extract 1.24 million ounces of gold, creating jobs and contributing to national revenue growth.

    AMW serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    In April 2025, the IDC approved a further R1.6 billion facility to support the operational stability of ArcelorMittal South Africa, helping preserve jobs and strengthen South Africa’s position as a top global steel producer. Beyond South Africa, Sekano will spotlight the IDC’s growing regional footprint. The corporation is considering a $16 million loan to Giyani Metals to advance the K.Hill manganese project in Botswana – an important development aimed at boosting supply chains for lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles.

    As African governments increasingly focus on formalizing small-scale mining and empowering junior miners, AMW will also offer a platform for Sekano to discuss the IDC’s initiatives targeting these groups. In 2024, the IDC launched a R400 million Junior Mining Exploration Fund in collaboration with South Africa’s Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and the Council for Geoscience, aimed at addressing funding constraints that limit entry and scale-up of junior mining companies.

    In addition, the IDC is driving synergies between the mining and energy sectors to foster energy resilience and decarbonization. In June 2025, it announced that four utility-scale energy projects it financed are now delivering a combined 219 MW to the national grid – powering mining operations and creating 442 annualized jobs. The agency also signed a EUR 17 million agreement with Germany’s KfW to support green hydrogen projects in South Africa, further enhancing the role of PGMs in electrolyzer technology. In March 2025, the IDC raised R2 billion through a sustainable bond issuance to scale up investments across both mining and energy.

    At AMW 2025, Sekano will unpack these developments and more, reinforcing the IDC’s commitment to sustainable, inclusive growth in Africa’s extractive and energy sectors.

    – on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Millions risk losing access to humanitarian food assistance amid funding slowdown in South Sudan

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has reached over two million people with life-saving assistance in South Sudan so far this year. However, a severe funding shortfall threatens ongoing support, placing millions at risk of losing aid.

    Below is an update on food security and WFP operations in South Sudan, including a quote from WFP Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Carl Skau, who recently returned from South Sudan:

    Food Security Situation

    Half the population of South Sudan – 7.7 million people – are facing severe hunger. 

    Of these, 83,000 people are facing catastrophic levels of hunger (IPC5) – the highest classification of food insecurity – including:

    • 32,000 people in Upper Nile State where fierce fighting since March has displaced thousands and severely limited humanitarian access.Nasir and Ulang counties in Upper Nile are at risk of deteriorating into famine.39,000 who have returned to South Sudan fleeing conflict in Sudan.A record 2.3 million children are at-risk of malnutrition – with conflict areas in Upper Nile and flood-affected areas such as Bentiu among the most impacted.Progress has been achieved where conditions allow for humanitarian access:In Uror county, Jonglei state, all pockets of Catastrophic hunger (IPC5) were alleviated this year as WFP was able to consistently deliver assistance.In ten other counties where conflict and insecurity subsided, crop production increased – improving the food security situation.Sustained peace and humanitarian support are vital to cement these gains.Due to raging conflict in neighboring Sudan, nearly 1.2 million people have fled to South Sudan since April 2023, many arriving hungry, malnourished and traumatised.WFP Response 

    • WFP has supported two million of the most vulnerable people in South Sudan this year, including over 300,000 impacted by the escalation of conflict in Upper Nile.
    • In July, WFP conducted airdrops to access the most remote parts of the Greater Upper Nile region, including areas at risk of famine. To date, we have delivered 430 metric tons of food, and airdrops are ongoing to reach 40,000 people.
    • Vital river convoys on the White Nile River have resumed after access was granted for the first time in months due to fighting.
    • On 16 July, a river convoy carrying 1,380 mt of life-saving food assistance from WFP and other non-food items transported on behalf of the humanitarian community, departed Bor destined for Upper Nile state.
    • River routes are the most cost-effective way to move food assistance at scale in South Sudan where infrastructure is severely limited.
    • The WFP run United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) continues to serve seven destinations in Upper Nile including Maban, Maiwut, Malakal, Mandeng, Mathiang, Renk, and Ulang – providing life-saving cargo and access to the most remote areas.
    • Upper Nile state has been significantly affected by a cholera outbreak. Since March, the WFP-led Logistics Cluster has airlifted 109 metric tons of cholera-related supplies to locations in Upper Nile and Unity states.

    Funding outlook and challenges

    • Severe funding shortfalls mean WFP can reach just 2.5 million people with regular assistance – only 30 percent of people facing severe hunger – across the country with emergency food assistance.
    • WFP urgently requires US$274 million to maintain support for just the 2.5 million most acutely food insecure through the end of the year – providing only 50 percent rations to these communities in most cases.
    • Further reductions in rations and assistance will be necessary in September if additional funds are not urgently received.
    • Limiting food aid to the most vulnerable families risks undoing recent fragile gains.

    – on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister Diamantino Azevedo Awarded Medal for Peace and Energy Leadership as Angola Charts Bold Energy Future

    Source: APO – Report:

    In recognition of a lifetime dedicated to peace, development and the advancement of Angola’s oil and gas industry, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, has been awarded the Commemorative Medal for the 50th Anniversary of National Independence in the Peace and Development Class by Angola’s President João Lourenço. As the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) strongly supports the honor bestowed upon Minister Azevedo, whose visionary leadership has catalyzed a new era of investment and growth in Angola’s energy sector.

    As an advocate for enabling African energy success through policy reform, infrastructure reform and global investment, the AEC applauds Minister Azevedo for his bold agenda to transform Angola into a regional petroleum hub. Under his guidance, the country has rolled out game-changing initiatives including a $60 billion upstream investment drive, a multi-phase refinery rollout, licensing reforms and development of an upcoming Gas Master Plan (GMP).

    Minister Azevedo’s leadership has ushered in a 2025-2028 project pipeline that is expected to significantly boost production and catalyze cross-sector development. Key initiatives include the Cabinda Refinery – set to start operations in 2025 with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day – as well as the Agogo Integrated West Hub Development and Kaminho Deepwater Project, both on track for 2026 and 2028, respectively. Angola is also advancing its first-ever non-associated gas project through the New Gas Consortium, expected to launch in 2026. At the same time, frontier exploration will begin in the Etosha-Okavango basin, while independent oil companies target new opportunities in the onshore Kwanza basin.

    These developments are supported by a new licensing round in 2025, which will offer 10 offshore blocks in the Kwanza and Benguela basins, highlighting Angola’s drive to open new acreage and attract further investment.

    Since Angola launched its six-year licensing round in 2019, the country has awarded 41 concessions to a mix of international and regional companies. At the same time, new opportunities in marginal fields have opened doors for smaller independent operators to enter the market. Currently, five marginal fields are available, with prospects in Blocks 4, 14, 15 and 18. To further boost investment, the government introduced a permanent offer program and launched the Incremental Production Initiative in 2024 – designed to encourage reinvestment in mature fields. The initiative is already showing results, with energy major ExxonMobil announcing a new discovery at the Likembe-01 well, the first under the program.

    As the country works to diversify its energy mix, the AEC strongly supports the forthcoming launch of Angola’s GMP, a 30-year strategy that aims to create a competitive domestic gas market. the GMP is expected to provide clear policy direction for investors while linking upstream projects to local value chains. Meanwhile, Minister Azevedo is also leading the push to extend Angola’s licensing strategy beyond 2026, offering new opportunities for both frontier and onshore developments.

    As Angola hosts the Angola Oil & Gas 2025 conference in Luanda this September, Minister Azevedo will deliver a keynote address and participate in a high-level Fireside Chat – outlining the government’s vision for transforming Angola into a globally competitive energy economy. Taking place on the eve of the country’s golden jubilee, the event will explore the role oil and gas has played over the past five decades, while charting a future defined by policy certainty, youth- and women-led innovation, infrastructure growth and regional integration.

    “Minister Azevedo has consistently demonstrated that energy development is a pathway to peace, progress and shared prosperity. The Chamber sees the medal not only as a personal honor, but as a symbol of what energy leadership can accomplish when tied to national development. We congratulate Minister Azevedo on this well-deserved recognition and remain committed to working alongside Angola to build the next 50 years of hydrocarbon success,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

    – on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Dallas Mayor Signs City Sister Partnership with Dar es Salaam Counterpart

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    On July 22, 2025, Mayor of Dallas, Texas, USA, Eric L. Johnson and his Dar es Salaam counterpart Mayor Omary Kumbilamoto signed a Sister City Partnership aimed at deepening commercial, cultural, and educational ties.

    The signing ceremony, held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dar es Salaam, was also witnessed by the United States Chargé d’Affaires Jonathan Howard, Tanzania’s Ambassador to the United States, Elsie Kanza, and other Tanzanian government officials.

    Mayor Johnson is in Tanzania for an eight-day visit to explore trade opportunities and strengthen economic partnership between Dallas and Dar es Salaam as well as other parts of Tanzania.  He is also visiting Zanzibar and Arusha.

    The mayor is joined by members of the Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce (TACC), which is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and seeks to promote bilateral trade between Tanzania and the United States.  The delegation has had productive meetings with the Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam, representatives from various Ministries in the Tanzanian government, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Tanzania.

    As a major hub for American innovation in the agribusiness, health care, energy, tech, logistics, manufacturing, and financial services sectors, the City of Dallas has set a global standard for how municipal governments can leverage infrastructure development and business incentives to develop a vibrant economy. Thanks to its status as a commercial center and one of the fastest growing cities in the world, Dar es Salaam is a key gateway for unlocking international trade and investment in Tanzania with immense potential to create jobs and economic prosperity for citizens in both countries.

    – on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Gondokoro equation of more people living on limited land creates tensions and calls for disarmament

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    In Gondokoro, some 25 kilometers east of the capital Juba, locals are concerned. An influx of livestock herders has increased competition for already scarce resources, particularly land, leading to tensions among residents, internally displaced persons and the pastoralists.

    “Farms and crops have been destroyed and some of our animals stolen. It is still not safe for us to return to our homes,” says Sarah Gelerino, who lives nearby, across the Nile, after having been displaced in 2022.

    Lina Keji, a Gondokoro resident, adds that insecurity is not the only consequence of a larger local population.

    “Our healthcare facilities have suffered from a shortage of medicines for months. Transporting a sick person to Juba, or to go there to buy medication, is very expensive, which means that walking is the only option for most of us,” she says.

    Government efforts to make cattle keepers from elsewhere go home mean that Gondokoro is currently a somewhat less violent place than it was a couple of years ago, but some problems do persist.

    Local cattle owner Achirin Mayar is blunt about it.

    “In the past, we ran from lions. Now we flee from humans with guns. This must stop,” he says, referring to the proliferation of small arms that worries most people living here.

    To prevent a breakdown of law and order, they believe the government should disarm all civilians, without exceptions. Community director John Gabriel Ladu would welcome that but thinks that more is needed.

    “Local authorities must engage with the feuding parties to resolve their differences, otherwise we won’t have peace in the area,” he says.

    According to Captain Zakariya, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces have established checkpoints in strategic locations to better protect civilians.

    “We would like community leaders and traditional chiefs to encourage displaced people to return home and start farming, and we are trying to make that safe.”

    Despite existing tensions, Lauro Ohiyu, who serves with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and was part of the delegation that visited Gondokoro, is optimistic.

    “We were encouraged to see local authorities’ consistent calls for people to return home. UNMISS and the UN family are committed to working with the State Government and partners to make this a safe place for everyone, not least for those who want to go back to where they used to live.”

    – on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pharaoh’s fungus yields cancer-fighting compounds

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    The sarcophagus inside the tomb of King Tutankhamun

    By Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University

    In November 1922, archaeologist Howard Carter peered through a small hole into the sealed tomb of King Tutankhamun. When asked if he could see anything, he replied: “Yes, wonderful things.” Within months, however, Carter’s financial backer Lord Carnarvon was dead from a mysterious illness. Over the following years, several other members of the excavation team would meet similar fates, fuelling legends of the “pharaoh’s curse” that have captivated the public imagination for just over a century.

    For decades, these mysterious deaths were attributed to supernatural forces. But modern science has revealed a more likely culprit: a toxic fungus known as Aspergillus flavus. Now, in an unexpected twist, this same deadly organism is being transformed into a powerful new weapon in the fight against cancer.

    Aspergillus flavus is a common mould found in soil, decaying vegetation and stored grains. It is infamous for its ability to survive in harsh environments, including the sealed chambers of ancient tombs, where it can lie dormant for thousands of years.

    When disturbed, the fungus releases spores that can cause severe respiratory infections, particularly in people with weakened immune systems. This may explain the so-called “curse” of King Tutankhamun and similar incidents, such as the deaths of several scientists who entered the tomb of Casimir IV in Poland in the 1970s. In both cases, investigations later found that A flavus was present, and its toxins were probably responsible for the illnesses and deaths.

    Despite its deadly reputation, Aspergillus flavus is now at the centre of a remarkable scientific finding. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that this fungus produces a unique class of molecules with the potential to fight cancer.

    These molecules belong to a group called ribosomally synthesised and post-translationally modified peptides, or RiPPs. RiPPs are made by the ribosome – the cell’s protein factory – and are later chemically altered to enhance their function.

    While thousands of RiPPs have been identified in bacteria, only a handful have been found in fungi – until now.

    The process of finding these fungal RiPPs was far from simple. The research team screened a dozen different strains or types of aspergillus, searching for chemical clues that might indicate the presence of these promising molecules. Aspergillus flavus quickly stood out as a prime candidate.

    The researchers compared the chemicals from different fungal strains to known RiPP compounds and found promising matches. To confirm their discovery, they switched off the relevant genes and, sure enough, the target chemicals vanished, proving they had found the source.

    Purifying these chemicals proved to be a significant challenge. However, this complexity is also what gives fungal RiPPs their remarkable biological activity.

    The team eventually succeeded in isolating four different RiPPs from Aspergillus flavus. These molecules shared a unique structure of interlocking rings, a feature that had never been described before. The researchers named these new compounds “asperigimycins”, after the fungus in which they were found.

    The next step was to test these asperigimycins against human cancer cells. In some cases, they stopped the growth of cancer cells, suggesting that asperigimycins could one day become a new treatment for certain types of cancer.

    The team also worked out how these chemicals get inside cancer cells. This discovery is significant because many chemicals, like asperigimycins, have medicinal properties but struggle to enter cells in large enough quantities to be useful. Knowing that particular fats (lipids) can enhance this process gives scientists a new tool for drug development.

    Further experiments revealed that asperigimycins probably disrupt the process of cell division in cancer cells. Cancer cells divide uncontrollably, and these compounds appear to block the formation of microtubules, the scaffolding inside cells that are essential for cell division.

    Tremendous untapped potential

    This disruption is specific to certain types of cells, so this may in turn reduce the risk of side-effects. But the discovery of asperigimycins is just the beginning. The researchers also identified similar clusters of genes in other fungi, suggesting that many more fungal RiPPs remain to be discovered.

    Almost all the fungal RiPPs found so far have strong biological activity, making this an area with tremendous untapped potential. The next step is to test asperigimycins in other systems and models, with the hope of eventually moving to human clinical trials. If successful, these molecules could join the ranks of other fungal-derived medicines, such as penicillin, which revolutionised modern medicine.

    The story of Aspergillus flavus is a powerful example of how nature can be both a source of danger and a wellspring of healing. For centuries, this fungus was feared as a silent killer lurking in ancient tombs, responsible for mysterious deaths and the legend of the pharaoh’s curse. Today, scientists are turning that fear into hope, harnessing the same deadly spores to create life-saving medicines.

    This transformation, from curse to cure, highlights the importance of continued exploration and innovation in the natural world. Nature has in fact provided us with an incredible pharmacy, filled with compounds that can heal as well as harm. It is up to scientists and engineers to uncover these secrets, using the latest technologies to identify, modify and test new molecules for their potential to treat disease.

    The discovery of asperigimycins is a reminder that even the most unlikely sources – such as a toxic tomb fungus – can hold the key to revolutionary new treatments. As researchers continue to explore the hidden world of fungi, who knows what other medical breakthroughs may lie just beneath the surface?

    Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

    The opinions expressed in VIEWPOINT articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARU.

    If you wish to republish this article, please follow these guidelines: https://theconversation.com/uk/republishing-guidelines

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ali Bowden, the first Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, to receive the Edinburgh Award 2025

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    The first Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Ali Bowden has been selected to receive the prestigious Edinburgh Award 2025.

    The Edinburgh Award was established in 2007 to honour outstanding individuals who have made a positive impact on the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh. Nominations are invited annually from Edinburgh citizens and the recipient is selected by the Civic Awards Committee. Previous recipients include bestselling authors, human rights activists and world-famous sportspeople.

    Ali Bowden became Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature in 2006, following a ten-year career in publishing, and was in the role for most of its 20-year history. Edinburgh became the world’s first UNESCO Creative City in 2004 and in the following years Ali helped to welcome new Cities of Literature as they joined, recruiting others from around the world in a bid to diversify the network. There are now 53 literary cities and more than 350 creative cities in seven artforms.

    Ali will be presented with an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost and have her handprints set in stone at the City Chambers later this year.

    The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, and Chair of the Civic Award Committee, Robert Aldridge said:

    Ali Bowden is a most deserved recipient of the Edinburgh Award, and I’m really pleased that she has accepted the Civic Awards Committee decision to present it to her.

    Edinburgh blazed a trail when it became the first UNESCO Creative City in 2004 and with Ali at the helm for almost 20 years it has continued to flourish in this position.

    Not only has Ali gone above and beyond to create a diverse and engaging range of projects and programmes to enhance the literary city, she has played a key role in connecting Edinburgh with other literary cities around the world.

    I’d like to congratulate Ali on behalf of the city – we will all benefit from her legacy, which builds on the Capital’s rich literary heritage while also bringing reading and literature to new and varied audiences.

    Ali’s work to promote and enhance Edinburgh as a literary city includes community-based writers’ residencies, the first citywide reading campaign, and the award-winning Great Scott! installation in Waverley railway station honouring Sir Walter Scott. She was also behind the Stars & Stories trail of illuminated quotations celebrating 500 years of Edinburgh’s publishing heritage, and an initiative with ETAG to promote literary tourism.

    Ali has played a key role in making introductions, bringing opportunities and showcasing the work of writers, readers, booksellers, publishers, programmers and visitors to the benefit of Edinburgh’s literary scene.

    After 18 years as Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, Ali stood down from the role in September 2024.

    Ali Bowden said:

    There’s no doubt that Edinburgh has stolen my heart, and I’ve happily spent the last few decades banging the drum for this impressive, bookish, story-filled and ever-changing city. I am humbled, honoured and delighted – in equal measure – to be receiving the Edinburgh Award. I know it’s only possible because of all the kind souls I’ve worked with over the years, on projects big and small, locally and internationally. All of them equally inspired by Edinburgh, this amazing, and first, City of Literature. Thank you all for doing a bit of hard work when I asked!
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Why London pays more for transport infrastructure projects

    Source: Mayor of London

    A study looking at tram, metro and rail projects across 14 countries, concluded that transport infrastructure of all kinds, from railways to roads, tramlines to Metros, are more expensive to build in the UK.1

    Britain Remade found Britain builds trams at twice the cost of the European average and almost four times the cost of trams in Germany. When it comes to electrifying railways, Britain pays three times more for a single mile of track than Germany. High Speed 2 (HS2) is expected to be nine times more expensive than the Tours to Bordeaux high speed line.2

    According to reports, Madrid tripled the length of its metro system in just 12 years — faster and cheaper than almost any other city in the world. Madrid was reportedly able to build so much because of its low-cost approach: The 35-mile (56 kilometre) program of expansion between 1995 and 1999 cost around $2.8 billion (in 2024 prices). London’s Jubilee Line Extension, built at the same time as Madrid’s expansion, cost nearly ten times more per mile than Madrid’s program.3 

    Tomorrow, the London Assembly Budget and Performance Committee will hear from experts on why the cost for building transport infrastructure in the UK is much higher than neighbouring countries.

    Guests are: 

    • Ben Hopkinson, Head of Housing & Infrastructure, Centre for Policy Studies
    • Dr Alexander Budzier, Chief Executive Officer, Oxford Global Projects 
    • Gareth Dennis, Railway Engineer and writer, Railnatter

    The meeting will take place on Wednesday 23 July 2025 from 10am in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

    The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

    Follow us @LondonAssembly.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets cross-party Irish Oireachtas delegation

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-07-22
    President Lai meets official delegation from European Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield
    On the morning of July 22, President Lai Ching-te met with an official delegation from the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS). In remarks, President Lai thanked the committee for choosing to visit Taiwan for its first trip to Asia, demonstrating the close ties between Taiwan and Europe. President Lai emphasized that Taiwan, standing at the very frontline of the democratic world, is determined to protect democracy, peace, and prosperity worldwide. He expressed hope that we can share our experiences with Europe to foster even more resilient societies. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Firstly, on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend a warm welcome to your delegation, which marks another official visit from the European Parliament. The Special Committee on the EUDS aims to strengthen societal resilience and counter disinformation and hybrid threats. Having been constituted at the beginning of this year, the committee has chosen to visit Taiwan for its first trip to Asia, demonstrating the close ties between Taiwan and Europe and the unlimited possibilities for deepening cooperation on issues of concern. I am also delighted to see many old friends of Taiwan gathered here today. I deeply appreciate your longstanding support for Taiwan. Taiwan and the European Union enjoy close trade and economic relations and share the values of freedom and democracy. However, in recent years, we have both been subjected to information manipulation and infiltration by foreign forces that seek to interfere in democratic elections, foment division in our societies, and shake people’s faith in democracy. Taiwan not only faces an onslaught of disinformation, but also is the target of gray-zone aggression. That is why, after taking office, I established the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee at the Presidential Office, with myself as convener. The committee is a platform that integrates domestic affairs, national defense, foreign affairs, cybersecurity, and civil resources. It aims to strengthen the capability of Taiwan’s society to defend itself against new forms of threat, pinpoint external and internal vulnerabilities, and bolster overall resilience and security. The efforts that democracies make are not for opposing anyone else; they are for safeguarding the way of life that we cherish – just as Europe has endeavored to promote diversity and human rights. The Taiwanese people firmly believe that when our society is united and people trust one another, we will be able to withstand any form of authoritarian aggression. Taiwan stands at the very frontline of the democratic world. We are determined to protect democracy, peace, and prosperity worldwide. We also hope to share our experiences with Europe and deepen cooperation in such fields as cybersecurity, media literacy, and societal resilience. Thank you once again for visiting Taiwan. Your presence further strengthens the foundations of Taiwan-Europe relations. Let us continue to work together to uphold freedom and democracy and foster even more resilient societies. EUDS Special Committee Chair Nathalie Loiseau then delivered remarks, saying that the delegation has members from different countries, including France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Belgium, and different political parties, but that they have in common their desire for stronger relations between the EU and Taiwan. Committee Chair Loiseau stated that the EU and Taiwan, having many things in common, should work more together. She noted that we have strong trade relations, strong investments on both sides, and strong cultural relations, while we are also facing very similar challenges and threats. She said that we are democracies living in a world where autocracies want to weaken and divide democracies. She added that we also face external information manipulation, cyberattacks, sabotage, attempts to capture elites, and every single gray-zone activity that aims to divide and weaken us. Committee Chair Loiseau pointed out another commonality, that we have never threatened our neighbors. She said that we want to live in peace and we care about our people; we want to defend ourselves, not to attack others. We are not being threatened because of what we do, she emphasized, but because of what we are; and thus there is no reason for not working more together to face these threats and attacks. Committee Chair Loiseau said that Taiwan has valuable experience and good practices in the area of societal resilience, and that they are interested in learning more about Taiwan’s whole-of-society approach. They in Europe are facing interference, she said, mainly from Russia, and they know that Russia inspires others. She added that they in the EU also have experience regulating social media in a way which combines freedom of expression and responsibility. In closing, the chair said that they are happy to have the opportunity to exchange views with President Lai and that the European Parliament will continue to strongly support relations between the EU and Taiwan. The delegation also included Members of the European Parliament Engin Eroglu, Tomáš Zdechovský, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Kathleen Van Brempt, and Markéta Gregorová.

    Details
    2025-07-17
    President Lai meets President of Guatemalan Congress Nery Abilio Ramos y Ramos  
    On the morning of July 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Nery Abilio Ramos y Ramos, the president of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala. In remarks, President Lai thanked Congress President Ramos and the Guatemalan Congress for their support for Taiwan, and noted that official diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Guatemala go back more than 90 years. As important partners in the global democratic community, the president said, the two nations will continue moving forward together in joint defense of the values of democracy and freedom, and will cooperate to promote regional and global prosperity and development. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:  I recall that when Congress President Ramos visited Taiwan in July last year, he put forward many ideas about how our countries could promote bilateral cooperation and exchanges. Now, a year later, he is leading another cross-party delegation from the Guatemalan Congress on a visit, demonstrating support for Taiwan and continuing to help deepen our diplomatic ties. In addition to extending a sincere welcome to the distinguished delegation members who have traveled so far to be here, I would also like to express our concern and condolences for everyone in Guatemala affected by the earthquake that struck earlier this month. We hope that the recovery effort is going smoothly. Official diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Guatemala go back more than 90 years. In such fields as healthcare, agriculture, education, and women’s empowerment, we have continually strengthened our cooperation to benefit our peoples. Just last month, Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo and the First Lady led a delegation on a state visit to Taiwan. President Arévalo and I signed a letter of intent for semiconductor cooperation, and also witnessed the signing of cooperation documents to establish a political consultation mechanism and continue to promote bilateral investment. This has laid an even sounder foundation for bilateral exchanges and cooperation, and will help enhance both countries’ international competitiveness. Taiwan is currently running a semiconductor vocational training program, helping Guatemala cultivate semiconductor talent and develop its tech industry, and demonstrating our determination to share experience with democratic partners. At the same time, we continue to assist Taiwanese businesses in their efforts to develop overseas markets with Guatemala as an important base, spurring industrial development in both countries and increasing economic and trade benefits. I want to thank Congress President Ramos and the Guatemalan Congress for their continued support for Taiwan’s international participation. Representing the Guatemalan Congress, Congress President Ramos has signed resolutions in support of Taiwan, and has also issued statements addressing China’s misinterpretation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758. Taiwan and Guatemala, as important partners in the global democratic community, will continue moving forward together in joint defense of the values of democracy and freedom, and will cooperate to promote regional and global prosperity and development. Congress President Ramos then delivered remarks, first noting that the members of the delegation are not only from different parties, but also represent different classes, cultures, professions, and departments, which shows that the diplomatic ties between Guatemala and the Republic of China (Taiwan) are based on firm friendships at all levels and in all fields. Noting that this was his second time to visit Taiwan and meet with President Lai, Congress President Ramos thanked the government of Taiwan for its warm hospitality. With the international situation growing more complex by the day, he said, Guatemala highly values its longstanding friendship and cooperative ties with Taiwan, and hopes that both sides can continue to deepen their cooperation in such areas as the economy, technology, education, agriculture, and culture, and work together to spur sustainable development in each of our countries. Congress President Ramos said that the way the Taiwan government looks after the well-being of its people is an excellent model for how other countries should promote national development and social well-being. Accordingly, he said, the Guatemalan Congress has stood for justice and, for a second time, adopted a resolution backing Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly. Regarding President Arévalo’s state visit to Taiwan the previous month, Congress President Ramos commented that this high-level interaction has undoubtedly strengthened the diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Guatemala and led to more opportunities for cooperation. Congress President Ramos emphasized that democracy, freedom, and human rights are universal values that bind Taiwan and Guatemala together, and that he is confident the two countries’ diplomatic ties will continue to grow deeper. In closing, on behalf of the Republic of Guatemala, Congress President Ramos presented President Lai with a Chinese translation of the resolution that the Guatemalan Congress proposed to the UN in support of Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, demonstrating the staunch bonds of friendship between the two countries. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Guatemala Ambassador Luis Raúl Estévez López.  

    Details
    2025-07-08
    President Lai meets delegation led by Foreign Minister Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste of Republic of Haiti
    On the morning of July 8, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste of the Republic of Haiti and his wife. In remarks, President Lai noted that our two countries will soon mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and that our exchanges have been fruitful in important areas such as public security, educational cooperation, and infrastructure. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to work together with Haiti to promote the development of medical and health care, food security, and construction that benefits people’s livelihoods. The president thanked Haiti for supporting Taiwan’s international participation and expressed hope that both countries will continue to support each other, deepen cooperation, and face various challenges together. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to meet and exchange ideas with Minister Jean-Baptiste, his wife, and our distinguished guests. Minister Jean-Baptiste is the highest-ranking official from Haiti to visit Taiwan since former President Jovenel Moïse visited in 2018, demonstrating the importance that the Haitian government attaches to our bilateral diplomatic ties. On behalf of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I extend a sincere welcome. Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries. Our bilateral exchanges have been fruitful in important areas such as public security, educational cooperation, and infrastructure. Over the past few years, Haiti has faced challenges in such areas as food supply and healthcare. Taiwan will continue to work together with Haiti through various cooperative programs to promote the development of medical and health care, food security, and construction that benefits people’s livelihoods. I want to thank the government of Haiti and Minister Jean-Baptiste for speaking out in support of Taiwan on the international stage for many years. Minister Jean-Baptiste’s personal letter to the World Health Organization Secretariat in May this year and Minister of Public Health and Population Bertrand Sinal’s public statement during the World Health Assembly both affirmed Taiwan’s efforts and contributions to global public health and supported Taiwan’s international participation, for which we are very grateful. I hope that Taiwan and Haiti will continue to support each other and deepen cooperation. I believe that Minister Jean-Baptiste’s visit will open up more opportunities for cooperation for both countries, helping Taiwan and Haiti face various challenges together. In closing, I once again offer a sincere welcome to the delegation led by Minister Jean-Baptiste, and ask him to convey greetings from Taiwan to Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and the members of the Transitional Presidential Council. Minister Jean-Baptiste then delivered remarks, saying that he is extremely honored to visit Taiwan and reaffirm the solid and friendly cooperative relationship based on mutual respect between the Republic of Haiti and the Republic of China (Taiwan), which will soon mark its 70th anniversary. He also brought greetings to President Lai from Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council and Prime Minister Fils-Aimé. Minister Jean-Baptiste emphasized that over the past few decades, despite the great geographical distance and developmental and cultural differences between our two countries, we have nevertheless established a firm friendship and demonstrated to the world the progress resulting from the mutual assistance and cooperation between our peoples. Minister Jean-Baptiste pointed out that our two countries cooperate closely in agriculture, health, education, and community development and have achieved concrete results. Taiwan’s voice, he said, is thus essential for the people of Haiti. He noted that Taiwan also plays an important role in peace and innovation and actively participates in global cooperative efforts. Pointing out that the world is currently facing significant challenges and that Haiti is experiencing its most difficult period in history, Minister Jean-Baptiste said that at this time, Taiwan and Haiti need to unite, help each other, and jointly think about how to move forward and deepen bilateral relations to benefit the peoples of both countries. Minister Jean-Baptiste said that he is pleased that throughout our solid and friendly diplomatic relationship, both countries have demonstrated mutual trust, mutual respect, and the values we jointly defend. He then stated his belief that Haiti and Taiwan will together create a cooperation model and future that are sincere, friendly, and sustainable. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Francilien Victorin of the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Taiwan.

    Details
    2025-07-01
    President Lai meets delegation from 2025 Taiwan International Ocean Forum
    On the afternoon of July 1, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the 2025 Taiwan International Ocean Forum (TIOF). In remarks, President Lai noted that the people of Taiwan will continue to work with democratic partners throughout the world in a maritime spirit of freedom and openness to contribute to ocean governance and jointly ensure maritime security. He expressed hope that their visit will help forge stronger friendships between Taiwan and international maritime partners, so that all can work together to spur shared maritime prosperity and sustainable development for the next generation. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I want to thank our guests for coming here to the Presidential Office. The 2025 TIOF will take place tomorrow and the day after, and I thank you all for making the long trip to Taiwan to attend the event and share your valuable insights and experiences. This year’s forum will focus on strategies for strengthening maritime security and pathways to achieving a sustainable blue economy. By attending this forum, our guests are highlighting their commitment to safeguarding the oceans, and beyond that, taking concrete action to demonstrate support for Taiwan. I once again offer deepest gratitude on behalf of the people of Taiwan. Taiwan holds a key position on the first island chain, is one of the world’s top 10 shipping nations, and accounts for close to 10 percent of global container shipping by volume. As such, Taiwan occupies a unique and important position in maritime strategy. For Taiwan, the ocean is more than just a basis for survival and development; it is also an important driver of national prosperity. In my inaugural address last year, I spoke of a threefold approach to further Taiwan’s development. One of these involves further developing our strengths as a maritime nation. Our government must actively help deepen our connections with the ocean, and must continue to promote green shipping, a sustainable fishing industry, marine renewable energy, and other forms of industrial transformation. It must also make use of marine technology and digital innovation to create a new paradigm that balances environmental, economic, and social inclusion concerns. This will help enhance Taiwan’s responsibilities and competitiveness as a maritime nation. Taiwan is surrounded by ocean, and our territorial waters are a natural protective barrier. However, continued gray-zone aggression from China creates serious threats and challenges to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Our government continues to invest resources to deal with increasingly complex maritime security issues. In addition to building coast guard patrol vessels, we must also step up efforts to build underwater, surface, and airborne unmanned vehicles and smart reconnaissance equipment, so as to demonstrate Taiwan’s determination to defend democracy and freedom and commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Oceans are Taiwan’s roots, and provide the channels by which we engage with the world. The people of Taiwan will continue to work with democratic partners throughout the world in a maritime spirit of freedom and openness to contribute to ocean governance and jointly ensure maritime security. The TIOF was first launched in 2020, and has now become an important platform for enhancement of cooperation between Taiwan and other countries. I hope that our distinguished guests will reap great benefits at this year’s forum, and further hope that this visit will help forge stronger friendships between Taiwan and international maritime partners, so that all can work together to spur shared maritime prosperity and sustainable development for the next generation. Chairman of The Washington Times Thomas McDevitt, a member of the delegation, then delivered remarks, noting first that July 4th, this Friday, is Independence Day in America. Independence is a sacred, powerful word which has great meaning in this part of the world, he said. Chairman McDevitt indicated that Taiwan has truly become a global beacon of democracy and a key partner for many nations. He then quoted President Lai’s 2024 inaugural address: “We will work together to combat disinformation, strengthen democratic resilience, address challenges, and allow Taiwan to become the MVP of the democratic world.” Chairman McDevitt went on to say that he appreciated the president’s speech with regard to his philosophical depth, sensitivity, and both moral and political clarity. He said that he was deeply moved by the speech, but within a few days of it, China responded with military activities and many threats. The chairman then emphasized that we are in a civilization crisis. Chairman McDevitt mentioned that President Lai has begun a series of 10 lectures, and remarked that they would help the world to understand the identity and the nature of Taiwan, as well as the situation we are in in the world. On behalf of all the delegation, Chairman McDevitt thanked the president for his leadership in dealing with these issues thoughtfully. Chairman McDevitt concluded with a line from the Old Testament which states that if the people have no vision, they will perish. He said that he believes Taiwan’s president has led the people of Taiwan, and the world, with a vision of how to navigate this great civilization crisis together. The delegation also included Members of the Japanese House of Representatives Kikawada Hitoshi, Aoyama Yamato, and Genma Kentaro, and Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom Gavin Williamson.

    Details
    2025-06-30
    President Lai meets Minister of State at UK Department for Business and Trade Douglas Alexander  
    On the morning of June 30, President Lai Ching-te met with Douglas Alexander, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade of the United Kingdom. In remarks, President Lai thanked the UK government for its longstanding support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, demonstrating that Taiwan and the UK share similar goals. Noting that two years ago, Taiwan and the UK signed an enhanced trade partnership (ETP) arrangement, the president said that today Taiwan and the UK have signed three pillars under the ETP, which will help promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation. He expressed hope of the UK publicly supporting Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) so that together we can create an economic and trade landscape in the Indo-Pacific characterized by shared prosperity and development. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend a warm welcome to Minister Alexander and wish a fruitful outcome for the 27th round of Taiwan-UK trade talks later today. Taiwan-UK relations have grown closer in recent years. We have not only continued to strengthen cooperation in such fields as offshore wind power, innovative technologies, and culture and education but also have established regular dialogue mechanisms in the critical areas of economics and trade, energy, and agriculture. The UK is currently Taiwan’s fourth-largest European trading partner, second-largest source of investment from Europe, and third-largest target for investment in Europe. Two years ago, Taiwan and the UK signed an ETP arrangement. This was particularly meaningful, as it was the first institutionalized economic and trade framework between Taiwan and a European country. Today, this arrangement is yielding further results. I am delighted that Taiwan and the UK have signed three pillars under the ETP covering investment, digital trade, and energy and net-zero. This will help promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation and advance industrial development on both sides. I also want to thank the UK government for its longstanding support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. This month, the UK published its Strategic Defence Review 2025 and National Security Strategy 2025, which oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. These not only demonstrate that Taiwan and the UK share similar goals but also show that security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region are inseparable from those of the transatlantic regions. In addition, last November, the House of Commons passed a motion which made clear that United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 neither established the sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China over Taiwan nor determined Taiwan’s status in the United Nations. The UK government also responded to the motion by publicly expressing for the first time its position on UNGA Resolution 2758, opposing any attempt to broaden the interpretation of the resolution to rewrite history. For this, on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I once again want to extend my deepest gratitude. Taiwan and the UK have the advantage of being highly complementary in the technology sector. In facing the restructuring of global supply chains and other international economic and trade developments, I believe that Taiwan and the UK are indispensable key partners for one another. I look forward to the UK publicly supporting Taiwan’s accession to the CPTPP so that together, we can create an economic and trade landscape in the Indo-Pacific characterized by shared prosperity and development. In closing, I wish Minister Alexander a pleasant and successful visit. And I hope he has the opportunity to visit Taiwan for personal travel in the future. Minister Alexander then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great personal honor to meet with everyone today to discuss further deepening the UK-Taiwan trade relationship and explore the many opportunities our two sides can pursue together. He mentioned that he traveled to Taiwan in 2022 when he was a private citizen, a visit he thoroughly enjoyed, so he is delighted to be back to see the strength of the UK-Taiwan relationship and the strengthening of that relationship. He said that relationship is built on mutual respect, democratic values, and a shared vision for open, resilient, and rules-based economic cooperation. As like-minded partners, he pointed out, our collaboration continues to grow across multiple sectors, and he is here today to further that momentum. Minister Alexander stated that on trade and investment, he is proud that this morning we signed the ETP Pillars on Investment, Digital Trade, Energy and Net Zero, which will provide a clear framework for our future cooperation and lay the foundation for expanded access and market-shaping engagement between our two economies. The minister said he believes that together with our annual trade talks, this partnership will help UK’s firms secure new commercial opportunities, improve regulatory alignment, and promote long-term investment in key growth areas, which in turn will also support Taiwan’s efforts to expand high-quality trade relationships with trusted partners. Minister Alexander said that President Lai’s promotion of the Five Trusted Industry Sectors and the UK’s recently published industrial and trade strategies are very well-aligned, as both cover clean energy and semiconductors as well as advanced manufacturing. He then provided an example, saying that both sides plan to invest in AI infrastructure and compute power-creating opportunities for great joint research in the future. By combining our strengths in these areas, he said, we can open the door to innovative collaboration and commercial success for both sides. He mentioned that yesterday he visited the Taiwan Space Agency, commenting that in sectors such as satellite technology, green energy, and cyber security, British expertise and trusted standards can provide meaningful solutions. Noting that President Lai spoke in his remarks of the broader challenge of peace and security in the region, Minister Alexander stated that the United Kingdom has, of course, also continued to affirm its commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, along with its G7 partners. The UK-Taiwan relationship is strategic, enduring, and growing, he stated, and they reaffirm and remain firm in their longstanding position and confident in their ability to work together to support both prosperity and resilience in both of our societies. Minister Alexander said that, as Taiwan looks to diversify capital and build global partnerships, they believe the UK represents a strong and ambitious investment destination, particularly for Taiwanese companies at the very forefront of robotics, clean tech, and advanced industry. He pointed out that the UK’s markets are stable, open, and aligned with Taiwan’s vision of a high-tech, sustainable future, adding that he looks forward to our discussion on how we can further deepen our cooperation across all of these areas and more. The delegation also included Martin Kent, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific at the UK Department for Business and Trade. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones.   

    Details
    2025-05-20
    President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
    In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era.  The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Long-stay tourism boom ignites ‘cool economy’ in highlands

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

    A drone photo taken on July 18, 2025 shows a local Yizu Dage team performing during a parade show on the ancient street of Nanzhao in Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Peng Yikai)

    At his guesthouse in southwest China’s Kunming, Zhang Cheng wiped down the counter in preparation for the next wave of arrivals, as the country’s highland summer migration unfolded, a seasonal drift measured not in days but in months.

    “Since summer began, we’ve had almost no vacancies,” he said. A steady stream of guests from the sweltering nearby regions of Sichuan and Chongqing is replacing the usual ebb and flow of tourists in this capital city of Yunnan Province.

    As scorching heat blankets much of China, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, with average summer temperatures of 15 to 21 degrees Celsius, are experiencing the explosive growth of “cool summer residencies.”

    Yunnan alone hosted 2.8 million long-stay visitors in the first half of 2025, a surge of 45.4 percent year on year. These visitors stayed an average of 91 days, 11 days longer than the previous year.

    In the province’s Qujing City, famed for its cooler summers, companies like Licheng Residential Leasing are transforming idle homes into managed residences. This summer, Licheng has provided over 100 beds and three meals daily through contracted residential homes in the city’s Niujie community, hosting over 200 guests so far.

    Industry experts believe that traditional tourism often funnels spending into transportation and tickets, limiting local economic benefits, whereas tourism engaging local residents retains more spending within the community.

    In Qujing, for example, dining accounts for 40 percent of long-stay visitors’ spending, vastly exceeding the 10 percent typical of short-stay tourists. The city welcomed 2 million long-stay visitors in last summer, peaking at 270,000 daily, generating 23.6 billion yuan (around 3.3 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue.

    Leveraging its national forest park, Xishui County in Guizhou has developed 28 summer residence projects across six townships, now housing 36,000 households, mostly from other provinces. Since June, hotels and homestays have reported peak seasons.

    Dai Bin, head of the China Tourism Academy, highlighted the shift of the tourism model “from simply leveraging cool climates to integrating culture, wellness and learning.” He cited the example of children joining forest rangers for plant identification in a nature science camp while parents learn local crafts, as well as one in Yunnan’s Dali that combines cool air with holistic healing through yoga in the forest.

    Recognizing the potential, China’s National Development and Reform Commission issued guidelines in 2023 to boost summer tourism, urging better products and infrastructure.

    According to Rao Xiangbi, deputy director of Yunnan’s culture and tourism department, long-stay visitors now flock not just from nearby Sichuan and Chongqing, but increasingly from Guangdong, Zhejiang, and even the northernmost Heilongjiang Province, with over 80 percent being young and middle-aged people.

    Experts from the United Nations World Tourism Organization have noted that such climate-adaptive tourism is a growing necessity globally and is poised to become a defining future trend as climate change intensifies. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: July results of the Bank Lending Survey in Germany | Demand continued to rise in all loan categories

    Source: Deutsche Bundesbank

    The German banks responding to the Bank Lending Survey (BLS) tightened their credit standards for loans to enterprises and loans to households in the second quarter of 2025. Increased credit risk and lower risk tolerance were the rationale behind the tightening.
    The surveyed banks barely changed their credit terms and conditions for loans to enterprises and loans to households for house purchase. For consumer credit and other lending to households, they tightened credit terms and conditions on balance.
    Loan demand continued to rise in all loan categories; the demand for loans to enterprises increased more strongly than in previous quarters.
    The non-performing loans (NPL) ratio and other indicators of credit quality had a tightening impact on banks’ credit standards, terms and conditions in all loan categories under review.
    Owing to climate-related risks and measures to cope with climate change, the past twelve months saw banks tighten their credit standards for “brown” firms and firms in transition. In the case of loans to households for house purchase, credit standards for loans for buildings with poor energy performance also became more restrictive.

    The BLS covers three loan categories: loans to enterprises, loans to households for house purchase, and consumer credit and other lending to households. On balance, the surveyed banks tightened their credit standards (i.e. their internal guidelines or loan approval criteria) for loans to enterprises and loans to households. The net share of banks that tightened their standards stood at + 3 % for loans to enterprises (compared with + 3 % in the previous quarter). Credit standards for loans to enterprises were tightened only for small and medium-sized enterprises. The banks tightened credit standards for loans to households for house purchase by + 11 % in net terms (compared with − 7 % in the previous quarter) and for consumer credit and other lending to households by + 11 % in net terms (compared with 0 % in the previous quarter). Banks tightened their credit standards for all reported loan categories to a lesser extent than they had planned in the previous quarter. 
    The rationale given by the banks for the marginal tightening of credit standards for loans to enterprises was elevated credit risk owing to the gloomier economic situation and the economic outlook. The banks cited a decrease in their risk tolerance as the main reason for tightening their credit standards for loans to households. In addition, a decline in households’ creditworthiness had a restrictive impact on consumer credit and other lending. For the third quarter of 2025, banks are planning to ease their credit standards for loans to enterprises. As regards loans to households, they expect to tighten credit standards again if borrowers’ credit quality continues to deteriorate.

    Changes in credit standards for loans to enterprises and contributing factors

    On aggregate, banks made hardly any changes to their credit terms and conditions (i.e. the terms and conditions actually approved as laid down in the loan contract) for loans to enterprises and loans to households for house purchase. For consumer credit and other lending to households, they tightened credit terms and conditions on balance. The banks justified these adjustments primarily on the grounds of their reduced risk tolerance and an increase in credit risk.
    The surveyed banks reported that demand for bank loans in Germany had risen on balance in all loan categories in the second quarter of 2025. The increase in demand exceeded the banks’ expectations from the previous quarter in all surveyed business areas. Demand for loans to enterprises rose more strongly than in previous quarters. The banks cited an increase in financing needs for fixed investment as well as for inventories and working capital as the reason. In both cases, this was the first time in a year that banks reported moderate growth in funding needs again. In addition, the general level of interest rates also contributed to the increase in demand. According to the surveyed banks, the renewed significant rise in demand for loans to households for house purchase was due mainly to households’ positive view of the outlook on the housing market and the lower level of interest rates. Banks put the rise in households’ demand for consumer credit and other lending down to improved consumer confidence and an increase in purchases of durable consumer goods. The loan rejection rate for loans to enterprises went up again, primarily for loan requests and applications from small and medium-sized enterprises. The rejection rate also increased for consumer credit and other lending to households, but remained unchanged for loans for house purchase. For the third quarter of 2025, banks are expecting to see demand increase further across all three loan categories. For loans to enterprises, banks are expecting positive impetus from domestic economic policy but at the same time a dampening impact from the global political situation.

    Change in demand for loans to enterprises and contributing factors

    The July survey round contained ad hoc questions on participating banks’ financing conditions and about the impact of NPLs and other indicators of credit quality on the institutions’ lending policies. It also contained a question on their credit standards, terms and conditions, and on demand for loans across the main economic sectors. In addition, for the third time, BLS banks were surveyed on the impact of climate change and climate-related measures on bank lending. They were asked to report on the impact for “green” firms (firms that do not contribute or contribute little to climate change), firms in transition (firms that contribute to climate change, which are making relevant progress in the transition), and “brown” firms (firms that contribute strongly to climate change, which have not yet started or have so far made only little progress in the transition). This question was expanded for the first time to include a question on the impact of climate change and climate-related measures in connection with loans to households for house purchase. Another ad hoc question assessed the impact of excess liquidity on bank lending.
    Given the conditions in financial markets, German banks reported that their funding situation had improved slightly compared with the previous quarter. 
    In the second quarter of 2025, the NPL ratio (the stock of gross NPLs on the bank’s balance sheet as a percentage of the gross carrying amount of loans) and other indicators of credit quality, owing to their size, had a restrictive impact on credit standards, terms and conditions for loans to enterprises and loans to households. For the third quarter of 2025, the banks are expecting this credit quality-driven restrictive effect to continue. Credit standards for loans to enterprises were tightened most sharply over the past six months in the (commercial) real estate and manufacturing sectors. However, credit standards were also tightened for all other sectors surveyed, with the exception of services. For the next six months, banks are not expecting to make any noteworthy adjustments to credit standards in any of the economic sectors, the first time they have reported this for quite some time.
    Climate-related risks and measures to cope with climate change have had a restrictive impact on credit standards for loans to enterprises over the past twelve months. The more the enterprises contributed to climate change, the greater that impact was. The effects of climate change had a restrictive impact on credit terms and conditions, especially those for loans to “brown” firms. The effect was expansionary, on the other hand, for loans to “green” firms. Over the next twelve months, banks expect climate change to ease their credit standards, terms and conditions for “green” firms. They are expecting climate change to have a further restrictive impact on their credit standards, terms and conditions for loans to other enterprises. At the same time, the effects of climate change, taken in isolation, stimulated loan demand from “green” firms and firms in transition. By contrast, climate change and climate policy had no impact on loan demand from “brown” firms. For the next twelve months, banks are expecting to see climate change stimulate demand for loans irrespective of firms’ classification.
    In the case of loans to households for house purchase, credit standards for loans for buildings with poor energy performance were tightened. By contrast, for loans for buildings with high or reasonably good energy performance, climate-related risks and measures to cope with climate change had no notable impact on credit standards. Over the next twelve months, banks expect this adjustment of credit standards, which is dependent on buildings’ energy performance, to continue. At the same time, climate-related factors, especially investment in the energy performance of buildings, in isolation, stimulated demand for loans for buildings with high or reasonably good energy performance. By contrast, demand for loans for buildings with poor energy performance remained unaffected by climate-related factors. Over the next twelve months, banks expect rising demand for loans for buildings with high energy performance and declining loan demand for buildings with poor energy performance.
    The banks do not see developments in excess liquidity held with the Eurosystem as having had any impact on bank lending over the past six months. By their account, that is unlikely to change in the next six months. 
    The Bank Lending Survey, which is conducted four times a year, took place between 13 June and 1 July 2025. In Germany, 33 banks took part in the survey, with a response rate of 100 %.

    Changes in credit standards for loans to enterprises across main economic sectors

    Changes in credit standards for loans to households for house purchases and contributing factors

    Change in demand for loans to households for house purchase and contributing factors

    Time series credit standards
    Loans to enterprises
    Loans to households for house purchase
    Consumer credit and other lending to households

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The MHRA and the global flu vaccine: How the UK is helping shape the world’s flu vaccine 

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    The MHRA and the global flu vaccine: How the UK is helping shape the world’s flu vaccine 

    Ensuring the seasonal flu vaccine is ready, safe and effective involves months of international planning, testing and collaboration

    Each year, millions of people across the globe catch influenza, commonly known as the flu. While many recover quickly, flu can be deadly, particularly for older adults, young children, and those with weakened immune systems. In the UK alone, seasonal flu can cause thousands of deaths in a bad year. This is why having an effective and up-to-date flu vaccine is crucial. 

    Millions of people around the world prepare for seasonal influenza by getting vaccinated. It’s something many of us take for granted – a quick injection at the GP or pharmacy. But behind the scenes, ensuring that vaccine is ready, safe, and effective involves months of international planning, testing, and collaboration. 

    At the heart of that global effort is the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – the UK’s regulator for medicines and medical devices. The MHRA’s role goes far beyond approving medicines for the UK. It also leads on the international stage by hosting the MHRA Global Influenza Meeting, a key event that helps guide the development and delivery of the world’s flu vaccines. 

    Why the flu vaccine needs updating every year 

    Unlike some viruses, like measles, the influenza virus constantly changes and evolves. This means that last year’s vaccine may not protect against this year’s strains. Each year, scientists and regulators across the world work together to track the latest strains of the virus and decide which ones should be included in the next season’s vaccine. 

    The World Health Organization (WHO) leads this process through a network of research centres and laboratories known as Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System. However, transforming that scientific research and development into safe, effective, and timely licensed vaccines involves regulators. The MHRA plays a key role in both aspects. 

    A meeting 20 years in the making 

    This year marks the 40th MHRA influenza meeting, held twice a year for the past 20 years. This year, it was held last week. What began as a European-focused gathering has grown into a major global event, drawing together public health experts, scientists, manufacturers, and regulators from across the world. 

    As Dr Othmar Engelhardt, the MHRA’s Head of Seasonal Influenza and organiser of the meetings, explains, the MHRA provides “a well-established venue for discussions within the community, bringing together everyone involved in the process of producing and delivering the vaccine after the strains relevant to a particular season are recommended by the WHO strain selection committee.” 

    What happens at the meeting? 

    The aim of the meeting is to ensure that all players have the information they need to ensure that the provision of the annual flu vaccine is the best it can be – delivered on time, with as few hurdles as possible. It’s a forum to share science, streamline processes, and keep the world prepared. 

    Topics covered are wide-ranging, including: 

    • Update on influenza in the world: Which flu viruses are circulating globally, and which are most likely to pose a threat in the coming season? 

    • Reagents and standards: What laboratory materials are available for testing and manufacturing? How can the community help speed up access to these materials? 

    • Vaccine production updates: How ready are manufacturers for the upcoming flu season following the WHO strain recommendation, and what’s needed to smooth the supply chain? 

    Importantly, there is also a focus on zoonotic influenza – flu viruses that jump from animals, such as birds or pigs, to humans. These have the potential to spark the next influenza pandemic, so surveillance and preparation of potential vaccine candidates are essential. 

    The disappearance of B/Yamagata 

    One notable scientific development in recent years is the apparent disappearance of the B/Yamagata flu lineage since the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, flu vaccines were quadrivalent, meaning that they contained four virus components (two A types and two B types). Now, many have moved to a trivalent vaccine, with only three components – a shift that required regulatory review and approval. 

    Special topics: new vaccines and testing methods 

    Day three of the meeting was dedicated to a special topic, namely a workshop on new vaccine platforms and targets for influenza. As technology evolves, researchers are exploring faster and potentially more effective ways to develop, test and produce vaccines – including using mRNA technology and exploring universal flu vaccines (i.e. a vaccine against most flu strains -which would not have to be changed between seasons). 

    Another key area is vaccine potency (i.e. dose) testing. The current gold-standard method, called Single Radial Immunodiffusion (SRD), was developed in the 1970s by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), now part of the MHRA. Though still recommended by the WHO, researchers are now working on faster and more flexible alternatives, supported by a working group that reports back into the MHRA meeting. 

    The 40th meeting also featured reflections from former NIBSC/MHRA staff who were key contributors to SRD methodology, underscoring the UK’s longstanding leadership in this space. 

    MHRA’s international role 

    As one of the four WHO Essential Regulatory Laboratories (ERLs) – alongside labs in the US, Japan, and Australia – the MHRA plays a unique role. Its Influenza Resource Centre (IRC) helps develop candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs), ships CVVs and reagents around the world, contributes scientific expertise to vaccine strain selection, prepares biological standards and reagents for use in vaccine manufacture and testing, and our regulatory colleagues advise on the global regulatory process. 

    This role also places the MHRA at the forefront of pandemic preparedness, including contributing to the WHO’s Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Preparedness framework. This involves all the above. staying alert to emerging zoonotic threats and ensuring the global community is ready to respond. 

    A diverse and united audience 

    What makes the MHRA Global Influenza Meeting especially valuable is its diversity. It brings together the WHO, regulators, researchers and manufacturers in one open forum. In a field as complex and fast-moving as influenza, open communication is vital. 

    As Othmar noted, “The flu field can be difficult because the viruses change all the time, meaning that the vaccines have to change as well.” The meeting provides a rare opportunity for all the key players to align their goals, share progress, and prepare together. 

    Why it matters to the UK and the world 

    Ultimately, the MHRA’s role in facilitating this global collaboration helps ensure that flu vaccines are timely, safe, and effective, not just in the UK but across the world. From setting scientific standards to hosting crucial conversations, the MHRA continues to play a central role in protecting global health. 

    For us in the UK, this means protection each winter. For the global community, it means stronger defences against one of the world’s most common infectious threats. 

    So next time you’re offered a flu vaccination, remember that behind that quick appointment lies a year of global planning, science, and collaboration – with a lot of this happening right here in the UK.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tenders invited for licence of fee-paying public car park at New Territories (Shatin) Forensic Medicine Centre

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         The Government Property Agency (GPA) is inviting tenders for a three-year licence of a fee-paying public car park on portions of the Second Floor of New Territories (Shatin) Forensic Medicine Centre, 7 Lower Shing Mun Road, Tai Wai, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong.

         The premises should only be used to operate a fee-paying public car park for the parking of private cars.

         The tender notice was uploaded today (July 22) to the GPA Property Portal: www.gpaproperty.gov.hk/en/index.html. Tender documents are available for collection at the GPA, 9/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, during the period from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. The documents can also be downloaded from the GPA Property Portal.

         Interested tenderers who wish to conduct a site inspection of the premises should make a prior appointment with the GPA by calling 3842 6783 by July 29.

         Tenderers must submit their tenders by placing them in the Government Logistics Department Tender Box placed on the Ground Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, before noon on August 12. Late tenders will not be accepted.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Temporary closure of some LCSD facilities in Sha Tin District

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (July 22) that the facilities of Sha Tin District in the list below will be temporarily closed to facilitate preparations for the launching of the Para Dance Sport (Mass Participation Event) of the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.
     

    Venue Closure Period Remarks
    Ma On Shan Sports Centre (MOSSC) August 19 – September 11 All facilities and the adjoining piazza will be temporarily closed
    Car park at Ma On Shan Swimming Pool September 1 – 8 All parking spaces will be temporarily closed

         The service for Ma On Shan Swimming Pool will not be affected. During the above period, members of the public may use similar facilities of the other sports centres and the car park at Ma On Shan Sports Ground in the same district.

         For enquiries, please call the MOSSC at 2631 1597.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Over 2 300 quality job vacancies to be offered at Building a Multicultural Workplace Job Fair

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Labour Department (LD) will hold the Building a Multicultural Workplace Job Fair at MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok on July 24 and 25. The job fair aims to enhance the employment opportunities of job seekers, including those from ethnic minorities, and promote the LD’s employment services to them.

         The two-day job fair is jointly organised by the LD and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) Ethnic Minorities Committee, with the Equal Opportunities Commission as the co-organiser. About 50 organisations will participate in the job fair, offering over 2 300 quality job vacancies. Around 25 organisations will set up booths and conduct recruitment on the spot each day. A wide variety of positions will be offered, including engineer, accountant, human resources officer, guest services officer, administrative assistant, clerk, aircraft maintenance mechanic trainee, railway technical trainee, technical manager, system analyst, equestrian assistant, barista, spa therapist, nail technician trainee and lifeguard. Job seekers can visit the LD’s Interactive Employment Service website (www.jobs.gov.hk) for more details on the vacancies.

         Four major disciplinary forces, namely the Correctional Services Department, the Fire Services Department, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Immigration Department, will set up counters to introduce their career opportunities and entry requirements. In addition, the DAB Ethnic Minorities Committee will introduce its support services for people from ethnic minorities at the job fair. Training bodies will also provide information on training courses to visitors. On-site interpretation services in Hindi, Urdu and Nepali will be available. During the job fair on July 24, career talks on various professions will also be held.

         Around 93 per cent of the vacancies offered at the job fair are full-time jobs. Most vacancies offer monthly salaries ranging from $12,000 to $22,000. About 90 per cent of the vacancies require a Secondary Seven education level or below. Around 66 per cent are open to job seekers without relevant work experience.

         Job seekers can submit job applications during the event and may be selected for on-the-spot interviews. They can also make enquiries about the employment services provided by the LD at its counter at the venue.

         The job fair will be held from 11am to 5.30pm at 1/F, MacPherson Stadium, 38 Nelson Street, Mong Kok (near Mong Kok MTR Station Exit E2). Admission is free, with final admission time at 5pm each day.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special traffic and transport arrangements for football matches and training sessions at Kai Tak Sports Park and Hong Kong Stadium between July 24 and 31

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         The Transport Department (TD) today (July 22) said that, to facilitate the holding of football matches and training sessions on specific dates in designated venues between July 24 and 31, the following special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in the vicinity of the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) and the Hong Kong Stadium (HKS) to provide convenience for spectators to travel to and from the venues:

    Open training sessions

    Prior to the matches, open training sessions of the football clubs will be held at the KTSP around the evening of July 24, 29 and 30 and the HKS on the evening of July 25.

    As the dispersal time of the events will fall within the evening peak hours, the MTR will enhance the service headway of the Tuen Ma Line (TML) and the Island Line on respective days as needed to meet the passenger demand. The Police will implement temporary road closure and traffic diversion measures in the vicinity of the KTSP (depending on actual traffic and crowd conditions) and the HKS. Members of the public should heed advice from on-site police.

    Football matches

         Football matches will be held on the evening of July 26 and 31 at the KTSP. As the traffic in the vicinity is expected to be heavy, spectators should opt for public transport and avoid taking private cars (including cross-boundary private cars).

         The TD has co-ordinated with local and cross-boundary public transport operators (PTOs) to strengthen their services during dispersal. The MTR will enhance the interval between trains of the TML. Franchised bus companies will provide a total of 11 special bus routes at the Sung Wong Toi Road Pick-up/Drop-off Area (PUDOA) to Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) Public Transport Interchange (PTI), the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port and Airport, and major districts across the territory.

         In addition, the KTSP will arrange cross-boundary coach services during dispersal to facilitate travellers’ return to the Mainland via the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang (LMC/HG) Port, the HZMB and the Shenzhen Bay Port. Passengers should purchase tickets in advance. On-site ticket sales will not be available during dispersal. They should refer to the operators’ website (Eternal East Bus: www.myeebus.com/eebusfans; CTG Bus: m.hkctgbus.com/#/layout/home) for the latest ticket information.

         For taxi services, the Kai Tak Stadium Taxi PUDOA will be open for taxi pick-up and drop-off. The Sung Wong Toi Road PUDOA will be open for taxi drop-off only during admission (4pm to 7.30pm) and suspended from taxi pick-up/drop-off during dispersal. The expected waiting time will be longer amid an outflux of spectators and passengers’ patience is appreciated.

         Spectators who plan to return to the Mainland on the same day after the matches should pay special attention that, if they use the Lo Wu Control Point, they should catch the last relevant MTR TML train departing from Sung Wong Toi Station at 10.59pm and Kai Tak Station at 11.01pm, followed by interchanging at Tai Wai Station on the East Rail Line (ERL) to Lo Wu Station. Travellers should plan their journeys ahead and arrive at the station platform in advance.

         Travellers who opt for LMC/HG Port (operating 24 hours daily) may also take the ERL to Sheung Shui Station and then the KMB route No. 276B or N73, or take the special bus route No. SP12 directly at the Sung Wong Toi Road PUDOA to the Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) PTI, and transfer to the LMC-HG cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) for their journey to the Mainland.

    For details of the special traffic and transport arrangements, members of the public may refer to the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk), the “HKeMobility” mobile application or passenger notices issued by PTOs as well as the latest traffic news through radio and television broadcasts. Spectators at the KTSP are advised to heed the real-time information via the on-site broadcast and the “Easy Leave” platform (easyleave.police.gov.hk).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Instruction for Use for rapid antigen test kit needs to be updated

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Department of Health (DH) announced today (July 22) that it had received a notification from the supplier of a rapid antigen test (RAT) stating that a product’s Instruction for Use (IFU) needed to be updated to avoid users misinterpreting the test results. The product information is as follows:

    Name: Ten Respiratory Pathogens Antigen Test Kit
    Supplier: SAVEWO Distribution Limited
    Manufacturer: Anhui Deepblue Medical Technology Co., Ltd
    Model number: RP1011N-1
    Lot numbers: 20250301 and 20250501

    According to information provided by the supplier in Hong Kong, the product in question is an all-in-one test for 10 types of respiratory pathogens, including influenza, COVID-19 and H5N1 avian influenza. It has been distributed in the local retail market since March this year. Following internal testing, the manufacturer has updated the IFU to state that if the H5N1 detection zone is positive but the FIuA+B/COV detection zone is negative, the H5N1 avian influenza test result is invalid.

    The supplier has uploaded the updated IFU to its official website. Members of the public who have purchased the affected batch of products are advised to contact the supplier at 5503 2370 if they have any queries regarding their RAT test results.

    The product concerned is a Class C (moderate-high risk) In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device and is not listed under the DH’s Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS).

    The DH reminded members of the public that all RATs have limitations, including the possibility of false negative or false positive results. Therefore, RAT test results can only be used for reference purposes and cannot replace the professional diagnosis by doctors. Members of the public should consult healthcare professionals if they have doubts about the results of RATs.

    Separately, the DH has introduced a voluntary MDACS, under which a listing system for medical devices and traders, as well as a post-market monitoring system, is in place to ensure that medical devices supplied in Hong Kong meet the safety, quality and performance requirements. Information on listed medical devices is uploaded to the website of the DH’s Medical Device Division (www.mdd.gov.hk/en/mdacs/search-database/list-md/index.html). The DH advised members of the public to purchase medical devices listed under the MDACS wherever possible to ensure that the products meet the standards on safety, quality and performance.

    The DH will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: National security powers to be updated to reduce the burden on businesses

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    National security powers to be updated to reduce the burden on businesses

    Investment security rules under the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021 will be simplified to ease the burden on businesses as part of the Plan for Change.

    • Plans to reduce unnecessary red tape for businesses by ensuring mandatory notifications are no longer needed for certain internal reorganisations and the appointment of liquidators 
    • New consultation will put businesses at the heart of potential changes to the sectors facing the greatest scrutiny by the government’s investment security powers
    • Semiconductors, Critical Minerals carved out into standalone sectors and Water to be considered for addition to list of sensitive sectors 
    • NSIA Annual Report shows just 4.5% of notifications were called in for review, with the vast majority cleared to proceed in 30 days  

    Investment security rules under the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021 will be simplified to ease the burden on businesses as part of the Plan for Change. 

    The changes, currently being developed, will when they come into force reduce unnecessary bureaucracy for businesses, no longer requiring them to notify the Cabinet Office’s Investment Security Unit when undertaking certain types of internal reorganisations or appointing liquidators, special administrators and official receivers. 

    Analysis has shown these types of transactions rarely warrant investigation. Simplifying the rules will ease the regulatory burden and help the government focus its attention on the deals presenting greater risk to national security.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden said: 

    The government has been clear about our ambition to cut red tape for businesses, while taking firm action to protect national security as we deliver the Plan for Change. 

    Data shows our investment security powers are working well, but there’s more we can do to ensure our tool kit keeps pace with the modern economy. We’re taking action to hone the type of transactions facing the greatest scrutiny, as well as consulting on updates to the sectors of the economy specified in the legislation. Businesses are at the heart of these plans and I look forward to engaging widely in the weeks ahead.

    The announcement comes as the government also publishes a new consultation—due to launch on 22 July and conclude on 14 October—-on separate plans to update the sectors of the economy subject to greater scrutiny under the National Security and Investment Act 2021. 

    Acquirers of businesses operating in seventeen sensitive sectors must currently notify the Investment Security Unit about relevant acquisitions before the deal can be completed. These sectors were first defined in 2021 and have not been updated since. 

    Building on business feedback, and to improve clarity and bring the sectors up to date with the latest economic and technological developments, the government is proposing creating new standalone categories for Semiconductors and Critical Minerals, which currently fall under the Advanced Materials sector. Computing Hardware, which is currently a standalone sector, would move under the Semiconductors sector. 

    Pat McFadden has also requested businesses’ views on bringing certain deals in the water sector into scope of the NSI Act’s mandatory notification requirements. This new requirement, while not expected to affect large numbers of deals, reflects increasing risks to the sector’s resilience in a growing threat landscape.

    Alongside the reforms and consultation, the Cabinet Office is also publishing the National Security and Investment Act Annual Report. This sets out the Investment Security Unit’s activity between 2024-2025. 

    It shows that the government saw an increase in the number of notifications received year on year, rising from 906 to 1,143.

    Similar to last year, only 4.5% of notified acquisitions reviewed were called in for further assessment, with the vast majority of businesses notified within 30 working days that no further action would be taken.

    The government issued 17 final orders: 16 allowing the acquisitions to proceed subject to conditions and one requiring divestment. 

    Like last year, the largest proportion of notifications involved acquisitions in the Defence, Critical Suppliers to Government and Military & Dual Use areas of the economy, and acquirers associated with the UK, followed by the US. 

    Of the 17 final orders issued, the largest number involved acquirers associated with the UK, followed by acquirers associated with China and acquirers associated with the USA. Defence and Military & Dual Use acquisitions also accounted for the largest number of final orders.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More infected blood victims set to receive compensation under changes to scheme

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    More infected blood victims set to receive compensation under changes to scheme

    The Government outlines changes to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme in response to the Infected Blood Inquiry Additional Report

    • Government makes changes to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme in response to new recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry
    • Changes include modifications for those who have endured treatments with adverse side effects, and chronic Hepatitis C individuals 
    • Further changes will address compensation for affected victims and their estates

    More victims of the infected blood scandal will be able to claim compensation as the government proposes changes to the existing Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

    Changes could result in over a thousand people receiving a higher amount of compensation than they would have under the existing scheme. 

    The proposed changes will ensure that those who endured treatments with adverse side effects, such as interferon, will receive higher compensation to what is currently provided. 

    The changes will also provide further compensation for the impacts currently recognised by the Infected Blood Support Scheme ‘Special Category Mechanism’, provided to chronic Hepatitis C individuals who have experienced a significant impact on their ability to carry out daily duties.

    Further changes will address compensation for affected victims. Under the existing scheme, if an affected person – a spouse, partner, sibling, parent or unpaid carer of an infected person – passed away, their claim would die with them. 

    However, changes to the scheme will now mean that if the affected person has died or dies after May 21st 2024, their estate will be able to make a claim. While the total number of affected victims is not known, this could enable significantly more people to receive compensation.

    These changes come in response to 16 new recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry, published in its Additional Report on Compensation on Wednesday 9th July.

    Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, Nick Thomas-Symonds, set out these changes today in Parliament.

    He said: 

    When I appeared before the Inquiry in May, I said that I would take a constructive approach and – carefully – consider the issues that had been put to me.

    I have concentrated on removing barriers to quicker compensation, working with IBCA, and am determined to deliver improvements based on this new report.

    Our focus as we move forward must be working together to not only deliver justice to all those impacted, but also to restore trust in the state to people who have been let down too many times.

    Today, the government has also announced that Clive Smith, President of the Haemophilia Society, will be the Chair of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee.

    Mr Smith will lead the work to create a national memorial to the victims of the Infected Blood Scandal. This project will include plans for a UK memorial and support memorials in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    In line with the Infected Blood Inquiry’s recommendation, the Committee will also develop plans for commemorative events and is planning to hold the first by the end of 2025.

    Incoming Chair of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee Clive Smith said:

    A memorial to the thousands who have died from the contaminated blood scandal is long overdue.  It is a great privilege to be asked to lead this important work on behalf of the community.  

    I am conscious that we are already behind in relation to implementing the Infected Blood Inquiry’s recommendation that community events be held on a 6-month basis post the Inquiry reporting.  We intend to correct that by the end of this year.  

    I look forward to working with the whole community across the UK on building an appropriate memorial to those we have lost and to act as a lasting memorial to the Nation of what can happen when patient safety is not prioritised.

    Ends

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK brings forward world’s first sanctions regime to smash the gangs responsible for irregular migration 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK brings forward world’s first sanctions regime to smash the gangs responsible for irregular migration 

    Anyone complicit in facilitating people smuggling to the UK will be at risk of having their assets frozen and being banned from travelling to Britain, under new powers announced by the Foreign Secretary today.

    • Anyone complicit in facilitating people smuggling to the UK could be sanctioned from tomorrow.   
    • Targets will have assets frozen, be shut off from the UK financial system and banned from travelling to the UK, under new regime targeting supply of money and material enabling irregular migration. 
    • New sanctions are the latest tool in UK’s arsenal to secure Britain’s borders, reduce irregular migration and deliver on the Plan for Change.

    Anyone complicit in facilitating people smuggling to the UK will be at risk of having their assets frozen and being banned from travelling to Britain, under new powers announced by the Foreign Secretary today. 

    Tomorrow, the FCDO will impose the first wave of sanctions on gangs involved in people smuggling and driving irregular migration to the UK, as well as their enablers, such as financiers and companies involved in the sale of small boat equipment.   

    The plans are a key example of the FCDO using innovative foreign policy approaches to deliver on the Plan for Change for the British people. The regime will be the world’s first dedicated to targeting people smuggling and organised immigration crime, with the exploitation of vulnerable people by criminals and their associated networks being one of the key drivers of irregular migration to the UK. Migrants who pay people-smugglers are also at a high risk of working in modern slavery conditions in the informal economy, being returned to their home country, or losing their lives at sea.   

    Sanctions can disrupt the flow of money and materials – including freezing property, bank accounts and other assets – which allow organised criminal gangs to facilitate irregular migration to the UK. Sanctions are designed to reach individuals located anywhere in the world, who will be publicly named so that it is illegal for the UK financial system to engage with them.     

    As part of the government’s Plan for Change and mission-led approach, the FCDO has been breaking down siloes by working closely with investigators at the National Crime Agency, Border Security Command, and other key partners to identify the most impactful targets, with the first sanctions planned for tomorrow.  

    The first targets will cover a range of wrongdoing, from the supply of small boats being used on cross-Channel journeys, to the trade in fake passports, as well as middlemen facilitating payments through Hawala networks, to the gang leaders themselves.  

    The regime will complement new powers for law enforcement being introduced in the Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, ensuring we have the widest toolkit available to smash the gangs.  Sanctions can be used to target organised immigration crime gangs and their enablers, wherever they are, including where traditional law enforcement and criminal justice approaches cannot reach. People smuggling and human trafficking are a challenge to global security, and the Government is working to strengthen our relationships with key partners, including the EU, to better secure the UK’s borders.  

     Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:   

    For too long, criminal gangs have been lining their corrupt pockets and preying on the hopes of vulnerable people with impunity as they drive irregular migration to the UK. We will not accept this status quo. 

    It is our moral duty and a key part of our Plan for Change to do all we can to smash these gangs and secure Britain’s borders. 

    That’s why the UK has created the world’s first sanctions regime targeted at gangs involved in people smuggling and driving irregular migration, as well as their enablers. From tomorrow, those involved will face having their assets frozen, being shut off from the UK financial system and banned from travelling to the UK.

    Today’s announcement reflects how the whole of government is working together on the single mission of securing Britain’s borders. The new regime complements work by the National Crime Agency and Border Security Command (BSC) to tackle organised immigration crime and tackle the causes of irregular migration to the UK in source and transit countries. The BSC has seen a budget boost of £280m per year by 2028 to fund new specialist investigators, new technology and cutting-edge surveillance equipment to disrupt and destroy criminal gangs.   

    Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said:  

    The new sanctions regime marks a decisive step in our fight against the criminal gangs who profit from human misery. It will allow us to target the assets and operations of people-smugglers wherever they operate, cutting off their funding and dismantling their networks piece by piece. 

    Through the Border Security Command and key partners like the National Crime Agency, we are strengthening our ties with other nations to tackle this global problem. 

    Together, we are sending a clear message that there is no hiding place for those who exploit vulnerable people and put lives at risk for profit.

    Today’s announcement is part of the FCDO’s three-pronged ‘disrupt, deter, return’ strategy to tackle irregular migration globally. In addition to disrupting organised immigration crime networks through sanctions, the FCDO works with source and transit countries to deter would-be migrants from making a dangerous journey in the first place, and works with the Home Office to negotiate the return of people who have no right to be here to their countries of origin, including criminals and failed asylum seekers. Since the election, over 35,000 people have been returned, up 13% on the same period in the year before.   

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Notes to editors             

    Using the powers conferred by the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act (the Sanctions Act) the Government has laid secondary legislation before Parliament that introduces a new Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons sanctions regime. The Regulations will be debated by both Houses of Parliament when they return from the summer recess in line with the made affirmative procedure.     

    Asset freeze   

    An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.   

    Travel ban   

    A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.   

    Director disqualifications   

    Where director disqualification sanctions apply, it will be an offence for a person designated for the purpose of those sanctions to act as a director of a company or to take part in the management, formation or promotion of a UK company.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Migration Minister comments as UK Government changes to immigration policy come into force

    Source: Scottish Government

    Kaukab Stewart, Minister for Migration, has commented as changes to immigration rules proposed by the UK Government come into force today.

    Ms Stewart said:

    “The UK Government’s approach to immigration simply isn’t working for Scotland. As these new rules come into force, they will hinder the prosperity of Scotland. We have repeatedly called on them to take a more pragmatic approach to migration—one that recognises our distinct demographic and economic needs.

    “Ending the international recruitment of care workers, without sufficient notice or any substantial consultation on its impact, will be devastating for the care sector in Scotland and across the UK.

    “These changes will prevent, rather than promote, economic growth. By increasing the salary threshold for skilled worker visas, it will become harder for people to choose to work in Scotland, hurting businesses in turn. The UK Government should listen to the large majority of businesses who support a Scottish visa to allow migrants to make a positive contribution to Scotland’s economy, public services and communities.

    “The UK Government must engage seriously with the Scottish Government on our proposals for tailored migration routes, including a Rural Visa Pilot and a Scottish Graduate Visa, or risk further damage to Scotland’s economy and public services.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –