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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Witnesses sought to Hastings assault

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attribute to Senior Sergeant Kevin Stewart: 

    Police in Hastings are seeking witnesses to a serious assault on Roberts Street, which has left the victim in hospital.

    Multiple 111 calls were made about 10.55am today, after a man was seen assaulting a woman on the street. Prior to the suspect leaving the scene, a firearm was reportedly pointed at bystanders.

    The victim is being treated in hospital for head injuries and Police are looking to provide her with support. Enquiries are ongoing to locate the suspect, who is believed to be known to the victim.

    Police are aware that a number of people witnessed this incident, and that some of them were filming at the time. We are asking anyone with information about this incident – including anyone who captured video or photos of it – to contact us.

    Police have an increased presence in the area and are following a number of lines of inquiry to locate the offender.

    If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105. Please use the reference number P060269218.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Chairman’s Statement of The 4th ASEAN-Australia Summit

    Source: ASEAN

    The 4th ASEAN-Australia Summit was held on 10 October 2024 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Summit was attended by ASEAN Member States, the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia, as well as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as Observer. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.
    We reiterated our support for Lao PDR’s priorities for its ASEAN Chairmanship 2024 under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”, which reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to strengthening the ASEAN Community through intensifying ASEAN cooperation under the three community pillars, promoting infrastructure connectivity, narrowing the development gaps, enhancing economic integration and people-to-people exchanges, and further strengthening ASEAN’s relations with external partners, while maintaining ASEAN’s relevance and ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture. We applauded Lao PDR for successfully convening the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings in July 2024 in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
    Download the full statement here.

    The post Chairman’s Statement of The 4th ASEAN-Australia Summit appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: EYRE HIGHWAY, NULLARBOR (Vehicle Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    NULLARBOR

    Eyre Highway HazMat

    Issued for NULLARBOR near 88 km east of the Western Australia border .

    The CFS is responding to a HazMat incident 88 km east of the Western Australia border in the Nullarbor, South Australia.

    CFS volunteers, with one truck and one bulk-water carrier, are on the scene, supported by SA Police, WA Police, and Western Australia Fire. Personnel are maintaining an exclusion zone to protect the public from toxic smoke.

    The cause of the smoke is a semi-trailer fire carrying household insecticides, which will continue to produce smoke for at least 10 to 24 hours.

    Road closures due to this incident, include:

    Eyre Highway between Eucla to Yalata

    It is unknown when the roads will be reopened. Visit traffic.sa.gov.au for more information on road closures.

    Smoke and toxic fumes are impacting the surrounding area, and visibility may be reduced. To ensure your safety and that of firefighters and other emergency personnel working in the area, please do not enter the incident area unless necessary.

    As a precaution, the public should remain indoors and in vehicles with windows and doors closed and any air conditioning set to recirculation to not draw any fumes or smoke into enclosed spaces.

    Message ID 0007773

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Aerial view of farms in Ningxia, NW China

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

    Aerial view of farms in Ningxia, NW China

    Updated: October 13, 2024 09:08 Xinhua
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 23, 2024 shows farms in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 23, 2024 shows farms in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 23, 2024 shows farms in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 20, 2024 shows vegetable farms in Lanfeng village of Ligang township, Helan county in Yinchuan, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 5, 2024 shows farms in Yuanzhou District of Guyuan City, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 23, 2024 shows farms in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 23, 2024 shows farms in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 23, 2024 shows harvested corn at a farm in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 11, 2024 shows a grain market in Pingluo county of Shizuishan city in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 25, 2024 shows farms in Jingui township of Helan county in Yinchuan, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 25, 2024 shows farms in Jingui township of Helan county in Yinchuan, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 30, 2024 shows farmers harvesting dates in Dongta township of Lingwu city in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rio Tinto class action begins over ‘toxic’ Bougainville mine disaster

    By Harry Pearl of BenarNews

    An initial hearing of a class action against mining giant Rio Tinto over the toxic legacy of the Panguna copper mine on the autonomous island of Bougainville has been held in Papua New Guinea.

    The lawsuit against Rio Tinto and its subsidiary Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) is seeking compensation, expected to be in the billions of dollars, for what plaintiffs allege is historic mismanagement of the massive open copper-and-gold mine between 1972 and 1989.

    More than 5000 claimants backed by anonymous investors are seeking damages for the destruction that sparked a 10-year-long civil war.

    The Panguna mine closed in 1989 after anger about pollution and the unequal distribution of profits sparked a landowner rebellion. As many as 20,000 people — or 10 percent of Bougainville’s population — are estimated to have died in the violence that followed between pro-inependence rebels and PNG.

    Although a peace process was brokered in 2001 with New Zealand support, deep political divisions remain and there has never been remediation for Panguna’s environmental and psychological scars.

    The initial hearing for the lawsuit took place on Wednesday, a day ahead of schedule, at the National Court in Port Moresby, said Matthew Mennilli, a partner at Sydney-based Morris Mennilli.

    Mennilli, who is from one of two law firms acting on behalf of the plaintiffs, said he was unable to provide further details as court orders had not yet been formally entered.

    A defence submitted
    Rio Tinto did not respond to specific questions regarding this week’s hearing, but said in a statement on September 23 it had submitted a defence and would strongly defend its position in the case.

    The lawsuit is made up by the majority of villagers in the affected area of Bougainville, an autonomous province within PNG, situated some 800km east of the capital Port Moresby.

    Martin Miriori, the primary litigant in the class action lawsuit, photographed in Bougainville, June 2024. Image: Aubrey Belford/OCCRP

    At least 71 local clan leaders support the claim, with the lead claimant named as former senior Bougainville political leader and chief of the Basking Taingku clan Martin Miriori.

    The lawsuit is being bankrolled by Panguna Mine Action, a limited liability company that stands to reap between 20-40 percent of any payout depending on how long the case takes, according to litigation funding documents cited by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.

    While the lawsuit has support from a large number of local villagers, some observers fear it could upset social cohesion on Bougainville and potentially derail another long-standing remediation effort.

    The class action is running in parallel with an independent assessment of the mine’s legacy, supported by human rights groups and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), and funded by Rio Tinto.

    Locals walk by buildings left abandoned by a subsidiary of Rio Tinto at the Panguna mine site, Bougainville taken June 2024. Image: Aubrey Belford/OCCRP

    Rio Tinto agreed in 2021 to take part in the Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment after the Melbourne-based Human Rights Law Centre filed a complaint with the Australian government, on behalf of Bougainville residents.

    Legacy of destruction
    The group said the Anglo-Australian mining giant has failed to address Panguna’s legacy of destruction, including the alleged dumping of more than a billion tonnes of mine waste into rivers that continues to affect health, the environment and livelihoods.

    The assessment, which is being done by environmental consulting firm Tetra Tech Coffey, includes extensive consultation with local communities and the first phase of the evaluation is expected to be delivered next month.

    ABG President Ishmael Toroama has called the Rio Tinto class action the highest form of treason and an obstacle to the government’s economic independence agenda.

    “This class action is an attack on Bougainville’s hard-fought unity to date,” he said in May.

    In February, the autonomous government granted Australian-listed Bougainville Copper a five-year exploration licence to revive the Panguna mine site.

    The Bougainville government is hoping its reopening will fund independence. In a non-binding 2019 referendum — which was part of the 2001 peace agreement — 97.7 percent of the island’s inhabitants voted for independence.

    PNG leaders resist independence
    But PNG leaders have resisted the result, fearful that by granting independence it could encourage breakaway movements in other regions of the volatile Pacific island country.

    Former New Zealand Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae was appointed last month as an independent moderator to help the two parties agree on terms of a parliamentary vote needed to ratify the referendum.

    In response to the class action, Rio Tinto said last month its focus remained on “constructive engagement and meaningful action with local stakeholders” through the legacy assessment.

    The company said it was “seeking to partner with key stakeholders, such as the ABG and BCL, to design and implement a remedy framework.”

    Copyright ©2015-2024, BenarNews. Republished with the permission of BenarNews.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Chairman’s Statement of ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience

    Source: ASEAN

    The ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on 10 October 2024. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Summit was attended by the ASEAN Member States, the Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, as well as Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as Observer. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.We reiterated our support for the Lao PDR’s ASEAN Chairmanship under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” which aims to enhance ASEAN connectivity and resilience through intensifying ASEAN cooperation under the three Community pillars; promoting infrastructure connectivity, narrowing development gaps, promoting greater economic integration and people-to-people exchanges; and further strengthening ASEAN’s relations with external partners, while maintaining ASEAN’s relevance and ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture. In this regard, we adopted the ASEAN-Canada Joint Leaders’ Statement on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience. We congratulated the Lao PDR on the successful convening of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings, from 24 to 27 July 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

    Download the full statement here.

    The post Chairman’s Statement of ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Can Life Exist on an Icy Moon? NASA’s Europa Clipper Aims to Find Out

    Source: NASA

    With a spacecraft launching soon, the mission will try to answer the question of whether there are ingredients suitable for life in the ocean below Europa’s icy crust.
    Deep down, in an ocean beneath its ice shell, Jupiter’s moon Europa might be temperate and nutrient-rich, an ideal environment for some form of life — what scientists would call “habitable.” NASA’s Europa Clipper mission aims to find out.
    NASA now is targeting launch no earlier than Monday, Oct. 14, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    Europa Clipper’s elongated, looping orbit around Jupiter will minimize the spacecraft’s exposure to intense radiation while allowing it to dive in for close passes by Europa. Using a formidable array of instruments for each of the mission’s 49 flybys, scientists will be able to “see” how thick the moon’s icy shell is and gain a deeper understanding of the vast ocean beneath. They’ll inventory material on the surface that might have come up from below, search for the fingerprints of organic compounds that form life’s building blocks, and sample any gases ejected from the moon for evidence of habitability.
    Mission scientists will analyze the results, probing beneath the moon’s frozen shell for signs of a water world capable of supporting life.

    “It’s important to us to paint a picture of what that alien ocean is like — the kind of chemistry or even biochemistry that could be happening there,” said Morgan Cable, an astrobiologist and member of the Europa Clipper science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the mission.
    Ice Investigation
    Central to that work is hunting for the types of salts, ices, and organic material that make up the key ingredients of a habitable world. That’s where an imager called MISE (Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa) comes in. Operating in the infrared, the spacecraft’s MISE divides reflected light into various wavelengths to identify the corresponding atoms and molecules.
    The mission will also try to locate potential hot spots near Europa’s surface, where plumes could bring deep ocean material closer to the surface, using an instrument called E-THEMIS (Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System), which also operates in the infrared.

    Capturing sharply detailed pictures of Europa’s surface with both a narrow and a wide-image camera is the task of the EIS (Europa Imaging System). “The EIS imagers will give us incredibly high-resolution images to understand how Europa’s surface evolved and is continuing to change,” Cable said.
    Gases and Grains
    NASA’s Cassini mission spotted a giant plume of water vapor erupting from multiple jets near the south pole of Saturn’s ice-covered moon Enceladus. Europa may also emit misty plumes of water, pulled from its ocean or reservoirs in its shell. Europa Clipper’s instrument called Europa-UVS (Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph) will search for plumes and can study any material that might be venting into space.
    Whether or not Europa has plumes, the spacecraft carries two instruments to analyze the small amount of gas and dust particles ejected from the moon’s surface by impacts with micrometeorites and high-energy particles: MASPEX (MAss SPectrometer for Planetary EXploration/Europa) and SUDA (SUrface Dust Analyzer) will capture the tiny pieces of material ejected from the surface, turning them into charged particles to reveal their composition.  
    “The spacecraft will study gas and grains coming off Europa by sticking out its tongue and tasting those grains, breathing in those gases,” said Cable.
    Inside and Out
    The mission will look at Europa’s external and internal structure in various ways, too, because both have far-reaching implications for the moon’s habitability.
    To gain insights into the ice shell’s thickness and the ocean’s existence, along with its depth and salinity, the mission will measure the moon’s induced magnetic field with the ECM (Europa Clipper Magnetometer) and combine that data with measurements of electrical currents from charged particles flowing around Europa — data provided by PIMS (Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding).
    In addition, scientists will look for details on everything from the presence of the ocean to the structure and topography of the ice using REASON (Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding to Near-surface), which will peer up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) into the shell — itself a potentially habitable environment. Measuring the changes that Europa’s gravity causes in radio signals should help nail down ice thickness and ocean depth.
    “Non-icy materials on the surface could get moved into deep interior pockets of briny water within the icy shell,” said Steve Vance, an astrobiologist and geophysicist who also is a member of the Europa Clipper science team at JPL. “Some might be large enough to be considered lakes, or at least ponds.”
    Using the data gathered to inform extensive computer modeling of Europa’s interior structure also could reveal the ocean’s composition and allow estimates of its temperature profile, Vance said.
    Whatever conditions are discovered, the findings will open a new chapter in the search for life beyond Earth. “It’s almost certain Europa Clipper will raise as many questions or more than it answers — a whole different class than the ones we’ve been thinking of for the last 25 years,” Vance said.
    More About Europa Clipper
    Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.
    To learn more about the science instruments aboard Europa Clipper and the institutions provide them, visit:
    https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments
    Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. APL designed the main spacecraft body in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission.
    NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, manages the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.
    Find more information about Europa here:
    https://europa.nasa.gov

    News Media Contacts
    Gretchen McCartneyJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-6215 gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov 
    Karen Fox / Molly WasserNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
    Written by Pat Brennan
    2024-138

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: SOUTH TERRACE, DUBLIN (Assist Agency)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Advice – Reduced Threat

    We will issue a Reduced Threat message when the threat to the community has reduced.

    All bushfire incidents that have had an Advice, Watch and Act or Emergency Warning message issued will be finalised with an Advice – Reduced Threat message.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ALDINGA ROAD, WHITES VALLEY (Assist Agency)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Advice – Reduced Threat

    We will issue a Reduced Threat message when the threat to the community has reduced.

    All bushfire incidents that have had an Advice, Watch and Act or Emergency Warning message issued will be finalised with an Advice – Reduced Threat message.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: MOUNT ALMA ROAD, HINDMARSH VALLEY (Vehicle Accident)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Advice – Reduced Threat

    We will issue a Reduced Threat message when the threat to the community has reduced.

    All bushfire incidents that have had an Advice, Watch and Act or Emergency Warning message issued will be finalised with an Advice – Reduced Threat message.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Chairman’s Statement of The 21st ASEAN-India Summit

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    The 21st ASEAN-India Summit was held on 10 October 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Summit was attended by ASEAN Member States, Hon. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, as well as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as Observer. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.We reiterated our support for the Lao PDR’s ASEAN Chairmanship under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” which reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to strengthening the ASEAN Community through intensifying ASEAN cooperation across the three Community pillars, promoting infrastructure connectivity, narrowing development gaps, enhancing economic integration, promoting people-to-people exchanges, and strengthening capacity and institutional effectiveness. We congratulated the Lao PDR for the successful convening of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings, from 21 to 27 July 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

    Download the full statement here.

    The post Chairman’s Statement of The 21st ASEAN-India Summit appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: EYRE HIGHWAY, NULLARBOR (Hazmat)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    NULLARBOR

    Eyre Highway HazMat

    Issued for NULLARBOR near 88 km east of the Western Australia border .

    The CFS is responding to a HazMat incident 88 km east of the Western Australia border in the Nullarbor, South Australia.

    CFS volunteers, with one truck and one bulk-water carrier, are on the scene, supported by SA Police, WA Police, and Western Australia Fire. Personnel are maintaining an exclusion zone to protect the public from toxic smoke.

    The cause of the smoke is a semi-trailer fire carrying household insecticides, which will continue to produce smoke for at least 10 to 24 hours.

    Road closures due to this incident, include:

    Eyre Highway between Eucla to Yalata

    It is unknown when the roads will be reopened. Visit traffic.sa.gov.au for more information on road closures.

    Smoke and toxic fumes are impacting the surrounding area, and visibility may be reduced. To ensure your safety and that of firefighters and other emergency personnel working in the area, please do not enter the incident area unless necessary.

    As a precaution, the public should remain indoors and in vehicles with windows and doors closed and any air conditioning set to recirculation to not draw any fumes or smoke into enclosed spaces.

    Message ID 0007773

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road blocked, Fox Glacier Highway, Westland National Park

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Fox Glacier Highway is blocked following a single vehicle crash where a van has rolled at the Westland National Park.

    The crash was reported around 2pm.

    There were no reported injuries.

    The road is blocked between Docherty Creek Road and Main Road.

    Police advise motorists to be alert and drive to the conditions with reports of snow and hail in the area. 

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Bird’s-eye view of majestic landscape at N China’s Taihang Mountains

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

    The Taihang Mountains in northern China are covered in lush vegetation. Looking down at Taihang, steep cliffs and layers of mountain peaks create a majestic landscape. The Taihang Mountains are a major mountain range, stretching over 400 kilometers through the provinces of Shanxi, Hebei and Henan, as well as the Beijing-Tianjin region.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese, Zimbabwean universities launch research center on civilization exchanges

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Zhang Donggang (L), chairman of the University Council of Renmin University of China, and University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo unveil a commemorative plaque during the inauguration ceremony of the China-Africa Joint Research Center for Exchanges and Mutual Learning between Civilizations in Harare, Zimbabwe, Oct. 11, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The China-Africa Joint Research Center for Exchanges and Mutual Learning between Civilizations was launched Friday in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare, bringing together Chinese and African academics to share knowledge, ideas, and perspectives.

    The research center, cofounded by Renmin University of China and the University of Zimbabwe, was launched during the inaugural China-Africa Civilization Forum held at the Zimbabwean university.

    The research center is expected to facilitate intellectual exchange, produce cutting-edge research and impactful publications, and foster cultural diplomacy between China and Africa.

    Speaking at the launch event, University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo said cooperation with China has catalyzed human capital development in higher education through investment in educational infrastructure, scholarships and exchange programs, technology transfer, research collaboration, and capacity building.

    “With the launch of this research center today, we now can leverage our partnership with Renmin University of China to develop joint research projects and exchange programs that focus on innovation and industrialization,” said Mapfumo.

    He said in line with Zimbabwe’s heritage-based education, the university aims to be a cradle of innovation, fostering entrepreneurship and start-up ventures.

    “China’s engagement in skills development, vocational training, and entrepreneurship programs align seamlessly with the practical, solution-oriented approach to industrialization. The Chinese experts and institutions have facilitated the training of African experts in various areas of economic development,” said Mapfumo.

    In addition, he said the research center will catalyze an entrepreneurial spirit, nurturing student-led initiatives and supporting innovative solutions to societal challenges.

    In his address during the event, Zhang Donggang, chairman of the University Council of Renmin University of China, said culture is an important spiritual link in connecting Chinese and African people.

    “The dream of pursuing modernization together has become a common aspiration of the Chinese and African people,” he said.

    Zhang said the establishment of the research center is an important measure and effective strategy to promote exchanges in education, and scientific and research cooperation between China and Africa.

    On his part, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said educational and cultural exchanges have always been an integral part of the broad China-Zimbabwe relations.

    “Both China and Zimbabwe are ancient civilizations with a time-honored history. Both of us attach great importance to education which we believe can serve as catalysts for our modernization drive. We also believe that we can draw lessons, inspiration, wisdom, and strength from our own cultures and traditions in dealing with the challenges that we face today,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xizang former political advisor sentenced to death with reprieve for bribery

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Jiang Jie, a former senior political advisor of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, was convicted of bribery and sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.
    The verdict was handed down by the Tianjin First Intermediate People’s Court on Saturday. Jiang was a member of the leading Party members group of the Xizang Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and vice chairman of the committee.
    Jiang was found to have exploited his positions in both east China’s Shandong Province and Xizang to provide improper assistance to relevant units and individuals regarding administrative approvals, project contracts, land sales and job promotions.
    In return, he accepted money and valuables worth over 225 million yuan (approximately 31.8 million U.S. dollars), according to court documents.
    He received a reprieve from an immediate death sentence due to his voluntary disclosure of previously undiscovered facts related to the bribery cases, his admission of guilt and his expression of remorse. Additionally, most of his illicit gains and their proceeds have been recovered, said the court. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Chairman’s Statement of The 19th East Asia Summit (EAS)

    Source: ASEAN

    The 19th East Asia Summit (EAS) was held on 11 October 2024 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Summit was attended by ASEAN Member States, Australia, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea (ROK), the Russian Federation, and the United States of America (U.S.), as well as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as Observer. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance. The President of the European Council and Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, as Guests of the Chair, briefed the 19 EAS on enhancing connectivity and economic integration.Review and Future Direction of the EAS
    We reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthening the EAS as a premier Leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on broad strategic, political, and economic issues of common interest and concern with the aim of promoting peace, stability and economic prosperity in East Asia in line with the EAS fundamental documents and based on the established principles, objectives and modalities of the EAS.

    Download the full statement here.

    The post Chairman’s Statement of The 19th East Asia Summit (EAS) appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Chairman’s Statement of The 12th ASEAN-United States Summit

    Source: ASEAN

    The 12th ASEAN-United States (U.S.) Summit was held on 11 October 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Summit was attended by ASEAN Member States, the Honourable Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America, as well as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as Observer The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.We reiterated our support for the Lao PDR’s priorities for its ASEAN Chairmanship 2024 under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” which reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to strengthening ASEAN Community through intensifying ASEAN cooperation under the three Community pillars, promoting infrastructure connectivity, narrowing development gaps, enhancing economic integration and people-to-people exchanges, and further strengthening ASEAN’s relations with external partners, while maintaining ASEAN’s relevance and ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture. We congratulated the Lao PDR on the successful convening of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings, from 21 to 27 July 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

    Download the full statement here.

    The post Chairman’s Statement of The 12th ASEAN-United States Summit appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese vice premier stresses delivery of homes, expanding white list mechanism to stabilize property sector

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng has called for efforts to ensure the delivery of homes, and increase loans for real estate projects under the “white list” mechanism in order to facilitate the bottoming out of the housing market.

    He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an investigation and research trip to Taiyuan, Shanxi and Xi’an, Shaanxi from Thursday to Saturday.

    The property market is a barometer of the macroeconomy, and doing a good job in the sector is crucial for promoting sustained economic recovery and safeguarding the vital interests of the people, he said.

    China in January announced a plan to establish a financing coordination mechanism for the real estate sector with the aim of satisfying the legitimate financing needs of property projects on the “white list” and supporting the stable and sound growth of the market.

    He urged giving full play to the role of the real estate financing coordination mechanisms, and accelerating fixing problematic projects to meet the “white list” standards as soon as possible. Financial institutions should increase their efficiency in credit approval and loan disbursement, he said.

    To ensure the quality and on-time delivery of homes, the vice premier called for further expanding the scopes of property projects under the mechanisms, by including all eligible commercial housing projects under construction and sold into the scope of support, and safeguarding the demand for project construction funds.

    The acquisition of existing commercial housing for use as affordable housing should also be advanced, he said. The affordable housing re-lending policy should be implemented well in order to accelerate the reduction of inventory in the commercial housing market, he added.

    He also visited large supermarkets in Taiyuan and key foreign trade enterprises in Xi’an to learn about trade-in programs for consumer goods and the export situation of enterprises.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road blocked following incident on Northern Motorway, Dairy Flat, Auckland

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    The Northern Motorway is blocked following a multi-vehicle crash, northbound around 2:50pm.

    Police responded to Point Chevalier after a vehicle was stolen from a member of the public, before continuing to the Northern Motorway where they have been involved in a multi-vehicle crash.

    The road is blocked from Oteha Valley and enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.

    The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Straterra – Overseas investment changes welcome

    Source: Straterra Inc

    Straterra welcomes the Coalition Government’s proposed changes to the Overseas Investment Act, says chief executive Josie Vidal.
    “Mining is very capital intensive so overseas investment is particularly important to the New Zealand mining sector as a provider of capital that just isn’t available here, as well as in providing access to new expertise, technology, and links to global distribution chains,” Vidal says.
    “We agree with the Government that New Zealand needs to attract more overseas investment.
    “Reducing the regulatory burden to investment in mining and mineral processing will help New Zealand unlock our endowment of critical minerals.
    “We support fast-tracking the assessment process and introducing a government policy statement (GPS) mechanism.
    “We are certainly seeing renewed interest internationally in investing in New Zealand mining and New Zealand was viewed more favourably than in recent years in the Fraser Institute Survey of Mining Companies, which ranks jurisdictions worldwide based on their overall investment attractiveness, the attractiveness of their mining policy, and their geological attractiveness.
    “Enabling governments to signal their policy stance using a GPS has a lot of merit. Because of the long lead time required for mining investments, a cross-party approach for attracting investment is needed – at least as much as is possible. A GPS is preferable to successive government’s making disruptive changes to overseas investment settings.
    “We will scrutinise the proposals and provide feedback to the Government and may have more recommendations to make.”
    Straterra is the industry association representing New Zealand’s minerals and mining sector. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash at Balhannah

    Source: South Australia Police

    Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash at Balhannah.

    The single motorcycle crash occurred at the intersection of Kerr Road and Beaumont Road, Balhannah, at 1pm on Sunday 13 October.

    Diversions are in place and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Across the UAE, China, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia: Diverse Adoption Rates, Consistent Outcomes

    Source: Center of Diagnostics and Telemedicine – Moscow

    The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is transforming medical practices worldwide by significantly reducing patient care wait times and reducing physician’s workload. This was a key topic at the international session of the Russian Diagnostic Summit, where representatives from the UAE, China, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia shared insights into their AI initiatives in radiology. Despite the differing speed of AI adoption, the outcomes in each country have been strikingly similar.

     During the session, experts from these nations discussed their experiences with AI in medical imaging. China is prioritizing the standardization and regulation of AI technologies in healthcare, while the UAE is advancing the use of AI in ultrasound. Saudi Arabia is leveraging remote CT and MRI scanning to address healthcare access challenges in rural areas. Russia, meanwhile, has developed the Unified Radiology Information Service, which centralizes patient records, providing physicians with real-time access to diagnostic data.

    This innovative system drew the attention of international delegates, who expressed interest in adopting similar solutions in their countries. As Yuri Vasilev, Senior Consultant for Radiology and Instrumental Diagnostics of the Moscow Healthcare Department, stated, AI’s implementation across all participating countries has led to faster patient care and reduced physician workload.

     In his presentation on musculoskeletal diagnostics, Dr. Abdulla Alremaithi, President of the Radiology Society of Emirates, highlighted that AI has reduced scanning times by 88% and improved image quality in the UAE.

     Peijun Wang, Professor and Vice Chairman of the Chinese Society of Radiology, outlined China’s comprehensive efforts to regulate and validate AI-enabled medical devices. As of 2022, China had issued 22 regulatory documents, and by 2023, 62 companies were involved in developing AI-driven medical imaging tools, with 45 products supporting the diagnosis of a wide range of conditions, including tumors, cardiovascular diseases, chest illnesses, and fractures.

     In Saudi Arabia, Dr.Mashael Alrujaiba, a board member of the Radiological Society of Saudi Arabia, discussed how remote diagnostic technologies, such as CT and MRI scans, are improving access to healthcare for patients in rural regions.

     Shazia Khan, Professor of Radiology from Pakistan, emphasized the impact of AI on workflow efficiency, citing the automation of measurements as a key advantage.

     The Russian Diagnostic Summit saw participation from over 13,000 attendees, including representatives from all regions of Russia and delegations from 28 countries, such as Abkhazia, Turkey, Serbia, Israel, India, and Syria. The event featured 236 scientific and educational sessions, held across 21 conference halls, including forums, seminars, roundtable discussions, and masterclasses. More than 800 leading professionals presented, and over 230 companies exhibited their latest technological innovations at the Diagnopolis exhibition.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Chairman’s Statement of The 14th ASEAN-United Nations Summit

    Source: ASEAN

    The 14th ASEAN-United Nations (UN) Summit was held on 11 October 2024 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and attended by the ASEAN Member States, H.E. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN, as well as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as Observer. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.We reiterated our support for the Lao PDR’s ASEAN Chairmanship under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” which aims to ensure ASEAN collective efforts in the strengthening of the ASEAN Community to seize opportunities as well as address present and emerging challenges effectively.
    Download the full statement here.

    The post Chairman’s Statement of The 14th ASEAN-United Nations Summit appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 12/10/2024 Statement by the UNIFIL participating states following the recent attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    At the initiative of Poland, a group of 34 countries participating in the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, including three permanent members of the UN Security Council, issued a joint statement in New York on 12 October condemning the recent attacks on the mission’s force base. The countries called for an immediate cessation of attacks and for ensuring adequate protection for UN personnel in accordance with international law. The countries reaffirmed their full support for the UNIFIL mission and activities, the main objective of which is to ensure stability and lasting peace in southern Lebanon, as well as in the Middle East, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. They stressed that the role of UNIFIL is particularly important in light of the escalating situation in the region. The statement was addressed to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the President of the UN General Assembly Philemon Yang, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and the members of the Security Council. The UNIFIL mission is staffed by 10,000 personnel. peacekeeping troops, including over 200 Poles. Below is a list of countries that have joined the Polish initiative:

    1. Armenia2. Austria3. Bangladesh4. Brasilia5. Cambodia6. Chino7. Chipre8. Salvador9. Estonia10. Fiji11. Finland12. France13. Ghana14. Guatemala15. Hungary16. Indonesia17. Ireland18. Italy19. Kazakhstan20. Republic of Korea21. Latvia22. Malaysia23. Malta24. Mongolia25. Nepal26. Netherlands27. Poland28. Qatar29. Sierra Leone30. Spain31. Sri Lanka32. Tanzania33. Turkey34. Great Britain35. Germany36. Peru37. Uruguay Content of the statement:Statement by the States participating in the UNIFIL mission following the recent attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.As States participating in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), we reaffirm our full support for the UNIFIL mission and activities, the primary objective of which is to ensure stability and lasting peace in South Lebanon, as well as in the Middle East, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.We consider the role of UNIFIL to be particularly important in light of the escalating situation in the region.In this regard, we strongly condemn the recent attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers. Such actions must be immediately stopped and properly investigated.We call on the parties to the conflict to respect the presence of UNIFIL, which entails the obligation to guarantee the safety of its personnel at all times, so that they can continue to implement their mandate and continue their work of mediation and support for peace and stability in Lebanon and the wider region.We reaffirm our commitment to multilateral cooperation with the UN at its core. We call for respect for international law, in particular the UN Charter and the relevant Security Council resolutions.

    MILES AXIS

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 12/10/2024 Varsovia Regain control, ensure safety

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    At the heart of our country’s migration policy is caring for the security of Poland – millions of Poles. El primer ministro Donald Tusk announced the adoption of the government strategy “Regain control, ensure security”, the aim of which will be to regain full control over migration and to limit as much as possible the illegal crossing of Polish borders. The Prime Minister also referred to other government obligations implemented in recent months. One of the most important challenges in Poland, Europe and the world is to develop a strong response to the challenges and fears caused by mass migration and migratory pressure driven by hostile states. “Poland is supposed to be safe. Poles should feel free. Safe and free in their country. That’s why our migration policy is so important,” admitted the Prime Minister. The foundations of freedom are the state of law, the rule of law and true democratic rules, which have been consistently destroyed over the last eight years. MIGRATION WAS A TOOL OF FIGHT. Lack of real control and chaos in the previous migration policy. government caused hundreds of thousands of people from Asia and Africa to come to Poland, towards whom an atmosphere of hatred and contempt was created. “They built a partly corrupt system, and now no one has any doubts about it, which allowed for an absolutely uncontrolled influx, partly privatized, hundreds of thousands of formally legal migrants or hundreds of thousands of illegal ones. Was it the Belarusian border, was it the visa system, was it pseudo-studies, was it a completely privatized policy when it comes to the labor market versus migrants,” explained Donald Tusk. Thanks to the actions of the current government, in the first half of 2024 a total of 31 percent fewer visas of all categories compared to the same period in 2023. Their predecessors created the most pro-migration government in Europe, in the context of illegal migration, which had no regard for the security of its nation and EU borders. “One of the elements of the migration strategy will be the temporary territorial suspension of the law for asylum and I will demand that it be recognized in Europe. We know well how it is used by Lukashenko, Putin, by smugglers, smugglers and human traffickers, how this right to asylum is used exactly contrary to its essence,” the prime minister admitted. The current government is making a kind of turn in this matter, distancing itself from the disastrous practices of its predecessors and proposes coherent actions in this area. Migration will not threaten the security of either borders or citizens. MIGRATION AND INTEGRATION Over the last eight years, the Polish state has lost control over the wave of illegal migration, and the influx of immigrants has become a weapon in the political struggle. In the years 2018-2023, Poland issued over 6 million euros of visas, most of which were 3.8 million euros for work visas.  “The state is responsible for ensuring that people who want to work honestly in Poland, pay taxes, integrate with Polish society and study at a real university come to Poland. And these are people who deserve respect, respect. This also means integration activities. If someone wants to come to Poland permanently, work longer, study longer, they must want to respect Polish standards and Polish customs, they must want to integrate. After adopting this strategy, which has also happened in recent months, we will reduce illegal migration in Poland to a minimum. We will eliminate these practices in order to fully regain control over who comes, why they come, and how useful they can be,” said the head of government. A negative example of omitting integration processes is the Germans, who put private interests ahead of the good of society. The government’s tough attitude in line with the national interest will protect Polish women and men from fear and provide them with a sense of security. ACTIONS OF THE MFA In the fight against the huge influx of people from Asia and Africa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not only increased the prices of Polish visas, but also introduced new guidelines for Polish consulates, which previous governments used for their own purposes. “What I am saying can be achieved, but on one condition: that Donald Tusk’s government will not have someone constantly putting a stick in its spokes, vetoing it maliciously, sending it to the so-called Tribunal, that it will not block even appointment of Polish ambassadors.” – Radosław Sikorski added to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In its report, the Supreme Audit Office found a number of irregularities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding, among others: consular activities, visa process or favoring companies, people and agencies. The previous Ministry of Foreign Affairs was indifferent to the threat posed by Russia and from the beginning of aggression against Ukraine until December 2023, it issued over 1.8 thousand to Russian citizens. fenómeno.GREAT RETURN TO THE HOMELANDPolonia, like many European countries, is struggling with the challenge of demographic decline. One of the ways to fight it will be the return of Poles and people with Polish roots to their homeland. “We are planning a policy of accelerated returns of Poles and people of Polish origin from the Polish diaspora and abroad. By building the image of a safe country, Poland is also becoming an attractive place for Poles who can come back here. Why wouldn’t an 18-year-old Polish woman, a 20-year-old Pole living in England, France or the United States want to come back here, study here. Soon he will be earning as much as in England, and the place is nicer. And perhaps also thanks to our migration strategy, it will really be not only the coolest, but also objectively the safest place in Europe,” announced Donald Tusk. Citizenship, repatriation and contact with the diaspora are one of the important elements of the migration strategy developed since December 2023. Poland did not have such a document in 2016. THE BORDER IS MORE AND MORE CLEAR Over recent months, our country has rebuilt its credibility in the international arena and has become the country on which the security of the eastern wall of the entire European Union rests, both in terms of defense against foreign countries and illegal immigrants. This year, Poland will allocate 4.3% of GDP to defense, and next year 4.7%. This is the most in the entire North Atlantic Alliance. “The fact that today we invest so much in our defense, in our security, and we do it in a well-thought-out way, also builds the image of Poland as a country that really knows what it is about and that really cares about security. ”- Prime Minister said. The construction of one of the strongest armies in the EU, the ruthless attitude of the Polish government and the services operating on the border with Belarus do not go unnoticed among those involved in the process of illegal border crossing. UNCROSSABLE BORDER Since December 2023, the Polish government has been consistently sealing the border with Belarus , which is attacked every day as part of the so-called hybrid war. The inviolability of Polish borders is guarded by thousands of policemen, soldiers and the Border Guard. If it turns out to be impassable for illegal migrants, no one will die on this border. Anyone who has such a need and is persecuted will be able to come to Poland. On one condition that it complies with all procedures, laws and rules in force in Poland. There is no way that someone would illegally enter Poland and we would turn a blind eye to it,” declared Donald Tusk. In less than a year of government, only two people lost their lives at the border. As many as 18 people died in 2023. TIME FOR ACTION Years of neglect are visible not only in the aspect of defense or migration policy. The actions of the previous government blocked the transfer of billions of zlotys that could have been spent on important investments. “Europe, both institutions and heads of state, all accepted that Poland regained access to European funds and became the center of Europe and the heart of Europe again. In a sense, it was these millions of Polish women and men who decided, and not only our actions, that Poland regained Europe and Europe regained Poland, including these billions,” said Primer Ministro. From the first days of this term, the government also cares about the safety of citizens in other dimensions, which can be seen in social benefits for families and the most needy, facilities for those running agricultural activities and health care. Poles can use, among others: from the “grandmother’s program”, the 800+ program or leave for entrepreneurs. The Prime Minister emphasized that no change could take place without the will of voters. He thanked all those who trusted the current government. “We are aware of how much we owe to those millions who, sometimes despite the circumstances, went and took power from the hands of these people who had been spoiling the Polish state for 8 years, destroying our hopes and dreams. The bromear pair is a real guarantee. Para bromear, the real foundation of these good, positive changes. For us, we are just workers. It is our job to transform these hopes, dreams, our obligations, the expectations of our voters into facts every day, every month. The most important thing is that we maintain and greatly accelerate the course of changes that we started at the end of last year,” explained Donald Tusk. The Prime Minister emphasized that Poles want a completely different Poland than it was under the previous government – they expect the highest standards. Voters’ demands towards the government motivate it to act. It is to them that the government pledged to continue working for the country and its inhabitants.

    MILES AXIS

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI China: Cambodians invited to explore unique winter landscapes in China’s Heilongjiang

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    People visit the Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Exposition in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, Jan. 2, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]

    An overseas promotional event for ice and snow tourism in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province was held in the capital of Cambodia on Saturday, inviting local visitors to experience the province’s picturesque wintry wonderland.

    Heilongjiang province has abundant ice-and-snow resources, making it a popular destination for winter tourism in China, attracting numerous tourists from home and abroad during Chinese New Year holidays.

    Speaking at the event, Ny Phaly, secretary of state of Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, said the event was vital to further enhance cultural ties, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges between Cambodia and China.

    He added that tourism resources of Heilongjiang province and Cambodia are quite different but complementary, and the event was a good opportunity for both sides to boost cooperation.

    “I would like to encourage Cambodian people to spend their holidays in Heilongjiang province, and also wish to invite tourists from Heilongjiang province to explore Cambodia,” Phaly said.

    The official also urged tour operators of the two sides to work together closely to arrange tour packages for both tourism destinations.

    Hosted by the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and co-organized by the Cambodia-China Journalists Association and Tour Around (Global) Co., Ltd., the event drew more than 200 participants.

    He Jing, director of the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, said the event was aimed at promoting cultural exchanges and Heilongjiang’s enchanting ice and snow tourism resources to Cambodian tourists.

    At the event, promotional videos and presentations were introduced, vividly showcasing the province’s breathtaking natural landscapes, inspiring ice and snow wonders and rich cultural heritage.

    The immersive experience took attendees on a virtual journey through Heilongjiang’s winter magic.

    Highlights included the dazzling Harbin Ice and Snow World, the vast Greater Khingan Mountains, the towering ice waterfalls of Jingpo Lake, the mystical auroras of Mohe, and the first rays of sunlight at Fuyuan, all of which impressed the audience most.

    Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said that as 2024 marked the Cambodia-China people-to-people exchange year, the event was crucial to boost mutual exchanges in areas like tourism and culture.

    She added that the event unfolded the beauty of Heilongjiang’s ice and snow culture and tourism to Cambodian people, inspiring them to travel to the province to experience the unique winter landscapes in person.

    “This event is vital to introduce Cambodian tourists to a new tourism destination, where they can play with ice and snow,” she told Xinhua.

    “Cambodian tourists should spend their holidays in Heilongjiang for ice and snow play because in Cambodia, the weather is hot most of the time, and we don’t have snow,” she added.

    Sivlin said as Heilongjiang is not very far away from Cambodia, visiting the province will save tourists both time and money.

    “They don’t need to spend much money for expensive places. In China, the expense is still cheaper than that of European countries, and we can enjoy authentic ice and snow as those in Europe,” she said.

    On Friday, Heilongjiang province launched its first overseas tourism cooperation and promotion center in Phnom Penh, aiming to showcase Heilongjiang’s tourism profile in Cambodia and Southeast Asia.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Laos to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation of higher quality

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China and Laos agreed to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation of higher quality in a joint statement issued in Vientiane, Laos on Saturday during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s official visit to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic from Oct. 11 to 12 at the invitation of its Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

    In the statement, China and Laos agreed to continue to strengthen practical cooperation under the framework of strategic alignment between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Laos’ strategy to “convert the landlocked country into a land-linked hub” and to implement the outline of the cooperation plan for jointly building the Belt and Road between the two countries.

    The two sides agreed to promote the operation, maintenance and development along the China-Laos Railway with high quality, actively push for the “juxtaposed border control” of the China-Laos Railway to achieve substantial progress as soon as possible, and strive for the standard gauge connection of China-Laos Railway and Thailand railway at an early date to promote the implementation of the China-Laos-Thailand Connectivity Development Corridor Outlook, said the statement.

    China appreciates Laos’ interest in and intention to cooperate on Chinese commercial aircraft and welcomes Laos’ aviation enterprises to introduce these aircraft, it said.

    The two countries will further strengthen trade exchange and increase the scale and level of trade. To this end, China and Laos will work together to implement the zero-tariff arrangement for 100 percent of Lao products exported to China, and push for more high-quality Lao agricultural and food exports to China, it added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Senior CPC official meets with international media leaders

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, meets with international media leaders as they gather for the sixth World Media Summit in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 12, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A senior Chinese official met on Saturday with international media leaders in Beijing as they gathered for the sixth World Media Summit.

    Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, emphasized the role of media in bringing the people of different nations closer.

    He encouraged media outlets to delve into China and tell more stories on how the country collaborates with the rest of the world in pursuit of common prosperity and development.

    Leaders from 13 leading media organizations, including TASS, Al Jazeera Media Network and the Associated Press, participated in the meeting.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Office of the Governor – News Release – Tentative Agreement Reached on UH Faculty Contract Months Ahead of Deadline

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR
    KE KIAʻĀINA

    Tentative Agreement Reached on UH Faculty Contract Months Ahead of Deadline

    University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly to Hold Ratification Vote for an Early Settlement

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 11, 2024

    HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., University of Hawai’i President David Lassner, and the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement for UH faculty represented by the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA). The tentative agreement comes more than eight months before the current contract expires.

    The current contract for the UH faculty expires June 30, 2025. The new two-year contract will begin July 1, 2025, to coincide with the start of a new state fiscal year.

    Faculty will vote electronically on the tentative agreement from Tuesday, October 15, through 5:00 p.m, Thursday, October 17, 2024.

    The collective bargaining agreement is a multi-party contract involving the Governor, UH president, the Board of Regents and UHPA. All must agree to the terms and conditions of the contract.

    The new contract mirrors the last two years (2025-2027) of the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association (HSTA) agreement with the state that extends through June 2027. The agreement includes a 3.5% wage increase in the first year and a 3.79% increase in the second year.

    “The role of the University of Hawaiʻi is absolutely critical to ensuring a thriving and healthy future for our state. UH is an economic driver for everyone in Hawai‘i,” said Governor Green. “This agreement will allow us to attract and retain the great faculty we need who can develop our future leaders and citizens as they work to address the greatest challenges and opportunities we face.”

    “We are deeply grateful to Governor Green, UHPA and their teams for this positive collaborative outcome that will provide well-deserved increases for our hard-working faculty members,” said UH President David Lassner. “This will ensure stability in our relationship as a new president takes the helm of the UH system and enable our faculty to focus on the incredible work they do each and every day across instruction, research and service with and for our students and communities throughout our islands.”

    “Reaching a tentative agreement more than half a year before the expiration of the current contract is a testament to the power of collaboration,“ said Christian Fern, executive director of UHPA, the exclusive bargaining agent for 3,300 faculty across all 10 UH campuses statewide. “With the uncertainties ahead, we appreciate Governor Green, President Lassner, and the Board of Regents for offering this package to the faculty early to provide a fair and equitable proposal for our members to vote on so that we can focus our collective efforts on making Hawai’i a better place to live and work, now and for future generations.”

    # # #

    About the University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly
    The University of Hawai‘i Professional Assembly (UHPA) has been the exclusive bargaining agent for all UH faculty since 1974 and currently represents about 3,300 faculty members at 10 campuses in the University of Hawai‘i system statewide. UHPA affiliated with AFT in April, 2024.

    About AFT 
    AFT is part of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Labor Organizations (AFL-CIO), which comprises 60 national and international labor unions with a combined membership of 12.5 million members. It is the largest higher education union in the country, representing 70 percent of all unionized faculty. AFT is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities.

    About the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi System
    The 10 campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi System is Hawaiʻi’s sole provider of public higher education and is currently serving more than 50,000 students. It fulfills its mission through seven community colleges, two regional universities and a globally-acclaimed research university with education and nine research centers throughout the state. Striving to be grounded in traditional Hawaiian values, UH offers unique opportunities to meet the needs of the people and islands it serves from workforce training to preeminent academic programs, while also serving as a forward-looking economic engine driving hubs of innovation and research.

    Media Contacts:   

    Erika Engle
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Governor, State of Hawai‘i
    Phone: 808-586-0120
    Email: [email protected]

    Makana McClellan
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Governor, State of Hawaiʻi
    Cell: 808-265-0083
    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –