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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Accelerated Programme: Next closure on SH1 in South Waikato

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    The third stage of the huge maintenance project to improve State Highway 1 (SH1) in central and southern Waikato gets underway on Sunday night. From 7pm Sunday 29 September 2024, SH1 will be closed at nights between Piarere and just north of Tīrau (SH1/SH27 intersection).

    Work is underway here until 6am Friday 18 October.

    The closures won’t happen every night – they are from 7pm to 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. The road will be open from 6am each Friday morning until 7pm Sunday nights.

    Residents, businesses and emergency services will have access at all times.

    The detour is via SH29 and SH27 as shown in the map attached. The detour is 12.9 kms which equates to approximately an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Roger Brady, urges motorists to take extra care. “We ask motorists to use the official detours and to go carefully and drive to the conditions while doing so.

    “Using sideroads for shortcuts is discouraged, as many of them are not designed for large increases in traffic.”

    While this detour is underway at nights, Totman Road will have residents-only access.

    “After a brief delay due to a bout of wet Spring weather, the improvement in the conditions this week has meant the foam bitumen stabilising work is underway between Tīrau and Putāruru and also Ātiamuri to Wairakei. This is a key part of the road rebuilding but is very reliant on temperature and dry conditions,” Mr Brady says.

    The next section for closure will be between Tokoroa and Ātiamuri and this is expected to last for 6 weeks, starting on Monday 7 October.

    A weekly e-newsletter is being produced with further information and people are encouraged to sign up via the website:

    SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance(external link)

    Piarere to Tirau SH1 closure map

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China ready to be Argentina’s good partner in development

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in New York on Tuesday that China is ready to continue to be Argentina’s good friend and good partner in pushing forward development.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during talks with Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

    China, he said, always attaches great importance to its relations with Argentina, and maintains continuity and stability in its policy toward the country.

    He called on the two sides to continue to place China-Argentina relations at an important position in each other’s foreign policies and deepen political mutual trust.

    Noting that the two economies are highly complementary and their practical cooperation enjoys a solid foundation, Wang also urged the two countries to support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns.

    For her part, Mondino said Argentina prizes the Chinese market, and Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest and do business in her country.

    Mondino also expressed her hope that the two countries can expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation, saying that Argentina is ready to actively participate in China-Latin America cooperation.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM urges China, Switzerland to back economic globalization with action

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in New York on Tuesday that against the backdrop of rising protectionism and anti-globalization, China and Switzerland, both defenders of free trade, should demonstrate with concrete actions that economic globalization is unstoppable.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during talks with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

    He hailed the two countries’ announcing the launch of negotiations on an upgraded version of the free trade agreement a piece of good news.

    The two sides should cherish and maintain a high level of political mutual trust, adhere to mutual respect and equal treatment, and ensure a sound and steady development of bilateral relations, he said.

    For his part, Cassis said the Swiss side will make every effort to push forward the negotiation process and promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

    Switzerland values its partnership with China and always adheres to the one-China policy, he added.

    During the talks, the two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tajik PM meets with senior CPC official

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Tajikistan’s Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda met with Chen Wenqing, a senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official here on Tuesday.

    Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, noted that under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, the relationship between China and Tajikistan has continued to improve and upgrade.

    Both countries are at critical stages of national development and rejuvenation, Chen said, adding that China is willing to work with Tajikistan to jointly promote the building of the China-Tajikistan community with a shared future, actively implement the three global initiatives, deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, enhance law enforcement and security collaboration, and effectively address various regional threats and challenges, ultimately benefiting the people of both nations.

    Rasulzoda congratulated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and expressed Tajikistan’s firm support for the three global initiatives proposed by Xi. He also expressed a desire to deepen practical cooperation in the security field with China and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

    During the visit, Chen also met separately with Tajikistan’s Secretary of the Security Council Nasrullo Mahmudzoda and Chairman of the State Committee for National Security Saimumin Yatimov.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM meets Nauruan counterpart

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Nauruan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Lionel Aingimea on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday met with Nauruan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Lionel Aingimea on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that in January this year, China and Nauru resumed diplomatic ties, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries.

    China attaches great importance to its relationship with Nauru and is committed to strengthening communication and exchanges at all levels with Nauru on the basis of equality and mutual respect, he said.

    China is also keen on actively expanding practical cooperation to continuously advance the bilateral relations, Wang added.

    Aingimea, for his part, said that the resumption of diplomatic ties with China was undoubtedly a correct and historic decision.

    He also expressed the hope of continuing to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields to support Nauru’s economic and social development.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 41,495

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A truck carrying about 88 unidentified bodies is seen near the Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 41,495, according to Gaza-based health authorities in a statement on Wednesday.

    In the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 28 people and wounded 85 others, bringing the total number of injuries to 96,006 since the conflict erupted in early October 2023.

    In a separate statement, the health authorities reported receiving about 88 unidentified bodies from the Israeli side, adding the Israeli side did not provide any information about their identities, the locations where they were recovered, or the time of death.

    The authorities have suspended procedures for receiving the bodies until complete data is available to identify the deceased and notify their families, as this is considered a fundamental right, the statement added.

    Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza in retaliation for a Hamas attack through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and around 250 hostages taken.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM calls for joint efforts to promote peace talks on Ukraine

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a Security Council high-level meeting on the situation in Ukraine at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in New York on Tuesday that all parties should be truly committed to promoting peace talks on the Ukraine issue.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at the United Nations headquarters while attending a Security Council high-level meeting on the situation in Ukraine.

    The Security Council should serve as a bridge between differences and contradictions, an advocate of seeking common ground while shelving differences, a defender of common security, and a builder of lasting peace, he said.

    Wang put forward three propositions in this regard:

    Firstly, it is necessary to enhance the sense of crisis in cooling down the situation. Weapons of mass destruction should not be used, nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes such as nuclear power plants should not be attacked, and civilians and civilian facilities should not be targeted, the envoy said.

    Secondly, it is necessary to enhance the sense of responsibility in promoting peace talks. Dialogue and negotiation is the only viable way out of the Ukrainian crisis, he noted, urging the international community to seize the current opportunity to form joint efforts to promote peace talks.

    Thirdly, it is necessary to enhance the sense of urgency in managing spillovers. China calls on the international community to strengthen cooperation on energy, finance, trade, food security and the protection of key infrastructure such as oil and gas pipelines, so as to jointly maintain the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains, Wang said.

    China is not a creator of the Ukraine crisis, nor is it a party concerned, the top Chinese diplomat noted. China has always sided with peace, and maintained contact with all parties, including Russia and Ukraine, he added.

    Warning that any attempt to blame, attack or smear China on the Ukraine issue is irresponsible and will not succeed, Wang called on the international community to join hands to uphold a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, US agree to maintain communication on law enforcement

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong had candid, professional and pragmatic exchanges with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas via video link on Wednesday.

    Wang said that the two sides earnestly implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, adhere to mutual respect, dispute management and mutually beneficial cooperation, and have achieved many visible outcomes in areas such as drug control, repatriation of illegal immigrants and cooperation on individual cases.

    China is willing to maintain communication with the U.S. at all levels, and push for steady and long-term law enforcement cooperation between the two countries. The U.S. side should attach importance to addressing China’s concerns, demonstrate sincerity with concrete actions, and remove obstacles for deepening cooperation, Wang noted.

    The two sides agreed to stay in communication on important issues in the field of law enforcement.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Protectionism hurts Europe’s competitiveness: Chinese FM

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with French President’s Diplomatic Counselor Emmanuel Bonne on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Protectionism is detrimental to Europe’s competitiveness, and engaging in a trade war does not align with the interests of Europe or China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in New York on Tuesday.

    Wang made the remarks when meeting with French President’s Diplomatic Counselor Emmanuel Bonne on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

    Wang expressed hope that the European side will demonstrate sincerity and engage in serious consultations with China to resolve trade disputes in a mutually acceptable manner.

    China is committed to further deepening reforms comprehensively and expanding high-level opening-up, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcoming France to seize the opportunity to deepen and expand mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

    Bonne said that France is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in areas such as artificial intelligence and the ocean, and to continue expanding bilateral investment.

    Europe and China can fully resolve differences through consultation and strive to avoid a trade war, he said.

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    On the same day, Wang also met French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot.

    Noting that both China and France are independent major countries, Wang said that the two sides should continue to uphold mutual respect, cooperate with each other for mutual benefit, and enhance exchanges for mutual learning, so as to promote the continuous fruitful development of China-France relations.

    Barrot said that France always adheres to the one-China principle and is committed to strengthening cooperation with China, a position that will not change.

    Both France and the European Union do not wish to engage in a trade war with China and hope to find ways to achieve fair trade, said Barrot.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM attends 8th Dialogue of Foreign Ministers of China, Quartet of CELAC

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends the eighth Dialogue of Foreign Ministers of China and the Quartet of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday attended the eighth Dialogue of Foreign Ministers of China and the Quartet of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that Latin American and Caribbean countries are an important part of the “Global South,” as well as active participants and contributors to global governance.

    Wang stressed that China will continue upholding the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests, strengthen solidarity and cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries, implement the three global initiatives, promote synergy between the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the development strategies of countries in the region, and deepen and substantiate the building of a community with a shared future between China and Latin America and the Caribbean, so as to bring more benefits to the people of both sides.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Australia ties see positive progress: Chinese FM

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China-Australia relations have made positive progress, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when meeting his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

    Both sides should continue to build a more mature, stable, and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

    Both sides should properly handle the issues in bilateral exchanges and not define China-Australia relations from the perspective of differences, Wang said, hoping Australia joins hands with China to ensure that bilateral relations go on the right track and achieve more results.

    Wong, for her part, said Australia is ready to work with China to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, engage in constructive communication on issues of differences, and promote the stable development of bilateral relations.

    The Australian side’s adherence to the one-China policy has not changed, Wong said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Global economy growth stabilizes at 3.2% in 2024, 2025: OECD

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A trader works on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, the United States, on Aug. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Global gross domestic product (GDP) growth is projected to stabilize at 3.2 percent in both 2024 and 2025, while inflation should continue to ease, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Wednesday in its latest economic outlook.

    According to the OECD economic outlook, annual GDP growth in the United States is projected to slow down to 2.6 percent in 2024 and further down to 1.6 percent in 2025, but be cushioned by monetary policy easing.

    For Euro area, the OECD said that GDP growth is projected to be 0.7 percent in 2024 and speed up to 1.3 percent in 2025, with activity supported by a recovery in real incomes and an improvement in credit availability.

    Headline inflation has continued to fall this year in most countries, partly due to further declines in food price inflation and low or negative energy and goods price inflation, the organisation noted, adding that the recent steep fall in oil prices, and the ongoing easing of global food prices could place further downward pressure on headline inflation in the short-term.

    “Oil prices have declined by over 10 percent since July, amid expectations for excess supply next year and market concerns about weakening oil demand growth… If oil prices remain at their current level, global headline inflation could be reduced by around 0.5 percentage points over the coming year,” the OECD explained.

    According to the OECD, declining consumer price inflation has supported household spending, providing a counterbalance to the negative impact from restrictive financial conditions and the uncertainty about the ongoing Ukraine conflict and the evolving crisis in the Middle East.

    Along with stable GDP growth and further disinflation, the OECD also said that real incomes would improve and less restrictive monetary policy in many economies would help underpin demand.

    The recovery in real incomes could provide a stronger boost to consumer confidence and spending, and further oil price declines would hasten disinflation.

    Headline inflation is projected to ease from 5.4 percent in 2024 to 3.3 percent in 2025 in the G20 economies.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China builds high-voltage AC/DC hybrid power grid project

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China on Wednesday started the construction of its first high-voltage alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) hybrid power grid project in Jiangsu Province, marking another step toward a cleaner, safer and more efficient energy system.

    The demonstration project will connect the two cities of Huai’an and Danyang, adding approximately 228 km of DC transmission lines to the existing power grid with two ±200 kV converter stations to be built at both ends, according to the State Grid Jiangsu Electric Power Co., Ltd.

    The project is expected to be operational after completion in 2026.

    China’s current main power grid is primarily composed of AC power grids. However, compared with AC transmission, DC transmission at the same voltage level can transmit larger amounts of power with lower energy losses.

    Once operational, the project will significantly alleviate the pressure on north-to-south power transmission in Jiangsu and enhance grid flexibility, further expanding the application of hybrid grid technologies and helping develop a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, according to the company.

    China recently issued a plan to promote advanced technologies in key energy fields, including hybrid AC/DC power grids.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China firmly opposes US proposed ban on Chinese connected vehicles

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China strongly objects to the U.S. proposal to restrict the use of Chinese connected vehicles, as well as their software and hardware, in the United States, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

    A ministry spokesperson made the remarks in response to a media inquiry, emphasizing that the U.S. proposal smears Chinese connected vehicles under the pretext of national security.

    The proposal is one of the U.S. actions that targeted Chinese automobiles in recent years, also including tariff hikes, procurement restrictions and discriminatory subsidy policies, said the spokesperson.

    The proposal has no factual basis, violates the principles of the market economy and fair competition, and is a typical act of protectionism, the spokesperson said, adding that it will severely impact China-U.S. cooperation on connected vehicles, disrupt and distort global automotive industrial and supply chains, and harm the interests of U.S. consumers.

    It is also a non-market practice that uses government power to interfere with economic and commercial cooperation between enterprises, constituting economic coercion, said the spokesperson.

    “China urges the United States to cease its wrong practice of generalizing national security, immediately lift the relevant restrictions, and end its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies,” said the spokesperson.

    China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its companies, the spokesperson added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Official: China reports broadened engagement in global market

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s investment is playing an increasingly prominent role in promoting economic development worldwide, data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) showed on Wednesday.

    In 2023, outbound direct investment drove 273.1 billion U.S. dollars of China’s import and export of goods, accounting for 4.6 percent of the total value, said Zhang Li, an official with the MOC, while introducing a yearly statistical bulletin.

    China’s overseas enterprises achieved sales revenue of 3.5 trillion U.S. dollars and paid 75.3 billion U.S. dollars in taxes to the places where they invested last year, said Zhang.

    From 2013 to 2023, China’s overseas enterprises have paid 518.4 billion U.S. dollars in taxes to host countries, providing about 2 million jobs, he said.

    In 2023, China’s outbound investment reached 177.29 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 11.4 percent of the global total and ranking among the top three for 12 consecutive years, said Zhang.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mainland says 1992 Consensus anchor for developing cross-Strait relations

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The 1992 Consensus is the anchor for improving and developing relations across the Taiwan Strait, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.
    Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te’s recent comments that distorted the 1992 Consensus.
    Zhu pointed out that the 1992 Consensus features both sides of the Strait orally stating that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait both adhere to the one-China principle, and was reached following authorization by both sides of the Strait and through repeated communication, consultation and correspondence.
    “Its core connotation is that both sides of the Strait belong to one China and should work together to seek national reunification,” she said.
    The consensus clearly defines the fundamental nature of cross-Strait relations, Zhu added.
    Only by adhering to the political foundation of the 1992 Consensus can cross-Strait relations sail steadily into the future, or else the situation in the Strait would become tumultuous and unstable, Zhu said, calling on Taiwan compatriots to safeguard the 1992 Consensus and jointly push cross-Strait relations back onto the right track. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese researchers isolate anti-HIV antibody from alpacas

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A Chinese research team has isolated an antibody from alpacas that can effectively inhibit HIV, providing a promising avenue for the development of new anti-AIDS drugs.
    The findings were recently published in the international academic journal Nature Communications.
    Antiretroviral therapy is currently the primary clinical approach to inhibiting HIV replication, according to Wu Zhiwei, professor at the School of Medicine, Nanjing University.
    While this treatment effectively extends the lifespan of patients, it may lead to significant drug resistance in the virus. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore new therapies, said Wu, who is also a co-corresponding author of the research.
    The primary approach in the clinical development of new anti-AIDS drugs targets the process by which the virus enters host cells. In this process, a receptor known as CD4 acts as a “doorknob,” which the virus utilizes to open the cell’s “door.”
    The researcher team isolated thousands of CD4 nanobodies (a smaller, more stable type of antibody) from alpacas, of which Nb457 showed the potential to inhibit HIV.
    They built a series of pseudoviruses to simulate 117 HIV strains and caused them to interact with Nb457.
    The results showed that Nb457 effectively inhibited 116 virus strains, showing good broad-spectrum and antiviral activity.
    In true virus tests, the trimeric nanobodies engineered from Nb457 have demonstrated potent inhibition of HIV, said Wu Xilin, a researcher at the School of Medicine, Nanjing University, another co-corresponding author of the research.
    The results of mice experiments also showed that the virus was almost undetectable in the treated mice, and no drug-resistant mutations were found, Wu said.
    HIV mutates rapidly and is prone to drug resistance, leading to a decline in drug efficacy, according to Wu.
    The newly discovered antibody does not target the virus itself but the “doorknob” CD4, making it less likely to induce drug resistance in the virus and offering significant implications for the development of new anti-AIDS drugs and clinical treatment, Wu said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s water conservancy projects create 2.1 million jobs in first 8 months

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China’s investment in water conservancy projects totaled 801.94 billion yuan (114.23 billion U.S. dollars) in the first eight months of this year, up 10.7 percent year on year, a government official said on Wednesday.
    At a press conference on water conservancy infrastructure construction held in Beijing, Wang Bao’en, vice minister of water resources, said that water conservancy project construction on a massive scale has contributed to employment. Construction of such projects created nearly 2.1 million jobs in the first eight months, up 6.9 percent year on year.
    Wang said that during the period, the five provinces of Hebei, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shandong and Anhui each posted investment exceeding 40 billion yuan in the sector.
    Government data also shows that since the beginning of this year, a total of 42,000 water conservancy projects have been implemented nationwide, up 14.1 percent year on year. Among them, 28,000 are newly started projects, up 18.7 percent.
    Wang said that in the next step, the Ministry of Water Resources will continue to make solid efforts to promote water conservancy infrastructure construction after the main flood season. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Eight years on, China’s FAST telescope continues to contribute to global radio astronomy research

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The construction of the Core Array of China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) started Wednesday, highlighting China’s growing potential in global radio astronomy research.
    As a proposed extension of FAST, the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope, the Core Array integrates 24 secondary 40-meter antennas implanted within 5 kilometers of the FAST site, said Jiang Peng, deputy director of the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
    The Chinese-designed array will combine the unprecedented sensitivity of FAST with a high angular resolution, thereby exceeding the capabilities at similar frequencies of next-generation arrays in the world.
    The FAST Core Array is estimated to be completed and put into operation in 2027.
    According to a study conducted by CAS, the Core Array will be equipped with advanced devices to improve the survey efficiency of FAST, whose broad frequency coverage and large field of view (FOV) will be essential to study transient cosmic phenomena such as fast radio bursts and gravitational wave events; conduct surveys and resolve structures in neutral hydrogen galaxies; monitor or detect pulsars; and investigate exoplanetary systems.
    Jiang said that once operational, the FAST Core Array could provide more possibilities for global radio astronomy research, owing to a wide range of potential scientific applications from cosmology to exoplanet science.
    Wednesday also marks the eighth anniversary of the launch of FAST. In less than a decade, FAST has already significantly expanded its astronomical observation capability, and the FAST Core Array is set to enhance its observational capabilities further.
    Jiang said observations made solely with FAST are like using a pencil to draw a sketch, while the FAST Core Array is akin to capturing the night sky with a digital camera.
    To date, FAST has identified more than 900 new pulsars since its launch in 2016. The number of new pulsars discovered by FAST is more than three times the total number of pulsars found by foreign telescopes during the same period.
    FAST started formal operations in January 2020 and was officially opened to the world in March 2021. The telescope provides astronomers around the globe with a powerful tool to uncover the mysteries and evolution of the universe.
    Since its formal opening to the global scientific community on March 31, 2021, FAST has facilitated over 900 hours of observations for research teams from 15 countries, including the United States, the Netherlands, and Australia, covering various scientific objectives.
    On April 6 this year, FAST reopened applications for observation projects for the 2024-2025 season, offering 1,600 hours of telescope time for freely applied projects.
    British astronomer Ralph Eatough said that opening up FAST to the world means that astronomers can now perform experiments that were previously not possible due to insufficient telescope sensitivity, with a prime example of this being the potential to detect pulsars located in external galaxies.
    Chen Xianhui, an academician at CAS, said, “FAST is helping mankind explore the origins, evolution, and structure of the universe, providing crucial observational data for understanding pressing scientific questions, while also serving as an important platform for international scientific exchange and collaboration.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mainland’s Taiwan affairs official meets KMT vice chairman

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A Chinese mainland’s senior Taiwan affairs official met on Wednesday with a delegation led by Sean Lien, vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, in northeast China’s Liaoning Province.
    Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the mainland will continue to improve the systems and policies for promoting economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan to boost integrated development across the Taiwan Strait.
    Song said the mainland is willing to work with the KMT to oppose “Taiwan independence” separatism and external interference, seek peace across the Strait, and work for the well-being of compatriots across the Strait.
    Lien said that based on the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing “Taiwan independence,” the KMT will continue to promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields, safeguard peace and stability across the Strait, and create more benefits for people on both sides of the Strait. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Velázquez Calls on DOJ to Tackle Disenfranchisement in Puerto Rican Electoral System

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) led a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) calling on the agency to act to safeguard the rights of Puerto Rican voters in the face of ongoing disenfranchisement in the Puerto Rican electoral system.
     
    “Voters in Puerto Rico have faced unprecedented obstacles in the exercise of their fundamental right to vote, and they deserve all the support of the federal government to remedy this untenable situation,” wrote the lawmakers. “We reiterate the need for the DOJ to send federal poll monitors to Puerto Rico for the island’s upcoming general election and to conduct a thorough audit of the CEE’s use of HAVA funds. Doing right by Puerto Rico at the present hour must necessarily mean protecting its fragile democracy.”
     
    On June 20, 2020, despite staunch public opposition the Government of Puerto Rico passed Act 58, the new Puerto Rican electoral code. Its provisions jeopardized the institutional balance that the Puerto Rico State Commission on Elections (CEE for its Spanish acronym) maintained over the years, placing the New Progressive Party (PNP for its Spanish acronym) in control of the CEE. As a result, key bureaucrats crucial to the agencies functioning were discharged and representation for minority parties within the agency was eliminated.
     
    The new electoral code included provisions that have severely impacted voter registration, participation, and have prompted disenfranchisement. As of July 31, 2024, only 55,147 new voters had registered— a 63% decline compared to the average number of new registrations over the past three elections.
     
    In the letter, the lawmakers call on the DOJ Civil Rights Division to immediately act to safeguard voters’ rights in the upcoming November election by sending federal poll monitors to oversee CEE compliance with voting rights laws. 
     
    “The federal government must do right by the people of Puerto Rico, which in this context means defending their fundamental right to vote per the safeguards and guarantees enshrined in the US Constitution’s Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments,” the lawmakers continued.
     
    The shortcomings of the CEE are aggravated by the fact that the office had nearly $7 million in federal funds as of September 30, 2023, to comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). On August 14, 2003, Puerto Rico submitted its initial implementation plan to the U.S Office of Election Assistance Commission (EAC) pursuant to HAVA and has received funding since.  The letter calls for the EAC to open an audit around the use of HAVA funds by the CEE.
     
    In addition to Congresswoman Velázquez, the letter was also signed by Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Grace Meng (D-NY), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Delia Ramirez (D-IL).
     
    For a full copy of the letter, click here.
     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: During Workplace Rights Week, Governor Walz, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Highlight New Worker Protections

    Source: US State of Minnesota

    During Minnesota’s first-ever workplace rights week, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan are highlighting new worker protections signed into law by Governor Walz. Elevated by the new laws, including earned sick and safe time and paid family and medical leave, Minnesota ranks among top states for workers and their families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Predator control helps rare mountain wren

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  26 September 2024

    DOC has monitored rock wrens across the South Island for the past five years to see how they fare both with and without predator control using methods like trapping and aerial 1080.

    DOC Science Advisor Tristan Rawlence says monitoring shows rock wren numbers are mostly increasing where predators are regularly controlled but gradually declining at unmanaged sites.

    “On average, there are more than double the number of rock wrens in areas with predator control compared to areas without,” says Tristan.

    “Stoats can be common in alpine areas and we’re increasingly seeing rats in this environment too, possibly due to warmer temperatures.”

    Rock wrens hop and flit rather than flying and nest on the ground, making them easy prey for introduced predators like rats and stoats. They are threatened with extinction.

    With five years of monitoring data, Tristan says it’s now possible to see which predator control methods are of most benefit to rock wren.

    “We’re seeing the best results where we’re using aerial 1080 in the alpine area above the tree line where rock wrens live year-round, and not just in the surrounding forest.

    “We’ve also learnt we need to control predators whenever the beech forest seeds, as predator numbers soar in response to more food.”  

    Rock wrens live in alpine areas in the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o Te Moana and Kahurangi. They can go into torpor or semi-hibernation (dropping their body temperature and energy needs), an adaptation thought to help them survive harsh winter conditions.

    Each summer since 2019, DOC researchers have surveyed for rock wrens at 25 sites ranging from Fiordland to Kahurangi. There are 19 monitoring sites where rock wrens are protected through predator control and six sites where there is no management. Monitoring frequency has now been reduced with sites visited every two years. 

    Previous research has shown rock wrens produce 3-5 times as many chicks when predators are controlled. A study in Kahurangi National Park over four years showed 58% of rock wren nests were successful in fledging young following aerial 1080 predator control, while just 13% were successful without.

    This monitoring programme is part of DOC’s National Predator Control Programme, which protects the most at-risk wildlife and forests across New Zealand’s public conservation land.

    Rock wrens belong to an ancient lineage of New Zealand wrens that once included seven species. Today, only the rock wren and rifleman/titipounamu survive.

    Background information

    Rock wren populations found in northern and southern areas of the South Island have been found to be genetically distinct. The northern birds are assessed as more threatened (classified ‘Nationally Critical’ under the New Zealand Threat Classification System) than the southern ones (classified ‘Nationally Endangered’).

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Labour welcomes UAE trade deal

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed today with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    The Labour Government began exploratory trade talks on this agreement in September last year and represented a deepening of bilateral relations between our two countries.

    “The UAE is a significant trading partner for New Zealand, with exports approaching $1 billion per annum,” said Labour trade spokesperson Damien O’Connor.

    “The UAE is also a hub for New Zealand Inc operations into the region and a key component of New Zealand’s air connectivity to the Middle East and beyond.

    “An agreement with the UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council was the next step following the UK and EU free trade agreements Labour concluded in government, and conclusion by the National Government is another great step forward in trade opportunities for our exporters.”

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Hundreds more jobs cuts on housing frontline

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The Government has shown its true intentions for the public service and economy – it’s not to get more public servants back to the office, it’s more job losses.

    “Reports of more than 300 jobs to go at Kāinga Ora shows that National has no interest in solving the housing crisis, but just wants to see an end to public housing,” Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said.

    “The people doing these jobs are the very people that have helped deliver record number of houses for New Zealanders. Now they’re thanking them by taking away their jobs and incomes.

    “Chris Bishop and Tama Potaka promised New Zealanders they would build more houses than Labour yet so far, their record on housing is to make it harder for people to access emergency housing, easier to be kicked out of tenancies and taking Kāinga Ora from building record numbers of homes to funding none.

    “This has been the Government’s agenda all along. We can’t forget the last National government ended up with 1,500 fewer public homes than it started with and sucked out $576 million in dividends.

    “They’ve also capped funding for community housing providers at 750 houses per year, and scrapped the First Home Grant.

    “Chris Bishop is all talk and no delivery. His actions will result in more people homeless and less public housing – exactly what happened the last time National were in Government,” Kieran McAnulty said.

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Building a stronger weather forecasting system

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is looking at integrating the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and the MetService to improve the weather forecasting system for New Zealand, Science, Innovation & Technology Minister Judith Collins says.

    “We have agreed in-principle to NIWA acquiring the MetService, with the MetService retaining its role as New Zealand’s authorised meteorologist, subject to further work being completed.

    “Having a strong weather forecasting system which combines weather forecasting science with land and hydrological system sciences through to daily public weather updates will help us meet the current and future demands of New Zealanders,” Ms Collins says. 

    “Our weather forecasting system is critically important, not only to give us warning of severe weather so that we can prepare, but for daily operations of the aviation, marine and energy industries, and many businesses across New Zealand. It is crucial that our capabilities are streamlined in order to ensure that it is easy to access information about the weather from a single trusted source.

    “Extreme weather events in 2023 resulted in a tragic loss of life. These events cost nearly $12 billion in economic terms and $5 billion in insured loss. The Weather Forecasting System Review found that there is a compelling case for change.

    “Bringing together the science around climate, weather forecasting, hydrology, and coastal hazards will improve our understanding and allow us to better prepare for, and respond to, severe weather events,” Ms Collins says.

    “More work is needed before this change can happen. We have asked officials at the Treasury and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to work with the MetService and NIWA to provide implementation details as soon as possible.

    “A more streamlined system will increase safety, improve efficiencies and support a future focused weather forecasting system that works for all New Zealanders.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Luís Montenegro, Prime Minister of the Portuguese Republic

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Luís Montenegro, Prime Minister of Portugal. The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for the close cooperation between the United Nations and Portugal, particularly recognizing Portugal’s contribution to peacekeeping in the Central African Republic.
     
    They discussed the Summit of the Future and the implementation of the Pact of the Future. They also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Mohamed Younis A Menfi, President of the Presidential Council of the State of Libya

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Mohamed Younis A Menfi, President of the Presidential Council of the State of Libya. They discussed the latest developments in Libya and the region, and welcomed the recent agreement on the governance of the Central Bank of Libya. 

    The Secretary-General underlined that the protracted political impasse in Libya can only be resolved through an inclusive dialogue aimed at putting the country back on a firm path towards elections. The Secretary-General reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to supporting the political process in Libya.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Statement on Senate Passage of Continuing Resolution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after voting to pass a continuing resolution that will avoid a government shutdown:

    “As I have said many times, each year we have a responsibility to fund the government and keep it open. That is a priority, and that is why I voted for this continuing resolution. While I am glad we took the responsible step to avoid a shutdown—which would have a detrimental impact on our armed forces, planned research projects, and other basic government functions—we should not have been in this predicament in the first place. We have done our work on the Appropriations Committee, but Leader Schumer’s inaction on these committee-passed bills has forced us into the current ‘govern by CR’ scenario. I look forward to working with my colleagues on a more permanent funding solution to prevent further uncertainty,” Senator Capito said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Statement on Government Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    09.30.23
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement on an agreement to fund the government.
    “This short-term continuing resolution will keep government open. At the same time, we’re working to get back to regular order, where we pass appropriations bills through the committee and debate them on the floor. We need to get back to regular order so we can fund the priorities of the American people, while also finding savings to get control of our debt and deficit.”

    MIL OSI USA News –