NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Special Report: Kazakhstan Supercomputer Is the Largest Computing Cluster in Central Asia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    ALMATY, July 16 (Xinhua) — Kazakhstan’s first national supercomputer was officially launched in Astana in July 2025, an ambitious project that aims to make the country a regional leader in high technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital sovereignty.

    The idea of creating a supercomputer was born in early 2024. On February 12, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, the Samruk-Kazyna National Fund and the Emirati company Presight AI signed a strategic cooperation agreement.

    The project was initiated as part of the digital agenda of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

    According to the agreement, the project is being implemented in two stages. The first stage involved the integration of new computing capacities into the existing digital infrastructure of Kazakhstan, including the e-government platform eGov.

    The second phase involves the construction of a Tier III data center and the deployment of a supercomputer cluster based on the latest NVIDIA H200 graphics processors.

    In terms of technical characteristics, the Kazakh supercomputer is the largest in the region: it is capable of providing performance of up to 2 exaflops using the FP8 calculation method. This allows processing colossal amounts of information, providing a computing base for scientific research, AI development, modeling and data processing in real time.

    On May 19, 2025, the supercomputer cluster arrived in Kazakhstan and was placed in a data center with the participation of Presight AI.

    The official launch of the system took place on July 9, 2025, as part of a ceremonial event at the Alemcloud National Supercomputer Center in Astana. The event was attended by President K.-Zh. Tokayev, who emphasized that the supercomputer will allow Kazakhstan to achieve significant progress in the development of digital technologies.

    Access to high-performance computing will be given to startups developing neural network solutions, universities, research centers, as well as public and private companies.

    “The power of a supercomputer is like the entire world population, 8 billion people, doing mathematical calculations every second, but it would take them more than 4 days to do what a supercomputer does in a second,” said Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digitalization and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, on the day the system was launched.

    The project pursues strategic goals. Firstly, it strengthens the country’s digital sovereignty by reducing dependence on foreign cloud solution providers.

    Secondly, it creates conditions for the development of the domestic IT ecosystem: universities, research centers, public and private companies gain access to powerful computing resources.

    Thirdly, this is an important step towards the formation of a full-fledged infrastructure for the development and implementation of AI-based solutions – from city management systems to working with large language models.

    Thus, the launch of the national supercomputer has become not just a technological achievement, but also an important element of Kazakhstan’s new digital strategy. The country is demonstrating its readiness to take an active position on the high-tech map of Eurasia by investing in the infrastructure that determines the future. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Croatian Foreign Minister to Visit China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) — Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman will visit China from July 20 to 22 at the invitation of Wang Yi, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese Foreign Minister. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China has seen an increase in the employment rate of people with disabilities in the past 3 years

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) — China has made steady progress in expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities, with the nationwide employment rate for such people increasing by 4.8 percentage points over the past three years, official data showed at a press conference on Wednesday.

    The achievements were made under the country’s first three-year action plan to promote the employment of people with disabilities from 2022 to 2024. During this period, nearly 1.65 million new jobs for people with disabilities were created in both urban and rural areas, Li Dongmei, deputy chairwoman of the All-China Federation of Disabled Persons (ACFD), said at a press conference.

    Also during the reporting period, nearly 1.43 million people with disabilities received verified vocational training, which significantly increased their work readiness and skill level, Li Dongmei noted.

    Steady progress has also been made in higher education. For five years in a row, all disabled graduates who completed their studies at colleges in the country have been included in the employment support databases. Notably, the employment rate among those who want to work has exceeded 85 percent for five years in a row.

    To build on this momentum, the General Office of the State Council of China has released a new three-year action plan (2025-2027), jointly developed by the VFI and 30 government departments. The plan outlines 10 targeted actions aimed at further improving the employment conditions of people with disabilities.

    According to Ren Zhanbin, Director of the Department of Education and Employment at VFI, a more targeted and individual approach will be applied at the new stage.

    “We aim to not only expand employment opportunities, but also ensure that these jobs match the abilities and needs of people with disabilities and guarantee longer-term stability,” Ren Zhanbin said.

    According to the plan, relevant government agencies and local authorities will continue to improve public services, strengthen employment support, and help 85 million people with disabilities gain access to more and better job opportunities. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Wang Yi: China will continue to support Iran in safeguarding state sovereignty and national dignity

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TIANJIN, July 16 (Xinhua) — China will continue to support Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and dignity, opposing power politics and bullying, upholding its legitimate rights and interests through political negotiations, and further improving and developing relations with its neighbors based on the principle of good-neighborliness and friendship, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.

    Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who arrived in China to attend a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Foreign inflow to China continued to rise in first half of 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) — The number of round-trip border crossings by foreign nationals through China’s checkpoints totaled 38.05 million from January to June 2025, up 30.2 percent year on year, data from the National Immigration Administration (NIA) showed Wednesday.

    According to the agency, during the reporting period, the number of foreigners who traveled to China under the visa-free regime increased to 13.64 million people, an increase of 53.9 percent year-on-year. In January-June of this year, their share in the total number of incoming trips by foreigners was 71.2 percent.

    The total number of border crossings through Chinese checkpoints in the first six months of this year reached 333 million people, up 15.8 percent from a year earlier, according to data released at a departmental press conference.

    In particular, during the specified period, residents of mainland China crossed the state border in both directions 159 million times, which is 15.9 percent more year-on-year. Meanwhile, the number of entries and exits through the country’s checkpoints among residents of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, as well as Taiwan Island, amounted to 136 million person-times, an increase of 12.2 percent year-on-year.

    Border control agencies across the country are steadily increasing efforts to expand openness and improve service efficiency, the SUI noted.

    As part of its visa-free policy adjustments, China recently added Indonesia to the list of 240-hour visa-free transit countries, bringing the total number of eligible countries to 55. The policy allows citizens of these countries to transit through China visa-free for a stay of up to 240 hours.

    A new regional visa-free policy was also introduced, allowing tourist groups from ASEAN countries to enter Xishuangbanna (Yunnan Province, southwest China) visa-free.

    In addition, China expanded its visa-free agreements by signing new mutual visa waiver agreements with Uzbekistan, Malaysia and Azerbaijan, and introducing unilateral visa-free regimes for nine more countries, namely Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 11 killed, four injured in road accident in Afghanistan

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    KABUL, July 16 (Xinhua) — At least 11 people were killed and four others injured in a highway accident in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province, provincial police said in a statement on Wednesday.

    The tragedy occurred in the Kariz area of Washir district, along the highway connecting Herat with the capital Kabul. A passenger bus collided head-on with another vehicle, killing 11 passengers on the spot and injuring four others.

    A preliminary investigation has shown that the cause of the accident was careless driving. All the victims were taken to nearby medical centers, where medical personnel described their condition as critical. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Holy Mass in the Chapel of the Castel Gandolfo Carabinieri Station

    Source: The Holy See

    At 9.00 this morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV celebrated Holy Mass in the Chapel of the Castel Gandolfo Carabinieri Station.
    At the end of Mass, the Holy Father visited the Monastery of the Poor Clares in Albano, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.
    The following is the homily delivered by the Pope during the Eucharistic Celebration, after the proclamation of the Gospel:
     
    Homily of the Holy Father
    Dear brothers and sisters,
    The Gospel we have heard gives us the authentic Christian meaning of these two words. Brother and sister are names of relation, which we repeat often in the liturgy as a greeting, as a sign of closeness and affection. Jesus, the only-begotten Son of God, explains their meaning in relation to himself and to his Father, revealing a bond stronger than blood, since it involves all of us, uniting every man and every woman. Indeed, we are all truly brothers and sisters of Jesus when we do God’s will, that is, when we live loving each other,as God has loved us.
    Every relationship that God lives, in himself and for us, thus becomes a gift: when his only Son becomes our brother, his Father beomes our Father, and the Holy Spirit, which joins the Father and the Son, comes to dwell in our hearts. God’s love is so great that Jesus does not keep even his mother for himself, giving Mary to us as our mother, in the hour of the cross (cf. Jn 19:27). Only those who live by such full dedication can affirm: “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother” ( Mt 12:50). In particular, these words let us understand that Mary becomes the mother of Jesus because she listens to the word of God with love; she welcomes it into her own heart and lives it faithfully. Commenting the Gospel passage recalled just now, Saint Augustine therefore wrote that “Mary … is blessed, because she heard the word of God and kept it” ( Sermon 72/A, 7). The meaning of Mary’s life is enshrined in her faithfulness to the Word she received from God: the Word of life she received, carried in her womb and gave to the world.
    Dear friends, the 75 th anniversary of the proclamation of the faithful Virgin, the Virgo fidelis , as Patroness of the Carabinieri Corps, was recently celebrated. Right here in Castel Gandolfo, in 1949 my venerable predecessor Pope Pius XII accepted this beautiful proposal from the general Command of the Corps. After the tragedy of the war, in a period of moral and material reconstruction, Mary’s fidelity to God thus became a model of the fidelity of every Carabiniere towards his homeland and the Italian people. This virtue expresses the devotion, purity, and constancy in commitment to the common good which the Carabinieri protect by guaranteeing public safety and defending the rights of all, especially those in dangerous conditions.
    I therefore wish to express deep gratitude for the noble and demanding service that the Corps provides to Italy and her citizens, as well as to the Holy See and the faithful who visit Rome: I think in particular of the many pilgrims in this Jubilee year.
    Devotion to the faithful Virgin also reflects the motto of the Carabinieri, Nei secoli fedele – faithful throughout the centuries – expressing the sense of duty and abnegation of every member of the Corps, to the point of self-sacrifice. I therefore thank the authorities present, both civil and military, for what you do in the fulfilment of your duties: in the face of injustice, which harms the social order, you do not give in to the termptation of thinking that evil may prevail. Especially in this time of wars and violence, you remain faithful to your oath: as servants of the State, you respond to crime with the force of the law and with honesty. This is how the Carabinieri Corps, the Benemerita , will always be worthy of the respect of the Italian people.
    In this Eucharist, as we celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord, it is right and dutiful to remember the Carabinieri who have given their lives in the course of duty: I offer as an example to you the venerable Salvo D’Acquisto, awarded the gold medal for military valour, whose cause for beatification is underway. In every mission, may the Virgo fidelis accompany you, watching lovingly over each one of you, your families and your work.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Sanction Update (1)

    Source: Isle of Man

    Financial Sanctions: Haiti

     

    The Authority has been notified that the Isle of Man Treasury, Customs and Immigration Division has recently published new and updated information regarding the above Sanction regimes.

    News Releases advising details of the updates to the above Sanctions regimes can be read on the IOM Government website (www.gov.im/news) at:

    Financial Sanctions: Haiti

    https://www.gov.im/news/2025/jul/09/financial-sanctions-haiti/

     

    Copies of extant Sanctions Notices, are available free of charge over the Internet from the Sanctions and Export Control page on the website of the Isle of Man Treasury, Customs and Immigration Division located at: https://www.gov.im/categories/tax-vat-and-your-money/sanctions-and-export-control

    Any queries regarding the above, or any Sanctions related matter should be addressed to the Isle of Man Treasury, Customs and Immigration Division, Sanctions Officer  on telephone number +44 (0) 1624 648109 or by email to sanctions@gov.im

     

    To receive regular updates about sanctions, including updates to the UK Sanctions List, you can subscribe to the RSS feed for sanctions & Excise news releases by copying and pasting this URL:

     

    https://gov.im/categories/tax-vat-and-your-money/sanctions-and-export-control/news/RssCategorisedNews

     

     into your RSS feed reader or Microsoft Outlook RSS feeds folder. You can also view our guidance on how to use RSS Feeds.

     

    The UK Treasury operate an ‘alert’ system to provide email updates as and when changes to sanctions are introduced.  Licenceholders may consider it very prudent to avail themselves of this service if they do not already have relevant notification processes in place. 

     

    This service can be found at   Subscribe to Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updates

     

    FSA Ref: News/ENF/14/2025 – 2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Sanction Update (1)

    Source: Isle of Man

    Financial Sanctions: Haiti

     

    The Authority has been notified that the Isle of Man Treasury, Customs and Immigration Division has recently published new and updated information regarding the above Sanction regimes.

    News Releases advising details of the updates to the above Sanctions regimes can be read on the IOM Government website (www.gov.im/news) at:

    Financial Sanctions: Haiti

    https://www.gov.im/news/2025/jul/09/financial-sanctions-haiti/

     

    Copies of extant Sanctions Notices, are available free of charge over the Internet from the Sanctions and Export Control page on the website of the Isle of Man Treasury, Customs and Immigration Division located at: https://www.gov.im/categories/tax-vat-and-your-money/sanctions-and-export-control

    Any queries regarding the above, or any Sanctions related matter should be addressed to the Isle of Man Treasury, Customs and Immigration Division, Sanctions Officer  on telephone number +44 (0) 1624 648109 or by email to sanctions@gov.im

     

    To receive regular updates about sanctions, including updates to the UK Sanctions List, you can subscribe to the RSS feed for sanctions & Excise news releases by copying and pasting this URL:

     

    https://gov.im/categories/tax-vat-and-your-money/sanctions-and-export-control/news/RssCategorisedNews

     

     into your RSS feed reader or Microsoft Outlook RSS feeds folder. You can also view our guidance on how to use RSS Feeds.

     

    The UK Treasury operate an ‘alert’ system to provide email updates as and when changes to sanctions are introduced.  Licenceholders may consider it very prudent to avail themselves of this service if they do not already have relevant notification processes in place. 

     

    This service can be found at   Subscribe to Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updates

     

    FSA Ref: News/ENF/14/2025 – 2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: David Robie: New Zealand must do more for Pacific and confront nuclear powers

    Rongelap Islanders on board the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior travelling to their new home on Mejatto Island in 1985 — less than two months before the bombing. Image: ©1985 David Robie/Eyes of Fire

    He accused the coalition government of being “too timid” and “afraid of offending President Donald Trump” to make a stand on the nuclear issue.

    However, a spokesperson for New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Pacific that New Zealand’s “overarching priority . . . is to work with Pacific partners to achieve a secure, stable, and prosperous region that preserves Pacific sovereignty and agency”.

    The spokesperson said that through its foreign policy “reset”, New Zealand was committed to “comprehensive relationships” with Pacific Island countries.

    “New Zealand’s identity, prosperity and security are intertwined with the Pacific through deep cultural, people, historical, security, and economic linkages.”

    The New Zealand government commits almost 60 percent of its development funding to the region.

    Pacific ‘increasingly contested’
    The spokesperson said that the Pacific was becoming increasingly contested and complex.

    “New Zealand has been clear with all of our partners that it is important that engagement in the Pacific takes place in a manner which advances Pacific priorities, is consistent with established regional practices, and supportive of Pacific regional institutions.”

    They added that New Zealand’s main focus remained on the Pacific, “where we will be working with partners including the United States, Australia, Japan and in Europe to more intensively leverage greater support for the region.

    “We will maintain the high tempo of political engagement across the Pacific to ensure alignment between our programme and New Zealand and partner priorities. And we will work more strategically with Pacific Governments to strengthen their systems, so they can better deliver the services their people need,” the spokesperson said.

    The cover of the latest edition of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior. Image: Little Island Press

    However, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, writing in the prologue of Dr Robie’s book, said: “New Zealand needs to re-emphasise the principles and values which drove its nuclear-free legislation and its advocacy for a nuclear-free South Pacific and global nuclear disarmament.”

    Dr Robie added that looking back 40 years to the 1980s, there was a strong sense of pride in being from Aotearoa, the small country which set an example around the world.

    “We took on . . . the nuclear powers,” Dr Robie said.

    “And the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior was symbolic of that struggle, in a way, but it was a struggle that most New Zealanders felt a part of, and we were very proud of that [anti-nuclear] role that we took.

    “Over the years, it has sort of been forgotten”.

    ‘Look at history’
     France conducted 193 nuclear tests over three decades until 1996 in French Polynesia.

    Until 2009, France claimed that its tests were “clean” and caused no harm, but in 2010, under the stewardship of Defence Minister Herve Morin, a compensation law was passed.

    From 1946 to 1962, 67 nuclear bombs were detonated in the Marshall Islands by the US.

    The 1 March 1954 Bravo hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll, the largest nuclear weapon ever exploded by the United States, left a legacy of fallout and radiation contamination that continues to this day. Image: Marshall Islands Journal

    In 2024, then-US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell, while responding to a question from RNZ Pacific about America’s nuclear legacy, said: “Washington has attempted to address it constructively with massive resources and a sustained commitment.”

    However, Dr Robie said that was not good enough and labelled the destruction left behind by the US, and France, as “outrageous”.

    “It is political speak; politicians trying to cover their backs and so on. If you look at history, [the response] is nowhere near good enough, both by the US and the French.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: David Robie: New Zealand must do more for Pacific and confront nuclear powers

    Rongelap Islanders on board the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior travelling to their new home on Mejatto Island in 1985 — less than two months before the bombing. Image: ©1985 David Robie/Eyes of Fire

    He accused the coalition government of being “too timid” and “afraid of offending President Donald Trump” to make a stand on the nuclear issue.

    However, a spokesperson for New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Pacific that New Zealand’s “overarching priority . . . is to work with Pacific partners to achieve a secure, stable, and prosperous region that preserves Pacific sovereignty and agency”.

    The spokesperson said that through its foreign policy “reset”, New Zealand was committed to “comprehensive relationships” with Pacific Island countries.

    “New Zealand’s identity, prosperity and security are intertwined with the Pacific through deep cultural, people, historical, security, and economic linkages.”

    The New Zealand government commits almost 60 percent of its development funding to the region.

    Pacific ‘increasingly contested’
    The spokesperson said that the Pacific was becoming increasingly contested and complex.

    “New Zealand has been clear with all of our partners that it is important that engagement in the Pacific takes place in a manner which advances Pacific priorities, is consistent with established regional practices, and supportive of Pacific regional institutions.”

    They added that New Zealand’s main focus remained on the Pacific, “where we will be working with partners including the United States, Australia, Japan and in Europe to more intensively leverage greater support for the region.

    “We will maintain the high tempo of political engagement across the Pacific to ensure alignment between our programme and New Zealand and partner priorities. And we will work more strategically with Pacific Governments to strengthen their systems, so they can better deliver the services their people need,” the spokesperson said.

    The cover of the latest edition of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior. Image: Little Island Press

    However, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, writing in the prologue of Dr Robie’s book, said: “New Zealand needs to re-emphasise the principles and values which drove its nuclear-free legislation and its advocacy for a nuclear-free South Pacific and global nuclear disarmament.”

    Dr Robie added that looking back 40 years to the 1980s, there was a strong sense of pride in being from Aotearoa, the small country which set an example around the world.

    “We took on . . . the nuclear powers,” Dr Robie said.

    “And the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior was symbolic of that struggle, in a way, but it was a struggle that most New Zealanders felt a part of, and we were very proud of that [anti-nuclear] role that we took.

    “Over the years, it has sort of been forgotten”.

    ‘Look at history’
     France conducted 193 nuclear tests over three decades until 1996 in French Polynesia.

    Until 2009, France claimed that its tests were “clean” and caused no harm, but in 2010, under the stewardship of Defence Minister Herve Morin, a compensation law was passed.

    From 1946 to 1962, 67 nuclear bombs were detonated in the Marshall Islands by the US.

    The 1 March 1954 Bravo hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll, the largest nuclear weapon ever exploded by the United States, left a legacy of fallout and radiation contamination that continues to this day. Image: Marshall Islands Journal

    In 2024, then-US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell, while responding to a question from RNZ Pacific about America’s nuclear legacy, said: “Washington has attempted to address it constructively with massive resources and a sustained commitment.”

    However, Dr Robie said that was not good enough and labelled the destruction left behind by the US, and France, as “outrageous”.

    “It is political speak; politicians trying to cover their backs and so on. If you look at history, [the response] is nowhere near good enough, both by the US and the French.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

    Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has warned Australia’s global environmental reputation is at risk if the Albanese government fails to reform nature laws this term.

    In his speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Henry said reform was needed to restore nature and power the net zero economy.

    Speaking as chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Henry said with “glistening ambition”, Australia can “build an efficient, jobs-rich, globally competitive, high-productivity, low-emissions nature-rich economy”.

    The speech comes at a crucial time for nature law reform in Australia. The new Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to prioritise reform, after the Albanese government failed to achieve substantial changes to these laws in the last parliament.

    On Wednesday, Henry condemned previous failed attempts to reform the laws. He described delays in improving environmental management as “a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry”.

    The need for fundamental reform

    The Albanese government abandoned efforts to pass important reforms in its first term.

    Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to achieving reforms within 18 months, acknowledging “our current laws are broken”.

    In his speech on Wednesday, Henry agreed with this sentiment. He described the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as “a misnomer, if ever there was one”.

    Henry is both a former Treasury Secretary and former chair of National Australia Bank. He also wrote Australia’s most important white paper on tax reform.

    Henry has previously said environmental law reform could be a template for other essential, difficult law reform, such as fixing Australia’s broken tax system.

    He understands Australia’s broken environmental laws. In 2022-23, he led an independent review into nature laws in New South Wales. That review found the laws were failing and would never succeed in their current form.

    At the start of his speech on Wednesday, Henry came close to tears when he acknowledged Greens Senator Sarah Hansen-Young’s support for those who look after injured and orphaned native animals.

    As a bureaucrat in Canberra, Henry also used to rescue injured animals and nurse them back to health.

    Logging and land clearing for development destroys koala habitat.
    Pexels, Pixabay, CC BY

    Big challenges ahead

    As Henry noted on Wednesday, Australia faces enormous challenges. These include the need to rapidly build more housing and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

    But before building suburbs, wind farms, transmission lines, mines and roads, projects need to be assessed for their potential to harm the environment.

    Henry on Wednesday called for sweeping changes, drawing on Graeme Samuel’s 2019-20 review of the EPBC Act. The changes include:

    • genuine cooperation across all levels of government, industry and the community
    • high-integrity evidence to inform decision making
    • clear, strong and enforceable standards applied nationwide
    • an independent and trusted decision-maker, in the form of a national Environment Protection Authority
    • a natural capital market, which – if well-designed – could provide a financial incentive for nature restoration and carbon storage in the form of tradable credits.

    Without the reforms, Henry said, Australia would not “retain a shred of credibility” for two global commitments: reaching net zero emissions, and halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    The net zero commitment is at risk because existing laws are not sufficient to protect carbon sinks, such as forests. The roll out of renewable energy is also being slowed by inefficient approvals processes.

    Henry said the concept of “ecologically sustainable development”, which seeks to balance economic, social, and economic goals, needs serious rethinking. This concept has been the foundation of environment policy in Australia, including the EPBC Act, for the past 30 years.

    Henry wrote the first Intergenerational Report for the federal government in 2002. He has criticised governments for allowing environmental destruction that will leave future generations worse off.

    He has variously described Australia’s failure to steward our natural resources as an intergenerational tragedy, as intergenerational theft, and a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry – claims he repeated on Wednesday.

    Making money grow on trees

    Henry grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW where his father, a worker in the timber industry, helped log native forests.

    Land clearing is the main threat to Australian biodiversity, and preventing native vegetation loss would also cut greenhouse gas emissions.

    The foundation Henry chairs advocates for the protection and restoration of Australia’s native forests. Henry has previously backed a plan to store carbon in native forests, which would mean trees were protected and not cut down.

    In his Press Club address, Henry lamented ongoing land clearing, poor fire management in remnant forests, and logging of habitat for endangered species such as the koala and the greater glider. He also called for nature laws that enable projects to be delivered in a way that not only protects but also restores nature. For instance, he said carbon credits could help fund the Great Koala National Park proposed for NSW.

    Logging continues in old growth native forest.
    Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    What’s the Australian government doing?

    Despite Murray Watt’s stated commitment to nature law reform, there are signs the environment may again come off second-best.

    At a recent meeting with key stakeholders, including industry and environment groups, Watt said compromise was needed. He warned environmental protections must come with streamlined project approvals “to improve productivity”.

    Henry on Wednesday acknowledged faster approvals were needed, saying:

    We simply cannot afford slow, opaque, duplicative and contested environmental planning decisions based on poor information mired in administrative complexity.

    But he said faster approvals should not come at a greater cost to nature. In his words:

    with due acknowledgement of the genius of AC/DC, there is no point in building a faster highway to hell.

    Henry said the current parliament has time to put the right policy settings in place. The remedies also enjoy broad stakeholder support. “We’ve had all the reviews we need,” he said. “All of us have had our say. It is now up to parliament. Let’s just get this done.”

    Phillipa C. McCormack receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the National Environmental Science Program, Green Adelaide and the ACT Government. She is a member of the National Environmental Law Association and affiliated with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.

    – ref. Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’ – https://theconversation.com/ken-henry-urges-nature-law-reform-after-decades-of-intergenerational-bastardry-261167

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

    Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has warned Australia’s global environmental reputation is at risk if the Albanese government fails to reform nature laws this term.

    In his speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Henry said reform was needed to restore nature and power the net zero economy.

    Speaking as chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Henry said with “glistening ambition”, Australia can “build an efficient, jobs-rich, globally competitive, high-productivity, low-emissions nature-rich economy”.

    The speech comes at a crucial time for nature law reform in Australia. The new Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to prioritise reform, after the Albanese government failed to achieve substantial changes to these laws in the last parliament.

    On Wednesday, Henry condemned previous failed attempts to reform the laws. He described delays in improving environmental management as “a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry”.

    The need for fundamental reform

    The Albanese government abandoned efforts to pass important reforms in its first term.

    Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to achieving reforms within 18 months, acknowledging “our current laws are broken”.

    In his speech on Wednesday, Henry agreed with this sentiment. He described the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as “a misnomer, if ever there was one”.

    Henry is both a former Treasury Secretary and former chair of National Australia Bank. He also wrote Australia’s most important white paper on tax reform.

    Henry has previously said environmental law reform could be a template for other essential, difficult law reform, such as fixing Australia’s broken tax system.

    He understands Australia’s broken environmental laws. In 2022-23, he led an independent review into nature laws in New South Wales. That review found the laws were failing and would never succeed in their current form.

    At the start of his speech on Wednesday, Henry came close to tears when he acknowledged Greens Senator Sarah Hansen-Young’s support for those who look after injured and orphaned native animals.

    As a bureaucrat in Canberra, Henry also used to rescue injured animals and nurse them back to health.

    Logging and land clearing for development destroys koala habitat.
    Pexels, Pixabay, CC BY

    Big challenges ahead

    As Henry noted on Wednesday, Australia faces enormous challenges. These include the need to rapidly build more housing and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

    But before building suburbs, wind farms, transmission lines, mines and roads, projects need to be assessed for their potential to harm the environment.

    Henry on Wednesday called for sweeping changes, drawing on Graeme Samuel’s 2019-20 review of the EPBC Act. The changes include:

    • genuine cooperation across all levels of government, industry and the community
    • high-integrity evidence to inform decision making
    • clear, strong and enforceable standards applied nationwide
    • an independent and trusted decision-maker, in the form of a national Environment Protection Authority
    • a natural capital market, which – if well-designed – could provide a financial incentive for nature restoration and carbon storage in the form of tradable credits.

    Without the reforms, Henry said, Australia would not “retain a shred of credibility” for two global commitments: reaching net zero emissions, and halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    The net zero commitment is at risk because existing laws are not sufficient to protect carbon sinks, such as forests. The roll out of renewable energy is also being slowed by inefficient approvals processes.

    Henry said the concept of “ecologically sustainable development”, which seeks to balance economic, social, and economic goals, needs serious rethinking. This concept has been the foundation of environment policy in Australia, including the EPBC Act, for the past 30 years.

    Henry wrote the first Intergenerational Report for the federal government in 2002. He has criticised governments for allowing environmental destruction that will leave future generations worse off.

    He has variously described Australia’s failure to steward our natural resources as an intergenerational tragedy, as intergenerational theft, and a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry – claims he repeated on Wednesday.

    Making money grow on trees

    Henry grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW where his father, a worker in the timber industry, helped log native forests.

    Land clearing is the main threat to Australian biodiversity, and preventing native vegetation loss would also cut greenhouse gas emissions.

    The foundation Henry chairs advocates for the protection and restoration of Australia’s native forests. Henry has previously backed a plan to store carbon in native forests, which would mean trees were protected and not cut down.

    In his Press Club address, Henry lamented ongoing land clearing, poor fire management in remnant forests, and logging of habitat for endangered species such as the koala and the greater glider. He also called for nature laws that enable projects to be delivered in a way that not only protects but also restores nature. For instance, he said carbon credits could help fund the Great Koala National Park proposed for NSW.

    Logging continues in old growth native forest.
    Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    What’s the Australian government doing?

    Despite Murray Watt’s stated commitment to nature law reform, there are signs the environment may again come off second-best.

    At a recent meeting with key stakeholders, including industry and environment groups, Watt said compromise was needed. He warned environmental protections must come with streamlined project approvals “to improve productivity”.

    Henry on Wednesday acknowledged faster approvals were needed, saying:

    We simply cannot afford slow, opaque, duplicative and contested environmental planning decisions based on poor information mired in administrative complexity.

    But he said faster approvals should not come at a greater cost to nature. In his words:

    with due acknowledgement of the genius of AC/DC, there is no point in building a faster highway to hell.

    Henry said the current parliament has time to put the right policy settings in place. The remedies also enjoy broad stakeholder support. “We’ve had all the reviews we need,” he said. “All of us have had our say. It is now up to parliament. Let’s just get this done.”

    Phillipa C. McCormack receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the National Environmental Science Program, Green Adelaide and the ACT Government. She is a member of the National Environmental Law Association and affiliated with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.

    – ref. Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’ – https://theconversation.com/ken-henry-urges-nature-law-reform-after-decades-of-intergenerational-bastardry-261167

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: University comic takes readers ‘through the looking glass’ to highlight invisible symptoms of MS A University of Aberdeen student has come up with a creative way to educate the public about the ‘invisible symptoms’ of a condition that affects more Scots than almost anywhere else in the world.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Claire wanted to support support families, children and loved ones of those with MS. Artwork by CHIP Collective.

    A University of Aberdeen student has come up with a creative way to educate the public about the ‘invisible symptoms’ of a condition that affects more Scots than almost anywhere else in the world.
    Postgraduate student, Claire Robertson, and a team of health professionals and comic artists designed a comic to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition that is estimated to affect more than 17,000 people in Scotland.
    Inspired by her dad’s experience of living with the condition, Claire used the unique medium to describe the everyday struggles faced by people with MS.
    The comic, titled ‘Through the MS Looking Glass: Navigating the Unseen’, highlights the ‘invisible’ or hidden symptoms of MS, told through an Alice in Wonderland-style narrative, where familiar characters represent different symptoms.
    “I wanted to create a health comic on multiple sclerosis because my dad has MS and was diagnosed in 2011,” says Claire, a third year PhD student from the School of Psychology. “As my PhD project is all about how to make effective and engaging health information through the use of comics, I really wanted to be able to make my own health comic during the project process that can have a dual purpose – be used as an experimental material in my research but also can get people engaged with health information.”
    Determined to support other families, children and loved ones of those with MS, Claire wanted to tell a story that would inform others about the hidden aspects of the condition.
    She explains: “I was conscious that I didn’t just want to make the comic about my family’s experience with MS, so I reached out to MS charities to ask them which health topics they felt were either underrepresented or poorly communicated.
    “One of the topics on the shortlist was ‘invisible’ symptoms of MS, and I felt as though a comic could do a really nice job of making these invisible symptoms concrete and visible through visual metaphors and raising awareness of the impact that these symptoms can have on daily life for people with MS.”
    Invisible symptoms describe aspects of MS that people struggle with but aren’t immediately apparent to others. They include pain, fatigue, brain fog, bladder and bowel difficulties, dizziness and mental health challenges.
    Following the Alice in Wonderland narrative, the invisible symptoms are embodied by characters akin to the ones from Wonderland.
    “The reasoning for this is embedding unfamiliar concepts in a story that is likely familiar to the majority will hopefully make it slightly less daunting and ‘new’.”
    Claire continues: “I am very aware that if someone hasn’t heard of MS before, the health information may seem quite abstract and confusing – like if you were picking up a leaflet about a health condition you didn’t really know about.
    “So, throughout the comic, I have tried to use accessible language and avoid unnecessary jargon. I hope this will make it a bit easier for the reader to understand and enhance their engagement through storytelling and impactful visuals.”
    Claire adds: “The comic’s main message is that everyone’s MS journey is unique and it is important to be supportive and understanding of the struggles people are going through.
    “Even if you can’t visually see what symptoms someone is dealing with, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there and having a big impact on daily life.”
    The comic is supported by the University of Aberdeen, University of Dundee, the MS Trust, and the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic at the University of Edinburgh. The artwork was created by Cat Laird and Ashling Larkin from CHIP Collective. You can download ‘Through the MS Looking Glass: Navigating the Unseen’ here.
    Claire’s PhD is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Four York parks awarded coveted Green Flag Award

    Source: City of York

    Four of City of York Council’s parks have been awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award after achieving international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

    The council and Friends of Groups – resident organisations who help maintain and improve the parks – are celebrating after receiving a Green Flag Award for Rowntree Park, West Bank Park, Glen Gardens and Clarence Gardens.

    The parks are some of 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

    Rowntree Park (pictured) has taken back the award this year, having missed out on applying last year due to the extended flooding in spring.

    Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency at City of York Council, said:

    We’re absolutely delighted that four of York’s beautiful parks have received the Green Flag Award.

    It’s a real tribute to the dedication and hard work of our staff, volunteers and local Friends groups who care so passionately for these much-loved green spaces.

    “As well as these awards, we are working towards achieving Green Flag status for Hull Road Park in the future.

    “Spending time outdoors is vital for everyone’s health and wellbeing, and Parks and gardens like these are so important as free places to exercise, meet friends or simply enjoy nature – now more than ever.”

    Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said:

    Congratulations to everyone involved in York who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

    “Quality parks and green spaces like these make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

    “Crucially all of these parks in York are a vital green space for communities in the city to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

    The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York supports children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

    Source: City of York

    City of York Council has unveiled a new draft strategy to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families in York.

    Young people, parents and carers, schools and health and childcare professionals are being invited to share their views on the draft strategy over the next few months.

    The five-year strategy, entitled Inclusion and Belonging, sets out to help every child and family in York feel that they belong at school, in their community, and in the wider city.

    The strategy has been developed through extensive co-production with young people with SEND and their families. It outlines ten key priorities including:

    • ensuring that the voice and visibility of children and young people is most important
    • ensuring that children and young people’s needs are identified at the earliest opportunity
    • making sure that the right support is available at the right time

    Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:

    We want all children and young people to feel that they belong in our city. Their views, together with those of their families, carers, and childcare and health professionals, are essential.

    “We want to hear people’s experiences, ideas, and concerns so we can create a final strategy that reflects real lives and needs; one which helps make a significant different to the lives of local children and young people with SEND and their families.”

    You can have your say in various ways:

    • In person: At the Gateway Centre in Acomb on Tuesday 15 July 11-1pm and Monday 21 July 5-7pm
    • Complete an online survey: www.york.gov.uk/consultations
    • Complete a paper survey: Available from Customer Services at West Offices

    For more information visit www.york.gov.uk/consultations.

    City of York Council is also inviting schools, parents, carers, and young people to share their views on the development of York’s Autism and ADHD Strategy as this work is closely linked to York’s Inclusion and Belonging Strategy. 

    Inclusion means recognising and valuing all kinds of diversity, including neurodiversity. For children and young people with autism or ADHD, feeling understood, supported, and included at school and in the community is key to a sense of belonging.

    You can have your say on the draft Autism and ADHD Strategy at the same events as for the SEND strategy, or complete the online survey at www.york.gov.uk/consultations

    The survey will run from Tuesday 15 July until Sunday 7 September.  Feedback will be used to shape the final strategy.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Green letter day as Manchester’s parks and cemeteries get international stamp of approval

    Source: City of Manchester

    Seven parks and cemeteries across Manchester are celebrating this week having found out their Green Flag status has been secured once more.

    The Green Flag Awards mark the pinnacle of achievement for green spaces in the UK.  

    Setting the international benchmark for excellence, the awards look to celebrate places where people feel safe and welcome, where biodiversity is protected and enhanced and where members of the local community can feel their needs are being met. 

    Manchester City Council is proud to announce the following locations have retained their Green Flag Status: 

    • Alexandra Park 
    • Heaton Park 
    • The Southern Cemetery 
    • Manchester General Cemetery 
    • Blackley Cemetery 
    • Philips Park Cemetery 
    • Gorton Cemetery 

    These awards shed light on the range of groups, volunteers and staff which devote themselves year-round to the maintenance and upkeep of these areas. 

    From keeping our cemeteries pristine and peaceful places where families can pay their respects, to ensuring that our parks can act as oases in the midst of our urban environment, we are incredibly proud to share this achievement with the communities that make these places special. 

    In the past year alone we have seen Manchester Southern Cemetery be designated a as local nature reserve, recognising the important role it plays in its local ecosystem. 

    Heaton Park is firmly on the map as one of the leading event spaces in the UK, hosting millions of people every year who come to get a taste of Manchester’s musical culture, as well as enjoying the acres of green space that it’s a pleasure to get lost in. 

    With an estimated 3.2m people visiting Heaton Park alone over the past year, it is safe to say that a huge value is placed on maintaining a range of green space throughout the city. 

    We are also working to ensure our neighbourhoods are cleaner and greener which is why the Council was incredibly pleased to open a cycleway – 32 miles in length – which links Manchester and Salford in a near contiguous loop. 

    Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said: “I am so proud of everyone whose work led to our retention of this prestigious award. 

    “Parks and cemeteries play a hugely significant role in the ebb and flow of our daily lives and I am so pleased to see our colleagues and stakeholders rewarded in this way. 

    “Whether it is the friends-of groups which play an important role in the running of Alexnadra Park, to the business owners that help people enjoy our green spaces, to our partners who help us put on events and attractions all year round, these Green Flags are something everyone should be proud of.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Local business owner prosecuted over incorrect allergen advice

    Source: City of Derby

    A Derby small business owner has narrowly escaped a custodial sentence for serving products containing nuts to a customer with a severe nut allergy.

    Derby City Council Trading Standards have successfully prosecuted Samantha Brauner, the owner of Small’s Kitchen, after the customer suffered an allergic reaction triggered by eating the product. In May 2024, Small’s Kitchen fulfilled an online order of protein balls. 

    The customer asked whether the products contained nuts on several occasions, with Ms Brauner stating they did not.

    The case was heard at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court on Monday 30 June, where Samantha Brauner pleaded guilty to one charge of supplying unsafe food with undeclared allergens and one charge of selling food which was not of the nature, substance, or quality demanded by the purchaser.

    Ms Brauner narrowly escaped a custodial sentence due to her early guilty plea. She was fined £1920 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £768.

    The Magistrates acknowledged the severity of the offences brought before them, highlighting the well documented consequences of neglecting allergen management responsibilities.

    Councillor Shiraz Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Property, and Regulatory Services, said: 

    This is a situation that could have had disastrous consequences, which were fortunately avoided.

    Our Trading Standards team in securing this prosecution, which serves as a reminder to other businesses that they need to take their allergen management responsibilities seriously.

    We will continue to act in the best interests of the people of Derby, who should be able to have confidence in the products they are buying, particularly from local traders.

    Should any Derby City based business require allergen management advice, they can contact Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice and Consumer Service helpline.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft Improves Associated Petroleum Gas Purification Technologies

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Employees of Orenburgneft, Rosneft’s key production asset in the Volga region, have patented a technology for reducing the content of hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans in associated petroleum gas (APG). The innovation has been implemented at the Vakhitovsky group of fields of the enterprise, which has increased the volume of rational use of APG from 20 to 80 thousand m3 per day. The economic effect from the implementation of the innovation will amount to more than 1 billion rubles within five years.

    The essence of the innovation is to purify the gas flow in the pipeline by feeding a liquid reagent-neutralizer, which removes sulfur compounds from the APG without using additional equipment. Then the primarily purified product is sent to the Zagorskaya complex gas treatment plant for subsequent processing.

    The company’s specialists were the first to propose the idea of cleaning gas directly in the pipeline, which itself acts as a reactor, and proved its effectiveness. The technology does not require capital expenditures, construction of new facilities or additional equipment.

    The introduction of the innovation made it possible to process additional volumes of sulfur-containing associated petroleum gas, increase the production of a wide fraction of light hydrocarbons and dry stripped gas, and supply additional volumes of treated gas to main gas pipelines.

    Reference:

    JSC Orenburgneft develops oil and gas fields in the Orenburg and Samara regions. Cumulative production is more than 470 million tons of oil.

    The Vakhitovsky group of fields is located in the Orenburg region and covers an area of over 283 square kilometers. It includes the Vostochno-Kapitonovskoye, Mamalayevskoye, Tarashchanskoye, Khutorskoye, Donetsko-Syrtovskoye and Vakhitovsky fields. The total volume of current recoverable oil and gas reserves exceeds 39 million tons.

    Department of Information and AdvertisingPJSC NK RosneftJuly 16, 2025

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 16 July 2025 Departmental update WHO recommends rapid treatment initiation for people living with HIV and mpox

    Source: World Health Organisation

    In the latest update of the clinical management and infection prevention control of mpox guidelines (May 2025) WHO has issued a strong recommendation for the rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV who are diagnosed with mpox.

    Mpox disproportionally affects people living with HIV. The infection is more severe with higher rates of mortality and hospitalization in people with advanced HIV disease. 

    This recommendation aligns with WHO’s broader HIV treatment guidance that strongly recommends rapid ART initiation – ideally within seven days of HIV diagnosis, including same-day start – to reduce mortality and achieve viral suppression. While concerns about mpox immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) exist, WHO experts concluded that the benefits of rapid ART initiation outweigh potential risks, especially given the lack of effective mpox-specific treatments.

    The guideline also emphasizes the importance of early HIV testing for all patients presenting with suspected or confirmed mpox. For individuals already on ART with a suppressed viral load, treatment should continue without interruption.

    “We now know people with HIV, particularly those with a CD4 count under 200 cells/mm³, are at risk for severe disease and death from mpox,” said Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes. “Ensuring early access to HIV and syphilis testing and treatment to all people with confirmed or suspected mpox, as well as timely access to mpox vaccines and antivirals, will save lives”.

    This recommendation reflects WHO’s commitment to integrated care and highlights the importance of timely HIV diagnosis and treatment in mitigating severe outcomes in co-infected patients. To strengthen implementation of early testing, WHO has published standard operating procedures for integrated testing, including HIV and syphilis, as part of the mpox response.

    WHO’s diagnostic and treatment guidance provide essential information and tools to optimize health outcomes.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Recognized for Decade of Disaster Preparedness and Response in Micronesia

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, 16 July 2025 – The Pohnpei State Legislature has formally recognized the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for its deep and lasting contributions to disaster preparedness and response across the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Through a resolution passed on 3 June 2025, lawmakers commended IOM’s commitment to protecting lives, reducing disaster risks, and reaching communities often left behind. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Announcement on Open Market Operations No.135 [2025]

    Source: Peoples Bank of China

    Announcement on Open Market Operations No.135 [2025]

    (Open Market Operations Office, July 16, 2025)

    The People’s Bank of China conducted reverse repo operations in the amount of RMB520.1 billion through quantity bidding at a fixed interest rate on July 16, 2025.

    Details of the Reverse Repo Operations

    Maturity

    Rate

    Bidding Volume

    Winning Bid Volume

    7 days

    1.40%

    RMB520.1 billion

    RMB520.1 billion

    Date of last update Nov. 29 2018

    2025年07月16日

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sharp Blade 2025 International Sniper Competition kicks off in Xinjiang 2025-07-16 16:15:55 On Tuesday, the Sharp Blade 2025 International Sniper Competition kicked off at a training base of the Chinese People’s Armed Police (PAP) Force in Urumqi City, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      By An Puzhong and Wang Mengjie

      The participating team of the Chinese People’s Armed Police (PAP) Force enters the competition field at the opening ceremony. (Photo by Hou Chonghui)

      URUMQI, July 16 — On Tuesday, the Sharp Blade 2025 International Sniper Competition kicked off at a training base of the Chinese People’s Armed Police (PAP) Force in Urumqi City, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. More than 50 sniper teams from over 20 countries participated in the competition, including 12 teams dispatched by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the PAP Force.

      Foreign participants familiarize themselves with the Chinese military’s CS LR4 precision sniper rifles after the opening ceremony. (Photo by Hou Chonghui)

      With the purpose of promoting pragmatic cooperation and under the theme of “Forge Special Operations Elite and Promote Pragmatic Cooperation and Exchanges”, the competition has set up 12 events covering four categories, namely the basic precision sniping, typical scenario sniping, comprehensive combat sniping, and long-range challenge sniping.

      Compared with previous competitions, the subjects set for this competition placed greater emphasis on human-equipment teaming. It integrated drone aerial reconnaissance, assault vehicle land cover, assault boat water infiltration, and other human-equipment collaboration subjects with sniper operations to better present the real combat conditions.

      As an important brand of the Chinese PAP Force’s real combat training and international military cooperation, the Sharp Blade series of international sniper competition had been successfully held three times. The competition aims to promote international cooperation and exchanges, continuously facilitate the development of counter-terrorism special operations capabilities, and accomplish the missions of combating international terrorism and safeguarding world peace together with global military, police, and gendarmerie forces.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: World Population Day Event Held in Beijing

    Source: People’s Republic of China Ministry of Health

    n July 11, World Population Day event was held in Beijing. Ms. Guo Yanhong, Vice minister of the National Health Commission of P.R. China, Ms. Nadia Rasheed, the UNFPA Representative to the People’s Republic of China, and Mr. Xu Xinchao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government, attended and delivered speeches.

    The theme for World Population Day 2025 in China is “Happy Marriage and Parenthood, Accompanied by Love and Support”. Ms. Guo Yanhong pointed out that the Chinese government has always cared about the happiness of young people, actively cultivated new types of marriage and childbearing culture and provided support. In 2024, China’s core indicators of maternal and child health ranked at the forefront of middle and high income countries in the world. The coverage of child care services has expanded, the number of child care providers has grown continuously, and inclusive child care services have been of better quality and become more accessible. China will continue to lead the new normal of population development, strive to build a childbirth-friendly society, and support Chinese-style modernization with high-quality population development. It will deepen cooperation with the UNFPA and countries around the world to jointly promote the realization of the Program of Action of the ICPD and United Nations SDGs, and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

    Ms. Rasheed expressed gratitude for the long-term cooperation with the National Health Commission and pointed out that it is crucial to listen to the voices of young people and respect their aspirations.

    Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the All-China Women’s Federation, relevant departments and directly affiliated institutions of the National Health Commission, and the Beijing Municipal Health Commission attended the event.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo opens in Beijing

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

    3rd China International Supply Chain Expo opens in Beijing

    Updated: July 16, 2025 16:08 Xinhua
    The third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) kicks off in Beijing, capital of China, July 16, 2025. The third CISCE opened in Beijing on Wednesday, rallying multinational giants including Nvidia, Apple, and Airbus to showcase industrial resilience and cross-border collaboration. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Laos sign cooperation agreement for 2025 LMC Special Fund

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

    VIENTIANE, July 16 — Chinese Ambassador to Laos Fang Hong and Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maithong Thammavongsa have signed a cooperation agreement for the 2025 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Special Fund.

    The signing ceremony took place on Tuesday in the Lao capital, Vientiane. Officials from relevant ministries and sectors also attended.

    Speaking at the event, Fang highlighted the significance of the LMC mechanism, which marks its 10th anniversary this year. She reaffirmed China’s commitment to the principles of “development first, equal consultation, pragmatism and efficiency, openness, and inclusiveness,” and emphasized strengthening collaboration with Laos to ensure the fund delivers tangible benefits to people across the region.

    In his remarks, Maithong praised the LMC for its vital role in promoting regional development. He expressed gratitude to China for its continued support through the special fund and affirmed Laos’ commitment to working closely with China to implement high-quality projects under the initiative. He also emphasized the importance of fostering a shared future among the Lancang-Mekong countries.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Comedian Chen Peisi returns to big screen after 32 years

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

    Chen Peisi, a household name in Chinese comedy, has returned to cinema after 32 years with “The Stage,” a film he wrote, directed and starred in based on his stage play.

    Actor Chen Peisi interacts with the audience at the premiere of “The Stage” in Beijing, July 14, 2025. [Photo courtesy of PFDM Media]

    Set during the war-torn Republic of China era (1912-1949), the film follows Hou Xiting (played by Chen), leader of a Peking Opera troupe, who brings his performers to Beijing. Chaos erupts when a teahouse attendant (Huang Bo) is mistaken by a warlord (Jiang Wu) for famed opera star Jin Xiaotian (Yin Zheng) and forced to perform “Farewell My Concubine.” As backstage intrigues collide with onstage farce, the troupe becomes entangled with rival factions in a whirlwind of absurdist drama.

    Following the premiere, the film earned thunderous applause. One audience member called the film “a mirror that reflects both the times and us,” while another described it as “a sophisticated comedy with a tragic core.”

    Chen, facing the audience with tears glistening in his eyes, said, “Your love for it is my joy. This is what I live to do, and I’ll keep creating with this same happiness.”

    Chen, a multigenerational comedy icon, rose to fame in the 1980s through a series of family comedy films co-starring his father, veteran actor Chen Qiang. His popularity skyrocketed after teaming up with actor Zhu Shimao to perform classic sketches on China’s Spring Festival Gala — the world’s most-watched television event. Later, Chen shifted his focus to television and stage productions.

    Chen’s return created a deeply nostalgic moment that moved many to tears. Many celebrities attended the premiere to show support and pay tribute, including his longtime collaborator Zhu, veteran comedians Pan Changjiang, Cai Ming and Liang Tian, director Cao Baoping, China’s rock ‘n’ roll godfather Cui Jian and legendary singer Wei Wei.

    “You see, there are still tears in my eyes,” said Zhu, who delivered a lengthy speech praising the film. “It’s been years since I last saw such an extraordinary story. Peisi, I’ve never cried for you before. This is a first.”

    Yu Yue, chief writer of the original stage play, said that the film adaptation exceeded expectations: “The gap between stage and screen is extremely difficult to bridge, but ‘The Stage’ made the leap vividly and successfully. It didn’t lose the soul of the original work and even used cinematic techniques to enhance it.”

    The cast and crew of “The Stage” pose for a photo at the film’s premiere in Beijing, July 14, 2025. [Photo courtesy of PFDM Media]

    The film’s cast praised the story and their roles at the premiere. Lead actor Huang Bo said his character was “pure” and compared the role to “being suddenly pulled onstage at a Jay Chou concert and somehow becoming the main act. It was such a joy to play!”

    Veteran actor Jiang Wu, who plays the warlord in the film, lit up when speaking about the role: “Ten years ago, they invited me to play this character in the stage version. The script was already rock solid. So, when they adapted it into a film with Chen Peisi directing a decade later, I would have been missing out if I hadn’t taken part. The warlord’s overbearing yet adorably clueless energy was such a blast to play!”

    Actor Yin Zheng also praised the script as being “as solid as a diamond,” while actor Yu Shaoqun tied his character’s persistence to Chen’s own creative spirit: “To create art, you need to hold on to something. Feng Xiaotong protects the opera in the film just like Chen Peisi protects the soul of comedy in reality.”

    “The Stage” will open in cinemas nationwide on July 25.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Award offers 1M yuan for young scientists’ sustainable research

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

    A global award offering up to 1 million yuan ($139,000) in prize money is now accepting applications from scientists under age 45 to compete for recognition of their contributions to sustainable development.

    The 2025 Young Scientist Sustainable Development Goals Award, with an application deadline of July 31, seeks researchers developing solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

    Initiated by the World Association of Young Scientists (WAYS), the Wenzhou Growth Foundation for Young Scientists and the Global SDGs and Leadership Development Center, the award aims to recognize young scientists who have made breakthroughs that advance sustainable development.

    The award welcomes applications related to any of eight areas from the United Nations SDGs: SDG3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG13 (Climate Action), SDG14 (Life Below Water), SDG15 (Life on Land), and SDG Interaction (Multiple SDGs).

    Winners will receive 1 million yuan (pre-tax) and access to professional support, including participation in high-level international platforms such as the U.N. Climate Change Conference and the International Renewable Energy Agency Assembly, according to organizers. Additional benefits include support for research applications, talent development, and opportunities to serve as U.N. science communication ambassadors for sustainable development.

    Eligibility is open to individuals of any nationality born on or after Jan. 1, 1980. Applicants must demonstrate notable contributions in fundamental research that advances the SDGs or technological and engineering innovations with demonstrated social or environmental impact. All submissions must adhere to research integrity and Open Science principles.

    Scientists can apply directly or be nominated by a recognized expert or institution. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. (GMT+8) on July 31, 2025.

    According to organizers, the award serves as a global platform for emerging scientific changemakers, connecting innovation with international cooperation to help young researchers elevate their work and drive progress toward a sustainable future.

    For full details and to apply, visit the official website of the 2025 Young Scientist Sustainable Development Goals Award at https://www.ways.science/html/WAYS/en/OurWork/YoungScientistSDGsAward/index.html.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China creates 1.65 million jobs for people with disabilities in 3 years

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

    China released an action plan to promote the employment of persons with disabilities in 2022. From 2022 to 2024, a total of 1.65 million new jobs for people with disabilities were created in urban and rural areas, and the employment rate of working-age individuals with disabilities increased by 4.8%. Employability skills of persons with disabilities were further enhanced, and the employment rate of college graduates with disabilities has remained above 85% for five consecutive years, said Li Dongmei, vice chairperson of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, on Wednesday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Yang sets personal high with 15 points in Blazers’ win

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

    Chinese center Yang Hansen, the Portland Trail Blazers’ rookie, scored 15 points on Tuesday, leading the Blazers to a 93-87 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Summer League.

    This marks his highest scoring game since joining the team.

    Drafted with the No. 16 pick in the recent NBA Draft, Yang has made three Summer League appearances with the Blazers. Ahead of Tuesday’s game, Yang outlined his goals: “Fewer fouls, fewer turnovers, and moving faster.”

    The 20-year-old center largely achieved those objectives. In addition to his 15 points, Yang contributed three rebounds and two assists. He committed four fouls and had three turnovers – both figures below his averages of 4.5 fouls and four turnovers per game from the previous two contests. Notably, Yang made three three-pointers during the game.

    “I think I still need to build strength and be more aggressive in post-up plays,” Yang commented after the game.

    The Blazers will next face the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

    MIL OSI China News –