NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China is confident and capable of maintaining dynamic economic growth: Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    TIANJIN, June 25 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Wednesday that China is confident and capable of maintaining dynamic growth of the national economy.

    Li Qiang made the remarks while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 16th annual meeting of emerging global leaders of the World Economic Forum (WEF), also known as “Summer Davos”, in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xi Jinping, Mozambique President Exchange Congratulations on 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mozambique President Daniel Chapu on Wednesday exchanged congratulatory messages on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

    In the 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Mozambique have trusted and supported each other. The friendship between the two countries remains unshakable despite the changes in the international situation, Xi Jinping noted.

    The Chinese leader expressed his firm belief that bilateral relations will have an even brighter future if both sides adhere to the original aspiration of establishing diplomatic relations and move forward hand in hand.

    Stressing that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Mozambique relations, Xi said he is willing to work with President Shapou to take the anniversary as a new starting point to continue the traditional friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation under the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and write a new chapter of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

    In turn, D. Shapu noted that this anniversary coincides with the 50th anniversary of Mozambique’s independence, which underlines the traditional friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.

    He expressed gratitude to China for its unconditional support during Mozambique’s struggle for independence.

    Mozambique will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle, support all efforts of the Chinese government to achieve national reunification, and support the major initiatives proposed by China, the president added.

    D. Shapu said that Mozambique is willing to deepen bilateral relations and expand practical cooperation with China on the basis of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, and jointly safeguard multilateralism and promote world peace, security and prosperity. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese diplomat stresses need to advance political process in Libya

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    UNITED NATIONS, June 25 (Xinhua) — China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Sun Lei on Tuesday stressed the need to advance the political process in Libya.

    “Libya has been in a state of political impasse for a long time. Promoting the political process is the key to lasting stability in the country,” the Chinese diplomat said.

    He noted that China supports the active efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya Hannah Tetteh to engage with all parties in the country and her mediation activities to overcome political differences.

    According to Sun Lei, the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) made recommendations last month to facilitate the holding of the national elections. China hopes that UNSMIL will strengthen consultations with all parties on this issue, fully respect the will of the Libyan people, and reach a broad consensus on holding the national elections.

    China calls on the international community to continue to support the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned process and make effective use of all kinds of resources and tools to support the early completion of the political transition and the achievement of national unity. China is willing to actively participate in the relevant process, Sun Lei stressed.

    He also noted that the security situation in Libya remains fragile. Recent armed clashes in Tripoli have confirmed the fragility of the situation, and ensuring security and stability remains a top priority.

    China is a good friend of Libya, firmly supports the Libyan people’s efforts to safeguard their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is willing to play a constructive role in achieving long-term peace, development and rejuvenation of the country, the Chinese diplomat added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sport For All Day to be held on Aug 3

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Leisure & Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today that it will hold this year’s Sport For All Day on August 3.

    The event opens various recreation and sports activities to the public free of charge.

    With Hong Kong set to co-hosting the 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games with Guangdong Province and Macau, the theme of this iteration of Sport For All Day will be “Coalescing together for the National Games”.

    Activities promoting various sports that will feature in the games – including golf, fencing, rugby sevens and triathlon – will be held from 2pm to 6pm on August 3 at designated sports centres in 18 districts.

    There will also be fitness activities, health talks, sports demonstrations, and a fun day for families, children, youngsters, the elderly and people with disabilities.

    LCSD facilities that will be open for free include indoor and outdoor leisure facilities, public swimming pools and water sports centres with craft for hire. Booking arrangements will be announced in mid-July.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Victims, mules and offenders among 90 crypto ATM users identified in joint operation

    Source: Australian Department of Communications

    A nationwide law enforcement operation has led to the identification of 90 scam victims, money mules, and suspected offenders who topped the list of crypto ATM users.
    Analysts from AUSTRAC’s Cryptocurrency Taskforce examined the profiles of the most prolific crypto ATM users in each state, based on the value of their transactions, and identified dozens of cases they believed could be linked to scams or fraud. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What’s the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Gemma Sharp, Researcher in Body Image, Eating and Weight Disorders, Monash University

    PIKSEL/Getty

    Following a particular diet or exercising a great deal are common and even encouraged in our health and image-conscious culture. With increased awareness of food allergies and other dietary requirements, it’s also not uncommon for someone to restrict or eliminate certain foods.

    But these behaviours may also be the sign of an unhealthy relationship with food. You can have a problematic pattern of eating without being diagnosed with an eating disorder.

    So, where’s the line? What is disordered eating, and what is an eating disorder?

    What is disordered eating?

    Disordered eating describes negative attitudes and behaviours towards food and eating that can lead to a disturbed eating pattern.

    It can involve:

    • dieting

    • skipping meals

    • avoiding certain food groups

    • binge eating

    • misusing laxatives and weight-loss medications

    • inducing vomiting (sometimes known as purging)

    • exercising compulsively.

    Disordered eating is the term used when these behaviours are not frequent and/or severe enough to meet an eating disorder diagnosis.

    Not everyone who engages in these behaviours will develop an eating disorder. But disordered eating – particularly dieting – usually precedes an eating disorder.

    What is an eating disorder?

    Eating disorders are complex psychiatric illnesses that can negatively affect a person’s body, mind and social life. They’re characterised by persistent disturbances in how someone thinks, feels and behaves around eating and their bodies.

    To make a diagnosis, a qualified health professional will use a combination of standardised questionnaires, as well as more general questioning. These will determine how frequent and severe the behaviours are, and how they affect day-to-day functioning.

    Examples of clinical diagnoses include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

    How common are eating disorders and disordered eating?

    The answer can vary quite radically depending on the study and how it defines disordered behaviours and attitudes.

    An estimated 8.4% of women and 2.2% of men will develop an eating disorder at some point in their lives. This is most common during adolescence.

    Disordered eating is also particularly common in young people with 30% of girls and 17% of boys aged 6–18 years reporting engaging in these behaviours.

    Although the research is still emerging, it appears disordered eating and eating disorders are even more common in gender diverse people.

    Can we prevent eating disorders?

    There is some evidence eating disorder prevention programs that target risk factors – such as dieting and concerns about shape and weight – can be effective to some extent in the short term.

    The issue is most of these studies last only a few months. So we can’t determine whether the people involved went on to develop an eating disorder in the longer term.

    In addition, most studies have involved girls or women in late high school and university. By this age, eating disorders have usually already emerged. So, this research cannot tell us as much about eating disorder prevention and it also neglects the wide range of people at risk of eating disorders.

    Is orthorexia an eating disorder?

    In defining the line between eating disorders and disordered eating, orthorexia nervosa is a contentious issue.

    The name literally means “proper appetite” and involves a pathological obsession with proper nutrition, characterised by a restrictive diet and rigidly avoiding foods believed to be “unhealthy” or “impure”.

    These disordered eating behaviours need to be taken seriously as they can lead to malnourishment, loss of relationships, and overall poor quality of life.

    However, orthorexia nervosa is not an official eating disorder in any diagnostic manual.

    Additionally, with the popularity of special diets (such as keto or paleo), time-restricted eating, and dietary requirements (for example, gluten-free) it can sometimes be hard to decipher when concerns about diet have become disordered, or may even be an eating disorder.

    For example, around 6% of people have a food allergy. Emerging evidence suggests they are also more likely to have restrictive types of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

    However, following a special diet such as veganism, or having a food allergy, does not automatically lead to disordered eating or an eating disorder.

    It is important to recognise people’s different motivations for eating or avoiding certain foods. For example, a vegan may restrict certain food groups due to animal rights concerns, rather than disordered eating symptoms.

    What to look out for

    If you’re concerned about your own relationship with food or that of a loved one, here are some signs to look out for:

    • preoccupation with food and food preparation

    • cutting out food groups or skipping meals entirely

    • obsession with body weight or shape

    • large fluctuations in weight

    • compulsive exercise

    • mood changes and social withdrawal.

    It’s always best to seek help early. But it is never too late to seek help.

    In Australia, if you are experiencing difficulties in your relationships with food and your body, you can contact the Butterfly Foundation’s national helpline on 1800 33 4673 (or via their online chat).

    For parents concerned their child might be developing concerning relationships with food, weight and body image, Feed Your Instinct highlights common warning signs, provides useful information about help seeking and can generate a personalised report to take to a health professional.

    Gemma Sharp receives funding from an NHMRC Investigator Grant. She is a Professor and the Founding Director and Member of the Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders, a registered charity.

    – ref. What’s the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating? – https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-an-eating-disorder-and-disordered-eating-256787

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Britain’s new political divide delivers voters to Reform and the Greens

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By John Curtice, Professor of Politics, University of Strathclyde and Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Social Research

    The outcome of last year’s general election left an important question hanging in the air. Could the UK’s traditional system of two-party politics continue to survive?

    True, power did change hands in a familiar fashion. A majority Conservative government was replaced by a majority Labour one. Indeed, the new administration won an overall majority of no less than 174.

    However, the new government was elected with a lower share of the vote than that secured by any previous majority government. At the same time, the Conservatives won by far their lowest share of the vote ever. For the first time since 1922, when Labour replaced the then Liberal party as the Conservatives’ principal competitor, Labour and the Conservatives together won fewer than three in five of all votes cast.

    Over the past 12 months, the foundations of Britain’s two-party system have come to look even shakier. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party tops the polls. Only just over two in five of those who express a party preference say they would vote Labour or Conservative – a record low.

    New analysis of last year’s election published by the National Centre for Social Research as part of the British Social Attitudes report confirms that Britain’s two-party system is in poor health.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    The traditional anchor of Conservative and Labour support – social class – has been cast adrift. The ideological underpinning of the battle between them, the division between left and right, has been replaced by a division between social conservatives and social liberals. This second division draws people towards Reform and the Greens. At the same time, low levels of trust and confidence in how they are being governed is also encouraging voters to back these two challenger parties.

    From class divide to identity politics

    Historically, middle-class voters voted Conservative, while their working-class counterparts were more likely to support Labour. In decline ever since the advent of New Labour, that pattern disappeared entirely in 2019 in the wake of a Brexit debate that drew pro-Leave working-class voters towards the Conservatives and pro-Remain middle-class supporters towards Labour.



    Read more:
    Know your place: what happened to class in British politics – a podcast series from The Conversation Documentaries

    Although Brexit was no longer in the news, the traditional link between social class and voting Conservative or Labour did not reappear in 2024. Labour won the support of just 30% of those in routine and semi-routine occupations, compared with 42% of those in professional and managerial jobs. At 17% and 21% respectively, the equivalent figures for Conservative support are also little different from each other.

    As in the EU referendum, what now shapes how people vote is their age and education, not the job they do. Younger voters and graduates are more likely to vote Labour, while older people and those with less in the way of educational qualifications are more inclined to vote Conservative.

    The problem is that the two parties now face competition for these demographic groups from the Greens and Reform. Last year the Greens won as much as 21% of the vote among under-25s. Reform secured 25% among those who do not have an A-level or its equivalent, nearly matching the Tories.

    Green party co-leader Carla Denyer speaks in the House of Commons.
    Flickr/UK Parliament, CC BY-NC-ND

    Equally, Brexit was not a divide between “left” and “right” – that is, between those who think the government should do more to reduce inequality and those who are more concerned about growing the whole economic pie. It was a battle between social liberals and social conservatives – between those who value living in a diverse society and those who believe that too much diversity undermines social cohesion.

    That second divide has now come to matter as much as the left-right divide in shaping how people vote – and thereby helps draw support away from the Conservatives and Labour.

    While the Conservatives are more popular among social conservatives, so also are Reform. Indeed, the competition between the two parties for these voters has intensified since the election. By this spring, Reform, on 37%, was winning the battle for their support, with the Conservatives supported by only 26%. Equally, although Labour are relatively popular among social liberals, both the Greens and the Liberal Democrats find them relatively fertile territory too. Three in ten (31%) social liberals backed the Liberal Democrats or the Greens last year, a figure that now stands at 37%.

    Meanwhile, trust and confidence in government remain at a low ebb. For example, nearly half (46%) say they “almost never” trust governments of any party to put the interests of the country above those of their own parties. This perception is seemingly accompanied by a reluctance to vote for the parties of government too. Nearly one in four (24%) of those who almost never trust governments backed Reform last year, while one in ten (10%) supported the Greens.

    This, of course, is not the first time that Britain’s two-party system has been under challenge. In the early 1980s the Liberal/SDP Alliance threatened to “break the mould of British politics”. In spring 2019, at the height of the Brexit impasse, the Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats appeared poised to upset the traditional order. This time, however, the challenge to the Conservative/Labour duopoly seems more profound.

    John Curtice currently receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

    – ref. How Britain’s new political divide delivers voters to Reform and the Greens – https://theconversation.com/how-britains-new-political-divide-delivers-voters-to-reform-and-the-greens-259613

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Elements of Change: Energy and Materials

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    Elements of Change: Energy and Materials

    Accelerating trends in technology, science and geoeconomics are rapidly reshaping the materials sector, key to unlocking the next generation of energy solutions. At the same time, the global advanced materials market is projected to reach approximately $120 billion by 2033, promising long-term economic growth.

    What efforts are needed to scale the development and commercialization of novel materials to drive the energy transition?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmuHiHcRFvc

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: A Conversation with Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Singapore

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    A Conversation with Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of Singapore

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2UoSPmSMxc

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: 2nd Meeting of the East Asia Summit Group convenes at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat

    Source: ASEAN

    The Second Meeting of the Group of the East Asia Summit (EAS) Participating Countries’ Ambassadors to ASEAN in Jakarta (2/2025 EAS Group Meeting) convened today at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting reviewed progress of the implementation of the EAS Plan of Action 2024–2028, discussed preparations for the upcoming 15th EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July and outcome documents of 20th East Asia Summit in October 2025, and exchanged information on regional development cooperation initiatives. Ambassadors or representatives from EAS Participating Countries and the ASEAN Secretariat were in attendance. Timor-Leste attended as Observer.

    The post 2nd Meeting of the East Asia Summit Group convenes at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Algernon Yau attends forum in Paris

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau yesterday attended the China Forum, organised by Business France, in Paris, as he wrapped up a week-long visit to France.

    Speaking at the forum, Mr Yau remarked that Asia is currently contributing 60% to global economic growth. He added that Asia, and in particular the Mainland market, presents a unique opportunity for businesses looking to expand their horizons globally.

    He outlined that as a super connector between foreign investors and the Mainland, Hong Kong serves as a perfect springboard for French businesses to tap into the Mainland market.

    Mr Yau said that in 2024 Hong Kong’s total trade amounted to US$1,350 billion, making the city the world’s fifth-largest trading entity. Each year, he added, Hong Kong channels a massive volume of trade between the Mainland and the rest of the world.

    The commerce chief stated that under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), the most liberal free trade agreement ever offered by the Mainland, Hong Kong enterprises and professionals enjoy the most preferential access to the Mainland market. CEPA is “nationality neutral” and does not impose any restrictions on the source of investments.

    Mr Yau encouraged the French business sector to set up companies in Hong Kong as this would allow them to enjoy preferential treatment under CEPA in entering the Mainland market.

    He added that Hong Kong has a simple and low tax system and has no restrictions on the flow of capital.

    In addition to the Mainland market, Mr Yau explained that French businesses can access the Southeast Asian market by using Hong Kong as a base for their regional operations in Asia. He mentioned that Hong Kong is also deepening its trade ties with the Middle East and Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries, and is reaching out to Central Asia to explore new markets.

    Mr Yau stressed that Hong Kong already has strong links with France, adding that the French community is one of the largest and most successful in Hong Kong. He said he believes there is still significant trade potential between Hong Kong and France and that this can bring better synergy and mutual benefits.

    During his stay in Paris, Mr Yau also paid a courtesy call on Minister of the Chinese Embassy in France Chen Dong and briefed him on Hong Kong’s economic and trade situation, including new initiatives such as the reduction of liquor duty.

    Mr Yau also visited the headquarters of Elior Group SA to learn about the company’s operations and business development. He then hosted a dinner for representatives of the France Hong Kong Business Association to interact with local enterprises and exchange views on how to enhance co-operation between Hong Kong and France.

    Before proceeding to Paris, Mr Yau visited a wine cellar in Armagnac and met Armagnac trade representatives to promote Hong Kong’s advantages as a liquor trading hub.

    Mr Yau will depart for Hong Kong today.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Help bring Alfredo home!

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police are seeking assistance from the public to locate a Maremma who was dog-napped from an eastern suburbs backyard in the early hours of Tuesday.

    Just after midnight Tuesday 24 June, a white three-year-old Maremma sheepdog was stolen from a home on Ashbrook Avenue at Payneham. CCTV captures a woman in the area at the time of and in the hours prior to the incident who may be able to assist police with locating Alfredo.

    The woman is described as Caucasian, medium build with brown shoulder length hair and was seen wearing a dark top with brown pants. She was driving a white Toyota Echo two-door hatch.

    If you know this woman, spot Alfredo or have any information about this incident, please contact police. You can anonymously provide information to Crime Stoppers online at https://crimestopperssa.com.au or free call 1800 333 000.

    Reference #25-86M.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Iranian president announces ‘end of the 12-day war’

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

    Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday announced the “end of the 12-day war” and urged all government bodies and revolutionary institutions to focus all their efforts on reconstruction.

    “Today, after your brave and historic resilience, we witness a ceasefire and the end of the 12-day war imposed on the Iranian nation by the adventurism” of Israel, Pezeshkian said in a message to the Iranian people after the ceasefire came into force.

    “The aggressive enemy failed to achieve its nefarious goals of destroying nuclear facilities and undermining nuclear knowledge, as well as inciting social unrest,” he said.

    In contrast, the collapse of “the false invincibility” of Israel and its allies, along with the extensive destruction of important facilities and centers in the occupied territories, sent a key message to the world that the cost of adventurism against great Iran is exceedingly heavy, he added.

    In a phone call with the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday, Pezeshkian said that his country is ready to resolve issues within international frameworks and at the negotiating table.

    The United States and Israel seek to create discord and enmity among Islamic countries, he said, noting that Iran is seeking to strengthen unity and peace in the region and considers them a basis for accelerating development.

    On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on different areas in Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Iran responded by launching several waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel, inflicting casualties and heavy damage.

    On Saturday, the U.S. Air Force bombed three Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. In retaliation, Iran on Monday targeted the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar with missiles.

    Following Iran’s attack, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire between the two sides would begin around 0400 GMT Tuesday. Both Iran and Israel later confirmed the start of the ceasefire. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Benfica edge Bayern to top Club World Cup group

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

    Benfica secured the top spot in Group C of the FIFA Club World Cup after a narrow 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in their final group fixture on Tuesday, thanks to a series of crucial saves by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.

    Already assured of a last-16 place after back-to-back wins against Auckland City and Boca Juniors, Bayern needed only a draw to win the group. Head coach Vincent Kompany opted to rotate heavily, making seven changes to the starting lineup. Key players Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Kingsley Coman, and Joshua Kimmich began on the bench, while 19-year-old summer signing Tom Bischof from Hoffenheim made his debut.

    Benfica broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, as Andreas Schjelderup slotted home a Fredrik Aursnes cross from the right wing.

    With no attempt on target in the first half, Kompany brought on Kane, Olise, and Kimmich after the break.

    The substitutes made an immediate impact. Kimmich’s long pass sent Leroy Sane through one-on-one, but his shot was denied by Trubin, who then made another key save to stop Thomas Muller moments later.

    Kimmich nearly leveled the score in the 61st minute with a low strike from outside the box, but Kane was offside while standing in front of the goalkeeper.

    The Bundesliga champion kept up the pressure but couldn’t find the equalizer, as Trubin again denied Sane from close range just minutes before the final whistle.

    Bayern drops to second in the group after the loss and will face Group D winner Flamengo in Miami on Sunday in the last-16. Benfica will host either Chelsea or Esperance de Tunis in Charlotte on Saturday.

    The other Group C match between Auckland City and Boca Juniors in Nashville was suspended due to potential lightning strikes after Christian Gray scored Auckland City’s first goal of the tournament, leveling the score at 1-1.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: RB Leipzig appoint Ole Werner as head coach

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

    RB Leipzig have confirmed the appointment of Ole Werner as their new head coach on Tuesday, with the 37-year-old signing a contract that runs until June 2027.

    Werner takes over from interim boss Zsolt Low, who had been in charge since Marco Rose’s departure in March.

    After finishing seventh in the Bundesliga last season and missing out on European qualification for the first time since 2016, Leipzig is hoping Werner can bring fresh momentum and steer the club back to continental competition.

    “Ole is a young, ambitious and extremely motivated coach who brings a clear footballing identity and a strong track record,” said Leipzig’s managing director, Marcel Schafer. “His philosophy fits perfectly with our approach: structured possession, fast transitions, high pressing, tactical flexibility and an aggressive mentality.”

    Werner joins from Werder Bremen, where he spent four seasons. After leading the club to promotion in his first year, he achieved increasingly strong results in the Bundesliga, culminating in an eighth-place finish in 2024-25 – the same as Leipzig.

    His decision not to extend his contract with Bremen sparked speculation, and Leipzig ultimately paid a compensation fee of up to two million euros (about 2.3 million U.S. dollars), including performance-based bonuses.

    Werner’s coaching career began at Holstein Kiel, where he rose from youth coach to first-team manager. He secured Kiel’s position in the second division in his debut season and narrowly missed out on Bundesliga promotion in 2021.

    Speaking about his appointment, Werner said: “RB Leipzig represents bold, attacking football and professional ambition, qualities I value deeply. From the first conversation, it was clear that we shared the same vision. I’m excited to be part of this journey and contribute to the club’s goals.”

    Werner will bring assistants Patrick Kohlmann and Tom Cichon with him to the Red Bulls. His first official match will be in the DFB Cup against lower-tier side Sandhausen in mid-August.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: The final stretch: Yang set for NBA draft

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

    Traveling 27,600 kilometers back and forth across the United States to work out with 14 teams over 24 days, China’s NBA prospect Yang Hansen has had a taste of the challenge of trying to make a living in the world’s most competitive basketball league.

    The young center from Qingdao, East China’s Shandong province, is going to find out soon whether his hard work and effort over the past seven weeks have been enough to help open a door to his dream league.

    Yang Hansen (L) of the Qingdao Eagles in action during a 2023-24 season CBA match against the Fujian Sturgeons, Jan. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

    If everything goes well, and in the best case scenario, as predicted by multiple draft analysts in the US, China is expected to celebrate the inauguration of an eighth NBA player on Friday morning (Beijing time), with Yang projected to be picked by a team early in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 26.

    It will be a life-changing moment for Yang, who happens to turn 20 on exact the same night, and a major boost for the game’s declining profile in China, due to the retirement of former NBA stars and a recent spate of disappointing national team results.

    Several teams possessing early second-round picks, such as the draft host Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers, are being widely tipped as possible destinations for Yang, who was ranked as the 35th pick in ESPN’s final mock draft, 36th overall by The Athletic and even 29th (first round) by NBA Draft Room.

    The Nets, owned by Joe Tsai, chairman of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, have emerged as the most likely recipient of Yang’s talents, though, with a 36th pick. This makes sense, given the rebuilding franchise’s deep connection with the Chinese market, and the fact that it will play a pair of preseason games with the Phoenix Suns in Macao in October.

    Standing at a towering 7-foot-1(2.16-meters) with an all-around skillset, excellent flexibility and surprising mobility for his size, Yang’s talent, and potential at a young age, is too obvious to ignore. His natural bond with the league’s biggest global fan base, though, has added another advantage, for sure, according to Rich Paul, founder of LA-based agency Klutch Sports Group.

    “He’s going to get the support from home, from all over China. And that, I think, becomes a benefit for the NBA. It really does,” Paul, who signed Yang to his agency in January, said in a Tencent documentary Leap to Infinity.

    Whenever his name is called — on the second night, as expected, or in as a surprising top-30 first-round pick — Yang’s confident that his talent, coupled with the effort he’s made since arriving in the States on May 3 to prepare for the draft, will eventually lead him to the basketball promised land.

    “Measuring the distance to my dream with each and every solid step. I am ready!” Yang posted on his Weibo account on Tuesday, after completing a hectic cross-country US trip to work out with 14 NBA clubs over the past three weeks.

    As a virtual unknown before he landed in the States in early May, Yang significantly raised his stock with impressive performances at last month’s Draft Combine in Chicago and the following Pro Day trial camp in Los Angeles, where NBA scouts and front-office executives gathered to watch and analyze draft prospects.

    Dubbed “Baby Jokic” by his Chinese fans, Yang put his intriguing blend of size, skills and basketball IQ on display under the watchful eyes of club staff, and turned heads during trial workouts with teams curious about the resemblance of his game to the versatile “point-center” role of Denver Nuggets’ three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.

    He’s definitely made his name now, versus the mysterious big man from China, who was even predicted to go undrafted less than six months ago.

    “He’s someone who popped up there, and they were like: ‘Who’s that who shot the ball well?’ So, whatever they didn’t see, they see it now,” Chris Johnson, Yang’s trainer in the US, said of the impression his protege made at the Pro Day event.

    Despite his current weaknesses in conditioning, strength and speed in defensive rotations, Yang drew confidence of earning a place in the league from his improvement after a productive training program with Johnson.

    “I think my shooting has got sharper, my skills have become better, and I’ve become used to the quick transitions in the American game,” said Yang, who’s played two seasons in the Chinese Basketball Association with his home club Qingdao Eagles.

    In his first year in the CBA, he was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, while also making the league’s All-Star team and being named to the Domestic First Team. Yang was again named an All-Star and received First Team honors in the 2024-25 CBA season, where he averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, three assists and 2.6 blocks per game in 45 starts, leading the 8th-seeded Eagles into the playoff quarterfinals.

    Off the court, Yang has lived a disciplined life — although he still enjoys playing video games and hanging out with friends — with an absolute focus on his job. His mantra is training, playing and resting.

    “That’s the best kind of kid to have success in the NBA, because there isn’t a lot of complexity. He just stays away from all the distractions, he just plays basketball, gets the rest and is ready for tomorrow,” said Andy Miller, Yang’s American agent with Klutch.

    “That’s the advantage he has. He understands what this is. This is a job and, in order to have success, you have to be the best version of yourself.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese journeyman reaches Club World Cup

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

    The silence in the Auckland City locker room stretched for 24 suffocating hours after its 10-0 defeat to European giant Bayern Munich in its Club World Cup opener.

    For veteran Chinese winger Zhou Tong and his semiprofessional teammates, it was not just a loss, but a profound reckoning.

    “Although challenging the mighty is an honor, a 10-0 scoreline is a disgrace for any footballer,” Zhou said, the weight of the result palpable, even days later. “Privately, we discussed how we could do better, how to give our all against these giants.”

    Yet, for the 35-year-old, the only Chinese player among the 32 elite clubs in the United States, the burden carries an extra dimension.

    Zhou Tong (front) spent five years with Dalian Aerbin from 2009-2014, during which Dalian was promoted to China’s top-tier league after winning the championship in second-tier league in 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

    “It’s a heavy burden, but first and foremost, it’s an honor,” Zhou said, reflecting on his unique status representing a nation of billions. “When people talk, it might not be ‘Zhou Tong’, but ‘that player from China’, so, every word, every action, every performance on the pitch needs to project positivity. I demand more of myself.”

    This unexpected chapter, facing Bayern, Benfica and Boca Juniors on soccer’s grandest club stage, began not on a manicured pitch, but over coffee in Auckland.

    In 2023, Zhou and his family moved to New Zealand, primarily for his wife’s studies. Soccer seemed an afterthought until a friend intervened. “He said: ‘It’s a pity you’re not playing.’ My form in 2022 was actually quite good,” Zhou recalled.

    A connection was then made with Auckland City FC. Club president Ivan Vuksich reviewed his CV and requested a meeting. “His sincerity and approachability gave me a lot of motivation,” Zhou said. “Plus, Auckland City plays in the Club World Cup. I wanted to keep playing.” The deal was sealed in the time it takes to drink a coffee.

    Zhou experienced China’s “Golden Yuan Soccer Era”, when he played for clubs like Dalian Aerbin and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger during a time of explosive, unsustainable spending that temporarily raised the Chinese Super League’s (CSL) global profile from the mid-2010s to the early 2020s, but left deep financial and structural problems. For him, New Zealand’s regional Northern League was a stark transition.

    “The sense of disparity is real,” Zhou admitted, contrasting Auckland crowds of “five or six hundred “for crucial Oceania qualifiers with CSL attendances “exceeding 20,000 on average”.

    Yet, his perspective transformed after he had experienced the extremes: FIFA charter jets for the Club World Cup juxtaposed with bumping along in a “500,000-kilometer-old minibus” on potholed roads to play in Vanuatu, a South Pacific nation where “the tallest building was three stories high, and there were no streetlights”.

    “Having seen the splendor and the remotest corners of soccer, I realize its power transcends words or money,” Zhou reflected, his voice gaining intensity. “Soccer connects people, changes lives, opens eyes to the world. That’s its magic, like a universal language.”

    His understanding fuels his dual role as both a player and community coach for Auckland City, where he’s now nurturing the next generation.

    “Tong does a wonderful job,” Vuksich said. “His nature, his personality is just perfect for that. All the young kids he’s involved with, they love him absolutely.”

    Club general manager Gordon Watson echoed the sentiment, describing Zhou as “charismatic, funny and hardworking”, highlighting his calming influence and very positive energy.

    “Tong is approachable, friendly, very patient and very understanding. And he has empathy — a lot of empathy — for children,” Watson specifically noted Zhou’s impact at a coaching clinic at King’s College. “He’s able to communicate (soccer intelligence) in a way that children and youth players can safely understand.”

    This focus on youth development aligns perfectly with the club’s ambitious plans for its Club World Cup windfall, a guaranteed $3.58 million according to FIFA, plus potential win bonuses. Watson detailed a partnership with Mount Roskill Intermediate School, serving a diverse community with many new immigrants.

    “We bring soccer as a tool for holistic development, helping with integration,” Watson explained, adding that the prize money will fund an all-weather pitch with floodlights and an admin building.

    “When it rains and the field is wet, we cannot train. Children do not come to school,” Watson said, outlining the project’s profound social goals to improve attendance, channel energy positively and, ultimately, foster better citizens.

    “It’s got to be long term. Cultural integration happens. We recognize we can play a role,” Watson added.

    For Zhou, coaching offers fresh perspective and pure joy. “The biggest takeaway for me is that I can view soccer from a different angle,” he explained. “The other big one is happiness. Being with kids, 11 or 12 years old, or even eight or nine, they are like blank paper. If they win a match, I’m happier than when I win myself.”

    He sees soccer’s respect embodied even in Bayern’s ruthless efficiency. “At 85 minutes, Thomas Muller was shouting at their young players: ‘Speed up the tempo! Defensive positioning! Quicker passes! Faster transitions!’ They respect soccer, and that means respecting opponents and fans.”

    Facing giants like Bayern laid bare the gulf between the sides, but Zhou found perspective in the fight itself. “The gap was obvious. We focused heavily on defensive training,” he said. “My personal adjustment was to cherish every touch, cherish every attack and defense, treat it like a major exam.”

    While the 10-0 scoreline initially silenced the squad, Zhou stressed their resolve: “For us, we focus on doing our best in every single play.”

    His journey, from the pressures of Chinese soccer to family life in Auckland, and now to this global stage, feels surreal.

    “Life is truly wondrous and unpredictable,” Zhou mused. “Three years ago, I never imagined coming to New Zealand, let alone playing in the Club World Cup. The brave enjoy the world.”

    Defining his career as unpredictable, hard work and the result of stubbornness, Zhou explained the latter: “If I believe something is right, I persist to the end. If I believe something shouldn’t be done, I absolutely won’t do it.”

    This stubbornness also reflects his core: “Pure soccer, and love for it. Whether I become a coach, a club operator, or an event organizer, the essence remains — soccer.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi meets Singaporean PM, calling for boosting China-Singapore cooperation

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

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in Beijing on Tuesday.

    Xi congratulated Wong on his second term in office. Noting that this year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore, Xi highlighted that the two sides have consistently upheld mutual understanding and respect, which has provided a solid foundation for the stable and healthy development of bilateral relations.

    Cooperation between the two countries has aligned with China’s development priorities at various stages, yielding substantial outcomes such as the Suzhou Industrial Park, significantly contributing to each country’s modernization efforts, and also setting a benchmark for cooperation among regional nations, Xi noted.

    He called on both sides to draw experience and wisdom from the development process of bilateral relations, inherit and carry forward fine traditions, and enable the tree of China-Singapore friendship to thrive and bear abundant fruits.

    Xi emphasized that China and Singapore should firmly grasp the general direction of bilateral friendship, and continuously observe and develop China-Singapore relations from a strategic height and a long-term perspective.

    He called for consolidating the political foundation of China-Singapore friendship, supporting each other’s core interests and major concerns, and enhancing political mutual trust to facilitate the development of bilateral relations.

    China welcomes Singapore’s continued deep engagement in China’s development, Xi said, calling on both sides to promote Belt and Road cooperation, create landmark achievements in areas such as digital economy, green development and artificial intelligence, promote the improvement and upgrading of major projects, and continue to write a new chapter in high-quality cooperation.

    Both sides should encourage frequent people-to-people exchanges to deepen cultural exchanges and cooperation and strengthen the popular support for China-Singapore friendship, Xi said.

    China has always believed that peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit are the unstoppable trend of the times, Xi said, adding that the world must not revert to hegemonism or be dragged back to the law of the jungle.

    China is willing to work with Singapore to stand on the right side of history and uphold fairness and justice, and jointly advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, Xi added.

    Wong said that Singapore and China share a deep-rooted and enduring friendship, and the two sides have always respected and trusted each other, ensuring the stable development of bilateral relations and close cooperation.

    Singapore will continue to adhere to the one-China policy and oppose “Taiwan independence,” Wong said.

    Singapore stands ready to fully leverage the opportunities brought about by China’s prosperity and development, expand bilateral trade and investment, enhance cooperation in digital economy, artificial intelligence, new energy and other fields, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, and advance Singapore-China relations to new heights, Wong said.

    In the face of a turbulent global landscape, Singapore is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China on regional and multilateral platforms to jointly uphold multilateralism and the international order, Wong added.

    1   2   >  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin spoke about the modernization of roads in the Rostokino and Alekseevsky districts

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In the north-east of Moscow, in the Rostokino and Alekseevsky districts, the transport infrastructure is being modernized, creating convenient roads and routes. Sergei Sobyanin spoke about this in his telegram channel.

    These north-eastern districts are iconic. Important transport arteries pass through them: Prospekt Mira, the Yaroslavl direction of the Moscow Railway, the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) and the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya metro line.

    “There are large natural and cultural spaces nearby, which are visited by thousands of people every day. To reduce the load on the infrastructure, specialists are reconstructing old roads and building new ones. In particular, they are currently creating an additional connection between the local street and road network and Prospekt Mira,” the Moscow Mayor noted.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    Thus, 1st Rizhsky Lane, Novoalekseevskaya and Staroalekseevskaya Streets are being reconstructed. Construction of Projected Driveway No. 128 is underway, which will connect Yaroslavskaya and 3rd Mytishchinskaya Streets. In addition, existing sections of Bazhova Street are being put in order and new ones are being built.

    Comfortable routes will be organized for pedestrians. For example, it will be easier to get to the Rostokino MCC station. Staroalekseevskaya, Malomoskovskaya streets and Rizhsky proezd will also become safer: traffic lights will be installed and sidewalks will be made.

    Sergei Sobyanin clarified that work on the project is planned to be completed this year.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12994050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ten arrests in Flying Squad investigation into phone shop robberies

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Met Police officers have arrested 10 people as part of an investigation into a series of robberies at phone shops in London and across the south of England.

    Flying Squad detectives worked to identify an organised crime group believed to be behind 13 robberies between February and early June.

    The arrests are part of the Met’s continued focus on tackling phone robbery and theft across London. As well as targeting organised gangs, officers have also increased patrols in phone snatch hotspot areas.

    The Met took on the investigation after identifying a number of similar incidents where suspects stole thousands of pounds worth of new phones from secure store rooms at high street phone stores.

    Staff reported being threatened by the suspects who often had their faces covered and were sometimes armed with weapons.

    On Thursday, 19 June eight men, aged between 20 and 31, and two 17-year-old boys were arrested at addresses in London on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery.

    Detective Chief Inspector Laura Hillier, who is leading the investigation from the Met’s Flying Squad, said:

    “Phone robbery has boomed globally, and London is not immune. There is a concerted effort by criminal gangs to steal phones and sell them overseas as part of a multi-million-pound industry.

    “The Met is catching more of these criminals and operations such as this are vital to disrupting offenders who cause fear and misery to shop workers and communities.”

    They were charged and remanded in custody with conspiracy to commit robbery.

    The Met continues to focus on tackling phone theft across London with increased patrols in hotspot areas and better use of technology to identify perpetrators. A recent two-week focus on prolific offenders resulted in 292 arrests across London.

    Details of the offences

    Staines High Street on Saturday, 1 March
    Ilford High Street on Wednesday, 19 March
    Mare Street in Hackney on Sunday, 23 March
    St Benedict’s Court in Huntingdon on Friday, 4 April
    Orpington High Street on Friday, 25 April
    London Road in East Grinstead on Tuesday, 29 April
    Alton High Street on Saturday, 10 May
    Pier Avenue in Clacton-on-Sea Sunday, 11 May
    West Street in Horsham on Saturday, 17 May
    The Broadway in St Alban’s on Monday, 2 June
    Tavern Street in Ipswich on Thursday, 5 June
    Stamford High Street in Lincolnshire on Friday, 13 June
    Market Street in Eastleigh on Friday, 13 June

    A new way for Londoners to hear about policing in their area is being rolled out by the Met.

    Local officers will use Met Engage to provide crime prevention advice, updates on ongoing incidents and investigations, and information about successful outcomes and operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Wild swings in the oil price make the Reserve Bank’s job harder

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra

    It looks, at least for now, as though tensions in the Middle East are easing somewhat. It appears much less likely Iran will try to close the
    Strait of Hormuz, through which flows about a fifth of the world’s oil.

    In response, oil prices have dropped to a two-week low below US$70 a barrel.

    The economists at the Reserve Bank will be breathing a sigh of relief. A surge in oil prices would have injected more uncertainty into the global outlook. It would have made a decision on whether to cut interest rates in July harder.

    Financial markets are betting on a rate cut at the July 7–8 meeting, but three of the four major bank economists are tipping August as more likely.

    A tough global backdrop

    The global economic environment is particularly challenging. Even before the recent increased tensions in the Middle East, the Trump tariff announcements (and withdrawals and re-impositions) were the major cause of the uncertainty around the domestic economy.

    And there is a lot of “uncertainty”. Journalist Shane Wright noted the word “uncertain” appeared 134 times in the Reserve Bank’s latest Statement on Monetary Policy. Something similar has been noted in the United Kingdom.

    There have been wild swings in the oil price in recent days. There was a surge on market fears Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz. The price slid when a ceasefire was announced. It rose again when the ceasefire was broken within hours. As the fragile truce appeared to hold, the price of oil has now gone back down.

    Assumptions on the oil price

    Forecasting where it will be in a day or week, let alone in a month or a year, is difficult. But economic forecasts underlying monetary policy decisions need to incorporate some view. The Reserve Bank generally assumes the oil price stays at its current level in the short term. It then uses the price in forward contracts as a basis for its forecasts beyond that.

    A sustained jump in oil prices would have posed quite a dilemma for the Reserve Bank.

    Generally a shock that adds to inflation would lead to the bank raising interest rates. In contrast, a shock that weakens economic activity would lead to the Bank lowering rates.

    But a surge in oil prices would likely both increase inflation (by pushing up petrol prices) and weaken activity (by disrupting world trade and eroding consumers’ purchasing power).

    If the oil price surge was expected to be short-lived, it is unlikely to get baked into inflationary expectations. The bank would then probably disregard it. But assessing the longevity of disruptions to the global oil market is not easy.

    Monthly inflation drops to 2.1%

    On Wednesday, the monthly consumer price index (CPI) fell to 2.1% in May from 2.4% in April. This is the equal lowest level since March 2001.

    But the monthly reading will probably not impress RBA Governor Michele Bullock. In her most recent press conference, she commented that “we get four readings on inflation a year”, referring to the quarterly inflation reports. She was dismissive of what she termed “the monthly indicator which is very volatile”.

    In taking its decisions, the bank often relies on an underlying inflation measure called the “trimmed mean”. This excludes items with the largest price movements up or down, so it removes petrol prices when they move by large amounts. This measure was 2.4% in the monthly report.

    Petrol prices are also a significant contributor to the volatility of the monthly CPI.

    Further cuts are likely

    Both headline and underlying inflation are now within the central bank’s 2–3% target range. In its most recent outlook, the Reserve Bank forecast underlying inflation would remain in the target band, even if it made another two cuts in rates this year.

    So a further interest rate cut remains likely. If it doesn’t cut in July, the bank could wait for the next quarterly inflation report on July 30, and then cut at the August 12 meeting.

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers described the global economy as being “in a pretty dangerous place right now”.

    “There’s a lot of volatility, unpredictability, uncertainty in the global economy,” he said. That is one thing that is not uncertain.

    John Hawkins was formerly a senior economist at the Reserve Bank.

    – ref. Wild swings in the oil price make the Reserve Bank’s job harder – https://theconversation.com/wild-swings-in-the-oil-price-make-the-reserve-banks-job-harder-259555

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s native bees struggled after the Black Summer fires – but a world-first solution brought them buzzing back

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kit Prendergast, Postdoctoral Researcher, Pollination Ecology, University of Southern Queensland

    Kit Prendergast (@bee.babette_performer)

    After a devastating bushfire, efforts to help nature recover typically focus on vertebrates and plants. Yet extreme fires can threaten insects, too.

    After the Black Summer fires of 2019–20, I embarked on world-first research into whether “bee hotels” – a type of artificial nesting structure – could help native bees recolonise an area.

    I installed 1,000 bee hotels in the Jarrah forests of Western Australia, parts of which burned during the Black Summer fires.

    After months of monitoring, I concluded – with great excitement and relief – that the project was a success. Native bees were using the structures to lay eggs and raise young. The work shows pollinators such as bees can be aided after fires, to help bring damaged landscapes back to life.

    WA’s Jarrah Forest was affected by the Black Summer fires.
    Kit Prendergast

    Vital wild pollinators

    Australia has more than 2,000 species of native bees. They help keep our ecosystems healthy, and play a crucial role in pollinating wildflowers.

    Native bees typically nest in holes in trees that occur naturally when beetles bore through wood. When fire destroys trees, bees can be left without a place to nest and reproduce. This prevents them from recolonising habitats after fire.

    Under climate change, bushfires in Australia are becoming more frequent and severe. Wood-nesting bees are especially vulnerable to bushfires. For example, fires are recognised as a major threat to the glittering green carpenter bee (Xylocopa aerata), which creates its own holes in wood to nest in.

    The worsening fires take place at a time when global populations of wild pollinators, such as bees, are in steady decline. This problem has been well-publicised, although the plight of Australia’s native bees has received less attention.

    My research tested whether bee hotels could help our native bees bounce back after fire.

    What the research found

    The Jarrah Forest of southwest Western Australia is a biodiversity hotspot. The 1,000 bee hotels were installed across five sites in the northern part of the forest, where bushfires burned during the summer of 2019–20.

    Bee hotels replicate the holes in wood that native bees nest in. In August 2021, I installed bee hotels of two types: wooden blocks with 15 holes drilled in them, and bunches of about 50 bamboo stems bundled together. I monitored them from September 2021 to March 2022.

    At the end of the period I concluded – with great excitement and relief – that the project was a success. Across all bee hotels at the five sites, 832 cavities were occupied by native bees.

    Assuming four cells per cavity for each offspring, this meant more than 3,300 native bees would likely emerge in the next generation.

    Uptake by bees was initially slow. This was to be expected, because the main group of species that used bee hotels – from the Megachile genus – tend to not be active in the region until late spring.

    I found the nests were also used by bees of the genus Hylaeus, as well as tiny Exoneura bees. Other inhabitants included wasps, spiders, ants and crickets.

    I also surveyed three burnt sites where bee hotels were not installed. There, I recorded the numbers of native bees foraging on flowers, and compared it to the sites with bee hotels. More native bees were present at the latter sites, which reinforced my findings.

    Importantly, the research allowed natural recolonisation. It did not involve installing bee hotels at unburnt sites, then moving them to burnt areas once they were occupied. This could have been disastrous.

    Aside from depleting one population, it may have meant native bees were moved to an area where there were not enough flowers, or were forced to compete with existing bee populations.

    The research also showed European honey bees could pose a problem for native bees in fire-damaged landscapes. At sites with a higher density of honey bees, fewer native bees were foraging and fewer nests were occupied in the bee hotels.

    This supports previous findings by myself and others that honey bees can negatively affect native bees. It adds further evidence that honey bees should not be permitted in sensitive habitats, such as bushland following fire or in national parks.

    Empowering bee-saving efforts

    My research provides proof that bee hotels can aid in the recovery of cavity-nesting native bees after fires.

    This work fills a major gap. While there has been much attention on the recovery of furry animals and plants after fires, there has been far less investment into the recovery of plant pollinators.

    Leaving insects to languish after fires isn’t just bad for those species. It also hampers the ability of ecosystems to recover from fire and other damage. This is especially true for pollinators such as native bees, which are vital for plant reproduction.

    This work empowers us to help native bees after fires, by providing nesting resources to promote populations.

    Kit Prendergast received funding from the federal government’s Bushfire Recovery Grant to undertake this research project, and from Flow Hive to write the research paper. She was previously a member of the Australian Native Bee Association.

    – ref. Australia’s native bees struggled after the Black Summer fires – but a world-first solution brought them buzzing back – https://theconversation.com/australias-native-bees-struggled-after-the-black-summer-fires-but-a-world-first-solution-brought-them-buzzing-back-258299

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Headline and underlying inflation in the bottom half of the band

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    New figures from the ABS show that headline and underlying inflation are now both in the bottom half of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s target band for the first time since August 2021.

    In the face of heightened global economic uncertainty, it’s very pleasing to see the progress we’ve made on inflation is substantial and now sustained.

    Both headline and underlying inflation fell by more than expected in today’s data.

    Headline inflation was 2.1 per cent through the year to May 2025, down from 2.4 per cent in April.

    Headline inflation is almost half of what it was in May last year and is at its lowest level since March 2021.

    Annual trimmed mean inflation was 2.4 per cent through the year to May 2025, down from 2.8 per cent in April.

    Underlying inflation is at its lowest level since November 2021 and has returned to the middle of the RBA’s target band.

    Underlying inflation has been in the RBA’s band for six consecutive months. This is the first time this has happened since the monthly inflation series began in 2018.

    It was also encouraging to see services inflation moderate substantially to 3.3 per cent through the year to May 2025, down from 4.1 per cent in April.

    We know these monthly numbers are volatile, but today’s data shows we’ve made substantial and sustained progress on inflation.

    This progress means Australia is better placed and better prepared than other countries for heightened economic uncertainty and volatility around the world.

    The Australian economy is not immune from instability in the Middle East, including from the recent volatility in global oil prices.

    That’s why the progress we have made together in the economy is so important. No major advanced economy has achieved what we have with unemployment in the low 4s, inflation below 2.5 per cent and the economy continuing to grow.

    Electricity prices fell 5.9 per cent in the year to May but would have increased 2.0 per cent without the energy rebates for every household we are rolling out with the states.

    Rents rose 4.5 per cent in the year but would have increased 5.7 per cent without the recent increases to Commonwealth Rent Assistance.

    Under Labor, inflation is down substantially, real wages are up, unemployment is low, our economy is growing, debt is down and interest rates are falling.

    Even with this substantial progress and two interest rate cuts in three months, we know people are still under pressure and we face global economic headwinds.

    That’s why the Albanese Labor Government is delivering more real, practical and ongoing help with the cost of living for Australians, with more support set to roll out from Tuesday next week.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Heat Adaptation in Central Asia: Household Cooling Choices

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    This paper examines how households in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan adapt their cooling strategies to power outages and increasing temperatures. It highlights the importance of reliable power and the potential of solar panels to meet summer energy demands.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Nation vows to bolster support for scientific, technological innovation

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

    Robotic arms are displayed during the 9th China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan province, June 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The country has pledged to step up support for scientific and technological innovation, according to a report submitted on Tuesday to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the national legislature.

    The report, prepared by the State Council, China’s Cabinet, outlined how China will intensify efforts to achieve scientific and technological breakthroughs and speed up revolutionary advances, amid increasingly fierce global competition and a growing need to enhance high-quality technological output.

    Key measures include increasing spending on basic research, improving funding mechanisms that combine competitive and stable support, and raising the organizational level of basic research.

    China has achieved steady progress in tackling core technologies, resolving a number of bottleneck issues, the report said. In the integrated circuit sector, the country has strengthened capabilities across the entire industrial chain, from design and manufacturing to packaging and testing.

    As a result, the output of integrated circuits rose by 22.2 percent last year, while exports topped 1.1 trillion yuan ($153.3 billion), a record high.

    The report said future plans will focus on solidifying the role of enterprises in driving innovation by establishing institutional support, including a research and development reserve fund system. Efforts will also be made to deepen industry-university-research collaboration led by enterprises, enabling them to participate in national decision-making and lead major innovation projects.

    The report highlighted the significant progress in developing Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into global innovation hubs. All three ranked among the world’s top five technology clusters in 2024.

    To advance industrial transformation, the report laid out plans for major technological upgrades in manufacturing and large-scale equipment renewal projects. China’s push for intelligent manufacturing has yielded notable outcomes, with the country accounting for more than 50 percent of newly installed industrial robots globally each year, it said.

    Additional priorities include accelerating the development of emerging sectors such as biomanufacturing, quantum technology and embodied artificial intelligence. Large-scale demonstration projects will be launched for new technologies, products and applications.

    The report noted that a growth mechanism for future industries has already been put in place and that the establishment of a national startup investment fund is being accelerated.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Stock market trades higher as geopolitical tensions ease, Sensex up over 400 points

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Indian benchmark indices opened over 400 points up on Wednesday amid positive global cues, as buying was seen in the IT, auto and pharma sectors in the early trade.

    At around 9.25 am, Sensex was trading 445.6 points or 0.54 per cent up at 82,500.73 while the Nifty added 130.15 point or 0.52 per cent at 25,174.50

    According to analysts, a significant feature of the recent market trend has been its resilience despite major challenges like the West Asian crisis.

    “Even during the short India-Pakistan conflict, the market has been resilient. A significant contributor to this resilience has been FII buying during the crisis,” said Dr VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited.

    Nifty Bank was up 31.25 points or 0.06 per cent at 56,493.15. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 58,867.80 after adding 245.40 points or 0.42 per cent. Nifty Smallcap 100 index was at 18,617.85 after climbing 165.10 points or 0.89 per cent.

    Meanwhile, in the Sensex pack, Titan, UltraTech Cement, Trent, HCL Tech, Adani Ports, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel, PowerGrid, Hindustan Unilever Limited and L&T were the top gainers. Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, BEL, and Axis Bank were the top losers.

    Interestingly, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have been selling as the Mideast crisis blows over. On the other hand, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have been sustained buyers in the market, thanks to the continuing inflows into mutual funds, said experts.

    This will impart resilience to the market even when FIIs sell on valuation concerns, they added.

    FIIs were net sellers on June 24, selling equities worth Rs 5,266.01 crore. Meanwhile, DIIs remained buyers, purchasing equities worth Rs 5,209.60 crore.

    In the Asian markets, Japan, China, Seoul and Hong Kong were trading in green. Whereas Bangkok and Jakarta were trading in red.

    In the last trading session, Dow Jones in the US closed at 42,581.78, up 507.24 points, or 1.19 per cent. The S&P 500 ended with a gain of 67.01 points, or 1.11 per cent, at 6,025.17 and the Nasdaq closed at 19,630.97, up 281.56 points, or 1.43 per cent.

    (IANS)

  • Neeraj Chopra wins Ostrava Golden Spike meet with a throw of 85.29m

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra won the javelin throw title at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 meet with a best throw of 85.29 metres during the one-day competition held on Tuesday.

    Neeraj clinched victory with one throw remaining, as his third-attempt effort of 85.29m remained unbeaten through all six rounds, securing him yet another top podium finish this season. This marks his second title within a month, following his recent triumph at the Paris Diamond League.

    The 27-year-old athlete from Haryana delivered his best throw in the third round. He finished first ahead of Douw Smit of South Africa, who threw 84.12m, and Anderson Peters of Grenada, who managed 83.63m, securing second and third place, respectively.

    Neeraj, who made history by winning India’s first Olympic gold medal in athletics at Tokyo 2020, and a silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has been in fine form this season. After winning the Paris Diamond League, he was keen to extend his winning streak in Ostrava—and he did just that.

    However, while he secured the top spot, the distance might leave him slightly disappointed, as he has previously surpassed the 90-metre mark and is aiming to breach that barrier again soon.

    The competition didn’t start smoothly for Neeraj. His first attempt was a foul, and his second throw measured 83.45m. But he made a strong comeback on his third attempt, launching the spear to 85.29m, which proved to be the winning throw. Douw Smit followed with 84.12m, and Anderson Peters was close behind with 83.63m.

    Neeraj could not better his distance in the remaining attempts. He recorded 82.17m in the fourth, 81.01m in the fifth, and deliberately fouled his final throw, opting not to complete it after an unsatisfactory release.

    Despite not crossing the 90-metre mark, Neeraj Chopra’s consistency and commanding performance reaffirm his status as one of the top javelin throwers in the world.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Wanted to arrest: Solomon Kapua Apihai

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Auckland City Police is seeking information on the whereabouts of Solomon Kapua Apihai.

    The 41-year-old has a warrant for his arrest for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

    The Wesley resident is currently avoiding Police.

    “We strongly encourage Apihai to hand himself in at his nearest Police station,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Kirk says.

    “Anyone who sees him or has information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Police.”

    If you see Apihai, contact 111 immediately.

    Further information can also be reported to Police online now or by calling 105 using the reference number 250623/5869.

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

    ENDS. 

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –