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Category: AM-NC

  • PM Modi chairs 47th meeting of PMML Society, unveils vision for ‘Museum Map of India’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired the 47th Annual General Meeting of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) Society at Teen Murti Bhawan, New Delhi. Emphasizing the vital role of museums in connecting people with history, the Prime Minister outlined a comprehensive vision for the future of India’s museum landscape.

    The Prime Minister proposed the creation of a “Museum Map of India,” a visionary initiative aimed at offering a unified cultural and informational platform showcasing museums across the country. He stressed the global significance of museums and their power to immerse people in historical experiences, calling for continuous efforts to enhance public interest and the societal standing of these institutions.

    Highlighting the importance of technology, the Prime Minister suggested developing a national database of all museums in India. This database would include key performance indicators such as visitor footfall and quality benchmarks. He also advocated for regular workshops focused on capacity building and knowledge sharing among museum professionals.

    To infuse new energy and fresh perspectives into the museum ecosystem, PM Modi proposed the formation of committees in each state, comprising five members under the age of 35. These youth-led groups would contribute innovative ideas to strengthen India’s museum network.

    Reflecting on the establishment of the museum dedicated to all Prime Ministers of India, the Prime Minister noted that it has helped preserve the legacies of past leaders, including India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru—something he emphasized had not been fully achieved before 2014.

    In light of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Emergency, PM Modi suggested the compilation and preservation of all legal documents and battles from that era, ensuring that future generations and scholars have access to this crucial chapter of India’s democratic journey.

    The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of systematically preserving current events and documentation to benefit future researchers. He recommended leveraging the influence of prominent public figures and inviting diplomatic representatives to Indian museums to boost global awareness of India’s rich cultural heritage.

    During the meeting, other members of the PMML Society also shared their inputs and recommendations for further strengthening the institution and expanding its reach.

    PM Modi also planted a Kapur tree (Cinnamomum camphora) in the gardens of Teen Murti House, symbolizing growth, heritage, and sustainability.

  • Global shares rally, oil slumps as Trump announces Iran-Israel ceasefire

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Global shares rallied and the dollar extended declines on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire, sending oil prices into a deep dive as concerns over supply disruptions ebbed.

    Writing on his Truth Social site, Trump implied a ceasefire would go into effect in 12 hours, after which the war would be considered “ended”.

    There was no immediate comment yet from Israel. While an Iranian official earlier confirmed that Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire, the country’s foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks.

    Oil prices fell over 3%, having already slid 9% on Monday when Iran made a token retaliation against a U.S. base, which came to nothing and signalled it was done for now.

    With the immediate threat to the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane seemingly over, U.S. crude futures fell another 3.4% to $66.15 per barrel, the lowest since June 11.

    “With markets now viewing the escalation risk as over, market attention is likely to shift towards the looming tariff deadline in two weeks time,” said Prashant Newnaha, senior Asia-Pacific rates strategist at TD Securities.

    “Our sense is that the quicker than expected resolution to the Middle East conflict leads to expectations for a swifter resolution on tariffs and trade deals.”

    Risk assets rallied, with S&P 500 futures up 0.6% and Nasdaq futures 0.9% higher futures jumped 1.3% and futures rose 0.4%.

    The MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan jumped 1.8% while Japan’s Nikkei rallied 1.4%.

    Two sources told Reuters that Japan’s tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa is arranging his seventh visit to the United States for as early as June 26, aiming to end tariffs that are hurting Japan’s economy.

    China’s blue chips rose 1%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gained 1.7%.

    News of the ceasefire saw the dollar extend an overnight retreat and slip 0.3% to 145.70 yen, having come off a six-week high of 148 yen overnight. The euro rose 0.2% to $1.1594 on Tuesday, having gained 0.5% overnight.

    The yen and euro benefited from the slide in oil prices as both the EU and Japan rely heavily on imports of oil and liquefied natural gas, while the United States is a net exporter.

    “The market was so well hedged against a major tail-risk event to play out…the actions and the dialogue we’ve seen highlight that the tail risks have not and will highly unlikely materialise,” said Chris Weston, head of Research at Pepperstone.

    Ten-year Treasury yields were 2 basis points higher at 4.35%, having declined 5 bps overnight after Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the time to cut interest rates was getting nearer as risks to the job market may be on the rise.

    Fed Chair Jerome Powell will have his own chance to comment when appearing before Congress later on Tuesday and, so far, has been more cautious about a near-term easing.

    Markets still only imply around a 22% chance the Fed will cut at its next meeting on July 30.

    The risk-on mood saw gold prices ease 0.6% to $3,346 an ounce.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU students won six medals at the “I am a professional” Olympiad

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The results of the All-Russian Student Olympiad “I am a Professional” – one of the largest educational projects in the country – have been summed up. NSU students won six medals: three gold and three bronze.

    Master’s student Faculty of Information Technology Ivan Baksheev won the gold medal and became the winner of the Olympiad for the fourth time. This year, he immediately went to the final as last year’s medalist. The Olympiad included two rounds: theoretical and practical, both under strict online proctoring.

    — I have been participating in the Olympiad for several years now. This year was my last chance, as the Olympiad is not held for postgraduates. The most difficult tasks were those on the physical protection of critical facilities, but in the end I solved them best. And in the practical round, I had to urgently deal with memory dumps — quickly find the necessary software, install and use it. The results were expected: judging by the scores, it was already clear in April that the gold was in my pocket, — Ivan shares.

    The student is currently continuing his research work, with his interests focused on various aspects of information theory, including issues related to data protection:

    “I am studying various aspects of information theory and plan to enroll in graduate school at NSU or one of the institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, continuing to work in this field,” he says.

    The gold medal in the Psychology track was won by Lyubov Pecherina, a student at the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies of NSU. The Olympiad was held in two stages – an online qualifying round and an in-person final, which Lyubov wrote at the TSU site.

    — During my school years, I actively participated in Olympiads — I won and took prizes. In my fourth year, I wanted to test my knowledge again, but in the direction of my studies at the university, that is, psychology. The result was the status of a gold medalist, that is, first place. The Olympiad tasks were really interesting, and completing them brought me considerable pleasure. I think the most difficult task was the one in which I had to read an English-language article from a scientific journal on cognitive sciences and write an abstract for it, also in English. But what I liked most was the task about the problems of the modern urban environment and the psychological consequences of living in the city, which required multidisciplinary knowledge. I was once again convinced that the main thing when solving problems in the Olympiad is not to be afraid to think and always go beyond the curriculum, to act creatively. I was amazed at such a high result. When I saw my gold medal diploma, tears came to my eyes, and I realized that all the effort I put into my studies was not wasted, says Lyubov.

    Lyubov is currently studying the characteristics of self-perception in people with autism spectrum disorders and is preparing to enter the NSU Master’s program in counseling and clinical psychology.

    — I study autism spectrum disorder, namely, what characterizes and distinguishes the perception of the surrounding world, oneself, one’s body and emotions in people with ASD from neurotypical people. In the future, I plan to enroll in a master’s program at NSU, finish and publish an article dedicated to the peculiarities of self-perception in autistic people, and, of course, take part in the Olympiad again, — Lyubov shares.

    Another gold medal winner is Alexander Tomilov, a student Faculty of Natural SciencesHe became the winner in the track “Chemistry”.

    — I have been participating in this Olympiad for the second year, because it gives an opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge and receive a reward in the form of an increased scholarship or cash prizes for medalists. This year I managed to become a gold medalist in Chemistry and a prize winner in Physics, which I am very happy about. The selection was held online, the semi-final included theoretical problems, and the final at Moscow State University was a practical course. There, it was necessary to work in a chemical laboratory: prepare solutions, carry out synthesis and analyze products. This year, the problems were closer to those we solve at the department, so I coped with them more confidently. The medal is both recognition and financial support, — says Alexander.

    Nazim Mustafin, a student of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, became a two-time bronze medalist of the Olympiad in two tracks at once: Chemistry and Biotechnology.

    — There is a qualifying round for both Olympiads, but I only wrote the chemistry qualifying round, since my diploma in biotechnology was accepted last year. The chemistry qualifying round was quite difficult, so I didn’t think I would make it to the final. However, I was lucky, — says Nazim.

    The final of the chemical track took place at Moscow State University. Nazim managed to meet friends in Moscow, visit various museums and become a prize winner.

    — Last year I won a silver medal in biotechnology and fourth place in chemistry — this year the results have shifted a little. The student track for the master’s degree is more difficult: I had to compete with graduates of the master’s degree. The final in chemistry itself was easier this year — I scored 99 points out of 100 for the practical. But in biotechnology they added a choice of problems, and it became more difficult to calculate the time correctly, — Nazim admits.

    Nazim calls participation in the Olympiad a challenge and an opportunity to earn money – there is a solid cash prize for medals. Next year, he plans to try his hand at mathematics and quantum computing.

    — I am very happy with this victory. Now the period of active study is over, so I plan to delve into the theoretical foundations of what I do in the laboratory, at the same time I am working there on a project to assemble an experimental setup, — the prize winner concludes.

    Also, a bronze medal in biotechnology was won by a student of the Faculty of Natural Sciences Anna Skotareva. This is her first participation in this track, and immediately – a prize place.

    — I have been participating in Olympiads since the first grade. At university I decided to continue — this year I tried myself in biotechnology for the first time and unexpectedly received bronze. The tasks were classic, without surprises. The topics about industrial ecology and synthetic structures turned out especially well — they are close to what I do, — Anna shares.

    In addition, Anna became the winner in the track “Ecology”. Now she studies genes associated with antibiotic resistance in prokaryotes, is interested in systems biology and bioinformatics.

    “These days it’s difficult to be a specialist in one field; you need to be able to adapt quickly,” says Anna.

    The All-Russian Olympiad “I am a Professional” is the flagship project of the presidential platform “Russia – the Land of Opportunities”. It is held with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, more than 35 leading universities in the country and over 500 companies, including Yandex, Sber, VTB, Rosatom, Russian Railways and others.

    Congratulations to the winners and prize winners!

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Entries for the Seafood Sustainability and Innovation Awards 2025 are open now

    Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

    Fisheries New Zealand is seeking nominations from people and organisations who are putting in the hard mahi to help ensure our seafood sector is sustainable and innovative, says Dan Bolger, deputy director-general Fisheries New Zealand.

    “The Seafood Sustainability and Innovation Awards recognise the individuals, businesses of all sizes, iwi organisations and not-for-profits who are demonstrating exceptional commitment to ensuring that our oceans are productive and healthy, both now and for future generations,” Mr Bolger says.

    A panel of independent judges, representing different parts of the seafood sector, will select finalists and winners across 5 categories:

    • Operational Innovator Award
    • Market Innovator Award
    • Future Leader Award
    • Ocean Guardian Award
    • Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki Award

    The winner of the Supreme Sustainability and Innovation Award will be selected from winners across these categories.

    In addition, a Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Award will be presented to recognise a long-term contribution to sustainability and innovation in the seafood sector.

    We are pleased to acknowledge Seafood New Zealand as the sponsor of the Supreme Sustainability Award and Aquaculture New Zealand as the sponsor of the Market Innovator Award. Additional sponsors will be named shortly.

    To nominate yourself or someone else, complete the online form on the MPI website.

    Award entries are open from 24 June 2025, and close at 5pm on 24 July 2025.

    Finalists will be announced in August with an awards presentation at Parliament on 11 September 2025.

    New Zealand Seafood Sustainability and Innovation Awards 2025

    For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

    For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police formally identify man found deceased in Waikato River

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police have formally identified a man located deceased in a car in the Waikato River last year.

    He was Michael Murdoch, aged 44, from Ngāruawāhia, who had been missing since September 2019.

    Michael’s body was found in his car in the Waikato River on 13 August 2024, by a company which removes wrecked cars and other hazardous materials from the river.

    Formally identifying Michael was a complex and lengthy process, due to having been in the river for a significant period of time.

    Michael’s death is being treated as unexplained and has been referred to the Coroner.

    Note for media: Michael’s family has requested privacy and do not wish to be contacted by media outlets.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – Another 46 jobs to go at DIA with a further 14 under threat – PSA

    Source: PSA

    The Department of Internal Affairs has told staff today that it is axing another 46 jobs, which the PSA says which will ramp up workload on remaining staff and put New Zealanders at risk.
    The changes confirmed to staff at briefings today will see many roles merged, such as the Manager Digital Violent Extremism being merged with a Manager Digital Messaging and Systems, says Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons.
    “Expecting one manager to do the work of two, especially at a time when the risk of violent extremism is escalating, is dangerous and makes no sense,” Fitzsimons says.
    The changes will also see Personal Assistants become responsible for two General Managers instead of one.
    “Reducing Personal Assistants is a false economy that will see senior managers spending more time doing administrative work, rather than the work they were employed to do. At the same time, it increases the likelihood of the Personal Assistants facing burn out from unreasonably increased workloads.
    “Personal Assistants do the type of vital support role performed predominantly by women that are dismissed by the Government but are the glue that hold organisations together,” Fitzsimons says.
    The changes follow proposals put forward for consultation in March, which aimed to save approximately $8 million a year to meet Government savings targets. They followed a wave of restructuring last year which saw, among many changes, the loss of key staff keeping children safe from online harm, and those stopping scams and international crime syndicates engaging in money laundering.
    As well as the 46 roles confirmed to today, another 69 fixed term roles were not renewed and the DIA is reconsulting on changes that may see another net reduction of 14 roles.
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health, and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE #2 – Concern for welfare – Ngukurr

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force no longer holds concern for the welfare of Regene.

    He was located safe and well in bushland 4km from Nulawan Outstation a short time ago, and has been conveyed to the local clinic for assessment.

    Police would like to thank the public for their assistance.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Introduces “End the Fed’s Big Bank Bailout Act”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    June 20th, 2025

     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

    Dr. Rand Paul Introduces “End the Fed’s Big Bank Bailout Act”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY)  introduced the End the Fed’s Big Bank Bailout Act, legislation to prohibit the Federal Reserve from paying interest on balances held at Federal Reserve banks by or on behalf of depository institutions.

    “Our country is over $36 trillion in debt,” said Dr. Paul. “But no one pays attention to the hundreds of billions of dollars the Federal Reserve unnecessarily paid to banks to NOT lend money to consumers.”

    Until 2008, the Federal Reserve paid no interest to banks on reserve balances. That changed after the financial crisis, when Congress authorized the payments as a tool to control the money supply. From 2008 to 2016, interest payments averaged just $5 billion annually. But with the Fed’s rate now above 4 percent, these payments have exploded.

    “In 2022, the Fed paid $60 billion to banks. In 2023, the Fed payments to banks rose to over $176 billion. And in 2024, the Fed’s subsidy to banks rose to about $186 billion. The Fed has been operating at a loss since September 2022,” Dr. Paul continued. “While the Fed no longer has profits and ceased returning those profits to the taxpayers by remitting those funds to the Treasury, it still, to this very day, pays what has amounted to hundreds of billions of dollars to banks.”

    The End the Fed’s Big Bank Bailout Act amends Section 19 of the Federal Reserve Act to eliminate the Fed’s authority to make these interest payments. Senator Paul argues this simple change could save more than a trillion dollars over the next decade.

    “At a time of persistent and self-imposed worsening losses at the Fed, the manipulators of the American economy continue to pay banks to do nothing but have their funds sit in a safe,” said Dr. Paul. “How can anybody, especially the populist Republicans and the entire Democratic Caucus, defend such a subsidy when supposed income inequality and the national debt is at the top of the political agenda?”

     Read the bill HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Introduces the Restore Prescription Drugs Discount Act 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    June 23rd, 2025

     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-434

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) today introduced the Restore Prescription Drugs Discount Act, a bill to eliminate an outdated antitrust law that hinders insurers and employers from negotiating upfront discounts for better prices on prescription drugs.

    As a result of a class action lawsuit in the 1990s, the Robinson-Patman Act of 1936 prohibits insurers and employers from negotiating upfront discounts with pharmaceutical companies to drive the cost of prescription drugs down. To comply with this ruling, drug manufacturers shifted from offering upfront discounts to retroactive discounts, also known as rebates, provided upon proof of sales. Simply put, the Robinson-Patman Act’s ban on upfront discounts leaves insurers and employers without leverage to negotiate, leading to higher costs for patients.

    Dr. Paul’s bill would fully repeal the law and give insurers the ability to negotiate savings more transparently, helping drive down drug prices for patients.

    “The Robinson-Patman Act is a relic from the Great Depression,” said Dr. Paul. “It punishes direct discounting and drives up costs for patients. Repealing it will remove an unnecessary legal barrier and bring transparency and competition back to the prescription drug market.”

    Read the full bill HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China maps new healthcare blueprint for world

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

    How can people in remote and underdeveloped areas access advanced healthcare services? Can tailored medical solutions meet their unique needs? China, with such questions in mind, is boosting technological advancements to map a healthcare blueprint that benefits the world.

    Jotham Kimondo, a 35-year-old doctoral student from Tanzania, is currently studying at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

    Under the supervision of Wu Zhe, a professor at the university and director of the Chengdu Tianfu Jincheng Frontier Medical Equipment Research Institute, Kimondo is focusing on the design of ultrasonic medical devices.

    As a faculty member in Tanzania, Kimondo aims to learn ultrasonic instrument design and manufacturing in China to benefit his home country.

    “My research involves innovative design of ultrasonic medical instruments to monitor the pathological changes of human tissues, which is an important indication of disease. Women in Tanzania still rely on traditional methods like physician’s palpation to check for lumps in the mammary examination. This approach greatly depends on physicians’ individual experience and is not always accurate. And some women are not willing to do breast examinations,” said Kimondo.

    Kimondo added that many diseases still plague the people of Tanzania. “I want to improve healthcare in Tanzania, helping people to maintain health. If we develop more innovative ultrasonic medical equipment together in the future, it would be highly beneficial for early screening of breast diseases and other illnesses in Tanzania, especially after those devices become more convenient and cheaper, and can be better promoted across African countries.”

    At the Tianfu Jincheng Lab City of Future Medicine, over 53 registered companies related to frontier medicine have been attracted to explore the cutting edge of future medical innovation and integrated medicine.

    Recently, at the Remote Ultrasound Center of the Tianfu Jincheng institute, a doctor was talking online with another doctor at the Ultrasound Department of Chengdu Eastern New Area Second People’s Hospital, guiding the use of a portable ultrasound device on a patient’s carotid artery.

    Real-time imaging and relevant data of the ultrasound inspection were displayed on a shared screen, allowing the two doctors to communicate directly, discuss pathological conditions and give professional diagnostic results.

    “Traditional high-end ultrasound machines are expensive, costing millions. Rural residents in China’s western regions often need to seek ultrasound examinations in higher-level county hospitals,” Wu explained.

    “Our research efforts aim to enable portable ultrasound devices to be widely used in rural areas of western China for early disease screening and chronic disease management. Compared to high-end ultrasound machines, our portable device significantly lowers costs. Additionally, it is simpler and more convenient to use in grassroots hospitals,” Wu added.

    Use of this portable ultrasound device, which is the size of a smartphone, has already been implemented in over 10 health centers in eastern Chengdu — providing free carotid and thyroid screenings to more than 2,000 residents.

    With the continuous improvement of China’s industrial design and manufacturing capabilities and medical research levels, innovation in the development of medical devices is soaring. The growing recognition of Chinese medical devices in overseas markets is resulting in increasing international orders, encouraging more Chinese medical companies to go global.

    In the City of Future Medicine, an industrial park, workers at Chengdu Seamaty Technology Co., Ltd. are packing biochemical analysis reagents. This batch of goods is set to be shipped globally from Chengdu.

    This “Little Giant” firm, which refers to novel and elite small and medium-sized enterprises that specialize in a niche market, boast cutting-edge technologies and show great potential, focuses on the research and production of point-of-care testing (POCT) medical devices, and has already sold its medical products to more than 150 countries and regions worldwide.

    In its quality inspection center, hundreds of fully automated biochemical analyzers undergo pre-shipment quality checks.

    “This shipment of instruments will be sent to Europe. Last year, our company’s total sales reached 320 million yuan (about 44.6 million U.S. dollars), and in the first five months of this year, our international business has increased by 59 percent compared to the same period last year,” said Wang Bin, deputy general manager of the company, highlighting that the growth in overseas orders reflects an increasing acceptance of Chinese medical device manufacturing products in international markets.

    Innovative technologies such as 3D printing, organ-on-chip systems, nanorobots and brain-computer interfaces are advancing the scientific research applications of medical devices in China, presenting a future-oriented medical landscape.

    At Chengdu Tianqi Additive Intelligent Manufacturing Co., Ltd., personalized patient-matched medical solutions are being precisely created with 3D printing technology. It uses computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) modeling, and a layer-by-layer printing process, to turn virtual designs into physical products, making the envisioned design a tangible reality.

    In a modern manufacturing workshop, dozens of industrial printers operate in an orderly manner, with a laser engraver precisely etching patterns in titanium alloy powder to an accuracy of 0.01 millimeters.

    Within just a few hours, products such as patient-matched maxillofacial bone plates are printed. This seemingly ordinary industrial scene reflects significant advancements that China has made in the realm of precision medical manufacturing.

    Compared to the handmade bending of bone plates in the past, 3D printing offers a more precise, convenient, safe and stable way to create customized products.

    “We are currently conducting custom production for a case in Singapore. Engineers input patient data transmitted from the hospital into the system, and the AI algorithms aid designers in creating personalized data models for patient facial reconstruction, which are then integrally formed via metal 3D printers,” Gao Bangkui, marketing director of Chengdu Tianqi Additive lntelligent Manufacturing Co., Ltd said.

    Gao added that in the future, the company will prioritize serving the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia to meet the customized medical needs of countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China completes world’s first interventional brain-computer interface experiment on human

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

    China completes world’s first interventional brain-computer interface experiment on human

    Xinhua | June 24, 2025

    A Chinese team, led by Nankai University, announced a significant breakthrough in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology: the world’s first interventional human BCI experiment on a human patient.

    This less-invasive procedure helped a 67-year-old male patient, suffering from paralysis, regain significant limb function, according to Nankai’s announcement on Sunday.

    The patient, who had experienced left-side paralysis for six months due to a cerebral infarction, saw his left upper limb achieve actions like grasping and taking medicine.

    Unlike the invasive skull-opening surgery used by Elon Musk’s Neuralink last year, this pioneering technique involves implanting a device into the skull via neck blood vessels. The device, a stent electrode, was guided into the patient’s cranial blood vessel wall using high-precision imaging.

    A wireless transmission and power supply unit was also implanted subcutaneously to collect and transmit brain electrical signals, said the Nankai team.

    After the surgery, the system has operated stably without complications such as infection, enabling precise brain signal acquisition and interactive control.

    This approach significantly reduces surgical risks while maintaining high signal acquisition accuracy and a shorter recovery period, said Duan Feng, a professor from Nankai who led the research.

    The advancement has laid the groundwork for future large-scale adoption and offers new hope for patients with motor dysfunctions like stroke, said Duan.

    It came after Duan’s team conducted the world’s first interventional BCI experiment on non-human primates in 2023.

    The team’s future plans involve recruiting more participants and exploring additional rehabilitation methods. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Trump announces ceasefire in 12-day Iran-Israel war

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day war that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation in the war-torn region.

    But there was no confirmation from Israel and the Israeli military said it had detected missiles launched from Iran towards Israel in the early hours of Tuesday.

    “Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

    Israel, joined by the United States on the weekend, has carried out attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, after alleging Tehran was getting close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

    “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR’,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.

    While an Iranian official earlier confirmed that Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire, the country’s foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks.

    Abbas Araqchi said early on Tuesday that if Israel stopped its “illegal aggression” against the Iranian people no later than 4 a.m. Tehran time (0030 GMT) on Tuesday, Iran had no intention of continuing its response afterwards.

    There have been no reported Israeli attacks on Iran since that time.

    “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later,” Araqchi added in a post on X.

    A senior White House official said Trump had brokered the deal in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel had agreed so long as Iran did not launch further attacks.

    Trump appeared to suggest that Israel and Iran would have some time to complete any missions that are underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process.

    Iran denies ever having a nuclear weapons program but Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said that if it wanted to, world leaders “wouldn’t be able to stop us”.

    Israel, which is not a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.

    Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran’s agreement during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Tuesday.

    U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff were in direct and indirect contact with the Iranians, the White House official said.

    Neither Iran’s U.N. mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters.

    Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signaled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran soon and had passed the message on to the United States.

    Netanyahu had told government ministers whose discussions ended early on Tuesday not to speak publicly, Israel’s Channel 12 television reported.

    Markets reacted favorably to the news.

    S&P 500 futures rose 0.4% late on Monday, suggesting traders expect the U.S. stock market to open with gains on Tuesday.

    U.S. crude futures fell in early Asian trading hours on Tuesday to their lowest level in more than a week after Trump said a ceasefire had been agreed, relieving worries of supply disruption in the region.

    END TO THE FIGHTING?

    There did not appear to be calm yet in the region.

    The Israeli military issued two evacuation warnings in less than two hours to residents of areas in the Iranian capital Tehran, one late on Monday and one early on Tuesday.

    Israeli Army radio reported early on Tuesday that alarms were activated in the southern Golan Heights area due to fears of hostile aircraft intrusion.

    Earlier on Monday, Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran’s attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes.

    He said Iran fired 14 missiles at the U.S. air base, calling it “a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered.”

    Iran’s handling of the attack recalled earlier clashes with the United States and Israel, with Tehran seeking a balance between saving face with a military response but without provoking a cycle of escalation it can’t afford.

    Tehran appears to have achieved that goal.

    Iran’s attack came after U.S. bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian underground nuclear facilities at the weekend, joining Israel’s air war.

    Much of Tehran’s population of 10 million has fled after days of bombing.

    The Trump administration maintains that its aim was solely to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, not to open a wider war.

    “Iran was very close to having a nuclear weapon,” Vice President JD Vance said in an interview on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

    “Now Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have because we destroyed it,” Vance said.

    Trump has cited intelligence reports that Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon, without elaborating. However, U.S. intelligence agencies said earlier this year they assessed that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and a source with access to U.S. intelligence reports told Reuters last week that that assessment hadn’t changed.

    But in a social media post on Sunday, Trump spoke of toppling the hardline clerical rulers who have been Washington’s principal foes in the Middle East since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

    Israel, however, had made clear that its strikes on Evin prison – a notorious jail for housing political prisoners – and other targets in Tehran were intended to hit the Iranian ruling apparatus broadly, and its ability to sustain power.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Money Market Operations as on June 23, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 6,18,964.90 5.19 1.50-6.55
         I. Call Money 16,996.13 5.27 4.75-5.35
         II. Triparty Repo 4,18,203.05 5.23 5.01-5.27
         III. Market Repo 1,81,187.07 5.09 1.50-5.40
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 2,578.65 5.48 5.40-6.55
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 95.00 5.17 5.00-5.25
         II. Term Money@@ 960.00 – 5.60-5.80
         III. Triparty Repo 1,250.00 5.30 5.27-5.32
         IV. Market Repo 0.00 – –
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Mon, 23/06/2025 1 Tue, 24/06/2025 906.00 5.75
    4. SDFΔ# Mon, 23/06/2025 1 Tue, 24/06/2025 2,51,686.00 5.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -2,50,780.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       7,032.31  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     7,032.31  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -2,43,747.69  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on June 23, 2025 9,41,341.97  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending June 27, 2025 9,54,173.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ June 23, 2025 0.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on May 30, 2025 5,84,684.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2025-2026/581

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Congressman Valadao’s Romance Scam Prevention Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

    WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 2481, the Romance Scam Prevention Act. Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) introduced the bipartisan legislation in April alongside Reps. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), and Craig Goldman (TX-12). This bill would require dating apps and services to issue fraud ban notifications to users who have interacted with a person removed from the app for fraudulent activity.

    Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the companion bill in the Senate, which passed out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on March 12, 2025.

    “Millions of Americans use online dating platforms to connect with romantic partners, but unfortunately, they’ve also become a way for scammers to target and exploit unsuspecting victims,” said Congressman Valadao. “As criminals become more sophisticated, it’s important we have safeguards in place to protect users. The Romance Scam Prevention Act is a bipartisan effort to enhance online safety and combat financial fraud, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to get this bill across the finish line.”

    “Online dating services are being used as a platform for bad actors to target and exploit individuals, yet protections continue to lag behind,” said Rep. Pettersen. “Notifying users if they have been in contact with a potential scammer is a basic security feature that every online dating service should provide. This bipartisan bill will help reduce online crime and keep people safe from online scammers. I’m grateful this legislation has passed the House with bipartisan support, and I will keep working to see it signed into law.”

    “These aren’t just creepy or shady tactics—they are life-ruining attacks that disproportionately target the elderly, as well as young men and women,” said Rep. Suozzi. “As a father, a former mayor and as a member of Congress, I’ll never stop fighting to protect people from exploitation—online or anywhere else.”

    Congressman Valadao spoke on the House Floor during debate on the legislation. Watch his remarks here or read as prepared below:

    Mr. Speaker,

    I rise to urge support for my bill, the Romance Scam Prevention Act. 

    Every year, millions of Americans from all ages and backgrounds use dating apps and websites to make connections. For many, online dating has made it easier to build relationships, but unfortunately there are countless stories of criminals using these sites for fraudulent activity.

    While it’s sadly common to see users lie about things like their age or occupation, romance scammers use fake profiles to develop connections and emotionally or financially exploit unsuspecting users.

    According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost over $1.1 billion in 2023 alone, with senior citizens being the most at-risk age group.

    There have been countless stories of people being conned out of their entire life savings, all because they believed they had found love online.

    People who meet online often take their conversations to other communication platforms and might not know they are talking to someone who has been removed. 

    This bill requires dating platforms to issue fraud ban notifications to users who have interacted with an account who has been removed for fraudulent activity.

    As criminals are becoming more sophisticated when it comes to exploiting victims online, it’s time to put safeguards in place to protect users from financial fraud. 

    I want to thank Chairman Guthrie and his staff at the Committee on Energy & Commerce for their work on this important bill as well as my co-leads, Reps. Brittany Pettersen, Tom Suozzi, and Craig Goldman.

    Thank you, and I yield back.

    Background:

    Over 60 million Americans used an online dating service in 2023, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that romance scams resulted in victims losing over $1.1 billion. Criminals use false names and stories to lure individuals into conversation before manipulating them to give up sensitive information. When an online dating service provider becomes aware of a user committing fraudulent activity, like illegally obtaining money, the online dating service provider immediately deactivates the fraudulent user’s account. However, individuals who meet online often take their conversations to other communication platforms, so even when a fraudulent account is removed, an individual might not know they are still communicating with someone who was banned from the platform.

    Read the full bill here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Celebrates Elimination of the Developmental Disabilities Waitlist

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    .Powell@nebraska.gov”>Jeff.Powell@nebraska.gov

    Gov. Pillen Celebrates Elimination of the Developmental Disabilities Waitlist

    LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen joined leaders from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Vital Services, Inc., program participants and families in celebrating the elimination of the developmental disabilities (DD) waitlist and improving support for Nebraskans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

    The elimination of the waitlist is the result of an unprecedented investment of over $18 million, plus matching federal funds, to better enable the delivery of support services to children with disabilities and their families.

    “Eliminating the DD waitlist is a great accomplishment for the state of Nebraska,” said Gov.  Pillen. “Now, children and adults with IDD can access support at the time they need it. The new approach ensures a full continuum of care for individuals and their families, creating better opportunities and outcomes. Our kids are our future, and it is our responsibility to give each one the best future possible.”

    Historically, the DHHS Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) has maintained a waitlist for developmental disability waivers. In March of 2024, there were 2,706 individuals on the waitlist. At that time, Gov. Pillen joined representatives from DHHS in announcing that the state would eliminate the waitlist and establish a new approach to DDD services.

    During that 15-month process, more than 3,000 individuals were eliminated from the waitlist, including those who came on after March 2024. The new program provides the following:

    • Medicaid for DD eligible children that meet the required level of care

    • Additional access to family support and day services waivers that allow families to live together

    • Case management services for individuals who do not require waiver services

    • Employment services

    • Comprehensive DD waivers based on a nationally validated needs assessment adopted by DHHS with the support of stakeholders

    • New models of staffing including remote support and Legally Responsible Individuals (LRI) as paid providers for personal care

    • Expansion of independent providers

    “Today we celebrate with everyone who made the elimination of the DD Waitlist possible – Governor Pillen, leadership in the DD community, participants, family members, providers, our partners, front line staff, and many more,” said Tony Green, Director of DDD.   “As of this week, all individuals on the DD waitlist will have received an offer letter. Waivers, natural supports, and Medicaid assistance allow those individuals to remain in their communities, seek employment, and explore a future that meets the needs of each participant at each stage of life.”

    Today’s news conference was hosted by Vital Services, Inc., a local organization supporting individuals with IDD by offering residential support, supported employment, and day support in the Lincoln area. Prior to the announcement, Gov. Pillen, First Lady Suzanne, and Dir. Green received a tour of the facility and greeted program participants and staff.

    “Vital Services, Inc. teaches life skills to people with developmental disabilities and cares for each person’s unique needs with a variety of assistance programs. Our programs provide individuals with the tools to achieve independence, advocate for themselves, and integrate into their community. We are excited and grateful to celebrate with Governor Pillen the transformation in access to developmental disabilities services in Nebraskans,” said Joshua Bumgardner, Development Director of Vital Services, Inc.

    Andi Aschoff and her daughter, Kira Amos also spoke to the benefits they have experienced personally since DHHS changed its service delivery model. Kira currently receives a family support waiver, one of three waiver types, provided through the DDD program and she is a participant at Vital Services, Inc.

    “Having the support has changed our daily lives,” said Aschoff. “We do feel supported, and that really does make a big difference.”

    For more information on programs for individuals with IDD, or to apply for services, please visit the DDD website: https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Developmental-Disabilities.aspx

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Women in AI

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    Women in AI

    Women constitute around 25%-30% of the AI workforce worldwide, per recent estimates. This underrepresentation is even more pronounced in senior roles, with less than 15% of executive positions held by women.

    As demands for AI talent continue to grow, what are the most promising approaches to ramp up AI hiring and diversify talent sources in the broader industry?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbJfrqwIyI8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: How Wide Is the Generation Gap?

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    How Wide Is the Generation Gap?

    Whether it is the evolving technological landscape, rapidly shifting social norms and culture or increased life expectancies, societies are identifying trends that are sparking growing portrayals of generational tension.

    What does the data on the intergenerational gap reveal about root causes and solutions to reduce misunderstanding among generations, industries and communities?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUDf9j88rdc

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Next Steps for Climate Resilience

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    Next Steps for Climate Resilience

    Businesses investing in climate resilience and adaptation could see tangible returns – $2-$19 in value for every dollar spent – while taking the necessary steps to avoid annual profitability declines from climate impacts of up to 7% by 2035.

    How can new strategies, from partnerships to technology and innovation, be leveraged to strengthen these efforts?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6plkT8WlTU

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Four missing after mountain stream collapses in northwest 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

    LANZHOU, June 24 (Xinhua) — Four people were still missing as of 10:30 p.m. Monday after a torrent collapsed in Xinquan Village, Jingyuan County, northwest China’s Gansu Province, local authorities said.

    The disaster occurred at approximately 6:00 p.m. on the same day, after which local authorities immediately mobilized public safety, emergency response, firefighting and communications personnel to search for missing persons and evacuate residents. Rescue operations, evacuation work, risk assessment and other emergency rescue activities are currently ongoing.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China has announced plans to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War

    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

    Xinhua | 24.06.2025

    Keywords: China

    Source: Xinhua

    China has announced plans to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. China has announced plans to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China to hold military parade to mark 80th anniversary of victory in Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War

    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

    Xinhua | 24.06.2025

    Keywords: China

    Source: Xinhua

    China to hold military parade to mark 80th anniversary of victory in Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War China to hold military parade to mark 80th anniversary of victory in Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xi Jinping to attend grand gathering to mark 80th anniversary of victory in Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War

    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

    Xinhua | 24.06.2025

    Keywords: China

    Source: Xinhua

    Xi Jinping to attend grand gathering to mark 80th anniversary of victory of Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War China will hold a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The National Bank of Belarus raises the refinancing rate to 9.75 percent per annum

    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

    MINSK, June 24 /Xinhua/ — The National Bank of Belarus will raise the refinancing rate from 9.5 percent to 9.75 percent from June 25. This decision was made at a meeting of the board of the National Bank of the country dedicated to the development of the situation in the economy and monetary sphere. The relevant information was published by the press service of the Belarusian National Bank on Monday.

    As noted by the National Bank of Belarus, despite the continued positive dynamics of economic growth, the macroeconomic imbalance caused by the widening gap between the growth rates of labor productivity and wages is increasing. As a result of the increase in wages, consumption increases, leading to a significant increase in consumer imports. Income growth increases the creditworthiness of citizens, which, in turn, leads to increased demand for imported durable goods. The increase in consumer imports for the four months of 2025 amounted to 14.5 percent, which also indicates the risks of increased pressure on the current account balance of the balance of payments.

    At the same time, there is a stable liquidity surplus in the banking system and an annual growth of the money supply at a level above 15 percent. Given the emerging high inflation trajectory, the Board of the National Bank of Belarus considers it necessary to make decisions aimed at increasing the attractiveness of savings in the economy and, as a consequence, the growth of the resource base for investment activity.

    “In order to mitigate the above risks and stimulate investment activity, a decision was made to increase the refinancing rate by 25 basis points to 9.75 percent per annum from June 25, 2025, and the rates on permanently available liquidity support operations /overnight credit, overnight SWAP/ and bilateral liquidity support operations /lombard loans at a fixed rate and SWAP transactions/ by 25 basis points to 11.25 percent per annum,” said Roman Golovchenko, Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of Belarus. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: UN Secretary General alarmed by Iran’s missile strike on US military base in Qatar

    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 23 (Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about Iran’s missile attack on a US military base in Qatar, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

    According to him, A. Guterres is deeply concerned about the further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. Since the beginning of the crisis, the Secretary-General has repeatedly condemned any military escalation, including Iran’s strike on Qatari territory on Monday, the press secretary said in a statement.

    A. Guterres once again called on all parties to cease hostilities and on UN member states to comply with their obligations under the UN Charter and other norms of international law, the statement said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Case Opposes Proposed Funding Bill That Cuts Food Assistance To Hawaii Residents

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, tonight voted against the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Related Agencies funding measure.  

    The measure would provide $25.5 billion, a $1 billion decrease from the current year, for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agriculture and rural development programs, the Farm Credit Administration, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the FDA.

    It is the third of twelve separate bills developed and approved by the Appropriations Committee that would fund the federal government at some $1.6 trillion for FY 2026 commencing October 1st of this year. 

    “While the measure funds many critical Hawai‘i priorities, I regrettably had to vote against it because it would cut food assistance for vulnerable families and make it even harder for Hawai‘i farmers to make ends meet,” said Case, who is in his seventh year on Appropriations and previously served on the House Committee on Agriculture.  

    “At a time when families around the country and our state are struggling with the high cost of living and rising food costs, and when Hawai‘i agriculture is struggling with high production costs and the consequences of the administration’s rash and chaotic tariff war, we should be maintaining our time-tested federal programs, not reducing or even eliminating them.” 

    The bill:  

    ·        Cuts $100 from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and fails to support the cash benefit for fruits and vegetables that ensures women, infants and children get the nutrients they need.  

    ·        Reduces staffing for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), which operates offices across the country that assist farmers in getting needed federal assistance. The bill provides $110 million less for FSA staffing than what was provided in FY 2025.  

    ·        Cuts funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Operations by 5 percent below FY 2025 funding levels.

    ·        Cuts rural housing and water and waste-water grants.

    In addition, the bill eliminates key programs for Hawai‘i, like the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment Program for Geographically Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers. This program helps our local farmers with the cost of getting their produce to the mainland markets. Additionally, the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program, which increases the quantity and quality of locally grown food through small-scale gardening, herding and livestock and apiary operations, was eliminated.  

    Case especially objected to large cuts in critical foreign food assistance programs, including $900 million for Food for Peace, almost 50% down to its lowest level since 2002, and $220 million for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition program, $20 million below the FY 2025 level. 

    “Cutting our international food assistance programs is contrary to our values and harms our national security. Global food insecurity leads to political instability, making countries more vulnerable to conflict and extremism, and helping other countries and peoples with their food needs knits together alliances and partnerships which are critical to our national defense,” said Case, a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.  

    Despite these and other significant problems with the bill, Case highlighted positive provisions he requested including important victories for Hawai‘i, including $216 million for the Specialty Crop Pests Program, which helps to protect our topical crops from invasive species. In addition, $15 million was included for Minor Crop Pest Management, which provides expert assistance for effective minor/specialty crop protection. The bill also provides research and education funds for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving institutions, in addition to funding for our land-grant universities like the University of Hawai‘i.  

    “Invasive species pose a significant ecological and economic threat to our Hawai‘i, with specially damaging impacts on local agriculture,” said Case.  

    “This agriculture funding bill provides support for our local farmers, farmers markets and food promotion programs, which combined will help our Hawai‘i deal with the soaring cost of food, much of which is imported to our islands,” said Case.  

      Provisions in the bill of interest to Hawai‘i that Case worked to secure include:  

    ·        $5 million for Education Grants for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions. This program addresses the educational needs of food and agricultural sciences-related disciplines and prepares low-income students for careers related to food, agricultural and natural resources.  

    ·        $123 million for the USDA Wildlife Damage Management Program, which helps to prevent the spread of the Brown Tree Snake to Hawai‘i.  

    ·        $3 million for Agricultural Canine Detection and Surveillance of invasive species and diseases, an increase of $500,000.  

    ·        $1.1 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, including $216 million for combating specialty crop pests.  

    ·        $36 million for Agriculture Quarantine Inspections to prevent infestations of pests and diseases.  

    ·        $15 million for the Minor Crop Pest Management Program to provide expert assistance to minor and specialty crop producers.  

    ·        $8 million for the Grassroots Source Water Protection Program that is designed to prevent water source pollution.  

    ·        $5 million for Aquaculture Centers and $2 million for aquaculture research programs.  

    ·        $1 million for Tropical and Subtropical Agricultural Research Grants for Insular Areas.  

       The measure also:  

    ·        Directs the Agricultural Research Service to continue research on tropical and subtropical crops, emphasizing the need to combat invasive pests.

    ·        Directs the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to report on existing protocols protecting Hawai‘i from invasive species and evaluate options for enhancing this protocol.  

      A summary of the agriculture funding bill is available here.  

      ###

     

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: National Early Years Policy Summit

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we meet on today – the Jagera and Turrbal peoples – and pay my respects to their elders past and present.

    I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.

    Ministers don’t get to choose their portfolio, but if I did, it would have been Early Childhood Education and Care.

    I’m proud to have been an early years advocate for many years, in my time representing educators with the Big Steps campaign – to respect and value this overwhelmingly female workforce.

    A workforce that was expected to love their work, but live with their low wages, for way too long.

    So it was already an honour to be a member of the Albanese Government team, and to be there in the chamber, with educators in the gallery, when Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced we would fund educators’ historic 15 percent payrise last May.

    And it’s a huge honour to continue our work, now as Minister, and to have the job of helping to deliver the Prime Minister’s ambition of universal early education for every child, no matter their postcode or what their parents do.

    “Together for our children”

    Today marks only five weeks in the job – so I feel like a combination of veteran and new starter.

    It is wonderful to have the opportunity to be in a room with so many experts and advocates who have been at the forefront of advancing early childhood development, with such impact. Big congrats to the Investment Dialogue for Australia’s Children for bringing together an amazing room of leaders.

    And I‘m really pleased that you’ll hear tomorrow from my friend and colleague Tanya Plibersek.

    The theme of the summit – Together for our children – couldn’t be more appropriate or timely.

    And I really look forward to working together with you to extend the benefits of quality early education to more children, in more families, in the locations that need it most.

    Value of ECEC – the opportunity

    I don’t need to tell people in this room the benefits of giving children the best start in life.

    And I don’t need to tell you about the evidence.

    We have known the benefits of high quality early learning for decades.

    In particular, the importance of play-based learning to support language development, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.

    To foster curiosity and confidence.

    To ready children for school and for life.

    And if high quality early learning is good for all children, we know it is even better for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    So if we care about all children having the best start, we have to care about quality education and care.

    I know that for many people in this room, this week’s release of the 2024 Australian Early Development Census only serves to underscore the importance of continued government investment in quality early learning.

    There is more to do.

    And when there’s work to be done, it’s always important to consider where we’ve come from, to chart the best path forward.

    Ambition and past progress

    This country has a proud history of great reforms in early education.

    Reforms like those of the Rudd-Gillard Government to:
    •    Deliver our world-leading National Quality Framework
    •    Mandate educator to child ratios
    •    Establish minimum qualifications for educators
    •    Increase access to early learning for indigenous children
    •    And launch the first national curriculum

    And as a result of these reforms, the trajectory of quality in early education has consistently been one of improvement, to this day.

    These historic reforms happened because of a combination of values and leadership, and unity of purpose.

    Values that every child deserves the opportunity to grow and learn and be ready for the future, no matter where they live or what their parents do.

    Leadership like that shown by Julia Gillard, Jenny Macklin and Kate Ellis who knew the evidence that early education is a gamechanger, and acted on it.

    Leadership reflected in the advocacy of so many in this room, to achieve so much reform in those critical years.  

    And unity of purpose, as the sector came together to engage with government to advance their commitment to professionalisation and quality.

    Towards universal ECEC

    Those same values and leadership have underpinned the work of my colleague and Cabinet Minister Jason Clare and my predecessor Anne Aly who have continued the significant journey of the previous Labor government.

    Their focus has been to build out four pillars of universal early education.

    And critically, again, the sector has united to embrace reform and make it happen.

    In particular, to build the first pillar of reform – a stable and respected workforce.

    We know that our 15% payrise is already paying big dividends.

    I’ve heard the difference its made again and again as I’ve visited centres. It helps with the bills. It helps educators to save more and stress less.

    And by valuing our dedicated educators in their pay packets, we are seeing significant reductions in staff turnover, as educators see a future in the jobs they love.

    And that future means more children are enjoying the ongoing relationships and connections with educators that they need to thrive.

    It means more quality early education delivered to families.

    Second, we are building more affordable early education and care through:
    •    Our changes to the Child Care Subsidy. Today a family on $120,000 per year is more than $4,600 better off – having cut their out of pocket costs by more than a third.

    •    And through our 3 Day Guarantee replacing the Activity Test – a test which excludes children from early learning based on what their parents do, not what’s best for them.

    •    The 3 Day Guarantee will be in effect from January, with an entitlement for every child of 72 hours per fortnight subsidised early learning.   And for First Nations children that is a full 100 hours per fortnight.

    The third pillar is building supply in areas that need it the most, with our billion dollar Building Early Education Fund to deliver early learning in underserved areas in outer suburbs and regions.

    A big commitment from the Commonwealth to extend early education into those child care deserts that leave so many children behind.

    And the final pillar is quality and safety.

    There is no quality without a stable workforce that can stay in jobs they love.

    And there is no quality without putting safety first.

    In recent months we have all seen images which are hard to watch.

    It can both be true that the actions we have seen are utterly unacceptable and must be stopped, and that the vast majority of children are safe and well cared for by outstanding professionals.

    Professionals who tell me they feel betrayed by what they are seeing and reading.

    Yesterday we announced tougher child safety rules that have  been agreed by all governments, including 24 hour mandatory reporting, and restrictions on the use of personal mobile devices in centres.

    And, the Commonwealth is exploring using our powers to crack down on dodgy operators that put profit before children’s safety by restricting their access to Commonwealth funding – cutting off the Child Care Subsidy for existing repeat offenders, and preventing further expansion.

    Ensuring that children are safe, and that their families are confident of this, underpins everything we are doing now, and all of the reform that we want to lead.

    Bringing the system “together for our children” to create change

    To conclude, right now, we are building the pillars of universal early education – workforce, affordability, accessibility, and quality.

    As we build towards universal early learning and care, we have:
    •    A mountain of evidence of the benefits; 
    •    Shared values and leadership, in this room and beyond 
    •    A sector uniting for reform
    •    And – critically – a Prime Minister who sees and understands the benefits of universal early education, and is ready to build on our proud Labor legacy in the early years.

    Everyone in this room has a stake in helping to build that future, and nobody can do it alone.

    And I know you have many ideas and much expertise to make change happen.

    Change that gives children the best start, no matter their postcode or what their parents do.

    I look forward to working with all of you to deliver that future. 
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Conducts Mission Stop in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 23, 2025 [Image 2 of 11]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

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    NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (June 23, 2025) U.S. Navy Capt. Mark B. Stefanik, right, mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25) and Lt. j.g. Griffin Gebler, officer-in-charge of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4, inspect the structural integrity of a technical building on Tonga College ‘Atele campus during PP-25 engineering repairs in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 23, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 06.23.2025
    Date Posted: 06.23.2025 23:29
    Photo ID: 9128310
    VIRIN: 250623-N-ED646-1437
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    This work, Pacific Partnership 2025 Conducts Mission Stop in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 23, 2025 [Image 11 of 11], by PO2 Moises Sandoval, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Conducts Mission Stop in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 23, 2025 [Image 10 of 11]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (June 23, 2025) U.S. Navy Capt. Sharlene Gee, optometrist deployed in support of Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25), examines a patient for a glasses fitting during a PP-25 community health engagement at Vaiola Hospital in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 23, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 06.23.2025
    Date Posted: 06.23.2025 23:29
    Photo ID: 9128318
    VIRIN: 250623-N-ED646-7446
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  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Baths, wine, and sex make life worth living’: how ancient Romans used public baths to relax, work out and socialise

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Edwell, Associate Professor in Ancient History, Macquarie University

    iLongLoveKing/Shutterstock

    Standing in the vast ruins of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, hundreds of gulls circle above. Their haunting cries echo voices from 1,800 years ago. Today, the bare shell of what was one of Rome’s largest bath complexes mostly sits empty, occasionally playing host to opera performances.

    But what were the baths of ancient Rome actually like back then? And why were the Romans so into public bathing?

    Public baths everywhere

    While living in Rome for almost a year, I noticed the remains of ancient baths (thermae in Latin) everywhere.

    Virtually every emperor built them, and by the middle of the fourth century there were 952 public baths in the city.

    The largest were the baths built by the emperor Diocletian (284–305). Around 3,000 people a day could bathe at this 13-hectare complex.

    These baths, like most, contained a room (the caldarium) heated by air ducts in the walls and floors. The floors were so hot special sandals were worn.

    Another room leading from it was milder (the tepidarium), before bathers entered the frigidarium, which contained a cold pool. A 4,000-square-metre outdoor swimming pool was the central feature.

    Public baths also often featured gymnasiums, libraries, restaurants and exercise yards.

    Today, the baths of Caracalla mostly sit empty.
    Wirestock/Getty

    ‘Baths, wine, and sex make life worth living’

    The philosopher Seneca, also an advisor to the emperor Nero, lived above a bath complex around 50 CE.

    He described the sounds of people “panting in wheezy and high-pitched tones” as they lifted weights. Others plunged into swimming tanks with a loud splash. Shop-owners selling food yelled out the prices of their wares. Some sang loudly for their own pleasure in the bathroom.

    One 4th-century CE account describes how aristocrats sometimes arrived at the baths with 50 servants attending them.

    Sections of the baths were reserved for these guests, who brought their finest clothes and expensive jewellery.

    While emperors built large public bath complexes, there were many smaller private ones. Entry fees were low and sometimes free during festivals and political campaigns. This allowed all social classes to use the baths.

    Women and men bathed separately and used the baths at different times of the day. Some bath complexes had areas designated for women only. The physician Soranus of Ephesus, who wrote a treatise on gynaecology in the second century CE, recommended women go to the baths in preparation for labour.

    In a crowded and polluted city like Rome, the baths were a haven. Warm water, smells of perfumed ointments, massages and a spa-like environment were pleasures all could indulge in.

    A first-century CE inscription declared that

    baths, wine, and sex make life worth living.

    Baths and the grim reality of slavery

    Baths were places of great social importance, and nudity allowed bathers to show off their physical prowess.

    Archaeological evidence suggests even dentistry was performed at the baths.

    Behind these images of indulgence, however, lay the grim reality of slavery. Slaves did the dirtiest work in the baths.

    They cleaned out cinders, emptied toilets and saw to the clearing of drains.

    Slaves came to the baths with their owners, whom they rubbed down with oil and cleaned their skin with strygils (a type of scraper). They entered the baths through a separate entrance.

    Baths across the empire

    Baths were popular in every city and town across the Roman Empire. A famous example is Aquae Sulis – the modern town of Bath – in England (which was under Roman rule for hundreds of years). At Aquae Sulis, a natural hot spring fed the baths. The goddess Minerva was honoured at the complex.

    The remains of similar bath complexes have been found in North Africa, Spain and Germany.

    Extensive remains of a Roman bath at Baden Baden in Germany are among the most impressive.

    Similarly, at Toledo in Spain, a public Roman bath complex measuring almost an acre has been found.

    Baths were often built in military camps to provide soldiers with comforts during their service. Remains of military baths have been found all over the empire. Researchers have found and excavated the baths for the army camp at Hadrian’s wall, a wall built to help defend the Roman Empire’s northern frontier in what is now modern Britain.

    The baths at Chester contain hot rooms (caldaria), cold rooms (frigidaria) and also a sweat room (sudatoria), which is similar to a sauna.

    A long history

    The Romans weren’t the first to use public baths. Their Greek forebears had them too. But the Romans took public bathing to a empire-wide level. It became a marker of Roman culture wherever they went.

    Public bathing would continue in the empire’s Islamic period and became famously popular under the Ottomans, who ruled the empire between 1299 and 1922. Turkish hammams (baths) remain an important public institution to this day and they descend directly from the Romans. Istanbul still contains 60 functioning hammams.

    Roman baths were not only technically ingenious and architecturally impressive, they connected people socially from all walks of life. As the gulls circle over the baths of Caracalla in Rome, their haunting cries connect us to that very world.

    Peter Edwell receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. ‘Baths, wine, and sex make life worth living’: how ancient Romans used public baths to relax, work out and socialise – https://theconversation.com/baths-wine-and-sex-make-life-worth-living-how-ancient-romans-used-public-baths-to-relax-work-out-and-socialise-257466

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to hold military parade to mark 80th anniversary of victory against Japanese aggression, fascism 2025-06-24 11:00:09 China will hold a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

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

      China’s State Council Information Office holds a press conference on plans for marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, in Beijing, capital of China, June 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

      BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) — China will hold a military parade in Tian’anmen Square, downtown Beijing, on Sept. 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

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    MIL OSI China News –