NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – ELECTRIFY QUEENSTOWN TO RETURN IN 2026

    Source: Destination Queenstown

    Queenstown, New Zealand (10 June 2025) – Electrify Queenstown will return for a third year, following the huge success of the 2025 event which built strong momentum across the region.

    Now a cornerstone event in Queenstown’s calendar, Electrify Queenstown will take place from 17 – 19 May 2026, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, politicians and policymakers to share practical, cost-effective ways for businesses and households to electrify.

    Mat Woods, Chief Executive of Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism, says Electrify Queenstown is an event designed to turn ideas into action.

    “The energy this year was incredible with hundreds of people turning up to explore new and emerging technologies and future-focused solutions that not only save you money, but are good for the environment too.” he said.

    Attendees this year included local residents, visitors from around New Zealand, business owners, and change makers all eager to share the opportunities and challenges involved in a low-emissions future.

    The event featured bold announcements including plans for a low-emissions urban cable car network in Queenstown, the debut of new electric marine propulsion technology on Lake Whakatipu, and the release of Rewiring Aotearoa’s policy manifesto.

    Mike Casey, CEO of Rewiring Aotearoa, says there’s an exciting opportunity for New Zealand to lead the global energy transition, and events like Electrify Queenstown are helping educate kiwis about what’s possible.  

    “Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the few countries that has reached the electrification tipping point where it’s cheaper to electrify than use the fossil fuel alternative.

    “Whether you’re in it for the cost savings, lowering emissions, or energy security, we all win by going electric.” Mike said.

    Electrify Queenstown is proving to be a valuable platform for businesses and innovators to showcase energy-efficient solutions for homes and enterprises.  

    Sharon Fifield, CEO of Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce, says it’s inspiring to see the momentum that’s been built since the inaugural one-day event in 2024.

    “Businesses are seeing the economic value of electrification alongside the environmental benefits, and there’s genuine enthusiasm to get involved and make a difference.” Sharon said.

    With strong interest from locals eager to lower their bills, become more energy efficient and resilient, organisers say Electrify Queenstown 2026 will again cater to everyone with even more opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

    “Each year, more people are seeing what’s possible through electrification and it’s exciting to think about what 2026 will bring.” Mat added.

    Electrify Queenstown 2026 will take place at the Queenstown Events Centre, Sunday 17 May – Tuesday 19 May 2026.

    The event supports Queenstown Lakes’ destination management plan and the broader goal of regenerative tourism and a carbon-zero visitor economy by 2030.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Ara researchers publish groundbreaking work on AI in vocational education

    Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury

    Ara Institute of Canterbury is celebrating the publication of a pioneering book that reframes the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, shifting the narrative from plagiarism prevention to unlocking its potential for better learning.
    AI in Vocational Education and Training, published by Springer Nature, brought together a multi-disciplinary group of educators and researchers from Ara and Otago Polytechnic to critically explore the use of AI-supported learning across a wide range of vocational education contexts.
    The book was edited by Dr Selena Chan, an Ara Education Developer and previous Ako Aotearoa Prime Minister’s Supreme award winner for excellence in tertiary teaching. The collection presents practical insights and research-backed strategies for integrating teaching and learning to improve student success.
    Dr Chan said the book offers a roadmap for using AI tools effectively in vocational education and training (VET).
    “It also addresses ethical concerns, ensuring AI supports learning rather than undermine academic integrity,” she said.
    While the arrival of AI-powered natural language chatbots such as ChatGPT have sparked widespread debate about plagiarism, Dr Chan said the book offers an alternative perspective – highlighting AI’s enormous potential to support deeper engagement, critical thinking and independent analysis.
    Covering disciplines from construction management and graphic design to nursing and business, the book also highlights a significant project exploring how AI can be adapted to support neurodivergent learners.
    Dr Chan said educational developers, learning designers, tutors and senior students collaborated on designing AI-supported activities that not only engage learners but also foster independent analysis and strengthen practical application skills.
    She wanted to acknowledge the invaluable input of ākonga (students) in the research, “without whom the work would not have been completed,” as well as the support of Scott Klenner who is both Ara’s Research Manager and the Director of Rangahau, Research and Postgraduate Studies at Otago Polytechnic. “Scott’s guidance on inclusivity, rangahau (Māori research) and the incorporation of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) in research design was invaluable.
    Klenner said the publication highlighted the two institutes’ leadership in applying AI to vocational education in New Zealand. He commended “our academics’ te hinengaro me te ringa mahi (thinking and work) for producing leading research, with an international publisher, exploring the most significant evolution of education this century”.
    With case studies, guidelines and frameworks, the book provides a valuable resource for educators and policymakers working to future-proof vocational education in Aotearoa New Zealand.
    Notes: 
    Dr Chan is an educational developer, academic capability leader and co-editor of the International Journal of Training Research. She has published extensively on vocational education and technology-enhanced learning and received the Ako Aotearoa Prime Minister’s Supreme Award in 2007 for teaching excellence.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Dai-ichi Life Group and Capgemini sign multi-year agreement to establish a Global Capability Center in India to drive international digital transformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press contact:
    Pek Kee Sum
    Tel.: +65 89 40 71 98
    E-mail: pek-kee.sum@capgemini.com

    Dai-ichi Life Group and Capgemini sign multi-year agreement to establish a Global Capability Center in India to drive international digital transformation

    Singapore, June 10, 2025 – Capgemini and Dai-ichi Life Holdings, today announced the signing of a multi-year agreement to establish a Global Capability Center (GCC) in India.

    This landmark agreement is poised to accelerate Dai-ichi Life Group’s digital transformation globally. The GCC aims to tap into India’s deep pool of skilled professionals to support and enhance its IT and digital strategies. As a result, Dai-ichi Life Group’s goal is to significantly strengthen its in-house digital capabilities and technology platforms, driving innovation and operational efficiency on a global scale.

    This strategic collaboration with Capgemini, which initially spans Japan, the United States, and Australia, will leverage a broad spectrum of the GCC’s digital capabilities including advanced software development, infrastructure modernization, AI & data solutions, and robust cybersecurity measures. It is designed with the flexibility to expand into other countries based on market needs and potential, to support the global ambitions of Dai-ichi Life Group.

    “This strategic partnership with Capgemini supports our long-term ambition to build differentiated, internal capabilities through the establishment of our Global Capability Center,” said Tetsuya Kikuta, President and CEO at Dai-ichi Life Holdings. “By adopting a Build-Operate-Transfer model, we are not only accelerating our digital transformation but also laying the foundation for in-house expertise in critical areas such as AI, data, and cybersecurity. This approach sets us apart and strengthens our ability to deliver innovative, high-impact solutions across the Dai-ichi Life Group.”

    Capgemini will bring its end-to-end capabilities at scale, including its strong presence and delivery track record in Japan, the Asia Pacific region and globally, to enable Dai-ichi Life Group’s transformation agenda. The partnership will focus on co-innovating solutions that streamline operations, harness the power of data analytics and artificial intelligence, and fortify cybersecurity defenses, all while helping to ensure a seamless and enhanced experience for Dai-ichi Life Group’s customers.

    “This strategic collaboration with Dai-ichi Life Group, a distinguished leader in the insurance sector, comes at a crucial time for the industry. Today, customer service remains one of the most powerful tools for encouraging loyalty and shaping brand perception, and this is increasingly enabled through technology,” said Aiman Ezzat, Chief Executive Officer at Capgemini. “This partnership is built on a shared vision to leverage technology and innovation to not only meet but exceed consumer expectations. By combining Dai-ichi Life’s deep industry knowledge with Capgemini’s global business and technology transformation expertise, including our proven ability to deliver complex solutions, our partnership will help unlock new value for the Dai-ichi Life Group and set new benchmarks in customer service and operational efficiency.”

    About Capgemini
    Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion.
    Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com

    About Dai-ichi Life Group
    Dai-ichi Life Group was founded in 1902 as Japan’s first mutual life insurance company. It became a joint-stock company and was listed on the stock exchange in 2010, before transitioning to a holding company structure in 2016. The Group has since expanded its operations globally, including across the Asia-Pacific region and North America, and now serves over 50 million customers while managing approximately USD 430 billion in consolidated assets. Our IT and Digital strategies enable us to innovate, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experience, while driving long-term growth and sustainability.
    By your side, for life | www.dai-ichi-life-hd.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • Making India stronger: PM Modi highlights 11 years of defence reforms, self-reliance

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the remarkable strides made by India’s defence sector over the past 11 years, underlining the twin focus on modernisation and self-reliance.

    In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “The last 11 years have marked significant changes in our defence sector, with a clear focus on both modernisation and becoming self reliant when it comes to defence production. It is gladdening to see how the people of India have come together with the resolve of making India stronger! #11YearsOfRakshaShakti”.

    The post was part of a broader national campaign highlighting the transformation of India’s defence capabilities since 2014, coinciding with the beginning of PM Modi’s first term as the Prime Minister.

    From being heavily import-dependent to becoming a notable arms exporter, India’s defence journey has seen a fundamental shift.

    The Ministry of Defence and senior officials echoed the Prime Minister’s sentiment, praising the nation’s move towards indigenisation and innovation.

    The Ministry of Defence elaborated on this transformation in a post on X: “Over the past 11 years, under PM Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership, India’s defence sector has transformed from import-dependent to a global exporter, powered by Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Make In India. Indigenous innovations like Brahmos missile & advanced submarines have fortified our security and global standing. Defence exports now reach 100+ countries, marking a historic rise in self-reliance. As we celebrate 11 Years Of Raksha Shakti, we salute the strides toward a safer, stronger India.”

    Key milestones during this period include the record growth in defence exports, which have surpassed Rs 21,000 crore in recent years, the successful deployment of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, the commissioning of indigenous aircraft carriers like INS Vikrant, and the development of homegrown fighter jets like the HAL Tejas.

    The celebration of ’11 Years of Raksha Shakti’ underscores the government’s emphasis on reducing dependency on foreign suppliers and promoting indigenous defence production under flagship initiatives like Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia should stand up for our feta and prosecco in trade talks with the EU

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hazel Moir, Honarary Associate Professor; economics of patents, geographical indications and other “IP”; trade treaties, Australian National University

    TY Lim/Shutterstock

    Trade Minister Don Farrell has confirmed Australia and the European Union will restart negotiations for a free trade agreement immediately. Two years ago, Australia walked away over a disappointing market access offer for our beef, sheep, dairy and sugar exporters.

    But with US President Donald Trump’s unilateral tariff increases, the world has changed. The chances of successfully completing the negotiations with the EU on increasing access for some agricultural products and cutting red tape now seem good.

    Australia wants improved access for its beef and lamb exports to Europe, but European farmers have significant political influence. The 2023 offer from the EU would have accounted for just 0.3% of its agricultural imports. It was also less than that offered to other trading partners.

    Another major stumbling block was the EU’s demand that Australia give up naming rights for hundreds of food and drink products.

    The EU wants Australia to adopt its system of regulating names for regional food and spirit specialties. If accepted, this could negatively impact on consumers, Australian dairies and boutique spirit makers.

    What is the EU asking for?

    The EU wants Australia to adopt its so-called “geographical indications” approach to protect the names of European products. It has listed 170 food names and 236 spirit names for Australia to give up.

    The EU argues Australia should allow only Greek feta to be sold here; currently Australian, Greek, Danish and Bulgarian feta are all sold in our shops. It also wants the names prosecco and parmesan reserved for European producers.

    Australia approaches food product labels differently, mainly through consumer protection laws. Further, there is little culture of fraud here, while the European system was originally introduced for wines because of widespread fraud, before it spread to food products.

    Problems arise with the specific food and spirit names the EU wants reserved for their producers. Australia argues these are common names for the food items and we shouldn’t lose access to them.

    Intellectual property privileges limit what other producers can do. So there is always a process to allow other parties to object. Our trade agreements also provide for objections processes.

    In 2019, the Australian government called for producers to raise any objections, but provided no follow-up and no process for the resolution of objections. Producers have received no feedback. This denies those affected by the European naming demands access to due process of law.

    The problem with parmesan

    The worst problems are with the common names that, in Australia, are recognised as generic product names.

    Prosecco grapes growing in the Veneto region of Italy. The EU wants to restrict use of the name prosecco.
    StevanZZ/Shutterstock

    The EU does recognise many food names as common names, such as gouda, brie, edam and camembert cheese. But they want Australia to declare that feta, parmesan and prosecco are not common names in Australia. Australian producers, retailers and consumers would disagree.

    The Europeans argue parmesan is a translation of its geographical indication, Parmigiano Reggiano. It refuses to accept that in Australia consumers recognise parmesan as the common name for a hard cheese while Parmigiano Reggiano is an Italian cheese.

    In 2024, the Singapore Court of Appeal ruled parmesan is not a translation of Parmigiano Reggiano in Singapore and is available for use in Singapore as a common name. It is also clearly recognised as a common name in the EU-Korea trade agreement.

    Carve-outs for feta producers

    Feta is not a place name (it means slice). Canada solved the feta problem in its trade deal with Europe by accepting feta as a geographical indication, but grandfathered the right of all existing Canadian producers to continue to produce and sell feta. Vietnam achieved similar safeguards.

    Australia could ask for the same deal as provided to Canada, and this would ensure no negative impacts on producers or Australian consumers. To protect Australian consumers, who are currently also able to buy Danish and Bulgarian feta, Australia should ensure this exception includes companies exporting into Australia.

    Who can make prosecco?

    Prosecco is specified as a grape variety in the 1994 Australia-Europe bilateral wine treaty, and in Italy until 2009.

    Since then the Italian government took action to privatise the name prosecco and the EU endorsed prosecco as a proprietary name.

    However, all treaties with geographical indications provisions recognise that animal breed and plant variety names should remain free for common use. Our prosecco producers make wine with the prosecco grape, and should be allowed to label it as such. Just like pinot noir is labelled as pinot noir, the grape variety, and not Burgundy, the region.

    If the EU does not provide better access to its agricultural markets, and demands naming provisions which hurt Australian dairies and consumers, and our boutique spirits industry, we would be better to walk away from the proposed treaty.

    Hazel Moir is affiliated with the Centre for European Studies in the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University. From 2017-2019 she was lead researcher in a co-funded ANU and EU’s Erasmus+ Programme study which involved a meta-analysis of the available empirical evidence on the impact of GIs on farmers and regional development. The project funding was purely for research costs and involved no personal remuneration.

    John Power worked for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 2003 to 2019. He contributed to negotiations of the 2010 Australia-EU Trade in Wine Agreement and Australia’s FTAs. John led the amendments of the Wine Australia Act 2013 that introduced an objections process for wine GIs. In 2020 he joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a GI specialist negotiator.

    – ref. Australia should stand up for our feta and prosecco in trade talks with the EU – https://theconversation.com/australia-should-stand-up-for-our-feta-and-prosecco-in-trade-talks-with-the-eu-258392

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Result of the Daily Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction held on June 10, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Tenor 1-day
    Notified Amount (in ₹ crore) 25,000
    Total amount of bids received (in ₹ crore) 3,853
    Amount allotted (in ₹ crore) 3,853
    Cut off Rate (%) 5.51
    Weighted Average Rate (%) 5.51
    Partial Allotment Percentage of bids received at cut off rate (%) NA

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/518

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Symposium on “One State – Two Systems” Held in Beijing

    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

    BEIJING, June 10 (Xinhua) — An academic symposium on “one country, two systems” was held in Beijing on Monday to mark the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).

    The event was attended by about 100 guests, experts and scholars from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, as well as 11 countries including the UK, Portugal and Malaysia.

    The symposium, hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, included sub-forums on topics such as the theory and practice of national security legislation, national security and economic development, and national security and social governance.

    The guests and scholars present agreed that the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has played a comprehensive and fundamental role in curbing unrest in Hong Kong, ensuring the implementation of the “one country, two systems” policy, and promoting economic development and human rights protection in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

    The Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is a model for maintaining and improving the “one country, two systems” policy, said symposium participants, adding that the law has not only played a decisive role in restoring order and ensuring prosperity in Hong Kong, but has also served as a valuable guide for other countries and regions in shaping their legal systems related to national security.

    According to the guests and scholars present, the successful implementation of the “one state – two systems” course will open up new prospects for advancing global governance. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The number of China-Europe freight trains sent from China has exceeded 110 thousand.

    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

    JINAN, June 10 (Xinhua) — The 110,000th freight train to operate on the China-Europe international freight train route departed from Qingdao in east China’s Shandong Province on Tuesday morning, marking a milestone in the high-quality development of the railway service.

    The train, loaded with 55 containers of home appliances worth nearly 20 million yuan (about $2.78 million), including LCD monitors and refrigerators, will leave China through the Ereen Port in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the largest land border crossing on the China-Mongolia border, and is expected to arrive in Europe in 17 days, according to Gao Yitian, an employee of the Jiaozhou branch of the Jinan Railway Logistics Center.

    Over the past decade, China-Europe freight rail services have expanded significantly, with not only the number of trains leaving China increasing but also the range of goods carried expanding, Gao Yitian said, adding that the international logistics network in Shandong not only transports Chinese export products but also cross-border goods from Japan, the Republic of Korea and Southeast Asian countries.

    “I believe these trains will continue to deliver more Made in China products while providing better services to Belt and Road countries and their people,” Gao Yitian added.

    Currently, China-Europe routes link 128 Chinese cities with 229 cities in 26 European countries and more than 100 cities in 11 Asian countries. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lightning: Xi Jinping Calls on China, South Korea to Jointly Safeguard Multilateralism, Free Trade, and Ensure Stability and Smooth Operation of Global Industrial and Supply Chains

    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 | 10. 06. 2025

    Key words: China,Republic of Korea

    Source: Xinhua

    Flash: Xi Jinping Calls on China, South Korea to Jointly Safeguard Multilateralism, Free Trade, and Ensure Stability and Smoothness of Global Industrial and Supply Chains Flash: Xi Jinping Calls on China, South Korea to Jointly Safeguard Multilateralism, Free Trade, and Ensure Stability and Smoothness of Global Industrial and Supply Chains

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Urgent: China, ROK Should Elevate Strategic Cooperation and Partnership to Higher Level – Xi Jinping

    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

    BEIJING, June 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) need to take their strategic partnership to a higher level.

    Xi Jinping made the statement during telephone talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.

    China and the ROK should bring more certainty to the regional and international situation, he said, adding that the two countries should jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, and ensure the stability and smoothness of global and regional supply chains. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ‘Above our expectations’ – Aucklanders borrow millions of library books over past year

    Source: Auckland Council

    Auckland Council Libraries are leading the way lifting literacy across Tāmaki Makaurau with a stack of activities, support and smart technology.

    With 56 local libraries across the Auckland region, a fleet of mobile libraries on the road and borrowing available online, Aucklanders have access to the largest public library network in Australasia.

    Auckland Council Libraries carry a whopping 3.4 million items available to borrow or view for free. Anyone with a library card can access the collection, thanks to a network of specialist teams and technology constantly moving items around the region on request. 

    Head of Library and Learning Services Catherine Leonard says customer demand for requests across the collection is strong, with between 12,000 to 15,000 items moving through the central book sorting system each day.

    “On top of that, we’ve had an incredible 14 million items borrowed in total over 12 months and our visitor numbers have climbed to 6.75 million so far this financial year, which is well above our expectations,” Catherine says.

    E-books continue to gain popularity with 5 million checkouts in 2024, which places Auckland Council Libraries in the top ten eLending libraries worldwide.

    On top of the borrowing figures, Catherine says a key indicator that things are going well for regional library services is the customer feedback they receive. Over the past two years, customer satisfaction has consistently hit 90 per cent or higher and is currently sitting at 93 per cent.

    To keep the momentum going, Auckland Council Libraries team has adopted a new three-year service plan (2025-2028), which includes key priorities to inspire creativity, learning and discovery.

    This ensures our region-wide focus consistently supports those aspects of community wellbeing that libraries uniquely hold, says Catherine.

    Every day, Auckland Council librarians support literacy by encouraging reading. They work hard to make sure everyone has access to the safe and inclusive environments of libraries and the wide array of resources they hold.

    Other priorities include improving participation, championing Mātauranga Māori and celebrating cultural identity.

    An innovative content-creation and publishing programme launched in 2000 has led to the creation of 20 bilingual books to fill a gap in the collection for Māori and Pacific readers, 16 documentary films, 10 podcasts and a range of other material including virtual reality content.

    Catherine says demand for free digital equipment and library programmes continues to grow. All Aucklanders have unlimited access to public computers, internet, printing and Wi-Fi when visiting their local libraries.

    For researchers, Auckland Central City Library contains a treasure trove of resources with one of the largest collections of heritage and research materials in the country. Access to rare and precious taonga (manuscripts, historical maps, photographs, rare books) can be easily arranged.

    “Our staff are always looking for new ideas and developments in libraries to improve and engage new customers. Responding to feedback continues to be a priority for us, and the hugely-popular Bestie collection celebrating local authors is an example of this. We have just launched a new board game collection and plans for a Bestie collection for children are on track with the collection set to be launched towards the end of the year,” she adds.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Be vigilant: Fake Police scam doing the rounds again

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Real Police officers are warning Kiwis to be vigilant of cold callers posing as Police officers, as a pesky scam rears its head.

    In the past year, Police have worked quickly to warn the public as these scam calls emerged.

    Waitematā CIB’s acting Detective Senior Sergeant Ben Bergin says, “unsuspecting victims are essentially being called out of the blue under a ruse”.

    “The story changes slightly, but it will usually involve some sort of investigation and this ‘officer’ will report having located a valuable item of yours, such as a passport.

    “He will need your help or ask for your personal information. 

    “The caller speaks with an English accent and provides a bogus ID number to the victim.”

    If you receive a phone call such as this, Police advise the public to be extremely cautious.

    Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Bergin says previous iterations of this scam has involved scammers asking people to withdraw cash as part of ‘an investigation’ or handing over bank details.

    Police made several arrests last year over the scam.

    “We strongly advise that you hang up,” he says.

    “From time-to-time, Police officers may contact you as part of their genuine duties.

    “It can be a bit surprising to receive a call unexpectantly, so stop and think if you get a far-fetched story shared down the telephone line.”

    In the past week, Police have received reports from Kiwis on both islands, including: Warkworth, Riverhead, Royal Oak, Ngaruawahia and in the Clutha and Queenstown-Lakes districts.

    “Fortunately, at this stage we are not aware of any victims losing money,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Bergin says.

    “Those recipients have done the right thing and ended the call and reported it to the real Police.”

    If you have received a similar call, please report this to Police online now or call 105.

    Important advice from New Zealand Police:

    – Police will never ask for your bank details, pin numbers or banking log in.
    – Police do not offer prize money
    – Police will never ask you to go to a bank and withdraw your own cash
    – Stop and think: If the call seems off, hang up and call 105 to verify the officer’s identity, or request a callback.

    ENDS. 

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New Secretary to the Treasury

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement today that Jenny Wilkinson will serve as the next Secretary to the Treasury and I thank him for the way he has involved and included Katy Gallagher and me in his decision.

    I am really excited by this opportunity to work even more closely with Jenny, whose contribution as the Secretary of the Department of Finance has been instrumental to our first four budgets and so much of the broader work of our government.

    I’m so grateful to Steven Kennedy for our very close and effective partnership over the past three years, for his friendship over a much longer period, for his service to my predecessor as well, and for the chance to work with him now in his new role.

    It was such a valued opportunity to work with him at Treasury.

    Steven and Jenny are the best of the best. Outstanding public servants and even better people. I’m really happy for them both and they should be very proud.

    Australia was incredibly fortunate to have someone of Steven’s calibre leading the Treasury, and is just as fortunate having him now lead the Australian Public Service.

    I pay tribute again to outgoing Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary Glyn Davis, another friend, and thank him for his friendship and service.

    Jenny will make history as the first woman to lead the Treasury. Under our government women now lead the Treasury, Reserve Bank and Productivity Commission all for the first time.

    Jenny is one of Australia’s most distinguished and experienced economists and public servants and has served with distinction under governments of both political persuasions.

    I am really pleased that someone with her skills and experience will guide and lead the department, as we continue to develop and implement our economic agenda.

    Jenny holds a Masters Degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University, a Bachelors Degree in Economics (with Honours) from the Australian National University, and was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2021.

    Thank you Steven and Jenny for agreeing to serve and to the Prime Minister for appointing them to these key roles at such an important time.

    MIL OSI News –

  • Russia’s latest drone strikes hit Kyiv, maternity ward in Odesa, Ukraine says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Russia launched another prolonged drone attack on Ukraine, killing one person and damaging swathes of Kyiv as well as striking a maternity ward in the southern port of Odesa, regional officials said early on Tuesday.

    The overnight strikes followed Russia’s biggest drone assault on Ukraine on Monday – part of stepped-up operations that Moscow said were retaliatory measures for Kyiv’s recent brazen attacks in Russia.

    At least four people were hospitalised as a result of the hours-long attacks that hit seven of the city’s 10 districts, city officials said.

    “You can’t break Ukrainians with terror,” Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, said in a Telegram post after the attacks.

    Air raid alerts in Kyiv and most Ukrainian regions lasted five hours until around 5 a.m. (0200 GMT), according to military data.

    “A difficult night for all of us,” Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military district, said on Telegram. “Throughout the night, the enemy relentlessly terrorized Kyiv with attack drones. They targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful residents of the city.”

    The attack sparked fires in residential and non-residential neighbourhoods and open space areas, city officials said. Reuters’ witnesses heard and saw countless loud explosions shaking the city and lighting the night sky.

    Photos and videos posted on Telegram channels showed heavy smoke rising in the darkness in different parts of Kyiv. The scale of the attack was not immediately known.

    Moscow has dramatically increased the pace of its attacks on Ukraine following Kyiv’s strikes on strategic bombers at air bases inside Russia on June 1. Moscow also blamed Kyiv for bridge explosions on the same day that killed seven and injured scores.

    The attacks come despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on both sides to move towards a resolution on the war. Moscow and Kyiv returned to negotiations for the first time in more than three years, but outside an agreement on the exchange of war prisoners, there has been no tangible progress.

    In addition to swarms of drones and missiles launched in recent days, Russia has also been advancing further on the ground along the frontline in eastern Ukraine, claiming on Tuesday to take more territory there.

    In the southern port of Odesa, a “massive” overnight drone attack targeted an emergency medical building and a maternity ward, as well as residential buildings, Oleh Kiper, governor of the broader Odesa region, said on Telegram.

    A 59-year-old man was killed in the attack on a residential area, and four people were injured, but patients and staff were safely evacuated from the maternity hospital, Kiper said.

    He posted photos of broken windows in what looked like a medical facility and of damage to the facade of several buildings.

    Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war. But thousands of civilians have been killed in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s government is pledging better protection for our vulnerable seas – but will it work?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carissa Klein, Associate Professor in Conservation Biology, The University of Queensland

    Nigel Marsh/Getty

    Ahead of this week’s crucial United Nations ocean conference, federal Environment Minister Murray Watt promised that by 2030, 30% of Australian waters would be “highly protected”.

    This is a telling pledge. After all, 52% of Australian waters are now protected following years of rapid expansion. But many are “paper parks” – lines on a map with very little real protection.

    Watt is proposing to expand the area under gold-standard protection, meaning fishing, mining and drilling would be banned inside the parks. This is welcome. But it must be done strategically, protecting ecologically representative and high biodiversity areas.

    If Watt is serious, he must ensure these upgraded marine parks cover poorly protected habitats important for biodiversity. These include shallow coastal zones, submarine canyons, seamounts and rocky reefs on the continental shelf. It’s not just about protecting 30% of the seas – marine parks must protect the full range of species and habitats in Australia.

    Bottom trawling and other fishing practices can do great damage to underwater ecosystems.
    mjstudio.lt/Shutterstock

    Impressive on paper

    Australia’s waters cover all five of the world’s climate zones, from the coral reefs of the tropics to the icy shores of Antarctica. At least 33,000 marine species are found in the nation’s marine boundaries – the most on Earth. Australia also has the most endemic marine species.

    For more than 30 years, successive federal and state governments in Australia have claimed global leadership roles in conserving ocean areas. Just last year, the Albanese government claimed the latest expansion meant Australia now protected “more ocean than any other country on earth”.

    When 196 countries committed to the goal of “30% by 2030” – the effective protection and management of at least 30% of the world’s coastal and marine areas by decade’s end – Australia was already well past that in terms of the size of areas considered marine protected areas.

    About 45% of marine waters were protected in 2022, up from 7% in 2002. Now that figure is 52%.

    Job done? Not even close. Even as Australia’s marine protected areas have rapidly expanded, marine species populations have shrunk while entire ecosystems hover on the brink.

    More than half of Australia’s marine parks allow commercial fishing and mining. The latest large protection around the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands doesn’t give strong protection to species-rich areas such as seamounts and undersea canyons.

    Losses everywhere

    Tasmania’s giant kelp forests once ringed the island state. At least 95% have vanished since the 1990s, wiped out by warmer waters and voracious sea urchins.

    Before European settlement, oyster reefs carpeted shallow sea floors in temperate east coast waters. But 99% of these have gone.

    Half the Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover died between 1995 and 2017 – a period with only two mass bleaching events. Bleaching has become more regular and more severe since then.

    Many marine species are in serious trouble. The most comprehensive assessment to date found populations of 57% of species living on coral, rocky and kelp reefs had fallen between 2011 and 2021. In 2020, a Tasmanian endemic species, the smooth handfish, became the first marine fish officially listed as extinct on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

    As the oceans get hotter, coral reefs are forecast to be wiped out. Poor marine water quality is drowning coastal species and ecosystems in sediments, nutrients, chemicals, and pathogens, including in The Great Barrier Reef.

    That’s not to say marine park expansion and other government efforts have been worthless. Far from it.

    Some whales have rebounded strongly due to the moratorium on commercial whaling. Good management of the southern bluefin tuna led to its removal from the threatened species list last year.

    Efforts to phase out gill net fishing are bearing fruit, while water quality has improved a little in the Great Barrier Reef.

    But these wins don’t offset an overall rapid decline.

    Action needed on climate and improving marine parks

    Giving Australia’s marine parks better protection won’t solve the problem of hotter, more acidic oceans due to climate change.

    Australia’s current emission target is consistent with a 2°C warming pathway. That level of warming would mean the loss of 99% of the world’s coral reefs.

    Australia is one of the world’s biggest producers of coal and liquefied natural gas and still has one of the world’s highest rates of land clearing, accounting for up to 12% of the country’s total emissions in some years.

    Protecting life in the seas means Australia must dramatically reduce emissions, end widespread land clearing and halt the approval of new coal and gas projects.

    Better protection inside marine parks will stop other major threats, such as seabed mining, gas and oil exploration and fishing.

    To date, Australia’s marine parks with high levels of protection are typically in remote areas with minimal human activity threatening biodiversity.

    From paper parks to real conservation leadership

    For decades, Australian leaders have touted their efforts to protect the seas. It’s now abundantly clear that paper protection isn’t enough.

    To arrest the steep decline in marine life, Australia must properly protect its marine areas by preventing fishing and mining in areas important for all marine species, while expanding its highly protected marine parks to save unprotected ecosystems.

    Minister Watt’s pledge is welcome. But it must actually prevent damaging human activities such as fishing and oil and gas extraction which are major contributors to the extinction crisis.

    Leaders must also focus on sustainable production and consumption of seafood and ramp up their ambition to tackle climate change and marine pollution.

    If Australia continues to expand paper parks without doing the hard work of genuine protection, it will set a dangerous precedent.

    Carissa Klein receives funding from the Australian Research Council

    James Watson has received funding from the Australian Research Council, National Environmental Science Program, South Australia’s Department of Environment and Water, Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as well as from Bush Heritage Australia, Queensland Conservation Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society and Birdlife Australia. He serves on the scientific committee of BirdLife Australia and has a long-term scientific relationship with Bush Heritage Australia and Wildlife Conservation Society. He serves on the Queensland government’s Land Restoration Fund’s Investment Panel as the Deputy Chair.

    Amelia Wenger does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Australia’s government is pledging better protection for our vulnerable seas – but will it work? – https://theconversation.com/australias-government-is-pledging-better-protection-for-our-vulnerable-seas-but-will-it-work-258286

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi urges China, S. Korea to take strategic cooperative partnership to higher level

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

    Xi urges China, S. Korea to take strategic cooperative partnership to higher level

    BEIJING, June 10 — Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China and South Korea should promote their strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.

    Xi made the remarks during his talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung over phone.

    China and South Korea should inject more certainty into regional and international landscape, he said, adding that the two countries should jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, and ensure stable and smooth global and regional industrial and supply chains.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: SCIO briefs media on innovation-driven development in Jiangsu

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

    SCIO briefs media on innovation-driven development in Jiangsu

    China SCIO | June 10, 2025

    Organized by the State Council Information Office (SCIO), a media trip kicked off on June 9 in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, with over 40 journalists exploring the province’s innovation-driven development. Foreign correspondents from the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, and Brazil joined the three-day trip. 

    A press briefing was held Monday, where Ma Xin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Jiangsu Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Jiangsu province, briefed the media and answered questions.

    On June 9, 2025, the State Council Information Office holds a press briefing in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, about the province’s progress in innovation-driven development. [Photo by Luan Haijun/China SCIO]

    1   2   3   4   5   6   7   >  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Market trade flat after early gains; US-China talks in focus

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Equity benchmarks opened higher on Tuesday, extending their winning streak for a fifth consecutive session, but pared early gains to trade largely flat as investors awaited the outcome of key US-China talks.

    At 9:17 a.m., the BSE Sensex was up 28.49 points or 0.03% at 82,473.70, while the NSE Nifty rose 21.15 points or 0.08% to 25,124.35.

    Technology, metal, and media stocks led sectoral gains, while banking counters witnessed mild selling pressure amid profit booking. Broader markets outperformed, with both midcap and smallcap indices rising up to 0.5%, reflecting broader participation.

    Akshay Chinchalkar, Head of Research at Axis Securities, said Monday’s performance was a continuation of Friday’s breakout. “Whether the index is breaking out of a pennant or a rectangle pattern, the implication is bullish with a target of 25,800. The 25,200 level is crucial on the upside, and as long as the index holds above 24,800, the momentum remains with the bulls,” he said, adding that the outcome of US-China talks could be the next major trigger.

    Vikram Kasat, Head of Advisory at PL Capital, said while efforts to ease tensions between the US and China are welcome, a comprehensive deal could take longer to materialise. “Investors are also eyeing progress on agreements with other trading partners,” he added.

    Analysts noted that with valuations stretched after the recent rally, selective profit booking may be prudent to guard against potential volatility.

    Globally, Wall Street ended marginally higher on Monday, supported by gains in Amazon and Alphabet, as markets closely monitored developments in US-China negotiations. Asian shares also edged up on hopes of a positive outcome.

    On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) continued to support the market, buying equities worth ₹1,992 crore on Monday. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers for the 15th straight session, purchasing stocks worth ₹3,503 crore.

    — IANS

  • India’s youth driving innovation and nation-building: Speaker Om Birla at IIT Jodhpur

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday emphasized the pivotal role of Indian youth in shaping the nation’s progress, stating that India is emerging as a global leader in addressing contemporary challenges through the strength of its young talent and technological innovation.

    Speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur, Birla lauded the contribution of India’s youth in propelling social, economic, and technological advancement, and urged them to continue harnessing cutting-edge technology for the betterment of the nation.

    Birla noted that the youth of India are increasingly transitioning from job seekers to job creators, with IITs playing a crucial role in this transformation. “Graduates from IITs have significantly contributed to strengthening the country’s startup ecosystem and economic development,” he said.

    Birla added that the global demand for skilled and innovative Indian youth is a testament to their growing impact, and encouraged them to become active stakeholders in the journey towards a Viksit Bharat.

    During his visit, the Lok Sabha Speaker inaugurated the state-of-the-art Lecture Hall Complex – II at IIT Jodhpur. He emphasized the importance of integrating modern scientific advancements with India’s rich spiritual heritage, stating that this balanced approach promotes ethical, inclusive, and sustainable growth. “India is moving forward by combining its scientific capabilities with spiritual wisdom, charting a path toward holistic national advancement,” Birla said.

    The LS Speaker also highlighted India’s strides in achieving self-reliance across various sectors — from manufacturing toys to producing defence equipment — and said that the country’s robust digital ecosystem has further fueled the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

    Praising the contribution of IITs in advancing technical education, Birla asserted that every college and university in India should strive to become a hub of innovation and excellence. He called upon higher education institutions to move beyond conventional teaching and foster creativity, research, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration to drive India’s growth in science and technology.

    “IIT students have enhanced India’s global stature by combining modern technology with Indian thinking and a fresh perspective,” he noted. Birla added that academic spaces should evolve into dynamic ecosystems where ideas are nurtured, talents are shaped, and future leaders are created.

    Referring to IIT Jodhpur’s transformative journey, Birla commended the institute for its pioneering role in global research, innovation, and cultivating scientific temper. He praised the efforts of Director Prof. Avinash K. Agarwal and the institute’s contributions in areas like defence technology and sustainable development in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

    Despite being located in a geographically challenging region, the institute has emerged as a beacon of progress, empowering young minds with access to world-class education and innovative thinking, Birla added.

    Birla also distributed ‘Research Initiative Grants’ to support innovation-related projects at the institute. Additionally, he launched IIT Jodhpur’s new official website and planted a sapling on the campus as a symbolic gesture of sustainable growth.

  • 15 states sue over Trump move to return seized rapid-fire devices for guns

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Fifteen Democratic-led U.S. states filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to block Republican President Donald Trump’s administration from returning thousands of previously seized devices that can be used to convert semiautomatic rifles into weapons that can shoot as quickly as machine guns.

    The states filed the lawsuit in federal court in Baltimore in the wake of the administration’s May 16 settlement that resolved litigation involving a ban on certain “forced-reset triggers” imposed by the government under Trump’s Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. The states in the lawsuit said such devices remain illegal to possess under federal law.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under Biden issued the ban after it determined that some of these devices should be classified as illegal machine guns under a federal law called the National Firearms Act.

    “We will not stand by as the Trump administration attempts to secretly legalize machine guns in an effort to once again put firearms industry profits over the safety of our residents,” New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement.

    The lawsuit was led by New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, and also included the states of Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington as well as the District of Columbia.

    The Trump administration’s settlement reversed course on the Biden administration’s policies.

    The settlement resolved lawsuits brought by a gun rights group challenging the ban and cases brought by Biden’s Justice Department against a manufacturer of the devices. Those cases had resulted in conflicting court rulings over the legality of classifying these devices as illegal machine guns.

    As part of the settlement, the Trump administration agreed to not apply the machine gun ban to such devices as long as they are not designed for use with handguns and agreed to return nearly 12,000 forced-reset triggers that had been seized by the government to their owners. The new lawsuit seeks to block the return of these devices to their owners.

    The states said conversion devices like forced reset triggers have been frequently used in recent years in violent crimes and mass shootings, and that at least 100,000 such devices that were distributed nationally in recent years should be considered illegal machine guns.

    The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    (Reuters)

  • Apple opens its AI to developers but keeps its broader ambitions modest

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Apple AAPL.O announced on Monday a slew of artificial intelligence features including opening up Apple Intelligence’s underlying technology in a modest update of its software and services as it lays the groundwork for future advances.

    The presentations at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference focused more on incremental developments, including live translations for phone calls, that improve everyday life rather than the sweeping ambitions for AI that Apple’s rivals are marketing.

    A year after it failed to deliver promised AI-based upgrades to key products such as Siri, Apple kept its AI promises to consumers low-key, communicating that it could help with tasks like finding where to buy a jacket similar to one they have seen online.

    Behind the scenes, Apple hinted at a strategy of offering its own tools to developers alongside those from rivals, similar to a strategy by Microsoft last month. Apple software chief Craig Federighi said the company will offer both its own and OpenAI’s code completion tools in its key Apple developer software and that the company is opening up the foundational AI model that it uses for some of its own features to third-party developers.

    “We’re opening up access for any app to tap directly into the on-device, large language model at the core of Apple,” Federighi said.

    In an early demonstration of this at work, the company added image generation from OpenAI’s ChatGPT to its Image Playground app, saying that user data would not be shared with OpenAI without a user’s permission.

    “You could see Apple’s priority is what they’re doing on the back-end, instead of what they’re doing at the front-end, which most people don’t really care about yet,” said Ben Bajarin, chief executive of analyst firm Creative Strategies.

    Apple is facing an unprecedented set of technical and regulatory challenges as it kicked off its software developer conference.

    Shares of Apple, which were flat before the start of the event, closed 1.2% lower on Monday.

    “In a moment in which the market questions Apple’s ability to take any sort of lead in the AI space, the announced features felt incremental at best,” Thomas Monteiro, senior analyst at Investing.com, said. Compared with what other big AI companies are introducing, he added, “It just seems that the clock is ticking faster every day for Apple.”

    That is a contrast to the ambitious vision laid out by Apple last year.

    “They went from being visionary and talking about agents before a lot of other people did, to now realizing that, at the end of the day, what they need to do is deliver on what they presented a year ago,” said Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.

    Apple executives said that developers will have access only to Apple’s on-device version of Apple Intelligence, which does not tap into special data centers Apple built for its AI efforts. The on-device model is about 3 billion parameters, a measurement of the model’s level of sophistication, meaning that it cannot handle the more complex tasks that cloud-based models can.

    As Apple executives discussed new features at the event in Cupertino, California, OpenAI announced a new financial milestone on Monday, reaching $10 billion in annualized revenue run rate as of June.

    OS UPDATES

    Federighi also said Apple plans a design overhaul of all of its operating systems.

    Apple’s redesign of its operating systems centered on a design it calls “liquid glass” where icons and menus are partially transparent, a step Apple executives said was possible because of the more powerful custom chips in Apple devices versus a decade ago.

    Federighi said the new design will span operating systems for iPhones, Macs and other Apple products. He also said Apple’s operating systems will be given year names instead of sequential numbers for each version. That will unify naming conventions that have become confusing because Apple’s core operating systems for phones, watches and other devices kicked off at different times, resulting in a smattering of differently numbered operating systems for different products.

    Some analysts told Reuters that Apple’s decision to introduce familiar Mac capabilities, such as a multitasking interface and menu bar, to iPad could portend a shift in priorities around which devices it markets to consumers.

    In other new features, Apple introduced “Call Screening” where iPhones will automatically answer calls from an unknown number and ask the caller the purpose of their call. Once the caller states their purpose, the iPhone will show a transcription of the reason for the call, and ring for the owner.

    Apple also said it will add live translation to phone calls, as well as allow developers to integrate its live translation technology into their apps. Apple said the caller on the other end of the phone call will not need to have an iPhone for the live translation feature to work.

    Apple’s Visual Intelligence app – which can help users find a pair of shoes similar to ones at which they have pointed an iPhone camera – will be extended to analyzing items on the iPhone’s screen and linked together with apps. Apple gave an example of seeing a jacket online and using the feature to find a similar one for sale on an app already installed in the user’s iPhone.

    (Reuters)

  • India building alternative rare earth supply chain amid curbs China curbs: Piyush Goyal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday described China’s rare earth export restrictions as a global “wake-up call,” underscoring India’s efforts to build alternative supply chains and position itself as a reliable partner for international businesses seeking to reduce dependence on Chinese suppliers.

    Speaking to reporters during his official visit to Switzerland—where he met with Swiss government officials and business leaders—Goyal acknowledged that China’s export curbs would pose short-term challenges for India’s automotive and white goods sectors.

    However, he expressed confidence that collaborative efforts among the government, industry, and innovators would turn these challenges into long-term opportunities.

    The minister outlined a multi-pronged strategy to address the crisis. This includes diplomatic engagement through ongoing dialogue between the Indian embassy and Chinese authorities, as well as the commerce ministry’s push to identify alternative sources. The government is also strengthening Indian Rare Earths Limited by providing resources to accelerate domestic production.

    “This situation serves as a wake-up call for all those who have become over-reliant on certain geographies,” Goyal said. “It’s a wake-up call for the whole world—you need trusted partners in your supply chain.”

    India’s automotive industry has requested the government’s assistance in expediting the approval process for importing rare earth magnets from China—critical components used in passenger vehicles and various automotive applications.

    China currently controls over 90% of global magnet production capacity, creating substantial vulnerabilities across industries. These materials are essential to sectors ranging from automobiles and home appliances to clean energy systems.

    The new Chinese regulations, effective April 4, require special export licenses for seven rare earth elements and related magnetic products.

    “There are clearly issues around the suspension of permanent magnet supplies from China to India, which will particularly affect our auto sector and several white goods manufacturers,” Goyal explained. “Some companies have submitted their applications, and we hope pragmatic considerations will prevail, allowing them to receive the necessary approvals.”

    Asked about possible government support through production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes, Goyal shared that discussions with automotive manufacturers have been encouraging.

    The companies have expressed strong confidence in addressing supply chain challenges through partnerships with domestic innovators and startups.

    “They are actively engaging with our innovators and startups, indicating their willingness to provide funding or pricing adjustments to accelerate growth in this sector,” the minister said.

    Goyal also praised the evolving mindset of Indian industry, noting a shift away from reliance on government subsidies.

    “More and more Indian businesses are moving beyond the old belief that subsidies alone will sustain operations. They are becoming bigger and bolder in their approach,” he said.

    The minister highlighted emerging technologies being developed in India as potential alternatives to Chinese rare earth supplies.

    “There are some technologies that India is developing,” he noted, stressing the importance of the collaborative approach among government, industry, startups, and innovators. “We are all working as a team and remain confident that, while short-term challenges exist, we will emerge as winners in the medium to long term.”

    Goyal concluded by framing the current disruption as a strategic opportunity for India’s manufacturing ecosystem. He believes it will accelerate the push for self-reliance and the formation of trustworthy global supply chain partnerships.

    “There is opportunity even in this crisis,” he said. “More and more companies and people in India will realise the importance of being self-reliant and having trusted partners in supply chains. The world increasingly wants India to be a part of their supply chains, because we are seen as a trusted partner.”

    (ANI)

  • France, Brazil launch initiative to scale up ocean-focused climate action

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    On the first day of the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), France and Brazil have launched a landmark international initiative to dramatically scale up ocean-focused climate action.

    The Blue Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Challenge calls on all countries to place the ocean at the heart of their climate plans ahead of UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) which Brazil will host in November this year.

    Alongside Brazil and France, an inaugural group of eight countries – Australia, Fiji, Kenya, Mexico, Palau, and Seychelles – has already joined the initiative, committing to include the ocean in their updated climate plans under the Paris Agreement.

    These plans represent the centrepiece of each country’s efforts to reduce emissions and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build resilience, and represent the highest level of political will under the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC).

    Launched on Monday, and building on the momentum this year brings as countries prepare to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the Blue NDC Challenge underscores the urgent need to recognise the ocean’s central role in addressing the climate crisis as a key ally.

    The initiative is supported by Ocean Conservancy, the Ocean and Climate Platform, and the World Resources Institute through the Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA) and has been endorsed by WWF-Brazil.

    In addition to its forests, Brazil is also an oceanic nation, with 40 per cent of its territory located at sea and hosting marine ecosystems of global significance — including the only coral reefs in the South Atlantic and the world’s largest contiguous mangrove belt along the Amazon coast.

    These ecosystems play a vital role in both climate adaptation and mitigation, serving as natural buffers against extreme weather events and contributing to carbon storage.

    “For Brazil, the Blue NDC Challenge represents a key opportunity to strengthen ocean-related climate action and to emphasise the essential role of ocean-based solutions in achieving emission reduction targets. Through this initiative Brazil seeks to advance international cooperation on ocean climate action in the lead-up to COP30, and to underscore the need for all countries to fully integrate the ocean into their national climate strategies,” said Marina Silva, Brazil Minister for the Environment and Climate Change.

    “In its recently submitted NDC, Brazil has explicitly included, for the first time, ocean-based climate actions, recognising the ocean’s critical role in climate regulation. These include the implementation of national Marine Spatial Planning, the enhancement of coastal zone management, and the establishment of programs for the conservation and restoration of mangroves and coral reefs,” she noted.

    Governments joining the Blue NDCs Challenge commit to stepping up efforts to reduce emissions and build resilience through ocean-based solutions, while also delivering benefits for both nature and people.

    Under the leadership of the governments of Brazil and France, eight inaugural countries spanning the globe committed to include ocean action in their national climate plans.

    “Ultimately, industrial marine sectors and natural ecosystems are underused tools in addressing climate change and other development needs. As world leaders gather in Nice and prepare for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belem (COP30), they can take inspiration from the Seychelles in championing ocean-based climate action,” said Wavel Ramkalawan, the President of Seychelles.

    “We are pleased to join the Blue NDC Challenge and work alongside COP30 host, Brazil, as well as France, Fiji, Seychelles, Mexico, Palau to highlight the vital role of the ocean in global efforts on climate change,” said Senator Murray Watt, Australia’s Environment Minister.

    (IANS)

  • Former India captain MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Former India captain MS Dhoni has been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, the sport’s global governing body said on Monday, recognising the wicketkeeper-batsman’s contribution to the game across all formats.

    Dhoni, 42, joins a class of seven inductees this year, including Australia’s Matthew Hayden and South Africa’s Hashim Amla. Known for his composure under pressure and sharp tactical acumen, Dhoni led India to three major ICC titles during his international career: the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

    “Celebrated for his calm under pressure and unmatched tactical nous… Dhoni’s legacy as one of the game’s greatest finishers, leaders and wicketkeepers has been honoured,” the ICC said in a statement.

    Dhoni played 538 international matches between 2004 and 2019, scoring 17,266 runs and completing 829 dismissals as a wicketkeeper. He also holds the record for the most stumpings in ODIs (123) and captained India in 200 matches in the format — the most by any Indian player.

    Reacting to the honour, Dhoni said being named in the Hall of Fame was a moment of pride. “To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever,” he said.

    Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020 but continues to play in the Indian Premier League for Chennai Super Kings.

  • MIL-OSI China: China extends visa-free access to 4 Gulf countries

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

    Tourists from Australia pose for photos at the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park in Beijing, capital of China, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China this week launched a trial policy that grants unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, expanding its unilateral visa-free access list to 47 countries.

    Under the policy, which will remain in effect through June 8, 2026, holders of ordinary passports from these four countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for purposes such as business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange, and transit.

    Both the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have established reciprocal visa-free arrangements with China since 2018, which means all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) now enjoy visa-free access to China.

    The expansion has been warmly welcomed across the Gulf region and is expected to boost bilateral exchanges, strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties, and inject new momentum into broader China-GCC cooperation.

    In a statement posted on platform X following China’s announcement in late May, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move would “contribute to encouraging mutual visits and deepening the bonds of friendship between the two friendly peoples.”

    Emirati travel influencer Abdulla Alblooshi praised the policy in a video on social media, calling it a major benefit for Gulf travelers. “Now, all you need is your passport to travel to China,” he said.

    Naif Awlia, director of tourism and engagement at Saudi tourism developer Diriyah Company, also hailed the policy as a positive step forward. “Friendly ties are the foundation of long-term cooperation, and we look forward to deepening our partnership with China,” he said.

    Kanoo Travel, one of the largest travel companies in the Gulf region and an early mover in promoting outbound tourism to China, has launched new travel packages since the announcement, targeting residents of the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.

    Harvey Lines, Acting CEO of Kanoo Travel, called the new policy “a gateway to expanded China-Arab cooperation,” adding that the company is committed to facilitating closer people-to-people exchanges between China and the Gulf region — and the broader Arab world.

    China and Gulf countries already enjoy strong air travel connectivity, and the new visa-free policy is anticipated to further boost travel volume.

    Currently, about 20 direct flights operate weekly between major Chinese cities — including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen — and Saudi destinations such as Riyadh and Jeddah. The UAE is connected to 13 cities across the Chinese mainland with direct flights.

    Looking ahead, Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines plans to launch a direct Haikou-Jeddah route on June 28, while UAE carrier Emirates will begin daily nonstop service between Dubai and Shenzhen on July 1.

    Observers say the new policy reflects the growing political, economic, and cultural ties between China and the Gulf region. In 2024, trade between China and GCC countries reached 288.09 billion U.S. dollars, making the GCC China’s sixth-largest trading partner.

    Wen Shaobiao, a Middle East researcher at Shanghai International Studies University, noted that the visa-free policy will significantly reduce travel time costs and facilitate large-scale, two-way mobility.

    “It will encourage people-to-people exchanges and academic collaboration while helping to advance trade, investment, and joint projects, aligning with business sector expectations,” Wen said.

    The latest step underscores China’s continued push to open its doors wider to global visitors, in line with its commitment to high-level opening-up.

    Since late 2023, China has introduced a series of traveler-friendly policies. Starting June 1, holders of ordinary passports from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay are eligible for unilateral visa-free entry — the first time such access has been extended to Latin American and Caribbean nations.

    Additionally, the visa-free transit period has been extended to 240 hours for travelers from 54 countries.

    These initiatives have already had a noticeable impact. In 2024, China recorded 3.39 million entries under its unilateral visa-free policy, a year-on-year surge of 1,200 percent. During the recent three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, 231,000 foreigners entered China without a visa, up 59.4 percent from a year earlier.

    Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, said foreign travelers come not only to visit China’s landscapes and cities but also to experience everyday life. “These visits offer opportunities to discover the real China,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Nicholas Pooran bows out of international cricket at 28

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran sent shockwaves through the cricketing world on Monday by announcing his retirement from international cricket across all formats. The unexpected move comes just days after South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen, another prominent figure in limited-overs cricket, also called time on his international career.

    Pooran hit 13 half-centuries in 106 Twenty20 Internationals and amassed 2,275 runs to become West Indies’ leading scorer in the shortest format.

    One of the world’s most explosive batters, the 29-year-old smashed 149 sixes in T20 Internationals to stand fifth overall.

    He served as West Indies’ limited overs skipper but gave up the captaincy after their first-round exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup.

    “This game we love has given and will continue to give so much – joy, purpose, unforgettable memories, and a chance to represent the people of the West Indies,” the Trinidadian said in a social media post on Monday.

    “Wearing that maroon, standing for the anthem, and giving everything I had each time I stepped on the field… it’s hard to put into words what that truly means to me.

    “To have led the team as captain is a privilege I will always hold close to my heart.”

    Pooran last played for West Indies in their 3-0 T20 series defeat by Bangladesh in December last year, while his most recent ODI appearance came in July 2023 against Sri Lanka.

    “Nicholas officially informed the leadership of his decision to retire from international cricket, bringing to a close a significant chapter in his career,” Cricket West Indies said in a statement.

    “His performances on the field and influence within the team have made a lasting impact on West Indies cricket.”

    Pooran opted to skip West Indies’ ongoing T20 series against England, requesting to be rested after playing for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League.

    He is likely to remain active on the lucrative global T20 league circuit.

    (With agency input)

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: PSA welcomes Wellington mayoral candidate’s commitment to pay equity

    Source: PSA

    The union representing library workers at Wellington City Council welcomes mayoral candidate Andrew Little’s commitment to pay equity, and encourages all local body candidates to make the same commitment.
    “This is just the latest example of people across the political spectrum recognising the Government’s vandalism of the Equal Pay Act as an unjust attack on women,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary of the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “We call on the Council to fix the undervaluation it knows is there, and deliver pay equity to these workers.”
    “Local body candidates around the country have the chance to do the right thing and recognise the true value library workers bring to their communities.”
    “But this is no substitution for legislation that guarantees pay equity in full, with provisions for maintaining it. We will keep fighting to reverse the Government’s changes.”
    The PSA lodged the library workers’ pay equity claim with Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin councils in 2019.
    Since then, the PSA worked with the councils in good faith to reach a settlement.
    Library workers were one of the pay equity claims that was close to being settled before being cancelled by last month’s amendments to the Equal Pay Act.
    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 boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rural News – Restrictions on carbon forestry long overdue – Federated Farmers

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Federated Farmers’ ‘Save our Sheep’ campaign has taken a major step forward this morning with the Government introducing legislation to stop carbon forestry on productive farmland.
    “This legislation is a really positive step forward – but from a farmer’s perspective, it’s long overdue,” says Federated Farmers meat & wool chair Toby Williams.
    “The Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture stood up on a stage in Gore at a Federated Farmers event on December 4 last year and announced these changes would be coming.
    “Since that announcement was made, farmers have been incredibly frustrated as we’ve watched tens of thousands of hectares of productive land continue to be planted in pines.
    “The Government have been very clear on their intention but a lack of action has caused huge uncertainty and heartache for farmers and rural communities.”
    The ‘Save our Sheep’ platform has been getting plenty of traction in recent weeks with a viral social media campaign and a strategically placed billboard directly opposite the Beehive.
    “The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) has been screwing the scrum in favour of forestry over farming by subsidising pine trees to offset fossil fuel emissions,” Williams says.
    “These new restrictions will put the squeeze on wholesale pine planting driven by carbon returns but won’t hinder genuine production forestry or smaller farm woodlots.
    “Federated Farmers aren’t anti-forestry. Exotic trees have a place and a role to play when it comes to sensible land use and income diversification – but carbon forestry is out of control.”
    Williams says farmers will be raising serious questions about 15,000 hectares of LUC 6 farmland being allocated by a ballot process each year.
    “That is a huge amount of land still going into pine trees and that’s what farmers will currently be using as breeding country – we can’t afford to lose 150,000 hectares in the next decade.
    “You can’t plant that land in pine trees while maintaining a sustainable sheep industry. We would lose more than 750,000 breeding ewes if that were to happen.”
    Federated Farmers were more positive about the clause ensuring 25 per cent of LUC 1-6 land will be registered against the property’s title to restrict further planting as a result of subdivision.”
    Williams says Federated Farmers still has serious concerns about exploitation of loopholes and the impact of badly broken ETS rules on rural communities.
    “The statement from the Government today says the time-limited transitional exemptions under ‘intention to plant’ rules are for ‘rare cases’ only.
    “I’m not convinced these criteria are anywhere near tight enough, particularly when it comes to things like the purchase of seedlings when the forester didn’t already own the land to plant.
    “If you didn’t own the land with a clear intention to plant it for carbon forestry before the announcement on December 4 last year, you should told ‘sorry, but you’re out of luck’.”
    As the legislation is currently written, simply having purchased seedlings is enough to show intent even if they didn’t own land to plant them on.
    Federated Farmers says that is simply nonsense and needs to be changed.
    Alongside restriction on whole farm conversions to pine trees for carbon farming, Federated Farmers are also calling for sweeping reforms of the forestry sector.
    “Pine forests are breeding grounds for pests like pigs and deer that are causing huge issues for farmers and costing us a fortune,” Williams says.
    “To put it bluntly, foresters simply aren’t doing enough pest management to get the issue under control – and it’s time for the Government to step in.”
    Federated Farmers says urgent changes need to be made to the Overseas Investment Act.
    “Applications to purchase farmland to convert to forestry should be assessed under the farmland test rather than the general benefit to New Zealand test,” Williams says.
    “This would mean that applications from oversees investors to purchase land for forestry would be on an even playing field with other land purchases.
    “Some of the applications we’re seeing approved at the moment are absolutely appalling and will have little or no benefit for New Zealand or our rural communities.”
    Williams also wants to see changes to the ETS to end the ability of carbon dioxide emitters to offset 100 percent of their emissions with emissions units from carbon farming.
    New Zealand is the only country in the world that allows 100% carbon offsetting through forestry, with other countries recognising the risk and putting restrictions in place.
    Federated Farmers is now calling on the Government to urgently review the ETS and fix the rules to either limit or stop the offsetting of fossil fuel emissions with forestry.
    You can sign the petition pushing for change at www.saveoursheep.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Climate legal action necessary response to Govt inaction – CTU

    Source: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi

    The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi welcomes the legal action taken against the Minister of Climate Change by a coalition of legal experts as an important step in ensuring that Aotearoa meets its climate action obligations.

    “We strongly support legal action to ensure that the Government is held to account for its legal obligations under the Climate Change Response Act,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.

    “The union movement is deeply concerned by the Emissions Reduction Plan 2026-2030, which contains no significant policies to reduce emissions and will fail to get New Zealand meaningfully closer to our 2050 net-zero commitment.

    “The actions – or lack of them – by this Government on climate change are the actions of climate deniers, not responsible leaders.

    “Workers and communities need real political leadership that combats global emissions and invests in creating a just transition for industries and workers. We need leadership that develops and upholds long term consensus, not more U-turns.

    “Instead, we have a government that cancelled 35 climate policies without consulting the public first, as required by law. Robust public engagement is essential.

    “Climate policy is yet another area where this Government is prioritising corporate interests over democratic accountability and the interests of working people.

    “Evidence is clear that a near-total focus on tree planting through vast pine forests is not a sufficient response – we must reduce emissions at source.

    “Alongside the weak emissions budget, in Budget 2025 we saw a total abdication of responsibility on climate change and ensuring a Just Transition for working people in an increasingly volatile world.

    “The NZCTU supports bold climate action to reduce emissions, adapt to the changing climate, and transition to a zero emissions economy that provides full employment for workers,” said Wagstaff.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Money Market Operations as on June 09, 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) 5,80,215.04 5.22 0.01-6.55
         I. Call Money 14,727.29 5.30 4.75-5.40
         II. Triparty Repo 3,74,905.75 5.20 5.05-5.28
         III. Market Repo 1,86,432.00 5.25 0.01-6.25
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 4,150.00 5.48 5.39-6.55
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 79.40 5.27 5.05-5.30
         II. Term Money@@ 1,042.00 – 5.50-5.80
         III. Triparty Repo 1,925.00 5.26 5.20-5.30
         IV. Market Repo 1,395.17 5.27 1.00-5.44
         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 Mon, 09/06/2025 1 Tue, 10/06/2025 3,711.00 5.51
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Mon, 09/06/2025 1 Tue, 10/06/2025 2,123.00 5.75
    4. SDFΔ# Mon, 09/06/2025 1 Tue, 10/06/2025 2,58,855.00 5.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -2,53,021.00  
    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$       8,321.86  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     8,321.86  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -2,44,699.14  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on June 09, 2025 9,32,180.72  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending June 13, 2025 9,41,551.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ June 09, 2025 3,711.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on May 16, 2025 3,48,763.00  
    @ 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: 2025-2026/517

    MIL OSI Global Banks –