NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Cambodia joint logistics, training center launched

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A joint logistics and training center established by the armed forces of China and Cambodia was officially inaugurated and put into operation on Saturday at the Ream Naval Base in Cambodia.

    The center is designed to support the two militaries in conducting regional counter-terrorism, disaster prevention and mitigation, humanitarian assistance, joint training and other operations, according to a statement released by China’s Ministry of National Defense.

    Both sides will dispatch personnel to jointly maintain the regular operation of the center, said the statement.

    The construction and operation of the center reflect mutual respect and equal consultation between China and Cambodia. The initiative fully complies with the domestic laws of the two countries, relevant international laws and international practices, which is not aimed at any third party, according to the statement.

    The establishment of the center is conducive to further strengthening practical cooperation between the two militaries and helps them to better fulfill international obligations and provide international public security products.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump funding cuts on media impacts on independent Asia Pacific outlet

    Pacific Media Watch

    One of the many casualties of the Trump administration’s crackdown on “soft power” that enabled many democratic media and truth to power global editorial initiatives has been BenarNews, a welcome contribution to the Asia-Pacific region.

    BenarNews had been producing a growing range of insightful on powerful articles on the region’s issues, articles that were amplified by other media such as Asia Pacific Report.

    Managing editor Kate Beddall and her deputy, Imran Vittachi, announced the suspension of the decade-old BenarNews editorial operation this week, stating in their “Letter from the editors”:

    “After 10 years of reporting from across the Asia-Pacific, BenarNews is pausing operations due to matters beyond its control.

    “The US administration has withheld the funding that we rely on to bring our readers and viewers the news from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, the Philippines and island-states and territories in the Pacific.

    “We have always strived to offer clear and accurate news on security, politics and human rights, to shed light on news that others neglect or suppress, and to cover issues that will shape the future of Asia and the Pacific.

    “Only last month, we marked our 10th anniversary with a video showcasing some of the tremendous but risky work done by our journalists.

    “Amid uncertainty about the future, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank our readers and viewers for their loyalty and trust in BenarNews.

    “And to Benar journalists, cartoonists and commentary writers in Washington, Asia, Australia and the Pacific, thank you for your hard work and passion in serving the public and helping make a difference.

    “We hope that our funding is restored and that we will be back online soon.”


    BenarNews: A decade of truth in democracies at risk.    Video: BenarNews

    One of the BenarNews who has contributed much to the expansion of Pacific coverage is Brisbane-based former SBS Pacific television journalist Stefan Ambruster.

    He has also been praising his team in a series of social media postings, such as Papua New Guinea correspondent Harlyne Joku — “from the old school with knowledge of the old ways”. Ambruster writes:

    “Way back in December 2022, Harlyne Joku joined Radio Free Asia/BenarNews and the first Pacific correspondent Stephen Wright as the PNG reporter to help kick this Pacific platform off.

    “Her first report was Prime Minister James Marape accusing the media of creating a bad perception of the country.

    “Almost 90 stories in just over two years carry Harlyne’s byline, covering politics, geopolitics, human and women’s rights, media freedom, police and tribal violence, corruption, Bougainville, and also PNG’s sheep.

    “Her contacts allowed BenarNews Pacific to break stories consistently. She travelled to be on-ground to cover massacre aftermaths, natural disasters and the Pope in Vanimo (where she broke another story).

    “Particularly, Harlyne — along with colleagues Victor Mambor in Jayapura and Ahmad Panthoni and Dandy Koswaraputra in Jakarta — allowed BenarNews, to cover West Papua like no other news service. From both sides of the border.

    “And it was noticed in Indonesia, PNG and the Pacific region.

    “Last year, she was barred from covering President Probowo Subianto’s visit to Moresby, a move condemned by the Media Council of Papua New Guinea.

    “At press conferences she questioned Marape about the failure to secure a UN human rights mission to West Papua, as a Melanesian Spearhead Group special envoy, which led to an eventual apology by fellow envoy, Fiji’s Prime Minister Rabuka, to Pacific leaders.”

    PNG correspondent Harlyne Joku (right) with Stefan Armbruster and Rado Free Asia president Bay Fang in Port Moresby in February 2025. Image: Stefan Armbruster/BN

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Ancient Silk Road grottoes in Xinjiang open to public

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Tourists view murals in the Ya’er Lake Grottoes in the city of Turpan, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 5, 2025. (Photo by Liu Jian/Xinhua)

    Two Buddhist cave complexes along the ancient Silk Road in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region opened to the public for the first time on Saturday.

    The Ya’er Lake Grottoes, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site in the city of Turpan, welcomed visitors following a year of restoration work and digital upgrades.

    “Wearing VR glasses, we learned the grottoes’ history and saw digitally restored Buddha statues. The visuals were incredibly lifelike, creating a truly immersive experience,” said Wang Juan, a tourist from the city of Korla.

    Formerly serving as a monastery, the grottoes are composed of 22 caves dating back to the fifth century and containing Buddhist murals and inscriptions in multiple languages, including Chinese and Old Uygur.

    The caves are arranged in two tiers: an upper level which served as meditation spaces for monks, and a lower level which likely functioned as a living area. Cave 4 and Cave 7 are currently open to the public.

    The grottoes are part of the Jiaohe Ruins — among the largest and best-preserved ancient clay cities in the world and one of the sites along the ancient Silk Road added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014.

    Wang Jiandong, head of the ruins’ administrative office, said that the restoration team adopted a digital approach to their work, allowing visitors to experience the artistic appeal of the millennia-old grottoes through an immersive blend of virtual and physical elements.

    In 2014, a joint application from China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan led to the inclusion of the ancient Silk Road on the UNESCO World Heritage list. China is home to 22 of the Silk Road’s 33 UNESCO heritage sites. There are another eight in Kazakhstan, and three in Kyrgyzstan. The route, which started in Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, was once the main corridor for trade and cultural exchange between Asia and Europe.

    Some 40 km away, four caves of the Shengjinkou Grottoes in Turpan also opened to the public on Saturday, set to offer 300 visitor slots per day. The Shengjinkou site has 13 caves dating back to the seventh century, where murals, woodware, pottery, fabrics and paintings on silk have been unearthed.

    Since 2012, China has invested 29.79 million yuan (4.14 million U.S. dollars) in five related conservation projects, including reinforcement and mural restoration, laying the groundwork for the public opening of the Shengjinkou Grottoes.

    Zhang Yong, deputy director of Turpan’s cultural heritage bureau, said that with the simultaneous opening of the Shengjinkou and Ya’er Lake grottoes, Turpan now has the most publicly accessible cave sites in Xinjiang.

    The Turpan Basin is home to 14 known grotto sites collectively encompassing over 400 caves, including the Shengjinkou and Ya’er Lake sites. As Turpan was a critical node on the ancient Silk Road, its grottoes reveal a unique fusion of Buddhist traditions, reflecting its role as a Buddhist hub linking Central Asia and China.

    An aerial drone photo taken on April 5, 2025 shows a view of the Ya’er Lake Grottoes in the city of Turpan, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Liu Yujie/Xinhua)

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Iran denies reports of casualties in US airstrike on Yemen

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    No Iranian personnel were killed in a recent U.S. airstrike on Yemen, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which is known to have close ties to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

    The statement came in response to a claim made by Yemen’s Minister of Information, Moammar al-Eryani, who posted on social media platform X on Friday that 70 members of the Houthi group — including senior field commanders and Iranian experts from the IRGC — were killed in a U.S. strike on Tuesday. The attack reportedly targeted a Houthi gathering in Al-Fazah, a coastal area in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

    Tasnim dismissed the report as false, stating: “The released report about the martyrdom of Iranian forces in Yemen is not correct. Follow-ups by Tasnim’s reporter indicate that the claim is false and no Iranian has been martyred in Yemen.”

    Tasnim added that the “false” news appeared to be in line with the anti-Iran psychological warfare aimed at escalating tensions in the West Asia region. It reiterated previous statements by Iranian officials asserting that Houthi forces are fighting the United States and Israel independently.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Cambodia joint logistics, training center officially launched

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A joint logistics and training center established by the armed forces of China and Cambodia was officially inaugurated and put into operation on Saturday at the Ream Naval Base in Cambodia.

    The center is designed to support the two militaries in conducting regional counter-terrorism, disaster prevention and mitigation, humanitarian assistance, joint training and other operations, according to a statement released by China’s Ministry of National Defense.

    Both sides will dispatch personnel to jointly maintain the regular operation of the center, said the statement.

    The construction and operation of the center reflect mutual respect and equal consultation between China and Cambodia. The initiative fully complies with the domestic laws of the two countries, relevant international laws and international practices, which is not aimed at any third party, according to the statement.

    The establishment of the center is conducive to further strengthening practical cooperation between the two militaries and helps them to better fulfill international obligations and provide international public security products.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Taiwan’s youth delegation wraps up mainland visit

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A group of 30 young people from Taiwan wrapped up their eight-day visit to the eastern province of Shandong on Friday.
    They set off from Taiwan on March 28, participated in a cross-Strait Confucius cultural exchange event, and visited places including Tai’an and Zaozhuang.
    Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation in Taiwan, led the delegation.
    During the visit, the delegation visited the Temple of Confucius in Qufu, where they paid respects to the ancient Chinese sage Confucius.
    A Taiwan youth participating in the ceremony told Xinhua that people usually pray for success in exams and academic progress at the Confucius Temple in Taiwan. This time, he prayed for realizing his dream of becoming a civil engineering technician.
    Traditional sacrificial activities such as those honoring Confucius and the Yan Emperor are shared spiritual bonds for people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, carrying deep emotional significance and playing a crucial role in strengthening cross-Strait relations, said Hsiao.
    He emphasized that this shared cultural understanding demonstrates the inseparable cultural ties between the two sides. “No matter how external forces may try to interfere, this inherent and close connection cannot be severed,” he said.
    As the visit coincided with the approach of the Qingming Festival, the delegation attended a flower-wreath-presenting ceremony at the Taierzhuang War Memorial Hall in the city of Zaozhuang.
    Hsiao and the young participants laid flowers at a monument commemorating the Battle of Taierzhuang, the first major Japanese defeat during the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, in tribute to the war heroes.
    They also visited a cross-Strait themed park in Taierzhuang.
    “Cross-Strait people-to-people exchanges are essential. The more the people understand each other, the more consensus and fewer misunderstandings there will be. Therefore, we continue to promote various exchanges,” Hsiao said.
    During the visit, youth from both sides of the Taiwan Strait engaged in friendly exchanges.
    Earlier this year, Hsiao led a group of about 40 Taiwan students to Beijing for cultural and sports exchanges. In late 2024, the foundation invited 40 students and faculty from seven mainland universities to Taiwan. Their visit received a warm welcome. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese int’l rescue team continues to conduct medical outreach in Myanmar’s Mandalay

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A member of China Search and Rescue Team provides medical consultations for local residents in Mandalay, Myanmar, April 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

    The China International Search and Rescue Team continued to conduct medical outreach on Saturday in the urban area of Mandalay region, Myanmar.

    Through disease screening, consultations, medication guidance, and medicine distribution, the team provided “zero-distance” medical services to the 7.9-magnitude earthquake-affected residents.

    At a relief camp near the University of Medicine in Mandalay, the team’s medical personnel utilized self-developed mobile diagnostic equipment such as handheld ultrasound devices, portable X-ray machines, and bedside ECG monitors to conduct free examinations for over 250 local residents. Essential medications, including anti-infectives, analgesics, and antihypertensives, were distributed on-site based on diagnoses.

    Near Mandalay Palace, the medical personnel team tailored solutions for prevalent local diseases, particularly respiratory, digestive, and immune system disorders exacerbated by the high temperatures in the earthquake-affected areas, providing medication guidance and conducting health education on respiratory care and chronic disease management to enhance public health awareness and self-care capabilities.

    The team comprises over 10 experts from the China International Search and Rescue Team, spanning 14 specialties, including internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics.

    Since deploying to Myanmar, they have supported search-and-rescue operations and structural assessments while disinfecting over 120,000 square meters of rescue and operational zones.

    Collaborating with other Chinese rescue teams, including China Search and Rescue Team, a rescue team from China’s Hong Kong and Shenzhen Public Welfare Rescue Team, they have provided round-the-clock medical support, conducting over 500 medical consultations.

    The China International Search and Rescue Team will continue to conduct medical outreach across Mandalay’s relief camps in batches, prioritizing treatment for acute and chronic conditions such as respiratory, hepatobiliary, cardiovascular, and endocrine disorders.

    Additionally, they plan to donate urgently needed medical supplies and equipment to local facilities. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: PLUMMERS ROAD, FOREST RANGE (Hazmat)

    Source: South Australia County Fire Service

    FOREST RANGE

    Forest Range Hazardous Material

    Issued for FOREST RANGE near Lenswood and Lobethal in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia.

    The CFS is responding to a hazardous materials (HazMat) incident at Plummer Road near Lenswood and Lobethal in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia.

    CFS volunteers, with support from SA Ambulance Service, are on scene with 6 trucks actively monitoring an ammonia gas leak with specialist equipment.

    CFS firefighters are working to bring the ammonia gas levels inside the building to a safe level.

    Crews, wearing specialist breathing apparatus, are using positive pressure fans to ventilate the building and will continue to monitor the atmospheric readings both inside and outside.

    This will help ensure the safety of all personnel at the scene and in the surrounding areas. Building management also has an ammonia technician on site, working to fix the source of the leak.

    Crews will remain on site for some time to keep monitoring the situation and ensure the community stays safe.

    Emergency services are working on and around roads in the area, and motorists are advised to stay away. If you need to travel on roads in the area, please take care and drive to the local conditions.

    Message ID 0008497

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Op Kereru targets antisocial road users in the Hutt Valley overnight

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Infringements, checkpoints, and seizures are some of the results from Hutt Valley Police’s focus on disrupting antisocial road user activity overnight.

    Operation Kereru saw an increased Police presence into the early hours of this morning, taking a zero-tolerance approach to unlawful road user behaviour.

    Police intercepted and disrupted a number of gatherings in the Hutt Valley area.

    One gathering in Pauatahanui was successfully disrupted as Police established a checkpoint at the only exit from the area where antisocial road users had gathered.

    Hutt Valley Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Shaun Lingard says Police were agile and persistent, making it clear that this activity would not be tolerated.

    “Our visibility and enforcement approach meant groups were intercepted before they were able to participate in antisocial road user behaviours.”

    Over the course of the night, eight vehicles were ordered off the road, 43 infringement notices were issued, and four drivers were processed for excess breath alcohol.

    Bailiffs from the Ministry of Justice were also present, leading to four vehicles being seized and a large number of fines being collected.

    Hutt Valley Police are committed to ensuring those participating in unlawful road user behaviour are held to account, as we know the impact this activity has on the wider community.

    “Not only does this keep residents nearby awake and damage roads, but it places drivers, passengers, bystanders, and other motorists at extreme risk,” says Inspector Shaun Lingard.

    Police ask members of the public to report unlawful activity to us, as soon as possible with as much information as safely possible.

    This will assist in an effective response to the issue, and in cases where we can’t immediately respond, allow us to follow up with drivers and take later enforcement action.

    You can report information to us by calling 111, if it is happening now, or through our 105 service for non-emergencies.

    Alternatively, you can report information anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road re-opens, Lincoln Road, Henderson

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Lincoln Road in Henderson has re-opened after emergency services responded to a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian reported at around 10.20am.

    One person was transported to Auckland Hospital in a critical condition.

    Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, Welch, colleagues demand answers from Justice Department about Deputy Attorney General’s misleading answers to the Senate Judiciary Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee in requesting documents from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to determine the veracity of U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his nomination hearing. The senators’ letter comes as recent public reporting has raised questions as to whether Mr. Blanche testified truthfully to senators at the hearing and in written Questions for the Record , regarding his knowledge of plans to dismiss the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. 

    “As you are aware, all nominees who come before the Senate Judiciary Committee provide testimony under oath. It is a federal crime to ‘knowingly and willfully’ provide ‘any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation’ while under oath with respect to ‘any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee,” wrote the senators. “Congress has an obligation to investigate whether Mr. Blanche provided untruthful testimony before the Judiciary Committee, including whether a referral to the Department of Justice for a criminal inquiry is warranted.” 

    “At the time of his hearing, Mr. Blanche was a private citizen and not an employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Two days before his hearing, news broke that the DOJ intended to drop criminal corruption charges against Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City. Senator Welch asked Mr. Blanche if he was aware of the instructions to dismiss the charges, and Blanche responded, “I have the same information you have. It appears it was, yes.” In response to Senator Coons’ question regarding the basis for the dropping of charges, Mr. Blanche stated, “I have no idea.” And in response to Senator Booker’s written Questions for the Record, Mr. Blanche stated in writing that he didn’t know why the charges in Mayor Adams’ case were dismissed,” the senators added. “However, recent reporting suggests that Mr. Blanche may have been aware of the orders to dismiss the case against Mayor Adams almost two weeks before he testified.”

    In their letter, the Senators requested the following documentation from the Justice Department: 

    1. Copies of all documentation and records that reference or discuss Todd Blanche in the possession of the Department of Justice related to the decision to dismiss the criminal charges in United States v. Adams, 24 CR 556 (S.D.N.Y.). 
    2. Copies of all communications between and among then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove III and Todd Blanche relating to the decision to dismiss the criminal charges in United States v. Adams, 24 CR 556 (S.D.N.Y.). 

    The letter was signed by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). 

    You can read the full text of the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatality following fire, Ashburton

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can confirm that a person has died following a fire at a house on Glassey Drive, Ashburton.

    Emergency services attended the fire, reported at around 12.45am. One person was located deceased in the building. At this time there are no other people unaccounted for.

    Enquiries into the circumstances of the fire are ongoing.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Gore

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    One person has died following a serious crash on Charlton Siding Road, Waimumu, Gore last night.

    The crash involving a single vehicle was reported at around 10pm, Saturday 5 April.

    Sadly, the sole occupant of the vehicle was located deceased at the scene.

    The road remains closed while the Serious Crash Unit conduct a scene examination.

    Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pressing go on the second Ashburton Bridge

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A major milestone has been achieved this week with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving the business case and signing a partner agreement with Ashburton District Council (ADC) on how both parties will work together to deliver the second Ashburton Bridge, says Associate Transport Minister and Minister for the South Island James Meager.
    “This is great news for the people of Mid Canterbury and for the resiliency of State Highway 1. It is so important that we have a resilient roading network to connect our island and ensure the safe and reliable movement of people and goods up and down the island,” says Mr Meager.
    “Approximately 24,000 vehicles use the Ashburton Bridge each day. It provides a key connection for supply chains and emergency services across the South Island, and it connects Tinwald with Ashburton. We all remember when the bridge was knocked out in 2021, and Dunedin was 3 days away from running out of food.
    “Building this bridge was one of our key commitments at the start of this term and locals will be pleased to see work is moving ahead at pace. 
    “A second bridge will reduce congestion, improve road safety, reduce delays, improve reliability in the case of potential closures, and help accommodate future growth. 
    “As next steps, NZTA will soon begin geotechnical investigations and a Registration of Interest will go out to market next week for technical and design support. This will be followed by procurement for detailed design and construction later in the year.
    “NZTA will manage the design and build of the bridge and adjoining roads as one project, with ADC responsible for funding the section of new local road, as outlined in the partner agreement.
    “I would like to thank Ashburton District Council and Mayor Neil Brown for the progress made on the second Ashburton Bridge so far, which has enabled the acceleration of this key project that will serve many people heading into the future.”
    Construction is expected to start in mid-2026, pending approvals.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government delivers breakthrough week for building

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Significant action by the Government this week will make building in New Zealand easier by unclogging the consenting system, reducing construction costs, and giving tradies the support they need to get on with the job, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Tradies are bogged down in paperwork instead of doing what they do best. Building materials cost too much, and securing land for roads, housing developments, and hospitals takes far too long.  “Kiwis are fed up – and rightly so. We’ve listened to frustrated builders, first-home buyers, and families calling out for concrete change, and we’re acting.  “This week, we announced the final stage of reforms to the Public Works Act to make the process of purchasing land for much-needed public projects clearer, faster and fairer.    “Negotiations sometimes take years. We’re putting incentive payments of up to $100,000 on the table for landowners who agree to sell early. That means fewer drawn-out legal battles and costly delays.   “We’re also stripping back needless red tape in the consenting system and taking our granny flat proposal further – lifting the maximum permitted size of granny flats that can be built without consent from 60 to 70 square metres, so more families can build without jumping through hoops.  “These changes are expected to see 13,000 more granny flats built over the next decade – giving families more affordable, flexible housing options.   “We’re also backing our skilled builders by cracking down on the cowboys. Stronger disciplinary powers, new waterproofing licences for wet area bathrooms, and a better complaints process will lift trust in the industry and help protect Kiwis’ biggest investment – their homes.  “Building new homes and granny flats and doing renovations will also become more affordable – thanks to new legislation passed this week, that will make it easier for builders and designers to use top-quality products from overseas.  “We expect up to 250,000 more building products—like plasterboard, insulation, and cladding—to become available this year alone through the streamlined Building Product Specifications pathway.  “This week’s announcements are just the start. There’s more to come as we get on with fixing the consenting system and making it easier to put a roof over every Kiwi’s head.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Strengthening strategic ties with UAE investors

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will attend the Annual Investment Congress (AIM Congress) in Abu Dhabi from 7–9 April to strengthen ties with UAE investors.​
    “The UAE is a trusted Gulf partner, with two-way trade valued at NZ$1.3 billion,” Mr McClay says.​
    “In January this year, we signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and investment treaty with the UAE to signify the importance of our bilateral relationship and enhance two-way trade and investment flows between our countries.
    “Foreign direct investment is vital for New Zealand’s economic growth and UAE investors are seeking high-growth opportunities. New Zealand offers world-class prospects in energy, infrastructure, cleantech, fintech, transport, manufacturing, aquaculture, and many more sectors.​
    “Building on the recent Infrastructure Investment Summit, we’re now presenting these opportunities directly to top-tier investors offshore.”​ 
    In the UAE, Mr. McClay will meet with Ministers, investors, and business leaders to showcase New Zealand as an attractive investment destination.​
    “New Zealand is open for business. The establishment of Invest New Zealand and recent investment reforms make it easier to welcome foreign capital that benefits our country,” Mr McClay says.
    “Engaging with global investors enables New Zealand to grow and supercharge our economic development.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road closure, Lincoln Road, Henderson

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are responding to a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian on Lincoln Road in Henderson.

    Emergency services are responding to the incident, reported at around 10.20am.

    There are cordons in the area and road closures, Police advise motorists to avoid the area.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MICE tourism gains momentum

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Ballroom inspections and mahjong sessions may not be what automatically springs to mind when you consider Hong Kong’s appeal to visitors. Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions tourism – MICE tourism, for short – is not about being conventional, however.

    Recently, nine representatives from the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers, hailing from Germany, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere, embarked on a five-day MICE tourism study mission in Hong Kong, at the invitation of the Tourism Board.

    Their first stop was a Wan Chai hotel that opened late last year. The delegation inspected its banquet halls, suites and facilities, and enjoyed an unexpected highlight – an impromptu mahjong session in the games room that gave them a taste of one of the most popular Chinese pastimes.

    The group then proceeded to the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) where they were shown around several exhibition venues and meeting rooms, learning about their layout and design, as well as the centre’s transport connectivity, and took the opportunity to gaze out over Victoria Harbour.

    Multiple facets
    For MICE visitors – whether squeezing in sightseeing activities around conferences or enjoying company incentive trips – riding the 130-year-old Peak Tram remains an essential Hong Kong experience, of course.

    Having ascended Victoria Peak by tram, the delegation embarked on a nostalgic journey through 1970s–80s Hong Kong at the Peak Tower museum, before marvelling at magnificent panoramic views of the city’s famous skyline and Victoria Harbour from the Sky Terrace.

    The group then descended to Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan, where they performed the ritual of touching the holy deer statue with gold foil to seek blessings. All in all, they were able to immerse themselves fully in Hong Kong’s commercial, cultural and religious facets in a single day.

    The tour participants represented diverse clients across sectors ranging from government to technology and pharmaceuticals, and are responsible for planning events across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. They said their experiences in Hong Kong would inform future decisions about staging professional conferences and summits in the city.

    Lasting impressions
    Among the delegation was Jocelyne Mulli, managing director of a German organiser of professional conferences. Her firm has been using Hong Kong as its springboard into the Asia-Pacific region since 2012.

    Though a frequent visitor to Hong Kong and to the HKCEC, she said her latest trip had opened her eyes to ongoing upgrades and more flexible service offerings in the city. In particular, she praised Hong Kong’s fusion of heritage and modernity, applauding its sustained achievements in MICE tourism development over the years.

    “You are a hub, you are a base, and you are in the best place to welcome international delegates,” she said. “It is not everywhere that you have ballrooms, venue spaces of such size. You have a multilingual society and you have these historical aspects.”

    For his part, Alejandro Ramirez Tabche, the CEO of a Mexican event planning company, said that seeing specific venues for himself had made him realise Hong Kong is the perfect MICE destination. Describing the city as “gorgeous”, he said he would recommend it to his peers as a location for holding events without hesitation.

    “Hong Kong is always a top destination and people experience real fun and happiness,” he enthused. “And also, you have luxurious hotels, good food and good attractions. The people are so kind and they are very eager to help anytime.”

    While in Hong Kong, the group also explored the Old Town Central neighbourhood’s blend of modern and historic elements, visited the giant panda twins at Ocean Park, and toured the newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park, gaining a full appreciation of the city’s diverse offerings.

    Robust revival
    MICE tourism has emerged as a key driver of high-value travel to Hong Kong, with the city welcoming over 1.42 million overnight MICE visitors in 2024, a year-on-year increase of about 10%. Their average spending per capita outperformed overall overnight visitor expenditure by about 40% and catalysed growth across sectors including convention services, retail, dining and entertainment.

    The Tourism Board is adopting a multipronged approach to developing MICE tourism, sparing no effort to secure major events for Hong Kong, while also inviting global conference organisers to experience the city’s MICE facilities and tourism assets first-hand.

    Tourism Board Director & Business Development Team Lead of MICE Phoebe Shing outlined that the organisation has been successful in bidding for and facilitating 56 large-scale MICE events in Hong Kong this year, including 16 which are debuting in the city. The events span sectors ranging from innovation and technology to fintech, medical science and aviation.

    “In June, Hong Kong will host the International Society for Stem Cell Research 2025 annual meeting for the first time,” she said. “For the aviation sector, we will welcome Routes World 2025 in September, and also Airspace Asia Pacific 2025 in December.”

    These events are projected to attract approximately 170,000 MICE visitors from the Mainland and overseas, with total participation reaching 260,000.

    Ms Shing added that with MICE tourism’s robust recovery, coupled with the ongoing restoration of international flight capacity, further growth in MICE visitors is expected.

    “The Hong Kong Tourism Board will continue to promote MICE tourism, striving to bring more MICE events to Hong Kong. We will also solidify Hong Kong as the world’s meeting place in order to attract more high-yield visitors to our city.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace Statement – Taranaki: Greenpeace activists stop unloading of palm kernel sourced from Indonesian rainforests

    Source: Greenpeace

    Greenpeace Aotearoa activists in Taranaki have occupied the storage facility of Fonterra’s biggest palm kernel supplier Agrifeeds this morning, stopping a ship from Indonesia carrying 30 thousand tonnes of palm kernel expeller from unloading.
    The organisation says that it is protesting against the use of palm kernel as cow feed on Fonterra farms due to the product’s links to illegal palm plantations and deforestation of paradise rainforests in Southeast Asia.
    Inside the facility, two activists have locked themselves to pillars, preventing trucks of feed from unloading. Meanwhile, a team on the roof has unfurled a 500 square metre banner labelling the Fonterra butter brand Anchor as a ‘rainforest killer’.
    Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O’Flynn is inside the facility and says, “Fonterra markets its Anchor butter as ‘grass-fed’, but this is a deception. Every year, dairy cows in New Zealand are eating almost two million tonnes of palm kernel imported from Southeast Asia.
    “Rainforests are being burned, peatlands are being drained, and rows of palm trees are being planted in their place to feed Fonterra’s oversized dairy herd.”
    Greenpeace activist Danika Plowman, also inside the storage facility, says, “Rainforests and the wildlife that inhabit them should not be destroyed to feed to dairy cows here in New Zealand. We’re here to tell Fonterra to end the use of palm kernel and cut its ties to deforestation now.”
    Deighton-O’Flynn says, “Just this year, this facility was linked to illegal palm plantations in Indonesia, connecting Anchor butter and other Fonterra products with the destruction of lush rainforests and the wildlife that depend on them.
    “Fonterra has failed to take accountability for the deforestation in its supply chain, and instead has tried to hide behind greenwash, by falsely claiming that its products are “grass-fed”.
    “No one should have to worry about whether the butter they are spreading on their toast is fuelling deforestation and driving orangutans towards extinction. We are calling on Fonterra to stop its greenwash and cut its ties to deforestation. “
    “As more and more evidence emerges of New Zealand’s link to destructive palm kernel, Fonterra must ban the use of this blood-soaked animal feed on all their farms across Aotearoa.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Myanmar – One week after Myanmar earthquake, children grieve for lost parents while needs, including water and shelter, remain high – Save the Children

    Source: Save the Children

    One week on from the powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit central Myanmar, children are grieving for loved ones lost in the disaster while immediate needs such as water, food and shelter remain high, Save the Children said.
    With local partners, Save the Children is delivering emergency health care and first aid medical services to children and their families, including psychosocial support to children who are experiencing fear, shock and loss after the earthquake.
    Myat Nyein-, 15, lives in a village on Myanmar’s iconic Inle Lake in Shan State, where houses and farms are built on the water.
    When the earthquake struck, Myat Nyein, along with his younger brother and father, were out fishing near their village. They survived by jumping into the lake as the earthquake hit but when they returned, they found their village in ruins.
    Myat Nyein said:
    “The houses, which were all built on the water, were gone – all flattened. My heart pounded as we rushed toward our home, only to find it destroyed. My mother was nowhere to be seen.
    Then, my uncle came running toward us. “Your mother is at the hospital,” he said.
    We didn’t even stop to change our wet clothes. When we arrived, the scene before us shattered our hearts-our mother’s lifeless body – the bruises covering her, the stitches on her head, the wound on her neck.
    “My grandmother told us that until her last breath, my mother was asking for us.”
    “I will never forget the moment I pulled my younger brother into the water, the sight of our fallen village, or my mother’s broken body. These memories will stay with me forever.”
    Similar scenes have unfolded across Myanmar which has declared a state of emergency across six regions that are home to over 28 million people, including an estimated 6.7 million children.
    Kyaing Thin-, 41, who is the mother of two children aged 13 and 15, and lives in Mandalay:
    “Right after the earthquake, my sister called me, crying. Her house had collapsed, and my niece was injured. She was hysterical with fear and begged me to come and take my niece, as their place was no longer safe. Despite the continuing aftershocks, I didn’t think about my own safety-I just drove to her house.
    On the way, I saw many injured people, bleeding, lying on the ground-some conscious, some unconscious-all begging for help.”
    Homes and critical infrastructure have collapsed, and many families are still seeking shelter in monasteries, football fields, and open spaces over fears of aftershocks. Many children and their families have no electricity or running water and with the country entering its peak summer season, and soaring temperatures earlier this week , children also risk heat stroke or exhaustion.
    Jeremy Stoner, interim Asia Regional Director, Save the Children, said:
    “One week on from this hugely traumatic event for the children of Myanmar, they will still be feeling scared and many children in the affected areas will have lost both homes and loved ones. They may even have witnessed the death of loved ones and need specialist support to overcome this.
    Where homes have been destroyed, they will need immediate shelter and emergency relief items which Save the Children and our local partners are providing.”
    Conflict and climate fueled disasters have left 6.3 million children among the 19.9 million people – or more than one third of the population – already in need of humanitarian support in Myanmar before the earthquake. [1]
    Save the Children’s teams are responding in affected areas alongside local partners to ensure children get the support they need. We’re distributing food and water and working to provide personal hygiene kits and child friendly recreational materials.
    Save the Children has been working in Myanmar since 1995, providing life-saving healthcare, food and nutrition, education and child protection programmes.  
    In New Zealand, Save the Children has launched an emergency appeal. To donate, go to:  Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake Emergency – Save the Children NZ.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OCEANIA – Debt crisis in the Pacific: Jubilee Year campaign aims to provide relief

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Port Moresby (Agenzia Fides) – “Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa are Pacific countries at risk of experiencing the worst consequences of internal and external debt. The Caritas Internationalis Jubilee campaign, ‘Transform Debt into Hope,’ should convince everyone to be vigilant about what political elites could do to avoid the dire circumstances of debt growth,” writes Father Giorgio Licini, missionary of PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) and Caritas collaborator of the Episcopal Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, in a letter sent to Fides. “About fifty civil society and religious organizations around the world support the ‘Turn Debt into Hope’ petition and campaign. However, there are none from Oceania,” Father Licini points out, referring to the specific situation in Papua New Guinea, the country where he lives.”Papua New Guinea,” he points out, “owes creditors approximately 50 billion kina (approximately 11 billion euros, ed.), as the country prepares to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its independence in September. The country’s solid financial position in the first two decades after independence from Australia, when the national currency was essentially equal to or more than the US dollar, is now a distant memory.” “The country,” he explains, “is classified as rich in resources but has poor human development indicators. About 75 percent of the population lives in poverty or has only the bare necessities of life, often in remote and inaccessible areas lacking basic services. The debt accumulated in recent years is more or less evenly distributed between domestic and foreign debt.”Corruption is a social challenge: “The perception that the country is at least partially determined by corruption and mismanagement is strong. Gaining government positions and jobs is widely perceived as an opportunity for personal enrichment, with family, clan, and allies benefiting in every way possible,” the missionary reports. “Yet,” he continues, “with clear political will, Papua New Guinea can curb corruption, keep its debt under control, and avoid the worst results seen in other developing countries, which are now unable even to pay the interest on their debts.”In light of this global concern, Caritas Internationalis has launched a campaign in the 2025 Jubilee Year entitled “Turn Debt into Hope,” which puts into practice the call for debt relief suggested by Pope Francis in the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year.There are concrete figures on the current “debt crisis,” which affects more than 100 countries: The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank estimate that 60 percent of low-income countries are in “debt distress” or are on the verge of defaulting on their repayment obligations. “As many as 48 developing countries,” says Father Licini, “spend more on debt interest payments than on health and education, further perpetuating inequality and poverty. More than 3.3 billion people live in these countries.”And while rich countries hold the majority of the debt, “the cost of borrowing for developing countries is two to twelve times higher, trapping many of them in a cycle of rising debt,” Father Licini notes. “In 2023, countries in the Global South spent 12.5 times more on debt repayment than on combating climate change, making them vulnerable to its devastating impacts. What we urgently need, then, is a bold commitment from governments and financial institutions to stop the debt crisis now: the cancellation of unjust and unsustainable debts to prevent debt crises from recurring by addressing their root causes.” They also call for “a reform of the global financial system to prioritize people and the planet” so that the same crisis cannot repeat itself cyclically.A particular goal of the Caritas Internationalis campaign, according to the missionary, “is the cancellation of ‘unsustainable debt,’ i.e., debt that cannot truly be repaid.” At the international level, the petition will be presented wherever world leaders gather to discuss politics and economics, for example at the G7 summit in Canada in June, the G20 summit in South Africa in November, and the COP30 summit in Brazil. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 5/4/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Davids Works to Protect Tribal Schools, Students from Trump’s Harmful Voucher Plan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

    This week, Representative Sharice Davids urged the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to listen to widespread Tribal opposition to their proposed school voucher program and fully fund Tribal education and BIE programs. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) and Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) also led the effort. 

    “We urge the Department of the Interior and Department of Education to heed the call of dozens of Tribal Nations who continue to voice their opposition to the proposed efforts by the Administration to restructure tribal education and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) programs into school voucher programs,” the Members wrote. “As you heard during the March 14, 2025 tribal meeting held via Zoom, many Tribal Nations across the country oppose the proposition. The proposal would effectively defund BIE schools, threaten Tribal self-determination, and violate multiple federal statutes, including the federal trust and treaty responsibilities.” 

    “The proposed voucher system would weaken BIE schools in profound ways … Over 90% of BIE-funded schools are located in remote locations with no alternative schools. Destabilizing and closing schools would be traumatic for the students and families in these communities,” the Members wrote. “BIE-funded schools are the schools of choice for Tribes and students because they reflect the cultures, languages, traditional belief systems, and priorities of the communities that other educational options cannot provide. These schools often provide critical support services for the most vulnerable in their community, such as housing, meals, and internet access.”

    This week’s letter follows up on a February 11, 2025 letter from Reps. Davids, Stansbury, and Leger Fernández to Secretary Burgum, where they raised concerns about an executive order that could enable families with students eligible to attend BIE schools to use federal funding for other educational options — including private, faith-based, or public charter schools — as soon as the 2025–2026 school year.

    The full letter is here or below: 

    Dear Secretary Burgum and Secretary McMahon:

     

    We urge the Department of the Interior and Department of Education to heed the call of dozens of Tribal Nations who continue to voice their opposition to the proposed efforts by the Administration to restructure tribal education and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) programs into school voucher programs. As you heard during the March 14, 2025 tribal meeting held via Zoom, many Tribal Nations across the country oppose the proposition. The proposal would effectively defund BIE schools, threaten Tribal self-determination, and violate multiple federal statutes, including the federal trust and treaty responsibilities. 

      

    On February 11, 2025, we sent a letter to Secretary Burgum about our concerns regarding Executive Order 14191 on “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families,” which directs the Secretary of the Interior to “review any available mechanisms under which families of students eligible to attend BIE schools may use their Federal funding for educational options of their choice, including private, faith-based, or public charter schools, and submit a plan to the President describing such mechanisms and steps that would be necessary to implement them for the 2025-2026 school year.” It is clear that implementing Section 7 of Executive Order 14191, as discussed above would violate multiple federal statutes, and impact the fundamental education programs that serve tens of thousands of tribal students. It is also our understanding that the overwhelming consensus on the March 14th call was that Tribes are not supportive of this proposal or any proposal that would weaken or defund the BIE and tribal education systems, including moving to a lump-sum voucher system. Many tribal communities schools are distinctive in that they are often the only educational institution serving students within a 45+ mile radius.  

      

    Therefore, the proposed voucher system would weaken BIE schools in profound ways. By redirecting federal funds away from BIE schools, it would create funding instability that will almost certainly lead to school closures. Over 90% of BIE-funded schools are located in remote areas with no alternative schools. For example, Seba Dalkai Community School in Arizona requires students and parents to travel over an hour round trip for services. Destabilizing and closing schools would be traumatic for the students and families in these communities. Redirecting federal funds would also bypass Tribal governance and oversight, particularly in the case of the nearly 70% of BIE-funded schools that are Tribally-Controlled Schools.  

      

    As you know, the U.S. government has both trust and treaty responsibilities to provide Tribal education services. The BIE administers funding for hundreds of schools and programs that are vital to meeting the Federal government’s obligations to Tribes—obligations that in many cases predate both the Department of the Interior and the Department of Education. Congress has laid out a detailed system for funding this trust and treaty responsibility in P.L. 95-561 and P.L. 100-297. The proposed lump-sum voucher system stands in direct violation of these statutes.  

      

    Congress has also already worked with Tribes to place school choice into the hands of Tribal communities through the Tribally Controlled Schools Act (P.L. 100-297), which President Reagan signed into law in 1988. We again urge you to review sections (a) through (d) of the Act, which clearly state that “Congress declares that a national goal of the United States is to provide the resources, processes, and structure that will enable tribes and local communities to obtain the quantity and quality of educational services and opportunities that will permit Indian children— (1) to compete and excel in areas of their choice; and (2) to achieve the measure of self-determination essential to their social and economic well-being.” In the words of the National Indian Education Association’s January 30, 2025, letter to you: “These schools are our schools of choice.” 

      

    BIE-funded schools are the schools of choice for Tribes and students because they reflect the cultures, languages, traditional belief systems, and priorities of the communities that other educational options cannot provide. These schools often provide critical support services for the most vulnerable in their community, such as housing, meals, and internet access. And they serve as community centers for sporting and cultural events in rural areas where there are few other options. That is why, time and time again, Tribal leaders, educators, parents, and students have affirmed the importance of BIE programs and the need to increase—not decrease—funding for them. 

       

    The proposed educational restructuring of the BIE and tribal school programs into a voucher system was not requested by Tribes, is not supported by Tribal nations pursuant to your consultation, and is a clear violation of federal law. We again urge you to abandon efforts to implement the voucher system and ensure that tribal education and BIE programs are fully funded, as appropriated by Congress. Further, we welcome your team to visit many of these BIE schools and learn more on their position on why this proposal is not fitting for the demographics being served.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Republicans Vote NO on Protecting Americans’ Social Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 05, 2025
    During Senate Vote-a-rama, Republicans voted no on amendments to reverse cuts to Social Security Administration; prevent DOGE from closing field offices, cutting phone services
    Senate Democrats launched Social Security War Room earlier this week
    Washington, D.C. – While President Donald Trump and Elon Musk launch a wholesale attack on Social Security, Senate Republicans voted to block multiple amendments that would protect Americans’ Social Security benefits and services.
    Senate Republicans voted against:
    An amendment proposed by U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) to reverse cuts to the Social Security Administration ordered by Elon Musk.
    An amendment proposed by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) to prevent Elon Musk’s DOGE from closing Social Security field and regional offices and preserving access to benefits for seniors and people with disabilities.
    An amendment proposed by U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) to prevent DOGE from cutting Americans’ access to vital phone services.
    “We need to honor our sacred promises under Social Security, and we need to tell billionaires and billionaire corporations they can pay their fair share to make this country work. That’s the fight between Republicans and Democrats right now in Washington. I know which side I stand on, and I see which side the Republicans stand on,” said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who led Senate Democrats in launching their new Social Security War Room this week.
    President Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE have gutted the Social Security Administration in recent weeks, creating chaos and threatening Americans’ benefits. Last month, the Social Security Administration announced plans to cut about 7,000 employees, or about 12% of its workforce. 78% of these employees were working in field offices, directly serving Social Security recipients. SSA is reportedly planning to enact even deeper cuts to the agency’s workforce, crippling Americans’ ability to access their benefits.
    DOGE has also tried to significantly limit Americans’ access to services by shutting down regional offices and requiring new and existing beneficiaries to go in-person or online for a variety of services, including applying for benefits and changing direct deposit and other banking information—posing a challenge to many seniors who rely on benefits.
    Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN deplores deadly attack on city in central Ukraine

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Peace and Security

    The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine has strongly condemned a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih on Friday which killed more than a dozen people, including at least nine children, and left several others injured.

    Matthias Schmale said he was outraged by reports of yet another Russian attack on the city, which is located in the Dnipro region.

    “This attack follows a deeply disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on populated areas across Ukraine that continue to kill and maim civilians,” he said, noting that the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, was “still reeling” from a massive attack the night before.

    “The cost to families is unbearable. Civilians are protected under international humanitarian law. They are not a target,” he said.

    Young lives lost

    In response to the incident, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for an immediate end to attacks on civilian areas in Ukraine.

    “We are devastated by the horrific attack in Kryvyi Rih that reportedly killed at least nine children and injured many more, including one as young as three months old,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Regina De Dominicis.

    The missile reportedly struck a residential neighbourhood in the Saksahanskyi district in the early evening, when many families gathering ahead of the weekend, she said, adding that it landed near a playground, tearing through homes, schools and a restaurant.

    “Among the scenes of devastation, parents were seen weeping, cradling the body of their dead son. No child should ever suffer such terror. No parent should ever endure such pain,” she said.

    Stolen futures

    UNICEF and partners are on the ground supporting affected families and coordinating with local authorities to deliver emergency assistance.

    Ms. De Dominicis noted that more than 2,500 children have been killed or injured, and millions of young lives have been upended, since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

    “Every child killed is a future stolen,” she remarked.  “The brutal use of explosive weapons in populated areas and attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure, which disproportionally harm children, must end.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Launches No KYC, 100x Leverage, $50 Welcome Bonus, and Double Deposit – Start Trading Today!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, April 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Bitcoin continues to trade below $85,000 and analysts predict that the crypto market will remain volatile, holding spot positions may not generate short-term profits. Recent economic shifts, including policy announcements such as President Trump’s tariff decisions, have brought some stabilization, but the volatility remains. For investors seeking to maximize returns in these uncertain times, BexBack Exchange offers a powerful solution. With 100x leverage, a 100% deposit bonus, and a $50 welcome bonus for new users, BexBack empowers traders to seize market opportunities. And with no KYC requirements, it provides a seamless and efficient way to trade.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $60,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $63,000, your profit will be (63,000 – 60,000) * 100 BTC / 60,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

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    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with President Macron of France: 5 April 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    PM call with President Macron of France: 5 April 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister spoke with President Macron following this week’s announcement that the US will impose additional tariffs.

    They agreed that a trade war was in nobody’s interests, but nothing should be off the table and that it was important to keep business updated on developments.

    The Prime Minister and President also shared their concerns about the global economic and security impact, particularly in South East Asia.

    Following discussions between military planners in Ukraine this week, they discussed the good progress that has been made on the Coalition of the Willing.

    The Prime Minister and President agreed to stay in close contact over the coming weeks.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coalition of the Willing Military Chiefs in Ukraine ahead of crucial meetings next week

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Coalition of the Willing Military Chiefs in Ukraine ahead of crucial meetings next week

    As part of the UK’s leading efforts to build a Coalition of the Willing to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine, the Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin met with Ukrainian and French counterparts in Kyiv.

    Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin met with Ukrainian and French counterparts in Kyiv.

    • UK continues to lead international efforts to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine.
    • Defence chiefs meet in Kyiv to coordinate military planning of multinational force to deter future Russian aggression.
    • Visit comes as Defence Secretary John Healey prepares to host meetings of defence ministers in Brussels.

    As part of the UK’s leading efforts to build a Coalition of the Willing to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine, the Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin met with Ukrainian and French counterparts in Kyiv.  

    The meetings focused on how to build on Ukraine’s current capabilities to put the country in the strongest possible position for the future.

    The Defence Chiefs addressed the structure, size and composition required of any future reassurance force in Ukraine. With 30 countries expected to contribute to the Coalition, the UK’s leadership has been critical in pulling together partners and allies around the world.

    Discussions will continue this coming week as the Defence Secretary hosts the next meeting of Coalition of the Willing defence ministers in Brussels with his French counterpart on Thursday and chairs the Ukraine Defence Contact Group with his German counterpart on Friday.

    The UK and France will convene defence ministers from coalition nations to discuss the next stages of planning to support the security arrangements which will be needed to prevent any further Russian aggression. Discussions will build on the military planning that has taken place over the last few weeks with nations looking at contributing their own capabilities to support any future force.

    Meanwhile, the Ukraine Defence Contact Group will bring together around 50 nations to drive forward additional military support for Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian attacks. The UK convened and chaired the UDCG for the first time in February, with 46 nations in attendance, raising extra 1.5billon Euros in military aid for Ukraine.

    Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

    Our coalition of nations, working at pace and willing to stand with Ukraine for the long-term, is a stark contrast to Russia who stand alone with only North Korea for a friend.

    As Putin prevaricates over a ceasefire, we will continue to ramp up our military planning, exploring the air, sea and land forces that could support a lasting peace in Ukraine.

    However, we will not jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war. That’s why in the week ahead we will also convene the Ukraine Defence Contact Group to supply Ukraine with the military equipment they need to put them in the strongest possible position as they fight back brutal continuing Russian attacks.

    The Chief of the Defence Staff’s visit follows a series of high-level engagements hosted in both Paris and London in the past month, with the Prime Minister travelling to Paris and hosting leaders in London and the Defence Secretary conducting simultaneous visits to France as well as joining an operational planning meeting alongside the Prime Minister at the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ). 

    Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:

    The UK is ironclad in our support for Ukraine, which is why we’re stepping up for a just and lasting peace. 

    Our meetings looked at how we can build on the formidable capabilities of the Ukrainian Army and put them in the strongest possible position to deter Russian aggression.

    I am encouraged by the strength of unity we’ve seen between our European and international allies.

    This work delivers on the Prime Minister’s four-point plan to support Ukraine by ramping up delivery of weapons and equipment, boosting Ukraine’s defensive capabilities in the long term, working with allies to develop robust security assurances, and keeping up pressure on Putin. 

    The UK is fully committed to working with allies to step up support to ensure Ukraine remains in the strongest possible position, which is why £4.5 billion of military support will be provided this year – more than ever before.

    The Defence Secretary has been clear that supporting Ukraine is vital to the security of stability of Europe, which is essential to the UK economy. The UK’s national security is a foundation for the government’s Plan for Change.

    Last month, the Prime Minister announced a historic £1.6bn deal to provide more than five thousand air defence missiles for Ukraine in a boost for UK jobs and growth. The Chancellor also announced a £2.26 billion loan to bolster Ukrainian defence capabilities from frozen Russian assets.

    The MOD has sent around 400 different capabilities to Ukraine, with a new £150 million package including drones, tanks and air defence systems announced on 12 February 2025, a £225 million package including drones, boats and munitions announced on 19 December 2024, and 650 lightweight multirole missiles announced on 6 September 2024.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: McCaul, Dr. Arthur Herman Highlight AUKUS as Key to Countering the CCP, Maintaining High-Tech Supremacy

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Dr. Arthur Herman, a senior fellow and director of the Quantum Alliance Initiative at Hudson Institute, penned an op-ed in National Review highlighting how AUKUS — the security pact between the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia — provides a strategic advantage against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), both at sea and in the high-tech realm. 

    National Review

    The U.S. Has a Game Changer in the Struggle for High-Tech Supremacy

    Congressman Michael McCaul and Dr. Arthur Herman 

    April 3, 2025 

    In the great-power competition with the United States’ adversaries, none is more formidable than the Chinese Communist Party.

    Emboldened by four years of appeasement policies, the CCP is on the march — escalating its military activities, conducting aggressive drills around Taiwan, and increasing its belligerence in the South China Sea.

    The tension in the Indo-Pacific is nearing a breaking point. Given China’s unholy alliance with Russia, Iran, and North Korea — and America’s friendship with Taiwan and defense treaty with the Philippines — any surge of CCP aggression in the region could catapult the world into a snowballing conflict.

    There is one key to avoiding this World War III scenario: deterrence. And as the future of warfare rapidly develops, high-tech supremacy will be the decisive key. That’s why — as President Trump has said — China’s recent DeepSeek challenge to American AI leadership serves as a wake-up call. We must commit greater focus and resources to high-tech supremacy — not only in AI, but in a range of technologies that will define military deterrence in peacetime and determine victory in a time of war.

    […]

    Instead of peace through strength, the Biden presidency brought instability and conflict through weakness. But in the midst of its abysmal foreign policy record was one bright spot: a security pact established in 2021 between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, to work together on a cluster of advanced technologies. 

    AUKUS will change the game when it comes to countering the generational threat posed by China.

    […]

    To ensure the program’s success, Congress passed an initiative, led by one of us (Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee), to exempt Australia and the U.K. from lengthy and burdensome licensing requirements. These requirements, while meant to protect our sensitive technology from falling into the wrong hands, also prohibited our trusted allies from using U.S. tech for our collective defense goals.

    Congress was explicit: The administration “shall provide” defense articles and technology to these allies, whose export control regimes are similar to our own. But when the Biden administration removed the licensing requirements, it quickly nullified that action by releasing a list of excluded technologies. The list was so lengthy that it swallowed up the exemption. In other words, the Biden administration undermined congressional intent and re-created lengthy burdens for technology sharing with our allies, inexplicably undercutting its one true foreign policy success in the process.

    The excluded-technologies list must be immediately trimmed if we want to keep up with China in the technology race that will determine the future balance of power.

    […]

    In our brave new age of great-power competition, our high-tech posture will be as important as our military force posture; in fact, one will determine the other. Just as in World War II the integration of mass production by commercial companies was the key to victory, so too will integration of advanced technologies like AI, quantum, and autonomous systems be key to deterrence — and to victory if war breaks out.

    Except this time, we won’t have to rely on American industry alone for needed breakthroughs and deployments. Instead, we can work with key allies to achieve our most important national security goals — including supremacy at sea — and prevent the next world war from breaking out.

    As Ronald Reagan told us, “We know only too well that conflict comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak.” For too long, the forces of freedom have been weak in the face of CCP aggression. AUKUS can change that.

    Click here to read the full op-ed in National Review.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garamendi Reintroduces Bill to Provide Funding to School Districts Serving Military and Native American Children

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

    WASHINGTON, DC—Today, U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led 16 of their colleagues in introducing the Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act, which will provide $1 billion over four years for Impact Aid Construction Grants to address the significant backlog of facility needs at federally impacted schools. In addition to Representative Garamendi, the bill was co-sponsored by Representative Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23). This legislation was first introduced in the Senate by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

    The federal Impact Aid program offers federal support for public school districts where federal activity has reduced the available tax base. This is because federally impacted school districts have significantly less tax revenue and bonding capacity to meet their needs. Currently, Impact Aid supports over 1,100 school districts, totaling more than 10 million students.

    “This bill addresses long-overdue repair needs to ensure equitable access to quality education and safe learning environments for students across the country,” said Rep. Garamendi. “I am grateful to Senator Hirono for introducing this legislation in the Senate and for fighting for safe environments for teachers and students,” said Garamendi. “Every child should have the opportunity to learn and excel in a safe environment. This legislation brings us closer to realizing that goal.”

    “Every child deserves to receive a quality education in a safe, suitable learning environment,” said Senator Hirono. “The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would provide critical funding for over 1,000 school districts across the country to address their significant backlogs of construction, repair, and maintenance needs. Impact Aid is one of many critical programs administered by the Department of Education and this bill would strengthen this program to help ensure that federally impacted school districts have the funding they need to support millions of students as they learn and grow in our public schools.”

    “In California’s 23rd District, many of our schools serve military families and are located near federal lands that do not pay local tax and therefore reduce local tax revenues,” said Rep. Obernolte. “These schools face serious infrastructure challenges—from outdated buildings to limited capacity for critical upgrades. The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a vital step forward. It provides the resources and federal-local collaboration our schools need to modernize their facilities and create safe, effective learning environments for every student. I’m proud to help lead this legislation because it delivers real support to our communities and honors our commitment to military families and rural schools alike.”

    “The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a crucial investment in the future of federally impacted school districts,” said Nicole Russell, Executive Director, National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS). “Too many schools serving military-connected children, Native American students, and others affected by federal property face deteriorating facilities that undermine student achievement and make it difficult to recruit and retain teachers–and they lack the tax base to overcome these challenges due to the presence of nontaxable federal property. By addressing the extensive backlog of infrastructure needs, this legislation is an important step in leveling the playing field and ensuring every student has access to a safe, modern learning environment that supports their success.”

    “2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the Impact Aid law, which recognized the Federal Government’s obligation to replace lost tax revenue in school districts with a federal presence by providing operational and minimal construction funding,” said Brent Gish, Executive Director, National Indian Impacted Schools Association (NIISA). “The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would provide crucial funding to districts serving students residing on Indian land and those in military and federal property areas. These districts have very limited and sometimes no bonding capacity to construct new or renovate existing facilities and teacher housing. The growing backlog of need now exceeds $4 billion. It is our strong belief that in America, all children deserve a high-quality education in a safe and modern facility that supports innovative, culturally rich teaching. Quality facilities coupled with research-based instruction yields positive learning outcomes!”

    “Schools around the country that receive Federal Impact Aid have a distinct disadvantage when it comes to raising funds for school construction,” said Kyle Fairbairn, Executive Director, Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA). “In a majority of states, the only way to build a school or do an extensive remodel is by passing a local bond issue supported by property taxes. In Impact Aid districts, these funds become the responsibility of local taxpayers because the federal government does not pay taxes on land it owns. This makes passing a bond issue very difficult, as it places a tremendous burden on taxpayers who do pay property taxes. The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is a way to have the federal government help fund local schools, benefiting all taxpayers within an LEA.”  

    The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act would ensure that federally impacted school districts have the resources needed to provide every student with a quality education and safe learning environment by authorizing $250 million annually for four years for Impact Aid Construction Grants. Of this funding, 25% would be allocated through formula funding to all eligible school districts. The Department of Education would distribute the remaining 75% as competitive grants, prioritizing school districts with urgent facility needs.

    The Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act is endorsed by National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS); National Indian Impacted Schools Association (NIISA); Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA); and Build America’s School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC).  

    In the Senate, this legislation was cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

    In the House, it was cosponsored by Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), Don Davis (D-NC-1), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03), and Emily Randall (D-WA-06).  

    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: No-cost abortions now accessible at more Canberra locations

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Greater access to no-cost abortions will assist women and people who can become pregnant to be in control of and make informed decisions about their health care.

    The ACT’s accessible abortions scheme has expanded to include no-cost medical abortions at selected general practices in the ACT.

    The ACT Government is committed to removing the financial barrier to Canberrans in need of abortion services.

    Providing no-cost abortions at more locations will assist women and people who can become pregnant to be in control of, and make informed decisions about, their health care based on what is best for them and their circumstances.

    No-cost medical and surgical abortions have been available since April 2023 at MSI Australia in Civic. This is part of an investment to provide all ACT residents, including those without a Medicare card, access to free abortion services.

    The ACT Government has now partnered with Women’s Health Matters to support two general practices that offer no-cost medical abortions.

    Other providers may participate in the future, providing more options for Canberrans.

    People who access these general practice services will also be able to access pathology, imaging and pharmacy services at no cost from participating providers.

    This will ensure the entire abortion process can be provided at no cost to the client.

    “Providing additional no-cost medical abortion options, in different regions of Canberra and through different providers, gives women and gender-diverse people more choices over their reproductive health care,” Women’s Health Matters CEO Lauren Anthes said.

    “We have heard that it can be difficult to know where to go when you need a medical abortion in Canberra. Having a publicly available list of no-cost, non-judgmental and pro-choice providers will make it easier for women and gender-diverse people to find the care that they need.”

    Access to safe, timely and free abortion services allows Canberrans to obtain appropriate, safe and timely care, and avoid potential detrimental impacts to their mental and physical health and wellbeing.

    Medical abortions are available up to nine weeks gestation. MSI Australia will also continue to provide no-cost medical abortions up to nine weeks, and surgical abortions up to 16 weeks gestation.

    Free long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) will also be offered for free at the time of abortion at both MSI Australia and participating GPs.

    For more information on participating providers, visit www.womenshealthmatters.org.au/resources/no-cost-abortion-services.

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