NewzIntel.com

Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Tackling New Zealand’s rising tax debt

    Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    The Government will boost its investment in chasing tax evaders, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. 
    “Hard-working Kiwis who pay their taxes are being ripped off by tax cheats who deliberately evade their obligations,” he says.
    “New Zealand’s tax debt rose to $8.5 billion by the end of 2024. At a time when the Government is carefully managing every dollar to fund the essential frontline services Kiwis rely on, it’s essential we crack down on those who are not paying their share of tax.
    “Every dollar we recover is another dollar we can devote to funding schools, hospitals, and law and order. Investment in tax compliance delivers real results for Kiwis.”
    Budget 2025 provides new funding of $35 million a year for Inland Revenue to carry out tax compliance and collection activities. It also continues funding of $27 million a year provided in Budget 2022 that was due to cease in June 2025.
    “We are already seeing returns from the compliance funding in Budget 2024. This increased investment will accelerate that,” Mr Watts says.
    “In the year to March 2025, Inland Revenue collected almost $3 billion of overdue debt and is on track to collect more than $4 billion by 30 June. 
    “The return on investment from compliance activities is increasing. The Budget’s compliance investment has an expected return of four dollars for every dollar spent in 2025/26, rising to eight dollars per dollar spent in 2026/27 and beyond. 
    “We want to know that the funds we allocate are a prudent use of taxpayer dollars. That’s why a small portion of the funding will be used to develop internal capability to assess the indirect effects of audit activity, based on international best practice,” Mr Watts says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China extends visa-free access to Latin America, impact beyond tourism

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

    A passenger aircraft of China’s Hainan Airlines is given a water salute at the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City, Mexico, July 13, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    “Starting June this year, Chileans can visit China visa-free! I eagerly await my family’s visit soon,” Carolina Araya, a Chilean national, shared what she called “great news” on her WeChat Moments. Many of her friends gave her likes.

    Currently a Spanish language instructor at Anhui International Studies University in east China, Araya reminisced about a visit by her parents almost six years ago. “I really hope they can make it later this year,” she said.

    Moreover, it’s not just Chileans who will benefit. Effective June 1, 2025, China will expand its visa-free access to also include citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Uruguay, with a trial period lasting until May 31, 2026.

    Holders of ordinary passports from these five Latin American nations may enjoy visa-free entry to China for various reasons — including business trips, tourism, family visits, cultural exchanges or simply transit — for no more than 30 days, said a spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry at a recent news briefing.

    Introduced at the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing earlier this month, this policy aligns with China’s broader initiative to extend visa exemptions and foster friendly exchanges with more Latin American and Caribbean countries.

    Liang Qing (L), a Chinese language teacher at the Confucius Institute of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, instructs a Peruvian student in writing Chinese calligraphy in Lima, capital of Peru, April 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Potential travel rush

    Filipe Porto, a Brazilian academic who has spent over a year in China, said the country will probably become the first overseas travel choice for his 52-year-old mother.

    “My mother has never traveled abroad,” said Porto, who is a researcher in international relations with the Federal University of ABC, Brazil. He is also eagerly awaiting the arrival of his Brazilian friends, who, according to Porto, used to find the visa application process a hassle.

    Situated on opposite sides of the globe, travel between Latin America and China once presented significant challenges, stemming not only from visa complexities but also vast distances. Nowadays, however, increased air connectivity coupled with relaxed visa restrictions have brought these distant lands much closer.

    In 2024, a direct flight was launched connecting Mexico City and south China’s Shenzhen. Covering more than 14,000 kilometers, it is the longest direct international passenger route from China.

    Other routes, such as Beijing-Madrid-Sao Paulo, Beijing-Madrid-Havana and Beijing-Tijuana-Mexico City, have also strengthened links between China and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

    Data from online travel platforms shows huge potential for inbound tourism from the five Latin American countries that will soon enjoy visa-free status. This year, Ctrip, a leading Chinese online travel platform, reported 168 percent year-on-year growth in inbound tourism orders from Argentina, while orders from both Brazil and Chile saw a growth of over 80 percent.

    Ctrip Vice President Qin Jing said China’s visa-free policy trial with countries like Brazil will not only spark an increased flow of cross-border tourism but also serve as an innovative step in promoting deeper cultural dialogue and shared values between China and the five Latin American nations. “We can expect the inbound tourism market to usher in a new, dynamic and reciprocal pattern in the near future,” she said.

    Federico Carabajal, a 32-year-old Argentinian winemaker, has spent more than a year working at the Stone and Moon Winery in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China. During this time, he has explored a number of Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, southwest China’s Chengdu and Chongqing, and Xi’an in the northwest.

    “China is further opening up to the world. The country is trying to showcase its rich culture, history, cuisine, technologies and smart cities to the world,” Carabajal said. “Besides, traveling in China is very safe. It’s also much cheaper than in many other countries.”

    Nicolas Billot-Grima (L), co-founder of Stone and Moon Treasury Wine Estates, tastes wine with Federico Carabajal, a winemaker from Argentina, at a cellar in Qingtongxia City, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 7, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Impact beyond tourism

    Tiva Bezerra, head of human resources at Suzano Asia, a major Brazilian pulp producer, believes the visa exemption could significantly improve how the company operates its local projects.

    “We envision it enabling more spontaneous technical exchanges, smoother executive visits — and potentially making China assignments more attractive to Latin American professionals,” Bezerra said.

    Gabriel Martin, a Uruguayan entrepreneur who owns two steakhouses while also managing a beef import venture in China, hailed the move as a potential boost for his business, because it means more clients.

    “China is one of the best countries in terms of business services,” Martin noted. “The Chinese people are warm and welcoming. Furthermore, it’s astonishing how well organized the country is, considering its vast expanse and dense population.”

    Gabriel Martin, a businessman from Uruguay, displays the steak he just cooked at LOKO steakhouse in the ancient city of Wuhu in Wuhu City, east China’s Anhui Province, June 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s continued expansion of its visa-free policy and efforts to facilitate entries send a clear signal of the country’s commitment to high-standard opening up, according to Yu Haibo, an associate professor specializing in tourism management in Tianjin-based Nankai University.

    Yu added that these measures demonstrate China’s resolve and efforts to promote a more dynamic, inclusive and resilient form of economic globalization.

    Over the years, China has consistently contributed to promoting cooperation and exchanges with LAC countries, with the past decade witnessing remarkable progress since the inaugural China-CELAC Forum.

    In the course of the last ten years, trade between China and LAC nations has doubled — amounting to an impressive 518.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.

    Chinese products, including its signature electric vehicles, are exported extensively to LAC countries, while goods originating from the region also enjoy popularity in China. Notably, Chilean cherries and beef from Argentina have made their way into the regular diet of Chinese households.

    Sun Yanfeng, a researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies, under the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that Latin American countries hope to expand exports in their economic and trade relations with China. The visa-free policy will significantly ease the process for Latin American entrepreneurs, particularly those from small and medium-sized enterprises, to visit China.

    In addition to the visa-free policy, the recent China-CELAC Forum ministerial meeting also announced a set of other initiatives — such as supporting 300 impactful small-scale livelihood projects, enhancing vocational education cooperation, promoting Chinese language education and facilitating tourism dialogue.

    To Araya, the visa exemption will significantly benefit foreigners studying Chinese and Chinese students learning Spanish or Portuguese, two languages widely used in Latin America. “We may be at the other side of the world, but now we can get closer,” she said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 9th Silk Road Intl Exposition kicks off in Xi’an

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

    A staff member demonstrates how to use a rehabilitation wheelchair during the 9th Silk Road International Exposition and the Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East & West China in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, May 21, 2025. The five-day event kicked off in Xi’an on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s sporting goods industry shows strong resilience: report

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

    The total output and sales of China’s sporting goods manufacturing industry exceeded 2 trillion yuan (about 277.5 billion US dollars) for the first time in 2023, marking a year-on-year growth of 2.39%, according to an industry report.

    The China Sporting Goods Industry Development Report 2024, released Wednesday at the 12th China Sports Industry Conference, found that the sector continues to recover and demonstrates strong resilience.

    The added value of China’s sporting goods manufacturing industry grew by 7.3% year-on-year in 2022 and by 3.96% in 2023, outperforming many segments of the broader manufacturing industry, according to the report.

    Exports also rebounded in 2024, increasing 6.77% year-on-year to about 28.4 billion dollars. Shipments to North America and Western Europe remained strong, while emerging markets such as Vietnam, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, and Poland showed significant potential.

    Domestic demand for sporting goods also showed strong momentum. The report cited transaction data from four of China’s leading e-commerce platforms – JD.com, Taobao, Tmall, and Douyin – indicating that online sporting goods sales reached 333.7 billion yuan (about 46.3 billion dollars) in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 22.59%. Sales of domestic and foreign brands were reported to be roughly equal.

    While the construction of new public sports facilities has slowed, demand for upgrades and higher-quality venues is rising. As of 2024, China has more than 4.8 million sports venues, covering a total area of 4.23 billion square meters. The per capita sports venue area now stands at 3.0 square meters.

    The report also identified several trends reshaping the industry: sporting events are boosting the penetration of sporting goods; products are becoming increasingly smart; and evolving consumer demands are driving diversification in product offerings.

    Despite these positive indicators, the report warned of growing external market pressures. In response, many companies are accelerating efforts to expand overseas production in order to mitigate export risks.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Budget 2025 – Growing the economy to help Kiwis get ahead

    Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    Budget 2025 is about growing the economy to create jobs and help Kiwis get ahead, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.
    “The Government’s economic plan is working. By stopping wasteful spending, inflation is down from 7.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent and mortgage interest rates are falling.
    “Treasury’s latest forecasts show economic growth averaging 2.7 per cent per year, 240,000 new jobs created, and wages growing faster than inflation every year. This is on top of the real average wage growing nearly $1100 since the election, and tax relief in Budget 2024.
    “But we cannot take an economic recovery for granted. It requires careful management. That’s why Budget 2025 is firmly focused on growing the economy to help Kiwis get ahead.
    “Investment Boost will allow hard working tradies, farmers, and small business owners to immediately deduct 20 per cent of the cost of new machinery, tools and equipment from their taxable income – encouraging investment in assets that increase productivity and help lift wages.
    “Other growth initiatives include lifting KiwiSaver balances with higher employer and employee contributions, investment in new infrastructure such as roads, schools and hospitals, growing tourism, attracting foreign investment, and new support for start-up tech businesses.
    “Targeted support for Kiwis dealing with the cost of living is another focus, including increasing Working for Families for 142,000 families, rates rebates for up to 66,000 SuperGold Card holders, and extending prescriptions to 12 months, meaning less time and money spent visiting the doctor.
    “The Budget also sees significant investment in frontline services, including more support for children with additional learning needs, more maths teachers, $1 billion for hospital upgrades, increased access to urgent medical care, and more support for Police.
    “Just like Kiwi households, we’ve had to make tough choices about what we spend money on. We are confident we have put Kiwis hard-earned taxes where they will have the most impact.
    “This Budget is focused on economic growth to help Kiwis get ahead. It is only through a strong economy that we can create jobs, deal with the cost of living and afford the schools, hospitals, and Police Kiwis deserve. This is a responsible Budget that secures New Zealand’s future.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst: American Leadership is Back

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) reaffirmed that President Trump is showing the world that American leadership is back and echoed his strong message for Vladimir Putin to end Russia’s bloody war.
    “Russia’s aggression has already cost too many innocent lives, about 5,000 lives every single week. Too many innocent lives, folks, which is why I support President Trump’s efforts to get a peace deal done now,” said Ernst.

    Watch Ernst’s full remarks here.
    Ernst’s full remarks:
    “Last week, President Trump showed the world that American leadership is back.
    “He brought home the last living American hostage – delivering Edan Alexander from Iran-backed Hamas and reuniting him with his family after nearly 600 days.
    “He stood with our partners in the Middle East to strengthen the historic Abraham Accords.
    “And he delivered a strong message to Vladimir Putin: End the war.
    “Today, I stand in support of a sovereign Ukraine and echo the President’s call to Putin to stop this bloodbath that never should have happened.
    “This is an issue that not only affects a close partner under siege, but also the strength of the United States of America and the security of the free world.
    “Let’s be clear here folks — China is watching. So is Iran and North Korea. And of course, Vladimir Putin is watching, too.
    “They call it the ‘new axis of evil’ for a reason.
    “Mr. President, I personally witnessed and experienced the growth of the U.S.-Ukrainian relationship when I visited Ukraine in its waning days of Soviet control as part of an agricultural student exchange program.
    “This was in 1989, and I had the privilege of living with a Ukrainian family on a very small collective farm.
    “Now, as we got together, there were a number of us Iowa students on that exchange, and again, it was an agricultural exchange.
    “We came together, each of us with our families, in a group setting, one of the very first nights that we were on that collective.
    “And again, with the premise of an agricultural exchange, we were farming tomatoes, working with the cattle and the hogs.
    “Very small, small collective.
    “We came together, and the Ukrainians wanted to ask us questions.
    “So all of us American students, all of us from Iowa, we sat down with our Ukrainian families, and we expected to talk about agriculture.
    “Iowa agriculture versus Ukrainian agriculture.
    “And much to my surprise, the first question that came from our Ukrainian counterparts, was not about how we raise corn or soybeans in Iowa, it was not about the types of machinery that we used on our farm.
    “But the first question the Ukrainians asked us was: What is it like to be free? What is it like to be an American?
    “Because in 1989, those Ukrainians were living under Soviet socialist rule.
    “They could not travel without having the permission of their government.
    “My family did not have a telephone and if they wanted to use the collective manager’s telephone, they would have somebody listening in on the conversation.
    “They would have to know the purpose of the telephone call, who they were calling, why they needed to make a telephone call.
    “This was 1989, and I learned a lot from that exchange.
    “I saw Ukrainian people desperate to break free of socialist economic structures and authoritarian restrictions on freedom of movement, the ability to have your own employment, and on freedom of speech.
    “Two years later, Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union and broke free.
    “Later, many years later, 2003, the United States was involved in the war in Iraq.
    “I was a soldier in 2003, during Iraqi Freedom.
    “So I was a transportation company commander permanently stationed in Kuwait.
    “My transporters ran convoys from the ports in Kuwait up to Iraq, delivering goods for our war fighters.
    “So I was on a little subcamp in Kuwait outside of Camp Arifjan. My soldiers and I lived on that subcamp. The other half of the camp was occupied by other forces.
    “Those other forces were Ukrainian soldiers. Ukraine is not part of NATO. They were not required to support the United States of America in Iraq, but Ukraine, of its own volition, sent their soldiers and not just as support elements, they were there as combat forces.
    “So again, I was a transporter. We ran convoys in Iraq.
    “The other half of that camp that I lived on, they were Ukrainian engineer forces. They did road clearing.
    “And I think back, how many American lives did those engineers save from their road clearing efforts, clearing bombs so they wouldn’t be detonated by my drivers?
    “Today, Ukraine is fighting its own war.
    “And I will remind everyone, the United States does not have forces involved in the Russia-Ukraine war. None. Zero. None.
    “Today, Ukraine fights not only for its own survival, but for the very principles the United States was founded on.
    “When America leads, the world is safer. When we disengage and when we retreat – like we saw for the last four years under the Biden administration – chaos fills the void.
    “Russia’s aggression has already cost too many innocent lives, about 5,000 lives every single week. Too many innocent lives, folks, which is why I support President Trump’s efforts to get a peace deal done now.
    “Vladimir Putin cannot keep tapping the United States of America along.
    “I vow to keep working with my colleagues to equip the president with all tools necessary to hold Russia accountable – including sanctioning Russia and its supporters – if they continue to drag out peace talks and carry on with the needless bloodshed, so this war that never should have started can come to an end.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Slams Rubio’s Defiance of Congress & Federal Law, Says Trump Admin Has Undermined American Leadership and Caused Preventable Suffering

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Murray: “Secretary Rubio… you have overseen a systematic campaign to dismantle USAID, impound billions of dollars that this Committee actually provided, and unilaterally remake the Department of State—without the slightest bit of concern that you lack the authority to do that without Congress. It has created chaos, it’s caused preventable deaths across the globe, and it has undermined American leadership… what you have done is outright illegal.”

    Murray calls for bipartisan pushback: “Are we going to roll over as Trump tramples our laws, and undermines our U.S. leadership, burns down what we’ve spent decades building, and lets millions of people across the globe suffer and die? Or are we going to stand up, push back, assert our constitutional power of the purse? And to my colleagues on both sides: this is the moment to decide whether this Committee continues to be a powerful bipartisan force. A force that I think we’ve all been proud of for a very long time.”

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of State, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called Secretary Marco Rubio out for flagrantly defying federal laws, ignoring Congress, undermining American leadership and our national security, and causing untold preventable suffering and death in his four months as secretary thus far.

    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “Secretary Rubio, I am deeply concerned that you have overseen a systematic campaign to dismantle USAID, impound billions of dollars that this Committee actually provided, and unilaterally remake the Department of State—without the slightest bit of concern that you lack the authority to do that without Congress. It has created chaos, it’s caused preventable deaths across the globe, and it has undermined American leadership.

    “As Ranking Member Schatz noted, what you have done is outright illegal. A complete violation of bipartisan appropriations laws, the Impoundment Control Act, and the Anti-Deficiency Act.

    “Within hours of taking office, President Trump halted all foreign aid—in flagrant defiance of the law. Now, under your watch, Secretary Rubio, that freeze was implemented with chaos and cruelty.

    “And then, you illegally shuttered USAID—placing everyone on leave, halting lifesaving work, literally locking people out of the building and out of their devices—even in dangerous corners of our world.

    “You paid people not to work, abandoned our partners across the globe, and chaotically recalled global staff—putting more than 1,600 Americans who served our country abroad in limbo.

    “And when you shut down the USAID payment system, you even refused to pay for services provided before the illegal freeze. You fought all the way to the Supreme Court against paying for services U.S. businesses already rendered, with funding that Congress already provided. And I know you know, Mr. Secretary, but you lost.

    “And I assume you need the reminder, because to this day, you have not made all the payments that are required by our nation’s highest court, and as a result American companies continue to layoff American workers. And, by the way, you do continue to lose in court—including just yesterday over your move to illegally replace U.S. Institute of Peace leadership, and in recent cases, over international broadcasting.

    “Now, eventually, Mr. Secretary, you sent Congress notice of your intent to collapse USAID into State. Only: you didn’t consult with this Committee—that’s required by law. It came without justification—also required by law. And it came long after USAID was reduced to rubble.

    “So, sadly disregard for our laws and values, to me, has sort of become a pattern of your tenure: revoking visas when someone writes an op-ed you don’t like, or reaching a secret deal to use taxpayer dollars to jail U.S. residents in a notorious foreign prison—no due process. Or pointlessly leaving food assistance to rot in storage. Actually, in Dubai, we now have 500 tons of high energy biscuits that expire in July—they’re bought, they’re shipped, they’re stored all at taxpayer expense. But you’ve condemned them to waste. And that’s one example of many. 

    “Now, another pattern that I am deeply worried about is transparency. We have pressed you for information. Our staffs have sent you countless emails and briefing requests so we can do our job here. There are hundreds of unanswered requests, and no effort to address them. And Mr. Secretary, that’s got to change.

    “Even your plan to reorganize the State Department came with no information on the 270 offices you are moving or eliminating, the proposed layoffs, or how USAID would be merged into State.

    “I won’t ask you whether impounding billions of dollars is legal. It is not.

    “I won’t ask whether it’s efficient to pay people not to work or fire them without even determining staffing needs.

    “And I won’t ask if cutting 91% of our counternarcotic and law enforcement programs makes us safer, abruptly abandoning agreements with allies makes us stronger, or ceding our global leadership to China makes us more prosperous.

    “Of course not—we know that.

    “We have worked together for years in a bipartisan way to advance U.S. interests and fund those programs. So, with respect to my colleagues, how long are we going to sit here and watch this silently?

    “Are we going to roll over as Trump tramples our laws, and undermines our U.S. leadership, burns down what we’ve spent decades building, and lets millions of people across the globe suffer and die? Or are we going to stand up, push back, assert our constitutional power of the purse?

    “And to my colleagues on both sides: this is the moment to decide whether this Committee continues to be a powerful bipartisan force. A force that I think we’ve all been proud of for a very long time. A force that is focused on safety, economic strength, and national security—focused on leading the world in research and development, and countering China and others with our soft power and our military power. 

    “Every single member of this committee knows what we are risking by letting this administration tear down so much.   

    “On USAID and other programs, we can always talk about how we can make things work better and other reforms. I don’t think any of us are opposed to any of those considerations—we have been doing that in a bipartisan way for a long time. But that is not actually what Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposes.”

    Senator Murray began her questioning by pressing Secretary Rubio on the secretive deal the United States inked with El Salvador to jail U.S. residents in the country’s notorious mega-prison, stating: “Will you share the text and details with my staff of your agreement with El Salvador and any other similar arrangements, including the funding details that we need to have?”

    Secretary Rubio ignored the question, defending his Department’s actions and falsely claiming he’s provided transparency to Congress, stating in part: “We’ve done nothing that’s illegal… We’ve answered questions repeatedly. We get hundreds of questions a day. We respond [to] them as quickly as possible.”

    “Mr. Secretary, I will tell you we are here because we need the information so that we can write our budget and in a bipartisan way move forward,” Senator Murray responded.

    “Well, you’ll have the information you need to write a budget,” Secretary Rubio interrupted.

    “Okay, so will we get the details on the El Salvador arrangement?” Senator Murray pressed.

    “Which El Salvador arrangement?” Secretary Rudio dodged.

    “Your agreement that you’ve made with them [to detain people the U.S. sends there],” Senator Murray pressed.

    “What agreement?” replied Secretary Rubio, in part, ducking the question.

    “The funding details, we have not gotten. We need to see what the costs are,” Senator Murray responded.

    Secretary Rubio again dodged the question, refusing to acknowledge an agreement or to confirm he’d share its details while confirming the U.S. has indeed paid El Salvador. He stated in part: “We’ve provided them law enforcement assistance. …. They have the right to spend that money any way they wish, but they did us a big favor…” He then falsely claimed the U.S. has not sent U.S. residents to El Salvador.

    Senator Murray pressed again: “I’m asking you whether we can see the details of the arrangements, including the funding details.”

    “I’m giving you the details. The arrangements are, we provide law enforcement funding to El Salvador, among other countries. How they choose to spend that money entirely is up to them,” Secretary Rubio deflected.

    Senator Murray moved on, “I’ll take that as a no. Can you give me the details on the 200 plus offices you’re proposing to eliminate? We need that. Can I get your commitment to giving us those?”

    “Sure, of course. That’s part of our reorg,” replied Secretary Rubio, who thus far has failed to provide the details to the Committee or Congress.

    “How about the details and justifications of your proposed rescissions from programs you claim are out of alignment with administration priorities. Are we going to get the details of that funding priorities?” asked Senator Murray.

    “On rescissions and empowerment, things of this nature? That’s obviously an OMB function, and I would talk to them about that, what’s going to go on with that money. I can tell you the contracts we canceled. And I can list to you the contracts we canceled and the rationale why, because I went through them myself,” replied Secretary Rubio.

    Senator Murray followed up, “Will you get those to us—like today?”

    Secretary Rubio did not provide a straight answer. Murray then pressed again on the need for transparency and more details, and Secretary Rubio ultimately committed: “Sure, you’re going to have all that information.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Apollo Capital Issues a With Prejudice Offer to MediPharm Labs and Its Board of Directors to Ensure Shareholder Rights Are Protected at the 2025 Annual Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Believes the Board Continues to Take Oppressive Actions Which Fundamentally Disregard the Rights and Interests of Shareholders

    Asserts the Board’s Unlawful, Desperate and Self-Serving Tactics Clearly Indicate That the Current Directors Will Go to Any Lengths Necessary to Entrench Themselves

    Requests that MediPharm Agree to Conduct the June 16th Annual Meeting Under the Oversight of an Independent Chair to Ensure Shareholders Have the Opportunity to Hold the Current Board Accountable and Elect New Leaders

    TORONTO, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo Technology Capital Corporation (“Apollo Capital”) which together with its affiliates and associates collectively is one of the largest shareholders of MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSX: LABS) (OTCQB: MEDIF) (FSE: MLZ) (“MediPharm”, “MediPharm Labs”, or the “Company”), owning approximately 3% of the Company’s common stock, today issued a “With Prejudice” offer to MediPharm’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) in order to ensure that the rights of shareholders are protected in connection with the Company’s upcoming 2025 Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held on June 16, 2025 (the “Annual Meeting”).

    CEO and Chairman Regan McGee of Apollo Capital commented:

    After disastrous Q1 2025 financial results and 22 consecutive quarters of losses, rather than assume accountability for its value-destructive decisions, we believe that the Board continues to take oppressive actions against shareholders, demonstrating that its sole priority is self-preservation and entrenchment.

    All indications point to the Board’s desire to run a corrupt election process to ensure their victory so that they can continue to siphon the remainder of MediPharm’s cash reserves into their own pockets until the Company runs out of money in November.

    What possible objection could they have to an independent chair running the meeting if this was not the case?

    This is why we have taken the step of publicly extending this offer which can be accessed at this LINK.

    While we expect Chairman Chris Taves (Managing Director and Head of Asia for Bank of Montreal, BMO Capital Markets) to continue to obstruct the appointment of an independent chair, Apollo Capital will not be deterred and will continue to do whatever is necessary to ensure that all shareholders have an opportunity to replace the directors whose decisions have completely destroyed shareholder value.

    MediPharm and its Board have consistently acted in a manner that unfairly disregards the rights and interests of shareholders by pursuing a strategy of entrenchment, obfuscation and character assassination of dissenting shareholders, improperly placing their own personal interests ahead of the interests of the Company and its shareholders, including by:

    • Undermining and disenfranchising Apollo Capital and all other MediPharm shareholders from exercising their rights to hold the board accountable for running the Company into the ground;
    • Making groundless public attacks on Apollo Capital, including false allegations of us acting jointly or in concert with other understandably disgruntled shareholders, and fabricating malicious and completely meritless accusations of criminal behaviour like harassment and the utterance of threats;
    • This is nothing less than thug behaviour and a menacing attempt to deter and silence any shareholders from raising their valid concerns in a public forum.

    Apollo Capital urges all of our fellow shareholders to reject the Board’s intimidation tactics, which are evidently geared to silencing anyone who demands change and accountability. It is sad that this is the tactic that the board has resorted to in an attempt shift attention away from their own epic failures and to discourage other shareholders from speaking out.

    It is Apollo Capital’s belief that not accepting this offer would clearly demonstrate that the board of directors of MediPharm’s only priority is self-preservation and entrenchment, improperly placing their own personal interests ahead of the law and the interests of the company and its shareholders.

    What possible objection could they have to a lawful and fair election with an independent Chair if this is not the case?

    All MediPharm stakeholders, including its employees and shareholders, deserve an independent third party running the Annual Meeting to ensure a fair, transparent and lawful process.

    Shareholders can visit www.CureMediPharm.com, to sign up for important campaign updates.

    To access Apollo Capital’s Circular and related proxy materials, including a proxy or voting instruction form, visit SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Contacts

    For Shareholders:
    Carson Proxy
    North American Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-530-5189
    Local or Text Message: 416-751-2066 (collect calls accepted)
    E: info@carsonproxy.com

    For Media:
    CureMediPharm@gasthalter.com

    Legal Disclosures

    Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption under Canadian Law

    In connection with the Annual Meeting, Apollo Capital has filed an amended and restated dissident information circular (the “Circular”) in compliance with applicable corporate and securities laws. Apollo Capital has provided in, or incorporated by reference into, this press release the disclosure required under section 9.2(4) of NI 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations (“NI 51-102”) and the corresponding exemption under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), and has filed the Circular, available under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Circular contains disclosure prescribed by applicable corporate law and disclosure required under section 9.2(6) of NI 51-102 in respect of Apollo Capital’s director nominees, in accordance with corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations. The Circular is hereby incorporated by reference into this press release and is available under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The registered office of the Company is 151 John Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada L4N 2L1.

    SHAREHOLDERS OF MEDIPHARM ARE URGED TO READ THE CIRCULAR CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and shareholders are able to obtain free copies of the Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto and further proxy circulars at no charge under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. In addition, shareholders are also able to obtain free copies of the Circular and other relevant documents by contacting Apollo Capital’s proxy solicitor, Carson Proxy Advisors Ltd. (“Carson Proxy”) at 1-800-530-5189, local (collect outside North America): 416-751-2066 or by email at info@carsonproxy.com.

    Proxies may be revoked in accordance with subsection 110(4) of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) by a registered shareholder of Company shares: (a) by completing and signing a valid proxy bearing a later date and returning it in accordance with the instructions contained in the accompanying form of proxy; (b) by depositing an instrument in writing executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s attorney authorized in writing; (c) by transmitting by telephonic or electronic means a revocation that is signed by electronic signature in accordance with applicable law, as the case may be: (i) at the registered office of the Company at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting is to be held, or (ii) with the chair of the Annual Meeting on the day of the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting; or (d) in any other manner permitted by law. In addition, proxies may be revoked by a non-registered holder of Company shares at any time by written notice to the intermediary in accordance with the instructions given to the non-registered holder by its intermediary. It should be noted that revocation of proxies or voting instructions by a non-registered holder can take several days or even longer to complete and, accordingly, any such revocation should be completed well in advance of the deadline prescribed in the form of proxy or voting instruction form to ensure it is given effect in respect of the Annual Meeting.

    The costs incurred in the preparation and mailing of any circular or proxy solicitation by Apollo Capital and any other participants named herein will be borne directly and indirectly by Apollo Capital. However, to the extent permitted under applicable law, Apollo Capital intends to seek reimbursement from the Company of all expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of its director nominees at the Annual Meeting.

    This press release and any solicitation made by Apollo Capital is, or will be, as applicable, made by such parties, and not by or on behalf of the management of the Company. Proxies may be solicited by proxy circular, mail, telephone, email or other electronic means, as well as by newspaper or other media advertising and in person by managers, directors, officers and employees of Apollo Capital who will not be specifically remunerated therefor. In addition, Apollo Capital may solicit proxies by way of public broadcast, including press release, speech or publication and any other manner permitted under applicable Canadian laws, and may engage the services of one or more agents and authorize other persons to assist it in soliciting proxies on their behalf.

    Apollo Capital has entered into an agreement with Carson Proxy Advisors (“Carson Proxy”) for solicitation and advisory services in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Meeting, for which Carson Proxy will receive a fee not to exceed $250,000, together with reimbursement for reasonable and out-of-pocket expenses. Apollo Capital has also engaged Gasthalter & Co. LP (“G&Co”) to act as communications consultant to provide Apollo Capital with certain communications, public relations and related services, for which G&Co will receive a minimum fee of US$75,000 in addition to a performance fee of US$250,000 in the event that Apollo Capital’s nominees make up a majority of the Board following the Annual Meeting, plus excess fees, related costs and expenses.

    No member of Apollo Capital nor any of their associates or affiliates has or has had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the beginning of the Company’s last completed financial year or in any proposed transaction that has materially affected or will or would materially affect the Company or any of the Company’s affiliates. No member of Apollo Capital nor any of their associates or affiliates has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting, other than setting the number of directors, the election of directors, the appointment of auditors and the approval of the ordinary resolution approving, among other things, the Company’s amended and restated equity incentive plan dated May 8, 2025 and the unallocated awards available thereunder.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward‐looking statements. All statements contained in this filing that are not clearly historical in nature or that necessarily depend on future events are forward‐looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan,” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward‐looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of Apollo Capital and currently available information. They are not guarantees of future performance, involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. All forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date hereof and Apollo Capital disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur, or of which Apollo Capital hereafter becomes aware, except as required by applicable law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Discusses Her Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit with Small Business Administrator

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Fischer’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit first-ever enacted into federal law in 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act; Fischer working to make tax credit permanent in budget reconciliation

     Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler on her commitment to implement her Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit (PFML)—the only national PFML policy ever enacted into federal law. She highlighted that her bill now requires the SBA to do targeted education, outreach, and technical assistance on the credit to inform employers how they can use it.

    Earlier this month, the House Ways & Means Committee included Fischer’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act in their tax bill as part of the House reconciliation package.

    Click the image above to watch a video of Fischer’s questioning

    Click here to download audio
    Click here to download video

    On Supporting Fischer’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit for Small Businesses:

    Fischer: As you know, in the 2017 tax bill, it included my bill to create a tax credit for employers who offer paid family and medical leave to their employees. The credit is the only national paid family medical leave policy that has ever been enacted into federal law. The credit expires at the end of this year, and I’ve introduced legislation to make a couple of tweaks to make the credit permanent. I was pleased to see that the House included my bill in their tax package, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to see that it is included in the final product. I believe that the SBA can play a critical role in increasing awareness of the credit.

    One of the tweaks we made in the bill was to require SBA to do targeted education, outreach, and technical assistance on the credit and how employers can use this. And when we designed the bill, our hope was that small businesses would be able to take advantage of it to offer their hourly employees a paid family medical leave that many of them do not have the opportunity to have as employees from larger businesses and corporations have that.

    We know that over 75% of small business owners support a federal financial incentive for small employers to provide paid leave benefits. Another survey tells us that for small business owners who don’t offer paid leave, over 58% reported that while they wanted to, they couldn’t afford to. So, I think awareness, education, assistance are keys here, and I think the SBA will play a large role in helping to get the word out.

    Again, this is a tax credit, pro-business, pro-family, not a mandate, not a new entitlement. Like in FY 25, I also intend to secure funding for the SBA to conduct that outreach. Can you commit to me that SBA will carry out this work diligently and quickly once we’re able to get the authority and the funding to do the work?

    Loeffler: Well Senator, thank you for your leadership in this important area, and you brought it to my attention during my confirmation process. So, I’m pleased to hear that it’s progressed, and it’s timely, because we at the SBA have refocused on our field organization in our 68 regional offices, and as you just heard, our 1,000 small business development centers that would be an excellent conduit to support awareness and implementation and support. It’s one more reason that this tax bill is so critical to small businesses across this country, so I look forward to learning more about that with you and your team and welcome the conversation.


    Background on Fischer’s work on Paid Family and Medical Leave:

    Fischer and Senator Angus King (I-Maine) established the country’s first-ever nationwide PFML policy, which was included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and implemented in 2018. Fischer and King reintroduced the bill in February, which builds upon the 2017 law to better serve working families. It also provides additional ways for businesses to qualify for the paid leave tax credit, such as paying for PFML insurance products, and requires greater outreach efforts to raise awareness about the credit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Passed by Senate Commerce Committee: Fischer’s Bill to Fight Freight Fraud

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act now eligible for Senate Floor vote

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer’s (R-Neb.) legislation to fight freight fraud unanimously passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee. The Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act now awaits consideration on the Senate floor. Fischer introduced the bill in January of this year.

    If signed into law, the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act would give the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) the tools needed to protect consumers from fraud by scammers in the interstate transportation of household goods.

    The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.). U.S. Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL) and Mike Ezell (MS-04) introduced identical companion legislation in the House.

    Click the image above to watch a video of Fischer’s remarks in the Senate Commerce Committee

    Click here to download audio
    Click here to download video

    Fischer’s Remarks as Prepared for Delivery:

    Today, this committee unanimously advanced my bill, S. 337, the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act.

    I want to thank Senator Duckworth for helping lead this effort. Since 2021, there has been a 1500% percent increase in cargo theft incidents, costing the industry $35 billion annually.

    S. 337 allows FMSCA to impose civil penalties against unauthorized brokers. 

    Additionally, it would require companies in the household goods sector to establish a principle place of business to prohibit fraudulent companies from skirting existing regulations. 

    This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will give the FMCSA the tools needed to protect consumers from fraud by scammers in the interstate transportation of household goods.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [Interview] The Premiere 5: Probably the Largest Touchscreen You’ll Use at Home

    Source: Samsung

    “Expanding the projection surface naturally broadens the range of use.”
    — Jaeyoung Park, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics
     
    With the right projector, you can enjoy a 100-inch screen in compact home spaces. The portability of smaller projectors also enable more flexible entertainment spaces. Turning a living room into a theater or a bedroom into a concert hall — that’s an experience you don’t come back from.
     
    Samsung Electronics is redefining home entertainment with The Premiere 5, introducing a new product identity by expanding the projection surface from walls to floors and tables and incorporating touch Interaction.1
     
    Samsung Newsroom spoke with Seung-Hyun Moon from the New Projector Lab, Yuri Kim from Innovative Product Planning and Jaeyoung Park from Lifestyle Product Marketing — all part of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics — to learn more about how the largest in-home touchscreen came to life.
     
    ▲ (From left) Yuri Kim, Jaeyoung Park and Seung-Hyun Moon from the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics
     
     
    Ultra-Short Throw, Ultra-Clear Picture in an Ultra Cute Form
    A compact ultra-short throw projector equipped with advanced triple laser technology as well as touch interaction, The Premiere 5 transforms everyday spaces into immersive environments with vivid picture quality. The device can display an image up to 100 inches from just 17 inches away2 when aimed at a wall and up to 40 inches when projecting onto the floor or tabletops.
     
    ▲ (From left) In the box: The Premiere 5, SolarCell Remote, front and back sides of the Touch Stand, power adapter and cable
     
    “We applied ultra-short throw technology so the projector can still deliver a large screen even when placed very close to the wall,” said Moon. “A specially designed aspheric mirror bends the light path by more than 90 degrees, allowing light to spread evenly across the surface.”
     
    “Thanks to the short projection distance, The Premiere 5 can be easily set up in confined spaces,” he added. “Another key strength is that it minimizes shadow interference — a common issue with conventional standard (or long) throw projectors.”
     
    Triple laser technology uses red, green and blue — the three primary colors of light — to produce bright, vivid images.
     
    “Traditional lamp-based or single-laser projectors rely on passing light through a color wheel to generate color,” said Moon. “In contrast, The Premiere 5 uses pure red, green and blue light sources from the start to deliver higher color purity and greater optical efficiency.”
     
    ▲ (From left) The top projection unit features a dual-mirror structure with an aspheric mirror, enabling ultra-short throw projection in a flat design. The camera unit uses 3D ToF technology for auto keystone and auto focus.
     
    The two cameras built into the projector use 3D time-of-flight (ToF) technology3 to automatically detect the shape and distance of the projection surface and make adjustments in real-time. Auto focus keeps the image sharp, whereas auto keystone corrects trapezoidal distortion for a properly aligned rectangular image. As a result, users get an optimal viewing experience without needing to make any manual adjustments.
     
    “3D ToF works by projecting infrared light onto the wall and calculating the time it takes to bounce back, allowing the projector to read the shape of the wall in real time,” he continued. “Thanks to this, the image can be instantly recalibrated even if the projector is accidentally moved during use.”
     
    ▲ Seung-Hyun Moon, New Projector Lab, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics
     
     
    Touch Interaction — The Projector for Smartphone Habits
    Touch interaction is a key feature that defines The Premiere 5.
     
    “When projecting onto the floor, the screen becomes very close to the user,” said Kim. “The Premiere 5 was developed with the idea that touch is the most intuitive way to interact with screens — especially for users who are already familiar with smartphones and tablets.”
     
    ▲ Yuri Kim, Innovative Product Planning, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics
     
    Touch interaction on The Premiere 5 uses infrared (IR) image sensors. An IR laser at the bottom of the stand and an IR camera at the top of the projector operate simultaneously to generate a calibration pattern, creating a map of the screen. When a user touches the surface, the upper sensor detects the reflected IR signal from the touch point and compares it with the existing map to determine the exact touch location.
     
    “For precise touch recognition, we created and refined an error map across the entire IR range and went through countless rounds of calibration,” said Moon. “We worked extensively to ensure touch accuracy.”
     
    ▲ (From left) The IR camera and the IR laser
     
    To activate touch interaction, users simply attach the front and rear stands to the main unit, lay it horizontally. The projector automatically switches to floor projection mode and enables touch. The magnetic connectors on the stands snap into place instantly, making assembly easy for anyone.
     
    The key to the stand design is ensuring both easy assembly and stable support for the sensors and main unit so the touch feature functions smoothly.
     
    “Before arriving at the current Touch Stand design, we went through numerous prototypes — continuously refining it to address shortcomings in both structure and usability,” said Park. “We were relentless in our pursuit of a safe, stable and effortless assembly.”
     
    ▲ Jaeyoung Park, Lifestyle Product Marketing, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics
     
    Kim also recalled the intensive development process behind the Touch Stand.
     
    “We experimented with countless attachment methods including detachable camera modules and cable connections,” she reflected. “There were easier ways to do this from a product development perspective, but our focus on user convenience helped us arrive at an optimal design. Ultimately, product development is driven by the user.”
     

    Towering Design Requirements — Stacking Form and Function
     
    “The process of stacking various parts in layers was simultaneously a design trial and technical challenge.”
    — Seung-Hyun Moon, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics
     
    One of the standout features of The Premiere 5 is its vertical tower design.
     
    “Unlike conventional projectors, ultra-short throw projectors emit light at a wide angle. To avoid obstructing the projection path, part of the main body is typically recessed in a valley structure,” said Park. “In contrast, The Premiere 5 uses a dual-mirror structure that creates a flat top for a cleaner, more refined appearance.”
     
    ▲ The Premiere 5
     
    “We aimed for a design that would blend naturally into any space and still look cohesive even when moved around — like a beautiful vase placed on furniture,” said Kim. “By shifting from the traditional horizontal form to a vertical design, we also improved space efficiency.”
     
    Focus was placed not only on design but also on sound quality. Featuring 10W stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos support, The Premiere 5 delivers a powerful, rich sound. When paired with the Music Frame speaker via Q-Symphony,4 the projector creates an even more immersive audio experience.
     
    “A cinematic experience is defined by both picture and sound quality, meaning high-quality audio is not optional — it’s essential,” said Park. “While delivering rich sound was a challenge given the spatial constraints, our team’s collaborative efforts allowed us to achieve both aesthetic design and impressive audio.”
     
    “Ultimately, product development is driven by the user.”
    — Yuri Kim, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics
     
    “While horizontal projectors allow internal components to be distributed more broadly, the vertical structure of The Premiere 5 required stacking various parts in layers,” said Moon. “Incorporating premium features — such as ultra-short throw, triple laser technology, high-quality speakers and an internal sound chamber — meant every component had to be smaller and efficiently placed. The process was simultaneously a design trial and a technical challenge.”
     
     
    Setting a New Standard for Projectors
    The Premiere 5 brings innovation to projector use by introducing the concept of floor projection.
     
    “By combining the projector with a Touch Stand, we extended the projection surface down to the floor,” said Park. “Expanding the projection surface naturally broadens the range of ways The Premiere 5 can be used.”
     
    For example, users can mirror mobile content and project it onto a table — turning the surface into an interactive touchscreen. They can also enjoy a richer home entertainment experience through Samsung TV Plus, Gaming Hub and more.
     
    “We highly recommend this product to those who want to share a large-screen experience with their family,” he added. “Through the ‘Enjoy With Family’ section within the Smart TV features, users can explore a wide range of touch-based content including educational and casual games.”
     
    “Touch is the most intuitive way to interact with screens — especially for smartphone users.”
    — Yuri Kim, Samsung Electronics
     
    “I often follow recipe videos on YouTube while cooking at home,” said Park. “When projecting onto the kitchen island, I can play and pause the video with a simple touch — even if my hands are messy.”
     
    He also noted that projecting onto the floor allows for convenient access to Samsung Health and guided workout videos during exercise.
     
    ▲ In the kitchen, The Premiere 5 can provide an easy-to-clean screen so you don’t have to worry about spills and accidents.
     
    “My goal is to deliver a new level of immersion — one that makes users feel as if they’re truly inside the screen, not just watching it,” said Kim, describing her aspirations for the future.
     
    “The new value of projectors lies in their ability to transform any surface into a screen,” added Park. “We will continue to overcome the limitations of projection surfaces through innovation.”
     
    The Premiere 5 stays true to the essence of a projector while unlocking new possibilities through touch interaction. With the Premiere series, Samsung continues to push the boundaries of innovation and elevate everyday screen experiences.
     
    ▲ Jaeyoung Park, Seung-Hyun Moon and Yuri Kim of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics say The Premiere 5 now feels like family.
     
    ▲ Engineers say it’s safer to hold The Premiere 5 with both hands when moving the device.
     
     
    1 Touch interaction is only available with the Touch Stand connected. Touch Interaction may not function properly depending on set up and the condition of the surface projection surface.
    Touch interaction support may vary by app, some apps may not support the feature. Some functions may be limited when using the feature.
    2 Screen sizes for each projection distance may differ depending on the installation environment.
    3 Time-of-Flight (ToF) technology is a depth-sensing method that measures the time it takes for a signal — usually infrared light — to travel from a source to an object and back to a sensor.
    4 Q-Symphony is audio technology that allows a compatible Samsung TV or projector and a compatible Samsung sound device (such as a soundbar or the Music Frame speaker) to connect for a holistic listening experience.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Indonesian military operations spark concerns over displaced indigenous Papuans

    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

    A West Papua independence leader says escalating violence is forcing indigenous Papuans to flee their ancestral lands.

    It comes as the Indonesian military claims 18 members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) were killed in an hour-long operation in Intan Jaya on May 14.

    In a statement, reported by Kompas, Indonesia’s military claimed its presence was “not to intimidate the people” but to protect them from violence.

    “We will not allow the people of Papua to live in fear in their own land,” it said.

    Indonesia’s military said it seized firearms, ammunition, bows and arrows. They also took Morning Star flags — used as a symbol for West Papuan independence — and communication equipment.

    The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) interim president Benny Wenda, who lives in exile in the United Kingdom, told RNZ Pacific that seven villages in Ilaga, Puncak Regency in Central Papua were now being attacked.

    “The current military escalation in West Papua has now been building for months. Initially targeting Intan Jaya, the Indonesian military have since broadened their attacks into other highlands regencies, including Puncak,” he said.

    Women, children forced to leave
    Wenda said women and children were being forced to leave their villages because of escalating conflict, often from drone attacks or airstrikes.

    ULMWP interim president Benny Wenda . . . “Indonesians look at us as primitive and they look at us as subhuman.” Image: RNZ Pacific/Kelvin Anthony

    Earlier this month, ULMWP claimed one civilian and another was seriously injured after being shot at from a helicopter.

    Last week, ULMWP shared a video of a group of indigenous Papuans walking through mountains holding an Indonesian flag, which Wenda said was a symbol of surrender.

    “They look at us as primitive and they look at us as subhuman,” Wenda said.

    He said the increased military presence was driven by resources.

    President Prabowo Subianto’s administration has a goal to be able to feed Indonesia’s population without imports as early as 2028.

    Video rejects Indnesian plan
    A video statement from tribes in Mappi regency in South Papua from about a month ago, translated to English, said they rejected Indonesia’s food project and asked companies to leave.

    In the video, about a dozen Papuans stood while one said the clans in the region had existed on customary land for generations and that companies had surveyed land without consent.

    “We firmly ask the local government, the regent, Mappi Regency to immediately review the permits and revoke the company’s permits,” the speaker said.

    Wenda said the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) had also grown.

    But he said many of the TPNPB were using bow and arrows against modern weapons.

    “I call them home guard because there’s nowhere to go.”

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Farmers busy with their work upon Chinese solar term Xiaoman

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

    Farmers busy with their work upon Chinese solar term Xiaoman

    Updated: May 22, 2025 08:37 Xinhua
    Farmers transplant seedlings in a paddy rice field in Jiaji Town of Qionghai City, south China’s Hainan Province, May 21, 2025. The traditional Chinese solar term Xiaoman (Grain Buds) falls on May 21 this year, indicating that grain seeds are becoming full. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on May 21, 2025 shows farmers transporting rice seedlings in a field in Fengnan District in Tangshan, north China’s Hebei City. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A farmer checks the growth of wheat in Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in Lijiang City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, May 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on May 21, 2025 shows farmers transplanting rice seedlings in a paddy rice field in Gaohu Town of Hengdong County, Hengyang City, central China’s Hunan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial photo taken on May 21, 2025 shows farmers competing during a seedling transplanting competition in Lianghekou Town of Zigui County, Yichang City of central China’s Hubei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A crop protection drone applies fertilizer over a paddy rice field of a farming company under the Beidahuang Group’s branch in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, May 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on May 21, 2025 shows farmers plowing the farmland in Baimadu Town of Daoxian County in Yongzhou City, central China’s Hunan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on May 21, 2025 shows farmers harvesting cole in a field in Lixiahe, east China’s Jiangsu Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Farmers transplant rice seedlings at the paddy fields in Jinning District of Kunming City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, May 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on May 21, 2025 shows farmers cultivating rice seedlings at the paddy fields in Lianyungang City, east China’s Jiangsu Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shanghai Disneyland breaks ground on Spider-Man land

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

    Leaders from the Shanghai Disney Resort management team and shareholders broke ground Monday morning on a new Spider-Man-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland, marking a significant milestone in the park’s expansion.

    Leaders from the management team and shareholders breaks ground for new Spider-Man-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland in Shanghai, May 19, 2025. The land will be the ninth themed land at Shanghai Disneyland and third major expansion of the park since opening. [Photo courtesy of Shanghai Disney Resort]

    The milestone was celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by leaders from Shanghai Disney Resort, Walt Disney Imagineering Shanghai, Shanghai Shendi Group and the Administrative Commission of Shanghai International Resort, marking the start of new construction. 

    Shanghai Disneyland has expanded twice since its June 2016 opening, making it one of the largest resorts in the world. The expanded offerings include a Disney-Pixar Toy Story Land, opened in April 2018 and Zootopia in December 2023, with plenty more coming in the future.

    A concept design for Shanghai Disneyland’s new Spider-Man-themed ride. [Image courtesy of Shanghai Disney Resort]

    The current Spider-Man-themed expansion was first announced in August 2024 at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Located next to Zootopia, the land will feature the park’s first major Marvel attraction – a Spider-Man thrill coaster. The area will also include themed dining, shopping and entertainment experiences. 

    Immersing guests in the webslinger’s world is not all Shanghai Disneyland expects in the coming years. On May 19, or China Tourism Day, the resort revealed a new Pixar-themed experience, made live in June of this year. 

    Three legendary Pixar characters will lead the celebrations: Carl from “Up,” Bing Bong from “Inside Out,” and Edna Mode from “The Incredibles.” These three iconic characters will make their Shanghai Disney Resort debut on the E-Stage, hosting a unique, exclusive show on June 3. They will then join other Pixar favorites for limited-time greetings at Toy Story Land, Tomorrowland and Adventure Isle from June 3-19.

    Three Pixar characters will lead Pixar-themed celebration in June. [Image courtesy of Shanghai Disney Resort]

    Amongst all these brand new and exciting events, another new Pixar experience is coming to Shanghai Disneyland. The Pixar-themed dining experience at Stargazer Grill in Tomorrowland will reopen on June 3 as Stargazer Grill Pixar Celebration. After an extensive revamp, the restaurant now features décor and menus inspired by Pixar films.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Russia-China Forum concludes in Khabarovsk with 34 cooperation agreements

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

    The two-day Russia-China Forum concluded on Tuesday, seeing the signing of 34 cooperation agreements worth over 100 billion rubles (about 1.24 billion U.S. dollars), spanning economy, tourism, culture and ecology.

    The forum focused on strengthening economic partnerships, fostering cross-border dialogue, and advancing joint innovation and cultural ties. A key topic was the joint development of Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island (known as Heixiazi Island in China).

    Governor of Khabarovsk Territory Dmitry Demeshin emphasized the importance of enriching the island with economic projects while preserving its natural environment and cultural heritage.

    A major focus was the establishment of a year-round cargo and passenger checkpoint on the island, which is expected to boost passenger traffic to 1.5 million annually and cargo flow to 1.3 million tons.

    A key highlight of the forum was the plenary session titled “Russia and China: Uniting Efforts for Shared Prosperity,” where representatives from both nations’ governments and businesses discussed economic partnerships, border region development, investments, trade, industrial cooperation and cultural ties.

    Cross-border economic cooperation has brought tangible success to businesses in Khabarovsk. Roman Degtyarev, manager of the Khabarovsk Baltika Breweries, said at the Russia-China Forum that his company has focused on developing the Chinese market. Over the past 14 years, the export volume of Baltika beer from Khabarovsk to China has increased 15-fold.

    Thanks to close cooperation with Chinese suppliers, the Khabarovsk-based company BEEZONE uses Chinese parts to assemble bulldozers for the Russian and Belarusian markets. Today, BEEZONE has developed into the fourth-largest heavy-duty bulldozer manufacturer in Russia, according to Maxim Shubin, head of the company.

    The Russia-China Forum included over 30 thematic sessions and cultural events, drawing more than 3,000 participants from governments, businesses and creative industries from both countries. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Walmart further expands in China with new Tianjin mega store

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

    Walmart has launched construction of its largest Sam’s Club by operational area in northern China, with Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony in the Tianjin Municipality marking the U.S. retail giant’s latest bet on the country’s vast consumer market.

    Scheduled to open in 2026, the 25,000-square-meter facility will adopt an omnichannel model integrating one physical store with 20 digital fulfillment centers to serve premium and diversified consumption needs across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This third Sam’s Club location in the northern metropolis positions Tianjin as a strategic anchor for Walmart’s regional expansion.

    Since opening its first Chinese store in Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong Province in 1996, the Walmart-owned warehouse membership chain has grown to 55 operational outlets nationwide. Sam’s Club achieved a milestone in 2024 with its annual China revenue exceeding 100 billion yuan (about 13.9 billion U.S. dollars), while Walmart China reported 6.7 billion U.S. dollars in net sales in the first quarter of 2025, a 22.5-percent year-on-year surge.

    “We take immense pride in Sam’s growth in China,” said Christina Zhu, president and CEO of Walmart China at last month’s Walmart Investment Community Meeting. She revealed that eight Sam’s Clubs in China are projected to surpass 500 million U.S. dollars in annual sales this year.

    The retailer has accelerated its China investments since announcing plans in December 2023 to open six to seven new Sam’s Clubs annually. Over a dozen projects are currently underway across Beijing, Guangdong, east China’s Zhejiang and other regions.

    Sam’s success aligns with China’s expanding import sector, which hit a record over 18 trillion yuan in 2024. The nation has maintained its position as the world’s second-largest consumer market and top online retail market, with total retail sales of consumer goods growing 4.6 percent year-on-year to 12.47 trillion yuan in the January-March period of 2025.

    China’s mega-market advantage lies in its economic scale, market capacity, industrial system and human capital — a multidimensional strength enhancing economic resilience, according to Yu Yongding, an economist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

    Despite global protectionist headwinds, China attracted 12,603 new foreign-invested enterprises during the first quarter of this year, with actualized foreign direct investment up 13.2 percent year on year in March.

    “Multinationals like Walmart are voting with their capital, showcasing confidence in China’s economic vitality and market appeal,” Yu noted. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, ASEAN fully complete negotiations on CAFTA 3.0 upgrade

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

    An aerial drone photo taken on April 30, 2025 shows a cargo ship berthing at a container dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China and 10 ASEAN countries have fully completed negotiations on the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), a milestone in bilateral trade cooperation that will inject greater momentum and stability into the world economy.

    The achievement was announced during a special online meeting of economic and trade ministers from China and ASEAN on Tuesday, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.

    CAFTA 3.0 will send a strong signal in support of free trade and open cooperation, said the ministry, noting that the agreement will inject greater certainty into regional and global trade, and serve as a model for openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation.

    Launched in 2010, the CAFTA, the world’s largest free trade zone among developing countries, has undergone continuous upgrades, with its Version 2.0 agreement signed in 2015 and coming into effect in 2019.

    With negotiations for CAFTA 3.0 now concluded, both parties will strive to formally sign the CAFTA 3.0 upgrade protocol before the end of this year, the ministry revealed.

    Exemplifying cooperation across the Global South, the conclusion of CAFTA 3.0 negotiations will greatly enhance China-ASEAN cooperation concerning industrial capacity, technology and trade, while boosting ASEAN countries’ economic growth and industrialization, said Feng Gui, a law professor at Guangxi University of Finance and Economics in south China.

    According to the commerce ministry, CAFTA 3.0 will introduce nine new chapters covering areas such as the digital economy, the green economy and supply chain connectivity.

    These new chapters are major breakthroughs as they will help China and ASEAN promote broader and deeper regional economic integration under new circumstances, and will facilitate the integration of their industrial and supply chains, the ministry said.

    In particular, the establishment of supply chain connectivity rules under CAFTA 3.0 marks a new milestone in supply chain cooperation between the two sides, as these rules will effectively facilitate the flow of critical goods and services while enhancing infrastructure connectivity, said Zhang Xiaojun, vice president of Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing Municipality.

    “These rules will not only optimize the efficient cross-border flow of production factors but also provide institutional support for building secure and stable supply chains,” Zhang explained.

    According to multiple experts, the digital economy will be another key sector to benefit from CAFTA 3.0, as closer cooperation under the agreement will help bridge the digital gap between China and ASEAN countries, paving the way for further economic integration.

    China’s experience in digital infrastructure development is expected to provide significant investment and technological support to ASEAN nations, and create more opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, said Chen Zhe, an associate professor at the School of International Law of Southwest University of Political Science and Law.

    Negotiations for CAFTA 3.0 have surpassed China’s previous free trade agreements in both scope and depth, demonstrating the country’s resolve to deepen openness in the digital economy sector, Chen added.

    “CAFTA 3.0 will not only strengthen economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN countries, but also underscore China’s proactive stance in actively shaping international digital trade rules and advancing global digital economic development,” Chen noted.

    Home to nearly a quarter of the world’s population, China and ASEAN had by 2024 been each other’s largest trading partner for five consecutive years. Bilateral trade value soared from less than 8 billion U.S. dollars in 1991 to nearly 1 trillion dollars in 2024.

    Data from the General Administration of Customs showed that in the first four months of 2025, trade between China and ASEAN had reached 2.38 trillion yuan (about 330.85 billion U.S. dollars), up 9.2 percent from a year earlier.

    ASEAN and China can further deepen their partnership, achieve high-quality common development, promote cooperation in areas such as intelligent manufacturing, and enhance connectivity and green transformation, Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of ASEAN, said at Tuesday’s meeting.

    Experts emphasized that the conclusion of CAFTA 3.0 negotiations will further strengthen the institutional framework for economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN, exploring a rule-based approach to cooperation. The CAFTA, through the integration of rules and standards, breaks away from the traditional models of rule- and standard-setting dominated by developed nations.

    Feng said that in an era marked by global trade protectionism and decoupling, China and ASEAN, as friendly neighbors and models of economic cooperation, are providing new support for the global multilateral trade system.

    “China is willing to work with ASEAN to maintain the stability and smooth operations of global industrial and supply chains, make greater contributions to the development of both sides, and safeguard international fairness and justice,” said China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s e-bike trade-in program fuels over 6M new sales

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

    Customers apply for trade-in subsidy from the government at a cashier in Fuyang, Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 31, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s electric bicycle trade-in program has generated robust sales since the start of 2025, with about 6.08 million vehicles traded in as of Tuesday, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

    New vehicle sales worth 17.82 billion yuan (about 2.48 billion U.S. dollars) were recorded during the period, the ministry said.

    China’s e-bike trade-in scheme renewed its momentum after five government departments, including the ministry, issued a joint notice in January extending the program.

    So far, the initiative has attracted participation from about 79,000 retail outlets, primarily individual businesses and small enterprises, indicating growing market enthusiasm.

    The program has gathered pace nationwide, with both Jiangsu and Hebei provinces seeing their new vehicle sales top 1 million units, the ministry said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s knowledge of Russia is dwindling. We need to start training our future experts now

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Richardson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University

    Shutterstock

    Russia’s possible interest in basing long-range aircraft at an Indonesian airbase not far from Australian shores shook up a relatively staid election campaign last month.

    The news, which Jakarta immediately dismissed, caught many by surprise in Australia. It shouldn’t have. While Indonesia’s non-aligned stance makes granting such a request highly unlikely, Russia’s defence and political ties with Southeast Asia have actually been deepening over the last decade, at least.

    All of this has gone largely unnoticed in Australia. And this highlights a significant problem: Australia has something of a knowledge deficit when it comes to Russia. This is in part due to the fact our expertise on the country has been hollowed out since the Cold War ended.

    Russia’s power plays are expanding globally

    The Soviet Union loomed large in Australia’s consciousness during the Cold War, if not high on its list of priorities.

    Today, Russia remains a major, albeit slightly diminished, power. It is a nuclear weapons state (it has more than 5,500 nuclear warheads, the most of any nation) and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It is also active in other forums of importance to Australia, such as the G20 and APEC, as well as in issues like arms control and climate change.

    Most worryingly, under President Vladimir Putin, Russia will no doubt continue to be a disruptor on the international stage.

    Russia’s political and security elite perceive the country to be a great power with interests and a right to influence in every part of the world. Just to drive that message home, a giant sign quoting Putin last year read: “Russia’s borders do not end anywhere”.

    Even before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow perpetuated an ideology that it is at war with the West. This idea is a key source of legitimacy for Putin’s regime. Russia’s hostile actions against Western democracies continue to proliferate. These include disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks, election interference and, in some regions, sabotage and assassinations.

    This isn’t focused entirely on Europe and the US, either. Russia has an active – and expanding – military presence in the Asia-Pacific. Russia’s Pacific Fleet, based in Vladivostok, now has more than 20 nuclear and conventional submarines and frequently engages in training exercises with the Chinese navy.

    More “normal” relations with Russia will not return soon. A lasting peace in Ukraine seems unlikely if any interim ceasefire deal leaves large swathes of the country under a brutal Russian occupation regime. Putin is unlikely to let go of his ambitions to subjugate Ukraine and limit its independence.

    While sanctions have made it harder for Moscow to conduct the war, the Russian economy also does not appear in danger of imminent collapse.

    Meanwhile, Southeast Asia has proven susceptible to Russia’s anti-Western narratives, particularly when it comes to the claim that the Russian invasion was provoked by Western policies and threats. Most regional governments have been loathe to criticise the invasion and the leaders of Indonesia and Malaysia have made state visits to Moscow despite it.

    Russia has had similar success in pushing disinformation through orchestrated social media campaigns across the Global South, including in parts of Africa where Australian companies have made significant investments in the mining sector.

    Reviving Russia literacy

    All these trends point to the need to enhance Australia’s modest level of Russia literacy, both in language skills and broader country expertise.

    This was the key message of a recent conference on “Russian activities and Australian interests in the Indo-Pacific”, hosted by the ANU’s Centre for European Studies. It was attended by a wide range of government officials, academics, analysts and foreign diplomats.

    Australia once had strong Russian-language departments at several universities. It also boasted numerous Russian and Soviet scholars of global repute, such as Harry Rigby, Sheila Fitzpatrick, Graeme Gill, Stephen Wheatcroft, Geoffrey Jukes and Stephen Fortescue.

    Today, the number of university departments teaching Russian language, history or politics has dwindled, with only the University of Melbourne offering a major in Russian language and literature. That university has also added a much-welcomed fellowship in Ukrainian studies.

    And Australia has few lecturers or researchers in international relations, history or social sciences with Russia expertise, including language skills.

    We can – and should – return our university Russian offerings to the levels we had 30 years ago. This can be done without cutting back on the existing expansive focus on other countries and regions. There is also scope for greater focus on Russia and the former Soviet countries in government.

    It will hard for Russia to shake off the pattern of failed government reform efforts defaulting to strong, centralised rule with imperial ambitions and an anti-Western posture.

    But moves towards reform could eventually bear fruit (again) when Putin leaves the stage. If this were to happen, Russia would remain a major power with a rich cultural legacy and many common interests with Australia in areas such as natural resources. There is also a significant Russian diaspora in Australia.

    For Australia, it is a mistake to think of Russia as somewhere far away. Both in simple geography – all state capitals except Perth are closer to Vladivostok than to New Delhi – and in terms of the interplay of global interests.

    Or, as British commentator Keir Giles puts it: “You may not be interested in Russia, but Russia is interested in you.”

    Jon Richardson 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 knowledge of Russia is dwindling. We need to start training our future experts now – https://theconversation.com/australias-knowledge-of-russia-is-dwindling-we-need-to-start-training-our-future-experts-now-256445

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Compression tights and tops: do they actually benefit you during (or after) exercise?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Singh, Research Fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia

    Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock

    You’ve seen them in every gym: tight black leggings, neon sleeves and even knee-length socks.

    Compression gear is everywhere, worn by weekend joggers, elite athletes and influencers striking poses mid-squat.

    But do compression garments actually improve your performance, or is the benefit mostly in your head?

    Let’s dive into the history, the science and whether they are worth your money.

    From hospitals to hashtags

    Compression garments didn’t start in sport. They were originally used in medical settings to improve blood flow in patients recovering from surgery or with circulation issues such as varicose veins.

    Doctors found tight garments that applied gentle pressure to limbs could help move blood and reduce swelling.

    But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, athletes, scientists and sports brands began experimenting with compression wear in training and competition.

    Companies such as SKINS, 2XU, and Under Armour entered the scene with bold promises: improved performance, reduced fatigue and faster recovery.

    Then, by the 2010s, compression wear wasn’t just for athletes – it had become a fashion statement.

    Social media helped drive the trend: influencers wore these items in gym selfies, TikTokers praised the sleek, sculpted look. And with the rise of athleisure, compression garments became everyday apparel, blending fitness with fashion.

    What are these garments supposed to do?

    Compression gear is designed to fit tightly against the skin and apply gentle, consistent pressure to muscles. The big claims made by manufacturers include:

    You’ll hear gym-goers say they feel “more supported” or “less sore” after using compression gear.

    Some even report improved posture or a mental boost – like stepping into a superhero suit.

    What the science says

    Research into compression garments has been growing steadily and the results are mixed – but interesting.

    A 2013 major meta-analysis reported moderate benefits across several recovery markers, including lower levels of creatine kinase (a sign of muscle damage) and less delayed-onset muscle soreness up to 72 hours after exercise.

    A 2016 review found compression garments reduced muscle soreness and swelling and boosted muscle power and strength. These improvements were up to 1.5 times greater (compared to people who didn’t wear compression garments) in some cases.

    Building on this, a 2017 review found people who wore compression gear recovered strength more quickly, with noticeable improvements within eight to 24 hours after a workout. Strength recovery scores were around 60% higher in those wearing compression gear compared to those who didn’t.

    But the findings are not consistent. A 2022 review of 19 trials found little effect on strength during the first few days post-exercise.

    And when it comes to actual performance, a comprehensive 2025 review of 51 studies concluded compression garments do not enhance race time or endurance performance in runners. And while they may reduce soft tissue vibration (which might feel more comfortable), they offered no meaningful edge in speed, stamina or oxygen use.

    Overall, in simpler terms: compression gear may help you recover faster but don’t expect it to turn you into an Olympic sprinter.

    When compression gear might help (and when it won’t)

    Here are some situations when compression garments can be genuinely useful:

    But don’t count on them to:

    • improve your times: there’s no strong evidence they boost speed or endurance

    • make you stronger: while some research has noted improvements in strength and power, this won’t necessarily have a noticeable effect on your athletic performance

    • replace training or good sleep: recovery still depends on the basics – rest, hydration and nutrition.

    So, should you wear them?

    Compression outfits won’t magically transform your body or training results. But they aren’t a waste of money either.

    If they make you feel more comfortable, confident or supported, that’s a valid reason to wear them. The psychological boost alone can be enough to enhance motivation or focus.

    And when it comes to post-exercise recovery, the evidence is solid enough to justify keeping a pair in your gym bag.

    Think of them like a good pair of shoes. They won’t run the race for you, but they might make the journey a little smoother.

    And if you’re just wearing them for the outfit photo on Instagram? That’s fine, too. Sometimes, confidence is the best workout gear of all.

    Ben Singh 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. Compression tights and tops: do they actually benefit you during (or after) exercise? – https://theconversation.com/compression-tights-and-tops-do-they-actually-benefit-you-during-or-after-exercise-255719

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Micro-credentials funding and fees

    Source:

    Funding for micro-credentials
    We want to invest in micro-credentials that meet the needs of industries and communities, and support government priorities delivered by highly capable TEOs. To be funded, micro-credentials need to have a clearly established industry or community need, be tightly focused on a set of skills and have stand-alone value.
    Not all quality-assured micro-credentials can be funded by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) as we have to prioritise how we distribute funding. Our investment in micro-credentials will complement rather than replace existing privately funded training. Alongside the micro-credentials we fund, we expect employers, industries, and learners will cover the full cost of others themselves. 
    We are open to funding micro-credentials at any level of the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF), but we want to ensure that learners are supported to make good choices, including enrolling in full qualifications where appropriate.
    For more information on the micro-credential funding conditions, see the DQ1-2, DQ3-7 and DQ7-10 funding conditions for the relevant year.
    Eligible organisations
    All TEOs eligible for Delivery on the NZQCF funding at any level (DQ1-2, DQ3-7 (non-degree), and DQ7-10) can apply for funding to deliver micro-credentials.
    If your organisation is not currently approved to receive any funding from us via an Investment Plan, you will first need to apply for funding as a new provider. For more information about this process, see Application to receive TEC funding.
    Talk to us early
    If you are a TEO creating a new micro-credential, we encourage you to discuss your ideas with us in the early stages of your micro-credential’s development, before submitting it to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), if you hope to receive TEC funding for its delivery. We will advise you if it is something we could potentially fund before you invest resources into developing it.
    How to apply
    The current TEC criteria and guidelines for the approval of TEO-developed micro-credentials came into effect on 1 November 2022. All applications must meet the approval criteria and use the form below: 

    How to submit your application
    Please read the criteria and guidelines carefully and submit your completed application using DXP Ngā Kete. Notify us by emailing micro-credentials@tec.govt.nz.  
    You can apply at any time. We expect to advise outcomes within six weeks. It may take longer than this in some circumstances or if we require additional information.
    WDC-developed micro-credentials
    The criteria and guidelines outlined on this page do not apply to Workforce Development Council (WDC)-developed micro-credentials as those are not subject to specific TEC approval. Where a TEO wishes to gain accreditation to deliver a micro-credential developed by a WDC, the TEO needs to apply to NZQA. If granted accreditation by NZQA, the TEO can then follow the standard TEC process for new qualifications by entering the micro-credential in Services for Tertiary Organisations (STEO).
    If you have any questions about this, please call us on 0800 601 301 or email customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
    Fee limit on micro-credentials
    Information on fee limits to micro-credentials, including exception criteria, can be found at Fee cap for micro-credentials.
    Re-prioritising funding from existing allocation
    If we approve a micro-credential for funding, we expect that in most cases TEOs will re-prioritise funding from within their existing allocation. To do this, you will need to make an in-year Plan Amendment via a MoP change in DXP Ngā Kete.
    You can increase the number of learners you enrol in the micro-credential over time (and make any necessary changes to the MoP) but you would need to ensure that the micro-credential continues to meet the priorities set out in the Tertiary Education Strategy, Plan Guidance and Supplementary Plan Guidance in force at the time of the proposed increase.

    If we approve your micro-credential for funding and you would like to seek additional funding for it, you can submit an additional funding request either at the time of your micro-credential application, or after it is approved. You will need to follow the standard process for additional funding. You can do that as part of the annual investment round or as an in-year additional funding request.
    We may consider investing additional funding to support micro-credentials if there is an exceptionally compelling case for strong employer or community demand and a clear contribution to government priorities.
    In considering further funding, we will look at the performance of existing provision by the TEO, including whether their existing allocation can be reprioritised from lower performing provision to the micro-credential.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Slams Secretary Burgum’s Plans to Fire National Park Staff, Sell Off Public Lands, & Slash Funding for Tribes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “Our public lands are not for sale. Protecting our wilderness, living up to our tribal obligations, keeping our communities safe—it’s just not negotiable. It’s actually a core reason your Department does exist—and these have been places with strong, bipartisan support.”
    NEW REPORT: President Trump’s Attacks on National Park Service are Hurting Communities Across Washington State
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Interior (DOI), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, slammed Secretary Doug Burgum’s efforts to fire staff across the Department, sell off our public lands and abandon the National Park Service’s conservation mission, and betray the United States’ obligation to Tribes with devastating proposed funding cuts. Also today, Senator Murray released a new report on how President Trump’s attacks on the National Park Service are hurting communities in Washington state.
    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:
    “Washington state is home to a number of pristine public lands—people travel from all over the world to experience my state, and Oregon.
    “Secretary Burgum, our public lands are not for sale. Protecting our wilderness, living up to our tribal obligations, keeping our communities safe—it’s just not negotiable. It’s actually a core reason your Department does exist—and these have been places with strong, bipartisan support.
    “So, I’m really concerned that one of the first things you did was make deep, painful cuts at our national parks, and start talking about our public lands kind of like they are a piggy bank.
    “I do not want to tell future generations: ‘See that that river of sludge—it used to be clear, it used to have salmon. See that charred mountainside—it used to be a forest with campgrounds and trails. See that smokestack? That used to be a National Park.’
    “I worry because it feels to me like your vision could lead to that with your budget cuts, and mass firings, and reorganization.
    “And I’m deeply concerned about the proposed cuts to programs and funding that our Tribes rely on, the mass firing of park rangers—they’re the people who help visitors, they clear trails, they clean the bathrooms, and they respond to emergencies.
    “As I watch this and hear from folks, and see what’s happening, on top of gutting bedrock environmental protections, I just don’t see how your Department can execute the law without staff in place.”
    [HURRICANE RIDGE REBUILD]
    Senator Murray began by her questioning by discussing the rebuild of Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge in Washington State: “I wanted to start by touching briefly on Hurricane Ridge, a place that as you know is very special to people in my home state of Washington and visitors who come from all over the world. I know that you visited Olympic National Park last week—and you saw how scenic it is, and a hint of how brutal the weather can be. It’s called Hurricane Ridge for a reason. The Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge burned down in a tragic fire two years ago. Congress delivered the emergency funding necessary to rebuild it last year. In the execution report that you delivered to the Committee in February—the disaster funding spend plan—you included the money for Olympic National Park, which I understand is for Hurricane Ridge. Do you have any updates on the next steps for that project?”
    Secretary Burgum said, “No, but I did have an opportunity with a park superintendent and some of the lead people who actually work at hurricane ridge and thankfully there was not 70 mile-per-hour wind, it was beautiful, sunny, calm, gorgeous. But I got to see the site where the fire had happened and was able to meet with them regarding the plans they have. It looks like a great project.”
    “Good, and can you just keep my staff and me updated on that project as it moves forward, it’s really important to all of us,” Senator Murray replied.
    [SWEEPING STAFF CUTS AT NATIONAL PARKS]
    Senator Murray turned her questioning to the sweeping staffing reductions taking place under Secretary Burgum’s leadership at DOI, “In your short tenure, you have overseen significant staffing reductions—over 10 percent—and reorganization efforts across the Department of the Interior, with I understand more firings to come. The National Park Service has lost 18 percent of its staff. You managed to fire the only plumber at Mount Rainier National Park. There is just nothing efficient about that kind of management. You’ve also decided that what few staff remain at our National Parks will focus solely on visitor services—that really abandons the conservation mission, which no doubt will lead to the degradation of our natural resources and our parks. On May 8th, five former NPS directors—from Republican and Democratic administrations alike—raised really grave concerns about these decisions. They wrote that the National Park Service’s founding statute requires conservation at our parks so they will be ‘unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.’ We need trail guides and biologists. We need EMTs and geologists. We need snow plow drivers and historians. Mr. Secretary, do you acknowledge that you have a statutory obligation to conserve our national parks? A simple yes or no here please.”
    Secretary Burgum responded, “Yes.”
    “Well, it just feels to me watching this that you are abandoning that obligation with your staffing cuts. Your job is to carry out the laws that Congress has passed, not as you wish they were written. Let me ask you, how many people do you plan to fire from the National Park Service?” Senator Murray pressed.
    “Let me respond by saying I’m going to repeat myself, that there is an opportunity to have more people working in our parks in all the positions that you described, Senator, and to have less people working for the National Park Service. We just have to accept that this math, that if you have a situation where slightly less than 50% of the people actually work in the park, that everything you said, I can increase the number of people in the park but still decrease the number of people on payroll at the National Park Service because we are eliminating overhead back office, IT, and HR roles,” answered Secretary Burgum in part.
    Senator Murray pushed back, “It’s huge cuts. The people you’re talking about are actually the support staff, and when you cut support staff, that’s not efficient. How does someone drive a snowplow if you don’t have a staffer that makes sure that the government gets the best deal to buy that snowplow? There is many, many detailed people that you are talking about that actually make sure that the spending is efficient, that the people are efficient. We all know how important staff is, you can’t survive without them. Those are the people that you are letting go. We can’t be efficient if they are not there.”
    Secretary Burgum tried to change the subject, “Are you suggesting that the National Park Service today is operating at peak efficiency?”
    “I would suggest that I welcome any suggestions to us about how to be efficient, but just mass across-the-board cuts and firing is really going to not increase efficiency at our parks. And that, I think, we all should be very concerned about,” Senator Murray responded, emphasizing that mass firings are not the answer.
    “But if the goal is for us to have more people working in the parks, you’re comfortable if I could get to a spot where I have more people working—” Secretary Burgum again avoided the question.
    Senator Murray said, “You show me what employees you are leaving behind that don’t support someone that makes sure that they have the equipment that they need that is up to date, it is running. Those kinds of things, you can’t just cut those people and expect people to be out in the national park without somebody who is making sure that their equipment is safe, that their hours are maintained, all the things that it takes to run a place. Our national parks are huge. They take a lot of people to run.”
    Secretary Burgum again dodged, failing to state the number of employees he expects to lose at NPS.
    Senator Murray then followed up to state: “One thing that I’m really concerned about, and everyone should be, is our national wildland firefighting efforts and countless staff who provide the necessary support there. For example, firefighters put their lives at risk. Without the support they need in many different roles, it just gets more dangerous. Those are the kinds of people I’m extremely concerned about, that without thought or really smart moves, that we are going to be putting our parks at risk.”
    [DEVASTATING PROPOSED FUNDING CUTS FOR TRIBES]
    Senator Murray then asked about proposed budget cuts at DOI, such as cuts of $617 million from core programs at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, $107 million from the BIA’s law enforcement office, and $187 million—nearly eliminating—funds to build Tribal schools, “You have a role in fulfilling the Federal Government’s trust and treaty responsibilities to our Tribes. I see numerous cuts across the budget that defunds Tribal police, the Bureau of Indian Affairs. How many Tribes have you personally consulted with on your budget request?”
    “I’ve been meeting with tribes every week since I’ve been here. I’ve got a deep understanding of our challenges and shortage in law enforcement,” replied Secretary Burgum.
    “There’s 574 Tribe—which ones have you consulted or met with?” Senator Murray asked again.  
    Secretary Burgum said, in part: “I’m happy to provide you a list, but I just recently had the Interior Secretary Tribal Advisory Committee, we had 24 representatives from tribes from across the country actually meeting in my office just a couple weeks ago.”
    Senator Murray and Secretary Burgum discussed the funding, and Murray concluded: “I just want to say that my tribes in Washington state are deeply concerned, they’re telling us that these layoffs will eliminate natural resource management, basic social services and they are horrified. So, I hope that in your list you will provide me, that I see some of their names.”
    [NEW MURRAY REPORT ON NATIONAL PARK SERVICE]
    Also today, Senator Murray released a new report on how the Trump administration’s cuts and planned cuts of National Park staff will reduce access to our public lands, harm Washington state’s gateway communities, jeopardize natural resources, and make National Parks less safe for visitors.
    The full report is available HERE and below:
    Report: President Trump’s Attacks on National Park Service are Hurting Communities Across Washington State
    This report is part of a series detailing the harm President Trump and Elon Musk’s reckless and devastating attacks on the federal workforce are causing on the ground in Washington state. The Trump administration’s mass firings and harmful actions have real consequences for Washington state residents and their communities.
    This report focuses on how the Trump administration’s cuts and planned cuts of National Park staff will reduce access to our public lands, harm Washington’s gateway communities, jeopardize natural resources, and make National Parks less safe for visitors.
    National Park Service is Critical to Ensuring All Americans Can Safely Visit Our Most Iconic Public Lands This Summer and Beyond
    Across the country, National Park Service rangers work hard to keep visitors safe, protect natural resources, and create an inspiring and educational experience for visitors. For over a decade, the National Park Service has had to operate at low staffing levels, despite significant increases in visitation.[1] Yet, under the Trump Administration, the National Park Service has frozen hiring, rescinded seasonal employment offers, pushed employees to resign, and laid off 1,000 permanent employees.[2] The National Park Service has also been ordered to submit a restructuring plan, and the Department of the Interior plans “additional massive layoffs” in the coming months. Without sufficient staff, visitor centers and campgrounds may close, bathrooms will not be properly maintained, emergency response times will drop, and important ranger services from interpretation to providing safety advice will be unavailable.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Reduce Access to Washington’s National Parks.
    The National Park Service has a significant footprint in Washington, home of the iconic Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks, along with historically significant sites across the state—like Fort Vancouver, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, and more. At the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Sam Peterson was one of the National Park Service staff fired on February 14, after accepting a promotion to become a park ranger just three months prior.
    “Americans aren’t getting what they’ve paid for—they’re not operating under a new budget. The Park Service is supposed to have a park ranger in my position at Lake Roosevelt, so there’s going to be fewer visitors who get important safety messaging, fewer visitors who can have their questions answered, and fewer kids that can go on a field trip led by a ranger. There may be safety impacts during the busy season, if we aren’t able to get out safety messaging as effectively. There’s supposed to be a team of nine interpreters at Lake Roosevelt—now there are only three,” said Peterson.
    In response to court orders, the National Park Service offered many fired employees, including Peterson, their positions back.[3]
    “I want to return to the Park Service someday, but right now, it doesn’t feel stable for either myself or my family, because we just don’t know what the next couple of months—and certainly the next couple of years—will bring. I turned down my job when it was offered back to me, because I was living in government housing at the time of my termination—I was given 60 days to leave. I signed a new lease and started a new job six hours away just before I was offered my job back. Even though it was tempting to accept my job back, I couldn’t do it,” said Peterson.
    Washington state’s outdoor recreation community has a front row seat to the local impacts of cutting staff at the National Park Service. Last year, the Mountaineers—an outdoor recreation group—led 727 trips, activities, and courses in Washington’s National Parks, serving 3,456 students.
    “We got word that the only plumber at Mount Rainier National Park was fired. That’s the kind of thing that you don’t see when you’re visiting the parks. But if a wastewater system goes down then they’re going to have to close bathrooms, that’s a public safety issue. You can’t have people visiting our parks if there are no sanitary facilities,” said Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director for the Mountaineers.
    “We’re also concerned about campgrounds opening up. There’s a lot of staff that are needed to open campgrounds, whether that’s removing hazardous trees from areas near campsites or opening up and testing the water system. If you don’t have staff to do that, that’s going to either delay or maybe prevent many campsites from opening. Hurricane Ridge, in Olympic National Park, lost one of their road crew members as part of the firing of probationary employees. If you don’t have enough road crew members to clear the road up to Hurricane Ridge, that area just can’t open,” said Robblee.
    In addition to the critical work conducted by National Park Service staff, Washington state has a uniquely strong volunteer community. The Washington Trails Association contributes thousands of volunteer hours to critical trail maintenance projects in places like Mount Rainier National Park.
    “We have had a decades-long relationship with Mount Rainier, but it’s built on working with National Park Service staff to plan projects so that we can leverage volunteers and bring them to the Park to help steward those places. The fear is that the public side of that public-private partnership is being eroded. We won’t be able to complete our mission to take care of these places without the Park Service being there as our partner,” said Michael DeCramer, Policy and Planning Manager for the Washington Trails Association.
    DeCramer is keenly aware of how reduced staffing will impact visitor experience.
    “There are just enough people at Mount Rainier National Park in the winter to keep the roads open and if somebody calls out sick, the gate doesn’t open,” said DeCramer, highlighting how vital staff are for providing access to our public lands.
    Following public outcry, the National Park Service proposed expanding their hiring of seasonal workers to meet the needs of increased visitation during the high season.
    “While that’s great in theory, a lot of parks haven’t been allowed to repost seasonal job postings, so they’re having to use the candidate pool from when the job was posted in October or November of last year. That’s now almost six months ago—a lot of the people who applied have already moved on,” said Peterson.
    “Seasonal employees do great work, and they’re absolutely necessary, but you also need stability year-over-year through permanent employees to train those seasonal employees and maintain institutional integrity, especially in the off season. Even though we think of parks as places we go to in the summer, staff are still needed for visitors during the off season and shoulder season. The off season is also when a lot of maintenance and repair work takes place, so that parks are ready for their high season. It’s not efficient to just say, ‘oh, we will fire all of these people and then hire a bunch of part time workers instead,’” said Peterson.
    Reduced Park Access Will Hurt Local Economies in Washington’s Gateway Communities
    In 2023, outdoor recreation contributed $22.5 billion to Washington’s economy and made up 3.2% of the state’s total jobs.[4] This economic impact is particularly important for gateway communities—those located closest to Washington’s National Parks. 
    The American Alpine Institute is a mountain climbing school and guide service with 60 employees and a significant presence in Washington state. Executive Director Jason Martin is also a mountain rescue volunteer, a former president of the Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council, and has worked extensively with the American Mountain Guides Association. After the initial round of layoffs, he reached out to people working in the National Park Service to try to understand how the layoffs may impact outdoor recreation.
    “Throughout the outdoor industry—which I represent in a couple of different ways: as a commercial operator, as a volunteer rescuer, and as an outdoor recreationalist—in many cases, we just don’t know what’s going on right now. We don’t know who to talk to. We don’t know who to ask about things,” said Martin.
    The Mount Rainier Business Alliance is a coalition of local business owners in Ashford, Elbe, Alder, and Mineral, Washington, whose members deeply understand the economic impacts of staffing cuts to the National Park Service.
    “In Ashford, which is the main town right outside of Mount Rainier National Park, everything is closely tied to the National Park—from our economy to our safety. So these cuts, while perhaps just seen as being cuts to the National Park, in some ways are really cuts to our community,” said Nickolas Neville, President of the Mount Rainier Business Alliance.
    For small business owners near Mount Rainier National Park, reductions in staffing at the National Park Service could make it impossible for them to keep their doors open.
    “This whole part of our county relies entirely on the people that decide to make the trip out to Mount Rainier. Making that more difficult, especially with how challenging access to the mountain has been because of lack of staffing—I could see causing businesses to shut down, businesses that are already struggling. I could see it impacting how often we get tourists here renting out properties and short-term rentals. This part of Pierce County is already on life support,” said Cat Larrow, head of the Community Advocacy Committee of the Mount Rainier Business Alliance.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Reduce Emergency Services at Washington’s National Parks
    In addition to maintaining the parks and educating visitors, park rangers ensure that visitors are safe and serve as first responders when emergencies arise. 
    “The Golden West Visitor Center at North Cascades National Park on Lake Chelan has struggled to stay open because they just haven’t had the staff they need to operate. That’s a key entry point for the Steven Mather Wilderness and the southern end of North Cascades National Park. My fear is that there’s just no slack at the Park Service. These folks are already doing everything they can. And you’re still going to have people wanting to visit the parks, but services are going to suffer,” said Michael DeCramer, Policy and Planning Manager for the Washington Trails Association. 
    “If there is a search and rescue operation needed, they might not be able to provide the staff for the level of service that we expect. Things might have to close if there’s a wildfire in the Park. We may not have the staff with the skills needed to respond in the way that we’re used to. And I see a lot of potential risk to the public. Not to be dire, but these cuts will be felt both in terms of loss of services but also decreased safety for the public, because park rangers are first responders,” said DeCramer.
    In addition to search and rescue and wildfire response, park rangers provide valuable safety information to visitors to prevent emergencies from happening in the first place.
    “Even just the rangers who sit at Artist Point handing out information to people about mountain rescues are important. I’ve done dozens and dozens of rescues in that area, mostly people who have broken bones. But if there’s nobody sitting there to warn someone that they’re actually walking into the wilderness. There’s a lot of concern,” said Jason Martin, the Executive Director of the American Alpine Institute, and a mountain rescue volunteer.
    Across Washington’s Parks, decreased staff creates safety concerns for visitors.
    “We are a very outdoor engaged state and people just go up to visit the woods constantly. I love that people are engaged, but the Park Service is putting people at risk on any given day by not having enough staff to maintain these parks,” said David Beard, Director of Policy & Government Affairs for the Children & Nature Network.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Harm Washington’s Natural Resources for Future Generations
    Washington’s National Parks contain some of America’s most precious natural resources and iconic landscapes. When people visit these special places, it often has a lasting impact.
    “We all have memories of a visit to our National Parks. My three kids have more than 50 Junior Ranger badges they have earned over the years. Are there going to be people there to raise their hand and swear in the six-year-old to be a Junior Ranger? All those things are likely going to be in question,” said Tom Uniack, Executive Director for Washington Wild.
    “If people aren’t able to visit our Parks, or they have negative experiences, then we’re losing out on those amazing connections that people have to the natural world that can change their lives. They develop a stewardship ethic. They want to care for these places, and they want to advocate to protect these places. And looking towards future generations, if this continues, future generations may not get to have the same experiences in these places as we are fortunate to have today,” said Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director for the Mountaineers.
    “Washington is a beautiful state. I was born and raised here. My dad was a climber. I really worry that whether it’s the National Park Service or the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management, not having the funding and staff to clean bathrooms, keep the gates open, and haul out trash. Garbage piling up can have lasting impacts on wildlife like bears and ravens and mountain lions,” said Jonathan Spitzer, Director of Operations for Alpine Ascents.
    As the summer season approaches, cuts to the National Park Service will be acutely felt across Washington state—from small businesses in gateway communities to the safety and quality of visitor experiences in Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainier National Parks. Washingtonians understand that these iconic public lands belong to the public, and that it takes a strong National Park Service to steward them for visitors today and tomorrow.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Presses Trump’s Small Business Administrator on Canceled Grants, Immense Costs of Trump’s Trade War for Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Q&A with SBA Administrator Loeffler***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler at a Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for SBA. Murray pressed Administrator Loeffler on the Trump administration’s cancellation of SBA grants and how Trump’s trade war is imposing serious costs on small businesses in Washington state.
    [GRANT TERMINATIONS]
    Senator Murray began by pressing Loeffler on funding she terminated: “I’ve been hearing from small businesses in my state about the SBA grants that have been cancelled and frozen. One example is you canceled a $2.5 million Regional Innovation Cluster contract in Washington state that would have supported small businesses that were working on carbon capture and utilization and storage. It’s not an isolated case but that is a program that Congress historically funded with strong bipartisan support. I wanted to ask you today: why have you canceled funding for a program that has both bipartisan support and really drives small business growth in emerging sectors?”
    Administrator Loeffler refused to answer the question directly but stated in part: “I have broad authority in this administration to reshape the Regional Innovation Clusters, and we are undertaking a review of those programs to right-size them and form them to where the needs are most urgent right now.”
    Senator Murray countered: “I would just say this is a regional need, and I would just ask you to go back and look at that one. Happy to provide you information, but it really is a critical one for our region.”
    [TRUMP’S TRADE WAR]
    Senator Murray then asked about the steep cost of Trump’s trade war on small businesses: “I met with small business owners in Seattle, one of them runs a coffee shop and imports green tea. Like a lot of small business owners that I am talking to, and you know, they operate on thin margins so even the current tariffs are hitting them really hard. We don’t grow much green tea in the United States. I doubt we ever will. Given that the increased costs imposed by these tariffs could really—he told me—shutter his business. What should they do in this situation?”
    Administrator Loeffler replied: “This period of negotiation, you know, is not one where we don’t acknowledge their near-term effects, but for the long term, we want—”
    Senator Murray interjected: “This is a small business. They can’t last much longer.”
    Avoiding the question of how a small business is supposed to cope, Loeffler replied: “We’re focused on is ensuring that we never get in the position again of having unfair trade. And that’s what President Trump’s fighting for. That’s what we’re fighting for. We, just yesterday, put out our Make Onshoring Great Again directory to ensure that small businesses have access to millions—a million suppliers across this country that can offer alternatives—”
    Senator Murray again interjected: “But this country doesn’t produce green tea, and this small business is not going to last more than a few months. I hear your bigger scheme is that someday this will all pay off. This small business won’t be there. I’m just asking you: what are they supposed to do? Are you going to – do you have anything drafted? Are you looking at anything that can help these small businesses who are on the verge of closing right now? They can’t wait 2, 3, 5, 6 months from now.”
    Offering SBA loan financing to cover turbulent times thanks to Trump’s tariffs, Secretary Loeffler replied in part: “Well, what the SBA is offering is certainly the capital, the counseling that they need, as well as import and export loan financing to deal with these times of uncertainty.”
    Senator Murray replied: “I appreciate that you have an optimistic view. I’m just telling you, having sat down and met with these small businesses, whether it’s shutting the regional SBA office or canceling these grants to support our entrepreneurs, or these tariffs that are having impact, there are small businesses that will not make it based on your optimism.”
    ______________________
    Senator Murray has been a vocal opponent of Trump’s chaotic trade war from the very start and has been lifting up the voices of people in Washington state harmed by this administration’s approach to trade and calling on Republicans to end Trump’s trade war—which Congress has the power to do—and take back Congress’ Constitutionally-granted power to impose tariffs. Earlier last month, Senator Murray brought together leaders across Washington state who highlighted how Trump’s ongoing trade war is already a devastating hit to Washington state’s economy, businesses, and our agriculture sector. Senator Murray also took to the Senate floor to lay out how Trump’s chaotic trade war is seriously threatening our economy, American businesses, families’ retirement savings, and so much else.
    Murray has also been sounding the alarm on Trump’s tariffs across Washington state. Recently, Senator Murray held a roundtable discussion in Tacoma with local businesses and ports, met with farmers in Yakima to discuss the consequences of Trump’s tariffs, and held a roundtable discussion in Vancouver at a local metal fabrication company to highlight how Trump’s trade war is hurting businesses and our economy Washington state. Just last week, Senator Murray met with small business owners in Seattle’s University District to hear how Trump’s tariffs and the broader economic uncertainty are affecting them, and later she met with farmers in Skagit County to discuss tariffs, and visited Blaine near the Canadian border to highlight the impacts of Trump’s trade war. Earlier this month, Senator Murray rallied her West Coast colleagues and ports from Washington state and California to sound the alarm on how Trump’s tariffs will mean bare shelves, higher prices, and painful layoffs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Grills Secretary Wright on Illegal Funding Freeze, Mass Firings, Devastating Proposed Funding Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray highlights how DOE’s actions and proposals undermined American innovation and will raise energy costs for American families
    ***WATCH AND READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray questioning Secretary Wright***
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s closing remarks***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, called out Secretary Chris Wright for creating chaos by forcing out thousands of critical employees, undermining American innovation and raising consumers’ costs by illegally blocking funds, blatantly ignoring Congress, and more.
    [MASS LAYOFFS]
    Senator Murray turned her questioning to how Secretary Wright is pushing out employees at DOE, “Secretary Wright, despite your claims to the contrary, more than 3500 employees have taken the deferred resignation offer—that’s over 20 percent of your staff. And we know that you fired several hundred probationary employees as well. This has meant some offices are now gutted, there’s nobody there, and others are in turmoil. For example, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which manages $20 billion in grants from the bipartisan infrastructure law, has lost more than 77 percent of its staff. It will be nearly impossible for that Office to accomplish its basic functions, let alone oversee any massive and complex energy construction projects. Your firings have been really arbitrary even firing some of our grid operators and linemen at the Bonneville Power Administration—which are not paid for by taxpayer dollars. I know you scrambled to get those people back. Several weeks ago, you said no more firings will occur at Bonneville—these positions are absolutely critical to the reliability of the grid in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest. Will you commit to exempting BPA from your hiring freeze, so they can bring on mission critical staff and keep the Northwest grid running?”
    Secretary Wright refused to make that commitment but replied: “We are very concerned about the power marketing agencies. They are critical to our country, Bonneville being one of them. We have been careful that their operations have not been disrupted. They were short-staffed when I arrived in this chair, and we will continue to treat them as the critical assets they are. Headcount is one input, it’s an important input, but it’s not the only input in running a successful business or a successful agency and again you brought up people that have provisionally elected to do a deferred resignation program and many of them still have the option to decide whether they really are staying or they really are leaving, they are in transition, we are engaged with them, they are not fired, they are not gone from the Department of Energy yet—”
    “There are a lot of folks still on the payroll at the expense of the taxpayer. We were told that over $70 million worth that are on administrative leave now. They are at home, they are not working, they are not processing anything, they are not doing any work, and as a result, offices across the department are not able to function because those people are not there. Even though taxpayers are still telling them to. On BPA, in terms of that, I do look forward to DOE hiring back sufficient staff. We have got to cover these critical responsibilities,” said Senator Murray.
    [PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS]
    Senator Murray then asked about Secretary Wright’s sweeping proposed budget cuts at DOE: “President Trump’s skinny budget really doubles down on cuts DOGE has already made to the Department. You propose cutting $2.5 billion from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy—74% of its overall budget—eliminating programs that reduce energy prices for businesses and families. On the one hand: you and the President say you support U.S. dominance in emerging technologies, but then, on the other, you propose cutting over $1 billion in funding to the Office of Science—undermining critical research programs for AI, fusion, quantum computing, nuclear energy, and critical minerals. Typically, new administrations craft budget requests that actually reflect their alleged priorities. You talk a lot about lowering costs for consumers and creating the ‘next Manhattan Project’ for AI, but this budget request includes across the board cuts to the very programs that would help you achieve your stated goals. I want to get this straight, you are asking Congress to cut the budget for the Office of Science by more than a billion dollars—that will help advance AI research and quantum computing?”
    Secretary Wright responded, “It [the over $1 billion plus proposed cut] won’t inhibit them at all. In fact, I think that on the margin it will help. Cause of course all the things you listed like fusion, quantum computing, fundamental basic science, none of those things will be cut. The problem is the labs drifted into things that are not fundamental basic science—that are political science. That is just not the missions of the labs.”
    Senator Murray pressed, “Do you have examples of those that you’d like to share with us?”
    “We have a crazy range of things on climate change. There is science around climate change that I write about and have studied for two decades, there’s real science there, but it has become a political game more than a real science game. That’s not the business of the national labs, and we’re going to shrink that activity,” said Secretary Wright, in part, admitting to planning to cut projects related to critical renewable energy research and climate science.
    Senator Murray continued: “You talk about the importance of nuclear power and small modular reactors. Just yesterday, you said you were in favor of ‘every incentive we can get from the federal government to restart this industry.’ Yet, in your budget you’re proposing you cut the Office of Nuclear Energy by $408 million. How are investors and companies supposed to have confidence in partnering with you, when what you say and what your budget says are two different things?”
    Secretary Wright replied, “Each individual line item does not indicate a policy. I think the nuclear industry is quite enthusiastic and quite confident they are going to have the best environment ever for commercial nuclear power under this administration, under my leadership at the DOE. What we are doing is mobilizing tens of billions of dollars of private capital using the government—”
    “The private capital is counting on us to make that investment; otherwise, we see them pull out. We have actually seen companies in the country now pulling out of projects because of the chaos in your department. As a businessman, you said that you should know more than anyone the importance of certainty. When they see the chaos and they see them pulling back, then they’re not going to invest their private money either,” Senator Murray pushed back.
    Secretary Wright again stood by the proposed budget cut for the Office of Nuclear Science.
    [LACK OF FULL BUDGET REQUEST]
    “We are having a budget hearing today. We have not seen your full budget request. We need that in front of us. It is required. It is critical information. When are we going to see your full budget request?” inquired Senator Murray.
    Secretary Wright was unable to provide details and responded, “I’m working with OMB right now to get that out as soon as we can. I understand your urgency.”
    [CLOSING COMMENTS]
    Senator Murray concluded by saying, “You have heard from my side, one after the other, of contracts that were canceled or frozen. These are real. You said no grants are frozen, no invoices unpaid. I don’t know if you’re not paying attention or you haven’t seen it, but I just want to remind you, it is illegal to ignore the clear directions of Congress. These are programs, spending bills that we passed through this committee. They were signed into law, and if you’re canceling them or freezing them or whatever, that is impoundment, and it is illegal. And I don’t raise that concern lightly. I am deeply concerned, and we are hearing the same stories over and over again. I do have a list, you said you hadn’t seen any. I will submit it for the record of canceled and frozen grants. These are just a handful that we know about. So, we expect your office to follow through and to do it quickly.
    “Secondly, on the CR spend plan, that was required within 45 days, that’s by law. Your department still has not given that to us. And again, I don’t raise this lightly, this committee, all of our committees, need to know where that money is going, where it’s being spent. Hanford Site is on the brink of having to lay off subcontractors and restart an entire procurement process on an important project because they are being directed now to hold off on implementing projects at FY 25 spend levels. So, this is not efficient, and Congress requires that, and we need those fixed. So that is really critical, and we expect a real response, not, you know, a nice little phrase.
    “And finally, on communication, you’ve heard it from several people. I appreciate that you’re telling everybody, ‘Call my office, we’ll call you back.’ But two-way communication is two-way communication. You told me you’d pick up the phone whenever, but we’re not getting calls back. People are not getting calls back. And I think it’s really important that you know that. I know you told some people that you were too busy, but you told me to call whenever. I have tried to get in touch with you. It took us a month and a half to get a call scheduled. Communication is not someday I’ll call you back. It’s unacceptable. And I do want to enter seven letters into the record that I have sent with colleagues over the past several months requesting information about what is going on at DOE—radio silence until yesterday—that was convenient. So, we need to get responses back to those letters, and I want to be on record saying that communication is not ignoring us.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Shannakian Jewellery Pty Ltd Public warning

    Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

    Consumer Affairs Victoria is warning anyone wanting to buy jewellery from Shannakian Jewellery to be careful, after receiving 67 complaints from consumers about the company.

    Trading as Shannakian Fine Jewellery, the company sells jewellery on its website, Instagram and in its Melbourne showroom. Most of the complaints received by Consumer Affairs Victoria are from sales on their Instagram page, which has over 25,000 followers.

    Since 15 February 2021, complaints have been received from consumers across Australia and overseas who allege the business:

    • accepted payment for jewellery but failed to provide it in a reasonable time, or at all
    • failed to provide refunds when requested and required, and
    • failed to provide a refund for faulty products.

    In one case, a consumer claimed to have paid the business $27,000 for a necklace. The jewellery was not provided. After following up many times, the consumer asked for a refund, which was not provided.

    Consumer Affairs Victoria Acting Director, David Joyner, is urging consumers to be wary before purchasing Shannakian Fine Jewellery products.

    If you have had a bad experience with Shannakian Fine Jewellery, contact us through our complaint form, email or by calling 1300 55 81 81.

    Read our public warning:

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister’s statement on Gorman Group’s mill purchase

    Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests, has released the following statement in response to Gorman Group’s purchase of Weyerhaeuser’s operations in Princeton:

    “I welcome Gorman Group’s purchase of Weyerhaeuser’s operations in Princeton. Locally, family-owned-and-operated forest companies are the lifeblood of the forest industry and a cornerstone of our economy. For too long, most major milling operations have been the realm of big industrial conglomerates. But today, the West-Kelowna-based business is reversing that trend. Companies like Gorman Group believe in the future of forestry and they know that B.C. is a great place to invest in that future. Their investment is good for the forestry sector, good for workers and their families, good for the people of Princeton and good for B.C.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Zimbabwe: African Development Fund approves $10.12 million grant to boost agricultural production and strengthen resilience in drought-prone rural…

    Source: African Development Bank Group
    The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved a $10.12 million grant from its African Development Fund to boost sustainable agricultural production and strengthen rural resilience in drought-prone regions. The project is expected to directly benefit 7,000 livestock-keeping farmers and 42,000…

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Key trade expo to open in central China to boost China-Africa ties

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

    BEIJING, May 21 — The fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is set to take place in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan Province, from June 12 to 15, with more than 12,000 participants expected to attend, organizers said at a press conference on Wednesday.

    The event, co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Hunan provincial government, is one of the most important events in the field of economy and trade between China and Africa this year. Over 2,800 enterprises, business associations and financial institutions from China and Africa have registered, along with representatives from 44 African countries, six international organizations and 23 Chinese provincial-level regions.

    Themed “China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization,” the biennial expo will feature exhibitions on sectors including smart mining technology and equipment, clean energy, modern agricultural machinery and construction equipment. More than 20 economic and trade events have been scheduled to take place during the expo.

    Shen Yumou, head of the Hunan provincial commerce department, said 128 cooperation projects with a total value exceeding 7 billion U.S. dollars have been proposed for signing or matchmaking during the expo, spanning areas including manufacturing, power and energy, transportation, information services, culture and healthcare.

    Launched in 2019, the expo has evolved into a major platform for enhancing China-Africa economic cooperation. Shen Xiang, director of the West Asia and Africa Department under the Ministry of Commerce, said the event is expected to inject fresh momentum into practical collaboration between the two sides.

    China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, said Tang Wenhong, assistant minister of commerce. In 2024, trade between China and African countries hit a record high of 295.6 billion U.S. dollars, up 4.8 percent year over year; while imports from Africa reached 116.8 billion U.S. dollars, up 6.9 percent year over year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investing in community regeneration

    Source: Scottish Government

    Projects to unlock economic growth and tackle poverty.

    Projects across Scotland will benefit from Scottish Government investment to help regenerate communities and drive economic growth.

    More than £21.5 million from two Scottish Government funds will bring 24 disused or derelict sites and buildings into use, creating more than 160 jobs and support nearly 900 training opportunities.

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes confirmed the 2025-26 allocations from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) and Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) during a visit to Powderhall in north Edinburgh.

    City of Edinburgh Council will receive £1.4 million for remedial works at the former waste disposal site, paving the way for a housing-led regeneration project that will provide 259 homes, including affordable housing.

    Other initiatives being supported include:

    • reviving a slate quarry in Cullipool owned and operated by the Isle of Luing Community Trust
    • converting a former tram depot in Dundee into a new transport museum
    • redeveloping a former derelict school into energy efficient housing units in Borrodale on the Isle of Skye
    • creating film production suites and a training centre at a former glue factory in Glasgow
    • extending Lochvale House community centre in Dumfries to include a café and soft play area

    The announcement coincides with a call for expressions of interest in 2026-27 funding to support regeneration projects in disadvantaged communities. As set out in the 2025 Programme for Government, future Scottish Government support for regeneration projects will be channelled through one national fund – the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund – to streamline the application and delivery process.

    The Deputy First Minister said:

    “This funding will help to transform derelict sites the length and breadth of Scotland, creating homes, jobs and facilities that drive economic growth, tackle poverty and help support and growing thriving communities.

    “This funding forms part of a wider £62.15 million investment by the Scottish Government towards regeneration projects in 2025-26. This will help to revitalise green spaces, town centres and derelict sites to benefit people across Scotland.

    “The 2025 Programme for Government stets out our renewed commitment to supporting regeneration projects across the country with one streamlined fund delivering this vision from next year.”

    The RCGF is delivered in partnership with COSLA.

    COSLA’s Spokesperson for Environment and Economy, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said:

    “Today’s announcement sees the return of invaluable tools and resources for local authorities to help deliver on the regeneration aspirations of the communities which they represent.

    “The diversity of successful projects on show demonstrates how localised approaches can deliver benefits across the country and showcase the best of partnership between local authorities and our communities to deliver economic and social renewal.

    “We look forward to continuing to work with Scottish Government on regeneration in the months to come.”

    City of Edinburgh Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said:

    “Our development plans at Powderhall are breathing new life into an excellently located, long unused industrial site, and are set to deliver hundreds of much-needed new homes and work and community spaces too.

    “The transformation of Powderhall is already well underway with the restoration of the former stable block, which retains unique heritage features of the site’s former use.   

    “Regenerating a historic, brownfield site like Powderhall is complex, challenging, and costly therefore I warmly welcome this Scottish Government investment.”

    Background

    Regeneration Projects supported through the RCGF and VDLIP fund in 2025/2026:

    Fund

    Organisation

    Project

    Award

    RCGF

    Angus Council

    Arbroath Courthouse Community Trust

    £2,138,985

    RCGF

    Argyll & Bute Council

    Fyne Futures Local Food Production and Training Centre

    £250,000

    RCGF

    Argyll & Bute Council

    Isle of Luing Community Owned Slate Quarry

    £1,747,936

    RCGF

    City of Edinburgh Council

    Spartans Youth Work and Education Building

    RCGF

    Clyde Gateway

    Baltic Street Play

    £850,000

    RCGF

    Dumfries and Galloway Council

    Let’s Get Sporty – Lochvale House

    £1,572,370

    RCGF

    Dundee City Council

    Dundee Museum of Transport – A Catalyst for Regeneration of Stobswell

    £1,001,430

    RCGF

    Fife Council

    Together Cowdenbeath People’s Centre

    £1,000,000

    RCGF

    Glasgow City Council

    SEC Possilpark

    £600,000

    RCGF

    Glasgow City Council

    Glue Factory

    £398,169

    RCGF

    Highland Council

    Glen Urquhart Public Hall

    £602,500

    RCGF

    Inverclyde Council

    Bank St. Community Hub

    £515,000

    RCGF

    South Lanarkshire Council

    Cathcart Road Net Zero Industrial Units

    £963,000

    VDLIP

    City of Edinburgh Council

    Powderhall Housing-Led Regeneration

    £1,400,000

    VDLIP

    Clyde Gateway

    Cuningar Loop Woodland Park Completion

    £500,000

    VDLIP

    Dumfries and Galloway Council

    Annan Harbour Regeneration – Phase 1

    £1,343,683

    VDLIP

    Dundee City Council

    Placemaking Lochee

    £695,000

    VDLIP

    East Dunbartonshire Council

    Lennoxtown Community Greenspace Project

    £472,952

    VDLIP

    Glasgow City Council

    Milton Discovery Wood

    £655,200

    VDLIP

    Glasgow City Council

    Tureen Street School Conversion

    £1,978,441

    VDLIP

    Highland Council

    Borrodale School Renovation Project

    £450,000

    VDLIP

    North Ayrshire Council

    Kyle Road Phase 2 Development

    £892,990

    VDLIP

    North Lanarkshire Council

    Cumbernauld Village Green-Blue Space

    £735,770

    VDLIP

    Renfrewshire Council

    Ferguslie Green Line – Belltrees

    £650,436

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: IAG’s proposed acquisition of RACQ Insurance not opposed

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The ACCC will not oppose Insurance Australia Group Limited’s (ASX: IAG) proposed acquisition of RACQ Insurance Limited (RACQI).

    IAG and RACQI supply general insurance products, including home and contents insurance and motor insurance. They predominantly overlap in the supply of insurance products in Queensland.

    The ACCC’s review considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on the supply of home and contents insurance and the supply of motor insurance, focussing on the level of competition provided by other existing insurance providers, how competitive RACQI is now, and the likely impact of the acquisition on insurance prices, service offering, and coverage.

    The ACCC found that alternative suppliers of home and contents insurance and motor insurance would continue to compete with and provide a competitive constraint on IAG after the acquisition.

    “Several alternative suppliers of home and contents insurance and motor insurance, including the market leader Suncorp, more established insurers Allianz and QBE, and newer entrants such as Youi, Auto & General, and Hollard will continue to compete in Queensland,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC’s investigation also found RACQI has not been a particularly vigorous competitor in recent times and that it has been losing market share since 2019.

    “While RACQI has strong brand recognition in Queensland, our review found that it does not differentiate in terms of price or coverage. Its prices are generally higher than many alternative suppliers, and that it does not meaningfully differentiate on coverage or service offering in the supply of home and contents insurance and motor insurance,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC also closely considered the level of competition RACQI would provide in the alternative scenario where it is not acquired by IAG.

    In particular, the ACCC considered the significant challenges faced by the insurance industry, including the growth in the number of extreme weather events over time and rising reinsurance and regulatory costs. The ACCC also considered how these challenges affected RACQI in particular.

    “RACQI faces material challenges in continuing to provide competitive insurance due to it serving some areas of higher natural hazard risk, and limited access to capital as a mutual organisation. These challenges have placed limitations on its capacity to compete,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC also considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on markets for the acquisition of smash repair services, windscreen repair and replacement services, and building repair services.

    The ACCC found that the proposed acquisition is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in these markets as IAG is unlikely to have the ability to diminish prices or supply terms after the acquisition due to its position in the market relative to other insurers and acquirers of these services.

    The ACCC is currently reviewing Allianz Australia Insurance Limited’s proposed acquisition of RAA Insurance Holdings Limited and is aware of IAG’s proposed acquisition of RAC Insurance from RAC WA. This decision in relation to IAG and RACQ should not be treated as being indicative of the ACCC’s decision or further consideration of these transactions. The competitive dynamics and issues in each transaction are unique and the ACCC is considering (or will consider) each transaction individually.

    Further information can be found on the ACCC’s public register: IAG Limited – RACQ Insurance Limited

    Background

    As part of the proposed acquisition, IAG will acquire 90 per cent of the shares in RACQI from The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Limited (RACQ), with an option to acquire the additional 10 per cent after two years. The proposed acquisition does not include RACQ’s membership-based business, which includes its roadside assistance business.

    IAG is a general insurance company operating in Australia and New Zealand. IAG provides a range of personal and commercial insurance products under various brands, including NRMA Insurance, Swann Insurance, ROLLiN’, Cylo, and Lumley Special Vehicles.

    IAG also underwrites insurance products and distributes them through agreements with third party brands, including Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, People’s Choice Bank, ANZ, and Coles (transitioning to Auto & General by October 2025).

    RACQ is a Queensland based member-owned organisation that provides roadside assistance, insurance, banking, and member/community services. RACQ issues general insurance products to customers through its wholly-owned subsidiary RACQI.

    RACQI also underwrites insurance products and distributes them through agreements with third party brands, including Honey Insurance (which provides insurance products to Aldi Insurance, Bank Australia, and Bank of Queensland) and Royal Automobile Club WA.

    MIL OSI News –