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Category: China

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luttrell Applauds Historic Border Security and National Defense Investments

    Source:

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) released the following statement after the House Homeland Security Committee and the House Armed Services Committee advanced major reconciliation packages that deliver on President Trump’s “Promises Made, Promises Kept” agenda, which secures America’s borders, rebuilds our military, and restores American strength on the world stage.

    “House Republicans followed through on our commitment to the American people. We’re bringing law and order back to our border, and we’re rebuilding American strength around the world.

    We’re building the wall, expanding Border Patrol forces, investing in the advanced technology, and taking the fight to the cartels and stopping the flow of drugs and human trafficking into our communities,” said Congressman Luttrell. 

    Luttrell continue, “We’re also making a generational investment to secure America’s future. We’re rebuilding our Navy, ramping up production of munitions and advanced weapons, modernizing our nuclear deterrent, accelerating our capabilities in cyber warfare and hypersonic weapons, building the Golden Dome missile defense shield to protect our country, enhancing forces to deter Communist China in the Pacific, and ensuring our servicemembers have the housing, healthcare, and support they have earned.

    We are restoring American deterrence, defending American sovereignty, and securing the American Dream for generations to come. Promises made, promises kept.”

    The Homeland Security Committee reconciliation package includes:

    • $46.5 billion to complete 701 miles of primary border wall, 900 miles of river barriers, and 629 miles of secondary barriers, integrating cutting-edge surveillance and technology.
    • $5 billion to modernize and expand CBP facilities.
    • $4.1 billion to hire 8,200 new CBP personnel, including Border Patrol agents, customs officers, and air and marine agents.
    • $2 billion for CBP workforce retention and recruitment incentives.
    • $2.7 billion to expand border surveillance and counter-drone technologies.
    • $1.076 billion to strengthen non-intrusive inspection systems at ports of entry.
    • $625 million for security planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Houston as one of the host cities.

    The Armed Services Committee reconciliation package includes:

    • $9 billion to improve Servicemember Quality of Life including housing, healthcare, and family support.
    • $34 billion for Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base to strengthen the Navy and invest in autonomous technologies.
    • $25 billion to develop the “Golden Dome” missile defense shield and counter hypersonic threats.
    • $21 billion to replenish America’s arsenal and expand production of critical minerals and munitions.
    • $14 billion to expedite innovation, scaling game-changing technology to the warfighter.
    • $13 billion to modernize and strengthen America’s nuclear deterrent.
    • $12 billion to enhance military readiness, including improving depots and shipyards.
    • $11 billion to expand Pacific deterrence and improve readiness.
    • $7 billion to reverse fighter force declines and accelerate next-generation air superiority.
    • $5 billion for Department of Defense (DoD) border security operations supporting Department of Homeland Security efforts.
    • $400 million to ensure fiscal responsibility through a historic clean audit initiative at DoD.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Silvaco Partners with Kyung Hee University’s Professor Jin Jang on AI-Powered Fab Technology Co-Optimization for Next Generation Display Technologies

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO) (“Silvaco” or the “Company”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation, today announced a strategic research and development partnership with Professor Jin Jang and the Advanced Display Research Center (ADRC) at Kyung Hee University (KHU), South Korea. This four-year collaboration, which officially commenced on February 1, 2025, aims to advance display technology innovation through the integration of FTCO™ (Fab Technology Co-Optimization) with AI-driven Digital Twin modeling.

    Under the partnership, Silvaco will fund Ph.D. students at KHU and closely collaborate with Prof. Jang’s team to provide high-quality measurement data for emerging display technologies—specifically Micro-LED and OLED. The joint research effort will combine this experimental data with Silvaco’s industry-leading simulation tools and FTCO solution platform to create a comprehensive display technology Digital Twin spanning process, device, and circuit levels.

    “Our goal is to demonstrate how FTCO and AI-enabled Digital Twins can revolutionize the development and production of advanced display technologies,” said Prof. Jin Jang. “The collaboration with Silvaco allows us to bridge physical experimentation with virtual modeling, creating a robust foundation for faster, more accurate decision-making in fabs.”

    Silvaco’s role in the partnership includes running corresponding TCAD simulations and developing a complete FTCO flow using Victory TCAD™ simulators with Victory DoE™ and Victory Analytics™ in conjunction with its EDA tools, SmartSpice™ and UTMOST IV™. Combined with experimental data from KHU, this FTCO-based Digital Twin will enable fab engineers to simulate the impact of process variations on device and circuit performance in real-time, significantly accelerating optimization cycles in manufacturing environments.

    “Partnering with Professor Jin Jang and the ADRC team marks a major step forward in applying FTCO and Digital Twin approaches to optimize next generation display technologies,” said Eric Guichard, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the TCAD business unit at Silvaco. “With their world-class expertise in Micro-LED, OLED devices, and related circuits combined with our advanced simulation and analytics platforms, we aim to unlock new levels of efficiency in process optimization, design, and yield improvement. This partnership represents a unique fusion of academic research paving the way for future innovations in display manufacturing and beyond.”

    About Silvaco
    Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for semiconductor and photonics processes, devices, and systems development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. Learn more at silvaco.com.

    Contacts
    Media Relations:
    Tiffany Behany, press@silvaco.com

    Investor Relations:
    Greg McNiff, investors@silvaco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Drone-Mounted Lidar Systems for Bathymetric Surveys Market Expected to Reach $890 Million By 2032

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Bathymetry is a rising subset of uses in the drone universe. Bathymetry is the study of the “beds” or “floors” of water bodies, including the ocean, rivers, streams, and lakes. LIDAR and drones drive this segment. According to a recent industry report from Grand View Research said: “The drone-mounted LiDAR systems for bathymetric surveys market is projected to experience significant growth, with the global LiDAR drone market expected to reach around $892 million by 2032. The market is driven by factors such as increasing demand for high-precision geospatial data, technological advancements in LiDAR sensors, and the integration of LiDAR with AI and machine learning. Advancements in LiDAR technology, such as improved accuracy and reduced costs, have made it more accessible for a wide range of applications. Moreover, LiDAR integration with drones and autonomous vehicles is driving market expansion. The airborne segment dominated the U.S. LiDAR industry with a revenue share of over 44.9% in 2024. Airborne LiDAR holds a dominant position in the U.S. market and is also the fastest-growing segment, driven by its extensive use in large-scale mapping, urban planning, and environmental monitoring. The ability of airborne LiDAR to cover vast areas with high accuracy makes it an essential tool for applications such as topographic mapping, flood risk assessment, and forest management. The integration of LiDAR systems with advanced drones and aircraft has further enhanced its utility, enabling cost-effective and efficient data acquisition. The rise of smart city initiatives and infrastructure development projects in the U.S. is another key factor propelling the growth of airborne LiDAR.”   Active Companies in the drone industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), ParaZero Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PRZO), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), EHang (NASDAQ: EH), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS).

    Grand View Research continued: “The mobile & UAV accounted to hold significant market share in 2024. The mobile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) LiDAR segment is experiencing significant growth in the U.S., primarily due to its versatility and ability to collect data in dynamic environments. Mobile LiDAR systems, mounted on vehicles, are widely used for road mapping, urban modeling, and autonomous vehicle navigation. UAV-based LiDAR has gained traction in industries like agriculture, construction, and mining, where flexibility and accessibility are critical. The reduced cost of UAV platforms and advancements in compact LiDAR sensors have made this technology more accessible to a broader range of industries. Additionally, advancements in miniaturization and cost reduction are opening up new opportunities for LiDAR applications. Smaller, more affordable sensors are becoming available for use in drones, allowing for rapid aerial mapping and surveying in hard-to-reach areas.”

    ZenaTech’s (NASDAQ:ZENA) Drone as a Service (DaaS) Offerings Expand to Bathymetric Surveys for Underwater Terrain Mapping for Commercial and Government Customers – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions, announces its DaaS offerings have expanded to include bathymetric surveys, a specialized method of mapping underwater terrain using drones equipped with sonar. These surveys are important for critical underwater depth and contour data to support maintenance, dredging, environmental planning, and aquatic development for both commercial and government customers.

    ZenaTech’s DaaS bathymetric surveys are now available in South Florida through the recently acquired Wallace Surveying where the team has both golf course and Intracoastal Waterway project relationships and surveying expertise. Utilizing advanced sonar and ZenaDrone drones, high-resolution underwater maps help customers make informed decisions ─ from enhanced water management and lake and channel design strategies, to ensuring long-term sustainability.

    “The Wallace team brings key customer relationships and bathymetric survey expertise that will enhance our national DaaS drone offerings. Bathymetric surveys using aerial drones offer faster, safer, and more cost-effective data collection, especially in hard-to-reach or hazardous environments. Unlike conventional manned survey vessel methods, drones require fewer personnel, reduce operational risks, and can access shallow or narrow areas with greater precision,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    According to DataIntelo market research, the global Bathymetry Survey Sonar Market was valued at approximately $1.2 billion in 2023, this market is projected to reach $2.1 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.2%. This encompasses sonar systems utilized in bathymetric surveys, including those deployed on drones.

    ZenaTech’s DaaS business will incorporate the ZenaDrone 1000 and the IQ series of multifunction autonomous drones to provide a variety of service solutions from land surveys to power line inspections or power washing, made accessible and cost effective through an Uber-like business model on a regular subscription or pay-per-use basis. Customers can conveniently access drones for eliminating manual or time-consuming tasks achieving superior results, such as for surveying, inspections, security and law enforcement, or precision farming applications, without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones themselves.

    The DaaS business model offers customers such as government agencies, real estate developers, construction firms, farmers or energy companies reduced upfront costs as there is no need to purchase expensive drones, as well as convenience, as there is no need to manage maintenance and operation. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and enables access to advanced drone technology sensors or attachments without the need for specialized training.   Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    Other recent developments in the markets include:

    ParaZero Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PRZO) announced recently that official marketing approval from the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s Defense Export Controls Agency (DECA) was received for the DropAir™ Precision Airdrop System, developed in collaboration with Heven Drones (“Heven”).

    Heven is a leading U.S. drone manufacturer with roots in Israel that specializes in custom autonomous UAV platforms. This authorization from DECA enables ParaZero and Heven to actively market their joint DropAir-integrated solution to global clients across commercial, defense, and humanitarian sectors.

    The DropAir system, integrated with Heven’s advanced UAVs, enables accurate and safe aerial delivery of critical payloads, including medical supplies, tactical equipment, and humanitarian aid. The combined solution is designed for autonomous deployment, enhanced safety, and mission-critical precision—especially in hard-to-reach or hazardous environments.

    AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS) recently announced the launch of its eBee VISION next generation application software featuring a variety of critical updates. Of particular note, is the capability for autonomous position updates with map referencing to provide precise navigation even in GNSS-denied areas where satellite signals are unavailable or unreliable due to various factors.

    AgEagle CEO Bill Irby commented, “Of the many new features provided in our latest software update, overcoming GNSS-denied shortfalls marks a significant leap forward in drone operations especially for defense personnel, public safety agencies and industrial teams working in high-stakes, GNSS-denied environments. Whether operating in dense urban centers, near critical installations, or in contested zones with active signal interference, our global eBee VISION customers can now maintain full navigational command of their drone using only the camera and map-based interface. This feature directly addresses a core challenge faced by tactical and industrial drone operators in today’s complex mission environments. Our technical team will continue to work relentlessly on refinements and ongoing advancements to ensure AgEagle remains at the forefront of UAV innovation.”

    EHang (NASDAQ: EH), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology platform company, recently announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Guangdong EHang General Aviation Co., Ltd. (“EHang General Aviation”), and its joint venture company in Hefei, Hefei HeYi Aviation Co., Ltd. (“HeYi Aviation”), have been granted the first batch of Air Operator Certificates (“OC”) for civil human-carrying pilotless aerial vehicles by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (“CAAC”).

    This milestone officially marks the launch of China’s human-carrying flight era in the low-altitude economy, allowing citizens and consumers to purchase flight tickets for low-altitude tourism, urban sightseeing, and diverse commercial human-carrying flight services at related operation sites in Guangzhou and Hefei. In the future, operators will also gradually expand into more other scenarios such as urban commuting based on operational conditions legally and compliantly. The issuance of the first batch of OCs sets a new benchmark for the low-altitude economy and urban air mobility and further unleashing a more powerful vitality of the new-quality productive forces.

    Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS) recently announced it has secured a $3.4 million order for its Iron Drone Raider Counter-UAS system from renowned European defense contractor for their governmental end client. This marks the initial deployment of the Iron Drone Raider in Europe and represents a major milestone in the global expansion of Ondas’ counter-UAS business.

    “Ongoing geopolitical instability and the rapid proliferation of hostile drone technologies have intensified the urgency for effective counter-UAS capabilities across NATO-aligned and partner nations,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas. “This order reflects the rising global demand for autonomous aerial defense systems that can be rapidly deployed, scaled, and adapted to modern threat environments. Iron Drone Raider delivers a differentiated solution for military and homeland security operators charged with safeguarding critical infrastructure and civilian populations from increasingly sophisticated aerial threats.”

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pandas and politics − from World War II to the Cold War, zoos have always been ideological

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By John M. Kinder, Professor of History and American Studies, Oklahoma State University

    Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji walks around his enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo in September 2023 in Washington, D.C. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

    President Donald Trump’s sweeping range of more than 130 executive orders and other decisions aim to upend everything from long-standing immigration policy to the control of a performing arts center.

    But so far, zoos are not among the many issues the Trump administration has focused on.

    That might no longer be the case.

    Trump issued an executive order on March 27, 2025, to restore “truth and sanity” at federal history sites.

    “Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history,” Trump wrote in the executive order, “replacing facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.” As a corrective, he instructed Vice President JD Vance to ferret out “improper ideology” at the Smithsonian Institution, a group of museums and research centers created and funded by the federal government.

    The executive order also applied to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., which has been part of the Smithsonian since 1890.

    For Trump’s critics, the suggestion that zoos might be indoctrinating visitors was absurd.

    NBC “Late Night” host Seth Meyers joked about the executive order on his show on April 2, characterizing it as evidence of an authoritarian personality.

    “Seriously, what the hell is ‘improper’ ideology at the zoo? Trump is starting to get into weird dictator s—,” Meyers said.

    Meyers’ astonishment should come as no surprise. Zoos go to great lengths to portray themselves as scientifically objective and politically neutral.

    Yet as a scholar of wars’ effects on American culture and society, I know that zoos have always been ideological, sending subtle – and not so subtle – messages about topics that have little to do with animals.

    Historically, zoos have been used to justify colonial exploitation. They have lent weight to eugenicist ideas about racial hierarchy. And they have served as backdrops for all kinds of political theater.

    During the 1920s and 1930s, for example, Italian strongman Benito Mussolini liked to climb inside the lion cage at the Rome Zoo to demonstrate the courage and vitality he associated with fascist politics.

    As I argue in my 2025 book “World War Zoos: Humans and Other Animals in the Deadliest Conflict of the Modern Age,” the links between zoos and national politics are especially pronounced in periods of war.

    Benito Mussolini, the longtime fascist dictator of Italy, visits a zoo in Rome in 1924.

    World war zoos

    Zoo ownership and funding models depend on the individual zoo, but many zoos receive at least some government funding to operate.

    At the start of World War II, most governments required zoos to embrace an ideology of sacrifice – a willingness to set the needs of the state above their own.

    For zoos in North America and the British Empire, this meant slashing workers’ pay, rationing food supplies and offering uniformed soldiers special access to zoo facilities.

    It also meant destroying animals considered a threat to public safety, especially in the event of a bombing or assault that could set them free. In 1939, the London Zoo killed more than 200 animals, starting with the black widow spiders and venomous snakes. Other zoos did the same, slaughtering their animal collections as a precaution against possible escape.

    Joan the hippo at the London Zoo gets a drink of water in June 1939.
    Fox Photos/Getty Images

    Authoritarian governments during World War II exercised almost total control over their nations’ zoos.

    Under Adolf Hitler, German zoos enforced “Aryan-only” visitation policies, festooned their grounds with swastikas, hosted galas for Nazi dignitaries and exhibited animals looted from zoos in occupied nations.

    In Japan, the governor of Tokyo ordered the Ueno Zoo to carry out a series of “propaganda killings” aimed at strengthening public commitment to the wartime struggle. Starting in August 1943, zoo staff shot, electrocuted, stabbed and strangled more than 20 animals, including a polar bear, an American bison, a python and a leopard cub.

    Tokyo’s zoo also starved to death three elephants named Jon, Tonki and Hanako. Weeks after the zoo held an official funeral for its animals, two of the three elephants that were not actually dead continued to suffer, their cages covered in bunting so the public would not see the ghastly evidence.

    Even as the fighting raged, the Soviet government directed its zoos to develop practical measures to help the war effort. At the Moscow Zoo, staff taught people how to breed mice and rabbits for medical applications, such as vaccine testing.

    All the while, Soviet zoo employees had to demonstrate ideological vigilance in the workplace. Any slipup could mean official sanction, loss of position or worse.

    Cold War zoos

    During the Cold War, governments around the world continued to view zoos through an ideological lens.

    This was especially true in Berlin, where the city’s two zoos – one in the capitalist West, the other in the communist East – became symbols of competing ideological worldviews.

    No zoo animals were more ideologically fraught in the Cold War than giant pandas, endemic to the forested mountains of central China.

    In the 1950s and 1960s, American zoos were denied permission by the U.S. government to import pandas from China. The State Department considered them “enemy goods.”

    First lady Pat Nixon welcomes pandas to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., in 1972.

    That changed in 1972, when President Richard Nixon, during a thawing of the Cold War, famously returned from China with Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, the first giant pandas who were gifted to and exhibited in the U.S. in decades.

    The National Zoo unveiled China’s latest “soft power ambassadors” in January 2025. Three-year-old pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao are set to remain in D.C. for 10 years – long enough to win the hearts and minds of millions of zoo visitors.

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

    – ref. Pandas and politics − from World War II to the Cold War, zoos have always been ideological – https://theconversation.com/pandas-and-politics-from-world-war-ii-to-the-cold-war-zoos-have-always-been-ideological-255305

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Deporting international students risks making the US a less attractive destination, putting its economic engine at risk

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David L. Di Maria, Vice Provost for Global Engagement, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Boston University students march to demand the school declare itself a sanctuary campus to protect their peers from the federal government regardless of their immigration status, on April 3, 2025. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

    In early April 2025, the Trump administration terminated the immigration statuses of thousands of international students listed in a government database, meaning they no longer had legal permission to be in the country. Some students self-deported instead of facing deportation.

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently announced that it would reverse the terminations after courts across the country determined they did not have merit.

    These moves come as the White House seeks to enhance vetting and screening of all foreign nationals.

    The State Department in March announced plans to use artificial intelligence to review international students’ social media accounts.

    As an administrator and scholar who specializes in international higher education, I know that international students in the United States have long been subjected to a high level of vetting, screening and monitoring.

    Inserting additional bureaucracy into current processes could make the U.S. a less attractive study destination. I believe this would ultimately hamper the Trump administration’s ability to achieve its “America First” priorities related to the economy, science and technology, and national security.

    International students in the US

    The U.S. has long been the global leader in attracting international students. But competition for these students is increasing as other countries, such as Germany and South Korea, enact strategies for attracting international education.

    The U.S. hosts 16% of all students studying outside of their home country, down from 22% in 2014 and 28% in 2001, according to the Institute of International Education. Of the more than 1 million international students who were present in the U.S. during the 2023-2024 academic year, 54% came from just two countries, China and India.

    Most international students pursue graduate degrees in STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. And, according to the National Science Foundation, international students make up a significant portion of enrollment at the master’s and doctoral levels.

    How international students are screened

    International students in the U.S. are already subjected to intense screening and continuous monitoring. These measures include:

    • Vetting the student’s school. Before they can apply for a visa, international students must be admitted to a school authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to enroll people on student visas.

    • Vetting at the embassy. As part of the visa application process, international students are subjected to national security reviews carried out by various intelligence and law enforcement agencies. In some cases, such as when a U.S. consular officer in their home country decides that more information is required from external sources to determine visa eligibility, additional screenings occur. That is done through a process known as administrative processing.

    • Vetting upon arrival. When they arrive in the U.S., international students are again screened by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. If the officer is unable to verify any information, the student is sent to secondary inspection, a secure interview area where the student waits while officers complete additional assessment. The student is then either admitted to the U.S. or forced to depart the country.

    • Ongoing monitoring while in the U.S. If permitted to enter the country, students must enroll full time, earn good grades and notify their school within 10 days of substantive changes to their circumstances.

    Examples include a change to their address, academic major or financial sponsor. And school officials are required to report this information to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s National Security Investigations Division.

    Students participating in temporary, postgraduation training programs must continue to comply with reporting requirements. And certain STEM graduates, and their employers, are subject to additional requirements. They include certification of training plans, annual evaluations and site visits.

    Most international students prefer to study in the U.S., recent research shows. But they are willing to change their preferences as other countries introduce friendlier visa policies, such as more flexible post-study work opportunities and lower visa costs.

    Given the current level of screening and monitoring already imposed on international students in the U.S., it is unclear how additional measures would add value.

    Boston University police officers speak to each other as students protest outside a dean’s office demanding the school declare itself a sanctuary campus, on April 3, 2025.
    Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

    Critical to an America First agenda

    President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda aims to grow the U.S. economy.

    It also intends to maintain U.S. leadership in science and technology and enhance national security.

    Trump administration officials have underlined the importance of recruiting top global talent. And Trump has said that international students who graduate from U.S. colleges should be awarded a green card with their degree.

    During the 2023-2024 academic year, international students contributed US$43.8 billion to the U.S. economy through tuition and living expenses, which supported an estimated 378,175 U.S. jobs.

    Their contributions don’t end following graduation, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Many go on to launch successful startups at a rate that is eight to nine times higher than their domestic peers. In fact, 25% of billion-dollar companies in the U.S. were founded by a former international student.

    Such companies include Eventbrite, Grammarly, Moderna, OpenAI, Robinhood and SpaceX.

    International students also help the U.S. maintain global leadership in STEM.

    Consider that 45% of STEM workers in the U.S. holding a doctoral degree were born outside the U.S.

    A 2024 report cautions that the U.S. is failing to develop domestic STEM talent at all levels of the education system. Just 3.2% of U.S. high school graduates are estimated to enter the STEM workforce.

    Moreover, the country’s ability to attract and retain international STEM talent is decreasing due to immigration restrictions and increased global competition.

    Finally, international students are critical to establishing global networks and promoting soft power diplomacy. This is evidenced by the U.S. having graduated more world leaders than any other nation.

    Further restricting the ability of international students to study in the U.S. will ultimately redirect talent to other countries, allies and adversaries alike.

    David L. Di Maria does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Deporting international students risks making the US a less attractive destination, putting its economic engine at risk – https://theconversation.com/deporting-international-students-risks-making-the-us-a-less-attractive-destination-putting-its-economic-engine-at-risk-249245

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: China witnesses travel peak on 1st day of May Day holiday

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

    China witnesses travel peak on 1st day of May Day holiday

    Updated: May 1, 2025 20:40 Xinhua
    Passengers prepare to board a train at Nanjing Railway Station in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, May 1, 2025. The transportation network of the country witnessed a travel peak on the first day of the May Day holiday. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers wait at the departure hall of Hongqiao Railway Station in east China’s Shanghai, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers are seen at Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers prepare to board a train at Hongqiao Railway Station in east China’s Shanghai, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers wait at the departure hall of Guiyang North Railway Station in Guiyang, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Vehicles run on a city expressway in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Vehicles run on an expressway in Wuxi, east China’s Jiangsu Province, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers prepare to board a train at Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, May 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Canton Fair cuts booth fees to support exporters

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

    GUANGZHOU, May 1 — The 137th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, will reduce booth fees by 50 percent for export exhibitors, a move aimed at helping exporters navigate global trade challenges.

    Booths in rural revitalization and other special zones will remain rent-free, the China Foreign Trade Center, organizer of the Canton Fair, announced on Thursday as the third phase of the fair opened.

    The adjusted booth fees have been published on the fair’s official website, with a 9-square-meter booth now generally priced at just over 10,000 yuan (about 1,375 U.S. dollars). The waived portion of the previously collected fees will be refunded, according to the organizer.

    The third phase features over 12,000 exhibitors in 21 sections, showcasing products such as toys and maternity goods, fashion, home textiles, stationery, and health and recreation items.

    This edition of the fair, held in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou from April 15 to May 5, is organized into three themed phases. The first one focused on advanced manufacturing, the second on quality home furnishings, and the third on products that promote a better quality of life.

    More than 220,000 overseas buyers from 219 countries and regions attended the first two phases, setting a record. The fair has seen packed venues with vibrant buyer-seller engagement since opening, indicating the resilience of China’s foreign trade.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Lloyds Bank PLC: 2025 Q1 Interim Management Statement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Lloyds Bank plc
    Q1 2025 Interim Management Statement
    1 May 2025

    Member of the Lloyds Banking Group

    FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and section 27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to the business, strategy, plans and/or results of Lloyds Bank plc together with its subsidiaries (the Lloyds Bank Group) and its current goals and expectations. Statements that are not historical or current facts, including statements about the Lloyds Bank Group’s or its directors’ and/or management’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as, without limitation, ‘believes’, ‘achieves’, ‘anticipates’, ‘estimates’, ‘expects’, ‘targets’, ‘should’, ‘intends’, ‘aims’, ‘projects’, ‘plans’, ‘potential’, ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘could’, ‘considered’, ‘likely’, ‘may’, ‘seek’, ‘estimate’, ‘probability’, ‘goal’, ‘objective’, ‘deliver’, ‘endeavour’, ‘prospects’, ‘optimistic’ and similar expressions or variations on these expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements concern or may affect future matters, including but not limited to: projections or expectations of the Lloyds Bank Group’s future financial position, including profit attributable to shareholders, provisions, economic profit, dividends, capital structure, portfolios, net interest margin, capital ratios, liquidity, risk-weighted assets (RWAs), expenditures or any other financial items or ratios; litigation, regulatory and governmental investigations; the Lloyds Bank Group’s future financial performance; the level and extent of future impairments and write-downs; the Lloyds Bank Group’s ESG targets and/or commitments; statements of plans, objectives or goals of the Lloyds Bank Group or its management and other statements that are not historical fact and statements of assumptions underlying such statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that will or may occur in the future. Factors that could cause actual business, strategy, targets, plans and/or results (including but not limited to the payment of dividends) to differ materially from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: general economic and business conditions in the UK and internationally (including in relation to tariffs); imposed and threatened tariffs and changes to global trade policies; acts of hostility or terrorism and responses to those acts, or other such events; geopolitical unpredictability; the war between Russia and Ukraine; the conflicts in the Middle East; the tensions between China and Taiwan; political instability including as a result of any UK general election; market related risks, trends and developments; changes in client and consumer behaviour and demand; exposure to counterparty risk; the ability to access sufficient sources of capital, liquidity and funding when required; changes to the Lloyds Bank Group’s or Lloyds Banking Group plc’s credit ratings; fluctuations in interest rates, inflation, exchange rates, stock markets and currencies; volatility in credit markets; volatility in the price of the Lloyds Bank Group’s securities; natural pandemic and other disasters; risks concerning borrower and counterparty credit quality; risks affecting defined benefit pension schemes; changes in laws, regulations, practices and accounting standards or taxation; changes to regulatory capital or liquidity requirements and similar contingencies; the policies and actions of governmental or regulatory authorities or courts together with any resulting impact on the future structure of the Lloyds Bank Group; risks associated with the Lloyds Bank Group’s compliance with a wide range of laws and regulations; assessment related to resolution planning requirements; risks related to regulatory actions which may be taken in the event of a bank or Lloyds Bank Group or Lloyds Banking Group failure; exposure to legal, regulatory or competition proceedings, investigations or complaints; failure to comply with anti-money laundering, counter terrorist financing, anti-bribery and sanctions regulations; failure to prevent or detect any illegal or improper activities; operational risks including risks as a result of the failure of third party suppliers; conduct risk; technological changes and risks to the security of IT and operational infrastructure, systems, data and information resulting from increased threat of cyber and other attacks; technological failure; inadequate or failed internal or external processes or systems; risks relating to ESG matters, such as climate change (and achieving climate change ambitions) and decarbonisation, including the Lloyds Bank Group’s or the Lloyds Banking Group’s ability along with the government and other stakeholders to measure, manage and mitigate the impacts of climate change effectively, and human rights issues; the impact of competitive conditions; failure to attract, retain and develop high calibre talent; the ability to achieve strategic objectives; the ability to derive cost savings and other benefits including, but without limitation, as a result of any acquisitions, disposals and other strategic transactions; inability to capture accurately the expected value from acquisitions; and assumptions and estimates that form the basis of the Lloyds Bank Group’s financial statements. A number of these influences and factors are beyond the Lloyds Bank Group’s control. Please refer to the latest Annual Report on Form 20-F filed by Lloyds Bank plc with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), which is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, for a discussion of certain factors and risks. Lloyds Bank plc may also make or disclose written and/or oral forward-looking statements in other written materials and in oral statements made by the directors, officers or employees of Lloyds Bank plc to third parties, including financial analysts. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, the forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of today’s date, and the Lloyds Bank Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The information, statements and opinions contained in this document do not constitute a public offer under any applicable law or an offer to sell any securities or financial instruments or any advice or recommendation with respect to such securities or financial instruments.

    FINANCIAL REVIEW

    Income statement

    The Group’s profit before tax for the first three months of 2025 was £1,177 million, 26% lower than the same period in 2024. This was driven by higher operating expenses and a higher impairment charge. Profit after tax was £881 million (three months to 31 March 2024: £1,159 million).

    Total income for the first three months of 2025 was £4,371 million, broadly in line with the same period in 2024 (three months to 31 March 2024: £4,385 million). Net interest income of £3,244 million was up 4% on the prior year (three months to 31 March 2024: £3,127 million), driven by a higher margin and higher average interest-earning assets. Other income decreased by 10% to £1,127 million (three months to 31 March 2024: £1,258 million). The decrease in other income reflected improved performance in UK Motor Finance, with fleet growth and higher average vehicle rental values, which was more than offset by negative market volatility and a reduction in income from fellow Lloyds Banking Group undertakings.

    Total operating expenses of £2,884 million were 6% higher than in the prior year. This reflects higher costs, combining inflationary pressures, timing of strategic investment including planned higher severance front-loaded into the first quarter of 2025 and business growth costs, partly offset by cost savings and continued cost discipline. This is alongside higher operating lease depreciation, as a result of fleet growth, the depreciation of higher value vehicles and declines in used electric car prices over 2024.

    No net remediation charge was recognised by the Group in the first three months of 2025 (three months to 31 March 2024: £25 million). There have been no further charges relating to motor finance commission arrangements. The Supreme Court heard the appeal of the Wrench, Johnson and Hopcraft decision in early April and has stated that it is likely to produce its judgment in July. The FCA has indicated that the decision will inform its next steps in the discretionary commission arrangements (DCA) review and that it will confirm within six weeks of the decision if it is proposing a redress scheme and if so, how it will take that forward. The FCA has also noted that its next steps on non-DCA complaints will be informed by the decision.

    The impairment charge was £310 million, up from £70 million in the three months to 31 March 2024. Asset quality remained resilient in the quarter. The charge included strong portfolio performance in Retail, more than offset by a higher charge in Commercial Banking, partly due to the non-recurrence of a release from loss rates used in the model in 2024. The charge also included a £100 million central adjustment to address downside risks to the base case related to the potential impact from US tariff policies announced at the start of April. These were becoming apparent around the balance sheet date and were determined to not be fully captured within the modelled divisional ECL allowances. This is partially offset by benefits to the MES from small increases to house price and wage growth expectations.

    FINANCIAL REVIEW (continued)

    Balance sheet

    Total assets were £5,143 million, or 1%, higher at £616,356 million at 31 March 2025 (31 December 2024: £611,213 million).

    Financial assets at amortised cost were £3,135 million higher at £508,032 million (31 December 2024: £504,897 million) with increases in loans and advances to customers. This included growth of £4,807 million in UK mortgages and growth across UK Retail unsecured loans, credit cards, UK Motor Finance and the European retail business. Lending balances reduced in Commercial Banking as a result of repayments of government-backed lending. The growth in loans and advances to customers was partly offset by a £908 million reduction in reverse repurchase agreements, a £302 million reduction in loans and advances to banks and a £1,474 million reduction in debt securities.

    Cash and balances at central banks decreased 1% to £42,000 million. Financial assets held at fair value through profit or loss increased by £733 million, due to increased reverse repurchase agreements. Derivative financial assets were £520 million lower at £3,715 million (31 December 2024: £4,235 million), driven by interest rate and currency movements in the period. Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income were stable in the period at £30,682 million. Other assets were £1,853 million higher, primarily reflecting increased settlement balances.

    Total liabilities were £3,230 million higher at £574,696 million (31 December 2024: £571,466 million). Customer deposits of £456,574 million increased in the period by £4,780 million. Retail deposits increased by £2,637 million in the period, driven by net inflows to limited withdrawal and fixed term deposits alongside higher current account balances. Commercial Banking deposits were up in the quarter, aided by short term balances.

    Other liabilities increased by £1,034 million reflecting increased settlement balances, while debt securities in issue decreased by £2,789 million, with higher levels of maturities in the period.

    Total equity increased to £41,660 million at 31 March 2025 (31 December 2024: £39,747 million). The increase primarily reflected profit attributable to ordinary shareholders alongside unwind of the cash flow hedge reserve and issuance of an AT1 capital instrument in February 2025 to Lloyds Banking Group plc.

    Capital

    The Group’s common equity tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio reduced to 13.6% at 31 March 2025 from 13.7% at 31 December 2024. Profit for the first three months of the year was offset by the accrual for foreseeable ordinary dividends and an increase in risk-weighted assets.

    The Group’s total capital ratio at 31 March 2025 remained at 19.9% (31 December 2024: 19.9%). The increase in CET1 capital and the issuance of a new AT1 capital instrument were offset by the increase in risk-weighted assets and a reduction in tier 2 capital reflecting an instrument call and other movements.

    Risk-weighted assets increased by £3,955 million to £190,951 million at 31 March 2025 from £186,996 million at 31 December 2024. This reflects the impact of lending growth, but also includes a temporary c.£2.5 billion increase primarily due to hedging activity that is expected to reverse by the third quarter. The growth in risk-weighted assets was partly offset by continued optimisation activity and other movements.

    The Group’s UK leverage ratio increased to 5.5% at 31 March 2025 from 5.4% at 31 December 2024, reflecting an increase in the total tier 1 capital position, partially offset by an increase in the leverage exposure measure. The latter reflects increases across loans and advances and other assets, due in part to lending growth, partially offset by a reduction in the measure for securities financing transactions.

     
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT (UNAUDITED)
               
      Three
    months
    ended
    31 Mar
    2025
    £m    		     Three
    months
    ended
    31 Mar
    2024
    £m    		  
           
    Net interest income 3,244     3,127  
    Other income 1,127     1,258  
    Total income 4,371     4,385  
    Operating expenses (2,884 )   (2,728 )
    Impairment (310 )   (70 )
    Profit before tax 1,177     1,587  
    Tax expense (296 )   (428 )
    Profit after tax 881     1,159  
           
    Profit attributable to ordinary shareholders 774     1,069  
    Profit attributable to other equity holders 98     86  
    Profit attributable to equity holders 872     1,155  
    Profit attributable to non-controlling interests 9     4  
    Profit after tax 881     1,159  
               
     
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (UNAUDITED)
               
      At 31 Mar
    2025
    £m    		     At 31 Dec
    2024
    £m    		  
               
    Assets          
    Cash and balances at central banks 42,000     42,396  
    Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 3,054     2,321  
    Derivative financial instruments 3,715     4,235  
    Financial assets at amortised cost 508,032     504,897  
    Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income 30,682     30,344  
    Other assets 28,873     27,020  
    Total assets 616,356     611,213  
    Liabilities          
    Deposits from banks 3,899     3,144  
    Customer deposits 456,574     451,794  
    Repurchase agreements 38,474     37,760  
    Due to fellow Lloyds Banking Group undertakings 3,981     4,049  
    Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss 4,538     4,630  
    Derivative financial instruments 5,327     5,787  
    Debt securities in issue at amortised cost 42,492     45,281  
    Other liabilities 12,844     11,810  
    Subordinated liabilities 6,567     7,211  
    Total liabilities 574,696     571,466  
    Total equity 41,660     39,747  
    Total equity and liabilities 616,356     611,213  
               

    ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    1.  Basis of presentation

    This release covers the results of Lloyds Bank plc together with its subsidiaries (the Group) for the three months ended 31 March 2025.

    The Group’s Q1 2025 Interim Pillar 3 Disclosures can be found at: www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/investors/financial-downloads.html.

    Accounting policies

    The accounting policies are consistent with those applied by the Group in its 2024 Annual Report and Accounts.

    2.  Loans and advances to customers and expected credit loss allowance

    At 31 March 2025 Stage 1
    £m    		     Stage 2
    £m    		   Stage 3
    £m    		   POCI
    £m    		   Total
    £m    		     Stage 2
    as % of
    total    		   Stage 3
    as % of
    total
    Loans and advances to customers                          
    UK mortgages 275,816     31,912   4,137   6,016   317,881     10.0   1.3
    Credit cards 13,875     2,327   261   –   16,463     14.1   1.6
    UK unsecured loans and overdrafts 9,660     1,325   171   –   11,156     11.9   1.5
    UK Motor Finance 14,197     2,491   131   –   16,819     14.8   0.8
    Other 18,462     471   151   –   19,084     2.5   0.8
    Retail 332,010     38,526   4,851   6,016   381,403     10.1   1.3
    Business and Commercial Banking 25,778     2,946   1,160   –   29,884     9.9   3.9
    Corporate and Institutional Banking 36,705     2,528   1,007   –   40,240     6.3   2.5
    Commercial Banking 62,483     5,474   2,167   –   70,124     7.8   3.1
    Other1 (414 )   –   –   –   (414 )        
    Total gross lending 394,079     44,000   7,018   6,016   451,113     9.8   1.6
                               
    Customer related ECL allowance (drawn and undrawn)
    UK mortgages 52     245   322   179   798          
    Credit cards 199     308   130   –   637          
    UK unsecured loans and overdrafts 167     240   114   –   521          
    UK Motor Finance2 170     118   75   –   363          
    Other 14     14   38   –   66          
    Retail 602     925   679   179   2,385          
    Business and Commercial Banking 133     183   172   –   488          
    Corporate and Institutional Banking 108     149   323   –   580          
    Commercial Banking 241     332   495   –   1,068          
    Other3 50     50   –   –   100          
    Total 893     1,307   1,174   179   3,553          
                               
    Customer related ECL allowance (drawn and undrawn) as a percentage of loans and advances to customers
      Stage 1
    %    		     Stage 2
    %    		   Stage 3
    %    		   POCI
    %    		   Total
    %    		          
    UK mortgages –     0.8   7.8   3.0   0.3          
    Credit cards 1.4     13.2   49.8   –   3.9          
    UK unsecured loans and overdrafts 1.7     18.1   66.7   –   4.7          
    UK Motor Finance 1.2     4.7   57.3   –   2.2          
    Other 0.1     3.0   25.2   –   0.3          
    Retail 0.2     2.4   14.0   3.0   0.6          
    Business and Commercial Banking 0.5     6.2   14.8   –   1.6          
    Corporate and Institutional Banking 0.3     5.9   32.1   –   1.4          
    Commercial Banking 0.4     6.1   22.8   –   1.5          
    Other         –   –            
    Total 0.2     3.0   16.7   3.0   0.8          
                                   

    1 Contains central fair value hedge accounting adjustments.
    2 UK Motor Finance includes £178 million relating to provisions against residual values of vehicles subject to finance leases.
    3 Other includes a £100 million central adjustment that has not been allocated to specific portfolios.

    ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION (continued)

    3.  UK economic assumptions

    Base case and MES economic assumptions

    The Group’s base case scenario is for a slow expansion in gross domestic product (GDP) and a modest rise in the unemployment rate alongside small gains in residential and commercial property prices. Inflationary pressures remain persistent, but gradual cuts in UK Bank Rate are expected to continue during 2025. Risks around this base case economic view lie in both directions and are largely captured by the generation of alternative economic scenarios.

    The Group has taken into account the latest available information at the reporting date in defining its base case scenario and generating alternative economic scenarios. The scenarios include forecasts for key variables as of the first quarter of 2025. Actuals for this period, or restatements of past data, may have since emerged prior to publication and have not been included. The Group’s approach to generating alternative economic scenarios is set out in detail in note 19 to the financial statements of the Group’s 2024 annual report and accounts.

    The Group had included assumptions for expected tariffs and potential responses in its quarter-end base case conditioning assumptions prior to announcements at the start of April. Initial non-UK tariffs announced in the first few days of April and the immediate market response were larger than expected. Accordingly, the Group has adopted a £100 million central adjustment to reflect the potential ECL impact, informed by high level sensitivity to key UK economic metrics based on tariff scenarios. Subsequent developments through April were judged to relate to conditions after the balance sheet date and will be reflected in the second quarter reporting period.

    UK economic assumptions – base case scenario by quarter

    Key quarterly assumptions made by the Group in the base case scenario are shown below. GDP growth is presented quarter-on-quarter. House price growth, commercial real estate price growth and CPI inflation are presented year-on-year, i.e. from the equivalent quarter in the previous year. Unemployment rate and UK Bank Rate are presented as at the end of each quarter.

    At 31 March 2025 First
    quarter
    2025
    %    		 Second
    quarter
    2025
    %    		 Third
    quarter
    2025
    %    		 Fourth
    quarter
    2025
    %    		 First
    quarter
    2026
    %    		 Second
    quarter
    2026
    %    		 Third
    quarter
    2026
    %    		 Fourth
    quarter
    2026
    %
                     
    Gross domestic product growth 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4
    Unemployment rate 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.8
    House price growth 3.8 3.8 2.4 1.7 1.3 1.7 1.9 1.8
    Commercial real estate price growth 2.6 2.8 2.7 1.3 0.9 0.7 0.8 1.1
    UK Bank Rate 4.50 4.25 4.00 4.00 3.75 3.75 3.50 3.50
    CPI inflation 2.8 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.0 2.8 2.6 2.7
                     

    ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION (continued)

    3.  UK economic assumptions (continued)

    UK economic assumptions – scenarios by year

    Key annual assumptions made by the Group are shown below. GDP growth and CPI inflation are presented as an annual change, house price growth and commercial real estate price growth are presented as the growth in the respective indices within the period. Unemployment rate and UK Bank Rate are averages for the period.

    At 31 March 2025 2025
    %    		   2026
    %    		   2027
    %    		   2028
    %    		   2029
    %    		   2025-2029
    average
    %    		  
                 
    Upside            
    Gross domestic product growth 1.3   2.2   1.6   1.5   1.4   1.6  
    Unemployment rate 4.1   3.2   3.1   3.1   3.2   3.3  
    House price growth 2.9   5.9   6.8   5.4   4.3   5.1  
    Commercial real estate price growth 6.1   5.7   2.6   1.0   0.4   3.2  
    UK Bank Rate 4.43   4.72   4.86   5.06   5.20   4.85  
    CPI inflation 3.3   2.8   2.8   3.1   3.0   3.0  
                 
    Base case            
    Gross domestic product growth 0.8   1.4   1.6   1.6   1.5   1.3  
    Unemployment rate 4.7   4.8   4.6   4.5   4.5   4.6  
    House price growth 1.7   1.8   1.9   2.5   2.9   2.1  
    Commercial real estate price growth 1.3   1.1   1.2   0.6   0.3   0.9  
    UK Bank Rate 4.19   3.63   3.50   3.50   3.50   3.66  
    CPI inflation 3.4   2.8   2.5   2.5   2.4   2.7  
                 
    Downside            
    Gross domestic product growth (0.2 ) (0.9 ) 0.9   1.5   1.5   0.6  
    Unemployment rate 5.6   7.4   7.6   7.3   7.0   7.0  
    House price growth 0.5   (3.4 ) (6.7 ) (4.2 ) (1.1 ) (3.0 )
    Commercial real estate price growth (4.7 ) (5.7 ) (1.7 ) (2.2 ) (2.3 ) (3.4 )
    UK Bank Rate 3.83   1.67   0.96   0.65   0.42   1.51  
    CPI inflation 3.4   2.8   2.0   1.5   1.0   2.1  
                 
    Severe downside            
    Gross domestic product growth (1.1 ) (2.3 ) 0.7   1.4   1.5   0.0  
    Unemployment rate 6.8   10.0   10.2   9.7   9.3   9.2  
    House price growth (0.6 ) (8.4 ) (13.8 ) (9.6 ) (5.0 ) (7.6 )
    Commercial real estate price growth (12.5 ) (13.3 ) (7.1 ) (5.7 ) (4.9 ) (8.8 )
    UK Bank Rate – modelled 3.38   0.39   0.09   0.03   0.01   0.78  
    UK Bank Rate – adjusted1 4.25   2.94   2.80   2.76   2.75   3.10  
    CPI inflation – modelled 3.4   2.5   1.3   0.4   (0.2 ) 1.5  
    CPI inflation – adjusted1 3.8   3.8   3.2   2.7   2.4   3.2  
                 
    Probability-weighted            
    Gross domestic product growth 0.5   0.6   1.3   1.5   1.5   1.1  
    Unemployment rate 5.0   5.6   5.6   5.4   5.4   5.4  
    House price growth 1.4   0.5   (0.8 ) 0.1   1.3   0.5  
    Commercial real estate price growth (0.4 ) (1.0 ) (0.1 ) (0.7 ) (1.0 ) (0.6 )
    UK Bank Rate – modelled 4.07   3.04   2.81   2.76   2.74   3.08  
    UK Bank Rate – adjusted1 4.16   3.30   3.08   3.04   3.01   3.32  
    CPI inflation – modelled 3.4   2.7   2.3   2.1   1.9   2.5  
    CPI inflation – adjusted1 3.4   2.9   2.5   2.4   2.2   2.7  
                             
    1 The adjustment to UK Bank Rate and CPI inflation in the severe downside is considered to better reflect the risks to the Group’s base case view in an economic environment where the risks of supply and demand shocks are seen as more balanced.
                             

    CONTACTS

    For further information please contact:

    INVESTORS AND ANALYSTS
    Douglas Radcliffe
    Group Investor Relations Director
    020 7356 1571
    douglas.radcliffe@lloydsbanking.com

    Rohith Chandra-Rajan
    Director of Investor Relations
    07786 988936
    rohith.chandra-rajan@lloydsbanking.com

    Nora Thoden
    Director of Investor Relations – ESG
    020 7356 2334
    nora.thoden@lloydsbanking.com

    Tom Grantham
    Investor Relations Senior Manager
    07851 440 091
    thomas.grantham@lloydsbanking.com

    Sarah Robson
    Investor Relations Senior Manager
    07494 513 983
    sarah.robson2@lloydsbanking.com

    CORPORATE AFFAIRS
    Matt Smith
    Head of Media Relations
    07788 352 487
    matt.smith@lloydsbanking.com

    Emma Fairhurst
    Media Relations Senior Manager
    07814 395 855
    emma.fairhurst@lloydsbanking.com

    Copies of this Interim Management Statement may be obtained from:
    Investor Relations, Lloyds Banking Group plc, 33 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HZ
    The statement can also be found on the Group’s website – www.lloydsbankinggroup.com

    Registered office: Lloyds Bank plc, 25 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HN
    Registered in England No. 2065

    This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Top KingWin Ltd Announces 1-For-25 Reverse Share Split

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Guangzhou, China, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Top KingWin Ltd (“Top KingWin” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: WAI) today announced that it will effect a reverse share split of its outstanding class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), at a ratio of 1-for-25, to be effective at the open of business on Monday, May 5, 2025. 

    Our Ordinary Shares will begin trading on a reverse share split-adjusted basis at the opening of The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) on or around Monday, May 5, 2025. Following the reverse share split, the Ordinary Shares will have a new par value of $0.0025 per share and will continue to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol “WAI” with the new CUSIP number, G8923U111. The reverse share split is intended for the Company to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement of $1.00 per Ordinary Share for continued listing on Nasdaq.

    No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the reverse share split and all such fractional interests will be rounded up to the nearest whole number of Ordinary Shares. In addition, the reverse share split will apply to the Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Company’s outstanding derivative securities, with proportionate adjustments to be made to the exercise prices and number of derivates thereof and under the Company’s equity incentive plans.

    The reverse share split will reduce the number of issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s Ordinary Shares from approximately 180 million to approximately 7.2 million.

    On April 22, 2025, the shareholders of the Company approved the reverse share split of the Ordinary Shares, at a ratio of 1-for-25.

    VStock Transfer, LLC is acting as the exchange agent and paying agent for the reverse share split. Shareholders holding their shares in book-entry form or in brokerage accounts need not take any action in connection with the reverse share split.

    VStock Transfer, LLC will provide instructions to any shareholders with certificates regarding the process in connection with the exchange of pre-reverse share split share certificates for ownership in book-entry form or share certificates on a post-reverse share split basis. Shareholders are encouraged to contact their bank, broker or custodian with any procedural questions.

    About Top KingWin Ltd

    Top KingWin’s main clients are entrepreneurs and executives in small and medium-sized enterprises in China. Services provided by Top KingWin to its clients including (i) corporate business training services, which mainly focus on providing training services of advanced knowledge and new perspectives on the capital markets, (ii) corporate consulting services, which mainly focus on providing a combination of customized corporate consulting services to fulfill client’s unique financial needs, (iii) advisory and transaction services, which mainly focus on connecting entrepreneurs and businesses with diversified sources of capital, and (iv) sales of devices to support artificial intelligence data collection and analysis. Its mission is to provide comprehensive services to address clients’ needs throughout all phases of their development and growth.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this press release are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, the use of proceeds from the Company’s offering, the intent, belief or current expectations of Top KingWin and members of its management, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and in its other filings with the SEC.

    For more information, please contact:

    Bonnie

    Email: IR@tcjhgw.cn

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Cargo volume from Qingdao to ASEAN countries up 6 pct y-o-y in Q1

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

    Cargo volume from Qingdao to ASEAN countries up 6 pct y-o-y in Q1

    Updated: May 1, 2025 19:31 Xinhua
    An aerial drone photo taken on April 30, 2025 shows cargo ships berthing at a container dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. This year, Qingdao port has actively expanded its international shipping routes, especially for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The direct cargo shipping routes from Qingdao Port to the ASEAN countries has increased to 50, with the cargo volume from Qingdao to ASEAN countries up six percent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on April 30, 2025 shows trucks at a cargo dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    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]
    This photo taken on April 30, 2025 shows trucks at a container dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Workers cast off the ropes for a ship bound for ASEAN countries at a container dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province, April 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Workers prepare to cast off the ropes for a ship bound for ASEAN countries at a container dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province, April 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on April 30, 2025 shows trucks at a cargo dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on April 30, 2025 shows a container dock of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US-Ukraine minerals deal looks better for Kyiv than expected – but Trump is an unpredictable partner

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Gawthorpe, Lecturer in History and International Studies, Leiden University

    The United States and Ukraine have finally signed a long-awaited agreement on Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction – and, at first reading, the details appear more favourable for Kyiv than many observers expected.

    At the core of the “economic partnership agreement” is the exploitation of Ukraine’s mineral wealth. Ukraine will get access to US investment and technology, and the US will eventually get a share of the profits. The rest will finance the war-torn nation’s recovery if and when a peace agreement is signed with Russia.

    Several aspects of this deal stand out as positive for Ukraine. Unlike in previous drafts, the country retains ownership of its natural resources. All profits are to be invested in Ukraine for ten years after the agreement comes into force.

    Washington can also make its contribution in the form of new military aid, although it will be down to the US president to decide whether or not to do that.

    Earlier in the negotiations, a major sticking point was the demand from the US president, Donald Trump, that the agreement include compensation for past US aid to Ukraine, which he insisted amounted to US$350 billion (£260 billion). Many analysts estimate the figure is closer to US$120 billion.

    Before the deal was signed, Ukraine’s prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, said the deal would “not include assistance provided before its signing”. And the Ukrainian government announcement stated that the new agreement “focuses on further, not past US military assistance”. But when the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, spoke to journalists, he described the deal as “compensation” for “the funding and the weapons”.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    Whether Bessent’s statement represents political spin, or whether there is still distance between Washington and Kyiv on this critical point, remains to be seen. The formal text has not been released, and many details remain to be ironed out. Trump can be an erratic negotiator who is prone to sudden changes of direction.

    Indeed, the signing of this agreement is just the latest twist in a broader effort to bring the war in Ukraine to an end – one which probably still has many surprises ahead. Trump appears to be losing patience with what he views as Russia’s refusal to engage with the peace process. Signing the deal may have been intended as a warning to Moscow to get serious about ending the conflict.

    The new agreement reportedly states that the US and Ukraine share a “long-term strategic alignment”. That’s a far cry from Trump’s rhetoric only a few months ago, when he called Ukraine’s president, Vlodomyr Zelensky, a “dictator”“ and blamed Kyiv for starting the war with Russia. But given Trump’s changes of mood, this agreement is unlikely to be the final word on how he views the conflict.

    Despite talk of a long-term strategic alignment, one thing the deal doesn’t contain is any explicit security guarantees for Ukraine. But the White House argues – and other observers hope – that US investment in Ukraine will give the US an implicit stake in the country’s security. That might deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again, out of fear the US would act to protect its investment.

    However, once we move from the realm of politics and security to economics, several glaring flaws in this logic become apparent. They all come down to whether the mineral wealth at the heart of this agreement can be profitably exploited – and, indeed, whether it even exists.

    Is this a game-changing deal?

    The American humorist Mark Twain is said to have once defined a mine as “a hole in the ground owned by a liar”. Assessing the precise scale of underground mineral deposits is notoriously difficult – and not every deposit can be extracted in a profitable fashion.

    In Ukraine, the exploratory work has simply not been done. Even the supposed size of the deposits, which are based on old Soviet surveys conducted in a superficial fashion, is not certain.

    Many of the minerals that supposedly lie under Ukraine’s surface are so called “rare earths”, which are critical to hi-tech supply chains. But they are also expensive and time-consuming to exploit, requiring a massive upfront investment which may eventually be lost. Even in successful cases, it generally takes over a decade to get production onstream.

    Today, there are few rare-earth projects under development anywhere in the world outside China – even in countries that are not current (and possibly future) war zones. Most of Ukraine’s supposed deposits lie in the east of the country in areas vulnerable to Russian attack, making investment risky.

    All of this makes economic partnership agreement of doubtful long-term significance for the broader peace process. The potential gains from it are too hypothetical to make much difference within a meaningful timescale. The deal is unlikely to generate much real economic incentive for the US to defend Ukraine, and so is unlikely to become a new source of military assistance for Kyiv.

    For the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, the deal doesn’t change a lot. While it might indeed be a signal that Trump is running out of patience with Russia, it does little to change the underlying realities of the conflict.

    We can’t rule out the possibility that Trump, as unpredictable as ever, might make a more meaningful commitment to Ukraine in the future, one that changes the course of the war. But – at first glance, certainly – this minerals deal is not it.

    Andrew Gawthorpe 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. US-Ukraine minerals deal looks better for Kyiv than expected – but Trump is an unpredictable partner – https://theconversation.com/us-ukraine-minerals-deal-looks-better-for-kyiv-than-expected-but-trump-is-an-unpredictable-partner-255723

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Myanmar earthquake: Investing in disaster risk reduction to save lives and protect sustainable development

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    One month has passed since the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March 2025, which was also felt in Thailand and southwest China. UN-Habitat and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) reiterate their condolences for the tragic loss of life and call for greater investment in disaster risk reduction and urban resilience in earthquake-prone countries – to help prevent such tragedies in the future. This call carries special significance today, as the UN General Assembly votes to designate 29 April as the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes.

    Earthquakes are among the deadliest natural hazards and are responsible for some of the most devastating disasters in human history. Their sudden nature means proactive disaster risk reduction is essential to reducing deaths and economic losses. And as it is often said, it is not earthquakes that kill people, but the collapse of buildings. Hence, countries in earthquake-prone zones must proactively invest in building their resilience. This means updating and enforcing building codes to ensure all new structures are earthquake-resistant as well as retrofitting old ones to meet resilience standards.

    The impact of the earthquake in Myanmar, which as of 24 April resulted in the death of over 3,700 people, injuries of nearly 4,800, and the destruction of almost 65,000 structures, including homes, schools, and hospitals, is a sad reminder of the terrible cost of disasters.  Moreover, the existing vulnerabilities, from years of conflict and instability, worsened the earthquake’s impact, highlighting the importance of disaster risk reduction in countries affected by conflict, violence, or fragility.

    However, there is an opportunity for Myanmar to emerge from this disaster more resilient if the recovery process is based on the “build back better” approach, as called for in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. UN-Habitat and UNDRR are committed to supporting countries to accelerate the implementation of the Sendai Framework in the remaining five years to help them avoid the worst impacts of disasters.

    This includes recognizing the vital role of housing in resilience building, as Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, states: “In these challenging times, our unwavering commitment is to support the communities affected by the earthquake. Since establishing our office in Myanmar following Cyclone Nargis, we have focused on risk-sensitive urban development to enhance resilience. Earthquakes do more than just damage buildings; they profoundly affect lives and the fabric of communities. Together with our partners and the communities themselves, we are dedicated not only to rebuilding housing and infrastructure but also to instilling hope, ensuring that each step we take makes the rebuilt areas stronger and more resilient than before.”

    UN-Habitat has been engaged in a range of projects across Myanmar, as detailed in the Country Programme Overview 2024–2026, which include essential initiatives such as solid waste management, climate action, and the implementation of nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction. These efforts are complemented by upcoming initiatives aimed at developing nature-based solutions, climate-resilient schools, and resilient villages. This integrated approach ensures that resilience-building activities are both comprehensive and inclusive, addressing the immediate and long-term needs of Myanmar’s communities.

    Enhancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation is key to responding to these challenges, and the United Nations stands ready to support on this front. That is why international assistance to Myanmar must be increased to address urgent humanitarian needs, in urban and in hard-to-reach rural areas, and to support recovery efforts. This includes support to help Myanmar better understand the climate and disaster risks it faces and to strengthen its early warning system, which was impacted by the earthquake. 

    Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR, echoed the call made by the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, urging the international community to step up its support in this critical time: “The people of Myanmar urgently require unwavering support from the international community in these trying times. I call on all nations to redouble their efforts in reducing disaster risks and bolstering resilience, ensuring that communities are better protected against all hazards.”

    He also emphasized the importance of proactive measures to reduce earthquake disaster losses, noting: “Our understanding of the physics of earthquakes has improved. We also understand how buildings and infrastructure respond to earthquakes, and we know how to make them safer. From designing a simple structure to a complex physical infrastructure, engineering knowledge is at an all-time high. Yet the risk of losses from earthquakes is rising in most seismic countries. But trend is not destiny. It can be arrested. It can be reversed.”

    UN-Habitat and UNDRR are committed to supporting countries to build their disaster resilience and are cooperating in several areas. UN-Habitat has been an active member of the UNDRR-hosted International Recovery Platform since its inception. Additionally, both UN agencies are co-organizing sessions on resilient housing and reconstruction ahead and during the 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025), which will be held this June in Geneva.  

    Little can be done to prevent hazards like earthquakes from occurring. However, plenty can be done to prevent the damage they cause. Investing in disaster risk reduction and urban resilience building is the best way to save lives and protect sustainable development.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thirty years of WTO accessions

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Since its establishment on 1 January 1995 to oversee the multilateral trade agreements negotiated by its 128 original members, the WTO has seen an ongoing expansion of its membership and continued interest from many economies seeking to join the organization. As a result, the percentage of world trade accounted for by WTO members has risen from 87 per cent in 1995 to over 98 per cent today.

    Over the past 30 years, 60 countries and customs territories have applied for accession to the WTO. Of these, 38 have completed the process, bringing the WTO’s total membership to 166. Meanwhile, 22 economies are currently at various stages of negotiating their accession.

    Although those seeking to join the WTO have followed similar paths of economic reform, WTO accession processes have varied significantly. Some completed the process relatively quickly – for example, after just three to four years of negotiations, the Kyrgyz Republic and Oman joined the WTO, in 1998 and in 2000, respectively. Others, such as Kazakhstan and Seychelles, spent nearly two decades in accession talks before becoming members, both in 2015. These longer timelines reflect the evolving nature of the accession process.

    Unlike accessions in the era of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), WTO accessions require far-reaching structural reforms that go well beyond traditional trade-opening, often encompassing multiple sectors of the acceding economy. Moreover, the process demands a thorough understanding of the applicant’s economic systems, policy frameworks and reform priorities, which must be underpinned by broad-based domestic consensus.

    Why, then, do governments choose to undertake the rigorous demands of WTO accession? For many, the answer lies in a desire to modernize institutions and regulatory practices, enhance the business environment and attract foreign direct investment. These motivations often go hand-in-hand with broader national goals, including market-oriented reforms, poverty reduction and sustainable development.

    Market-opening and structural reforms, for instance, have been central to the evolution of many economies. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia in 1991, international trade played a pivotal role in transforming the economies of the newly independent states and in strengthening their ties with the global economy. WTO membership served as a powerful vehicle for the modernization of these economies, as well as of other formerly centrally planned economies, such as China and Viet Nam.

    In addition, least-developed countries (LDCs), beginning with Cambodia and Nepal in 2004, and most recently Comoros and Timor-Leste in 2024 – making a total of 11 LDC accessions to date – have used the accession process to lay the foundations for poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth.

    In the cases of Cabo Verde, Samoa and Vanuatu, WTO membership was soon followed by graduation from LDC status (in 2008, 2014 and 2020, respectively). For others, including the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Nepal and Cambodia, graduation is expected before the end of this decade.

    As many LDCs began their accession processes while classified as “fragile and conflict-affected states”, WTO membership has also played an important role in reshaping perceptions of their economic and development potential.

    Recently, WTO economists quantified the economic impact of undertaking the robust commitments required for WTO accession. Their analysis found that economies implementing reforms and making deeper commitments during accession negotiations grew an average of 1.5 percentage points faster than they otherwise would have done. A review of both completed and ongoing accessions underscores that the WTO accession process serves as a catalyst for domestic reform, helping to create an enabling environment for economic resilience and sustainable growth.

    In the same way that WTO accessions have anchored domestic transformations, accessions have also benefitted the global trading system. Through accessions, the percentage of world trade accounted for by WTO members has risen from 87 per cent in 1995 to over 98 per cent today.

    Despite the proliferation of free trade agreements and the sharp rise in tariff barriers, the vast majority of this trade – still more than 70 per cent – continues to be conducted under the WTO’s most-favoured-nation (MFN) principles. This has promoted the integration of global supply chains and, in so doing, has lowered trading costs for all WTO members.

    The scope of the WTO can also be measured in terms of population. At the time when the WTO was established, the original members represented just 69 per cent of the world’s population. Today, thanks to the accession of new members, that share has risen to 94 per cent. In other words, over the past 30 years, the WTO has extended its reach to an additional 2 billion people – further strengthening the inclusiveness and global relevance of the multilateral trading system.

    Beyond their individual reforms, economies that have joined the WTO since 1995 have made substantial systemic contributions to the WTO. Each accession prompts existing members to reflect on how best to uphold and advance the WTO’s core values. As a result, accessions have repeatedly helped to deepen, clarify and modernize existing disciplines.

    Collectively, acceded members have added more than 1,500 legally binding commitments to the WTO rulebook. These commitments – coupled with guarantees for deeper access to their domestic markets for goods and services – have made the WTO stronger, more dynamic and more responsive to evolving global trade realities.

    In key areas, such as domestic support in agriculture and the regulation of state-owned enterprises, members who have joined over the past 30 years have often taken on more comprehensive and detailed commitments, reflecting an evolution of obligations in relation to existing WTO norms. In several areas – notably trade facilitation, tariff rate quotas and export subsidies – accession negotiations have also achieved concrete results years before the emergence of multilateral trade disciplines, demonstrating the forward-looking nature of the accession process.

    In the area of transparency alone, acceded members have adopted over 250 specific commitments. Some of these members could even be considered to be “transparency champions”, given that they have submitted extensive notifications to the WTO about their trade measures – including in areas where original members have been less forthcoming, or where multilateral disciplines do not yet exist, such as the notification of privatization programmes.

    Today, 30 years after the establishment of the WTO, acceded members account for more than one-fifth of its total membership. Accessions are a force for change – driving re-examinations of the WTO rulebook, steering the trading system away from complacency, and challenging original members to match the benchmarks set by the newer members. This has been especially relevant in recent years, as the multilateral trading system has been facing mounting pressure.
    Acceding members offer a source of hope for the future of the trading system. Even amid global uncertainty and growing challenges, many of them have remained actively engaged, recognizing that no economy’s prosperity is secure in isolation, however large or small that economy might be.

    The admission of new members has been a true success story, but work on WTO accessions is far from complete. Twenty-two governments – a diverse group, whose future membership will further enrich the WTO – remain in the process of accession.

    As an institution, the WTO will try to support these governments by providing targeted technical assistance and capacity-building. As always, a key area of focus will be the accession of the remaining LDCs, all of which are also classified as fragile and conflict-affected states. Supporting these countries in their WTO accession processes, through dedicated programmes and tailored approaches, can serve as a catalyst for economic reform, institution-building and integration into the global trading system. Over time, this can also help to foster lasting stability and peace and to establish a gradual pathway out of fragility and toward greater resilience.

    Over the years, it has become increasingly clear that integration into the multilateral trading system does not end on the date of an economy’s accession. Indeed, the immediate post-accession period presents a distinct set of challenges – particularly for governments with limited institutional and administrative capacity.

    While the WTO recognizes the need for sustained support during this critical phase – when newly acceded members are often required to implement further domestic reforms to fulfil their WTO commitments – it has yet to develop robust institutional mechanisms to provide targeted support during this period. There is scope for improvement in this area, and especially in supporting the effective integration of recently acceded LDCs.

    Thirty years since the establishment of the WTO, accessions continue to renew and enrich the organization. As new members continue to bring fresh perspectives and commitment to the multilateral trading system, WTO accessions will remain a powerful force for reform, international cooperation and global economic integration.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to US-Ukraine Minerals Deal

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the US-Ukraine resources deal. 

    Dr Gavin Mudd, Director of the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre at the British Geological Survey, said:

    “Ukraine has important deposits of titanium, rare earths, lithium and graphite – and has also produced gallium and scandium in the recent past. Rare earths are particularly sought after for use in digital technologies, renewable energy, aerospace and the automotive sectors, but also have various applications in military technologies too – such as in laser guidance systems. Titanium metal is often used in aerospace given that it is stronger and lighter than steel.

    “If this agreement paves the way for new supplies of rare earths, that should have a notable impact on the diversification of global mining activities for rare earths – and reduce the dominance of China in the supply of these sought after materials. That would have a positive impact for all countries seeking rare earths, including the UK.

    “While the details of this agreement will still need to be considered closely, it is likely that some developments in terms of mineral production could be achieved quickly – assuming peace and security in the regions of focus. This could apply to titanium, lithium and graphite, while Ukraine may have an increased ability to rebuild some of their former capacity for scandium and gallium under the terms enshrined the deal.

    “However, in the case of rare earths, it will take years to ramp up capacity – studies will need to be completed to assess and determine how best to mine the deposits and process the ores and produce rich concentrate, and a new refinery will be needed to produce high purity metals and oxides for use in numerous technologies. All of this sits alongside the need to actually mine the minerals. We are looking at about a decade or longer for this to come online.

    “I see this deal as the continuation of a recent trend of critical minerals having a central impact on geopolitics and international affairs, and I expect this impact to continue to grow, given the fundamental importance of critical minerals to the energy transition and net zero, national security and the ongoing rise of digitalisation – including AI and the coming rise of quantum computing.

    “Although rare earths currently appear to take centre stage in such negotiations, there are many other critical minerals where China enjoys a dominant position in terms of supply – including gallium, germanium, tungsten. With recent export controls placed on them by China, it is a solid bet that geopolitical interest in securing a reliable supply of these materials will grow over the coming years.

     

     

    Declared interests

    No reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – End of customs exemption for small packages worth less than EUR 150 – E-001548/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001548/2025
    to the Council
    Rule 144
    Pierre Jouvet (S&D)

    Over the past three years, Europe has seen a massive influx of products imported from China via e-commerce platforms that do not comply with European safety standards. Sent directly to consumers, they are exempt from customs controls and are exempt from charges, as their value is less than EUR 150.

    The volume of these products doubles each year. A US decree signed on 8 April 2025 provides for a tripling of tariffs on such parcels arriving in the US. This measure could induce China to redirect these export flows to the EU, further increasing the volume of imports.

    • 1.What does the EU plan to do to speed up the end of the customs exemption for such imports? Work on the reform of the Customs Union Code is progressing slowly. Will this reform be completed in time to be implemented in 2028, and is the EU prepared to bring this exemption to an end more swiftly?
    • 2.What certainty is there that China will honour the commitments it made during Commissioner Šefčovič’s visit to the country?

    Submitted: 16.4.2025

    Last updated: 30 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Radware Lands Largest Cloud Security Services Agreement to Date

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MAHWAH, N.J., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR), a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments, today announced it recorded a major customer win, securing its largest cloud security services agreement to date. The multi-year, multimillion dollar agreement is part of a renewal and expanded relationship with a global, Fortune 500 financial services and payments company and top 10 U.S. merchant acquirer. To manage business growth and increasing cyber threats, the customer plans to scale its security operations across Radware’s full suite of AI-powered Cloud DDoS Protection and Application Protection Services, safeguarding thousands of applications and billions of digital transactions.

    The company selected Radware for its ability to deliver a fully integrated, high-capacity application and network protection solution that seamlessly scales usage while minimizing the burden of operational overhead. The agreement spans Radware’s Cloud DDoS Protection Service and Cloud Application Protection Service, which also includes its Cloud Web Application Firewall Service, bot manager, and Web DDoS Protection.

    “Our customer’s rapid growth trajectory required an end-to-end cloud security platform that could keep pace with evolving cyber threats without burdening operational resources,” said Neal Quinn, head of North American cloud security services at Radware. “This landmark agreement reinforces Radware’s enormous potential in cloud security and is a testament to our continued investment in the U.S. market. It showcases the trusted partnerships we have built with some of the most demanding digital businesses in the world.”

    Radware’s cybersecurity suite includes application and network security solutions infused with EPIC-AI, state-of-the-art AI and generative AI algorithms which are built to block modern attacks while delivering consistent real-time protections across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments. Designed to automatically adapt to changes in the threat landscape, applications and infrastructure, Radware’s EPIC-AI approach to security helps organizations significantly improve attack detection and mitigation, reduce mean time to resolution (MTTR), and meet compliance challenges.

    Radware has received numerous awards for its application and network security solutions. Industry analysts such as Aite-Novarica Group, Forrester, Gartner, GigaOm, IDC, KuppingerCole, and QKS Group continue to recognize Radware as a market leader in cybersecurity.

    About Radware
    Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments. The company’s cloud application, infrastructure, and API security solutions use AI-driven algorithms for precise, hands-free, real-time protection from the most sophisticated web, application, and DDoS attacks, API abuse, and bad bots. Enterprises and carriers worldwide rely on Radware’s solutions to address evolving cybersecurity challenges and protect their brands and business operations while reducing costs. For more information, please visit the Radware website.

    Radware encourages you to join our community and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Radware Blog, X, and YouTube.

    ©2025 Radware Ltd. All rights reserved. Any Radware products and solutions mentioned in this press release are protected by trademarks, patents, and pending patent applications of Radware in the U.S. and other countries. For more details, please see: https://www.radware.com/LegalNotice/. All other trademarks and names are property of their respective owners.

    Radware believes the information in this document is accurate in all material respects as of its publication date. However, the information is provided without any express, statutory, or implied warranties and is subject to change without notice.

    The contents of any website or hyperlinks mentioned in this press release are for informational purposes and the contents thereof are not part of this press release.

    Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements made herein that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Radware’s plans, outlook, beliefs, or opinions, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may,” and “could.” For example, when we say in this press release that this landmark agreement reinforces our enormous potential in cloud security, we are using forward-looking statements. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, could differ materially from Radware’s current forecasts and estimates. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of global economic conditions, including as a result of the state of war declared in Israel in October 2023 and instability in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, tensions between China and Taiwan, financial and credit market fluctuations (including elevated interest rates), impacts from tariffs or other trade restrictions, inflation, and the potential for regional or global recessions; our dependence on independent distributors to sell our products; our ability to manage our anticipated growth effectively; our business may be affected by sanctions, export controls, and similar measures, targeting Russia and other countries and territories, as well as other responses to Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine, including indefinite suspension of operations in Russia and dealings with Russian entities by many multi-national businesses across a variety of industries; the ability of vendors to provide our hardware platforms and components for the manufacture of our products; our ability to attract, train, and retain highly qualified personnel; intense competition in the market for cybersecurity and application delivery solutions and in our industry in general, and changes in the competitive landscape; our ability to develop new solutions and enhance existing solutions; the impact to our reputation and business in the event of real or perceived shortcomings, defects, or vulnerabilities in our solutions, if our end-users experience security breaches, or if our information technology systems and data, or those of our service providers and other contractors, are compromised by cyber-attackers or other malicious actors or by a critical system failure; our use of AI technologies that present regulatory, litigation, and reputational risks; risks related to the fact that our products must interoperate with operating systems, software applications and hardware that are developed by others;  outages, interruptions, or delays in hosting services; the risks associated with our global operations, such as difficulties and costs of staffing and managing foreign operations, compliance costs arising from host country laws or regulations, partial or total expropriation, export duties and quotas, local tax exposure, economic or political instability, including as a result of insurrection, war, natural disasters, and major environmental, climate, or public health concerns; our net losses in the past and the possibility that we may incur losses in the future; a slowdown in the growth of the cybersecurity and application delivery solutions market or in the development of the market for our cloud-based solutions; long sales cycles for our solutions; risks and uncertainties relating to acquisitions or other investments; risks associated with doing business in countries with a history of corruption or with foreign governments; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; risks associated with undetected defects or errors in our products; our ability to protect our proprietary technology; intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties; laws, regulations, and industry standards affecting our business; compliance with open source and third-party licenses; complications with the design or implementation of our new enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system; our reliance on information technology systems; our ESG disclosures and initiatives; and other factors and risks over which we may have little or no control. This list is intended to identify only certain of the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Radware, refer to Radware’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the other risk factors discussed from time to time by Radware in reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except as required by applicable law, Radware undertakes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made. Radware’s public filings are available from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained on Radware’s website at www.radware.com.

    Media Contacts:
    Gerri Dyrek
    Radware
    Gerri.Dyrek@radware.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – China lifts sanctions against MEPs

    Source: European Parliament

    The lifting of Chinese sanctions against Members of the European Parliament marks a step in restoring parliamentary dialogue with China.

    Today, President Metsola informed the Conference of Presidents of the decision of the Chinese authorities to lift the sanctions against any Member (as well as their families) and Committees of the European Parliament.

    “As President, it is my responsibility to ensure that every Member of this House can exercise their mandate freely, without restrictions,” President Metsola said. “Our parliamentary committees must be able to discuss European interests with their Chinese counterparts without fear of repercussions. Our relationship with China remains complex and multi-faceted. The best way to approach it is through engagement and dialogue.”

    The sanctions, imposed by China in March 2021, targeted five Members of the European Parliament and the Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights.

    The Conference of Presidents reiterated that the lifting of sanctions does not mean the European Parliament will overlook persistent challenges in EU-China relations. Parliament will remain a strong defender of universal human rights and fundamental values worldwide while seeking to engage with global partners in a principled and clear-eyed manner.

    Background

    On 22 March 2021, China imposed sanctions on 10 EU individuals and 4 entities, including five MEPs and the European Parliament’s Human Rights Subcommittee. The sanctions, which banned the affected from entering Chinese territory led the European Parliament to halt all official dialogue with China.

    In September 2024, China began seeking to re-establish communication. Multiple meetings took place since the Autumn 2024 at various levels, culminating in a 2025 Chinese decision to lift the sanctions affecting Members of the Parliament and its committees.

    Useful links

    Press release, May 2021: MEPs refuse any agreement with China whilst sanctions are in place

    EP resolution of 2 April 2025 on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2024

    EP resolution of 24 October 2024 on Misinterpretation of UN resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan, October 2024

    EP resolution of 10 October 2024 on the cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Millennium-old sites on Silk Road open in China, offer gateway to history

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

    LANZHOU, May 1 — Two major archaeological sites along the ancient Silk Road opened to the public in northwest China on Thursday, the first day of the May Day holiday, offering new choices for travelers keen to explore the exchanges between Eastern and Western civilizations over a millennium ago.

    One of these newly opened sites, the Tuyugou Grottoes, is located in the city of Turpan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This complex, built around the fifth century, boasts 157 caves carved into cliffs, three temples and nine pagodas.

    Five caves and a Buddhist temple at the grottoes have opened to the public, offering 300 visitor slots per day, said Liu Yi, a cultural relics preservation official of Turpan’s cultural heritage bureau.

    Ten archaeological excavations since 2010 at the site have unearthed abundant artifacts, including Buddhist scriptures in multiple languages as well as documents like taxation records and loan contracts.

    China has invested more than 77 million yuan (about 10.7 million U.S. dollars) in restoring and reinforcing these grottoes in recent years.

    “The Tuyugou Grottoes are a vivid testimony to the cultural and religious exchanges in the Turpan Basin,” said Xia Lidong, associate researcher at the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

    The ruins of Xuanquanzhi in the city of Dunhuang, Gansu Province, also opened to the public on Thursday.

    Dating back some 2,000 years to the Western Han Dynasty, the site back then served as a comprehensive post station for mail and information deliveries, as well as the reception of messengers, officials and foreign guests. It is one of the Silk Road sites that were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014.

    Following excavations in the early 1990s, the site was accessible only to research teams. Thanks to investments totaling over 309 million yuan, China strengthened preservation of the site and developed tourism facilities.

    “Through its remarkable efforts in cultural preservation, China has reminded the world that heritage is not static. It lives, breathes and teaches,” said Qaiser Nawab, chairman of the Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development.

    Addressing the needs of international tourists, the site’s guiding and interpretation services are available in multiple languages.

    Samuel Fanning, a tourist and history lover from Canada, was attracted by Turpan’s ancient architecture.

    “I planned to stay in Xinjiang for seven days, but it will end up being 12 days. I think this can speak to how enjoyable it is to visit here,” Fanning said, adding that he will also visit Dunhuang.

    Qiu Jian, head of the Gansu provincial cultural heritage bureau, revealed that global interest in the ancient Silk Road is steadily rising.

    “Through the gradual opening of more cultural heritage sites, we aim to present an overall and more diverse picture of the Silk Road culture to the public,” said Qiu.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Political risk tops companies’ ERM risk registers, according to latest Willis Political Risk Survey

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Political risks rank among the top five risks on the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) risk register for 75% of global companies, with 11% identifying it as the number one risk. Highly exposed industries, such as contracting, transport and mining are disproportionately affected, according to the eighth annual Political Risk Survey and Report by Willis, a WTW business, (NASDAQ:WTW).

    The survey revealed that 58% of respondents anticipated a negative financial impact on their organization due to the imposition of tariffs by the US. This figure is nearly as high as the 60% who reported financial setbacks from the Russia – Ukraine conflict in 2023 and significantly exceeds the 28% who cited negative effects from Western tensions with China and the Middle East conflict.

    Other key findings were:

    • Over the past eight years since the survey began, 2023 saw the highest political risk losses, driven by expropriation, political violence and currency convertibility issues. Notably, 18% of respondents faced losses significant enough to require corporate earnings restatements.
    • Companies were most likely to rely on direct negotiations with host governments and political risk insurance to recover such prior losses. In 2025, the most common risk mitigation strategies against potential future losses were diversification and a “three lines of defense” approach
    • Top political risk concerns for 2025 included U.S. policy uncertainty (especially tariffs) and tensions between the U.S. and its allies.
    • Other major risks included restricted access to key markets due to geopolitical tensions and the threat of state-backed cyber and disinformation attacks.

    The research includes a survey of 66 companies and in-depth, anonymized interviews with 15 companies. 

    “In the eight years since we began this research, companies’ political risk concerns have changed almost unrecognizably,” said Sam Wilkin, Director of Political Risk Analytics at Willis. “In 2018, political risk was mostly a worry for highly exposed sectors investing in risky countries like Venezuela. Today, political risk concerns apply across sectors, involve a much higher level of potential loss, and are focused on United States policy.”

    The complete report can be downloaded here.

    About WTW

    At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

    Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you. Learn more at wtwco.com.

    Media Contacts

    Sarah Booker
    Sarah.booker@wtwco.com / +44 (0)7917 722040

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Number of China-Europe freight trains in Xi’an exceeds 2,000 in 2025

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

    The China-Europe freight trains departing from Xi’an have demonstrated robust growth since the start of 2025. In the first quarter, operational trips increased by 45 percent compared to the same period in 2024. So far, these trains have completed over 2,000 trips, accounting for some 25 percent of China’s national total.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese, Egyptian fighter jets conduct joint training

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

      A J-10S fighter jet attached to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and an Egyptian MiG-29 fighter jet taxi on the runway during the China-Egypt “Eagles of Civilization 2025” joint air force training on April 19, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Yu Hongchun)

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Soldiers load armored vehicles onto rail cars

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

      Armored vehicles attached to an air-defense unit with a brigade under the Chinese PLA 73rd Group Army are loaded onto the rail flat cars during a rail-load training exercise aiming to enhance the troops’ long-distance transportation capability on April 23, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Liu Zhiyong)

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Multiple helicopters engage in flight training

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

      A WZ-10 attack helicopter attached to an army aviation brigade under the Chinese PLA 79th Group Army flies over the mountainous area to a designated airspace during a flight training exercise. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Qi Dong and Wang Lijun)

    loading…

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Rosanna Law continues UAE visit

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law continued her visit to the United Arab Emirates to promote Hong Kong-UAE exchanges.

    Miss Law today met Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture of the UAE HE Mubarak Al Nakhi and expressed strong interest in collaborations with the UAE, adding that she was glad to have identified new opportunities for co-operation with the country on performing arts.

    Yesterday, she discussed sports development with Dubai Future Foundation Chief Executive Officer and Dubai Sports Council Vice Chairman HE Khalfan Belhoul, with a focus on integrating creativity, innovation and technology into youth education. Miss Law highlighted the similarities in both regions’ sports landscape, emphasising opportunities for collaboration.

    In the afternoon, Miss Law had a meeting with Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism & Commerce Marketing at Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism HE Issam Kazim, where discussions underscored shared goals of enhancing tourism through innovative collaboration. Miss Law noted how Hong Kong is actively promoting tailor-made, high-end travel packages to attract Middle East tourists.

    She also paid a courtesy call on and attended a dinner hosted by Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the UAE Zhang Yiming last night.

    In addition to thanking the embassy for its strong support to Hong Kong, Miss Law remarked that the UAE visit allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of its proactive and ambitious vision, affirming that Hong Kong and the UAE share many parallels in development strategies. She also emphasised the importance of leveraging synergies to foster stronger ties between the two regions.

    While in the UAE, Miss Law visited a number of iconic historical and tourist attractions to understand their operations, tourism appeal and the possible collaboration of cultural exchanges.

    She will conclude her UAE visit and depart for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, tonight.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In fiery questioning, Senator Coons attacks Trump, DOGE, Senate Republicans for cuts to medical research in Appropriations Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) took President Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE, and his Republican colleagues to task today for their brutal cuts to medical research that threaten to take away hope from millions of Americans. His remarks came during emotional questioning at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on biomedical research.
    Senator Coons opened his remarks by speaking out against the drastic cuts DOGE, which he described as a “horde of locusts,” has made to medical research and clinical trials. DOGE has fired 2,500 researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and canceled over 800 grants for research on diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer. They have also fired 3,500 members of staff at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    These cuts have not just stunted medical research in our country for decades to come. They have also taken away hope from Americans struggling with disease and the families whose lives and well-being depend on this research. During his remarks, Senator Coons talked about how he has felt this personally – whether through friends who have benefitted from clinical cancer trials, or through family and friends he has lost to the disease, including his father, father-in-law, and stepfather.
    “Yes, clinical trials, doctor, sometimes doesn’t benefit the individual, but I gotta tell you: it sure as hell benefited [my friend] and his family. It gave him hope, and it kept him alive. And I don’t understand how a single member of this Congress can look you in the eyes as a mother and say we should cut these programs,” said Senator Coons during the hearing. “The FDA, the NIH, National Cancer Institutes, all in combination give hope to those facing the beast of cancer, the challenges of a new diagnosis, and the need for a path forward that’s positive.”
    Senator Coons also highlighted the impacts cuts to medical research have had on his own state, highlighting a recent visit to the University of Delaware’s National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). During his visit, Senator Coons was told that DOGE had delayed, paused, or withheld $55 million in grant funding for research on diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer.
    “If that’s happening in my little state, all across our country we are devastating the next generation of researchers,” Senator Coons continued. “We are harming our nation and giving China the opening of a lifetime to recruit the best and brightest from around the world. And Emily, we are taking away from families like yours – all over our nation – hope.”
    A video and transcript of Senator Coons’ comments are available below.
    WATCH HERE
    Senator Coons: Thank you, Vice Chair Murray. Thank you for leading this hearing, and I want to thank each of the researchers who has dedicated your lives to science, to medicine, to progress. Thank you for your testimony today. Emily, thank you.
    I am enraged and struggling with this hearing. Listening to you talk about the value of hope to you and your daughter with cancer, and the very measured and reasonable way in which we’ve all discussed what’s happened, makes me crazy. Because DOGE, in my view, is a horde of locusts who’ve been unleashed on the federal government, and they have torn up things that we have built over decades. Let me just briefly review: at NIH, 1200 probationary researchers were laid off and another 1300 fired. That’s 2500 dedicated researchers. At FDA, 3500 staff. At NIH, DOGE canceled 800 grants valued at over a billion – and we were told these grants focused on DEI when in fact they focused on diabetes, Alzheimer’s, mRNA and cancer.
    My father died of cancer. My father-in-law died of cancer. My stepfather died of cancer. Your daughter, Charlie, is with us today because of the incredible dedicated research and the ground-breaking work of people we’ve talked so calmly about today. Dr. Sleckman, I have a personal friend – a combat veteran, a Marine Corps colonel – who came to me when he was diagnosed with stage four metastatic melanoma, as you just described, and whose life was saved by the research you described. I have a personal friend of decades, Nicky Sotiropoulis, who came to me when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. His son, close friends with my sons. His wife, close with my wife. He went to NIH month after month, year after year. Yes, clinical trials, doctor, sometimes doesn’t benefit the individual, but I gotta tell you: it sure as hell benefited Nick and his family. It gave him hope, and it kept him alive. And I don’t understand how a single member of this Congress can look you in the eyes as a mother and say we should cut these programs.
    Sure, we can talk about overhead rates. Sure, we can talk about measured and thoughtful and reasonable ways to trim a little here, or cut a little there. But that’s not what’s happening. What’s happening is the wholescale abandonment of billions of dollars of research. I was just at the University of Delaware last week, at the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals, and you know what I was told? That at the University of Delaware – the little University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware! – $55 million in health research – $55 million! – has been delayed, paused, or withheld. Research on HIV, Alzheimer’s and characterization of cancer cells. And if that’s happening in my little state, all across our country we are devastating the next generation of researchers. We are harming our nation and giving China the opening of a lifetime to recruit the best and brightest from around the world. And Emily, we are taking away from families like yours – all over our nation – hope.
    Emily, can you tell me how important hope is for you and Charlie, how important is it that we keep investing in research?
    Mrs. Emily Stenson: Thank you for the question. Hope gets you through the hardest days, and I know I explained in our story some of the hard days that we had, and hope is what kept my husband and I going and trying to save our daughter. There’s no value you can put on hope, and we need to be providing it to all of the families like ours.
    Senator Coons: So yesterday, I caught up with a Delawarean who’s been living with ALS for years, and last weekend, a close friend of mine confided his recent diagnosis with ALS. Senator Murkowski and I worked to get signed into law a bill to invest in ALS research. Dr. Esham, if I could, how will the cuts to FDA impact your agency’s ability to characterize and bring new treatments – to provide hope to those living with this horrific disease?
    Cartier Esham, Ph.D.: Thank you for that question, Senator, and I believe you’re probably aware that the Alliance did send letters to this committee expressing our concerns about the volume of approval department departures, and the potential impact on the ability of the FDA to be effective and continue be able to continue to evaluate the safety and accuracy of next-generation medical interventions. I will say, I will say, I did have the privilege of meeting with the commissioner on Monday and was happy to hear that he does not have any major plans for a major reorganization. And while they’re looking at efficiencies, potential consolidations and things like travel and IT and potential efficiencies that can be brought about by regulatory innovation, I was happy to hear that they are looking very hard in examining what functions need to be brought back to the agency to ensure that they are able to manage—you know, optimally manage their workload and continue to review and approve next-generation medicines. I think continued transparency and communications about this and engagement can be very important moving forward. We are certainly—the alliance will be certainly examining the proposed budget updates about staffing, including information about what positions are funded by user fees, and how we can work together to make sure that in total, the FDA has the resources it has to have to not just approve what’s before them now, but to continue to drive investment in the United States and next-generation medicine. If you don’t have a functioning FDA, that has a severe impact on the ability to raise funds for next-generation medicines.
    Senator Coons: The FDA, the NIH, National Cancer Institutes, all in combination give hope to those facing the beast of cancer, the challenges of a new diagnosis, and the need for a path forward that’s positive. Thank you for what you do. Thank you, Madam Chair for this hearing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How do candidates skirt Chinese social media bans on political content? They use influencers

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fan Yang, Research fellow at Melbourne Law School, the University of Melbourne and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society., The University of Melbourne

    This election, social media has been a major battleground as candidates try to reach younger voters. As Gen Z and Millennials now make up the dominant voter bloc in Australia, securing their support is more electorally important than ever.

    This effort has also played out on Chinese social media platforms, namely WeChat and RedNote. Thousands of Australians use these apps, often as a main source of news.

    The RECapture research team has been tracking political activity on these platforms for years. Between October 2024 and April 2025, we observed 319 Liberal Party advertisements, 68 Labor Party advertisements, and 258 ads from independent candidates on WeChat. More than 20 Australian politicians used RedNote for self-promotion. Both platforms are becoming increasingly popular among politicians.

    But there’s a catch: political communication on these apps is either banned or hidden. So how do candidates work around the rules?

    We’ve found they use influencers and third parties, blurring the lines between authorised political advertising and undisclosed campaigning.

    Skirting the rules

    Platforms such as Facebook and Google maintain public ad repositories to document political advertising.

    On WeChat and RedNote, however, such content is not formally registered or subject to public scrutiny.

    Since 2019, WeChat has been a key platform for Australian politicians trying to reach Chinese-Australian voters.

    From 2022 onwards, our research has observed the rising political popularity of RedNote, driven by its low entry barriers and emphasis on visual content.

    Chinese app RedNote is increasing in popularity.
    Shutterstock

    In January, a shift of US-based users from TikTok to RedNote further elevated the platform’s prominence. Now, candidates of all stripes are using it.

    But WeChat bans political advertisements and campaigning. RedNote uses shadowbanning (the covert hiding of specific content) to limit the visibility of political accounts.

    As a result, political figures in democracies globally often bypass these restrictions by working with Chinese-language media or influencers to reach Chinese-speaking voters.

    This tactic enables political messaging outside platform and regulatory oversight. It undermines transparency and accountability in political communication.

    How do political ads work on WeChat?

    Political advertising on WeChat isn’t transparent. WeChat requires official account registration through Chinese businesses recognised by Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent.

    In Australia, Chinese-language media outlets serve as intermediaries. They distribute political campaign materials on behalf of candidates.

    Political advertising on WeChat is presented in three main formats:

    • embedded within articles

    • as sponsored content

    • and as short videos distributed via WeChat’s Channel function.

    Advertising costs are typically negotiated between media outlets and campaign teams, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the outlet’s influence and the ad’s target demographic.

    Spending on political ads on WeChat isn’t disclosed anywhere, so it’s very hard to track how much money is being spent this way.

    What do these ads look like?

    For example, we identified Scott Yung, a Liberal candidate for Bennelong, and Andy Yin, a former Liberal Party member now running as an independent for Bradfield. They both published between two and eight political advertisements on WeChat daily in April.

    These ads were in addition to their self-promotional content and other campaigning activities via short videos.

    This content sometimes includes celebrity endorsements. In 2019 and 2025, respectively, Yung and Yin used third-party media and marketing companies based in China to recruit celebrities to endorse their campaigns.

    However, such strategies are criticised domestically due to concerns about potential “Chinese influence” and perceived links to the Communist Party of China.

    But behind the public political ads lies a semi-private form of campaigning.

    By attaching a QR code to their political ads, candidates direct their campaigns to private group chats, enabling a more targeted form of engagement (observed in the case of Liberal candidate for Reid Grange Chung’s sponsored content).

    What about RedNote?

    Non-Chinese Australian politicians often get around shadowbans on RedNote by signalling their connection to Chinese communities through symbolic gestures. This includes posts showcasing their visits to Chinese restaurants or photos taken at Lunar New Year community events.

    Candidates of Chinese background often highlight their connections with prominent white Australian politicians, such as former prime ministers Tony Abbott and John Howard, to show their standing and political credibility within the party.

    Discussions of party policies, especially controversial ones such as Australia-US-China relations, are rare. When they do occur, they are often selectively focused on matters of concern to Chinese migrants or those deemed safe for discussion on RedNote.

    Chinese-Australian candidates often organise their offline campaign events to target Chinese-Australian influencers. The influencers then disseminate relevant content on RedNote.

    As a result, candidates rely on content creators, influencers, supporters, migrant businesses and Chinese-language media outlets to promote their campaigns.

    Regulations falling by the wayside

    Candidates usually follow authorisation disclosure rules on their English social media pages.

    These rules, however, are often disregarded on RedNote or WeChat.

    Candidates often outsource their campaigning work to Chinese media and marketing agencies. This means the candidates have minimal oversight of the activities taking place on these platforms, raising concerns about whether electoral regulations may be inadvertently violated in the process.

    We’ve found instances of unauthorised pages of politicians and candidates that have gone unnoticed by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

    These are hard to find because the content is largely shadowbanned. If users or the AEC searched a particular candidate’s name, they wouldn’t be able to find much.

    In April, the AEC advised rules around authorising this sort of content. It said electoral communications distributed by people or organisations that are not political entities still require authorisation if monetary or gifts-in-kind transactions are involved.

    The AEC’s guidance further says political parties should include an authorisation if they repost collaborative content. The general principle is: “when in doubt, authorise it”.

    The key challenges here are identifying who collaborates with whom, on which platform, how content is remixed, and whether the collaboration is voluntary or involves monetary or in-kind transactions.

    The AEC doesn’t actively monitor Chinese social media platforms. This makes enforcing any regulations almost impossible.

    Given how much political candidates are using these apps, there needs to be better regulatory oversight of what happens on them.

    We thank researchers Robbie Fordyce and Mengjie Cai for their contributions to this project.

    The project is funded by the Susan McKinnon Foundation between 2024 and 2025.

    Dan Dai, Luke Heemsbergen, and Stevie Zhang do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How do candidates skirt Chinese social media bans on political content? They use influencers – https://theconversation.com/how-do-candidates-skirt-chinese-social-media-bans-on-political-content-they-use-influencers-253847

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The global costs of the US-China tariff war are mounting. And the worst may be yet to come

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Kai He, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University

    The United States and China remain in a standoff in their tariff war. Neither side appears willing to budge.

    After US President Donald Trump imposed massive 145% tariffs on Chinese imports in early April, China retaliated with its own tariffs of 125% on US goods.

    US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this week it’s up to China to de-escalate tensions. China’s Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said the two sides are not talking.

    The prospect of economic decoupling between the world’s two largest economies is no longer speculative. It is becoming a hard reality. While many observers debate who might “win” the trade war, the more likely outcome is that everyone loses.

    A convenient target

    Trump’s protectionist agenda has spared few. Allies and adversaries alike have been targeted by sweeping US tariffs. However, China has served as the main target, absorbing the political backlash of broader frustrations over trade deficits and economic displacement in the US.

    The economic costs to China are undeniable. The loss of reliable access to the US market, coupled with mounting uncertainty in the global trading system, has dealt a blow to China’s export-driven sectors.

    China’s comparative advantage lies in its vast manufacturing base and tightly integrated supply chains. This is especially true in high-tech and green industries such as electric vehicles, batteries and solar energy. These sectors are deeply dependent on open markets and predictable demand.

    New trade restrictions in Europe, Canada and the US on Chinese electric vehicles, in particular, have already caused demand to drop significantly.

    China’s GDP growth was higher than expected in the first quarter of the year at 5.4%, but analysts expect the effect of the tariffs to soon bite. A key measure of factory activity this week showed a contraction in manufacturing.

    China’s economic growth has also been weighed down by structural headwinds, including industrial overcapacity (when a country’s production of goods exceeds demand), an ageing population, rising youth unemployment and persistent regional disparities. The property sector — once a pillar of the country’s economic rise — has become a source of financial stress. Local government debt is mounting and a pension crisis is looming.

    Negotiations with the US might be desirable to end the tariff war. However, unilateral concessions on Beijing’s part are neither viable nor politically palatable.

    Regional coordination

    Trump’s tariff wars have done more than strain bilateral relationships; they have shaken the foundations of the global trading system.

    By sidelining the World Trade Organization and embracing a transactional approach to bilateral trade, the US has weakened multilateral norms and emboldened protectionist tendencies worldwide.

    One unintended consequence of this instability has been the resurgence of regional arrangements. In Asia, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), backed by China and centred on the ASEAN bloc in Southeast Asia, has emerged as a credible alternative for economic cooperation.

    Meanwhile, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) continues to expand, with the United Kingdom joining late last year.

    Across Latin America, too, regional blocs are exploring new avenues for integration, hoping to buffer themselves against the shocks of resurgent protectionism.

    But regionalism is no panacea. It cannot replicate the scale or efficiency of global trade, nor can it restore the predictability on which exporters depend.

    Looming dangers

    The greater danger is the world drifting into a Kindleberger Trap — a situation in which no power steps forward to provide the leadership necessary to sustain global public goods, or a stable trading system.

    Economist Charles Kindleberger’s account of the Great Depression remains instructive: it was not the presence of conflict but the absence of leadership that brought about the global economy’s systemic collapse.

    Without renewed global coordination, the economic fragmentation triggered by Trump’s tariff wars could give way to something far more dangerous than a recession – rising geopolitical and military tensions that no region can contain.

    The political landscape is already fraught. The Chinese Communist Party, for instance, has long tethered its legitimacy to the promise of eventual unification with Taiwan. Yet the costs of using force remain prohibitively high.

    Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent designation of China as a “foreign hostile force” have sharpened tensions. Beijing’s response has been calibrated – military exercises intended more as a warning than a prelude to conflict.

    However, the intensifying trade war with the US may become the final straw that exhausts Beijing’s patience, leaving Taiwan as collateral damage in a US-China final showdown.

    A role for collective leadership

    China alone is neither able nor inclined to assume the mantle of global leadership. Its current focus is more on domestic priorities – sustaining economic growth and managing social stability – than on foreign policy.

    Yet, Beijing can still play a constructive role in shaping the international environment through its cooperation with Europe, ASEAN and the Global South.

    The objective is not to replace American hegemony, but to support a more multi-polar and collaborative system — one capable of sustaining global public goods in an era of uncertainty.

    Paradoxically, a more coordinated effort by the rest of the world may ultimately help bring the US back into the fold. Washington may rediscover the strategic value of engagement — and return not as the sole leader, but as an indispensable partner.

    In the short term, other states may seek to gain an advantage from the great power standoff. But they should remember that what begins as a clash between giants can quickly engulf bystanders.

    In this volatile landscape, the path forward does not lie in exploiting disorder. Rather, nations must cautiously advance the shared interest in restoring a stable, rules-based global order.

    Kai He receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. The global costs of the US-China tariff war are mounting. And the worst may be yet to come – https://theconversation.com/the-global-costs-of-the-us-china-tariff-war-are-mounting-and-the-worst-may-be-yet-to-come-254583

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Research – Australia’s credit and charge card payments to near $300 billion in 2025 amid consumer and e-commerce growth, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Australia’s credit and charge card payments market continues to demonstrate resilience and growth, underpinned by rising consumer spending, robust payment infrastructure, and an expanding e-commerce landscape.

    Enhanced by value-added incentives such as cashback offers, flexible repayment options, and installment facilities, the market is set to maintain an upward trajectory, reaching AUD453.9 billion ($299.7 billion) in 2025 despite evolving global economic challenges, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s Payment Cards Analytics reveals that credit and charge card payment value in Australia registered a growth of 6.3% in 2024, driven by the rise in consumer spending.

    Kartik Challa, Senior Banking and Payments Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Public awareness of the advantages associated with credit card usage is widespread in Australia. Consumers frequently utilize these cards to capitalize on benefits, including cashback offers and rewards programs. Bolstered by a robust payment infrastructure and a flourishing e-commerce market, credit and charge cards have gained marked preference among the Australian consumers.”

     

    Australians are increasingly using credit and charge cards for payments, with the frequency of payments per card standing at 225.5 times in 2024 and is anticipated to further rise to 239.5 in 2029. This is driven by banks offering flexible repayment options and value-added benefits such as cashback, reward points, discounts, and installment facilities.

    CommBank offers an installment plan “SurePay,” allowing its credit card holders to convert purchases into three, six, or 12 months. Likewise, National Australia Bank’s  NAB Now Pay Later option allows customers to split the cost of purchases into four interest-free repayments over six weeks.

    Well-developed payment infrastructure has been another key driver for the rise of credit and charge cards in Australia. The number of POS terminals per million inhabitants in Australia stood at 39,031 in 2024, which is higher compared to some of its peers such as China (33,631), Hong Kong (27,184), and India (6,964), though there is significant room for further expansion of POS infrastructure.

    Rising e-commerce payments is another factor contributing to the growth in credit and charge card usage. According to GlobalData’s E-Commerce Analytics, credit and charge cards are the preferred payment method for online payments, with 22.5% share in 2024.

    Meanwhile, to mitigate the risk of over-indebtedness, banks offer debt reconsolidation programs and credit card balance transfer programs to their customers to enable them to merge multiple loans (including credit card debt) into a single, monthly installment and transfer their credit card balance without interest. For example, ANZ offers balance transfer options that enable customers to consolidate debt by transferring outstanding balances from non-ANZ credit cards to a new or existing ANZ credit card.

    Challa concludes: “Australia’s credit and charge card market is poised for sustained growth over the next five years, driven by the economic recovery, growing consumer spending, and growth in e-commerce payments. However, challenges such as the ongoing global trade tariff dispute among major countries, and geopolitical uncertainties remain bottlenecks to the market. Overall, the value of credit and charge card payments is forecast to register a slower compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4% between 2025 and 2029 to reach AUD539.1 billion ($356 billion) in 2029.”

    About GlobalData

    4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The global costs of the US-China tariff war are mounting. And the worst may be yet to come

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kai He, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University

    The United States and China remain in a standoff in their tariff war. Neither side appears willing to budge.

    After US President Donald Trump imposed massive 145% tariffs on Chinese imports in early April, China retaliated with its own tariffs of 125% on US goods.

    US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this week it’s up to China to de-escalate tensions. China’s Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said the two sides are not talking.

    The prospect of economic decoupling between the world’s two largest economies is no longer speculative. It is becoming a hard reality. While many observers debate who might “win” the trade war, the more likely outcome is that everyone loses.

    A convenient target

    Trump’s protectionist agenda has spared few. Allies and adversaries alike have been targeted by sweeping US tariffs. However, China has served as the main target, absorbing the political backlash of broader frustrations over trade deficits and economic displacement in the US.

    The economic costs to China are undeniable. The loss of reliable access to the US market, coupled with mounting uncertainty in the global trading system, has dealt a blow to China’s export-driven sectors.

    China’s comparative advantage lies in its vast manufacturing base and tightly integrated supply chains. This is especially true in high-tech and green industries such as electric vehicles, batteries and solar energy. These sectors are deeply dependent on open markets and predictable demand.

    New trade restrictions in Europe, Canada and the US on Chinese electric vehicles, in particular, have already caused demand to drop significantly.

    China’s GDP growth was higher than expected in the first quarter of the year at 5.4%, but analysts expect the effect of the tariffs to soon bite. A key measure of factory activity this week showed a contraction in manufacturing.

    China’s economic growth has also been weighed down by structural headwinds, including industrial overcapacity (when a country’s production of goods exceeds demand), an ageing population, rising youth unemployment and persistent regional disparities. The property sector — once a pillar of the country’s economic rise — has become a source of financial stress. Local government debt is mounting and a pension crisis is looming.

    Negotiations with the US might be desirable to end the tariff war. However, unilateral concessions on Beijing’s part are neither viable nor politically palatable.

    Regional coordination

    Trump’s tariff wars have done more than strain bilateral relationships; they have shaken the foundations of the global trading system.

    By sidelining the World Trade Organization and embracing a transactional approach to bilateral trade, the US has weakened multilateral norms and emboldened protectionist tendencies worldwide.

    One unintended consequence of this instability has been the resurgence of regional arrangements. In Asia, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), backed by China and centred on the ASEAN bloc in Southeast Asia, has emerged as a credible alternative for economic cooperation.

    Meanwhile, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) continues to expand, with the United Kingdom joining late last year.

    Across Latin America, too, regional blocs are exploring new avenues for integration, hoping to buffer themselves against the shocks of resurgent protectionism.

    But regionalism is no panacea. It cannot replicate the scale or efficiency of global trade, nor can it restore the predictability on which exporters depend.

    Looming dangers

    The greater danger is the world drifting into a Kindleberger Trap — a situation in which no power steps forward to provide the leadership necessary to sustain global public goods, or a stable trading system.

    Economist Charles Kindleberger’s account of the Great Depression remains instructive: it was not the presence of conflict but the absence of leadership that brought about the global economy’s systemic collapse.

    Without renewed global coordination, the economic fragmentation triggered by Trump’s tariff wars could give way to something far more dangerous than a recession – rising geopolitical and military tensions that no region can contain.

    The political landscape is already fraught. The Chinese Communist Party, for instance, has long tethered its legitimacy to the promise of eventual unification with Taiwan. Yet the costs of using force remain prohibitively high.

    Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent designation of China as a “foreign hostile force” have sharpened tensions. Beijing’s response has been calibrated – military exercises intended more as a warning than a prelude to conflict.

    However, the intensifying trade war with the US may become the final straw that exhausts Beijing’s patience, leaving Taiwan as collateral damage in a US-China final showdown.

    A role for collective leadership

    China alone is neither able nor inclined to assume the mantle of global leadership. Its current focus is more on domestic priorities – sustaining economic growth and managing social stability – than on foreign policy.

    Yet, Beijing can still play a constructive role in shaping the international environment through its cooperation with Europe, ASEAN and the Global South.

    The objective is not to replace American hegemony, but to support a more multi-polar and collaborative system — one capable of sustaining global public goods in an era of uncertainty.

    Paradoxically, a more coordinated effort by the rest of the world may ultimately help bring the US back into the fold. Washington may rediscover the strategic value of engagement — and return not as the sole leader, but as an indispensable partner.

    In the short term, other states may seek to gain an advantage from the great power standoff. But they should remember that what begins as a clash between giants can quickly engulf bystanders.

    In this volatile landscape, the path forward does not lie in exploiting disorder. Rather, nations must cautiously advance the shared interest in restoring a stable, rules-based global order.

    Kai He receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. The global costs of the US-China tariff war are mounting. And the worst may be yet to come – https://theconversation.com/the-global-costs-of-the-us-china-tariff-war-are-mounting-and-the-worst-may-be-yet-to-come-254583

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Speaks to Trump’s U.S. Department of Agriculture Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, to consider the nominations of Luke Lindberg to be Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, and of Devon Westhill to be Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights. During the hearing, Senator Tuberville and Mr. Lindberg discussed the significant impact foreign trade has on American farmers and producers. Additionally, Senator Tuberville and Mr. Westhill discussed protecting American agriculture and rural communities from woke, DEI policies.
    Read excerpts below or watch the full clip on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON PRESERVING AMERICAN FARMLAND
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Gentlemen, thanks for being here. Five-alarm-fire. We’re in trouble.
    The Ag Department and us, we have a big chore in front of us. We’re losing farmers every day. We lost 150,000 farms in the last four years […] It’s not acceptable. The Biden administration sat on their hands for four years, didn’t do one trade deal, and it looked like they tried to put our farmers out of business on purpose. […] I couldn’t believe it. Sat there watching it. We have got to do something. I get calls every week.
    I get a call every week: ‘we’re going out of business.’ Worst the farmers have ever been. We can’t do business as usual. Something has got to be done. And if we don’t do that, we’re gonna lose them. It’s gonna be over and we’re gonna be buying every bit of the food that we eat out of this country. And we saw what happened during COVID. It was a disaster when we couldn’t get drugs because China’s only one making drugs. So, I’ll get off my soapbox here and thank both of you for what you’re gonna try to do.”
    ON U.S.-FOREIGN TRADE DISADVANTAGES
    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Lindberg, cotton has weakened due to the surge of low value textile imports of synthetic fibers – all from Southeast Asia. And they come through an $800 de minimis loophole, and it’s killing us. So, President Trump’s been working to close this loophole. Can you talk a little bit about that?”
    MR. LINDBERG: “Senator, thank you. I can, and I appreciate you spending some time with me in your office to discuss these issues prior to this. Enjoyed our conversation. Absolutely, President Trump has taken seriously—based on the news reports I’ve seen— the de minimis exemption which has been a tragedy for not only our cotton farmers, but also for manufacturers and a lot of other industries across America.
    I will absolutely work alongside, and look forward to working alongside, our interagency colleagues to make sure that those de minimis exemptions and things are held accountable and are following the law of the land. Our former governor is now at the Department of Homeland Security and looking to work with her team at Customers and Border Protection as well […] Thank you.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Well, you know, it sounds like a little thing, but all those little things add up for our farmers. And, you know, we have got to get better commodity prices. If we don’t, I mean, it’s gonna be over with for United States farmers.”
    ON CIVIL RIGHTS
    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Westhill, how do you plan to approach and manage the USDA career staffers in the civil rights departments that do not support President Trump’s agenda?”
    MR. WESTHILL: “Senator, I really appreciate the question. And I’ll say, look, I think the career staffers that I worked with in the first term were, many of them, consummate professionals. In fact, one of them is here today supporting my nomination as one of my guests. He served as the chief of staff the entire time that I served in the first term. I think the important thing to do is to you know, to put out a clear vision for what your plan is.
    I think the vast majority of the individuals who are in that office want to actually enforce civil rights. That’s why they went into that office. And at the end of the day, it is a civil rights office. Not a DEI office. And I think that the vast majority of those individuals will get behind President Trump’s agenda, which is to advance civil rights.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Team USA. I mean, the only way we can make [and] we can’t do it by pulling each other apart.”      
    ON CATTLE PRODUCTION
    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Lindberg, the Biden administration put U.S. cattle producers at a competitive disadvantage and endangered the American public by allowing imports of beef from Paraguay. That’s ridiculous. Paraguay cattle producers do not have the same food safety standards as [the] U.S. Can you speak to USDA’s plans to ensure sufficient due diligence is done in these inspections?”
    MR. LINDBERG: “Sir, thank you for the question. For me, in my role at USDA, as the Under Secretary of Foreign Agricultural Affairs, and Trade, that will be an effort by my colleagues. But I look forward to working with my colleagues in making sure that they have timely market analysis and market intelligence on those exact issues.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.”
    ON PEANUT FARMERS
    TUBERVILLE: “Also, our peanut growers in my state, which is huge, and across the country, have been at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace due to non-tariff trade barriers on peanuts from aflatoxin in the European Union. I asked Mr. Vaden this when he came through a few weeks ago and I’ll ask you too. Would you commit to ensuring USDA and USTR work together on Trump’s agenda to reduce trade barriers and prioritize market access for all of our farmers?”
    Mr. Lindberg: “I look forward to doing exactly that.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –