Category: CTF

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Childminding Recruitment Campaign

Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

A call is going out for Dundee people to consider taking up a career in childminding.

The City Council is supporting the Scottish Childminding Association’s (SCMA) recruitment campaign, which a senior councillor calls an “investment in the future of the city”.

Advantages of flexible employability opportunities for local people to work from their own home, as well as the potential growth of childcare options for city families are being highlighted as benefits.

Funded training and support would be provided to successful applicants, who will also be able to access employability and Business Gateway support throughout the programme and into their self-employment journey.

Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure convener Cllr Steven Rome said: “We are acutely aware in the drop of the number of childminders across Scotland, which is reflected in our city.

“I think that this campaign will provide an investment in the future of the city, for those who set up childminding businesses and for the children and families themselves.”

Children, Families and Communities convener Cllr Stewart Hunter added: “We fully support this SCMA campaign which will help develop flexible and exciting employment opportunities for local people.

“It will also help provide more childcare options for families to allow them to take on more training or employment themselves.”

The campaign features Dundee childminder Elaine Bruce, who runs Elaine’s Amazing Spaces

Elaine worked in child education for 38 years and previously worked in a senior position in a nursery. She realised she could be a professional childminder, working from home with small numbers of children.

She said: “I’d thoroughly recommend childminding as a career. If you’ve got a passion for working with children, the opportunity is there to make a really great business.”

“I felt really supported by SCMA, particularly throughout the process of registration. I thought the one-to-one support available from SCMA was invaluable. Any problem or question, no matter how small, I received help so quickly. It’s really reassuring to have experts in childminding to refer to.”

Elaine explains that childminding brings great benefits for the children who take part.

“With smaller numbers involved in childminding, there’s lots of opportunity for the younger ones to learn together to share and play in wee groups. It’s an important part of learning – things like waiting their turn – and I believe being around children that aren’t their siblings is important.”

A dedicated SCMA Workforce Officer is assigned to each candidate to provide expert, one-to-one support through the process of registration with the Care Inspectorate. Personalisation of the process is integral to the progression of candidates, ensuring they feel fully informed about their future career in childminding, and means they are less likely to drop out.

Childminders provide high-quality childcare from their home that is nurturing and safe and also provides the flexibility for childminders and their ‘mindees’ to ‘get out and about so that children have chances to learn from real life experiences.

As with other childcare providers such as nurseries, childminders are guided by the Curriculum for Excellence and are required to follow the values and principles of the ‘Getting It Right for Every Child’ (GIRFEC) framework, which supports the health and wellbeing of children.

Graeme McAlister, Chief Executive, Scottish Childminding Association, said: “Childminding is a vital community asset providing local flexible childcare and family support which is so important in remote and rural communities. The Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future is an important step towards addressing the urgent demand for high-quality childcare from parents and carers and recruiting childminders in areas where they are most needed. This is a fantastic opportunity for those living in these areas to access a wealth of support in setting up their own sustainable childminding business and to undertake a rewarding new career.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mui Wo Swimming Pool temporarily closed

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (May 19) that Mui Wo Swimming Pool in Islands District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of vomit in the pool.

It will be reopened at 4.30pm today.

The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Eucharistic Celebration for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome Leo XIV

Source: The Holy See

Eucharistic Celebration for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome Leo XIV, 18.05.2025
At 10.00 today, Fifth Sunday of Easter, on the parvis of the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father Leo XIV presided over the Holy Mass for the official beginning of his Petrine Ministry.
Before the Eucharistic Celebration, the Pope descended, with the Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches, to the tomb of Saint Peter beneath the Vatican Basilica and paused there in prayer, then incensing the Apostolic Trophaeum.
Returning to the Basilica, the Holy Father joined in the procession of the concelebrating Cardinals, preceded by the deacons who brought the pastoral pallium, the Fisherman’s Ring and the Book of Gospels, up to the altar of on the parvis of the Basilica, to the singing of the Laudes Regiae.
During the Eucharistic Celebration, after the proclamation of the Gospel, the rites specific to the beginning of the pontificate took place: the imposition of the pallium by the Cardinal Deacon Mario Zenari, with a prayer recited by the Cardinal Presbyter Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap., the consignment of the Fisherman’s Ring by the Cardinal Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, and the obedience pledged to the Holy Father by three Cardinals, on behalf of the entire College: Cardinal Frank Leo (for North America), Cardinal Jaime Spengler, O.F.M. (for South America), and Cardinal John Ribat, M.S.C. (for Oceania). Other representatives of the People of God also pledged obedience to the Holy Father: the Bishop Luis Alberto Barrera of Callao, Peru; the priest Reverend Guillermo Inca Pereda; the deacon Teodoro Mandato; the religious Sr. Oonah O’Shea, president of the International Union of Superiors General, and Father Arturo Sosa, S.J., president of the Union of Superiors General; a married couple, Rafael Santa Maria and Ana María Olguín; and the young people Josemaria Diaz and Sheyla Cruz.
During the Holy Mass, concelebrated with the Cardinals, the Patriarchs and the Major Archbishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches, the Holy Father Leo XIV delivered the following homily:

Homily of the Holy Father
Dear Brother Cardinals,
Brother Bishops and Priests,
Distinguished Authorities and Members of the Diplomatic Corps.
Greetings to the pilgrims who have come for the Jubilee of Confraternities!
I greet all of you with a heart full of gratitude at the beginning of the ministry that has been entrusted to me. Saint Augustine wrote: Lord, “you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you” (Confessions, I: 1,1).
In these days, we have experienced intense emotions. The death of Pope Francis filled our hearts with sadness. In those difficult hours, we felt like the crowds that the Gospel says were “like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36). Then, on Easter Sunday, we received his final blessing and, in the light of the resurrection, we experienced the days that followed in the certainty that the Lord never abandons his people, but gathers them when they are scattered and guards them “as a shepherd guards his flock” (Jer 31:10).
In this spirit of faith, the College of Cardinals met for the conclave. Coming from different backgrounds and experiences, we placed in God’s hands our desire to elect the new Successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome, a shepherd capable of preserving the rich heritage of the Christian faith and, at the same time, looking to the future, in order to confront the questions, concerns and challenges of today’s world. Accompanied by your prayers, we could feel the working of the Holy Spirit, who was able to bring us into harmony, like musical instruments, so that our heartstrings could vibrate in a single melody.
I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family.
Love and unity: these are the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus.
We see this in today’s Gospel, which takes us to the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus began the mission he received from the Father: to be a “fisher” of humanity in order to draw it up from the waters of evil and death. Walking along the shore, he had called Peter and the other first disciples to be, like him, “fishers of men”. Now, after the resurrection, it is up to them to carry on this mission, to cast their nets again and again, to bring the hope of the Gospel into the “waters” of the world, to sail the seas of life so that all may experience God’s embrace.
How can Peter carry out this task? The Gospel tells us that it is possible only because his own life was touched by the infinite and unconditional love of God, even in the hour of his failure and denial. For this reason, when Jesus addresses Peter, the Gospel uses the Greek verb agapáo, which refers to the love that God has for us, to the offering of himself without reserve and without calculation. Whereas the verb used in Peter’s response describes the love of friendship that we have for one another. Consequently, when Jesus asks Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (Jn 21:16), he is referring to the love of the Father. It is as if Jesus said to him, “Only if you have known and experienced this love of God, which never fails, will you be able to feed my lambs. Only in the love of God the Father will you be able to love your brothers and sisters with that same ‘more’, that is, by offering your life for your brothers and sisters.”
Peter is thus entrusted with the task of “loving more” and giving his life for the flock. The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ. It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did.
The Apostle Peter himself tells us that Jesus “is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, and has become the cornerstone” (Acts 4:11). Moreover, if the rock is Christ, Peter must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him (cf. 1 Pet 5:3). On the contrary, he is called to serve the faith of his brothers and sisters, and to walk alongside them, for all of us are “living stones” (1 Pet 2:5), called through our baptism to build God’s house in fraternal communion, in the harmony of the Spirit, in the coexistence of diversity. In the words of Saint Augustine: “The Church consists of all those who are in harmony with their brothers and sisters and who love their neighbour” (Serm. 359,9).
Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.
In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest. For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world. We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one. This is the path to follow together, among ourselves but also with our sister Christian churches, with those who follow other religious paths, with those who are searching for God, with all women and men of good will, in order to build a new world where peace reigns!
This is the missionary spirit that must animate us; not closing ourselves off in our small groups, nor feeling superior to the world. We are called to offer God’s love to everyone, in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel out differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people.
Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love! The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters. With my predecessor Leo XIII, we can ask ourselves today: If this criterion “were to prevail in the world, would not every conflict cease and peace return?” (Rerum Novarum, 20).
With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made “restless” by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.
Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another.

MIL OSI Europe News –

May 19, 2025

MIL-OSI: Form 8.5 (EPT/RI)-Craneware plc

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

FORM 8.5 (EPT/RI)

PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY AN EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER WITH RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY
Rule 8.5 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Name of exempt principal trader:	Investec Bank plc
(b) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree	Craneware plc
(c) Name of the party to the offer with which exempt principal trader is connected:	Investec is Joint Broker to Craneware plc
(d) Date dealing undertaken:	16^th May 2025
(e) In addition to the company in 1(b) above, is the exempt principal trader making disclosures in respect of any other party to this offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”	N/A

2. DEALINGS BY THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 2(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security	Purchases/ sales	Total number of securities	Highest price per unit paid/received	Lowest price per unit paid/received
Ordinary shares	Sales	2,872	2,316	2,250

(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security	Product description e.g. CFD	Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position	Number of reference securities	Price per unit
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security	Product description e.g. call option	Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc.	Number of securities to which option relates	Exercise price per unit	Type e.g. American, European etc.	Expiry date	Option money paid/ received per unit
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security	Product description e.g. call option	Exercising/ exercised against	Number of securities	Exercise price per unit
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security	Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion	Details	Price per unit (if applicable)
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

3. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

None

(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

None

Date of disclosure:	19^thMay 2025
Contact name:	Priyali Bhattacharjee
Telephone number:	+91 9768034903

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s dealing disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

The MIL Network –

May 19, 2025

MIL-OSI: UP Fintech Holding Limited to Report First Quarter 2025 Financial Results on May 30, 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UP Fintech Holding Limited (“UP Fintech” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: TIGR), a leading online brokerage firm focusing on global investors, today announced that it will report its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, before the U.S. market opens on May 30, 2025.

UP Fintech’s management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM on May 30, 2025, U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 PM on May 30, 2025, Singapore/Hong Kong Time).

Conference Call Information:

All participants wishing to attend the call must preregister online before they may receive the dial-in numbers. Preregistration may require a few minutes to complete.

Preregistration Information:

Please note that all participants will need to pre-register for the conference call, using the link:

https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BId8a2d4cd09e14653b3533b8d3745dfa0

It will automatically lead to the registration page of ” UP Fintech Holding Limited First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call “, where details for RSVP are needed.

Upon registering, all participants will be provided with confirmation emails with participant dial-in numbers and personal PINs to access the conference call. Please dial in 10 minutes prior to the call start time using the conference access information.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at https://ir.itigerup.com.

About UP Fintech Holding Limited

UP Fintech Holding Limited is a leading online brokerage firm focusing on global investors. The Company’s proprietary mobile and online trading platform enables investors to trade in equities and other financial instruments on multiple exchanges around the world. The Company offers innovative products and services as well as a superior user experience to customers through its “mobile first” strategy, which enables it to better serve and retain current customers as well as attract new ones. The Company offers customers comprehensive brokerage and value-added services, including trade order placement and execution, margin financing, IPO subscription, ESOP management, investor education, community discussion and customer support. The Company’s proprietary infrastructure and advanced technology are able to support trades across multiple currencies, multiple markets, multiple products, multiple execution venues and multiple clearinghouses. For more information on the Company, please visit: https://ir.itigerup.com.

Investor Relations Contact

UP Fintech Holding Limited
Email: ir@itiger.com

The MIL Network –

May 19, 2025

MIL-OSI: Danske Bank share buy-back programme: transactions in week 20

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Company announcement no. 25 2025

Danske Bank

Bernstorffsgade 40

DK-1577 København V

Tel. + 45 33 44 00 00

19 May 2025

Page 1 of 1

Danske Bank share buy-back programme: transactions in week 20

On 7 February 2025, Danske Bank A/S announced a share buy-back programme for a total of DKK 5 billion, with a maximum of 45,000,000 shares, in the period from 10 February 2025 to 30 January 2026, at the latest, as described in company announcement no. 6 2025.

The Programme is carried out in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (the “Market Abuse Regulation”) and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 (together with the Market Abuse Regulation, the “Safe Harbour Rules”).

The following transactions on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S were made under the share buy-back programme in week 20:

	Number of shares	VWAP DKK	Gross value DKK
Accumulated, last announcement	5,772,575	224.3381	1,295,008,747
12 May 2025	50,000	248.0847	12,404,235
13 May 2025	50,000	248.1306	12,406,530
14 May 2025	50,000	247.8660	12,393,300
15 May 2025	50,000	251.1794	12,558,970
16 May 2025	49,390	251.6010	12,426,573
Total accumulated over week 20	249,390	249.3669	62,189,608
Total accumulated during the share buyback programme	6,021,965	225.3747	1,357,198,355

With the transactions stated above, the total accumulated number of own shares under the share buy-back programme corresponds to 0.721% of Danske Bank A/S’ share capital.

Danske Bank

Contact: Claus Ingar Jensen, Head of Group Investor Relations, tel. +45 25 42 43 70

Attachment

Danske Bank Company announcement_EN

The MIL Network –

May 19, 2025

MIL-OSI Global: Britain’s net zero construction workforce is already at risk of burn out

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Simon Addyman, Associate Professor in Project Management, UCL

Kittirat Roekburi/Shutterstock

The pressure of decarbonising industrial sectors is weighing on workers.

The UK’s Labour government seeks a low-carbon and homegrown energy supply by 2030. The scale and pace of this transformation is unprecedented in the country’s power sector, and will involve building twice as much transmission infrastructure (pylons, cables, substations) in the next five years as was built over the last decade.

Much of the workforce will be drawn from the construction sector, which employs 2.3 million people. Construction forms the dominant supply chain to the 17 major infrastructure projects involved in an overhaul of the electricity grid that will connect new wind farms in the North Sea and northern Scotland to homes and businesses across Great Britain.

The workers “on the tools” who will carry out much of this transformation are struggling. The latest analysis from the Office for National Statistics suggests that the suicide risk of construction workers is three times higher than the male national average. Scholars of construction project management have identified a toxic workplace culture in the industry, citing aggressive market competition and demanding performance metrics.

Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

This is a problem that is largely being ignored. When planners at the National Energy System Operator assessed the UK’s capacity to build a clean power sector by 2030, they considered the absolute number of workers needed, the skills required and how employment is changing in the sector.

Their assessment failed to consider the broader implications for workforce mental health and wellbeing of such a quick and comprehensive upgrade – but it is people who are going through a rapid transition, not just infrastructure.

Expect more of these in years to come.
J R Patterson/Shutterstock

Going green, feeling blue

Construction workers already endure long hours and stress due to tight deadlines. A rapid transition to green power will substantially increase their workload, unless managed carefully.

Our report, published July 2024, looked into wellbeing and suicide in the construction industry. We concluded that the UK government, major infrastructure owners such as National Grid and their supply chain partners who provide specialist design and construction services, must work together to solve this problem.

Major infrastructure owners offer mental health services, such as confidential counselling, legal advice and financial guidance, to help their own employees manage personal or work-related issues. But most workers on the tools are not directly employed by these owners. Most are self-employed, or hired by construction firms, of which 99% are small- and medium-sized enterprises.

More than 96% of construction firms have fewer than 15 employees. Smaller suppliers of specialist trade skills, like electrical and mechanical installation, have fewer employment protections and more compressed schedules, and are even less likely to have the capacity to provide these services.

Some infrastructure owners and big construction companies extend their health and wellbeing services to these smaller suppliers. However, in an industry that is dominated by competitive tendering, which favours suppliers that keep costs low, it is no surprise that uptake has been low.

Owners of infrastructure assets like electricity pylons and substations can drive workplace improvements by adopting procurement models that prioritise suppliers that are offering measures to improve worker wellbeing.

Research from one of us (Jing Xu) and fellow project management expert Yanga Wu, has shown that the top-down prescriptive approach traditionally applied to health and safety in construction does not work for wellbeing. This requires a bottom-up approach, that makes it easy for workers to tell managers what they are struggling with and what they think would help.

The construction sector also faces a shortage of workers and skills required for the green transition. The industry training board forecasts that the industry must attract the equivalent of 50,300 extra workers a year to meet expected levels of work over the next five years.

The UK is not training enough workers to achieve net zero.
Paya Mona/Shutterstock

In the power sector, however, there is the additional complication of an ageing workforce, as well as differences in employment conditions between permanent and contract staff. Key expertise is at risk of being lost with retirements. Older workers often face additional pressure, not only to meet performance targets but also to compensate for gaps in expertise, and all within a fast-paced environment.

To improve mental health and wellbeing among a diverse workforce requires engaging with workers directly and ensuring their voices are heard. This involves more than upgrading technical skills. Research to better understand how organisations can care for their workforce in the context of increasing pressures due to achieving net zero is also vital.

Further research and collaboration with infrastructure owners and major construction contractors could help manage the risks and provide valuable insights for other sectors that will need to follow suit, such as heating, transport and agriculture.

It is imperative to consider what a transition means: the technical transition of replacing outmoded technology, as well as the social transition, which prioritises not only skills but workplace mental health. Without a focus on both policy and people, clean power will not be delivered.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Simon Addyman receives funding from University College London.

Jing Xu receives funding from University College London.

– ref. Britain’s net zero construction workforce is already at risk of burn out – https://theconversation.com/britains-net-zero-construction-workforce-is-already-at-risk-of-burn-out-249328

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s inbound tourism market boasts vast potential

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

BEIJING, May 19 — China’s inbound tourism market holds immense potential, driven by continued policy optimization that aims to ease access for international travelers and improve the overall travel experience across the country, according to industry experts.

China will further enhance the convenience of inbound tourism in terms of visas, payments, transportation and accommodation, Shi Zeyi, an official at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said during the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

It will also focus on “precise demand orientation, diversified business formats, and international-standard services” to improve inbound tourism services, Shi added. For example, China will introduce new products and business models to cater to the diverse needs of travelers from different countries, Shi said.

It will also encourage inbound consumption by increasing the number of duty-free shops and expanding the range of goods eligible for “instant tax refunds,” which allows foreign visitors to instantly claim value-added tax rebates at tax-free stores across the country, Shi added.

The country will continue to improve its institutional mechanisms for high-standard opening-up, ensuring greater openness, more robust open development and security to facilitate personnel exchanges and cultural interactions, said Liu Jia, an official from the National Immigration Administration.

MIL OSI China News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China offers 424B yuan in tax, fee relief in Q1 for innovation, manufacturing

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

China’s tax and fee cuts, as well as tax refunds supporting sci-tech innovation and manufacturing totaled 424.1 billion yuan (58.97 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of 2025, the State Taxation Administration said Monday.

Value-added tax (VAT) invoice data also indicated that structural tax and fee relief measures are accelerating the country’s innovation momentum and high-quality manufacturing development, said the administration.

In the first four months of this year, the VAT data showed that the sales revenue of China’s high-tech industries grew by 13.9 percent year on year, while services facilitating the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements jumped 33.6 percent. The core industries of the digital economy also maintained steady growth of 9.7 percent.

The manufacturing sector also performed strongly, with the digital product manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing both reporting double-digit revenue growth from January to April.

The administration said tax authorities will continue to ensure the swift and targeted delivery of policy benefits through data-driven services, supporting the cultivation of new quality productive forces and the high-quality development of the manufacturing sector.

MIL OSI China News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Xiaomi to unveil breakthrough 3nm chip this week

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

Xiaomi Corp confirmed on Monday that it will unveil a 3nm Xuanjie O1 chip on Thursday, after over four years of intensive R&D efforts.

The move will position Xiaomi in direct competition with leading global chipmakers, with the new chip poised to power Xiaomi’s latest smartphones.

Lei Jun, CEO and chairman of Xiaomi, said via a post on Sina Weibo that the company’s cumulative investment in Xuanjie chip exceeded over 13.5 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) by the end of April 2025.

Xiaomi now has a 2,500-strong semiconductor R&D team driving innovation, enforcing its position among China’s top three semiconductor design firms in both R&D spending and team scale, Lei said.

Lei also emphasized the significance of the achievement: “Reaching this milestone demanded unwavering commitment, courage, and substantial technical and financial resources. The Xuanjie O1 marks the beginning of our journey to redefine high-end semiconductor capabilities in the global market.”

MIL OSI China News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s digital economy to exceed 10% of GDP by year-end

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

The added value of core industries of China’s digital economy is expected to account for more than 10 percent of GDP by the end of this year, as the country accelerates steps to advance its digital development, according to a 2025 action plan to build a Digital China.

The plan released by the National Data Administration outlines eight major areas for action, including institutional innovation, local brand development, AI Plus, infrastructure improvement, data industry cultivation and digital talent development.

By the end of 2025, China aims to make great strides in building a Digital China, with the continuous expansion of new quality productive forces in the digital industry, and significant improvements in the quality and efficiency of digital economic development, according to the plan.

The plan noted that the total scale of China’s computing power will surpass 300 EFLOPS by then. EFLOPS is a unit of the speed of computer systems and is equal to 1 quintillion floating-point operations per second. Steady progress will also be made in building a unified data elements market.

The plan calls for deepening reforms related to the market-oriented allocation of data elements, speeding up steps to cultivate a unified national data market, facilitating the development of a data-driven digital economy tailored to local conditions and strengthening international cooperation in digital domain.

More efforts will also be made to explore the application scenarios of AI, push forward the construction of high-quality AI datasets, optimize and upgrade internet of things and industrial internet, press ahead with the mega data project dubbed the “east-data-west-computing”, as well as bolster the development and utilization of public data resources, the plan added.

MIL OSI China News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s foreign trade sustains steady growth despite external pressures

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

China’s foreign trade grew steadily in April despite external pressures, an official from the National Bureau of Statistics said Monday. Official data shows that China’s total import and export value in April expanded 5.6% year on year, with export jumping by 9.3%.

MIL OSI China News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Joe Biden has advanced prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9. What does this mean?

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has already spread to his bones.

A statement Biden’s office issued on Sunday revealed Biden was diagnosed after experiencing urinary issues.

Biden’s office said his cancer has a Gleason score of nine out of ten. It also said his cancer “appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management”.

So what is a Gleason score? And what does it mean for a cancer to be hormone-sensitive?

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is any cancer that begins in the prostate, part of the male reproductive system. This small golf ball-sized gland is located below the bladder.

The prostate is below the bladder.
izunna/Shutterstock

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. In Australia, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85.

Some types of prostate cancer are low risk, grow very slowly, and may not require immediate treatment. Others are highly aggressive and can spread to other tissues and organs.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Early prostate cancers do not usually cause symptoms, and therefore can be difficult to detect.

At later stages, prostate cancer symptoms can include frequent urination, pain and/or a weak stream while urinating, blood in urine/semen, back/pelvic pain, and weakness in the legs or feet.

Advanced prostate cancer which has spread to bones can cause pain, fatigue and weight loss.

Read more:
How does cancer spread to other parts of the body?

What is the Gleason score?

The Gleason score is one way of measuring the aggressiveness of prostate cancers. It assists doctors in categorising prostate cancers into different groups and in selecting appropriate treatments for patients.

To calculate the Gleason score, clinicians take multiple samples of the tumour, called biopsies. To obtain each sample, a small needle is inserted into the tumour and a sliver of tissue (usually around 12 millimetres long) is extracted for testing.

Because the different regions of the tumour can have different cancer cells present, pathologists then pick two different sections of the tumour biopsy they think best represent the whole tumour.

Then, they grade each of the two sections with a score from 1 to 5. Grade 1 means the cancer cells present look a lot like normal, healthy cells. Grade 5 means the cancer cells look very abnormal. To get a patient’s Gleason score, the two grades are added together.

Patients with a Gleason score of 6 or less are considered low risk and may not require immediate treatment.

A Gleason score of 8–10 indicates a highly aggressive prostate cancer that will likely grow quickly.

In Australia, 67.9% of men at diagnosis have a Gleason score of 7 or less.

It’s not the only tool

The Gleason score is only one tool health-care professionals use to guide the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Other tools include blood tests for prostate-specific antigen (PSA, which is often elevated in prostate cancer patients), physical examinations (such as a digital rectal examination), and imaging of the tumour (such as via CT scans, MRI, or ultrasounds).

While we don’t have all of the information about Biden’s diagnosis, a Gleason score of 9 indicates that his cancer is very aggressive.

What is hormone-sensitive prostate cancer?

Hormones are chemical signals made by various glands in our bodies. They are released into the bloodstream and can activate different processes in different cells and tissues.

Hormones are very important for the normal functioning of our bodies, but some types of cancers also need hormones in order to grow.

Prostate cancers that are “hormone-sensitive” need male sex hormones (also called androgens) to grow. Testosterone, which is primarily produced in the testicles, is an example of an androgen.

How are hormone-sensitive cancers treated?

Hormone therapies work either by reducing androgen levels, or by blocking the function of androgens. This can slow down or even kill hormone-sensitive prostate cancers, since they depend on androgens for their continued growth and survival.

Androgen-deprivation therapy is usually the first hormone therapy those with prostate cancer will receive. It aims to reduce the levels of androgen produced by the testicles, either through surgical or chemical castration.

Other types of hormone therapy, which can also be used in combination with androgen-deprivation therapy, include androgen-receptor blockers. These drugs bind to cell receptors, blocking the interaction between the androgens and the cancer cells. This means the cancer cells can’t access the androgens they need to grow.

Read more:
Every cancer is unique – why different cancers require different treatments, and how evolution drives drug resistance

Of course, hormones are also necessary for normal bodily functions, meaning blocking them has side effects. Hormone therapies for prostate cancer commonly have side effects such as erectile dysfunction, weight gain, fatigue and osteoporosis, which causes bones to become weak and brittle.

While hormone therapy may not be pleasant, it is an effective treatment option. Prostate cancers which become insensitive to hormone therapies are much more difficult to treat and generally considered incurable.

Besides hormone therapy, prostate cancer may also be treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy – it depends on the patient.

In addition, many new treatments for prostate cancers are currently under investigation, including laser procedures to remove cancer cells and CAR T therapy, which involves transforming a patient’s own immune cells into cancer-fighting cells.

For patients whose prostate cancer has spread to their bones, treatments are usually aimed at stopping the cancer from spreading further and reducing symptoms.

Biden and his family are now said to be reviewing treatment options.

Sarah Diepstraten receives funding from Cure Cancer Australia and My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.

John (Eddie) La Marca receives funding from Cancer Council Victoria. He is affiliated with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

– ref. Joe Biden has advanced prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9. What does this mean? – https://theconversation.com/joe-biden-has-advanced-prostate-cancer-with-a-gleason-score-of-9-what-does-this-mean-256998

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Climate scientists are trusted globally, just not as much as other scientists – here’s why

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Omid Ghasemi, Research Associate in Behavioural Science at the Institute for Climate Risk & Response, UNSW Sydney

I. Noyan Yilmaz, Shutterstock

Societies increasingly rely on scientists to guide decisions in times of uncertainty, from pandemic outbreaks to the rise of artificial intelligence.

Addressing climate change is no different. For governments wanting to introduce ambitious climate policies, public trust in climate scientists is pivotal, because it can determine whether voters support or resist those efforts.

So do people trust climate scientists, and what affects levels of trust? Our new study shows climate scientists are less trusted than other types of scientists globally. But there are profound variations in this trust gap between countries, and within them.

Finding ways to increase trust in climate scientists is crucial if the world is to implement effective policies to avert dangerous global warming.

Low trust in climate scientists may hinder effective climate science communication and reduce public engagement with climate solutions.
Mozgova, Shutterstock.

Examining trust in science

We collaborated with an international team of researchers to analyse data from one of the largest cross-national surveys of public attitudes toward science. The dataset includes responses from nearly 70,000 people across 68 countries. It offers a rare global snapshot of how people perceive scientists in general, and climate scientists in particular.

Each of these people rated their trust in climate scientists on a five-point scale, with a five indicating very high trust and a one being not trusted at all.

Trust in scientists more generally was assessed using a 12-item questionnaire that measured perceptions of expertise, integrity, benevolence and openness. The responses were averaged to create a composite trust score. Higher scores reflected higher levels of trust.

We found trust in scientists was moderately strong worldwide, as it was above the midpoint of the scale (averaging 3.6 out of 5). But trust in climate scientists was slightly lower (averaging 3.5). The difference between the two scores is what we call the “trust gap”.

In 43 of the 68 countries, the trust gap was statistically significant, with people reporting lower trust in climate scientists than in scientists in general.

The size of the trust gap varied between countries. In Europe, Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) and North America the gap tended to be smaller. Larger gaps emerged in parts of Latin America and Africa.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo had the widest gap, with climate scientists trusted less than in any other country. This may reflect local concerns that global climate agendas — often supported by international scientists — prioritise resource extraction for foreign renewable energy demands over local interests. Such feelings may be particularly acute in regions where mining has brought limited community benefit.

Six countries bucked the trend. Climate scientists were more trusted than scientists overall in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Egypt, Israel and Germany.

In China and Germany, this may reflect strong investment in green energy, high levels of public support for climate action, and the visible role climate scientists play in shaping policy.

What’s going on here?

Not surprisingly, people with more positive views of science tended to express higher trust in scientists and even more so, climate scientists. But people with dim views of scientists were less trusting of climate scientists.

Age also played a role. Older people tended to trust scientists more than younger people. But younger people were more likely to trust climate scientists.

Climate scientists were generally less trusted than scientists regardless of gender. While men reported slightly lower trust in scientists than women did, the difference was not statistically significant.

Among all the variables we examined, political orientation emerged as one of the strongest factors associated with trust in climate scientists. People with right-leaning or conservative views reported lower trust in climate scientists compared with those with more left-leaning or liberal views.

However, the meaning of terms such as “liberal” and “conservative” can vary considerably between countries. For example, in Australia, the Liberal Party is politically right-leaning. But in the United States, “liberal” typically refers to left-leaning or progressive views. This variation makes cross-national comparisons complex and requires careful interpretation of results.

As a particular person’s political orientation shifted further to the right, the trust gap between climate scientists and scientists widened.

In 28 countries across the Americas, Europe and Oceania, right-leaning orientation was associated not only with lower trust in climate scientists than people who leaned to the left, but also with a larger gap between trust for scientists generally and trust for climate scientists.

In a smaller subset of countries, particularly in parts of Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, the pattern reversed – right-leaning individuals expressed greater trust in climate scientists than their left-leaning counterparts.

These findings suggest it is not political orientation alone that drives public trust, but how climate issues are framed in political discourse. In many Western countries, public messaging around climate change — particularly from conservative parties and media — has cast doubt on the credibility of climate science. This politicisation, often amplified by vested interests such as fossil fuel lobbies, may help explain the erosion of trust among some conservative groups.

Closing the trust gap

Trust alone will not solve the climate crisis, but it plays a crucial role in shaping how societies respond to scientific guidance.

Ambitious, evidence-based policies require public support to succeed. A persistent trust gap — no matter how small — can undermine that support and help explain why many governments continue to fall short of their climate targets.

Closing the trust gap through transparent communication, inclusive public engagement, and consistent political leadership is essential for turning awareness into action.

Omid Ghasemi receives funding from the Australian Academy of Science.

Ben Newell receives funding from The Australian Research Council.

– ref. Climate scientists are trusted globally, just not as much as other scientists – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/climate-scientists-are-trusted-globally-just-not-as-much-as-other-scientists-heres-why-256441

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 19, 2025
Iran says nuclear talks will fail if US pushes for zero enrichment

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States “will lead nowhere” if Washington insists that Tehran drop its uranium enrichment activity to zero, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takhtravanchi was quoted by state media on Monday as saying.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff reiterated Washington’s stance on Sunday that any new deal between the U.S. and Iran must include an agreement not to enrich uranium, a possible pathway to developing nuclear bombs. Tehran says its nuclear energy programme has entirely peaceful purposes.

“Our position on enrichment is clear and we have repeatedly stated that it is a national achievement from which we will not back down,” Takhtravanchi said.

During his visit to the Gulf region last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal was very close but that Iran needed to move quickly.

During his first, 2017-21 term as president, Trump withdrew the United States from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran’s enrichment activities in exchange for relief from international sanctions.

Trump, who branded the 2015 accord one-sided in Iran’s favour, also reimposed sweeping U.S. sanctions on Iran. The Islamic Republic responded by escalating enrichment.

(Reuters)

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Amata Congratulates ASCC Graduates

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Amata Congratulates ASCC Graduates

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is congratulating the 2025 graduates of the American Samoa Community College.

ASCC Commencement

“My warmest congratulations to each graduate in the several collegiate programs, and congratulations also to each proud parent or mentor! I’m so happy for each one of our graduates, and it was a pleasure to be there to see you graduate,” said Congresswoman Amata. “I want to say thank you to each teacher for investing in these lives that will strengthen our islands for years to come, and President Dr. Rosevonne Pato for her leadership. Thank you especially to Adrian Fa’amalolo Vasai for her excellent commencement address, and I appreciate the Most Reverend Kolio Tuimanuvao Etuale, Bishop of the Diocese of Samoa-Pago Pago.”

“To our graduates, as you start your next steps, keep your faith strong—that’s what we Sāmoans do!” continued Aumua Amata. “As you go forward, you have all you need most in your family right here, and your values, and our Samoan way — respect for others, kindness, decency, and prayer. So pray through your upcoming decisions, and have wonderful lives!”

See Photo Gallery Here

###

MIL OSI USA News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets Secretary of CPC Jilin Provincial Committee (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee, Mr Huang Qiang, at Government House today (May 19) to exchange views on co-operation and people-to-people exchanges between Hong Kong and Jilin. Also attending the meeting were the Acting Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Clement Woo, and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip.

Mr Lee welcomed Mr Huang and his delegation to Hong Kong for promotion activities on Jilin-Hong Kong economic and trade exchanges and Jilin’s industries. Noting that Jilin serves as an important gateway for the country’s northward opening-up under the Belt and Road Initiative, Mr Lee highlighted that Jilin boasts a robust industrial and manufacturing sector, particularly excelling in the manufacturing of automobiles and high-speed trains, of which Jilin’s expertise is unmatched nationally. As a functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative, Hong Kong will continue to play its role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”, fostering international exchanges and co-operation to assist Jilin and other Mainland provinces and cities in expanding to global markets, while attracting more external investment to the country.

Mr Lee said that Hong Kong has long been the largest source of external investment in Jilin, with cumulative investments exceeding US$9 billion as of 2024. Additionally, Hong Kong’s arts and youth groups have frequently visited Jilin in recent years for exchange activities, reflecting the close ties and deep friendship between the two places in areas such as economic and trade, culture and arts, and youth exchanges.

He added that the launch of direct flights between Hong Kong and Changchun, Jilin Province, in December last year will further enhance economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two places, fostering people-to-people bonds. Hong Kong will continue to deepen its multifaceted exchanges and co-operation with Jilin, leveraging complementary strengths so the two places can jointly make greater contributions to the country’s development.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Kieran Gilbert, Sky News

Source: Australian Attorney General’s Agencies

Kieran Gilbert, Host: Joining me live in the studio is the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell. Thanks for your time. A lot to talk about. I will ask you about that issue that the Deputy Prime Minister finished on there in terms of productivity and the superannuation, but let’s start on trade. Will you get the deal done with the EU? We’re hearing that the talks will resume soon.

Trade Minister, Don Farrell: Yes. In fact, I’m going to be talking to my counterpart tomorrow. So, you might recall in the middle of the election, I had a conversation with Trade Minister Maroš. He’s from Slovakia. We hit it off pretty well, I think, in our first discussion. He sent me a very kind and warm message on election night when it was clear that we had won the election. I’ve subsequently had a meeting with the EU Ambassador and reaffirmed our commitment and heard from him his commitment.

Gilbert: Sounding good?

Trade Minister: Sounding good, yeah, yep. And as I said, I’ve got a conversation with him tomorrow. And of course, in the meantime, the Prime Minister has met President von der Leyen.

Gilbert: The sticking point was on the geographical indicators and also on agriculture. Is that right?

Trade Minister: Yeah.

GILBERT: So, will there be compromise there from the EU?

Trade Minister: Look, what – the politics have changed in two years. I think both Australia and Europe now realise that there’s a priority and an imperative to get a free trade agreement. If other countries don’t want to trade with you, well that’s fine, that’s their decision. But if there are countries such as Europe who do want to do trade with you, well then you’ve got to go that extra mile to get an agreement over the line.

Gilbert: And the things that changed, we know, Donald Trump.

Trade Minister: Yeah, yeah, well look, look. A whole lot of things have changed since we last had a conversation. But I think we share the same values as Europe. So, those geographical indicators are hard issues. On the one hand, the Europeans say, well look, you’re using all of our names. On the other hand, what I say to them is, look, after World War II, a whole lot of Europeans came to Australia. They bought their families, they bought their culture, more importantly, they bought their food and wine.

Gilbert: They sure did.

Trade Minister: Yeah. And for them, the link with Europe is not an economic link, it’s a way that they keep in contact with their European roots.

Gilbert: Would you like to see then, that trade deal, you know, if you are successful in landing that, also expand into a security relationship? Because that’s what von der Leyen has raised with the Prime Minister overnight, that we talk not just in trade terms, but security terms, like Japan and Korea have.

Trade Minister: Yeah, look, look. My space is trade. I’m going to be focused on the trade agenda. We’ve gone a long way down that path. We need to complete that process. What happens with defence and all of those other issues? The Prime Minister has addressed that today. He said, look, we’re happy to look at these things, but our immediate priority with the Europeans is all about trade.

Gilbert: When the PM went to the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, why was it important in your view to be there? Is it something that, you know, a Prime Minister necessarily has to be at, the inauguration of a new Pope?

Trade Minister: Look, I think it was very important that the Prime Minister was there. As you know, he sent me to the funeral a couple of weeks ago. That was obviously, you know, a very solemn event. This was a very joyous event for Australia’s 5 million Catholics, of which the Prime Minister and myself are both adherents to the Catholic faith. I think it was very important that Australia be represented there and represented at the highest level.

Gilbert: Do you think it’s also important in a more secular world that the leadership does show respect to people of faith? Is this something, you know, in simple terms, that people of other faiths will respect?

Trade Minister: Well, look, I think that’s part of it. But this new pope, Pope Leo XIV, has come out very strongly on the issue of peace. That’s very important for Australia. We’ve been calling for peace in Ukraine. We want the Russians to withdraw from Ukraine. And we also want peace in the Middle East. So, I think we’re on board with the agenda for this new Pope to start talking about a more peaceful world. That’s good for Australia and it’s good for the world.

Gilbert: Ok. On some other issues, my colleague Andrew Clennell reported yesterday that state MPs and officials won’t be hit by the government’s super tax on funds upwards of $3 million. Is that viable? You’ve been around politics a long time. Do you think you can still sell that as a policy when people start to realise that some premiers and officials won’t have to pay it?

Trade Minister: Well, look, this tax applies to very, very few people. Less than 0.5 per cent of the population are going to be affected. And of course, it only applies to people on very, very high balances. There are some constitutional issues that relate to how superannuation is dealt with by state governments. But rest assured that the people who are going to be making this decision will themselves be covered by this tax, if they get to that high level of superannuation.

Gilbert: The $3 million fund, I mean, as you touched on, we did go to the election recently, but do you think people, when the details start to emerge about taxing unrealised gains and so on, that that’s going to be a bit complex to try and navigate for the government?

Trade Minister: Look, I hope not. We nailed our colours to the mast in respect to this tax. We tried to get it through the last Parliament, it wasn’t successful. We took it to the last election. So, nobody was in any doubt about what our policy was in respect of this tax. And we’ve received an overwhelming endorsement from the Australian people. So, I think in terms of honesty, if we didn’t proceed with this, then I think people would say, well, what’s going on? You said you were going to do this. We’ve built the savings from this new super tax into our future budgets. So, I think now, we’ve got the endorsement for the Australian people. It’s a very, very minor tax in the scheme of things, and I think the Australian people would now expect us to proceed with it.

Gilbert: And do you think the Treasurer can make it work just with all of those other complications?

Trade Minister: Well, he’s a very, very good Treasurer and I think-

Gilbert: There are those that say it’s just too complex in terms of tax structures and people’s superannuation. You might have an impact on productivity because people will pull out of the workforce before they hit that threshold.

Trade Minister: I think people are barking up the wrong tree. I doubt whether the relatively small impact of this tax is going to result in any of those sorts of things. But we’ve got a very good salesman in Jim Chalmers and of course, now he’s being assisted by Daniel Mulino, who’s a very good friend of mine. He’s got a, I think it’s a Master of Economics from Yale, very smart fellow, and I think that combination will be very successful.

Gilbert: I know you’ve got to go. Just quickly, what else is on your agenda? You’ve got that, the talks tomorrow with the EU.

Trade Minister: Yes, yes, and India.

Gilbert: What’s at the top of your agenda here?

Trade Minister: We were very close to a free trade agreement with India before the election was called. I’m now confident that we’ll get another agreement with them. And of course, in a few weeks’ time, the United Arab Emirates Free Trade Agreement comes into operation. The United Arab Emirates is like the Woollies warehouse of the Middle East. If you can get your product in there. And all of our products are going into the UAE tariff free. It’s a really good, really good agreement.

Gilbert: 93 seats for Labor, you must have said some pretty strong prayers when you were over in the Vatican. They seem like they’ve worked.

Trade Minister: I did. Look, we were the last people, I think, to touch the Pope’s coffin before we went out for the Mass. And I did say a little prayer for the Prime Minister and the Labor Party.

Gilbert: Certainly strengthened your favour. Don Farrell, thanks for your time. Appreciate it.

Trade Minister: Thanks, Kieran.

MIL OSI News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with General Secretary of g7+

Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received a courtesy call by General Secretary of g7+, Dr. Helder da Costa, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They discussed potential areas of cooperation between both organisations, including conflict resolution and prevention as well as climate finance.

The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with General Secretary of g7+ appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

MIL OSI Economics –

May 19, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Climate scientists are trusted globally, just not as much as other scientists – here’s why

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Omid Ghasemi, Research Associate in Behavioural Science at the Institute for Climate Risk & Response, UNSW Sydney

I. Noyan Yilmaz, Shutterstock

Societies increasingly rely on scientists to guide decisions in times of uncertainty, from pandemic outbreaks to the rise of artificial intelligence.

Addressing climate change is no different. For governments wanting to introduce ambitious climate policies, public trust in climate scientists is pivotal, because it can determine whether voters support or resist those efforts.

So do people trust climate scientists, and what affects levels of trust? Our new study shows climate scientists are less trusted than other types of scientists globally. But there are profound variations in this trust gap between countries, and within them.

Finding ways to increase trust in climate scientists is crucial if the world is to implement effective policies to avert dangerous global warming.

Low trust in climate scientists may hinder effective climate science communication and reduce public engagement with climate solutions.
Mozgova, Shutterstock.

Examining trust in science

We collaborated with an international team of researchers to analyse data from one of the largest cross-national surveys of public attitudes toward science. The dataset includes responses from nearly 70,000 people across 68 countries. It offers a rare global snapshot of how people perceive scientists in general, and climate scientists in particular.

Each of these people rated their trust in climate scientists on a five-point scale, with a five indicating very high trust and a one being not trusted at all.

Trust in scientists more generally was assessed using a 12-item questionnaire that measured perceptions of expertise, integrity, benevolence and openness. The responses were averaged to create a composite trust score. Higher scores reflected higher levels of trust.

We found trust in scientists was moderately strong worldwide, as it was above the midpoint of the scale (averaging 3.6 out of 5). But trust in climate scientists was slightly lower (averaging 3.5). The difference between the two scores is what we call the “trust gap”.

In 43 of the 68 countries, the trust gap was statistically significant, with people reporting lower trust in climate scientists than in scientists in general.

The size of the trust gap varied between countries. In Europe, Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) and North America the gap tended to be smaller. Larger gaps emerged in parts of Latin America and Africa.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo had the widest gap, with climate scientists trusted less than in any other country. This may reflect local concerns that global climate agendas — often supported by international scientists — prioritise resource extraction for foreign renewable energy demands over local interests. Such feelings may be particularly acute in regions where mining has brought limited community benefit.

Six countries bucked the trend. Climate scientists were more trusted than scientists overall in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Egypt, Israel and Germany.

In China and Germany, this may reflect strong investment in green energy, high levels of public support for climate action, and the visible role climate scientists play in shaping policy.

What’s going on here?

Not surprisingly, people with more positive views of science tended to express higher trust in scientists and even more so, climate scientists. But people with dim views of scientists were less trusting of climate scientists.

Age also played a role. Older people tended to trust scientists more than younger people. But younger people were more likely to trust climate scientists.

Climate scientists were generally less trusted than scientists regardless of gender. While men reported slightly lower trust in scientists than women did, the difference was not statistically significant.

Among all the variables we examined, political orientation emerged as one of the strongest factors associated with trust in climate scientists. People with right-leaning or conservative views reported lower trust in climate scientists compared with those with more left-leaning or liberal views.

However, the meaning of terms such as “liberal” and “conservative” can vary considerably between countries. For example, in Australia, the Liberal Party is politically right-leaning. But in the United States, “liberal” typically refers to left-leaning or progressive views. This variation makes cross-national comparisons complex and requires careful interpretation of results.

As a particular person’s political orientation shifted further to the right, the trust gap between climate scientists and scientists widened.

In 28 countries across the Americas, Europe and Oceania, right-leaning orientation was associated not only with lower trust in climate scientists than people who leaned to the left, but also with a larger gap between trust for scientists generally and trust for climate scientists.

In a smaller subset of countries, particularly in parts of Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, the pattern reversed – right-leaning individuals expressed greater trust in climate scientists than their left-leaning counterparts.

These findings suggest it is not political orientation alone that drives public trust, but how climate issues are framed in political discourse. In many Western countries, public messaging around climate change — particularly from conservative parties and media — has cast doubt on the credibility of climate science. This politicisation, often amplified by vested interests such as fossil fuel lobbies, may help explain the erosion of trust among some conservative groups.

Closing the trust gap

Trust alone will not solve the climate crisis, but it plays a crucial role in shaping how societies respond to scientific guidance.

Ambitious, evidence-based policies require public support to succeed. A persistent trust gap — no matter how small — can undermine that support and help explain why many governments continue to fall short of their climate targets.

Closing the trust gap through transparent communication, inclusive public engagement, and consistent political leadership is essential for turning awareness into action.

Omid Ghasemi receives funding from the Australian Academy of Science.

Ben Newell receives funding from The Australian Research Council.

– ref. Climate scientists are trusted globally, just not as much as other scientists – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/climate-scientists-are-trusted-globally-just-not-as-much-as-other-scientists-heres-why-256441

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 19, 2025
India’s manufacturing sector gaining appeal among global investors: S&P Global report

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

India has made notable progress in improving its competitiveness and making its manufacturing sector more appealing to global investors, according to a report by S&P Global released on Monday.

Although manufacturing value added accounts for a modest 17.2 percent of the country’s real gross domestic product (GDP), the government has introduced targeted policy measures aimed at building domestic manufacturing capacity and strengthening India’s position in global supply chains.

In the long term, India stands to benefit from rising global trade protectionism, which could accelerate supply chain diversification, the report noted.

India is well-positioned to seize emerging opportunities as global trade and cooperation continue to evolve. Over the past three decades, the country has grown significantly in size, scale, and international influence, and it is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy by fiscal year 2030–31.

As global economies adapt to changing trade dynamics and tariff-related challenges, India can leverage this momentum to accelerate its manufacturing growth and deepen integration into global supply chains, said the report titled “India Forward: Transformative Perspectives.”

The report also highlights India’s efforts to promote alternative energy sources in pursuit of a cleaner, self-reliant transportation future.

The adoption of biofuels is a key part of this strategy. Biofuels offer a “triple-win” solution by addressing energy security, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and creating income opportunities for the agricultural sector.

India is also expected to follow a path where energy security aligns with revenue security. Recent regulatory changes have opened new opportunities for enhancing crude oil exploration and development as part of the country’s goal of achieving energy self-sufficiency.

While India has a moderate reliance on external trade for growth, which provides some insulation from global shifts in trade and tariff policies, it is not entirely immune to rising protectionist trends, the report added.

IANS

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Commander UKStratCom Commendations 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Commander UKStratCom Commendations 2025

On Friday 16 May, personnel and teams from across Strategic Command came together to receive their Commander’s Commendation from General Sir Jim Hockenhull.
MOD Copyright

This four-star award was given in recognition of outstanding work in support of Strategic Command and wider-MOD.

General Sir Jim Hockenhull was pleased to welcome Strategic Command personnel from areas such as Defence Support, Permanent Joint Headquarters and Integrated Global Defence Network (IGDN).

MOD Copyright

Commander Strategic Command Commendations

British Army Lieutenant Colonel R Weston

Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander S Williams

British Army Major S Johnson

British Army Major M Wyldes

Royal Air Force Squadron Leader L Bryden

British Army Captain W Smith

British Army Staff Sergeant P Spencer

British Army Sergeant R Toner

British Army Corporal T Harker

Civil Service J Blackwood

Civil Service M Darlow

Civil Service J Froom

Civil Service P Reid

Civilian P Sadler

Team Awards

Defence Digital Strategic Networks, Computers and Communications (Strat NCC) Team

Defence Academy Climate Change and Sustainability Lead Team

Defence Support Chain Operations and Movements (DSCOM) Compassionate Cell – Joint Support

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 19 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Sri Lanka seeks to deepen energy ties with China: minister

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

COLOMBO, May 19 (Xinhua) — Sri Lanka’s Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody reiterated the country’s commitment to expanding energy partnership with China, calling it a “close friend” and outlining ambitious plans for cooperation in oil and renewable energy projects.

In an interview with Xinhua on Friday, K. Jayakody stressed that Sri Lanka is keen to expedite the implementation of key energy projects in cooperation with Chinese partners.

“We have a refinery project in Hambantota and we are in a hurry to start it,” he said, adding that Sri Lanka also wants to start some projects in the power sector, especially solar and wind energy. He said it is likely that the Sri Lankan government will look to China for support in these sectors.

K. Jayakody stressed that Sri Lanka is particularly interested in leveraging China’s advances in energy storage technology to improve the reliability and sustainability of its electricity sector.

The minister’s remarks came on Friday at the Open Day of the national Clean Sri Lanka programme. The event was held for the first time by China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) at a newly renovated petrol station in Nawala. The event was attended by senior government officials, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong and public figures.

The Clean Sri Lanka initiative launched by the new government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake aims to promote environmental sustainability and ethical standards throughout the country’s infrastructure.

At the Sinopec Open Day, some of the new products on display included improved fuel pumps, improved safety systems, fuel vapor recovery valves and clean toilets that are accessible to all.

The Chinese company is looking to improve not only infrastructure but also service standards, with island-wide training for station managers and petrol station attendants on safety, first aid and customer service.

Ambassador Qi Zhenhong noted that the event not only showcased Sinopec’s achievements in clean, modernized infrastructure, but also the tangible benefits that bilateral cooperation brings to local people. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Russian-Chinese Forum Starts in Khabarovsk

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

Khabarovsk, May 19 (Xinhua) — The Russia-China Forum (RCF) dedicated to cooperation between the two countries opened in Khabarovsk, the capital of Russia’s Khabarovsk Krai, on Monday.

At 09:00 local time, the opening ceremony of the two-day forum took place on Komsomolskaya Square in the center of Khabarovsk. It was attended by the Governor of Khabarovsk Krai Dmitry Demeshin and the Consul General of the PRC in Khabarovsk Jiang Xiaoyang.

“Khabarovsk Krai has historically become a territory of strong cooperation between Russia and China. We see how our economic ties are growing stronger every year, trade relations are expanding, joint projects are being implemented in industry, energy and transport. It is here, in the Russian Far East, that we are forming new standards of international cooperation. Our enterprises are successfully working together, creating modern production, innovative technologies and jobs. We are building bridges not only in the literal but also in the figurative sense – bridges of trust, mutual understanding and prosperity,” said D. Demeshin in his speech at the ceremony.

According to Jiang Xiaoyang, the forum is being held as a platform for implementing the decisions reached by the leaders of the two countries after their meeting last year. Khabarovsk Krai is a major logistics, industrial and scientific-technical center in the Russian Far East. There are broad prospects for cooperation between Khabarovsk Krai and Chinese partners.

The RKF is held under the motto “Bolshoy Ussuriysky /Heixiazidao Island/: cooperation in joint development of the island”. Its program includes more than 30 thematic areas, cultural and sports events. More than three thousand applications for participation in the forum were received from representatives of business, government bodies and creative industries from Russia and China.

The forum will include a plenary session entitled “Russia and China: Joining Efforts for Common Prosperity.” It will discuss the state and prospects of the two countries’ strategic partnership, the role of twinning at the regional level, the situation in border regions, the vector of small business development, and other issues.

The forum will also feature a series of events to deepen cooperation between Russian and Chinese entrepreneurs. In particular, an investment exhibition will open, a Russia-China business dialogue will take place, and B2B negotiations will take place.

The cultural program of the forum includes a performance by Chinese artists, and the festival “Two banks – one Amur /Heilongjiang River/”. The traditional regional festival-fair “AmurFest. Spring” is timed to coincide with the forum, and a thematic exhibition is also open in the Far Eastern Art Museum.

The organizer of the RCF is the government of Khabarovsk Krai with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, JSC Far East and Arctic Development Corporation and VEB.RF. The operator is the Roscongress Foundation. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Lower tariffs between China and the US will benefit bilateral trade and global economic recovery: GSU representative

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — A significant reduction in customs duties between China and the United States is beneficial to the growth of trade between the two countries and the global economic recovery, Fu Linghui, an official with the National Bureau of Statistics, said at a press conference on Monday.

The current international situation remains complex and serious, and the world is facing the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, which poses serious challenges to the international trade and economic order and constrains global economic growth, Fu Linghui said.

However, the overall trend of mutually beneficial international cooperation will not change, Fu Linghui noted, adding that China’s firm commitment to expanding its opening up to the outside world will also remain unchanged.

The country’s foreign trade diversification has been steadily advancing, and policies to promote foreign trade have consistently demonstrated effectiveness, which will continue to support the steady growth of foreign trade, Fu Linghui added. -0-

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Industrial Production Grew 6.1% in April 2025 /detailed version-1/

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — The added value of output of China’s major industrial enterprises, an important economic indicator, rose 6.1 percent year on year in April, official data showed Monday.

Last month, the added value of manufacturing grew 6.6 percent year-on-year, with the added value of equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing sectors growing 9.8 percent and 10 percent, respectively, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to data, in January-April this year, the added value of products of leading industrial enterprises in China increased by 6.4 percent year-on-year.

The industrial value added indicator is used to measure the activity of large enterprises, each of which has an annual income from its main business activities of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.78 million US dollars). -0-

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 19 May 2025 Departmental update World No Tobacco Day 2025 Awards – meet the winners
Source: World Health Organisation
Each year, WHO honours individuals and organizations from each of the six WHO regions for their outstanding contributions to tobacco control. These accolades include the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Awards, the World No Tobacco Day Awards, and, in 2025, one WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Certificate.

The recipients of the 2025 awards are:

WHO Director-General Special awards:
- Dr Mohamed Muizzu, President, Republic of Maldives
- The Ministry of Health and Wellness, Republic of Mauritius
WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition certificate:
- Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC)
African Region
- Programme National de Lutte contre le Tabagisme, l’Alcoolisme, la Toxicomanie et les autres Addictions (PNLTA), Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
- Dr Brou Dieudonne Koffi, Secretary, Organization of the Network of NGOs Engaged in Tobacco Control (ROCTACI), Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
- Labram Massawudu Musah, Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, Republic of Ghana
- Elvina Majiwa, Student, United States International University-Africa, Republic of Kenya
- Charity Aienobe-Asekharen, Health Promotion, Education and Community Development Initiative (HPECDI), Federal Republic of Nigeria
Region of the Americas
- Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), Federative Republic of Brazil
- Lisa Lu, CEO, International Youth Tobacco Control, United States of America
Shared award:
- Ministry of Finance, Federative Republic of Brazil
- Ministry of Health, Federative Republic of Brazil
Shared award:
- Denis Choinière, Retired Director, Tobacco Products Regulatory Office, Health Canada
- Clifton Curtis (in memoriam), Environmental Lawyer, United States of America
Shared award:
- Colectivo Todas y Todos por la Vida, Republic of Ecuador
- Acción Jurídica Popular, Republic of Ecuador
Shared award:
- Asociación de Periodismo con Lupa, Republic of Peru
- Cooperativa de Trabajo Sudestada, Eastern Republic of Uruguay
- Proyecto sobre Organización, Desarrollo, Educación e Investigación (PODER), United Mexican States
Eastern Mediterranean Region
- Dr Seyed Morteza Khatami, Deputy for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Islamic Republic of Iran
- Mr Lhassane Hallou, Director of Studies and International Cooperation, Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes, Kingdom of Morocco
- Hamad Medical Corporation Tobacco Control Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre, State of Qatar
European Region
- Dr Lena Nanushyan, First Deputy Minister of Health, Republic of Armenia
- Dr Franz Pietsch, Head of Directorate, Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Republic of Austria
- Mr Frank Vandenbroucke, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Kingdom of Belgium
- Professor Constantine Vardavas, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
- Dr Shukhrat Shukurov, Chief Specialist, Institute of Health and Strategic Development, Republic of Uzbekistan
South-East Asia Region
- National Board of Revenue, People’s Republic of Bangladesh
- State Tobacco Control Cell, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, Republic of India
- Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal
- Mr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, Chairman of Bangkok Tobacco Products Control Committee, Kingdom of Thailand
Western Pacific Region
- Professor Emily Banks AM, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, Senior Principal Research Fellow, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Australia
- Te Marae Ora, Ministry of Health, Cook Islands
- Philippine College of Chest Physicians, Republic of the Philippines
- Ms Dao Hong Lan, Minister of Health, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Shared award:
- YB Datuk Seri Dr Haji Dzulkefly bin Ahmad, Minister of Health, Malaysia
- Dr Noraryana Binti Hassan, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
- Dr Murallitharan Munisamy, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, Malaysia
MIL OSI United Nations News –
May 19, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Open letter from John Cusack: ‘The children of Gaza need your outrage – end the siege’

Pacific Media Watch

American film star celebrity John Cusack, who describes himself on his x-page bio as an “apocalyptic shit-disturber”, has posted an open letter to the world denouncing the Israeli “mass murder” in Gaza and calling for “your outrage”.

While warning the public to “don’t stop talking about Palestine/Gaza”, he says that the “hollow ‘both sides’ rhetoric is complicity with power”.

“This is not a debate with two sides that can be normalised — and all the hired bullshit in print and on tv will never change the narrative,” he said.

Palestinian freelance photojournalist Fatma Hassouna . . . murdered in an Israeli air strike on after it was announced about her film on Gaza being screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Image: Fatma Hassouna

His statement comes as hundreds of directors, writers, actors have denounced Israeli genocide in Gaza and the film industry’s “silence,” “indifference” and “passivity” coinciding with the Cannes Film Festival.

More than 350 prominent directors, writers and actors signed an open letter condemning the genocide and the “official inaction” of the film industry in regard to the mass suffering.

The industry open letter was published on the first day of the Cannes festival. It began by calling attention to the fate of 25-year-old Fatma Hassouna, a Palestinian freelance photojournalist, who was murdered in an Israeli air strike on April 16.

She was assassinated after it was announced that Iranian director Sepideh Farsi’s film Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, in which she Hassouna was the star, had been selected in the ACID parallel, independent film section of the festival.

She was about to get married.

Cusack’s own open letter, offered as a template at X@JohnCusack last week, said:

“To Whom it May Still Concern

“There is a genocide unfolding before our eyes in Gaza. Not a metaphor, not a tragedy in the abstract — a genocide. Carried out in real time, in front of satellites, smartphones, and sanitized press conferences. And what has the so-called “land of the free” done? Applauded. Armed. Rationalised. Looked away.

[embedded content]
London protest: ‘No to another Nakba” Video: Al Jazeera

“The blood in Gaza does not just stain the hands of those launching the missiles. It stains every hand that signs off on the bombs, every hand that wrings itself in liberal anguish but does nothing, and every hand that beats its chest in right-wing bloodlust cheering it all on.

“The American far right sees in this mass killing a projection of its own fantasies — walls, camps, and the unrelenting dehumanisation of the “other.” No surprise there. And where are the liberals? Their silence is violence. Their hollow “both sides” rhetoric is complicity with power. And mass murder. And the machine of empire—greased with our taxes, shielded by our media, and excused by our moral debauchery .
How’s everybody at the Met gala doing tonight ?

American actor John Cusack . . . “If you claim to care about justice – if you ever marched, ever lit a candle for any cause – then your voice should be raised now.” Image: Wikipedia

“If you claim to care about justice — if you ever marched, ever lit a candle for any cause — then your voice should be raised now. Or it means nothing. The children of Gaza do not need your sorrow. They need your outrage. Your pressure. Your courage.

“End the siege. End the weapons shipments. End the lies. Call this what it is: a genocide.

“And if your politics cannot confront that—then your politics are worthless.

“In furious solidarity

“John Cusack”

Here’s a template –

To Whom It May Still Concern,

There is a genocide unfolding before our eyes in Gaza. Not a metaphor, not a tragedy in the abstract—a genocide. Carried out in real time, in front of satellites, smartphones, and sanitized press conferences. And what has the…

— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 7, 2025

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 19, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Joe Biden has advanced prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9. What does this mean?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has already spread to his bones.

A statement Biden’s office issued on Sunday revealed Biden was diagnosed after experiencing urinary issues.

Biden’s office said his cancer has a Gleason score of nine out of ten. It also said his cancer “appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management”.

So what is a Gleason score? And what does it mean for a cancer to be hormone-sensitive?

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is any cancer that begins in the prostate, part of the male reproductive system. This small golf ball-sized gland is located below the bladder.

The prostate is below the bladder.
izunna/Shutterstock

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. In Australia, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85.

Some types of prostate cancer are low risk, grow very slowly, and may not require immediate treatment. Others are highly aggressive and can spread to other tissues and organs.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Early prostate cancers do not usually cause symptoms, and therefore can be difficult to detect.

At later stages, prostate cancer symptoms can include frequent urination, pain and/or a weak stream while urinating, blood in urine/semen, back/pelvic pain, and weakness in the legs or feet.

Advanced prostate cancer which has spread to bones can cause pain, fatigue and weight loss.

Read more:
How does cancer spread to other parts of the body?

What is the Gleason score?

The Gleason score is one way of measuring the aggressiveness of prostate cancers. It assists doctors in categorising prostate cancers into different groups and in selecting appropriate treatments for patients.

To calculate the Gleason score, clinicians take multiple samples of the tumour, called biopsies. To obtain each sample, a small needle is inserted into the tumour and a sliver of tissue (usually around 12 millimetres long) is extracted for testing.

Because the different regions of the tumour can have different cancer cells present, pathologists then pick two different sections of the tumour biopsy they think best represent the whole tumour.

Then, they grade each of the two sections with a score from 1 to 5. Grade 1 means the cancer cells present look a lot like normal, healthy cells. Grade 5 means the cancer cells look very abnormal. To get a patient’s Gleason score, the two grades are added together.

Patients with a Gleason score of 6 or less are considered low risk and may not require immediate treatment.

A Gleason score of 8–10 indicates a highly aggressive prostate cancer that will likely grow quickly.

In Australia, 67.9% of men at diagnosis have a Gleason score of 7 or less.

It’s not the only tool

The Gleason score is only one tool health-care professionals use to guide the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Other tools include blood tests for prostate-specific antigen (PSA, which is often elevated in prostate cancer patients), physical examinations (such as a digital rectal examination), and imaging of the tumour (such as via CT scans, MRI, or ultrasounds).

While we don’t have all of the information about Biden’s diagnosis, a Gleason score of 9 indicates that his cancer is very aggressive.

What is hormone-sensitive prostate cancer?

Hormones are chemical signals made by various glands in our bodies. They are released into the bloodstream and can activate different processes in different cells and tissues.

Hormones are very important for the normal functioning of our bodies, but some types of cancers also need hormones in order to grow.

Prostate cancers that are “hormone-sensitive” need male sex hormones (also called androgens) to grow. Testosterone, which is primarily produced in the testicles, is an example of an androgen.

How are hormone-sensitive cancers treated?

Hormone therapies work either by reducing androgen levels, or by blocking the function of androgens. This can slow down or even kill hormone-sensitive prostate cancers, since they depend on androgens for their continued growth and survival.

Androgen-deprivation therapy is usually the first hormone therapy those with prostate cancer will receive. It aims to reduce the levels of androgen produced by the testicles, either through surgical or chemical castration.

Other types of hormone therapy, which can also be used in combination with androgen-deprivation therapy, include androgen-receptor blockers. These drugs bind to cell receptors, blocking the interaction between the androgens and the cancer cells. This means the cancer cells can’t access the androgens they need to grow.

Read more:
Every cancer is unique – why different cancers require different treatments, and how evolution drives drug resistance

Of course, hormones are also necessary for normal bodily functions, meaning blocking them has side effects. Hormone therapies for prostate cancer commonly have side effects such as erectile dysfunction, weight gain, fatigue and osteoporosis, which causes bones to become weak and brittle.

While hormone therapy may not be pleasant, it is an effective treatment option. Prostate cancers which become insensitive to hormone therapies are much more difficult to treat and generally considered incurable.

Besides hormone therapy, prostate cancer may also be treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy – it depends on the patient.

In addition, many new treatments for prostate cancers are currently under investigation, including laser procedures to remove cancer cells and CAR T therapy, which involves transforming a patient’s own immune cells into cancer-fighting cells.

For patients whose prostate cancer has spread to their bones, treatments are usually aimed at stopping the cancer from spreading further and reducing symptoms.

Biden and his family are now said to be reviewing treatment options.

Sarah Diepstraten receives funding from Cure Cancer Australia and My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.

John (Eddie) La Marca receives funding from Cancer Council Victoria. He is affiliated with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

– ref. Joe Biden has advanced prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 9. What does this mean? – https://theconversation.com/joe-biden-has-advanced-prostate-cancer-with-a-gleason-score-of-9-what-does-this-mean-256998

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: EU-UK Summit in London, United Kingdom

Source: European Commission (video statements)

On 19 May Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends the EU-UK EU-UK Summit in London.
Plenary session roundtable with leaders: Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, and Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner.

Follow live events and access media content here:
https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/

Stay updated — follow us on X: https://x.com/EC_AVService

Watch on the Audiovisual Portal of the European Commission:
https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/

Follow us on:
-X: https://twitter.com/EU_Commission
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/europeancommission/
-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanCommission
-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-commission/
-Medium: https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission

Check our website: http://ec.europa.eu/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgStp5ODrOc

MIL OSI Video –

May 19, 2025

Category: CTF

Going green, feeling blue

What is prostate cancer?

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

What is the Gleason score?

It’s not the only tool

What is hormone-sensitive prostate cancer?

How are hormone-sensitive cancers treated?

Examining trust in science

What’s going on here?

Closing the trust gap

Examining trust in science

What’s going on here?

Closing the trust gap

Commander UKStratCom Commendations 2025

Commander Strategic Command Commendations

Team Awards

Share this page

Updates to this page

WHO Director-General Special awards:

WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition certificate:

African Region

Region of the Americas

Eastern Mediterranean Region

European Region

South-East Asia Region

Western Pacific Region