NewzIntel.com

Category: CTF

  • MIL-Evening Report: Likely final House seat outcome: 94 Labor, 44 Coalition, 12 Others

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    The ABC has called Labor wins in 93 of the 150 House of Representatives seats. The Coalition has won 43 seats, the Greens one and all Others 11, with two seats (Bradfield and Calwell) remaining undecided.

    The Poll Bludger
    has documented the changes in the close seats. In Goldstein, Teal incumbent Zoe Daniel has surged back from a peak deficit of 1,472 votes to now trail Liberal Tim Wilson by just 292 votes on strong absents and declaration pre-polls after she lost postals by 61–39. But only about 800 votes remain, so Wilson will still win.

    On Tuesday, the Liberal lead in Liberal-held Bradfield over a Teal candidate closed to just 59 votes, and the ABC uncalled a race they had called for the Liberal the previous day. On Wednesday the Liberal lead increased to 80 votes, but it’s now fallen back to 43 votes. About 420 votes remain to be counted. The Liberals will probably lead when all votes are counted, but there will be a recount.

    The Liberal National Party has held Longman after declaration pre-polls failed to follow the trend to the left in other close seats. They now have an unassailable 335-vote lead over Labor.

    In Australia’s preferential voting system, the top two candidates on primary votes are not necessarily the final two. The bottom candidate is excluded, and their votes are distributed to remaining candidates, and this continues until only two are left. During this process, the third candidate can pass the second, therefore making the final two.

    So far the only interesting seat where this has occurred is Flinders, where Teal candidate Ben Smith passed Labor despite trailing in third on primary votes by 22.3% to 21.3%, with the Liberals well ahead with 41.2%. The Liberals defeated Smith in the final count by 52.3–47.7 to hold Flinders.

    Calwell has 13 candidates. Primary votes are 30.5% Labor (down 14.3% since the 2022 election), 15.7% Liberals (down 8.1%), 12.0% for independent Carly Moore, 10.9% for independent Joseph Youhana, 8.1% for the Greens (down 1.6%) and 6.9% for yet another independent.

    The danger for Labor is that either Moore or Youhana overtake the Liberals on the distribution of preferences, then beat Labor at the final count on Liberal preferences. Friday is the last day for receipt of late postals. Once all votes are counted, the distribution of preferences can start. We should know the result in Calwell next week.

    If Labor wins Calwell and the Liberals win Bradfield, the final seat totals will be 94 Labor out of 150 (up 17 from 77 out of 151 in 2022), 44 Coalition (down 14), one Green (down three), nine independents (down one) and two others (steady). By the UK’s method, this would be a Labor majority of 38 (25% in percentage terms).

    Bad as this result is for the Coalition, they would be lucky to win three seats (Longman, Bradfield and Goldstein) by less than a 50.2–49.8 margin. The narrowest Labor win was in Bean (by 50.3–49.7 against an independent).

    Turnout for the election is now 89.1%, and is likely to be over 90% once all votes are counted. National primary votes are 34.6% Labor (up 2.0%), 31.9% Coalition (down 3.8%), 12.1% Greens (down 0.2%), 6.4% One Nation (up 1.4%), 1.9% Trumpet of Patriots (down 2.1% from United Australia Party in 2022), 7.4% independents (up 2.1%) and 5.7% others (up 0.7%).

    I explained previously that the electoral commission’s national two-party preferred count does not currently include “non-classic” seats where the major party candidates were not the final two. There will be a special count later in these seats between Labor and Coalition candidates.

    The ABC’s two-party estimate is currently a Labor win by 54.9–45.1, while The Poll Bludger has Labor winning by 54.4–45.6. We’ll need to wait for two-party counts in the non-classic seats to resolve this difference.

    In the Senate, nationally 86.8% of enrolled voters have been counted, only 2.3% behind the House count. There have only been minor changes to primary votes since last Friday’s article on the Senate, so my assessment is unchanged from that article.

    Albanese’s ratings jump in Essential poll

    Essential is the first pollster to return since the election, but it hasn’t done a voting intentions poll. In this national poll, conducted May 7–11 from a sample of 1,137, Anthony Albanese’s net approval jumped 14 points since the pre-election Essential poll to +11 (50% approve, 39% disapprove).

    Former Liberal leader Peter Dutton, who lost his seat of Dickson at the election, slumped 18 points on net approval to -30. Voters still thought Australia was on the wrong track by 42–37 (52–31 before the election).

    In this poll, the Greens and all Others did well with late deciders (those who decided who to vote for in the last few days of the election campaign). Cost of living was rated one of the top three issues by 87% on what decided their vote, including 53% who said it was the top issue.

    Sussan Ley, who was elected Liberal leader on Tuesday, was preferred by 16% as Coalition leader, with Angus Taylor on 12% and Dan Tehan on 7%, with 45% unsure and 20% “none of the above”. Among those who voted for the Coalition, Taylor led Ley by 23–20.

    By 58–42, voters thought Labor should stick to the policies it took to the election, rather than be more ambitious now that it has a strong majority.

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

    – ref. Likely final House seat outcome: 94 Labor, 44 Coalition, 12 Others – https://theconversation.com/likely-final-house-seat-outcome-94-labor-44-coalition-12-others-256568

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tentative issuance schedule for Exchange Fund Bills and Notes

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

    The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued today (May 15) a tentative issuance schedule for Exchange Fund Bills and Notes (EFBNs) for the coming quarter of July to September 2025. The schedule contains information on the tentative tender dates, issue sizes and issue dates of individual issues, representing rollover of maturing issues and taking into account planned adjustments to the maturity spectrum of the EFBN portfolio.

    The quarterly schedule is issued in the second month of each quarter (i.e. February, May, August and November), covering the EFBN tenders in the following quarter.

    It should be noted that the tender dates, issue sizes and issue dates projected in the advance issuance schedule are tentative. The details of new issues of Exchange Fund Bills are to be confirmed and announced at least four business days prior to the respective tender dates. The details of new issues of Exchange Fund Notes are to be confirmed and announced seven business days prior to their respective tender dates. The HKMA may make changes in the light of prevailing market conditions.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘I will not eat the bugs’: examining a right-wing narrative about scarcity and insect consumption

    Source: The Conversation – France – By D. D. Moore, Visiting Fellow, Max Weber Programme for Postdoctoral Studies, European University Institute

    Noor Bin Ladin, a right-wing influencer, stridently declares “I don’t want to eat the bugs” on a talk show hosted by a former adviser to US President Donald Trump. Laurent Duplomb, a senator from the conservative Les Républicains party in France, informs his colleagues that the French would be eating “insects without their knowledge”. Bartosz Kownacki, an MP from the nationalist Law and Justice party in Poland, suggests that opposition politicians write “instead of chicken, eat a worm” on their election materials, arguing that “this is their real election programme”. Thierry Baudet, a leader of the far-right Forum for Democracy party in the Netherlands, shouts “No way! No way!” while holding up a bag of mealworms in front of protesting farmers. Politicians in Lega, a far-right party in Italy, warn that the European Union is planning to “impose” the eating of insects on citizens in the bloc – and a Lega electoral campaign includes a billboard-sized image of a person popping an enormous cricket into their mouth, next to the caption, “Let’s change Europe before it changes us.”


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    During the 2020s, commentators and politicians across the right-wing political spectrum have amplified an Internet-based conspiracy theory that elite forces are conspiring to make us all eat insects. Often rallying under the slogan “I will not eat the bugs,” right-wing and far-right figures have come out in force against human consumption of insects. Many of these people assert that the EU is planning to force bug-eating on the general public while devastating traditional agriculture and meat consumption under the guise of the European Green Deal, the bloc’s plan to eliminate greenhouse gases by 2050 and decouple economic growth from resource use. Opposing insect-eating has become a symbolic way to protest EU environmental policies, express scepticism of and hostility toward Brussels, and villainize political opponents. Closer inspection reveals that the conspiracy theory underlying such opposition has much older and more sinister resonances.

    “Spreading disinformation”

    Insect eating (entomophagy) remains a minor practice in Europe and North America, although alternative protein sources do play a role in the EU’s move toward a sustainable future. So far, the European Commission has approved frozen, dried and powdered forms of Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm larva), Locusta migratoria (migratory locust), Acheta domesticus (house cricket) and Alphitobius diaperinus (the lesser mealworm larva) for human consumption. But the market for insect powder in foods like bread, pasta and sports bars remains small. Although insects are common food in many parts of the world, consumers in the West, where insects are more commonly used to provide protein in animal feed, are reluctant to eat bugs for historical reasons based in ideas of uncleanliness and primitiveness. So, based on the facts, there seems to be little to no reason for statements such as those made by Rumen Petkov of Bulgaria’s ABV party, who said that EU approval of insect consumption is a “crime against Europe” and that the European Commission is “prepared to kill our European children”.

    What led to the rapid spread of this conspiracy theory? Noor Bin Ladin’s remarks give us a clue. During her talk show appearance, Bin Ladin described her words as a message for Klaus Schwab to take to his “masters”. Schwab is the founder and executive chair of the World Economic Forum. Early in the Covid pandemic, Schwab and the WEF produced a set of proposals titled “the Great Reset”, which called for an overhaul of various world systems to produce a stakeholder-driven capitalism that would lead to a more socially and environmentally responsible future. Conspiracists seized on and branded “the Great Reset” as a new iteration of a conspiracy theory known as the New World Order – an imagined global governance system meant to control the lives of everyone. Both the Great Reset and the New World Order lead back to much older and broader antisemitic conspiracy theories that hold that elite Jewish financiers run the world with their hands on invisible levers of power. All these narratives tap into feelings of futility and hopelessness about the future.

    US right-wing media personality Tucker Carlson called a 2023 episode of his show, which included a heavy focus on Schwab and the WEF, “Let Them Eat Bugs”, a title that gestures at the remark allegedly made by Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, when she heard about people suffering from a lack of bread before the French Revolution: “Let them eat cake”. With this title, Carlson is aiming to emphasize that the elite are hopelessly out of touch and have contempt for farmers and the average man, whom they want to force to eat bugs. Like the French bedbug scare in late 2023, right-wing alarm around insect-eating has connections to the spread of anti-EU Russian propaganda. Russian news outlets have suggested that Europeans are so poor and food deprived as a result of sanctions connected to the war in Ukraine that they have been reduced to eating insects. As the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) writes, insects are “delicious treats for actors with interest in spreading disinformation against the EU”.

    Symbols for dehumanization

    The desire to stir up fear about the minor level of European and US insect consumption is not based on the risk of rapid growth in the insect market, but on the power to arouse disgust and fear itself. Insects have long been used as symbols to stir revulsion and paint opponents as objects of physical and moral disgust. During times of political extremism, insects have featured repeatedly in efforts to distance, devalue and dehumanize minorities. Armenians were called locusts during the Armenian genocide, and Jews were compared to lice in Nazi Germany. In the period prior to the ethnic genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda, some Hutus repeatedly called Tutsis “cockroaches” on public radio. The right wing’s current fetishization of insect-eating serves as a narrative to cast political opponents as morally repulsive, even if not labelling them as bugs themselves.

    For some figures on the right, insect consumption symbolizes the worst of Eurocentric liberalism – seen as a movement so void of a positive political vision that the only possible future it offers is one of impoverishment and bug-eating. They point to an elite who they claim will go on feasting on meat while forcing mealworms and fly larvae on the rest of us. It’s a potent image. At a moment in which people on the right and the left seem unable to imagine a better political future together, it becomes easier to demonize climate policy-minded leaders as a group of disgusting hypocrites plotting to create a society of contrived scarcity where the general population is reduced to eating bugs.

    Meanwhile, since 2015, scientists have been releasing papers warning that the global food system shows risks of genuine structural problems. In a future of environmental disruption, trade wars and real risks of food shortages and famine, we may need all the calories we can get – insect-based or otherwise.



    À lire aussi :
    ‘A healthy earth may be ugly’: How literary art can help us value insect conservation

    Out of curiosity, I bought a bag of cricket flour last fall. The crickets resulted in a delicious, nutty-flavoured cecina, well… crickcina. So far, none of my friends will try it. They’re missing out.

    D. D. Moore ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

    – ref. ‘I will not eat the bugs’: examining a right-wing narrative about scarcity and insect consumption – https://theconversation.com/i-will-not-eat-the-bugs-examining-a-right-wing-narrative-about-scarcity-and-insect-consumption-254112

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New action to expand Scottish exports

    Source: Scottish Government

    US Export Plan among steps to boost business.

     

    A bespoke plan to help Scottish companies export to the United States will be drawn up as part of new measures aimed at boosting trade.

    It is one of six actions announced in the First Minister’s Programme for Government to assist exporters and address global trade challenges.

    Other steps include increased funding for product development, market research and attendance at international trade shows.

    Within the current financial year, the Six Point Export Plan will:

    • produce a US Export Plan to identify states offering the best markets for Scottish products, as part of wider support for trade with North America
    • use the International Growth Support Programme to unlock opportunities through trade shows, distributor visits, market research and product development
    • bring more global buyers to Scotland to showcase what companies have to offer
    • expand funding for overseas trade missions through the International Trade Partnership with Scottish Chambers of Commerce
    • increase funding for exporters in the technology, life sciences, renewables and hydrogen sectors
    • widen support for businesses through Scottish Enterprise’s international team, Scottish Development International, including more overseas trade missions and exporter showcase events

    During a visit to Summerhall Distillery in Edinburgh, which exports to more than a dozen countries including the US, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

    “In the face of global uncertainty, I am determined to protect and grow Scotland’s business interests around the world.

    “As the USA remains the single largest destination for Scottish exports outside the European Union, action to maintain and grow the market share while recognising the changing dynamics of US export opportunities is an important focus of our Programme for Government.

    “These steps will build on the significant support we already provide through Scottish Development International and its network of 34 offices across the world, including four in the US.

    “We must grasp all opportunities to strengthen Scotland’s reputation in world markets. Demand for Scottish products and services around the world is high and global customers recognise the innovation, quality and ambition of our businesses.”

    Commercial Director of Summerhall Distillery Dave Quinnell said:

    “We export around the world, including the US where we recently signed a new contract to sell more than 100,000 bottles a year.

    “Without Scottish Development International, we would not have been able to access the majority of our international markets.

    “We received help to draw up our initial export plan, to access specialist advice and to fund trade visits overseas. All of this has been vital to our business as we grow and continue to explore markets across the world.”

    Background

    Programme for Government 2025 to 2026 – gov.scot

    Summerhall Distillery was opened as the first exclusive gin distillery established in Edinburgh for over 150 years, producing Pickering’s Gin. It has since become home to The Broody Hen Scotch Whisky and Coldsnap Vodka. The business has diversified into private and own label products, culminating in the formation of Edinburgh Bottlers & Co-Pack, specialising in premium private label spirits services.

    In the last financial year Scottish Enterprise, whose overseas brand is Scottish Development International, reported £2.15 billion in planned international sales from the Scottish companies it has helped – among the highest results ever achieved.

    The International Trade Partnership Programme is run with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and will expand access to business membership organisations to provide support for trade missions to established and emerging markets.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New £1.8m sports pitch and pavilion completed at Banbridge High School

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    John Donnelly from the Education Authority, Katy Feeney, Principal of Banbridge High School and Gavin Boyd, Chair of Sport NI join the Lord Mayor of ABC Borough Cllr Sarah Duffy, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and ABC Council Chief Executive Roger Wilson at the official opening of the new 3G sports pitch and pavilion.

    A new £1.8m 3G sports pitch and pavilion which will benefit pupils and the local community has opened at Banbridge High School.

    Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons joined Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (ABC) Borough, Councillor Sarah Duffy in officially opening the impressive facility which includes a full size 3G synthetic pitch complete with floodlighting, fencing and a changing pavilion.

    The sports pitch will be operated on a dual-use basis; Banbridge High School using the pitch during the day and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council managing the facility for community use in the evenings and weekends.

    The project is funded through £1.6m investment from ABC Council and Department for Communities through the Your School Your Club initiative, with funding of £225,000 distributed through Sport NI.

    Lord Mayor, Councillor Sarah Duffy said: “This is a very positive day for everyone at Banbridge High School and also the local community who can avail of this excellent facility. Sport and exercise are so important and as a council we are delighted to be a part of this innovative partnership which is helping people stay active and healthy.”

    Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: “This new pitch and changing pavilion are welcome additions to Banbridge High School, benefitting not only the pupils but sports teams in the wider community. I am keen to see young people participating in a range of sports and I am determined that school and grassroots venues are modernised and available to more teams and groups for training and matches.  Your School Your Club has the potential to transform school sports facilities and I hope more schools will take inspiration from Banbridge High School.”

    A spokesperson for the Education Authority (EA) said: “We would like to thank ABC Council, Sport Northern Ireland and Banbridge High School for their vision, support and significant investment.  We look forward to seeing this partnership thrive and have no doubt that this facility will become a hub of sporting excellence and physical well-being.”

    Richard Archibald, Interim CEO, Sport NI said: “Sport has the power to change lives and access to good sports facilities is vital to create more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate in sport and physical activity. We are delighted to have supported this new facility at Banbridge High School through our Your School Your Club programme which will benefit both the school and the wider community.”

    Principal of Banbridge High School, Mrs Katy Feeney said: “I am thrilled at the opening of our new 3G pitch, a state-of-the-art facility that will significantly enhance our sports programmes and provide our students with unparalleled opportunities for physical development, activity and teamwork.

    “In addition to benefiting our students, the 3G pitch will also serve the local community. As a school, this will allow us to strengthen our ties with the community and create a vibrant, active hub for everyone to enjoy. I would like to thank all those who have made this a reality.”

    The 3G pitch and pavilion was designed by AECOM and the work was successfully completed by Haffey Sports Grounds Ltd.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: By-election to take place in the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart ward in June

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    A by-election will be held in the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart ward following the sad passing of Councillor Val Walker last month.

    Residents will go to the polls on Thursday 26 June 2025 to elect one new councillor to represent the ward. The current electorate is 18,563. 

    Tomorrow, on Friday 16 May, the formal Notice of Election will be published, and the Election Timetable, Election Notices and Nomination Papers will all be accessible on the Council website.

    Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence said:

    I want to reiterate my condolences to Councillor Walker’s family, friends, and colleagues. The tributes we saw last week at the Council meeting shows the esteem in which she was held across all sides of the Chamber, and she will be sorely missed.

    Her passing has resulted in the vacancy for the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart ward. I’d urge all residents in the ward to make sure they are registered and have their details or preference of how they would like to vote up to date in plenty of time.

    Details on how to register, where to vote or how to vote by post can be found on the Council website.

    Nomination papers can be submitted from 10am on Monday 19 May until 4pm on Friday 23 May to the Returning Officer in the City Chambers. 

    Candidates will be confirmed when nominations close at 4pm on Friday 23 May.

    Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 26 June.

    The election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters can rank candidates in order of preference rather than using a single cross. Voters can give a rank to as many or as few candidates as they like.

    The deadline to register to vote in this by-election is midnight on Tuesday June 10. For new postal vote applications, it’s 5pm on Wednesday June 11 and for new proxy votes its 5pm on Wednesday June 18.

    Find out more about elections in Edinburgh and how to register to vote on the Council website.

    Published: May 15th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: National Trust announces opening date of Coventry Charterhouse

    Source: City of Coventry

    The National Trust announces Coventry Charterhouse, a former 14th century monastery, will re-open to visitors on Wednesday 21 May.

    Visitors are invited to join the Festival of Blossom during May half-term at the Charterhouse, to celebrate the beauty of nature’s confetti and have a go at family-friendly blossom crafts. Visitors can also enjoy immersive guided tours of Charterhouse interiors*.

    Earlier this year, Historic Coventry Trust, which owns the Charterhouse and oversaw its multi-million-pound renovation, entered into a partnership with the National Trust where the day-to-day operations of the site, and visitors’ experience will now be managed by the National Trust. The venue has also received funding and support from Coventry City Council to assist with its restoration and reopening.

    The Grade I listed former Carthusian monastery – one of only nine ever built in England – is the National Trust’s first property in Coventry, where it will work closely with organisations in the city as part of its ambition to bring history and heritage to more people in urban areas.

    The 14th-century former monastery is home to remarkable 15th and 16th century wall paintings, widely regarded as some of the finest surviving examples of medieval and Renaissance art in England.

    Visitors can explore a beautifully landscaped walled garden as well as expansive green space that includes a wildlife pond, community orchard, children’s play area, and grassland park.

    A 60-seat café will also open at the historic house from Wednesdays to Sundays, 8am until 5pm.

    In preparation for reopening Coventry Charterhouse, the National Trust has appointed a dedicated team of experienced heritage professionals to manage the site.

    The charity also put the call-out for volunteers and more than 160 people have come forward to support Coventry Charterhouse and help to share its fascinating history as the former 14th century monastery enters an exciting new chapter with the National Trust.

    Cllr Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Coventry City Council, said: “We are delighted to welcome the National Trust to Coventry and see the remarkable Charterhouse flourish as a hub of culture and heritage. This partnership enhances our cultural offer for both residents and visitors – it really does give them the opportunity to experience some Coventry’s rich history.

    “The Charterhouse is already a key part of Coventry’s cultural landscape and I am excited to see how it will inspire and engage our community through its future as a National Trust property.”

    Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “Charterhouse opening as a National Trust attraction – the first in Coventry – is fantastic news. It’s a great chance to attract more visitors from across the region and beyond, boost the local economy and highlight one of the city’s most important historic sites.

    “With the backing of the National Trust, the Charterhouse will benefit from national profile and a strong visitor experience – helping to attract more people to the city, support local businesses and highlight one of Coventry’s most important historic sites as part of our wider tourism offer.”

    The new team, together with the support of local volunteers, will shape the next phase of the Charterhouse as both a heritage destination and key venue for local communities – a space where visitors can explore medieval architecture and rare wall paintings, enjoy the walled gardens and orchard, and take part in a growing calendar of events and activities.

    Gurminder Kenth, General Manager at National Trust, said: “As one of Coventry’s oldest surviving medieval buildings, the Charterhouse is an extraordinary place with a rich story to tell, and we’re excited to open our doors for visitors to explore its layered history.

    “Together with the highly experienced individuals we’ve welcomed into the fold as we prepare to reopen, we’ve been overwhelmed by the huge level of support and enthusiasm from locals coming forward to volunteer as we enter this next chapter together with the Charterhouse. Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at the National Trust and as we’ve already seen from our constantly growing team at the Charterhouse, the passion to support this new chapter for the Charterhouse has been remarkable.

    “Working closely with Historic Coventry Trust and the local community, we hope to make this already special place somewhere people from all walks of life can explore, learn, and feel a real sense of community and history.”

    Coventry Charterhouse will be operated in partnership between Historic Coventry Trust, which owns the property and led its £11.9 million restoration with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the National Trust, which will help bring the site to wider audiences locally, nationally and internationally.

    In addition to managing the Charterhouse, the National Trust will also work with partners including the John Muir Trust to support the development of the wider heritage park and the green corridor connecting it to the city centre.

    For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/warwickshire/coventry-charterhouse

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade in March 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for March 2025 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (May 15) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.
     
         In March 2025, the volume of Hong Kong’s total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 15.8% and 13.5% respectively over March 2024.
     
         For the first quarter of 2025 as a whole, the volume of Hong Kong’s total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 8.7% and 7.3% respectively over the same period in 2024.
     
         Comparing the first quarter of 2025 with the fourth quarter of 2024 on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 9.5% and 7.5% respectively.
     
         Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.
     
         Comparing March 2025 with March 2024, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods both increased by 2.1%.
     
         As regards price changes in the first quarter of 2025 over the same period in 2024, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 1.9% and 2.0% respectively.
     
         Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade, which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.
     
         The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods. Compared with the same periods in 2024, the index remained virtually unchanged in March 2025, whereas it decreased by 0.1% in the first quarter of 2025.
     
         Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.
     
         Comparing March 2025 with March 2024, increases were recorded for the total export volume to Taiwan (52.4%), Vietnam (40.0%), the mainland of China (the Mainland) (22.3%) and the USA (9.6%). On the other hand, the total export volume to India decreased by 7.0%.
     
         Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to Taiwan (5.7%), the Mainland (2.1%), Vietnam (1.4%) and the USA (1.2%) increased. On the other hand, the total export prices to India decreased by 0.7%.
     
         Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.
     
         Comparing March 2025 with March 2024, increases were recorded for the import volume from Vietnam (80.6%), Taiwan (66.4%) and the Mainland (7.2%). On the other hand, the import volume from Singapore (-4.6%) and Korea (-26.9%) decreased.
     
         Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Korea (6.7%), Taiwan (3.4%), Singapore (2.7%), Vietnam (2.6%) and the Mainland (0.5%).
     
    Further information
     
         Details of the above statistics are published in the March 2025 issue of “Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers”.  Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020006&scode=230).
     
         Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4918).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • Are nukes safe in the hands of a rogue nation?: Rajnath Singh targets Pakistan, praises Indian forces for Operation Sindoor

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Srinagar on Thursday and lauded the armed forces for their successful execution of Operation Sindoor. During his visit, Singh raised concerns over Pakistan’s ability to manage nuclear weapons, questioning the safety of such weapons in the hands of a “rogue” nation.

    Addressing the armed forces, the defence minister said, “The world knows that our army’s aim is precise, and when they hit the target, they leave the counting to the enemy. How strong is India’s commitment against terrorism today? It can be seen from the fact that we did not even care about their nuclear blackmail. The whole world has witnessed how irresponsibly Pakistan has threatened India. Today, from the land of Srinagar, I want to raise this question: Are nuclear weapons safe in the hands of such an irresponsible and rogue nation? I believe that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons should be placed under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”

    “The entire country is proud of what you did during Operation Sindoor under the able leadership and guidance of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I may be your Defence Minister, but before that, I am a citizen of India. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have expressed their anger towards Pakistan and terrorism with complete unity. I congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I have come to feel the energy that has destroyed the enemy. The way you destroyed the Pakistani posts and weavers across the border, the enemy can never forget that”, Singh added.

    The Union Minister began his address with the chant of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and paid tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives while battling terrorism.

    “First of all, I would like to bow to the supreme sacrifice of the brave jawans who fought against terrorism. I pay my respects to their memory. I also pay respect to the innocent civilians who were killed in Pahalgam. I salute the valour of the injured soldiers and pray to God for their swift recovery,” Singh said.

    Earlier, Singh took stock of the prevailing security situation, evaluated the combat readiness of the IAF, and inspected Pakistani shells that had been dropped in the border areas.

    (ANI)

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: End unfair council tax debt for domestic abuse survivors

    Source: Scottish Greens

    15 May 2025 Finance

    Greens call for scrapping of domestic abuse survivors council tax debt

    More in Finance

    Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer has urged MSPs to support his call that no domestic abuse survivors be forced to pay off their abuser’s council tax debts.

    Greer has lodged an amendment to the Housing Bill which would require Ministers to review the impact of the current system on domestic abuse survivors.

    Because of how the current legal liability arrangements work, where a survivor of domestic abuse has lived with their abuser, they are often responsible for the abuser’s debt. Researchers and organisations supporting abuse survivors have found examples where this debt is used as a means of ongoing control and financial abuse.

    Groups who have called for the removal of coerced debt include Scottish Women’s Aid, Aberlour and Financially Included, who recently published a joint report on the issue.

    Mr Greer said: 

    “Coerced debt is a form of abuse and financial violence that is being used against people in often very desperate situations. It is used to punish and control victims and survivors and to make them responsible for their abusers.

    “Council Tax debt causes a huge amount of stress and anxiety for thousands of people across Scotland. Some of those worst affected are survivors of domestic abuse who are being forced to pay off their abuser’s debts.

    “This is a problem overwhelmingly affecting women with children, with every penny they are forced to pay effectively being a tax for surviving their abuse. Cancelling it and changing the rules around joint liability is clearly the right thing to do.

    “I hope that MSPs from all parties will support my proposal and that we can move quickly to provide some relief and support for people who are trying to rebuild their lives.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish homes are not for hoarding

    Source: Scottish Greens

    15 May 2025 Housing

    Greens challenge property hoarding landlords in parliament

    More in Housing

    The Scottish Government must close loopholes which allow the wealthy to hoard extra homes at the expense of local communities, say Scottish Greens.

    Speaking ahead of his Members’ Business Debate today in Holyrood, Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer said it is a national disgrace that thousands of children are in temporary accommodation at the same time as the rich continue to pay little tax whilst holding vast property portfolios.

    Greer’s motion highlights that in areas such as Coigach in Wester Ross a majority of homes are now second homes or holiday lets, causing acute local housing crises and forcing young people to leave their own communities just to secure their own home.

    Other communities where second homes and holiday lets are now a major problem include the Isle of Arran and both Cairngorms and Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Parks.

    Mr Greer said:

    “Across Scotland there are thousands of homes which no-one actually lives in, because they are either second homes or Airbnb-style holiday lets. At the same time, thousands of children are stuck in temporary accommodation and young people are forced out of the communities they’ve grown up in due to lack of housing. These problems are directly connected.

    “Wealthy people collecting second homes are driving up house prices and creating acute local shortages. This hollows out communities, especially in rural areas and on our islands. Four in ten properties in Lochranza on Arran are either holiday homes or lets, which just isn’t sustainable.

    “Unbelievably, despite the damage they are doing to so many communities, these Airbnb-style short-term lets often don’t have to pay business rates. I’ve proposed an end to that tax break, but the Scottish Government is resisting this much needed reform.

    “The Scottish Greens have already doubled Council Tax on holiday homes, with our plan being that owners would sell up and make the properties available for those who need somewhere to live. That is already working, with 2455 fewer second homes in Scotland last year compared to 2023. With a housing crisis this bad though, we need to go further.

    “More new homes need to be built, but that won’t tackle the problem if many of them just become second homes or holiday lets as well. Our tax system needs to change, to end the advantages enjoyed by the wealthy and to make things easier for first time buyers.”

    Today’s debate also coincides with the first anniversary of the Scottish Parliament’s decision to declare a housing emergency in Scotland. Mr Greer said this should focus minds in the Scottish Government on taking urgent, concrete action.

    He added: 

    “Today marks a year since MSPs voted to declare a housing emergency in Scotland. Despite the widespread acceptance that our housing system is broken, very little has changed over the last 12 months.

    “I hope today’s debate underlines the vast inequality between those who own multiple homes and those who cannot afford their rent, let alone to own their own home.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE RM has been appointed as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, and Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE RM has been appointed as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, and Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty

    Defence Secretary John Healey has confirmed that His Majesty The King has approved the new appointment of First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff. General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE RM is to be appointed as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, and Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty.

    General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE RM has been appointed as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, and Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty. MOD Crown Copyright

    Defence Secretary John Healey, said: 

    I warmly congratulate General Sir Gwyn Jenkins on his selection as the next First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff. As the first Royal Marine appointed to the role, this is a hugely significant moment for the Royal Navy. 

    General Jenkins is a proven leader with a distinguished career in both the military and at the core of government. I know he will deliver in this pivotal role, making Britain secure at home and strong abroad.

    Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said: 

    I am very pleased to welcome General Jenkins as the next First Sea Lord. 

    As one of the outstanding Royal Marines of his generation, he brings with him a wealth of operational and organisational expertise. His appointment reflects a Corps which is bound even more tightly to the way the Royal Navy thinks, operates and fights.

    In a more dangerous and demanding world, General Jenkins has the instincts and ambition needed to continue the modernisation of the Royal Navy, ensuring it can meet future threats and continue to safeguard our nation’s security and prosperity.

    General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, said: 

    It is an honour to be selected as the next First Sea Lord.

    I feel extremely privileged to lead the exceptional sailors and marines of the Royal Navy at this pivotal time for UK Defence.

    Throughout my career, I have always been motivated by the vital role the Royal Navy has in keeping our nation safe. To do that now, we need to accelerate our return to a war fighting force that is ready for conflict, expand our modernisation efforts and deliver the Royal Navy our nation needs.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Happiness as an Industry: Why We Want to Be Happy and What’s Wrong with It

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    First, happiness begins to act as a criterion by which people evaluate each other. In other words, a happy person is perceived as good and worthy, and an unhappy person is perceived as bad and dysfunctional. This creates a new system of inequality, based not on socio-economic factors, but on feelings and sensations.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Konsolidator launches FP&A project to fully automate Cash Flow forecasting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release no. 2-2025
    Copenhagen, May 15, 2025

    Konsolidator launches FP&A project to fully automate Cash Flow forecasting 

    Konsolidator announces the launch of a new Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) project aimed at delivering automated predictive forecasting for finance teams in corporate groups. The new tool is a significant step in Konsolidator’s 2025–2027 Resilient Growth strategy, broadening the company’s financial software suite.

    Fits well into Konsolidator’s existing platform

    With cloud ERP adoption and access to real-time financial data, the timing is right to bring automated predictive forecasting into the financial operations of corporate groups. The new tool will integrate into Konsolidator’s core offering, enabling finance teams to take greater control of budgeting and forecasting using the financial data within the platform. This includes offering automated cash flow forecasting, a pain point for many CFOs. Cash flow forecasting at a group level is one of the most complex and essential things to get right. The future CFO won’t just report the past; they will be enabled to predict the future.

    Data accessibility has evolved significantly in the finance functions with the adoption of cloud technology, especially ERP systems.  AI’s ability to analyze complex and large data sets makes predictive forecasting an obvious choice for CFO’s.

    New Head of FP&A will lead the development

    Konsolidator has appointed Frederik Meinertsen as Head of FP&A, a newly established role that marks a significant step in the company’s 2027 strategy, Resilient Growth. Frederik Meinertsen brings two decades of experience in the financial and technology sector, having worked in management consulting and led teams of FP&A specialists. As Head of FP&A, he will be responsible for developing, testing, and launching the new product.

    Frederik Meinertsen, Head of FP&A at Konsolidator, says, “Forecasting cash flows and doing proper consolidation are complex tasks. Making seamless solutions available to group finance on the same platform is not only logical, but it will also enable the utilization of Business Intelligence and AI at a whole new level.“

    2025-2027 strategy: Broader product offerings

    The FP&A tool is part of Konsolidator’s broader Build, Buy, Partner approach, one of four strategic pillars of the Resilient Growth strategy.

    “This is a logical next step for Konsolidator,” says Claus Finderup Grove, CEO at Konsolidator. “Our customers have been asking for a more advanced way to budget and forecast. With the data already flowing through our platform and Frederik leading the development, we’re now in a strong position to deliver a tool that does exactly that. By way of this development, Konsolidator elevates our product offering to not only provide reliable but also predictive financial data.”

    Additional details, including the product name and pricing model, will be announced closer to the launch. Finance teams and partners interested in early access or beta participation are encouraged to contact Konsolidator directly.

    Contacts

    About Konsolidator
    Konsolidator A/S is a financial consolidation software company whose primary objective is to make Group CFOs around the world better through automated financial consolidation and reporting in the cloud. Created by CFOs and auditors and powered by innovative technology, Konsolidator removes the complexity of financial consolidation and enables the CFO to save time and gain actionable insights based on key performance data to become a vital part of strategic decision-making. Konsolidator was listed at Nasdaq First North Growth Market Denmark in 2019. Ticker Code: KONSOL

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Montenegrin Police Directorate and Police Academy exchange good practices on strengthening responses to violence against women and girls with their counterparts in Spain

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: Montenegrin Police Directorate and Police Academy exchange good practices on strengthening responses to violence against women and girls with their counterparts in Spain

    Montenegrin Police Directorate and Police Academy exchange good practices on strengthening responses to violence against women and girls with their counterparts in Spain | OSCE
    Skip navigation

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    Home Newsroom News and press releases Montenegrin Police Directorate and Police Academy exchange good practices on strengthening responses to violence against women and girls with their counterparts in Spain

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Taiwan FDI Statistics Summary Analysis (April 2025)

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    According to the statistics, 642 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with a total amount of US$2,831,904,000 were approved from January to April 2024. This indicates a decrease of 7.36% in the number of cases, but an increase of 66.69% in FDI amount compared to the same period of 2024.

    With regard to inward investment from Mainland China, 6 cases were approved with an amount of US$96,469,000 from January to April 2025. This indicates a decrease of 45.45% in the number of cases, but an increase of 760.05% in the FDI amount compared to the same period of 2024.

    In terms of Taiwan’s outbound investment (excluding Mainland China), 248 projects were registered from January to April 2025 with a total amount of US$13,480,582,000, indicating an increase of 2.06% in the number of cases, and an increase of 12.34% in the amount, as compared to the same period of 2024.

    As for Taiwan’s outward investment to Mainland China, 58 applications have been approved from January to April 2025, indicating a decrease of 38.3% compared to the same period of 2024. The approved investment amount is US$432,607,000, 60.03% less than the same period in 2024.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • Are nukes safe in the hands of a rogue nation?: Rajnath Singh targets Pakistan, praises Indian forces

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Srinagar on Thursday and lauded the armed forces for their successful execution of Operation Sindoor. During his visit, Singh raised concerns over Pakistan’s ability to manage nuclear weapons, questioning the safety of such weapons in the hands of a “rogue” nation.

    Addressing the armed forces, the defence minister said, “The world knows that our army’s aim is precise, and when they hit the target, they leave the counting to the enemy. How strong is India’s commitment against terrorism today? It can be seen from the fact that we did not even care about their nuclear blackmail. The whole world has witnessed how irresponsibly Pakistan has threatened India. Today, from the land of Srinagar, I want to raise this question: Are nuclear weapons safe in the hands of such an irresponsible and rogue nation? I believe that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons should be placed under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”

    “The entire country is proud of what you did during Operation Sindoor under the able leadership and guidance of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I may be your Defence Minister, but before that, I am a citizen of India. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have expressed their anger towards Pakistan and terrorism with complete unity. I congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I have come to feel the energy that has destroyed the enemy. The way you destroyed the Pakistani posts and weavers across the border, the enemy can never forget that”, Singh added.

    The Union Minister began his address with the chant of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and paid tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives while battling terrorism.

    “First of all, I would like to bow to the supreme sacrifice of the brave jawans who fought against terrorism. I pay my respects to their memory. I also pay respect to the innocent civilians who were killed in Pahalgam. I salute the valour of the injured soldiers and pray to God for their swift recovery,” Singh said.

    Earlier, Singh took stock of the prevailing security situation, evaluated the combat readiness of the IAF, and inspected Pakistani shells that had been dropped in the border areas.

    (ANI)

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Women Entrepreneurs in Rural Mongolia Turn to Traditional Knowledge for Survival

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Women in rural Mongolia face constant challenges due to the country’s harsh environment. They must navigate extreme weather to protect their herds and sustain agriculture livelihood to support their families. As temperatures fluctuate and winters grow harsher, the challenge to adapt has become a fight to survive.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Auracast Transforms Cathedral Acoustics With Unmatched Audio Clarity

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics is bringing people together through sound. The company will showcase the capabilities of Auracast technology by partnering with hearing-aid provider GN on a groundbreaking event at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on May 16 to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Attendees wearing Galaxy Buds3 Pro or GN hearing aids will utilize Auracast, which allows a single audio source to broadcast to multiple receivers simultaneously and embark on a unique journey of shared listening.
    What’s Happening
    Attendees will experience the famous London cathedral through a guided tour and choral performances. Auracast microphones and transmitters will broadcast audio directly into participants’ Galaxy Buds3 Pro or GN hearing aids, decreasing background noise to enhance clarity. A select group was given the opportunity to discover the potential of Auracast – at a pilot event on May 1.
    “The Auracast experience with the tour guide was amazing,” said one participant. “Ordinarily I wouldn’t be able to join in with the tour because I would be unable to hear properly, but today it was completely different. This technology allowed me to hear everything so clearly so I didn’t miss a word.”

    Auracast and LE Audio
    What is LE Audio?1 Introduced in 2022 by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Low Energy (LE) Audio is an updated standard for Bluetooth technology. It enables more power-efficient and higher-quality wireless transmission of audio from a broadcasting device to a receiver such as from a smartphone to earbuds.
    Samsung has led efforts to increase LE Audio compatibility for mobile devices and hearing aids. Since 2022, the company has been pushing for the expansion of LE Audio, introducing 360 Audio Recording2 and adopting Auracast through the Buds2 Pro software update.
    What is Auracast? Auracast3 is a feature of LE Audio that allows broadcasting from a compatible audio source4 to multiple supported audio receivers5,6, including earbuds and hearing aids. Think of it as turning your phone into a radio station.

    Benefits of Auracast
    Shared Audio Experiences: As Auracast enables simultaneous audio streaming to multiple devices, listeners can enjoy a unified and enriched experience whether using ear buds or a compatible hearing aid. This represents a significant leap from traditional Bluetooth technology, which allows only one device to pair with an audio source.
    Seamless Audio Handoff: When moving from your smartphone to TV, or from public to private spaces, sound stays with you —as you don’t have to manually pair your device to each new audio source.
    Audio Clarity Anywhere: Auracast reduces background noise as audio is directly broadcast into your ears, providing a clearer sound experience. This is particularly beneficial in venues with loud echoes such as cathedrals and museums.
    Personalized Sound: Whether in a museum, a stadium, an airport or at home, Auracast allows you to tailor audio settings to your preferences. This customization ensures that users with varying hearing abilities can enjoy optimal clarity.
    Experience the benefits of Auracast with Galaxy Buds3 Pro
    The Big Picture
    Commitment to Accessibility: Samsung’s mission to redefine hearing accessibility has led to an unprecedented collaboration between mobile technology and hearing-aid innovation. With Auracast, Samsung bridges the gap between consumer audio and compatible hearing devices, crafting a seamless, intelligent and connected listening experience.
    1 Available on devices with Bluetooth 5.2 and above that support Auracast.
    2 360 Audio Recording is available on Galaxy Buds paired with a Galaxy smartphone running One UI 5.0 or above with LE Audio support, including the Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 and upcoming Galaxy smartphones. Requires installation of the latest software versions of the Galaxy smartphone and Galaxy Buds devices. To activate the feature, go to the Samsung Camera app > select Video mode and then tap Camera settings > tap Advanced video options > turn on 360 Audio Recording.
    3 The quality of the Auracast audio stream may vary depending on the application, network connection and other factors.
    4 Auracast Transmitter supported devices : Samsung Galaxy smartphones, tablets with Samsung One UI version 6.1 or later, and select TV models. Supported Galaxy smartphone and tablet models include: S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE, S23 (except FE edition), S23+, S23 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold5, A56, Tab S10+, Tab S10 Ultra, Tab S9+, Tab S9, Tab S9 Ultra. Supported TV models include: 2025 Neo QLED 8K QN990F, QN950F, QN900F, 2024 NeoQLED 8K QND800, QND850, QND900, 2024 MICRO LED models, 2023 Neo QLED 8K QNC 800, QNC900 and 2023 MICRO LED models.
    5 Auracast Assistant supported devices : Samsung Galaxy smartphones, tablets with Samsung One UI version 6.1 or later
    Supported Galaxy smartphone and tablet models include: S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE, S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23FE, Z Fold6, Z Flip6, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Z Fold4, Z Flip4, A56, A55, A54, A36, XCover7 Pro,
    Tab S10+, Tab S10 Ultra, Tab Active5 Pro, TabS10 FE, Tab S10 FE+, Tab S9, Tab S9+, Tab S9 Ultra, Tab S9 FE
    6 Auracast Receiver supported devices : Galaxy Buds3, Buds3 Pro, Buds2 Pro

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Great British Energy legislation passes through Parliament

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Great British Energy legislation passes through Parliament

    Landmark bill passes in Parliament as Great British Energy takes another major step forward.

    • Landmark Great British Energy Bill passes in Parliament
    • Publicly-owned energy company to benefit working people by accelerating clean power, bringing energy security and jobs as part of the Plan for Change
    • £4 million renewable scheme opens to give Scottish communities a stake in energy

    Working people will benefit from cleaner, homegrown power, as Great British Energy takes another major step forward today. Legislation for Britain’s new publicly-owned energy company has passed through Parliament and Great British Energy is set to deliver for working people.

    Great British Energy will invest in clean power projects across the UK as part of the government’s Plan for Change to become a clean energy superpower – helping to get off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices and protect families’ finances.

    Backed by £8.3 billion over the course of this parliament, the company will speed up the delivery of strategic energy projects and invest alongside the private sector to get new technologies like floating offshore wind up and running as part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy.

    The Energy Secretary is today visiting a hospital in Hull where solar power is saving the hospital hundreds of thousands of pounds each month, allowing money to be reinvested in frontline services. 

    That’s why Great British Energy is investing £200 million in funding for new rooftop solar power and renewable energy schemes for schools, hospitals and communities – saving hundreds of millions on their energy bills. In April NHS Humber Health Partnership was awarded nearly £8.5 million from this fund, which will deliver up to £14.2 million in lifetime bills savings.

    As part of this, yesterday Scotland’s community energy fund opened for applications, backed by £4 million from Great British Energy for local clean energy projects – from community-led onshore wind, to solar on rooftops and hydropower in rivers – generating profits which could be reinvested into community projects or take money off people’s bills.

    Meanwhile people in Wales will benefit from nearly £3 million of Great British Energy funding for local renewable projects.

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    “Great British Energy comes from a simple idea: British people should own and benefit from our own natural resources.

    “We are giving people a stake in clean energy and delivering profits for the British people.

    “As part of our Plan for Change, this will make us a clean energy superpower and help bring down energy bills for good.”

    Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier said:

    “Great British Energy was created to ensure British people reap the benefits of clean, secure, homegrown energy.

    “We now have full backing to scale up the company, crowd in investment, and back clean energy projects across the country.”

    Today Great British Energy will host a roundtable in Edinburgh alongside the Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray, focussed on the supply chain opportunities in Scotland. It follows Great British Energy’s initial £300 million funding for offshore wind supply chains. This will support Britain’s engineers, technicians, and welders and invest in offshore wind manufacturing components such as floating offshore platforms and cables in the UK’s industrial heartlands.

    As part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy, which will turbocharge growth in the UK’s key sectors including clean energy, this investment is part of the Prime Minister’s drive to ensure that the clean energy future is ‘built in Britain’.

    The Energy Secretary will soon outline Great British Energy’s strategic priorities – including which technologies the government expects the company to focus on and how it should consider the public benefits from investment decisions.

    The Great British Energy Bill received legislative consent from all three devolved governments, the first Bill to under this parliament. This will allow Great British Energy to operate more effectively in every devolved nation and benefit people across the UK.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NASA to Launch Saudi CubeSat into Orbit as Part of Artemis 2 Test Flight

    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

    LOS ANGELES, May 14 (Xinhua) — NASA and the Saudi Arabian Space Agency have signed an agreement to launch a Saudi Arabian CubeSat as part of an upcoming test flight of NASA’s Artemis 2 mission, the U.S. space agency said Tuesday.

    The agreement was signed during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia.

    The CubeSat, developed by the Saudi Space Agency, will measure space weather parameters at different distances from Earth. It will be launched into high Earth orbit after the Orion spacecraft carrying four astronauts separates from the SLS /Space Launch System/ rocket, NASA explained.

    A CubeSat is a shoebox-sized satellite designed to demonstrate technology or conduct scientific research to obtain data that will help better understand the space environment.

    According to NASA, the CubeSats will collect data on cosmic radiation, solar X-rays, solar energetic particles and magnetic fields.

    The Artemis 2 mission’s test flight is scheduled for April 2026. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In Russia, the volume of online trade in the first quarter grew by 36 percent.

    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

    Moscow, May 15 /Xinhua/ — The volume of online trade in Russia reached 2.6 trillion rubles in the first quarter of 2025, which is 36 percent more than in the same period last year, RIA Novosti reported on Friday, citing the Association of Internet Trade Companies (AKIT).

    According to AKIT, the share of online trade in the total volume of retail trade was 18.3%. Of the total amount of online sales, 97% were purchases in Russian online stores and marketplaces.

    During the specified period, food products were in first place in terms of sales volume in online trade. Russians spent almost 530 billion rubles on them, which is 71 percent more than the same indicator in 2024. The top 5 in terms of the amount of online purchases are also home goods and furniture, clothing and footwear, electronics and household appliances, auto parts and auto accessories.

    Among the regions, the leaders in terms of online trade volumes are Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar Krai and Sverdlovsk region. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crow Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help Small Business Owners Save Money

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act would nearly double the maximum SBA loan amount available for energy efficiency investments

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) has introduced bipartisan legislation to help small business owners save money by increasing the federal loan amount available for energy efficiency investments. 

    Energy costs are one of the largest expenses for commercial buildings, accounting for nearly 40% of total energy consumption in the U.S.. However, small businesses often do not have the cash-on-hand to finance large renovations or retrofit projects, and these projects often exceed the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) current 504 loan cap.

    Congressman Crow’s Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act would help business owners looking to make energy efficient upgrades by expanding the maximum allowable cap on SBA 504 loans from $5.5 million to $10 million. Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE-02) joined Congressman Crow in introducing this legislation. 

    “Small businesses help create millions of jobs and contribute greatly to our economy. It’s critical that we support small businesses in Colorado and across the country,” said Congressman Crow. “I’m introducing bipartisan legislation to help small businesses save money and be better able to make critical improvements that will help to conserve energy and protect our environment.”

    “Building businesses of the future means investing in our small businesses today. Rep. Crow and I are reintroducing the Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act which will empower small businesses to lower costs and improve their buildings’ operational efficiency,” said Congressman Bacon. “By expanding access to capital for energy-focused investments, this legislation allows small business to freely invest in much needed infrastructure improvements, making business more profitable and sustainable.” 

    The Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act is endorsed by Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International.

    “The Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act will make a significant difference across the country, allowing properties to make the necessary investments to reduce energy consumption and bring down energy costs,” said Manuel Moreno, Chair and Chief Elected Officer of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, the professional association representing the commercial real estate sector. “BOMA International is proud to support this bipartisan legislation, and we commend Representatives Crow and Bacon for their leadership on this issue.”

    This legislation builds on Congressman Crow’s long standing work to support small businesses. He previously introduced the Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act with Congressman Bacon in the 118th Congress, and introduced the Saving Americans Value through Efficient (SAVE) Energy Act to promote energy efficiency among American consumers. He has also introduced legislation such the Protect the West Act and CLEAR Act to fight back against the worsening effects of climate change.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Crow Meets with Local Health Providers to Discuss Impact of Republicans’ Medicaid Cuts

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    AURORA — Today, Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) held a roundtable with providers at Aurora Mental Health to discuss how congressional Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicaid would hurt those seeking mental health services in our community. 

    “We should not be balancing the federal budget on the backs of working Americans. That’s why today I met with local health care providers to discuss how Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicaid would hurt our community,” said Congressman Crow. “They shared just how drastically this would impact folks seeking mental health services. I will continue to fight against these harmful and reckless cuts.”

    The Republican House budget resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives instructs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut at least $880 billion in costs over the next decade. To make those types of steep cuts, Republicans are weighing billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, which would threaten health care coverage for 80 million Americans. Republicans are considering these cuts to Medicaid to offer “lucrative tax cuts to corporations and wealthier Americans,” according to the Associated Press.

    One in four Coloradans—1.69 million people—get their health care through Medicaid, including children, pregnant women, elderly, and the disabled. In Colorado’s Sixth Congressional District, 115,000 residents get their health care through Medicaid, according to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

    Congressman Crow has been strongly opposed to cuts that would impact Colorado’s working families, including cuts to Medicaid.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Crow Visits CU Anschutz to Discuss Impact of Trump Administration’s Proposed Cuts on Life-Saving Medical Research

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    AURORA — Today, Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) toured the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and held a roundtable with administrators and faculty to discuss issues impacting the University, including the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to life-saving medical research and federal funding for the National Institutes of Health. 

    “The Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to medical research are threatening our ability to find cures for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s,” said Congressman Crow. “That’s why today I met with CU Anschutz faculty and administrators to learn more about their research and how I can best fight to protect this life-saving work in Washington.”

    Prior to the roundtable, Congressman Crow toured the University’s BIOElectrics Lab, which explores the intersection between technology and the brain as well as the CellSight Program, which is working to develop therapeutics to save and restore sight in patients with blinding diseases.​ 

    Congressman Crow has opposed cuts to medical research grants and the NIH, and recently led a letter highlighting how these cuts would hurt Colorado’s economy and stall efforts to find cures for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. He also strongly opposes the Republican budget proposal that would limit Coloradans’ access to health care.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crow Votes No on Reckless Republican Budget Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), member of the House Armed Services Committee and Ranking Member of the Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee, issued the following statement after voting against the Republican reconciliation package in Committee. 

    In a statement, Congressman Crow said:

    “I’m not giving $150 billion to the Defense Department until they fire incompetent leadership like Secretary Hegseth and work with us to reform inefficiencies.

    “Republicans in Congress would rather throw money at an already bloated and inefficient system than work with us to reform a system they acknowledge needs fixing. What makes this worse is this cash giveaway can only be paid for by stealing health care from millions of Americans by cutting Medicaid.

    “I’m a hard no.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crow: Members of Congress Have Legal Right to Enter Detention Facilities and Conduct Oversight

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) is demanding that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a directive to all agents reminding them that under current law, Members of Congress have a legal right to show up to conduct oversight of federal detention facilities, and that any threats against Members of Congress who do so are unlawful.

    In a letter sent today to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting ICE Director Patrick J. Lyons, Congressman Crow, along with Representatives Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), condemned the May 9 incident at Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey, where the Trump administration has claimed that Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), Rob Menendez (D-NJ-08), and LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), who were conducting a site visit of the detention center, could also be arrested citing an alleged “body slam” of an officer—a charge that has not been substantiated by any witness or video evidence.

    This letter builds on Congressman Crow’s work to promote accountability and transparency in government. Congressman Crow previously introduced the Public Oversight of Detention Centers (POD) Act, bipartisan legislation regarding oversight and access to federal detention facilities. This legislation was inspired by Congressman Crow’s own experience of being denied entry to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility, following reports of multiple disease outbreaks in the facility. Ultimately, Crow was denied entry for 24 days, and since then, he has led the fight for greater transparency of immigration detention facilities.

    A PDF of the letter can be found here, with full text appearing below:

    We are alarmed and forcefully condemn the events that took place on May 9, 2025, at the Delaney Hall Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, and urge you to issue clarifying direction to Department of Homeland Security personnel about the explicit legal right that a Member of Congress has to access a detention center. 

    During a site visit by three Members of Congress – Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver – Newark Mayor Ras Baraka waited outside in a fenced-in parking lot as protestors gathered on the other side of the fence. He was told to leave the fenced-in part of the parking lot and, despite complying with the request, was arrested by ICE agents. Subsequently, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson indicated that arrests of the attending Members of Congress are, “on the table,” alleging that one of them “body-slammed” an ICE officer – a claim uncorroborated by witnesses or available video evidence.

    Members of Congress possess explicit statutory authority to conduct unannounced oversight visits to facilities operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security. This was outlined in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-93), Division D – Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2020, Sec. 532 and re-affirmed in each year since, including Section 527(a) of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118–47), which stipulates:

    None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Homeland Security by this Act may be used to prevent…a Member of Congress…from entering, for the purpose of conducting oversight, any facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland 

    Security used to detain or otherwise house aliens… [nor] to make any temporary modification at any such facility that in any way alters what is observed by a visiting Member of Congress… compared to what would be observed in the absence of such modification.

    Furthermore, subsection (b) clarifies that nothing in this section requires a Member of Congress to provide prior notice of intent to enter such a facility for oversight purposes. The Department itself has affirmed the oversight duties of Members of Congress in guidance posted by ICE dated to February 2025. Arresting Members of Congress for performing their lawful oversight duties cannot be “on the table” because that action would be explicitly unlawful.

    We anticipate your prompt confirmation that clarifying direction has been given by May 17, 2025.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Internet conference to spotlight digital governance, youth engagement

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

    The 2025 China Internet Civilization Conference, scheduled for June 10-11 in Hefei, eastern China’s Anhui province, will spotlight actionable outcomes in hot-topic areas like AI governance, misinformation, and digital literacy, said its organizers at a Wednesday press conference held by China’s State Council Information Office.

    On May 14, 2025, the State Council Information Office holds a press conference in Beijing about the 2025 China Internet Civilization Conference. [Photo by Liu Jian/China SCIO]

    Yang Jianwen, vice minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China, said this year’s event will also lay an emphasis on engaging China’s 540 million young netizens. A youth internet civilization initiative will be released at the main forum, aiming to garner youth influence to foster a positive digital ecosystem, he said. 

    The main forum will also unveil the 2025 internet civilization outstanding cases, highlight 100 exemplary online accounts, and kick off the 2025 national digital literacy and skills enhancement month, in addition to keynote speeches from government officials, academics, media leaders, executives of internet companies, and youth representatives, Yang said. 

    Each of the 14 sub-forums is designed to produce at least one actionable outcome, with nearly 30 key releases expected, including reports, action plans, industry pledges, and self-regulation agreements, according to Zhao Hui, secretary general of the China Federation of Internet Societies. The 2025 internet platform corporate social responsibility assessment report and the 2025 China internet integrity development report are both expected to be released at the events, she said. 

    This year’s conference is the fifth edition of the annual gathering and the first to be held in Anhui. Qian Sanxiong, director of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Anhui Provincial Committee, said that the province has been accelerating digital infrastructure construction over the years. Across the province, the number of 5G base stations has exceeded 167,000, and all 16 prefecture-level cities have reached “gigabit city” status.

    Anhui now hosts 783 large-scale AI enterprises, making it one of the regions with the highest concentration of national AI strategic deployments and major AI platforms, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing to launch activities for China Tourism Day

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

    As the 15th China Tourism Day approaches on May 19, Beijing will roll out a variety of cultural tourism activities, offering promotional packages and discounts across the city.

    The celebrations will feature a city-level main event and supporting activities held throughout May across 16 districts. The main event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 19 at the World Flower Wonderland Park in Fengtai district.

    At the municipal event, over 100 new cultural tourism products will debut, including first stores, new policies, travel routes, cultural creative products, and more. The event will also feature interactive product promotions, opera and musical performances, and a cultural tourism market. Visitors can enjoy lucky draws and discounts on popular products offered by leading cultural and tourism enterprises.

    Seven themed zones will be set up at the tourism market, covering vacation experiences, tech showcases, gourmet tastings, cultural products, performances, and consulting services. More than 100 agriculture, culture, and tourism enterprises will set up shops and offer products and services.

    Across the city, more than 500 tourism discount offers will be introduced. In Mentougou district. eligible visitors can buy combo tickets for some scenic spots at half price. Over 80 selected homestays will offer 20% to 30% discounts. Pinggu district will issue consumer vouchers usable at designated attractions. Beijing Wildlife Park and Shijingshan Amusement Park will offer seasonal discount packages.

    Other initiatives will include 2,000 meal and lodging vouchers for businesses in Fangshan district, discounted stays in rural homestays in Miyun district, a free concert at Shunyi Grand Theater, and a public performance at Yanqi Lake in Huairou district.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing reports improved water quality in 2024

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

    Beijing’s 2024 water ecology report shows continued improvement in river and lake health. After years of restoration, the city’s major rivers are turning from murky, algae-dominated systems to clearer ecosystems filled with aquatic plants, signaling a shift toward greater stability and biodiversity.

    Last year, 87.6% of monitored rivers and lakes in Beijing were rated healthy, up 4.6 percentage points from 2023. The city’s water health index reached 86.95, marking a 22.9% improvement compared with 2012 levels.

    Improved water management and targeted ecological flows in key rivers like the Yongding and Chaobai helped to sustain water levels and restore ecosystems. Groundwater overuse zones have been resolved, polluted water bodies have been cleaned, and rivers hit by major floods in 2023 have continued to recover.

    From March to June last year, 118 rivers saw flowing water, stretching over 2,910 kilometers, or 23 kilometers more than the previous year. In total, Beijing has 425 rivers, 50 lakes, and 80 reservoirs covering 416 square kilometers.

    Once dominated by algae due to high nutrient levels, rivers now support more submerged and emergent plants. These “underwater forests” absorb excess nutrients and help suppress algae growth, improving clarity and ecological balance.

    As water ecosystems improved, biodiversity thrived. In 2024, surveys recorded 459 species of phytoplankton, 461 zooplankton, 238 benthic invertebrates, 93 aquatic plant species, and 74 fish species.

    Rare animals such as the Oriental stork, red-crowned crane, and freshwater jellyfish have been spotted in local waters. A new fish species, Cobitis beijingensis, was also discovered.

    Despite making progress, Beijing’s water ecosystems remain fragile due to limited natural runoff and poor water circulation in some lakes, according to an official of the Beijing Water Authority.

    The municipal water authority plans to deepen collaboration across districts and departments, promote near-natural restoration methods, optimize water distribution, and continue improving disaster prevention, conservation, and water quality – paving the way for a healthier and more beautiful Beijing, said the official.

    MIL OSI China News –