NewzIntel.com

Category: CTF

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The declared total investment volume of residents of the Great Stone Industrial Park reached 1.57 billion US dollars

    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

    MINSK, May 15 /Xinhua/ — The declared total investment of residents of the China-Belarus Industrial Park “Great Stone” has reached 1.57 billion US dollars, its press service announced on the occasion of the Industrial Park Day.

    There are currently 150 residents registered in the Great Stone. 54 of them have already started implementing their projects, making a significant contribution to the economy of the park and the country as a whole. In 2025, the park was replenished with nine new residents representing Russia, China, Switzerland, Turkey and Belarus.

    As the head of the industrial park administration, Alexander Yaroshenko, noted, “Great Stone” has become well known both in Belarus and abroad over the years of its operation thanks to the large contribution of Belarusian and Chinese departments and enterprises.

    “We have been working fruitfully with our partners from friendly China all this time. And this interaction continues to strengthen. The economic effect of the park’s work is already noticeable. These are new products for Belarus, in demand on our market and supplied for export, new jobs. This became possible due to the fact that the park’s enterprises have been working and continue to work effectively all the time,” the newspaper “Respublika” quotes him as saying.

    By the end of 2025, the number of project participants is expected to grow to 170 companies. The number of employees of resident companies will exceed 3,700 people. The China-Belarus Park also continues to develop its logistics potential. In 2024, the second stage of construction began, during which key logistics infrastructure facilities will be built. During 2025, active work will be carried out on the construction of a multimodal terminal on a 41-hectare site. It is expected that the terminal will be completed in 2026, and its implementation will speed up the transportation of goods within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: OPEC leaves global oil demand forecasts unchanged for 2025-2026

    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

    VIENNA, May 15 (Xinhua) — The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Wednesday left its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2025-2026 unchanged.

    In its monthly oil market report, OPEC forecasts demand growth of 1.3 million barrels per day in 2025 and about the same in 2026.

    “Total global oil demand is expected to average 105 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025, supported by strong air travel demand and healthy road transport levels, as well as robust industrial, construction and agricultural activity in non-OECD countries,” OPEC said. Its analysts believe that increased capacity and profitability of the petrochemical industry in non-OECD countries will help boost oil demand. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: How China, LAC countries bolster shared development, boost Global South unity

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum and delivers a keynote speech at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Tuesday the launch of five major programs to advance China’s shared development and revitalization with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries at the just concluded fourth ministerial meeting of a key cooperation platform for the two sides in Beijing.

    A container with the words “from Chancay to Shanghai” printed on it is pictured at Yangshan Port, east China’s Shanghai, Dec. 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

    The five programs, ranging from solidarity, development and civilization to peace and people-to-people connectivity, provide a clear roadmap for deepening cooperation and advancing the common goals of both sides.

    Over the past decade since the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum was established, political trust between China and LAC countries has been strengthened, their development strategies aligned, and cultural exchanges promoted.

    FROM SAPLING TO PILLAR

    The seeds of the forum were sown in July 2014, when President Xi paid a state visit to Brazil and attended the first meeting between leaders of China and LAC countries.

    At that meeting in Brasilia almost 11 years ago, the leaders agreed to establish the China-CELAC Forum, an institutional framework to advance the vision of building a China-LAC community with a shared future.

    “At that meeting, President Xi held a very frank dialogue with Latin American leaders, focusing on issues such as poverty alleviation and infrastructure improvement,” recalled Valdemar Carneiro Leao, who witnessed the historic event as then Brazilian ambassador to China.

    “The China-CELAC Forum is a newborn, just like a young shoot sprouting out of the earth, whose sturdy growth into a towering tree needs meticulous cultivation of both sides,” Xi said at the first ministerial meeting of the forum in 2015.

    In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the forum on Tuesday, Xi revisited the metaphor, saying that 10 years on, with dedicated nurturing of both sides, the forum has grown from a tender sapling into a towering tree.

    Having witnessed how China-LAC relations have withstood global turbulence with ever-growing mutual political trust, Leao said Xi’s initiative to create the China-CELAC Forum has a forward-looking vision of the times.

    Since its inception, the forum has grown into a robust platform for cooperation as China and the CELAC Quartet have held eight rounds of foreign ministerial dialogues to date, alongside more than 100 events spanning agricultural production, technological innovation, poverty reduction, green development, disaster response, defense cooperation, think tank exchanges and anti-corruption efforts.

    Meanwhile, a range of institutional platforms, including the China-LAC Sustainable Food Innovation Center and the China-LAC Technology Transfer Center, have also taken root, helping the forum become a pillar of China-LAC cooperation.

    “China-LAC cooperation has experienced a splendid golden decade, and is about to enter an even more promising diamond decade,” said Song Junying, director of the Department for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.

    COMMON GROWTH, SHARED FUTURE

    An electric and combustion dual-power train manufactured by China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) Qingdao Sifang Co., Ltd. awaits departure at the central station in Santiago, Chile, Jan. 19, 2024. (Photo by Jorge Villegas/Xinhua)

    China and LAC countries ride the tide of progress together to pursue win-win cooperation, Xi said on Tuesday, noting that while embracing the trend of economic globalization, the two sides have deepened cooperation in trade, investment, finance, science and technology, infrastructure, among other fields.

    In the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China and LAC countries have implemented more than 200 infrastructure projects, creating over a million jobs and forging a path of cooperation bridging the Pacific.

    Notable examples include the China-LAC satellite cooperation program, which has become a model for high-tech South-South collaboration and the inauguration of Chancay Port in Peru, which has created a new land-and-sea connectivity link between Asia and Latin America.

    China has also signed free trade agreements with Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Nicaragua. Last year, trade between China and LAC countries exceeded 500 billion U.S. dollars for the first time, an increase of over 40 times from the beginning of this century.

    For ordinary people like Leonardo Talledos, an operations control engineer for Colombia’s Bogota Metro Line 1, the significance of China-LAC cooperation today goes far beyond trade figures and project counts — it shapes his career and supports his aspirations.

    Built and operated by Chinese companies, Bogota Metro Line 1 is Colombia’s largest infrastructure project to date. Once operational in 2028, it will cut travel time between terminal stations from nearly three hours to just 27 minutes.

    In 2023, Talledos traveled to Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, for a year-long training program in metro operations, where he witnessed the rapid development of China’s urban transit systems. Inspired by the experience, he returned to Colombia to help compile training materials and operational guidelines for the metro line.

    Trainees from Bogota pose for a group photo during the commencement of a metro operation training program in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 12, 2024. (Xinhua)

    “From the moment we were hired, we were told that being part of this project was being part of Bogota’s history, because it was the beginning, the first line of many lines to come in the future,” said Talledos.

    GREATER SOLIDARITY, BIGGER VOICE

    As part of the Year of the Snake celebrations, Brazilian soprano Marilia Vargas gave a moving performance of the Chinese song “I Love You, China” at Rio de Janeiro’s Municipal Theater. Dressed in a flowing red gown, her voice echoed powerfully throughout the hall.

    Vargas, who has learned many Chinese songs in recent years, said her bond with China has deepened alongside the growth of the China-CELAC Forum. “Since the forum’s foundation, many more opportunities for cultural exchange between LAC countries and China have opened up.”

    She told Xinhua that in the future, she will continue to “explore more Chinese musical treasures” and remain dedicated to advancing cultural exchanges between China and Brazil as well as between China and other LAC countries.

    Over the past decade, cultural exchanges under the China-CELAC Forum have flourished. Joint archaeological projects have yielded substantial results, the number of exchange students has steadily increased, and interest in the Chinese language continues to surge across LAC countries.

    “Mutual respect, diversity, knowledge and understanding” were the words used by Rogelio Rivero, Mexican archaeologist and director of the Archaeological Zone of Teotihuacan, to describe his experience in the cultural exchanges and dialogues held in China.

    Members of China National Symphony Orchestra perform at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sept. 9, 2024. (Photo by Claudia Martini/Xinhua)

    Rivero believes that LAC countries, by strengthening cultural exchanges with China and other Global South countries, will effectively contribute to breaking with “Western-centrism” and balancing unilateral narratives at the global level.

    Despite differences in civilizations and cultures, independence and self-determination remain a shared and defining spirit of the Global South, said Ninfa Montano, president of the China-Mexico Cultural Development Foundation.

    “The China-CELAC Forum unites the strength of the Global South, promoting unity and cooperation among many developing countries, and will contribute to establishing a more just and equitable global governance system,” Montano said.

    Montano’s view was echoed by many analysts, who see the ministerial meeting as a chance to deepen cooperation, address global challenges and reinforce South-South solidarity.

    The cooperation between China and LAC countries has set a model of mutually beneficial South-South collaboration, said Manuel Alberto Hidalgo, economist at Peru’s National University of San Marcos.

    By deepening bilateral partnership, both sides have effectively strengthened solidarity and cooperation in the Global South and made positive contributions to promoting the bloc’s greater role in global governance, he said.

    For Ingrid Chavez, executive director of the Colombian-Chinese Chamber of Investment and Commerce, the cooperation helps build up “a common voice as a bloc,” empowering LAC countries to negotiate more effectively on the global stage.

    It helps LAC countries “establish interregional, multilateral relations and somewhat change the power dynamics that have existed until now at the global level,” she added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Storm recovery in East Coast Bays

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    Following major storms in 2023, Auckland North Community and Development (ANCAD) is working with the Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Office, to facilitate community-led recovery planning in East Coast Bays communities. This is part of a series of partnerships in heavily impacted neighbourhoods across Auckland. Communities are being supported to develop practical plans, which will include activities and priorities to improve well-being and enable them to come out of recovery stronger. 

    A community responds 

    In major 2023 storms, East Coast Bays suburbs like Browns Bay, Mairangi Bay, Murrays Bay and Campbells Bay were hit with flooding and slips, cutting off roads, shops, and vital services. 

    Even emergency services were affected. The Mairangi Bay Surf Lifesaving Club was flooded and forced to relocate — yet still rescued 69 people that day. The club is now working with the community to plan a more resilient future. 

    Around 30 homes in the area have been classified as Category 3, meaning they face serious future risk. These properties are now eligible for council buy-outs, with land use decisions to follow based on safety. 

    Flooding in Mairangi Bay village

    Finding a Way Forward, Together 

    Through a series of community engagements with affected clubs and residents, the top priorities for the community were determined by the community: Knowing Our Neighbours and Leveraging the Community Systems.

    “Two remarkable things stand out about talking with the club management teams severely impacted by the floods: how much care they have for their community, and how resourceful they were to connect with others to help them recover. The community can be so proud to have them as their local leaders,” says Kristi Shaw, community-led storm recovery facilitator in East Coast Bays. 

    “All the conversations so far have had a similar thread – how well we recovered is about how well we have been connected with each other.

    “Our aim is to weave people, groups, and community initiatives to deepen relationships while discovering and leveraging our community systems.” 

    Community initiative and collaboration has developed the Making Visible Workshops and Exhibition to connect residents with each other, and their experiences of living here, now, with the extreme storms. 

    Sharing experiences through artwork 

    Making Visible is a community-led project facilitated by local artist and arts therapist, Wendy Lawson.  

    Through a series of neighbourhood gatherings, residents are invited to bring an object that holds meaning, whether emotionally, symbolically, or as a tangible part of their experience of the storms or storm recovery. Shared stories and objects lead to a co-created artwork that is designed to be temporary, woven from the contributions and materials offered by the group. 

    Wendy knows first-hand what storm impact feels like. 

    Rope used to tether Wendy’s art studio after the 2023 floods; later incorporated into the workshop and exhibition as an object of significance.

    “We’ve already seen how much people care about this coastal landscape and one another. It’s about listening carefully and shaping something meaningful together.” 

    The dynamic artwork, along with shared experiences and insights gathered throughout the workshop, will be curated into the ‘Making Visible’ exhibition at Mairangi Arts Centre from 14–19 June. 

    Get involved 

    If you live in the East Coast Bays and are aged 16 or over, you’re invited to register for one of the upcoming Making Visible Workshops. All you need is a curious mind and a willingness to share. 

    • Sat 17 May, 1pm, Browns Bay Presbyterian Church 
    • Sat 24 May, 1pm, RAFT Studios, Torbay 

    Visit the ANCAD website to register or email kristi@ancad.org.nz for more information. 

    Many hands making together – Making Visible Workshop, process photo.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Reminder: categorisation programme is closed

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    Following recent bad weather, the Recovery Office has noted an increase in homeowners asking to join the categorisation programme.

    While we sympathise with homeowners across the region affected by flooding, we are unable to admit any further properties into the programme.

    The programme was a limited, one-off scheme co-funded by Auckland Council and the Government in response to the 2023 North Island Weather Events.

    Affected homeowners were able to voluntarily register for a risk assessment between June 2023 and October 2024, and the programme was widely publicised over the 15-month period including via regional and national media, paid advertising campaigns, social media, community events and through local MPs and councillors.

    The agreement with the Government requires all category 3 purchases to be completed by the end of 2025.

    Outside of this limited programme, the council does not, categorise private properties to determine risk, and is not funded to acquire properties that are at risk of future flooding.

    The council’s Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience teams, along with Auckland Emergency Management, will continue to help homeowners understand their level of flood risk and what they can do to prepare for future flooding.

    Category 3 and 2P properties progressing

    As you can see in the graphic above, the Category 3 buy-outs are progressing well with 703 properties now settled.

    Category 2P works are also progressing with 17 homeowners having completed their mitigations.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Resilience and unity in Mt Roskill – recovery events

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    Storm recovery efforts are well underway in Mt Roskill, with council and the community working together to build resilience after the major 2023 storms. But recent weather events have been a reminder that the job isn’t over — and that preparing for future storms is just as important as recovering from past ones. 

    Local groups, with support from the recovery planning Wesley and Roskill Leadership Rōpū, are working with flood-affected residents to understand what matters most to them in this space — including how to be better prepared for floods. The goal is to create a Community-Led Recovery Plan that genuinely reflects the needs of the people who live there. 

    Upcoming events will help bring together different voices and experiences, ensuring that everyone’s input shapes the future. The goal is to not just to recover from the 2023 storms, but to be stronger and more ready for what’s ahead. 

    Promoting emergency preparedness 

    Two local groups— Acts of Roskill Kindness (ARK) and Global Hope Missions (GHM) — have multiple projects planned to support connection and preparedness. 

    “With these events we are looking to understand what our community needs to feel recovered after flooding. Alongside that, we are conducting workshops with Auckland Emergency Management, Civil Defence, and other organisations to support these families and encourage them to be prepared so that in the event of a natural disaster our community is more resilient,” says Peter Leilua of ARK and GHM. 

    As part of this series of events, they have launched ‘Road to Recovery’ workshops to help young people in Wesley and Mt Roskill learn about how to stay safe during natural disasters like floods and cyclones.  

    “The 2023 storms caused a great deal of disruption in our families and communities, and a lot of those families are still suffering,” Peter adds. So, we are very excited to have such a diverse group of student leaders from various high schools participating in this community leadership project.”  

    • Road to Recovery youth workshops: Saturday 23 May, 4-6pm followed by the free ‘Love and Light’ gig until 9pm. Roskill Youth Zone, 740 Sandringham Road, Mount Roskill. Performances by KMUX, Irene Folau, Lomez Brown, Switche, Brotherhood MUSIQ, and more. Registrations for workshops are essential. Those wanting to attend are invited to invited scan the QR code to register and answer some storm recovery questions.

    Nik Naidu from the Wesley Whānau Community Hub

    Engaging all communities  

    This Sunday, the Wesley Whānau Community Hub is hosting an Ethnic Communities Festival — a celebration of culture, connection, and recovery — at Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall. 

    “Our Roskill and Wesley communities are amazingly diverse, so our focus is really on hearing from as many different flood-affected locals as we can,” says Nik Naidu, event organiser.  

    “A celebration of ethnic diversity is a great way to start those conversations. We’ll be chatting with people about their experiences of recovery: what kind of support they still need; what a happy and healthy neighbourhood looks like for them; and what might be getting in the way.  

    “Puketāpapa is one of the most diverse areas in Aotearoa, and that’s something we’re proud to reflect in this event.” 

    • Ethnic Communities Festival: Sunday 18 May, 4-8pm, Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall, 15 May Road, Mt Roskill. Supporting Community led Flood Recovery with food, dance, performances and kai vouchers for survey participants. 

    These events are part of a wider local effort to support community-led flood recovery in the Roskill–Wesley area. 

    If you’d like to help out, come along to an event, or share your thoughts, email Heather at thecommunitycollectivenz@gmail.com.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Parliament Hansard Report – Karakia/Prayers – 001474

    Source: Govt’s austerity Budget to cause real harm in communities

    THURSDAY, 15 MAY 2025

    The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.

    KARAKIA/PRAYERS

    TEANAU TUIONO (Assistant Speaker): E te Atua kaha rawa, ka tuku whakamoemiti atu mātou, mō ngā karakia kua waihotia mai ki runga i a mātou. Ka waiho i ō mātou pānga whaiaro katoa ki te taha. Ka mihi mātou ki te Kīngi, me te inoi atu mō te ārahitanga i roto i ō mātou whakaaroarohanga, kia mōhio ai, kia whakaiti ai tā mātou whakahaere i ngā take o te Whare nei, mō te oranga, te maungārongo, me te aroha o Aotearoa. Āmene.

    [Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom and humility, for the welfare, peace, and compassion of New Zealand. Amen.]

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Parliament Hansard Report – Thursday, 15 May 2025 – Volume 784 – 001475

    Source: Govt’s austerity Budget to cause real harm in communities

    THURSDAY, 15 MAY 2025

    The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.

    KARAKIA/PRAYERS

    TEANAU TUIONO (Assistant Speaker): E te Atua kaha rawa, ka tuku whakamoemiti atu mātou, mō ngā karakia kua waihotia mai ki runga i a mātou. Ka waiho i ō mātou pānga whaiaro katoa ki te taha. Ka mihi mātou ki te Kīngi, me te inoi atu mō te ārahitanga i roto i ō mātou whakaaroarohanga, kia mōhio ai, kia whakaiti ai tā mātou whakahaere i ngā take o te Whare nei, mō te oranga, te maungārongo, me te aroha o Aotearoa. Āmene.

    [Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom and humility, for the welfare, peace, and compassion of New Zealand. Amen.]

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches space computing satellite constellation

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

    China launched a Long March-2D rocket on Wednesday, sending 12 satellites into orbit as the first batch of the “Three-Body Computing Constellation.” The mission, led by Zhejiang Lab, marks a major step in China’s space-based computing, aiming to build a network of thousands of satellites with a total computing power of 1,000 peta operations per second (POPS). The constellation will enable real-time in-orbit data processing to boost AI development in space.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s first RRR cut for financial institutions in 2025 takes effect

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

    BEIJING, May 15 — A 0.5-percentage points reduction in the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for eligible financial institutions takes effect Thursday, with the move expected to inject roughly 1 trillion yuan (about 139 billion U.S. dollars) of long-term liquidity into the financial market.

    The RRR cut, the first such move since the start of this year, was announced last week by the People’s Bank of China, China’s central bank.

    The RRR cut was among a raft of supportive measures that also included policy rate cut and increased financial support through relending facilities announced by monetary and financial regulatory bodies recently, as the world’s second-largest economy steps up efforts to stabilize markets and sustain economic recovery amid external headwinds.

    Also starting Thursday, the RRR for auto financing and financial leasing companies is slashed by 5 percentage points to zero percent, with the cut expected to increase the credit supply capacity of these two types of institutions in their respective fields.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2025 World Digital Education Conference opens in Wuhan

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

    This photo taken on May 14, 2025 shows the opening ceremony of the 2025 World Digital Education Conference in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province. Under the theme of “Education Development and Transformation: The Era of Intelligence,” the 2025 World Digital Education Conference opened here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Du Zixuan)

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump meets Syrian interim leader on ties, says willing to make deal with Iran

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

    U.S. President Donald Trump (1st L), Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (C) and Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (R, front) attend a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    U.S. President Donald Trump held a meeting on Wednesday with Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss normalizing bilateral ties, while expressing his willingness to reach a deal with Iran.

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined Trump and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud online during the meeting, Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

    Trump’s meeting with al-Sharaa — the first between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader in decades — took place on the sidelines of a summit between Trump and leaders from Gulf states.

    During the summit, Trump noted in a speech that the normalization of relations between the United States and Syria began with his meeting with al-Sharaa.

    He also called on Syria to join the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel, despite the Israeli military having conducted frequent airstrikes and ground operations in Syria since the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

    On Tuesday, Trump announced at an investment forum in Saudi Arabia that he would lift sanctions on Syria in a major policy shift.

    “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump said, noting that the United States had taken the first steps toward normalizing relations with Damascus.

    During the summit with leaders of the Gulf states, the U.S. president also mentioned the ongoing indirect talks with Iran on Tehran’s nuclear program and the removal of Washington’s sanctions.

    “I want to make a deal with Iran … but for that to happen, it must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease its pursuit of nuclear weapons,” the U.S. president said, while calling on “all nations” to enforce the sanctions he had just placed on Iran, which he described as “the most destructive force” in the region.

    Trump’s remarks prompted a scathing response from Iran, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi saying Trump was employing “sheer deception by misplacing the true source of threat.”

    Trump is on the second day of his first major foreign visit since taking office, which includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

    During his trip to Saudi Arabia, which began on Tuesday, Trump secured investment commitments worth 600 billion U.S. dollars from the Gulf nation. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Boeing, Qatar Airways announce order for up to 210 widebody airplanes

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

    Qatar Airways and Boeing on Wednesday announced the carrier will purchase up to 210 widebody jets, which sets new records as the largest widebody order for Boeing.

    The order includes 130 787 Dreamliners, 30 777-9s, and options for an additional 50 787 and 777X airplanes.

    “We are happy to announce our agreement with Boeing and our partnership in the largest aircraft order in our history,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Badr Mohammed Al-Meer.

    “We are deeply honored that Qatar Airways has placed this record-breaking order with Boeing, one that solidifies their future fleet with our market-leading widebody airplane family at its center,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US stocks close mixed after S&P 500 wipes out 2025 losses

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

    U.S. stocks were little changed on Wednesday as investors took a breather following a strong rally earlier in the week that pushed the S&P 500 into positive territory for the year.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 89.37 points, or 0.21 percent, to 42,051.06. The S&P 500 added 6.03 points, or 0.10 percent, to 5,892.58, extending a two-day rally and moving further into positive territory for the year. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 136.72 points, or 0.72 percent, to 19,146.81.

    Eight of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in red, with health and materials leading the laggards by losing 2.31 percent and 0.96 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, communication services and technology led the gainers by going up 1.58 percent and 0.96 percent, respectively.

    Technology shares led the market, with Nvidia climbing 4.16 percent after it announced plans to deliver 18,000 of its advanced artificial intelligence chips to Saudi Arabia. Fellow chipmaker AMD jumped more than 4 percent, buoyed by news of a 6 billion U.S. dollars share buyback.

    So far this week, the S&P 500 has gained more than 4 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up over 1 percent, and the Nasdaq has surged more than 6 percent. The recent rally has lifted the S&P 500 more than 21 percent from its April 7 intraday low, when it had been down over 20 percent from its all-time high in February.

    The boost in market sentiment follows progress in China-U.S. trade talks in Geneva. Earlier this week, the United States cut its tariffs on Chinese imports to 30 percent, while China reduced its duties on U.S. goods to 10 percent. These steps eased fears of a full-blown trade war, after the two countries had threatened to impose tariffs above 100 percent last month.

    “While this progress has led to a likely peak in investor fear and policy uncertainty, there are still a lot of unknowns over where tariff rates will ultimately land,” said Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist at LPL Financial.

    On Wednesday, American Eagle (AEO) joined a slew of retailers pulling their 2025 guidance due to macro uncertainty.

    “However, for now, investors have embraced the de-escalatory backdrop, especially the tariff reprieve deal reached with China over the weekend,” said Turnquist.

    According to Deutsche Bank, U.S. equities are likely to continue outperforming in the near term, thanks to the easing trade tensions. However, Deutsche Bank strategist Maximilian Uleer noted in a Wednesday report that, despite the tariff relief, the long-term burden of trade policy may still weigh more heavily on U.S. companies than their European counterparts. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Real Madrid top Mallorca to put Barca party on hold

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

    FC Barcelona will have to wait until at least Thursday night to confirm this season’s La Liga title after a goal from Real Madrid youngster Jacobo Ramon gave his side a 2-1 win at home to Mallorca on Wednesday night.

    The B-team player scored with a flick over Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Roman in virtually the last second of a game that looked to be heading for a draw that would have made Barcelona champions before its game at Espanyol on Thursday.

    Mallorca took the lead against an injury-hit Madrid side when Martin Valjent opened the scoring in the 11th minute.

    Endrick, Jude Bellingham and Mbappe all saw efforts saved by Roman, who was Mallorca’s best player with 11 saves on the night.

    Mbappe finally hit the back of the net midway through the second half, and Madrid kept up the pressure until Ramon’s goal that keeps the title race alive for at least 24 hours.

    Villarreal moved level on points with fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao with an impressive win at home to Leganes.

    Ayoze Perez scored on 22 and 30 minutes to give Villarreal a comfortable lead, with Nicolas Pepe making it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time.

    The result means Leganes is staring relegation in the face after Alaves won 1-0 at home to Valencia.

    A 79th-minute penalty from Joan Jordan after Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was harshly judged to have fouled Santiago Mourino decided the match, and leaves Alaves four points above Leganes with two games remaining.

    Leganes has to win its two remaining matches against Valladolid and Las Palmas, and hope Alaves fails to take two points from its matches against Valladolid and Osasuna.

    Wednesday’s results mean Las Palmas is mathematically relegated after Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Sevilla, which is now safe from the drop. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches scientific expedition to glacial headwaters of Yellow River

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

    China launches scientific expedition to glacial headwaters of Yellow River

    Xinhua | May 15, 2025

    A scientific expedition to Mount Anyemaqen, a critical water conservation area at the headwaters of the Yellow River, was launched Tuesday in Xining, capital of northwest China’s Qinghai Province, as part of the country’s broader efforts to protect its second-longest river.

    Researchers will monitor changes in glaciers, permafrost and water resources to better understand the region’s response to climate change. The findings are expected to guide long-term ecological protection and restoration strategies, according to the organizers of the expedition.

    Located in the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Mount Anyemaqen is the largest snow-capped mountain in the Yellow River source area. The mountain is home to more than 40 glaciers, key components of the cryosphere and sensitive indicators of climate change.

    With more than 100 square kilometers of glacial coverage, the area plays a vital role in maintaining water levels in source lakes that feed the Yellow River.

    “With global warming, the glaciers of Mount Anyemaqen are experiencing profound changes,” said Hou Guangliang, a professor at Qinghai Normal University’s school of geographical sciences. “We’re seeing declining glacier surface elevations, rapidly retreating glacier tongues and more frequent ice avalanches.”

    Experts say the research will support China’s broader efforts to safeguard water security and biodiversity in the Yellow River basin amid global changes.

    The mission is being led by the Sanjiangyuan Ecological Protection Foundation, the Three-River-Source National Park administration, and Qinghai Normal University.

    The Yellow River, measuring 5,464 km in length, originates in Qinghai Province and flows through Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan, before passing through Shandong in east China and emptying into the Bohai Sea. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Sichuan strives to boost brain-computer interface industry

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

    China’s Sichuan strives to boost brain-computer interface industry

    Xinhua | May 15, 2025

    Southwest China’s Sichuan Province has joined other cities and provinces in an effort to make the region a national leader in brain-computer interface (BCI) and human-machine interaction technologies.

    The Sichuan government released an action plan on Monday, outlining ambitious targets for the province to achieve before 2030. These targets include conducting 3,000 invasive BCI surgeries every year, assisting over 100,000 patients with neurodegenerative, mental health or digital addiction issues, and applying BCI-based rehabilitation devices for more than 20,000 users annually.

    The action plan was jointly released by eight government departments, including the provincial department of economy and information technology.

    According to Chengdu Jasmines Bio Tech Inc., a Sichuan-based biotech company dedicated to developing clinical applications for neurodegenerative diseases, the policy is expected to boost innovation, strengthen industry collaboration, and expand application scenarios, opening up greater opportunities for business growth.

    Sichuan’s plan is part of a broader national push. Since the beginning of this year, local governments across China have rolled out a series of favorable policies to support the development of the BCI industry.

    In January, Beijing released an action plan focused on expanding funding channels and encouraging early-stage investment to accelerate the sector’s growth.

    Shanghai followed with its own initiative, aiming to tackle key scientific challenges in BCI technology and promote product innovation through improved integration of resources.

    According to Qianzhan Industry Research Institute, the global BCI market was worth 1.98 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 and is expected to surpass 6 billion dollars by 2028.

    The institute predicts that China’s BCI market will surpass 120 billion yuan (about 16.68 billion U.S. dollars) by 2040, with a compound annual growth rate of about 26 percent. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Van Orden Votes to Advance Agriculture Committee Reconciliation Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin 3rd)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) released the following statement after voting to pass the House Agriculture Committee’s budget reconciliation bill:

     

    “Transparency, sustainability, accountability: these are the three things this bill delivers for the American people. Every SNAP dollar fraudulently spent is a dollar that does not go toward feeding a hungry child. That is why we are holding states accountable for their waste, fraud, abuse, and ensuring benefits are directed to the Americans who need them most. 

    “Being fiscally responsible and protecting benefits for vulnerable Americans can exist in the same universe. I am grateful to Chairman Thompson for working with me to adjust state cost-sharing responsibilities based on SNAP error rates. It is fair, proportional, and incentivizes good program management by holding high-error states accountable without dragging the states with smaller error rates, like Wisconsin, down with them.”

    The House Agriculture Committee’s reconciliation bill includes the following provisions that will save billions of taxpayer dollars while protecting vulnerable populations and rural communities:

    • Increasing the dairy Tier I cap
    • Investing in agriculture research
    • Bolstering trade promotion
    • Strengthening the farm safety net
    • Encouraging states to administer SNAP program benefits more efficiently and effectively
    • Limiting a state’s ability to exploit loopholes that allowed them to inflate SNAP benefits
    • Strengthening SNAP work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents
    • Refocusing SNAP eligibility on American citizens and legal permanent residents

    Prior to markup, Rep. Van Orden delivered opening remarks on the committee’s bill. Click here to watch.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Salinas Votes Against “Cruel and Inhumane” Republican Budget in Agriculture Committee

    Source: US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) issued the following statement after voting against advancing Republicans’ budget bill out of the House Agriculture Committee: 

    “This Republican budget bill is both cruel and inhumane. It punishes working families, taking away their health care and threatening food assistance for over 800,000 Oregonians. This legislation hurts farmers and small business owners who depend on SNAP purchases as a critical source of income, and it leaves Oregon’s rural communities without enough resources to fight wildfires and other natural disasters. What’s more, Republicans are doing all of this just so they can give more tax breaks to their billionaire donors.

    Over the last two days, my Democratic colleagues and I have been working tirelessly to stop this disastrous legislation from moving forward out of the Agriculture Committee. We introduced dozens of amendments, many of them straightforward fixes that would have protected food assistance for children and ensured fired Forest Service workers are reinstated ahead of wildfire season. Yet at every turn, Republicans refused to work with us and were often absent from the committee room as we held these important discussions.

    By forcing through this harmful legislation, Republicans have also shot down any chance of a truly bipartisan Farm Bill getting passed this Congress. They have sold out our farmers, seniors, veterans, and rural communities in order to line the pockets of Elon Musk and his rich friends. My constituents deserve better, and I will keep fighting to stop these massive cuts and protect Oregonians’ hard-earned benefits.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: APEC Forecasts 2.6% Growth in 2025, Urges Action to Eliminate Trade Policy Uncertainty Jeju, Republic of Korea | 15 May 2025 Issued by the APEC Policy Support Unit Economic growth in the APEC region is forecast to moderate to 2.6 and 2.7 percent in 2025 and 2026, a sharp drop from the 3.6 percent growth recorded in 2024.

    Source: APEC – Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

    Growth in the APEC region is expected to slow sharply in 2025, as escalating trade tensions and policy uncertainty weigh on investment and trade, according to a new economic report released by the APEC Policy Support Unit ahead of the Ministers Responsible of Trade Meeting in Jeju.

    While challenges persist, the report highlights an opportunity for member economies to strengthen cooperation and build resilience through structural reforms and open trade.

    Economic growth in the APEC region is forecast to moderate to 2.6 and 2.7 percent in 2025 and 2026, a sharp drop from the 3.6 percent growth recorded in 2024. This downward revision underscores the persistent weight of policy uncertainty on the regional economy, especially in areas such as trade and investment. The report also draws attention to mounting structural challenges.

    “From tariff hikes and retaliatory measures to the suspension of trade facilitation procedures and the proliferation of non-tariff barriers, we are witnessing an environment that is not conducive to trade,” said Carlos Kuriyama, Director of the APEC Policy Support Unit.

    “This uncertainty is hurting business confidence and leading many firms to delay investments and new product launches until the situation becomes more predictable,” Kuriyama added.

    The report shows that economic and trade activity across the 21 APEC member economies has slowed considerably. APEC’s export volume is projected to grow by just 0.4 percent in 2025, while import volume is expected to rise by only 0.1 percent. This marks a steep decline from 2024, when export and import volumes grew by 5.7 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively.

    Kuriyama emphasized that rising protectionist moves and unfair trade practices—such as increased subsidies—have created an environment where firms are pausing decisions and holding back on cross-border activities.

    “What worries us a lot is that all of these uncertainties could affect jobs,” he said.

    The report also notes that financial markets have reacted to the uncertainty. The global volatility index spiked to 52 points in April, more than triple the 2023–2024 average, while gold surged to USD3,200 per troy ounce in early May as investors fled to safe-haven assets.

    “The global economic picture is highly fragile,” said Rhea C. Hernando, an analyst with the APEC Policy Support Unit. “General government debt across APEC is projected to hit 110 percent of GDP through 2030. At the same time, we’re confronting long-term demographic shifts, including a shrinking workforce and an ageing population. The fiscal and structural stress is real.”

    Adding to these concerns, the report highlights a rising wave of discriminatory non-tariff measures, in particular subsidies measures distorting trade.

    “Fragmented and reactionary trade policies are becoming the norm,” said Glacer Vasquez, co-author of the report. “While some economies pursue trade-facilitating reforms, these are often offset by inward-looking protectionist measures. This divergence is hampering regional cohesion.”

    Despite these headwinds, the report emphasizes that the current moment presents a critical opportunity for economies to work together. Kuriyama urged APEC economies to recommit to cooperation and stability. He noted that restoring confidence in trade requires not only easing tensions, but also expanding into new markets, strengthening supply chain resilience and improving transparency of trade rules and procedures.

    “This is not the time to retreat behind borders. This is the time to double down on cooperation,” he concluded. “Through collective action, APEC economies can navigate uncertainty and lay the groundwork for a more resilient, prosperous future.”

    Read the APEC Regional Trends Analysis, May 2025.

    For further information or media inquiries, please contact:
    [email protected]

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Return of the huia? Why Māori worldviews must be part of the ‘de-extinction’ debate

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nic Rawlence, Associate Professor in Ancient DNA, University of Otago

    A museum specimen of the extinct huia. Wikimedia Commons/Auckland Museum collection, CC BY-SA

    The recent announcement of the resurrection of the dire wolf generated considerable global media attention and widespread scientific criticism.

    But beyond the research questions, there are other issues we must consider – in particular, the lack of Indigenous voices in discussions about de-extinction.

    It is undeniable that biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences achieved a major scientific breakthrough. It has successfully changed the genome of a vertebrate species, introduced desired traits, and created apparently healthy hybrid wolf pups.

    The main scientific criticisms were that genetically engineering gray wolves with dire wolf traits doesn’t constitute de-extinction. And regardless of the achievement, we still have to ask whether we should bring back extinct species in the first place.

    But given the company’s goals of resurrecting species significant to Indigenous groups, including the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) and the moa, it is vital Indigenous views contribute to decisions.

    Gene technologies in conservation

    Colossal Biosciences’ achievement shows the potential of new gene-editing technologies to contribute to conservation efforts. This could include introducing desirable traits into threatened species or removing harmful ones.

    It could even mean creating ecological equivalents of extinct species, as the company has suggested.

    In Aotearoa New Zealand, hapori Māori (tribal groups) are the kaitiaki (guardians) of many threatened taonga (treasured) species. There is growing international interest in the resurrection of some of New Zealand’s extinct birds, including the moa, Haast’s eagle and huia, despite Māori concerns.

    Their voices in this debate are crucial, as are those of other Indigenous groups when biotech proposals are relevant to them.

    Colossal Biosciences has an Indigenous Council (made up of North American Indian Nations) and has established an advisory committee for the thylacine de-extinction project with Indigenous representation.

    New Zealand has lost several bird species, including the moa, Haast’s eagle and huia.
    Paul Martinson, CC BY-SA

    But in our engagements with Māori from around the country over the past decade, we’ve found virtually no Māori support for the de-extinction of taonga species.

    Lost ecosystems and opportunity costs

    One reason we have heard involves a lack of suitable habitats for de-extinct species. Most of Aotearoa New Zealand is highly modified, with only 25% of native forest remaining. This requires ongoing predator control.

    That means there are very few suitable sites to release de-extinct species. For some lost ecosystems, there is no suitable analogue at all. The effort required to establish and manage sites would be substantial.

    There would also need to be ongoing financial resourcing to support kaitiaki responsibilities, which would be expected of Māori communities within whose rohe (traditional boundaries) de-extinct species might be released.

    In our view, kaitiaki prefer gene technology funding to be spent on applications that support their guardianship role, such as environmental DNA. Or they would like it expanded for the management of remaining and often threatened taonga species.

    Without new funding, there is a real opportunity-cost risk of money being pulled from other areas, potentially resulting in further extinctions of endangered taonga species.

    In all likelihood, maintaining a genetically diverse population of a de-extinct species (with at least 500 individuals) would be a challenging exercise, given how slowly New Zealand’s taonga species breed.

    Treaty breaches and tikanga

    Without meaningful Māori support and involvement, the release of a de-extinct species would effectively constitute a breach of Article Two of te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi). The te reo Māori version states Māori have exclusive rights to taonga.

    This is also the essence of the Waitangi Tribunal WAI262 claim that Māori have intellectual property rights over flora and fauna. Māori have whakapapa (genealogy) relationships with taonga species and a moral obligation to look after their welfare and the taiao (environment) they are in.

    This has led to concerns that altering the whakapapa of an existing species to resemble another species is unnatural and disrespectful (compared to natural hybridisation). This could have negative consequences for hybrid species as well as other organisms and the taiao.

    Hybrids may not be sufficiently adapted to existing threats (such as introduced mammalian predators) or the new environments they find themselves in. Conversely, they could be so well adapted they disrupt the ecosystem and become a pest.

    There are long-held concerns that Māori have been excluded from conversations about applying gene technologies. This is despite the successful use of tikanga-based frameworks (customs) for evaluating specific uses of the technologies in individual cases.

    These concerns include potential biopiracy, bioprospecting and trademarking of taonga species by overseas companies. They are echoed in submissions to the draft Gene Technology Bill, which all but eliminates Māori consultation on the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment.

    Looking to the future

    Without substantive Māori involvement, internationally led and resourced de-extinction of a taonga species could well become yet another negative colonisation experience.

    Such conversations need to involve a wide range of Māori, and employ tikanga-based protocols, to ensure sufficiently thorough and holistic evaluation of potential de-extinction projects.

    There is currently nothing to stop biotechnology companies utilising specimens of taonga species housed in museums worldwide.

    We argue that addressing these issues and reaching a national consensus should be a prerequisite for any application of gene-editing technology in conservation, whether it is to suppress pest species or support struggling taonga species.

    Many of the concerns raised by Māori will no doubt be shared by Indigenous people around the world. They need to be part of the conversation and critical commentary around de-extinction and potential reintroduction of organisms into the wild. Their knowledge of environmental management, which dates back hundreds to tens of thousands of years, is something we must learn from.

    Phillip Wilcox receives research funding from various NZ government sources. He is co-chair of Te Ira Tātai Whakaeke Trust, a Māori-owned charitable trust aimed at promoting ethically appropriate use of genomic technologies for the benefit of Māori communities, particularly Māori health.

    Nic Rawlence 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. Return of the huia? Why Māori worldviews must be part of the ‘de-extinction’ debate – https://theconversation.com/return-of-the-huia-why-maori-worldviews-must-be-part-of-the-de-extinction-debate-255605

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Curious Kids: if our eyes see upside down, how does the brain flip the picture?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Joyce, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Southern Queensland

    I heard that we see upside down, but our brain flips the image. How does it do that?

    –Jasmine, Mount Evelyn, Victoria

    Our eyes work thanks to light. Objects we can see are either sources of light themselves – like a candle or a phone screen – or light bounces off them and makes its way to our eyes.

    First, light passes through the optical components of the eyes such as the cornea, pupil and lens.

    Together, they help focus the light onto the retina that senses light, while also controlling the intensity of light to help us see well while avoiding damage to the eye.

    The function of the lens is to correctly focus light that comes from objects at different distances. This process is known as accommodation.


    Marochkina Anastasiia/Shutterstock

    While performing this important task, light passing through the lens becomes inverted. This means that light from the top of the object falls lower on the retina than light from the bottom, which falls higher on the retina.

    So, light exiting the lens to land on the retina is indeed flipped upside down. But that doesn’t mean the brain is actually flipping the picture “back”. Here’s why.

    The orientation doesn’t actually matter

    While the light being interpreted by the brain is “upside down” compared to the real world, the question is: is that actually a problem for us?

    From your own experience you can tell the answer is probably no. We seem to navigate and interact with the world just fine.

    So, where in the brain is the image flipped or rotated 180 degrees to be the “right way up” again?

    You may be surprised to learn that vision scientists reject the idea a flipping or rotation needs to happen at all. This is because of how our brains process visual information.

    The object you perceive is “encoded” by the firing of various neurons – brain cells that process information – in various locations in the brain. This pattern of firing is what encodes the information about the object you’re focusing on. That info takes into account the object’s relation to everything else in the scene, your body in the world, and your movements.

    As long as the relative encodings of these are all consistent with one another, as well as stable, there’s no need for a flip to happen at all.

    We can function with ‘upside down’ goggles!

    Several studies have looked at how we adapt to large changes in visual input by asking people to wear goggles that flip the image coming in.

    This means the image lands on the retina the “right way up”, so to speak, but upside down from what the brain has learned it should be.

    In the 1930s, two scientists in Austria performed the Innsbruck Goggle Experiments. For weeks or even months at a time, participants in these studies wore goggles that altered the way the world around them looked. This included goggles that turn the incoming image upside down.

    A person blinks while wearing an ‘invertoscope’ – goggles that turn the incoming image upside down.
    Dmitry Hoh/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    As you can imagine, people wearing these goggles at first found it really difficult to get by in their day-to-day activities. They would stumble and bump into things.

    But this was temporary.

    Participants reported seeing the world upside-down for the first few days, with difficulties navigating the environment, including trying to step over ceiling lights that appeared to them as on the floor.

    Around the fifth day, however, performance seemed to improve. Things that were at first seen upside down now appeared the right way up, and this tended to improve with more time.

    In other words, with continued exposure to the upside-down world, the brain adapted to the changed input.

    More recent studies are beginning to identify which areas of the brain are involved in being able to adapt to changes in visual input, and what the limits of our ability to adapt might be.

    Adaptation may even allow “colour blind” people to see colour better than is predicted from their condition.

    Daniel Joyce 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. Curious Kids: if our eyes see upside down, how does the brain flip the picture? – https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-if-our-eyes-see-upside-down-how-does-the-brain-flip-the-picture-254303

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: AUSTRAC flags AML/CTF concerns, orders audit of Mercedes Benz Financial Services

    Source: Australian Department of Communications

    AUSTRAC has ordered the appointment of an external auditor to Mercedes Benz Financial Services Australia after raising concerns about the financier’s compliance with the AML/CTF Act.
    Among the concerns were serious issues such as assuming most customers were low risk, a lack of systems to identify and escalate suspicious matters, and inadequate transaction monitoring.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Participate in a menu and mealtime review

    Source:

    Residential aged care providers can express interest in receiving a free, onsite menu and mealtime review from an accredited practising dietitian. The review will help you get ready for the new Aged Care Quality Standard 6: Food and nutrition, starting 1 July. Express interest by 9 June.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Baird Applauds Passage of House Agriculture Committee’s Section of the One Big, Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Congressman Baird Applauds Passage of House Agriculture Committee’s Section of the One Big, Beautiful Bill

    Washington, May 14, 2025

    Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) released the following statement after the House Agriculture Committee markup and passage of the committee’s portion of the One Big, Beautiful Bill:

    “I was proud to vote to advance the House Agriculture Committee’s portion of the One Big, Beautiful Bill. This legislation represents an important step toward passing the Farm Bill to properly invest in our farmers, growers, and producers and prioritize rural America. The Agriculture Committee’s portion of this bill also enacts common-sense reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Throughout the process, I was deeply disappointed to hear my Democrat colleagues repeatedly fearmonger and mislead the American public. These reforms simply do not leave children, the elderly, veterans, or other Americans in need without a lifeline or access to nutrition. Instead, this bill prevents non-citizens, except green card holders, from receiving federal SNAP benefits, closes loopholes in work requirement waivers, corrects the Biden Administration’s overreach, roots out fraud, and creates incentives for Americans to find opportunities that lift them out of poverty. Republicans are putting our farmers and American citizens first and strengthening our federal programs for those truly in need. I look forward to passing this legislation through the full House and Senate and sending this One Big, Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s desk soon.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Daily progress for Thursday, 15 May 2025

    Source:

    Order Paper for Thursday, 15 May 2025

    2.00pm

    Speaker’s ruling

    The Speaker gave a ruling relating to oral questions.

    Business statement

    Hon Chris Bishop, Leader of the House, made a statement about the business of the House for the sitting week commencing on Tuesday, 20 May 2025.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advisory: Hui to further raise awareness on health woes

    Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation
    NZNO’s Ōtautahi/Canterbury members will join local leaders and politicians to talk about the dire state of their local hospitals and the public health system at a hui on Thursday.
    New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) will be supported by their Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) and E tū colleagues at the event to raise public awareness and place further pressure on the Government to increase funding for health.
    Included among the evening’s speakers is long-serving and long-suffering enrolled nurse Debbie Handisides who says the Government needs to immediately plug the sinking ship that is health care.
    Other speakers include Patient Voice Aotearoa’s Malcolm Mulholland, Councillor and mayoral candidate Sara Templeton, an ASMS spokesperson, Spinal Trust National Programme manager Andrew Hall, NZNO President Anne Daniels and a nursing student representative.
    Interview and photo opportunities available
    WHEN: Thursday, 15 May 2025
    TIME: 5.30pm-7pm
    WHERE: Aldersgate Centre, 309 Durham Street North, Christchurch
    Community members are welcome.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 05/14/2025 Blackburn, Barrasso, Daines, Lankford Raise Concerns with Biden-Era IRS Initiative Targeting Main Street Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.),Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) urged the U.S. Department of the Treasury to review the Biden administration’s harmful Internal Revenue Service (IRS) pass-through compliance unit that has been operating within the Large Business and International (LB&I) division. It appears the pass-through compliance unit, established by the Biden administration, was motivated by ideology rather than principles of sound tax administration.  

    Pass-Through Entities Are the Bulk of Main Street Businesses That Serve as Backbone of Our Economy

    “Pass-through entities form the bulk of Main Street businesses across the country. This includes countless family businesses, professional services firms, and real estate ventures that serve as the backbone of our local economies. Taxpayers have the lawful right to choose these structures for benefits like liability protection, operational flexibility, and simplified tax filing. The creation of an enforcement unit specifically focused on pass-through entities raises legitimate concerns about whether the focus is on improving compliance or simply targeting specific business structures based on institutional prejudice.” 

    Audits Are Particularly Challenging for Smaller Businesses to Navigate

    “This type of targeting is problematic no matter the size of the business, but is especially challenging for smaller businesses who have fewer resources to navigate such audits. In particular, the IRS’s October 2024 announcement about the unit stated that, going forward, ‘LB&I will be responsible for starting pass-through exams, regardless of entity size’ and touted ‘removing the entity-size barrier’ as a means to increase audit rates. This shift subjects small businesses traditionally handled by the Small Business/Self-Employed (SB/SE) division to LB&I’s complex examination procedures designed for sophisticated taxpayers. Most American small businesses lack the resources to navigate these intensive audits, creating disproportionate compliance burdens despite prior assurances that taxpayers under $400,000 would not face increased enforcement relative to historical levels.”

    Under this Program, IRS Could Unfairly Target Legitimate Business Structures

    “The IRS’s news release also referenced targeting ‘complex arrangements’ without providing clear definitions, creating the impression that legitimate business structures could be unfairly targeted based on their legal structure rather than actual compliance risk. Even more concerning, the announcement explicitly states that the bureaucratic changes were designed primarily to ‘achieve its goal of increased audit rates in this complex area’ rather than to address legitimate compliance concerns derived from an evidence-based risk assessment. This focus on increasing audits rathe than improving compliance suggests an agenda-driven approach to enforcement.”

    Click here to read the full letter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney speaks with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, spoke with the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.

    Prime Minister Sánchez congratulated Prime Minister Carney on his election. The leaders discussed building on the strong bilateral relationship between Canada and Spain. This includes expanding trade and commercial ties, growing defence partnerships, and upholding international security.

    The prime ministers agreed to remain in close contact.

    Associated Link

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police appealing for information after house fire, Cobden

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police investigating a house fire in Cobden are appealing for information from the public.

    At around 12.10am on Wednesday 14 May, Police were notified of a house fire on Bright Street.

    A scene guard was put in place overnight and Police conducted a scene examination with a Fire and Emergency New Zealand fire investigator today.

    The house fire is being treated as suspicious at this stage.

    Police would like to hear from anyone who may have CCTV or dashcam footage in the surrounding Bright Street area from 11pm Tuesday to 12am Wednesday.

    If you have any information that could assist Police’s investigation, please contact us online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.

    Please use the reference number 250515/5998.

    Information can also be provided through Crime Stoppers through 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –