NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • United Nations to vote to demand immediate Gaza ceasefire over US, Israel opposition

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The United Nations General Assembly will vote on Thursday on a draft resolution that demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the war in Gaza after the United States vetoed a similar effort in the Security Council last week.

    The 193-member General Assembly is likely to adopt the text with overwhelming support, diplomats say, despite Israel lobbying countries this week against taking part in what it called a “politically-motivated, counter-productive charade.”

    General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry weight as a reflection of the global view on the war. Previous demands by the body for an end to the war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas have been ignored. Unlike the U.N. Security Council, no country has a veto in the General Assembly.

    Thursday’s vote also comes ahead of a U.N. conference next week that aims to reinvigorate an international push for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The United States has urged countries not to attend.

    In a note seen by Reuters, the U.S. warned that “countries that take anti-Israel actions on the heels of the conference will be viewed as acting in opposition to U.S. foreign policy interests and could face diplomatic consequences.”

    The U.S. last week vetoed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that also demanded an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” and unhindered aid access in Gaza, arguing it would undermine U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire.

    The other 14 countries on the council voted in favor of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, where the U.N. warns famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month.

    ‘FALSE AND DEFAMATORY’

    The draft resolution to be voted on by the General Assembly on Thursday demands the release of hostages held by Hamas, the return of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

    It demands unhindered aid access and “strongly condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and the unlawful denial of humanitarian access and depriving civilians … of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supply and access.”

    “This is both false and defamatory,” Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon wrote in a letter to U.N. member states, sent on Tuesday and seen by Reuters.

    Danon described the General Assembly draft resolution as an “immensely flawed and harmful text,” urging countries not to take part in what he said was a “farce” that undermines hostage negotiations and fails to condemn Hamas.

    In October 2023 the General Assembly called for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza with 120 votes in favor. In December 2023, 153 countries voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Then in December last year the body demanded – with 158 votes in favor – an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire.

    The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel in an October 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave, according to Israeli tallies. Many of those killed or captured were civilians.

    Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. They say civilians have borne the brunt of the attacks and that thousands more bodies have been lost under rubble.

    -Reuters

  • Australia confident AUKUS submarine pact will proceed amid U.S. review

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Australia‘s Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday he was confident the AUKUS submarine pact with the U.S. and Britain would proceed, and his government would work closely with the U.S. while the Trump administration conducted a formal review.

    Australia in 2023 committed to spend A$368 billion ($239 billion) over three decades on AUKUS, the country’s biggest ever defence project with the United States and Britain, to acquire and build nuclear-powered submarines.

    A Pentagon official said the administration was reviewing AUKUS to ensure it was “aligned with the President’s America First agenda”, on the eve of expected talks between President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

    In an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio interview, Marles said AUKUS was in the strategic interests of all three countries and the new review of the deal signed in 2021 when Joe Biden was the U.S. president was not a surprise.

    “I am very confident this is going to happen,” he said of AUKUS, which would give Australia nuclear-powered submarines.

    “This is a multi-decade plan. There will be governments that come and go and I think whenever we see a new government, a review of this kind is going to be something which will be undertaken,” Marles told the ABC.

    Albanese is expected to meet Trump for the first time next week on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Canada, where the security allies will discuss a request from Washington for Australia to increase defence spending from 2% to 3.5% of gross domestic product.

    Albanese has said defence spending would rise to 2.3% and has declined to commit to the U.S. target.

    The opposition Liberal party on Thursday pressed Albanese to increase defence spending.

    Under AUKUS, Australia was scheduled to make a $2 billion payment in 2025 to the U.S. to help boost its submarine shipyards and speed up lagging production rates of Virginia-class submarines to allow the sale of up to three U.S. submarines to Australia from 2032.

    The first $500 million payment was made when Marles met with his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth in February.

    US NOT MEETING PRODUCTION TARGETS

    The Pentagon’s top policy adviser Elbridge Colby, who has previously expressed concern the U.S. would lose submarines to Australia at a critical time for military deterrence against China, will be a key figure in the review, examining the production rate of Virginia-class submarines, Marles said.

    “It is important that those production and sustainment rates are improved,” he added.

    AUKUS would grow the U.S. and Australian defence industries and generate thousands of manufacturing jobs, Marles said in a statement.

    John Lee, an Australian Indo-Pacific expert at Washington’s conservative Hudson Institute think tank, said the Pentagon review was “primarily an audit of American capability” and whether it can afford to sell up to five nuclear powered submarines when it was not meeting its own production targets.

    “Relatedly, the low Australian defence spending and ambiguity as to how it might contribute to a Taiwan contingency is also a factor,” Lee said.

    John Hamre, the president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and a former senior Pentagon official, told a Lowy Institute seminar in Sydney on Thursday there is a perception in Washington “the Albanese government has been supportive of AUKUS but not really leaning in on AUKUS“, and defence spending is part of this.

    Under the multi-stage pact, four U.S. commanded Virginia submarines will be hosted at a Western Australian navy base on the Indian Ocean from 2027, which a senior U.S. Navy commander told Congress in April gives the U.S. a “straight shot to the South China Sea”.

    Albanese wants to buy three Virginia submarines from 2032 to bring its submarine force under Australian command.

    Britain and Australia will jointly build a new AUKUS-class submarine expected to come into service from 2040. Following a recent defence review, Britain said it would boost spending on its attack submarine fleet under AUKUS.

    Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who struck the AUKUS deal with Biden, said on Thursday Australia should “make the case again” for the treaty.

    AUKUS would build more submarines across the three partners and was “fundamentally about strengthening collective deterrence, particularly in the Indo-Pacific against potential adversaries”, he wrote on LinkedIn.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Brown leads 21 states opposing Trump’s military deployment in California

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – Attorney General Nick Brown today filed an amicus brief with leaders from 21 states supporting California’s request for a court order blocking the president’s unlawful federalization and deployment of that state’s National Guard.

    “The president is escalating events in Los Angeles not to prevent violence, but to stoke fear and division,” Brown said. “It’s a deliberate enticement to chaos. It’s unlawful, it’s undemocratic, and Washington state would act swiftly to protect our residents if the president did the same here.”

    The amicus brief outlines how Trump’s action is wholly inconsistent with our nation’s founding principle that freedom depends on the subordination of the military to civilian authority.

    “By calling forth troops when there is no invasion to repel, no rebellion to suppress, and when state and local law enforcement is fully able to execute the laws, the President flouts the vision of our Founders, undermines the rule of law, and sets a chilling precedent that puts the constitutional rights of Americans in every state at risk,” the brief reads.

    The president’s memo federalizing the Guard does not restrict these actions to just Los Angeles, California, or any specific U.S. region. Instead, it is an unlimited claim of presidential authority to deploy the National Guards of any state for the next 60 days. The states have an interest in standing up against this unnecessary and legally unjustified military call-up.

    The states also have an interest in ensuring their National Guards are available to perform the essential services they provide the states on an ongoing basis. They provide critical services responding to natural disasters, counter-drug operations, and cybersecurity support, among other daily contributions to public safety. This unlawful federalization pulls volunteer service members away from performing vital services, and states are not in a position to replace them.

    The president’s unlawful and unconstitutional use of the military has exacerbated safety issues and threatened constitutionally protected activity under the First Amendment. Every state has an interest in protecting their residents from these threats.

    The brief is led by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings. Others joining are the state attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly also joined the brief.

    Document: Amicus Brief 

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties.

    Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What’s the potential effect of sanctions on Israeli ministers? Here’s what my research shows

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anton Moiseienko, Senior Lecturer in Law, Australian National University

    Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK this week announced sanctions against two members of the Israeli cabinet: National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

    This is a momentous development. The governments concerned make it clear that they consider Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to be involved in “serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”, including “a serious abuse of the right of individuals not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.

    This is an allegation rarely levelled against sitting ministers of a democratic state, predictably causing the Israeli government to protest.

    While diplomatic consequences play out, what are sanctions anyway, and what do they mean for Ben-Gvir and Smotrich?

    3 direct consequences

    “Sanctions” is a broad umbrella term. Whole countries can be sanctioned, but so can be individuals.

    Sanctions on individuals are imposed by means of a government placing them on its national sanctions list, such as Australia’s Consolidated List (which now features both Ben-Gvir and Smotrich).

    Three direct consequences flow from such a sanctions designation.

    First, all of the sanctioned person’s assets in the relevant country are frozen. This means that, while in principle they remain the sanctioned person’s property, they cannot be used or sold. This places those assets in limbo, potentially for a very long time.

    Second, no person within the sanctioning state’s jurisdiction – that is, no one in its territory, nor any of its citizens or residents – is allowed to make money or other resources available for the benefit of the sanctioned person.

    So, it is an offence for anyone in Australia to send funds to anyone on the Consolidated List. Interestingly, there is no prohibition on receiving money from sanctioned persons.

    Third, sanctioned persons are subject to an entry ban.

    So, if a foreigner is sanctioned by the Australian government, their permission to enter Australia will be denied or revoked.

    Legal challenges are possible. For example, in 2010, the daughter of a Burmese general studying at Western Sydney University unsuccessfully sued the foreign minister for sanctioning her and cancelling her visa based on her family ties.

    The sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are what’s known as “Magnitsky” sanctions.

    This refers not to the substance of sanctions, but rather the reasons for their adoption, namely alleged corruption or human rights abuse, rather than other forms of wrongdoing. The imposition of sanctions on those grounds was pioneered by two US statutes named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian whistleblower killed in a Moscow prison.

    In the case of the Israeli ministers, human rights abuses are alleged.

    Sanctions can hurt in other ways, too

    But what is the practical effect of these kinds of sanctions designations?

    After all, many people sanctioned by Australia will not have any property in the country, will never receive any money from Australia, and may never contemplate visiting.

    One might be tempted to conclude that, in those circumstances, sanctions are ineffectual. But the reality is more complicated.

    In 2023, together with the London-based International Lawyers Project, I conducted the first study of the effect (or impact) of “Magnitsky” sanctions, focussing on the first 20 individuals sanctioned for alleged corruption under the US Global Magnitsky Act 2016.

    We found there were no less than ten types of effects that sanctions might have.

    And in at least two-thirds of the case studies we looked at, sanctions had an impact.

    This may be skewed by the high-profile nature of those first 20 corruption-related designations under the 2016 act, which included former heads of states and major businesspeople. Still, sanctions can mean more than their direct impact.

    Of these categories of effects, private sector action is especially important. This involves businesses globally dropping the targeted person as a customer even when not legally required to do so.

    For example, non-Australian banks are not bound by Australian sanctions. But, once Australian sanctions are in place, they feed into major private-sector sanctions databases that are used by banks worldwide.

    Global banks may well decide that – once someone is accused of human rights abuse, corruption or other misconduct by a credible government – keeping the targeted person on the books is no longer worthwhile, not least reputationally.

    For US sanctions, this effect is turbocharged by the fact virtually all banks need to route US dollar transactions via the US financial system, and they cannot do so on behalf of a sanctioned person. Banks soon drop such customers.

    In a famous example, Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong, complained of having to keep piles of cash at home due to US sanctions precluding any Hong Kong bank from taking her on as a customer. (To be clear, the US has not imposed any sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, and has opposed their designation by Australia and others.)

    Could Ben-Gvir and Smotrich fight these sanctions?

    Australian sanctions would not have such a profound impact, but they are a reputational irritant at the very least.

    This may account for the (failed) judicial challenges brought against Australian sanctions by two Russian oligarchs, Alexander Abramov and Oleg Deripaska, as well as another billionaire’s more successful petitioning of Australia’s foreign minister to lift the sanctions against him.

    In general, contesting sanctions in court is exceedingly difficult. Few claimants succeed, in Australia or elsewhere.

    It is far more likely the sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich will result in diplomatic discussions and lobbying behind the scenes.

    Anton Moiseienko has received funding from the Open Society Foundations in connection with the research cited in this article.

    – ref. What’s the potential effect of sanctions on Israeli ministers? Here’s what my research shows – https://theconversation.com/whats-the-potential-effect-of-sanctions-on-israeli-ministers-heres-what-my-research-shows-258692

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Flood prevention measures ready

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    In light of the approaching Tropical Storm Wutip, Director of Drainage Services Ringo Mok has met with the department’s senior management team and inspected locations hit by severe flooding in the past, in order to learn about the implementation of flood prevention measures.

    Mr Mok and the team inspected the modular pumping system at Chai Wan Road roundabout, demountable flood barriers at Heng Fa Chuen, divider holes at Lung Cheung Road carriageway in Wong Tai Sin, grid manhole covers, and the Pilot Scheme on Wading Line System. He also viewed the department’s “Mobile Powerful Pumping Robot” and “Amphibious Pumping Robot” to ensure their readiness for operation.

    As Tropical Storm Wutip has come within 800km of Hong Kong, the department has initiated early preparation flooding in low-lying or exposed coastal areas such as Tai O and Lei Yue Mun. Specific measures include examining drainage channels, installing demountable flood barriers, setting up temporary water pumps, providing and placing sandbags, and constructing temporary pedestrian walkways.

    The department added that members of the public are advised to complete precautionary measures for coping with the typhoon and flooding as soon as possible, keep drains clear at all times, and avoid blockage of drainage intakes.

    In the event of serious flooding, citizens should evacuate immediately.

    Call the 24-hour Drainage Hotline at 2300 1110 in case of flooding.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Money Market Operations as on June 11, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 5,95,936.52 5.18 2.50-6.55
         I. Call Money 15,257.24 5.31 4.80-5.35
         II. Triparty Repo 3,83,941.95 5.20 5.16-5.30
         III. Market Repo 1,94,273.33 5.13 2.50-5.60
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 2,464.00 5.41 5.35-6.55
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 34.50 5.17 5.05-5.25
         II. Term Money@@ 738.00 – 5.60-5.85
         III. Triparty Repo 1,555.00 5.30 5.15-5.50
         IV. Market Repo 375.60 5.15 1.00-5.45
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Wed, 11/06/2025 1 Thu, 12/06/2025 1,124.00 5.75
    4. SDFΔ# Wed, 11/06/2025 1 Thu, 12/06/2025 2,67,414.00 5.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -2,66,290.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       8,471.32  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     8,471.32  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -2,57,818.68  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on June 11, 2025 9,30,891.85  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending June 13, 2025 9,41,551.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ June 11, 2025 0.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on May 16, 2025 3,48,763.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2025-2026/527

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What will be the effect of Australia’s sanctions on Israeli ministers? Here’s what my research shows

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anton Moiseienko, Senior Lecturer in Law, Australian National University

    Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK this week announced sanctions against two members of the Israeli cabinet: National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

    This is a momentous development. The governments concerned make it clear that they consider Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to be involved in “serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”, including “a serious abuse of the right of individuals not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.

    This is an allegation rarely levelled against sitting ministers of a democratic state, predictably causing the Israeli government to protest.

    While diplomatic consequences play out, what are sanctions anyway, and what do they mean for Ben-Gvir and Smotrich?

    3 direct consequences

    “Sanctions” is a broad umbrella term. Whole countries can be sanctioned, but so can be individuals.

    Sanctions on individuals are imposed by means of a government placing them on its national sanctions list, such as Australia’s Consolidated List (which now features both Ben-Gvir and Smotrich).

    Three direct consequences flow from such a sanctions designation.

    First, all of the sanctioned person’s assets in the relevant country are frozen. This means that, while in principle they remain the sanctioned person’s property, they cannot be used or sold. This places those assets in limbo, potentially for a very long time.

    Second, no person within the sanctioning state’s jurisdiction – that is, no one in its territory, nor any of its citizens or residents – is allowed to make money or other resources available for the benefit of the sanctioned person.

    So, it is an offence for anyone in Australia to send funds to anyone on the Consolidated List. Interestingly, there is no prohibition on receiving money from sanctioned persons.

    Third, sanctioned persons are subject to an entry ban.

    So, if a foreigner is sanctioned by the Australian government, their permission to enter Australia will be denied or revoked.

    Legal challenges are possible. For example, in 2010, the daughter of a Burmese general studying at Western Sydney University unsuccessfully sued the foreign minister for sanctioning her and cancelling her visa based on her family ties.

    The sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are what’s known as “Magnitsky” sanctions.

    This refers not to the substance of sanctions, but rather the reasons for their adoption, namely alleged corruption or human rights abuse, rather than other forms of wrongdoing. The imposition of sanctions on those grounds was pioneered by two US statutes named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian whistleblower killed in a Moscow prison.

    In the case of the Israeli ministers, human rights abuses are alleged.

    Sanctions can hurt in other ways, too

    But what is the practical effect of these kinds of sanctions designations?

    After all, many people sanctioned by Australia will not have any property in the country, will never receive any money from Australia, and may never contemplate visiting.

    One might be tempted to conclude that, in those circumstances, sanctions are ineffectual. But the reality is more complicated.

    In 2023, together with the London-based International Lawyers Project, I conducted the first study of the effect (or impact) of “Magnitsky” sanctions, focussing on the first 20 individuals sanctioned for alleged corruption under the US Global Magnitsky Act 2016.

    We found there were no less than ten types of effects that sanctions might have.

    And in at least two-thirds of the case studies we looked at, sanctions had an impact.

    This may be skewed by the high-profile nature of those first 20 corruption-related designations under the 2016 act, which included former heads of states and major businesspeople. Still, sanctions can mean more than their direct impact.

    Of these categories of effects, private sector action is especially important. This involves businesses globally dropping the targeted person as a customer even when not legally required to do so.

    For example, non-Australian banks are not bound by Australian sanctions. But, once Australian sanctions are in place, they feed into major private-sector sanctions databases that are used by banks worldwide.

    Global banks may well decide that – once someone is accused of human rights abuse, corruption or other misconduct by a credible government – keeping the targeted person on the books is no longer worthwhile, not least reputationally.

    For US sanctions, this effect is turbocharged by the fact virtually all banks need to route US dollar transactions via the US financial system, and they cannot do so on behalf of a sanctioned person. Banks soon drop such customers.

    In a famous example, Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong, complained of having to keep piles of cash at home due to US sanctions precluding any Hong Kong bank from taking her on as a customer. (To be clear, the US has not imposed any sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, and has opposed their designation by Australia and others.)

    Could Ben-Gvir and Smotrich fight these sanctions?

    Australian sanctions would not have such a profound impact, but they are a reputational irritant at the very least.

    This may account for the (failed) judicial challenges brought against Australian sanctions by two Russian oligarchs, Alexander Abramov and Oleg Deripaska, as well as another billionaire’s more successful petitioning of Australia’s foreign minister to lift the sanctions against him.

    In general, contesting sanctions in court is exceedingly difficult. Few claimants succeed, in Australia or elsewhere.

    It is far more likely the sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich will result in diplomatic discussions and lobbying behind the scenes.

    Anton Moiseienko has received funding from the Open Society Foundations in connection with the research cited in this article.

    – ref. What will be the effect of Australia’s sanctions on Israeli ministers? Here’s what my research shows – https://theconversation.com/what-will-be-the-effect-of-australias-sanctions-on-israeli-ministers-heres-what-my-research-shows-258692

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Amid Iran tensions, U.S. withdraws diplomats, military families from West Asia over security concerns

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The US State and Defence Departments have begun moving non-essential personnel out of several locations across West Asia amid growing regional tensions, CNN reported citing US officials and sources familiar with the matter.

    While the exact cause of the shift in posture remains unclear, a defence official told CNN that US Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring “developing tension in the Middle East.”

    President Donald Trump, commenting on the situation, said, “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place… we’ve given notice to move out, and we’ll see what happens.

    CNN reported that the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations across the region has been authorized by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. “The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority,” an official said.

    CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Kurilla postponed his scheduled testimony before a Senate committee due to the evolving situation, according to a defence official. The State Department, in coordination with the Pentagon, is also preparing to order the departure of non-essential personnel from US embassies in Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait, as well as the consulate in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, CNN reported.

    A local Iraqi official, however, stated that the movements were not connected to the security environment in Iraq. A State Department spokesperson said, “President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad… Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq.” The department also updated its travel advisory, citing “heightened regional tensions” as the reason for the ordered departure.

    CNN further reported that President Trump expressed waning confidence in reaching a new nuclear agreement with Iran, telling a New York Post podcast that Tehran may be “delaying” the deal. “I’m getting more and more less confident about it… Something happened to them,”

    Trump said, adding that his instincts suggest the deal is increasingly unlikely. In a related development, CNN cited sources saying Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Monday to stop discussing a potential attack on Iran. The call, according to Trump, went “very well, very smooth.”

    Last month, CNN reported the US had obtained intelligence suggesting that Israel was preparing for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. US officials noted signs of Israeli military posturing, including the movement of air munitions and completion of an air exercise, though a final decision by Israeli leadership had not been confirmed.

    Amid these developments, Iran’s Defence Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh issued a stern warning. As per Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, he said if nuclear talks fail and conflict erupts, the US would be “forced to leave the region,” asserting that all US bases are within the reach of Iranian forces. “The adversary will certainly suffer heavier casualties,” he added, though he did not clarify whether he was referring to the US, Israel, or both. (ANI)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by FS at International Conference on Roads and Railways 2025 (English only) (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the International Conference on Roads and Railways 2025 today (June 12):

    Alfred (President of the Hong Kong Institution of Highways and Transportation, Mr Alfred Leung), Vice President Wang (Vice President of the Research Institute of Highway of the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China Mr Wang Shuiyin), Tony (Director of Highways, Mr Tony Yau), distinguished guests and speakers, ladies and gentlemen,

         Good morning. It is a great pleasure to join you today at the inaugural International Conference on Roads and Railways – a timely and important gathering that brings together a distinguished community of policymakers, engineers, academics and industry leaders to explore the future of connectivity and sustainable mobility.

         To our guests from the Mainland and overseas, a very warm welcome to Hong Kong.

    The future of roads and railways 

         Roads and railways have long been the backbone of economic growth and social advancement. They are more than just physical infrastructure; they are public goods that connect people, expand opportunities, foster mutual understanding, and enable more inclusive development.

         In an era of rapid technological advancement and growing climate urgency, we are called not only to build infrastructure, but to build it smarter and greener. Transportation systems must be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in ways that align with the sustainable development goals and meet the needs of future generations.

         Around the world, the momentum towards smart and sustainable mobility is accelerating. Emerging technologies, from artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, to automation and digital twin systems, are transforming how we plan and manage transport infrastructure. These innovations are helping us optimise construction engineering, enable real-time traffic management, and apply AI-powered predictive maintenance that cuts costs, reduces downtime and enhances safety. 

         In short, we are seeing a profound shift from traditional infrastructure to intelligent assets that adapt, learn and improve over time.

         At the same time, the global push for decarbonisation is reshaping the transport landscape, calling for action on multiple fronts such as using low-carbon materials in construction; designing infrastructure to support green logistics; and investing in EV charging networks as critical enablers of clean transport. It also means leveraging smart technologies, such as optimising energy consumption through AI, sensor-based monitoring, modular construction, and more, to reduce emissions across the life cycle of transport assets. 

         Green infrastructure, once a goal, is now a necessity.

         A key strategy in this transition is transit-oriented development, or TOD, which is a planning approach that integrates high-density urban development with efficient public transport systems. It clusters housing, commercial services and amenities around transit hubs, reducing reliance on private vehicles and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. 

         Studies show that well-executed TOD can reduce urban carbon emissions by up to 25 per cent, while also enhancing liveability, walkability and economic vitality. In essence, TOD is about building communities that are compact, connected and carbon-conscious.

    Hong Kong’s experience 

         So where does Hong Kong stand in all these – and how can we contribute? I believe there are several areas that Hong Kong can share experience with our peers.

         First, technological expertise and professional excellence. Hong Kong’s pathway in transport infrastructure is built on advanced engineering know-how, precision planning, and a commitment to innovation. Mable, our Secretary for Transport and Logistics, will soon provide a detailed account of how we are taking the projects forwards and how we are applying advanced technologies. But allow me to highlight a few unique features of our experience. 

         Hong Kong is a compact and high-density city, where land is scarce and infrastructure must coexist with tight urban spaces. This has made us a pioneer in TOD, with railways serving as the backbone of urban development. Our railway-led planning integrates transport, housing and commercial uses to create seamlessly connected and lower-emission communities.

         A good example is the Northern Metropolis, envisioned as a major innovation and technology hub. With a projected population of 2.5 million and over 650 000 new jobs, its development will be “infrastructure-led” and “capacity-creating” – with key projects such as the Northern Metropolis Highway and the Northern Link driving connectivity and growth in the region.

         Given our dense built environment, careful planning and community engagement are essential to avoid undue disruption. While this can be time-consuming, it reminds us of the need to build infrastructure that is responsive to public aspirations and socially inclusive.

         Cross-boundary land transport infrastructure is a defining characteristic of Hong Kong. We have nine land boundary control points. From the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to the High Speed Rail, we have experience in integrating different engineering standards, operational models and even legal frameworks. A good example is the co-location of Mainland’s and Hong Kong’s customs, immigration and quarantine facilities at the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. These projects require a high degree of agility, co-ordination with our counterparts and innovation.

         Second, smart and green innovation. Hong Kong is committed to making our transport systems smarter and greener, both as an innovator of new technologies and a user of cutting-edge solutions. 

         On the innovation side, we are investing heavily in four key technology areas: AI and robotics, biotech, fintech, and new energy and materials. Our goal is to become an international innovation and technology hub, with AI at its core.

         We already have a vibrant ecosystem of some 4 700 start-ups. In addition, we have been making good progress in attracting strategic enterprises to establish their presence, including R&D centres, here in Hong Kong. These include companies engaged in EVs, autonomous driving, smart traffic management and green materials, many of which are eager to seek global partners to expand their applications.

         On the application side, our high-density urban environment demands the use of advanced technologies to maintain efficiency and reliability of the transportation system. The opportunities in this space are vast, and we warmly welcome tech innovators from around the world to share solutions, co-create new applications, and shape the future of mobility together.

         Finally, financing the future. Hong Kong’s role as an international financial centre gives us a unique and powerful lever to support infrastructure development globally. 

         With a full suite of funding options, Hong Kong is where infrastructure projects from around the world can raise funds. This is particularly relevant for green, low-carbon infrastructure projects. We are Asia’s leading green bond market, accounting for nearly half of the region’s total issuance. 

         And we are also pioneering innovative financing models to unlock capital for infrastructure development. One such example is securitisation of infrastructure loans, a mechanism that transforms mature, revenue-generating brownfield assets into investment products, thereby freeing up capital for new greenfield projects. To date, Hong Kong has issued two such tranches, totalling US$800 million, supporting over 50 projects across the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. 

         In regions where infrastructure funding gap remains urgent and significant – particularly in the Global South – Hong Kong offers practical and scalable ways to accelerate the delivery of essential and sustainable transport networks.

    Concluding remarks

         Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude, I believe the path to smarter and greener mobility is full of potential – and it is through collaboration, innovation and shared commitment that we will realise it.  

         On this note, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Highways Department, and the Hong Kong Institution of Highways and Transportation for organising this meaningful conference.

         I wish the conference every success, and I look forward to the ideas and partnerships that will emerge from these three exciting days. Thank you very much. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Hainan Island Braces for Typhoon Vitip

    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

    HAIKOU, June 12 (Xinhua) — South China’s Hainan Province raised its flood and typhoon alert level to III from IV at 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday.

    Typhoon Witip’s epicenter was located about 270 kilometers southeast of Sanya at 6 p.m. Wednesday, with winds of up to 18 meters per second and atmospheric pressure at the epicenter of 993 hectopascals, according to the provincial meteorological office.

    Earlier on Wednesday, Hainan was placed on typhoon alert level four after a tropical depression over the South China Sea strengthened into its first typhoon this year in the morning.

    Strong winds and rainfall have already affected Sansha City, China’s southernmost city, as a maximum of 108.6 mm of rainfall was recorded there between 8:00 a.m. Tuesday and 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, with wind gusts of up to 18.7 meters per second.

    Meteorologists predict that Vitip will move west at about 10 km per hour, gradually gaining strength as it approaches the southern coast of Hainan Island. It is expected to make landfall in the area on Friday.

    At present, all marine cargo terminals in Sanya have stopped operations and all marine engineering projects have been suspended. According to the city’s Maritime Affairs Bureau, a total of 1,205 people on 11 offshore platforms have been evacuated to safe areas.

    Let us recall that China has adopted a four-level emergency response system for flood-related emergencies, where level 1 is the highest.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Number of ships leased in Tianjin Dongjiang FTZ reaches 1,000 units

    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

    TIANJIN, June 12 (Xinhua) — A signing ceremony for the leasing of the 1,000th ship was held at the Dongjiang Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in north China’s Tianjin City on Wednesday.

    As the largest ship financing and leasing center in mainland China, Dongjiang FTZ has officially joined the world’s leasing centers with 1,000 ships under management.

    The milestone leased vessel is a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility built in Singapore. The total investment in the project was nearly US$1.8 billion, including about US$1.2 billion in lease financing.

    According to Shi Jinfeng, an official with the Dongjiang FTZ administration, the deal marks another milestone in the development of offshore ship leasing in Dongjiang and is the largest cross-border syndicated leasing project in mainland China in terms of both funding volume and number of participants.

    Specializing in the leasing industry, Dongjiang FTZ serves over 90 percent of the cross-border leasing transactions of ships and marine engineering equipment in mainland China.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese students with disabilities realize their college dreams with improved assistance

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) — Among the 13.35 million Chinese applicants who took this year’s gaokao, the nationwide college entrance examination, more than 14,000 people with disabilities received the help they needed to realize their dreams of higher education.

    This year, China’s Gaokao was held from June 7 to 10. A total of 16 visually impaired examinees in 12 provincial-level administrative units used special examination materials printed in Braille in special rooms with extended time allotted for completing the tasks. All visually impaired examinees were allowed to bring Braille pens, tablets, drawing tools, and other assistive devices.

    As for examinees with hearing impairments, they were exempted from listening questions in foreign language tests and were allowed to wear hearing aids, cochlear implants and other hearing devices.

    Disabled examinees were guaranteed access to wheelchairs and mobility aids in examination rooms. Applicants who had difficulty writing papers due to upper limb impairments or loss were given 30 percent more time than other examinees.

    According to official statistics, in 2025, the number of disabled people in the country who passed the gaokao exams using preferential assistance measures was 140 times more than in 2012. Now, this practice has become more regular and institutionalized. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Senate Moves to Advance Landmark Stablecoin Legislation, Scott Hails U.S. Leadership in Digital Assets

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    “Let’s finish the job and get this bill to President Trump’s desk for his signature.”

    WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Senate took an important step towards passing the bipartisan Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act – legislation led by Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and co-sponsored by Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) – to establish a clear regulatory framework for payment stablecoins.

    Ahead of the vote, Senator Scott spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the importance of passing the bill to protect consumers, bolster our national security, expand financial inclusion, and assert U.S. leadership in digital assets. The GENIUS Act is the result of months of good-faith, bipartisan negotiations and has benefited from extensive consultation with industry participants, legal and academic experts, and government stakeholders. The bill advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee in March, with every Republican and five Democrats supporting it.

    Click here to watch the full speech.

    Senator Scott’s full remarks as delivered: 

    Today, Mr. President, is a good day to watch a bipartisan coalition do what we were sent here to do – work on the behalf of the American people.

    Today, the United States Senate can take a bold and historic step forward – not just for financial innovation, but also for American leadership, consumer protection, and economic opportunity.

    With the bipartisan GENIUS Act, we can do more than just pass a bill. We can deliver results for the American people.

    We can bring clarity to a sector that’s been clouded by uncertainty.

    And we can make it known: the United States will lead, not follow, in the digital asset revolution.

    When I became Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, I promised to prioritize innovation, accountability, and smart regulation in the evolving digital economy.

    And we have the opportunity to deliver on that promise.

    The GENIUS Act will be the most significant digital assets legislation ever to pass the U.S. Senate.

    It’s the product of months of bipartisan work – and I also want to thank the bill’s sponsor, Bill Hagerty, who went out of his way to make this legislation a bipartisan success – by partnering with Senator Alsobrooks, working with Gillibrand, along with our colleagues on this side of the aisle – Senator Lummis and myself. I am incredibly proud to see the hard work of Senator Hagerty pay off – not for him – but for the American people. That’s what makes this process such a special one. It’s what makes the United States Senate the most deliberative body in the world today.

    This is a victory for working families, small businesses, and everyday Americans who deserve faster, cheaper, and safer access to financial services.

    It’s a win for innovation because this framework will give entrepreneurs the confidence to build here in the United States of America, and not abroad.

    And it’s a win for national security – because the GENIUS Act brings stablecoin issuers under strict anti-money laundering standards, cracking down on bad actors at home and abroad.

    Let me be clear: this did not happen by accident.

    It happened because we led.

    To those who said Washington could not act, to those who doubted bipartisanship – let’s prove them wrong.

    Let’s show that principled leadership, conservative values, and common sense can still move this country forward.

    And I would not be complete in my comments if I did not stop and thank the Senate Banking staff for their hard work and their dedication. It would be incomplete, if I did not stop and thank Senator Hagerty’s staff for their hard work, countless hours, and Senator Gillibrand’s staff, for her dedication, and their dedication to this issue, and certainly, Senator Lummis and her staff who spent countless hours making a good product better. 

    Let’s finish the job and get this bill to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Statement on Immigration Raids Targeting California’s Agricultural Workers and Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff Statement on Immigration Raids Targeting California’s Agricultural Workers and Communities

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to reporting of federal immigration authorities targeting California’s agricultural workers and communities in the Central Coast and Central Valley:  

    “We are deeply alarmed by the latest actions from the Trump Administration targeting workers at agricultural fields, packinghouses, and other facilities from the Central Coast to the Central Valley. California is the nation’s largest agricultural state, and without the people who work through harsh conditions — extreme heat, cold weather, or pouring rain — feeding the nation would be impossible, and putting food on the table would be much more expensive for American families. 

    “While the Trump Administration repeatedly claims it is focused on violent criminals and gangs, their draconian actions tell a different story. Targeting hardworking farm workers and their families who have been doing the backbreaking work in the fields for decades is unjustified and unconscionable. We will be monitoring federal immigration officials to ensure that they follow the law and provide the due process that is required by our Constitution. These disruptive raids are harming American businesses and separating families, and will only push food prices higher. This must stop.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Warns Against Trump’s Unprecedented Overreach in Los Angeles, Condemns Abuse of Immigrants to Attack Our Constitutional Order

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Warns Against Trump’s Unprecedented Overreach in Los Angeles, Condemns Abuse of Immigrants to Attack Our Constitutional Order

    WATCH: Padilla calls President Trump’s cruel immigration enforcement in Los Angeles “a threat to everybody. Because an attack on anyone’s rights is an attack on everyone’s rights.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined a spotlight forum entitled “Cruel and Unamerican: The Abuse of Immigrants to Attack our Constitutional Order” to condemn President Trump’s inhumane, theatrical immigration enforcement in Los Angeles, including his unprecedented move to federalize the California National Guard and mobilize hundreds of members of the U.S. Marine Corps. He warned that Trump’s actions in California are a “test case” for using the National Guard or Marines to attack immigrants’ rights in communities across the country.

    Padilla made clear that the blame for the unrest in Los Angeles falls squarely on President Trump. He blasted the President for using the same playbook when the headlines turn against him: scapegoat immigrants and manufacture a crisis. He outlined that Trump sought to sow chaos across Los Angeles to distract from his struggling political agenda, including Republicans’ billionaire-first tax bill that would gut health care and nutrition services that millions of Americans depend on to give tax breaks to the wealthy.

    Padilla also urged Californians to continue peacefully protesting the Trump Administration’s unprecedented overreach, and strongly condemned violence in all its forms, including the small set of bad actors engaging in violent behavior or vandalism.

    • “Proud to have been born and raised in Los Angeles, and I can tell you that Angelenos have a long history of speaking up for ourselves — for our communities and for the vulnerable in our community. We’ve seen that tradition continue this past week as Angelenos have spoken up against the extreme actions of the Trump Administration. And yes, while a small number of bad actors have sought to exploit the peaceful protests and have engaged in violence or vandalism, the overwhelming majority of activity has been peaceful and protected by the First Amendment.”
    • “Donald Trump created this chaos. He inflamed this violence. And he did it intentionally. He sent federal agents in to terrorize communities, and then turned around and blamed state and local leaders for the very chaos that he unleashed.”
    • “By last Friday, Trump was drowning in negative headlines. And so just as he’s done throughout the years, when all else fails, when everything is going bad, he turns to the same tired playbook: Attack immigrants. Blame immigrants. And manufacture a crisis to try to change the news cycle.”

    Padilla criticized Trump for his severe escalation of the conflict, deploying the National Guard without the Governor’s consent or request for the first time since 1965. Since then, Trump has arrested Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California President David Huerta for peacefully protesting, threatened to arrest Governor Newsom, and mobilized approximately 700 Marines to Los Angeles without a clear mission or justification. Padilla warned of the dangerous precedent Trump’s actions set, not just for California, but for the entire nation.

    • “This is dangerous territory. Servicewomen and men are trained to fight wars overseas not to police communities here in the United States. But that’s exactly what Donald Trump wants. He wants to create theatrics. He wants a viral clip of a protest turned chaotic so he can justify his crackdown on immigrants and distract from his own failures. He’s testing the boundaries of his power.”
    • “And my message to the country today is this: What’s happening in California is not just a threat to California, it’s not just a threat to immigrant communities. It’s a threat to everybody. Because an attack on anyone’s rights is an attack on everyone’s rights.”
    • “And no matter where you live or what’s your background, don’t think that anybody is insulated from Trump’s actions. If Donald Trump can bypass the Governor of California to activate the National Guard and suppress immigrant rights, he’ll do whatever he wants to suppress other rights, too. And if he can deploy Marines to Los Angeles, he can deploy them to any city in America.”

    Padilla concluded his remarks by promising to fight against President Trump’s reckless attempt to circumvent due process to enact his mass deportation agenda.

    • “If he can bypass due process, declare lawful residents ‘criminals’ subject to deportation, and disappear them to foreign countries without even giving them an opportunity to make their case, what’s to stop him from doing the same to any of us?”
    • “California is nothing but Trump’s test case for the rest of the country. We can’t let him get away with it. We won’t let him get away with it.”

    Video of Padilla’s full remarks is available here.

    In his questioning, Padilla discussed the Trump Administration’s alarming erosion of due process, including the unprecedented number of arrests taking place over the last few weeks at immigrants’ court dates, hearings, or regular check-ins.

    Senator Padilla has been outspoken in calling out the Los Angeles Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and Trump’s misguided mobilization of the National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps. Yesterday, Padilla and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) demanded answers regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to deploy approximately 700 Marines to Los Angeles. Padilla has spoken on the Senate floor multiple times to blast President Trump for manufacturing a crisis by launching indiscriminate ICE raids across Los Angeles and deploying the National Guard and active-duty servicemembers to the region. Earlier this week, Padilla, Schiff, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) demanded answers from top Trump Administration officials regarding the arrest and detention of David Huerta, President of SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Statement Blasting Misguided Trump Admin Memo Threatening California National Monuments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Statement Blasting Misguided Trump Admin Memo Threatening California National Monuments

    WATCH: Padilla Questions Interior Secretary Burgum on DOJ Memo During ENR Committee Hearing

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a new legal opinion that could pave the way for the Trump Administration to eliminate or shrink California’s recently established national monuments, Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands:

    “Once again, the Trump Administration is upending the rule of law and flouting 90 years of legal precedent — this time by coming after our nation’s treasured public lands. With this opinion, the Trump Administration is trying to give itself unlawful authorities that will devastate California’s hard-fought progress to protect our iconic wildlife, preserve our sacred tribal sites, and ensure clean energy production.

    “I was proud to work alongside local governments, tribal leaders, and the energy industry to build broad bipartisan support for Chuckwalla and Sáttítla, California’s recently designated national monuments. I will continue fighting this shortsighted effort to give carte blanche to this Administration which is determined to destroy our cherished public lands.”

    Earlier today, Padilla questioned Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum on DOJ’s legal opinion and its implications for California’s national monuments during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

    Senator Padilla led the charge to establish the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments, protecting roughly 850,000 acres of California’s public lands. Padilla, Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), former California Senator Laphonza Butler, and Representative Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25) successfully urged former President Biden to designate the Chuckwalla National Monument. Padilla, Butler, and Ruiz also introduced legislation to push for the establishment of the monument.

    Last year, Padilla, Schiff, and Butler called on President Biden to designate the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, and Padilla and Butler introduced legislation to establish it. Padilla and Schiff celebrated former President Biden’s official signing of proclamations to establish the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments in California earlier this year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: New guideline stresses improved social security for low-income groups

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

    A construction worker works at a temporary settlement site in Chuimatan Town of Jishishan, northwest China’s Gansu province, Dec. 27, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China will intensify efforts to optimize its social insurance systems, assist low-income groups and ensure the public has fairer, more balanced and accessible social services in education, medical care, as well as elderly and child care, according to a new guideline.

    The general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China’s Cabinet, jointly released the guideline on Monday. The guideline emphasizes securing and improving people’s livelihoods by addressing pressing issues such as education, social insurance, health care, and care services for children and the elderly.

    “China has achieved some historic improvements in people’s livelihoods in the new era,” Xiao Weiming, deputy secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday. “So far, we have established the world’s largest social insurance system, with about 1.07 billion people covered by basic pension insurance and 1.32 billion by basic medical insurance. Last year, the average schooling years of new labor force entrants exceeded 14 years, and the average life expectancy reached 79 years.”

    Xiao said policies that promote more balanced public services and inclusive benefits are urgently needed to advance Chinese modernization and address challenges including an aging population, a low birthrate and disparities in public services.

    The new guideline outlines specific measures to tackle these challenges, including improving incomes for rural residents, refining social insurance payment systems and increasing the number of nursing care beds in elderly care homes.

    For example, flexible workers, migrant workers and those in new forms of employment such as food delivery drivers and ride-hailing drivers will be able to join social insurance programs without restrictions tied to the hukou, or household registration system.

    Regarding elderly and child care services, the guideline calls for nursing homes to enhance their ability to care for elderly residents who have lost basic living abilities and to expand nursing care bed availability. Newly established nursing homes should have nursing care beds making up more than 80 percent of their total bed capacity.

    The guideline also states that within about 10 years, child care services should be available in over 80 percent of residential communities in major cities.

    Zhang Wei, an official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, said at the news conference that the guideline underscores the importance of strengthening assistance to low-income groups to ensure they share in the results of social reform and development.

    He said the ministry will work to improve the social assistance system, enhance efforts to identify individuals and families with low incomes and push for laws and regulations on social assistance to offer legal protection for low-income groups.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US partially evacuate embassy staff from Iraq

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

    Non-essential U.S. embassy staff and their dependents have been ordered to leave Iraq due to unspecified security risks, sources from the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.

    “Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our mission in Iraq,” the State Department said in a statement.

    “We are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies,” it added.

    Aslo on Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the voluntary departure of U.S. military dependents from the Middle East.

    The security risks leading to the ordered departure from Iraq are not immediately clear. According to media reports, Iran recently threatened to strike U.S. bases in the region if negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program fail.

    U.S. President Donald Trump told a podcast on Wednesday that he was growing less confident in reaching a nuclear deal with Iran.

    “I don’t know,” Trump told the “Pod Force One” podcast when asked about talks over the Iran nuclear program. “I don’t know. I did think so, and I’m getting more and more – less confident about it.”

    Later on Wednesday, when asked why families of U.S. military personnel were authorized to leave the Middle East, Trump said: “You will have to see.”

    White House special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi this weekend for a sixth round of nuclear talks. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: American trio into quarterfinals at Queens Club

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

    American trio Emma Navarro, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys all advanced in the women’s singles round of 16 at the Queen’s Club Championships on Wednesday.

    Third seed Navarro came from a set down to defeat Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-4.

    The world No. 10 struggled to find her rhythm in the opening set and faced a match point in the grueling second, but the former Wimbledon quarterfinalist gradually raised her level and sealed the win in 2 hours and 47 minutes.

    Navarro will face fellow American Anisimova in the quarterfinals after the world No. 15 outplayed British wild card Sonay Kartal 6-1, 6-3.

    Australian Open champion Keys overcame a shaky start to defeat Russian qualifier Anastasia Zakharova 6-3, 6-2.

    Keys admitted she had trouble early on. “Once I did, I feel like I played really well,” the second seed said during her on-court interview.

    Meanwhile, sixth seed Karolina Muchova was knocked out of the WTA 500 event in west London by German qualifier Tatjana Maria, 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-1.

    China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen will face American McCartney Kessler in the second round on Thursday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China taps policy tools, emerging industries to unlock job market potential

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

    As part of its broader strategy to ensure high-quality and sufficient employment, China is combining fiscal support, targeted incentives and the rise of emerging industries to drive employment growth.

    Recent official data indicate that China’s job market remains broadly stable. The surveyed urban unemployment rate edged down to 5.1 percent in April from 5.2 percent in March, maintaining an average of 5.2 percent in the first four months of 2025.

    Fu Linghui, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics, credited this steady trend to the country’s improving industrial performance and expanding new growth drivers, along with strengthened assistance for key labor groups.

    Recognizing employment as a strategic priority, China’s leadership reaffirmed job stability as a top policy goal at a tone-setting meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee held in April 2025.

    As part of these coordinated efforts, multiple government authorities on the same day jointly unveiled measures in a circular aimed at bolstering employment among 2025 college graduates and young jobseekers.

    “College graduates and other youths are valuable human resources,” the circular stated, urging maximum efforts to support their employment.

    Organizations that employ 2025 graduates, graduates unemployed within the first two years after leaving school or registered unemployed youth aged 16-24, are eligible for a one-off job expansion subsidy, according to the circular. This policy will be in effect until Dec. 31, 2025.

    Complementing these youth-focused measures, authorities have extended broader financial support to companies aiming to preserve existing jobs. Key unemployment insurance relief policies, which help companies retain employees and support workers in upgrading their skills, have been extended through the end of 2025.

    These supportive policies coincide with robust demand growth in China’s high-tech industries. Notably, industry data highlight significant increases in recruitment activity in fields like industrial automation and digital technologies in the first quarter of 2025.

    Data from Zhaopin.com show that vacancies for mechanical and automation engineers in the industrial automation sector had jumped by 40 percent and 10 percent in this period, respectively, while those requiring algorithm engineers and machine learning specialists rose by 44 percent and 18 percent, respectively, reflecting the increasing role of technology-driven growth.

    This momentum is echoed by major Chinese enterprises, including tech giants and manufacturing firms, which have recently unveiled ambitious recruitment plans.

    Tencent, for instance, announced its largest-ever employment initiative, creating 28,000 internships over three years, many with the prospect of full-time conversion. As of early March this year, the company had employed over 55,000 people — with technology roles accounting for 73 percent of total staff.

    Similarly, Alibaba opened over 3,000 roles in its 2026 spring campus recruitment round, nearly half of which are in AI-related fields. Midea Group, a leading home appliance manufacturer, plans to provide more than 2,000 positions through campus recruitment in 2025.

    China’s employment strategy goes beyond merely recruitment, but also emphasizes retaining and upgrading talent. Many enterprises have significantly invested in employee training programs, implementing structured pathways to facilitate skills enhancement and career growth.

    Fuyao Group, a leading global automotive glass supplier, for example, has developed a comprehensive training system, digitally connecting nearly 30,000 employees through its internal platform, complemented by technical skills programs.

    Vocational training across the country is likewise scaling up to match emerging employment demands. Local governments have initiated subsidized training programs targeting crucial sectors — such as advanced manufacturing, eldercare, childcare and modern services.

    In Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, a robotics innovation center has trained over 12,000 professionals in advanced robotics alone. Its future plans involve expanded collaboration with universities and industry leaders in fields including artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing.

    Such integrated industry-education ecosystems are becoming increasingly common nationwide, and are designed to continuously replenish talent pools in rapidly evolving sectors.

    Looking ahead, Chen Yun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Labor and Social Security, suggested maintaining employment-oriented vocational training.

    Chen also called for further targeted fiscal, tax, financial, technological and industrial policies tailored specifically to different business conditions — with intensified support for enterprises facing greater difficulties. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump may try to strike a deal with AUKUS review, but here’s why he won’t sink it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University

    The Pentagon has announced it will review the massive AUKUS agreement between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia to ensure it’s aligned with US President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda.

    The US undersecretary of defence for policy, Elbridge Colby, is reportedly going to oversee the review.

    The announcement has raised concern in Australia, but every government is entitled to review policies that their predecessors have made to consider whether or not there’s a particular purpose.

    The UK has launched a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS too, so it’s not actually unreasonable for the US to do the same.

    There’s a degree of nervousness in Australia as to what the implications are because Australia understandably has the biggest stake in this.

    But we need to consider what Colby has articulated in the past. In his book, The Strategy of Denial: American Defence in the Nature of Great Power Conflict, he made the case the US could “prepare to win a war with China it cannot afford to lose – in order to deter it from happening”.

    So, with a deterrent mindset, he sees the need for the US to muscle up militarily.

    He’s spoken about the alliance with Australia in very positive terms on a couple of occasions. And he has called himself an “AUKUS agnostic”, though he has expressed deep concern about the ability of the submarine industrial base in the US to manufacture the ships quickly enough.

    And that leads to the fear the US Navy would not have enough submarines for itself if Washington is also sending them to Australia.

    As part of the deal, Australia would eventually be able to contribute to accelerating the production line. That involves Australian companies contributing to the manufacture of certain widgets and components that are needed to build the subs.

    Australia has already made a nearly A$800 million (US$500 million) down payment on expanding the US industrial capacity as part of the deal to ensure we get some subs in a reasonable time frame.

    There’s also been significant legislative and industrial reforms in the US, Australia and UK to help facilitate Australian defence-related industries unplug the bottleneck of submarine production.

    There’s no question there’s a need to speed up production. But we are already seeing significant signs of an uptick in the production rate, thanks in part to the Australian down payment. And it’s anticipated the rate will significantly increase in the next 12–18 months.

    Even still, projects like this often slide in terms of timelines.

    Why the US won’t spike the deal

    I’m reasonably optimistic that, on balance, the Trump administration will come down on the side of proceeding with the deal.

    There are a few key reasons for this:

    1) We’re several years down the track already.

    2) We have more than 100 Australian sailors already operating in the US system.

    3) Industrially, we’re on the cusp of making a significant additional contribution to the US submarine production line.

    And finally, most people don’t fully appreciate that the submarine base just outside Perth is an incredibly consequential piece of real estate for US security calculations.

    Colby has made very clear the US needs to muscle up to push back and deter China’s potential aggression in the region. In that equation, submarines are crucial, as is a substantial submarine base in the Indian Ocean.

    China is acutely mindful of what we call the “Malacca dilemma”. Overwhelmingly, China’s trade of goods and fossil fuels comes through the Malacca Strait between Malaysia and Indonesia’s island of Sumatra. The Chinese know this supply line could be disrupted in a war. And the submarines operating out of Perth contribute to this fear.

    This is a crucial deterrent effect the US and its allies have been seeking to maintain. And it has largely endured.

    Given nobody can predict the future, we all want to prevent a war over Taiwan and we all want to maintain the status quo.

    As such, the considered view has been that Australia will continue to support the US to bolster its deterrent effect to prevent such a scenario.

    Could Trump be angling for a deal?

    As part of the US review of the deal, we could see talk of a potential slowdown in the delivery rate of the submarines. The Trump administration could also put additional pressure on Australia to deliver more for the US.

    This includes the amount Australia spends on defence, a subject of considerable debate in Canberra. Taking Australia’s overall interests into account, the Albanese government may well decide increasing defence spending is an appropriate thing to do.

    There’s a delicate dance to be had here between the Trump administration, the Australian government, and in particular, their respective defence departments, about how to achieve the most effective outcome.

    It’s highly likely whatever decision the US government makes will be portrayed as the Trump administration “doing a deal”. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not a bad thing. This is what countries do.

    We talk a lot about the Trump administration’s transactional approach to international relations. But it’s actually not that different to previous US administrations with which Canberra has had to deal.

    So I’m reasonably sanguine about the AUKUS review and any possible negotiations over it. I believe the Trump administration will come to the conclusion it does not want to spike the Australia relationship.

    Australia has been on the US side since federation. Given this, the US government will likely make sure this deal goes ahead. The Trump administration may try to squeeze more concessions out of Australia as part of “the art of the deal”, but it won’t sink the pact.

    However, many people will undoubtedly say this is the moment Australia should break with AUKUS. But then what? What would Australia do instead to ensure its security in this world of heightened great power competition in which Australia’s interests are increasingly challenged?

    Walking away now would leave Australia more vulnerable than ever. I think that would be a great mistake.

    From 2015 to 2017 John Blaxland received funding from the US Department of Defense Minerva Research Initiative (subsequently disbanded by the Trump administration). This was used to write a book (with Greg Raymond) entitled “The US Thai Alliance and Asian International Relations” (Routledge, 2021). John currently is a fulltime employee of the ANU.

    – ref. Trump may try to strike a deal with AUKUS review, but here’s why he won’t sink it – https://theconversation.com/trump-may-try-to-strike-a-deal-with-aukus-review-but-heres-why-he-wont-sink-it-258798

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 12, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 12, 2025.

    Trump may try to strike a deal with AUKUS review, but here’s why he won’t sink it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University The Pentagon has announced it will review the massive AUKUS agreement between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia to ensure it’s aligned with US President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda. The US undersecretary of defence

    Why are sunsets so pretty in winter? There’s a simple explanation
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chloe Wilkins, Associate Lecturer and PhD Candidate, Solar Physics, University of Newcastle nelo2309/Shutterstock If you live in the southern hemisphere and have been stopped in your tracks by a recent sunset, you may have noticed they seem more vibrant lately. The colours are brighter and bolder, and

    After weeks of confusion and chaos, Tasmania heads back to the polls on July 19
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania The Tasmanian government has called a state election for July 19, the fourth in a little over seven years. Following days of high drama, Governor Barbara Baker finally granted Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s election request, saying there

    Goodbye to all that? Rethinking Australia’s alliance with Trump’s America
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Beeson, Adjunct professor, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney Even the most ardent supporters of the alliance with the United States – the notional foundation of Australian security for more than 70 years – must be having some misgivings about the second coming of Donald

    A reversal in US climate policy will send renewables investors packing – and Australia can reap the benefits
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Downie, Professor, Australian National University President Donald Trump is trying to unravel the signature climate policy of his predecessor Joe Biden, the Inflation Reduction Act, as part of a sweeping bid to dismantle the United States’ climate ambition. The Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, is a

    ‘Hard to measure and difficult to shift’: the government’s big productivity challenge
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra Higher productivity has quickly emerged as an economic reform priority for Labor’s second term. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has laid down some markers for a productivity round table in August, saying he wants it to build the “broadest possible

    Extreme weather could send milk prices soaring, deepening challenges for the dairy industry
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milena Bojovic, Lecturer, Sustainability and Environment, University of Technology Sydney Australia’s dairy industry is in the middle of a crisis, fuelled by an almost perfect storm of challenges. Climate change and extreme weather have been battering farmlands and impacting animal productivity, creating mounting financial strains and mental

    201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Schweinberger, Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The University of Queensland Our brains swear for good reasons: to vent, cope, boost our grit and feel closer to those around us. Swear words can act as social glue and play meaningful roles in how people communicate, connect and express

    Were the first kings of Poland actually from Scotland? New DNA evidence unsettles a nation’s founding myth
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University An illustration from a 15th-century manuscript showing the coronation of the first king of Poland, Boleslaw I. Chronica Polonorum by Mathiae de Mechovia For two centuries, scholars have sparred over the roots of the Piasts, Poland’s first documented royal

    Medical scans are big business and investors are circling. Here are 3 reasons to be concerned
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Research Fellow, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University wedmoments.stock/Shutterstock Timely access to high-quality medical imaging can be lifesaving and life-altering. Radiology can confirm a fractured bone, give us an early glimpse of our baby or detect cancer. But behind the x-ray, ultrasound,

    ‘Microaggressions’ can fly under the radar in schools. Here’s how to spot them and respond
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Leslie, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy with a focus on Educational Psychology, University of Southern Queensland Klaus Vedfelt/ Getty Images Bullying is sadly a common experience for Australian children and teenagers. It is estimated at least 25% experience bullying at some point in their schooling. The

    New Zealand’s ‘symbolic’ sanctions on Israel too little, too late, say opposition parties
    By Russell Palmer, RNZ News political reporter Opposition parties say Aotearoa New Zealand’s government should be going much further, much faster in sanctioning Israel. Foreign Minister Winston Peters overnight revealed New Zealand had joined Australia, Canada, the UK and Norway in imposing travel bans on Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar

    More deaths reported out of Sugapa in West Papua clashes with military
    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Further reports of civilian casualties are coming out of West Papua, while clashes between Indonesia’s military and the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement continue. One of the most recent military operations took place in the early morning of May 14 in Sugapa District, Intan Jaya in Central

    Q+A follows The Project onto the scrap heap – so where to now for non-traditional current affairs?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Two long-running television current affairs programs are coming to an end at the same time, driving home the fact that no matter what the format, they have a shelf life. The Project on Channel

    Sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers is a start, but Australia and its allies must do more
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Whyte, Scientia Associate Professor of Philosophy and ARC Future Fellow, UNSW Sydney The Australian government is imposing financial and travel sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers: Itamar Ben-Gvir (the national security minister) and Bezalel Smotrich (finance minister). This is a significant development. While Australia has previously

    Malaria has returned to the Torres Strait. What does this mean for mainland Australia?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Webb, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney Aspect Drones/Shutterstock Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases spread by mosquitoes. Each year, hundreds of millions of people worldwide are infected and half a million people die from the disease. While mainland Australia was

    Is regulation really to blame for the housing affordability crisis?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Gurran, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Sydney ymgerman/Shutterstock The Albanese government has a new mantra to describe the housing crisis, which is showing no signs of abating: homes have simply become “too hard to build” in Australia. The prime minister and senior ministers

    NZ’s goal is to get smoking rates under 5% for all population groups this year – here’s why that’s highly unlikely
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Getty Images Next week is “scrutiny week” in parliament – one of two weeks each year when opposition MPs can hold ministers accountable for their actions, or lack thereof. For us, it’s a good time to take stock

    Labor’s win at the 2025 federal election was the biggest since 1943, with its largest swings in the cities
    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 We now have the (almost!) final results from the 2025 federal election – with only Bradfield still to be completely resolved. Labor won 94 of the 150

    What are the ‘less lethal’ weapons being used in Los Angeles?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samara McPhedran, Principal Research Fellow, Griffith University After United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested multiple people on alleged immigration violations, protests broke out in Los Angeles. In response, police and military personnel have been deployed around the greater LA area. Authorities have been using

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s wine market uncorks consumption vitality

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

    In an exhibition hall at an expo in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the rich aroma emanating from a copper hot pot is gaining the attention of visitors. The dish of tender mutton cooked in red wine-added broth is a perfect blend of two of Ningxia’s most famed products.

    “Using spring water, red wine and nourishing ingredients removes unpleasant smells, making the mutton delicious and flavorful,” said Tian Feng, who manages the hot pot restaurant operating the booth. The popularity of its red wine hot pot ensures the restaurant is often fully booked on weekends, Tian added.

    Across China’s evolving consumer landscape, wine is undergoing a subtle transformation. No longer restricted to formal banquets and professional tasting events, wine is becoming accessible as various consumption scenarios and wine products are created.

    This shift in accessibility is evident at the ongoing Fifth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo in Ningxia, which is a renowned wine production region that is promoting a “tipsy economy.”

    People visit the Global Wineries Exhibition during the Fifth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on June 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

    Ningxia boasts a unique terroir for the production of top-class wine, with prolonged sunshine hours and a cool, dry climate aiding the cultivation of grapes. After four decades of development, it has become China’s largest wine-producing region. The eastern foot of Helan Mountain is widely regarded as a “golden zone” for grape cultivation and high-end wine production.

    By the end of 2024, the region had more than 600,000 mu (about 40,000 hectares) of wine grape plantations and an annual wine output of 140 million bottles. Its wines were exported to over 40 countries and regions.

    At the expo, brightly colored canned wines from the Ningxia State Farm Winery have won the favor of many. Compared to bottled wines, canned wines are more convenient to drink and can more easily meet the demands of diverse scenarios such as camping and picnics, said Li Shuang, the winery’s sales manager.

    In addition to its canned wines, which have been popular since their launch last year, the company offers innovative products such as creamy jasmine wine, lemon oolong tea wine, black coffee wine and alcohol-free options. These products drove 20 percent of the company’s sales growth in 2024, Li said.

    Athletes run past a wine grape plantation during a half-marathon in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Sept. 16, 2024. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

    Cheeks rosy after tasting a dozen wines at the expo, local visitor Lu Ting is a tourism professional and sommelier who enjoys buying wines to share with family and friends.

    “Chardonnay with meat skewers, reds with hot pot — it’s about sharing joy,” said Lu, 42.

    The four-day event will run until Thursday and is slated to include a world wine tasting event, a wine and winery exhibition, an innovation competition and an art biennial.

    Last month, Yinchuan also hosted a marathon that saw 43 local wineries offer 28,000 runners free vineyard tours, tastings and exclusive discounts for wine purchases. This event-driven approach has created a powerful synergy between tourism and viticulture, resulting in a surge in hotel bookings in the city.

    Sommeliers sample glasses of wine during the 32nd Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) in Yinchuan, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, June 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Du Juanjuan)

    “We’re transforming the entire city into a living wine museum,” said Li Bingjie, director of Yinchuan’s wine industry development service center. “Visitors can fully immerse themselves in the journey from grape to glass.”

    Speaking at the expo’s opening ceremony on Monday, Yvette van der Merwe, president of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, said that the organization has for many years observed and supported the rise of China’s grape and wine industry, with the country being an important wine consumer and table grape producer.

    “I see the energy that the growth of Ningxia Helan Mountain’s east foothill region has contributed to the Chinese wine industry, and I am confident that it will bring new inspiration and opportunities to the global wine community,” she said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Recycling to curb tyre dumping in Kaikōura

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    Date:

    A big leap has been made to end the practice of dumping and illegally stockpiling end-of-life tyres, thanks to Tyrewise, a regulated product stewardship scheme that ensures tyres are recycled across Aotearoa, free of charge.

    Tyres dumped or improperly stockpiled outdoors release harmful contaminants into the environment, significantly impacting our air, soil and water quality.

    After a series of incidents around the Kaikōura district, we’re reminding residents that the Tyrewise scheme is available at their local Innovative Waste Kaikōura (IWK) Resource Recovery Centre.

    Uptick in dumping incidents reported

    Our local compliance staff recently discovered a number of tyres down the deep gullies next to State Highway 1 (SH1) in Kaikōura, and in the coastal marine area at Goose Bay.  

    We also know that there are likely other legacy dumping sites and unauthorised stockpiles in the area.           

    Removing tyres dumped in hard-to-reach locations, like these gulleys, is both difficult and costly, and ratepayers foot the bill.

    Tyre dumping is illegal under the Resource Management Act 1992 (RMA). If caught dumping tyre waste, you risk compliance action like fines and abatement notices from the regional council.

    Local resource management officer Garry Husband says that we’re remediating the issue, but under the new scheme, there’s no good reason to pollute our environment with tyres.

    “We’ve now got a free way to get rid of those old end-of-life tyres that’s local and easy to use. It doesn’t make sense to break the law and pay the hefty cost.”

    “Our staff are working alongside community service workers from the Department of Corrections, who are providing manpower to remediate this tricky site.

    “We hope to see less of this non-compliant dumping activity in the future.”

    Tyrewise scheme

    Prior to 2024, the cost of end-of-life tyre disposal was falling on communities, local government and the environment.

    There were few collection sites available that would accept unwanted tyres, and the associated costs or travel required made this system inaccessible for many.

    As a result, significant amounts of tyres were ending up as discarded waste in our region.

    From 1 March 2021, new national regulations from the Ministry of the Environment introduced a stewardship fee to be collected on all regulated tyres when they enter the New Zealand market.

    This scheme, known as Tyrewise, ensures that producers take responsibility to minimise the waste and harm caused by tyres at the end of their usual useful life.

    Need to recycle your tyres visit Innovative Waste Kaikōura (IWK) Resource Recovery Centre.

    How it works

    Nationally and across Waitaha/Canterbury, Tyrewise has a network of registered partners and collection sites that take worn out tyres. No disposal charges apply.

    In Kaikōura, residents can take up to five end-of-life tyres to their local registered public collection site, IWK Resource Recovery Centre.

    Find out more about how this scheme is repurposing old tyres in Aotearoa.

    Impact of tyre dumping on the environment

    Tyre dumping is an unsightly issue with nasty environmental impacts.

    Tyres contain a variety of hazardous substances like heavy metals, organic compounds and microplastics.

    Decomposing and sun exposed tyres can produce a toxic leachate that can seep into soil and groundwater, polluting the environment and affecting our precious ecosystems.

    Unconsented tyre stockpiles also pose a serious fire risk. Smoke from tyre fires contains harmful chemicals that can contribute to air pollution and respiratory problems for people.

    Report dumped or stockpiled tyres: If you come across a tyre dump site or unauthorised stockpile,

    report it as an environmental incident by calling us on 0800 765 588 (24 hours), or via the Snap Send Solve app.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox News to Discuss Iran Nuclear Talks, Chinese Nationals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations, Banking, and Foreign Relations Committees and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined America’s Newsroom on Fox News to discuss Iran nuclear talks, along with deporting Chinese nationals that are in the country illegally.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*
    Partial Transcript
    Hagerty on Iran nuclear talks: “If you think about it, we would not be in this position had we stayed with the ‘Maximum Pressure Campaign’ that President [Donald] Trump put in place in the first administration. When I was Ambassador to Japan, that was part of my role to get the Japanese to stop buying Iranian crude [oil]. We did that all over the world. We brought Iranian reserves down to almost nothing. The pressure was enormous on them. They were ready to deal. [Former President] Joe Biden comes into office, immediately relaxes all of the sanctions. Money starts flowing back to Iran. Terror starts flowing in the region. Iran is the heart of all of the terror that’s happening in the Middle East right now. And this is their tactic. They go back to obfuscating, trying to kick the can down the road, drawing out time. President Trump has dealt with them. He understands this—and I’m certain he’s disappointed with it—but he also strategically needs to bring them back to the table. And Iran needs to understand we will not tolerate their behavior. We’re not going to tolerate their funding [of] terrorism, and they will not have a nuclear weapon.”
    Hagerty on the stark difference between Obama’s and Trump’s negotiations with Iran: “If you think about what’s happened since that time, the Bidens allowed a lot more money to flow into Iran. Iran has advanced the ball much further in terms of their enrichment capabilities. That would’ve never happened at President Trump’s state in office. But again, the overarching objective is to stop Iran and stop this regime from funding terror and also do not allow them to get in a position to threaten the rest of the world with nuclear competence. That means they’re not going to get a nuclear weapon. So, the terms broadly are the same. The conditions are quite different though, and they’re much worse thanks to the Biden administration that stepped in and made [it] difficult for President Trump the first time, with the pallets of cash that [Former President Barack] Obama gave them, even though the Iranians never abided by the original negotiation, the original deal that they struck as well.”
    Hagerty on deporting illegal Chinese nationals: “This threat wouldn’t exist [had] Joe Biden not collapsed our southern border. These people are here illegally in the first place. The many that have been deported now recently were here illegally coming from China, coming from all over the world, many without our best interests at heart. The other piece of this, though—and let’s not forget what China has done on fentanyl as well—the precursors that continue to flow into this country. They’re waging war on us in multiple ways. This agroterrorism is a part of a biotechnology effort that China has going on, that the [Chinese Communist Party] has going on. I’ve fought hard here with my Biosecure Act to prevent U.S. funds from supporting biotechnology research that would happen here with Chinese equipment. We don’t want them to have access to our DNA data, certainly our genomic data. They’re trying at every front to gain advantage. And this agroterrorism was deeply, deeply concerning. If that had happened, if we’d not caught that, who knows what might’ve happened to our crops. It would’ve been devastating. So, we need to be much more diligent at every level. President Trump’s certainly trying to do that, and by making certain that these Chinese nationals, as well as many others, that are here illegally that may not have our best interest at heart. Sending them back out of the country is the right move.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Indecent assault and burglary – Larrakeyah

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Police attended a residence in Larrakeyah overnight following an indecent assault and urge the community to remain vigilant.

    Around 10:40pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report of a male intruder at a unit complex where a female had allegedly been indecently assaulted while in bed.

    It is alleged the victim woke to a hand across her mouth before she pushed the hand away and called for help. The offender subsequently fled the scene.

    The victim described the offender as neatly dressed in all black, wearing a full-face balaclava mask. He was approximately 190cm tall, slim build, with tanned skin and long eyelashes.

    Upon police arrival, it was reported the male had allegedly entered a second apartment and stolen multiple personal items.

    Detectives from the NT Police Force Sex Crimes Section have carriage of the incidents and investigations remain ongoing. At this stage, it is unknown whether the incident is linked to the recent indecent assault that occurred in Parap; however, police are investigating all possibilities.

    The offenders involved in both incidents remain outstanding.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Toby Wilson said, “The nature of these incidents are understandably concerning to the community.  

    “NT Police Force takes these matters extremely seriously, and the Sex Crimes Section are working closely with Strike Force Trident, CCTV operators and other police units and agencies to identify the offenders and bring them before the courts.

    “It is unfortunate that with incidents like this we have to encourage the community to take safety precautions, such as securing doors and windows where possible, and to report any suspicious activity to police.”

    Police urge anyone who has information about the incident or CCTV in the area to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference P25157813. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2025-26 ACT Budget: Delivering for Tuggeranong

    Source: Australian National Party



    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 12/06/2025 – Joint media release

    The ACT Government is investing more than $15 million over four years in wide-ranging suburban infrastructure improvements for Tuggeranong.

    This includes delivering on community priorities with recreation facilities, upgraded playgrounds and safer and more accessible footpaths and revitalised local shops.

    These investments form part of the ACT Government’s broader support for improvements local infrastructure across Canberra and are designed to make Tuggeranong an even better place to live.

    “We’re getting on with the job of delivering on our election commitments for the southside, which includes better facilities and services that Tuggeranong residents rely on every day, whether that’s a new playground for kids, a safer path to walk or cycle, or an upgraded local shop,” said Chief Minister Andrew Barr.

    “This is a practical investment in Tuggeranong’s future that’s based on the feedback we’ve heard from the community about what matters most to them. We’re making sure our suburbs are better connected and have the infrastructure they need as Canberra grows.”

    2025-26 Budget initiatives in Tuggeranong include:

    Better Footpaths and Safer Streets

    • More than $5 million over four years to improve and connect footpaths across Tuggeranong.
    • $2.5 million over four years for lighting upgrades to improve safety and visibility in Tuggeranong.

    Upgraded Community Playgrounds

    • Renewed playgrounds in Bonython, Conder, Gilmore, Isabella Plains, Kambah and Wanniassa.

    Revitalised Local Shops

    • Upgrades at the Erindale Group Centre, enhancing accessibility, safety and public amenity.

    Investing in Sport and Recreation

    • An upgrade to the Lakeside Leisure Centre in Greenway for expanded community use.
    • New portable tiered seating at Gordon Oval and new cricket nets at Gowrie, helping local clubs and schools.
    • Calwell and Chisholm will benefit from female-friendly changeroom upgrades, part of Territory-wide investment in inclusive sports facilities.

    Renewing the Tuggeranong Skate Park

    • Safety improvements and renewal, as well as planning work for a future full upgrade to the Tuggeranong Skate Park, ensuring it remains a welcoming and well-used space for young people.

    “No matter where you live in Tuggeranong, we will continue to make sure that you have the services and infrastructure to support current and future Canberrans,” said Treasurer Chris Steel.

    “This investment reflects our government’s commitment to making sure Canberra’s suburbs have the infrastructure they need, to support the high quality of life our city is known for.”

    – Statement ends –

    Andrew Barr, MLA | Chris Steel, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Golden grills Navy Secretary over potential lapse in destroyer procurement that could cost jobs at BIW

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

    Budget without DDG destroyers in FY26 would undermine shipbuilding capacity, national security, Golden says

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today questioned the Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations on the lack of procurement funding for DDG-51 destroyers in their FY26 budget request. These ships are built at Bath Iron Works, and a lack of procurement would harm domestic shipbuilding capacity and national defense. 

    Golden addressed the top Navy officials during a full hearing of the House Armed Services Committee.

    “What we are asking for is simply consistency,” Golden said while questioning Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. “It’s just as important as how big the Navy you want to have, and how quickly you want to get there. You’re not going to maintain the best shipbuilders in the world if they don’t think it’s a consistent career. And you need their skills and assets. I would ask for you to give that some deep thought.” 

    DDG-51 destroyers, known as the “backbone of the Navy’s surface fleet,” are highly versatile warships capable of both anti-air defense and striking targets like submarines, land-based threats, and other warships. Two shipyards in the United States produce DDG-51s: Bath Iron Works in Maine, and Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi.

    During the hearing, Acting Chief of Naval Operations James Kilby indicated that DDG class destroyers are a critical element to the Navy’s fleet. But the Trump Administration has released limited details about its upcoming FY2026 budget request, and current records show no plans to fund new DDG procurement in the upcoming year. 

    In addition to Phelan and Kilby, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps General Eric M. Smith also testified on Wednesday. Golden’s full questioning can be watched here. A partial transcription is provided below:

    +++

    CONGRESSMAN JARED GOLDEN (ME-02), HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: The navy’s shipbuilding plan envisions 23 [DDG] Flight III ships. You currently have one in the fleet. Correct? 

     

    ADMIRAL JAMES W. KILBY, ACTING CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS: Well, yes, sir. One is about ready to deliver. 

     

    GOLDEN: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, the pending reconciliation bill includes two DDG Flight IIIs. Congressional intent was pretty clear that these would result in a three-ship cadence in FY26 and FY27. I’m now hearing behind the scenes that the plan that we don’t have yet — the complete plan from you — is going to goose-egg the DDG program in your request for FY26. So I’ve been on the committee for six years and I’ve heard from the Navy consistently a desire that the two DDG yards [each] achieve a 1.5-ship per-year rate of production. But here you’re signaling demand that would not support that rate of production. So, do you envision paying these yards to build ships — well, I’m sorry I’ll rephrase that — to not build ships? Or do you expect these yards to achieve a 1.5-ship production rate only to then turn around and lay shipbuilders off? 

     

    THE HON. JOHN C. PHELAN, SECRETARY OF THE NAVY: Thank you for the question, Congressman. The president and I are committed to national defense and are committed to shipbuilding. As it relates to the budget, you know, we are working very closely with the OSD and the OMB on this as we speak, basically daily. And so we have a good idea of what we need and don’t need, and I don’t want to get in front of the president on that. He’ll be coming out with a budget soon. But I think shipbuilding will fare quite well in that budget. 

     

    GOLDEN: Shipbuilding, yes, but I’m talking about destroyers. 

     

    PHELAN:Yeah, I can’t go into specifics with you right now Congressman, but I understand the question. I think that we are at the end of the line on the current destroyers, on the DDG (X) as I’ve said before, we’re looking at the whole force and trying to understand what the whole force posture should be, in terms of what we’re learning and what’s going on, and how it should be structured, in effect. And destroyers are an important component of that. 

     

    GOLDEN:Yes. You know, across the country we have skilled shipbuilders, but they are aging. And every yard is trying to bring in new shipbuilders, to train them up, to have the skills that they need to build the best, most quality, most lethal Navy that this country needs. On this committee, we have found through studies, which we partnered with the Navy to do, that it takes on average seven years to develop a high-asset, fully skilled Navy shipbuilder. So this rate, this signal, the consistency of the signaled demand from the Navy, and then to actually deliver on acquiring at that rate, is key to not only developing that workforce — taking seven years to get them there — but maintaining them. You cannot build a future DDG (X) without shipbuilders. 

     

    PHELAN:I agree with you and I have more ships than our shipyards can handle for the next 10 years. Whether it’s a destroyer, whether it’s a tanker, whether it’s an oiler, whether it is a submarine. So I am not worried about the demand signal we have. It is getting those workers and getting them trained. It is there, and I think it is incenting the private sector to help us as well. So this is a, as I’ve said, It’s really going to be a whole of government approach. I think the demand signal, you know, as Congressman Courtney mentioned, which we recently did …

     

    GOLDEN:I hear you. What I’m asking to is a consistent concern that has been raised that these two yards [Ingalls and BIW] get to a 1.5-ship per year production rate, and you’re not actually then demanding that rate — which will inevitably lead to ups and downs, to bathtubs in the workforce, where you are hiring people, training people, and then laying people off. What we are asking for is simply consistency. It’s just as important as how big the Navy you want to have, and how quickly you want to get there. You’re not going to maintain the best shipbuilders in the world if they don’t think it’s a consistent career. And you need their skills and assets. I would ask for you to give that some deep thought. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Canberra Hospital Opens New Veterans Lounge and Refurbished Foyer

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 12/06/2025

    Canberra’s veteran community now has an upgraded space at Canberra Hospital with the opening of a new Veterans Lounge. This purpose-built area provides a welcoming, quiet place for current and former military members who are patients, visitors and their families.

    Located in the newly refurbished Building 2 foyer, the Veterans Lounge is designed to support the connection and wellbeing of veterans at the hospital, providing a tranquil environment, comfortable seating and thoughtful amenities to help veterans feel at ease.

    Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the new space was an important step in recognising the unique needs of Canberra’s 22,000 veterans and their families accessing public health services and was another key part of the largest-ever investment into the Territory’s health infrastructure.

    “This is a significant space that shows that veterans and their families are welcome and supported here at Canberra Hospital,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

    “The Veterans Lounge reflects our broader commitment to creating inclusive, accessible and person-centred health facilities for every member of our community.”

    There are opportunities for quiet reading, a TV for entertainment and a workspace in the lounge area to support the needs of veterans while they are at the hospital.

    The Veterans Lounge complements other new features in the upgraded Building 2 foyer, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Welcome Lounge, the refurbished Yamba Cafe, and the new Canberra Hospital Foundation Gift Shop and Volunteers Hub.

    The foyer connects to the new Critical Services Building, improving navigation and access for patients and visitors. The foyer also features new flooring, seating, signage and indoor plants that reflect the contemporary design seen across the hospital’s recent developments.

    Minister Stephen-Smith said the upgrades marked a significant milestone in the final stages of the more than $660 million Canberra Hospital Expansion Project.

    “I’m pleased to see these internal foyer areas now complete. Later this year, as part of the Yamba Drive entrance redevelopment, dedicated outdoor spaces for veterans and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will also be established,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

    “This is part of our ongoing commitment to creating inclusive environments that reflect the needs of our diverse community.”

    Redevelopment works continue at the Yamba Drive entrance to deliver further upgrades, including improved public transport links, new seating, landscaping, and courtyard spaces.

    The Yamba Drive entrance remains closed, with patients, visitors and staff advised to use Hospital Road to access the Canberra Hospital’s Main Entry, Reception and Emergency Department.

    For more information visit: Canberra Hospital getting here & getting around – Canberra Health Services.

    Quote attributable to Minister for Seniors and Veterans, Suzanne Orr:

    “I know this facility at Canberra Hospital is highly valued by veterans and their families. I am very pleased to see additional resources available to support healthcare access.”

    – Statement ends –

    Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Biodiversity credit won’t fix damage done by Luxon Govt

    Source: Green Party

    The Green Party says the Government’s newly announced Biodiversity Credit scheme is a tiny positive that doesn’t undo the biodiversity harm caused by the Luxon Government.

    “This is a bandaid on a gaping wound which does nothing to address a deepening crisis and runs the risk of being mere greenwashing,” says the Green Party spokesperson for Agriculture Steve Abel.

    “While credit schemes and covenants are an important pathway to protecting vital biodiversity on farmland, these alone are not nearly enough to address the biodiversity crisis in Aotearoa. 

    “One tiny step in the right direction does not make up for the significant damage this Government is doing to the environment in many ways including through cuts to the Predator Free programme, Department of Conservation funding, significant natural area identification, and Jobs for Nature.

    “You cannot pretend to care for biodiversity while openly making policy that destroys it, targeting wetlands as a cash cow through tax deductibility, weakening or removing protections for freshwater, and allowing significant pollution to be permitted in our most vulnerable waterways.

    “Furthermore, market and corporate driven biodiversity credits can be little more than a greenwashing tool – and there’s proven to be very little demand without regulatory requirements for them.

    “Protecting biodiversity is in everyone’s interests, especially farmers. Our Green Budget proposed significant investment in supporting landowners to protect and restore their environments, rather than leaving it to the corporate world to pick up the slack in light of extensive government cuts,” says Steve Abel.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –