NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Increased accountability for Jobseeker Support

    Source: New Zealand Government

    From today, people getting Jobseeker Support will need to reapply every 26 weeks (six months), instead of just once a year, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. 

    “This previously signalled change increases accountability, while also improving opportunities for jobseekers,” Louise Upston says.

    “Reapplying for their benefit more often makes sure people receiving Jobseeker Support engage with MSD more regularly. Frontline staff are then able to check people are doing everything they can to find a job and prepare for work, while getting the right kind of support from MSD to make that happen. 

    “It also gives MSD another opportunity to assess people’s eligibility and make sure they understand what they need to do to stay on track with their obligations while receiving a benefit. 

    “We know getting back into work produces better outcomes for people and their families. Reapplying for Jobseeker Support every 26 weeks instead of 52 is a realistic expectation, as part of the Government’s initiatives to actively support people off welfare and into employment.

    “Having to apply only once a year was a significant gap and didn’t help either jobseekers or the MSD staff working with them.” 

    Changes have also been made to the reapplication process to make it easier for many people reapplying. If they’ve recently interacted with MSD about their job search, for instance, they may be able to complete their reapplication online without needing an appointment.

    “The improved reapplication process means less time repeating information and more time focusing on support to overcome barriers to work,” Louise Upston says. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 427 people recognised in honours list

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Chief Executive has awarded 427 people in this year’s Honours List in recognition of their significant contributions to Hong Kong.

    Three people – Lawrence Fung Siu-por, Charles Yeung Chun-kam and Prof John Leong Chi-yan – received the Grand Bauhinia Medal.

    Twenty people received the Gold Bauhinia Star, including Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and former Commissioner of Police Siu Chak-yee. Twenty-nine people received the Silver Bauhinia Star and 46 the Bronze Bauhinia Star.

    Chief Executive John Lee extended his congratulations to all award recipients and expressed gratitude for their significant contributions, hoping that they will continue to excel in their own fields and serve the community. 

    In addition to thanking nine officers for their outstanding contributions to safeguarding national security, he also commended two citizens for bravely saving a number of trapped people during the No. 3 alarm fire at New Lucky House in Jordan in April last year.

    Furthermore, Mr Lee expressed gratitude for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Search & Rescue Team deployed to assist in the search and rescue work in the quake-stricken areas of Myanmar in March and April this year.

    The awards presentation ceremony will be held later this year.

    Moreover, the Chief Executive has appointed a total of 66 people as Justices of the Peace.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Kiwis’ hard-earned money safer

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New rules taking effect today will provide greater protection for Kiwis’ money in the unlikely event of a bank collapse, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.

    From today, deposits at banks, building societies, credit unions and finance companies are insured up to $100,000 per person, per institution.

    The change comes from the launch of the Depositor Compensation Scheme (DCS).

    “The implementation of this scheme should give New Zealanders extra peace of mind that if something were to go wrong at the institution where they have entrusted their money, they will get their money back.

    “It has the additional benefit of promoting better competition by providing smaller deposit takers the ability to compete on a level playing field.

    “Sometimes a smaller deposit taker can provide a more competitive deal, but the consumer’s confidence is undermined by that organisation’s exposure to risk. This scheme helps overcome that issue, promoting better competition, and therefore better deals for Kiwis.”

    The introduction of the scheme, which is funded by deposit takers and administered by the Reserve Bank, brings New Zealand in line with internation peers, such as Australia and the United Kingdom.

    Under the DCS, each depositor is protected up to $100,000 per deposit taker. That means that in the unlikely event of a deposit taker collapse, people who have put their money in eligible accounts will get back up to $100,000 per person.

    The DCS covers money held in standard banking products, including transaction, savings, notice and term deposit accounts.

    The change is automatic and depositors do not have to do anything to be covered, but it is recommended people check with their deposit taker – be it a bank or something else – to see what is protected by the scheme.

    Notes:

    For more information on the Depositor Compensation Scheme, including what it covers, and which banks and non-bank deposit takers provide DCS-protected deposits visit this page.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ferry privatisation would be a disaster

    Source: Maritime Union of New Zealand

    The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) says suggestions of privatisation of the new Cook Strait Interislander ferries would be a dangerous step backwards.

    The proposals were contained in a cabinet paper presented to the Government earlier this year and obtained by media under the OIA.

    Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Carl Findlay says past privatisation of strategic transport infrastructure had caused great harm to our national supply chain.

    He says the ideological push for privatization will be coming from the extreme right in the Government represented by the ACT Party.

    Mr Findlay says New Zealand’s rail network, including the ferries, had been sold off to overseas corporates in the 1990s by a right wing National Government.

    “What followed was a textbook case of corporate raiding, where assets were stripped for short-term profit, maintenance was run into the ground, and workers paid with their lives due to shocking health and safety breaches.”

    “The taxpayer was then forced to spend millions to buy back the asset and start the long process of fixing it up.”

    Mr Findlay says it is essential for a New Zealand owned, public ferry operator to be on the Cook Strait for economic security and supply chain resilience.

    He says the Cook Strait is our ‘blue highway’, an essential extension of State Highway 1 and the Main Trunk Line.

    “We believe the Minister of Rail, Winston Peters, who has spoken at length about the failures of past privatisations, will not allow the Government to be swayed by ACT style agendas.”

    Mr Findlay says the ferry replacement process has already been a fiasco, with the decision of Finance Minister Nicola Willis to cancel the iRex project creating years of delays and a billion dollar cost to New Zealand.

    He says there are many other opportunities for private operators to enter into other coastal shipping services, and the Government should be supporting this goal.

    “For the Cook Strait, our focus should be on investing in a modern, reliable, and publicly-owned ferry fleet that is fit for the 21st century and serves all New Zealanders.”

    The Maritime Union of New Zealand represents seafaring and catering crews on both Cook Strait ferry operators.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Comprehensive medical device list in effect

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has today announced that Pharmac have created their comprehensive list of medical devices which are used in public hospitals, to improve the way they manage medical devices.

    “Almost everyone diagnosed or treated at a public hospital relies on medical devices for their care. These can range from bandages and cotton swabs to pacemakers, hip replacements, hospital beds, and robotic surgery machines,” Mr Seymour says. 

    “Pharmac has made a list of all medical devices currently used in public hospitals to improve the way medical devices are managed in New Zealand. Establishing the comprehensive list will not only support better planning and investment decisions, but it will also help identify funding priorities and guide future purchasing. 

    “Over 26,000 medical devices were added to the comprehensive list, bringing the total number of devices on the list to 220,000. Pharmac will continue to refine the list as we engage with more suppliers and prepare for the next phase of the medical device management work.

    “We’re working toward a future where all public hospitals work from a single, trusted national list. One list used by all public hospitals brings greater transparency to what devices are used and funded. This will support consistent access, reduce duplication, and improve equity across the country.

    “Previously the Hospital Medical Devices list only included medical devices covered by Pharmac’s contracts with suppliers. We recently added the remaining medical devices used by hospitals to this list, to create the comprehensive list of medical devices. 

    Pharmac consulted on what to include in the comprehensive list from 11 February until 31 March 2025. 

    “Pharmac staff carefully reviewed all feedback received during the consultation process. They contacted suppliers to validate data, confirm which medical devices have been added to the list, and explain why others have not,” Mr Seymour says. 

    “When the Government manages its accounts like families and businesses have to, money goes a lot further.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Koa Moana 25 U.S. Marines and Sailors Lifesaving Kits Empowering Palau in Time for Pacific Mini Games

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    KOROR, Palau – On June 25, 2025, U.S. Marines and Sailors with Koa Moana 25 delivered 100 first aid kits to the Belau National Hospital in Palau. Koa Moana is a recurring exercise that fosters partnerships with Compact of Free Association nations like the Republic of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia through medical aid, engineering, and security cooperation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 1, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 1, 2025.

    Trauma is carried in your DNA. But science reveals a more complicated story
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tara-Lyn Camilleri, Postdoctoral researcher of transgenerational effects, Monash University Radu Bercan/Shutterstock As war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine, there is concern about how the related trauma might be transmitted to future generations of people in those regions. More generally, interest in the idea of transgenerational

    Aamir Khan’s big screen comeback, Sitaare Zameen Par, features an all-star neurodivergent cast – a Bollywood first
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yanyan Hong, PhD Candidate in Communication, Media and Film Studies, University of Adelaide Bharti Dubey/X Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus has been far from ordinary. Sitaare Zameen Par (2025) which translates to “stars on Earth”, is the first major

    The rising rate of type 2 diabetes in young New Zealanders is becoming a health crisis
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato vadimguzhva/Getty Images No longer just a condition of middle age, type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting children, teenagers and young adults in New Zealand. And our health system is nowhere near ready to manage this surge. Type 2

    Understanding the ‘Slopocene’: how the failures of AI can reveal its inner workings
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Binns, Senior Lecturer, Media & Communication, RMIT University AI-generated with Leonardo Phoenix 1.0. Author supplied Some say it’s em dashes, dodgy apostrophes, or too many emoji. Others suggest that maybe the word “delve” is a chatbot’s calling card. It’s no longer the sight of morphed bodies

    Trump’s worldview is causing a global shift of alliances – what does this mean for nations in the middle?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva, Lecturer in Government – National Security College, Australian National University Since US President Donald Trump took office this year, one theme has come up time and again: his rule is a threat to the US-led international order. As the US political scientist John Mearsheimer famously

    We have drugs to manage HIV. So why are we spending millions looking for cures?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Associate Professor, Public Health Ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Alim Yakubov/Shutterstock Over the past three decades there have been amazing advances in treating and preventing HIV. It’s now a manageable infection. A person with HIV who takes HIV medicine consistently, before their immune

    Sexy K-pop demons, a human lie detector and shearers on strike: what to watch in July
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mickel, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Tomorrow marks exactly halfway through 2025. Luckily there’s a suite of streaming options to help get you through the mid-year bump. We’ve got iconic classics celebrating major anniversaries, as well as an animated K-Pop spectacle,

    Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’
    Asia Pacific Report The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua. In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the

    Battle of Ideas: Political Lawfare and the Destitution of Pedro Castillo
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage COHA On June 29, Radio Negro Primero, a community-based station in Venezuela, and affiliates, will examine the jailing and prosecution of Peru’s constitutional president, Pedro Castillo. The program, Battle of Ideas, hosted by William Camacaro (Senior Analyst for COHA) and Mary Dugarte (Venezuelan Journalist), will feature distinguished panelists:

    In Struggle and Solidarity: The Enduring Legacy of Joaquín Domínguez Parada
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By Fred Mills and Evelyn Gonzalez Mills Silver Spring, MD Joaquín Domínguez Parada, a renowned Salvadoran attorney and tireless advocate for refugees of war and persecution, passed away on Thursday, June 26, 2025, four days after his 77th birthday in El Salvador, leaving a legacy of love, integrity,

    Here’s how First Nations landholders can share the benefits of the NSW energy transition
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Australian and Aboriginal history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Hay Local Aboriginal Land Council staff and members with researchers and actuaries from Finity Consulting. UNSW Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group The shift

    Warmer seas are fuelling the dangerous ‘weather bomb’ about to hit NSW
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Heavy surf and intense rains hit Sydney beaches during a 2020 East Coast Low. Lee Hulsman/Getty Right now, a severe storm likely to be the first significant east coast low in three years is developing off the coast

    ‘I’m just exhausted’: sexual harassment at work is still rife. These new laws would help
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Ailwood, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Wollongong FG Trade/Getty Last week, the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a new report on sexual harassment, called Speaking From Experience. It includes the voices of more than 300 victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment from vulnerable communities. In

    My shins hurt after running. Could it be shin splints?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Krissy Kendall, Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University lzf/Getty If you’ve started running for the first time, started again after a break, or your workout is more intense, you might have felt it. A dull, nagging ache down your shins after you exercise.

    Australia’s cutest mammal is now Australia’s cutest three mammals
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Dodd, PhD Student in Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy, The University of Western Australia The long-eared kultarr (_A. auritus_) is the middle child in terms of body size, but it has by far the biggest ears. Ken Johnson Australia is home to more than 60 species of

    Occupational therapists tackle obstacles in the home, from support to cook a meal, to navigating public transport
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Hitch, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, Deakin University Occupational therapists (OTs) have been in the spotlight this month after the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) froze NDIS payments for these services at $193.99 per hour for the sixth year. The NDIA also cut travel payments for

    Do you have Bitcoin? Be aware of the tax consequences of selling your investment
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Allen, Senior lecturer, Curtin University Bitcoin is ubiquitous. It is impossible to open a social media stream or news source without encountering yet another mention of the topic. Many Australians have invested, hoping for a good return. But they may not have considered the tax consequences

    On her new album, Lorde creates pop at its purest – performative, playful and alive to paradox
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosemary Overell, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, University of Otago “✏️Describe the vibe” goes the demand to commenters underneath the YouTube video for Lorde’s latest single, “Hammer”. Fans form a flow; a “vibe check” in Zillenial parlance: The pure rawness … (@lynmariegm) A more raw true-to-self form

    Men traded wares – but women traded knowledge: what a new archeological study tells us about PNG sea trade
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Skelly, Archaeologist, Monash University Women loading pots on a Motu lakatoi trading vessel, in this photograph published in 1887. J. W. Lindt Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is a place of remarkable cultural diversity. Home to cultures speaking more than 800 languages, this region has

    Unsafe and unethical: bed shortages mean dementia patients with psychiatric symptoms are admitted to medical wards
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cindy Towns, Senior Lecturer in General Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand’s mental health crisis is well documented in the government’s 2018 inquiry, He Ara Oranga, which shows one in five people experience mental illness or significant mental distress. However, an almost singular

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 1, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 1, 2025.

    Trauma is carried in your DNA. But science reveals a more complicated story
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tara-Lyn Camilleri, Postdoctoral researcher of transgenerational effects, Monash University Radu Bercan/Shutterstock As war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine, there is concern about how the related trauma might be transmitted to future generations of people in those regions. More generally, interest in the idea of transgenerational

    Aamir Khan’s big screen comeback, Sitaare Zameen Par, features an all-star neurodivergent cast – a Bollywood first
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yanyan Hong, PhD Candidate in Communication, Media and Film Studies, University of Adelaide Bharti Dubey/X Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus has been far from ordinary. Sitaare Zameen Par (2025) which translates to “stars on Earth”, is the first major

    The rising rate of type 2 diabetes in young New Zealanders is becoming a health crisis
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato vadimguzhva/Getty Images No longer just a condition of middle age, type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting children, teenagers and young adults in New Zealand. And our health system is nowhere near ready to manage this surge. Type 2

    Understanding the ‘Slopocene’: how the failures of AI can reveal its inner workings
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Binns, Senior Lecturer, Media & Communication, RMIT University AI-generated with Leonardo Phoenix 1.0. Author supplied Some say it’s em dashes, dodgy apostrophes, or too many emoji. Others suggest that maybe the word “delve” is a chatbot’s calling card. It’s no longer the sight of morphed bodies

    Trump’s worldview is causing a global shift of alliances – what does this mean for nations in the middle?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva, Lecturer in Government – National Security College, Australian National University Since US President Donald Trump took office this year, one theme has come up time and again: his rule is a threat to the US-led international order. As the US political scientist John Mearsheimer famously

    We have drugs to manage HIV. So why are we spending millions looking for cures?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Associate Professor, Public Health Ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Alim Yakubov/Shutterstock Over the past three decades there have been amazing advances in treating and preventing HIV. It’s now a manageable infection. A person with HIV who takes HIV medicine consistently, before their immune

    Sexy K-pop demons, a human lie detector and shearers on strike: what to watch in July
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mickel, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Tomorrow marks exactly halfway through 2025. Luckily there’s a suite of streaming options to help get you through the mid-year bump. We’ve got iconic classics celebrating major anniversaries, as well as an animated K-Pop spectacle,

    Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’
    Asia Pacific Report The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua. In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the

    Battle of Ideas: Political Lawfare and the Destitution of Pedro Castillo
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage COHA On June 29, Radio Negro Primero, a community-based station in Venezuela, and affiliates, will examine the jailing and prosecution of Peru’s constitutional president, Pedro Castillo. The program, Battle of Ideas, hosted by William Camacaro (Senior Analyst for COHA) and Mary Dugarte (Venezuelan Journalist), will feature distinguished panelists:

    In Struggle and Solidarity: The Enduring Legacy of Joaquín Domínguez Parada
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By Fred Mills and Evelyn Gonzalez Mills Silver Spring, MD Joaquín Domínguez Parada, a renowned Salvadoran attorney and tireless advocate for refugees of war and persecution, passed away on Thursday, June 26, 2025, four days after his 77th birthday in El Salvador, leaving a legacy of love, integrity,

    Here’s how First Nations landholders can share the benefits of the NSW energy transition
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Australian and Aboriginal history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Hay Local Aboriginal Land Council staff and members with researchers and actuaries from Finity Consulting. UNSW Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group The shift

    Warmer seas are fuelling the dangerous ‘weather bomb’ about to hit NSW
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Heavy surf and intense rains hit Sydney beaches during a 2020 East Coast Low. Lee Hulsman/Getty Right now, a severe storm likely to be the first significant east coast low in three years is developing off the coast

    ‘I’m just exhausted’: sexual harassment at work is still rife. These new laws would help
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Ailwood, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Wollongong FG Trade/Getty Last week, the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a new report on sexual harassment, called Speaking From Experience. It includes the voices of more than 300 victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment from vulnerable communities. In

    My shins hurt after running. Could it be shin splints?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Krissy Kendall, Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University lzf/Getty If you’ve started running for the first time, started again after a break, or your workout is more intense, you might have felt it. A dull, nagging ache down your shins after you exercise.

    Australia’s cutest mammal is now Australia’s cutest three mammals
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Dodd, PhD Student in Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy, The University of Western Australia The long-eared kultarr (_A. auritus_) is the middle child in terms of body size, but it has by far the biggest ears. Ken Johnson Australia is home to more than 60 species of

    Occupational therapists tackle obstacles in the home, from support to cook a meal, to navigating public transport
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Hitch, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, Deakin University Occupational therapists (OTs) have been in the spotlight this month after the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) froze NDIS payments for these services at $193.99 per hour for the sixth year. The NDIA also cut travel payments for

    Do you have Bitcoin? Be aware of the tax consequences of selling your investment
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Allen, Senior lecturer, Curtin University Bitcoin is ubiquitous. It is impossible to open a social media stream or news source without encountering yet another mention of the topic. Many Australians have invested, hoping for a good return. But they may not have considered the tax consequences

    On her new album, Lorde creates pop at its purest – performative, playful and alive to paradox
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosemary Overell, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, University of Otago “✏️Describe the vibe” goes the demand to commenters underneath the YouTube video for Lorde’s latest single, “Hammer”. Fans form a flow; a “vibe check” in Zillenial parlance: The pure rawness … (@lynmariegm) A more raw true-to-self form

    Men traded wares – but women traded knowledge: what a new archeological study tells us about PNG sea trade
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Skelly, Archaeologist, Monash University Women loading pots on a Motu lakatoi trading vessel, in this photograph published in 1887. J. W. Lindt Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is a place of remarkable cultural diversity. Home to cultures speaking more than 800 languages, this region has

    Unsafe and unethical: bed shortages mean dementia patients with psychiatric symptoms are admitted to medical wards
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cindy Towns, Senior Lecturer in General Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand’s mental health crisis is well documented in the government’s 2018 inquiry, He Ara Oranga, which shows one in five people experience mental illness or significant mental distress. However, an almost singular

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China allocates additional 140 mln yuan for flood relief in Guizhou, Hunan

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

    BEIJING, June 30 — China’s Ministry of Finance on Monday announced the allocation of an additional 140 million yuan (about 19.5 million U.S. dollars) in emergency disaster relief funds for flood-hit Guizhou and Hunan provinces.

    The new allocation follows an earlier disbursement of 160 million yuan on June 23, according to the ministry.

    Since mid-June, both provinces have experienced heavy rainfall and severe flooding. The situation is particularly serious in areas such as Rongjiang and Congjiang in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou Province, where large numbers of residents have been evacuated, and significant damage has occurred.

    Rongjiang County, widely known as the birthplace of the Village Super League, or Cun Chao, is beginning post-disaster recovery after being hit by two severe floods in less than a week. Since June 24, back-to-back floods have inundated large parts of the county, with the Cun Chao stadium, which is situated in a low-lying urban area, submerged twice within five days.

    The emergency funds will primarily support search and rescue operations, the relocation of affected residents, temporary living assistance, and reconstruction of damaged homes, the ministry said.

    The funds aim to support the affected areas in restoring daily life and economic activity as soon as possible, the ministry added.

    As China is currently in its flood season, the finance ministry said it will strengthen coordination with the Ministry of Emergency Management and other relevant departments to closely monitor developments and promptly allocate relief funds as needed to ensure disaster relief operations and protect people’s lives and property.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: SCO digital economy forum to be held in China, highlighting cooperation

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

    TIANJIN, June 30 — The 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Digital Economy Forum will be held in north China’s Tianjin Municipality from July 10 to 11, its organizers announced on Monday.

    Themed “New Bonds in the Digital Economy, New Horizons for Cooperation,” the forum aims to expand new development space for the SCO and ensure digital dividends benefit people across the region.

    Over 600 participants from China and abroad will discuss data circulation and trade, industrial digitalization, digital infrastructure, AI applications, smart cities, and digital talent development — key areas of common interest to SCO members.

    The event is co-organized by the National Data Administration (NDA) and the Tianjin municipal government.

    Speaking at a press conference, Yu Ying, deputy director of the NDA, said that China places great importance on international cooperation on the digital economy.

    Since the establishment of the NDA in October 2023, China has signed memorandums of understanding on digital economy cooperation with 26 countries, including Russia, Brazil, Hungary, Nigeria and Malaysia.

    China has achieved positive progress in developing the digital economy in recent years, with the added value of its core digital economy industries accounting for about 10 percent of its GDP by the end of 2024, Yu said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Construction begins on Chinese section of China-Laos 500-kV power interconnection project

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

    Construction begins on Chinese section of China-Laos 500-kV power interconnection project

    KUNMING, June 30 — Construction on the Chinese section of the China-Laos 500-kV power interconnection project officially commenced on Monday. This is another major project in bilateral cooperation following the construction and operations of the China-Laos Railway.

    The Chinese section of the new project consists of a 145-km, 500-kV transmission line stretching from the Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province to Laos, as well as the expansion of a 500-kV transformer substation in the prefecture, according to the Yunnan Power Grid Co., Ltd., which is a subsidiary of the China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. (CSG).

    The project is a key initiative outlined in an action plan to build a China-Laos community with a shared future, with completion and the launch of operations scheduled for 2026.

    Once operational, the project is expected to enable a two-way mutual assistance power capacity of 1.5 million kW and to facilitate the transmission of approximately 3 billion kWh of clean electricity.

    Construction on the project’s Lao section began on Feb. 26, with a launch ceremony held in Vientiane.

    The Lao section is being developed by Electricite du Laos Transmission Company Limited, while the Chinese section is being managed by the CSG.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China completes barrier belt to prevent eastward expansion of its fourth-largest desert

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

    This aerial photo taken on Sept. 6, 2023 shows the Yellow River flowing through Shapotou District in Zhongwei City, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China on Monday reached a major milestone in desertification control by completing a barrier belt along the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert in the northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

    In Changliushui village in the city of Zhongwei, workers installed the final row of straw checkerboards, a traditional sand-fixing method, locking the final stretch of shifting dunes in the Ningxia part of the Tengger Desert after a sand control project spanning more than six decades.

    This traditional sand-fixing method involves planting straw in a checkerboard pattern on the desert surface to stabilize sand and prevent wind erosion.

    This new achievement marks the completion of a 153-kilometer-long green barrier belt in Ningxia, which is 10 to 38 kilometers wide.

    Called simply the desert edge-locking project, this approach was designed to fix shifting dunes by planting vegetation belts along the desert’s perimeter, preventing further encroachment.

    Sand control often suffers setbacks as fixed dunes can start to shift again. To prevent this, workers plan to sow grass and desert-adapted shrubs within the checkerboard grid once the rainy season arrives. Once rooted, the vegetation is expected to lock the sand for the long term.

    The belt serves as a natural defense line against the eastward spread of the Tengger Desert, which spans approximately 43,000 square kilometers.

    Zhongwei, located between the Qilian and Helan mountains, is the sole gateway for the Tengger Desert’s eastward expansion. Experts say the barrier will act as a critical ecological buffer that prevents further sand encroachment and protects the Yellow River.

    Lu Qi, chief scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, said the barrier belt can help prevent the desert from further encroaching on farmland, towns, oases and roads, and also significantly reduce the source of sandstorms.

    The construction of the green barrier belt in Ningxia dates back to the 1950s when the straw checkerboard approach was invented to protect the Baotou-Lanzhou Railway, China’s first desert railway.

    Local authorities have worked with research institutions to apply new technologies in sand control, such as artificial cyanobacteria sand crusts and improved straw checkerboards.

    Over the past two years, 2.6 billion yuan of investment has been made in the construction of the green barrier belt, part of China’s Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, the world’s largest afforestation program to tackle desertification.

    After generations’ sand control efforts over the past decades, the city has finished desertification control on about 370,000 hectares of land, pushing the desert back by about 25 kilometers.

    “The green barrier belt is not only a means of ecological restoration, but also a key practice of harmonious coexistence between humankind and nature,” said Lu. “It also offers an important reference for the sustainable development of arid areas worldwide.”

    China has taken an active role in global desertification control. Since signing the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 1994, the country has been a leader in halting land degradation and reversing desertification, and has continuously shared sand control experience, technologies and talent abroad.

    In its latest effort, the China-Central Asia desertification control cooperation center, which is based in Ningxia, was inaugurated in June to boost international collaboration.

    “Our goal is to inject more Chinese momentum into global ecological governance and sustainable development,” said Dong Yanbiao, deputy director of the center. He added that the center plans to leverage technology advantages, integrate domestic research and build cooperation networks.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China advances employment plan for people with disabilities

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

    A job seeker with disabilities learns about recruitment information during a job fair in north China’s Tianjin, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The General Office of the State Council recently released a three-year action plan for 2025 to 2027 to improve employment opportunities and public services for people with disabilities.

    The action plan encourages government agencies, public institutions, and enterprises to take the lead in hiring people with disabilities. It also promotes self-employment, flexible work, and assisted employment for people with disabilities. Targeted support will be provided for specific groups, including people with disabilities who are college students, who live in rural areas, or who are visually impaired.

    According to the action plan, a unified digital platform will be developed to integrate disability employment data nationwide, and efforts will also be made to enhance employment services across the country.

    Disability organizations and service institutions are urged to take a more active role in exploring suitable job opportunities and helping people with disabilities increase their income.

    China is home to more than 85 million people with disabilities, accounting for about 6 percent of the total population. From 2022 to 2024, China implemented a similar plan aimed at improving employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for this group.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s aircraft carrier formations return after completing far-sea training

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

    This photo shows a fighter jet taking off from an aircraft carrier. China’s naval formations of two aircraft carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, have completed their far-sea combat-oriented training and safely returned to their home ports, according to the Chinese navy on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s naval formations of two aircraft carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, have completed their far-sea combat-oriented training and safely returned to their home ports, according to the Chinese navy on Monday.

    The training was conducted in a well-coordinated and systematic manner as the two naval formations advanced into the Western Pacific, collaborated with relevant military forces, and completed a variety of exercises under combat conditions, such as those related to reconnaissance and early warning, counterstrike, maritime assault, air defense, and the day-and-night tactical flight of carrier-based aircraft.

    The training has yielded a series of research achievements for relevant military subjects and significantly boosted the systemic combat capabilities of China’s aircraft carrier formations, following previous dual-carrier drills conducted jointly by the two naval formations last year.

    During the training, certain foreign warships and aircraft repeatedly conducted up-close reconnaissance maneuvers, tracking, and surveillance. The Chinese naval formations maintained high vigilance and responsiveness to combat scenarios, organized multiple flights of carrier-based aircraft, and handled the situation professionally and soundly.

    According to the Chinese navy, as a routine arrangement per its annual plan, the training has effectively tested the joint training results of relevant forces and enhanced their capability to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, security and development interests. 

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: G7 FMs call for resumption of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program

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

    The Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers on Monday called for the resumption of negotiations to reach a comprehensive, verifiable and durable agreement that addresses Iran’s nuclear program.

    In a joint statement on Iran and the Middle East issued by Global Affairs Canada, the foreign ministers called on Iran to urgently resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as required by its safeguards obligations and to provide the IAEA with verifiable information about all nuclear material in Iran, including by providing access to IAEA inspectors.

    “We underscore the centrality of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. It is essential that Iran remains party to and fully implements its obligations under the Treaty,” read the statement.

    G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the high representative of the European Union, met in The Hague on June 25 and discussed recent events in the Middle East.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Iran says death toll from Israeli strikes has risen to 935

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

    This photo taken on June 29, 2025 shows the destruction at Evin Prison after the Israeli airstrike in Tehran, Iran. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The death toll from Israeli attacks on Iran between June 13 and 24 has climbed to 935, including 38 children and 132 women, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported on Monday.

    Citing figures from the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization, judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said at a press conference in Tehran that some of the women killed were pregnant.

    Israel launched a series of major airstrikes on June 13 targeting nuclear and military sites across Iran, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, and injuring many others, according to Iranian authorities.

    Iran retaliated with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory, causing casualties and damage.

    A ceasefire between the two countries was reached on June 24, ending 12 days of fighting.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump signs order ending most sanctions on Syria

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

    A shopkeeper communicates with customers at his stall in a bustling market ahead of the Eid al-Adha in Damascus, Syria, on June 5, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order terminating most sanctions on Syria, the White House said in a fact sheet.

    “The Order removes sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on (ousted former Syrian president) Bashar al-Assad… The Order permits the relaxation of export controls on certain goods and waives restrictions on certain foreign assistance to Syria,” said the White House.

    Following the order, five executive orders that created the existing Syria sanctions program were immediately terminated, while the State Department issued a 180-day waiver of sanctions under the Caesar Act.

    The U.S. Treasury Department already took the first step in lifting sanctions on Syria by issuing a general license, known as GL25, to authorize transactions involving the interim Syrian government, its central bank and state-owned enterprises.

    Sanctions on Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS and their affiliates and Iranian proxies will remain in place, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

    Under the order, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is directed to “explore avenues for sanctions relief at the United Nations.”

    Rubio is also directed to review the designations of Syria as a “State On the eighth of December 2024, of Terrorism,” Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a foreign terrorist organization, and its leader, Syrian interim chief Ahmed al-Sharaa, as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”

    The Trump administration will “continue to monitor progress on key priorities” including steps toward normalizing ties with Israel and helping the United States prevent a resurgence of ISIS, according to the White House.

    Amid the upheaval in the Middle East, Trump told al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia in May that the United States would lift sanctions and explore normalizing relations as a major policy shift.

    The 54-year Assad’s rule over Syria abruptly ended on Dec. 8, 2024, and days afterward, leaders of HTS, the primary force behind the offensive during Syria’s prolonged 13-year war, formed an interim government. Since then, the new government has scrambled to restore order, rebuild institutions, and reach out to regional and global partners.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Death toll from Israeli strike on Gaza cafe rises to 34

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

    Injured people are seen near a beachfront cafe destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on June 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The death toll from an Israeli airstrike on a beachfront cafe in Gaza City has risen to 34, up from an earlier report of 21, Palestinian medical and security sources said on Monday.

    Al-Shifa Hospital said in a brief statement that most of the victims were women and children. The casualties were brought to the hospital following the strike.

    Witnesses said the cafe, located west of the al-Shati refugee camp, was often used by journalists and civilians to access the internet.

    Palestinian security officials and eyewitnesses told Xinhua that an Israeli aircraft fired at least one missile at the site.

    Among the dead was journalist Ismail Abu Hatab, while another journalist, Bayan Abu Sultan, was wounded and is in stable condition, local sources said.

    There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China grants 3.08B USD QDII quota in financial opening move

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

    The State Administration of Foreign Exchange has recently granted a total of 3.08 billion U.S. dollars in investment quotas to eligible Qualified Domestic Institutional Investors (QDII) to meet the demand for overseas asset allocation, it said Monday.

    The move aims to further support QDII institutions in conducting cross-border investment activities in compliance with laws and regulations. Under the premise of effectively preventing risks, it seeks to meet the reasonable overseas investment demands of domestic residents, the administration said.

    The QDII program is a key institutional arrangement for China’s financial market opening. It allows eligible domestic financial institutions to remit both RMB and foreign currencies abroad within specified quotas to invest in overseas financial markets.

    “Under the current stable and positive conditions in the foreign exchange market, granting quotas at an appropriate time can orderly meet the legitimate investment needs of market participants and contribute to the healthy development of the QDII system,” the administration said.

    The administration said that the quota allocation process comprehensively considers factors such as the asset management scale as well as internal control and compliance of QDII institutions. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing launches first China-Europe freight train to cross Caspian Sea

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

    A China-Europe freight train departed from Beijing on Monday, marking the launch of the capital’s first cross-Caspian Sea multimodal freight service.

    The train, loaded with 104 TEUs carrying over 2,300 tonnes of export goods such as auto parts, machinery and books, is bound for Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The route employs rail-sea-rail multimodal transport, covering more than 8,000 kilometers and cutting transit times from about 50 days to approximately 15.

    Departing from Fangshan District, Beijing’s southwestern gateway, the train exits China via Horgos Port in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, travels through Kazakhstan, crosses the Caspian Sea by ferry, and continues by rail to Baku. Some of the cargo will then be distributed to Georgia, Türkiye, Serbia and beyond.

    According to Lu Peng, director of the Fangshan District bureau of commerce, the launch of the route marks a significant step in expanding the diversified corridors of China-Europe freight services originating from Beijing. It will help shape a comprehensive international logistics network combining direct overland routes and rail-sea intermodal transport. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greater certainty for New Zealanders with cancer

    Source: PHARMAC

    New Zealanders with cancer will have greater continuity of care from today, following Pharmac’s decision on amending pharmaceutical schedule rules to allow access to new publicly funded cancer medicines in private hospitals and clinics. 

    From 1 July 2025, when Pharmac funds a new cancer medicine or widens access to existing funded cancer medicines, eligible patients will be able to receive their medicine within private hospitals or clinics for a period of up to 12 months, without having to move their care to a public hospital. 

    “This decision will provide greater continuity of care for New Zealanders with cancer,” says Pharmac’s Director Strategy, Policy and Performance, Michael Johnson.

    In the past, patients whose cancer medicines became publicly funded during their treatment found themselves having to transfer their treatment to a public hospital to access publicly funded medicines or else continue their private treatment and self-fund the costs.

    “This change will allow these patients to benefit from newly funded cancer medicines, while maintaining their current treatment plans,” Johnson says.

    To be eligible, patients must already be receiving treatment at the date that their cancer medicine becomes funded by Pharmac, or have an approved treatment plan, and are about to start treatment at the date that their medicine becomes funded. This policy applies only to newly funded cancer medicines after 1 July 2025.)

    To support the Government’s decision to enable transitional access to publicly funded medicines in private settings, Pharmac consulted on rule changes to the pharmaceutical schedule between 26 May – 13 June 2025. 

    “While most people were supportive, we have listened to feedback and have decided to change the way we plan to implement this decision,” Johnson says. 

    Pharmac initially proposed that private facilities would be able to obtain the funded medicine from public hospitals, as private hospitals are not currently able to make subsidy claims for cancer medicines.

    “However, people told us this approach wouldn’t work and would likely lead to patient safety risks due to double handling of medicines, process differences between public and private, and incompatibility of administration kits,” Johnson says. 

    “People told us they would prefer for private facilities to directly order cancer medicines and submit subsidy claims to Pharmac. We’ve listened to this feedback and have decided to change the way we plan to implement this decision,” Johnson says. 

    Initially, Pharmac will work with private facilities to implement a direct payment arrangement for the cancer medicines that fall under this policy. Pharmac will in the future look to work with private facilities, Health NZ and suppliers to consider creating a claiming mechanism similar to that used by public hospitals. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Flag-raising marks 28th anniversary

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee and senior government officials attended a flag-raising ceremony this morning to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s establishment.

    The ceremony was held at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai at 8am.

    The Police Band performed at the ceremony and a choir from Clementi Secondary School sang the national anthem under the lead of two singers, followed by a fly-past and a sea parade by the disciplined services.

    Led by the Chief Executive, a celebratory reception was then held at the Grand Hall on Level 3 of the Convention & Exhibition Centre.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 3/12 Executes HIMARS Dry-Fire Training at Camp Fuji

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    CAMP FUJI, Japan – U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division conducted High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) dry-fire training at Combined Arms Training Center (CATC) Camp Fuji from June 11-13, 2025. This training represents a significant enhancement of Camp Fuji’s capability to support long-range fires and reflects our commitment to maintaining readiness and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific alongside our Japanese partners.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Joint Statement: Heads of Multilateral Development Banks commit to strong joint action on development priorities

    Source: New Development Bank

    PARIS (28 June) – The Heads of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) met today in Paris, hosted by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), which currently chairs the Heads of MDBs Group. The meeting focused on advancing their joint efforts to address  development priorities.

    Amid rising global uncertainty, the Heads reaffirmed their commitment to working as a system to deliver greater impact and scale, in line with their Viewpoint Note and the recommendations of the G20 Roadmap towards Better, Bigger, and More Effective MDBs.  The Roadmap outlines an ambitious vision for MDB reform to better address regional and global challenges, support job creation, and help countries achieve their development aspirations.

    The Heads welcomed ongoing efforts to improve the way MDBs work with clients through operational efficiency and enhanced coordination. In 2025 alone, five mutual reliance agreements  have been signed, helping streamline the preparation and implementation of  co-financed projects across institutions.

    Private capital mobilization remains a system-wide priority, with the last joint report of the MDBs reflecting a positive trend in volumes mobilized. To build on this momentum, the Heads reaffirmed their commitment to developing local currency lending and foreign exchange solutions. They also reaffirmed  the importance of adequate risk assessment for private sector investment in emerging markets and developing economies; in this context, the valuable contribution of disaggregated statistics on credit risk published through the Global Emerging Markets Risk Database (GEMs) was recognized.

    The Heads reiterated their continued commitment to implementing the recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of Multilateral Development Banks’ Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAF).  Further reform efforts by MDBs since mid-2024 have increased the additional lending headroom for development projects in all countries of operation, including high-income ones, over the next decade by more than US$250 billion, thus reaching a total of over US$650 billion.

    The publication in the coming weeks of the Comparison Report by the MDBs’ Global Risk and Finance Forum (GRaFF) will provide metrics and data relating to MDBs’ financial positions, promoting a better understanding of their financial models and supporting both balance sheet optimization and private sector mobilization.

    The Heads also agreed to continue advancing promising initiatives already underway to strengthen system-wide impact. These include: 1) Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030 through public and private collaboration;  2) Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Power Grid, which aims to boost energy security, strengthen resilience, and promote decarbonization for the region’s 670 million people by connecting its electricity systems; and 3) Digital Transformation in Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, which aims to connect 3.5 million students and train over 250,000 teachers.

    In addition, MDBs are exploring joint actions to scale up investments in social infrastructure, including health, education, housing, and water and sanitation. Building on structured dialogue led by the CEB, the Heads welcomed progress made through recent cross-MDB consultations and recognized the key role these sectors play in enabling jobs, productivity, and inclusive growth, while noting persistent financing and delivery challenges that constrain impact.

    Meeting in advance of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), which will take place in Sevilla, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July, MDBs remain committed to working better as a system, in alignment with country-led development priorities and strategies to promote jobs and prosperity. In view of water’s role in human development, MDBs committed to significantly increasing collective support for global water security by 2030, and will launch the first “Joint Annual MDB Water Security Financing Report” at FfD4. Heads noted the importance of the upcoming COP30 in Belem, Brazil, in November 2025.

    Today’s meeting in Paris marks a significant step toward effective collaboration and scaled-up collective action for development priorities. MDB reforms are advancing, moving from concept to execution.

    With streamlined operations, better risk tools, and growing financial capacity, MDBs are delivering real impact – from expanding energy access and digital education to scaling investment in water security.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty, 18 Senate Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to End Counting of Illegal Immigrants in Determining Electoral College Votes and Congressional District Apportionment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    Counting illegal immigrants’ voting power encourages illegal immigration and destroys equal representation by making some citizens’ votes more powerful than others

    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Rules Committee, led his colleagues in reintroducing the Equal Representation Act, legislation to ensure that only legal citizens are factored into the count for Congressional districts and the Electoral College map that determines presidential elections. The current method of counting illegal immigrants for purposes of representation serves as a perverse incentive for open borders to boost the relative political power of the states and voters that court it.

    Currently, illegal immigrants are counted for congressional district apportionment and, therefore, Electoral College votes. For example, in a state like California, millions of illegal alien residents result in California taking several more congressional seats and Electoral College votes than the states’ population of citizens would justify. In other words, being a magnet for illegal immigration increases the power of a Californian’s vote relative to an individual in another state with less population boost from illegal immigration. This creates a perverse incentive encouraging illegal immigration and resettlement to increase political power.

    Co-sponsors of the legislation include Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).

    “It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants and non-citizens are counted toward congressional district apportionment and our electoral map for the presidency, which also heavily skews the seat count in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said Senator Hagerty. “While people continue to flee Democrat-run cities, desperate Democrats have back-filled the mass exodus with illegal immigrants so that they do not lose their seats in Congress or their electoral votes, hence artificially boosting their political power and in turn diluting the power of other Americans’ votes. I’m pleased to lead my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation that would require a citizenship question on the census and will ensure that only citizens are counted in congressional redistricting.”

    “Every ten years when the census is conducted, it’s imperative that only U.S. citizens are included in the count to determine the apportionment of congressional seats and allocation of Electoral College votes,” said Senator Britt. “Counting illegal aliens for these critical purposes only rewards reckless jurisdictions for supporting open borders and sanctuary policies. The Equal Representation Act is a straightforward and commonsense measure to uphold fundamental fairness, and I’m proud to cosponsor it.”

    “For years, Democrat-run sanctuary cities and states have used millions of illegal aliens to grow their political influence,” said Senator Budd. “Their actions have stripped power away from American citizens who deserve to have their voices and votes equally accounted for. Illegal aliens have no place dictating the congressional seats or Electoral College votes a state receives.”

    “The Census is the foundation for representation in our political system, and any census that could include non-citizens in the apportionment count is really concerning to me, and it ought to be to all North Dakotans,” said Senator Cramer. “Illegal immigrants and non-citizens cannot vote and should not be used as pawns as the Democrats redistrict in various states. Our Census has to count both Americans and non-Americans but should also distinguish between them.”

    “Only U.S. citizens should be included in Census Bureau counts to apportion congressional and Electoral College representation,” said Senator Crapo. “This vital reform would prevent states like California and New York from padding their population totals with those here illegally to tip the scales and boost their political power in Washington, D.C.”

    “The law is clear- illegal immigrants are not citizens of the United States and should not be counted as such,” said Senator Daines. “This bill is a commonsense measure to prohibit illegal immigrants from being counted in censuses, so that sanctuary cities can’t exploit the electoral college and taxpayer resources.” 

    “The Biden Administration’s open border policies have created the worst border crisis in history,” said Senator Johnson. “This bill ensures that congressional seats are apportioned based solely on U.S. citizens, protecting the integrity of our democratic system. Americans deserve to have their voices fully represented in Congress, not diluted by those who entered the country illegally.”

    “This is just commonsense,” said Senator Justice. “Absolutely no one who is in this country illegally should be counted when it comes to Congressional seats or Electoral College votes. Representation should be decided by American citizens-period. I am proud to support the Equal Representation Act to protect the integrity of our elections and to ensure every legal vote is counted equally.”

    “Only American citizens should count toward the apportionment of congressional seats and Electoral College votes,” said Senator Lummis. “Under current law, states harboring large illegal alien populations get extra representation and power at the expense of law-abiding states like Wyoming. This bill protects a fair electoral process and prevents Democrat-led states from ignoring federal immigration laws.”

    “The Equal Representation Act stands for a simple proposition: Americans should decide American elections,” said Senator Marshall. “States like California and New York should not be able to inflate their votes in the Electoral College—and in Congress—by counting non-citizens in the Census. I’m proud to support this bill to ensure that every vote in the Electoral College and Congress reflects the voices of American citizens only.”

    “Since 1820, the federal government has routinely utilized the Census to ask questions about citizenship status,” said Senator Ricketts. “This current policy rewards sanctuary cities and sanctuary states with outsized population because it’s counting people who came here illegally. Those people broke the law and must not be counted for representation. It’s fundamentally unfair to Nebraskans, or citizens in states who are following the law, to reward folks in states who are breaking the law. Only citizens can vote in elections and that’s the way it needs to remain.”

    “Democrats are undermining the rights of U.S. citizens by encouraging illegal immigrants to enter our country and skew congressional redistricting for political gain,” said Senator Risch. “The Equal Representation Act requires that the Census Bureau include a citizenship question ensuring American values and voices take priority.”

    “American elections should be determined by American citizens and American citizens alone,” said Senator Schmitt. “Voting is the foundation of our democracy, giving U.S. citizens a voice in shaping our future. I am proud to join this bill to protect Americans’ vote and keep our elections secure.”

    “Illegal aliens shouldn’t be allowed to break the law and be rewarded with taxpayer-funded benefits, and states that shelter them shouldn’t gain increased influence in Washington as a result,” said Senator Rick Scott. “Since illegal aliens are currently counted in the census, states like California receive disproportionate representation in the Electoral College and the House of Representatives. By restoring the census to its pre-2000 standard and including a citizenship question, this bill ensures that states like California don’t gain an unfair advantage over states like Florida, and that every citizen’s vote carries equal weight.”

    “Illegal aliens have no right to congressional representation in this country, and they have no right to determine who our elected leaders are,” said Senator Tuberville. “The balance of power shouldn’t be weighed down by people who aren’t citizens of this country. Counting illegals in the Electoral College and congressional districts can completely alter the outcome of our elections. Thankfully, President Trump and his administration are deporting illegals in droves. I’m proud to join Senator Hagerty in reintroducing the Equal Representation Act so that ONLY Americans determine our elected leaders.”

    The Equal Representation Act:

    • Requires that the Census Bureau include a citizenship question on any future census to provide a greater understanding of the U.S. population and delineate between citizens and non-citizens for apportionment purposes;
    • Prohibits non-citizens from being counted for purposes of congressional district and Electoral College apportionment; and
    • Requires that the Census Bureau publicly report on certain demographic data.

    Background:

    • In January 2024, Hagerty led his Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the Equal Representation Act.
    • In March 2024, every single Senate Democrat voted against Hagerty’s legislation as an amendment to appropriations bills, which put them on the record siding with illegal aliens over American citizens.
    • The House of Representatives passed the Equal Representation Act on May 8, 2024.
    • Following House passage, Senate Democrats once again blocked Hagerty’s legislation.
    • In a hearing, former Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo admitted to Hagerty that higher local illegal alien populations equal more Congressional seats and Electoral Votes.

    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins Balance of Power on BloombergTV to Discuss Senate Passage of “One, Big Beautiful Bill”

    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 Balance of Power on BloombergTV to discuss Senate passage of the budget reconciliation package.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    Partial Transcript

    Hagerty on the economic growth that will result from passing the budget reconciliation package: “It’s going to be a very long night and could well go into tomorrow morning. But at the end of the day, what we’re going to do is prevent the largest tax increase that Americans have ever seen. This is a tax relief that Americans need. We’re talking about a four-plus trillion-dollar tax increase. That would be the case if it were allowed to not pass. If you think about it, it’s a generational investment in our national defense. It’s going to put us back on the path for energy independence as a nation. And most important, it’s going to stimulate longer-term capital investment, which will beget growth. That growth will beget more employment, more employment will beget more economic activity, which means we’re going to have higher tax revenues for the government as a result.”

    Hagerty on the inaccurate scoring of the budget reconciliation package: “I don’t agree with their willingness to rely on authorities. I’m putting air quotes around that, like the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO missed the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act revenue by more than a trillion dollars. As a businessperson—I’ve been a businessperson my entire life—the type of capital investment they’re going to stimulate over the long term is definitely going to generate much more economic activity. And I think the models are wrong. I do not agree with the approach that has been taken that suggests this is going to be a big deficit bomb. In fact, I think it’s going to be a growth generator that’s going to put our deficit back on the curve in the right direction to reduce the deficit […] It’s been quite frustrating to see numbers that just as a logical person, as a businessperson, clearly you say that there’s no way these calculations are right. What they leave out, what they don’t include, that the overreliance on tax revenue, so to speak, when you know that companies and individual behaviors will change if taxes go up. The model does not work.”

    Hagerty on future budget reconciliation packages: “I certainly support another one of these packages. We’ll have an opportunity to do it again and again. If you think about the work that was undertaken by Elon Musk and the team at DOGE that’s continuing, every department head, every agency head, has been charged with figuring out how to reduce the dramatic burden of regulations that was imposed just in the last administration. And to quantify that over the past four years of [former President] Joe Biden’s administration, that was an additional $1.4 trillion of compliance costs that were added to the U.S. economy. As that comes out, as these conflicting regulations, these burdensome sclerotic regulations come out of the system, I expect to see that those funds, instead of going toward a compliance, fall to the bottom line and get reinvested in the economy. Again, all very pro-growth.”

    Hagerty on the collaboration between House and Senate Leadership: “Leader [John] Thune is trying to thread a very difficult needle, in terms of navigating through the Senate, with fifty-plus-one votes and having something that will work in the House of Representatives. Make no mistake: the leadership at the House of Representatives and here in the Senate have been working very closely together to make certain that we do thread that needle, that we’re able to turn something over to the House of Representatives that convenes tomorrow at noon, to set up the [Rules Committee] so that they can move this through the House, we can get it to the President’s desk, and get it signed by the 4th of July.”

    Hagerty on potential late-night votes: “It easily could go that way. I’ve been here voting all the way through the night and into the next morning, but we will vote as long as it takes to get here. There’s no time limit on this. It really has to do with how long the Democrats want to continue to fight, to put up their resistance movement again. They keep offering the same type of challenge over and over and over again and certainly dragging out the clock. I think what they want to do is get to primetime tonight. I’ve got to believe that their interest will wane after primetime hours. So, we’ll see how long it goes.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China to host SCO Forum on Digital Economy

    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, July 1 (Xinhua) — The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Forum on Digital Economy will be held in north China’s Tianjin City from July 10 to 11.

    The event, entitled “New Ties of the Digital Economy, New Horizons of Cooperation,” will aim to highlight the role of the digital economy as a hub and driving force in creating a new space for the development of the SCO and ensuring the availability of digital dividends for the population of the organization’s member states, the organizers said.

    More than 600 participants from China and abroad are expected to discuss topics of common interest: data circulation and trade, industrial digitalization, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence applications, smart cities and digital talent development.

    The forum was organized by the State Data Administration (SDA) of the People’s Republic of China and the Tianjin Municipal Government.

    China attaches great importance to international cooperation in the digital economy, Yu Ying, deputy head of the department, said at a press conference on Monday. Since the establishment of the GUD in October 2023, China has signed memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the digital economy with 26 countries, including Russia, Brazil, Hungary, Nigeria and Malaysia.

    In recent years, China has made positive progress in developing its digital economy, with the added value created by key digital industries accounting for 10 percent of the country’s GDP by the end of 2024, Yu Ying said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese authorities have allocated an additional 140 million yuan to flood-affected provinces of Guizhou and Hunan.

    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, July 1 (Xinhua) — China’s Ministry of Finance said it has allocated an additional 140 million yuan (about 19.5 million U.S. dollars) to help flood-hit Guizhou Province in southwest China and Hunan Province in central China. Recall that 160 million yuan was allocated for the same purpose from the central disaster relief fund on June 23.

    Since mid-June, both provinces have been hit by prolonged rains that have caused severe flooding. The worst situation has developed in the Rongjiang and Congjiang areas of Qiandongnan-Miao-Dong Prefecture of Guizhou, where there has been a mass evacuation of residents and heavy damage.

    The allocated funds will go primarily to support search and rescue operations, housing affected residents and paying their living expenses during the transition period, as well as repairing damaged homes, the Finance Ministry reported. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release: Fatal crash, Waipukurau

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police can now release the name of the woman who died following a crash in Waipukurau on 29 June.

    She was 31-year-old Amberlee Carlson, of Waipukurau.

    Our thoughts are with those close to her at this difficult time.

    Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash remain ongoing.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 165 years on the frontline at Portland Brigade

    Source:

    Chief Officer Jason Heffernan presenting the Unit Citation for Courage to Adam Hermelin, John Wolf and Ryan Delong

    Portland Fire Brigade gathered over the weekend to celebrate their 165 years of service to the community and acknowledge the dedication of several brigade members.

    The brigade was formed by a public meeting notice in the Portland Guardian Newspaper in 1858 for the purpose of forming a Volunteer Fire Brigade to operate the fire vehicle they had recently received from England.  

    From that meeting, Portland Fire Brigade has been operating in many iterations and is now a co-located brigade with Fire Rescue Victoria.  

    Portland Captain Ian Hamley who has been involved with the brigade since 2010 said the night was a memorable tribute to the commitment and courage showed by all members past and present.  

    “From early days when horse and carts were used, to having a fleet of specialised firefighting vehicles, our purpose of serving the community has remained at the heart of what we do,” Ian said. 

    “The brigade has been an integral part of the local community since 1858, and we hope it continues to remain that way for generations to come.”  

    The brigade attends approximately 150 support calls annually and has been at the frontline of many major emergencies including the 2014 Grampians fires, 2014 Mt Clay fires and the 2015 Awassi Express fire. 

    Throughout their service, Portland brigade has encountered many challenges on the fireground, with the passing of 4th Lieutenant Garry Mallen a particularly devastating loss.  

    The crew were responding to a shed fire on 30 January 2024 when Lieutenant Mallen collapsed while fighting the fire. Three CFA members on scene were quick into action, undertaking CPR until the arrival of paramedics.  

    Unfortunately, Lieutenant Mallen was unable to be revived despite their efforts.  

    Portland 1st Lieutenant Adam Hermelin, who was on scene said it was one of the most confronting and emotional incidents he has faced.  

    “We learn first aid training hoping we never have to use it,” Adam said. 

    “To use it for the first time on a well-respected colleague was quite an unreal experience.”  

    “Garry was a prominent member here at Portland. He put his hand up for anything, was a great trainer and was always good for a laugh.”  

    The composure and professionalism shown by firefighters Adam Hermelin, Ryan Delony and John Wolf was awarded with a Unit Citation for Courage from Chief Officer Jason Heffernan on Saturday. 

    “It’s nice to be recognised for our efforts that day, but we simply did what anyone else in our shoes would have done that day,” Adam said.  

    Looking to the future, Ian says the brigade are always looking for new volunteers.  

    “If you’re thinking about joining, everyone is more than welcome to come take a look around the station and learn about the different roles available.” 

    • Chief Officer Jason Heffernan and Unit Citation for Courage recipients with Katie Robins and Justin Mallen (Garry Mallen’s children)
    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –