Category: Entertainment

MIL-OSI USA News: SUNDAY SHOWS: American Strength Is Back Under President Trump
Source: The White House
This morning, the Trump Administration took to the TV networks to make clear to the country and world that American strength is back – and no longer will terrorist attacks on U.S. troops and vital international commerce be tolerated.

Here’s what you missed:

President Trump on Full Measure
- On securing the border: “You just needed a new president … I said, ‘close the border’ — and they closed the border.”
- On tariffs: “We have companies moving into the United States at levels that has never been seen before.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Face the Nation
- On Houthi terrorist attacks in the Red Sea: “In the last 18 months, the Houthis have struck or attacked … the U.S. Navy 174 times, and 145 times, they’ve attacked commercial shipping. So, we basically have a band of pirates with guided precision anti-ship weaponry exacting a toll system in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. That’s just not sustainable.”
- On revoking visas for terrorist sympathizers: “When you apply to enter the United States and you get a visa, you are a guest … If you tell us when you apply for a visa, ‘I’m coming to the U.S. to participate in pro-Hamas events,’ that runs counter to the foreign policy interest of the United States … If you had told us you were going to do that, we never would have given you the visa.”
- On tariffs: “I understand why these countries don’t like it — because the status quo of trade is good for them. It benefits them … We are going to set a new status quo … We have de-industrialized the United States of America. There are things we can no longer make.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Sunday Morning Futures
- On U.S. strikes against Houthi terrorists: “An era of peace through strength is back … This campaign is about freedom of navigation and restoring deterrence … The minute the Houthis say ‘we’ll stop shooting at your ships, we’ll stop shooting at your drones,’ this campaign will end. But until then, it will be unrelenting.”
- On President Trump’s agenda: “Shipbuilding, long-range munitions, hypersonics, long-range drones, a Golden Dome, southern border – the president has laid out very clearly his agenda to rebuild the U.S. military … We have revived the warrior ethos.”
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on This Week
- On U.S. strikes against Houthi terrorists: “These were not pinprick, back and forth, what ultimately proved to be feckless attacks. This was an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out.”
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Fox News Sunday
- On negotiations for peace in Ukraine: “As both President Putin and Zelensky said on our first call just a few weeks ago, only President Trump could drive this to an end … We know who we’re dealing with on all sides.”
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Meet the Press
- On President Trump’s economic agenda: “One week does not the market make… It would have been very easy for us to come in, run these reckless policies that have been happening before. We’ve got these large government deficits… We are bringing those down in a responsible way.”
- On tariffs: “Chinese manufacturers will eat the price … I believe that the currency adjusts … If we’re de-regulating, if we’re getting energy prices down, then if we look across the spectrum, Americans will realize lower prices and better affordability.”
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on State of the Union
- On negotiations to end the war in Ukraine: “Before this visit, there was another visit, and before that visit, the two sides were miles apart … The two sides are, today, a lot closer … We’ve narrowed the differences.”
- On when a deal to end the war could be possible: “The president uses the timeframe weeks — and I don’t disagree with him. I am really hopeful that we’re going to see some real progress here.”
- On dealing with Hamas: “What happened with the Houthis yesterday, what happened with our strike, ought to inform as to where we stand with the regard to terrorism and our tolerance level for terrorist actions — and I would encourage Hamas to get much more sensible.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Sunday Morning Futures
- On securing our homeland: “The president signed a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act against Tren de Aragua members who have invaded our country … The president invoked this authority to deport nearly 300 of them who are now in El Salvador, where they will be behind bars where they belong.”
- On activist legal challenges: “President Trump is not shy of resistance … Clearly, there are left-wing activists who sit behind a bench in a courthouse who don’t like this president and his policies, but the fact is everything President Trump is doing is within his executive authority.”
MIL OSI USA News –
March 17, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Public’s help sought after serious Miramar incidents

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch:

Police are seeking the public’s help following two serious incidents in Miramar overnight.

At 2am, Police were called to a Darlington Road address, where the occupants found an intruder inside their home. One occupant received minor injuries following an altercation with the suspect, who fled before Police arrived. Three other occupants at the address were unharmed.

A police dog unit tracked the intruder north of the bus turnaround for several hundred metres until the trail was lost.

About 2.30am, Police on patrol found a person unconscious and critically injured near the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road. The victim was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

We are making a number of enquiries into both of these incidents and are working to determine whether they are linked. There will be a visible Police presence in the area while we carry out this work and speak with residents.

We would like to hear from anyone with information that may help our enquiries.

It is possible the intruder has gone to other addresses in the immediate area. Police are asking that residents on upper Darlington Road (north of Camperdown Road), and residents near the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road to report any unusual or suspicious activity overnight.

We are also asking residents to check their sections and yards for any items that may have been stolen or discarded by the offender, described as a tall man of thin, athletic build, wearing a white cap.

Also of interest, is any CCTV that may assist the investigation.

If you can help, please make a report via 105, referencing the case number 250317/6324.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 17, 2025

MIL-OSI: Qifu Technology Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Unaudited Financial Results and Raises Semi-Annual Dividend

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SHANGHAI, China, March 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Qifu Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: QFIN; HKEx: 3660) (“Qifu Technology” or the “Company”), a leading AI-empowered Credit-Tech platform in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024 and raised semi-annual dividend.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Business Highlights

As of December 31, 2024, our platform has connected 162 financial institutional partners and 261.2 million consumers^*¹ with potential credit needs, cumulatively, an increase of 11.0% from 235.4 million a year ago.
Cumulative users with approved credit lines^*² were 56.9 million as of December 31, 2024, an increase of 11.8% from 50.9 million as of December 31, 2023.
Cumulative borrowers with successful drawdown, including repeat borrowers was 34.4 million as of December 31, 2024, an increase of 13.1% from 30.4 million as of December 31, 2023.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, financial institutional partners originated 24,814,923 loans^*³ through our platform.
Total facilitation and origination loan volume^*⁴ reached RMB89,885 million, an increase of 0.4% from RMB89,561 million in the same period of 2023 and an increase of 9.0% from RMB82,436 million in the prior quarter. RMB47,796 million of such loan volume was under capital-light model, Intelligence Credit Engine (“ICE”) and total technology solutions^*5, representing 53.2% of the total, an increase of 23.2% from RMB38,798 million in the same period of 2023 and an increase of 5.3% from RMB45,396 million in the prior quarter.
Total outstanding loan balance^*⁶ was RMB137,014 million as of December 31, 2024, a decrease of 5.7% from RMB145,270 million as of December 31, 2023 and an increase of 7.3% from RMB127,727 million as of September 30, 2024. RMB79,599 million of such loan balance was under capital-light model, “ICE” and total technology solutions, an increase of 8.6% from RMB73,268 million as of December 31, 2023 and an increase of 7.5% from RMB74,078 million as of September 30, 2024.
The weighted average contractual tenor of loans originated by financial institutions across our platform in the fourth quarter of 2024 was approximately 10.00 months, compared with 11.47 months in the same period of 2023.
90 day+ delinquency rate^*⁷ of loans originated by financial institutions across our platform was 2.09% as of December 31, 2024.
Repeat borrower contribution^*⁸ of loans originated by financial institutions across our platform for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 93.9%.

^{1 Refers to cumulative registered users across our platform.}
^{2 “Cumulative users with approved credit lines” refers to the total number of users who had submitted their credit applications and were approved with a credit line at the end of each period.}
^{3 Including 2,799,208 loans across “V-pocket”, and 22,015,715 loans across other products.}
^{4 Refers to the total principal amount of loans facilitated and originated during the given period. Retrospectively excluding the impact of discontinued service, which did not have and is not expected to have a material impact on our overall business, financial condition, and results of operations.}
^{5 “ICE” is an open platform primarily on our “Qifu Jietiao” APP (previously known as “360 Jietiao”), we match borrowers and financial institutions through big data and cloud computing technology on “ICE”, and provide pre-loan investigation report of borrowers. For loans facilitated through “ICE”, the Company does not bear principal risk.}
^{Under total technology solutions, we have been offering end-to-end technology solutions to financial institutions based on on-premise deployment, SaaS or hybrid model since 2023.}
^{6 “Total outstanding loan balance” refers to the total amount of principal outstanding for loans facilitated and originated at the end of each period, excluding loans delinquent for more than 180 days. Retrospectively excluding the impact of discontinued service, which did not have and is not expected to have a material impact on our overall business, financial condition, and results of operations.}
^{7 “90 day+ delinquency rate” refers to the outstanding principal balance of on- and off-balance sheet loans that were 91 to 180 calendar days past due as a percentage of the total outstanding principal balance of on- and off-balance sheet loans across our platform as of a specific date. Loans that are charged-off and loans under “ICE” and total technology solutions are not included in the delinquency rate calculation.}
^{8 “Repeat borrower contribution” for a given period refers to (i) the principal amount of loans borrowed during that period by borrowers who had historically made at least one successful drawdown, divided by (ii) the total loan facilitation and origination volume through our platform during that period.}

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

Total net revenue was RMB4,482.3 million (US$614.1 million), compared to RMB4,370.2 million in the prior quarter.
Net income was RMB1,912.7 million (US$262.0 million), compared to RMB1,798.8 million in the prior quarter.
Non-GAAP^*⁹ net income was RMB1,972.4 million (US$270.2 million), compared to RMB1,825.1 million in the prior quarter.
Net income per fully diluted American depositary share (“ADS”) was RMB13.24 (US$1.82), compared to RMB12.18 in the prior quarter.
Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB13.66 (US$1.87), compared to RMB12.35 in the prior quarter.

^{9 Non-GAAP income from operations, Non-GAAP net income, Non-GAAP operating margin, Non-GAAP net income margin and Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS are Non-GAAP financial measures. For more information on these Non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section of “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Statement” and the table captioned “Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” set forth at the end of this press release.}

Full Year 2024 Operational Highlights

Total loan facilitation and origination volume^*⁴ in 2024 was RMB321,969 million, representing a decrease of 12.8% from RMB369,132 million in 2023. Loan facilitation volume^*⁴ under Platform Services was RMB170,589 million, an increase of 3.8% from RMB164,321 million in 2023.
The weighted average contractual tenor of loans facilitated and originated was 10.05 months in full year 2024, compared with 11.21 months in 2023.
Repeat borrower contribution was 93.1% in full year 2024, compared with 91.6% in 2023.

Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights

Total net revenue was RMB17,165.7 million (US$2,351.7 million), compared to RMB16,290.0 million in 2023.
Net income was RMB6,248.1 million (US$856.0 million), compared to RMB4,268.6 million in 2023.
Non-GAAP net income was RMB6,415.7 million (US$879.0 million), compared to RMB4,454.2 million in 2023.
Net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB41.28 (US$5.66), compared to RMB26.08 in 2023.
Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB42.39 (US$5.81), compared to RMB27.22 in 2023.

Mr. Haisheng Wu, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Qifu Technology, commented, “Although 2024 was a challenging year as macro-economic headwinds persisted, we have made timely adjustments to our operations throughout the year and focused our effort on improving the quality and sustainability of our business. With consistent execution, we closed the year with strong operational and financial results. Throughout 2024, we proactively expanded the scope of our platform services, which makes our business model more resilient and forms a solid foundation for high quality growth in 2025.

Approximately 58% of the year-end loan balance was under the capital-light model, ICE and total technology solutions. The strong contribution from non-credit risk bearing services helped us mitigate some risks in a challenging environment and demonstrated the efficiency of our platform services. In 2024, we further diversified our user acquisition channels and in the fourth quarter, approximately 47% of our new credit line users were acquired through embedded finance channels. Meanwhile, we continued to solidify our relationships with financial institution partners. With record-setting ABS issuance, we further optimized our funding structure.

While we started to see some tentative signs of improvement in user activities late in 2024, we will continue to take a prudent approach in our business planning in 2025. We will remain focused on quality growth and further empower our partners and users through our open platform. With the increasing maturity and efficiency of large language models, we expect to allocate more resources to the application of AI across the credit scenarios in the future. We believe such efforts will enable us to better navigate through the current environment and position us well to capture long-term opportunities through innovative technologies, enhanced products and collaborative models.”

“We are pleased to report another quarter of solid financial results and close the year on a strong note in a still uncertain macro environment. For 2024, total revenue was RMB17.17 billion and Non-GAAP net income was RMB6.42 billion,” Mr. Alex Xu, Chief Financial Officer, commented. “Meanwhile, we generated a record-breaking RMB9.34 billion cash from operations in 2024. Our strong financial positions not only allow us to consistently execute our strategy and support business initiatives, but also enable us to further enhance returns to our shareholders by actively executing 2025 share repurchase plan and significantly raising semi-annual dividends.”

Mr. Yan Zheng, Chief Risk Officer, added, “Despite facing macro uncertainties, we significantly reduced our overall portfolio risks through 2024 by decisively tightening risk standards early in the year. Overall risk performance reached the best level for the year in the fourth quarter. Among key leading indicators, Day-1 delinquency rate*¹⁰ was 4.8% in the fourth quarter, and 30-day collection rate*¹¹ was 88.1%. We feel comfortable with current risk levels and expect to see relatively stable risk performance in the coming quarters as we seek growth opportunities in a changing environment in 2025.”

^{10 “Day-1 delinquency rate” is defined as (i) the total amount of principal that became overdue as of a specified date, divided by (ii) the total amount of principal that was due for repayment as of such specified date.}
^{11 “30-day collection rate” is defined as (i) the amount of principal that was repaid in one month among the total amount of principal that became overdue as of a specified date, divided by (ii) the total amount of principal that became overdue as of such specified date.}

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Total net revenue was RMB4,482.3 million (US$614.1 million), compared to RMB4,495.5 million in the same period of 2023, and RMB4,370.2 million in the prior quarter.

Net revenue from Credit Driven Services was RMB2,889.5 million (US$395.9 million), compared to RMB3,248.3 million in the same period of 2023, and RMB2,901.0 million in the prior quarter.

Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital heavy were RMB363.0 million (US$49.7 million), compared to RMB481.2 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB258.7 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential changes were primarily due to the changes in capital-heavy loan facilitation volume.

Financing income^*¹² was RMB1,667.3 million (US$228.4 million), compared to RMB1,485.4 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB1,744.1 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to the growth in average outstanding balance of the on-balance-sheet loans.

Revenue from releasing of guarantee liabilities was RMB761.8 million (US$104.4 million), compared to RMB1,211.8 million in the same period of 2023, and RMB794.6 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to the decrease in average outstanding balance of off-balance-sheet capital-heavy loans during the period.

Other services fees were RMB97.4 million (US$13.3 million), compared to RMB69.8 million in the same period of 2023, and RMB103.7 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase reflected the increase in late payment fees under the credit driven services due to improvement in collection rates of late paid loans.

Net revenue from Platform Services was RMB1,592.8 million (US$218.2 million), compared to RMB1,247.2 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB1,469.1 million in the prior quarter.

Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital light were RMB515.1 million (US$70.6 million), compared to RMB697.0 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB574.6 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential decreases were primarily due to the decreases in capital-light loan facilitation volume.

Referral services fees were RMB907.2 million (US$124.3 million), compared to RMB446.5 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB763.1 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential increases were mainly due to the increases in loan facilitation volume through ICE.

Other services fees were RMB170.5 million (US$23.4 million), compared to RMB103.8 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB131.4 million in the prior quarter.

Total operating costs and expenses were RMB2,591.9 million (US$355.1 million), compared to RMB3,215.9 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB2,081.0 million in the prior quarter.

Facilitation, origination and servicing expenses were RMB734.7 million (US$100.6 million), compared to RMB731.8 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB707.9 million in the prior quarter.

Funding costs were RMB126.8 million (US$17.4 million), compared to RMB161.0 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB146.8 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to the lower average costs of ABS and trusts. The sequential decrease was mainly due to the decline in funding from ABS and trusts and lower average costs.

Sales and marketing expenses were RMB523.9 million (US$71.8 million), compared to RMB551.6 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB419.9 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year decrease was primarily due to improved efficiency in acquiring new customers. The sequential increase was primarily due to a more proactive customer acquisition effort and seasonal factors.

General and administrative expenses were RMB156.1 million (US$21.4 million), compared to RMB108.0 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB92.0 million in the prior quarter.

Provision for loans receivable was RMB598.4 million (US$82.0 million), compared to RMB639.9 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB477.5 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential changes reflected the Company’s consistent approach in assessing provisions commensurate with its underlying loan profile and changes in loan origination volume of on-balance-sheet loans.

Provision for financial assets receivable was RMB63.3 million (US$8.7 million), compared to RMB148.2 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB64.4 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to the decline in capital-heavy loan facilitation volume and reflected the Company’s consistent approach in assessing provisions commensurate with its underlying loan profile. The sequential decrease was mainly due to reversal of prior quarters’ provision in the quarter, offsetting by the increase in capital-heavy loan facilitation volume.

Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets was RMB77.5 million (US$10.6 million), compared to RMB91.1 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB108.8 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential decreases reflected the Company’s consistent approach in assessing provisions commensurate with its underlying loan profile.

Provision for contingent liability was RMB311.4 million (US$42.7 million), compared to RMB784.3 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB63.6 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential changes reflected the Company’s consistent approach in assessing provisions commensurate with its underlying loan profile as well as the changes in capital-heavy loan facilitation volume.

Income from operations was RMB1,890.3 million (US$259.0 million), compared to RMB1,279.6 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB2,289.2 million in the prior quarter.

Non-GAAP income from operations was RMB1,950.0 million (US$267.2 million), compared to RMB1,322.1 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB2,315.5 million in the prior quarter.

Operating margin was 42.2%. Non-GAAP operating margin was 43.5%.

Income before income tax expense was RMB1,932.7 million (US$264.8 million), compared to RMB1,330.9 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB2,356.9 million in the prior quarter.

Income taxes expense was RMB20.0 million (US$2.7 million), compared to RMB 223.2 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB558.1 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential changes were mainly due the writeback of withholding taxes related to the Company’s dividend and share repurchase plans, as the Company became eligible to a lower tax rate in the fourth quarter.

Net income was RMB1,912.7 million (US$262.0 million), compared to RMB1,107.7 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB1,798.8 million in the prior quarter.

Non-GAAP net income was RMB1,972.4 million (US$270.2 million), compared to RMB1,150.3 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB1,825.1 million in the prior quarter.

Net income margin was 42.7%. Non-GAAP net income margin was 44.0%.

Net income attributed to the Company was RMB1,916.6 million (US$262.6 million), compared to RMB1,111.7 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB1,802.9 million in the prior quarter.

Non-GAAP net income attributed to the Company was RMB1,976.4 million (US$270.8 million), compared to RMB1,154.3 million in the same period of 2023 and RMB1,829.2 million in the prior quarter.

Net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB13.24 (US$1.82).

Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB13.66 (US$1.87).

Weighted average basic ADS used in calculating GAAP net income per ADS was 142.94 million.

Weighted average diluted ADS used in calculating GAAP and non-GAAP net income per ADS was 144.71 million.

^{12 “Financing income” is generated from loans facilitated through the Company’s platform funded by the consolidated trusts and Fuzhou Microcredit, which charge fees and interests from borrowers.}

Full Year 2024 Financial Results

Total net revenue was RMB17,165.7 million (US$2,351.7 million), compared to RMB16,290.0 million in 2023.

Net revenue from Credit Driven Services was RMB11,719.0 million (US$1,605.5 million), compared to RMB11,738.6 million in 2023.

Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital heavy were RMB1,016.5 million (US$139.3 million), compared to RMB1,667.1 million in 2023. The year-over-year decrease was primarily due to a decline in capital-heavy loan facilitation volume.

Financing income was RMB6,636.5 million (US$909.2 million), compared to RMB5,109.9 million in 2023. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to the growth in average outstanding balance of on-balance-sheet loans.

Revenue from releasing of guarantee liabilities was RMB3,695.0 million (US$506.2 million), compared to RMB4,745.9 million in 2023. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to decrease in average outstanding balance of off-balance-sheet capital-heavy loans during the period.

Other services fees were RMB371.0 million (US$50.8 million), compared to RMB215.6 million in 2023. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to an increase in late payment fees in connection with improvement in collection rate of late paid loans under the credit driven services.

Net revenue from Platform Services was RMB5,446.6 million (US$746.2 million), compared to RMB4,551.5 million in 2023.

Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital light were RMB2,116.8 million (US$290.0 million), compared to RMB3,214.0 million in 2023. The year-over-year decrease was primarily due to a decline in loan facilitation volume under the capital-light model.

Referral services fees were RMB2,842.6 million (US$389.4 million), compared to RMB950.0 million in 2023. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to an increase in the loan facilitation volume through ICE.

Other services fees were RMB487.2 million (US$66.7 million), compared to RMB387.5 million in 2023.

Total operating costs and expenses were RMB9,637.1 million (US$1,320.3 million), compared to RMB11,433.1 million in 2023.

Facilitation, origination and servicing expenses were RMB2,900.7 million (US$397.4 million), compared to RMB2,659.9 million in 2023. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to higher collection fees.

Funding costs were RMB590.9 million (US$81.0 million), compared to RMB645.4 million in 2023. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to the lower average cost of ABS and trusts, partially offset by the growth in funding from ABS and trusts.

Sales and marketing expenses were RMB1,725.9 million (US$236.4 million), compared to RMB1,939.9 million in 2023. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to our prudent customer acquisition approach and lower unit customer acquisition cost.

General and administrative expenses were RMB449.5 million (US$61.6 million), compared to RMB421.1 million in 2023.

Provision for loans receivable was RMB2,773.3 million (US$379.9 million), compared to RMB2,151.0 million in 2023. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to the growth in loan origination volume of on-balance-sheet loans.

Provision for financial assets receivable was RMB296.9 million (US$40.7 million), compared to RMB386.1 million in 2023. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a decline in capital-heavy loan facilitation volume.

Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets was RMB421.5 million (US$57.7 million), compared to RMB175.8 million in 2023. The year-over-year increase reflected the Company’s consistent approach in assessing provisions commensurate with its underlying loan profile.

Provision for contingent liability was RMB478.4 million (US$65.5 million), compared to RMB3,053.8 million in 2023. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a decline in capital-heavy loan facilitation volume and the reversal of prior provision as loans facilitated in previous period performed better than expected.

Income from operations was RMB7,528.6 million (US$1,031.4 million), compared to RMB4,857.0 million in 2023.

Non-GAAP income from operations was RMB7,696.2 million (US$1,054.4 million), compared to RMB5,042.6 million in 2023.

Operating margin was 43.9%. Non-GAAP operating margin was 44.8%.

Income before income tax expense was RMB7,892.4 million (US$1,081.3 million), compared to RMB5,277.5 million in 2023.

Income taxes expense was RMB1,644.3 million (US$225.3 million). Effective tax rate was 20.4%, compared to 18.5% in 2023. The increase in effective tax rate was mainly due to withholding taxes related to the Company’s dividend and share repurchase plan.

Net income attributed to the Company was RMB6,264.3 million (US$858.2 million), compared to RMB4,285.3 million in 2023.

Non-GAAP net income attributed to the Company was RMB6,431.9 million (US$881.2 million), compared to RMB4,470.9 million in 2023.

Net income margin was 36.4%. Non-GAAP net income margin was 37.4%.

Net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB41.28 (US$5.66).

Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB42.39 (US$5.81).

Weighted average basic ADS used in calculating GAAP net income per ADS was 149.01 million.

Weighted average diluted ADS used in calculating GAAP and non-GAAP net income per ADS was 151.72 million.

30 Day+ Delinquency Rate by Vintage and 180 Day+ Delinquency Rate by Vintage

The following charts and tables display the historical cumulative 30 day+ delinquency rates by loan facilitation and origination vintage and 180 day+ delinquency rates by loan facilitation and origination vintage for all loans facilitated and originated through the Company’s platform. Loans under “ICE” and total technology solutions are not included in the 30 day+ charts and the 180 day+ charts:

http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/2a5d124f-5f90-4a71-a264-908b101a7e87

http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/95f56823-ce1f-4ade-baf5-cdc0bcf8526c

Semi-Annual Dividend for the Second Half of 2024

The board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) has approved a dividend of US$0.35 per Class A ordinary share, or US$0.70 per ADS for the second half of 2024 to holders of record of Class A ordinary shares and ADSs as of the close of business on April 23, 2025 Hong Kong Time and New York Time, respectively, in accordance with the Company’s dividend policy. For holder of Class A ordinary shares, in order to qualify for the dividend, all valid documents for the transfers of shares accompanied by the relevant share certificates must be lodged for registration with the Company’s Hong Kong branch share registrar, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at Shops 1712-1716, 17th Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong no later than 4:30 p.m. on April 23, 2025 (Hong Kong Time). The payment date is expected to be on May 28, 2025 for holders of Class A ordinary shares and around June 2, 2025 for holders of ADSs.

Update on Share Repurchase

On March 12, 2024, the Board approved a share repurchase plan (the “2024 Share Repurchase Plan”) whereby the Company is authorized to repurchase its ADSs or Class A ordinary shares with an aggregate value of up to US$350 million during the 12-month period from April 1, 2024.

In the fourth quarter, the Company had in aggregate purchased approximately 3.1 million ADSs in the open market for a total amount of approximately US$107 million (inclusive of commissions) at an average price of US$34.5 per ADS. As of December 30, 2024, the Company had utilized substantially all of the total authorized value for the 2024 Share Repurchase Plan.

On November 19, 2024, the Board approved a new share repurchase plan (the “2025 Share Repurchase Plan”) whereby the Company is authorized to repurchase up to US$450 million worth of its ADSs or Class A ordinary shares over the next 12 months starting from January 1, 2025.

As of March 14, 2025, the Company had in aggregate purchased approximately 2.2 million ADSs in the open market for a total amount of approximately US$86 million (inclusive of commissions) at an average price of US$39.7 per ADS pursuant to the 2025 Share Repurchase Plan.

Business Outlook

As macro-economic uncertainties persist, the Company intends to maintain a prudent approach in its business planning for 2025. Management will continue to focus on enhancing efficiency of the Company’s operations. As such, for the first quarter of 2025, the Company expects to generate a net income between RMB1.75 billion and RMB1.85 billion and a non-GAAP net income^*1³ between RMB1.80 billion and RMB1.90 billion, representing a year-on-year growth between 49% and 58%. This outlook reflects the Company’s current and preliminary views, which is subject to material changes.

^{13 Non-GAAP net income represents net income excluding share-based compensation expenses.}

Conference Call Preregistration

Qifu Technology’s management team will host an earnings conference call at 7:30 AM U.S. Eastern Time on Monday, March 17, 2025 (7:30 PM Beijing Time on the same day).

All participants wishing to join the conference call must pre-register online using the link provided below.

Registration Link: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10045854-hg6t5r.html

Upon registration, each participant will receive details for the conference call, including dial-in numbers and a unique access PIN. Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at https://ir.qifu.tech.

About Qifu Technology

Qifu Technology is a leading AI-empowered Credit-Tech platform in China. By leveraging its sophisticated machine learning models and data analytics capabilities, the Company provides a comprehensive suite of technology services to assist financial institutions and consumers and SMEs in the loan lifecycle, ranging from borrower acquisition, preliminary credit assessment, fund matching and post-facilitation services. The Company is dedicated to making credit services more accessible and personalized to consumers and SMEs through Credit-Tech services to financial institutions.

For more information, please visit: https://ir.qifu.tech.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Statement

To supplement our financial results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use Non-GAAP financial measure, which is adjusted from results based on U.S. GAAP to exclude share-based compensation expenses. Reconciliations of our Non-GAAP financial measures to our U.S. GAAP financial measures are set forth in tables at the end of this earnings release, which provide more details on the Non-GAAP financial measures.

We use Non-GAAP income from operation, Non-GAAP operating margin, Non-GAAP net income, Non-GAAP net income margin, Non-GAAP net income attributed to the Company and Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS in evaluating our operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. Non-GAAP income from operation represents income from operation excluding share-based compensation expenses. Non-GAAP operating margin is equal to Non-GAAP income from operation divided by total net revenue. Non-GAAP net income represents net income excluding share-based compensation expenses. Non-GAAP net income margin is equal to Non-GAAP net income divided by total net revenue. Non-GAAP net income attributed to the Company represents net income attributed to the Company excluding share-based compensation expenses. Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS represents net income excluding share-based compensation expenses per fully diluted ADS. Such adjustments have no impact on income tax. We believe that Non-GAAP income from operation, Non-GAAP operating margin, Non-GAAP net income, Non-GAAP net income margin, Non-GAAP net income attributed to the Company and Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS help identify underlying trends in our business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of certain expenses that we include in results based on U.S. GAAP. We believe that Non-GAAP income from operation and Non-GAAP net income provide useful information about our operating results, enhance the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by our management in its financial and operational decision-making. Our Non-GAAP financial information should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for or superior to U.S. GAAP results. In addition, our calculation of Non-GAAP financial information may be different from the calculation used by other companies, and therefore comparability may be limited.

Exchange Rate Information

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars are made at a rate of RMB 7.2993 to US$1.00, the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as of December 31, 2024.

Safe Harbor Statement

Any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as the Company’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Qifu Technology may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including the Company’s business outlook, beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, which factors include but not limited to the following: the Company’s growth strategies, the Company’s cooperation with 360 Group, changes in laws, rules and regulatory environments, the recognition of the Company’s brand, market acceptance of the Company’s products and services, trends and developments in the credit-tech industry, governmental policies relating to the credit-tech industry, general economic conditions in China and around the globe, and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties is included in Qifu Technology’s filings with the SEC and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Qifu Technology does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

Qifu Technology
E-mail: ir@360shuke.com

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

	December 31,	December 31,	December 31,
	2023	2024	2024
	RMB	RMB	USD
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	4,177,890	4,452,416	609,978
Restricted cash	3,381,107	2,353,384	322,412
Short term investments	15,000	3,394,073	464,987
Security deposit prepaid to third-party guarantee companies	207,071	162,617	22,278
Funds receivable from third party payment service providers	1,603,419	462,112	63,309
Accounts receivable and contract assets, net	2,909,245	2,214,530	303,389
Financial assets receivable, net	2,522,543	1,553,912	212,885
Amounts due from related parties	45,346	8,510	1,166
Loans receivable, net	24,604,487	26,714,428	3,659,862
Prepaid expenses and other assets	329,920	1,464,586	200,647
Total current assets	39,796,028	42,780,568	5,860,913
Non-current assets:
Accounts receivable and contract assets, net-noncurrent	146,995	27,132	3,717
Financial assets receivable, net-noncurrent	596,330	170,779	23,397
Amounts due from related parties	4,240	51	7
Loans receivable, net-noncurrent	2,898,005	2,537,749	347,670
Property and equipment, net	231,221	362,774	49,700
Land use rights,net	977,461	956,738	131,073
Intangible assets	13,443	11,818	1,619
Goodwill	41,210	42,414	5,811
Deferred tax assets	1,067,738	1,206,325	165,266
Other non-current assets	45,901	36,270	4,969
Total non-current assets	6,022,544	5,352,050	733,229
TOTAL ASSETS	45,818,572	48,132,618	6,594,142

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Payable to investors of the consolidated trusts-current	8,942,291	8,188,454	1,121,814
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	2,016,039	2,492,921	341,529
Amounts due to related parties	80,376	67,495	9,247
Short term loans	798,586	1,369,939	187,681
Guarantee liabilities-stand ready	3,949,601	2,383,202	326,497
Guarantee liabilities-contingent	3,207,264	1,820,350	249,387
Income tax payable	742,210	1,040,687	142,574
Other tax payable	163,252	109,161	14,955
Total current liabilities	19,899,619	17,472,209	2,393,684
Non-current liabilities:
Deferred tax liabilities	224,823	439,435	60,202
Payable to investors of the consolidated trusts-noncurrent	3,581,800	5,719,600	783,582
Other long-term liabilities	102,473	255,155	34,956
Total non-current liabilities	3,909,096	6,414,190	878,740
TOTAL LIABILITIES	23,808,715	23,886,399	3,272,424
TOTAL QIFU TECHNOLOGY INC EQUITY	21,937,483	24,190,043	3,314,022
Noncontrolling interests	72,374	56,176	7,696
TOTAL EQUITY	22,009,857	24,246,219	3,321,718
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	45,818,572	48,132,618	6,594,142

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

	Three months ended December 31,						Year ended December 31,
	2023		2024		2024		2023		2024		2024
	RMB		RMB		USD		RMB		RMB		USD
Credit driven services	3,248,263		2,889,500		395,860		11,738,560		11,719,027		1,605,500
Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital heavy	481,195		362,958		49,725		1,667,119		1,016,514		139,262
Financing income	1,485,446		1,667,340		228,425		5,109,921		6,636,511		909,198
Revenue from releasing of guarantee liabilities	1,211,787		761,827		104,370		4,745,898		3,695,017		506,215
Other services fees	69,835		97,375		13,340		215,622		370,985		50,825
Platform services	1,247,240		1,592,752		218,206		4,551,467		5,446,629		746,185
Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital light	696,985		515,062		70,563		3,213,955		2,116,797		290,000
Referral services fees	446,486		907,207		124,287		950,016		2,842,637		389,440
Other services fees	103,769		170,483		23,356		387,496		487,195		66,745
Total net revenue	4,495,503		4,482,252		614,066		16,290,027		17,165,656		2,351,685
Facilitation, origination and servicing	731,787		734,659		100,648		2,659,912		2,900,704		397,395
Funding costs	161,016		126,841		17,377		645,445		590,935		80,958
Sales and marketing	551,590		523,936		71,779		1,939,885		1,725,877		236,444
General and administrative	108,037		156,061		21,380		421,076		449,505		61,582
Provision for loans receivable	639,886		598,353		81,974		2,151,046		2,773,323		379,944
Provision for financial assets receivable	148,198		63,251		8,665		386,090		296,857		40,669
Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets	91,105		77,450		10,611		175,799		421,481		57,743
Provision for contingent liabilities	784,323		311,372		42,658		3,053,810		478,404		65,541
Total operating costs and expenses	3,215,942		2,591,923		355,092		11,433,063		9,637,086		1,320,276
Income from operations	1,279,561		1,890,329		258,974		4,856,964		7,528,570		1,031,409
Interest income, net	46,970		74,951		10,268		217,307		237,015		32,471
Foreign exchange (loss) gain	(815	)	2,680		367		2,356		1,512		207
Other income, net	5,209		(35,251	)	(4,829	)	230,936		125,325		17,169
Investment loss	–		–		–		(30,112	)	–		–
Income before income tax expense	1,330,925		1,932,709		264,780		5,277,451		7,892,422		1,081,256
Income taxes expense	(223,237	)	(20,042	)	(2,746	)	(1,008,874	)	(1,644,306	)	(225,269	)
Net income	1,107,688		1,912,667		262,034		4,268,577		6,248,116		855,987
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	4,052		3,970		544		16,759		16,198		2,219
Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company	1,111,740		1,916,637		262,578		4,285,336		6,264,314		858,206
Net income per ordinary share attributable to ordinary shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc.
Basic	3.51		6.70		0.92		13.36		21.02		2.88
Diluted	3.44		6.62		0.91		13.04		20.64		2.83

Net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc.
Basic	7.02		13.40		1.84		26.72		42.04		5.76
Diluted	6.88		13.24		1.82		26.08		41.28		5.66

Weighted average shares used in calculating net income per ordinary share
Basic	316,325,750		285,872,913		285,872,913		320,749,805		298,012,150		298,012,150
Diluted	323,305,948		289,427,077		289,427,077		328,508,945		303,449,864		303,449,864

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

	Three months ended December 31,						Year ended December 31,
	2023		2024		2024		2023		2024		2024
	RMB		RMB		USD		RMB		RMB		USD
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,351,791		3,051,606		418,067		7,118,350		9,343,311		1,280,027
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,885,694	)	(945,611	)	(129,548	)	(11,147,789	)	(7,994,081	)	(1,095,184	)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(911,621	)	(1,873,516	)	(256,671	)	1,066,458		(2,114,463	)	(289,680	)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes	(877	)	31,464		4,311		9,615		12,036		1,649
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(446,401	)	263,943		36,159		(2,953,366	)	(753,197	)	(103,188	)
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of period	8,005,398		6,541,857		896,231		10,512,363		7,558,997		1,035,578
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of period	7,558,997		6,805,800		932,390		7,558,997		6,805,800		932,390

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss)/Income
(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

	Three months ended December 31,
	2023		2024	2024
	RMB		RMB	USD
Net income	1,107,688		1,912,667	262,034
Other comprehensive income, net of tax of nil:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(3,606	)	145,610	19,948
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(3,606	)	145,610	19,948
Total comprehensive income	1,104,082		2,058,277	281,982
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	4,052		3,970	544
Comprehensive income attributable to ordinary shareholders	1,108,134		2,062,247	282,526


	Year ended December 31,
	2023		2024	2024
	RMB		RMB	USD
Net income	4,268,577		6,248,116	855,987
Other comprehensive income, net of tax of nil:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	17,118		46,534	6,375
Other comprehensive income	17,118		46,534	6,375
Total comprehensive income	4,285,695		6,294,650	862,362
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	16,759		16,198	2,219
Comprehensive income attributable to ordinary shareholders	4,302,454		6,310,848	864,581

Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results
(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

	Three months ended December 31,
	2023		2024		2024
	RMB		RMB		USD
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Net Income to Net Income
Net income	1,107,688		1,912,667		262,034
Add: Share-based compensation expenses	42,572		59,720		8,182
Non-GAAP net income	1,150,260		1,972,387		270,216
GAAP net income margin	24.6	%	42.7	%
Non-GAAP net income margin	25.6	%	44.0	%

Net income attributable to shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc.	1,111,740		1,916,637		262,578
Add: Share-based compensation expenses	42,572		59,720		8,182
Non-GAAP net income attributable to shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc.	1,154,312		1,976,357		270,760
Weighted average ADS used in calculating net income per ordinary share for both GAAP and non-GAAP EPS -diluted	161,652,974		144,713,538		144,713,538
Net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc. -diluted	6.88		13.24		1.82
Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc. -diluted	7.14		13.66		1.87

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Income from operations to Income from operations
Income from operations	1,279,561		1,890,329		258,974
Add: Share-based compensation expenses	42,572		59,720		8,182
Non-GAAP Income from operations	1,322,133		1,950,049		267,156
GAAP operating margin	28.5	%	42.2	%
Non-GAAP operating margin	29.4	%	43.5	%


	Year ended December 31,
	2023		2024		2024
	RMB		RMB		USD
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Net Income to Net Income
Net income	4,268,577		6,248,116		855,987
Add: Share-based compensation expenses	185,604		167,613		22,963
Non-GAAP net income	4,454,181		6,415,729		878,950
GAAP net income margin	26.2	%	36.4	%
Non-GAAP net income margin	27.3	%	37.4	%

Net income attributable to shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc.	4,285,336		6,264,314		858,206
Add: Share-based compensation expenses	185,604		167,613		22,963
Non-GAAP net income attributable to shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc.	4,470,940		6,431,927		881,169
Weighted average ADS used in calculating net income per ordinary share for both GAAP and non-GAAP EPS -diluted	164,254,473		151,724,932		151,724,932
Net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc. -diluted	26.08		41.28		5.66
Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of Qifu Technology, Inc. -diluted	27.22		42.39		5.81

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Income from operations to Income from operations
Income from operations	4,856,964		7,528,570		1,031,409
Add: Share-based compensation expenses	185,604		167,613		22,963
Non-GAAP Income from operations	5,042,568		7,696,183		1,054,372
GAAP operating margin	29.8	%	43.9	%
Non-GAAP operating margin	31.0	%	44.8	%

The MIL Network –

March 17, 2025

MIL-Evening Report: Whatever happens to Star, the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have ended

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

Casino operator Star Entertainment has been under financial pressure for some time. The company’s share price has tanked, and the business, with its three casino properties, has been bleeding money.

Last year’s opening of a new riverside casino in Queen’s Wharf, Brisbane, was seen as a way to revitalise the business. But Star has swung from one lifeline to another.

Just as it was set to run out of cash on Friday March 7, Star announced a last-minute rescue package. This centred on selling its 50% stake in the Queens Wharf casino to Hong-Kong-based joint venture partners for $53 million.

Star has also started documentation for a $250 million bridging loan but still needs to finalise a proposal for long-term refinancing.

All of this remains subject to details being finalised, and regulatory approvals. An alternative $250 million takeover offer from US casino operator Bally’s currently isn’t Star’s preference because it is considered too low.

But Star is far from out of the woods yet. Whatever happens to it and its casino assets, there are bigger questions about whether the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have already ended.

Elsewhere, gambling is booming

If Australian casinos are struggling, it’s not because punters are giving up gambling. Whereas most of the gambling market recovered rapidly after the end of pandemic restrictions, casinos floundered.

Between 2018–19 and 2022–23, before and after pandemic restrictions were in place, total Australian gambling expenditure (in other words, gamblers’ losses) grew by 6.8% in real terms (adjusted for inflation).

Real wagering losses grew by 45%. This segment has clearly emerged as the second-biggest gambling market in the country, with gambling expenditure of $8.4 billion.

But over the same period, expenditure at casinos declined by more than 35% nationally, and by 42% in New South Wales.

Read more:
The rate of sports betting has surged more than 57% – and younger people are betting more

Do casinos have a viable business model?

Both Star and Australia’s other major casino operator, Crown, have emerged from a range of high-profile scandals in recent years.

Media reporting, inquiries, and royal commissions into Crown, and then Star, give some insight into how the casino business used to be run in Australia.

Star’s (and Crown’s) business model appears to have previously relied on two major revenue streams: benefiting from the proceeds of crime (by operating as a cash laundry for organised criminal gangs), and exploiting every vulnerable person who walked onto their premises.

Both casinos facilitated money laundering, particularly via junket operators, organisers of casino visits by high rollers. Unfortunately, many of these people had strong links to organised crime gangs keen to launder their illegally acquired money.

Former Star executives and board members are now facing Federal Court proceedings brought by ASIC, with two already having been fined.

Read more:
‘Multiple red flags’: ASIC’s court case against Star executives shows the risks of complacency

Star and Crown preyed on addiction

Both Star and Crown were also found to have encouraged significant expenditure by addicted gamblers.

This wasn’t just high rollers. Ordinary people were also encouraged to use poker machines for hours without any attempt at encouraging a break, as mandated by “responsible gambling” codes.

The Victorian Royal Commissioner, investigating Crown, regarded its “responsible gambling” failures as particularly heinous.

The result was the turnover of the board and management, hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, and increased regulatory oversight.

Although neither casino chain closed its doors, regulatory breaches led to appointment of special managers to oversee the business and hold the licences. Further change included beefing up regulators’ powers and resources.

Turning a page

Without significant funds from the proceeds of crime, or exploitation of the vulnerable, casinos are clearly struggling.

In NSW and Victoria, the casinos have been required to introduce “cashless gaming” systems.

This takes cash out of the system, deterring money launderers. Gamblers must also set a limit on their gambling spend, and adhere to it. The system is in the process of being introduced in Queensland.

Certainly, overcapitalisation of new developments has played a part in casinos’ struggles. Crown Melbourne was effectively sold to Kerry Packer in 1998 on the back of its own financial issues. Overcapitalisation of the business was seen as an issue then.

Stronger competition

Competition from online wagering and pokie venues may also be playing a part. These businesses are not currently regulated as effectively as casinos.

Precommitment systems for online wagering would be relatively easy to introduce. They would require punters to set a limit on deposits or bets, or indeed the time they spend gambling, and enforce these technically.

Getting these in place, however, may be as formidable a task as getting gambling ads banned from sporting broadcasts, if not more so.

The gambling industry understandably opposes this. After all, these measures would reduce the amount that people lose. From a public health perspective, however, they provide an effective system to prevent harm in the first place, rather than simply picking up the pieces.

Without effective reform of local gambling venues and online wagering, casinos may try to mount an argument for less effective regulation. That would be an admission that their “tourism” attractiveness has waned. It’s also a powerful argument to speed up the transition of effective regulation to all gambling operators.

Charles Livingstone has received funding from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, the (former) Victorian Gambling Research Panel, and the South Australian Independent Gambling Authority (the funds for which were derived from hypothecation of gambling tax revenue to research purposes), from the Australian and New Zealand School of Government and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, and from non-government organisations for research into multiple aspects of poker machine gambling, including regulatory reform, existing harm minimisation practices, and technical characteristics of gambling forms. He has received travel and co-operation grants from the Alberta Problem Gambling Research Institute, the Finnish Institute for Public Health, the Finnish Alcohol Research Foundation, the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Committee, the Turkish Red Crescent Society, and the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand. He was a Chief Investigator on an Australian Research Council funded project researching mechanisms of influence on government by the tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries. He has undertaken consultancy research for local governments and non-government organisations in Australia and the UK seeking to restrict or reduce the concentration of poker machines and gambling impacts, and was a member of the Australian government’s Ministerial Expert Advisory Group on Gambling in 2010-11. He is a member of the Lancet Public Health Commission into gambling, and of the World Health Organisation expert group on gambling and gambling harm. He made a submission to and appeared before the HoR Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm.

– ref. Whatever happens to Star, the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have ended – https://theconversation.com/whatever-happens-to-star-the-age-of-unfettered-gambling-revenue-for-casinos-may-have-ended-251248

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: No limitations on arena event hours

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Environmental Protection Department said today that no restrictions have been imposed with regard to operating hours for events held at the Kai Tak Arena, and emphasised that there are no limitations on activities extending beyond midnight.

In response to media enquiries about noise control, the department said all events held at the arena – including sports events and music performances – are conducted indoors and involve central air conditioning. It explained that the relevant Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report had therefore concluded that noise levels would not exceed limits.

The department added that it had also taken noise measurements near the venue during rehearsal concerts. It said the results showed that noise reduction apparatus installed at the venue is effective and meets the expectations required by the EIA report, with noise levels being in compliance with legal standards.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why some Canadians are in denial about Donald Trump

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Aisha Ahmad, Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Toronto

Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed Canada will never be a 51st American state and has called on Canada to present a united front to defend against United States President Donald Trump’s escalating attacks on Canada’s economy and sovereignty.

Most Canadians are already on board. Provincial premiers have committed to defending against tariffs, and recent polling data shows 85 per cent of Canadians resolutely reject Trump’s threats of annexation.

Yet, despite this widespread patriotism, some Canadians may have a relative or friend in the contrarian 10 per cent of citizens who welcome annexation.

Why do these people support Trump?

Psychology and security

The answer has less to do with politics or economic frustration than it does psychology. The reason some Canadians are reacting positively to Trump’s threats is because cognitive biases often prevent human beings from accurately assessing shocks to their security environment.

Psychological biases are well-researched in international security scholarship, and I have witnessed their consequences first-hand in my work in conflict zones.

From peacekeepers to politicians to ordinary civilians, I have seen how cognitive biases can cause rational, intelligent people to ignore valuable evidence, even at great peril.

Humans often react to unsettling evidence by denying, minimizing or re-interpreting the information to restore their cognitive ease. Everyone in a conflict-prone part of the world experiences cognitive distortions and denial at some point. Psychological security often overrides physical security.

But these biases are dangerous. They undermine decision-making, slow down reaction times and cause people to believe dangerous things that make them unsafe.

The tricky part is that challenging a person’s denial can provoke defensiveness, even rage. But allowing denial to persist leaves them dangerously unprepared to face real-world threats.

On balance, the safer choice is to rip off these psychological Band-aids.

Denial through confirmation bias

Except for a small percentage of extremists, the 10 per cent who are in favour of American annexation are ordinary Canadians. What makes them different are two interrelated cognitive biases: confirmation bias and belief perseverance.

For Canadians who hold Trump in high esteem, acknowledging his threats creates cognitive dissonance. Some people find dissonance so distressing that it feels easier to reject or reinterpret the contrary information in a way that protects prior-held ideas and restores cognitive ease.

These confirmation biases allow the 10 per cent to redefine the word “annexation” to mean something else, such as peaceful political unification. That imagined definition turns Trump’s threat into a friendly proposal leading to greater prosperity and security.

That reinterpretation may reduce psychological distress, but it’s delusional.

Political unification is a non-coercive and consent-based process, wherein parties agree to incorporation through referendum, typically producing an all new government. Trump is proposing unilateral annexation, which is the hostile and illegal seizure of a sovereign state’s territory and the subjugation of its population.

Annexation is not marriage. It’s rape.

Unilateral annexation is so inherently violent that its prohibition in Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter is considered the legal cornerstone of the post-Second World War international order.

As Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping each champion annexing nearby sovereign nations in the name of greatness, that international order is now crumbling. If the laws, norms and institutions preventing annexation collapse, it opens the door to invasions, insurgencies and even global war.

Read more:
Why annexing Canada would destroy the United States

Many of the 10 per cent are simply unaware of what “annexation” truly means, and could rationally change their position once they understand the facts. But a smaller subset of that group may reject the evidence entirely.

Belief perseverance causes some people to aggressively hold their original position, even when presented with disconfirming evidence.

While denial helps them feel safe in the moment, it also makes them dangerously unprepared to deal with real threats.

Denial through normalcy bias

Patriotic “elbows up” Canadians must also be wary of denial. For them, the issue is not identifying the threats, but comprehending their full implications.

Even among informed citizens, NATO, NORAD and the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance are not easy to relate to. Trade wars show up on grocery bills, but these defence organizations keep peace in the background, which is harder to notice.

Canadians may intellectually understand that North American security is deteriorating, but that crisis may not seem as real as tariffs.

This is called “normalcy bias,” a psychological tendency to minimize the probability of threats or the dangers they pose, which delays protective action. Normalcy and optimism biases are why many people fail to evacuate quickly when they are forewarned about wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes and even wars.

Slow reactions are not caused by stupidity or laziness. Research shows that the majority people respond inefficiently to warnings of forthcoming disasters. I have witnessed this bias in conflict zones and even experienced its effects myself. I can run 10 kilometres in about an hour, but when the Taliban attacked a bazaar less than 10 kilometres from my flat, it still felt far away.

Why? Because security threats don’t feel close until your windows start to shake.

While a military invasion is not imminent, Trump’s threats are so extreme that they warrant immediate action to improve Canadian defence. The time to take protective action is before windows start shaking.

For the majority of Canadians who already take Trump’s threats seriously, the first step in countering the normalcy bias is to pay attention to new risks and fractures in existing security co-operation.

With that evidence, they can initiate a national conversation about how to reduce vulnerabilities and improve resilience and defence.

Acceptance and adaptation

There is no time to argue with people who remain cognitively confused. The majority of Canadians are ready to have a laser-focused discussion about the real security challenges on the horizon.

The good news is that Canada can fortify its security and deter threats in this perilous new world.

The range of options may not be as comfortable as the bygone era of friendly alliances and NATO supremacy. But through intelligent debate, Canadians can develop realistic new approaches to national defence, and quickly.

Acceptance and adaptation are the keys to survival.

Aisha Ahmad receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

– ref. Why some Canadians are in denial about Donald Trump – https://theconversation.com/why-some-canadians-are-in-denial-about-donald-trump-251893

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 17, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Death toll from US overnight airstrikes on Yemen rises to 31

Source: China State Council Information Office

This photo taken by a mobile phone shows smoke rising after an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)

The death toll from U.S. overnight airstrikes on Houthi sites across northern Yemen has risen to 31, with at least 101 others wounded, Al Jazeera reported Sunday.

The death toll is expected to rise further as U.S. airstrikes continue across Yemen.

The casualties were reported across multiple locations, including the capital Sanaa, the northern province of Saada, a Houthi stronghold, as well as other Houthi-controlled Yemeni provinces.

The military campaign, which started Saturday evening, struck the Al-Jarraf residential neighborhood in northern Sanaa, followed by several bombardments on the Shoab residential area in eastern Sanaa, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

Later in the evening, fresh strikes hit sites in the northern part of the province’s namesake central city Saada, the group’s northern main stronghold.

According to local residents, the strikes in Sanna targeted ammunition and rocket depots near the Houthi-controlled state television station in the Al-Jarraf neighborhood. A white smoke plume could be seen rising from the neighborhood, and a series of explosions were triggered following the airstrikes, witnesses said.

This is the first military operation conducted by the U.S. military against the Houthi sites since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed office in January and redesignated the group as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

Trump posted on social media Truth Social that the aerial attacks on the “terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses were to protect American shipping, air and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom.”

He also warned the Houthis that if they do not stop their attacks “starting today … hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”

In the meantime, the U.S. Central Command posted footage on X showing warplanes taking off a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, saying that it “initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.”

Following the U.S. airstrikes, the Houthis vowed to launch retaliatory attacks, saying “this aggression will not pass without a response,” and that the group is “fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation,” the Houthis’ political bureau said in a statement aired by al-Masirah TV.

On Tuesday, the Houthi group announced that it would resume launching attacks against any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the Gaza Strip’s crossings are reopened and aid allowed in.

From November 2023 to Jan. 19, the Houthi group, which currently controls much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, had launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The Houthis stopped their attacks on Jan. 19, when the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect.

MIL OSI China News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Man arrested for Hamilton murder and wounding

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson:

Hamilton Police have made an arrest in relation to the death of a man, and wounding of a second man, on Beatty Street in Melville yesterday.

A 41-year-old man sought by Police was arrested this morning and is expected to appear in Hamilton District Court on Monday.

He is charged with murder and with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The injured man remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Police would like to thank the public for their assistance, and continue to ask for anyone with information or CCTV of the incident, in the early hours of yesterday, to contact the enquiry team.

You can contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz and clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.

Please use the reference number 250315/0371.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI China: At least 13 killed in US airstrikes on Houthi sites in Yemen

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

This photo taken by a mobile phone shows smoke rising after an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 15, 2025. The U.S. warplanes on Saturday night launched airstrikes on several Houthi sites in Yemen’s capital Sanna and the northern province of Saada, killing at least 13, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)

The U.S. warplanes on Saturday night launched airstrikes on several Houthi sites in Yemen’s capital Sanna and the northern province of Saada, killing at least 13, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

“This is an initial toll as the number of death could increase,” the TV cited the Houthi-run health ministry as saying, adding that at least nine others were injured.

The Houthi TV reported four airstrikes in the Al-Jarraf residential neighborhood in northern Sanaa and several other airstrikes on the Shoab residential neighborhood in eastern Sanaa.

Later in the evening, fresh strikes hit sites in the northern part of the province’s namesake central city Saada, the group’s northern main stronghold. No further details were provided by the television.

According to local residents, the strikes in Sanna targeted ammunition and rocket depots near the Houthi-controlled state television station in the Al-Jarraf neighborhood. White smoke plume could be seen rising from the neighborhood, and a series of explosions were triggered following the airstrikes, witnesses added.

Osama Sari, a Houthi official, wrote on X that the strikes on Al-Jarraf neighborhood also damaged parts of the Specialized Modern University near the Airport Road.

Another Houthi source told Xinhua that the airstrikes also targeted two houses of key Houthi leaders.

This is the first military operation conducted by the U.S. military against the Houthi sites since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed power in January and redesigned the group as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

Trump posted on social media Truth Social that the aerial attacks on the “terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses were to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom.”

He also warned Houthis that if they do not stop their attacks “starting today… Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”

In the meantime, the U.S. Central Command posted footage on X showing warplanes taking off a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, saying that it “initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.”

Following the U.S. airstrikes, the Houthis vowed to launch retaliatory attacks, saying “this aggression will not pass without a response,” and that the group is “fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation,” the Houthis’ political bureau said in a statement aired by al-Masirah TV.

On Tuesday, the Houthi group announced that it would resume launching attacks against any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the crossings of Gaza Strip are reopened and aid allowed in.

From November 2023 to Jan. 19, the Houthi group, which currently controls much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, had launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and the Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The Houthis stopped their attacks on Jan. 19, when the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect.

MIL OSI China News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese animated blockbuster ‘Ne Zha 2’ premieres in Indonesia

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Audience enter the cinema for the Indonesian premiere of Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 at CGV Grand Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2,” the highest-grossing animated film of all time, premiered in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday, with a packed theater of eager moviegoers.

Throughout the screening, Indonesian moviegoers were fully immersed in the movie, responding with laughter, gasp, and applause. Notably, the audience was moved and hailed spontaneously, showing their excitement and appreciation.

After the screening, many young viewers gathered near the “Ne Zha 2” posters to film videos, eagerly recommending the movie to others.

Oscar Prajnaphalla, head of marketing at Warner Bros. Indonesia, the movie’s local distributor, expressed his admiration. “This is the first Chinese movie we have distributed, and I must say, ‘Ne Zha 2’ left a strong impression. The animation is top-notch, the production quality is outstanding, and the story is deeply engaging. It’s a film that truly captivates the audience.”

“Seeing today’s response, it’s clear that viewers were highly impressed by the animation and storytelling. I do not doubt that through word-of-mouth, ‘Ne Zha 2’ will attract even more moviegoers. We look forward to bringing more exceptional Chinese films to the Indonesian market in the future,” he added.

For many Indonesians, “Ne Zha 2” marks their first experience with Chinese animated movies. Local moviegoer Syarah Prasetyo described it as a visually stunning film that kept her engaged throughout.

“The plot twists kept me engaged, and the depiction of parental love resonated deeply with our culture, making it easy to connect with. The humor and emotional moments were well-balanced, making the entire viewing experience incredibly enjoyable. I genuinely look forward to seeing more outstanding Chinese movies at Indonesian cinemas,” she said.

“Ne Zha 2” will officially hit screens in Indonesia on March 21.

MIL OSI China News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI China: ‘Ne Zha 2’ storms into global box office top 5, cementing it as a cultural phenomenon

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Cultural creative products of Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 are pictured in a toy store in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Lu Youyi)

Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” has soared past Disney’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to claim the fifth spot on the all-time global box office charts, further solidifying its status as both a cultural and commercial phenomenon.

According to data from ticketing platform Maoyan as of Saturday, the film’s global earnings — including presales — have surpassed 15.019 billion yuan (about 2.09 billion U.S. dollars), a milestone reached just 45 days after its release during the Chinese New Year on Jan. 29.

This latest feat adds to an impressive list of records for the film, which became the first film to gross 1 billion U.S. dollars in a single market, the first non-Hollywood title to enter the billion-dollar club, and the highest-grossing animated movie of all time worldwide.

MILESTONE FOR CHINESE CINEMA

Directed by Yang Yu, known as Jiaozi, the sequel to 2019’s “Ne Zha” — which grossed 5 billion yuan and topped the Chinese box office that year — has redefined the ceiling for single-film earnings in Chinese cinema. Over 98 percent of its revenue has come from the Chinese mainland, according to Maoyan data.

“This success has not only boosted the confidence of creators but also showcased the resilience and immense growth potential of the Chinese market,” said Lai Li, a Maoyan analyst.

The film’s roots run deep in Chinese mythology, continuing the story of the boy god Nezha as he and his ally Aobing struggle to rebuild their physical forms. With the help of the immortal Taiyi Zhenren, they navigate a journey of self-discovery, fate and defiance.

The story’s rich mythology, dazzling animation and universal themes have struck a chord with audiences. “‘Ne Zha 2’ is a miracle and a peak in Chinese cinema, a record that may remain unbroken for a long time,” said Chen Xuguang, director of the Institute of Film, Television and Theatre at Peking University.

EXPANDING GLOBAL REACH WITH ACCLAIM

The film’s technical achievements are just as remarkable. With nearly 2,000 visual effects shots and contributions from 138 animation studios, “Ne Zha 2” exemplifies the growing strength of China’s creative industry.

Since its international rollout began on Feb. 13 in Australia and New Zealand, “Ne Zha 2” has steadily expanded its global footprint. It opened in North America the following day, shattering the region’s 20-year-old opening weekend record for a Chinese-language film.

Sheila Sofian, a professor at the University of Southern California and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, praised the film’s production design, sound design, and music, calling it “mind-blowing” in a video interview shared by China Media Group.

After debuting in Singapore on March 6, “Ne Zha 2” launched this week in the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand, with further Southeast Asian rollouts planned in the coming weeks.

Its European expansion is also underway. On Friday, the film held preview screenings in Britain and Ireland ahead of its official March 21 release in both countries, with further European rollouts to follow.

Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, which holds theatrical distribution rights for “Ne Zha 2” across 37 territories, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, France and Spain, described the film’s European launch as “unprecedented in scope.”

INDUSTRY-WIDE, CULTURAL IMPACT

“Ne Zha 2” has struck a deep emotional chord with audiences. One Maoyan user reflected on the film’s themes of prejudice and resilience, writing, “The line ‘prejudice in people’s hearts is like an unmovable mountain’ rings true… Even I, from a humble background, used to judge others based on their family background.”

Another viewer, a high school student preparing for China’s tough college entrance exams, found personal inspiration: “With 100 days left until the exam, ‘Ne Zha 2’ reminded me that my potential is limitless. If there’s no path ahead, I’ll carve one out myself!”

Largely driven by “Ne Zha 2,” China’s box office revenue during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday hit a record high, injecting much-needed optimism into the country’s film industry, which saw earnings fall by 23 percent in 2024 compared to 2023, and by 34 percent from the pre-pandemic peak in 2019.

Dong Wenxin, a film critic and manager of a cinema in Jinan, Shandong Province, emphasized the film’s industry-wide impact. “‘Ne Zha 2’ hasn’t drained the market but expanded it. More people are paying attention to theatrical releases and are willing to support quality content,” she told Xinhua. “We owe a lot to ‘Ne Zha 2’ — it’s proof that great commercial blockbusters can sustain a healthy market cycle.”

Beyond its domestic success, “Ne Zha 2” is poised to serve as a cultural bridge, offering global audiences a window into China’s rich mythology and traditions.

Yin Hong, vice chairman of the China Film Association and a professor at Tsinghua University, told Xinhua that the success of “Ne Zha 2” reflects the dynamism of China’s creative industries, the enduring appeal of its traditional culture, and the potential for Chinese stories to captivate audiences all over the world.

In a video interview, Jiaozi reflected on the personal journey the “Ne Zha” films have taken him on, revealing how the series has evolved from his own passion into a broad cultural phenomenon. “The first step was creating something I loved, and domestic audiences loved it too,” he said. “Over time, I’ve worked to improve it, to refine my craft. I believe that one day, new ideas, deeper meanings, and a new soul will emerge from it, and the whole world will be able to appreciate it.”

MIL OSI China News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Turning a new page for village readers

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

Li Cuili was regarded as kind of a “weirdo” when she decided to open a library at her convenience store providing books for villagers to read for free in 2008.
While others were busy making a living, Li, a farmer who later opened a store in Lishi village, Neihuang county, Anyang, Henan province, thought bigger and wanted to improve the cultural atmosphere in the village through the power of books.
That wish initially came from a mother’s love for her child. That year, she watched a performance at her village with her son. To her surprise, the show was vulgar and unsuitable for children.
Feeling anxious that children would grow up and be exposed to such an environment, she wanted to change the situation and began to offer books for villagers, because, she believes, “books are mostly beneficial”.
From feeling doubtful to offering support, villagers have seen Li’s Weiguang Library grow from a small space that managed to survive with only 200 books to a village cultural activity center, with a collection of 5,000-6,000 books. Through her efforts, she saw reading gradually taking shape at her hometown. Now 45 years old, she has also been elected as a deputy to the 14th National People’s Congress and president of Lishi village’s women’s federation.
The library’s name Weiguang means “dim light”.
“I named it Weiguang because it is only about putting several books on the shelves of a village store. It was initially a modest endeavor. Yet, no matter how faint the light, it has the power to keep the fire burning,” says Li.
At the very beginning, due to the lack of a reading or literary culture, no villager came forward to borrow her books, although she offered them for free. Li decided to attract children first. She offered sugar to children who came to read, borrow books and write book reviews. In this way, more and more children were attracted to the library.
Their parents were surprised to discover children behaved much better than before, as they stopped rushing to play on the streets after school but went to Li’s library to read. Then villagers began to speak highly of Li’s efforts and offer support, and many of them began to borrow books as well and worked as volunteers at the library in their free time.
With the growing popularity, Li encountered new but pleasant problems as she could not get enough books to meet demand.
“Besides my books, all those I could get from relatives and friends were put in the library. But since people borrowed books for free, many of them didn’t return them. Some damaged books also needed to be removed from circulation. Therefore, the number of books declined significantly,” says Li.
As a result, she had to get more. Other than the necessary family expenses, she spent all her money buying books, but they were not enough. Since she could not afford so many new books, she tried every means to get more, like buying from secondhand stores and waste stations in the county and asking people to donate books online.
For a while, she rode a trishaw in the county, with introductions to her library on it, as a way of publicity to rent or get more books. Some people pointed at her and made snide remarks.
“There’s the weirdo coming”, or words in that vein were often uttered within earshot.
One winter some years ago, she rode the trishaw to a county institute to collect books that had been promised to her. She left home at 5 am and rode for 40 minutes braving the cold because she was happy to get more books. But when she arrived, she was informed by staff that the books had been considered worthless and sold to a waste station.
Walking out of the door of the institute, she was greeted by the rising sun. She faced the sun and cried out of tiredness and frustration.
Besides the difficulties caused by her expenditure, she felt a creeping doubt as to whether what she was doing was worthwhile.
But her readers encouraged her.
Li was impressed by a girl named Liu Caijin. About a decade ago, the girl often came to her library to read. A primary school student, she was too short to reach the bookshelves, so she’d move wooden stools to reach up.
One day, Li asked her what she wanted to become in the future. To her surprise, Liu said, “I also want to open a store which has a library, providing books for people to read for free.”
“Now she is at a university, and I know she will not open a store. But I’m still moved when I remember her words. As the saying goes, it takes 10 years to grow a tree yet 100 years to bring up a person. Cultivating people is never something that can be done in a short time. I have often questioned if my library is meaningful, because it’s so small. But at that moment, her words of affirmation consolidated my resolution to persist,” says Li.
Many children who read books at the library have now grown up and as adults they support Li in their own ways. For example, some of them donate books to Li, some work as volunteers and others hold activities in the library.
With the growing popularity of her library, more support from society was offered to her work. With donations from nonprofit organizations, the library was renovated several times, tackling problems like water leakage. Book donations have continued to pour in.
“Now the pressure to run the library does not feel so heavy. Weiguang Library can continue to play a role today because many people have poured their love into it,” says Li.
She has also worked to build the library into a cultural activity center, encouraging villagers to give lectures and participate in manual courses and scientific experiments. This has turned the library into an additional classroom for the villagers.
“I was impressed by Peking University Professor Wang Zizhou’s words — ‘a school in a library can be much more important than a library in a school’. I hope people not only read books, but also ‘read’ films, music and even a broader world here,” says Li.
Jin Yan, a 24-year-old animal husbandry professional, says Li’s library has been an indispensable part of her life as she grew up. She often went to the library to read when in primary school, borrowed books regularly when she was a middle school student and worked as a volunteer helping to organize activities when she attended vocational high school.
“I was very introverted in childhood, but through organizing and participating in activities at the Weiguang Library, I opened up to people more. That changed my character,” she says.
Now, working as an NPC deputy, Li pays a lot of attention to nationwide reading, which encourages more such activity among the public across the country from this year’s Government Work Report. Li says villagers reading books is an important part of realizing the goal.
“Villages often lag behind cities in development. Therefore, we need to accelerate efforts in encouraging reading. The country’s nationwide reading initiative not only advocates more reading, but also leads to appreciating films, dramas, and understanding daily events and even people,” says Li.
“For example, it’s almost impossible to persuade senior villagers to read books, since many of them have difficulty reading. But the old people themselves are just like books, who can share their stories with younger people, making young people feel like reading books. In the process, the old people are also reading their own books,” says Li.
Li believes cultural construction is an important part of rural vitalization, since lack of education and ignorance is behind many problems in villages. Therefore, she suggests more guidance and supervision on rural cultural markets and more social forces participating in shaping rural culture.
“It must be a long-term goal, requiring continuous efforts infusing cultural vitality into villages. I’m optimistic about its future,” says Li.

MIL OSI China News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI China: At least 13 killed in US airstrikes on Houthi sites in Yemen, Houthis vow revenge

Source: China State Council Information Office

The U.S. warplanes on Saturday night launched airstrikes on several Houthi sites in Yemen’s capital Sanna and the northern province of Saada, killing at least 13, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

“This is an initial toll as the number of death could increase,” the TV cited the Houthi-run health ministry as saying, adding that at least nine others were injured.

The Houthi TV reported four airstrikes in the Al-Jarraf residential neighborhood in northern Sanaa and several other airstrikes on the Shoab residential neighborhood in eastern Sanaa.

Later in the evening, fresh strikes hit sites in the northern part of the province’s namesake central city Saada, the group’s northern main stronghold. No further details were provided by the television.

According to local residents, the strikes in Sanna targeted ammunition and rocket depots near the Houthi-controlled state television station in the Al-Jarraf neighborhood. White smoke plume could be seen rising from the neighborhood, and a series of explosions were triggered following the airstrikes, witnesses added.

Osama Sari, a Houthi official, wrote on X that the strikes on Al-Jarraf neighborhood also damaged parts of the Specialized Modern University near the Airport Road.

Another Houthi source told Xinhua that the airstrikes also targeted two houses of key Houthi leaders.

This is the first military operation conducted by the U.S. military against the Houthi sites since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed power in January and redesigned the group as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

Trump posted on social media Truth Social that the aerial attacks on the “terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses were to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom.”

He also warned Houthis that if they do not stop their attacks “starting today… Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”

In the meantime, the U.S. Central Command posted footage on X showing warplanes taking off a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, saying that it “initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.”

Following the U.S. airstrikes, the Houthis vowed to launch retaliatory attacks, saying “this aggression will not pass without a response,” and that the group is “fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation,” the Houthis’ political bureau said in a statement aired by al-Masirah TV.

On Tuesday, the Houthi group announced that it would resume launching attacks against any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the crossings of Gaza Strip are reopened and aid allowed in.

From November 2023 to Jan. 19, the Houthi group, which currently controls much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, had launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and the Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The Houthis stopped their attacks on Jan. 19, when the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect.

MIL OSI China News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Electronics Earns ‘Product Carbon Reduction’ and ‘Product Carbon Footprint’ Certifications for Neo QLED 8K and Neo QLED for Fifth Consecutive Year

Source: Samsung

Samsung Electronics today announced that approximately 80 models in its 2025 TV, monitor and soundbar lineups have received Product Carbon Reduction1 and Product Carbon Footprint2 certifications from TÜV Rheinland, a globally recognized certification organization based in Germany. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the premium lineups, Neo QLED 8K and Neo QLED, have received certifications, reinforcing the company’s continued efforts in carbon reduction.

“Samsung Electronics is committed to driving technological innovation for a sustainable future,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “As the world’s leading TV manufacturer, we will continue to be at the forefront of establishing a more energy-efficient ecosystem that benefits consumers.”

Following last year’s certification of 60 models across the Neo QLED, OLED and Lifestyle TV categories, Samsung has further increased its number of certified products in 2025 to include QLED TVs. In addition, the company is also working towards obtaining certification for its Color E-Paper lineup later this year.

The certifications from TÜV Rheinland are awarded following a rigorous evaluation of a product’s entire lifecycle — including manufacturing, transportation, usage and disposal — based on internationally recognized sustainability standards. By assessing and verifying carbon emissions at each stage, these certifications highlight Samsung’s efforts to reduce environmental impact across its product lineup.

In particular, the Product Carbon Reduction certification is granted to products that have already received a Product Carbon Footprint certification and further demonstrate a measurable reduction in carbon emissions compared to their predecessors.

Samsung’s leadership in energy-efficient display technology dates back to 2021, when the Neo QLED became the first 4K and higher-resolution TV to earn the Reducing CO2 certification. Since then, Samsung has continually expanded its portfolio of environmentally certified products, including QLED, Crystal UHD, Lifestyle TVs, OLED TVs and a wide range of monitors and digital signage products.

For more information on Samsung’s 2025 TV lineup, please visit www.samsung.com.

1 38 Certified models include Neo QLED 8K(QN990F, QN950F), Neo QLED 4K(QN90F, QN85F), OLED(S95F 55”/65”, S90F, S85F 77”/83”), The Frame Pro(LS03FW), LCD Signage(QMC 43”, 50”, 55”, 75”), and Soundbar(Q930F, Q800F, QS700F) products.1 42 Certified models include Neo QLED 8K(QN900F), Neo QLED 4K(QN80F, QN70F), OLED(S95F 77”/83”, S85F 55”/65”), The Frame(LS03F), QLED(Q8F, Q7F), Viewfinity S80UD, S80D, QMC 65’’/85’’, Soundbar(Q990F), EMDX 32″.

MIL OSI Economics –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall to CMS Administrator Nominee Dr. Oz: We’re Not Going to Save Medicare and Medicaid Unless We Make America Healthy Again

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) participated in the confirmation hearing today for President Donald Trump’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator nominee, Dr. Mehmet Oz, in the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is a world-class heart surgeon and would be the first doctor at the helm of CMS in more than a decade. He knows the health care system inside and out, as he’s lived it throughout his career, starting with a joint M.D.-MBA education. Having invented life-saving devices, hosted a successful TV show, and touched the lives of millions of patients across the nation, Dr. Oz brings a much-needed perspective to Make America Healthy Again.
[embedded content]
Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full line of questioning.
Highlights from Dr. Oz’s confirmation hearing include:
On Dr. Oz’s background:
Senator Marshall: “Why did you go into medicine? And what are some of the highlights or the most rewarding parts of your career?”
Dr. Oz: “I don’t think there’s a joy greater than looking a patient in the eyes and recognizing that you’re there for each other, that nothing will get in the way of you providing the best care possible. It’s not that there won’t ever be problems, but you’ll be there emotionally supporting them.
“And if you’ve been gifted with teachers, as I was, that could educate me about how to take care of patients, you get to watch them get better and feel a joy inside your heart that can’t be matched in another field…
“I think it’s why I went into medicine, because I saw my father go into the hospital and do things like putting needles in people, which looks painful, but the patients would smile and thank him for it, paradoxically.
“And that’s why I think it’s also appropriate for physicians, as you have.. and other physicians on this committee, Dr. Cassidy, to enter government, because we’re trained to tell people things that they need to hear but aren’t pleasant, but that’s how you get the system to work better.”
On Dr. Oz’s prescription to Make America Healthy Again:
Senator Marshall: “My grandma always said, if you have your health, you have everything. And America doesn’t have her health right now. 60% of us have a chronic disease. Several people pointed out this country is spending multiples more than other countries do to take care of our sick.
“There’s not enough sick care out there to save Medicare and Medicaid.
“You and I came here to save Medicare and Medicaid, but part of that is making America healthy again, so that we don’t have to do as many heart bypasses and give as much insulin and diabetic drugs.
“What is your prescription for America? How do you work with Medicare and Medicaid patients to help America become healthy again?”
Dr. Oz: “The deeper promise that we should all be making to America is we’re going to make it easy for America to do the right thing when it comes to their health. Some of these decisions are not difficult. Some of them need to be simplified, and some of them need to be reminded frequently.
“Senator Wyden and I had spoken about this a little bit, the idea of giving incentives to patients is an idea that I think is a worthy one, especially for Medicaid beneficiaries. If people don’t feel like it matters what they do, if they don’t think they have agency over their future… then they’re not going to take proactive steps to reduce their diabetes or another action that would dramatically reduce their life expectancy and their cost to the health care system.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for us to do this, and we should be innovative and explore ideas. And I think there’s an ecosystem we can build together to engender that kind of enthusiasm from people on the outside of medicine who want to make it better. We have got to challenge the incumbents and the system to have new ideas bubble to the top so we can pick the winners based on competition.”
Senator Marshall: “We’re not going to save Medicare and Medicaid unless we Make America Healthy Again.”
On maternal care, how to save Medicare and Medicaid:
Senator Marshall: “I’m going to talk just a second about maternal care. I came to this body, the other side of the Capitol, and people were talking about maternal mortality then. We were seeing a big spike in it. And I asked people, “Why? What? How come?” And we didn’t have an answer.
“… And not surprising to me, the number one killer of pregnant women that delivered that year after is actually suicide and fentanyl poisoning, overdose. We don’t need to study it more. We need action, early access to prenatal care to be the other action point as well…
“Half of our patients, half the patients I delivered, were Medicaid patients. They need access to care, and we also need to stop the flow of fentanyl.
“My last question though, speak briefly to how price tags and health care savings accounts turn patients into consumers again, and how that might actually help save Medicare and Medicaid?”
Dr. Oz: “There’s a lot we can do with health savings accounts. We could even investigate new ways of using them. Maybe they should be part of your estate and passed on to your children, because so many families don’t really have anything to pass on.
“It would incentivize behaviors even at the end of life. But I think there’s an opportunity for us to give consumerism, give the power of the purse back to the American people, especially if they’re beneficiaries on Medicare, and let them make the wisest decisions they can.
“They got to that age by making some good decisions, and so we might as well let them keep going.”

MIL OSI USA News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4479-4480: What IS That Lumpy, Bumpy Rock?

Source: NASA

Written by Ashley Stroupe, Mission Operations Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Earth planning date: Wednesday, March 12, 2025
The days are getting shorter and colder for Curiosity as we head into winter. So our rover is sleeping in a bit before waking up to a busy plan. Today I served as the Engineering Uplink Lead, managing the engineering side of the plan to support all the science activities.
We are seeing a lot of rocks with different, interesting textures, so Curiosity’s day begins with a lot of targeted imaging of this interesting area. The two rocks right in front of us (see image above) are different from anything that we have looked at before on the mission, so we are eager to know what they are. We are taking Mastcam images of “Manzana Creek” and “Palo Comado,” two of these interestingly textured rocks, and also of an area named “Vincent Gap,” where the rover disturbed some bedrock and exposed some regolith by driving over it in the prior plan. ChemCam is making a LIBS observation of a target called “Sturtevant Falls,” which is a nodule on the left-hand block in our workspace (on which we are later doing some contact science). ChemCam is also taking a long-distance RMI image in the direction of the potential boxworks formation (large veins), which is an area we will be exploring close-up in the future. There are also a Navcam dust devil movie and suprahorzion movie. Check out this article from November for more information on the boxwork formations.
After a nap, Curiosity wakes up to get in her arm exercise. I do not envy the Arm Rover Planner today (OK, maybe a little bit) in dealing with this very challenging workspace. The rock of interest (the left-hand rock in the above image) has jagged, vertical surfaces and a lot of crazy rough texture. Examining this rock is even more challenging because our primary targets are on the left side of the rock, rather than the side that is facing the rover. We are looking at two different targets, “Stunt Ranch,” which is a nodule on the rock, and “Pacifico Mountain,” which is the left-side face of the rock, with MAHLI and also doing a long APXS integration on Stunt Ranch. After the arm work, Curiosity is tucking herself in for the night by stowing the arm.
The next morning, after again getting to sleep in a bit, Curiosity will make some more targeted observations, starting with another dust-devil survey. ChemCam will make a LIBS observation of “Switzer Falls,” which is a target on the right-hand rock in the workspace (and in the image), an RMI of “Colby Canyon,” a soft sediment deformation, and “Gould,” which is another target on the boxworks formation. Lastly, Mastcam takes a look at “Potrero John,” yet another interestingly textured rock.
Curiosity will then be ready to drive away. Today’s drive is on slightly better terrain that we have been seeing recently, with fewer large and pointy rocks. Though, the mobility rover planners still have to be careful about picking the safest path through. We’re heading about 25 meters (about 82 feet) to another rock target named “Humber Park,” where we hope to do additional contact science. After the drive, we have our standard set of post-drive imaging, a Mastcam solar tau, and then an early-morning Navcam cloud observation.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: State Archives Launches Musical Event “Builder’s Spotlight”

Source: US State of Hawaii

State Archives Launches Musical Event “Builder’s Spotlight”

Posted on Mar 14, 2025 in Main

HONOLULU — How are ʻukulele built? What are the best materials to use? What would it sound like if the sound hole was in the back of the instrument?

Those questions and more will be answered at an event the Hawaiʻi State Archives, a division of the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS), is hosting. “Builder’s Spotlight” will feature a local instrument maker who will talk about the instruments they make, then perform live music on those instruments.

The first in this occasional series will be on Saturday, March 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. It will be livestreamed on the Archives’ Facebook page (Hawaiʻi State Archives) then posted to the Archives’ YouTube page when it’s done. The event is free to watch. The public may submit questions on the Facebook page in real time and a moderator will relay the questions to the host during the two-hour event.

Well-known local musician Kimo Hussey will be the host. The first guest will be luthier Manny Halican of Pahu Kani. Halican will bring in six ʻukulele he built. Halican is also a musician and singer, so the demonstrations will include both Halican and Hussey performing intermittently while discussing design philosophy.

“This is an excellent educational series highlighting the local artisans who bring cultural and historical value through Hawaiian music and song. It’s wonderful that we will record and save the lectures so that generations to come can learn from these masters,” said DAGS Director and Comptroller Keith Regan.

This is a component of the Hawaiian Music Archives Initiative, which centralizes all the State Archives’ musical resources for people to explore Hawaiian music history. “The Hawaiian Music Archives Initiative includes 28,000 phonographic recordings, 15 cubic feet of Hawaiian sheet music and instruction guides, and over 1,000 vintage ʻukulele dating back to the 1890s. In September 2024, it also became the home of the ʻUkulele Hall of Fame.”

State Archivist Adam Jansen, Ph.D., said, “In 2015, the Legislature designated the ʻukulele the official modern musical instrument of Hawaiʻi. We needed a repository to understand this instrument and to help create a deeper understanding of how Hawaiian music brought Hawaiʻi to the world, and by extension the concept of aloha.”

“I love the ʻukulele. The rewards I get from playing it are wonderful and infinite,” explained Hussey, 80, who started playing the ʻukulele when he was five years old. The Līhuʻe resident will fly in from Kauaʻi to host the event. “I hope by teaching our viewers more about Hawaiʻi’s favorite instrument, it will increase their appreciation the next time they listen to music played on an ʻukulele.”

MIL OSI USA News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate Fit India Carnival at JLN Stadium

Source: Government of India (2)

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate Fit India Carnival at JLN Stadium

Union Minister Smt Raksha Khadse and Film Star Ayushmann Khurrana will also Grace the Occasion

Posted On: 15 MAR 2025 5:18PM by PIB Delhi

The first-ever Fit India Carnival is set for a grand inauguration on March 16 at the JLN Stadium here, in the presence of Hon’ble Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Smt Raksha Khadse and a host of special guests, including Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana, wrestler and fitness enthusiast Sangram Singh, and wellness guru Mickey Mehta.

The event will also be used to unveil the mascot, logo and anthem of the upcoming Khelo India Para Games, scheduled between March 20 and 27 in the national capital.

The Fit India Carnival, a three-day fitness and wellness festival, to take place on March 16, 17, 18, aims to promote a healthy and active lifestyle, aligning with the Fit India Movement’s vision of a fitter, healthier, and obesity-free nation. The chief guests will also indulge in lively interaction, including fun fitness challenges.

A host of sports activities including rope skipping, stationary cycling, arm wrestling, cricket bowling, squat and push-up challenges, etc will be the highlights over the three days at the Fit India carnival. There will also be presence of Sports Authority of India National Centre of Sports Sciences and Research (NCSSR) doctors, nutritionists and psychologists who will provide assessments free of cost to people visiting the carnival.

Captivating performances including Kalaripayattu, Mallakhamb and Gatka acts, as well as cultural performances centered on the theme of “Fitness through Dance”, LIVE DJ music, band performances, etc. will take place over the course of the three days.

*****

Himanshu Pathak

(Release ID: 2111500) Visitor Counter : 56

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: “I will not stop asking until I know the whereabouts of my husband”

Source: Amnesty International –

Itai Dzamara is a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was forcibly disappeared ten years ago on 9 March 2015 after he criticized the Zimbabwean government about the deteriorating economic conditions in the country. He has not been seen or heard from since and his fate and whereabouts remain unknown. Ten years on, Itai’s wife, Sheffra, has shared her story with Amnesty International

Everyone knew Itai Dzamara as a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was forcibly disappeared on 9 March 2015 after he criticised the Zimbabwean government.

Itai was my husband and best friend. He was a great father to our two children Nokutenda and Nenyasha. He was always there for us making sure that we are happy.

Itai was amazing. He loved to eat sadza (staple food made from white corn) and fish, and would cook it for us on Sundays after church. He used to play soccer on weekends, and he was a big fan of Manchester United. Itai would always wear his Man U jersey whenever they played matches.

My husband was a kind man. He had people at heart, and that is what led him to write a petition to Zimbabwe’s then-president Robert Mugabe on 17 October 2014, demanding he step down. Following this petition, police arrested Itai and fellow activists and interrogated them for eight hours at Harare Central police station. Itai was fighting for every Zimbabwean regardless of political parties.

The man who stood against former President Mugabe

The Constitution of Zimbabwe and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which the country is a state party guarantee the right to peaceful assembly. When Itai started these peaceful protests, the Zimbabwe Republic Police would beat and arrest him and his colleagues.

Their group, Occupy Africa Unity Square, would hold peaceful protests at a public park opposite Zimbabwe’s parliament building. At one protest in November 2014, police beat Itai until he collapsed. Then they kept on beating him while he was unconscious. He was admitted for treatment for his injuries for two weeks.

9 March 2015, the day Itai was abducted, was a normal day.

He went to the barbershop at 9am wearing black shorts and his Manchester United jersey. Looking back at that morning, there are so many things I wish I had said to him. As I was preparing his breakfast for when he returned, my brother came running in, and told me that my husband was taken from the barbershop, by men driving a white Isuzu with no registration number.

When I heard this, fear engulfed me. I knew that it was an abduction. It was bad, I started shaking and crying. I did not know what to do or who to call, but I wanted to hear the facts directly from the people who witnessed the abduction. I took my daughter and put her on my back – she was two years old then – and went straight to the barbershop. When I arrived, I was still shaking. Even the barber and his colleague were shaking too as they told me what happened.

“They told me the whole thing was like a movie.”

It was very fast. Five men walked in and said they were looking for a cattle thief. While Itai was perplexed, the men grabbed him and said they were taking him to the police to be questioned. Itai has not been seen since then.

I walked back from the barber like a zombie. I felt the whole world falling down on me. My head was spinning. I was not myself; I was confused and did not know what to do. I was shattered. I wanted to scream and cry but when I looked at my daughter and son, I knew I had to control myself.

I got home and changed my clothes, not realizing that I was wearing my skirt inside out. That’s how confused I was. I left my kids with my sister, and went with Itai’s brother Patson, and our lawyer to report the case to the police, who promised to investigate.

When I returned home around 6pm, I was afraid to go through the gate thinking maybe the abductors would come back and abduct us as well. I had to be strong for my kids. I did not sleep that night. My heart was pounding so hard. At 4am, I left the house and went to the barbershop hoping, praying that maybe, they would have brought him back, but he was not there.

The next day, my kids and I were taken to an organization where we stayed for a month for our safety. I lost weight from fasting and praying for my husband to be released from his abductors. I could not eat or sleep. My heart was always beating fast. I would cry at night so that my kids didn’t t see me.

10 years later and everyone is still asking ‘where is Itai?’

Life has not been the same since Itai was abducted. The last 10 years have been hard. I am reminded of him every time I look at my kids because both look like their dad. It hurts not to have Itai in my life and to see my kids missing him and growing up without a father who loved them so dearly. I don’t have any answers, but I feel blessed to have my two kids. When I look at them l feel God’s grace.

The police never came back to give any update. As far as I know, they never even investigated the case. They were not interested in finding Itai. Even the Zimbabwe High Court order could not get the police find my husband or tell us what happened to him.

As a family we did everything to get answers. For the past 10 years the government of Zimbabwe has ignored my requests and turned a blind eye to the demand for answers by everyone including friends, activists, civil society organizations, media and the international community.

I will not stop asking until I know the fate and whereabouts of my husband.

I wish for Itai to one day walk through the front door and hug me and the kids or to wake up to find that this was all a bad dream. If I must live without him, then I need answers, I need to know where he is.

Amnesty International has made multiple recommendations to the government of Zimbabwe to uphold human rights and enable a safe environment for human rights defenders, activists and civil society to do their work without fear of reprisals. In the past decade, Amnesty International has campaigned and called for an independent commission of inquiry to thoroughly, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate the alleged enforced disappearance of Itai Dzamara, establish his fate or whereabouts and bring to justice those suspected of criminal responsibility in fair trials.

MIL OSI NGO –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Gems Launchpad introduces its ‘Gems Protect’ feature as a safety net for investors

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

To provide its community with greater security and confidence, the Gems Protect risk-mitigation feature allows investors in the Gems Miner program to offset any possible financial losses

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, March 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gems Launchpad, a community-driven launchpad built around an exclusive investor network, introduces a new financial safeguard, Gems Protect, designed to shield users who invested in its recently launched Gems Miner initiative. Gems Miner is a blockchain-based tool allowing users to generate tokens from four premium projects launched on the Gems Launchpad, enabling passive portfolio diversification. The Gems Protect system calculates the total value of a user’s mined tokens from the activation date to the current evaluation date, and if their portfolio drops by more than 25 percent, they can qualify for a claim under the protection plan.

The idea behind these virtual miners is to provide a more robust and risk-managed architecture for Gems’s community while streamlining a more predictable and accessible path to investing in promising early-stage projects. There are three types of Gems Miners: Mini, Miners, and Mega, each offering different token generation rates. The first series of Miners unlocks earning potential by allowing users to mine tokens from these four exclusive premium projects: Incentiv, Olympus AI, RAIN, and Prodex.

As an investment protection plan covering up to 75 percent of one’s initial investment, Gems Protect offers an additional layer of financial security. This protection mechanism is implemented via smart contracts to ensure transparency and automation. Quarterly snapshots and claim eligibility checks are executed algorithmically, eliminating the need for any potential manual intervention.

Gems Protect is issued as a non-transferable NFT, guaranteeing transparency, traceability, and security on the blockchain. If a user purchased a Gems Miner before the introduction of this feature, they will have the opportunity to purchase Gems Protect retroactively, with the same terms and conditions.

“We developed this new feature because we value our community and want to ensure they feel secure and confident when they invest in our launchpad projects,” says Isaac Joshua, CEO of Gems Launchpad. “We launched our Nodes and Miners initiative because diversification is highly undervalued in Web3, and with the Gems Protect feature, our community receives another layer of security. By protecting up to 75 percent of the original investment in a Gems Miner, we are providing true peace of mind.”

More details on Gems Protect can be found here.

About Gems:
Gems is a distinguished crypto launchpad with the mission of unearthing genuine “gems” in the Web3 landscape through rigorous due diligence. The platform aims to bring together a robust ecosystem for blockchain projects by focusing on launching innovative ventures, expanding communities, penetrating new markets, and leveraging its international network of investors, known as Leaders, to partake in the early stages of groundbreaking projects. Gems launchpad model is driven by active community participation, creating a synergistic environment that benefits both visionaries and the adoption of pioneering ideas. For more information, visit: https://gems.vip/

Contact:
Ari Karp
ari@gems.vip

Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Gems Launchpad. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/59ff8895-f2cb-4c17-af5c-2d3a90c24514

The MIL Network –

March 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Skyward Specialty Welcomes Patricia Ryan as General Counsel

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

HOUSTON, March 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.™ (Nasdaq: SKWD) (“Skyward Specialty” or “the Company”) a leader in the specialty property and casualty (P&C) market, has recruited Patricia Ryan as the Company’s new General Counsel effective Tuesday, April 1 following the upcoming retirement of Leslie Shaunty, Skyward Specialty’s long-time General Counsel, after nearly 12 years of dedicated service. Ms. Shaunty will continue through the end of 2025 in a support and transition capacity.

Ms. Ryan has extensive experience across a broad range of insurance legal competencies including compliance and regulatory matters, corporate governance and enterprise risk management, securities, products and contract law. With more than 20 years in the insurance industry, she has held Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and other senior legal and human resources leadership positions at Trean Insurance Group, HDI Global, QBE North America, and Allianz/Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. Additionally, Ms. Ryan spent more than a decade in private practice before joining the insurance sector.

Ms. Ryan holds a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in economics and history from the University of Illinois.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Patty to the Skyward Specialty team,” said Robinson. “Her deep legal expertise and proven leadership in the industry make her a welcome addition to our executive team. We look forward to her contributions as we continue to drive innovation and excellence in the industry.” said Andrew Robinson, Chairman and CEO of Skyward Specialty.

Robinson further commented, “Leslie has been a key member of our executive leadership team providing product development, legal, compliance and strategic leadership. Her expertise, drive and work rate were central to our highly successful IPO, each subsequent follow-on offering, and performance as a public company. We are incredibly grateful for her many contributions. On behalf of the entire executive leadership team, we thank Leslie for her lasting impact and wish her the very best in her retirement.”

About Skyward Specialty
Skyward Specialty is a rapidly growing and innovative specialty insurance company, delivering commercial property and casualty products and solutions on a non-admitted and admitted basis. The Company operates through eight underwriting divisions — Accident & Health, Captives, Global Property & Agriculture, Industry Solutions, Professional Lines, Programs, Surety and Transactional E&S.

Skyward Specialty’s subsidiary insurance companies consist of Houston Specialty Insurance Company, Imperium Insurance Company, Great Midwest Insurance Company, and Oklahoma Specialty Insurance Company. These insurance companies are rated A (Excellent) with a stable outlook by A.M. Best Company. For more information about Skyward Specialty, its people, and its products, please visit skywardinsurance.com.

Media Contact
Haley Doughty
Skyward Specialty Insurance Group
713-935-4944
hdoughty@skywardinsurance.com

Investor Contact
Natalie Schoolcraft
Skyward Specialty Insurance Group
614-494-4988
nschoolcraft@skywardinsurance.com

The MIL Network –

March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI: VALUE LINE, INC. ANNOUNCES EARNINGS FOR FIRST NINE MONTHS OF FISCAL 2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, March 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Value Line, Inc., (NASDAQ: VALU) reported strong financial results:
- During the nine months ended January 31, 2025, the Company’s net income of $16,735,000, or $1.78 per share, was 17.6% above net income of $14,232,000, or $1.51 per share, for the nine months ended January 31, 2024.
- During the nine months ended January 31, 2025, Value Line’s income of $13,781,000 from its non-voting revenues interest in Eulav Asset Management (“EAM”) and non-voting profits interest in EAM increased $4,440,000 or 47.5% above the prior fiscal year.
- For the nine months ended January 31, 2025, the Company’s total investment gains of $3,557,000 increased $1,872,000, or 111.1% above the prior fiscal year.
- Retained earnings at January 31, 2025, were $112,508,000, an increase of 7.9% compared to retained earnings at April 30, 2024.
- Shareholders’ equity reached $98,950,000 at January 31, 2025, an increase of 9.0% from the shareholders’ equity of $90,793,000 as of April 30, 2024.
The Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q has been filed with the SEC and is available on the Company’s website at www.valueline.com/About/corporate_filings.aspx. Shareholders may receive a printed copy, free of charge upon request to the Company at the address above, Attn: Corporate Secretary.

Value Line, Inc. is a leading New York based provider of investment research. The Value Line Investment Survey is one of the most widely used sources of independent equity investment research. Value Line also publishes a range of proprietary investment research in both print and digital formats including research in the areas of Mutual Funds, ETFs and Options. Value Line’s acclaimed research also enables the Company to provide specialized products such as Value Line Select, The Value Line Special Situations Service, Value Line Select ETFs, Value Line Select: Dividend Income & Growth, The New Value Line ETFs Service, The Value Line M&A Service, Information You Should Know Wealth Newsletter, The Value Line Climate Change Investing Service and certain Value Line copyrights, distributed under agreements including certain proprietary ranking system information and other proprietary information used in third party products. Value Line’s products are available to individual investors by mail, at www.valueline.com or by calling 1-800-VALUELINE or 1-800-825-8354, while institutional-level services for professional investors, advisers, corporate, academic, and municipal libraries are offered at www.ValueLinePro.com, www.ValueLineLibrary.com and by calling 1-800-531-1425.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

In this report, “Value Line,” “we,” “us,” “our” refers to Value Line, Inc. and “the Company” refers to Value Line and its subsidiaries unless the context otherwise requires.

This report contains statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions (including certain projections and business trends) accompanied by such phrases as “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “will”, “intend” and other similar or negative expressions, that are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Actual results for Value Line, Inc. (“Value Line” or “the Company”) may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the following:
- maintaining revenue from subscriptions for the Company’s digital and print published products;
- changes in investment trends and economic conditions, including global financial issues;
- changes in Federal Reserve policies affecting interest rates and liquidity along with resulting effects on equity markets;
- stability of the banking system, including the success of U.S. government policies and actions in regard to banks with liquidity or capital issues, along with the associated impact on equity markets;
- continuation of orderly markets for equities and corporate and governmental debt securities;
- problems protecting intellectual property rights in Company methods and trademarks;
- protecting confidential information including customer confidential or personal information that we may possess;
- dependence on non-voting revenues and non-voting profits interests in EULAV Asset Management, a Delaware statutory trust (“EAM” or “EAM Trust”), which serves as the investment advisor to the Value Line Funds and engages in related distribution, marketing and administrative services;
- fluctuations in EAM’s and third party copyright assets under management due to broadly based changes in the values of equity and debt securities, market sector variations, redemptions by investors and other factors;
- possible changes in the valuation of EAM’s intangible assets from time to time;
- possible changes in future revenues or collection of receivables from significant customers;
- dependence on key executive and specialist personnel;
- risks associated with the outsourcing of certain functions, technical facilities, and operations, including in some instances outside the U.S.;
- risks of potential tariffs and other restrictions affecting the cost and availability of materials, equipment, and other necessary inputs to the Company’s operations;
- competition in the fields of publishing, copyright and investment management, along with associated effects on the level and structure of prices and fees, and the mix of services delivered;
- the impact of government regulation on the Company’s and EAM’s businesses;
- federal and/or state legislative changes that might affect Value Line’s business;
- the availability of free or low cost investment information through discount brokers or generally over the internet;
- the economic and other impacts of global political and military conflicts;
- continued availability of generally dependable energy supplies and transportation facilities in the geographic areas in which the company and certain suppliers operate;
- terrorist attacks, cyber attacks and natural disasters;
- the need for changes in our business plans because of unexpected events that occur;
- widespread illnesses which may drastically affect markets, employment, and other economic conditions, and may have additional unpredictable impacts on employees, suppliers, customers, and operations;
- changes in prices and availability of materials and other inputs and services, such as freight and postage, required by the Company;
- other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the risks described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2024 and in Part II, Item 1A of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended January 31, 2025; and other risks and uncertainties arising from time to time.
These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors which may involve external factors over which we may have no control could also have material adverse effects on future results. Likewise, changes we make in our plans, objectives, strategies, or intentions, which may occur at any time in our discretion, could also have material favorable or adverse effects on our future results. Except as otherwise required to be disclosed in periodic reports required to be filed by public companies with the SEC pursuant to the SEC’s rules, we have no duty to update these statements, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks and uncertainties, current plans, anticipated actions, and future financial conditions and results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking information contained herein.

Contact: Howard A. Brecher
Value Line, Inc.
212-907-1500

www.valueline.com
www.ValueLinePro.com, www.ValueLineLibrary.com
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The MIL Network –
March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI: Concerned Stockholders Prevail in Delaware Court; Obtain Stockholder List Necessary for Robust Proxy Solicitation
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Delaware Judge Orders Ionic Digital to Immediately Provide Stockholder List

Despite Ionic’s Continued Misrepresentations, Delaware Court Finds that Plaintiffs are Not “Surrogates” or “Shills” for Figure Markets and GXD Labs

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As a result of nearly six months of persistence, three determined stockholders of Ionic Digital Inc. (“Ionic Digital” or the “Company”), Tony Vejseli, Chris Villinger, and Brett Perry (collectively, the “Concerned Stockholders”) today announced that they have successfully obtained a Court order directing Ionic digital to provide a copy of the Company’s list of stockholders for the purposes of soliciting votes for their nominees in the ongoing proxy contest ahead of the Company’s first annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”).

Yesterday afternoon, Delaware Vice Chancellor Bonnie David ruled in favor of the Concerned Stockholders, ordering the Company to immediately provide a list of the Company’s stockholders and other necessary contact information to the Concerned Stockholders’ proxy solicitor, Saratoga Proxy Consulting LLC. This is an important victory for all Ionic stockholders and is the first step towards ensuring a free and fair election for the open seats on the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) at the Annual Meeting. The Concerned Stockholders’ proxy solicitor will now be able to contact all Ionic stockholders directly to solicit their votes in favor of their highly-qualified nominees.

It is disappointing, but not surprising, that Ionic Digital continues to misrepresent basic facts to its stockholders. Despite Ionic Digital’s continued insistence that the Concerned Stockholders are merely being used by Figure Markets Holdings, Inc. and GXD Labs, LLC to advance their own economic interests, the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Delaware Court”) in fact found:
- “[T]hat the plaintiffs are not simply ‘proxies,’ ‘surrogates,’ or ‘shills’ for Figure Markets and GXD;”
- “[T]hat each of the plaintiffs here seeks the stock list materials because he sincerely wants to run a proxy contest to improve governance at the company. Each of the plaintiffs has credible reasons for that purpose. The stockholders want greater transparency and liquidity for their shares, which have not traded for over a year; and numerous changes to Ionic’s directors, officers, and auditor raise questions about the company’s governance and strategic direction;”
- “Ionic suggests that Vejseli does not truly seek to represent the interests of Ionic stockholders, and instead has ‘lent his name’ to the demand… But it is clear to me, both from Vejseli’s testimony and the larger record, that that is not the case;” and
- “I find that the plaintiffs’ stated purposes are sincere, their own, and therefore proper.” (emphases added)
The Company’s recent press release also conveniently ignores the fact that Figure Markets and GXD Labs already agreed in the fall of 2024 that they would not receive or have access to any stocklist materials shared with the requesting stockholders. Discussions on the stockholder list NDA only broke down due to Ionic Digital’s unreasonable insistence on the inclusion of a no “Outside Funds Provision” in the NDA – i.e., a provision barring financial support from third parties for the proxy contest and related legal efforts. The Delaware Court did not find the no Outside Funds Provision to be reasonable or appropriate, stating instead “I see no basis to impose the onerous Outside Funds Provision that Ionic seeks.” (emphasis added). Instead, the Company forced the Concerned Stockholders to commence litigation in the Delaware Court in order to compel it to comply with Delaware law, when these matters could have been resolved months ago.

Stockholders are invited to read the full transcript of the telephonic ruling here.

While this is an important victory for Ionic Digital stockholders, the fight for a free and fair election at the Annual Meeting – where stockholders will have a real choice in who represents them on the Board – is not over. Certain of the Concerned Stockholders have filed a class action Complaint in the Delaware Court of Chancery contesting the reduction of the size of the Board, alleging that the Board breached its fiduciary duties by improperly shrinking its size in an attempt to entrench the incumbent directors and block stockholders from having a chance to effect real change at the Company. There also remains a debate around the appropriate quorum for the Annual Meeting. The Company has further challenged the validity of the Concerned Stockholders’ nominations, which the Concerned Stockholders believe were improperly rejected by the Board. The Concerned Stockholders will continue to fight to defend their nominations. These issues will be heard by the Delaware Court at a trial scheduled to be held on May 8th. Because of the importance of deciding these issues ahead of the Annual Meeting, we asked the Delaware Court to require, and the Company conceded, that the Annual Meeting will not be held until after a ruling is rendered in the Class Action litigation.

The Concerned Stockholders will continue to post informational updates on their website and encourage their fellow stockholders to vote for their TWO nominees on the GOLD proxy card at www.ionicvote.com today!

The Concerned Stockholders are committed to a free and fair election, where all Ionic Digital stockholders have a real choice in who represents them in the boardroom.

This is the chance for Ionic stockholders to finally have their voices heard!

About the Nominating Stockholders’ Nominees

Oliver Wiener is a Founder and Managing Partner of Kensington Merchant Partners, an investment management and corporate development advisory business focused on Financials, Fintech, Insurance, Insuretech, and Blockchain verticals, and has over 20 years of financial and investment experience, with a focus on the technology, blockchain, and fintech industries. Mr. Wiener currently serves on the board of directors of Chain Bridge I, a publicly-traded SPAC, and The National Security Group, Inc., an insurance holding company. Mr. Wiener is a founding team member of investment bank BTIG.

Michael Abbate currently serves as an advisor to Figure Markets Holdings, Inc. (“Figure Markets”) and is a seasoned investor in the bitcoin mining, AI data center, and energy infrastructure industries. As a former Managing Partner of NovaWulf Digital Management, LP, Mr. Abbate led the stalking horse bid in the Celsius Network LLC bankruptcy and is intimately familiar with Ionic Digital’s assets and the Company’s current business structure. In addition, Mr. Abbate has over 20 years of experience in complex corporate restructuring as a Partner of investment firm King Street Capital Management.

Contact Information

Saratoga Proxy Consulting LLC
John Ferguson / Ann Marie Mellone
(888) 368-0379
(212) 257-1311
info@saratogaproxy.com

The MIL Network –
March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business – Australasian real estate giant Raine & Horne turns up the volume in NZ
Source: Raine & Horne

Real estate super brand goes all in on a nationwide radio blitz through Newstalk ZB and its NZME stablemates to reach collectively 1.86 million Kiwis weekly.

Highlights:
- Raine & Horne has launched a strategic nationwide radio advertising campaign in partnership with NZME to enhance brand awareness and engagement across New Zealand.
- Since acquiring Mike Pero Real Estate in December 2023, Raine & Horne has grown to over 60 offices, and the campaign will reinforce its visibility in big cities, small towns, and regional communities.
- The strategic campaign includes over 3,000 advertisements across leading NZME radio stations, reaching 1.86 million Kiwis weekly. 85% of listeners have a vested interest in the property market.
Christchurch, NZ (14 March 2025) – Raine & Horne, Australasia’s fastest-growing real estate group, has launched a nationwide radio advertising campaign in collaboration with leading integrated media company New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME).

NZME’s portfolio includes some of New Zealand’s most influential media brands, such as talkback ratings leader Newstalk ZB, major mastheads such as The New Zealand Herald and BusinessDesk, and leading community and regional newspapers. Its digital platforms also feature OneRoof, a premier property destination offering thousands of listings, accurate estimates, and the latest market insights.

This strategic initiative aims to boost brand awareness and engagement with Raine & Horne among property owners, buyers, investors, and tenants. Since entering the New Zealand market in April 2023, Raine & Horne has rapidly expanded, now boasting over 60 offices nationwide.

Mr Angus Raine, Raine & Horne Executive Chairman, who spearheaded the group’s expansion into New Zealand, stressed the importance of the nationwide radio campaign.

“We have already kicked plenty of goals, including successfully integrating the Mike Pero Real Estate group into our brand last year. But we don’t want to be known as New Zealand’s best-kept secret,” Mr Raine said.

“This campaign is strategically designed to engage property owners and buyers across New Zealand’s big cities, small towns, and regional communities, reinforcing our growing brand presence.”

The radio campaign, airing throughout March, will further strengthen the brand’s visibility and awareness as it approaches its highly successful second anniversary in New Zealand.

“By partnering with trusted radio stations through the NZME network, Raine & Horne has the opportunity to connect with millions of potential customers,” Mr Raine said.

The campaign will air across some of New Zealand’s most influential and widely listened-to stations, including ratings leader Newstalk ZB—akin to Australia’s top talkback stations such as 2GB, 3AW, and 4BC—along with ZM, which parallels KIIS FM, as well as The Hits, Coast, Radio Hauraki, Flava, and the NZME podcast network and iHeartRADIO, which collectively reach 1.86 million Kiwis weekly.

“Notably, 85% of this audience has a vested interest in property, ensuring the campaign reaches the right market,” Mr Raine added.

The campaign will deliver over 3,000 advertisements nationwide in March, including 2,824 guaranteed spots plus additional bonus placements. The reach of the campaign is substantial:
- 89% of people living in Auckland
- 87% of people living in the North Island
- 76% of people living in Otago and Southland
- 73% of people living in the South Island.
Radio remains one of the most effective advertising mediums, offering the frequency and credibility required to build brand recognition and trust.

“By aligning ourselves with respected and influential radio shows and hosts through the NZME network, we can leverage the credibility of their world-class journalists and broadcasters and their excellent audience engagement to underpin our rapidly expanding position in New Zealand’s real estate market,” Mr Raine said.

“This high-impact campaign also reinforces our long-term commitment to the New Zealand real estate market, ensuring property owners are well-informed about our network’s evolution and the advantages of working with a trusted global real estate brand such as Raine & Horne.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Joint Meeting at UN Headquarters to Address Nexus between Illicit Flow of Small Arms, Light Weapons and Sustainable Development, 17 March

Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

To comprehensively tackle the devastating impact of the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons on sustainable development, the President of the seventy-ninth session of the UN General Assembly, Philemon Yang, and the President of the UN Economic and Social Council, Bob Rae, in collaboration with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, will convene a meeting on Monday, 17 March, at UN Headquarters in New York.

This joint meeting, entitled “Small arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development”, will be an opportunity to engage with all relevant stakeholders to discuss how small arms and light weapons control can become a part of policies on development, violence prevention and human rights protection.

In 2023, violence linked to small arms and light weapons cost the global economy $22.6 billion, which exceeded official development assistance (ODA) for education, which was $14.4 billion, and for health, which was $21.8 billion.

Additionally, women and girls continue to disproportionately bear the brunt of the impact of the use of small arms and light weapons. It is estimated that between 70 and 90 per cent of incidents of conflict-related sexual violence involve small arms and light weapons.

Discussions will focus on the impacts of illicit small arms and light weapons in Africa, the integration of small arms and light weapons control into national development strategies within the Latin America and the Caribbean region, armed violence reduction in other regions, youth perspectives on the challenges posed by small arms control and the gender dimensions of small arms and light weapons.

What: Joint meeting on small arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development

When: Monday, 17 March, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. EDT

Where: Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York

Follow live on UN WebTV.

Format: Both President Yang and President Rae will deliver opening remarks, followed by a series of panel discussions.

Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu will provide concluding remarks.

More information on the event, including the programme, is available here.

Media Accreditation

Accredited media are welcome to attend by registering here or contacting the UN Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit at malu@un.org.

Media Contacts

Mariam Shaikh, Adviser/Social and Digital Media/Media, email: mariam.shaikh@un.org

Paul Simon, Communication Focal Point, Economic and Social Council Secretariat, email: simonp@un.org

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Without us, there is no future’: Youth take over UN Women’s Commission

Source: United Nations 2

14 March 2025 Women

“Support us and include us” to achieve real progress on advancing equal rights for all, young leaders told the Commission on the Status of Women, as the forum wrapped up the first week of its annual session at the UN Headquarters, in New York, on Friday.

“Support us and include us in intergovernmental processes,” said Ema Meçaj, a medical student and member of Albania’s youth steering committee, who was among young men and women panellists from around the world at an interactive dialogue at the 69th session of world’s largest annual conference on women (CSW69), which runs from 10 to 21 March.

In tackling gender-based violence and poverty, prevention is key alongside inclusion, Ms. Meçaj said, emphasising that efforts must centre on reaching the most vulnerable and recommending the establishment of a holistic approach to existing international commitments for gender equality.

Broadcast of the interactive dialogue.

Driving towards equality

The dialogue rounded up a busy first week, with thousands of delegates from around the world seeing the adoption of a landmark declaration on Monday as they continue to take stock of the rights of women and girls and identify challenges and paths forward to realise gender equality while gauging progress on the historical 1995 Beijing Platform for Action.

During the afternoon dialogue, youth leaders from Canada, Nepal, Nigeria and Panama identified challenges and proposed concrete solutions to pressing issues, from violence against women to equality for all, including Indigenous Peoples and women and girls with disabilities.

They also described what the Beijing Platform for Action meant for them, from a blueprint for equal rights to a “cry of resistance”.

Read our explainer on the UN Commission on the Status of Women here

Gender justice for all

Eva Chiom Chukwenele, an amputee peer counsellor at the Mobility Clinic Limited in Nigeria, said as a child, the Platform for Action meant that all girls would have the right to education, healthcare and leadership.

“But, gender justice is incomplete when women with disabilities are not included,” she said. “The world was not designed for women with disabilities.”

Lamenting the current dearth on data about them, she wondered “if there is no data, how can you be counted?”

She proposed a range of actions, including inclusive data collection, accessible schools and sharing positive stories in the media to shed light on this “invisible” group.

“When history looks back on this moment, will you be remembered as someone who broke all the barriers or as someone who allowed them to remain?” she asked the audience. “The time to act is now.”

When history looks back on this moment, will you be remembered as someone who broke all the barriers or as someone who allowed them to remain?

Men and boys are key players

The active, central participation of men and boys is essential in collective efforts to realise gender equality, but this has been challenging, said Ahdithya Viseweswaran, coordinator of the Young Diplomats of Canada.

“The stakes have never been higher,” he said. “We must stop placing the burden on women to endure and navigate the toxicity of patriarchal systems and instead confront patriarchal masculinities as a root cause of their oppression.”

He proposed a framework for tackling the roots of inequality and violence, he said, with men and boys being seen as “indispensable” actors for change. At the heart of these efforts is reaching boys, who are not born with an inherent attachment to patriarchy, he said, adding that “we are shaped how we are raised.”

“As men’s rights influencers and State actors weaponise their platforms to undermine the hard-won gains of gender equality, we cannot afford to falter,” he said.

“Instead, we need to present young men and boys with a compelling alternative, one rooted in self-liberation, empathy and justice, a redefinition of masculinity that prioritises partnership over domination, liberation over oppression and shared humanity over rigid hierarchies.”

Without us, there is no future

We still have a long road to go … being an Indigenous woman in Latin America is not easy

Laura Dihuignidili Huertas, a youth leader from the Guna Yala province in Panama, said collective action is key to changing the current grim realities as many of the commitments made in Beijing 30 years ago remain unfulfilled, especially in rural areas.

“We still have a long road to go,” said Ms. Huertas, a human rights activist who founded ANYAR, a youth-led organization. “Being an Indigenous woman in Latin America is not easy.”

Forced displacement, discrimination and poverty are among pressing daily challenges, she said, stressing that progress cannot be made if people are left behind and that the Beijing Platform for Action was “a cry of resistance”.

“We want firm commitments and concrete results,” she said. “We are the generation that can make a reality of the dreams of Beijing, but this can only be possible if we rise up, organise and mobilise all those who have yet joined the fight because without us, there is no future.”

UN Women/Ryan Brown

Young people at the UN Headquarters, in New York, attending the Commission on the Status of Women.

Leading and inspiring change

Joining the dialogue, Sima Bahous, head of UN Women, applauded participants and encouraged their efforts to advance gender equality at a time when rights are being trampled.

“You are leading and inspiring change,” she said.

Young feminists are not just participants in change, but are mobilising online and off to work towards a future free of violence, inequality and poverty.

“We cannot build a just future without those who will inherit it,” she said. “Let this be our call to action.”

Focus on Afghan women and girls

In a parallel side event, conference participants gathered to raise international support for and take stock of the rights of Afghan women and girls in light of a bevy of restrictive laws passed since 2021, when the Taliban seized power in the country.

Upholding the Rights of Afghan Women and Girls Women, Peace, and Security is one of dozens of side events being held during CSW69. Check the full side events schedule here.

Watch the full event on UN Web TV here

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Foreign journalists witness vitality of Beijing’s sub-center

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

A promotion event for Beijing’s sub-center was held on Thursday in the city’s Tongzhou district, where 50 foreign journalists from 45 countries were invited to report on its high-quality development.
The journalists first visited the reception hall before the event to learn about the innovative practices and achievements in opening up of the sub-center in the construction of the “two zones,” which refer to the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector and the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone.
During the event, the journalists were introduced to the progress of the sub-center’s planning and construction, the development of key industries, and the layout of major projects. The event also included a business promotion, showcasing the innovative achievements of Tongzhou district in the field of technology.
After the promotional event, the journalists visited businesses in the sub-center to conduct interviews.
“China has made remarkable achievements in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics, which has also provided us with numerous opportunities,” said a reporter from Suhail TV of Yemen when seeing the automatic charging robots at an enterprise.
This year, the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality will continue to hold special promotional events for foreign media, so as to showcase Beijing’s investment environment and opportunities, as well as promote the city’s favorable business environment.

MIL OSI China News –

March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s humanoid robot craze sparks surge in rentals

Source: China State Council Information Office

Two humanoid robots walk forward at the exhibition hall of Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

In a mesmerizing display at a recent show in Hangzhou, eastern China’s leading tech hub, a dozen humanoid robots twisted and twirled in perfect sync, their joints clattering to the rhythm of joyful music as they captivated the audience and drew waves of cheers.

The spectacle reflects a growing trend, with businesses and individuals increasingly renting humanoid robots for performances, exhibitions, and livestreams to grab public attention.

These robots shot to fame earlier this year when a fleet from Unitree, a Chinese robotics startup, mesmerized audiences with a synchronized dance in colorful jackets at the Spring Festival Gala, one of China’s most-watched broadcasts. The overwhelming public attention and ensuing robot craze have since turned them into a sought-after commodity in the rental market.

“Orders for Unitree’s G1 humanoid robot rentals have been surging since early February, with bookings already lined up through late March,” said Gao Lai, who has been engaged in the robot rental business for over a decade. His company provided the rented robots for the show in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province.

“The daily rental price for a humanoid robot ranges from 8,000 to 15,000 yuan (about 1,115 to 2,091 U.S. dollars). With the booming demand, we anticipate our earnings to rise by 80 percent this year,” Gao added.

In terms of presale, Unitree’s G1 model starts at 99,000 yuan, while the H1 model has a starting price of 650,000 yuan.

Industry insiders told Xinhua that the growing demand for robots in business events, exhibitions and shows is fueling the expansion of the robot rental market, which holds great potential.

On Xianyu, one of China’s largest second-hand goods trading platforms, renting a Unitree robot can cost thousands of yuan, often covering transportation, machine adjustments and on-site support.

In Hangzhou’s Yuhang District, where the recent show took place, local authorities plan to host more robot shows and tutorial sessions in rural areas by renting robots.

“Dancing with robots grabs attention, and we hope to partner with companies to introduce AI to rural communities,” said Zhang Jingcan, a district official.

“The concept of humanoid robots is nothing new. Since the first one was developed in Japan in the 1960s, they’ve been a focal point of global competition,” said Xiong Rong, a professor at Zhejiang University and head of Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center.

“Powered by AI, our robots are making progress faster than I anticipated,” said Wang Xingxing, CEO of Unitree Robotics. “We’ve upgraded the software algorithms in our humanoid robots to make them more agile and improve their dancing skills.”

However, some uncertainties exist when applying humanoid robots in more complicated scenarios at home or in businesses that require more flexible and diverse human-robot interactions.

“Humanoid robots will reach new heights by the end of this year, and if all goes well, we could see them deployed in some service or industrial sectors next year or the year after,” said Wang. “However, home-use models might see slower adoption due to higher security requirement.”

Emphasizing the importance of security in robot applications, Xiong said: “Only by ensuring the safety of human-robot interactions, the robot itself, and the data can we achieve large-scale production.”

Many industry insiders agree that the ultimate goal for humanoid robots is to evolve into general-purpose robots capable of adapting to diverse environments and performing a wide range of tasks without relying on specific sites or tools. Achieving this goal will require advancements in AI, high-end manufacturing and new materials, driven by academia and industry collaboration.

With surging demand and continuous innovation, China’s humanoid robot market is forecast to see exponential growth in the following years, clinching a significant share of the global market.

According to a report on the humanoid robot industry released at the 2024 World AI Conference in Shanghai, China’s humanoid robot market was estimated at 2.76 billion yuan last year. By 2029, it is expected to reach 75 billion yuan, accounting for 32.7 percent of the global market.

MIL OSI China News –

March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI China: ‘Ne Zha 2’ storms into all-time global box office top 5

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Chinese animated powerhouse “Ne Zha 2” has surpassed Disney’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to secure its spot as the fifth highest-grossing film of all time globally.

According to data from ticketing platform Maoyan, the film’s global earnings, including presales, have exceeded 15.019 billion yuan (about 2.09 billion U.S. dollars) as of Saturday.

The milestone was reached just 45 days after the film’s release during the Chinese New Year on Jan. 29.

This adds to an impressive list of records for the film, which became the first film to gross 1 billion U.S. dollars in a single market, the first non-Hollywood title to enter the billion-dollar club, and the highest-grossing animated movie of all time worldwide.

MIL OSI China News –

March 15, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Homicide investigation underway in Hamilton

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson:

Waikato Police have commenced a homicide investigation following an incident in Hamilton overnight.

Emergency services were called to Beatty Street, Melville at around 4:30am.

A 26-year-old man was located deceased at the scene. A second man was taken to Waikato Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

Police are currently making enquiries to establish what has occurred and the events leading up to this incident.

We are also working to identify and locate a third man who was at the scene.

Police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard anything in the area or may have any footage or CCTV of the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police via 105 quoting file number 250315/0371

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 15, 2025

Category: Entertainment

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Acceptance and adaptation

State Archives Launches Musical Event “Builder’s Spotlight”

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate Fit India Carnival at JLN StadiumUnion Minister Smt Raksha Khadse and Film Star Ayushmann Khurrana will also Grace the Occasion

Driving towards equality

Gender justice for all

Men and boys are key players

Without us, there is no future

Leading and inspiring change

Focus on Afghan women and girls

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate Fit India Carnival at JLN Stadium

Union Minister Smt Raksha Khadse and Film Star Ayushmann Khurrana will also Grace the Occasion