NewzIntel.com

Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man arrested in connection with arson attacks

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been arrested in connection with a series of arson attacks.

    The 21-year-old was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, 13 May on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.

    He remains in custody.

    The arrest relates to three incidents.

    On Monday, 12 May at 01:35hrs, police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade to reports of a fire at a residential address in NW5.

    Officers attended the scene. Damage was caused to the property’s entrance, nobody was hurt.

    As a precaution and due to the property having previous connections with a high-profile public figure, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are leading the investigation into this fire. Enquiries are ongoing to establish what caused it.

    The investigation team are also considering two other incidents – a vehicle fire in NW5 on Thursday, 8 May and a fire at the entrance of a property in N7 on Sunday, 11 May – and are investigating whether they may be linked to the fire in NW5 on 12 May.

    All three fires are being treated as suspicious at this time, and enquiries remain ongoing.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The US and China have reached a temporary truce in the trade wars, but more turbulence lies ahead

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Draper, Professor, and Executive Director: Institute for International Trade, and Jean Monnet Chair of Trade and Environment, University of Adelaide

    Defying expectations, the United States and China have announced an important agreement to de-escalate bilateral trade tensions after talks in Geneva, Switzerland.

    The good, the bad and the ugly

    The good news is their recent tariff increases will be slashed. The US has cut tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, while China has reduced levies on US imports from 125% to 10%. This greatly eases major bilateral trade tensions, and explains why financial markets rallied.

    The bad news is twofold. First, the remaining tariffs are still high by modern standards. The US average trade-weighted tariff rate was 2.2% on January 1 2025, while it is now estimated to be up to 17.8%. This makes it the highest tariff wall since the 1930s.

    Overall, it is very likely a new baseline has been set. Bilateral tariff-free trade belongs to a bygone era.

    Second, these tariff reductions will be in place for 90 days, while negotiations continue. Talks will likely include a long list of difficult-to-resolve issues. China’s currency management policy and industrial subsidies system dominated by state-owned enterprises will be on the table. So will the many non-tariff barriers Beijing can turn on and off like a tap.

    China is offering to purchase unspecified quantities of US goods – in a repeat of a US-China “Phase 1 deal” from Trump’s first presidency that was not implemented. On his first day in office in January, amid a blizzard of executive orders, Trump ordered a review of that deal’s implementation. The review found China didn’t follow through on the agriculture, finance and intellectual property protection commitments it had made.

    Unless the US has now decided to capitulate to Beijing’s retaliatory actions, it is difficult to see the US being duped again.

    Failure to agree on these points would reveal the ugly truth that both countries continue to impose bilateral export controls on goods deemed sensitive, such as semiconductors (from the US to China) and processed critical minerals (from China to the US).

    Moreover, in its so-called “reciprocal” negotiations with other countries, the US is pressing trading partners to cut certain sensitive China-sourced goods from their exports destined for US markets. China is deeply unhappy about these US demands and has threatened to retaliate against trading partners that adopt them.

    A temporary truce

    Overall, the announcement is best viewed as a truce that does not shift the underlying structural reality that the US and China are locked into a long-term cycle of escalating strategic competition.



    Read more:
    Why Trump fails to understand China’s trade war tactics, and what his negotiators should be reading

    That cycle will have its ups (the latest announcement) and downs (the tariff wars that preceded it). For now, both sides have agreed to announce victory and focus on other matters.

    For the US, this means ensuring there will be consumer goods on the shelves in time for Halloween and Christmas, albeit at inflated prices. For China, it means restoring some export market access to take pressure off its increasingly ailing economy.

    As neither side can vanquish the other, the likely long-term result is a frozen conflict. This will be punctuated by attempts to achieve “escalation dominance”, as that will determine who emerges with better terms. Observers’ opinions on where the balance currently lies are divided.

    Along the way, and to use a quote widely attributed to Winston Churchill, to “jaw-jaw is better than to war-war”. Fasten your seat belts, there is more turbulence to come.

    Where does this leave the rest of us?

    Significantly, the US has not (so far) changed its basic goals for all its bilateral trade deals.

    Its overarching aim is to cut the goods trade deficit by reducing goods imports and eliminating non-tariff barriers it says are “unfairly” prohibiting US exports. The US also wants to remove barriers to digital trade and investments by tech giants and “derisk” certain imports that it deems sensitive for national security reasons.

    The agreement between the US and UK last week clearly reflects these goals in operation. While the UK received some concessions, the remaining tariffs are higher, at 10% overall, than on April 2 and subject to US-imposed import quotas. Furthermore, the UK must open its market for certain goods while removing China-originating content from steel and pharmaceutical products destined for the US.

    For Washington’s Pacific defence treaty allies, including Australia, nothing has changed. Potentially difficult negotiations with the Trump administration lie ahead, particularly if the US decides to use our security dependencies as leverage to wring concessions in trade. Japan has already disavowed linking security and trade, and their progress should be closely watched.

    The US has previously paused high tariffs on manufacturing nations in South-East Asia, particularly those used by other nations as export platforms to avoid China tariffs. Vietnam, Cambodia and others will face sustained uncertainty and increasingly difficult balancing acts. The economic stakes are higher for them.

    They, like the Japanese, are long-practised in the subtle arts of balancing the two giants. Still, juggling ties with both Washington and Beijing will become the act of an increasingly high-wire trapeze artist.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The US and China have reached a temporary truce in the trade wars, but more turbulence lies ahead – https://theconversation.com/the-us-and-china-have-reached-a-temporary-truce-in-the-trade-wars-but-more-turbulence-lies-ahead-256448

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CS calls for voter registration

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, together with representatives from the four civil service central consultative councils, today visited the Queensway Government Offices today to appeal to colleagues to register as voters and cast their votes in the Legislative Council General Election, due to be held on December 7 this year.

    Acting Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Clement Woo was also present, distributing leaflets on voter registration.

    Mr Chan stressed that, as the backbone of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, civil servants bear the responsibility of implementing and supporting the administration in accordance with the law.

    The Chief Secretary said: “Today, together with the representatives from the four civil service central consultative councils, I visited colleagues in different government departments to appeal to those who are eligible but have not yet registered as voters to actively do so, and to remind those who have already registered as voters to check the accuracy of their registration details through the online system and submit an application to update their details in a timely manner if necessary, to ensure their voting rights are not affected.

    “We also appeal to our colleagues to convey this message to their families and friends to get well prepared for the LegCo General Election to be held at the end of this year and to vote enthusiastically to fulfil their civic duties and elect patriotic, capable and dedicated legislators devoted to serving the people, Hong Kong and our country.”

    The 2025 Voter Registration Campaign urges eligible individual and bodies who have not yet registered as voters to submit registration applications to the Registration & Electoral Office (REO) as early as possible – and on or before the statutory deadline of June 2.

    Registered voters who wish to record changes to their residential address or other registration particulars should also submit such applications to the REO on or before June 2.

    Both applications for new registration and changes to particulars can be submitted through the iAM Smart app, or by email, mail or fax with the correct forms.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Doorstop interview, Canberra

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Jim Chalmers:

    I’m really grateful to the Prime Minister for the opportunity to serve as Australia’s Treasurer. Looking forward to being sworn in with my outstanding colleagues later this morning.

    I’m especially looking forward to working with the absolutely first‑class Treasury portfolio team that Anthony has appointed. Daniel Mulino is an absolutely first‑rate person to have in our team, working closely with Andrew Leigh, Clare O’Neil, Anne Aly will bring a dynamism to the small business portfolio as well. This is an outstanding team of colleagues. I’m looking forward to working closely with them. They have a lot of intellectual horsepower, a lot of experience, a lot of energy, a lot of dynamism, as I said. And so looking forward to being sworn in.

    The hard work has already begun. I think the first briefing I received after the election was at quarter to 7 in the morning, the Sunday morning after the election. And that’s because a big focus for me in the Treasury portfolio and for the government is navigating this global economic uncertainty at the same time as we continue to roll out our cost‑of‑living help and make our economy more productive over time as well, build more houses, get the energy transformation right. These are the priorities for me as Treasurer, but for the economic team more broadly, the Cabinet and the government as well.

    We welcome the opportunity to work for the Australian people for another term with a big focus on the economy. The economy was front and centre in the election campaign, it will be front and centre in the second term, just like it was in in the first term. Our Albanese Labor government is defined by responsible economic management and people should expect that to continue.

    Journalist:

    You said you’re pretty keen to get those superannuation tax changes through. Initially when you put that legislation forward, it was to come into effect by July 1 this year, but the Prime Minister said that parliament won’t necessarily sit until late July. So, when would those tax changes come into effect?

    Chalmers:

    It’s not unusual for tax changes to be legislated after a start date, there are other instances of that. What I’ve said today is the same point that I’ve made repeatedly, really more or less since we first announced these changes more than 2 years ago now. This is a modest change which impacts a tiny sliver of the population, about half a per cent of people with balances over $3 million in their superannuation. It’s still concessional tax treatment, just slightly less concessional.

    And it makes an important contribution to the budget, to priorities like strengthening Medicare, the tax cuts, building more homes. So it’s an important part of the budget as well. The government hasn’t changed its approach to it. We announced it more than 2 years ago. It’s been in the parliament for a long time now. It’s a modest change that impacts a tiny amount of people and still provides concessional tax treatment for people in super.

    Journalist:

    When you announced those tax changes a few years ago, did you expect the argument that’s happened since then? Did you expect it to generate the attention it has?

    Chalmers:

    I don’t get it raised with me much out and about in the community, and it wasn’t a big part of the election campaign. I know that it’s the obsession of a couple of newspapers, for example, and it’s an obsession of the Liberal Party. I understand that people have got views about policy changes. I’m respectful about that. I’m realistic about that. People have got views when you make changes. But it is a relatively modest change, impacts a very small amount of people. There are good reasons to go about it this way, and it helps to fund the country’s priorities. From time to time people will have different views about that, I don’t obsess about that, sometimes you have to take difficult decisions.

    Journalist:

    Mark Dreyfus – sorry, Ed Husic said last night that Mark Dreyfus’ dumping from the Cabinet was gratuitous and he should have been granted more dignity, do you agree?

    Chalmers:

    I do feel for those 2 guys, Mark and Ed, I respect them both and I understand how unhappy they would be. I think today will be a difficult day for them to see the colleagues sworn in at Government House. And so, Ed has a view about that, and he’s got a right to express his view. I think all of us understand his unhappiness about this, and he’s reflected that with his public comments.

    Journalist:

    Do you think Marles is a factional assassin?

    Chalmers:

    I don’t use those words to describe him. I work very closely with Richard. Richard is a very good Deputy Prime Minister. He works very hard for the people of Australia in his portfolio. And as Deputy Prime Minister, he works very closely with us in the Cabinet. And I wouldn’t use those words to describe him. But again, it’s not for me to kind of engage in a running commentary on Ed’s comments. I understand why Ed’s unhappy. I’d be unhappy too, if I was Ed and if I was Mark.

    It was a messy week last week, but I want to assure people that the overwhelming focus of the government is on the economic challenges before us at a time of extreme global economic uncertainty and opportunity for Australia. This is what happens when you’ve got more good people than you have spots in the Ministry and in the Cabinet. People will miss out from time to time.

    And this is the difference really between our team and our opponents. Our opponents are scratching around for a half‑credible person to lead them and can’t find one. We’ve got 60 or 70 or 80 people who could be good Ministers right away in our team. So, inevitably people will miss out and they’ll be unhappy about that. I do genuinely understand that. I do genuinely feel for them, particularly today.

    Journalist:

    Can I ask as well, are you considering or will you consider increasing the Jobseeker rate in this term again?

    Chalmers:

    That’s not something that we’re considering now, we’re rolling out cost‑of‑living help in other ways. It’s also important to remember, I think it’s frequently forgotten, that I did raise the Jobseeker rate, working with the colleagues. We have increased in a permanent way Jobseeker in addition to the indexation.

    And when we can find room to help people with the cost of living we’ve shown an ability to do that in all 4 of our Budgets. Whether it’s the permanent increase to Jobseeker, the increases to Commonwealth Rent Assistance, the change we made for single parents, the energy bill rebates, the tax cuts, the efforts on the minimum wage. We’ve shown across the board a willingness to help people with the cost of living. That’s one way that we can do it and we have done it. But there are other ways as well.

    Journalist:

    Any tips for the Liberal leader?

    Chalmers:

    I think whoever wins the battle of the duds today, the Liberal Party will still be the party of lower wages, higher income taxes and nuclear reactors. And this choice that the Liberal Party room is being asked to make today is a choice between 2 of the 3 people most responsible for the debacle which was the last 3 years in the Coalition. Not just the campaign, but the 3 years. Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor shouldn’t be asking their colleagues for votes, they should be asking them for forgiveness. Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor are 2 of the co‑architects of one of the worst performances we’ve ever seen from a major political party.

    Now in the last term they were asked to come up with a coherent, credible, costed economic policy and they weren’t able to do that. So, I think it’s strange and unfortunate that the Liberal Party is being asked to choose from these 2 who are as responsible as anyone for what we saw happen to the Coalition a couple of Saturdays ago.

    Now, obviously we don’t underestimate our opponents. I don’t underestimate anyone, and I don’t accept this commentary that says that the next election is already determined. I think elections in Australia are typically close, the last one notwithstanding. And so, we will take seriously whoever they elect, we don’t underestimate our opponents but the Liberal Party is effectively choosing from the reserve grade team. And the last opposition was the dregs of the Morrison government and now this is the dregs of the dregs of the Morrison government. And so, I think it’s a very strange and unfortunate choice that the Liberal Party is being asked to make today.

    Thanks very much.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Peter Stefanovic, First Edition, Sky News

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Peter Stefanovic:

    Thank you. Well, the Prime Minister will swear in his new team this morning, which features some familiar faces and some new ones as well. One of those maintaining his role is the federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers who joins us live from Canberra now. Treasurer, congratulations on your re‑election. Thank you for your time this morning.

    So you’ll be sworn in, then you do your morning stretches; you’re off and running. What’s the first thing you want in the kit bag in term?

    Jim Chalmers:

    Good morning, Pete. We’ve been off and running really, more or less since the day after the election. I think I got my first briefing from the Treasury Secretary at 6:45 am on the Sunday after the election. And that’s because a big focus for us is managing all of this global economic uncertainty that you and Tom just ran through a moment ago, not just on markets, but in the global economy more broadly.

    We’ve been working hard since the election was resolved a couple of Saturdays ago. I’m looking forward to getting sworn in today, and I’m particularly grateful to the PM for this opportunity, but also for the chance to work with some really terrific people who will be sworn in to the Treasury portfolio today.

    Stefanovic:

    Yeah.

    Chalmers:

    Clare O’Neil, Anne Aly, Daniel Mulino, Andrew Leigh, a lot of intellectual horsepower in those colleagues, a lot of energy, enthusiasm and talent, and so I’m looking forward to working with them.

    Stefanovic:

    Okay. What’s the one thing, the first thing that you want to achieve this term?

    Chalmers:

    We’ve got a number of priorities – first of all managing that uncertainty, also we’ve got a major focus on productivity, we need to make our economy more productive over time. I think in the most specific sense we’ve got to build more homes.

    I’ll work closely with Clare O’Neil to make sure that the billions of dollars that we’re investing as part of our broad and ambitious housing policy builds more homes in our communities right around Australia. So that’s a top priority as well.

    Stefanovic:

    Okay. Business leaders, they’re not letting you settle in, Treasurer. Some are already miffed that you’d need 2 more terms to boost productivity. Is that timeframe a worst case scenario for you or are you just trying to give some wriggle room?

    Chalmers:

    A couple of things about that. I don’t think anyone’s surprised to read in The Australian that Chris Corrigan has a different view on productivity to the Labor government.

    I’ve had some really terrific engagement with major business leaders in the last week or 2 about our focus on productivity. Overwhelmingly people want to work with us on it.

    The point that I’ve made is that productivity is a challenge which has been a feature of our economy for some decades, and it will take more than a couple of years to turn around. I think that’s just a realistic way of being upfront with people, that we can make our economy productive. It’s not one of those areas where you can just flick a switch and all of a sudden the economy is as productive as with want it to be. The problem’s been there for a couple of decades, the worst decade for productivity growth was the decade to 2020, the worst decade in the last half century or more.

    We’ve got a lot of work to do and that will take time, and I think that’s understood in the business community, and I’m going to work closely with business, with unions, with the community more broadly to do what we can this term to make our economy more productive over time.

    Stefanovic:

    Okay. Will you still go after unrealised gains in $3 million plus super accounts?

    Chalmers:

    We haven’t changed our policy on that. I know that that’s been a focus of some of the commentary since the election. I don’t think it’s particularly newsworthy that we haven’t changed our policy on that. We’ve made it clear that it’s a very modest change, it only affects 0.5 per cent of people with balances over $3 million.

    It’s still concessional tax treatment, just a little bit less concessiona. And it’s an important way that we fund some of our other priorities – including strengthening Medicare or providing income tax cuts, helping with the cost‑of‑living and building more homes. It’s an important part of our budget, we haven’t changed our approach to it. We know that there are elements of the media that are very focused on it, but we haven’t made a change there.

    Stefanovic:

    Well, I mean it’s just the idea of taxing something that hasn’t happened yet, which I think is a legitimate concern. But recent modelling by AMP found it’s not just retirees with over $3 million super, in the long run more and more Gen Z workers will be affected if it’s not indexed. Is that your calculation?

    Chalmers:

    A couple of things about that. First of all, on unrealised gains, there are other parts of the superannuation system where that is calculated, that’s a common misunderstanding which is repeated too frequently. And the second point about the long run, 30 or 40 years away, that assumes that there are never any changes to the threshold.

    There are a number of areas in our tax system where thresholds aren’t indexed, where they are changed from time to time by governments, and I would expect that to be the case again.

    It would be a strange assumption to assume that in the next 30 or 40 years nobody ever changes the threshold. That doesn’t happen in other parts of the tax system, and it wouldn’t happen in this part of the tax system over a period that long.

    Stefanovic:

    You just mentioned that you got some key appointments now in your brains trust, if you like. You’ve got, you know, Dan Mulino, Andrew Charlton as well is another one. How collaborative do you expect those economic discussions to be now?

    Chalmers:

    Perfectly collaborative, and ‘brains trust’ is a good way to describe them. I’m surrounded by brainiacs in the Treasury portfolio team, and I’m really excited about that.

    Mulino is an absolute gun, Andrew Leigh – experience, intellectual horsepower, Clare O’Neil similarly, Anne Aly is going to bring a real dynamism to the small business portfolio. We get to work closely with Katy Gallagher and with the Cabinet more broadly, and I couldn’t be happier with the team that Anthony has appointed, and I’m going to work really closely with them.

    I’ve already met with Dan Mulino, I’ve already met with Andrew Leigh, I’ve had discussions with a number of colleagues, and we’re looking forward to getting cracking.

    Stefanovic:

    But if they were to say to you, ‘Hey, Treasurer, taxing unrealised gains, there’s going to be a lot of blow‑back here, people are worried about the long‑term’, would you change course on that, or would you still plough ahead?

    Chalmers:

    I think I’ve answered this question already, Pete, you’ve come back to it for a second dig, but I’ve explained to you why we’re doing it.

    Stefanovic:

    No, but I’m just wondering if there’s more consternation behind the scenes, you know, would you change course at all in terms of that collaborative approach?

    Chalmers:

    It’s not something that you should anticipate, it’s not something that we’re considering or planning, for all of the reasons I ran through comprehensively a moment ago when you asked me the first time.

    Stefanovic:

    All right. US and China have paused their trade war for now, Treasurer. What’s your reaction to that, and what hope does that give you in terms of a reprieve for us?

    Chalmers:

    It’s a really welcome development, and I think the whole world is hopeful that this augurs well for the resolution of this effectively trade war between the 2 biggest economies in the world.

    But we have to be realistic about it as well – there’s still a lot of unpredictability, a lot of volatility and a lot of uncertainty in the global economy. This is not resolved, it’s been paused, in welcome ways, and you can see that the markets have reacted to that as Tom ran through with you a moment ago.

    These are welcome developments, they are good developments, but the situation is not resolved yet, and if you think about the concerns that we have for the impact of trade wars on the Australian economy, we are especially exposed to a trade war between the US and China. If you look at the analysis that we have done really the biggest part of our concern is the impact on the Chinese economy flowing through to our own economy. So we welcome these developments.

    Stefanovic:

    Okay.

    Chalmers:

    These are good developments, but we need to temper our expectations because there are a lot of issues still unresolved.

    Stefanovic:

    All right. Just a final one here, I know we’re squeezed for time, but – and this is not your problem – but the Libs’ leadership is up today in a couple of hours’ time. Have you got a thought on that this morning?

    Chalmers:

    Look, I haven’t given it a lot of thought – I think the 2 people that are up for election today shows that the Liberals haven’t learned a thing from the debacle which was their election campaign.

    Whoever wins the battle of the duds today, the Liberal Party will still be the party of lower wages, higher income taxes and nuclear reactors. And Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor, they should be asking their colleagues for forgiveness, not for their votes.

    You know, these 2 are 2 of the 3 people most responsible for the Liberal Party’s failure at the election, failure over the last 3 years to come up with anything that resembles a credible, coherent –

    Stefanovic:

    Okay.

    Chalmers:

    – economic policy, and so I find it bizarre that the Liberal Party members are being asked to choose between 2 of the worst performers in the Opposition over the last 3 years.

    Stefanovic:

    All right. Treasurer, I know we’re squeezed for time but thank you for your time this morning as always. We’ll chat again soon.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Coop Pank AS results for April 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Coop Pank’s financial results in April 2025:

    • In April, number of the bank’s clients increased by 1,700 and number of active clients decreased by 100. By the end of the month number of clients reached 214,400 and number of active clients reached 101,600. Over the year, customer base has grown by 12%. 
    • Volume of the bank’s customer deposits decreased by 107 million euros in April. The reduction in deposit volume was a deliberate step, as an additional 250 million euros was raised in March through the issuance of covered bonds. By the end of the month, the bank’s deposits reached 1.81 billion euros. Deposits of corporate customers decreased by 74 million euros and deposits of private customers decreased by 5 million euros. The volume of deposits attracted from international platforms decreased by 28 million euros. Over the year, volume of bank deposits has grown by 4%.
    • The bank’s loan portfolio increased by 53 million euros and reached 1.87 billion euros by the end of month. Business loans increased by 39 million euros and home loans increased by 13 million euros. Leasing and consumer financing portfolios both increased by nearly 1 million euros. Over the year, loan portfolio has grown by 20%.
    • In April, the loan impairment cost was 0.8 million euros.
    • Compared to the first four months of last year, the bank’s net income decreased by 5% and expenses have increased by 2%.
    • In April, the bank earned net profit of 1.8 million euros. In the first four months of the year, the bank has earned a net profit of 9.7 million euros, that is 19% less than in the same period last year.
    • In April, Coop Pank’s return on equity was 10.3% and the cost-income ratio was 53%.

    Comment by Paavo Truu, Member of the Management Board and CFO of Coop Pank:

    “In April, Coop Pank issued a large volume of business and home loans, resulting in strong growth of the loan portfolio. Both the leasing and consumer finance portfolios also grew by nearly one million euros each. Since certain provisions must be made from the very first day for all loans, the rapid growth of the loan portfolio was the main reason for the larger amount of provisions booked in April.

    Despite the ongoing uncertainty in the economy, the quality of Coop Pank’s loan portfolio remains very strong.

    Due to rapid price increases and changes in the tax system, people have increasingly been purchasing used cars. In response, Coop Pank introduced a new leasing product in April, specifically designed for financing the purchase of used vehicles.

    Conscious reduction of deposit volume is linked to the successful international covered bond issuance – in March, Coop Pank completed its first issuance of four-year covered bonds in the amount of 250 million euros. Thanks to this, the bank now has access to a long-term and stable funding source, which allows for a partial reduction in the volume of more expensive term and foreign deposits now and going forward.”

    More detailed financial reports of Coop Pank are available at:  https://www.cooppank.ee/en/financial-reports

    Coop Pank, based on Estonian capital, is one of the five universal banks operating in Estonia. The number of clients using Coop Pank for their daily banking reached 214,400. Coop Pank aims to put the synergy generated by the interaction of retail business and banking to good use and to bring everyday banking services closer to people’s homes. The strategic shareholder of the bank is the domestic retail chain Coop Eesti, comprising of 320 stores.

    Additional information:
    Paavo Truu
    CFO
    Phone: +372 5160 231
    E-mail: paavo.truu@cooppank.ee

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: EfTEN Real Estate Fund AS’s net asset value as of April 30, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EfTEN Real Estate Fund AS earned strong financial results in April. Consolidated rental income reached 2,611 thousand euros, increasing by 55 thousand euros compared to March. The increase in rental income was primarily driven by the first rental payments from the newly completed ICONFIT logistics centre in Tallinn and the Hiiu elderly care home acquired in March, which is now undergoing renovation. The overall vacancy rate of the fund’s real estate portfolio decreased from 4.4% in March to 4.1% in April, mainly due to the improved occupancy in the L3 and Evolution office buildings in Vilnius and the Jurkalne and Piepilsetas logistics properties in Riga.

    The Fund’s EBITDA amounted to 2,183 thousand euros in April, an increase of 193 thousand euros month-over-month due to higher rental income and lower expenses. Adjusted cash flow increased to 1,010 thousand euros, by 170 thousand euros compared to March.

    In April, EfTEN Real Estate Fund AS paid the largest dividend in its history – a total of 12.7 million euros, or 1.11 euros per share. To partially finance the dividend payment and optimize the capital structure, the Fund refinanced bank loans on five properties for a total amount of 6.3 million euros. As a result of this refinancing, income tax expense related to dividend payments was accounted in the amount of 1.4 million euros, which led to a lower-than-usual net profit of 106 thousand euros for the month.

    The Fund’s weighted average interest rate decreased to 4.21% in April (from 4.37% in March). Compared to the same period last year, consolidated interest expense has decreased by 586 thousand euros.

    During the first four months of 2025, EfTEN Real Estate Fund has earned consolidated rental income of 10.3 million euros (+1% year-over-year) and consolidated EBITDA of 8.4 million euros (compared to 8.6 million euros in the same period last year). The decrease in EBITDA is mainly due to the higher vacancy in the office segment and the sale of the Tähesaju Hortes property in the summer of 2024.

    The Fund’s net asset value (NAV) per share was 19.64 euros as of the end of April, and EPRA NRV was 20.50 euros. Due to the April dividend distribution, the NAV decreased by 5.3%. Without the dividend payment, the NAV would have increased by 0.6%.

    Marilin Hein
    CFO
    Phone +372 6559 515
    E-mail: marilin.hein@eften.ee

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Basic Education to Include AI Curriculum

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) — China will establish a multi-tiered system of comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) education programs covering primary, first- and second-grade middle schools across the country to guide students from gaining fundamental cognitive knowledge to practical technological innovation, according to policy documents released Monday.

    At the primary school level, China’s Ministry of Education (MOE) prioritizes AI literacy by introducing basic technologies such as voice recognition and image classification.

    Building on the foundation of this cognitive aspect, junior high school students will deepen their understanding of AI logic, explore machine learning processes, and develop critical thinking to identify the risk of misinformation in AI-generated results.

    In the upper secondary school, the focus shifts to applied innovation. Students will use their accumulated knowledge of AI to develop and improve AI algorithm models while developing interdisciplinary systems thinking.

    To achieve these goals, the Ministry of Education and Science of the People’s Republic of China will promote the inclusion of professional skills in pedagogy and teaching using AI in the teacher training system, calling on schools to develop differentiated content curricula and practical assignments in accordance with the age characteristics and stages of cognitive development of schoolchildren.

    Notably, the Chinese Ministry of Education and Science emphasizes the pedagogical potential of generative AI. “Teachers can use generative AI tools to deploy interactive learning and create immersive teaching experiences,” said an official in charge of the basic education segment of the Chinese Ministry of Education and Science.

    He also called for practically strengthening students’ ability to make logical inferences and enhancing their level of innovative thinking through AI-based interactive learning.

    At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of the People’s Republic of China emphasized that students are strictly prohibited from directly copying content created by AI as homework or answers to exam questions. At the same time, the department requires teachers at the aforementioned educational institutions to develop students’ ability to think critically about the results of AI work and practically increase their level of independence in processing information. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Rush of diplomatic calls follow Trump’s offer to join potential Russia-Ukraine talks

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. and European diplomats went on a flurry of calls in the hours after U.S. President Donald Trump offered on Monday to join prospective Ukraine-Russia talks later this week, trying to find a path that would bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

    Trump’s surprise offer to join the talks on Thursday in Istanbul came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a fresh twist to the stop-start peace talks process, said he would travel Turkey and wait to meet President Vladimir Putin there.

    After Trump’s announcement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the “way forward for a ceasefire” in Ukraine with European counterparts, including the foreign ministers of Britain and France, and the EU’s foreign policy chief, the State Department said on Monday.

    Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and his German and Polish counterparts were also on the call, according to the readout.

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks late on Monday with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan to discuss Moscow’s direct talks with Kyiv – a proposal that came from Putin at the weekend, the Russian foreign ministry said.

    It remained unclear who would travel from Moscow to Istanbul to take part in the direct talks, which would be the first between the two sides since the early days of the war that Russia launched with its invasion on Ukraine in February 2022.

    There has been no response from the Kremlin to Zelenskiy’s offer to meet Putin in Istanbul and Moscow was yet to comment on Trump’s offer to join the talks.

    If Zelenskiy and Putin, who make no secret of their contempt for each other, were to meet on Thursday it would be their first face-to-face meeting since December 2019.

    “Don’t underestimate Thursday in Turkey,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.

    Trump’s current schedule has him visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar this week.

    Ukraine and its European allies have been seeking to put pressure on Moscow to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday, with the leaders of four major European powers travelling to Kyiv on Saturday to show unity with Zelenskiy.

    Earlier on Monday, the German government said Europe would start preparing new sanctions against Russia unless the Kremlin by the end of the day started abiding by the ceasefire.

    Ukraine’s military said on Monday that fighting along parts of the frontline in the country’s east was at the same intensity it would be if there were no ceasefire.

    Putin called the Western European and Ukrainian demands for a ceasefire “ultimatums” that the Kremlin said on Monday are for Russia an unacceptable language.

    Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the international affairs committee of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia’s parliament, told the Izvestia media outlet in remarks published on Tuesday that the talks between Moscow and Kyiv can move further than they did in the 2022.

    “If the Ukrainian delegation shows up at these talks with a mandate to abandon any ultimatums and look for common ground, I am sure that we could move forward even further than we did,” Izvestia cited Kosachev as saying.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Arts – Ngā Kaituhi Māori NZSA programme recipients 2025

    Source: NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa

    The NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa – Ngā Kaituhi Māori has announced the recipients of its The NZSA Ngā Kaituhi Māori Mentorship and Kupu Kaitiaki Programmes for 2025.

    We are pleased to congratulate the four emerging writers who have each been selected for the Mentor Programme, with a six-month opportunity to work closely with an acclaimed Māori writer as their mentor to hone their tuhituhi ability and, in the process, evolve and refine a work toward a publishable manuscript.

    The four mentor and mentees matchings are Hoani Hakaraia with Cassie Hart; Mereana Latimer with Emma Hislop; Tallullah Cardno with Steph Matuku and Tommy de Silvawith Cassie Hart.

    The two emerging writers selected for the Kupu Kaitiaki Assessment programme for 2025 are Rose Toia and Billy Tangaere, who will receive detailed feedback on their writing and discuss next steps with their manuscript assessor.

    Matua Witi Ihimaera DCNZM QSM (Ngāti Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki), NZSA’s Ngā Kaituhi Māori Chair, says “E ngā kaituhi tātou, ngā mihi. It’s always thrilling to read the work of new writers and to trust to your potential, congratulations, mīharo. And I am always grateful to senior writers like Emma Hislop, Cassie Hart and Steph Matuku who have stepped up to provide the important tuakana-teina relationship that lies at the centre of this NZSA-Ngā Kaituhi Māori kaupapa to nurture new literary stars, he ngākau atawhai o koutou. To those who weren’t successful in your applications to the Mentorship and Assessment programmes, keep trying, I was once in your ranks! Kia kaha to all, kia manawanui.”

    Mentors – Mentees:

    Emma Hislop’s (Kāi Tahu) book of fiction, Ruin and other stories, won the Hubert Church Prize for Fiction, Mātātuhi Foundation Best First Book Award at the 2024 Ockham Awards. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from IIML. In 2023 she was awarded the Michael King Writer’s Centre International Residency at Varuna House, NSW. Emma is part of Te Hā Taranaki, a collective for Māori writers, established in 2019. In 2025 she is herself an Arts Foundation mentee working with Te Tumu Toi Icon Patricia Grace DCNZM QSO. Emma will be mentoring Mereana Latimer.

    Mereana Latimer (Ātiu, Ngā Wairiki, Ngāti Apa) is anchored where ngā hau e whā converge in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Mereana’s writing has been included in Symposia, Turbine | Kapohau, Sweet Mammalian, takahē, Katūīvei (Massey University Press, 2024) and staged as part of an anthology with thanks to Prayas Theatre. Although a fool for poetry (with thanks to the Lemon Juice Writers’ Group), this mentorship supports Mereana to branch out into long-form prose.

    Steph Matuku (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, Te Atiawa) is a writer from Taranaki and a graduate of Te Papa Tupu. Her first two novels, Flight of the Fantail and Whetū Toa and the Magician were Storylines Notable Books. Whetū Toa was a finalist at the 2019 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Her recent novel for young adults, Migration, was winner of the NZ Booklovers Award for Best Young Adult Book 2025. Steph will be mentoring Tallulah Cardno.

    Tallulah Cardno (Kāi Tahu, Ngāpuhi) (she/her) is a queer wahine living in Te Whanganui-A-Tara with her partner and young daughter. She comes from a family of writers and has been writing for as long as she can remember. Tallulah’s writing touches on the themes of queerness, motherhood, womanhood, grief, her Māori-Pākehā identity, her journey to reconnect to her Māori heritage, decolonisation, mental health, and relationships. She is a novelist and a poet, and has been published in Awa Wahine.

    Cassie Hart (Kāi Tahu) is an award-winning Māori/Pakeha writer, editor and mentor from Taranaki and graduate of Te Papa Tupu. She writes speculative fiction under her own name as well as a further 10 titles published under pseudonym. She received special recognition for her services to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror in 2021 with a Sir Julius Vogel award. Cassie will be mentoring both Tommy de Silva and Hoani Hakaraia.

    Ko Tame de Silva tooku ingoa. He uri teenei noo Ngaati Te Ata me Te Waiohua. I’m a rangatahi freelance writer – with mahi published by Waipapa Taumata Rau, The Spinoff, and Lonely Planet – who hails from the scenic shores of Taamaki Makaurau. Through this tuakana-teina experience I hope to expand my writing arsenal by learning how to write fiction. Learning the ropes of how to put pen to paper to write a novel is a dream come true!

    Hoani Hakaraia: He uri tēnei nō ngā iwi ō Tainui waka (Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga, Ngāti Wehi Wehi) me Te Arawa (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao). I am a product of kohanga reo, whānau, hapū, iwi, and marae. Growing up in Ōtaki I have always been awed by the epic tales of Tāwhaki and Mauī. I never wanted to be a writer, but it seems my mother might have birthed a storyteller anyway. I never wanted to be a writer, but inspired by the stories of worlds’ dystopian and fantastic in books, on screens, and in the real histories of the South Pacific and beyond, I seek the skills to create a new story that provides a space for self-reflection and inspiration.

    Kupu Kaitiaki Assessment Recipients:

    Eva Rose Toia (Ngāpuhi) is a corporate writer in a kaupapa Māori organisation and has a background in transcription, editing, and language accessibility. Her career has centred on crafting clear writing that supports others in their mahi. She’s now using those skills to contribute to kaupapa that matter to her: the future of te reo Māori, and how we revive and protect the stories of our whānau, hapū, and marae. She has a growing interest in the impact of technology on indigenous peoples, and is drafting a memoir exploring relationships, intimacy, and identity. She writes with care, is fascinated by the stories held in a single word, and loves how language can change minds.

    Billy Tangaere (Ngāti Porou) is a former soldier, artist, and MBA graduate whose words rise from the embers of a brutal past and soar toward ancestral light. In TOHU: A Journey of Healing, he walks the path of redemption with raw honesty, spiritual depth, and the unwavering strength of Māori wisdom. It answers the universal question on everyone’s lips: Who am I? Where do I belong? What is my calling? It is a story of self-discovery, healing, and redemption. Through the Māori lens of ancient knowing, Billy guides readers home—to their roots, their calling, and the stars where their ancestors wait. His story is not just his own—it is a mirror for all who seek healing, identity, and the courage to remember who they truly are. Seek the power of your roots.

    The NZSA Kaituhi Māori Mentorship Programme was established to foster and develop emerging writing talent around New Zealand with the support of established authors. The programme aims to support the amplification of Māori voices and Māori stories, and ultimately see greater publication and performance of these works. There are four spaces in the programme each year.  

    NZSA Kupu Kaitiaki Programme was established to provide new and emerging kaituhi with valuable feedback and a detailed manuscript assessment from a skilled Kupu Kaitiaki, working to refine and develop a manuscript. There are two places available annually.

    These two programmes are recent additions to The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa’s successful mentoring and assessment programmes for writers that have been running for over 30 years, and are an invaluable pipeline that nurtures emerging talent and helps new writers craft their manuscripts and build their skills.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Media release: Australian oil and gas sector congratulates Opposition Leader Sussan Ley – Australian Energy Producers

    Source: Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association

    Headline: Media release: Australian oil and gas sector congratulates Opposition Leader Sussan Ley – Australian Energy Producers

    Australia’s oil and gas industry congratulates Sussan Ley on her appointment as Leader of the Opposition and Ted O’Brien on his appointment as Deputy Leader.

    Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the industry looked forward to working with the Coalition on policies that deliver more gas supply and investment to ensure Australian households and businesses have reliable and affordable energy.

    “Sussan Ley brings significant experience and leadership to this role and understands the critical role of natural gas in Australia’s economic and energy security,” Ms McCulloch said.

    “Similarly, as Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Ted O’Brien championed the role of gas in Australia’s long-term energy mix and advocated for the inclusion of gas in the Capacity Investment Scheme.”

    Ms McCulloch said industry welcomed the Coalition’s pre-election commitment to bring on more gas supply by streamlining environmental approvals, protecting critical energy projects from lawfare, including gas in the Capacity Investment Scheme, and supporting investment in gas infrastructure.

    Industry stands ready to work with both major parties to implement bipartisan policies that will:

    • Boost Australian gas supply to ease cost of living pressures
    • Restore Australia’s global competitiveness for investment
    • Deliver real emissions reductions with gas and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS)
    • Remain a reliable energy partner in our region

    “Australia has abundant gas resources, yet we face gas shortfalls this decade due to regulatory uncertainty, approval delays and policy interventions that have delayed new gas supply and damaged Australia’s investment competitiveness.

    “Addressing these risks must be a priority for the new Parliament,” Ms McCulloch said.

    Media contact: 0434 631 511

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Crapo and Reed Fighting for Nation’s Wounded Heroes with the Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    WASHINGTON, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) introduced the Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act.  This bipartisan, bicameral bill would exempt payments to veterans for a service-connected disability from being included as income when applying for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing.
    “Veterans disabled in combat have laid their lives on the line in defense of this nation,” Senator Crapo said.  “The benefits they earned for injuries sustained fighting for liberty should not be used to deny them housing assistance they would otherwise qualify for following their service.  This act would help more disabled veterans receive the housing and dignity they deserve for their sacrifices for the United States.”
    “Our disabled veterans deserve a safe place to call home,” Senator Reed said.  “This bill will help open up more affordable housing opportunities by ensuring that disabled veterans’ earned benefits do not impact their eligibility to find housing.”
    This common-sense solution would ensure America’s disabled veterans can participate in federal housing programs they would otherwise qualify for were they not receiving disability payments.
    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides funding to states and local governments to assist low- and moderate-income people with housing and other community resources.  Individuals and families who earn less than 50 percent of the area median income (AMI) and moderate-income families or people earning 50 to 80 percent AMI can qualify for assistance.
    The legislation also directs the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress in one year on how individuals with service-connected disabilities are treated in determining their eligibility for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs and provide recommendations for how the department could improve its service to veterans and other underserved communities.
    The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act on February 10, 2025, where it was led by Representatives Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) and Brad Sherman (D-California).
    The full text of the bill is available here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Physicists at the Large Hadron Collider turned lead into gold – by accident

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ulrik Egede, Professor of Physics, Monash University

    Sunny Young / Unsplash

    Medieval alchemists dreamed of transmuting lead into gold. Today, we know that lead and gold are different elements, and no amount of chemistry can turn one into the other.

    But our modern knowledge tells us the basic difference between an atom of lead and an atom of gold: the lead atom contains exactly three more protons. So can we create a gold atom by simply pulling three protons out of a lead atom?

    As it turns out, we can. But it’s not easy.

    While smashing lead atoms into each other at extremely high speeds in an effort to mimic the state of the universe just after the Big Bang, physicists working on the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland incidentally produced small amounts of gold. Extremely small amounts, in fact: a total of some 29 trillionths of a gram.

    How to steal a proton

    Protons are found in the nucleus of an atom. How can they be pulled out?

    Well, protons have an electric charge, which means an electric field can pull or push them around. Placing an atomic nucleus in an electric field could do it.

    However, nuclei are held together by a very strong force with a very short range, imaginatively known as the strong nuclear force. This means an extremely powerful electric field is required to pull out protons – about a million times stronger than the electric fields that create lightning bolts in the atmosphere.

    The way the scientists created this field was to fire beams of lead nuclei at each other at incredibly high speeds – almost the speed of light.

    The magic of a near-miss

    When the lead nuclei have a head-on collision, the strong nuclear force comes into play and they end up getting completely destroyed. But more commonly the nuclei have a near miss, and only affect each other via the electromagnetic force.

    The strength of an electric field drops off very quickly as you move away from an object with an electric charge (such as a proton). But at very short distances, even a tiny charge can create a very strong field.

    So when one lead nucleus just grazes past another, the electric field between them is huge. The rapidly changing field between the nuclei makes them vibrate and occasionally spit out some protons. If one of them spits out exactly three protons, the lead nucleus has turned into gold.

    Counting protons

    So if you have turned a lead atom into gold, how do you know? In the ALICE experiment, they use special detectors called zero-degree calorimeters to count the protons stripped out of the lead nuclei.

    They can’t observe the gold nuclei themselves, so they only know about them indirectly.

    The ALICE scientists calculate that, while they are colliding beams of lead nuclei, they produce about 89,000 gold nuclei per second. They also observed the production of other elements: thallium, which is what you get when you take one proton from lead, as well as mercury (two protons).

    An alchemical nuisance

    Once a lead nucleus has transformed by losing protons, it is no longer on the perfect orbit that keeps it circulating inside the vacuum beam pipe of the Large Hadron Collider. In a matter of microseconds it will collide with the walls.

    This effect makes the beam less intense over time. So for scientists, the production of gold at the collider is in fact more of a nuisance than a blessing.

    However, understanding this accidental alchemy is essential for making sense of experiments – and for designing the even bigger experiments of the future.

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

    – ref. Physicists at the Large Hadron Collider turned lead into gold – by accident – https://theconversation.com/physicists-at-the-large-hadron-collider-turned-lead-into-gold-by-accident-256478

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Outlining India’s doctrinal shift to hard-nosed message for Pak: Read PM Modi’s full address to nation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, in a powerful televised address to the nation, minced no words in criticising Pakistan and its terror-supporting tactics while underlining that ‘Operation Sindoor’ is the country’s policy against terror, making it clear that terror and trade, terror and talk cannot happen together while water and blood can’t also flow at the same time. The Prime Minister’s hard-hitting address came close on the heels of the Indian Armed Forces’ successful ‘Operation Sindoor’, which targeted terror launchpads in Pakistan as well as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation to the dastardly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives of civilians.

    Here is the full text of PM Modi’s special address to the nation.

    My dear countrymen, Namaskar!

    In the past days, we all have witnessed both the strength and patience of our country. First of all, on behalf of the people of India, I salute the valiant forces of India, the armed forces, our intelligence agencies, and our scientists. Our brave soldiers displayed immense courage to achieve the objectives of Operation Sindoor. I pay tribute to their bravery, courage and valour. I dedicate this valour to every mother, every sister and every daughter of the country.

    Friends,

    The barbarity displayed by terrorists in Pahalgam on April 22 had shocked the entire country and the world. The merciless killing of innocent citizens in front of their family and their children on the basis of their religion was a very gruesome face of terror and cruelty. This was also a disgusting attempt to break the harmony and unity of the country.

    For me, personally, this was very painful. After this terrorist attack, the entire nation, every citizen, every community, every class, every political party, unitedly stood up for strong action against terrorism. We gave full freedom to the Indian forces to wipe out the terrorists. And today every terrorist, every terror organisation knows the consequence of wiping out the Sindoor of our sisters and daughters.

    Friends,

    Operation Sindoor is not just a name but it’s a reflection of the feelings of millions of people of the country. Operation ‘Sindoor’ is our unwavering commitment to justice. In the late night of 6th May, and in the early morning of 7th May, the whole world saw this pledge turn into reality. Indian forces attacked terror hideouts in Pakistan and their training centres with precision.

    The terrorists had never imagined that India could take such a big decision. But when the country is united, endowed with the spirit of Nation First and national interest is paramount, then strong decisions are taken and results are achieved.

    When India’s missiles and drones attacked terrorist bases in Pakistan, not only the buildings of terrorist organizations but their courage also was shaken badly.

    Terrorist bases, like Bahawalpur and Muridke are universities of global terrorism. The big terrorist attacks of the world, be it 9/11, be it London Tube bombings, or the big terrorist attacks which have happened in India in the last many decades their roots are somehow connected to these terrorist hideouts.

    The terrorists had wiped out the Sindoor of our sisters and India responded by destroying their terrorist headquarters. More than 100 dreaded terrorists have been killed in these attacks by India.

    Many terrorist leaders were roaming freely in Pakistan for the last two and a half to three decades who used to conspire against India. India killed them in one stroke.

    Friends,

    Pakistan was deeply disappointed and frustrated by this action of India.

    It was bewildered and in this bewilderment it did another cowardly act. Instead of supporting India’s strike against terrorism, Pakistan started attacking India itself.

    Pakistan targeted our schools, colleges, Gurdwaras, temples and houses of civilians. Pakistan targeted our military base.

    But in this act Pakistan itself got exposed. The world saw how Pakistan’s drones and missiles fell like straws in front of India. India’s strong air defence system destroyed them in the sky itself.

    Pakistan had prepared for an attack on the border, but India struck at the heart of Pakistan. India’s drones and missiles attacked with precision. They damaged those airbases of the Pakistani Air Forces, of which Pakistan was very proud. India caused heavy damage to Pakistan in the first three days itself, which it had never imagined. That’s why after India’s aggressive action, Pakistan started looking for ways to escape.

    Pakistan was pleading to the world to ease tensions. And after suffering heavy losses, Pakistan’s army contacted our DGMO on the afternoon of 10th May. By then we had destroyed the infrastructure of terrorism on a large scale.

    The terrorists were eliminated. We had destroyed the terror camps established in the heart of Pakistan. Therefore, when Pakistan appealed and said that it will not indulge in any sort of terror activities or military audacity further, India considered it.

    And I am repeating again, we have just suspended our retaliatory action against Pakistan’s terror and military camps. In the coming days we will measure every step of Pakistan on the criterion that what sort of attitude Pakistan will adopt ahead.

    Friends,

    India’s three forces, our Air Force, our Army and our Navy, our Border Security Force – BSF, India’s paramilitary forces, are constantly on alert. After the surgical strike and air strike, now Operation Sindoor is India’s policy against terrorism. Operation Sindoor has carved out a new benchmark in our fight against terrorism and has set up a new parameter and new normal.

    First, if there is a terrorist attack on India, a fitting reply will be given.

    We will give a befitting response on our terms only. We will take strict action at every place from where the roots of terrorism emerge.

    Secondly, India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. India will strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts developing under the cover of nuclear blackmail.

    Thirdly, we will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism. During Operation Sindoor the world has again seen the ugly face of Pakistan, when top Pakistani army officers came to bid farewell to the slain terrorists. This is strong evidence of state-sponsored terrorism.We will continue to take decisive steps to protect India and our citizens from any threat.

    Friends,

    We have defeated Pakistan every time on the battlefield. And this time Operation Sindoor has added a new dimension. We have displayed our capabilities in the deserts and mountains and also proved our superiority in New Age Warfare. During this operation the authenticity of our Made in India weapons were also proven. Today the world is witnessing that in 21st century warfare the time has come for Made in India defense equipment.

    Friends,

    Our greatest strength is our unity against all forms of terrorism. This is certainly not the era of war but this is also not the era of terrorism. Zero tolerance against terrorism is the guarantee for a better world.

    Friends,

    The way the Pakistani army, Pakistan government are encouraging terrorism, it will destroy Pakistan one day. If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace. India’s stand is very clear… Terror and talks cannot go together… Terror and trade cannot go together…. Water and blood cannot flow together.

    Today, I would also like to tell the global community that our stated policy has been: if there are talks with Pakistan, it will be only on terrorism; and if there are talks with Pakistan, it will be only on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

    Dear countrymen,

    Today is Buddha Purnima. Lord Buddha has shown us the path of peace. The path of peace also goes through power. Humanity should move towards peace and prosperity. Every Indian should be able to live in peace, and can fulfill the dream of Viksit Bharat (Developed India). For this, it is very necessary for India to be powerful. And it is also necessary to use this power when required. And in the last few days, India has done just that.

    Once again, I salute the Indian Army and Armed forces. I bow to the courage of every Indian, to the oath and resolve of unity of the people of India.

    Thank you, Bharat Mata ki Jai!!! Bharat Mata ki Jai!!! Bharat Mata ki Jai!!!

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Global: Physicists at the Large Hadron Collider turned lead into gold – by accident

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ulrik Egede, Professor of Physics, Monash University

    Sunny Young / Unsplash

    Medieval alchemists dreamed of transmuting lead into gold. Today, we know that lead and gold are different elements, and no amount of chemistry can turn one into the other.

    But our modern knowledge tells us the basic difference between an atom of lead and an atom of gold: the lead atom contains exactly three more protons. So can we create a gold atom by simply pulling three protons out of a lead atom?

    As it turns out, we can. But it’s not easy.

    While smashing lead atoms into each other at extremely high speeds in an effort to mimic the state of the universe just after the Big Bang, physicists working on the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland incidentally produced small amounts of gold. Extremely small amounts, in fact: a total of some 29 trillionths of a gram.

    How to steal a proton

    Protons are found in the nucleus of an atom. How can they be pulled out?

    Well, protons have an electric charge, which means an electric field can pull or push them around. Placing an atomic nucleus in an electric field could do it.

    However, nuclei are held together by a very strong force with a very short range, imaginatively known as the strong nuclear force. This means an extremely powerful electric field is required to pull out protons – about a million times stronger than the electric fields that create lightning bolts in the atmosphere.

    The way the scientists created this field was to fire beams of lead nuclei at each other at incredibly high speeds – almost the speed of light.

    The magic of a near-miss

    When the lead nuclei have a head-on collision, the strong nuclear force comes into play and they end up getting completely destroyed. But more commonly the nuclei have a near miss, and only affect each other via the electromagnetic force.

    The strength of an electric field drops off very quickly as you move away from an object with an electric charge (such as a proton). But at very short distances, even a tiny charge can create a very strong field.

    So when one lead nucleus just grazes past another, the electric field between them is huge. The rapidly changing field between the nuclei makes them vibrate and occasionally spit out some protons. If one of them spits out exactly three protons, the lead nucleus has turned into gold.

    Counting protons

    So if you have turned a lead atom into gold, how do you know? In the ALICE experiment, they use special detectors called zero-degree calorimeters to count the protons stripped out of the lead nuclei.

    They can’t observe the gold nuclei themselves, so they only know about them indirectly.

    The ALICE scientists calculate that, while they are colliding beams of lead nuclei, they produce about 89,000 gold nuclei per second. They also observed the production of other elements: thallium, which is what you get when you take one proton from lead, as well as mercury (two protons).

    An alchemical nuisance

    Once a lead nucleus has transformed by losing protons, it is no longer on the perfect orbit that keeps it circulating inside the vacuum beam pipe of the Large Hadron Collider. In a matter of microseconds it will collide with the walls.

    This effect makes the beam less intense over time. So for scientists, the production of gold at the collider is in fact more of a nuisance than a blessing.

    However, understanding this accidental alchemy is essential for making sense of experiments – and for designing the even bigger experiments of the future.

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

    – ref. Physicists at the Large Hadron Collider turned lead into gold – by accident – https://theconversation.com/physicists-at-the-large-hadron-collider-turned-lead-into-gold-by-accident-256478

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Abstract of white paper on China’s national security in new era 2025-05-12 23:24:42 The Information Office of China’s State Council on Monday issued a white paper titled “China’s National Security in the New Era.”

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

    BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) — The Information Office of China’s State Council on Monday issued a white paper titled “China’s National Security in the New Era.” An abstract is as follows:

    In the new era, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core creatively proposed a holistic approach to national security, established a national security commission under the CPC Central Committee, comprehensively deepened the reform of the system and mechanisms for national security, and accelerated the modernization of the national security system and capabilities.

    China’s national security in the new era is one that takes the people’s security as its ultimate goal, political security as the fundamental task, and national interests as the guiding principle.

    It is also one that serves and promotes high-quality development, supports further expansion of high-level opening up, and operates under the rule of law. China coordinates its own security and common security, opposes the generalization of security, does not implement security coercion, and does not accept threats and pressure. The country adheres to independence and self-confidence and the path of national security with Chinese characteristics.

    I. China injects certainty and stability into a world of change and disorder

    Currently, China has entered a critical period of building itself into a stronger country and rejuvenating the Chinese nation on all fronts by pursuing Chinese modernization. Facing the complex situation of deepening adverse effects brought by changes in the external environment and increasing internal risks and challenges, China pursues a national rejuvenation strategy amid global changes of a scale unseen in a century. The country has maintained overall stability and steady progress in national security. China works together with Asia-Pacific countries to uphold regional peace and development. These inject stability into a volatile and unstable world.

    II. A holistic approach to national security guides national security efforts in the new era

    A holistic approach to national security fully draws on the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture and systematically summarizes the theoretical achievements and practical experiences of the CPC in safeguarding national security. It is the first major strategic thinking established as the guiding principle for national security efforts since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and represents a major theoretical contribution from contemporary China to the global community.

    A holistic approach to national security emphasizes taking the people’s security as its ultimate goal, political security as the fundamental task, economic security as the foundation, military, technological, cultural, and social security as the guarantee, and promoting international security as the support. It takes coordinated steps to ensure development and security, external and internal security, homeland and public security, traditional and non-traditional security, and China’s own security and common security. It both upholds national security and creates the conditions for ensuring it. With this new security architecture, China will be able to better safeguard its new pattern of development.

    III. Providing solid support for the steady and continued progress of Chinese modernization

    In the new era, focusing on achieving national strategic goals and implementing a holistic approach to national security, China’s national security firmly fulfills the major responsibilities entrusted by the Party and the people. It upholds the Party’s position as the governing party and the socialist system, improves the people’s sense of fulfillment, happiness and security, ensures high-quality development, safeguards national territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests, and ensures the safety and reliability of emerging fields. It forestalls and defuses various risks in the process of advancing Chinese modernization, fortifies the security shield essential to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and provides strategic support for promoting world peace and development.

    IV. Reinforcing security in development and pursuing development in security

    In the new era, China has clearly identified the coordination of development and security as one of the major principles of governance, integrating it into the overall framework of economic and social development. The country remains unwavering in advancing high-quality development as its “primary task” while prioritizing the safeguarding of national security as its “paramount mission.” By unifying development and security, China ensures they are jointly planned, holistically deployed, and mutually reinforced.

    As China continues to grow by coordinating opening up and security, its door will only open wider. The nation emphasizes leveraging international rules to uphold security while opening up, drawing on global best practices to accelerate the establishment of modernized risk prevention and control mechanisms. It is refining institutional frameworks to guard against external risks while remaining committed to opening up, fostering synergy between openness and security.

    V. Implementing the Global Security Initiative and promoting the common security of the world

    The Global Security Initiative advocated by China addresses the urgent need of the international community to uphold world peace and prevent conflicts. It echoes the shared aspirations of the vast majority of nations for win-win cooperation over hegemony and bullying, aligning with humanity’s common pursuit of lasting peace and universal security. The initiative offers a new pathway to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, tackle global security challenges, and improve global security governance.

    China advocates strengthening global security governance by practicing the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration in engaging in global governance. It upholds true multilateralism, promotes adherence to international law, and drives reforms to make the global security governance system fairer, more equitable, and responsive to the will and interests of the majority of countries. This approach better meets practical needs in addressing global challenges.

    VI. Advancing the modernization of the national security system and capacity through deepening reforms

    On its new journey in the new era, China is comprehensively deepening reforms with greater emphasis on coordinating development and security, elevating the priority of safeguarding national security, and accelerating the modernization of its national security system and capacity. By 2035, China aims to fully strengthen the system and capacity, creating a robust security shield for the basic realization of socialist modernization. A unified blueprint has been laid across four dimensions: the national security system, public security governance mechanisms, social governance systems, and foreign-related national security mechanisms.

    Guided by reform and innovation, and focusing on systematic and institutional improvements, China is refining its national security mechanisms. It emphasizes synergy and efficiency, law-based thinking, technological empowerment, and grassroots foundations to achieve a healthy interaction between high-quality development and high-level security.

    In the new era, China’s national security has evolved through comprehensive reform, grown through great struggles, and strengthened through Chinese modernization. As the nation strives toward building a strong country and national rejuvenation, it remains committed to safeguarding its hard-won security, protecting people’s safety, and upholding global peace. China will continue to lead the way in peaceful development, promote global stability and prosperity, and work hand in hand with all other nations to build, share, and sustain international common security and strive for a world of lasting peace and universal security. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Unions barred from Budget 2025 lock-up

    Source:

    The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi has sent an open letter to the Government objecting to its decision to block the NZCTU and other unions from attending the Budget lock-up on 22 May.

    “We object in the strongest possible terms to the Government’s decision to bar the NZCTU from the Budget 2025 lock-up. The NZCTU represents over 300,000 workers across the private and public sectors and is the largest democratic organisation in New Zealand,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.

    “Workers will be significantly impacted by the decisions made by government at Budget 2025, and it is important that the NZCTU can accurately report on Budget decisions to ensure working people are properly briefed.

    “This Government appears to believe the banks, international financial institutions, and consulting houses are more important than working people, and it seems that is why the representatives of working people have been denied access.

    “Last week the Government made the highly controversial decision to unilaterally gut the pay equity claims process. It is therefore unsurprising that it doesn’t want working people to understand the rationale and impacts of its Budget decisions this year,” said Wagstaff.

    Read the open letter below:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Caledonia riots one year on: ‘Like the country was at war’

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/bulletin editor

    Stuck in a state of disbelief for months, journalist Coralie Cochin was one of many media personnel who inadvertently put their lives on the line as New Caledonia burned.

    “It was very shocking. I don’t know the word in English, you can’t believe what you’re seeing,” Cochin, who works for public broadcaster NC la 1ère, said on the anniversary of the violent and deadly riots today.

    She recounted her experience covering the civil unrest that broke out on 13 May 2024, which resulted in 14 deaths and more than NZ$4.2 billion (2.2 billion euros) in damages.

    “It was like the country was [at] war. Every[thing] was burning,” Cochin told RNZ Pacific.

    The next day, on May 14, Cochin said the environment was hectic. She was being pulled in many directions as she tried to decide which story to tell next.

    “We didn’t know where to go [or] what to tell because there were things happening everywhere.”

    She drove home trying to dodge burning debris, not knowing that later that evening the situation would get worse.

    “The day after, it was completely crazy. There was fire everywhere, and it was like the country was [at] war suddenly. It was very, very shocking.”

    Over the weeks that followed, both Cochin and her husband — also a journalist — juggled two children and reporting from the sidelines of violent demonstrations.

    “The most shocking period was when we knew that three young people were killed, and then a police officer was killed too.”

    She said verifying the deaths was a big task, amid fears far more people had died than had been reported.

    Piled up . . . burnt out cars block a road near Nouméa after last year’s riots in New Caledonia. Image NC 1ère TV screenshot APR

    ‘We were targets’
     After days of running on adrenaline and simply getting the job done, Cochin’s colleagues were attacked on the street.

    “At the beginning, we were so focused on doing our job that we forgot to be very careful,” she said.

    But then,”we were targets, so we had to be very more careful.”

    News chiefs decided to send reporters out in unmarked cars with security guards.

    They did not have much protective equipment, something that has changed since then.

    “We didn’t feel secure [at all] one year ago,” she said.

    But after lobbying for better protection as a union representative, her team is more prepared.

    She believes local journalists need to be supported with protective equipment, such as helmets and bulletproof vests, for personal protection.

    “We really need more to be prepared to that kind of riots because I think those riots will be more and more frequent in the future.”

    Protesters at Molodoï, Strasbourg, demanding the release of Kanak indigenous political prisoners being detained in France pending trial for their alleged role in the pro-independence riots in May 2024. Image: @67Kanaky/X

    Social media
     She also pointed out that, while journalists are “here to inform people”, social media can make their jobs difficult.

    “It is more difficult now with social media because there was so [much] misinformation on social media [at the time of the rioting] that we had to check everything all the time, during the day, during the night . . . ”

    She recalled that when she was out on the burning streets speaking with rioters from both sides, they would say to her, “you don’t say the truth” and “why do you not report that?” she would have to explain to then that she would report it, but only once it had been fact-checked.

    “And it was sometimes [it was] very difficult, because even with the official authorities didn’t have the answers.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Condemns Kansas Prisoner Review Board’s Decision to Grant Cop Killer Parole

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today released the following statement on the Kansas Prisoner Review Board’s decision to grant parole to Jimmie Nelms, convicted of the 1978 murder of Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Conroy O’Brien.
    “The Kansas Prisoner Review Board’s appalling decision to grant parole to cop killer Jimmie Nelms is a grave injustice and a slap in the face to law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to protect Kansans. As the son of El Dorado’s former Police Chief and someone who was raised just 30 miles from where Trooper O’Brien was brutally killed, this decision hits close to home and is deeply disturbing,” said Senator Marshall. “Trooper O’Brien’s family deserves justice, not the pain of seeing his killer walk free after 46 years. Parole should never be an option for those who murder our brave men and women in blue. I urge the Kansas Prisoner Review Board to review all legal avenues to reconsider this decision to ensure this murderer remains where he belongs – behind bars for the rest of his life. True justice demands nothing less.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Blasts Proposed Ways and Means Committee Cuts That Would Raise Prices on Consumers and Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (May 12, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today released the following statement in response to the Republican majority of the House Ways and Means Committee’s plans to phase-out and terminate key clean energy tax incentives. Senator Markey’s Offshore Wind American Manufacturing Act, which provides tax incentives for offshore wind components and vessels, was included in the Inflation Reduction Act.  

    “Republicans are willing to throw $420 billion in clean energy investments and 400,000 jobs in red and blue states down the drain,” said Senator Markey. “Solar and wind are the cheapest forms of energy right now and are critical to meeting our energy demands. Yet, Republicans are terminating tax incentives that are supercharging deployment of solar, wind, and batteries, lowering the costs of clean vehicles, and improving energy efficiency in homes and businesses.

    “Republicans’ proposal to repeal federal clean energy incentives would be a disaster for our economy and good-paying jobs. Instead of the dawn of a clean energy future, this proposal sunsets my incentives for manufacturing wind energy components in America that would spur clean domestic manufacturing for industries such as offshore wind. Republicans seem committed to having America be the laggard, not the leader of the global clean energy economy, ceding jobs and progress to other countries like China. The Inflation Reduction Act is the single largest clean energy and climate investment in our history, and we will not let Trump, Big Oil, and Republicans roll back our gains and deny our communities and young people the chance at a livable future.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Statement on Trump’s War on America’s Kitchens

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (May 12, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today released the following statement after Trump’s Department of Energy (DOE) announced 47 deregulatory actions, including the rollback of dozens of appliance efficiency standards covering everything from refrigeration equipment to air conditioners. Senator Markey was the original author of the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987, which authorized the DOE to establish and update minimum efficiency standards for 13 original product categories. Today, the program has grown to include more than 60 categories.

    “With Trump causing massive economic anxiety for families around the country, he’s now declaring war on America’s kitchens,” said Senator Markey. “He is putting the deep freeze on dozens of updated appliance standards for refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, and dishwashers that are helping Americans save energy, save money, and save the planet. I passed the appliance efficiency standards nearly four decades ago, and they have become some of the most efficient and effective climate and cost savings provisions on the books today. These standards already save households an average of $500 a year on utility bills and are projected to save consumers $1.9 trillion by 2035. They’re also expected to reduce emissions by two billion metric tons over 30 years. We don’t need ridiculous Republican refrigerator freedom; we need freedom from polluting fossil fuels.” 

    The Biden administration’s updates to appliance standards alone were projected to save households an average of $107 on utility bills each year, and businesses more than $2 billion annually. The Trump administration’s announcement to dismantle them threatens that progress. Following the repeal of four updated appliance efficiency rules from Republicans’ use of the Congressional Review Act that Trump signed into law on Friday, today’s proposed regulatory rollbacks would either revert product standards to levels originally set in statute decades ago or eliminate the standards entirely.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From nuclear to nature laws, here’s where new Liberal leader Sussan Ley stands on 4 energy and environment flashpoints

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine Bell-James, Professor, TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland

    Sussan Ley has been elected Liberal leader after defeating rival Angus Taylor in a party room vote on Tuesday. Now the leadership question is settled, the hard work of rebuilding the party can begin.

    In the wake of its election loss, the Coalition has foreshadowed a sweeping policy review. Where the Coalition lands on the contentious nuclear energy policy will be keenly watched.

    The majority Labor government is likely to easily push legislation through the lower house. However, the Senate numbers mean Labor needs backing from either the Greens or the Coalition to pass bills into law.

    So where does Ley stand on nuclear energy and other pressure points across the environment and energy portfolios? Ley’s stance on four key issues, including during her time as environment minister in the Morrison government, provides important insights.

    1. Nuclear power and gas

    The resounding Coalition election defeat suggest the prospects for nuclear power in Australia are now poor. But the Coalition’s nuclear policy may yet resurface, given the Nationals still support it.

    During the election campaign, Ley backed the Liberals’ call for nuclear power in Australia, arguing nuclear can provide a zero-emissions option that’s needed in the shift to renewables.

    In a 2023 speech, Ley suggested nuclear power had a big future in Australia, saying:

    The fact is the latest technology reactors in nuclear-powered submarines in operation today don’t need to be refuelled for 30 years. And the money being invested into research and development is only going to make these new nuclear technologies even better.

    Ley has also argued Australia needs to keep gas in the system for longer, rather than “trying to do everything with renewables”.

    2. The energy transition

    A second-term Labor government will further progress its existing energy policies, including measures to reach its target of 82% renewable energy in the the National Electricity Market by 2030.

    Ley has accepted the need for a renewable energy transition, but says it should be led by nuclear power and gas.

    She has suggested enormous wind turbines and large-scale solar farms are dominating the landscape in rural areas. She also claims renewable energy projects generate insurance risks because battery storage increases fire risks.

    Ley has consistently voted against increasing investment in renewable energy, and is likely to seek to ensure policy addresses rising energy prices and reliability.

    3. Nature law reform

    The Albanese government intends to complete reform of Australia’s federal environment laws, known collectively as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (or EPBC Act). Labor’s proposed reforms stalled in the Senate last term.

    The independent review that preceded the reform, led by Graeme Samuel, was initiated by the Morrison government under Ley, who served as environment minister from 2019 to 2022.

    An interim report from the Samuel review was released in July 2020. Ley seized on recommendations that suited her government’s agenda – notably, streamlining the environmental approvals process to speed up decisions on proposed developments. She vowed to start working on them even before the review was finalised, and before public comment on the draft was received.

    Ley put bills to parliament in August 2020 and February 2021 seeking to amend the laws. The first sought to hand powers for environmental approvals to the states. The proposal was criticised for lacking environmental safeguards.

    This prompted Ley to introduce a second bill which sought to ensure state agreements were monitored and audited. It also provided for new “national environmental standards” to guide approval decisions.

    But both bills lapsed before the 2022 election after failing to secure Senate support.

    National environmental standards were a key recommendation from the Samuel review, and also a centrepiece of Labor’s proposed reforms. However, Labor’s proposed standards were more robust and focused on outcomes.

    The bills Labor introduced to parliament in 2024 also sought establish Australia’s first national environment protection agency to carry out compliance and enforcement. This body would have had more power than Ley’s proposed commissioner.

    So while Labor’s proposed reform package was bolder, both Ley and her then Labor counterpart Tanya Plibersek’s proposals were comprised of similar ingredients. Given Ley has shown support for some elements of Labor’s reform package before, namely devolving powers to states and implementing standards, there may be some grounds for negotiation.

    4. Coal and climate change

    As environment minister, Ley welcomed the Coalition’s approval of the huge Adani coalmine in central Queensland. She also gave the green light to other coal projects. Plibersek took a similar approach to coal projects in her time as minister.

    In 2021, the Federal Court found Ley, as environment minister, owed a duty of care to future generations to avoid causing climate harm through her decisions. Ley successfully appealed the ruling.

    Separately, Ley has also claimed climate change is not part of the environment portfolio.

    When the Coalition reflects on the resounding defeat at the election, Ley’s hard stance on climate may soften.

    Finding common ground

    Ley brings a deeper understanding of nature law reform to the position of Liberal leader than her predecessor Peter Dutton. This raises the prospects for overhauling the EPBC Act this term.

    However, Ley’s priority is likely to be streamlining the environmental approval process rather than increasing protections afforded to threatened species and ecosystems.

    On the topic of gas playing a significant ongoing role in Australia’s energy mix, Ley will find many like minds in the Labor government.

    When it comes to the energy transition, much rests on the party room decision on whether to persist with a nuclear power policy. Nevertheless, with or without nuclear, Ley’s previous statements suggest she will continue to argue against wind and solar generation energy on cost and reliability grounds.

    Justine Bell-James receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Queensland Government, and the National Environmental Science Program. She is a Director of the National Environmental Law Association and a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.

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

    – ref. From nuclear to nature laws, here’s where new Liberal leader Sussan Ley stands on 4 energy and environment flashpoints – https://theconversation.com/from-nuclear-to-nature-laws-heres-where-new-liberal-leader-sussan-ley-stands-on-4-energy-and-environment-flashpoints-256106

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Verifier App signals step toward modern digital identity system

    Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    The Government has today released an app to verify international digital credentials, Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins and Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston say.
    “NZ Verify/Whakatūturu App will initially be used to verify select international mobile drivers’ licences, meaning visitors can rent a car or check in to a hotel with just their phone,” Ms Collins says.
    From today, it will be able to verify mobile drivers’ licenses from Queensland, Australia, and the US states of California, New York, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia, Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Utah, Puerto Rico, Iowa, New Mexico, Hawai’i, Alaska
    “The NZ Verify app can be tailored to suit different needs, such as showing only confirmation of age and a photo when proof of age is required, ensuring that other personal details remain private. This marks a significant step forward for the privacy of digital credential holders, and improves trust and user safety.”
    “Anything that makes it easier for tourists to visit New Zealand is always welcome,” Ms Upston says.
    “Visitors with a mobile driver licence will now be able to use it here just as easily as they do at home, without the hassle of bringing a physical copy.
    “Encouraging more tourists means more people staying in our hotels, eating in our cafés, spending in our shops and visiting our attractions, creating jobs and driving economic growth.
    “I encourage every business who needs to verify visitors’ identities to download this app.”
    Ms Collins says international mobile drivers’ licences are just the beginning, and additional credentials will be supported by NZ Verify in the future.
    NZ Verify is now available for download via the New Zealand Apple Store and will be coming soon on the Google Play Store.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for information following Lower Hutt assault

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Please attribute to Detective Inspector Haley Ryan

    Hutt Valley Police are appealing for information following a serious assault at a residential address in Randwick Road, Lower Hutt.

    At around 8pm last night Police were called to the address where a 50-year-old man was located in a critical condition with injuries consistent with him being assaulted.

    A scene guard was put in place overnight and a scene examination will take place today.

    We are working to piece together what occurred, when it occurred and identifying those who may be involved.

    Residents in the Randwick Road area will see a high presence of Police over the next few days.

    Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the Randwick Road area in the last few days.  We would also like to any Randwick road residents who have CCTV or dashcam footage to help advance our enquiries.

    Please contact us via 105 either online or over the phone referencing file number: 250512/6924

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 13, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 13, 2025.

    The dreaded beep test: outdated or still a valid assessment of your fitness?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joel Garrett, Lecturer in Exercise Science and Physiology, Griffith University For many, the beep test is seared into memory. And not just the test itself, but the wave of dread that came before hearing that first beep in school physical education (PE) classes. Also known as the

    Liberals elect first woman leader, with Ley defeating Taylor 29-25
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The federal Liberal party has elected its first female leader, with Sussan Ley narrowly defeating Angus Taylor, 29-25. Ley, 63, who was deputy leader to Peter Dutton during the last term, had the support of the moderates in the party.

    Don’t click without thinking – and 4 other ways to keep yourself safe from scams
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meena Jha, Head Technology and Pedagogy Cluster CML-NET, CQUniversity Australia tete_escape/Shutterstock Think about how many things you have done online today. Paid a bill? Logged into your bank account? Used social media or spent time answering emails? Maybe you have used your phone to pay at a

    Community-run food co-ops can reduce food insecurity and boost healthy diets, research shows
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Kent, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Wollongong alicja neumiler/Shutterstock As grocery prices continue to rise, many Australians are struggling to afford healthy food and are looking for alternatives to the big supermarket chains. The recent supermarkets inquiry, run by the Australian Competition and

    Indigenous Kanaks support New Caledonia’s 50-year ban on seabed mining
    By Andrew Mathieson New Caledonia has imposed a 50-year ban on deep-sea mining across its entire maritime zone in a rare and sweeping move that places the French Pacific territory among the most restricted exploration areas on the planet’s waters. The law blocks commercial exploration, prospecting and mining of mineral resources that sits within Kanaky

    As insurance gets harder to buy, NZ has 3 choices for disaster recovery – and we keep choosing the worst one
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ilan Noy, Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The number of climate change-related extreme weather events) is on the rise, making it harder for many people to buy affordable home insurance. The industry has already signalled

    Pope Leo XIV expresses solidarity for ‘persecuted’ journalists seeking truth, calls for their freedom
    By Devin Watkins of Vatican News Only four days have passed since his election to the papacy, and Pope Leo XIV has made it a point to hold an audience with the men and women who were in Rome to report on the death of Pope Francis, the conclave, and the first days of his

    Free food and beer are common perks for hospitality workers – but are they masking unfairness?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olivier Oren, Associate lecturer, hospitality management, Griffith University G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock For cafe and restaurant workers, getting a free drink or meal at the end of a long shift might feel like a well-deserved reward. But could such perks – common across the industry – be masking deeper

    A looming workforce crisis in NZ tourism and hospitality threatens industry growth plans
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Brien, Associate Professor, Department of Global Value Chains and Trade, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images Last week’s big tourism conference in Rotorua saw plenty of optimism about the industry’s potential, but also warnings that airline capacity is hampering post-COVID growth. The focus on bringing more

    From Zoo Quest to Ocean: The evolution of David Attenborough’s voice for the planet
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neil J. Gostling, Associate Professor in Evolution and Palaeobiology, University of Southampton Over the course of seven decades, Sir David Attenborough’s documentaries have reshaped how we see the natural world, shifting from colonial-era collecting trips to urgent calls for environmental action. His storytelling has inspired generations, but

    Trump heads to the Gulf aiming to bolster trade ties – but side talks on Tehran, Gaza could drive a wedge between US and Israel
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asher Kaufman, Professor of History and Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman attend the G20 Summit in Japan in 2019. Eliot Blondet/AFP via Getty Images President Donald Trump will sit down with the Saudi crown prince

    What did the parties say on TikTok in the election, and how? Here’s the campaign broken down in 5 charts
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Oates, PhD Candidate, School of Social Sciences, Monash University TikTok emerged as a key battleground in an election where young voters comprised a dominant share of the electorate. All the prominent political parties used the platform – especially after tactics by Labor contributed to its electoral

    Dementia risk depends on more than lifestyle factors. Overstating this can cause stigma and blame
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joyce Siette, Associate Professor | Deputy Director, The MARCS Institute, Western Sydney University Shvets Production/Pexels As public awareness of dementia grows, so too does the appetite for prevention. Global headlines tout the benefits of exercise, diet, brain training and social activity in reducing dementia risk. In recent

    Range anxiety – or charger drama? Australians are buying hybrid cars because they don’t trust public chargers
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ganna Pogrebna, Executive Director, AI and Cyber Futures Institute, Charles Sturt University VisualArtStudio/Shutterstock Range anxiety has long been seen as the main obstacle stopping drivers from going electric. But range isn’t the real issue. The average range of a new electric vehicle (EV) is more than 450

    PSNA says broadcast ruling a warning to NZ news media to be wary of ‘Israeli propaganda’
    Asia Pacific Report A decision by the Broadcasting Standards Authority to uphold a complaint against a 1News broadcast last November is a warning to news media, says the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa. The authority ruled that a TVNZ news item on violence in Amsterdam in the Netherlands breached BSA rules. 1News described violence in the

    If you really want to close the US trade deficit, try boosting innovation in rural manufacturing
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Distinguished Professor, Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics, & Interim Head, Department of Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology President Donald Trump has long been preoccupied by the trade deficit — the gap between what the U.S. sells to the rest of the world and

    Bindi Irwin was rushed to hospital for appendix surgery. But what is appendicitis?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Warwick Teague, Co-group Leader, Surgical Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute lev radin/Shutterstock Bindi Irwin has reportedly been rushed to hospital in the United States to undergo emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix. According to brother Robert Irwin, “she’s going to be OK”, however the 26-year-old was forced

    Otago academics plan declaration on Palestine to ‘face daily horrors’
    Asia Pacific Report A group of New Zealand academics at Otago University have drawn up a “Declaration on Palestine” against genocide, apartheid and scholasticide of Palestinians by Israel that has illegally occupied their indigenous lands for more than seven decades. The document, which had already drawn more than 300 signatures from staff, students and alumni

    View from The Hill: Albanese shifts Tanya Plibersek from environment, in favour of ‘can-do’ Murray Watt
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The reshuffle announced by Anthony Albanese is a mix of continuity and change, with those in the government’s top rank staying in their previous ministries, as the prime minister had earlier flagged, but some big movements down the line. Tanya

    Genes, environment or a special bond? Why some twins talk and think in unison
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeffrey Craig, Professor in Medical Sciences, Deakin University An interview with Paula and Bridgette Powers – identical twins who witnessed their mother’s carjacking – recently went viral. The way they spoke and gestured in unison has captivated global audiences. Bridgette and Paula Powers have gained global attention

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The ‘extroverted’ north and ‘introverted’ south: how climate and culture influence Iranian architecture

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mahsa Khanpoor Siahdarka, PhD Candidate in Built Environment, RMIT University

    Shutterstock

    The architecture of northern Iran exhibits an extroverted quality. Buildings are designed to let in the sounds of rain, birds and rustling trees, as well as scents of nature.

    Architecture in this region is characterised by open structures, deep eaves, elevated wooden houses and interconnected communal spaces that resemble traditional Japanese and Far Eastern designs.

    The built environment in the south is introverted. Central Iran, particularly cities like Yazd and Isfahan, is characterised by a harsh arid climate, where architecture has evolved to minimise exposure to extreme heat and sunlight.

    The Alborz Mountain range separates the humid subtropical north from the arid south.
    Yarr65/Shutterstock

    Buildings are oriented inward, centred around enclosed courtyards and largely closed off from the street. This prioritises privacy and thermal regulation.

    Throughout the country, the intricate relationship between climate and culture has shaped architectural forms in ways that make it difficult to delineate where one influence ends and the other begins.

    The houses don’t only reflect their environment – they also reflect the role of women in these communities.

    The extroverted north

    The north of Iran, between the the Alborz Mountain range and the Caspian Sea, enjoys a humid subtropical micro-climate with dense forests and abundant greenery.

    The mountains have historically served as both a climatic and cultural barrier, moderating external influences, including Arab conquests. This allowed the region to maintain unique social and architectural characteristics for centuries.

    A traditional wooden house in northern Iran.
    Sama.GH/Shutterstock

    In the north, nature has always been seen more as a friend than a threat.

    The architecture opens itself up with wide verandas, open corridors and spaces that blur the line between inside and out.

    With humid climates and communal living traditions, there are strong architectural similarities between northern Iran and East Asia. Both regions incorporate elevated wooden structures, deep eaves and open layouts to enhance airflow and prevent moisture-related decay.

    The separation of neighbouring households was traditionally achieved through Parchin (natural or woven enclosures), which functioned as permeable boundaries while maintaining visual and social connectivity.
    Mahsa Khanpoor Siahdarka

    The integration of nature into built spaces, seen in Iranian veranda-like ayvans and Japanese engawa, reflects a philosophical alignment that prioritises harmony between architecture and the environment.

    These similarities suggest a convergent evolution. Distinct cultures independently arrived at comparable architectural solutions in response to similar climates and societies.

    The emphasis on community-based living and social interaction also reflects the role of women in agricultural, economic and social activities in northern Iran.

    The openness of homes, markets and farms contributed to women being active participants in public life.

    An alley in the traditional village Masuleh in Gilan province of northern Iran.
    Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock

    In more conservative or arid regions, architectural boundaries enforce stricter gender divisions. But here, the architecture facilitated organic interactions across gender and age groups.

    Northern Iran’s humid climate, abundant rainfall and fertile land allowed for greater agricultural and pastoral productivity. With easier access to food, water and materials, the domestic burden was reduced. This enabled women to participate more actively in public and economic life, including market trade, rice farming and animal husbandry.

    The introverted south

    The harsh desert conditions in southern and central Iran were more like an opposing force or army. The climate was something to defend against, unlike the friendlier climate of the north.

    In response, the architecture became sheltered and self-contained. Architecture in southern and central Iran relies almost entirely on earth-based materials such as mud brick (khesht), adobe and fired brick.

    Building materials are drawn directly from the surrounding soil. The architecture is deeply rooted – both literally and culturally – in its environment.

    The architecture of central Iran, like the city of Yazd, is deeply rooted in its environment.
    Jakob Fischer/Shutterstock

    Domed roofs are not only structurally efficient but also thermally responsive. At any given time, one side of the dome is shaded by its own curve, creating a cooler surface that encourages air movement and passive cooling.

    Houses are centred around courtyards that create microclimates within enclosed spaces (Bagh-e-Khaneh). High walls, minimal external windows and windcatchers (badgirs) regulate airflow while limiting solar radiation.

    The inward-facing design of these buildings historically reinforced social norms that confined women to private domestic spheres, limiting their visibility in urban life.

    The harsh desert climate, combined with cultural norms around modest clothing, often confined women to the interior spaces of the home. Architectural features which were essential for passive cooling and privacy shaped a lifestyle centred around the domestic sphere.

    Houses in central Iran are centred around courtyards that create microclimates within enclosed spaces.
    MehmetO/Shutterstock

    The demanding nature of desert life meant basic tasks like securing water, preserving food and producing textiles required significant domestic labour.

    In many desert cities like Yazd or Kashan, domestic architecture was designed to protect not just from heat, but also from public view. This meant women’s daily lives were largely contained within high-walled courtyards, internal corridors, and roofscapes. Here, women could move freely but invisibly.

    Architecture built gender segregation into the physical fabric of the city, shaping women’s roles, routines and social interactions for generations.

    Climate and culture

    The way climate and culture shape Iranian architecture is complex.

    In both northern and central Iran, buildings adapt to the environment. The humid north features open, outward-facing structures. The arid central regions rely on enclosed courtyards to manage extreme heat.

    However, climate alone does not fully explain these differences.

    Much more of life in central Iran is centred around inside spaces, to protect from the harsh environment.
    muratart/Shutterstock

    Architect Amos Rapoport argues that, while climate sets limits, culture, social structures and history play a bigger role in shaping architecture.

    In Iran, architecture does not just reflect the climate. It also shapes social spaces and gender roles.

    Buildings are more than just shelters. They influence how people live, interact, and define their communities. Understanding this relationship can help us see architecture as an evolving part of society, shaped by both nature and human choices.

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

    – ref. The ‘extroverted’ north and ‘introverted’ south: how climate and culture influence Iranian architecture – https://theconversation.com/the-extroverted-north-and-introverted-south-how-climate-and-culture-influence-iranian-architecture-251357

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “DONALD TRUMP AND HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO ENACT ONE OF THE LARGEST HEALTHCARE CUTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Weeknight where he emphasized that Democrats will continue pushing back on the reckless Republican scheme to rip away the healthcare and nutritional assistance of the American people. 

    ALICIA MENENDEZ: Joining us now, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

    SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Well, sir, I know we’re going to get to the tariffs in a second, but first your reaction to what we’re seeing now from the bill that Republicans in the House of Representatives have put out from the Ways and Means Committee writ large. This is the bill, if you will, and there are lots of thoughts going around about it. But your reaction, sir. Is this what you expected from your Republican colleagues?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good evening. Great to be with everyone. Donald Trump and House Republicans promised that they were going to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America. They, of course, have failed to do that. Costs aren’t going down. They’re going up. So that’s a broken promise. Instead, they are trying to enact one of the largest healthcare cuts in American history, if not the largest. At this point, it looks like $715 billion in cuts to Medicaid that will devastate children and families and seniors and everyday Americans with disabilities. Hospitals could close. Nursing homes could shut down. And the reality is, because of this House Republican bill, if it were to pass and become law, people will die. And this is all being done in service of trying to provide a massive tax break to MAGA billionaire donors like Elon Musk, and give almost nothing to everyday Americans that Donald Trump and House Republicans promised they would focus on when they lied repeatedly on the campaign trail last year.

    MICHAEL STEELE: You know, Mr. Leader, on Saturday, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget noted the deficit impact of this bill is well above the Ways and Means allowable increase of 4 to 4.5 trillion, so lawmakers are going to need to make adjustments, including offsets and so forth. You have NBC news noting Speaker Johnson convened a video call on Monday with members of both the tax writing Ways and Means Committee and the SALT Caucus, group of blue state Republicans, to sort of address that. So you have the reality, sir, that they can’t control the numbers the way they like in order—because of the fact that, to your point, they’re going to have to make some steep cuts in areas that they’re saying they’re not going to make those cuts. And then you have unresolved other issues among the more middle of the road, conservative, moderate Republicans on SALT and other issues. How do you see this playing? How does this get shaped in the House ultimately? Particularly the Democrats decide to go, all right, you guys put your bill on the table and see what happens.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, there’s a great deal of uncertainty. You have House Republicans fighting with House Republicans, House Republicans fighting with Senate Republicans. They don’t know whether to take orders from Donald Trump or Elon Musk or both. The whole thing is in disarray. They’ve decided to go it alone with this one big ugly bill and try to jam these far-right extremist policies down the throats of the American people. And, you know, we’ll see what happens this week. We’re going to continue to press our case as Democrats that we are defending the healthcare of the American people. Republicans, of course, are trying to undermine it. And this is not inconsistent with what they’ve repeatedly tried to do, which is take away healthcare from the American people. What’s egregious about this situation is that it’s all being done in service of trying to reward the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. And then to make matters worse of course as you indicated, Michael, they are further adding to our nation’s debt and deficit. These people aren’t fiscally responsible. They’re fiscally irresponsible. They need to stop lying and pretending that the case is otherwise to the American people.

    ALICIA MENENDEZ: So they released this sweeping tax plan today, except they’ve not actually dealt with, as Michael referenced there, the real friction point here, which is SALT. Let me read you just a little bit of the reporting. A legislative text currently calls for the SALT deduction cap to be hiked to $30,000, and applies only to those who make up to $400,000 a year. One House Republican close to the process told NBC News there would be enough GOP votes to sink the bill if that SALT figure remains in the final product. I want you to game this out with me. If those, you know, Republicans who say that SALT is a deal breaker because they represent districts where that is a deal breaker for their voters, let’s say they fold. Let’s say they decide not to hold the line, they vote with Trump on this tax plan, on this budget. Do you currently believe you can flip their seats?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes. And you know, these Republicans who have been, you know, allegedly advocating to address the situation with State and Local Tax Deduction are all phonies. Understand that in 2017, it was Republicans through the GOP Tax Scam that imposed the tax cap, the SALT cap, $10,000 on everyday Americans and as a result, have cost people in states across the country, in places like New York, in New Jersey, in Connecticut, in Illinois, Pennsylvania and California, amongst others, thousands of dollars a year in additional cost. That is because of what Republicans did in 2017. And so, if nothing were to happen with respect to the State and Local Tax Deduction provision this year, then the cap would go away, and it would provide thousands of dollars of additional income to everyday Americans. And so, the notion that Republicans are going to try to get away with a $30,000 per year cap—that’s not helping middle-class Americans across the country. And these so-called swing seat Republicans in these blue-leaning states will be held accountable next year, and many will lose.

    SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Before we get to the tariffs. Mr. Leader, there is reporting from March 31 in the Guardian that talks about how Republican districts were the ones that have benefited the most from these clean energy spending bills. This is from the bills that were passed in the Biden administration, the tax rates Republicans who now control Congress have to decide if they will eliminate, the IRA’s grants and, more crucially, the tax credits that have spurred a boom in clean energy activity in their own districts. A total of 78% of the spending has gone to Republican-held suburban and rural districts across the U.S. That’s according to data from Atlas Public Policy. In this current bill that we now know about, and scanning through it, there are reductions here that will hit those Republicans in those districts. There’s also a severe cut to Medicaid that the—and I’m just going to read here—the Congressional Budget Office on Sunday night said that 8.6 million people would go uninsured if the health portions of this package become law. Do you have four Republicans, five Republicans or any of the, you know, 12 Republicans, frankly, that have signed letters indicating that they are concerned about the deficit or the Republicans that have signed letters indicating that they’re concerned about cuts to Medicaid, who are willing to vote with you against this bill? What does your whip count tell you?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, that remains to be seen, whether these Republicans who have taken all these public positions, because they are on the run in the communities they represent all across the country. The American people are unhappy with them and the failure of Republicans to be a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch. They’re just functioning as a rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme policies. But this is going to be the ultimate test. Now, with respect to the clean energy tax credits, and you correctly point out Symone, that many of the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, standing up a clean energy economy, creating clean energy jobs and also cheaper energy, have benefited red districts and red communities and red states across the country. So, to vote to repeal these things is a vote to undermine the very constituents that you represent. Now, there were 21 Republicans who signed a letter saying don’t touch the clean energy tax credits. Where are those 21 Republicans right now? All it takes is a fraction of them to actually keep their word as communicated to the people that they represent, and the bill will fail. And so, you’ve got challenges with respect to fiscal irresponsibility, challenges as it relates to Medicaid, challenges as it relates to State and Local Tax Deduction, challenges as it relates to the clean energy tax credits. All you need are three or four Republicans in either the House or the Senate to just keep their word to their constituents, and this bill will fall. We’re going to continue to strongly oppose these egregious provisions that don’t help the American people, they hurt the American people, and press our Republican colleagues to have some courage and some backbone for their constituents and do the same.

    MICHAEL STEELE: So there’s an interesting—the politics here is very interesting, so I love Symone’s question because it really just kind of reframes some realities that I think Democrats are going to have to work through. And one of them, and what you’re starting to hear on the streets right now is that the Republicans are doing this little Artful Dodger kind of game where they’re, you know, they’re now talking about, oh, we’re going to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans. And Trump is floating that out there. And, of course, you’ve got a whole lot of reminiscent playback to ‘read my lips, no new taxes’ from George Bush 41. But now, you have the president also on Monday issuing an executive order asking drug makers to voluntarily reduce the prices of key medicines in the United States, but the order cites no obvious legal authority to mandate lower prices with this executive order. Trump also opted not to propose measures that could have more teeth, such as calling for his administration to work with Congress on legislation or writing regulations to change how government health programs pay for some drugs. That’s not the point, right? The point is, hey, I’m cutting drug prices. So do you see politically, the Republicans, not so much legislatively doing anything with teeth, but rather framing political narratives that make it more difficult for Democrats, as Symone offered up a little bit before, to go after some of those seats that could be on the chopping block otherwise.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, they’re certainly going to try, but the reality is the core promise that Donald Trump and Republicans made to the American people was that they were going to improve the economy, and they inherited one that was moving in the right direction. The big challenge was the high cost of living in the United States of America. It’s a challenge that we need to tackle. They promised that costs would go down on day one, that they would address inflation. Costs haven’t gone down, they’re going up. Inflation is going up. And a lot of it has to do with Trump’s reckless mismanagement of the economy, particularly as it relates to the on-again, off-again tariffs and the mess that he has made with respect to the American economy. And so, fundamentally, no matter how much Republicans try to distract from that reality, they will be held accountable for their failure to keep their word, for their failure to lower the high cost of living and, in fact, to actually increase costs and make life more unaffordable for everyday Americans. And as you pointed out, with respect to this so-called executive order, it has no force of law. And so, it’s not a serious effort to lower costs. If there was a serious effort, we’d actually have seen up until this point, more than 100 days into this administration, a single bill that was actually designed to address the high cost of living in the United States of America. Instead, we get legislation to try to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

    ALICIA MENENDEZ: Leader Jeffries, you referenced tariffs so I’ll allow this to be the last question. China took a tough stance on the threat of increased tariffs from the U.S. They managed to bring that threat down without any real concessions. If you are the Chinese, what have you learned about the Art of the Deal?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: China punked the administration and the administration backed down. That’s no surprise because we’ve seen that happen over and over and over again.

    ALICIA MENENDEZ: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you so much for being with us.

    Full interview can be watched here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM meets foreign guests participating in fourth ministerial meeting of China-CELAC Forum

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

    Chinese FM meets foreign guests participating in fourth ministerial meeting of China-CELAC Forum

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, May 12 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday met respectively with some foreign ministers and representatives of the participating countries of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing.

    When meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Wang said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel held a fruitful and important meeting in Moscow, charting the course for further progress in China-Cuba relations.

    China will continue to support Cuba in its just struggle to safeguard national sovereignty and dignity and oppose blockade and sanctions, and advance the building of the China-Cuba community with a shared future to achieve new progress continuously.

    Rodriguez expressed heartfelt gratitude for China’s firm support to Cuba in opposing the blockade and sanctions, as well as its valuable assistance in helping Cuba overcome economic difficulties.

    Cuba will continue to steadfastly uphold the one-China principle and work with China to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state during their meeting in Moscow, Rodriguez said.

    When meeting with Uruguayan foreign minister Mario Lubetkin, Wang said that China is willing to work with Uruguay to deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and continuously enrich the connotation of the China-Uruguay comprehensive strategic partnership with stronger political mutual trust, higher-level mutually beneficial cooperation and closer multilateral collaboration.

    Lubetkin said that Uruguay highly appreciates the series of global initiatives proposed by President Xi, supports free trade and is willing to jointly practice multilateralism, adding that the Uruguayan side firmly adheres to the one-China principle and supports the “one country, two systems” policy.

    When meeting with Peruvian Foreign Minister Elmer Schialer Salcedo, Wang said that President Xi and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte paid mutual visits last year, noting that China is willing to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and promote the China-Peru comprehensive strategic partnership to continuously reach new heights.

    The two heads of state jointly announced the opening of Chancay Port, which has become a symbol of promoting solidarity and cooperation among developing countries and accelerating their development and revitalization, Wang said, adding that China is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Peru in various fields.

    Schialer said that Peru firmly abides by the one-China principle, looks forward to deepening all-round cooperation with China in politics, economy, trade, science, technology, culture and so on, and is willing to jointly build Chancay Port Industrial Park, further promote free trade cooperation between the two countries, and speed up the negotiation and signing of double taxation avoidance agreements.

    During the meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, Wang said that President Xi held a fruitful meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Moscow, pointing out the direction for the development of bilateral relations in the next stage.

    China firmly supports the solidarity and self-strengthening of regional countries and is willing to work with Venezuela and other Latin American countries to oppose hegemonic and bullying moves and safeguard international justice, Wang added.

    Noting that Venezuela is satisfied and proud of the establishment of an all-weather strategic partnership between Venezuela and China and the important achievements in cooperation in various fields, Gil said that China plays an important role in safeguarding international rules such as the UN Charter, and Venezuela firmly supports China’s just position.

    When meeting with Guyanese Foreign Minister Hugh Todd, Wang said that China is willing to work with Guyana, guided by the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, explore cooperation in emerging fields such as the digital economy and green economy, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in healthcare, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

    China will encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in Guyana, and help Guyana upgrade its industries and achieve economic self-reliance, Wang added.

    Noting that Guyana regards China as a reliable good friend, Todd said that Guyana is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China and welcomes more Chinese investment, Guyana appreciates China’s leadership in improving global governance and is willing to jointly adhere to multilateralism and safeguard international law and international rules.

    When meeting with presidential adviser of Nicaragua Laureano Ortega Murillo and minister for foreign affairs of Nicaragua Valdrack Ludwing Jaentschke Whitaker, Wang said that China is willing to work with Nicaragua to consolidate high-level mutual trust, continue to provide assistance within its capacity to Nicaragua, and give priority to implementing cooperation projects conducive to Nicaragua’s accelerated independent development.

    China supports its enterprises to invest and do business in Nicaragua, and believes that Nicaragua will continue to adhere to friendly relations with China and provide a favorable business environment, Wang added.

    Laureano said that Nicaragua firmly adheres to the one-China principle and opposes unilateral acts of imposing excessive tariffs, noting that Nicaragua firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative and the three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi which contribute to global peace, security, stability and development.

    When meeting with Colombian foreign minister Laura Sarabia, Wang congratulated Colombia on taking over the rotating presidency of the China-CELAC Forum, saying that China has always viewed China-Colombia relations from a strategic height and a long-term perspective and is willing to take the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to carry out cooperation on jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.

    Sarabia expressed her gratitude to China for its support of Colombia’s peace process and efforts to explore diversified development. She said that Colombia is willing to join the Belt and Road Initiative and promote more tangible results in bilateral cooperation and looks forward to China increasing investment in Colombia.

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, shakes hands with Laureano Ortega Murillo, presidential adviser of Nicaragua, in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. Wang met with Laureano Ortega Murillo and Valdrack Ludwing Jaentschke Whitaker, minister for foreign affairs of Nicaragua, here on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Laureano Ortega Murillo, presidential adviser of Nicaragua, and Valdrack Ludwing Jaentschke Whitaker, minister for foreign affairs of Nicaragua, in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Laura Sarabia in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Laura Sarabia in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Hugh Todd, minister of foreign affairs of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Hugh Todd, minister of foreign affairs of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Peruvian Foreign Minister Elmer Schialer Salcedo in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Peruvian Foreign Minister Elmer Schialer Salcedo in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil in Beijing, capital of China, May 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst, Grassley Refer ATF Bureaucrats Who Defrauded Taxpayers for Prosecution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Timber City Chiropractic of Jackson County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
    “For over 20 years, Timber City Chiropractic has cracked the code to treat acute and chronic discomfort across eastern Iowa,” said Chair Ernst. “From serving in the military to now providing care for veterans, Dr. Don Schwenker is committed to giving back to the Maquoketa community alongside his wife, Colleen.”
    Dr. Don Schwenker, a Maquoketa native, served active duty in the Air Force for eight years and then joined the Air National Guard. He also studied at the Palmer College of Chiropractic. In December 2003, Don and his wife, Colleen, opened Timber City Chiropractic after recognizing the need for a family chiropractor in their hometown, Maquoketa. Timber City Chiropractic offers a full range of chiropractic and acupuncture services, as well as cellular detoxification and hydrotherapy. Additionally, the business is an associated provider for the VA, providing care to veterans across eastern Iowa. Later this year, Timber City Chiropractic will celebrate its 22nd anniversary.
    Stay tuned as Chair Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Celebrates Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs at Small Business Administration’s Annual Awards

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    **Annual National Small Business Week awards recognize achievements and contributions of SBA-assisted individuals and businesses**
    (Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), along with U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), today celebrated Granite State small business owners and entrepreneurs at the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) annual National Small Business Week awards at the Manchester Historic Association’s Millyard Museum. The annual awards recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions of individuals and businesses that have been supported by the SBA. Click here to view photos from the event. 
    “I was glad to attend today’s ceremony to celebrate the extraordinary Granite State small businesses being recognized. At the same time, I’m very concerned by the Trump administration’s proposed budget which would eliminate so many of the programs that support these businesses dealing with tariffs and economic uncertainty,” said Senator Shaheen, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. “We need to protect and fund SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs so that we can keep all of our small businesses robust in the state and ensure that we continue to grow and provide good jobs for the workers of New Hampshire.” 
    “I was grateful to join small business owners from across our state this morning to celebrate the incredible contribution that small businesses make to our communities,” said Senator Hassan. “As small businesses face rising costs and the chaos and uncertainty of ongoing tariffs, I will continue to work to support the SBA and its efforts to lower costs for New Hampshire small businesses. I applaud today’s award winners and am grateful for all of the small business owners who choose to work in New Hampshire and call our state home.” 
    “I want to share my heartfelt congratulations with this year’s award winners and honorees,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “Small businesses are the backbone of our state’s economy, but they’re more than that. They make up the fabric of our state and the character of our communities. I know how challenging things can be, even in the best of times, and I will always do everything I can to support our small businesses and create an economic environment that will help our businesses grow and cut costs.” 
    “New Hampshire small businesses are the backbone of our communities and our economy,” said Congresswoman Goodlander, a member of the House Committee on Small Business. “This morning in Manchester, it was an honor to join the Small Business Awards Ceremony to celebrate the achievements, resilience, and innovation of incredible entrepreneurs across our state. I am proud to advocate for New Hampshire’s small businesses in Congress and to bring their voices to the Small Business Committee.” 
    The Granite State recipients of the 2025 Small Business Awards include: 
    New Hampshire Small Business Person of the Year: Dr. Tanya Lawson, Inbloom Health + Medispa, Londonderry 
    Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year: Russ Collins, Home Innovations Corp., Derry 
    Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year:  Karen Jenovese, Swim NH LLC , Concord 
    Financial Services Champion of the Year for NH and NE: Rick Dassatti, SCORE Granite Region, Manchester 
    Small Business Manufacturer of the Year: Josh Velasquez, Shire’s Naturals, Peterborough  
    Home-Based Business of the Year: Hailee Grisham Hampton, Hurry Slow Hat Co., Littleton 
    Young Entrepreneur: Sabrina MacDowell, Pampered Pup LLC, Candia 
    Micro-Enterprise: Bret Lincoln, Lincoln Fencing, Epping 
    Senator Shaheen is helping lead efforts in Congress to mitigate the harmful impacts of President Trump’s policies on small businesses and consumers. Just before President Trump took office, Shaheen introduced the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act which would limit the president’s ability to leverage sweeping tariffs that increase costs for consumers and families. In recent months, Shaheen has traveled across the Granite State to visit businesses including Chatila’s Bakery, C&J, DCI Furniture, Mount Cabot Maple, American Calan Inc. and NH Ball Bearings to hear directly from Granite Staters impacted by the administration’s trade war. 

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