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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – Sunrise with Monique Wright and Matt Shirvington

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    MONIQUE WRIGHT: Well, hundreds more families are living a nightmare this morning after police identified an additional four child care centres where alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown worked. It brings the total number of affected families to more than 3,000, with 2,000 children advised to undergo screening.

    MATT SHIRVINGTON: The devastating news comes almost two weeks after the Federal Education Minister promised to take action to make child care safer.

    [Excerpt starts]

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: The implementation of those reforms has taken too bloody long. But this is serious, and I’m determined to act.

    [Excerpt ends]

    SHIRVINGTON: And Education Minister Jason Clare joins us now this morning. First and foremost, a family man yourself. So, we need to talk about, obviously, the emotional side of this. More child care centres have been impacted by this, even overnight. Thousands now, families have been contacted. Thousands of kids are going and getting blood tests, toddlers, preschoolers, to see if they’ve got STIs. It is not ok. You were here two weeks ago. Tell me you have some answers for us?

    CLARE: You just used the word nightmare. That’s the right word. More parents are being put through the wringer. All the fear and anxiety that their kids might be sick, and all the trauma that kids have to go through. It’s not just blood tests, it’s urine tests as well. The company should have picked this up in the first place where this worker was. The Victorian Government and authorities are doing everything they can to track the details of where he worked. But this highlights an example of why you need a database or a register, so you know where all child care workers are and where they’re moving from centre to centre. That’s just one of the things that we need to do.

    Parliament starts again next week. I’ll introduce legislation next week that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch, that aren’t meeting the sort of safety standards that parents expect and that our kids deserve.

    WRIGHT: Ok, let’s talk a little bit more about that legislation in a moment. But just in terms of this investigation, this is hugely cumbersome. They’ve had to get, police have had to get warrants to go into individual centres to just get handwritten rosters that are clearly wrong. The onus seems to be on the parents to get in contact with the Department and say, hang on, you said he worked here on these dates? I remember he was there at Halloween. He was there on all these other days. It feels like an absolute mess.

    CLARE: Absolutely. You should be able to press a button and know exactly where he was when he was working. This is a live investigation, so let’s park this individual case. We should have a system that tells us where all workers are, which centres they’re working at, whether they’re crossing individual borders.

    WRIGHT: What’s your Department telling you about the time frame on getting that centralised system?

    CLARE: What the Victorian Government has said is that they can set something like that up within the next couple of months. They can do that by expanding the existing register that exists for schoolteachers. And all states and territories have agreed that we need a national database like this and that we need to speed up the development of it. That work’s going on right now between the states, the territories and the Commonwealth.

    SHIRVINGTON: Yeah, absolutely. And of course, all of those brilliant child care workers that are out there that are doing the right thing as well, I think it’s going to cover them, too.

    CLARE: Can I just touch on that? Because everybody that’s about to take their kids to child care this morning knows how fantastic the workers at their centre that looks after their children are, and they trust their most precious people in the world with those carers. 99.9 per cent of the people who work in our centres are fantastic people who love our kids, care for our kids, educate our kids. One of the things we need to do here is help to arm them with mandatory child safety training so they can identify the bad 0.1 per cent that might be up to no good.

    SHIRVINGTON: That’s right. Let’s talk about this new legislation, because taking funding away is one thing. The problem is, though, 92 per cent, so you’re talking about around 18,000 child care centres across Australia, 92 per cent are either working towards standard or are at standard or above standard. OK. So, there’s 8 per cent, potentially 1500 almost, centres that are either have not been reviewed.

    CLARE: That are not meeting the standard, that’s right.

    SHIRVINGTON. So, that’s a lot of work for you. One, you’ve got to get the legislation through, then you’ve got to go through 1500 child care centres that are active right now.

    CLARE: There’s been great support by the Opposition. I think Sussan Ley was on the program a couple of days ago, and we’re working really constructively with the Opposition to get this legislation through, and I thank them for that. 

    If this legislation works the way we want it to work, it won’t mean shutting centres down, it’ll mean lifting standards up. The really big weapon that we have to wield here is money. We spend about $16 billion dollars of taxpayers’ money on running child care centres across the country. They can’t run without this funding. It represents about 70 per cent of the funding to operate a child care centre. So, the threat is, unless you get up to that standard, we cut the funding off. And I think if we get this right, what it means is that centres will quickly raise their standards to provide the sort of quality and safety that our kids need and deserve.

    WRIGHT: Ok, I’m wondering what else you have learnt that needs to change in the two weeks since we’ve had you on the program. So, one of them is that mandatory training for all child care workers, as you just detailed, so that they know what to look out for. Who pays for that?

    CLARE: I think the Commonwealth Government and states and territories are going to need to chip in, but potentially providers as well. It’s all hands on deck here.

    WRIGHT: Then there’s this centralised data system so that any potential threat, person, problem cannot keep going between centres. What else? What else have you learnt that needs to change so that this doesn’t happen again?

    CLARE: The other one’s CCTV, and we’ve seen some of the big providers, like Goodstart, already say that they’re going to roll that out. It can provide two things. One, deter bad people from acting badly in our centres, but also help police with their investigations when the worst happens.

    WRIGHT: Ok. And then there’s the phones as well for child care.

    CLARE: Yeah, we’ve already taken action. Yep, that’s right. But becomes mandatory in September. We did that for a reason. The paedophile that was arrested and convicted in Queensland was using his phone to take photographs of children in centres. One of the things we need to do here, if we’re serious, is get personal phones out of child care centres.

    SHIRVINGTON: Sounds like they almost need to wear body cams, which is, you know, we don’t even want to go down that road. I wanted to ask you, too. You spoke about the child care workers and sending a message to them, and parents dropping off kids. This morning, a lot of parents we’re hearing reported that they’re taking their kids out of centres with male carers. What do you say to the male carers in the system at the moment today who are going to care for these kids?

    CLARE: There’s a lot of men who work in our centres that feel like they’ve got a target on their back at the moment, and things are really tough for them. What I would say here is that just targeting blokes is not the solution. If we go back and have a look at examples of abuse and neglect in our centres, it’s not just men, it’s women as well. 

    We’ve had Royal Commissions. I’ve conducted a child safety review. All the recommendations here aren’t about targeting the blokes per se. It’s about the sort of things we’re talking about this morning, training up our workers to identify bad people in our centres. It’s about a national register to track people across the country and across the system. And it’s things like CCTV, but not just that. It’s also about making the penalties real when child care centres fail. They’re not serious at the moment, and also making sure that we give better information to parents. You should be able to walk into a centre today and there be a sign at the front door that tells you whether that centre is up to scratch or not.

    WRIGHT: Yeah. Look for anybody who has heard these allegations. It’s one of the worst things we’ve ever heard for anybody. And for a lot of people, they don’t have a choice. They need to send their kids to child care centres. But once you’ve got your children at a good centre, which is safe, the benefits are enormous for young kids.

    CLARE: I know that. You know, my little guy’s there five days a week. It’s an essential service for mums and dads. It helps you to be able to go back to work and earn a living, and put money on the table. But it’s good for our kids, to prepare our kids for school. If you ask your teacher at your local primary school, they’ll tell you. They can tell the kids that have been to child care and the ones that haven’t, because they’re ready to learn. 

    But number one, it’s got to be safe, and we’ve got more work to do on that. I’ve been pretty blunt. We’ve done some things. More needs to be done, and it needs to be done faster. 

    SHIRVINGTON: Keep fighting. I’m not going to, with respect, call you Minister today. I’m going to call you Jason. You’re a dad. Appreciate you coming on.

    CLARE: Thanks, mate.

    SHIRVINGTON: Thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Delivering new early childhood education service to Napranum

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    A community-run early childhood education and care service in Napranum is providing local families with greater flexibility and access to high quality early childhood education and care.

    Early education gives children the best start in life, and we want every to have access to quality early education and its transformative benefits.

    The Napranum Early Childhood Centre combined their former daycare and kindergarten services into an integrated centre on 23 June 2025.

    The integrated centre follows more than two years of dedicated work from the community, led by the Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council and Napranum Early Childhood Centre, and supported by the Department of Education and SNAICC – National Voice for our Children.

    The Napranum Early Childhood Centre service was funded in 2021 as part of an almost $30 million expansion of the Australian Government’s Community Child Care Fund Restricted Program, which funds the establishment of sites run by mainly First Nations led organisations.

    This is another example of the Albanese Government’s commitment to the Closing the Gap National Agreement, in particular increasing the role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

    SNAICC, the national peak body for Indigenous children, is the community partner for these sites, supporting their establishment and the implementation of community-led and culturally safe early childhood education and care.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Senator Dr Jess Walsh:

    “The integrated Napranum Early Childhood Centre opening is a fantastic outcome for First Nations children and families in Napranum, providing greater access for children in the community who need it most.

    “Every child should benefit from access to quality and culturally safe early childhood education and care, including in remote regional communities in Queensland.

    “That’s why the Australian Government is investing in our regional and remote communities through programs like the Community Child Care Fund.

    “More families access to quality early childhood education and care in areas where it is needed most. And that’s why our Government is investing $500 million over four years to deliver just that.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Leichardt, Matt Smith MP:

    “This is a great outcome for Napranum, being the only Early Childcare Centre in the community. This will not only save families from having to travel to Weipa to access childcare but also take pressure off the already long waiting list Weipa has. 
    We know the first five years of a child’s life if where they learn, develop and begin to shape their future so giving the children and families of Napranum the opportunity to access childcare, is fantastic for everyone.”
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Mozambique: Increasing violence is severely compromising access to healthcare in Cabo Delgado – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Pemba, 16 July 2025 – As Cabo Delgado experiences an alarming rise in violence, access to healthcare for communities in vulnerable circumstances is being severely compromised.

    Nearly eight years of conflict in northern Mozambique has already taken a huge toll on people living in the province, where more than 400,000 people are displaced. Fighting and insecurity have led to the forced reduction of medical activities and have limited the movements of health workers and the communities in the affected areas. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is calling for the protection of medical workers and health facilities from violence, and to ensure a coordinated humanitarian response in places experiencing a surge of needs due to the arrival of displaced people.

    To date in 2025, 43,000 people have been displaced following attacks and violent incidents. Over 134,000 people were affected by violence in May alone, according to an OCHA report. This is the most significant rise in violence since June 2022. Many of these recent violent incidents took place in the district of Macomia, Mocímboa da Praia, Muidumbe and Meluco, and even spread to neighbouring Niassa province.

    Macomia, a major town in central Cabo Delgado, was attacked by a non-state armed group in May 2024, forcing MSF, as well as other humanitarian organizations, to stop or suspend activities. We were gradually able to resume operations in April 2025. More than a year after the attack, only one health facility is operational in the district, compared to the seven health centers that were functional before.

    “With the increase in displacements, many people have come to seek refuge in Macomia, overwhelming the only functional health center,” says Dr. Emerson Finiose, an MSF medical doctor in Macomia. “We’re struggling to do medical referrals. We must prioritize the most severe cases, leaving a significant gap in care for the rest of the community.”

    The situation in Macomia illustrates the fragility of the health system in Cabo Delgado, a pattern repeated across the three other districts where MSF is present: Mocímboa da Praia, Mueda and Palma. Since the conflict began, more than fifty percent of the province’s health facilities have been completely or partially destroyed, according to official data. The situation got worse when Cyclone Chido struck southern parts of Cabo Delgado late last year.

    At the same time, many health facilities are non-functional due to the absence of health workers. Services are frequently suspended or reduced, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, and many of the functional facilities are under-resourced or located too far for many people to access safely.

    In 2025, MSF was forced to suspend outreach activities five times due to insecurity, for at least two weeks at a time, particularly in Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia. This left thousands of people without access to healthcare and jeopardized the continuity of care for patients.

    MSF teams provide basic healthcare, treatment for HIV and TB, sexual and reproductive health services, mental health support as well as maternity and pediatric care. We also carry out donations of medicines and medical supplies and provide water and sanitation services. Between January and May 2025, MSF carried out a monthly average of 18,000 medical consultations (both inpatient and outpatient), 30 referrals of patients in need of specialized care and 740 deliveries were assisted across the four districts where we operate.

    The limitations – and sometimes inability – to offer care due to this volatile context has a deep impact on the community. This is evident in our medical data: in April, our teams in Mocímboa da Praia carried out 12,236 outpatient consultations. In May, as incidents intensified, that number dropped drastically to 1,951.

    A crucial part of MSF’s response is carried out by health promotion teams and community health workers known as APEs (Agentes Polivalentes Elementares). They work with communities to share essential health information and promote healthy practices, such as handwashing and water treatment to prevent waterborne diseases. MSF trains some of these workers to identify and treat common diseases, such as malaria, a leading cause of death in the region, and to process the referral of patients in need of specialized care.

    “Sharing health information is very important in times of conflict, when many people are psychologically affected,” says Fatima Abudo Laíde, an MSF health promoter at the Malinde community, Mocímboa da Praia district.  “Sometimes a person is sick but can’t be open, because emotionally they’re not well. I help them seek treatment at the nearest health center, so they’re not isolated. I’ve faced difficult situations, like accompanying a woman in labor at three in the morning, even though I felt unsafe. But we’re here to support our community, to overcome fear, and to make sure no one is left without help.”

    In addition to suffering acute psychological distress and trauma, some patients are forced to interrupt their treatments. This is particularly concerning for pregnant women, older adults, people with disabilities, and people living with chronic conditions or HIV.

    “I remember a case in Mbau community where a pregnant woman went into labor late at night,” says Sunga Antônio, an MSF midwife at the Rural Hospital of Mocímboa da Praia. “The health promoter called us for help, but it was too late and risky to evacuate her. She gave birth in the community, and we could only take her to the hospital by morning. Sadly, she fell into a coma, likely from complications, as she was carrying twins. If the local health center had been functional, she could have received timely care and had a safe delivery.”

    Recent cuts in humanitarian aid have intensified the deteriorating situation in Cabo Delgado. These funding shortfalls illustrate the broader global issue: the collective ability to respond to people’s needs is collapsing across all sectors and organizations. “Cabo Delgado’s conflict has become a severe humanitarian crisis,” says Dr. Finiose. “It affects every aspect of life, especially healthcare and education, and it strips people of their dignity. We need safe access to communities in need and we need support from other actors so we can help them cope with the consequences of this crisis.”

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Solidifies U.S. Position as Leader in AI

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    President Donald J. Trump is making America the undisputed world leader in artificial intelligence — and today marked a massive leap forward with the announcement of over $90 billion in groundbreaking AI and energy investments in Pennsylvania.
    Joined by leaders of the nation’s premier tech and energy giants, administration officials, and lawmakers, President Trump showcased the investments this afternoon at the first-ever Energy and Innovation Summit — underscoring the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to innovation, job creation, and American dominance.
    The announcement covered tens of billions of dollars in AI and energy investment, including Google’s $25 billion investment in data centers and infrastructure, Blackstone’s $25 billion investment in data centers and natural gas plants, and CoreWeave’s $6 billion investment in data center expansion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Solidifies U.S. Position as Leader in AI

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    President Donald J. Trump is making America the undisputed world leader in artificial intelligence — and today marked a massive leap forward with the announcement of over $90 billion in groundbreaking AI and energy investments in Pennsylvania.
    Joined by leaders of the nation’s premier tech and energy giants, administration officials, and lawmakers, President Trump showcased the investments this afternoon at the first-ever Energy and Innovation Summit — underscoring the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to innovation, job creation, and American dominance.
    The announcement covered tens of billions of dollars in AI and energy investment, including Google’s $25 billion investment in data centers and infrastructure, Blackstone’s $25 billion investment in data centers and natural gas plants, and CoreWeave’s $6 billion investment in data center expansion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Calls on Senate to Make DOGE Cuts Permanent

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON – After exposing sweeping abuses at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) spoke on the Senate floor to urge her colleagues to pass President Trump’s rescissions bill to save taxpayer dollars and make Washington squeal.
    From funding fashion week to pickle makers, Ernst cited multiple wasteful USAID projects and taxpayer-subsidized partisan propaganda at National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) that she has uncovered.
    After being stonewalled, Ernst has been leading the fight to combat waste at USAID and sent Secretary of State Marco Rubio a letter detailing her experience with the rogue agency as it misled, lied, and deceived the American people about how their tax dollars are spent. She has continued her work exposing jaw-dropping waste at USAID.
    Last month, Ernst demanded transparency from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) over a $1.9 million grant it provided NPR last year.

    Watch Senator Ernst’s full remarks here.
    Ernst’s full remarks:
    “All Americans can take great pride in our nation’s generosity that has saved millions of people around the world from starvation and disease.
    “And, our government agencies coordinating aid efforts should be eager to share details about how their use of taxpayer money makes the world a better place.
    “Yet, over the past decade, USAID repeatedly rebuffed my requests for information, using intimidation and shell games to hide where money is going, how it’s being spent, and why.
    “As a result of my oversight, I learned that the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, is a rogue bureaucracy, operating with little accountability and even, sometimes, at odds with our nation’s best interests.
    “What warranted such secrecy and stonewalling?
    “Here’s just some of USAID’s questionable spending that I uncovered:
    “Money intended to alleviate economic distress in war-torn Ukraine was spent:
    “Sending models and designers on junkets to New York City and Fashion Weeks in Paris and London, at a cost of more than $203,000;
    “$148,000 went to a pickle maker;
    “A dog collar manufacturer fetched $300,000; and
    “A custom carpet manufacturer collected $2 million.
    “Elsewhere, $20 million was awarded to Sesame Workshop, which produces Sesame Street, to create content for Iraq;
    “$2 million went toward promoting tourism to Lebanon, a nation that our very own State Department warns against traveling to due to the risks of terrorism and kidnapping.
    “Yes, folks, $2 million for tourism to Lebanon when we are saying, don’t travel there.
    “$67,000 was spent to feed edible insects to children in Madagascar.
    “Over $800,000 was sent to China’s notorious Wuhan Institute of Virology to collect coronaviruses.
    “What exactly was our international development agency developing at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology?
    “Well, if the CIA, FBI, and other experts are correct that the COVID virus likely originated from a lab leak, USAID may have had a hand in a once-in-a-century pandemic that claimed the lives of millions.
    “There’s no shortage of other questionable USAID projects, but President Trump is putting an end to this deep state operation.
    “The foreign assistance programs that do advance American interests are now being administered under the watchful eye of Secretary Marco Rubio.
    “This includes projects previously supported by USAID that were caring for orphans and people living with HIV.
    “Imagine how much more good work like this could be done with the dollars that instead financed fashion shows, supported Sesame Street programs in Iraq, or ended up in China’s Wuhan Institute.
    “Overseas projects without merit are being ended and the tax dollars that were paying for them will be refunded if the Senate passes the rescissions bill.
    “It also cancels taxpayer subsidies to public broadcasting.
    “Too often, these programs are partisan propaganda.
    “You don’t have to take my word for it.
    “A National Public Radio senior editor recently confessed ‘It’s true NPR has always had a liberal bent.’
    “He admits the organization has ZERO Republicans in editorial positions.
    “Come on folks, even CNN has Scott Jennings to roast the looney liberal lunatics on that failing network.
    “NPR and PBS have a right to say whatever the heck they want, but they don’t have a right to force hardworking Americans to pay for their political propaganda being masked as a public service.
    “Defunding this nonsense is causing a lot of squealing from the big spenders around here.
    “Washington insiders are more upset at this effort to stop wasteful spending than at the misuse of taxpayer dollars.
    “In fact, saving tax money is such a crazy concept in Washington that Democrats are threatening to shut down the entire government if this bill passes.
    “It says a lot about the other side’s priorities when they’re willing to take hostage funding for veterans and senior citizens to prevent $9 billion in unnecessary waste, fraud, and abuse from being trimmed from our $7 trillion annual budget.
    “The interest that we are paying on our debt alone is costing nearly $3 billion every single day.
    “If we are ever going to get serious about our debt crisis, Congress needs to pass a rescissions bill like this every single week.
    “Folks, the simple truth is if you can’t find waste in Washington, it’s because you simply are not looking.
    “With our national debt now exceeding $37 trillion, the real question we should be asking isn’t ‘why is government spending now being scrutinized?,’ but rather, ‘why did it take so long?’”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons statement on President Trump’s decision to allow the export of advanced AI chips to China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced it would allow Nvidia to resume selling its H20 advanced computer chips to Chinese customers:

    “President Trump’s decision today hands China cutting-edge technology that Beijing will use to erase our competitive advantage in artificial intelligence, undermine our military, and outpace our economy. Thanks to the efforts of the Biden administration and bipartisan work in Congress, the United States was better positioned at the beginning of the year than any other country on the planet to lead the way on artificial intelligence, from chip design to applications. Now, President Trump is throwing that all away, giving China a tool that will strengthen their economy and military, while, just today, China announced it will restrict American access to critical battery technology and equipment we need for our own economy and security. The administration must immediately reverse this harmful decision and take steps to make sure its actions on AI actually match its tough-on-China rhetoric.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi meets heads of foreign delegations attending SCO council of foreign ministers meeting 2025-07-16 09:56:13 Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met in Beijing with foreign ministers and heads of standing bodies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) who are in China to attend the Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of SCO Member States.

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

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with foreign ministers and heads of standing bodies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) who are in China to attend the Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of SCO Member States at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met in Beijing with foreign ministers and heads of standing bodies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) who are in China to attend the Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of SCO Member States.

    He noted that over the past 24 years since its founding, the SCO has always upheld the Shanghai Spirit, grown into a mature and robust organization, and demonstrated strong vitality.

    China has always prioritized the SCO in its neighborhood diplomacy, and is committed to making the organization more substantive and stronger, safeguarding regional security and stability, promoting the development and prosperity of member states and building a closer community with a shared future, Xi said.

    He added that since China assumed the rotating presidency last July, it has actively carried out activities and advanced cooperation, with all parties taking solid steps to jointly build a better home for the SCO.

    With the SCO Summit set to take place this year in China’s Tianjin, Xi expressed his hope to meet the leaders of other member states at the event to discuss the future development of the SCO.

    He stressed that in the face of a turbulent and changing international landscape, the SCO must stay focused, remain confident, act efficiently and play a more proactive role in injecting greater stability and positive energy into the world.

    Xi called on the SCO to take trust and mutual benefit as the foundation of cooperation, equality and consultation as the way of engagement, respect for diverse civilizations as a means to promote harmony and inclusiveness, and common development as a path toward shared prosperity, to ensure that the Shanghai Spirit continues to light the way in building an SCO community with a shared future.

    The organization should respond to the people’s aspirations and be doers in deepening cooperation, Xi said, calling for improving mechanisms to address security threats and challenges, better alignment of member states’ development strategies with cooperation initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, and facilitating personnel exchanges and people-to-people ties.

    Xi also called for joint efforts to firmly oppose hegemony, power politics, and bullying in order to promote a more equal and balanced multipolar world. He emphasized the need for extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits to advance a more inclusive and universally beneficial economic globalization.

    The SCO should unite and lead the Global South in building a more just and equitable global governance system, pooling immense strength for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, he added.

    Wang Yi, as the chair of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the SCO Member States, reported on the progress made in various aspects of work since China assumed the rotating presidency, as well as the preparations for the SCO Summit in Tianjin.

    On behalf of the foreign delegations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that through its steadfast commitment to the Shanghai Spirit, the SCO has achieved notable cooperation outcomes and gained increasing international appeal.

    Practice has proven that the Shanghai Spirit, which is characterized by mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations, and pursuit of common development, aligns with member states’ shared interests and demonstrates robust vitality, he added.

    Lavrov said that since China assumed the SCO rotating presidency, it has hosted numerous events driving the organization’s new progress.

    Facing a complex global landscape, the SCO should uphold multilateralism and promote the international order toward greater justice and equity, said Lavrov, adding that all parties stand ready to support China’s work as chair, forge greater consensus, and ensure the success of the upcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier calls on China, Australia to create stronger synergy for development

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

    Chinese premier calls on China, Australia to create stronger synergy for development

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang attends the 8th China-Australia CEO Roundtable with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, July 15 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday called on China and Australia to further strengthen cooperation, promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and create a stronger synergy for development to effectively address uncertainties.

    Li made the remarks while attending the 8th China-Australia CEO Roundtable with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Beijing.

    Around 30 representatives of business councils and enterprises from the two countries attended the roundtable.

    Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, Li said over the past decade, China-Australia economic and trade cooperation has demonstrated considerable resilience and vitality.

    The economic structures of the two countries are highly complementary, and the foundations for industrial and market integration are solid, making China and Australia natural partners, Li said.

    Li said China’s vast market will continuously unleash immense consumption potential, creating more opportunities for enterprises from both countries. He called on the two sides to strengthen collaboration in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and life sciences to better empower the industries of both countries.

    By working together, enterprises from both countries can accelerate cooperation in clean energy, electric vehicles, and energy storage, ultimately building a world-class green industrial chain that is both resilient and competitive, he added.

    Li emphasized that both the government and enterprises should work together to better promote development. China will continue to advance high-level opening-up, treat domestic and foreign-funded enterprises equally, and legally protect the rights and interests of foreign companies and entrepreneurs in China, he said.

    It is hoped that Australia would treat Chinese enterprises fairly, addressing issues regarding market access and investment reviews, he added.

    Li urged Chinese and Australian companies to maintain openness, embrace cooperation, and deepen their efforts to promote market integration and industrial collaboration.

    When addressing the roundtable, Albanese said the current bilateral relations are steadily developing, with enthusiasm for cooperation soaring among the business communities of both countries.

    The Australian side is willing to enhance dialogue with the Chinese side, expand cooperation in various fields including trade, agriculture, industry, energy resources, and green development, address global challenges such as climate change and uphold international equity and free trade. 

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang attends the 8th China-Australia CEO Roundtable with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Australia sign MoU to implement, review free trade agreement

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

    BEIJING, July 16 — China and Australia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the implementation and review of China-Australia Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

    The document was signed by Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and Australian Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Jan Adams, witnessed by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

    Since its entry into force in 2015, the free trade agreement has significantly boosted bilateral economic and trade relations, delivering substantial benefits to both sides, said the MOC.

    As 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the agreement, the two countries will maintain close cooperation, continue high-quality implementation of the agreement, and jointly conduct a review to identify areas for further improvement or expansion, the MOC said.

    This will enhance trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, providing a higher level of institutional support for bilateral economic and trade cooperation, the MOC said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SCST at Publishing 3.0+ Launch Ceremony (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the Publishing 3.0+ Launch Ceremony today (July 16):

    Kenneth (Member of the Legislative Council and the Chairman of Publishing 3.0+, Mr Kenneth Fok), Duncan (Member of the Legislative Council and the Chairman of Publishing 3.0+, Mr Duncan Chiu), Sharon (Executive Director of the Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society and the Chairman of Publishing 3.0+, Dr Sharon Wong), Mr Rashid Al Kous (Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, 

    Good morning. It is my great pleasure to officially launch Publishing 3.0+ with industry practitioners, scholars, experts and authors. And let me also extend my warmest welcome to Mr Rashid Al Kous, coming all the way from the United Arab Emirates, and our distinguished guests here from overseas copyright organisations around the world.

    Three years ago, the then Create Hong Kong, which is now restructured as the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, CCIDA, under my bureau, began sponsoring and steering the Publishing 3.0 project, as a touchstone of an in-depth application of artificial intelligence (AI) to the publishing industry, enabling the extensive production of e-books and audiobooks. The project enabled around 60 Hong Kong publishers to successfully convert paper publications into 5 000 bilingual e-books and audiobooks in Cantonese, Putonghua and English, seizing the tremendous opportunity of digital transformation.  

    Publishing 3.0+ builds on the success of its predecessor. This enhanced project will focus on large language models within the AI-driven system, and further strengthen its multilingual translation and content conversion capabilities, empower local publishers to convert Chinese books into multi-languages, and open doors to a global readership. Publishing 3.0+ will refine the e-books and audiobooks converted over the past years, and further deliver another 5 000 translated and converted copies of books.

    The fruitful expected outcome of 10 000 e-books and audiobooks will be showcased in the Hong Kong pavilions at various international book fairs in the coming months. We will further leverage the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)’s Asia IP Exchange, AsiaIPEX, to facilitate and encourage the industry to tap into the vast opportunities of copyright trading.

    President Xi Jinping has emphasised that literature and art serve as bridges of mutual understanding and communication among different countries and ethnic groups. With a considerable amount of foreign classics on his reading list, President Xi repeatedly shared his deep and inseparable bond with books on international occasions when meeting foreign friends. We see that books are media that help foster friendships and exchanges between cultures. 

    With the great delight of having our Middle East friend here today, may I share our exciting plan that Publishing 3.0+ will soon expand to include Arabic translation. During my official visit to the Middle East in April this year, I was deeply impressed by the region’s rich cultural and historical heritage. I am most delighted that Publishing 3.0+ will contribute to our effort to realising closer cultural links and friendship between the Middle East and Hong Kong, aligning the shared visions of both regions.

    Publishing 3.0+ is a collaboration of multiple parties. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Kenneth, Duncan and Sharon, the founder of InnoContent, whose unique blend of cultural insight, technological innovation and publishing expertise has been instrumental in realising this project. My special thanks also go to SenseTime for its unparalleled AI expertise and infrastructure, which enhance the system’s capabilities, and the Hong Kong Publishing Federation, the Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society, and the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre for their unwavering support since the last project, and the HKTDC for its efforts in the intellectual property trading.

    Before I close, I wish Publishing 3.0+ a striking success under the collaborative efforts by the Government, the publishing industry and technology partners. I look forward to seeing Hong Kong’s AI-driven publishing sector reaches new heights, telling the good story of Hong Kong. Through this initiative, we will showcase creativity, vitality, and innovation in the age of new media. 

    Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board Annual Report 2024-2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

    ​The Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board (the Board) today (July 16) published its Annual Report for 2024-2025. The Report highlights the key achievements of the Board in 2024-2025, which include the smooth implementation of a number of enhancements to the Deposit Protection Scheme (the Scheme) in two phases on October 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025. The Board also stepped up its promotional efforts to raise awareness of the new protection limit of HK$800,000. The Board’s dedicated efforts throughout the year contributed to the achievement of high levels of public awareness of and confidence in the Scheme. 
     
    The Annual Report 2024-2025 is available on the Board’s website (www.dps.org.hk).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: We travelled to Antarctica to see if a Māori lunar calendar might help track environmental change

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Winton, Senior Research Fellow in Climatology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    Holly Winton, CC BY-SA

    Antarctica’s patterns of stark seasonal changes, with months of darkness followed by a summer of 24-hour daylight, prompted us to explore how a Māori lunar and environmental calendar (Maramataka) might apply to the continent and help us recognise changes as the climate continues to warm.

    Maramataka represent an ancient knowledge system using environmental signs (tohu) to impart knowledge about lunar and environmental connections. It traces the mauri (energy flow) between the land (whenua), the ocean (moana) and the sky and atmosphere (rangi), and how people connect to the natural world.

    Maramataka are regionally specific. For example, in Manukau, the arrival of godwits from the Arctic indicates seasonal changes that align with the migration of eels moving up the local Puhinui stream.

    During matiti muramura, the third summer phase that aligns with the summer solstice, the environment offers tohu that guide seasonal activity. The flowering of pohutukawa is a land sign (tohu o te whenua), the rising of Rehua (Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius) is an atmospheric sign (tohu o te rangi), and sea urchins (kina) are a sea sign (tohu o te moana).

    When these signs align, it signals balance in nature and the right time to gather food. But if they are out of sync (such as early flowering or small kina), it means something in the environment (te taiao) is out of balance.

    These tohu remind us how deeply land, sea and sky are connected, and why careful observation matters. When they’re out of sync, they call us to pause, observe and adapt in ways that restore natural balance and uphold the mauri of te taiao.

    Tracking a Maramataka in Antarctica

    One of the key tohu we observed in Antarctica was the mass arrival of Weddell seals outside New Zealand’s Scott Base at the height of summer.

    Guided by Maramataka authorities, we explored other local tohu using Hautuu Waka, an ancient framework of weaving and wayfinding to navigate a changing environment. Originally used for navigating vast oceans, wayfinding in this context becomes a metaphor for navigating the complexities of today’s environmental and social challenges.

    During the Antarctic summer, the Sun doesn’t set. But we documented the Moon when visible in the day sky and observed the Sun, clouds, mountains and various forms of snow and ice. This included glacial ice on the land, sea ice in the ocean and snowflakes in the sky.

    One of the seasonal tohu in Antarctica is the mass arrival of Weddell seals outside New Zealand’s Scott Base at the height of summer.
    Holly Winton, CC BY-SA

    While the tohu in Antarctica were vastly different from those observed in Aotearoa, the energy phases of the Maramataka Moon cycles aligned with traditional stories (pūrākau) describing snow and ice.

    We identified some of the 12 different forms of snow recorded by ethnographers, who described them as the “offspring of wind and rain”.

    At Scott Base, we observed feather-like snow (hukapuhi) and floating snow (hukarangaranga). Further inland on the high-elevation polar plateau, we found “unseen” snow (hukakoropuku), which is not always visible to the naked eye but felt on the skin, and dust-like snow (hukapunehunehu), akin to diamond dust. The latter phenomenon occurs when air temperatures are cold enough for water vapour to condense directly out of the atmosphere and form tiny ice crystals, which sparkle like diamonds.

    In te ao Māori, snow has a genealogy (whakapapa) that connects it to wider systems of life and knowledge. Snow is part of a continuum that begins in Ranginui (the sky father) and moves through the god (atua) of weather Tāwhirimātea, who shapes the form and movement of clouds, winds, rain and snow. Each type of snow carries its own name, qualities and behaviour, reflecting its journey through the skies and land.

    The existence of the specific terms (kupu) for different forms of snow and ice reflect generations of observation, passed down through whakapapa and oral histories (kōrero tuku iho).

    Connecting Western science and mātauranga Māori

    Our first observations of tohu in Antarctica mark the initial step towards intertwining the ancient knowledge system of mātauranga Māori with modern scientific exploration.

    The Moon cycles at Scott Base align with traditional stories describing snow and ice.
    Holly Winton, CC BY-SA

    Observing snow through traditional practices provided insights into processes that cannot be fully understood through Western science methods alone. Mātauranga Māori recognises tohu through close sensory attention and relational awareness with the landscape.

    Drawing on our field observations and past and present knowledge of environmental calendars found in mātauranga Māori and palaeo-climate data such as ice cores, we can begin to connect different knowledge systems in Antarctica.

    For example, just as the Maramataka contains information about the environment over time, so do Antarctic ice cores. Every snowflake carries a chemical signature of the environment that, day by day, builds up a record of the past. By measuring the chemistry of Antarctic ice, we gain proxy information about environmental and seasonal cycles such as temperature, winds, sea ice and marine phytoplankton.

    The middle of summer in an ice core record is marked by peak levels in chemical signals from marine phytoplankton that bloom in the Ross Sea when sea ice melts, temperatures are warmer and light and nutrients are available. This biogenic aerosol is a summer tohu identified as a key environmental time marker in the Maramataka of the onset of the breading season and surge in biological activity.

    The knowledge of Maramataka has developed over millennia. Conceptualising this for Antarctica opens a way of using Māori methods and frameworks to glean new insights about the continent and ocean. Grounded in te ao Māori understanding that everything is connected, this approach invites us to see the polar environment not as a remote but a living system of interwoven tohu, rhythms and relationships.

    Holly Winton receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi (Rutherford Discovery Fellowship and Marsden Fast-Start) and Victoria University of Wellington (Mātauranga Māori Research Fund). Logistics support for Antarctic fieldwork was provided by Antarctica New Zealand.

    Ayla Hoeta receives funding from Victoria University of Wellington (Mātauranga Māori Research Fund). Logistics support for Antarctic fieldwork was provided by Antarctica New Zealand.

    – ref. We travelled to Antarctica to see if a Māori lunar calendar might help track environmental change – https://theconversation.com/we-travelled-to-antarctica-to-see-if-a-maori-lunar-calendar-might-help-track-environmental-change-239583

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Right-wing political group Advance is in the headlines. What is it and what does it stand for?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Riboldi, Lecturer in Social Impact and Social Change, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney

    Advance/Facebook

    Political lobby group Advance has been back in the headlines this week. It was revealed an organisation headed by the husband of the Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, donated A$50,000 to the group.

    The news prompted outcry, though Segal denied any personal involvement.

    So what is Advance and what does it do?

    What is Advance?

    Advance (originally Advance Australia) is a digital campaigning organisation. It was formed in 2018 by a group of wealthy Australians, many with connections to the Liberal Party. The idea was to be a conservative counterpoint to progressive digital campaigning group GetUp!

    At the time, political journalist Mungo McCallum described them as a “stratospherically elite clique of rich, bored men looking for a hobby.” He suggested they would have little, if any, impact.

    Today the group has more than 330,000 members.

    They also successfully led the “No” campaign in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum in 2023.

    McCallum’s initial dismissal of Advance appears somewhat premature.

    What does Advance want?

    Advance’s stated aim is to “take the fight to the activists and elites” to “secure Australia’s freedom, security and prosperity”. They campaign against progressive taxation, immigration, the transition to renewable energy and even Welcome to Country ceremonies.

    This positions Advance alongside other right-wing populist actors, including Donald Trump, in the modern “war on woke”. This comparison was welcomed by founding Advance director, major donor and hedge fund manager Simon Fenwick.



    Read more:
    Follow the money: the organisations that spent the most on social media during the election

    These actors, which in Australia also include the Murdoch Press, construct elitism not along class lines, but along an urban/rural divide. In its view, Advance’s billionaire funders are apparently not elites. Instead, they attempt to foster divisions between urban “elites” and regional and suburban “mainstream Australians”.

    Like the Trumpian model of “flood(ing) the zone with shit”, Advance has been accused of pursuing these aims by “unleashing a veritable fire hose of disinformation”. The hose is often aimed at progressive political candidates, climate change, immigrants or the Voice referendum.

    Who runs and funds Advance?

    Advance’s longtime Executive Director and “main man” is the somewhat enigmatic Matthew Sheahan. Their current spokesperson is Sandra Bourke, who has a background in law enforcement and national security. In 2024, Bourke claimed Advance was “the biggest grassroots movement in Australian political history”.

    While Advance is structurally independent of any political party, a variety of Liberal Party figures have been closely connected to the organisation, including former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

    Early prominent members (and funders) of Advance included storage king Sam Kennard, far-right president of the Australian Jewish Association David Adler, and climate denier Maurice Newman.

    Founding Director Simon Fenwick has donated at least $400,000 to the organisation through his family trust since its inception.

    In 2023–24, Advance received a $500,000 donation from the Cormack Foundation, an investment fund created by the Liberal Party of Victoria.

    The organisation reported income of more than $15.5 million in the same period. It claims their average donation received from supporters is $160.

    What impact has Advance had?

    The 2023 Voice Referendum “made” Advance (and arguably Matthew Sheahan) via their management of two prominent No campaigns.

    Prior to this, Advance’s campaigning was arguably more nuisance than anything else.

    Advance’s No campaign featured significant amounts of dis- and misinformation across multiple media channels, including phone banking (cold calling voters). The campaign was characterised by contradictory micro campaigns that sowed the confusion that fed the slogan of “if you don’t know, vote No”.

    The Advance-led No campaigns also strongly embraced racism against leading First Nations voices. This included suggestions that media commentator Stan Grant had artificially darkened his skin, questioning the “blackness” of Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe, and utilising “Jim Crow” style advertising against leading Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo.

    The Jim Crow era of American history refers to a time in the late 19th and early-mid 20th centuries where laws enforced racial segregation and discrimination.

    One of the key spokespeople for Advance’s No campaign was Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, a woman with Aboriginal and Anglo-Celtic heritage. She’s a former Advance staffer and current Liberal Party Senator and made the comments about Lidia Thorpe.

    Why is Advance important?

    Following their role in the Voice campaign, Advance have arguably “eclipsed” their inspiration and progressive rivals GetUp! as Australia’s leading digital campaigning organisation. Glen Berman, current GetUp! chair, has even admitted “there were things that GetUp! could learn” from Advance.

    Advance appeared influential over Liberal Party strategy ahead of the 2025 federal election campaign. During the campaign, it was the highest spending third party group (non-party, non-candidate) on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) advertising. This saw it emerge as the conservative third party “opposition” to the Australian union movement.

    However, following the Australian Labor Party’s landslide victory, Advance attempted to distance themselves from the Coalition’s campaign. While they claim to have been focused on “destroying” the Greens, analysis suggests Advance’s campaign was equally focused on framing Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as “weak, woke and sending us broke”.

    Senior Liberal Party figures, for their part, have also “cast doubt on the effectiveness of Advance”, saying it may have cost them seats.

    Generally, scholars Marian Sawer and Kurt Sengul argue Advance, along with the Murdoch media, have engaged in the “populist mobilisation of resentment which is likely to exacerbate the kind of divisions seen in the Voice referendum” since 2018.

    Part of a worldwide trend towards right-wing populism, Advance will likely continue to be at the centre of conservative politics in Australia.

    Mark Riboldi 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. Right-wing political group Advance is in the headlines. What is it and what does it stand for? – https://theconversation.com/right-wing-political-group-advance-is-in-the-headlines-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-stand-for-261164

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scientists could be accidentally damaging fossils with a method we thought was safe

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathieu Duval, Adjunct Senior Researcher at Griffith University and La Trobe University, and Ramón y Cajal (Senior) Research Fellow, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH)

    185,000-year-old human fossil jawbone from Misliya Cave, Israel. Gerhard Weber, University of Vienna, CC BY-ND

    Fossils are invaluable archives of the past. They preserve details about living things from a few thousand to hundreds of millions of years ago.

    Studying fossils can help us understand the evolution of species over time, and glimpse snapshots of past environments and climates. Fossils can also reveal the diets or migration patterns of long-gone species – including our own ancestors.

    But when living things turn to rock, discerning those details is no easy feat. One common technique for studying fossils is micro-computerised tomography or micro-CT. It’s been used to find the earliest evidence of bone cancer in humans, to study brain imprints and inner ears in early hominins, and to study the teeth of the oldest human modern remains outside Africa, among many other examples.

    However, our new study, published today in Radiocarbon, shows that despite being widely regarded as non-destructive, micro-CT may actually affect fossil preservation and erase some crucial information held inside.

    Preserving precious specimens

    Fossils are rare and fragile by nature. Scientists are constantly evaluating how to balance their impact on fossils with the need to study them.

    When palaeontologists and palaeoanthropologists (who work on human fossils) analyse fossils, they want to minimise any potential damage. We want to preserve fossils for future generations as much as possible – and technology can be a huge help here.

    Micro-CT works like the medical CT scans doctors use to peek inside the human body. However, it does so at a much smaller scale and at a greater resolution.

    This is perfect for studying small objects such as fossils. With micro-CT, scientists can take high-resolution 3D images and access the inner structure of fossils without the need to cut them open.

    These scans also allow for virtual copies of the fossils, which other scientists can then access from anywhere in the world. This significantly reduces the risk of damage, since the scanned fossils can safely remain in a museum collection, for example.

    Micro-CT is popular and routinely used. The scientific community widely regards it as “non-destructive” because it doesn’t cause any visual damage – but it could still affect the fossil.

    Jaw bone of the human fossil species Homo antecessor from Spain. Left: micro-CT scan with a cutting plane to visualise the inner structures, bone and teeth; right: 3D reconstruction based on the high-resolution micro-CT images.
    Laura Martín-Francés

    How does micro-CT imaging work?

    Micro-CT scanning uses X-rays and computer software to produce high-resolution images and reconstruct the fossil specimens in detail. Typically, palaeontologists use commercial scanners for this, but more advanced investigations may use powerful X-ray beams generated at a synchrotron.

    The X-rays go through the specimen and are captured by a detector on the other end. This allows for a very fine-grained understanding of the matter they’ve passed through – especially density, which then provides clues about the shape of the internal structures, the composition of the tissues, or any contamination.

    The scan produces a succession of 2D images from all angles. Computer software is then used to “clean up” these high-resolution images and assemble them into a 3D shape – a virtual copy of the fossil and its inner structures.

    Example of micro-CT results on a hominin fossil known as Little Foot, from southern Africa.

    But X-rays are not harmless

    X-rays are a type of ionising radiation. This means they have a high level of energy and can break electrons away from atoms (this is called ionisation).

    In living tissue, ionising radiation can damage cells and DNA, although the level of damage will depend on the duration and intensity of exposure. X-rays and CT scans used in medicine generally have a very low risk since the exposure of the human body is reduced as much as possible.

    However, despite what we know about the impact of X-rays on living cells, the potential impact of X-rays on fossils through micro-CT imaging has never been deeply investigated.

    What did our study find?

    Using standard settings on a typical micro-CT scanner, we scanned several modern and fossil bones and teeth from animals. We also measured their collagen content before and after scanning.

    Collagen is useful for many analytical purposes, such as finding out the age of the fossils using radiocarbon dating, or for stable isotope analysis – a method used to infer the diet of the extinct species, for example. The collagen content in fossils is usually much lower than in modern specimens because it slowly breaks down over time.

    After comparing our measurements with unscanned samples taken from the same specimens, we found two things.

    First, the radiocarbon age remained unchanged. In other words, micro-CT scanning doesn’t affect radiocarbon dating. That’s the good news.

    The bad news is that we did observe a significant decrease in the amount of collagen present. In other words, the micro-CT scanned samples had about 35% less collagen than the samples before scanning.

    This shows micro-CT imaging has a non-negligible impact on fossils that contain collagen traces. While this was to be expected, the impact hasn’t been experimentally confirmed before.

    It’s possible some fossil samples won’t have enough collagen left after micro-CT scanning. This would make them unsuitable for a range of analytical techniques, including radiocarbon dating.

    What now?

    In a previous study, we showed micro-CT can artificially “age” fossils later dated with a method called electron spin resonance. It’s commonly used to date fossils older than 50,000 years – beyond what the radiocarbon method can discern.

    This previous study and our new work show that micro-CT scanning may significantly and irreversibly change the fossil and the information it holds.

    Despite causing no visible damage to the fossil, we argue that in this context the technique should no longer be regarded as non-destructive.

    Micro-CT imaging is highly valuable in palaeontology and palaeoanthropology, no doubt about that. But our results suggest it should be used sparingly to minimise how much fossils are exposed to X-rays. There are guidelines scientists can use to minimise damage. Freely sharing data to avoid repeated scans of the same specimen will be helpful, too.

    Mathieu Duval receives funding from the Spanish State Research Agency (Agencia Estatal de Investigación). He is currently the recipient of a Ramón y Cajal fellowship (RYC2018-025221-I) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ‘‘ESF Investing in your future”. This work is also part of Spanish Grant PID2021-123092NB-C22 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE, and by ‘‘ERDF A way of making Europe”.

    Laura Martín-Francés receives funding from Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions of the EU Ninth programme (2021-2027) under the HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01-Project: 101060482.

    – ref. Scientists could be accidentally damaging fossils with a method we thought was safe – https://theconversation.com/scientists-could-be-accidentally-damaging-fossils-with-a-method-we-thought-was-safe-258827

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: ExxonMobil’s landmark chemical complex begins operation in China

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

    This undated aerial file photo shows a view of ExxonMobil’s chemical complex in Huizhou, south China’s Guangdong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Energy giant ExxonMobil on Tuesday began operation of its landmark chemical complex in southern China, the country’s first major petrochemical project wholly owned by a U.S. company.

    The move highlights ExxonMobil’s confidence in the world’s second-largest economy and comes amid China’s ongoing efforts to promote high-standard opening up and attract foreign investment.

    Located in the Daya Bay Petrochemical Industrial Park in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, the first phase of the project consists of a flexible feedstock steam cracker with an annual capacity of 1.6 million tonnes of ethylene, a key building block for plastics and fibers used in a wide range of products like packaging.

    The site also houses production units for high-performance polyethylene and polypropylene.

    Hailing the establishment of this complex as “the latest chapter” in the long story of ExxonMobil’s presence in China, the company’s senior vice president Jack Williams said at the launch ceremony that the project will serve as an anchor for Guangdong to develop a robust petrochemical industry.

    Construction of the Huizhou complex began in April 2020 and involves two phases. Remarkably, the project progressed from negotiations to groundbreaking in just 18 months, a process that typically takes five years.

    Li Xingjun, chairman of ExxonMobil (Huizhou) Chemical Co., Ltd., attributed this rapid progress to Guangdong’s pro-business environment, calling the province “one of the world’s leading manufacturing hubs, with a strong industrial base, comprehensive supply chains, and a high degree of market openness.”

    “The easing of foreign investment restrictions and institutional innovation have created a more transparent, fair and predictable investment environment, which has strengthened our confidence in the Chinese market,” he said.

    Huizhou, a coastal city in southern China, is home to a cluster of major petrochemical companies, including Shell, BASF and Clariant. Within this ecosystem, the Daya Bay Petrochemical Industrial Park has become one of China’s leading refining and chemical production centers, with an annual oil refining capacity of 22 million tonnes and ethylene production capacity of 3.8 million tonnes.

    ExxonMobil’s chemical complex is expected to boost China’s ethylene production capacity and elevate the technological standards of its petrochemical sector, supporting key industries such as electronic chemicals, fine chemicals and biomedicine, said Ji Hongbing, vice president of the Guangdong Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association.

    The launch comes amid China’s ongoing efforts to improve access for foreign investors. The country has twice reduced its negative list for foreign investment since 2021. All restrictions on foreign access to the manufacturing sector have been lifted, and further liberalization has occurred in agriculture and services. Pilot initiatives in healthcare and value-added telecommunications have opened new opportunities for foreign businesses.

    ExxonMobil is among a number of multinational firms investing in China, where GDP grew 5.3 percent year on year in the first half of 2025.

    Earlier this year, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche announced a 2.04 billion yuan (about 285 million U.S. dollars) investment in a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area, while German chemical company BASF also committed 500 million yuan to expand its Cellasto plant in the city.

    In the first five months of 2025, 24,018 new foreign-invested enterprises were established on the Chinese mainland, up 10.4 percent year on year. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Milan-Cortina 2026 medals revealed with split design

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

    The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games unveiled a two halves medal design at Palazzo Balbi in Venice, Italy on Tuesday. The unique design that merges two halves symbolizes not only the union of Milan and Cortina, but also the spirit of victory and the effort required to achieve it, organizers introduced.

    “The two halves represent the efforts the athletes have made to get to this moment, and the support from their families, coaches and physiotherapists,” explained Raffaella Panie, Brand, Identity and Look of the Games Director for Milan-Cortina 2026.

    The medals for Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games are displayed during the unveiling ceremony in Palazzo Balbi, Venice, Italy, on July 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

    According to Panie, the front of the medals displays the Olympic rings and the Paralympic Agitos, respectively. The reverse side bears the emblem of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

    “The Paralympic medals have braille inscriptions on the back, allowing visually impaired athletes to identify the specific discipline. In addition, special markings along the edge of the medal indicate whether it is gold, silver, or bronze,” said Panie.

    The medals are crafted by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS), with an eco-friendly, non-toxic, and recyclable protective finish. The energy used by IPZS is entirely sourced from renewable resources.

    “The medals of Milan-Cortina 2026 are much more than mere awards, they encapsulate the identity of Italy-its creativity, its passion for sports and beauty,” said Giovanni Malago, President of the Fondazione Milan-Cortina 2026.

    The Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will take place from February 6 to 22, followed by the Paralympic Winter Games from March 6 to 15. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Flamengo eyes move for Lazio forward Castellanos

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

    Flamengo is interested in signing Argentina international forward Taty Castellanos from Lazio, according to media reports in Brazil.

    The 26-year-old is contracted to Lazio until June 2028 and Globo Esporte reported on Tuesday that the Italian club is demanding a transfer fee of 35-40 million euros.

    The report added that Flamengo has not ruled out meeting that valuation, which would set a club record as the Rio de Janeiro side looks to bolster its attack for the second half of the domestic season.

    Castellanos has made 86 appearances for Lazio, scoring 20 goals and providing 13 assists since joining the club from Girona in 2023.

    Capped twice for Argentina, his career has also included spells at New York City and Universidad de Chile.

    Flamengo currently leads Brazil’s 20-team Serie A standings with 27 points from 12 games, ahead of second-placed Cruzeiro on goal difference.

    The only Argentine player in Flamengo’s current squad is goalkeeper Agustin Rossi.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Macao’s historic center marks 20 years as living world heritage

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

    China’s Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Tuesday began a series of activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the Historic Center of Macao being inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Designated on July 15, 2005, at the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Durban, South Africa, the district embodies over four centuries of maritime history and cultural fusion.

    CHRONICLE OF CULTURAL BLEND

    From the Guia Fortress to the A-Ma Temple, the Historic Center of Macao spans 22 landmarks and eight plazas — an enduring tapestry of East-West exchange.

    The Ruins of St. Paul’s vividly represent the heart of the legacy. Erected in the early 1600s, the monument resembles a traditional Chinese “Paifang” while bearing Western motifs.

    “You can see the blend of East and West,” said Ung Vai Meng, guest professor at the Macao University of Science and Technology. “The way grey bricks are embedded in rammed earth walls reflects Chinese craftsmanship merged with European structural ideas,” he told Xinhua.

    The Ruins of St. Paul’s was originally part of St. Paul’s College, which at that time drew inspiration from European universities and trained scholars to carry the Chinese language and philosophy to Europe, while introducing Western science and culture to China.

    “It was a two-way bridge of enlightenment,” noted Wu Zhiliang, president of the Macao Federation of Cultural Circles. Their influence went beyond theology — it reached education and cultural identity, he added.

    Another pillar of the historic center is the former residence of Qing Dynasty reformist Zheng Guanying, known as the Mandarin’s House. Nestled in the southwest of the old town, it remains Macao’s largest traditional residential compound. “Here, we feel Lingnan culture firsthand,” Ung said. “Oyster-shell windows speak to southern Chinese traditions, while Western columns and decorative carvings hint at global influence.”

    Within those walls, Zheng penned Words of Warning in Times of Prosperity, an urgent call for political and economic reform at that time. “He shifted from a traditional gentry to an advocate of modernization at this place,” Wu said, noting that “his thinking profoundly influenced a generation.”

    REVITALIZING HISTORIC TREASURE

    Built in the 1800s and opened to the public in 1958, the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library houses over 20,000 classical volumes. Towering ancient trees and the rockery fountain complement each other, cloaking this historic building in a veil of nature. Tang Mei Lin, chief of the department of public library management, Macao SAR government’s cultural affairs bureau (IC), told Xinhua that the library is not only a place for reading and studying, but also a popular spot where many locals come to unwind.

    “We offer unique activities, such as a one-day librarian experience and hands-on workshops in ancient book restoration,” Tang said, noting that it’s a great example of successful revitalization.

    In 2022, the Macao World Heritage Monitoring Center was established, equipping the city with over 170 environmental sensors. “Our teams can conduct real-time checks using mobile apps and analyze data through a centralized platform,” said Ho Cheok Fong, an official of the department of cultural heritage under the IC.

    Revitalization has become a hallmark of Macao’s heritage approach. Events like the 2025 Macao International Parade in March — launched from the Ruins of St. Paul’s — transformed the old streets into vibrant stages. With performers from 15 countries and regions joining local troupes, the event animated cultural dialogues.

    “The parade is more than a spectacle,” said Leong Wai Man, head of the IC, adding that “it creates real connections between local, national, and global cultures.”

    “It’s nice to see a city keeping its old culture and old buildings alive,” Dale Page, a tourist from the United Kingdom, told Xinhua at the Mandarin’s House. Another visitor from the Chinese mainland, Xiao Hui, reflected: “This architectural legacy isn’t just Macao’s treasure but a gift to world heritage.”

    Data showed that as of 11 a.m. on July 8, the number of visitor arrivals in Macao this year has surpassed 20 million — 26 days earlier than last year. The Macao SAR government’s tourism office said that with the summer holiday underway, a variety of events and performances will be held to attract more visitors.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES ON MSNBC: “REPUBLICANS ARE RUNNING SCARED”

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

    Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes where he emphasized that Democrats will continue pushing back on the extremism being unleashed on the American people by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress.

    CHRIS HAYES: Joining me now is House Democratic Leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York. What do you make of all this, Congressman? Like, why are we here and what do you affirmatively want to see happen and the Democratic Caucus want to see happen?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s great to be with you, Chris. At the end of the day, the American people deserve to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth as it relates to this whole Jeffrey Epstein matter. Donald Trump and his MAGA extremist allies have fanned the flames of this conspiracy theory for years. And so there’s only two options at this point. Either Donald Trump, Pam Bondi and that whole crew have been lying to the American people over the last several years about what is actually in the Jeffrey Epstein files or, alternatively, Donald Trump, Pam Bondi and his allies in the Trump administration are hiding something from the American people right now. So we’re determined to get to the bottom of this on behalf of the American people who deserve transparency from their government.

    CHRIS HAYES: Reporter Annie Karni, who was just on in the last block, said that the line from Republicans on the House today—were talking about appointing a special counsel. I wonder if that’s something that you would support or other Democrats would support.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It seems to me that a special counsel is just a diversionary tactic. If the files exist, produce them and produce them now to the American people. The Attorney General mentioned a few weeks ago that the files existed. In fact, she said it was on her desk. And so, all she really needs to do at this point is to release it, as Donald Trump promised that he would do. This is also a situation where what we’ve seen from the Trump administration is a government of the billionaires, by the billionaires and for the billionaires. We saw it during Trump’s inauguration. This One Big Ugly Bill was all about hurting everyday Americans to provide massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors. And now what we see is the possibility that there’s a massive coverup taking place within the Trump administration, because there may be people on the Epstein list, within the Epstein files, that Donald Trump is trying to protect, who happen to be part of his billionaire cabal.

    CHRIS HAYES: There’s—I want to talk about the one, the bill, in a second. But there’s something else happening this week in Congress, and it’s very strange. It’s called this rescission package. Basically, it’s clawing back money that’s already been appropriated. It would decimate public broadcasting in this country, including rural NPR affiliates and rural public radio. I know Democrats are opposed to it, but I want to ask about this technique. It seems like they’ve come up with a strange way to like, pass appropriations with a filibuster majority, where they come to Democrats, work out a bipartisan appropriations deal, and then they come back with a 50-vote threshold in the Senate so that they can kind of take back the money they don’t want. And if that’s the case, then, like, how can anyone do an appropriations deal with these people?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: I completely and totally agree. These people cannot be trusted. And why in the world would we ever enter into a bipartisan negotiation to try to arrive at a spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people if Donald Trump and his administration, at the end of the day, conspiring with MAGA extremists in the House, who are nothing more than a Reckless Rubber Stamp for his extreme agenda, decide that after passing into law a bipartisan spending agreement, they’re just going to come back through this rescission mechanism and undo the parts of that agreement that they don’t like because they want to hurt priorities that are important to Democrats because they’re important to the American people.

    CHRIS HAYES: Have you talked to Senator Schumer? Because ultimately, you know, we avoided a shutdown. Senator said, look, we had to avoid a shutdown. There was a bipartisan spending line set. You in the House took a different tact, but if they do this rescission package, I just can’t. I mean, how could there be some deal in September if they’re just going to do this? Like, have you talked about this with him?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah. And in fact, I think Senator Schumer has made some public statements in this regard, that if they are going to take this approach, it will detonate the possibility of arriving at any bipartisan agreement because we can’t trust that these extremists are operating in good faith. And we’re going to have to do something about this particular vehicle that is being used around rescission, which is a part of the 1974 Budget Control and Impoundment Act, because it’s a backdoor to undermining actual bipartisan agreements.

    CHRIS HAYES: I mean, at the same time, their position is that another part of that Act is totally unconstitutional, and they can impound funds unilaterally. But we’ll put that part aside. On the huge bill that they just passed, I saw Josh Hawley talking about introducing legislation in the Senate to stop Medicaid cuts, having voted for Medicaid cuts—enormous, unprecedented, hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts, talking about how bad Medicaid cuts are, voting for it, now wanting to go back at Medicaid cuts. Would Democrats support some kind of, like, let’s go back and take the Medicaid cuts legislation?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: I mean, Josh Hawley is a complete and total phony at this point. He spent the last few months talking about how devastating these Medicaid cuts would be for the people that he represents in Missouri, and then turned around and actually voted for it. If he wanted to do something about these Medicaid cuts, he actually was the deciding vote, and he could have stopped it, just like Lisa Murkowski could have stopped it. We saw the same thing in the House of Representatives, where many of these so-called moderates who spent months saying they would never vote to cut Medicaid benefits to their constituents, and then they turned around and did exactly that. We’re going to have to get this situation addressed, but we have no faith that Republicans are actually committed to doing it in good faith. This is going to fall to Democrats in the House and the Senate. It’s one of the reasons why the midterm elections are going to be so important.

    CHRIS HAYES: Two quick questions for you before I let you go. One is there’s an announcement that Texas is going to do mid-decade redistricting. They did this under the Bush administration. It’s a violation of the normal norms because they want to, like, juice Republican representation. And they’re going to call a special session. Is there anything Democratic governors can do in large states like New York and California to respond to this?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Republicans are running scared. This is outrageous, that they’re going to attempt to rig the midterm elections by gerrymandering a congressional map in Texas that is already gerrymandered, Chris.

    CHRIS HAYES: Yes it is.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: And so, what’s interesting about this is that this may be what has often been referred to as a dummymander, where as part of the effort to actually steal some more seats, they may make it easier for us because they’re going to shift Democrats into Republican held districts to actually flip some seats currently held by Republican incumbents. In terms of the Governor of California, who has been very vocal on this, and the Governor of New York and other states, it seems to me that all options should be on the table to make sure that we are unilaterally disarming when everything we care about, the economy and healthcare and democracy itself are at stake.

    CHRIS HAYES: Final question quickly. You’re meeting with Zohran Mamdani. You have not endorsed him yet. What do you say to people who say, why are you not endorsing the guy that won the Democratic primary in a contested election in your backyard?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I look forward to sitting down and talking to him. I didn’t get involved in that primary election, and I don’t know him well. We had a very good conversation the day after the primary. We agreed to meet. And so, I’m looking forward to having that discussion on Friday.

    CHRIS HAYES: Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

    Full interview can be watched here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Investments Sector – NZ SUPER FUND STAKEHOLDER UPDATE

    Source: New Zealand Super Fund

    Nelson-Tasman State of Emergency

    NZ Super Fund-owned farms and orchards in the top of the South Island seem to have escaped the worst of the recent weather, with extensive cleaning up required but no significant damage to trees or infrastructure. Our thoughts are with those of our neighbours who have been hit hard by successive storms and heavy rain events over the past few weeks. The FarmRight team has been out in the community helping where it can.

    Kaingaroa Timberlands expands plantation area

    Kaingaroa Timberlands (KT), in which the Guardians has a 42 percent shareholding, recently announced it had bought 9,200 hectares of forestry land from Te Waihou Holdings Ltd.

    Ryan Cavanagh, Chief Executive of KT subsidiary Timberlands, said the transaction underscored KT’s long-term commitment to New Zealand and its confidence in the forestry industry:

    “By expanding our estate, we are not only securing the future of forestry in the Central North Island, we are also positioning ourselves to make further investments in our operations, driving further economic growth and job creation. It will help ensure New Zealand can remain a global leader in responsibly managed forestry.”

    Ryan said the transaction preserves the land’s established role in commercial forestry and supports the South Waikato region’s economic and environmental objectives.

    Select Committee Report tabled

    The Finance & Expenditure Select Committee has presented a report on the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation to Parliament. The Committee’s report draws on our appearance before them on 2 April, and covers topics including performance, tax status, domestic investments, and the Elevate NZ Venture Fund. The full report can be found here.

    Guardians Board Member joins Business Hall of Fame

    Ahead of her induction next month into the NZ Business Hall of Fame, Guardians Board member Hinerangi Raumati talked to the NBR’s Mike McRoberts about the growing influence of kaupapa Māori in corporate New Zealand, and her own efforts to integrate Māori values and perspectives into mainstream boardrooms.

    “There is a certain group dynamic that can happen in a room full of men … just bringing a different lens to things, as well as having a holistic view of the world, is what my approach has always been,” said Hinerangi – referring to a time in her career when she was frequently not only the sole Māori at the decision-making table but also the only woman.

    Hinerangi also told the NBR that while it’s important to recognise what has been achieved, more remains to be done.

    “None of us should sit on our laurels in terms of what we’ve achieved, and we shouldn’t lower our expectations either. Just keep raising the bar on what we’ve done. There’s good things being done in this country … we should all be proud of those things.”

    Go to the Business Hall of Fame website for more information on Hinerangi and the other 2025 laureates; click here to read Mike McRoberts’ full story (paywalled). 

    Super Fund reintroduces buyout strategies

    After stepping back from private market buyouts more than ten years ago, the NZ Super Fund is re-entering the global arena with a commitment of around US$800 million, reports i3Insights’ Florence Chong.

    Doug Bell and Sian Orr from our External Investments & Partnerships team talked to Florence about how this initiative reflects a broader strategy designed to enhance international diversification, leverage specialist external managers, and integrate sustainability and other ESG considerations into the NZ Super Fund’s private markets programme.

    Read the full article here: https://nzsuperfund.cmail20.com/t/d-l-suikyut-hujkdust-o/

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Politics – Farmers welcome halt to new plan changes

    Source: Federated Farmers

    The decision that councils will be stopped from rushing through new restrictive plan changes is welcome news to farmers, Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says.
    “Councils across New Zealand have been continuing to push ahead with new district plans that put farms under restrictive overlays, such as Outstanding Natural Landscapes and Significant Natural Areas.
    “This is despite the fact any plan changes may only have a shelf life of months, given the Government int

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Events – Step Up for Guide Dogs This Winter: Join the PAWGUST Challenge

    Source: Blind Low Vision NZ

    This August, Kiwis are lacing up their walking shoes and joining PAWGUST, a nationwide challenge supporting the guide dogs who help New Zealanders live life without limits.

    Whether you’re walking solo or side-by-side with your dog, PAWGUST invites you to step outside every day in August and help raise vital funds for Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dogs. Participants commit to walking or running a set distance while gathering sponsorship from fri

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Families meet as part of Porirua Hospital Memorial project

    Source: Porirua City Council

    A meeting with family members of those in interred in unmarked graves in Porirua Cemetery attracted more than 50 people, as the Council applies for funding for a fitting memorial.
    The meeting, on 28 June at the cemetery, was spurred to take place by some of the families once it became public that the Council wanted to memorialise more than 1800 former Porirua Hospital patients. Cemeteries manager Daniel Chrisp says it was pleasing that so many people had been in touch about the project.
    “It’s fantastic that we’ve got to this point, having the descendants of those in unmarked graves encouraged to be involved,” he says.
    Chrisp says his team have placed 99 pegs on the unmarked plots at Porirua Cemetery to represent all the families who have contacted the Council.
    “One family member told me at the meeting it was deeply moving to see the markers and being able to photograph where two family members had been interred. These plots represent mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children and other relatives – so it’s important to a lot of people.”
    The Porirua Lunatic Asylum, later Porirua Hospital, opened in 1887. At its height, in the 1960s, it had more than 2000 patients and staff and covered 1000 acres of land, making it one of the largest hospitals in the country.
    By the 1980s, many patients were in community-based care and the hospital was closed in the 1990s.
    As part of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse in care, the Government has set up a fund for headstones for patients buried in unmarked graves throughout the country.
    Council has now submitted an application to this fund for $200,000 to install a fitting memorial that lists every single name known to be in an unmarked grave.
    Chrisp says the public is welcome to head to Porirua Cemetery and view the pegs to see the scale of the project.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 16, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 16, 2025.

    How a drone delivering medicine might just save your life
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Centaine Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland Flystock/Shutterstock Drones can deliver pizza, and maybe one day your online shopping. So why not use them to deliver urgent medicines or other emergency health-care supplies? Trials in Australia and internationally have shown

    Why it’s important young, unemployed Australians get a good job instead of just ‘any’ job
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Churchill, ARC Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Sociology, The University of Melbourne Lightfield Studios/Shutterstock We often hear young people need to get a job – any job – but what if the problem isn’t whether they’re working or not, but the kind of job

    Why do some autistic people walk differently?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Rinehart, Nicole Rinehart, Professor, Clinical Psychology, Director of the Neurodevelopment Program, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people’s brains develop and function, impacting behaviour, communication and socialising. It can also involve

    How to approach going to the cinema like a philosopher
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alain Guillemain, PhD Candidate in Philosophy, Deakin University Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about reality, knowledge, and values. One “does philosophy” when they respond to such questions in ways that engage critical thought and inquiry. Many of us will often respond philosophically to the world

    Australia’s census is getting a stress test – keeping it going is good for everyone
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Allen, Demographer, POLIS Centre for Social Policy Research, Australian National University GoldPanter/Shutterstock The Australian Bureau of Statistics will roll out a large-scale census test next month. About 60,000 households will take part across the country to stress test the bureau’s collection processes and IT systems, ahead

    How safe are the chemicals in sunscreen? A pharmacology expert explains
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide aquaArts studio/Getty Last week, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) released its safety review of seven active ingredients commonly used in sunscreens. It found five were low-risk and appropriate for use in sunscreens at their current concentrations. However, the

    Control fire and ferals in Australia’s tropical savannas to bring the small mammals back
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alyson Stobo-Wilson, Research Adjunct in Conservation Ecology, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Alyson Stobo-Wilson In remote central Arnhem Land, finding a northern brushtail possum is encouraging for the local Indigenous rangers. Though once common, such small native mammals are now rare. Many

    Florida is fronting the $450M cost of Alligator Alcatraz – a legal scholar explains what we still don’t know about the detainees
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Schlakman, Senior Program Director, The Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, Florida State University Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leads a tour of the new Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention facility for President Donald Trump and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

    As house prices drop, will the retirement nest egg still be such a safe bet?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Dale, Research Fellow, the Pensions and Intergenerational Equity (PIE) research hub, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau MonthiraYodtiwong/Getty Images Changes to KiwiSaver, global economic uncertainty and predictions house prices could drop by as much as 20% by 2030 all mean retirement is looking very different to

    Fiji govt offers NZ$1.5m settlement to former anti-corruption head for ruined career
    By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior reporter The Fiji government looks set to pay around NZ$1.5 million in damages to the disgraced former head of the country’s anti-corruption agency FICAC. The state is offering Barbara Malimali an out-of-court settlement after her lawyer lodged a judicial review of her sacking in the High Court in Suva.

    Federal Court rules Australian government doesn’t have a duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Hicks, Lecturer in Law, The University of Melbourne Australian Climate Case The Federal Court has handed down its long-awaited judgement in a four-year climate case brought by Torres Strait Islanders. Elders Uncle Pabai Pabai and Uncle Paul Kabai took the Australian government to court on behalf

    No more card surcharges: what the Reserve Bank’s proposed changes mean for your wallet
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angel Zhong, Professor of Finance, RMIT University That extra 10c on your morning coffee. That $2 surcharge on your taxi ride. The sneaky 1.5% fee when you pay by card at your local restaurant. These could all soon be history. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has

    President Xi Jinping tells Albanese China ready to ‘push the bilateral relationship further’
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Anthony Albanese China stands ready to work with Australia “to push the bilateral relationship further”, in their meeting in Beijing on Tuesday. During the meeting, Albanese raised Australia’s concern about China’s lack of proper

    Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Classical Greece and China dealt with it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny. This may all feel very new to Americans, and to the

    A person in the US has died from pneumonic plague. It’s not just a disease of history
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University Corona Borealis Studio/Shutterstock A person in Arizona has died from the plague, local health officials reported on Friday. This marks the first such death in this region in 18 years. But it’s a stark reminder that this historic

    Supermarket treatments for depression don’t require a prescription. But do they work?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Wardle, Professor of Public Health, Southern Cross University Australians have long been some of the highest users of herbal and nutritional supplements that claim to boost mood or ease depression. These include omega-3s (found in fish oil), St John’s wort, probiotics and vitamin D. In fact,

    Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast Panasevich/Getty Images We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny. This may all feel very new to Americans, and

    After a hopeful start, Labor’s affordable housing fund is proving problematic
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Raynor, Director of the Centre for Equitable Housing, Per Capita and Research Associate, The University of Melbourne When the Albanese government announced the A$10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund in 2023, the news reverberated through the housing sector. A new funding facility to help build 30,000

    The southern hemisphere is full of birds found nowhere else on Earth. Their importance has been overlooked
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthias Dehling, Researcher, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University Matthias Dehling The snow petrel, a strikingly white bird with black eyes and a black bill, is one of only three bird species ever observed at the South Pole. In fact, the Antarctic is the only place on

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: SH76 Brougham Street construction begins

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Work is set to start on major upgrades to State Highway 76 (SH76) Brougham Street in Christchurch that will support economic growth and make it safer and easier for people to move through the city, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

    “Earlier this year the Government confirmed Crown funding for this Road of Regional Significance, and being in Christchurch to turn the first sod today is an exciting step forward,” Mr Bishop says.

    “Congestion and safety on SH76 Brougham Street have been issues of concern for Christchurch for some time now. Projects like this one are being prioritised by this Government because they’ll significantly improve how people, vehicles and freight get from A to B, and because of the flow-on productivity benefits to the wider roading network and our economy.

    “SH76 Brougham Street is one of Christchurch’s busiest streets. It carries more than 45,000 vehicles per day, and it also serves as the main freight route to the South Island’s largest port at Lyttelton. 

    “There are also several schools and a retirement home close by, so the first stage of the project will focus on a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over Brougham Street at Collins Street and Simeon Street. This bridge will provide a safe crossing for kids getting to and from school, and for people with impaired mobility.

    “Fulton Hogan will deliver the first stage of the project, with the bridge expected to be completed in about two years. 

    “The second stage of the upgrades will include improved traffic signals, T2 lanes (for vehicles with two or more occupants), new signalised crossings, and a shared path along the south side of Brougham Street. 

    “The Brougham Street upgrades are great example of the Government’s drive to deliver transport projects that will make a real difference for New Zealanders.”

    Notes to editors:

    • Cabinet has confirmed funding for the SH76 Brougham Street upgrades to be a drawn down from the tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2024 to enable NZTA to bring forward priority projects that would otherwise be phased to begin from 2027 onwards.
    • Further detail about the planned SH76 upgrades can be viewed at: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh76-brougham-street-upgrade/  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Leading Mainland sports drinks brand uses Hong Kong as regional headquarters to go global (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced today (July 16) that a renowned Mainland sports drinks brand, Jianlibao, has chosen Hong Kong as its regional headquarters, leveraging the city’s role as an international business hub and a gateway to overseas markets to expand globally.

    Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau welcomed Jianlibao’s decision. He said, “We are happy to see that Jianlibao has established its regional headquarters in Hong Kong. It not only highlights the city’s unique advantages as a global business hub but also reinforces our position as a preferred destination for Mainland enterprises looking to expand internationally. Hong Kong has a sound legal system, world-class infrastructure and a vibrant business environment, which are conducive to Jianlibao’s strategy of expanding its global business.”

    Jianlibao has been actively expanding its business in Hong Kong since its establishment in the city in 2024. The company has recently installed over 50 vending machines across various districts, including Central, Tai Po, and Hung Hom, making its healthy beverages easily accessible to visiting tourists, local families, and transit passengers. The company also supports local sports initiatives by sponsoring local sports team and events.

    The Vice Chairman of Jianlibao Group, Mr Yeung Wan-chung, said the decision to set up its regional headquarters in Hong Kong is a strategic move by the company to expand its global footprint. He said, “We chose Hong Kong as our regional headquarters because of its unparalleled access to international markets and its reputation as a global financial and logistics hub.”

    The Director of Jianlibao Asia, Mr Larry Yeung, explained, “Hong Kong’s strategic location, coupled with its dynamic business environment, provides us with an ideal platform to accelerate our global expansion. We are confident that this move will enable us to reach new markets and strengthen our brand presence worldwide.”

    He added, “We plan to launch a new product series in Hong Kong to increase our exposure in the market. We are now actively preparing to enter the Southeast Asian market, with Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam as the first stops, and to expand our business to Australia, Canada and the United States to enhance our market presence.”

    For more information about Jianlibao, please visit www.jianlibao.com.cn.

    For a copy of the photos, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720327571249.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 516

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL6

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 516
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    840 PM CDT Tue Jul 15 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Western Iowa
    Extreme north central Kansas
    Extreme southwest Minnesota
    Eastern Nebraska

    * Effective this Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from 840 PM
    until 300 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…A line of storms will continue spread east-southeastward
    through the overnight hours with the potential to produce occasional
    severe outflow gusts of 60-70 mph and isolated large hail near 1
    inch diameter.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 50
    statute miles east and west of a line from 15 miles west northwest
    of Worthington MN to 40 miles west southwest of Beatrice NE. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 513…WW 514…WW 515…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean storm motion vector
    30030.

    …Thompson

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW6
    WW 516 SEVERE TSTM IA KS MN NE 160140Z – 160800Z
    AXIS..50 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    15WNW OTG/WORTHINGTON MN/ – 40WSW BIE/BEATRICE NE/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 45NM E/W /40E FSD – 57W PWE/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 550. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 30030.

    LAT…LON 43739486 40069650 40069839 43739686

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU6.

    Watch 516 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (10%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low ( 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (10%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    Mod (60%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Charges – Domestic violence – Palmerston and Surrounds

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a 42-year-old male in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred at two separate locations on Friday afternoon, 11 July 2025.

    On Saturday 12 July 2025, police received reports from a female who alleged to have been physically and sexually assaulted at a private residence on Friday afternoon by a male ex-partner.  

    It is reported that shortly after, the female was physically assaulted in a gravelled area adjacent to the outbound lanes on Stuart Highway in Howard Springs. The area is commonly known as a location where used cars are parked with sale information displayed. The incident is alleged to have occurred nearby a white Toyota sedan and a white Hyundai Getz.

    General Duties members provided initial response, prior to investigations being commenced by the Northern Domestic Violence Investigation Unit. The alleged offender was arrested on Monday 14 July 2025 and he has since been charged with:

    •          Attempted Sexual Intercourse Without Consent

    •          Gross indecency without consent

    •          Indecent touching or act

    •          Deprive a person of personal liberty

    •          Aggravated assault

    •          Choking, strangling or suffocating

    He was remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court today.

    Anyone who has information in relation to this incident is urged to make contact with police on 131 444. 

    Investigators are particularly appealing to anyone who saw anything in the Howard Springs area described above, between 3:30pm and 4:00pm on Friday 11 July 2025.

    If you have dashcam or other footage from the area at the time, it can be uploaded here: https://ntpol.au.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/ntp2500070648 or via the QR code below.

    If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    This week I will join international counterparts for the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings in Durban, South Africa.

    There could not be a more important time for G20 nations to work together and for Australia to be part of that collective effort.

    Australia is a big believer in these multinational opportunities and a big beneficiary of global economic cooperation and free and open markets.

    We engage enthusiastically with the world in the interests of Australian workers, industries and our economy.

    Subdued global growth, extreme uncertainty and fragmentation demands more engagement, more collaboration and more resilience and that’s what guides our strategy.

    Together we are navigating a world where volatility, uncertainty and unpredictability are now the norm, not the exception.

    Conflict in the Middle East and Eastern Europe and escalating trade tensions pose substantial threats to the international economic outlook.

    My priorities at these meetings are strengthening ties, bolstering supply chains and capital flows, and making the most of the global net zero opportunity.

    I will also engage with G7+ countries on critical minerals, and meet individually with six of my international counterparts, including:

    • Indonesian Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati
    • Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Katō
    • Canadian Minister of Finance François‑Philippe Champagne (our first in‑person meeting after a productive phone call last month)
    • United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves
    • South African Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana
    • German Vice‑Chancellor and Minister of Finance Lars Klingbeil (our first meeting)

    The Australian economy is not immune from global uncertainty but we are well‑placed and well‑prepared to face the challenges ahead.

    Inflation has moderated in a substantial and sustained way, unemployment remains near historic lows, real wages are growing again, and we’ve delivered the biggest nominal budget turnaround in our history.

    Last year, Australia was one of only two G20 nations to achieve the trifecta of continuous growth, inflation with a 2 in front of it and unemployment in the low 4s.

    Under Labor, our budget position has gone from the fifth‑weakest to the fifth‑strongest among G20 nations and our debt is now the fifth‑lowest.

    Our international engagement recognises that the global economic environment will be the main factor shaping the choices we make in our second term of government.

    These meetings will provide important perspectives on the global outlook and help us to make further progress at home and with our key international partners.

    MIL OSI News –