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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brighton Man Sentenced To 90 Months In Connection With Gun Incident That Injured Bystander At Gaylord Hotel

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Sonny Perez, age 33, of Brighton, was sentenced to 90 months in prison, and four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

    According to the plea agreement, on May 29, 2023, Perez was at the Gaylord Hotel in Aurora to sell methamphetamine. According to security footage, when Perez exited the hotel, he had his right hand in his pants pocket. Individuals outside the hotel reported hearing a loud sound and seeing a bystander with blood dripping down his leg. That person received medical treatment for a gunshot wound to the leg. Investigators traced Perez to his home, where they found narcotics, evidence of drug distribution, and ammunition. Perez has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing ammunition.

    “Felons should be on notice—they will face long sentences if they continue to arm themselves,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “I thank our partners for joining us in the fight to keep guns and ammunition out of the hands of felons and drugs off our streets.”

    “Violent, illegally-armed, drug-trafficking felons present a persistent and serious danger to innocent citizens everywhere,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “ATF, in close partnership with the Aurora Police Department and the RAVEN Task Force, relentlessly pursue these violent criminals every day with the full force of local, state, and federal law enforcement resources.”

    “I am grateful for the swift actions of our officers and detectives that led to the arrest of the suspect just two days after the initial shooting,” said Aurora Police Investigations Divisions Chief Mark Hildebrand. “This outcome reflects our agency’s commitment to public safety and our determination to hold those who endanger our community accountable.”

    “This case exemplifies the commitment of the RAVEN Task Force, it’s member agencies, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold those who commit gun violence accountable. RAVEN is at work every day to protect our communities,” said Lieutenant DJ Tisdale, RAVEN Task Force Commander.

    Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing. The ATF, the RAVEN Task Force, and the Aurora Police Department handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Celeste Rangel and Brian Dunn handled the prosecution.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Case Number: 1:23-cr-00334-RMR-1

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Changes to Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is continuing to stabilise the immigration system by tightening the Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa (MEPV).

    “Despite New Zealand being internationally regarded as a safe, fair and highly attractive place to work, we are not immune to migrant exploitation. This is unacceptable,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.

    “The MEPV supports migrants to leave exploitative situations quickly while remaining lawfully in New Zealand. It also provides them the chance to find new work. However, the current criteria is too broad and risks prolonging the time migrants remain in a vulnerable position.

    “These settings need to be balanced to ensure they provide the ability for migrants to leave exploitative employment.”

    From 31 October, the visa will:

    • Continue to provide open work rights provided for a six-month duration
    • Update the definition of migrant exploitation to specify exploitation must be linked to a genuine employment relationship
    • Exclude lawful employment terminations, redundancies, and non-payment of final wages due to liquidation, except in cases where this has occurred alongside other exploitative behaviour or has not followed legal process

    The ability to apply for a second MEPV for a further six months will also be removed. A two-week transitional period will allow those currently holding an MEPV expiring on or before 30 November to be granted a second MEPV if they wish to do so.

    “This ensures migrants have adequate time to find further work or arrange their affairs and depart New Zealand. They also reduce the prospect of migrants being in financially precarious and vulnerable situations, and the risk of future exploitation.

    “This alongside introducing an English language requirement and a minimum skills or experience threshold to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), signals this Government’s commitment to reducing the opportunity for migrant exploitation,” Ms Stanford says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: The Wall Street Journal Sounds the Alarm on Harris-Biden Administration For $5 Billion Election Year Prescription Drug Bribe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    “Democrats failed to appreciate that there’s no such thing as a free entitlement expansion.”
    Washington, D.C. – The Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Board recently published a piece titled, “A Medicare Election Bribe for Seniors.” In the piece, the Editorial Board exposes a new Harris-Biden Administration subsidy for large insurance companies as a deficit-busting, cynical attempt at influencing American seniors ahead of the November election. 

    You may click HERE or on the image above to read the Editorial Board’s take on this Harris-Biden Administration policy.
    Topline takeaways from the article: 

    The Biden-Harris Administration “announced lower Medicare prescription drug premiums, which will naturally be paid for by taxpayers.”
    “The political irony is that Biden officials are increasing subsidies to insurers they otherwise vilify to mitigate pre-election harm from the Inflation Reduction Act.”
    “CMS uses a complicated formula to subsidize premiums, but healthcare analysts projected that premiums would rise by hundreds of dollars.”
    “Insurers projected that Part D premiums would balloon next year, when the $2,000 cap and other freebies kick in. Providing basic Part D benefits next year is estimated to cost $179.45 a month on average, up from $64.28 this year and $34.71 in 2023, according to CMS.”
    “Some insurers warned they might exit the market to avoid losing money. Seniors are notified of the premium spikes before open enrollment begins in mid-October. Talk about a surprise bill.”

    The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates this plan would cost taxpayers an extra $5 billion next year alone. You may click HERE to read CBO’s analysis of this policy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the Minister for Digital Development and Information and Minister-in-charge of Smart Nation and Cybersecurity of Singapore over breakfast

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, had a breakfast meeting with H.E. Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information and Minister-in-charge of Smart Nation and Cybersecurity of Singapore and the host of the 9th ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity. They exchanged views on the ASEAN Digital economy and digital transformation agenda, including key initiatives on cybersecurity, among others.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the Minister for Digital Development and Information and Minister-in-charge of Smart Nation and Cybersecurity of Singapore over breakfast appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bienville Parish Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Crack Cocaine and a Firearm and Ammunition

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Martino Antwion Hill, 42, of Ringgold, Louisiana, was sentenced today for illegal possession of narcotics and a firearm and ammunition.  United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Hill to 156 months (13 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. 

    On February 25, 2022, deputies with the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office observed Hill and another individual standing outside of a vehicle which they believed had been driven by Hill. Deputies were aware that Hill had several active felony warrants and approached the vehicle. As law enforcement officers approached, Hill began to walk away from the vehicle and refused to follow the commands of officers to stop as they approached. Hill resisted arrest and the officers took him into custody. They searched his person and discovered over $5,000 in cash and approximately 11.32 grams of crack cocaine. A search of his vehicle was conducted, and officers discovered a Ruger model 5.7, caliber 5.728 firearm and ammunition on the rear seat of the vehicle.

    Hill has previous felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance on two occasions and possession of a firearm by a felon. He admitted that he was a convicted felon at the time of this offense and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. 

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Presents Stone on Behalf of President Biden at the Cathedral of the Pines Peace Memorial

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Rindge, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) delivered remarks and read a letter from President Joe Biden before presenting a stone from the President’s home state of Delaware to the Cathedral of the Pines. The Cathedral of the Pines is an interfaith memorial dedicated to the memory and honor of all Americans who serve the nation in search of peace. Photos from today’s event can be found here.

    “Including stones representing nearly every president going back to Harry Truman, the Cathedral of the Pines’ Altar of the Nation is a powerful memorial to those who have died fighting for peace,” said Senator Shaheen. “Today in Rindge, I was delighted to help keep this special tradition going by presenting a stone on behalf of President Biden from his home state of Delaware.”

    In May of 2016, Shaheen presented a stone from Pearl Harbor on behalf of former President Barack Obama to the memorial. It is a longstanding tradition for stones to be placed in the Altar of the Nation, a Congressionally recognized memorial to all American war dead, which includes stones from nearly every president going back to Harry Truman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ex-Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro Garcia Luna Sentenced to Over 38 Years’ Imprisonment

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Former Highest Ranking Law Enforcement Official in Mexico Took Millions of Dollars in Bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel and Enabled Transportation of More Than One Million Kilograms of Cocaine to the United States

    Genaro Garcia Luna, the former Secretary of Public Security in Mexico from 2006 to 2012, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 460 months’ imprisonment and a $2 million fine for his decade-long assistance to the Sinaloa Cartel in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes.  Following a four-week trial in February 2023, Garcia Luna was convicted by a jury of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, international cocaine distribution conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine and making false statements.

    Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Anne Milgram, Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Katrina W. Berger, Executive Associate Director, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the verdict.

    “Today’s sentencing of Genaro Garcia Luna is a critical step in upholding justice and the rule of law.  His betrayal of the public trust and the people he was sworn to protect resulted in more than one million kilograms of lethal narcotics imported into our communities and unleashed untold violence here and in Mexico. This sentence sends a strong message that no one, regardless of their position or influence, is above the law.” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “After years of destructive narcotrafficking and deceit, Garcia Luna will spend nearly 40 years where he belongs: federal prison.”

    “Today’s sentencing of Mexico’s former Secretary of Public Security, Genaro Garcia Luna, sends a clear message to corrupt leaders around the world who use their positions of power to help the cartels: no amount of power will shield you from justice,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Garcia Luna accepted millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel to allow millions of kilograms of cocaine to flood the streets of the United States.  Instead of protecting the citizens of Mexico, Garcia Luna was protecting drug cartels.  The DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue drug trafficking organizations and those who protect them.”

    “Today’s sentencing sends a powerful message that no one is above the law,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger. “HSI continues its partnered commitment to disrupting and dismantling the criminal networks responsible for bringing deadly narcotics into the U.S.”

    As proven at trial, from 2006 to 2012, Garcia Luna was Mexico’s top law enforcement official, serving as Secretary of Public Security and, in that capacity, controlled Mexico’s Federal Police Force.  Previously, from 2001 to 2005, the defendant was the head of Mexico’s Federal Investigative Agency (AFI).  The defendant used his official positions to assist the violent Sinaloa Cartel (the Cartel) in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes.  Garcia Luna’s conduct included facilitating safe passage of the Cartel’s drug shipments, providing sensitive law enforcement information about investigations into the Cartel and helping the Cartel attack rival drug cartels, thereby facilitating the importation of multi‑ton quantities of cocaine and other drugs into the United States.

    In exchange for bribes, the defendant’s Federal Police Force acted as bodyguards and escorts for the Cartel, allowing Cartel members to wear police uniforms and badges and helping to unload shipments of cocaine from planes at Mexico City’s airport, then delivering the cocaine to the Cartel. The defendant was paid in U.S. currency, stuffed variously in suitcases, briefcases and duffel bags.  The bribe amounts increased over the years as the Sinaloa Cartel grew in size and power through the assistance of the defendant.   Former members of the Cartel testified that bribe money was handed off to the defendant in a variety of locations, including at a “safe house” located in Mexico City where large amounts of cash were hidden in a false wall, at a car wash in Guadalajara and at a French restaurant in Mexico City across the street from the U.S. Embassy.  Further, in exchange for the millions of dollars in bribes, the defendant’s Federal Police Force leaked sensitive information that enabled the Cartel to evade detection by law enforcement or use the information in attacks on rival traffickers.  Finally, after moving to the United States in 2012, Garcia Luna submitted an application for naturalization in 2018, in which he lied about his past criminal conduct on behalf of the Cartel in an attempt to become a U.S. citizen.

    In connection with post-trial proceedings, the Court also found that, while he was awaiting sentencing, Garcia Luna obstructed justice when he sought to bribe fellow inmates to provide false testimony in an attempt to overturn the jury’s verdict.

    The investigation was led by the New York Strike Force, a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state and local law enforcement agencies supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.  The Strike Force is based at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, United States Marshals Service, New York National Guard, Clarkstown Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Washington Police Department and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

    HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force (EDTF) played an important role in this investigation. The EDTF is comprised of more than 200 law enforcement personnel representing approximately thirty-five (35) federal, state, and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies, including the DEA.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy, Erin Reid, Ryan C. Harris, Philip Pilmar and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Huda Abouchaer and Melissa Bennett.

    The Defendant:

    GENARO GARCIA LUNA
    Age:  56
    Miami, Florida

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-576 (S-1) (BMC)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Full Text: Remarks by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

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

    Full Text: Remarks by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

    ISLAMABAD, Oct. 17 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday delivered a speech at the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

    The following is the full text of the speech:

    Remarks by H.E. Li Qiang

    Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China

    At the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of

    Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

    Islamabad, October 16, 2024

    Your Excellency Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,

    Colleagues,

    It is a great pleasure to meet you in Islamabad, the beautiful “city of gardens.” At the outset, I wish to express my appreciation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the government of Pakistan for your meticulous preparations and thoughtful arrangements for this meeting. I welcome Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko of Belarus, a new member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

    Over the past year, governments of the member states of the SCO have actively responded to and implemented the common understandings of the Council of Heads of State, carried out solid cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, security and people-to-people exchanges, reached dozens of cooperation documents, and formulated more than 10 reform measures. Fruitful outcomes have been achieved. The member states have forged ahead steadily and side by side on a collective journey to promote security and development. Unlike most international organizations, the SCO has both a Council of Heads of State and a Council of Heads of Government. As it happens, the specific institutional design, with the Council of Heads of State drawing up the blueprint and the Council of Heads of Government focusing on implementation, has been effective, practical and efficient, and has made the SCO an important platform for maintaining peace and stability in the region and promoting development and prosperity of nations.

    At the Astana Summit held last July, President Xi Jinping and fellow leaders of member states reached important understandings on jointly building a common home of the SCO featuring solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice. This endeavor to build a common home is driven by the values we all share; it focuses on the tough issues we all face, and will help create a future we all desire. In my view, this common vision entails efforts in the following five aspects:

    First, efforts to build an even more solid political foundation. The fundamental reason why the SCO has stayed vibrant since its inception is that we have upheld the Shanghai Spirit, a vital political consensus, and endeavored to be trustworthy and reliable partners for each other. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, SCO cooperation in various fields will move forward steadily as long as the Shanghai Spirit remains entrenched.

    Second, efforts to provide more reliable security safeguards. As we speak, geopolitical conflicts, power politics and acts of bullying continue to undermine regional peace and stability, while on such fronts as cyber security and biosecurity, new threats and new challenges continue to emerge. No country is immune, and the only true security is security for all. Only by further improving the mechanisms and tools to tackle threats and challenges can we provide better safeguards for common development.

    Third, efforts to foster closer economic bonds. The SCO’s continuous expansion of membership in recent years has created more notable economic complementarity among member states. By deepening our economic ties, resisting external attempts of pulling us apart, and tapping into and pooling our respective strengths in resources, market and industries, we will be able to foster even stronger synergy for development.

    Fourth, efforts to cultivate stronger emotional bonds. Our region is home to diverse and splendid civilizations, where different nations and cultures have interacted and converged with each other throughout the course of history and coexisted in harmony. This has been the source of popular support for cooperation among SCO member states. We need to further promote mutual learning among civilizations and cultural exchanges so as to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people of SCO member states.

    Fifth, efforts to boost coordination in multilateral fora. Embracing 26 countries from three continents, the SCO family is a constructive force that carries important global influence. With our commitment to the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and our enhanced communication and coordinated actions, SCO member states will better rally the developing world in promoting a more just and equitable global order.

    As president of the SCO for 2024-2025, China has introduced “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move” as our slogan. The goal is to engender effective actions among ourselves to deliver on the agreement of our heads of state and realize the vision of building a common home featuring solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice. In this connection, China proposes the following four points.

    First, enhancing strategic synergy for our shared purpose. Pursuing peaceful development is the abiding purpose of the SCO. We should stay grounded in the fundamental and long-term interests of the region, bear in mind the big picture and keep external disruptions at bay. Our best efforts must be directed toward mapping out the SCO’s development strategy for the next decade and drawing up roadmaps for cooperation in various areas. Member states should step up strategic communication, bridge differences and boost mutual trust through dialogue, and pool strengths for unity.

    Second, expanding practical cooperation in line with development needs. The year 2025 will be the SCO Year of Sustainable Development. China stands ready to deepen cooperation with all sides in poverty reduction, digital economy and green development, to generate sustained momentum for development. We should continue to draw impetus from openness and cooperation, boost the region’s trade and investment facilitation and connectivity, and maintain stable and smooth industrial and supply chains. Active efforts should be made to establish an SCO development bank in order to provide financing support for countries in their pursuit of development.

    Third, proactively addressing major risks. Our region continues to face grave security issues. The fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism remains a long-term, arduous task, and various challenges lie ahead in such areas as safeguarding information security and combating transnational organized crime. China stands ready to work with all sides to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint operations, move faster to build a universal center to address the challenges and threats to the security of SCO member states and the Anti-Drug Center, and strive for major outcomes at next year’s summit, so that we can put in place new platforms and a new architecture for regional security cooperation.

    Fourth, expanding people-to-people exchange to meet popular expectations. We should fully leverage the role of the SCO Committee on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, develop an effective SCO digital education alliance, organize excellent events under our flagship programs such as the Forum on People-to-People Friendship and the Forum on Friendship Cities, the Forum on Women, and the Art Exhibition of Young Artists, and increase our peoples’ participation and sense of fulfillment, to keep people-to-people friendship strong for generations to come.

    Colleagues,

    As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “Those who take real actions are more likely to succeed, and those who hit the road are more likely to reach the destination.” Let’s continue to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, pull together, and take practical and determined steps. Let’s get on the move to deliver on our responsibility, build prosperity and usher in a better future for our common home.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Secures Additional Direct Flight to Las Vegas, Boosting Local Tourism Economy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    LAS VEGAS, NV – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced that she has secured a new direct flight to Las Vegas, helping bring more visitors and boost the local tourism economy. Following a Rosen-led letter of support, the Department of Transportation has awarded Southwest Airlines a direct flight between Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).
    “Travel and tourism are critical for the Las Vegas economy, which is why I’ve been working to increase transportation options and bring more visitors to our city. I’m proud to announce that I helped secure a new direct flight route to Las Vegas from Ronald Reagan National Airport,” said Senator Rosen. “The addition of this flight will bolster Nevada’s travel and tourism economy that sustains thousands of good-paying jobs.”
    Senator Rosen has been a leader in working across party lines to support Nevada’s travel and tourism industry. Last year, she officially announced $3 billion in funding she secured for the historic Brightline West high-speed rail project that will serve Las Vegas and Southern California. As a lead author of the airports section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Rosen helped create the Airport Terminal Program to provide funding to help airports expand and rebuild their terminals. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen and Senator Cortez Masto announced nearly $28 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for improvements at Harry Reid International Airport. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Autumn harvest in Linhe District of Bayannur, N China

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

    Autumn harvest in Linhe District of Bayannur, N China

    Updated: October 17, 2024 10:12 Xinhua
    A farmer drives a harvester to harvest sunflower seeds in a field in Linhe District of Bayannur, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 15, 2024.  [Photo/Xinhua]
    A farmer airs chili peppers in a field in Urad Front Banner of Bayannur, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 15, 2024 shows farmers airing chili peppers in a field in Linhe District of Bayannur, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows farmers airing chili peppers in a field in Urad Front Banner of Bayannur, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows a farmer harvesting corns in a field in Urad Front Banner of Bayannur, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Farmers air chili peppers in a field in Linhe District of Bayannur, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Farmers air chili peppers in a field in Linhe District of Bayannur, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows farmers airing chili peppers in a field in Urad Front Banner of Bayannur, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2024 China Toy Expo kicks off in Shanghai

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

    2024 China Toy Expo kicks off in Shanghai

    Updated: October 17, 2024 10:15 Xinhua
    Staff of an exhibitor promote their products through live-streaming during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. The three-day 2024 China Toy Expo kicked off at Shanghai New International Expo Centre Wednesday, attracting more than 2,500 companies of the toy industry from home and abroad. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor walks past a car model display cabinet during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors are seen at the exhibition booth of a jigsaw enterprise during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member (2nd R) of an exhibitor introduces their products to customers during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors are seen at the exhibition booth of a wood toy enterprise during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor touches a stuffed squirrel toy during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors play an educational board game during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors look at miniatures displayed during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese agricultural scientists win FAO Achievement Award

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Qu Dongyu (R), director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), presents the FAO Achievement Award to the Institute of Plant Protection of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPPCAAS) at a ceremony to mark the World Food Day in Rome, Italy, on Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The Institute of Plant Protection of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPPCAAS) was awarded the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Achievement Award Wednesday at a ceremony held by the FAO to mark the 44th World Food Day in Rome, Italy.

    FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu presented the prestigious FAO Achievement Award to the IPPCAAS and described their groundbreaking work in combating the Fall Armyworm as having a profound impact in China, across Asia, and globally, making significant strides in protecting crops and securing food supplies.

    This year’s World Food Day, with the theme “Right to foods for a better life and a better future,” aims to raise global awareness about the right to foods and advocates for transforming agrifood systems to support peaceful, resilient, and inclusive livelihoods for all.

    According to the FAO, around 730 million people are currently facing hunger, and over 2.8 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. This means that even if their calorie intake is sufficient, they may not be receiving the necessary nutrients and dietary diversity to maintain good health.

    In his address, Qu called for renewed “commitment to building more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems that can nourish the world,” saying, “There is no time to lose; we must take immediate action.”

    In a video message, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that a zero-hunger world was possible, but “food systems need a massive transformation,” to become more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

    As part of the World Food Day celebrations, a World Food Forum event is being held at FAO headquarters from Oct. 14 to 18.

    The FAO Award for Achievement is awarded every two years to honor an entity or individual for outstanding technical cooperation or humanitarian work in the fields of sustainable agriculture, rural development, or food security at the country level.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Raumati rebuild coming for State Highway 1

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    The state highway summer maintenance season will be making its mark on the Kāpiti Coast next month.

    The Raumati Straights on State Highway 1, north of Mackays crossing, will undergo significant improvements from Sunday, 3 November, until early December.

    The work is funded from a $278 million investment in Wellington’s state highways in the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme. $162 million will be invested in maintaining state highway assets, and another $116 million is ringfenced for state highway pothole prevention.

    Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Transport Alliance Manager, says the Raumati Straights rebuild is critical, given this section of the highway carries over 20,000 vehicles daily.

    “The road is in poor condition and needs attention. We will rebuild two kilometres of the left northbound lane. This will make people’s journeys smoother and safer.”

    Ms Hilliard says a rebuild of this size and duration means some traffic delays are likely.

    “However, the investment we are making now will mean less maintenance and fewer repairs in the future.”

    Ms Hilliard says road crews will do their best to minimise disruption as much as possible.

    “This is why we are doing the work at night when traffic volumes are lower and will keep a single northbound lane open. Southbound lanes will be open as normal.”

    “During the day, both northbound lanes will be open but under a temporary speed limit. This protects the road work site, keeps drivers safe, and prevents vehicle damage. So, drivers must obey the speed limits and traffic management in place,” Ms Hilliard says.

    Works schedule and location:

    • Sunday, 3 November to Thursday, 6 December. Sunday to Thursday nights, 9 pm to 4:30 am (these works are weather-dependent, and schedules may change)
    • SH1 Raumati Straights between the Paekākāriki interchange and Raumati South
    • Northbound will be down to one lane at night under a temporary speed limit
    • During the day, both northbound lanes will be open under a temporary speed limit.
    • The southbound lanes will be open at all times
    • Traffic management will be set up from 8pm, so drivers may experience delays from then. Two lanes will be open again by 5.30am

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Nearly 400 Palestinians killed, 1,500 injured in Gaza in one week

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Palestinians mourn over victims killed by the Israeli army in the refugee camp of Jabalia, at a hospital in Gaza City, on Oct. 11, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    In just one week, nearly 400 Palestinians have reportedly been killed and almost 1,500 injured in Gaza, said Joyce Msuya, the UN acting under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, on Wednesday.

    Briefing the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Msuya said the people of Gaza have suffered multiple mass casualty incidents due to Israeli airstrikes since her last briefing on Oct. 9.

    “The world has seen the images of patients and displaced persons, sheltering near Al Aqsa hospital, burning alive,” she said, adding that scores of others, including women and children, are suffering the excruciating pain of severe lifechanging burns.

    “If such horror does not awaken our sense of humanity and propel us to action, what will?” Msuya asked.

    She said Israel’s military offensive is intensifying in the north, and since the beginning of October, it’s estimated that over 55,000 people have been displaced from the Jabaliya area, while others remain stranded in their homes with water and food running out.

    “For the 155,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza, it is an exhausting and traumatizing experience, not knowing where and how to give birth, or whether their child will survive,” said Msuya.

    She noted that from Oct. 2 to 15, no food aid entered northern Gaza with “a trickle” allowed in, and all essential supplies for survival are running out.

    “Given the abject conditions and intolerable suffering in north Gaza, the fact that humanitarian access is nearly non-existent is unconscionable,” she said.

    Msuya said that during the first two weeks of October, just one out of 54 coordinated movements to the north via the Al Rashid checkpoint was facilitated by Israeli authorities, while another four were impeded but eventually accomplished. Eighty-five percent of the movements were denied, and the rest were impeded or canceled, due to security or logistical issues.

    “Every time a mission is impeded, the lives of people in need and humanitarians on the ground are put at even greater risk,” she said.

    “The level of suffering in Gaza defies our ability to capture it in words, or even to comprehend its scale,” said the senior UN official, adding that “international humanitarian law must be respected and this council, and all member states, must exert all their influence to ensure it.”

    The representative of Algeria, who requested the meeting, expressed alarm about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.

    He noted that a few trucks of aid were distributed in northern Gaza on Tuesday, but failed to reach Jabalia, which remains under siege. “Let me be crystal clear: a military siege that deprives civilians of essential means of survival is not just unacceptable. It is a war crime,” he stated.

    Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer for the State of Palestine to the United Nations, said that in the face of the “monstrosity” unfolding in northern Gaza, “silence and inaction are not an option.”

    Noting that the Palestinian and Lebanese people are paying the price for Israel’s impunity, he said that in northern Gaza, 400,000 besieged, starved, and bombed Palestinians are being subjected to the so-called General Plan, according to which any Palestinian remaining in the north is considered a legitimate military target. “That is not war. These are crimes. They must be stopped. And they must be stopped now.”

    Mansour called on the Security Council to “fight back with the tools provided by the (UN) Charter and by the law to combat those who are obliterating the Charter and the law,” stressing, “It is time to act. Anything else is complicity and surrender.”

    In his remarks, Israel’s representative detailed recent attacks against his country. He said that although “101 human beings have been tormented by Hamas terrorists in their terror dungeons,” Security Council members barely mentioned the hostages or did so as an afterthought.

    He asserted that Israel and its humanitarian partners have “flooded” Gaza with humanitarian aid, and Hamas has “hijacked” aid and “weaponized” the humanitarian situation.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Zelensky unveils Ukraine’s ‘victory plan’

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday presented to parliament his “victory plan,” outlining Ukraine’s strategy in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

    “If we begin implementing this Victory Plan now, we could end the war no later than the next year,” Zelensky was quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying.

    Zelensky said the five-point plan covers geopolitical, military, economic, and security goals, emphasizing that inviting Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the “near future” is its key element.

    Other proposals include lifting the current restrictions hindering Ukraine from using long-range Western weapons on targets inside Russia and placing a comprehensive non-nuclear strategic deterrence package in Ukraine, Zelensky said.

    He also said the document envisages that Ukraine will jointly protect, use and invest in its critical resources with partners.

    Besides, Kiev stands ready to replace U.S. military contingents in Europe with Ukrainian units after the end of the conflict, according to the plan, which also contains three classified annexes.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: EU nations in UNIFIL agree to exert ‘utmost’ pressure on Israel

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo shows the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) during their patrol in Marjeyoun, Lebanon, on May 26, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Sixteen countries of the European Union (EU) contributing troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have agreed to increase political and diplomatic pressure on Israel to avoid further incidents involving the mission.

    This decision was reached after a videoconference led by Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu on Wednesday, amidst escalating clashes between the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

    The videoconference involved key EU nations, including Ireland, Germany, Spain, Austria, and Greece, among others.

    These countries collectively condemned attacks on UNIFIL bases, which have endangered the safety of the mission’s over 10,000 personnel coming from 48 countries, and urged Israel to take preventive measures to ensure no more such incidents occur.

    The Italian defense ministry said in a statement that a key conclusion of the meeting was “the shared will to exert utmost political and diplomatic pressure on Israel, so that no further incidents occur.” Meanwhile, the statement also stressed that Hezbollah cannot use UNIFIL personnel as a shield in the context of the conflict.

    The call followed a series of IDF strikes on UNIFIL positions in southern Lebanon since Oct. 9, which resulted in injuries to several peacekeepers.

    Although Israel had asked UNIFIL to withdraw its troops within 5 km of the Israeli-Lebanese border, which would mean leaving all UNIFIL positions in south Lebanon, all countries contributing to the mission declined.

    On Wednesday, the EU countries reiterated their commitment to maintaining a stable UNIFIL presence in the region and asserted that any changes to the mission’s future should be decided collectively by the UN.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Multiple entry visa allowed for expats from two SARs

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Starting Wednesday, foreign residents living in Hong Kong and Macao can apply for multiple-entry visas to the Chinese mainland with a validity period of up to five years by following a simplified procedure, according to the central government.
    The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced on Wednesday that non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents and non-Chinese Hong Kong residents who are traveling to the mainland for tourism, business, family visits or cultural and academic exchanges can apply for a visa valid for up to five years, which will allow them to stay on the mainland for up to 180 days.
    Under the new arrangement, applicants are not required to provide proof of round-trip tickets or hotel reservations when applying for visas, the office said.
    Those who successfully applied for visas from overseas Chinese visa-issuing authorities and had their fingerprints collected during the process will be exempted from fingerprint collection when applying from Hong Kong, the office added.
    The office stressed that the validity of the visa and duration of stay will be decided case by case, and applicants may also be asked to submit additional documents or attend interviews.
    The visa policy does not apply to foreign domestic helpers, the office noted.
    Also on Wednesday, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR announced a similar optimization for permanent and temporary foreign residents of the city.
    People who apply from Macao for short-term activities such as tourism, trade and family visits can get visas with a validity period of five years and a stay for no more than 180 days, the office said, adding that proof of outbound transportation and hotel bookings are no longer required under the new arrangement.
    Starting July 10, non-Chinese permanent residents of both Hong Kong and Macao can apply for a new mainland travel permit, which allows multiple entries into the mainland within a five-year validity period, with each stay capped at 90 days.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Shining at the Paris Motor Show丨SEVB’s Core products open a new chapter of globalization

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PARIS, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — From October 14 to October 21, Sunwoda Mobility Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “SEVB”), a leading Chinese power battery provider, made a significant appearance at the Paris Motor Show, showcasing its core products. Concurrently, the company held a groundbreaking ceremony at its manufacturing base in Nyíregyháza, Hungary, marking a significant milestone in its global expansion.

    SEVB Chairman Mingwang Wang stated, “Our participation in the Paris Motor Show showcases the company’s five core strengths: leading technology, superb intelligent manufacturing, ultra-high quality, reliable delivery, and extensive service experience for major customers. SEVB will leverage nearly 30 years of lithium battery expertise and the local service advantages of our Hungarian base to continue providing first-class solutions for our European customers.”

    SEVB presented a range of products at this year’s Paris Motor Show, including its HEV batteries, PHEV batteries, the globally launched 6C Super-fast Charging Battery 3.0, as well as cutting-edge solid-state and sodium-ion batteries.

    Among these, the Dacia Spring model, powered by SEVB’s HEV battery, was previously awarded the title of “Best-Selling Electric Vehicle in Italy” and ranked second in electric vehicle sales in France. The 6C Super-fast Charging Battery 3.0, making its global debut, can charge to 80% SoC in just 10 minutes, significantly easing charging anxiety. The PHEV batteries, known for its practicality and environmental benefits, holds strong value in Europe, where usage of electric vehicles has slowed, and environmental standards are high.

    To align our global strategy with “REGULATION (EU) 2023/1542”, SEVB is, firstly, strengthening its supply chain management system and enhancing carbon emission controls. Secondly, promoting the implementation of a “China Battery Passport,” aligning domestic battery systems with international standards. Thirdly, expanding into battery recycling.

    To date, SEVB has established 12 manufacturing bases worldwide. The company has reached Benchmark’s top tier EV battery cell manufacturer status and was recognized as a “Greater Bay Area New Energy Innovation Enterprise” by KPMG. According to SNE Research, from 2021 to 2023, SEVB ranked first in China for HEV battery installations, and in H1 2024, it entered the global top ten for power battery installations.

    In the future, SEVB will continue to base itself in China and look to the world, promoting the globalization of its power battery and energy storage battery solutions to empower customers with world-class products and services.

    Photo: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bc4cb4bb-af82-4156-be23-22ccbd72bd46

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: CEO Update: Why Meaningful Connections Matter this World Mental Health Day

    Source: Mental Health Australia

    World Mental Health Day on 10 October is a time to put mental health in the spotlight, raise awareness and break down stigma.

    This year for Mental Health Australia’s World Mental Health Day campaign we have focussed on why meaningful connections matter, and why they are so important for good mental health.

    At the heart of our campaign are the voices of those with lived and living experience of mental ill-health.

    12 advocates from across the country have shared their experiences of how meaningful connections have shaped their mental health journey and supported them on the road to good mental health.

    From Outback Queensland to Australia’s capital, these stories show us that regardless of income or postcode, mental health is an issue that touches each and every one of us in different ways.

    World Mental Health Day reminds us that we should be connecting with loved ones, connecting with our community, our colleagues, connecting to Country, connecting with services and supports if needed – and most importantly – connecting back with ourselves for good mental health.

    This is the message we shared with our policymakers at Mental Health Australia’s Mental Health Sector Expo at Parliament House yesterday.

    Co-hosted in partnership with the Parliamentary Friends of Youth Mental Health and the Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health, we were delighted to welcome the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, to speak with over 120 mental health professionals and attendees from 45 of our member organisations.

    Mr Butler said, “The consumer voice, the carer voice, are incredibly important in making sure we get the design and the implementation of mental health programs – perhaps more than any other area of health – right.”

    “I want to thank all of you for the work that you do. These are really tough times. We’ve gone through an incredibly traumatic period with the pandemic that really impacted people’s mental health, impacted young people’s and children’s mental health, in some ways in a way that we hadn’t seen before, with the impact particularly of lockdowns, and that’s been followed by other crises… You have the best ideas of how we can do better to support people in mental distress, whether that’s relatively temporary mental distress or whether it’s lifelong relatively severe mental illness. I just want to thank you again for coming out this morning. I want to thank you for putting together this terrific expo.”

    In one of the last federal parliamentary sitting weeks of 2024, our members were able to showcase the incredibly important work of their organisations to parliamentarians, feature sector achievements, and promote the availability of mental health supports and services in local electorates.

    By building these meaningful connections in a bipartisan way, mental health sector professionals, policymakers and people with lived and living experience of mental ill-health, along with their family, carers and supporters, can all work together to continue building a mental health system that supports the needs of all people in Australia.

    Carolyn Nikoloski 

    CEO, Mental Health Australia 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Federal electoral divisions in Victoria formalised [17 October 2024]

    Source: Australian Electoral Commission

    AECMedia

    Updated: 17 October 2024

    The next federal general election will be conducted on new electoral division boundaries in Victoria after a notice was published today in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette.

    While final names and boundaries for House of Representatives seats in Victoria were announced on Thursday 5 September 2024, today’s gazettal is the step that formally sets them in place. Today’s gazettal also provides people with further details about the boundaries.

    • Maps and geospatial data for the new electoral divisions now available.

    More detailed division maps and the final redistribution report will be available after the Minister has tabled material in both houses of Parliament.

    Editor’s notes:

    • People on the electoral roll who are affected by the redistribution will now be moved into their new federal electoral division in readiness for the election. No action is necessary.
    • While the new electoral divisions will be in place from Thursday 17 October 2024, they will only apply from the next federal election onwards. Any federal by-election conducted before that point must be conducted on existing divisions to avoid overlap in, or missing, representation.
    • Further information about the redistribution process

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Powerful performances by artists with disabilities to celebrate diversity at 2024 OzAsia Festival

    Source: University of South Australia

    17 October 2024

    Photo by Matt Byrne.

    Two films celebrating the dedication and tenacity of Korean and South Australian performers with and without disability will hit the big screen as part of the Asia-focused arts festival OzAsia.

    Counterpoise, which features nine artists from Adelaide-based Restless Dance Theatre and the Korean 29Dong Dance Theatre, is a contemporary black and white dance film created at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Directed by Larissa McGowan and Matt Byrne, the 20-minute dance film highlights the noise of life, as well as quiet loneliness within ourselves. Counterpoise’s detailed choreography melded with electrifying music by KOREAN MUSIC PROJECT using a combination of traditional and western instruments embedded with digital technology.

    Dancing Against the Odds, a documentary directed by Adelaide filmmaker Matt Byrne, follows the innovative and inclusive journey of making Counterpoise over three years. Produced by University of South Australia arts management experts Dr Boram Lee and Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM, the 60-minute film embraces diversity, inclusion and self-expression.

    Both films will screen on 29 October as part of the Adelaide Film Festival and OzAsia.

    The project began in 2020, when dancers could only collaborate virtually due to COVID-19. It wasn’t until 2022, when members from the three companies – Restless, 29Dong Dance Theatre, and KOREAN MUSIC PROJECT – could meet face-to-face in Adelaide for the first time and continue the bonds formed online.

    In 2023, Restless Dance Theatre had the opportunity to travel to Seoul, reuniting the team for a public preview of Counterpoise and workshops with Korean artists with and without disabilities. This journey not only expanded the project’s reach but also nurtured community connections, inspiring a deeper appreciation for inclusive arts.

    Dr Boram Lee says the project connected people across Australian and Korean borders to help foster a network of inclusivity and diversity through the arts.

    “After a three-year saga of overcoming international borders, language barriers, and perceptions of disability, we’ve transformed the impossible into a breathtaking reality,” she says.

    “This collaboration showcases the incredible power of public initiatives, made possible by the steadfast support of the Korean and Australian governments and our diverse partners.

    “With multiple layers of collaboration among dancers, musicians, academics and filmmakers, we’ve fostered deep people-to-people connections, and we’re excited to share our learning with communities around the world.”

    Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM says the project embraced diversity, inclusion and self-expression to help shift stereotypes around the capabilities of artists with disability.

    “These films present disability in a new light. They showcase what the dancers can do rather than focusing on what they can’t do,” she says.

    Counterpoise and Dancing Against the Odds is supported by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and KOFICE as part of Kore·A·Round Culture 2023, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program, Australia-Korea Foundation, and Arts South Australia.

    Screening of the two films Counterpoise and Dancing Against the Odds

    When: Tuesday 29 October, 5:45pm

    Where: Palace Nova East End, Adelaide

    The screening will be followed by an artists’ talk moderated by Prof Ruth Rentschler and including selected dancers in the film, and Dr Boram Lee.

    More information available on the Adelaide Film Festival and OzAsia websites.

    Images

    Trailer

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Contacts for interview:

    Dr Boram Lee, Senior Lecturer in Arts and Cultural Management, UniSA E: boram.lee@unisa.edu.au

    Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM, Professor in Arts and Cultural Leadership, UniSA

    E: Ruth.Rentschler@unisa.edu.au

    Media contact: Melissa Keogh, UniSA Media M: +61 403 659 154 E: Melissa.Keogh@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Supply of four compact fluorescent lamp models, one washing machine model and three induction cooker models forbidden in HK (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (October 17) removed four compact fluorescent lamp models, one washing machine model and three induction cooker models from the record of listed models under the Energy Efficiency (Labelling of Products) Ordinance (the Ordinance). Supply of such products is no longer allowed in Hong Kong with immediate effect.
     
         Details of the products are as follows:
     
    Compact fluorescent lamp

    Importer/
    Hotline/
    Email
    Brand
    Model
    Reference number

    Beauty Shadow Co Ltd.
    2402 1920
    info@beautyshadow.com
    Sunshine
    3U-06 11W E27 6400K
    U2-L090061

    Sunshine
    3U-06 11W E14 6400K
    U2-L090063

    Smart Design
    3U-06 11W E27 6400K
    U2-L100263

    Select
    3U-06 11W E27 6400K
    U2-L120038

     
    Washing machine

    Importer/
    Hotline/
    Email
    Brand
    Model
    Reference number

    Uneedpro Electric Trading Company Limited
    2394 6060
    company@uneedpro.com.hk
    Thomson
    TM-FW1280
    U1-W230031

     
    Induction cooker

    Importer/
    Hotline/
    Email
    Brand
    Model
    Reference number

    Goldenwell Electrical Appliance Limited
    2690 9731
    goldenwell@wahfathong.com.hk
    Golden Well
    GW-IH2800
    I210036

    Toptech Co. Limited
    8203 1488
    info@toptech.com.hk
    ASKO
    HI1355G
    I220020

    E.P.S.A. Corporation Limited
    2235 0333
    cs@epsa.com.hk
    ecHome
    IDC2010T
    I230033

     
         The EMSD administers the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme in accordance with the Ordinance and selects samples of the listed models regularly for conducting compliance monitoring tests to check whether they conform with the energy efficiency and performance characteristics submitted to the EMSD. As the test results of the products concerned showed that they failed to reach the relevant energy efficiency and/or performance characteristics, the EMSD has decided to remove such products from the record of listed models.
     
         The EMSD has served notices under the Ordinance to the importers concerned. The importers will publish newspaper notices to announce the termination of supply of the products concerned.
     
         Members of the public can contact the above importers for enquiries.                                    

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ASA Declares Hobson’s Pledge Advertising Misleading and Socially Irresponsible

    Source: Te Pati Maori

    Te Pāti Māori Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer welcome today’s ruling from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which found that a Hobson’s Pledge advertisement regarding customary marine titles was misleading and socially irresponsible.

    The two-page wraparound ad, published in The New Zealand Herald, suggested that nearly the entire coastline of Aotearoa is under threat of being awarded to Māori through customary marine titles, implying that this would lead to widespread restrictions on public beach access.

    The ASA upheld more than 650 complaints, stating that Hobson’s Pledge’s claims were materially misleading and failed to substantiate their arguments. The Board also recognised that the advertisement unnecessarily perpetuated fear, further marginalising Māori.

    “This is exactly the kind of divisive and racist rhetoric that has no place in Aotearoa,” says Te Pāti Māori Co-leader Rawiri Waititi.

    “Hobson’s Pledge is playing on misinformation to sow fear and division. This campaign feeds into the age-old tactic of pitting Pākehā against Māori in an attempt to undermine Māori rights that are legally recognised, culturally significant, and protected under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”

    “The ruling highlights what we already knew—that this ad was not only misleading but also socially irresponsible on the part of Hobson’s Pledge and NZME,” said Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

    “NZME and advertising outlets must take responsibility for the content they publish and promote, especially when it is harmful to Māori and perpetuates dangerous narratives.”

    “It is everyone’s duty to stop giving a platform to this kind of fear-based, racist, and misleading propaganda. It must continue to be called out for what it is,” Waititi said.

    “Te Pāti Māori stands strong in protecting the rights of tangata whenua and upholding our responsibilities as kaitiaki. It’s time for all of Aotearoa to stand with us in rejecting these damaging and deceptive campaigns.”

    “As we have demanded, NZME must now apologise to all tangata whenua across its platforms. It must apologise to all staff, their standards must be reviewed and there must be a commitment to the protection of tangata whenua,” said Ngarewa-Packer.

    “This ruling is a win for the truth and a reminder of our collective duty to honour Te Tiriti. This is the type of rhetoric this government continues to embolden.

    “Te Pāti Māori will continue to fight for a future where Māori rights are respected, and all New Zealanders understand the truth about our shared history and our collective path forward,” she said.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Early completion and return of requisition forms urged

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) issued letters today (October 17) to remind payers of rates and/or Government rent who have not yet responded to the requisition form (Form R1A) issued to them in August to complete and return the form to the RVD immediately. They can complete and submit an electronic form (Form e-R1A) by using the Electronic Submission of Forms service provided on the RVD website (www.rvd.gov.hk). The website also provides answers to commonly asked questions on completing the form.

         The RVD issued about 350 000 R1A forms to payers of rates and/or Government rent in August to obtain occupation particulars, rents and tenancy details for different types of properties for assessing rateable values for the next general revaluation.

         “Irrespective of whether premises are vacant, let or owner-occupied, payers of rates and/or Government rent should complete and return the form within the specified period,” a spokesman for the RVD said.

         Under the Rating Ordinance or the Government Rent (Assessment and Collection) Ordinance, any person who knowingly makes a false statement or refuses to furnish any of the particulars specified in the form commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $25,000 or $10,000 respectively and an additional fine equivalent to three times the amount of rates and/or Government rent undercharged.

         Payers of rates and/or Government rent are reminded to affix sufficient postage if they return the form by post to ensure a timely and successful postal delivery.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Opening ceremony and programme “Sound River” of 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival to be broadcast live 8pm October 19 (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The opening ceremony and programme “Sound River” of the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival will be held at the Hong Kong Coliseum this Saturday (October 19). The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has arranged a live broadcast of the programme at 8pm that night. Members of the public should not miss the concert.
          
         The music piece “Sound River” is a new work by contemporary renowned Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun. It will be performed by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival Orchestra, newly formed by members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and the Macao Orchestra, under the baton of Tan as the world premiere. Sixteen meticulously crafted videos capturing precious footage during Tan’s journey from Europe, through the Arab world to Central Asia, then to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area over the past 12 years, will be screened during the performance. Through an audio-visual process, audience members can explore the past and future of the “Silk Road of sound”. The programme will also feature a performance by distinguished Mainland singer Zhou Shen as a special guest.
          
         Members of the public can enjoy the live radio, television and online broadcast of the programme at 8pm on RTHK Radio 4 (FM97.6-98.9), RTHK TV32, Phoenix Hong Kong Channel (Channel 85), Festival’s website (www.gbacxlo.gov.hk), RTHK website (www.rthk.hk), Ifeng (www.ifeng.com) and Feng Show APP. For more information about the programme and live broadcast, please call 2734 2960 or visit the above-mentioned website.
          
         The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival is presented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region. Hong Kong is the host city of the festival for the first time this year. It is organising and co-ordinating over 260 performances and exchange activities to be held across the “9+2” cities of the Greater Bay Area. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region and foster cultural exchanges and co-operation among the cities. For detailed information about the rich programme line up of the festival, please visit http://www.gbacxlo.gov.hk.   

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Observatory Open Day “Working Together for a Better Climate” to be held

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) will hold the HKO Open Day on November 30 and December 1 (Saturday and Sunday), with the theme “Working Together for a Better Climate”.

         This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Open Day activities will not only showcase the various services of the HKO and enhance public understanding and awareness of climate change and extreme weather, but they will also provide a brief overview of the long-standing collaboration between the HKO and meteorological authorities in Mainland China and around the world over the years.

         Online pre-registration is required for the Open Day activities. Each applicant may request a maximum of four tickets free of charge. If there is an oversubscription, selection will be made by computer balloting. The online registration system will accept applications from today (October 17) to noon on November 1. Successful applicants will receive tickets with a QR code by email on or before November 16.

         Open Day details:

    Venue: Hong Kong Observatory Headquarters (134A Nathan Road, Kowloon)
    Date: November 30 and December 1 (Saturday and Sunday)
    Time: 9.30am to 5pm
    Remarks: The duration of each session is around one hour

         For more information on the Open Day activities, please visit the HKO website: http://www.hkoopenday.gov.hk/en/registration.
     

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on U.S. Airstrikes in Houthi-Controlled Areas of Yemen

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Today, U.S. military forces, including U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers, conducted precision strikes against five hardened underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. U.S. forces targeted several of the Houthis’ underground facilities housing various weapons components of types that the Houthis have used to target civilian and military vessels throughout the region. This was a unique demonstration of the United States’ ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened, or fortified. The employment of U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers demonstrate U.S. global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere. 

    For over a year, the Iran-backed Houthis, Specially Designated Global Terrorists, have recklessly and unlawfully attacked U.S. and international vessels transiting the Red Sea, the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis’ illegal attacks continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce, threaten environmental catastrophe, and put innocent civilian lives and U.S. and partner forces’ lives at risk. At the direction of President Biden, I authorized these targeted strikes to further degrade the Houthis’ capability to continue their destabilizing behavior and to protect and defend U.S. forces and personnel in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

    Again, the United States will not hesitate to take action to defend American lives and assets; to deter attacks against civilians and our regional partners; and to protect freedom of navigation and increase the safety and security in these waterways for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks. I am grateful for the professionalism and skill of the brave American troops who took part in today’s actions and who continue to stand guard in defense of our Nation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: For Deaf people, train travel can be a gamble. But an AI-powered Auslan avatar can help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Korte, Senior Lecturer, School of Computer Science, Queensland University of Technology

    Denis Belitsky/Shutterstock

    For Deaf people, train travel can be a gamble. On an average day, nothing goes wrong: they catch their train to their destination and carry on with their business.

    But when something out of the ordinary happens, the situation can quickly get scary, because most updates are only delivered by audio announcements. A Deaf traveller may miss their train because it was moved to a different platform, or watch as their station whizzes by because the train isn’t stopping there today. They may also remain on a train carriage in an emergency after everyone else has evacuated, and have to be rescued by station staff.

    Every single one of these examples has been drawn from the real life experiences of Deaf people in Sydney. But my colleagues and I are working with Sydney Trains and members of the Australian Deaf community to develop an advanced, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered signing avatar which can automatically translate audio announcements into Auslan.

    Our work on the avatar also builds towards the next step: developing AI systems which can “understand” Auslan.

    Journeys don’t always go to plan

    Earlier this year, my colleagues and I ran a pilot study with three Deaf train travellers in Sydney. As well as the stories they shared about what can go wrong during train travel, we learned they use tried and tested strategies for making their journeys go smoothly.

    Their strategies might be familiar to regular commuters. For example, they would plan their journeys with an app, arrive early and look for signage to let them know if anything had changed.

    But they also said they felt they needed to stand near information screens to watch for updates, and ask station staff or other passengers for information when the situation had changed. They also reported being hypervigilant while on the train, watching to make sure they don’t miss their stop.

    But these strategies didn’t always ensure Deaf travellers received important information, including about emergencies. For example, while usually helpful, station staff were sometimes too busy to assist.

    The greatest frustration came in situations where other passengers weren’t willing or able to provide information, leaving our Deaf travellers to just “follow the crowd”. This often meant ending up in the wrong place.

    Developing a signing avatar

    Speech-to-text software might seem like an easy solution to some of these problems. But for many Deaf people, English is not their native language and Auslan can be processed far more easily and quickly.

    Our Deaf travellers told us that, in a perfect world, they would want live interpreters. However, automatic, AI-powered translation using a signing avatar displayed on a platform or train screen which could identify key words in an audio announcement, generate a sentence with correct Auslan grammar, and stitch together the corresponding signs from our vocabulary library was appealing for a number of reasons.

    Avatar by Maria Zelenskaya, QUT. Auslan by Julie Lyons, QUT.

    First, it allows for real-time translation of announcements that use known vocabulary – which is relevant in the trains-and-stations context, where many announcements cover similar topics.

    Second, an avatar and its signing can be customised to the needs of a given situation, such as using information about screen location to ensure the avatar signs in the right direction while pointing out exits or other platforms.

    Third, multiple signers can contribute signs to an avatar’s vocabulary, which can then be smoothly stitched together to make a sentence.

    And importantly, an avatar means no real person has to be the “face” of an organisation’s automatically generated announcements. This is particularly important because the Australian Deaf community is small and close knit, and if something goes wrong with the translation, nobody suffers any reputational damage.

    From a technical point of view, an avatar also allows us to ensure a minimum quality threshold for signing. We’re using motion capture to make sure each sign in our vocabulary library is accurate, and movements are clear.

    It also helps us avoid the “uncanny valley” – an effect where something human-like but subtly wrong is unsettling. We don’t want any of the many-fingered monstrosities you may have seen recently generated by AI.

    AI for everyone

    This work is one step in our broader aim of creating an AI system which can understand Auslan. This AI could be used to help Deaf and hearing station staff converse, or to create “chatbot booths” or app-based assistants that would allow Deaf people to get information on demand in Auslan about their train journeys or other daily tasks.

    Sign languages and Deaf cultures around the world have nuances and complexities that hearing researchers and developers of AI may not be aware of. These nuances and complexities must be embedded in new technologies, and researchers and developers must take a language-first approach to AI data collection and design with – not just for – Deaf people.

    Only then will AI meet Deaf people’s real needs: to ensure their safety and independence in every aspect of daily life.

    Jessica Korte has received funding from Qvest Australia, a technology solutions partner to Sydney Trains.

    – ref. For Deaf people, train travel can be a gamble. But an AI-powered Auslan avatar can help – https://theconversation.com/for-deaf-people-train-travel-can-be-a-gamble-but-an-ai-powered-auslan-avatar-can-help-241016

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Emerging market buyers embrace Canton Fair

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

    Buyers from emerging markets are steadily taking the lead at the 136th session of the China Import and Export Fair, or the Canton Fair, replacing those from Europe and North America as the primary participants, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

    The global trade event, held twice a year in Spring and Autumn, is being held from Tuesday through Nov 4, in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong province.

    A total of 125,000 overseas buyers had registered for the 136th session of the fair by Oct 9. Among them, about 76 percent are from countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, while 12.5 percent are from North America and Europe, said the Ministry of Commerce.

    The driving forces behind this trend include the diversification of China’s export markets, rising business and consumer demand in emerging markets and shifting global trade dynamics, as economies in Southeast Asia, North Africa and South America become increasingly integral to global supply chains.

    “These economies often show strong demand for the industrial products and consumer goods available at the Canton Fair,” said Chu Shijia, director of the Guangzhou-based China Foreign Trade Center under the Ministry of Commerce, one of the Canton Fair organizers.

    As China is in the midst of a green transformation, its traditional exports — like household appliances and industrial equipment — are also making room for a fresh wave of technologically advanced and eco-friendly products, further meeting the needs of buyers from both developed and developing markets, said Han Yonghui, a professor specializing in foreign trade at Guangzhoubased Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.

    Emerging markets represented by Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, with their vast market potential and promising development prospects, are attracting a growing number of Chinese enterprises seeking business opportunities, according to a report jointly released by Deloitte and WorldFirst, an international payment services provider.

    As the internationalization of Chinese manufacturers and traders reaches a more mature stage, an increasing number of enterprises are embarking on a deeper level of internationalization — transitioning from product exports to establishing operations overseas — according to the report released on Monday in Guangzhou.

    This involves contract fulfillment supported by the integration of “local entities, local operations and local supply chains”. For instance, according to data from WorldFirst, the number of Chinese merchants using the payment platform to expand their overseas operations in the first quarter surged 56 percent year-on-year.

    Between 2018 and 2023, China maintained high growth rates of exports to its major trading partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Middle East and Latin America, with compound annual growth rates generally exceeding 10 percent, according to the report.

    “Over years of development, we have seen an increased number of trade partners from emerging markets,” said Li Zhaoying, CEO of ChillSun Technology Co.

    The company, based in Huizhou, Guangdong, is attending the Canton Fair. “In addition to maintaining sustainable growth in developed markets, we are making efforts to reach more trade deals with buyers from emerging markets, especially those from member countries of ASEAN,” said Li.

    Xiao Lu, deputy director of the department of foreign trade at the Ministry of Commerce, said China’s new trade growth drivers are gaining momentum. Armed with accumulated capital and technology, Chinese companies are eager to demonstrate their innovation and technological strengths, leveraging digital and green concepts to shape the future direction of the market.

    “For instance, China-made new energy vehicles are now reaching over 170 countries and regions worldwide,” Xiao said.

    Over a million new products and items with proprietary intellectual property rights will be showcased at the Canton Fair this time, including a range of humanoid robots, smart devices and autonomous driving products making their debut, said the Ministry of Commerce.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Central Command Conducts Multiple Strikes on Underground Iran-Backed Houthi Weapons Facilities

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    Oct. 16, 2024
    Release Number 20241016 – 01
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted multiple, precision airstrikes on numerous Iran-backed Houthi weapons storage facilities within Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen that contained various advanced conventional weapons used to target U.S. and international military and civilian vessels navigating international waters throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

    These actions were taken to degrade the Houthi’s capability to continue their reckless and unlawful attacks on international commercial shipping and on U.S., coalition, and merchant personnel and vessels in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, and to degrade their ability to threaten regional partners.

    CENTCOM forces targeted the Houthi’s hardened underground facilities housing missiles, weapons components, and other munitions used to target military and civilian vessels throughout the region.

    U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy assets, including U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers, were part of the operation. The employment of the B-2 bomber demonstrates U.S. global strike capabilities to reach these targets, when necessary, anytime, anywhere.

    Our battle damage assessments are underway and do not indicate civilian casualties. We will provide updates as information is confirmed.

    -30-

    MIL Security OSI –