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Category: Machine Learning

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow-India Tourism Industry Congress to be held in Russian capital

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    From July 10 to 13, the capital will host the large-scale tourism congress OTOAI Convention for the first time. It is organized by the Association of Outbound Tourism Operators of India with the support of the Moscow Government. The forum will bring together hundreds of specialists from relevant departments and employees of leading Moscow and Indian companies.

    “Business negotiations and expert presentations are planned. Foreign participants will be presented with opportunities for recreation in Moscow, and will be shown popular routes and sights on sightseeing tours,” she reported.

    Natalia Sergunina, Deputy Mayor of Moscow.

    She recalled that India is among the top three countries in terms of the number of travelers from distant countries coming to Moscow. In 2024, the city was visited by 1.4 times more citizens of this country than in 2023.

    “The congress will be a significant event for India-Russia relations in the tourism sector. Moscow has an ideal combination of historical heritage and modernity. This is what Indian travellers are looking for today. Our partnership with the Moscow Tourism Committee will enable Indian visitors to go beyond traditional tourist destinations. Through the conference, we plan to create a platform for growth in mutual tourist flows, which will benefit tour operators from both countries and help position Moscow as a leading outbound tourism destination in India,” said Himanshu Patil, President of the Indian Association of Outbound Travel Operators.

    Developing partnerships

    In January, the capital’s delegation took part in a major industry exhibition, Outbound Travel Mart, in India. Moscow representatives held over 1,200 negotiations. Among the main events was the signing of an agreement on joint work to increase tourist flow between Moscow and Mumbai. In addition, a cooperation agreement was signed with one of the leading travel companies. Now, Indian colleagues will come to the Russian capital to discuss new projects.

    Last year, Moscow hosted the international forum Meet Global MICE Congress: BRICS Edition. It brought together approximately 1.3 thousand business tourism industry specialists from the BRICS countries. The event included about two thousand meetings with potential partners.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152607073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: April 2025 euro area bank lending survey

    Source: European Central Bank

    15 April 2025

    • Credit standards for loans to firms tightened slightly further, and net loan demand moved back into slightly negative territory
    • Credit standards for housing loans eased and net loan demand continued to increase strongly
    • While competition in mortgage markets remains high, risk perceptions and credit quality deterioration continue to weigh on lending to firms and consumers

    According to the April 2025 bank lending survey (BLS), which was conducted between 10 and 25 March 2025, euro area banks reported a small further net tightening of credit standards – banks’ internal guidelines or loan approval criteria – for loans or credit lines to enterprises in the first quarter of 2025 (a net 3% of banks; Chart 1). Banks also reported a moderate easing of credit standards for loans to households for house purchase (a net ‑7% of banks), whereas credit standards for consumer credit and other lending to households tightened slightly further (a net 3% of banks). For loans to firms, the net tightening followed the renewed tightening of credit standards seen in the previous quarter and was lower than banks had expected. It was again driven by higher perceived risks related to the economic outlook and to the industry and firm-specific situations. For loans to households for house purchase, banks eased credit standards, after keeping them broadly unchanged in the previous quarter and despite having expected a small tightening. The easing was mostly driven by competition from other banks. Credit standards tightened slightly further for consumer credit, mainly owing to higher perceived risks. For the second quarter of 2025, banks expect a further net tightening of credit standards across all three loan segments.

    Banks’ overall terms and conditions – the actual terms and conditions agreed in loan contracts – eased for loans to firms and for housing loans, while they tightened for consumer credit. Lower lending rates and narrower margins on average loans eased terms and conditions across all segments. There was a small tightening impact from stricter collateral requirements for loans to firms and by loan maturity and size for consumer credit, while margins on riskier loans narrowed for housing loans.

    In the first quarter of 2025, euro area banks reported a renewed small decrease in demand from firms for loans or the drawing of credit lines (Chart 2), after two quarters of weak recovery. Loan demand decreased, mainly owing to a negative contribution from firms’ inventories and working capital and despite the support from declining interest rates. Net demand for housing loans continued to increase strongly, driven primarily by declining interest rates and to a lesser extent by improving housing market prospects and higher consumer confidence, and this is consistent with the gradual recovery of lending flows observed in this segment since mid-2024. Demand for consumer credit and other lending to households increased moderately, supported principally by declining interest rates, with further small contributions from consumer confidence and spending on durable goods. In the second quarter of 2025, banks expect a small net increase in loan demand from firms and further increases for households, especially for housing loans.

    Euro area banks’ access to retail funding remained broadly unchanged in the first quarter of 2025, while easing for debt securities, money markets and securitisations. Over the next three months, banks expect a slight improvement in access to retail funding, with access to money markets, debt securities and securitisations expected to remain broadly unchanged.

    The reduction in the ECB monetary policy asset portfolio had a small negative impact on euro area banks’ market financing conditions and liquidity positions over the last six months, contributing to an increase in holdings of euro area sovereign bonds for the first time since early 2015. Banks expect these developments to continue over the next six months, while the impact on lending conditions remains muted, reflecting the measured and predictable adjustment of the ECB monetary policy portfolio.

    Euro area banks reported a net tightening impact of non-performing loan ratios and other credit quality indicators on their lending conditions for loans to firms and for consumer credit in the first quarter of 2025, while the impact for housing loans was neutral. Higher perceived risks, pressures related to supervisory or regulatory requirements and lower risk tolerance were the key factors for reporting a tightening impact. For the second quarter of 2025, banks expect a further tightening impact of credit quality on their lending conditions for loans to firms and for consumer credit and a very small tightening of lending conditions for housing loans.

    Banks reported a further negative net impact of the past and expected ECB key interest rate decisions on their net interest margins over the past six months, while the impact via volumes remained slightly negative. Banks expect a similar negative net impact of ECB key interest rate decisions on their margins over the next six months, which is expected to drag down overall profitability despite the slightly positive contribution from asset volumes. Interest rate decisions have contributed to containing, but not removing, the pressure on bank profitability from higher expected provisions and impairments, given that banks reported a slightly positive impact of rate decisions over the past six months and no expected impact for the next six months, after more than a year of increasing provisioning needs.

    The quarterly BLS was developed by the Eurosystem to improve its understanding of bank lending behaviour in the euro area. The results reported in the April 2025 survey relate to changes observed in the first quarter of 2025 and changes expected in the second quarter of 2025, unless otherwise indicated. A total of 155 banks were surveyed in this round, with a response rate of 99%.

    Chart 1

    Changes in credit standards for loans or credit lines to enterprises, and contributing factors

    (net percentages of banks reporting a tightening of credit standards, and contributing factors)

    Source: ECB (BLS).

    Notes: Net percentages are defined as the difference between the sum of the percentages of banks responding “tightened considerably” and “tightened somewhat” and the sum of the percentages of banks responding “eased somewhat” and “eased considerably”. The net percentages for “Other factors” refer to an average of the further factors which were mentioned by banks as having contributed to changes in credit standards. Data for the euro area and for the largest four euro area countries.

    Chart 2

    Changes in demand for loans or credit lines to enterprises, and contributing factors

    (net percentages of banks reporting an increase in demand, and contributing factors)

    Source: ECB (BLS).

    Notes: Net percentages for the questions on demand for loans are defined as the difference between the sum of the percentages of banks responding “increased considerably” and “increased somewhat” and the sum of the percentages of banks responding “decreased somewhat” and “decreased considerably”. The net percentages for “Other factors” refer to an average of the further factors which were mentioned by banks as having contributed to changes in loan demand. Data for the euro area and for the largest four euro area countries.

    For media queries, please contact William Lelieveldt, tel.: +49 69 1344 7316.

    Notes

    • A report on this survey round is available on the ECB’s website, along with a copy of the questionnaire, a glossary of BLS terms and a BLS user guide with information on the BLS series keys.
    • The euro area and national data series are available on the ECB’s website via the ECB Data Portal. National results, as published by the respective national central banks, can be obtained via the ECB’s website.
    • For more detailed information on the BLS, see Köhler-Ulbrich, P., Dimou, M., Ferrante, L. and Parle, C., “Happy anniversary, BLS – 20 years of the euro area bank lending survey”, Economic Bulletin, Issue 7, ECB, 2023, and Huennekes, F. and Köhler-Ulbrich, P., “What information does the euro area bank lending survey provide on future loan developments?”, Economic Bulletin, Issue 8, ECB, 2022.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU hosted the largest Career Days ever

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    From March 3 to April 10, Novosibirsk State University hosted a large-scale career event, Career Days 2025. This year, the NSU Career Development Center team came up with an unusual format for the event in the atmosphere of Career Games, which brought together students and employers. More than 35 individual events were held as part of the Career Days: workshops, master classes, and excursions to company offices. The Career Games traditionally ended with two poster sessions in the Laboratory and Educational Buildings — on April 8 and 10.

    In 2025, the NSU Career Development Center will for the first timeimplemented game mechanics for participation in Career Day events— together with students of the Institute of Intelligent Robotics of NSU, we created a Career BotHTTPS: //t. Tu/tsareerkusud_ns_not, which allowed students to accumulate points for participating in events from employers, and at the poster sessions on April 8 and 10, to spend points on purchasing valuable branded prizes from companies and the NSU Career Development Center. Also Career botHTTPS: //t. Tu/tsareerkusud_ns_notThroughout the 2025 Career Days period, we sent students notifications with important information about upcoming events.

    — The idea to create a bot came from the theme of these Career Days, that is, “Career Games”, collecting internal currency is a typical story for many games. In addition to simply following the theme, there was another thought behind it – guys are usually shy to approach companies directly and ask any questions. Points were supposed to motivate guys to communicate and show themselves in order to overcome their fear.

    The mechanics of the bot are simple – for their activities, the guys received points, which they could later spend, and also see their place in the ranking. However, even this already generated some kind of competitive spirit, motivating the guys from the top ten to be even more active.

    In general, everything went very smoothly. Probably, one of the most difficult tasks for me personally was maintaining the server for the bot during career days – this was largely due to the limited resources and the fact that the bot needed to be provided with uninterrupted operation. A couple of times we came across bugs, but in general – everything really went without a hitch, – said Sergey Bespalov, one of the creators of the Career Bot and a 4th-year student of the Institute of Intelligent Robotics of NSU.

    Over 1.5 months, more than 560 students have registered in the Career Bot.

    — We implemented gamification to further motivate students to participate in Career Day activities: attend employer events, communicate at stands, solve problems and leave feedback. We wanted students to associate the search for their first job with an exciting and inspiring process. We work with young talents and try to speak the same language with them.

    Gamification is actively used in education and business and shows excellent results. At Career Days 2025, we saw this in practice: 567 students registered in the bot, and it really affected engagement – our partners also noted this. One of the interesting effects: students paid much less attention to the merch that companies raffled off according to their own rules, and went with more enthusiasm to those who exchanged gifts through the bot.

    We are currently preparing improvements and will begin refining the mechanics this summer to make the NSU Autumn Career Forum even more interesting and useful for students and companies, commented Daria Balandina, the author of the career quest concept and leading specialist at the NSU Career Development Center.

    The creation and launch of the Career Bot was the result of well-coordinated teamwork. We thank Daria Balandina, the author of the career quest concept and leading specialist of the NSU Career Development Center, for the idea and coordination of the project. We also express our gratitude to the students of the NSU Institute of Intelligent Robotics for developing the technical part: Sergey Bespalov, Alexey Spirkin, Polina Novikova. Special thanks to Svetlana Valeryevna Dovgal, Director of the NSU Career Development Center, and Victoria Maltseva, leading specialist of the Center, for developing the career quest economy. Thanks to this team, we managed to implement not only a technically stable, but also a well-thought-out system in terms of mechanics, which inspired the students and enlivened the event format.

    — Career Days 2025 has a special atmosphere, this year it is the theme of artificial intelligence and career games. We and the Career Development Center team have done a tremendous job — a unique design of the Career Games was developed, which reflected the theme of all career events, looked at the participants from banners, badges and T-shirts. Most importantly, a computer bot was used for the first time, which definitely became a special part of the Career Games.

    For one and a half months, we held thematic meetings with companies and excursions to enterprises for university students every week. A pleasant surprise was not only the large total number of participating companies, but also the increase in the number of SB RAS institutes among the participants of the poster sessions.

    The main message that we convey with all our events and career meetings is that in order for students to trust you, you need to treat them with a pure heart and an open soul. It seems to me that the sincerity and friendliness of the NSU Career Development Center staff, their willingness to help with employment issues, and offer career counseling, encourages students to engage in dialogue. Many thanks to the CDC team, without them such a large-scale event would not have been possible. We have many new ideas and events ahead, for example, in a month we will host the Association of Career Centers with participants from Moscow to Vladivostok, – summed up the Career Days Svetlana Dovgal, Director of the NSU Career Development Center.

    Some statistics: a total of 65 companies and more than 3,000 students took part in the events, and 60 volunteers helped organize and conduct the events.

    Traditionally, Career Days 2025 will not end on the planned date – until the end of April, there will be several more meetings between students and employers and a series of excursions to defense industry enterprises. Calendar of eventspublished here

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Rhombus Launches AI Search to Power Instant Security Footage Investigation and Action

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rhombus, a leader in cloud-managed physical security solutions, today announced the launch of Rhombus AI Search. The solution uses natural language processing to provide security teams with an intuitive and immediate way to scan and analyze security camera footage with custom text prompts, significantly reducing incident investigation time from hours to seconds.

    Rhombus AI Search is the newest addition to Rhombus’ fast-growing portfolio of AI capabilities. The company recently launched several AI-driven products and integrations designed to help customers achieve smarter, faster security analysis.

    “Security investigations are often a race against time, but security teams must manually review hours of footage across multiple cameras to find what they need,” said Brandon Salzberg, Chief Technology Officer, Rhombus. “With Rhombus AI Search, we’ve fundamentally reimagined this process. Teams can now simply type what they’re looking for—a red van in a specific area, or a person in a blue shirt carrying a package—and get back comprehensive and curated results within seconds. Our AI technology extends search capabilities far beyond preset criteria, allowing organizations to search for virtually anything they can think of. Tell us what to find and we’ll find it, in seconds.”

    Technical capabilities of Rhombus AI Search include:

    • Type-to-search: Users can describe exactly what they are looking for in natural language, eliminating the constraints of traditional fixed search filters.
    • Multi-camera analysis: The system automatically reviews footage across multiple cameras simultaneously, providing comprehensive results.
    • Near-instant results: Search results are curated within seconds, substantially reducing investigation time.
    • Contextual understanding: Advanced AI comprehends complex scenarios and situational context beyond simple object recognition.
    • Similarity search: Keying off of one image, a user can search for images that look similar.

    “Rhombus AI Search leverages modern breakthroughs around large language models to enable organizations to react to incidents or other anomalies with ease and simplicity,” said Andrew Gallatin, Director of R&D, Rhombus. “Backed by natural language processing, teams can find what they need without navigating complex menus or being constrained by search limitations, but at the same time feel confident that employee privacy will be respected through advanced moderation techniques.”

    Rhombus AI Search delivers several benefits for organizations across industries. Security teams get faster incident resolution capabilities, quickly locating critical footage without spending hours manually reviewing video. Improved compliance becomes easier as organizations can swiftly find events that provide necessary visual evidence for documentation requirements. The solution also drives significant operational efficiencies, with security personnel regaining valuable time by letting advanced AI handle the heavy lifting of video analysis. Perhaps most importantly, when seconds count during critical situations, these faster investigations can prevent incidents from escalating, leading to improved safety outcomes for everyone involved.

    Rhombus AI Search also integrates seamlessly with the company’s comprehensive cloud-managed physical security platform, which is built to protect organizations’ people, assets, and data while offering full interoperability and flexibility. Reinforcing Rhombus’ commitment to innovation in physical security, the new AI solution joins Rhombus’ suite of AI-powered tools, including AI index points, ChatGPT integration, Faces 2.0, and Combined Event Search.

    Availability

    Starting today, Rhombus AI Search is available in beta for existing users with an Enterprise license. Organizations interested in accelerating their path to cloud-managed physical security and experiencing the power of AI-driven investigations can learn more by booking a demo.

    About Rhombus

    Rhombus is an open, cloud-managed physical security platform that brings security cameras, access control, sensors, alarm monitoring, and integrations together under a single pane of glass. Thousands of organizations trust Rhombus to drive operational excellence, improve safety, and streamline workflows through a comprehensive suite of smart security solutions and 50+ integrations with leading business systems. Rhombus is backed by NightDragon, Bluestone Equity Partners, Cota Capital, Caden Capital, Tru Arrow Partners, and Uncorrelated Ventures, and is on a mission to make the world safer with simple, smart, and powerful physical security solutions.

    To learn more about how Rhombus AI Search can transform your organization’s security investigations, visit www.rhombus.com or book a demo.

    Contact
    Kyle Peterson
    kyle@clementpeterson.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba5e461e-f263-4498-9b84-b47a0828074c

    The MIL Network –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Services a major driving force behind China’s consumption growth: report

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

    HAIKOU, April 15 — China’s services consumption is not only rebounding but evolving rapidly, becoming a key driver of overall consumption growth, according to a report released by the China Institute for Reform and Development.

    The Hainan-based think tank published the report on Monday during this year’s China International Consumer Products Expo, the country’s only national-level exhibition focused on consumer goods, which is being held in the tropical island province.

    The report forecasts that by 2030, the per capita services consumption of China’s urban and rural residents could exceed 20,000 yuan (about 2,773 U.S. dollars), accounting for more than half of total consumption. The shift toward a services-oriented consumer society is expected to drive sustainable economic growth and transform consumption patterns.

    Services consumption has become a propeller of goods consumption, and a “goods-like services” trend is gaining momentum across the country, said Chi Fulin, head of the think tank.

    The report shows that traditional sectors are leading the recovery. Established go-tos for fun and relaxation, such as ski holidays and blockbuster films, are back in full swing.

    Winter tourism continues to gain popularity, particularly during peak travel periods. During the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, a total of 17.23 million visits were recorded across 934 ski resorts nationwide — a 10 percent increase from the previous year. For the 2024-2025 winter season, the number of people engaged in ice and snow tourism in China is estimated at 520 million.

    Earlier this year, China’s film industry also made a notable comeback. The 2025 Spring Festival box office hit a record 9.51 billion yuan, with 187 million moviegoers nationwide. Daily box office sales also reached new highs during the holiday season. The animated film “Ne Zha 2” made history by becoming the first Asian film to break into the global top five and top the global animation box office.

    While classic forms of services consumption like films and tourism continue to thrive, a new wave of digital experiences, led by generative artificial intelligence (AI), is rapidly reshaping China’s consumer landscape.

    According to the report, generative AI is enhancing and upgrading the consumer-end user experience as it is integrated into common internet applications, including instant messaging platforms, office software, and online customer service and creative tools.

    In December 2024, approximately 331 million people in China reported that they were aware of generative AI products, and about 249 million said they had used them. This surge in public engagement reflects the technology’s growing presence in everyday digital life, as well as its expanding influence on consumption patterns.

    Jiang Ying, chair of Deloitte China, anticipates that China will leverage its strength in rapid technological innovation further to boost demand. “China encourages the integration of emerging technologies like AI to enhance consumer experiences and create new consumption scenarios,” she added.

    In March, China made public a plan for special initiatives to increase consumption, as the world’s second-largest economy moves to make domestic demand the main engine and anchor of economic growth. The plan highlights services consumption quality enhancement.

    Chi emphasized that the next five to 10 years will be a critical period for China’s economic growth. He suggested that significant investments in people should be made to transform services consumption into a major force in the economy, making consumption a critical engine of sustained economic growth.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Highlights of Xi’s remarks during his visit to Vietnam

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

    HANOI, April 15 — Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hanoi on Monday for a state visit to Vietnam. During his visit, Xi held meetings with key Vietnamese leaders, including General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man.

    The following are some of the highlights of Xi’s remarks and statements.

    ON BUILDING A COMMUNITY WITH A SHARED FUTURE

    — As socialist neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, China and Vietnam have formed a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

    — This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Vietnam, and is the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, bringing new opportunities for advancing the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    — The two sides should strengthen the strategic coordination and consolidate the political foundation for building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    — Guided by the overall goals of achieving higher political mutual trust, more solid security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, stronger public support, closer multilateral coordination and better management and resolution of differences, the two countries should work to advance their comprehensive strategic cooperation with high quality, ensure steady and sustained progress in building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and contribute even more to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

    — Facing an international landscape fraught with changes and turbulence, China and Vietnam should strengthen confidence in their paths and systems, enhance solidarity and coordination, continue to build the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, join hands to march toward modernization, and inject more stability and positive energy into the world.

    — Building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future carries great global significance. As the two countries jointly pursue peaceful development, their combined population of over 1.5 billion is jointly advancing toward modernization, which will contribute to regional and global peace and stability while promoting common development.

    ON CHINA-VIETNAM RELATIONS

    — Standing at a new historical starting point, China is ready to work with Vietnam to stay true to their original aspiration of friendship, remain committed to their shared mission, seize the opportunities of the times, and carry out cooperation at a higher level, across a broader scope and at greater depth to better benefit the two peoples and contribute more to the region and the world.

    — Standing at a new historical starting point, the two sides should build on past achievements, forge ahead together and carry forward the profound traditional friendship featuring “camaraderie plus brotherhood.”

    — The top leaders of the two parties and countries should exchange views on bilateral relations and major issues of common concern in a timely manner, continue to build consensus, enhance mutual trust and steer the course steadily, so as to ensure the steady progress of China-Vietnam relations.

    — The two sides should take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to carry forward the “red gene” and make good use of the revolutionary resources to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially the young generation, and strengthen the friendly bond between the two countries.

    — The two countries should expand cooperation in traditional areas such as trade and investment, and expand cooperation in emerging industries such as 5G, artificial intelligence, clean energy and digital economy.

    — China and Vietnam should give full play to their geographical advantages of being connected by land and sea, strengthen the alignment of development strategies and tap the potential of industrial cooperation.

    — Both China and Vietnam are beneficiaries of economic globalization, and the two sides should strengthen strategic resolve, jointly oppose unilateralism and bullying practices, and work together to uphold the global free trade system and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: A weird phrase is plaguing scientific papers – and we traced it back to a glitch in AI training data

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology

    Google Deepmind / Unsplash

    Earlier this year, scientists discovered a peculiar term appearing in published papers: “vegetative electron microscopy”.

    This phrase, which sounds technical but is actually nonsense, has become a “digital fossil” – an error preserved and reinforced in artificial intelligence (AI) systems that is nearly impossible to remove from our knowledge repositories.

    Like biological fossils trapped in rock, these digital artefacts may become permanent fixtures in our information ecosystem.

    The case of vegetative electron microscopy offers a troubling glimpse into how AI systems can perpetuate and amplify errors throughout our collective knowledge.

    A bad scan and an error in translation

    Vegetative electron microscopy appears to have originated through a remarkable coincidence of unrelated errors.

    First, two papers from the 1950s, published in the journal Bacteriological Reviews, were scanned and digitised.

    However, the digitising process erroneously combined “vegetative” from one column of text with “electron” from another. As a result, the phantom term was created.

    Excerpts from scanned papers show how incorrectly parsed column breaks lead to the term ‘vegetative electron micro…’ being introduced.
    Bacteriological Reviews

    Decades later, “vegetative electron microscopy” turned up in some Iranian scientific papers. In 2017 and 2019, two papers used the term in English captions and abstracts.

    This appears to be due to a translation error. In Farsi, the words for “vegetative” and “scanning” differ by only a single dot.

    Screenshot from Google Translate showing the similarity of the Farsi terms for ‘vegetative’ and ‘scanning’.
    Google Translate

    An error on the rise

    The upshot? As of today, “vegetative electron microscopy” appears in 22 papers, according to Google Scholar. One was the subject of a contested retraction from a Springer Nature journal, and Elsevier issued a correction for another.

    The term also appears in news articles discussing subsequent integrity investigations.

    Vegetative electron microscopy began to appear more frequently in the 2020s. To find out why, we had to peer inside modern AI models – and do some archaeological digging through the vast layers of data they were trained on.

    Empirical evidence of AI contamination

    The large language models behind modern AI chatbots such as ChatGPT are “trained” on huge amounts of text to predict the likely next word in a sequence. The exact contents of a model’s training data are often a closely guarded secret.

    To test whether a model “knew” about vegetative electron microscopy, we input snippets of the original papers to find out if the model would complete them with the nonsense term or more sensible alternatives.

    The results were revealing. OpenAI’s GPT-3 consistently completed phrases with “vegetative electron microscopy”. Earlier models such as GPT-2 and BERT did not. This pattern helped us isolate when and where the contamination occurred.

    We also found the error persists in later models including GPT-4o and Anthropic’s Claude 3.5. This suggests the nonsense term may now be permanently embedded in AI knowledge bases.

    Screenshot of a command line program showing the term ‘vegetative electron microscopy’ being generated by GPT-3.5 (specifically, the model gpt-3.5-turbo-instruct). The top 17 most likely completions of the provided text are ‘vegetative electron microscopy’, and these suggestions are 2.2 times more likely than the next most likely prediction.
    OpenAI

    By comparing what we know about the training datasets of different models, we identified the CommonCrawl dataset of scraped internet pages as the most likely vector where AI models first learned this term.

    The scale problem

    Finding errors of this sort is not easy. Fixing them may be almost impossible.

    One reason is scale. The CommonCrawl dataset, for example, is millions of gigabytes in size. For most researchers outside large tech companies, the computing resources required to work at this scale are inaccessible.

    Another reason is a lack of transparency in commercial AI models. OpenAI and many other developers refuse to provide precise details about the training data for their models. Research efforts to reverse engineer some of these datasets have also been stymied by copyright takedowns.

    When errors are found, there is no easy fix. Simple keyword filtering could deal with specific terms such as vegetative electron microscopy. However, it would also eliminate legitimate references (such as this article).

    More fundamentally, the case raises an unsettling question. How many other nonsensical terms exist in AI systems, waiting to be discovered?

    Implications for science and publishing

    This “digital fossil” also raises important questions about knowledge integrity as AI-assisted research and writing become more common.

    Publishers have responded inconsistently when notified of papers including vegetative electron microscopy. Some have retracted affected papers, while others defended them. Elsevier notably attempted to justify the term’s validity before eventually issuing a correction.

    We do not yet know if other such quirks plague large language models, but it is highly likely. Either way, the use of AI systems has already created problems for the peer-review process.

    For instance, observers have noted the rise of “tortured phrases” used to evade automated integrity software, such as “counterfeit consciousness” instead of “artificial intelligence”. Additionally, phrases such as “I am an AI language model” have been found in other retracted papers.

    Some automatic screening tools such as Problematic Paper Screener now flag vegetative electron microscopy as a warning sign of possible AI-generated content. However, such approaches can only address known errors, not undiscovered ones.

    Living with digital fossils

    The rise of AI creates opportunities for errors to become permanently embedded in our knowledge systems, through processes no single actor controls. This presents challenges for tech companies, researchers, and publishers alike.

    Tech companies must be more transparent about training data and methods. Researchers must find new ways to evaluate information in the face of AI-generated convincing nonsense. Scientific publishers must improve their peer review processes to spot both human and AI-generated errors.

    Digital fossils reveal not just the technical challenge of monitoring massive datasets, but the fundamental challenge of maintaining reliable knowledge in systems where errors can become self-perpetuating.

    Aaron J. Snoswell receives funding from the Australian Research Council funded Discovery Project “Generative AI and the future of academic writing and publishing” (DP250100074) and has previously received research funding from OpenAI.

    Kevin Witzenberger receives funding from the Australian Research Council funded Discovery Project “Generative AI and the future of academic writing and publishing” (DP250100074)

    Rayane El Masri 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. A weird phrase is plaguing scientific papers – and we traced it back to a glitch in AI training data – https://theconversation.com/a-weird-phrase-is-plaguing-scientific-papers-and-we-traced-it-back-to-a-glitch-in-ai-training-data-254463

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Clean energy projects prioritised for grid connections

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Clean energy projects prioritised for grid connections

    Ofgem is expected to confirm the National Energy System Operator’s ambitious new plan to reform grid connections and unlock billions of investment.

    • Grid connections for businesses that will deliver clean energy prioritised, driving growth to put more money in working people’s pockets
    • Pro-growth reforms to help unlock £40 billion of mainly private investment a year in clean energy and infrastructure, with industries of the future such as data centres accelerated for quicker grid connections
    • Comes as £43.7 billion of private investment announced into the UK’s clean energy industries since July

    So-called ‘zombie’ projects will no longer hold up the queue for connection to the electricity grid to prioritise businesses that will drive growth and deliver energy security. 

    Companies are currently waiting up to 15 years to be connected to the grid leaving promising businesses ‘grid-locked’, and over the last 5 years, the grid connection queue has grown tenfold.      

    The changes will help to kick-start the economy to put more money in working people’s pockets, the first priority of the government’s Plan for Change. 

    Ofgem is expected to confirm the ambitious new plan later today (Tuesday 15 April), drafted by the National Energy System Operator in partnership with the energy industry. 

    The reforms will help unlock £40 billion a year of mainly private investment, growing the economy, creating jobs and raising living standards as a key part of the government’s Plan for Change. 

    This builds on the latest figures showing that since July, the clean energy industry is now booming in Britain, with £43.7 billion of private investment being announced into the UK’s clean energy industries. 

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  

    Too many companies are facing gridlock because they cannot get the clean energy they need to drive growth and create jobs. 

    These changes will axe ‘zombie’ projects and cut the time it takes to get high growth firms online while also fast-tracking connections for companies delivering homegrown power and energy security through our Plan for Change. 

    In an uncertain world, our message to the global clean energy industry is clear; come and build it in Britain because we are a safe haven. If you want certainty, stability and security when it comes to your investments, choose Britain.

    The plan comes after the Prime Minister has said that a new era of global insecurity means that the government must go further and faster reshaping the economy through the Plan for Change, and that this requires a new muscular industrial policy that supports British industry to forge ahead.   

    Lack of access to grid connections has been a significant factor holding back new investment in UK industries.  

    Under the new changes, industries of the future from data centres and AI, to wind and solar projects, will be accelerated for grid connections. 

    That means deprioritising those projects that are not ready or not aligned with strategic plans.  

    New commitments to investing in the UK have topped £38 billion since July 2024 for data centres alone, but grid access is the single biggest challenge facing these projects. 

    Today’s reforms will help fast track projects to generate homegrown, renewable electricity into homes and businesses, protecting British billpayers from the rollercoaster of global fossil fuel markets and building an energy system that can bring down bills for good.  

    Delivering these reforms will help unleash £40 billion a year of mainly private investment in homegrown clean power projects and infrastructure across the country, creating good jobs across the country including engineers, welders and construction workers.  

    By taking a strategic, planned approach the changes will remove the need for tens of billions of pounds of unnecessary grid reinforcement, saving billpayers £5 billion that would have been funded through charges on bills. 

    Ofgem CEO, Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer, Ofgem said: 

    The proposed connection reforms will supercharge Great Britain’s clean power ambitions with a more targeted approach anticipated to unlock £40 billion a year of investment and energise economic growth.   

    The reforms would cut through red tape, consign ‘zombie projects’ to the past and accelerate homegrown renewable power and energy storage connections as we head to 2030.   

    Houses and hospitals, electric vehicle charging stations, data centres and the emerging AI sector, would also all benefit from the proposed streamlined fast-track approach, which would help boost energy security and drive down bills.   

    Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, National Energy System Operator, said:  

    Reforming the connections process is a key enabler for delivering Clean Power by 2030 and will drive economic growth for Great Britain. Today’s milestone reflects the close collaboration across the energy industry with support from the government and Ofgem.  

    Together with the wider energy industry, NESO will focus on prioritising agreements for projects that are critical and shovel ready, bringing these to the front of the queue and giving developers the certainty they need to support investment decisions.

    Notes to editors

    Through the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the government is also bringing forward legislation to support Ofgem and NESO to deliver the reforms.   

    Every family and business in the country has paid the price of Britain’s dependence on foreign fossil fuel markets, which was starkly exposed when Putin invaded Ukraine and British energy customers were among the hardest hit in Western Europe, with bills reaching record heights.    

    The government’s clean power mission is the solution to this crisis; by sprinting to clean, homegrown energy, including renewables and nuclear, the UK can take back control of its energy and protect both family and national finances from fossil fuel price spikes with cleaner, affordable power.  

    The Clean Power Action Plan estimated that Clean Power 2030 could require around £40 billion of investment on average per year between 2025 to 2030. This includes around £30 billion of investment in generation assets per year, estimated by DESNZ, and around £10 billion of investment in electricity transmission network assets per year, estimated by NESO. 

    The £5 billion savings for billpayers was estimated by Ofgem in their February 2025 Impact Assessment for the TM04+ connections reforms: Consultation on connection reform (TM04+) enablers, including a statutory consultation on modifications to licence conditions 

    In addition to the £34.8 billion in clean energy private investment announcements secured around the October 2024 International Investment Summit the following private investments have been announced. This means that since July 2024 the government has seen £43.7 billion of private investment announced into the UK’s clean energy industries.   

    National Grid announced that Eastern Green Link 2 has seen the single, largest-ever investment in electricity transmission infrastructure in Great Britain. 

    National Wealth Fund, Barclays UK Corporate Bank and Lloyds Banking Group announced £1 billion unlocked to retrofit social housing. 

    Government announced the successful HAR1 projects.

    Statera Energy announced financial close on £395 million debt financing platform for Thurrock Flexible Generation.

    Copenhagen Infrastruture Partners announced Financial Investment Decision for Coalburn 2 and Devilla, battery energy storage system projects in Scotland 

    Renewable energy developer OnPath announced their ambitions to invest £1 billion in clean energy projects across the UK.

    Quinbook Infrastructure Partners announced the close of financing for Cleve Hill Solar Park, the UK’s largest solar and battery storage project under construction.

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    Published 15 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Amnesty International Hong Kong office opens overseas

    Source: Amnesty International

    Amnesty International has announced the launch of a new Hong Kong section based overseas, following the closure of its offices in the city in 2021 amid a crackdown on human rights.

    The new entity, Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas (AIHKO), will be led by Hong Kong diaspora activists operating from key international hubs including Australia, Canada, Taiwan, the UK and the USA.

    “The opening of Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas marks a new chapter in the organization’s strengthened commitment to human rights in Hong Kong and its support for the Hong Kong diaspora around the world,” said Chi-man Luk, the new AIHKO Executive Director.

    “The gutting of Hong Kong’s civil society has been a tragedy for the city with more than 100 non-profits and media outlets shut down or forced to flee. But since the closing of Amnesty International Hong Kong three years ago, our dedication has only grown. We are now ready to intensify our efforts by building new communities of support driven by the Hong Kong diaspora.”

    Hong Kong’s human rights crisis

    Since the 2019 pro-democracy movement, more than 10,000 people, many of them students, have been arrested for protest-related activities. Over 300 people have been arrested for alleged acts of “endangering national security”.

    Prominent activists, including lawyer Chow Hang-tung and media advocate Jimmy Lai, face lengthy prison sentences for their peaceful advocacy.  Both have been designated as “prisoners of conscience” by Amnesty International.

    Hong Kong authorities have weaponized colonial-era sedition laws and introduced new repressive bills, creating an arsenal of tools against all forms of dissent, and even targeting overseas critics by issuing bounties and revoking passports.

    Joey Siu, AIHKO board member and one of 19 Hong Kong activists with police bounties placed on them, said: “The threats have only made us stronger. They serve as a reminder that freedom is denied, even to those who have left Hong Kong. To truly be free from repression, we must continue to fight for human rights beyond our borders. We will do so on behalf of Hong Kongers, both in Hong Kong and across the world.”

    Amnesty’s first section to operate wholly ‘in exile’

    AIHKO is Amnesty International’s first-ever section founded and operated entirely “in exile”, and follows the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers who have gone abroad in search of safety and freedom.

    “Being overseas provides us with a degree of protection, allowing us to speak more freely and engage in advocacy work. We have a responsibility to do more to support those who remain in Hong Kong and continue their vital efforts,” said Fernando Cheung, AIHKO board member and former Hong Kong legislator.

    AIHKO joins an increasing number of civil society organizations focused on Hong Kong issues that have established operations outside the city due to the shrinking space for civil society and freedom of expression in Hong Kong.

    AIHKO, which is officially registered in Switzerland, will focus on advocating for human rights of Hongkongers, within Hong Kong and abroad, amplifying their voices and fostering a strong diaspora community globally.

    “Amnesty’s Hong Kong Overseas office demonstrates the resilience of our movement, our determination never to be silenced, and our commitment to defending human rights no matter the challenges we face. This new section, and the model behind it, will play a crucial role in our struggle against authoritarian threats, in Hong Kong and beyond,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

    Background

    Amnesty International’s local ‘section’ office ceased operations on 31 October 2021, while the regional office – which is part of Amnesty’s International Secretariat – moved its operations to the organization’s other offices in the Asia-Pacific and Europe.

    Amnesty International considers a prisoner of conscience to be any person imprisoned solely because of their beliefs, identity or other status, and who has not used violence or advocated violence or hatred in the circumstances leading to their detention.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: NDB Board of Directors Approved City Bank Sustainable Infrastructure Project

    Source: New Development Bank

    14 Apr 2025

    Home News & Events News NDB Board of Directors Approved City Bank Sustainable Infrastructure Project

    On April 1, 2025, the Board of Directors (Board) of the New Development Bank (NDB) approved a loan of up to USD 25 million to City Bank PLC for the City Bank Sustainable Infrastructure Project, the NDB’s first non-sovereign loan in Bangladesh. The Project is co-financed by NDB, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

    The City Bank Sustainable Infrastructure Project will promote sustainable infrastructure projects in Bangladesh by providing medium to long-term financing to the private sector, fostering sustainable economic growth. The Project will support private sector participation in infrastructure development in the country and also support climate change mitigation measures in Bangladesh.

    The loan will be utilized by City Bank PLC, one of the largest and oldest private commercial banks in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh established in 1983, for on-lending to sub-borrowers for financing investments in infrastructure projects in clean energy and energy efficiency, digital infrastructure and e-mobility sectors.

    Background Information

    NDB was established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging market economies and developing countries, complementing the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Taipower wins three major awards at 2024 Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards; secures Platinum Award, highest sustainability report honor

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    The Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards, known as the “Oscars of Corporate Sustainability”, held their award ceremony today (December 11). Taipower stood out among 526 companies to win the Corporate Sustainability Report Platinum Award, as well as a Best Sustainability Practice Awards in Taiwan and a Creative Communication Leadership Award. Notably, Taipower has been recognized in the Sustainability Reporting category for 16 years in a row since 2009. This also marks the sixth time the Company has received the Platinum Award, the highest honor in the Energy Industry category. A Taipower representative stated that because electricity is a vital foundation for Taiwan’s livelihood and economic development, Taipower remains committed to ensuring both stable power supply and environmental sustainability.

    For the 17th Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards in 2024, the individual performance awards were presented on November 20. Then, today, the award ceremony for the Sustainability Reporting and Comprehensive Sustainability Performance categories was held today at the Grand Hilai Taipei hotel. Department of Corporate Planning Director Kuo Chiu-Ying represented Taipower in accepting the prestigious awards from Eugene Chien, Chairman of the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy.

    A Taipower representative pointed out that winning a Corporate Sustainability Report Platinum Award and a Best Sustainability Practice Awards ( Comprehensive Performance Category) this year highlights the Company’s outstanding achievements in three aspects – environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and corporate governance – and in thoroughly and transparently disclosing this information in the sustainability report. Taipower’s 2023 Sustainability Report outlines the Company’s comprehensive sustainability development plan, presenting five sustainability visions, ten strategic pathways, and initiatives corresponding to each. These efforts align with both the United Nations and Taiwan’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). This year, the report places even greater emphasis on disclosing information in key areas such as climate action, sustainable supply chain development, and ecological inclusion, showcasing Taipower’s concrete actions toward achieving sustainable operations.

    In recent years, Taipower has continuously advanced renewable energy development, promoted modernization for low-carbon power generation, and adopted new energy technologies, steadily progressing toward the goal of net-zero emissions for the power sector. In addition, Taipower embraces the spirit of other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), applying nature-based solutions to foster harmony between power infrastructure and ecological systems, and thus protecting biodiversity and the natural environment. Examples include using conservation efforts at the Yong’an Wetlands near the Hsinta Power Plant to create a Flying Bird Power Plant; and implementing a bat habitat relocation project at the Taixi Wind Plant.

    A Taipower representative explained that this is the Company’s fifth time receiving the Creative Communication Leadership Award in the corporate governance category of the Sustainability Performance Awards. The Company has continued to promote popular science education on electricity through initiatives tailored to audiences of all ages. These initiatives include helping create the Taiwan Science Train and the Workplace Visitation Program for Youth; organizing the kW Design Award, Taiwan’s only electricity-themed design competition; and creating TAIPOWER D/S ONE, Taiwan’s first green energy-themed exhibition hall. Through these diverse, creative, interactive platforms, Taipower effectively connects knowledge of power to everyday life. In recognition of these efforts, Taipower was also honored with a Taiwan Sustainability Action Award at the 2024 SDG Asia this August.

    Spokesperson: Vice President Tsai Chih-Meng
    Phone: (02) 2366-6271/0958-749-333
    Email: u910707@taipower.com.tw
    Contact Person: Department of Corporate Planning Director Kuo Chiu-Ying
    Phone: (02) 2366-6440/0978-105-282
    Email: u004770@taipower.com.tw

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 15, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 15, 2025.

    Social media is the new election battleground. Is embracing influencers smart, risky or both?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Grantham, Lecturer in Communication, Griffith University From Abbie Chatfield and Hannah Ferguson to Ozzy Man, influencers have never been more central to an Australian election campaign. Much has been made of the increasingly common site of politicians on TikTok or Instagram reels. Some political groups don’t

    Trump’s tariffs rollercoaster is really about Republican unity
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lester Munson, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney After announcing Liberation Day – stiff “retaliatory” tariffs on every country and penguin-inhabited island in the world – US President Donald Trump rescinded the vast majority of tariffs eight days later when stock and bond markets

    Peters emphasises growing importance of NZ’s Pacific ties with the United States
    By Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai, RNZ Pacific journalist in Hawai’i New Zealand’s Pacific connection with the United States is “more important than ever”, says Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters after rounding up the Hawai’i leg of his Pacific trip. Peters said common strategic interests of the US and New Zealand were underlined while in the state. “Our

    Israeli military reservists court Australian universities amid ‘hypocrisy’ over anti-war protests
    Hundreds of university staff and students in Melbourne and Sydney called on their vice-chancellors to cancel pro-Israel events earlier this month, write Michael West Media’s Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon. SPECIAL REPORT: By Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon While Australia’s universities continue to repress pro-Palestine peace protests, they gave the green light to pro-Israel events

    Why the Mormon church is on an expansion project, with 2 secretive new temples planned for Australia
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brenton Griffin, Casual Lecturer and Tutor in History, Indigenous Studies, and Politics, Flinders University The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced it will build 15 new temples in countries across the world, including one in Liverpool, New South Wales. This follows a similar announcement

    Winter electricity prices are rising – how do we know we’re getting value for money?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Meade, Adjunct Associate Professor, Griffith University, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University Shutterstock Winter is coming to New Zealand and Australia, and with it come those inevitably higher power bills from heating our homes. But even without that seasonal spike, household power

    Amid the election promises, what would actually help ‘fix’ the housing crisis? Here’s 5 ideas
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, John Curtin Distinguished Professor & ARC Future Fellow, Curtin University Shutterstock As the election campaign rolls on, housing has been, unsurprisingly, a major campaign focus. We’ve seen a series of housing policy announcements from across the political spectrum, including duelling announcements from the major

    New study finds no evidence technology causes ‘digital dementia’ in older people
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nikki-Anne Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), UNSW Sydney RDNE Stock project/Pexels In the 21st century, digital technology has changed many aspects of our lives. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is the latest newcomer, with chatbots and other AI tools changing how we learn and creating

    Amid the election promises, what would actually help ‘fix’ the housing crisis? Here are 5 ideas
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, John Curtin Distinguished Professor & ARC Future Fellow, Curtin University Shutterstock As the election campaign rolls on, housing has been, unsurprisingly, a major campaign focus. We’ve seen a series of housing policy announcements from across the political spectrum, including duelling announcements from the major

    Cutting migrant numbers won’t help housing – the real immigration problems not being tackled this election
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter McDonald, Honorary Professor of Demography, Centre for Health Policy, The University of Melbourne Immigration is shaping as one of the most potent policy issues of the election campaign. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a Coalition government would cut the two major migration programs – permanent

    Focusing on a child’s strengths can transform assessments – and help them thrive after an ADHD or autism diagnosis
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Guastella, Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney Jota Buyinch Photo/Shutterstock When parents are concerned about their child’s development, they often seek an assessment to address concerns and identify any conditions, such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

    Australian honeybees are under attack by mites and beetles. Here’s how to keep your backyard hive safe
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cornelia Sattler, Research Fellow in Ecology & Videographer, Macquarie University Varroa mites on a male bee larva. Theotime Colin Australia’s honeybees are facing an exceptional crisis. The tiny but devastating foreign pest Varroa destructor is steadily spreading across the country. The mite feeds on baby bees (larvae),

    Would looser lending rules help more people buy a house – or just put them at risk?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Grant, Associate Professor in Finance, University of Sydney doublelee/Shutterstock Big promises on housing were at the centre of both major parties’ announcements at the official federal election campaign launches on the weekend. Among the highlights, Labor pledged to build 100,000 new homes and extend a government-guaranteed

    Why is it so hard for everyone to have a house in Australia?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ehsan Noroozinejad, Senior Researcher, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Bilalnol/Shutterstock Home ownership in Australia was once regarded as proof of success in life. However, it remains elusive for many people today. Prices have soared beyond wage growth, rents keep rising, and even some well-intentioned government

    Why the Mormon church is on an expansion project, with two secretive new temples planned for Australia
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brenton Griffin, Casual Lecturer and Tutor in History, Indigenous Studies, and Politics, Flinders University The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced it will build 15 new temples in countries across the world, including one in Liverpool, New South Wales. This follows a similar announcement

    Owners are officially no longer responsible for tourism accidents on their land – but they never really were
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Peace, Lecturer in Occupational Health and Safety, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington EyesWideOpen/Getty Images Newly announced reforms to the Health and Safety at Work Act mean landowners will no longer be responsible for tourism-related injuries on their properties. But it’s not clear this

    New Zealand’s humanity – does it include all of us, or only for some?
    COMMENTARY: By Katrina Mitchell-Kouttab “Wherever Palestinians have control is barbaric.” These were the words from New Zealand’s Chief Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow. During a meeting with Philippa Yasbek from Jewish Voices for Peace, Dr Rainbow allegedly told her that information from the NZ Security Intelligence Services (NZSIS) threat assessment asserted that Muslims were the

    Leaked ‘working paper’ on New Caledonia’s political future sparks new concerns
    By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A leaked “working paper” on New Caledonia’s future political status is causing concern on the local stage and has prompted a “clarification” from the French government’s Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls. Details of the document, which was supposed to remain confidential, have been widely circulated online

    Election Diary: Will Peter Dutton help son Harry buy a house?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Political leaders’ kids are routinely put on display to share the glory or the pain of election night. Earlier, they’re often at campaign launches to “humanise” the candidates. Peter Dutton pulled out all stops with the family for his Sunday

    Big Girls Don’t Cry is a powerful, heart-wrenching, and comical celebration of Indigenous resilience and survival
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Case, Lecturer in Musicology, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney Stephen Wilson Barker/Belvoir With Big Girls Don’t Cry, Gumbaynggirr/Wiradjuri playwright Dalara Williams proves herself to be a formidable talent. Cheryl (Williams), Queenie (Megan Wilding) and Lulu (Stephanie Somerville) are three best friends who share a

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: TRUMP EFFECT: NVIDIA Leads American-Made Chips Boom

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    For the first time ever, chipmaking giant NVIDIA will manufacture its AI supercomputers entirely in the U.S., the company announced today — part of its pledge to produce $500 billion of AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years.
    The company will build and test its advanced chips in Arizona and its AI supercomputers in Texas over a million square feet of new manufacturing space.
    It’s the Trump Effect in action.
    President Donald J. Trump has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off — with trillions of dollars in new investments secured in the tech sector alone.
    Earlier this year, President Trump announced a $500 billion private investment in AI infrastructure led by OpenAI, Oracle, and Softbank, while Apple announced a $500 billion investment and TSMC announced a $100 billion investment in chips manufacturing.
    Onshoring these industries is good for the American worker, good for the American economy, and good for American national security — and the best is yet to come.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by Director Kratsios at the Endless Frontiers Retreat

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”>THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN INNOVATION
    AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY
    Endless Frontiers Retreat, Austin, Texas
    April 14, 2025
    THE DIRECTOR: Thank you for the kind introduction. It is a pleasure to speak to you all this evening, here in the early light of the new Golden Age of America.
    President Trump has given all of us who serve in his administration a monumental task—the renewal of our nation.
    I know, and I think you know, too, that such a renewal will require the reinvigoration of American science and industry. Over the last few decades, America has become complacent, forgetting old dreams of building a wondrous future.
    But we know the American pioneer spirit still seeks the exploration of endless frontiers. Our technologies, and what we do with them, will be the tools with which we will make the destiny of our country manifest in this century.
    Yet this American hope in the possibility of progress and the power of science and technology does not allow builders and innovators to retreat from politics. Indeed, quite the opposite, which is what brings me here today. A Golden Age is only possible if we choose it.
    ***
    There is nothing predestined about technological progress and scientific discovery. They require the efforts and energies of men and women, the collective choice for order and truth over disorder and opinion.
    The last century was called the American Century, as—despite wars and domestic conflict—the United States stood at the forefront of science and technology, building the future. With the strength of our industry and ingenuity, we created the largest middle class the world has ever seen. As President Trump said to me in his letter laying out the science and technology agenda of this administration, “The triumphs of the last century did not happen by chance.”
    Ours was the Atomic Age. Ours the victory in the Space Race. And ours the invention of the Internet, collecting and connecting the multiplicity of human knowledge.
    Today we fight to restore that inheritance. As the failure of the Biden administration’s “small yard, high fence” approach makes clear, it is not enough to seek to protect America’s technological lead. We also have a duty to promote American technological leadership.
    ***
    A gap lies between our moment and the speed of transformation America experienced midcentury. Progress has slowed. Yes, large language models astonish us, rockets still turn our eyes upward, and satellites envelop the globe. But as we look forward to America’s 250th birthday celebration next year, our progress today pales in comparison to the huge leaps of the 20th century. Consider the country of fifty years ago.
    As the nation approached its bicentennial, Americans looked forward to electricity too cheap to meter. By the end of 1972, 30 nuclear plants were operational, 55 were under construction, and more than 80 were planned or ordered. That same year, the Apollo 17 astronauts became the 11th and 12th men to walk on the moon. Five years before, the X-15 rocket plane had set a speed record for a crewed aircraft of Mach 6.7. America was flying higher, faster, and farther than ever before…
    Today, however, energy prices still burden producers and consumers alike, and the grid remains precarious. Over the past 30 years only three commercial nuclear reactors have been built and 10 have been closed. Despite spending almost twice as much on healthcare as peer nations, we have the lowest life expectancy. Apollo 17’s steps on the lunar surface have proved mankind’s last. The X-15’s record still stands, and the Concorde was decommissioned more than two decades ago. Our passenger planes are slower than they used to be. Our trains crawl compared to those in other parts of the world. Our cars do not fly
    Advances have not stopped, but something has gone wrong.  
    ***
    Stagnation was a choice. We have weighed down our builders and innovators. The well-intentioned regulatory regime of the 1970s became an ever-tightening ratchet, first hampering America’s ability to become a net-energy exporter and then making it harder and harder to build. We seem to have lost focus and vision, to have lowered our sights and let systems and structures and bureaucracies muddle us along.
    But we are capable of so much more.  
    Our technologies permit us to manipulate time and space. They leave distance annihilated, cause things to grow, and improve productivity.
    As Vice President Vance said in a recent speech, the tradition of American innovation has been one of increasing the capacities of America’s workers, of extending human ability so that more people can do more, and, more meaningful work. But unrestricted immigration, and reliance on cheap labor both domestically and offshore, has been a substitute for improving productivity with technology.
    We can build in new ways that let us do more with less, or we can borrow from the future. We have chosen to borrow from the future again and again. Our choice as a civilization is technology or debt. And we have chosen debt.
    Today we choose a better way.
    ***
    Our first assignment is to secure America’s preeminence in critical and emerging technologies. This administration will ensure that our nation remains the leader in the industries of the future with a strategy of both promotion and protection—protecting our greatest assets and promoting our greatest innovators.
    To the degree it even tried to accomplish this, the Biden administration failed on its own terms, led by a spirit of fear rather than promise. The old regime sought to protect its managerial power from the disruptions of technology, while promoting social division and redistribution in the name of equity. They secured American technology poorly, and failed to strengthen our leadership at all.
    Promoting America’s technological leadership requires three things of government. First, we have to make the smart choices of creatively allocating our public research and development dollars. Second, we have to make the right choices in constructing a common-sense, pro-innovation regulatory regime. And third, we have to make the easy choice to adopt the incredible products and tools made by American builders and to enable their export abroad.
    In a moment of strategic significance, we must be more creative in our use of public research and development money, and shape a funding environment that makes clear what our national priorities are. Whether in AI, quantum, biotech, or next-generation semiconductors, in partnership with the private sector and academia, it is the duty of government to enable scientists to create new theories and empower engineers to put them into practice. Prizes, advance market commitments, and other novel funding mechanisms, like fast and flexible grants, can multiply the impact of government-funded research.
    At a time defined by the desire to build in America again, we have to throw off the burden of bad regulations that weigh down our innovators, and use federal resources to test, to deploy, and to mature emerging technologies. We know, for example, the greatest obstacle to limitless energy in this country has been a regulatory regime opposed to innovation and development. This, too, has been the chief barrier to pushing the envelope again in transportation, whether supersonic aircraft or high-speed rail and flying cars. The time has come to review the rules on the books and to ask whom they really protect and what they really cost.
    For a future stamped with the American character, the federal government must become an early adopter and avid promoter of American technology. Our innovators make incredible breakthroughs, but consumers, government included, require products that meet their needs, not just the wide-open country of frontier technology. Our industrial might, unleashed at home, and our technical achievements from AI to aerospace, successfully commercialized, can also be powerful instruments of diplomacy abroad and key components of our international alliances. American progress in critical technologies will make us the global partner of choice and the standards setter to follow if we enable and encourage American companies to distribute the American tech stack around the world.
    ***
    This approach to promoting America’s technological leadership goes hand in hand with a threefold strategy for protecting that position from foreign rivals. First, we must safeguard U.S. intellectual property and take seriously American research security. Second, we must prevent rival nations from infiltrating our infrastructure and supply chains, as well as from embedding themselves in the infrastructure of our allies. And third, we must enforce export controls and other measures that keep American frontier technologies out of competitors’ hands.
    We face many dangers as a nation, but thanks to decades of feckless American leaders, China in particular has grown into both a geopolitical rival and technological competitor. This threat requires us to protect our science and technology resources with heightened vigilance, and defend the vital work American researchers do in public and corporate contexts alike from misuse, theft, and disruption. To safeguard our intellectual capital, we must restrict foreign access to sensitive data and strengthen oversight of international collaborators.
    Our infrastructure, supply chains, and those of our allies must be secured, too. We cannot afford to remain dependent, as we are in too many essential industries, on Chinese inputs and products, nor can we allow our closest partners to become points of insecurity by relying on Chinese-controlled critical infrastructure, whether in telecom, the grid, or AI. We must establish and secure trusted supply chains, implement public-private partnerships to enhance supply-chain resilience, and create investment incentives to reshore more critical manufacturing.
    Finally, after thirty years of subsidizing Chinese growth, it is time for us to stop helping a rival catch up with us in this race. Strict and simple export controls and know your customer rules, with an unapologetic America-first attitude about enforcing them, are central to stopping China from continuing to build itself up at our expense. We want peace between our countries, and that peace depends on keeping America’s bleeding-edge technology out of our competitor’s hands.
    ***
    The Golden Age of American innovation is on our horizon, if we choose it.
    In a changing technological environment, the task ahead of us is to adapt to new realities without destroying the American way of life or dis-inheriting the American worker. We seek, in the most basic terms, to secure our economy, restore our middle class, and uphold America as the planet’s best home for innovators.
    For many years now the temptation for the kinds of people represented in this room—builders and discoverers—has been to withdraw from politics. In the face of burdensome regulation and inefficient government and the circus of election cycles, many of you have chosen retreat of various kinds.
    But there is no substitute for victory. You and your fellow Americans cannot afford to give up on the nation. In a world so shaped by politics as well as technology, we must take action in both of these domains. We need all Americans to continue to rise to the occasion, to make full use of their talents, and to build.
    All of us must labor to preserve the inheritance of the American Century to share with posterity, and to ensure that the technologies that give shape to our world help the American people secure the blessings of liberty we received from our forebearers. I bear that responsibility in my role as the President’s Science and Technology Advisor. You bear it, too, in exercising whatever powers and responsibilities you have, whether in business, education, or the laboratory—as Americans.
    It is the choices of individuals that will make the new American Golden Age possible: the choice of individuals to master the sclerosis of the state, and the choice of individuals to craft new technologies and give themselves to scientific discoveries that will bend time and space, make more with less, and drive us further into the endless frontier.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Internet summit in HK highlights digital future

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit is underway, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, April 14, 2025. [Photo/China Daily]
    The 2025 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit kicked off in Hong Kong on Monday, attracting nearly 1,000 participants from around the globe to explore future development and potentials across various domains in digital technology.
    The two-day summit was held under the theme of “Integration of AI and Digital Technologies Shaping the Future — Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”.
    Speaking at the summit, Wang Yong, vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, said that the Chinese government consistently embraced the digital era with an open attitude, sharing opportunities and benefits brought by internet development with countries around the world, including those in the Asia-Pacific region.
    China is willing to work hand in hand with other countries to promote technological innovation, deepen exchanges and cooperation, safeguard security and stability of cyberspace, establish a sound governance order, and jointly advance the world toward a bright future of digital and intelligent integration, Wang said.
    John Lee, chief executive of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said the summit demonstrated the city’s rising role as an international innovation and technology hub. It also reflected Hong Kong’s deepening integration with the country’s national development.
    Lee said that at challenging time, with geopolitics and trade relations getting tense, cooperation is important. Hong Kong champions free trade and multilateralism, and is willing to offer a range of welcoming programs for investors.
    Zhuang Rongwen, chief of the Cyberspace Administration of China and chairman of the World Internet Conference, said that the theme of the summit reflected its aim to align with the trends of the information era, focus on the development and security of artificial intelligence, deepen exchanges, foster consensus, and enhance cooperation.
    Zheng Yanxiong, deputy director of the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office and director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, said that as a pioneer in internet development, Hong Kong serves as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” in the advancement of digital-intelligence integration. By jointly promoting the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace, Hong Kong is set to become a new hub for innovation in internet technology, industry, and culture.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Xi calls for deepening building of China-Vietnam community with shared future

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, on Monday called for deepening the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

    Xi made the remarks when meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam during his state visit to Vietnam.

    Xi pointed out that he was very pleased to pay a state visit to Vietnam and realize the first round of mutual visits with General Secretary To Lam.

    This year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPV, the 80th anniversary of the founding of Vietnam and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South, he said, extending warm congratulations to Vietnam on behalf of the CPC and the Chinese government.

    China will, as always, support Vietnam in taking a socialist path that suits its national conditions, successfully holding the 14th National Congress of the CPV in 2026, and its steadfast pursuit of realizing the two goals set for the centenary of the party and the country.

    This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Vietnam, as well as the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, said Xi, stressing that over the past 75 years, regardless of changes in the international landscape, China and Vietnam have supported each other in the struggle for national independence and liberation, advanced side by side in the cause of socialist development, and forged ahead in their respective modernization endeavors, setting an example of solidarity and cooperation between socialist countries.

    Facing the changing and turbulent world, China and Vietnam have stayed committed to peaceful development and deepened their friendly cooperation, bringing much-needed stability and certainty to the world, Xi said.

    Standing at a new historical starting point, the two sides should build on past achievements, forge ahead together and carry forward the profound traditional friendship featuring “camaraderie plus brotherhood,” said Xi.

    Guided by the overall goals of achieving higher political mutual trust, more solid security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, stronger public support, closer multilateral coordination and better management and resolution of differences, the two countries should work to advance their comprehensive strategic cooperation with high quality, ensure steady and sustained progress in building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and contribute even more to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

    Building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future carries great global significance, Xi said, noting that as the two countries jointly pursue peaceful development, their combined population of over 1.5 billion is jointly advancing toward modernization, which will contribute to regional and global peace and stability while promoting common development.

    Both countries are committed to opening up and have played a constructive role in maintaining the stability and smooth operation of regional industrial and supply chains, as well as contributing to the advancement of economic globalization, Xi said.

    A small boat with a lone sail cannot withstand rough seas, Xi said, noting that only by working together in the same boat can they ensure stability and long-term progress.

    He noted that both China and Vietnam are beneficiaries of economic globalization, and the two sides should strengthen strategic resolve, jointly oppose unilateralism and bullying practices, and work together to uphold the global free trade system and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains.

    Xi proposed six measures to deepen the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    First, enhance strategic mutual trust at a higher level.

    Leaders of the two parties and countries should communicate with each other as relatives, Xi said, noting the two sides should give full play to the role of channels including inter-party, legislative bodies and political consultative organizations, deepen the exchange of experience in governance, and improve the leadership of the two parties in promoting national modernization.

    Second, build a stronger security barrier.

    The two sides should set the “3+3” strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security between the two countries at the ministerial level to enhance strategic coordination.

    It is necessary to give full play to the role of defense and law enforcement security cooperation mechanisms, resolutely tackle online gambling, telecom fraud and other cross-border crimes, strengthen bilateral and multilateral law enforcement and judicial cooperation, especially within the framework of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, so as to safeguard people’s lives and property and uphold regional peace and stability.

    Third, expand higher quality mutually beneficial cooperation.

    Seize the major opportunities of China’s new quality productive forces and Vietnam’s new productive forces to accelerate the formation of practical cooperation between the two countries. Realize the comprehensive connection of standard-gauge railways, highways, and smart ports at an early date. Promote high-tech cooperation such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. China’s mega market is always open to Vietnam, and the country welcomes more high-quality Vietnamese products. China encourages its companies to invest in Vietnam and hopes that Vietnam will create a more fair and friendly business environment.

    Fourth, tighten the bonds of people-to-people ties.

    China and Vietnam should take the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity and organize more people-oriented exchange activities, and enhance cooperation in tourism, culture, media, public health and other fields.

    The two sides should continue to explore resources of revolutionary heritage and promote stories of friendship. In the next three years, China will invite Vietnamese youth to China for “Red Study Tours,” which will help the younger generation of both countries better understand the hard-won nature of the socialist countries and the great value of China-Vietnam good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation, and will cultivate greater vitality for the development of bilateral relations and the respective national development endeavors.

    Fifth, conduct closer multilateral coordination.

    China and Vietnam should jointly uphold the outcomes of World War II, firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, promote a more equal and orderly multi-polar world and an economic globalization that is more inclusive and beneficial for all, and enhance cooperation under the frameworks of the three major global initiatives.

    China will stay committed to the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and to the policy of pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors. It will deepen friendly cooperation with neighboring countries so that the fruits of Chinese modernization can better benefit the region.

    Sixth, achieve more positive maritime interaction.

    The two countries should earnestly implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, properly manage maritime issues, expand maritime cooperation, demonstrate resolve in launching joint development, and work toward the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

    For his part, To Lam extended a warm welcome to Xi on his state visit to Vietnam, which took place on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He said that Xi is not only an outstanding leader of the Chinese people but also a great friend of the Vietnamese people.

    Xi’s choice to make Vietnam his first overseas destination this year fully reflects the importance he attaches to China-Vietnam relations and his support for Vietnam, the Vietnamese leader said. This visit will mark a new milestone in the history of friendly exchanges between the two parties and countries, further advancing the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, he added.

    Under Xi’s strong leadership, To Lam noted, China has achieved historic accomplishments in advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics, made comprehensive progress in its path to modernization, and witnessed rapid development of new quality productive forces. With China’s international stature on the rise, Vietnam extends its congratulations and expresses gratitude for China’s long-standing support and assistance, he said.

    Emphasizing that both Vietnam and China are socialist countries under the leadership of a communist party, To Lam said that developing relations with China is an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority for Vietnam. Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy, supports China’s efforts toward national reunification, and resolutely opposes any separatist actions aimed at “Taiwan independence,” he said.

    Advancing Vietnam-China relations, To Lam noted, is in the fundamental interest of both peoples and conforms with the trend of the times. Vietnam looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges between the two parties and countries, enhancing exchanges on governance experience, deepening strategic security cooperation, and continually consolidating political mutual trust; further elevating bilateral cooperation by creating new highlights in areas such as trade, science and technology, infrastructure and environmental protection; and promoting people-to-people exchanges, encouraging local and youth interactions, and enhancing tourism cooperation to nurture closer bonds between the peoples, he said.

    Vietnam supports the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and the three major global initiatives proposed by Xi, To Lam said. Vietnam lauds the vision set forth during the CPC’s central conference on work related to neighboring countries, which envisions building a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home with neighboring countries and insists on fostering friendly, mutually beneficial and prosperous relationships, he said.

    Vietnam is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, uphold multilateralism and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, safeguard international trade rules, abide by the agreements signed by both sides, and jointly make greater contributions to world peace and human progress, To Lam said, adding that Vietnam is also willing to properly address maritime differences with China to ensure maritime stability.

    Before the talks, To Lam invited Xi to a small-group chat over tea. The two general secretaries exchanged views on party building and national governance. Xi stressed that party building is crucial to the destiny of the party and the country, and that the party’s work style bears on whether it can win public support. The CPC Central Committee has decided to carry out an in-depth campaign throughout the party this year to learn and implement the spirit of the eight-point decision on improving work conduct. This is intended to secure new achievements in work style transformation to further support comprehensive reform and advance modernization. Both general secretaries agreed to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, and pursue progress in socialist development.

    After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the display of 45 bilateral cooperation documents signed by China and Vietnam. These documents cover areas including connectivity, artificial intelligence, customs inspection and quarantine, agricultural trade, culture and sports, public welfare, human resource development, media, and more.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Internet summit in Hong Kong highlights digital future

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

    HONG KONG, April 14 — The 2025 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit kicked off here Monday, attracting nearly 1,000 participants from around the globe to explore future development and potentials across various domains in digital technology.

    The two-day summit was held under the theme of “Integration of AI and Digital Technologies Shaping the Future — Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”.

    Speaking at the summit, Wang Yong, vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, said that the Chinese government consistently embraced the digital era with an open attitude, sharing opportunities and benefits brought by internet development with countries around the world, including those in the Asia-Pacific region.

    China is willing to work hand in hand with other countries to promote technological innovation, deepen exchanges and cooperation, safeguard security and stability of cyberspace, establish a sound governance order, and jointly advance the world toward a bright future of digital and intelligent integration, Wang said.

    John Lee, chief executive of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said the summit demonstrated the city’s rising role as an international innovation and technology hub. It also reflected Hong Kong’s deepening integration with the country’s national development.

    Lee said that at challenging time, with geopolitics and trade relations getting tense, cooperation is important. Hong Kong champions free trade and multilateralism, and is willing to offer a range of welcoming programs for investors.

    Zhuang Rongwen, chief of the Cyberspace Administration of China and chairman of the World Internet Conference, said that the theme of the summit reflected its aim to align with the trends of the information era, focus on the development and security of artificial intelligence, deepen exchanges, foster consensus, and enhance cooperation.

    Zheng Yanxiong, deputy director of the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office and director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, said that as a pioneer in internet development, Hong Kong serves as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” in the advancement of digital-intelligence integration. By jointly promoting the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace, Hong Kong is set to become a new hub for innovation in internet technology, industry, and culture.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: PrairieSky Announces Results of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PrairieSky Royalty Ltd. (“PrairieSky” or the “Company“) (TSX: PSK) is pleased to announce that its shareholders approved all resolutions at the annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company held on April 14, 2025 (the “Meeting“) in Calgary, Alberta. The resolutions approved at the Meeting were as follows:

    The resolution to appoint the seven (7) nominees as directors of the Company to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company, or until their successors are elected or appointed, was passed by way of ballot and each of the directors received the following votes for their election:

    Margaret A. McKenzie 212,802,872 (99.914%)
    Anna M. Alderson 212,841,516 (99.932%)
    Anuroop S. Duggal 209,670,592 (98.443%)
    P. Jane Gavan 204,866,881 (96.188%)
    Glenn A. McNamara 211,504,353 (99.304%)
    Andrew M. Phillips 212,830,654 (99.927%)
    Sheldon B. Steeves 211,493,978 (99.299%)
       

    The resolution to appoint KPMG LLP as the Company’s auditors was approved with 210,848,494 (97.387%) of the shares represented at the Meeting voting in favour of the resolution.

    The resolution to accept the Company’s approach to executive compensation was approved with 211,217,643 (99.170%) of the shares represented at the Meeting voting in favour of the resolution.

    The report on voting for the Meeting will be available at SEDAR+ www.sedarplus.com and on the Company’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

    ABOUT PRAIRIESKY ROYALTY LTD.

    PrairieSky is a royalty-focused company, generating royalty revenues as petroleum and natural gas are produced from its properties. PrairieSky has a diverse portfolio of properties that have a long history of generating funds from operations and that represent the largest and most concentrated independently-owned fee simple mineral title position in Canada. PrairieSky’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PSK.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

    PrairieSky Royalty Ltd.
    Investor Relations
    (587) 293-4000

    www.prairiesky.com

    PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/60671034-79e9-439e-9f12-5e2456de6556 

    The MIL Network –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Xi calls on China, Vietnam to oppose hegemonism, unilateralism, protectionism

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

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    HANOI, April 14 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday urged China and Vietnam to jointly oppose hegemonism, unilateralism and protectionism.

    In his meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Xi said that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese government, the country has achieved political and social stability, and made impressive achievements in its cause of Doi Moi (reform), while its international status is increasing, for which China feels rejoiced.

    Both sides shoulder the historical mission of realizing national rejuvenation and accelerating national development, Xi noted.

    He called on the two countries to forge a strong sense of a community with a shared future, and deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation, so as to serve their respective modernization processes, and better benefit the two peoples.

    The two sides, Xi said, should strengthen the strategic coordination and consolidate the political foundation for building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    He urged the two sides to intensify high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, and jointly oppose hegemonism, unilateralism and protectionism.

    Xi also called on the two sides to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, so as to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice, and safeguard peace, stability, development and prosperity in Asia and beyond.

    Xi said the two sides should promote high-quality development to provide solid strategic support for the two countries’ joint march toward modernization.

    China and Vietnam, Xi said, should give full play to their geographical advantages of being connected by land and sea, strengthen the alignment of development strategies and tap the potential of industrial cooperation.

    He also called on the two countries to steadily advance cooperation in infrastructure development, enhance connectivity and ensure a smooth flow of trade.

    The two countries should expand cooperation in traditional areas such as trade and investment, and expand cooperation in emerging industries such as 5G, artificial intelligence, clean energy and digital economy.

    Xi also said China and Vietnam should firmly uphold the multilateral trading system, and work together to push for economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.

    The two sides should deepen cultural cooperation and promote the main theme of China-Vietnam friendship, Xi said.

    He urged the two sides to ensure a series of activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of China-Vietnam diplomatic ties and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges a success, so as to tell stories well of friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as their joint pursuit of modernization.

    Xi also urged the two sides to carry out more projects to win the hearts and minds of the people and improve their lives.

    For his part, Pham Minh Chinh said that Xi’s state visit to Vietnam is the most important high-level exchange between the two countries this year, adding that this is a great, joyous event in Vietnam-China relations and of historic significance, and will surely lead Vietnam-China relations to greater development and inject strong impetus into bilateral cooperation.

    Since Xi’s visit to Vietnam in 2023, the strategic mutual trust between the two countries has been further enhanced, practical cooperation has witnessed significant progress and the friendship of the two peoples has deepened, he said.

    Vietnam attaches great importance to its relations with China and is determined to firmly promote the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, said the Vietnamese prime minister.

    Noting that Vietnam sincerely congratulates China on its tremendous development achievements, he said Vietnam supports China’s sustained development and growth, and hopes to learn from China’s experience in the governance of the party and the country, its spirit of self-reliance and its development philosophy and model.

    The Vietnamese leader noted that his country looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in areas including economy and trade, investment, connectivity, science and technology, as well as finance to enhance economic vitality and growth drivers so as to jointly cope with risks and challenges.

    He also said that Vietnam looks forward to the successful hosting of the Vietnam-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges and expects more robust personnel exchanges and sub-national cooperation, and closer bond of the two peoples.

    He said that his country also looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in international and regional affairs, so as to maintain strategic focus in the complex and volatile international situation, and jointly safeguard multilateralism and the international order.

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: Israeli military reservists court Australian universities amid ‘hypocrisy’ over anti-war protests

    Hundreds of university staff and students in Melbourne and Sydney called on their vice-chancellors to cancel pro-Israel events earlier this month, write Michael West Media’s Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon.

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon

    While Australia’s universities continue to repress pro-Palestine peace protests, they gave the green light to pro-Israel events earlier this month, sparking outrage from anti-war protesters over the hypocrisy.

    Israeli lobby groups StandWithUs Australia (SWU) and Israel-IS organised a series of university events this week which featured Israel Defense Force (IDF) reservists who have served during the war in Gaza, two of whom lost family members in the Hamas resistance attack on October 7, 2023.

    The events were promoted as “an immersive VR experience with an inspiring interfaith panel” discussing the importance of social cohesion, on and off campus.”

    Hundreds of staff and students at Monash, Sydney Uni, UNSW and UTS signed letters calling on their universities to “act swiftly to cancel the SWU event and make clear that organisations and individuals who worked with the Israel Defense Forces did not have a place on UNSW campuses.”

    SWU is a global charity organisation which supports Israel and fights all conduct it perceives to be “antisemitic”. It campaigns against the United Nations and international NGOs’ findings against Israel and is currently supporting actions to suspend United States students supporting Palestine.

    It established an office in Sydney in 2022 and Michael Gencher, who previously worked at the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, was appointed as CEO.

    The event’s co-sponsor, Israel-IS, is a similar propaganda outfit whose mission is to “connect with people before they connect with ideas” particularly through “cutting edge technologies like VR and AI.”

    Among their 18 staff, one employee’s role is “IDF coordinator’” while two employees serve as “heads of Influencer Academy”.

    The events were a test for management at Monash, UTS, UNSW and USyd to see how far each would go in cooperating with the Israel lobby.

    Some events cancelled
    At Monash, an open letter criticising the event was circulated by staff and students. The event was then cancelled without explanation.

    At UNSW, 51 staff and postgraduate students signed an open letter to vice-chancellor Atilla Brungs, calling for the event’s cancellation. It was signed on their behalf by Jessica Whyte, an associate professor of philosophy in arts and law and Noam Peleg, associate professor in the Faculty of Law and Justice.

    Prior to the scheduled event, Michael West Media sent questions to UNSW. After the event was scheduled to occur, the university responded to MWM, informing us that it had not taken place.

    As of today, two days after the event was scheduled, vice-chancellor Brungs has not responded to the letter.

    UTS warning to students
    The UTS branch of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students partnered with Israel-IS in organising the UTS event, in alignment with their core “pillars” of Zionism and activism. The student group seeks to “promote a positive image of Israel on campus” to achieve its vision of a world where Jewish students are committed to Israel.

    UTS Students’ Association, Palestinian Youth Society and UTS Muslim Student Society wrote to management but deputy vice-chancellor Kylie Readman rejected pleas. She replied that the event’s organisers had guaranteed it would be “a small private event focused on minority Israeli perspectives” and that speakers would only speak in a personal capacity.

    While acknowledging the conflict in the Middle East was stressful for many at UTS, she then warned students, “UTS has not received formal notification of any intent to protest, as is required under the campus policy. As such, I must advise that any protest activity planned for 2nd April will be unauthorised. I would urge you to encourage students not to participate in an unauthorised protest.”

    Students who allegedly breach campus policies can face disciplinary proceedings that can lead to suspension.

    UTS Student Association president Mia Campbell told MWM, “The warning given by UTS about protesting definitely felt intimidating and frightening to a number of students, including myself.

    “Especially as a law student, misconduct allegations can affect your admission to the profession . . .  but with all other avenues of communication exhausted between us and the university, it felt like we didn’t have a choice.

    I don’t want to look back on what I was doing during this genocide and have done any less than what was possible at the time.

    A UTS student reads the names of Gaza children killed in Israel’s War on Gaza. Image: Wendy Bacon/MWM

    Sombre, but quietly angry protest
    The UTS protest was sombre but quietly angry. Speakers read from lists naming dead Palestinian children.

    One speaker, who has lost 120 members of his extended family in Gaza, explained why he protested: “We have to be backed into a corner, told we can’t protest, told we can’t do anything. We’ve exhausted every single policy . . . Add to all that we are threatened with misconduct.”

    Do you think we can stay silent while there are people on campus who may have played a part in the killings in Gaza?

    SWU at University of Sydney
    University of Sydney staff and students who signed an open letter received no reply before the event.

    Activists from USyd staff in support of Palestine, Students Against War and Jews Against the Occupation ‘48 began protesting outside the Michael Spence building that houses the university’s senior executives on the Wednesday evening, April 2.

    Escorted by UTS security, three SWU representatives arrived. A small group was admitted. Soon afterwards, the participants could be seen from below in the building’s meeting room.

    A few protesters remained and booed the attendees as they left. These included Mark Leach, a far right Christian Zionist and founder of pro-Israeli group Never Again is Now. Later on X, he condemned the protesters and described Israel as a “multi-ethnic enclave of civilisation.”

    Warning letters for students
    Several student activists have received letters recently warning them about breaching the new USyd code of conduct regulating protests. USyd has also adopted a definition of anti-semitism which critics say could restrict criticism of Israel.

    It has been slammed by the Jewish Council of Australia as “dangerous” and “unworkable”.

    A Jews against Occupation ’48 speaker, Judith Treanor, said, “Welcoming this organisation makes a mockery of this university’s stated values of respect, non-harassment, and anti-racism.

    “In the context of this university’s adoption of draconian measures to stifle freedom of expression in relation to Palestine, the decision to host this event promoting Israel reveals a shocking level of hypocrisy and a huge abuse of power.”

    Jews Against the Occupation ‘48: L-R Suzie Gold, Laurie Izaks MacSween and Judith Treanor at the protest. Image: Vivienne Moore/MWM

    No stranger to USyd
    Michael Gencher is no stranger to USyd. Since October 2023, he has opposed student encampments and street protests.

    On one occasion, he visited the USyd protest student encampment in support of Palestine with Richard Kemp, a retired British army commander who tirelessly promotes the IDF. Kemp’s most recent X post congratulates Hungary for withdrawing from “the International Criminal Kangaroo Court. Other countries should reject this political court and follow suit.”

    Kemp and Gencher filmed themselves attempting to interrogate students about their knowledge of conflict in the Middle East on May 21, 2024, but the students refused to be provoked and declined to engage.

    In May 2024, Gercher helped organise a joint rally at USyd with Zionist Group Together with Israel, a partner of far-right group Australian Jewish Association. Extreme Zionist Ofir Birenbaum, who was recently exposed as covertly filming staff at an inner city cafe, Cairo Takeaway, helped organise the rally.

    Students at the USyd encampment told MWM  that they experienced provocative behaviour towards them during the May rally.

    Opposition to StandWithUs
    Those who oppose the SWU campus events draw on international findings condemning Israel and its IDF, explained in similar letters to university leaders.

    After the USyd event, those who signed a letter received a response from vice-chancellor Mark Scott.

    He explained, “We host a broad range of activities that reflect different perspectives — we recognise our role as a place for debate and disagreeing well, which includes tolerance of varied opinions.”

    His response ignored the concerns raised, which leaves this question: Why are organisations that reject all international and humanitarian legal findings, including ones of genocide and ethnic cleansing,

    being made to feel ‘safe and welcome’ when their critics risk misconduct proceedings?

    SWU CEO Michael Gencher went on the attack in the Jewish press:

    “We’re seeing a coordinated attempt to intimidate universities into silencing Israeli voices simply because they don’t conform to a radical political narrative.” He accused the academics of spreading “provable lies, dangerous rhetoric, and blatant hypocrisy.”

    SWU regards United Nations and other findings against Israel as false.

    Wendy Bacon is an investigative journalist who was professor of journalism at UTS. She worked for Fairfax, Channel Nine and SBS and has published in The Guardian, New Matilda, City Hub and Overland. She has a long history in promoting independent and alternative journalism. She is a long-term supporter of a peaceful BDS and the Greens.

    Yaakov Aharon is a Jewish-Australian living in Wollongong. He enjoys long walks on Wollongong Beach, unimpeded by Port Kembla smoke fumes and AUKUS submarines. This article was first published by Michael West Media and is republished with permission of the authors.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 139

    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.
    SEL9

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 139
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    650 PM EDT Mon Apr 14 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Northern and Central Virginia
    Eastern West Virginia

    * Effective this Monday night and Tuesday morning from 650 PM
    until 100 AM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…Supercells will continue to move eastward this evening
    while posing a threat for large to very large hail up to 1-2 inches
    in diameter. Scattered damaging winds with peak gusts of 60-70 mph
    will also be likely with any clusters that can form while also
    spreading quickly eastward.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 55
    statute miles north and south of a line from 35 miles northwest of
    Staunton VA to 35 miles north of Richmond VA. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).

    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 138…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    28045.

    …Gleason

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW9
    WW 139 SEVERE TSTM VA WV 142250Z – 150500Z
    AXIS..55 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    35NW SHD/STAUNTON VA/ – 35N RIC/RICHMOND VA/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM N/S /39ESE EKN – 30N RIC/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 28045.

    LAT…LON 39417936 38807731 37217731 37837936

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU9.

    Watch 139 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

    Mod (50%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (30%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (90%)

    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 –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Xi calls for deepening building of China-Vietnam community with a shared future

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

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    HANOI, April 14 — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, on Monday called for deepening the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    Xi made the remarks when meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam during his state visit to Vietnam.

    Xi pointed out that he was very pleased to pay a state visit to Vietnam and realize the first round of mutual visits with General Secretary To Lam.

    This year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPV, the 80th anniversary of the founding of Vietnam and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South, he said, extending warm congratulations to Vietnam on behalf of the CPC and the Chinese government.

    China will, as always, support Vietnam in taking a socialist path that suits its national conditions, successfully holding the 14th National Congress of the CPV in 2026, and its steadfast pursuit of realizing the two goals set for the centenary of the party and the country.

    This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Vietnam, as well as the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, said Xi, stressing that over the past 75 years, regardless of changes in the international landscape, China and Vietnam have supported each other in the struggle for national independence and liberation, advanced side by side in the cause of socialist development, and forged ahead in their respective modernization endeavors, setting an example of solidarity and cooperation between socialist countries.

    Facing the changing and turbulent world, China and Vietnam have stayed committed to peaceful development and deepened their friendly cooperation, bringing much-needed stability and certainty to the world, Xi said.

    Standing at a new historical starting point, the two sides should build on past achievements, forge ahead together and carry forward the profound traditional friendship featuring “camaraderie plus brotherhood,” said Xi.

    Guided by the overall goals of achieving higher political mutual trust, more solid security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, stronger public support, closer multilateral coordination and better management and resolution of differences, the two countries should work to advance their comprehensive strategic cooperation with high quality, ensure steady and sustained progress in building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and contribute even more to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

    Building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future carries great global significance, Xi said, noting that as the two countries jointly pursue peaceful development, their combined population of over 1.5 billion is jointly advancing toward modernization, which will contribute to regional and global peace and stability while promoting common development.

    Both countries are committed to opening up and have played a constructive role in maintaining the stability and smooth operation of regional industrial and supply chains, as well as contributing to the advancement of economic globalization, Xi said.

    A small boat with a lone sail cannot withstand rough seas, Xi said, noting that only by working together in the same boat can they ensure stability and long-term progress.

    He noted that both China and Vietnam are beneficiaries of economic globalization, and the two sides should strengthen strategic resolve, jointly oppose unilateralism and bullying practices, and work together to uphold the global free trade system and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains.

    Xi proposed six measures to deepen the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    First, enhance strategic mutual trust at a higher level.

    Leaders of the two parties and countries should communicate with each other as relatives, Xi said, noting the two sides should give full play to the role of channels including inter-party, legislative bodies and political consultative organizations, deepen the exchange of experience in governance, and improve the leadership of the two parties in promoting national modernization.

    Second, build a stronger security barrier.

    The two sides should set the “3+3” strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security between the two countries at the ministerial level to enhance strategic coordination.

    It is necessary to give full play to the role of defense and law enforcement security cooperation mechanisms, resolutely tackle online gambling, telecom fraud and other cross-border crimes, strengthen bilateral and multilateral law enforcement and judicial cooperation, especially within the framework of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, so as to safeguard people’s lives and property and uphold regional peace and stability.

    Third, expand higher quality mutually beneficial cooperation.

    Seize the major opportunities of China’s new quality productive forces and Vietnam’s new productive forces to accelerate the formation of practical cooperation between the two countries. Realize the comprehensive connection of standard-gauge railways, highways, and smart ports at an early date. Promote high-tech cooperation such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. China’s mega market is always open to Vietnam, and the country welcomes more high-quality Vietnamese products. China encourages its companies to invest in Vietnam and hopes that Vietnam will create a more fair and friendly business environment.

    Fourth, tighten the bonds of people-to-people ties.

    China and Vietnam should take the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity and organize more people-oriented exchange activities, and enhance cooperation in tourism, culture, media, public health and other fields.

    The two sides should continue to explore resources of revolutionary heritage and promote stories of friendship. In the next three years, China will invite Vietnamese youth to China for “Red Study Tours,” which will help the younger generation of both countries better understand the hard-won nature of the socialist countries and the great value of China-Vietnam good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation, and will cultivate greater vitality for the development of bilateral relations and the respective national development endeavors.

    Fifth, conduct closer multilateral coordination.

    China and Vietnam should jointly uphold the outcomes of World War II, firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, promote a more equal and orderly multi-polar world and an economic globalization that is more inclusive and beneficial for all, and enhance cooperation under the frameworks of the three major global initiatives.

    China will stay committed to the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and to the policy of pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors. It will deepen friendly cooperation with neighboring countries so that the fruits of Chinese modernization can better benefit the region.

    Sixth, achieve more positive maritime interaction.

    The two countries should earnestly implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, properly manage maritime issues, expand maritime cooperation, demonstrate resolve in launching joint development, and work toward the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

    For his part, To Lam extended a warm welcome to Xi on his state visit to Vietnam, which took place on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He said that Xi is not only an outstanding leader of the Chinese people but also a great friend of the Vietnamese people.

    Xi’s choice to make Vietnam his first overseas destination this year fully reflects the importance he attaches to China-Vietnam relations and his support for Vietnam, the Vietnamese leader said. This visit will mark a new milestone in the history of friendly exchanges between the two parties and countries, further advancing the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, he added.

    Under Xi’s strong leadership, To Lam noted, China has achieved historic accomplishments in advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics, made comprehensive progress in its path to modernization, and witnessed rapid development of new quality productive forces. With China’s international stature on the rise, Vietnam extends its congratulations and expresses gratitude for China’s long-standing support and assistance, he said.

    Emphasizing that both Vietnam and China are socialist countries under the leadership of a communist party, To Lam said that developing relations with China is an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority for Vietnam. Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy, supports China’s efforts toward national reunification, and resolutely opposes any separatist actions aimed at “Taiwan independence,” he said.

    Advancing Vietnam-China relations, To Lam noted, is in the fundamental interest of both peoples and conforms with the trend of the times. Vietnam looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges between the two parties and countries, enhancing exchanges on governance experience, deepening strategic security cooperation, and continually consolidating political mutual trust; further elevating bilateral cooperation by creating new highlights in areas such as trade, science and technology, infrastructure and environmental protection; and promoting people-to-people exchanges, encouraging local and youth interactions, and enhancing tourism cooperation to nurture closer bonds between the peoples, he said.

    Vietnam supports the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and the three major global initiatives proposed by Xi, To Lam said. Vietnam lauds the vision set forth during the CPC’s central conference on work related to neighboring countries, which envisions building a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home with neighboring countries and insists on fostering friendly, mutually beneficial and prosperous relationships, he said.

    Vietnam is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, uphold multilateralism and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, safeguard international trade rules, abide by the agreements signed by both sides, and jointly make greater contributions to world peace and human progress, To Lam said, adding that Vietnam is also willing to properly address maritime differences with China to ensure maritime stability.

    Before the talks, To Lam invited Xi to a small-group chat over tea. The two general secretaries exchanged views on party building and national governance. Xi stressed that party building is crucial to the destiny of the party and the country, and that the party’s work style bears on whether it can win public support. The CPC Central Committee has decided to carry out an in-depth campaign throughout the party this year to learn and implement the spirit of the eight-point decision on improving work conduct. This is intended to secure new achievements in work style transformation to further support comprehensive reform and advance modernization. Both general secretaries agreed to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, and pursue progress in socialist development.

    After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the display of 45 bilateral cooperation documents signed by China and Vietnam. These documents cover areas including connectivity, artificial intelligence, customs inspection and quarantine, agricultural trade, culture and sports, public welfare, human resource development, media, and more.

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, invites Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, to a small chat over tea before their talks at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, and To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, witness the display of 45 bilateral cooperation documents signed by the two sides after their talks in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. Xi held talks with To Lam at the CPV Central Committee headquarters on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – CBA warns small business customers to be extra vigilant this Easter: SMEs step up battle against scams – CBA

    Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

    More businesses are taking proactive steps to protect themselves from scams but criminals are likely to ramp up their activity over Easter.

    A new survey commissioned by CommBank shows the vast majority of small to medium business owners and senior managers (84 per cent) are either taking action to protect their business from scams or planning to do so, after more than one third (36 per cent) reported having experienced a scam at least once since starting their business.

    CommBank Executive General Manager Small Business Banking, Rebecca Warren, said it’s encouraging to see more businesses take steps to protect themselves against scams.

    “We know running a small business involves wearing many hats, and it often means you’re incredibly busy with not much time to spare. As a result, business owners may be less likely to spot some of the red flags, which can make them vulnerable to scams,” Ms Warren said.

    Steps SMEs have taken to combat scams include checking bank accounts and invoices more regularly and thoroughly (58 per cent), upgrading software (50 per cent), providing additional training for staff (30 per cent) and engaging third-party suppliers such as security consultants (25 per cent).

    Ms Warren said there is often a spike in scam events during busy holiday periods, calling for extra caution during the upcoming Easter break.

    “While we have seen a 70 per cent reduction in customer scam losses across the bank over the past two years, scammers recognise business owners or key staff are often on holiday at this time of year and this affords them more opportunity combined with less chance of being caught,” Ms Warren said.

    “It’s important to keep up with the trends as scams are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, particularly with AI use being so prevalent.

    “Small businesses are often affected by the same scam types as individual Australians such as phishing, investment scams, and romance scams. However, the primary scam type that impacts businesses of all sizes is the business email compromise scam.

    Business email compromise scams involve obtaining unauthorised access to an email account for the purpose of intercepting and redirecting payment requests.

    For example, a business will receive an email that appears to be from someone they know such as an employee, member of senior management, supplier, customer, or service provider. It will request a change of beneficiary account details for a new or upcoming payment, often including an altered invoice.

    With scammers now leveraging AI to create highly sophisticated and convincing communications, making it even harder to identify fraudulent activity, Ms Warren said it is more crucial than ever to upskill on cyber safety and scams awareness.

    “The more business owners and their staff are aware of the risks, the more likely they’ll be able to spot red flags. People truly are the first line of defence, and it’s encouraging to see scams protection is top of mind for so many business owners.

    “Awareness, combined with robust processes and technology, will significantly reduce risk for hard-working Aussie small business owners,” Ms Warren added.

    Tips to protect your small business from scams

    According to Ms Warren, there are three main parts to ensuring a business is protected from scams and fraudulent activity – people, processes and technology.

    People: at CBA we have seen customer scam losses decrease by 70 per cent over two years, and we know that knowing what to look out for is an important defence against fraud and scams. People are truly the first line of defence, which is why education and scams awareness is key.
    Processes: call your supplier on a verified/trusted number before making an invoice payment to a new supplier or in situations where existing suppliers are updating their banking details.  It is really important to make sure at least two people sign off any payments or changes in beneficiary details as this will significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to a payment redirection scam.
    Technology: installing and regularly updating antivirus programs and applying multi-factor authentication for your business applications like email, and accounting software will provide a much-needed third layer of defence.

    “Small business owners and their staff can sign up for a free Cyber Wardens course, which was created in partnership between CommBank, Telstra and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) and designed to upskill Australian businesses in cyber safety,” Ms Warren added.

    “They have launched an updated course with a focus on AI, given scammers and cyber criminals increasingly use this technology to target unsuspecting Australians.”

    How CommBank protects your business

    Helping customers stay safe by improving early detection and prevention of scams is among our highest priorities, and we continue to work hard to make Australian small businesses more resilient to scams.

    We are focused on delivering initiatives that help customers stay safe by improving early detection and prevention of scams, such as NameCheck, CallerCheck and CustomerCheck, as well as progressive advances in our cyber protections.

    If something goes wrong and you suspect you’ve been scammed, contact your bank and law enforcement immediately.

    For more on how CommBank protects your business, visit commbank.com.au/business/security

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: AMD Achieves First TSMC N2 Product Silicon Milestone

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    — Next-generation AMD EPYC CPU, codenamed “Venice,” is the first HPC product to be brought up on TSMC’s next-generation N2 node —

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today announced its next-generation AMD EPYC™ processor, codenamed “Venice,” is the first HPC product in the industry to be taped out and brought up on the TSMC advanced 2nm (N2) process technology. This highlights the strength of AMD and TSMC semiconductor manufacturing partnership to co-optimize new design architectures with leading-edge process technology. It also marks a major step forward in the execution of the AMD data center CPU roadmap, with “Venice” on track to launch next year. AMD also announced the successful bring up and validation of its 5th Gen AMD EPYC™ CPU products at TSMC’s new fabrication facility in Arizona, underscoring its commitment to U.S. manufacturing.

    “TSMC has been a key partner for many years and our deep collaboration with their R&D and manufacturing teams has enabled AMD to consistently deliver leadership products that push the limits of high-performance computing,” said Dr. Lisa Su, chair and CEO, AMD. “Being a lead HPC customer for TSMC’s N2 process and for TSMC Arizona Fab 21 are great examples of how we are working closely together to drive innovation and deliver the advanced technologies that will power the future of computing.”

    “We are proud to have AMD be a lead HPC customer for our advanced 2nm (N2) process technology and TSMC Arizona fab,” said TSMC Chairman and CEO Dr. C.C. Wei. “By working together, we are driving significant technology scaling resulting in better performance, power efficiency and yields for high-performance silicon. We look forward to continuing to work closely with AMD to enable the next era of computing.”

    Supporting Resources

    About AMD
    For more than 50 years AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing, graphics and visualization technologies. Billions of people, leading Fortune 500 businesses and cutting-edge scientific research institutions around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live, work and play. AMD employees are focused on building leadership high-performance and adaptive products that push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information about how AMD is enabling today and inspiring tomorrow, visit the AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) website, blog, LinkedIn and X pages. 

    Cautionary Statement
    This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) such as AMD’s partnership with TSMC; next-generation AMD EPYC™ processors to be taped out and brought up on the TSMC advanced 2nm process technology and being on track to launch next year; AMD’s data center CPU roadmap; and 5th Gen AMD EPYC™ CPU products being planned for shipment later this year, which are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are commonly identified by words such as “would,” “may,” “expects,” “believes,” “plans,” “intends,” “projects” and other terms with similar meaning. Investors are cautioned that the forward-looking statements in this press release are based on current beliefs, assumptions and expectations, speak only as of the date of this press release and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Such statements are subject to certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond AMD’s control, that could cause actual results and other future events to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. Material factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, without limitation, the following: Intel Corporation’s dominance of the microprocessor market and its aggressive business practices; Nvidia’s dominance in the graphics processing unit market and its aggressive business practices; competitive markets in which AMD’s products are sold; the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry; market conditions of the industries in which AMD products are sold; AMD’s ability to introduce products on a timely basis with expected features and performance levels; loss of a significant customer; economic and market uncertainty; quarterly and seasonal sales patterns; AMD’s ability to adequately protect its technology or other intellectual property; unfavorable currency exchange rate fluctuations; ability of third party manufacturers to manufacture AMD’s products on a timely basis in sufficient quantities and using competitive technologies; availability of essential equipment, materials, substrates or manufacturing processes; ability to achieve expected manufacturing yields for AMD’s products; AMD’s ability to generate revenue from its semi-custom SoC products; potential security vulnerabilities; potential security incidents including IT outages, data loss, data breaches and cyberattacks; uncertainties involving the ordering and shipment of AMD’s products; AMD’s reliance on third-party intellectual property to design and introduce new products; AMD’s reliance on third-party companies for design, manufacture and supply of motherboards, software, memory and other computer platform components; AMD’s reliance on Microsoft and other software vendors’ support to design and develop software to run on AMD’s products; AMD’s reliance on third-party distributors and add-in-board partners; impact of modification or interruption of AMD’s internal business processes and information systems; compatibility of AMD’s products with some or all industry-standard software and hardware; costs related to defective products; efficiency of AMD’s supply chain; AMD’s ability to rely on third party supply-chain logistics functions; AMD’s ability to effectively control sales of its products on the gray market; long-term impact of climate change on AMD’s business; impact of government actions and regulations such as export regulations, tariffs and trade protection measures; AMD’s ability to realize its deferred tax assets; potential tax liabilities; current and future claims and litigation; impact of environmental laws, conflict minerals related provisions and other laws or regulations; evolving expectations from governments, investors, customers and other stakeholders regarding corporate responsibility matters; issues related to the responsible use of AI; restrictions imposed by agreements governing AMD’s notes, the guarantees of Xilinx’s notes and the revolving credit agreement; impact of acquisitions, joint ventures and/or strategic investments on AMD’s business and AMD’s ability to integrate acquired businesses, such as ZT Systems; impact of any impairment of the combined company’s assets; political, legal and economic risks and natural disasters; future impairments of technology license purchases; AMD’s ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; and AMD’s stock price volatility. Investors are urged to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in AMD’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to AMD’s most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q.

    AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, EPYC and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ad5a4173-91fc-43cf-9833-8feeea9330e1

    The MIL Network –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada is lagging in innovation, and that’s a problem for funding the programs we care about

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Andrew Maxwell, Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Canada

    As Canadians prepare to vote in another federal election, the country’s economy faces a sobering reality. As the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) notes, productivity is stagnating, our innovation performance lags global peers and high-potential startups often fail to scale.

    Despite these warning signs, innovation policy remains largely absent from political discourse. Canadians hear a great deal about how political parties are going to spend money, but little about where the money is going to come from.

    This is a critical oversight. Canada’s enduring productivity gap is more than an economic statistic — it’s why the country is struggling to sustain the social programs, such as health care and education, that Canadians value.

    If Canadians want to maintain their standard of living, Canada must close that gap through a more deliberate, strategic approach to innovation.

    Innovation is economic strategy

    In today’s knowledge-based economy, as business executive and innovator Jim Balsillie observes, power flows to countries that own digital data and their “value-added applications” (like apps or platforms) and intellectual property.

    Countries like the United States, China and South Korea have embedded innovation into national strategy, investing in sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), clean technology and biotech to drive growth and resilience. Canada, by contrast, has taken a fragmented, reactive approach.

    Canada’s over-reliance on research and development (R&D) spending and patent counts has failed to translate into commercial success. According to the OECD, Canada ranks among the highest in public R&D investment but among the lowest in innovation outcomes such as productivity growth and technology adoption.

    Canada also often conflates research with innovation. While both are vital, innovation is about turning knowledge into use through deployment, adoption, commercialization and scaling. Much of today’s transformative innovation, particularly in AI and software, depends on the transfer of tacit knowledge (related to things like user insights, execution experience and expertise in a particular domain) not just codified knowledge (for example, patents, technical drawings and licenses).

    Why innovation policy fails

    Governments struggle with innovation because it defies conventional policymaking:

    • It requires failure tolerance. Innovation is iterative. But political systems fear failure.

    • It demands long-term vision. Results may take years, beyond typical electoral cycles.

    • It’s technically complex. Few policymakers have deep expertise in emerging technologies or understand the research and development process.

    • It’s often misunderstood. Funding research is not the same as building innovation capacity or developing innovation processes.

    • It’s hard to quantify. Quantifying innovation outcomes is complex and challenging to measure, making it also difficult to measure return.

    As economist and innovation policy expert Mariana Mazzucato argued in The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths, innovation success depends on bold missions, cross-sector collaboration and a willingness to learn from failure. Canada’s current model lacks these ingredients.

    Breaking the cycle of failure

    To break this cycle, Canada needs a non-partisan national innovation institution — an agency empowered to advise on strategy, evaluate outcomes and embed technical expertise into policy at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.

    Models like DARPA from the U.S., Vinnova from Sweden and the Israel Innovation Authority show how long-term, high-impact innovation can be achieved with the right institutional scaffolding and appropriate knowledge.

    Video about Vinnova, Sweden’s national innovation agency.

    Canadians have created a number of innovation organizations with national implications, such as the Council of Canadian Academies, the CD Howe Institute, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity (ICP), which closed in 2019.

    Yet none have been national organizations that addressed the broad proposed mandate to explicitly advise governments on technology and policy strategy, evaluate innovation outcomes and embed technical expertise into recommendations.

    A non-partisan national innovation institution must:

    1. Track outcomes more than inputs. Innovation success can be measured by a number of project- or industry-specific outcomes, such as productivity, firm growth and export revenue. The ICP proposed measuring the “prosperity gap,” comparing innovation performance to peer jurisdictions.

    2. Support long-term strategic objectives, focusing on Canada’s strengths in critical areas like AI, clean technology, energy health-care technology, and leveraging expertise and experience in these and other areas.

    3. Embed technology experts alongside health-care and education experts in the decision-making process. Recruit scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to anticipate technology and market trends, guiding both implementation and policy development.

    4. Differentiate innovation from research. Support both, but recognize the differences and explicitly link innovation to adoption and new use cases.

    5. Promote value capture. Ensure Canadian firms and the country benefit from and retain control of key technologies that enable them to scale domestically.

    6. Recognize the inherent risks in innovation and the potential for failure. Evaluate and build on impact and learn from failure to enhance innovation processes and improve future outcomes.

    7. Align our educational institutions with innovation goals revising programs, creating more flexible learning options and enhancing entrepreneurship so that more research outcomes are commercialized.

    These steps aren’t hypothetical. They’re backed by evidence from countries that have succeeded in turning innovation into sustained economic performance.

    Why now?

    Canada’s economy is heavily dependent on resource exports and vulnerable to technological disruption. Meanwhile, the global AI and clean tech races are accelerating. Canada is at risk of falling further behind — not just economically, but geopolitically.

    But Canada also has strengths: world-class researchers, diverse entrepreneurial talent and global partnerships. What’s missing is a cohesive national strategy to harness this potential. Creating a non-partisan innovation institution would be a powerful first step.

    If Canadians want to provide revenue for governments decide how to fund education, health care and climate adaptation, they must grow their economy. And to do that, Canada needs smarter innovation policy.

    It’s time to stop celebrating activity and start rewarding outcomes. Let’s build the structures that allow Canadian ingenuity to thrive — not in theory, but in practice.

    Andrew Maxwell works for York University, but received no direct benefit from comments in this article. He receives funding from various research agencies for his work in the area, but none of which creates the potential for conflict. He is a member of the Academy of Management, the International Society for Professional Innovation Management and Professional Engineers Ontario..

    – ref. Canada is lagging in innovation, and that’s a problem for funding the programs we care about – https://theconversation.com/canada-is-lagging-in-innovation-and-thats-a-problem-for-funding-the-programs-we-care-about-254423

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: New study finds no evidence technology causes ‘digital dementia’ in older people

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nikki-Anne Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), UNSW Sydney

    RDNE Stock project/Pexels

    In the 21st century, digital technology has changed many aspects of our lives. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is the latest newcomer, with chatbots and other AI tools changing how we learn and creating considerable philosophical and legal challenges regarding what it means to “outsource thinking”.

    But the emergence of technology that changes the way we live is not a new issue. The change from analogue to digital technology began around the 1960s and this “digital revolution” is what brought us the internet. An entire generation of people who lived and worked through this evolution are now entering their early 80s.

    So what can we learn from them about the impact of technology on the ageing brain? A comprehensive new study from researchers at the University of Texas and Baylor University in the United States provides important answers.

    Manfred Spitzer first introduced the ‘digital dementia’ hypothesis in 2012.
    Marc Reichwein/Wikipedia

    Published today in Nature Human Behaviour, it found no supporting evidence for the “digital dementia” hypothesis. In fact, it found the use of computers, smartphones and the internet among people over 50 might actually be associated with lower rates of cognitive decline.

    What is ‘digital dementia’?

    Much has been written about the potential negative impact from technology on the human brain.

    According to the “digital dementia” hypothesis introduced by German neuroscientist and psychiatrist Manfred Spitzer in 2012, increased use of digital devices has resulted in an over-reliance on technology. In turn, this has weakened our overall cognitive ability.

    Three areas of concern regarding the use of technology have previously been noted:

    1. An increase in passive screen time. This refers to technology use which does not require significant thought or participation, such as watching TV or scrolling social media.

    2. Offloading cognitive abilities to technology, such as no longer memorising phone numbers because they are kept in our contact list.

    3. Increased susceptibility to distraction.

    Why is this new study important?

    We know technology can impact how our brain develops. But the effect of technology on how our brain ages is less understood.

    This new study by neuropsychologists Jared Benge and Michael Scullin is important because it examines the impact of technology on older people who have experienced significant changes in the way they use technology across their life.

    The new study performed what is known as a meta-analysis where the results of many previous studies are combined. The authors searched for studies examining technology use in people aged over 50 and examined the association with cognitive decline or dementia. They found 57 studies which included data from more than 411,000 adults. The included studies measured cognitive decline based on lower performance on cognitive tests or a diagnosis of dementia.

    The study found that technology use had a similarly positive effect on brain function as physical activity.
    l i g h t p o e t/shutterstock

    A reduced risk of cognitive decline

    Overall, the study found greater use of technology was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline. Statistical tests were used to determine the “odds” of having cognitive decline based on exposure to technology. An odds ratio under 1 indicates a reduced risk from exposure and the combined odds ratio in this study was 0.42. This means higher use of technology was associated with a 58% risk reduction for cognitive decline.

    This benefit was found even when the effect of other things known to contribute to cognitive decline, such as socioeconomic status and other health factors, were accounted for.

    Interestingly, the magnitude of the effect of technology use on brain function found in this study was similar or stronger than other known protective factors, such as physical activity (approximately a 35% risk reduction), or maintaining a healthy blood pressure (approximately a 13% risk reduction).

    However, it is important to understand that there are far more studies conducted over many years examining the benefits of managing blood pressure and increasing physical activty, and the mechanisms through which they help protect our brains are far more understood.

    It is also a lot easier to measure blood pressure than it is use of technology. A strength of this study is that it considered these difficulties by focusing on certain aspects of technology use but excluded others such as brain training games.

    These findings are encouraging. But we still can’t say technology use causes better cognitive function. More research is needed to see if these findings are replicated in different groups of people (especially those from low and middle income countries) who were underrepresented in this study, and to understand why this relationship might occur.

    A question of ‘how’ we use technology

    In reality, it’s simply not feasible to live in the world today without using some form of technology. Everything from paying bills to booking our next holiday is now almost completely done online. Maybe we should instead be thinking about how we use technology.

    Cognitively stimulating activities such as reading, learning a new language and playing music – particularly in early adulthood – can help protect our brains as we age.

    Greater engagement with technology across our lifespan may be a form of stimulating our memory and thinking, as we adapt to new software updates or learn how to use a new smartphone. It has been suggested this “technological reserve” may be good for our brains.

    Technology may also help us to stay socially connected, and help us stay independent for longer.

    Depending on how it’s used, technology can be highly stimulating for our brain.
    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    A rapidly changing digital world

    While findings from this study show it’s unlikely all digital technology is bad for us, the way we interact and rely on it is rapidly changing

    The impact of AI on the ageing brain will only become evident in future decades. However, our ability to adapt to historical technological innovations, and the potential for this to support cognitive function, suggests the future may not be all bad.

    For example, advances in brain-computer interfaces offer new hope for those experiencing the impact of neurological disease or disability.

    However, the potential downsides of technology are real, particularly for younger people, including poor mental health. Future research will help determine how we can capture the benefits of technology while limiting the potential for harm.

    Nikki-Anne Wilson has previously received funding from the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute and the Australian Association of Gerontology.

    – ref. New study finds no evidence technology causes ‘digital dementia’ in older people – https://theconversation.com/new-study-finds-no-evidence-technology-causes-digital-dementia-in-older-people-254392

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Applied Materials Announces a Strategic Investment in BE Semiconductor Industries

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Materials, Inc. today announced it has purchased 9 percent of the outstanding shares of the common stock of BE Semiconductor Industries N.V. (Besi), a leading manufacturer of assembly equipment for the semiconductor industry.

    Applied and Besi have been successfully collaborating since 2020, and recently extended their agreement, to co-develop the industry’s first fully integrated equipment solution for die-based hybrid bonding. Hybrid bonding is becoming a critical technology for advanced packaging of semiconductors as designers and manufacturers race to develop more energy-efficient chips. Hybrid bonding connects chips using direct copper-to-copper bonds, which increases density and shortens the lengths of interconnect wiring between chiplets, resulting in improved overall performance, power consumption and cost.

    “We view this as a strategic, long-term investment that demonstrates Applied Materials’ commitment to co-developing the industry’s most capable hybrid bonding solution, a technology that is becoming increasingly important to the advanced logic and memory chips at the foundation of AI,” said Terry Lee, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Heterogeneous Integration and Packaging at Applied Materials. “We look forward to furthering our collaboration with Besi and delivering innovative technology to our customers.”

    Applied Materials and Besi have co-developed an integrated hybrid bonding system, which has the full capabilities chipmakers need to take the technology to very high-volume manufacturing over the next several years. The system brings together Applied’s expertise in front-end wafer and chip processing with high levels of bonding accuracy and speed from Besi’s leading die placement, interconnect and assembly solutions.

    The investment was made through market-based transactions and is not subject to regulatory approvals. Applied does not intend to seek board representation at Besi, nor does it have plans to purchase additional shares of Besi common stock.

    About Applied Materials
    Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) is the leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. Our expertise in modifying materials at atomic levels and on an industrial scale enables customers to transform possibilities into reality. At Applied Materials, our innovations make possible a better future. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

    Applied Materials Contact:
    Ricky Gradwohl (editorial/media) 408.235.4676
    Liz Morali (financial community) 408.986.7977

    The MIL Network –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: ARB IOT Group Limited Secures Approximately USD53.0 Million Order for Supplying AI Servers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ARB IOT Group Limited (“ARB IOT” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ARBB) today announced that it has, through its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, ARB R1 Technology Sdn Bhd, successfully entered into a contract valued at approximately USD53.0 million to deliver cutting-edge AI data centre server solutions to Whizzl Group. This agreement represents a major step forward in advancing AI infrastructure capabilities for the AI industry in Malaysia.

    Under the terms of the agreement, ARB IOT will supply its state-of-the-art ARB-222 AI servers (“AI Products”) to provide high-performance AI-driven data centre solutions to meet the complex demands of modern data-intensive operations. The solution will empower the customer to accelerate AI model training, enable faster data processing, and unlock deeper insights across its operations.

    “This contract highlights our expertise in AI infrastructure and our commitment to delivering scalable, high-impact solutions,” said Dato’ Sri Liew Kok Leong, CEO of ARB IOT. “We are excited to support Whizzl Group in achieving their AI ambitions through robust, future-ready server technologies.”

    Securing this contract delivers significant strategic value to ARB IOT. It strengthens the Company’s revenue base, reinforces its credibility in delivering enterprise-scale AI infrastructure, and opens the door to further opportunities within the high-growth AI and data centre sectors. Additionally, it supports the Company’s long-term growth strategy by expanding its project portfolio, enhancing client references, and accelerating innovation through real-world deployment at scale.

    About ARB IOT Group Limited
    ARB IOT Group Limited is a provider of complete solutions to clients for the integration of Internet of Things (“IoT”) systems and devices from designing to project deployment. We offer a wide range of IoT systems as well as provide customers a substantial range of services such as system integration and system support service. We deliver holistic solutions with full turnkey deployment from designing, installation, testing, precommissioning, and commissioning of various IoT systems and devices as well as integration of automated systems, including installation of wire and wireless and mechatronic works.

    Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, such as statements regarding our estimated future results of operations and financial position, our strategy and plans, and our objectives or goals, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “should,” or “will” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Our actual results may differ materially or perhaps significantly from those discussed herein, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release, including, but not limited to, those that we discussed or referred to in the Company’s disclosure documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F as well as in our other reports filed or furnished from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forwardlooking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

    For further information, please contact:
    ARB IOT Group Limited
    Investor Relations Department
    Email: contact@arbiotgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: DGL Investments No. 1 Inc. Announces Proposed Qualifying Transaction with Rep Group Limited and Perspectives Productions Limited

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or for dissemination in the United States

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DGL Investments No. 1 Inc. (“DGL” or the “Company”) (TSXV: DGL.P) is pleased to announce details concerning a proposed arms-length “Qualifying Transaction” involving a business combination with two complimentary businesses named Rep Group Limited (“REP”) and Perspectives Productions Limited (“Perspectives” and collectively with REP, the “Targets”).

    Overview of the Targets

    REP is a privately-held corporation that was formed in June 2020 under the laws of England and Wales. Perspectives is in the process of becoming a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of REP Group and was formed in February 2024 under the laws of England and Wales. Each of the Targets’ head office is in Doncaster, Yorkshire, England.

    REP have developed a narrative therapy based self-care mental health and wellbeing app, that combined with their AI profiling system allows organisations to better engage with their workforce to develop and deliver tangible and measurable ‘social’ programmes that advance company culture and collective wellbeing.

    The REP corporate wellness app and service focuses on three key areas:

    –  Enabling individuals to feel empowered about managing their mental health and wellbeing.
    –  Equipping organisations with expert-led tools and data insights to lead a change in culture for sustainable positive wellbeing.
    –  Creating a workforce that is connected, performing, engaged and well.

    As an extension to REP’s offering, in June 2024 the company executed a collaboration with a National Health Service (‘NHS’) Trust in the United Kingdom, to assess and validate the system and services for healthcare sector deployment.

    Perspectives is a technology company that has developed an innovative production and OTT (‘Over-the-Top’) platform for the distribution of impactful stories related to mental health; transforming written stories captured by REP into bespoke and unique training and educational content to improve the understanding, knowledge and management of mental health in the workplace. The company has already developed the basic OTT platform and has applied for patent protection over its architecture.

    Summary of the proposed Transaction

    DGL has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent with each of the Targets dated April 10, 2025 (the “LOI”) pursuant to which DGL and the Targets intend to complete a business combination (the “Transaction”) to form a company (the “Resulting Issuer”) and pursuant to which the businesses of the Targets will become the business of the Resulting Issuer. The final structure of both the business combination and the capitalization of the Resulting Issuer is subject to receipt of tax, corporate and securities law advice for both DGL and the Targets.

    Pursuant to the LOI it is currently anticipated:

    1. the shareholders of DGL on completion of the proposed Transaction will cumulatively hold approximately 2,273,141 common shares of the Resulting Issuer and DGL will conduct a consolidation of its common shares at the required ratio to achieve the same;
    2. the Resulting Issuer will issue approximately 13,638,844 common shares of the Resulting Issuer (the “Resulting Issuer Shares”), proportionally to the current holders of the Targets’ common shares (the “Target Shares”) to acquire such Target Shares and each of the Targets will conduct a share split such that the Resulting Issuer Shares will be issued on a 1:1 basis;
    3. either DGL, REP or Perspectives will conduct a financing (on a post share split or post consolidation basis as applicable) to close prior to or concurrent with the closing of the Transaction, for aggregate gross proceeds of not less than GBP£1,000,000 (approximately CAD$1,800,000) at a price commensurate with market conditions (the “Financing”).

    Further, pursuant to the LOI, it is a condition precedent for the parties to enter into a definitive agreement that commitments for the minimum amount of the Financing must be received prior to June 30, 2025.

    The Resulting Issuer Shares will be issued at a price per share equivalent to the closing price of the common shares of DGL on the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange”) on April 11, 2025, adjusted to take account of any required consolidation of the common shares of DGL required to facilitate the proposed Transaction.

    It is intended that the proposed Transaction, when completed, will constitute DGL’s “Qualifying Transaction” (“QT”) in accordance with Policy 2.4 – Capital Pool Companies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange”) Corporate Finance Policies. A comprehensive news release will be issued by DGL disclosing details of the proposed Transaction, including the proposed capital structure of the Resulting Issuer, financial information respecting the Targets, the names and backgrounds of all persons who will constitute insiders of the Resulting Issuer, and information respecting sponsorship, once a definitive agreement has been executed and certain conditions have been met, including satisfactory completion of due diligence.

    It is not expected that shareholder approval will be required with respect to the proposed Transaction under the rules of the Exchange applicable to capital pool companies, because the proposed Transaction does not constitute a “Non-Arm’s Length Qualifying Transaction” pursuant to the Policy 2.4 of the Exchange.

    In addition, the structure of the proposed Transaction is being finalized, and based on the final structure as reflected in the definitive agreement, shareholder approval of certain ancillary matters, including any consolidation or share split and any proposed change of name may be required.

    Trading in the common shares of DGL has been halted and is not expected to resume until the proposed Transaction is completed or until the Exchange receives the requisite documentation to resume trading.

    It is expected that upon completion of the proposed Transaction, the Resulting Issuer, will be renamed to a name mutually agreeable to DGL and the Targets and will be listed as a Tier 2 Technology Issuer on the Exchange.

    For further information, please contact:

    Gurpreet S. Sangha,
    President and CEO
    Telephone: 778-245-2282
    Email: gsangha2x4@hotmail.com

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

    Forward Looking Information

    Statements in this press release regarding DGL’s business which are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties, such as terms and completion of the proposed Transaction. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

    Completion of the proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to completion of the Financing, execution of a binding definitive agreement relating to the proposed Transaction, Exchange acceptance and if applicable pursuant to Exchange requirements or the requirements of applicable securities law, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the proposed Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

    Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

    The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

    The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    The MIL Network –

    April 15, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Denali Capital Acquisition Corp. Announces Shareholder Approval of Extension of Deadline to Complete Business Combination

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NEW YORK, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Denali Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ:DECA) (the “Company“) announced today that on April 11, 2025, the Company’s shareholders voted in favor of approving amendments to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (the “Articles“) to extend the date by which the Company must consummate an initial business combination from April 11, 2025 to December 11, 2025 by electing to extend the date to consummate an initial business combination on a monthly basis for up to eight times by an additional one month each time (the “Extension“).

    The Company also announced today that on April 11, 2025, the Company deposited into the Company’s trust account (the “Trust Account”) $874.78, representing the $0.02 per public share issued and outstanding that were not delivered for redemption in connection with the extraordinary general meeting. This deposit was funded via the Company’s existing convertible promissory note with a principal amount of up to $180,000 issued by the Company to Scilex Holding Company (Nasdaq: SCLX, “Scilex”), which bears no interest and is repayable on the earlier of the effective date of the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination or the date of the liquidation of the Company. Upon the closing of a business combination, the note is convertible, at Scilex’s discretion, into the Company’s Class A ordinary shares at a conversion price of $10.00 per share. Any future drawdowns of the remaining $ principal amount available under the convertible promissory note are expected to fund future one-month extensions as necessary to provide additional time for the Company to complete a business combination.

    A Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing the full voting results will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

    About the Company
    Denali Capital Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.

    Participants in the Solicitation
    The Company, its directors and executive officers and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s shareholders in respect of the Extension. Information regarding the Company’s directors and executive officers is available in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests are contained in the definitive proxy statement relating to the Shareholder Meeting (the “Definitive Proxy Statement“).

    No Offer or Solicitation
    This communication shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities. This communication shall also not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.

    Additional Information and Where to Find it
    On March 27, 2025, the company filed the Definitive Proxy Statement with the SEC in connection with its solicitation of proxies for the Shareholder Meeting. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THE COMPANY FILES WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Definitive Proxy Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto) and other documents filed with the SEC through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to the Company’s proxy solicitor, Advantage Proxy, Inc., at P.O. Box 10904 Yakima, WA 98909, Toll-Free (877) 870-8565 or Collect (206) 870-8565, Email: ksmith@advantageproxy.com

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release includes forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, risks and changes in circumstances, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

    The MIL Network –

    April 15, 2025
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